A ground breaking celebration was held Sunday afternoon for the fifth Habitat for Humanity home in DeKalb County.
Committee and Board members of Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County and the new partner family, Tia Adcock , her son Caven Ponder, and daughter Caitlin Adcock gathered for the brief ceremony at the future site of the home at 202 Hayes Street in Smithville.
Larry Green, President of Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County, said construction will soon begin and may be completed by late summer. The home will be a 1,050 square foot house plus the porch. It will have three bedrooms and a bath and a half.
During Sunday’s ground breaking ceremony, Green made opening remarks and led the attendees in the Responsive Reading following prayer by local minister Larry Steffee. After the groundbreaking, Green, who is also a local minister closed the ceremony with prayer.
This is the fifth Habitat home in DeKalb County. Two of them are on Adams Street. The other two are on Hayes Street.

To qualify, applicants must: (1) have lived in DeKalb County for at least one year; (2) be willing to partner with Habitat to realize dreams of home ownership; (3) currently occupy inadequate or substandard housing; (4) demonstrate the ability to pay a mortgage; and (5) fall within Habitat’s income guidelines.
All applications will be reviewed and considered by Habitat’s Family Selection Committee before a partner family is selected. The partner family will work with Habitat on construction of their home and to develop the skills necessary for successful home ownership. Construction labor is provided by Habitat volunteers, and some materials are donated by Habitat supporters, as well.

The DeKalb County High School Tigerettes are headed for the State Softball Tournament after winning at Chattanooga Central in the Sub-State on Friday 2 to 0.
The Tigerettes scored one run in the first inning and one run in the fifth.
DeKalb County scored two runs on two hits and made one error. Chattanooga Central was held scoreless on one hit and made three errors.
Kayley Caplinger was the winning pitcher.
Danielle Tyson had a single and Kayley Caplinger doubled
The Tigerettes, 40-6 overall, are scheduled to take on Greenbrier in the TSSAA Class AA State Girls’ Softball Tournament in Murfreesboro at McKnight Field on Tuesday, May 20. Game time will be at approximately 5:30 p.m.

Several years after first announcing plans to widen and improve Highway 56, the Tennessee Department of Transportation has a new proposal that is expected to save the state money.
Instead of building a four lane divided and five lane road from south of the Warren County line (in Warren County) to near Magness Road in DeKalb County, TDOT now proposes to build a new two lane road (typical section) with twelve foot lanes and ten foot paved shoulders and passing lanes along the 3.30 mile existing alignment. The plans also include adding extra safety features on the new road, such as guardrails, better road signage, pavement markings, and center line rumble stripes. The total projected cost is $7,611,000. That would be a savings to the state of $12,800,000 from TDOT’s original plans for this portion of Highway 56, which would have cost $20,411,000.
The highway from near Magness Road to just south of the Warren County line is currently a two lane road with eleven to twelve foot lanes and two to eleven foot shoulder widths. According to TDOT officials, the rate of severe crashes on this portion of Highway 56 is (0.250) double the state average (0.128) for rural two lane routes.
County Mayor Mike Foster and Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss learned of the new proposal during a meeting with TDOT officials Thursday.
The project could be let for bids by the fall of 2015.
TDOT has not yet announced a timetable for construction of the proposed project to four lane Highway 56 from Magness Road to the city limits of Smithville.

On May 14, 2014 the DeKalb County Drug/DUI Court program held a special celebration for three of its participants. The celebration was in honor of each participant having maintained one year of sobriety. Crystal Baker, John Pedigo and Tawanna Petty were each presented with a framed certificate noting their period of continuous sobriety and also received a gift certificate. The DeKalb County Drug/DUI Court program utilizes individualized treatment plans based on the participants’ needs, which include, but are not limited to residential inpatient treatment, a 6 week Lifeskills course, a 12 week relapse prevention program, Moral Reconation Therapy, individual and group counseling as well as all participants being required to attend 12-step meetings (Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous). These programs and treatment, in conjunction with frequent monitoring, weekly random drug testing and judicial supervision are what make the program so successful.
Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner E. Douglas Varney said in his Spring 2014 Update in regards to Tennessee’s Drug/Recovery Courts that, “We are facing a major prescription drug problem in our state. We need to focus all of our resources in the most efficient, effective, and collaborative way to maximize our impact on this issue and drug abuse overall. And because so many people who are dealing with a substance abuse issue also have a mental health issue—a situation referred to as a co-occurring disorder—these Recovery Courts (“Drug Court”) will be able to help them get all the help that they need at one time and in one location.” The DeKalb County Drug/DUI Court is funded by multiple sources which include the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, court fees and fines of individuals charged with drug or alcohol related charges, additional funding appropriated through the County Commission and through donations of time from the Honorable Judge Bratten Hale Cook II, the Office of the District Attorney General, the Office of the District Public Defender , Sheriff Patrick Ray, Haven of Hope Counseling and Community Probation Services.
(Pictured above left to right: John Quintero (Treatment Provider at Haven of Hope), Crystal Baker (Drug Court Participant), Kristy Longmire (Drug Court Case Manager), Judge Bratten H. (Butch) Cook, II, Tawanna Petty (Drug Court participant), John Pedigo (Drug Court participant), Norene Puckett (Drug Court Coordinator), Ryan Sullivan (Alumni), Ashley Lasser (Probation Officer), Kay Quintero (Treatment Provider at Haven of Hope). Not pictured: Sheriff Patrick Ray, Assistant District Attorney General Greg Strong, and Assistant Public Defender Allison West

The DeKalb Farmers Market Committee met recently to plan upcoming demonstration days. The DeKalb County Farmers Market has partnered with Justin Potter Library and DeKalb Community Hospital to offer live cooking, canning and craft demonstrations throughout the month of June. The market offers fresh fruits and vegetables to the public along with artisan crafts, homemade jams and jellies, smoked barbeque (year ‘round) and home grown herbs.
Open to the public each Saturday now through November from 6am to 1pm. “Supporting your farmers market ensures that you get the freshest garden varieties available while impacting your local economy in a positive way. We look forward to seeing our regular customers week after week, and encourage new customers to come see what it’s all about.”
For upcoming demonstration dates, join their facebook page: DeKalbFarmersMarket

The DeKalb County Tigers will compete in the Region baseball tournament at Central Magnet in Murfreesboro Friday, May 16 at 5:00 p.m.
The DCHS Tigerettes’ game at Sequatchie County was suspended with no score in the first inning Wednesday and will be completed today (Thursday, May 15) in the Region Softball Tournament at 3:00 p.m.

The students and teachers of First United Methodist Preschool of Smithville, TN donated over 300 homemade teddy bears to patients of DeKalb Community Hospital recently. The bears were stuffed with love and signed by each student.
Volunteers Bessie Jones and Sheila Kirby stitched the bears to final completion.
CNO Kim Frazier of DeKalb Community Hospital accepted the bears with gratitude, “We are so excited to be able to offer these bears as comfort to patients who come to our hospital. This small token means so much to a patient who is sick or scared. I’d like to thank each little boy and girl who worked so hard on something they are willing to give away. We have such a caring community.”

Students in Janet Woodward’s second grade class at Smithville Elementary School have learned the names of all the U.S. Presidents in the order in which they served.
The children recited the President’s names for WJLE Thursday afternoon in their classroom.

The children also learned a song naming all the states in the country.

Members of the class pictured in this video are:
SEATED LEFT TO RIGHT: Kerri Vandyne, Alia Hawkins, Madison Dawson, Suzzeth Martinez, Maleah Ruch, and Kandice Whitson
STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: Braxton Walden, Aaron Hatfield, Cameron Caballero, Samuel Gaspar, Ian Colwell, Briz Trapp, Brayden Summers, Cooper Love, and Kholton Melton. (Not pictured-absent: Toni Atnip)
In addition to the video presentation here, you can listen to the children weekday mornings May 19-23 following the 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. morning local news on WJLE AM 1480 and FM 101.7.

DeKalb County High School has teamed up with the local banks to add resources to the Personal Finance class. Personal Finance is now a state required class for graduation. The teachers of this class pull in many resources to help the students understand that this is something they will deal with everyday throughout their lives, and that they have control over their own financial futures.
DeKalb Community Bank, an office of Wilson Bank and Trust, has been a great resource for DCHS and the Personal Finance Class. For the past several years, the students in Personal Finance have been using a checkbook simulation provided by Wilson Bank and Trust. In this simulation, students work through eight months of writing checks, paying bills, keeping a check register and reconciling their bank statements. In this activity, students get a feel of being on their own and being responsible for their finances, along with learning the techniques and procedures of handling a bank account. The simulation doesn’t only stress check writing, but also introduces other ways of making payments such as Debit cards, EFT, ATM, Online payments, and over-the-phone payments, which all incorporate technology. This simulation is updated to keep up with the changes in the banking industry. DeKalb Community Bank has also provided many speakers over the years.
DCHS has partnered with Liberty State Bank, an office of Citizens Bank, this year in educating our students in Personal Finance using the online program EVERFI. This program is sponsored by Citizen’s Bank and Liberty State Bank in a partnership to make sure that our students have the best possible resources available. Once students have completed the EVERFI program, they are “Certified in Personal Finance”. In the program, students work through modules covering a variety of topics, including: Financing Higher Education; Banking; Savings; Investing; Credit and Credit Scores; Insurance and Taxes; and Renting vs. Owning. The students watch videos, play games, take quizzes and tests over the covered information. They are graded on the items completed and those grades are used as a grade in the regular class.
Douglas Haehl, Marketing Coordinator for Citizens Bank, was on hand Tuesday, May 13 to present the students with their certificates. Students who are “Certified in Personal Finance” are:
Miranda Dyer
Noah Byford
Emerald McClanahan
Jennifer Caplinger
Sy Gohs
Chasity Garrett
Megan Strayn
Nathaniel Theriaque
Matthew Wright
Hannah Walker
Samara Williams
Carlee White
Zackery Underhill
Chloe White
Tara Bockoven
Hailey Summers
Amber Montgomery
Deveen Johnson
Angel Mathews
Ashley Beacham
Lauren Lewis
Bailey Bly
Noah Parsley
Regions Bank has also played a role in helping to educate the students on Personal Finance. Speakers from the Smithville Branch, as well as McMinnville, have come in to share ideas, information and experiences. Jeff Crips and Alex Woodward, have been representatives of Regions. Both are former DCHS students and value the opportunity to come in to speak and see students sitting where they once sat. They both shared experiences from high school, gave some advice on clubs and school involvement, how to approach their courses, as well as information on being a successful adult.
The Personal Finance Teachers of DeKalb County High School, and the students, want to say THANK YOU to the banks for everything they help us do and everything they provide. We appreciate the time, financial resources, and anything you have done to help better educate the students concerning their financial futures. We look forward to a continuing partnership with each.

The terms of two members of the DeKalb Utility District Board of Commissioners are expiring this year and the DUD will meet next month to begin the process of either reappointing those members or selecting new ones.
According to a published legal notice for Commissioner Appointment, the term of Roger Turney, serving Cannon County on the DUD’s board will expire on August 31, 2014. Jimmy Womack’s term will expire on October 31, 2014. Womack is one of three members on the board who serve DeKalb County.
The DUD board of commissioners will meet on Thursday, June 5 to certify a list of three nominees to the Cannon County Mayor and DeKalb County Mayor to fill these vacancies. A customer may also submit a name for consideration by the DUD board for the list of nominees. Any names to be considered should be provided to the District’s General Manager at least one week before the June 5 meeting. State law provides for qualifications for nominees.
The general provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated (State Law) TCA § 7-82-307 provide that the utility board members must submit three nominees, listed in order of preference, to the county mayor (where the vacancy exists). The county mayor has the authority to appoint one of the nominees to the vacant position on the board or reject all of the nominees. If the county mayor rejects all three nominees, then the board of (utility) commissioners has to submit three additional nominees to the county mayor for consideration. If the county mayor rejects these nominees, then the process would continue until the position is filled. There are, however, exceptions to these general provisions in the statute. Any order either appointing or rejecting a list of nominees shall be entered of record on the minutes of the county legislative body and a certified copy of the order shall be furnished to the board of (utility) commissioners and to the appointee; provided, that upon the rejection of any entire list of nominees by the county mayor, the board of (utility) commissioners shall continue to submit new nonidentical lists of three (3) nominees to the county mayor within sixty (60) days after each such rejection until such procedure shall result in the vacancy being filled for the remainder of the term or for the new term, as provided in this section.
The DUD Board is made up of five members, three from DeKalb County, one from Cannon, and one from Smith County. The terms are staggered.