Twenty nine pounds of unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs were collected Saturday during the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, sponsored locally by the DeKalb County Prevention Coalition.
“The Take-Back was a very huge success. We took back twenty nine pounds on that day from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.,” said Norene Puckett, Vice President of the Coalition.
Although National Drug Take Back Day is officially over, local residents may continue to dispose of their old or expired drugs anytime at the permanent drop off box inside Smithville City Hall at the Police Department . “Anyone can come and utilize the drop box during normal business hours at the police department free of charge, ” said Captain Steven Leffew of the Smithville Police Department.
“Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital also wants citizens to know that they cannot accept any medicines there (for disposal). The medicine needs to be brought here (city hall). On the front of the (collection) box, it tells what things they are not allowed to accept,” said Puckett.
Meanwhile, the DeKalb County Prevention Coalition is seeking new members. “The DeKalb Prevention Coalition welcomes any citizens to join. Our coalition meets the last Tuesday every month at Haven of Hope starting at noon.
(Pictured: Carrie Farmer, Barbara Kannapel, Kyle Farley, Susan Grey, Elisa Allen, Norene Puckett, Rita Bell, Kate Miller, Kay Quintero, Sue Conley, Steven Leffew)

Smithville Elementary School was the site of a community tribute Tuesday for bus drivers and staff who helped get students to safety during a bomb threat Friday.
Grateful parents, children, and community leaders greeted bus drivers, faculty and staff as they arrived at school Tuesday morning and many held signs bearing messages such as “Thank You”, “You’re My Heroes”, and “We Love Our Bus Drivers”.
The school also hosted a “Heroes Luncheon” for the bus drivers and school staff later in the day.
“Today we are celebrating the heroes at Smithville Elementary School and the bus drivers. There are parents who wanted to do a special thank you for our faculty and staff and the bus drivers for the fantastic job they did on Friday getting all the students out and to Northside. The community really came together. The ambulance workers, the firemen, the police. Everybody pitched in. It was just amazing. When you can unload a building of 570 students and almost 100 faculty and staff members in ten minutes time that’s an amazing feat. We say a big thank you to everyone for all that they did,” said Julie Vincent, Principal at Smithville Elementary School.
“This morning we had several parents and students here that had big signs that said “Thank You” and “We Appreciate You” for the bus drivers and the faculty and staff to see as they came in. I’ve had several of them really emotional and in tears for just how much that meant to them to see the parents show support for what they did and how well they took care of their children. We’re very blessed to have all the faculty and staff and bus drivers that we have. It was amazing,” added Vincent.
Several members of the Board of Education and Central Office Staff also attended to show their support.

A bomb threat Friday morning at Smithville Elementary forced administrators to bus the children to Northside Elementary School for the rest of the day. A search of the building on Friday and again with a dog on Saturday turned up nothing suspicious.

Members of the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad and DeKalb EMS put their training into action Monday to help an elderly woman whose automobile plunged off a steep embankment on Ford Road in the Austin Bottom Community.
“We got a call at 11:06 a.m. that a woman (Pamela Mather) had a wreck and went off the road and down a steep embankment approximately 75-100 feet,” said Joe Johnson, member of the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad.
“She got off the edge, backed up and went off backwards, hit a tree and spun around. She went almost straight off the embankment. It was so steep you could not walk up or down it,” Johnson continued.
“When we got there, DeKalb EMS had her out of the vehicle and she was sitting on the ground beside it. The vehicle was on its wheels sitting on an incline and someone had chained it to a tree to keep it from turning on over,” said Johnson.
“She wasn’t badly injured but she was elderly and could not walk back up the hill under her own power. The incline was so steep we had to use ropes, winch, and a stokes basket. We placed her in the basket and brought her up to the road. We had about 12 rescue squad members and three trucks over there. It was a very successful rescue and our rope training from about two weeks ago was very helpful in handling this particular incident,” Johnson said.
The crash was investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. A county deputy was also on the scene.

One month after pledging $75,000 toward construction of a new animal shelter, the county commission Monday night adopted a budget amendment to appropriate the funds with conditions.
The commission voted 9-4-1 to transfer the $75,000 from the county’s fund balance. Those voting in favor were Jack Barton, Anita Puckett, Kevin Robinson, Joe Johnson, Jonathon Norris, Larry Summers, Jerry Adcock, Bradley Hendrix, and Wayne Cantrell. Mason Carter, Betty Atnip, Jeff Barnes, and Jimmy Midgett voted against it. Elmer Ellis, Jr. passed.
Members of the DeKalb Animal Coalition for the Humane Treatment of Animals, who will be running the new shelter, had been pushing for a financial commitment from the county for months. Although the county’s appropriation of $75,000 will only fund half the estimated construction costs of $150,000, the City of Smithville has also budgeted $75,000 for the project.
During the August meeting, Third District Commissioner Jack Barton moved that the county allocate the $75,000 but with conditions. “This is a one time donation of $75,000 by DeKalb County earmarked for the construction of an animal shelter by the DeKalb Animal Coalition. This donation is conditional. The county will not be responsible for the hiring and payroll of any employees relating to the animal shelter and will not be responsible for the operation of the shelter or the future funds needed to operate the shelter. Also the Coalition will pick up animals for the county when a request is made from the county mayor’s office or the sheriff’s department at a fee of $100 and $50 for a dead head if they fail to pick up an animal. That will be paid by the county to the coalition for those animals that are requested by the county mayor’s office or the sheriff’s department,” said Barton.
Barton’s motion passed on an 8-5 vote.
Since last month some commissioners have posed new questions including the length of the agreement and if fees to the county will increase over time for animal pickup.
County Attorney Hilton Conger said a memorandum of understanding will be prepared between the county and animal coalition.”There was a question that came up at the workshop (last Thursday night) about any time limit on the fee for pickup. We do need a memorandum of understanding with the coalition and I’ve talked with Sue Puckett, their attorney, and they are agreeable to putting a suggested four year (term) under which they would operate under this arrangement being $100 for pickup and $50 for a dead head. A suggestion was then made at that time (after four years) we (county) would increase that fee by ten percent. There were some other conditions that were mentioned at the time the donation was approved and that was that we wouldn’t be responsible for the hiring or payroll of any employees at the animal shelter. We also want to make it clear that this is a one time donation. The coalition is meeting on Thursday night, but Sue told me she had contacted their steering committee and they were agreeable to these terms. With that understanding, I feel comfortable if you want to go ahead and make that budget amendment tonight. Obviously we’re not going to hand them a check until they sign our agreement,” said County Attorney Hilton Conger.
The shelter is to be built on a four acre site near the solid waste transfer station, behind Tenneco off of Highway 70 east. The property, owned by the Smithville Industrial Development Board, has been deeded to the city, which will enter into a 99 year lease with the Coalition, a 501 (c) 3 charity organization.
The goal of the coalition is for the county to have a permanent and safe location for neglected, abandoned and abused animals; to provide an alternative low-kill policy so these animals receive medical attention, reduce overpopulation, and be cared for until they can be placed in permanent homes.

A 40 year old Smithville man is charged with four counts of forgery for allegedly passing forged checks at local businesses earlier this month.
James Mitchell Johnson of East Bryant Street, Smithville is under a $40,000 bond and he will be in court October 8. He was arrested on September 22.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that Johnson passed forged checks on the following dates: Friday, September 11 at Wilson Bank and Trust in the amount of $300; Sunday, September 13 at DeKalb Market in the amount of $100 and at Save-A-Lot for $125; and on Monday, September 14 at Walmart for $21.81.
54 year old Kevin Troy Coe of Auburntown is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence and issued citations for violation of the implied consent law, violation of the light law, violation of the financial responsibility law, and violation of the open container law. His bond is $3,000 and he will be in court October 1.
Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, September 23 a deputy spotted a red Chevy S-10 traveling east on Nashville Highway with a brake light out. He conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, Coe who had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. Coe submitted to field sobriety tasks but performed poorly. Two open containers of beer were found in the vehicle. Coe refused to take a blood test. He was placed under arrest.
43 year old Dana Annette Kennedy of McMinnville is charged with domestic assault. Her bond is $2,500 and she will be in court on October 29.
Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, September 26 Kennedy allegedly assaulted her sister by punching her in the face causing cuts to her face and a busted lip. The incident occurred at a location on Blue Springs Road. Kennedy was determined to have been the primary aggressor and was placed under arrest.