The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces a periodic test of an emergency evacuation siren at Long Branch Campground, located directly below Center Hill Dam, on Monday, April 5th, at 2 p.m.
This siren serves the Long Branch and Buffalo Valley Recreation Areas immediately below the dam. Additionally, neighboring private landowners downstream of the dam may possibly hear the siren. The test will last for approximately one minute.
This is only a test.
In the unlikely event of a breach of the dam, the siren will be activated and an evacuation plan put into effect to assist the visiting public in the Long Branch and Buffalo Valley Recreation Areas. Anyone with questions should call the Center Hill Lake Resource Manager’s Office at 931-858-3125.

For the first time in a decade, Tennessee has adopted new childhood immunization requirements to better protect children from serious diseases, especially those that can spread easily in a school or pre-school setting. The new 2010 requirements apply to those who attend child care, pre-school and school, and changes coming in 2011 affect new Tennessee college students. The state has also introduced a new official Tennessee Certificate of Immunization required for children starting pre-school, Kindergarten and seventh grade this fall.
“Vaccinations have all but eliminated the threat of diseases like mumps and measles. Unfortunately, we still see Tennessee children suffer and die unnecessarily when they are not properly immunized,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “These new requirements assure that children have the best protection from serious illnesses that are easily passed from person to person in schools and child care centers.”
Parents and guardians planning to pre-register their children for school this spring will need to submit the new Certificate of Immunization by the time class starts in the fall. Because all new Kindergarten students and seventh graders will need the new certificate, public schools are allowing a one-time grace period of October 1 to submit the form, according to the state Department of Education. Check with your school for more information.
“The required vaccines are already recommended for all children by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, so most young children have already received them,” said Kelly Moore, MD, medical director of the state immunization program. “Parents should talk with their child’s health care provider to be sure they have had everything they need. Unlike toddlers, who have frequent health exams, many pre-teens and teens are overdue for their annual health check-up, and are missing some of these important vaccines.”
A complete list of the new immunization requirements as well as information for parents and health care providers is available on the Tennessee Department of Health Web site at http://health.state.tn.us/CEDS/required.htm. Examples of changes that will go into effect are as follows:
·Children enrolling in child care, pre-school or pre-Kindergarten must now show documentation of Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Pneumococcal vaccine.
·All children entering the seventh grade this fall must submit proof of a booster dose of the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine; and confirm either chickenpox immunity through the disease or receipt of two doses of the varicella vaccine.
·In July 2011, new full-time enrollees to Tennessee colleges who were born after 1979 will need to provide proof of chickenpox immunity through either the disease or two doses of the varicella vaccine.
Children and teens younger than age 19 who have TennCare as well as those who do not have health insurance can receive free vaccines through the federal Vaccines for Children Program in participating private medical offices and health departments. Ask your child’s health care provider if they participate in VFC. If a child has insurance that does not pay for vaccines or if parents are unable to afford them, local health departments can provide the vaccine. Health departments and VFC providers give the vaccine for a small fee that can be adjusted based on your income.
Local health departments will be able to provide the new certificates beginning April 1; private providers will be able to obtain the new certificate beginning in April. Parents should talk to their child’s health care provider about plans for issuing the new certificates. Health care providers can go to https://twis.tn.us for more information.
For general information about vaccines, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines. For questions about school policies or health examinations, contact your local school system. For more information on the new requirements, call your county health department or go to the Web at http://health.state.tn.us/CEDS/required.htm.

A midnight fire destroyed the residence of Jerry Harper on Rosewood Lane off Blue Springs Road Monday night.
Central dispatch received the call at 11:51 p.m.
County Fire Chief Donny Green says no one was at home when the fire started. A neighbor spotted the blaze and reported it, but the flames were already coming through the roof by the time it was discovered. The home and all contents were lost in the fire..
No one was injured.
Members of the Keltonburg, Short Mountain Highway, Blue Springs, and Main Stations of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department responded along with the tanker truck and equipment truck, DeKalb EMS, and Sheriff’s deputies.
The cause of the fire is undetermined.

The City of Smithville is accepting applications to fill the position of Police Chief.
Mayor Taft Hendrixson, in a public notice, states that applications may be picked up at city hall from 8:00 a.m. until noon. through April 16th All applicants must be certified by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (P.O.S.T.) with a minimum of six years experience as a certified, full-time officer with a minimum of three years experience in a supervisory position. The City of Smithville is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.
The Police Chief position has been open since December when the Board of Aldermen, with four voting in the affirmative, upheld the city discipline board’s decision in November to terminate former Police Chief Richard Jennings for dereliction of duties/negligence..
Lieutenant Steven Leffew has been serving as “Officer in Charge” of the department since November.
On December 10th. Jennings and his wife June filed a federal court lawsuit against the City of Smithville claiming he was wrongfully terminated and that his constitutional rights were violated
In the lawsuit, Jennings alleges that the city never established a cause for his termination, that the city violated his constitutional due process rights, and that he was the victim of age discrimination in the dismissal.
The former police chief is asking for a jury trial, that he be awarded back pay and damages for loss of earnings and benefits in an amount to be determined at trial, that front pay be awarded to compensate him for lost employment opportunities, that compensatory damages be awarded in an amount to be determined at trial, and that he be awarded attorney’s fees, expenses of the litigation, prejudgement interests, punitive damages, and such other and further relief as may be deemed just and proper.”
Jennings is being represented by Murfreesboro attorney Kerry Knox.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated a four vehicle accident Monday morning at the intersection of North Congress Boulevard and East Main Street in Smithville.
Trooper Mark Jones says 78 year old Billy Harris of Smithville was traveling west on East Main Street in a 2003 Chevy pickup truck, crossing Highway 56 as 68 year old Kenneth Tramel, driving a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup for the Tennessee Forestry Division was going north on Highway 56. After impact, Tramel’s truck crossed into the southbound lane and struck a 1994 Oldsmobile, driven by 33 year old Alfaro Alejandro, who was setting in the outside southbound lane at the traffic light. After making contact with the Alejandro vehicle, Tramel’s truck also hit a 1987 Chevy pickup behind Alejandro, driven by 50 year old James Johnson of McMinnville.
According to Trooper Jones, both Harris and Tramel claim they had a green light but Alejandro and Johnson say the light on Congress Boulevard was red.
Trooper Jones says Tramel went to the hospital by private vehicle to be checked out, but there were no other injuries.