A total of 141 students at DeKalb County High School will receive their diplomas during graduation exercises Friday, May 19 at 7:00 p.m. on the high school football field.
Author Archive: Dwayne Page
Voter Registration Deadline Approaching for Smithville Election
The registration deadline is approaching for those who want to vote in the Smithville Municipal Election.
Voter registration in person must be done by May 19th or postmarked by May 21st if done by mail.
Meanwhile, early voting for the Smithville Municipal Election will be May 31st through June 15th at the courthouse. Hours have not been set.
Election day is Tuesday, June 20 at the courthouse from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
A Mayor and two Aldermen will be elected.
The candidates for Mayor are Taft Hendrixson and Jerry Hutchins’, Sr.
Those in the race for Aldermen are Cecil Burger, Jackie Rigsby, Alford Webber, and Steve White.
F.L. Rich
Rich
86 year old F.L. Rich of Woodbury died Sunday at his home of an extended illness. He was a Baptist minister for 67 years and a carpenter. The funeral will be Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Woodbury Funeral Home. Thurman Seber and Bobby Nichols will officiate and burial will be in Riverside Gardens. Visitation will be Monday from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Tuesday until the time of the service. He was preceded in death by his parents, Emer and Callie Grizzle Rich and two brothers, Medford and Dillion Rich. Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Christine Bryson Rich of Woodbury. Five sons and daughters-in-law, Thomas and Mary Rich of Marietta Georgia, Donald and Ella Rich of Smithville. Robert and Wanda Rich of McMinnville, Jerry and Nell Rich of Knoxville, and Larry and Joan Rich of Woodbury. Ten grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and one great great grandson also survive. Woodbury Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
S.B. Griffith
71 year old S.B. Griffith, a resident of Madison and a native of Smithville, died Sunday at his daughter’s residence of an extended illness. He was a retired construction worker. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Mike Clayborn will officiate and burial will be in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Monday from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 2:00 p.m. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Virgil Braswell Griffith; two sons, James and Jimmy Griffith; and a daughter, Marie McBride. Survivors include five children, Charles and his wife Phyllis Griffith of Alexandria, Deborah Page and Maurice Griffith of Smithville, Teresa Griffith and Melissa Culwell of Nashville. Fourteen grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren. Long-time companion, Sue Spears of Madison. Special friends, Douglas and Kathy Neal and L.W. Neal of Smithville. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. The family requests that donations be made in lieu of flowers to DeKalb Funeral Chapel to help with funeral expenses.
Linda Gail Curtis
57 year old Linda Gail Curtis of Smithville died Sunday of an extended illness at her son’s residence. She was a member of the Whorton Springs Baptist Church and self employed with Home and Garden Party. The funeral will be Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. at DeKalb Funeral Chapel. Jerry Harwell and David Mahan will officiate and burial will be in Whorton Springs Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 1:00 p.m. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Marjorie Caldwell Thweatt and her husband, Joe Larry Curtis. Survivors include a son, Mark and his wife Benita Byars of Smithville. A step-son, Roger Curtis of McMinnville. A foster-son, Billy Bogle of Smithvile. A sister, Cecil Kier of Las Vegas, Nevada. Five grandchildren, Cody Byars, Courtney Byars, and Jodi Curtis all of Smithville, and Caitlyn and Cierra Parsons of Reno, Nevada. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Willie B. Morgan
93 year old Mrs. Willie B. Morgan of the Lucky Community of Warren County died Saturday at her residence. She was born in DeKalb County to the late Rufus and Lora Robinson. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Herbert Pedigo and her second husband, Frank Morgan; sisters, Alta Mae Robinson and Elizabeth Robinson; and brothers, Howard, Paul, Frank, and Alfred Robinson. The funeral will be Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at McMinnville Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in the Bonham Cemetery in DeKalb County. The family will receive friends on Monday from noon until 9:00 p.m. and Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at McMinnville Funeral Home. A homemaker and a Methodist, she is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Hattie and John K. Jones of McMinnville. A brother and sister-in-law, Charles Huston and Millie Robinson of Richmond, Virginia. Grandchildren and their spouses, Jan and Reed Wade of Knoxville and Dwight and Tammy Jones of McMinnville. A sister-in-law, Jo Ann Robinson of Smithville. Two great grandchildren, Lane and Jake Jones also survive. McMinnville Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Judge Sells Wins Close Election District-Wide
Judge Sells Wins Close Election District-Wide
Criminal Court Judge Lillie Ann Sells, by only a few hundred votes, apparently defeated Edwin Sadler district-wide in Tuesday’s primary election
Counties in the 13th Judicial District include DeKalb, Putnam, Overton, White, Pickett, Cumberland and Clay.
Unofficial vote totals in those counties showed Sells the winner of the primary with 10,737 votes and Sadler with 10,221 votes.
Sells defeated Sadler in DeKalb County, 1,412 to 1071. In Overton County, Sells had 2,317 votes, and Sadler had 1,455 votes. In Cumberland County, Sells got 1,403 votes, and Sadler had 1,030 votes. In White County, Sells had 2,380 votes, and Sadler had 1,593 votes. In Pickett County, 52 voted for Sells, and 36 voted for Sadler
Sadler carried Putnam County with 5,036 votes, to Sells’ 3,173 votes.
Reportedly, the Clay County Election Commission did not have a primary election
Sells will face Independent candidate David Patterson in the August 3rd General Election.
Sheriff Emmons Loses Bid For Re-election In Primary Race
DeKalb County Sheriff Lloyd Emmons lost his bid for re-election by 207 votes in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary falling to challenger Myron Rhody 1,754 (50%) to 1,547 (44%)
Rhody will face Republican nominee Patrick Ray for Sheriff in the August General Election. Emmons’ term expires August 31.
A total of 3,706 people voted in the primary including 3,639 who cast ballots in person (early voting and election day) and 67 by absentee.
Including the absentee votes cast from each precinct, Rhody won six of the sixteen precincts and carried the early vote. Rhody also had a majority of the absentees. Rhody carried Snow Hill, Middle School, Belk, Keltonburg, Blue Springs, and the Church of Christ Annex.
Emmons carried ten of the sixteen precincts including Alexandria, Temperance Hall, Edgar Evins State Park, Liberty, Dowelltown, Cherry Hill, Rock Castle, Courthouse, Johnson’s Chapel, and the Elementary School.
The other two candidates for Sheriff were David C. Redmon, who received 122 votes, and Randall Stanley who had 111 votes.
Early Voting Numbers For May Primary Down Compared To 2002
Early voting ended Thursday with a total of 1,378 people having cast ballots for the DeKalb County Democratic Primary, a low voter turnout compared to early voting for the May Primary (2,320) and the August General Election (1,660) four years ago.
Lisa Peterson, Administrator of Elections, says 320 people voted by personal appearance and three by mail on Thursday for the best turnout of any day during the thirteen day early voting period.
A total of 1,321 voted by personal appearance and 57 by mail.
DeKalb County has 12,606 registered voters.
The following are the numbers of persons from the various precincts who either voted by mail or who came to the courthouse to vote in person from April 12-27.
Alexandria- 31
Temperance Hall- 12
Edgar Evins State Park-1
Liberty- 23
Dowelltown- 25
Snow Hill-81
Middle School-315
Cherry Hill-5
Rock Castle- 2
Courthouse- 227
Johnson’s Chapel- 8
Elementary School-186
Belk- 25
Keltonburg-87
Blue Springs-81
Church of Christ Annex- 269
During the May, 2002 DeKalb County Democratic Primary, 2,320 voted early and 3,502 cast ballots on election day for a total vote of 5,822.
However there were eleven more candidates on the ballot for county offices in May, 2002 than this year.
This ballot includes eleven candidates combined for the offices of Sheriff, County Mayor, Trustee, County Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, and Register of Deeds compared to twenty three candidates combined for the same offices in May, 2002. Only three of the races, Sheriff, County Mayor, and County Clerk, are contested this year and this is the second primary election in a row that Democrats have not had a candidate to run for Road Supervisor. Five of the six races for county offices were contested in May 2002.
There are twenty one candidates combined running for the fourteen seat county commission this May compared to twenty three county commission candidates in May, 2002. Contested county commission races this year are in the second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh districts. Four years ago, all district county commission races were contested except in the second and seventh districts.
This ballot has a slate of nine candidates combined for the DeKalb County General Sessions Court, Criminal Court, Circuit Court, Chancery Court, District Attorney General, and District Public Defender. Only one of these races is contested, Judge Lillie Ann Sells versus challenger Edwin Sadler for Criminal Court Judge Part II
The Judges, D.A., and Public Defender all serve eight year terms and were not on the ballot four years ago because they were in mid-term.
A total of 1,660 people voted early during the August, 2002 General Election/State Primary.
If you are an eligible voter and did not take advantage of early voting, you may vote on Tuesday, May 2 at your regular voting precinct. All sixteen polling places will be open Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
WJLE will have exclusive LIVE election return coverage from the courthouse starting at 7:00 p.m.
Relay For Life Set For May 12th
Plans are underway for the annual Relay For Life.
Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs of your American Cancer Society. During the event in DeKalb County, teams of people gather at Green Brook Park and take turns walking or running laps around the walking trail. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.
Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated.
The all night event begins Friday, May 12 at 5:00 p.m. at Green Brook Park featuring lots of food, fun, and entertainment. Local cancer survivors will be introduced at 6:00 p.m. and each one will give a testimony and mention how long they have battled and survived the illness. The introduction will be followed by a Cancer Survivors Walk around the trail.
Several teams specializing in various fun filled activities and many food booths will be set up throughout the park, all raising money for the event. And then at 9:00 p.m. a special luminaria ceremony will be held to remember those who have lost the fight against cancer as well as the survivors.
You may order a luminaria in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one today by calling Violet Fuson at 597-4483 or Ivadell Randolph at 597-5296.