A large number of first-time voters are expected to cast their ballot in the November Tennessee General Election.
The DeKalb County Election Commission office reported recently that 850 new registrations have been logged since January 1, with 387 of those since the August election.
“One in eight active voters registered for the first time this year or had their registration reactivated after they had been purged for lack of participation for a number of years,” said DeKalb County’s Administrator of Elections, Dennis Stanley. “That is a large number for a county this size and is an obvious reflection in the interest in this year’s presidential race.”
The registration deadline has passed and a recent count showed DeKalb County with 10,195 active voters. “There’s over 1,000 more voters who are labeled ‘inactive’ who could still show up and vote,” Stanley said.
A breakdown of the ‘active’ registrations show there are over 500 more females registered to vote than males and the largest age group is those between the ages of 36-65 at 5,153 voters.
Meanwhile, early voting begins Wednesday and local officials are expecting a heavy turnout during both early voting and election day.
“We have received numerous calls from people asking when Early Voting begins, so we expect to be busy during that early period and that’s a good thing,” Stanley said. “Early voting is so convenient and voters should take advantage of that opportunity.”
Early voting will be held October 19 through November 3. Hours are: Mondays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Thursdays 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Saturdays 9 a.m. to Noon.
“The local election commission always tries to set various times to accommodate the different segments of the population,” Stanley said. “They try to make it as easy as possible for a voter to find time to cast their ballot.”
Election Day is November 8 and polls open in DeKalb County at 8 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.

The high school graduation rate in DeKalb County increased by almost two percentage points to 97.58% for the 2015-16 year and it exceeded the state graduation rate by nine percentage points
The Tennessee Department of Education this week released the state and district graduation rates, some of which hit new highs under more rigorous criteria.
Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said the state graduation rate of 88.5 percent is the highest on record since the state changed to a more rigorous calculation of graduation rates in 2011.
The latest statewide graduation rate was up nearly a full percentage point since last year and overall has increased three percentage points since the state implemented the more rigorous calculations.
This year, nearly 60 percent of districts saw their graduation rates increase or stay the same when compared to last year’s rates.
“Our high school staff works extremely hard to keep our students on a successful path toward high school graduation. At the Central Office level, April Odom, works very hard also to keep us updated on student success. We want to thank our community, parents, teachers, and students for the hard work put forth to make this awesome graduation rate. It truly shows, working together, we can make such a positive difference,” said Lisa Cripps, Supervisor of Instruction for grades 7-12 in the DeKalb County School System.
The DeKalb County graduation rate for 2014-15 was at 95.8%
“Our schools and districts should be proud of the work they have done to support students on their journeys to and beyond high school graduation,” McQueen said. “High school graduation is a critical step in allowing students to embark on their chosen paths in life. However, as more Tennessee students are earning their diplomas, we must ensure that they are all leaving with the knowledge and skills to be successful in college and the workforce.”
Over the past few years, Tennessee has been raising expectations for both students and educators, and the state has seen significant gains as a result. These outcomes, including increases in graduation rates, are a testament to the work being done in schools across the state. The most notable gains and overall achievements are:
•12 districts improved their graduation rates by five percentage points or more. The districts with the most significant gains were Alvin C. York (18.1 percent), Tullahoma City (11.6 percent), Trenton Special School District (11.1 percent), and Grundy County (10 percent).
•95 districts—over 70 percent of the districts in the state—have graduation rates at or above 90 percent, up from 81 districts last year. Fentress County, Alcoa City, South Carroll Special School District, Milan Special School District, Meigs County, and Crockett County all had graduation rates at or above 99 percent.
•76 districts—roughly 60 percent of districts in the state—had graduation rates at or above 90 percent for both 2014-15 and 2015-16.
More information, such as graduation rates for individual subgroups, will be available on the State Report Card, which will be released later this fall.

DeKalb/Cannon County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Executive Director Donny Green wants to inform hay and pasture producers of a new important crop acreage reporting deadline. For crop year 2017, acreage reports for perennial forage (hay and pasture) must be filed by November 15, 2016. Acreage reports filed after the established deadline could require the producer to pay a late-filed fee.
In past years, crop acreage reports for hay and pasture had to be filed by July 15. However, the new Acreage/Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiatiave (ACRSI) has established a common USDA framework for acreage reporting dates to be used for all agencies.
In order to participate in most of the Farm Service Agency’s programs, complete and timely crop acreage reports must be filed for program approval and payment eligibility. “We realize that this change to the acreage reporting date for hay and pasture comes with very short notice. We only have about a month to get all of our hay and pasture producers certified and we are going to do our best to make sure everyone is aware of this change and the importance of getting hay and pasture crops certified before November 15, 2016”, says Green.
For questions regarding crop acreage reporting dates, please contact the DeKalb/Cannon County FSA office at 615-597-8225, extension 2.

After serving as manager of Edgar Evins State Park for the last year and a half, Jacob Young has left to become manager of Fall Creek Falls State Park.
Young took over there last week. He and his family will be living at the ranger residence in the park.
In a phone interview with WJLE Thursday, Young said he had not planned to leave Edgar Evins State Park, but the position at Fall Creek Falls was offered to him when it became available and he felt it was an opportunity he could not pass up. “I wasn’t looking to leave. I absolutely love Edgar Evins State Park and I love the area. The staff became like family very quickly. I had just gotten back into Smithville and had gotten involved in a lot of things. We were also about to build a house so we weren’t planning on leaving but this opportunity came up quickly about a month ago. My wife and I talked about it and prayed about it. We felt like it was a good thing for my career, the kids, and the family. It was just a hard thing to turn down so we made the decision to leave,” said Young.
As a Park 3 Manager, Young will have more responsibilities at Fall Creek Falls and he will be supervisor to more than 100 employees as opposed to 20 employees at Edgar Evins State Park. Young also plans to make a variety of park improvements, just as he did here. “Coming to Fall Creek Falls, it’s a similar situation to what I found at Edgar Evins. There is a huge backlog of maintenance and millions of dollars worth of things that need to be done, whether it be cabins, restaurant, Inn, Ranger residences, signage in the park, etc. We have a lot of beautiful buildings here and the grounds look great but some of it is just in need of repair. One of the big projects on my radar is trying to get the signage updated. We have three or four capital projects including replacing our park office, our check-in station, and we may be rebuilding the Inn and restaurant in years to come. Lots of buildings need to be painted and we’re working on that right now. We’ve already got contractors coming. This is a busy park and state parks over the last couple of years have exploded in tourist activity. This park was more than $500,000 over on projected revenue last year,” he said.
Young is also proud of the improvements made at Edgar Evins State Park while he was there and expects more to follow. “When I arrived there were some things that needed to be done. I really wasn’t there for a long time. We reclaimed some of the areas where we had not been mowing for a while. We repainted a lot of buildings and the tower. We fixed the boat docks and got furnishings for the cabins and the work is still continuing. A lot of money will be coming to continue that into the campground and the shelter area,” said Young.
Park Ranger Mark Taylor currently serves as interim manager at Edgar Evins State Park. “They could open it (position) to lateral transfer meaning another park manager may transfer in or they may interview. If they interview there are candidates at the park who would be really good picks so one of those guys in house may step up in the Park Manager 2 position,” said Young.
A new manager is expected to be named by mid November or the first of December.

The DeKalb County Clerk’s Office will be closed Saturday, October 15 due to computer maintenance by the Tennessee Department of Revenue.
In an email message to county clerks across the state, the state department recently reported that “ computer maintenance is required the weekend of October 15th for Department of Revenue systems. This process requires Legacy (3270) to go offline. Legacy (3270) will be unavailable Saturday, October 15th through Sunday, October 16th. This will affect operations for offices that are open on Saturdays. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause for your county”.
“When The Department Of Revenue shuts this system down it incapacitates the ability to process motor vehicle transactions. Due to this shutdown we will be closed Sat. Oct. 15, 2016,” said County Clerk James L. “Jimmy” Poss.

A woman charged in connection with the recent theft of guns, coins, jewelry and other items stolen from a houseboat at Pates Ford Marina was in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday, October 7.
Judge Gary McKenzie presided.
37 year old Sherry May Evans entered a plea by criminal information to theft over $500 and received a two year suspended sentence on judicial diversion probation. She must make restitution of $985 to the victim. The case against a co-defendant, 46 year old Ricky Lane Evans apparently remains pending in court.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Saturday, September 17 both Ricky and Sherry Evans allegedly took items from a houseboat at Pates Ford Marina including several silver coins, a Kel-Tec 9 millimeter rifle, a Smith & Wesson 380 handgun, a Winchester 410 shotgun, clothing, jewelry, a spotlight, candles and other items. The owner of the houseboat discovered the theft and reported it. The case was investigated by a detective and deputies of the Sheriff’s Department and as a result some of the stolen weapons and other items have been recovered. Sheriff Ray said that some of the silver coins and jewelry were recovered in a purse belonging to Sherry Evans.
54 year old Jackie Mark Mullican entered a plea by criminal information to possession of a weapon by a felon. He received a two year sentence on probation. The term is to run consecutive to a sentence against him in General Sessions Court. Sheriff Ray said that on Monday, September 12 while conducting a probation search on Mullican, a Sheriff’s Department Detective found in his right pants pocket a silver Jennings 380 caliber handgun with an altered serial number. A computer check revealed that the gun had been stolen and entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) by the Smithville Police Department. A criminal history was also conducted which showed that Mullican is a DeKalb County convicted felon charged in a 2008 schedule II drug offense.
46 year old Johnny D. Murphy entered a plea by criminal information to aggravated assault and two counts of theft over $500. He received a four year TDOC sentence in the assault case and one year in each of the other two offenses to run concurrently for a total of four years however the term has been suspended to probation. He is to make restitution to the victims in the case totaling $5,192. In the assault case, the charge against Murphy stated that on April 27, 2016, he caused bodily injury to a woman by strangulation. In one of the theft cases, Murphy is alleged to have stolen water services valued at $767 of the Smithville Water Department on May 23, 2016. In the other theft case, Murphy is alleged to have stolen a 1990 WW two-horse trailer valued at $1,200 on May 29, 2016.
33 year old Joseph Edge entered a plea by criminal information to aggravated burglary and aggravated assault and received a three year sentence in each case suspended to supervised probation. The terms are to run consecutive for a total of six years. He is under a restraining order to keep away from the victim and he must complete domestic violence counseling. Edge was given jail credit of 62 days. Edge is alleged to have entered the residence of his victim on August 4 without her consent with the intent to commit aggravated assault and then caused injury to her by strangulation.
29 year old Kristy Grandstaff entered a plea by criminal information to vandalism under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to good behavior probation. She must make restitution of $400. Grandstaff is alleged to have caused damaged to the window and window frame of the Smithville Housing Authority on August 13 valued at under $500.
Jeremy Claiborne entered a plea to driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days suspended to supervised probation except for 48 hours to serve and he was fined $360. He must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment.

A Lebanon man who claimed to have a t-shirt printing business and swindled hundreds of dollars from five local businesses and a member of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department in 2014 was sentenced Friday, October 7 in Criminal Court.
Judge Gary McKenzie presided.
59 year old Greg Keith Oxendine entered a plea by criminal information to six counts of misdemeanor theft and received a total sentence of three years, all suspended to supervised probation. He must make restitution to the victims in the case.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Oxendine’s crime spree locally took place in October, November, and December 2014 when he went to B&G Supply, Sue’s Taxidermy, Center Hill Nursery, Turtle’s Bar & Grill, AEI Recycling, and a member of the DeKalb County Fire Department and collectively swindled a total of $1,723.90 from them. In each case, Oxendine purported to have a printing business and took orders and down payments for caps, t-shirts, and hoodies but he never produced the merchandise and wouldn’t answer calls when the victims tried to contact him by phone.
Meanwhile, a Smithville man accused of threatening his wife with a knife in September 2015 was sentenced Friday. 39 year old Steven Anthony Nelson entered a plea to one count of aggravated assault and received a five year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation except for time served from January 12, 2016 to October 7, 2016. He is under a restraining order to keep away from the victim and he is to complete a drug treatment program at the Lighthouse. Sheriff Ray said that the incident occurred on September 19, 2015. According to a detective, Nelson’s wife said that at around 6:00 p.m. she and Nelson began arguing and that he grabbed and threw her to the ground. Nelson allegedly hit her several times while she was on the ground, tried to strangle her and then threatened her with a knife. After the assault, the woman left home and went to Mapco Express and got help.
A Dowelltown man, who suffered a non life threatening self inflicted gunshot wound last December, was in court Friday on a charge of unlawful possession of a weapon. 39 year old Christopher Gibbs entered a plea to the offense and received a sentence of two years, all suspended to supervised probation. He was given jail credit of fourteen days. Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 a Sheriff’s Department Detective responded to a residence on Sims Street in Dowelltown in reference to a self inflicted gunshot wound. The detective spoke with the victim, Gibbs who had a 22 caliber Marlin rifle in his possession. Gibbs had suffered a non life threatening self inflicted gunshot wound to his shoulder. He was treated at the scene by DeKalb EMS but refused transport to the hospital. A criminal background check revealed that Gibbs is a felon having been convicted of a schedule II drug offense.
43 year old Gerald Kier entered a plea by criminal information to one count of theft over $500 and received a sentence of two years, all suspended to supervised probation. He must make restitution of $1,452 to Walmart and he is under a restraining order to keep away from the store. According to Smithville Police, Kier and two other individuals entered Wal-Mart on Sunday, August 14 at approximately 1:00 a.m. and could be seen on video surveillance taking an estimated $3,794.12 in merchandise. They were arrested and found to be in possession of several stolen items from Wal-Mart including hunting bows, knives, and other various merchandise valued at over $500. The cases against the co-defendants, 34 year old Wayne Lattimore and 29 year old Brenda Lattimore apparently remain pending in court.
28 year old Amanda Nicole Wright entered a plea by criminal information to attempted possession with intent to sell (meth) and a second offense of driving under the influence. She received a six year term in the drug case and 11 months and 29 days for the DUI to run concurrently and all suspended to time served. She was fined $2,000 and given jail credit from August 7 to October 7. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, August 7 a deputy responded to the area of Keltonburg Road and McMinnville Highway where a woman was observed passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle setting in the roadway. The officer stopped and awoke the driver, Wright. She had an empty 12 ounce can of beer in her lap. She also had an open container of beer in the cup holder of the automobile. The deputy detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on Wright. Her speech was slurred and she had bloodshot eyes. Wright performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and she was placed under arrest. During a search of Wright’s vehicle, the deputy found in her purse three small individual baggies containing a clear crystal substance which tested positive for methamphetamine (over .5 grams) and an empty baggie was found with traces of meth.

After a bout with ovarian cancer several years ago, Missy Pack learned that she and her husband Todd would be unable to have biological children
of their own. But an encounter with a group of children from the Ukraine at their church in August got them thinking about parenthood through
adoption and it has changed their lives.
Through “Bridges of Faith”, an Alabama faith-based program, orphans from the Ukraine are brought to America for a period of cultural enrichment,
and it was during that August visit to their church, the Smithville First Assembly of God, where the Pack’s met ten kids from the Ukraine, including
two in particular who stole their hearts.
“That’s where we met the two children we are now planning to adopt. We knew right then they were for us” Todd told WJLE.
“These orphaned children came here for a visit and to be brought before the body of Christ to help get them adopted and while we knew the kids
would be here we had no clue at that time that we would be planning to adopt any of them. But when we saw them at the church and got to hug them I just knew instantly that God had called me to be two of these children’s momma. I am unable to have kids so for me to experience that fulfillment of becoming a momma, I knew that was God working and when He tells you to do it, you do it no matter where the children are from. You adopt these children and you give them a family,” said Missy to WJLE
After the children’s visit, Todd and Missy chose to adopt two boys, 14 year old Misha and 12 year old Mykola. But the process is lengthy and
expensive. “It takes time and money,” said Todd.
“We had to talk to a facilitator in Ukraine. We had to obtain passports and sign power of attorney over to him so that he could start the adoption
process there. We also have to do a lot of paper work here, go through background checks with the government, send our paper work over to the
Ukraine, and then it goes through the court system there. We will eventually have to go before a judge there to complete the adoption,”
added Todd.
“It’s going to cost about $36,000. We have $3,000 raised so far. Right now we’re raising funds for our end of the paperwork here. Before we go to
Ukraine we will need about $15,000 for our first trip. A lot of it is the traveling expense,” said Missy.
To help offset the costs, several fundraisers are planned including a benefit Chili Cook-Off and Silent Auction to be held on Saturday, October
22 at the county complex from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. The chili dinner and cook-off competition begins at 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and proceeds
raised will go to the Pack’s and another family planning to adopt, Will and Kim Frazier. The community is urged to show support for these families
by attending and participating in all the fundraisers.
The Pack’s are looking forward to bringing Mykola and Misha home and they too are anxious to come live with their new family. “They love America. We get to see them sometimes on facebook chat with our friend in the orphanage with them. That last Saturday (during their visit), Mykola even
called me momma although momma means different for them. It means someone they trust and confide in,” She concluded.
Founded by the Reverend Tom Benz, Bridges of Faith International reaches out to orphans in Ukraine. Three to four times each year, Bridges of Faith brings Ukrainian orphans to BridgeStone, a 140 acre retreat center in Central Alabama, to taste Alabama culture, faith, and life. All volunteer
driven, hundreds of people from across America and Ukraine work together to demonstrate love for these kids. Though not an adoption agency,
families meet the children and often invite these kids into their forever families.
To follow the Pack’s fundraising page visithttps://fundrazr.com/toddandmissypack

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry is observing National Fire Prevention Week by reminding citizens to follow simple safety practices to prevent wildfires.
National Fire Prevention Week begins Oct. 9. The official start of wildfire season in Tennessee is Oct. 15.
“It’s important, and required from October 15, 2016 to May 15, 2017, that citizens call for a burning permit and follow outdoor burning safety recommendations,” State Forester Jere Jeter said. “Throughout October and into November, the state is forecasted to experience above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation creating an expansion of drought now seen in southeast Tennessee. The permit system helps us communicate to the public when and where it is safe to burn and focuses attention on safety.”
The online burn permit system is free, fast and simple. If you are burning a leaf or brush pile that is smaller than 8 feet by 8 feet in size, log on to www.burnsafetn.org for approval. More than 300,000 permits are issued each year, and the online system provides a quick and efficient way to apply.
For a larger burn, apply for a free permit by calling your local Division of Forestry burn permit phone number Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. In DeKalb County (West of the Caney Fork River) call (615) 597-4015. In DeKalb County (East. of the Caney Fork River) call (931) 839-2328. In the City of Smithville call 615-215-3000.
Burn permits are only issued when conditions are conducive to safe burning. If you live inside city limits, there may be additional restrictions. Check with your municipality before you burn.
To learn what materials may not be burned, check the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Open Burning Guidelines at https://tn.gov/environment/article/apc-open-burning.
Burning without a permit is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine. Wildfires caused by arson are a class C felony punishable by 3 to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Anyone with information about suspected arson activity should call the state Fire Marshal’s Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017. The hotline is answered 24 hours a day, and you may remain anonymous when providing information. Cash awards are offered for information leading to an arrest or conviction. To report illegal burning, please call 1-888-891-TDEC.
Visit www.burnsafetn.org for additional tips to burn safely and to protect your community.
The Division of Forestry promotes the wise use of forest resources by assisting landowners, fighting wildfires, providing quality seedlings, monitoring insects and diseases, improving urban forests, managing state forests, protecting water quality and collecting forest inventory data. The Division also works to promote primary and secondary forest industries to stimulate the state’s economy. Visit http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/section/forests for more information.
Obtaining a Safe Debris Burning Permit by Phone
Burning permits by phone are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on holidays. Permits may be obtained in advance for weekends and holidays.
Permits will not be issued on days and in locations if it is considered unsafe to conduct a debris burn.

A Carthage man has been arrested for allegedly entering a home on Snow Hill Road and assaulting the owner of the residence.
33 year old Ian Joseph Prince of River Wood Circle, Carthage is charged with aggravated criminal trespassing and assault. His bond is $3,000 and his court date is October 27. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Saturday, October 8 a detective was dispatched to a residence on Snow Hill Road in regard to a possible domestic. Upon arrival, the detective spoke with Prince who was standing outside the home. Prince allegedly admitted to having kicked in the back door and then tried to remove an air conditioner from a window to gain entry into the residence. The back door was found on the ground. Once inside, Prince allegedly initiated a physical altercation with the homeowner.
39 year old Amy Jeanette Lawson of Haley Road, Smithville is charged with failure to appear, theft of property under $500, and fraudulent use of a credit card. Her bond is $6,000 and her court date on two of the charges is October 27. She will make a court appearance on the failure to appear warrant on November 8. Sheriff Ray said that on August 27 Lawson allegedly stole a wallet containing several items including a driver license, social security card, a Regions bank debit card, a Discover credit card, Buckle credit card, Victoria Secret credit card, and $100 cash. Lawson also allegedly used the Regions Bank debit card for $25.02 at the Liberty Stop N Buy.
Miriam Juanice Ellis of East Main Street, Murfreesboro is charged with driving under the influence. She was also cited for violation of implied consent and violation of the open container law. Her bond is $1,500 and her court date is October 27. Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, October 6 a deputy responded to the area of Old Snow Hill Road in reference to a vehicle which had been on private property but had left. The officer spotted the vehicle setting partly in the roadway on Old Snow Hill Road. The driver, Ellis, had an odor of an alcoholic beverage on her person. Her eyes were bloodshot and her speech was slurred. Ellis submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. She initially agreed but then refused to submit to a blood test.
56 year old Laddie Bill Jerrells of Long Street, Smithville is charged with failure to appear. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is October 27. Sheriff Ray said that Jerrells was served with a criminal summons for assault on September 25 and had ten days to be booked into the jail but he failed to report within that time frame. The warrant for failure to appear was issued on October 6.