Smithville Police will block off one lane of traffic on West Broad Street Saturday morning for the DCHS Tiger 5K Zombie Run and 1 Mile Fun Run to benefit Project Graduation.
The run begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration starting at 7:30 a.m.
According to Captain Steven Leffew, the run will begin at DeKalb High School, to Tiger Drive by the health department, left on Allen’s Ferry Road and then left onto West Broad Street. The runners will make their way down Broad Street before turning left onto Ervin Street (near O’Reilly Auto Parts) and then left onto West Main Street back to the high school.
“As a safety precaution, one west bound lane on West Broad Street (approximately from O’Reilly Auto Parts to Kilgore’s Restaurant) will be temporarily closed during the run,” said Captain Leffew
Should anyone have any questions concerning the Project Graduation Fun Run contact Charlotte Parsley at 931-265-8398

The Alexandria Senior Citizens Center has a new director.
Sandy C. Brown, a former substitute rural mail carrier for the Dowelltown Post Office, was named to the position last month.
“I started on September 14 and I’m still feeling my way in but I am having a ball. The folks there have been extremely helpful. The governing board has answered all my questions. I haven’t done anything quite like this. They are a 501c3 and I have experience with that but at this level there are different things I have to handle,” said Brown.
Although the center serves a small number of seniors, Brown hopes to offer activities to attract more people. “The active members who come in on a regular basis is right at around 18 or 19. It’s a small group but we’re looking to build that up a little bit. We’re also shooting for the new seniors. The baby boomers who are coming in now. We are going to bring back the exercise programs and the art programs. I am looking for someone to teach ceramics and painting. The computer classes are starting slowly because the computer equipment has to be updated but we can do one on one with somebody if you want to bring in your laptop or Ipad,” she said.
As part of her seniors listening tour, State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver will be visiting the center on Monday. “She will be coming out on Monday, October 26 at 10:00 a.m. She will do some singing and have a question and answer from the folks who are there,” she added.
“Remember we’re open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. but you can reach me at seniors@dtccom.net. We’re also going to start up a facebook page,” Brown concluded.
Brown also hosts a radio show on WJLE the first Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m. called “Voices of the Community”

It has been part of the Smithville landscape for 51 years but after today (Wednesday) the water tower on Kendra Drive near Mountain Street will be gone.

A subcontractor for the city spent the better part of the day dismantling the water tank.
“The tank has been out of service for four years so we decided to take it down”, said Kevin Robinson, Public Works Director for the City of Smithville.
“There’s no need for it anymore. We have two million gallons worth of water in storage,” said Robinson. The city maintains three other water tanks including one on Miller Road, on Highway 70 near the high school, and one near the airport.
The Kendra Drive tank, which stood 119 feet tall and had a water capacity of 100,000 gallons, was erected in 1964.

Two teens were injured in a rollover crash Tuesday night on Highway 146 (Short Mountain Highway).
Trooper Sean Tramel of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that 16 year old Rachel Patterson of Smithville was traveling north in a 1998 Honda Passport and lost control after she passed another vehicle. After completing the pass, Patterson overcorrected and went off the road. The vehicle overturned and came to rest on its side in a corn field just off the highway.
Both Patterson and a passenger, 16 year old Richard Perry of Smithville were injured. Patterson was airlifted from near the scene by a helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. Perry was taken by DeKalb EMS to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital.
Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene.
Trooper Tramel said charges are pending.

A Smithville man was arrested for aggravated child abuse Monday night after an infant was brought to Cookeville Regional Medical Center with serious injuries.
Charles J. Wiggins, an acquaintance of the child’s mother, is charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse. Wiggins is under a $500,000 bond and he will be in court on October 29.
In a prepared statement, Smithville Police Captain Steven Leffew said, “On Monday, October 19 at approximately 6:07 p.m., Cookeville Regional Medical Center contacted Smithville Police in regards to an infant that was severely injured and had been brought into their facility for treatment. The injury was believed to have occurred in the jurisdiction of the City of Smithville”.
“Lieutenant Matt Holmes and Sergeant Brad Tatrow responded and upon arrival spoke with medical staff who advised that the infant had sustained obvious severe injuries. Officers quickly developed Charles J. Wiggins as a suspect and upon investigation Smithville Police arrested Wiggins for two counts of aggravated child abuse. District Attorney Bryant Dunaway and investigators from his office as well as the Department of Children Services responded to the scene. At this time the infant remains in stable condition awaiting possible surgery.”
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. Cases like this are very stressful and bothersome. I want to commend all officers involved in this investigation for their professionalism” added Captain Leffew.

Pam Redmon has been named the new Director of the Smithville Senior Citizens Center.
She began her duties there almost a month ago. “I am really excited about the opportunity,” said Redmon.
Prior to taking this position, Redmon worked with UCHRA. She is also owner of the Flower Box on Walnut Street. “I worked at Lakeside Resort for four years as the catering manager and then I became a nutrition project director for the Upper Cumberland through UCHRA serving fourteen counties. We did the home delivered meals and the congregate meals at eighteen senior sites. In the process of that, my daughter and her friend got me into the flower business (Flower Box),” said Redmon in an interview with WJLE.
During her four weeks on the job, Redman has seen activity pick up at the center. “They were kind of at a standstill for about a month but we’re picking up and moving forward. We have several things scheduled. This week we’re going to go to the senior expo in Cookeville. We’re taking a group on a UCARTS bus. We have our first dance this Saturday night, October 24. Everybody is welcome. We’re having it at the senior complex. We have a covered dish scheduled for the next Thursday night, October 29 and State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver is going to be here. She will be our guest speaker. We’re also looking at possibly taking a day trip to Woodbury to the arts center or to the Cumberland Mountain State Park. We’d like to do a fall excursion before the leaves fall and maybe do a day trip to Sequatchie Valley to look at the leaves and have lunch,” she said.
The center also features several regular activities. “We have recreation everyday with cards. They put puzzles together. There’s a card game they call hand and foot which they are very active with. They play dominoes. I would like to have a weeklong rook tournament. We’d ask that people grab a partner and come in and start practicing for a rook tournament. The seniors walk daily and we have available the exercise equipment that they can use,” Redmon continued.
Redmon’s goal is to continue improving services at the center. “We are going to try and move our level up. I am new to this job and that’s why I am excited because I like a challenge. We’re going to move this center up to a higher level. We’re at the bottom right now. I’d like to move it up to be in comparison with Cannon County, Jamestown, Cookeville, etc. because I think we have a need and we have lots of seniors who are so active and enjoy getting out so I am going to try and participate in all the requirements that will move us up a level,” said Redmon.
In addition to the Smithville Senior Citizens Center, Liberty and Alexandria also have centers. Nancy Goad is the Director of the Liberty Senior Citizens Center and Sandy Brown is Director of the Alexandria Center.