A 65 year old man lost control of his semi-tanker truck and overturned in a field off Hickman Road (State Highway 264) near Temperance Hall Sunday afternoon.
James Elliott of Decherd, Tennessee was traveling south when his 2006 Freightliner went off the right side of the highway, tore through a barbed wire fence, and overturned in a pasture coming to rest on its side. Elliott, who was pinned inside the cab of the truck, was hauling a tanker load of milk.
Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department were summoned to perform extrication services to help get Elliott out of the rig. The Liberty Station also responded.
Elliot was treated at the scene by DeKalb EMS and then airlifted by a helicopter ambulance and flown to Vanderbilt Hospital.
The accident was investigated by Trooper Chris Delong with assistance from Trooper Sean Tramel and Sergeant Billy Prater of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
A DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department Deputy was also on the scene.

If you want to vote in the March 1 presidential preference primary, or “SEC Primary,” you must register to vote by Monday, February 1, 2016. This election cycle the Volunteer State will join six other Southern states on March 1 to help decide who could be the next president of the United States.
“It’s important to ensure you are properly registered now so there won’t be any surprises during early voting or on Election Day,” Secretary of State Tre Hargett said.
Early voting begins Wednesday, February 10 and runs Mondays through Saturdays until Tuesday, February 23. Election Day is Tuesday, March 1. The DeKalb County Election Commission Office will be closed on Monday, February 15 for Presidents Day.
All Early Voting in DeKalb County will be at the Election Commission Office on the first floor of the courthouse (basement).
Early Voting Hours:
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.
Saturdays 9 a.m. to Noon.
Hargett is urging voters to take advantage of early voting if possible because of unpredictable winter weather and an incredibly long ballot.
“When you consider the number of presidential candidates as well as the number of delegates, some voters across the state will have many choices,” Hargett said.
Tennesseans voting early or on Election Day should remember to bring valid state or federal photo identification with them to the polls.
Secretary of State Hargett has certified the names of presidential candidates for the March 1 presidential preference primary, or “SEC Primary” in Tennessee.
The following candidates are on the March 1 ballot:
Republican Primary Ballot
•Jeb Bush
•Ben Carson
•Chris Christie
•Ted Cruz
•Carly Fiorina
•Jim Gilmore
•Lindsey O. Graham
•Mike Huckabee
•John R. Kasich
•George Pataki
•Rand Paul
•Marco Rubio
•Rick Santorum
•Donald J. Trump
Democratic Primary Ballot
•Hillary Clinton
•Martin J. O’Malley
•Bernie Sanders
Meanwhile, the DeKalb County Democratic Primary will be held on March 1 to select nominees for Assessor of Property and Constable in six of the seven districts of the county.
Incumbent Assessor of Property Scott Cantrell will be unopposed for re-nomination by his party in the March 1 DeKalb County Democratic Primary but he will be opposed by Republican Shannon A. Cantrell in the August General Election.
Democrat Jason C. Taylor is unopposed for Constable in the 1st district in the March 1 Primary but he will face Republican Lee Plummer in the August County General Election.
There is no Democratic candidate for Constable in the 2nd district. Republican Tom Theriaque will be unopposed for 2nd district Constable in the August General Election.
Incumbent Democratic Constables Travis Bryant in the 3rd district, Paul Cantrell in the 4th district, Mark Milam in the 5th district, Carl Lee Webb in the 6th district, and Johnny King in the 7th district will be unopposed in both the March 1 Primary and in the August General Election.
The DeKalb County Democratic Primary is being held in conjunction with the Tennessee Presidential Preference Primary on March 1.

Smithville Volunteer Firefighter Hoyte Hale received the “Highest Attendance Award” Friday night during an appreciation dinner for city firefighters at the Smithville First United Methodist Christian Fellowship Center.
The award was presented to Hale by Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker.
Hale, currently deputy chief and a 30 year veteran of the department, attended 154 out of 175 calls during the year 2015. He also put in the most training hours at 136 for the year. “We only have about twenty five members in our department so it’s hard to pick a firefighter of the year from these twenty five guys because just about all of them are firefighters of the year. The officers and firefighters each do a fantastic job all year long so it makes it really tough to pick one. The biggest thing we do is give a “Highest Attendance Award” which honors the one who puts the extra commitment and dedication to get up at two o’clock in the morning and come to the calls. The “Highest Attendance Award” this year for the number of calls goes to Hoyte Hale,” said Chief Parker.
Other firefighters with high attendance responses to their credit were Lieutenant John Poss with 135 calls, Lieutenant Donnie Cantrell 134, Lieutenant Danny Poss 132, and Randall Hunt with 130 calls.
Meanwhile a new award was presented this year. Chief Parker recognized Gary Johnson for the most training hours among non-officer firefighters. He put in 50 hours of training this year.
Meanwhile city firefighters were recognized for years of service including the following:
Robin Summers: Rookie
Kim Johnson: Rookie
C.J. Tramel- 1 year
Dalton Roberts- 1 year
Cody Fults- 1 year
Bradley Johnson-1 year
Shawn Jacobs-2 years (Alderman and Auxiliary member)
Kevin Adcock- 5 years (2nd tenure with department) 16 years total
Cory Killian- 4 years
Glen Lattimore- 7 years
Stephanie Wright- 9 years
Randall Hunt- 10 years
Gary Johnson-10 years
Wallace Caldwell- (Chaplain) 11 years
Wink Brown- 17 years
Greg Bess (Photographer)- 20 years
John Poss (Lieutenant)- 24 years
Jeff Wright (Captain)- 29 years
Hoyte Hale (Deputy Chief)- 30 years
Donnie Cantrell (Lieutenant)- 35 years
Danny Poss (Lieutenant)- 35 years
Charles Parker (Chief)- 35 years.
Chaplain Wallace Caldwell briefly spoke offering words of encouragement. He read “Take Time for Ten Things”:
1. Take time to work–it is the price of success.
2. Take time to think– it is the source of power.
3. Take time to play–it is the secret of youth
4. Take time to read– it is the foundation of knowledge.
5. Take time to worship–it is the highway of reverence and washes the dust of earth from our eyes.
6. Take time to help and enjoy fiends– it is the source of happiness.
7. Take time to love– it is the one sacrament of life.
8. Take time to dream– it hitches the soul to the stars.
9. Take time to laugh–it is the singing that helps with life’s loads.
10. Take time to plan– it is the secret of being able to have time to take time for the first nine things.
Chaplain Caldwell also read the following poem by Robert H. Smith:
“The clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
At late or early hour.
To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed,
To lose one’s health is more,
To lose one’s soul is such a loss
That no man can restore.”
“The short time it took me to read these 53 words 39 people died. Every hour 5,417 people go out to meet their maker. You could have been among them. Sooner or later you will be. With that I would like to leave you with a question I ask. Are you ready?” Caldwell concluded.
In addition to the firefighters and their spouses, the event was attended by Mayor Jimmy Poss and Aldermen Jason Murphy, Danny Washer, Gayla Hendrix, Josh Miller and Shawn Jacobs and members of their families. City officials expressed appreciation to the firefighters for the work they do and their commitment to helping improve the operation of the fire department to keep residents safer.

The DeKalb County unemployment rate for December was 6.7%, down from 6.8% in November and 7.5% in December, 2014.
The local labor force for December was 7,110. A total of 6,630 were employed and 480 were unemployed.
DeKalb County’s Jobless Rate for December was sixth highest in the fourteen county Upper Cumberland region.
Here’s how they rank from highest to lowest:
Clay: 8.5%
Pickett:8.4%
Van Buren: 7.8%
Cumberland: 7.5%
Jackson: 7.4%
DeKalb: 6.7%
Fentress: 6.7%
Overton: 6.2%
White: 5.6%
Warren: 5.3%
Putnam: 5.3%
Cannon: 5.3%
Smith: 4.8%
Macon:4.7%
County unemployment rates for December 2015 show the rates decreased in 43 counties, increased in 35, and remained the same in 17 counties.
For the month of December, Davidson County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate at 4.0 percent, down from November’s rate of 4.1 percent. Knox County was 4.3 percent in December, down from 4.4 the previous month. The Hamilton County rate was 5.1 percent, the same as November. Shelby County was 6.1 percent, down from 6.4 percent the previous month.
Tennessee’s preliminary unemployment rate for December was 5.6 percent, up one tenth of a percentage point from the previous month’s revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for December was 5.0 percent, unchanged from November.
The state and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.

DeKalb County 4-H recently held the county-wide public speaking contest at the County Complex. Twenty youth from various grades competed to earn a spot at the regional contest and for cash awards. The 4th-6th graders were all winners from their classroom contests held last fall.
In 4th grade, 1st place was awarded to Tess Barton from DeKalb West School, 2nd place to Peyton Norris from Northside Elementary, and 3rd place to Summer Morse from the homeschool 4-H club. Other participants from Northside included Jazmine Wagner, Chloe Lawson, Ian Colwell, Jacob Hendrix, Kathryn Hale, and James Anthony Brown. Riley Fuson from DeKalb West School was also a contestant.
In the 5th grade division, four Northside students participated. First place went to Cooper Brown, 2nd to Sheridan O’Conner, 3rd to Zoe Cripps, and 4th to Leslie Sosa. The 6th grade winner was Evan Morse from the homeshool 4-H club. Jacob Beaty, 2nd place, Kaydence Thompson, 3rd place, and Maeloree Kirby, 4th place, all represented DeKalb Middle School.
Lily Martin, 7th grader at DeKalb West School, and Kayla Belk, 10th grader at DCHS, also competed and will move on to the regional contest along with Tess, Peyton, Cooper, Sheridan, Evan, and Jacob. We know they will represent DeKalb County well!
Public speaking is one of the most important and valuable skills these young people will learn to help them with their future careers. There were a total of around 350 4-H members who gave a speech this year! We are proud of their hard work and courage. For more information about the 4-H program, please contact the UT/TSU Extension Office at 615-597-4945.
Photo Captions:
4th Grade:
Front Row: Tess Barton, Peyton Norris, and Summer Morse. Back Row: Jazmine Wagner, Riley Fuson, Chloe Lawson, Ian Colwell, Jacob Hendrix, Kathryn Hale, and James Anthony Brown.
5th Grade:
Leslie Sosa, Zoe Cripps, Sheridan O’Conner, and Cooper Brown
6th Grade:
Evan Morse, Jacob Beaty, Kaydence Thompson, and Maeloree Kirby
7th and 10 Grade:
Lily Martin and Kayla Belk

Alexandria currently elects its city leaders in odd years during the month of September
But the Alexandria mayor and aldermen have begun the process of changing the city charter regarding the municipal election, having it to run in conjunction with the August County General Elections in even years to save the city money. The change will extend the terms of the present board of mayor and aldermen by at least one year to adjust their election cycles.
During Tuesday night’s monthly meeting, the aldermen unanimously adopted a resolution seeking to amend the city’s charter, an action which will have to be approved by the Tennessee General Assembly.
The terms of Aldermen Kelly Pyburn, David Cripps, and John F. Suggs currently run through 2019 while the terms of Mayor Bennett Armstrong and Aldermen Randy Payne, Danny Parkerson and Matt Boss are to expire in 2017.
Under the proposed amendment to the charter, a mayor and three aldermen are to be elected on the first Thursday in August, 2018, who will serve a four year term through Thursday, August 2022 or until their successors are elected and qualified. Those positions are currently held by Mayor Armstrong and Aldermen Payne, Parkerson, and Boss.
The proposed amendment to the charter further provides that at the municipal election on the first Thursday in August 2020, three aldermen are to be elected who will serve a four year term ending on the first Thursday of August 2024 or until their successors are elected and qualified. Those positions are currently held by Aldermen Pyburn, Cripps, and Suggs.
City attorney Vester Parsley told the mayor and aldermen that changing the dates of the municipal elections will keep the city from having to spend two thousand to three thousand dollars each election cycle.
Once the charter amendment is adopted by the state legislature, the Alexandria Aldermen will have to adopt it again by at least a two thirds majority.
In other business, the aldermen voted to opt in to the state residential building codes program. According to Tim Planer, who works for the State Fire Marshal’s Office as a State Residential Building Supervisor, the city has three options: to opt in to the state program; to adopt a plan of its own; or to opt out altogether. Planer addressed the Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday night.
“After each election there is a 180 day period for a jurisdiction to opt out of the state standard building codes. Each jurisdiction has three options as far as building codes. The first one is to opt out in which there are no building codes in the area and there are no inspections. Because of that there are no certificates of occupancies that are issued against the properties,” said Planer.
“The second option is to be an exempt jurisdiction in which you have your own building department. Your own inspector. You hire them and they work for the city,” he said
“The third option is to opt in to the state building code program. The statewide standard for building codes is that the state supplies the building that sells the permit. The state supplies the inspectors and we do the inspections and issue the certificate of occupancy on new construction. This new construction is for new housing and for additions only. Outbuildings and sheds are not required to have permits or inspections. Nor are detached garages. The only time is if you are changing the footprint of the house and that is either going out or up. That is the only time a building permit is required for those. In most cases there are three or four inspections required including footing or foundation; roughed in, which is roughed in framing, mechanical, and plumbing, and a final inspection. Upon passage of all these inspections, a certificate of occupancy is issued,” he concluded.
The aldermen chose the third option.

A fire destroyed a two story home in the Austin Bottom community of DeKalb County Tuesday evening.
The residence at 1000 Sunny Point Road belonged to Eric and Linda Westin. The family lost the home and all their belongings including two dogs and a cat. The fire is estimated to have caused $450,000 in damage.
David Agee, Assistant DeKalb County Fire Chief, told WJLE that Mr. Westin was home at the time and discovered the blaze in the basement when he went to check on his dogs after he heard them barking. He was unable to save the animals.
As firefighters were enroute, Mr. Westin tried to extinguish the blaze himself and suffered second degree burns to the tops of both hands. He was treated at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.
Mrs. Westin, director of the Friends of Cookeville/Putnam County Animals, was not at home at the time of the fire.
The Austin Bottom Fire Station was the first to arrive. Members of the Short Mountain Highway, Midway, Johnson’s Chapel, Tanker 1, and Equipment Truck also responded from DeKalb County along with Putnam County Fire Department who sent a tanker and volunteers through the counties’ mutual aid agreement.
The cause of the fire is undetermined.

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce recently had a Ribbon Cutting for new member, Poppie’s Boutique, 660 W. Broad St., Smithville (next to O’Reilly Auto Parts).
Poppie’s Boutique is a uniquely vintage-inspired mix of quality boutique clothing, boutique & handmade accessories, & one-of-a-kind gifts carefully handpicked for their customers! Owners Hunter and Sarah Collins stated, “Our boutique line has done so well with our Airstream boutique & Facebook sales, we couldn’t resist opening a storefront in our hometown. We offer excellent brands & extended plus sizes, as well.” They also feature almost 20 handmade & local artisans including handmade candles, goats milk soap & lotion products, antique spoon jewelry, reclaimed barn wood signs, monogramming, chalk paint, pillows, pottery & more. In addition, they offer chalk paint classes, essential oils courses, and “Poppie’s Parties,” where customers can invite friends after hours & earn free merchandise! Sarah and Hunter say, “We have loved being out on the road with our Airstream boutique, which we will still be doing, but we are so thankful & blessed to be able to have this storefront opportunity in Smithville!” Store hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM.
See attached pic.
Lots of family, friends, & community folks showed up to congratulate Poppie’s Boutique owners, Hunter and Sarah Collins, including County Mayor Tim Stribling, Chamber Director Suzanne Williams, and Chamber Board Members Kathy Hendrixson, Jacob Young, Dwayne Cornelius, Jane Brown, and Connie Tjarks.

As of Monday, January 25th the DeKalb County Trustee’s Office had collected 47.07% of the $8.5 million in 2015 county property taxes to be collected by February 29, 2016. That includes property, residential, commercial, personal, and public utility taxes.
In a quarterly report to the county commission Monday night, Trustee Sean Driver said collections to date are up over last year’s collections of 44.81% by this date (January 25). The tax base this year is also larger because of the sixteen cent property tax increase adopted by the county commission last summer for this fiscal year. Trustee Driver said the county’s tax base this year has expanded to $8,578,328, an increase of $835,000 over last year’s tax base of $7.7 million.
Monday, February 29 is the last day to pay the 2015 property taxes before penalties start accruing March 1.
For 2015 you can:
1.Come in person to pay at the office.
2. Mail in your payment.
3. Pay online at tennesseetrustee.com then select DeKalb. The Vendor accepts Discover, MasterCard, Visa, or American Express. A Vendor convenience fee of 2.75% on the total tax bill may apply and fees are subject to change for using credit/debit cards. Also, a $2.75 fee will be assessed on an e-check payment of any amount.
4. A Dropbox is also located on the outside of the county complex building (where the Trustee’s Office is located) for your convenience after hours or on weekends.
Partial Payments are accepted and you the taxpayer may set the amount to pay.
You may also qualify for the State of Tennessee Property Tax Relief Program The last day to sign up for tax relief is April 5. If you would like more information come by the County Complex in the Trustee’s office at 732 S. Congress Blvd-Room 103, Smithville, TN 37166 or call at 615-597-5176.
The Trustee’s Office is open regular hours from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday- Friday.
Any 2014 unpaid property taxes may be paid with interest and penalty through March 31. However any 2014 unpaid taxes will be turned over to the Chancery Court on April 1 for collection. The Trustee’s Office will soon be sending out a notice to those still delinquent.

The DeKalb Animal Coalition will present “Slavery & After in DeKalb County” by local Historian Thomas G. Webb on Friday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the county complex auditorium. Admission is $10.00 and all proceeds will benefit the DeKalb Animal Coalition, a tax deductible organization dedicated to building a new animal shelter for our community.
Discover how DeKalb slaves were treated. Where the majority of the slaves lived. How former slaves were treated following the Civil War. Why the black population steadily declined since 1865. And black and white attitudes toward interracial marriage.
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