Applications will be available for the 20th Annual Angel Tree Project from Monday, October 26th through Monday, November 2nd.
Spokesperson Laura Stone said that the application turn in date has been set for one day only. “Applications can be picked up October 26th through November 2nd. You will continue to pick up your applications at the Department of Human Services, but the application must be returned in person on November 3rd at the Smithville First Baptist Church Life Enrichment Center,” she said.
“Completed applications will have to be returned to the First Baptist Church Life Enrichment Center Building in downtown Smithville (on the corner across from First Baptist) on Tuesday, November 3rd from 4:30pm to 7pm. Applications not returned to the Church LEC Building on this day WILL NOT be accepted. There are no exceptions to the requirements of the application process. It is very important that you understand we will only accept applications this one day only,” said Stone.
“Applications can only be picked up at the Department of Human Services on October 26th through November 2nd and can only be returned to the Church LEC Building on November 3rd. In addition to bringing the completed application, applicants must provide photo identification of the person applying and social security cards and birth certificates (Mothers copy is okay) for ALL children listed on the application. Court paperwork for temporary custody placement is acceptable. We will only be keeping the application; all other documents will be returned to the applicant. If an applicant cannot appear in person, their application can be submitted by a family member as long as all of the required information is presented.” Stone continued. “Eligible children must live in DeKalb County and be no older than age 12 by December 25, 2015. The Department of Human Services will only be passing out the applications. Nothing will be returned to them and any questions should be directed to Laura Stone at 615-464-7135″. DO NOT contact DHS or anyone at the LEC pickup location under any circumstances; you may jeopardize your application,” she said.
Stone adds that “the Angel Tree has been such a tremendous success in the past and with economic times extremely tough for many in our area, we want this years Angel Tree to be no exception. The Angel Tree helps so many families who are struggling to make ends meet. It is sad to think about, but many of these children would not otherwise have a single present for Christmas. With the economy still struggling, we are expecting demand to be high.”

The Christmas season is drawing near. Remember what Christmas was like when you were young? The family gathered together to give and receive blessings and gifts.
Christmas is a time for love, a time for joy, and a time for family. Not all children this year will take part in a celebration with their own families. Local children who are in foster care need assistance. Children who have been taken out of abusive or neglectful homes or sent away from their family by the Juvenile Court system may be sharing Christmas with a family of strangers. Your help is needed to make sure their needs are met during the holidays.
As in years past, your assistance is requested with Christmas gifts for local children who are in foster care with the Department of Children’s Services. This year, there are over 914 children in the Upper Cumberland who are in state’s custody and approximately 56 of those children are from DeKalb County. These local children need your help.
If you or your organization is willing to help provide funds, please send them to Annette Greek, Treasurer of the DeKalb County Foster Children Fund. “We are rounding up money for the DeKalb Foster Children’s Fund. These are the children who have been removed from our county. We have approximately 56 children and we need money” said Greek.
Since the ages of these foster children vary, a cash donation is preferable to gifts. ” We try to do Christmas and birthdays for these kids. It could be $100 to $150 per child. We also do special things if we’re made aware of it like graduation gifts. We’ve bought evening gowns for contests. We’ve bought football uniforms. I always try to get the money (all collected) by the beginning of December in plenty of time for Christmas,” said Greek
You may send your donation to: Annette Greek, in care of F.Z. Webb & Sons Gifts, 400 West Public Square, Smithville TN 37166. For more information call 615-597-4186.
Greek says she will also be glad to accept your cash donation directly at the store

The Smithville Police Department has made several recent arrests for assault.
Captain Steven Leffew reports that 33 year old Lacy Lee West was arrested for domestic assault and violation of bond conditions on Tuesday, October 6. Answering a call for service, Sergeant Brad Tatrow found West sitting on the front porch of the residence. Upon further investigation, Sergeant Tatrow learned that West had thrown a picture frame, striking the victim on the left arm. West is currently under a valid bond condition to have no contact with the victim. Bond for West is $6,000.
25 year old Tracy M Blaylock was arrested for domestic assault on Tuesday, October 6. Officer Will Judkins was dispatched to a residence in reference to a physical domestic. Upon arrival he spoke with Blaylock who was outside trying to leave. While speaking with both Blaylock and the victim, Officer Judkins learned that a verbal argument between them became physical which left marks on the victim. Blaylock’s bond is $3,500 and the court date is November 5.
31 year old Andrew A Dillon was arrested for aggravated assault and resisting arrest on Friday, October 9. Dillon allegedly assaulted a family member causing injury about the face and body by punching and throwing the victim on the pavement. When Corporal Chip Avera and Officer Will Judkins arrived on the scene, Dillon charged toward the officers with his fist clinched yelling that he was going to fight them. After refusing to obey verbal commands to calm down and back away, Dillon was tased by Officer Judkins. Bond for Dillon is $7,000 and he will make a court appearance on October 29.
30 year old Amanda Kay Lattimore was arrested by Sergeant Brad Tatrow for domestic assault on Sunday, October 11. Sergeant Tatrow responded to a call of persons fighting in the roadway. Upon arrival he spoke with the parties involved and learned that the fight began when a family member pushed Lattimore away from another relative. Lattimore was determined to have been the primary aggressor and she was taken into custody. Her bond is $2,500.
36 year old Michael L. Young was arrested for domestic assault on Monday, October 12. Officer Will Judkins responded to DeKalb Hospital in reference to an assault and spoke with the victim who had bruising from head to toe. Upon investigation it was determined that Young had hit and shoved the victim into random objects in a hotel room where they had stayed for approximately two hours leaving the victim in pain with bruises. Bond for Young is $3,500 and he will make a court appearance on November 5.
Meanwhile, 31 year old Jessica Marie Brazelton was arrested by Officer Lance Dillard on Sunday, October 4 for violation of an order of protection. According to the warrant, Brazelton sent text messages to the victim in violation of an active order of protection which the victim has against her. Brazelton’s bond is $2,500 and she will be in court on November 5.
24 year old Elizabeth Donise Riley was cited for shoplifting on Thursday, October 8. A Dollar General Store employee saw Riley concealing items in her purse in an attempt to deprive the store of its merchandise. Her court date is November 5.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Liberty man Friday for domestic assault.
36 year old Benjamin Theodore Taylor of Troy Cripps Road, Liberty is under a $3,000 bond and he will be in court October 29.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday, October 16 a deputy responded to a residence on Troy Cripps Road due to a domestic in progress. Upon arrival the officer spoke with Taylor whose speech was slurred. He admitted to having consumed four or five beers. According to Taylor, his mother got mad at him because he was drinking. Taylor’s mother told the deputy that Benjamin slapped her in the face and struck her on the back, hands and legs leaving bruises. Taylor was determined to have been the primary aggressor and he was placed under arrest.
40 year old Bryce John Beaver of Sparta is charged with driving under the influence. He was also issued a citation for having a tail light out on his vehicle. Bond for Beaver is $2,500 and he will be in court October 29.
Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, October 17 a deputy spotted a Ford car with a tail light out and pulled it over. Beaver was the driver. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer detected a strong odor of alcohol. Beaver’s speech was slurred. He admitted to having consumed several beers.
He performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He also submitted to a blood/alcohol test.

A 25 year old Woodbury man, who apparently tried to outrun the law in a pursuit, wrecked his automobile Saturday morning on Highway 56 near the intersection with College Street.
Central dispatch received a call about the crash at around 4:30 a.m.
Richard Bogle has been charged by the Tennessee Highway Patrol with driving under the influence and cited for failure to exercise due care, violation of the financial responsibility law, and violation of the registration law.
Trooper Adam Cothorn of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that Bogle was traveling north on Highway 56 in a 2010 GMC Terrain when he went off the right side of the road, and rolled several times, knocking over a 45 miles per hour speed zone sign. The vehicle came to rest upright off the highway.
Warren County authorities were reportedly in pursuit of Bogle prior to the crash but had terminated the chase at the county line.
According to Trooper Cothorn, speed was a factor in the wreck. Though not seriously injured, Bogle was treated at the scene by DeKalb EMS. He was placed in custody and taken to the jail for booking. He did submit to a blood/alcohol test.
Warrants against Bogle are reportedly pending in Warren County.
Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, Smithville Police Department, and the DeKalb County Fire Department were on the scene along with DeKalb EMS and the THP.

Governor Bill Haslam is asking all high school seniors to take the time to apply for the state’s one-of-a-kind scholarship program.
Students have until November 2 to apply.
Tennessee Promise is a state sponsored scholarship and mentorship program that provides two years of community and technical college free of tuition and fees.
15,830 students from the 2015 graduating class are taking advantage of this year’s first implementation of Tennessee Promise benefits this fall, according to the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC).
Also, community colleges across state are reporting substantial growth, with the number of students enrolling full time in community college directly after high school increasing by 14% since last fall.
“My message to high school seniors is: this is your Tennessee Promise. This is an opportunity for you to fulfill your potential, and you have an opportunity to change the future for yourself and for our state,” Haslam said.
Proposed by Haslam and passed by the General Assembly in 2014, Tennessee Promise is a key part of Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiative to increase the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential to 55% by the year 2025.
Since the implementation of Tennessee Promise, the state says it leads the nation in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion – comprising 40% of the nation’s growth in FAFSA filings in 2015.
In addition to applying for Tennessee Promise, students are required to file a FAFSA, attend two mandatory meetings and complete eight hours of community service.
The state is also looking for adult mentors to help students complete their training.
“We know that access to college is important, but even more important is success. Not only do we need to get those students into school, they need to finish. That’s why the mentor piece of the Tennessee Promise is so important,” Haslam said. “The process of applying and attending college can seem daunting, especially for first generation college students, and having a caring adult to help guide you can make a big difference.”
The student and mentor applications are available at http://tnpromise.gov

Swords belonging to Col. John H. Savage returned to Smithville on October 8, 2015. McMinnville attorney and Savage family member, Frank Farrar, displayed and described the relics to the members of the Savage-Goodner Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Col. Savage was the first commanding officer of the 16th Tennessee Infantry Regiment. He commanded the regiment during battles at Perryville, Kentucky, and Murfreesboro. The men of the regiment came from the Upper Cumberland and many hailed from DeKalb and Warren Counties.
Col. Savage practiced law in DeKalb County prior to the outbreak of the war. He also represented the area in the U.S. Congress.
The relics included swords he carried in both the Mexican War and the War Between the States. Mr. Farrar also displayed a portrait of the Colonel which had not been seen in public in several decades.
The Savage-Goodner Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans meets on the second Thursday of each month at the DeKalb County Complex Motlow Section at 7:00 p.m. The Camp is comprised of male descendants of Confederate soldiers. A program concerning General Patrick Cleburne will be presented during the November 12, 2015 meeting. The public is welcome to attend.

Parents, children, and local businesses are invited to join the City of Smithville and the Police Department’s “Trick or Treat Halloween Downtown” Friday, October 30 from noon until 5:00 p.m.
Participating businesses will have candy and special treats for the children. Look for the stores and offices with a picture of an orange pumpkin on their windows. Maps will be available at the police department and Justin Potter Library to show parents which businesses will be taking part in the event.
WJLE has the map posted at the link below.
Map_2015.pdf (38.78 KB)
For more information call Beth Adcock at the Smithville Police Department at 615-597-8210 extension 1 or check out the police department’s face book page at https://www.facebook.com/SmithvillePoliceDepartment.