Several people have picked up petitions at the DeKalb County Election Commission Office for next year’s elections.
County Clerk Mike Clayborn has qualified to seek re-election in the DeKalb County Democratic Primary next May. Clayborn has picked up and returned his petition
Glynn Merriman has qualified as a candidate for County Clerk in the DeKalb County Democratic Primary. He has picked up and returned his petition.
County Commission candidates who have qualified to run in next year’s elections are as follows:
Third District- Incumbent Jerry Scott
Fifth District- Johnny Ringo Colwell, Randy Braswell, and Bobby R.Taylor
Seventh District- Richard Kinsey (Independent)
Other candidates who have obtained petitions to run in the May Democratic Primary or as Independents in the August General Session are as follows:
County Mayor Mike Foster, Circuit Court Clerk Katherine Pack, Register of Deeds Jeff McMillen, First District County Commissioner Elmer Ellis, Jr., Second District County Commissioner Jack Barton, Third District County Commission Candidate Roy Merriman, Fourth District County Commissioner Wayne Cantrell, Fifth District County Commissioner John Green, Fifth District County Commission Candidate Lloyd Emmons (Independent), Sixth District County Commissioner Jeff Barnes, Sixth District County Commissioner Marshall Ferrrell, Seventh District County Commissioner Larry Summers, Seventh District County Commission candidate Jimmy W. Poss.
The Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board has certified Kenny Edge’s qualifications to be a candidate for Road Supervisor. Edge plans to seek re-election as Road Supervisor, subject to receiving his party’s nomination in January at the DeKalb County Republican Convention.
Circuit Court Judge Amy Hollars has submitted a certified copy of her qualifying petition to the election commission office.
Offices eligible for the May ballot are County Mayor, County Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, Trustee, Register of Deeds, Road Supervisor, and Sheriff, county commissioners in districts one through seven, 13th Judicial District Circuit Court Judge Part 1 and District Attorney. The judge and D.A. elections are to fill unexpired terms.
Qualifying petitions may now be picked up and the qualifying deadline for the May 4th Primary is noon on Thursday, February 18th, 2010. There is another important date for potential Sheriff and Road Supervisor candidates to remember, February 4th.
Sheriff candidates must file “affidavits of qualification” with the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission no later than February 4th, 2010. Road Supervisor candidates must file their affidavits of qualification with the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board no later than February 4th, 2010.
Independent candidates have the same qualifying deadline, Noon, February 18th, 2010. The Republican Party, which usually selects its nominees by caucus, must certify its candidates by the same date and time.

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development is on schedule to complete the online applications for the latest federal extension of unemployment benefits. The application will be available on the Tennessee Department of Labor’s Internet site on December 11, and the first benefit payments are expected to be mailed December 18, 2009.
“This project has been given the highest priority, and the department’s Information Technology division has worked nights, weekends and holidays to do the extensive programming required of our systems to extend these benefits,” said Labor Commissioner James Neeley. “Those who have already exhausted their benefits should look for instructions in the mail this week with the status of their claim.”
The online application will be necessary for claimants who have exhausted all prior benefits. Additionally, those who exhausted benefits prior to the February 27, 2009, deadline for State Extended Benefits may also be eligible and are encouraged to apply.
Tennesseans who exhaust their State Extended Benefits (EB09) after December 17, 2009, will automatically transition into the new program without having to reapply.
“During this slow economic period, we have seen an unprecedented number of Tennesseans staying on unemployment until they exhaust their benefits,” said Neeley. “This will give those who are still looking for work more time to cover their expenses through the holidays and into 2010.”
This federally funded extension is the fourth announcement of benefits beyond the initial 26 weeks of unemployment compensation provided by the state. While the intent of the bill was to add 20 weeks of payments, an oversight in the way the federal law was structured prevented individuals from receiving the maximum weeks of entitlement. Depending on an individual’s initial claim eligibility, wage history and subsequent employment status, the maximum entitlement for the latest extension of unemployment benefits is 14 weeks.
The Department of Labor and Workforce Development has posted details of the extension with an extensive list of frequently asked questions on their Internet home page at www.tn.gov/labor-wfd. For Tennesseans without Internet access, Tennessee Career Centers throughout the state are available at no charge. To find a Career Center in your area please go to www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/cc/cccounty.htm or call 1-800-576-3467.

With extreme rainfall and flooding damaging DeKalb County farms in September, Congressman Bart Gordon announced today that the U.S. Agriculture Department declared DeKalb County a federal agriculture disaster area. The designation comes after Gordon joined his Tennessee colleagues in urging USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to grant the disaster declaration.
“The storms destroyed crop yields across DeKalb County, significantly affecting the livelihood of farmers and their families,” Gordon said. “With this disaster declaration, the many affected farmers can begin to rebuild and prepare for the start of the next farming season.”
The U.S. Agriculture Department’s disaster declaration enables qualifying farmers to apply for federal farm disaster assistance programs, including supplemental farm revenue payments and low-interest emergency loans.
“This federal assistance will not only help the countless farmers and their businesses that were affected by the rain and flooding,” Gordon added, “but it will also help the local county economies.”
DeKalb County is among the 42 Tennessee counties covered under today’s disaster declaration. Affected farmers in DeKalb County should contact the Farm Service Agency office in Smithville for more information. The office’s phone number is (615) 597-8225.

Lieutenant Steven Leffew, Officer in Charge, says the Smithville Police Department has established a new unit to help combat the ever growing complaints from the community regarding, not just drug trafficking but all other nuisances as well. This new unit is called the Community Nuisance Eradication Team or CNET. On December 8th members of the Smithville Police Department’s new CNET unit along with the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force went to multiple locations within the city of Smithville.
While investigating complaints at 830 South Mountain Street, officers arrested Anthony Robert Goff on out of county warrants and cited Todd Odell Hindsley and Amanda Riley for possession of drug paraphernalia.
The most productive narcotics investigation of the day came at 835 Anthony Avenue. Officers seized a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix and approximately $1,600 in cash from Misty Jean Ferrell of 1588 Banks Pisgah Road and Rickie Shawn Cummings of 104 Greenland Drive. Cummings was also cited to Smithville Municipal Court for violating the city’s open container ordinance. Smithville Police Department officers present during this day’s operation were Patrolman Matt Farmer, Sergeant Randy King, K-9 Officer Brad Tatrow, Patrolman Nathan Estes, Patrolman Matt Holmes and agents from the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force.
Lieutenant Leffew says “I am very proud to see what can be achieved when the Smithville Police Department combines efforts with other agencies such as the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department”.
He adds “today’s events are just the beginning of the CNET’s presence within the community.
Anyone having information about any type of criminal activity within the Smithville community is encouraged to contact the Smithville City Police Department 597-8210 or the Crime Tip Hot Line 464-6046.

The county 4-H Public speaking contest was held Monday night at Northside Elementary School.
The contest is a good way for 4-H members to polish their speaking and writing skills. It also helps them gain confidence. The 4-H program is open to all eligible youth regardless of
race, color, sex, national origin, or disability.
2009 County 6th – 8th grade 4-H public speaking winners: (Top Photo Left to Right) Cassie Cain, 8th grade winner, William Cain, 6th grade winner, and Lydia Trail, 7th grade winner. All are students at DeKalb West School
5th Grade participants:(Second Photo from Top Front Row Left to Right): Casey Vickers (DeKalb West), Katlyn Cox, and Allison Rogers (Northside) Second row: Emily Wallace, Makira Johson (Northside), Wyatt Martin (DeKalb West), Chloe Cripps, Grace Odom, Jeremy Wagner, Joshua Irvin, Gentry Harpole, Eli Cross, Adam Ferrell, and Daniel Patterson (all from Northside).
2009 County 4-H Public Speaking Winners: (Third Photo from Top Front Row (Left to Right):
Abigale Fontanez, 2nd place in 4th grade; Abby Evans, 1st place, 4th grade; and Hannah Brown, and Lydia Trail, 1st place in 7th grade. Second row: William Cain, 1st place in 6th grade; Cassie Cain, 1st place in 8th grade; Adam Ferrell, 3rd place in 5th grade; Eli Cross, 2nd place in 5th grade; and Wyatt Martin, 1st place in 5th grade.
2009 County 4th Grade Public Speaking participants: (Bottom Photo Front Row Left to
Right): Mackenzie Knowles (DeKalb West), Abigale Fontanez, Hayley Martin (Northside). Second row (left to right): Gage Bowman, Shauna Pedroza, Olivia Fuson, Abby Evans, and Hannah Brown (Northside).

A 23 year old man, initially arrested Monday by Smithville Police for vandalism, has also been identified as the person responsible for an armed robbery last Friday at the home of W.J. Page at 826 Anthony Avenue, in which a $70 watch was stolen.
Lieutenant Steven Leffew, Officer in Charge of the Smithville Police Department, says 23 year old Justin R. Lohorn of Short Mountain Street, Smithville is charged by Smithville Police with one count of aggravated robbery, one count of theft of property, two counts of vandalism, and a first offense of driving on a suspended license. Sheriff Patrick Ray says his department has also charged Lohorn with one count of vandalism and one count of theft under $500. Total bond for Lohorn is $71,000 and he will appear in General Sessions Court on December 17th.
Lohorn is accused of vandalizing vending machines Monday, December 7th at Larry’s Discount Grocery on West Broad Street, It’s All About Looks on Dry Creek Road, and at the Mystick Market on Highway 56 south.
According to Lieutenant Leffew, Lohorn became as a suspect in the Page robbery after being arrested in the vandalism cases. Smithville Police Officer Matt Holmes and Detective Mike Billings of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation after the initial arrest of Lohorn by Smithville Police Officer Nathan Estes.
According to police reports, “Officer Estes responded to a vandalism complaint at 625 Dry Creek Road (It’s All About Looks) on Monday where the owner of the business reported that a drink machine had been damaged. Officer Estes got a description of the vehicle leaving the scene and later spotted it on Highway 70 west. He stopped the automobile and spoke to the driver, Lohorn. A check of his drivers license found them to be suspended. Also found in the front seat of Lohorn’s vehicle were four hammers, two knives, bolt cutters, and a tire wrench.” He was taken into custody and charged with the vandalism of the vending machines at both It’s All About Looks and at Larry’s Discount Grocery. He was also charged with a first offense of driving on a suspended license.
In the incident at Larry’s Discount Grocery, the arrest warrant states that on Monday, December 7th “Lohorn did vandalize two drink machines by taking bolt cutters and cutting off two locks. He also caused damage to one of the machines by prying on it with a pry bar.”
In the robbery case, the arrest warrant against Lohorn states that “he did commit aggravated robbery by confronting W.J. Page who was leaving his residence at 826 Anthony Avenue, Smithville by using a handgun and telling Page to give him his wallet and watch. Lohorn gave a written statement confessing to the robbery. A gun and the watch were recovered at Lohorn’s residence.”
On the theft charge, the arrest warrant alleges that ” Lohorn did take a watch by gunpoint in a robbery from Page who was exiting his home at 826 Anthony Avenue, Smithville. Lohorn did admit to robbing Mr. Page and taking the watch, which was recovered from Lohorn residence. The value of the watch is $70.”
In the case against Lohorn filed by the sheriff’s department, the arrest warrant states that “On December 7th, Lohorn did vandalize a drink machine at Mystick Market on McMinnville Highway. He broke into the machine, causing damage to the front and inside, estimated at $1,800. Lohorn was also charged with theft of property under $500 for allegedly taking 31 one dollar bills from the drink machine at Mystick Market. He has admitted to taking that money.”
Lieutenant Leffew says he is grateful for the cooperation between the city police and county sheriff’s departments in this investigation.”I would like to extend my gratitude to Sheriff Ray and County Detective Billings for their assistance in this matter. I’m very pleased with the combined effort of the police department and the sheriff’s department in bringing this case to a close.”
Lieutenant Leffew also commended Smithville Police Officers Estes and Holmes for their part in solving the crimes.
The armed robbery at the Page residence was reported to central dispatch at 4:49 a.m. Friday morning.
Smithville Police Officer Scott Davis, in his report that morning, states “I was dispatched to 826 Anthony Avenue in reference to a robbery. Upon my arrival, I made contact with the complainant, W.J. Page who stated that he was going to his garage when an unknown male with a mask and a camouflage coat came out from behind his truck and pointed something at him and stated “give me your money, wallet, watch” or words to that affect. Mr. Page stated that he threw his watch toward him and started running toward his house. Mr. Page stated that the suspect ran toward J.E. Evins Avenue. A search of the area by Sergeant Joey Jones and Deputy Barrett and myself (Davis) could not locate the suspect.”
The suspect was described as a male, 5′ 9 to 5′ 10 inches tall, average build, wearing a mask, a camo jacket, and possibly armed with an unknown type of gun/knife.

The DeKalb County Basketball Cheerleaders have won the 2009 TSSAA State Cheer Non-Building Championship. The competition was held Saturday at MTSU’s Murphy Center.
The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) began the State Cheerleading Championship in 1998. Since the first competition, the DeKalb County Basketball Cheerleaders have competed each year. During the last five years, they have won four State Cheer Championships.
The preparation for competition level performances began in July when the local cheerleaders participated in a Cheerleaders of America (COA) Cheer Camp. At the camp, Kendra Foutch and Amanda Ours were each named All American Cheerleaders, a prestigious award based on cheer skills, spirit, and leadership. Other awards presented at the camp were:
Best Gymnastics: Kendra Foutch,
Most Spirited: Amanda Ours,
Cheerleadership: Caroline Carter,
Best Stunter: Sydney Robinson,
Best Jumps: Jasmine Dimas.
The squad also a received a bid to perform during half-time at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on January 1, 2010 based on a camp evaluation of their cheer skills, spirit, work ethic, and enthusiasm. However, due to commitments to family, school, and basketball, the cheer squad will not be making the trip to Orlando for the New Year’s Day bowl game.
As school began, the cheer squad practiced relentlessly in improving their cheer techniques to prepare for another state championship bid. In November, the cheerleaders learned their 2009 competition routine which is high energy and focuses on cheer skills and other abilities that encourage crowd participation. They use poms, signs, and megaphones to add variety to their routine and enhance the pride of being a DCHS Tiger.
After placing 2nd in the UCA Tennessee Extreme Regional on November 21st, the routine underwent some tweaking to improve it’s visual effects, performance, and energy and all the perseverance and hard work has paid off with another state championship for the local cheerleaders
The members of the DCHS Basketball Cheerleading squad are Captains and Seniors: Amanda Ours, Kendra Foutch, and Caroline Carter;
Sophomores: Christian Atnip, Jasmine Dimas, Allyson Judkins, Allison Little, Cora Beth Rhody, Sydney Robinson, Ashlee Whitehead;
Freshmen: Destiny Caldwell, Erin Cantrell-Pryor, Kelsey Hale, Emily Webb.