Santa Claus is coming to town!
The first of three Christmas parades in DeKalb County this holiday season will be Saturday, December 2 when the Smithville Christmas Parade sponsored by the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department takes place starting at 1:00 p.m. The line up begins at 11:00 a.m. at Smithville Elementary School. To enter call Jeff Wright at 615-597-6750 or John Poss at 931-349-5598.
The Liberty Christmas Parade will be Sunday, December 3 at 2:00 p.m. The line-up will be at 1 PM at Salem Baptist Church. Call 615-464-8085 for more information.
The Alexandria Christmas Parade will be Sunday, December 10 at 2:00 p.m. Line-up begins at 1 p.m. on West Main Street. To enter stop by or call the Alexandria City Hall at 615-529-2171 extension 2

As of January 1st, new rules and regulations will be enforced for the rental and use of the DeKalb County Complex/Community Center (Mike Foster Multi-Purpose Center).
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission voted to establish the new guidelines for the facility and to create a new full time director position at the complex to enforce them as recommended by the parks and recreation committee.
Those rules and regulations are as follows:
*Fees to be paid in full within 3 days of making the reservation
*Room rental: $50 for (4) hours, $25 for (4) hours non-profits and depending on services will require liability insurance
*Auditorium rental fee for a day: $300
Non-profits & benefits: half price
Example: Booster Clubs, School Fundraisers & Banquets
*Any Theatrical Productions, excluding bands, requesting to have a weekend event utilizing the auditorium may rent the auditorium in the amount of $600 for Monday through Sunday and he/she will relinquish 50% after expenses of any gate money
*Basketball gym rental $20 per hour with a maximum of $100 per day
*All registrations/open meetings to be held in cafe area unless scheduling conflicts
*Members are to be issued a key tag upon membership enrollment to the DeKalb County Complex. Members must have key tag when entering the gym, if not, a $1.00 fee applies. The fee must be paid before the member uses the gym. Non-members pay $1.00 per day for use of the gym
*No outside sports equipment. Complex will provide the equipment
*Common areas are not to be used for teaching, training, or instruction
*County Complex employees are not permitted to teach, train, or instruct during scheduled working hours for monetary gain
*Non-members use of weight room $3.00 per use
*If an instructor rents a room in the county complex and requests use of the weight room the instructor must pay an additional $5.00 per participant for use of the weight room. If the participant is a member, no further fees apply. If participant is a non-member there is a $3.00 fee per use
*Anyone using the weight room must be 18 years of age
*Children 16 or 17 must have a parent release form to utilize the weight room. Anyone under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a parent to utilize the weight room.
*No children under the age of 12 are permitted in the weight room
*There is no change in the Exercise/Weight room rates. These rates are listed on the membership application as follows.
Family Membership Monthly Rate: $35
Single Membership Monthly Rate: $20
Individual Daily Rate: $3.00
Family Yearly Rate (paid in full up front): $350.00
Individual Yearly Rate (paid in full up front): $220.00
*County Employees and those 62 years and older receive 1/2 price on everything, minus the daily rate.
*We reserve the right to deny any group or organization the use of the County Complex

The county will soon begin taking applications to fill the position of a full time director at the county complex (Mike Foster Multi-Purpose Center).
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission voted 12-1 to create the position. Two part time workers will remain.
Applications and resumes may be submitted to the county mayor’s office through noon December 27th. The county’s parks and recreation committee will review the applications and set up interviews in January. The committee will then make a recommendation to the county commission on whom to hire possibly by the January 22 monthly meeting. The position is expected to be filled by February 1.
Job responsibilities of the director are as follows:
*Overseeing all daily activities, finance and scheduling
*Preparing yearly budget
*Making daily deposits
*Coordinating activities for the county complex
*Booking & renting rooms
*Planning activities for all ages
*Keeping records for complex (attendance, finance)
*Supervising games, events, activities, etc.
*Being responsible for inventory of property
*Working irregular hours, including nights and weekends
*Being responsible for booking classes and getting volunteers to assist with programs
*Scheduling and overseeing employees and volunteers to assist with programs
*Applicants must possess solid computer and people skills
*Be willing to attend training for First Aid, CPR, and perhaps First Responder Classes.
Although the complex is currrently staffed by three part time county employees, it has no one to manage it full time.
“We need a director in place there and we want to put some controls in place to provide a better service for all the citizens of the county. It will also be better for the county. It will really make it a better atmosphere and encourage more people to come out there and take advantage of the facility the county has built,” said Jonathan Norris, fourth district county commissioner and member of the county parks and recreation committee.
Last week the county budget committee accepted a recommendation from the parks and recreation committee to hire a director and to forward the proposal to the entire county commission for its blessing.
Sixth district commissioner Betty Atnip, who cast the only no vote for hiring a director Monday night, asked why the urgency to create the position now since the complex has operated six years without one.
“Because there is a potential for the complex to do better,” answered fifth district commissioner Anita Puckett, who is also a member of the parks and recreation committee.
“I thought it (complex) was doing okay until we had a group who came and wanted to utilize the facility and not pay anything. That’s when it was brought to our attention how neglected the complex truly was. We were able to see that there is no true leadership in overseeing the day to day activities. The neglect is there but we see the potential for more revenue to come in there. We asked (County Mayor) Tim (Stribling) can you show us what was established when it was first developed? There wasn’t anything. It was literally that somebody had hand written guidelines but there hadn’t been anything established like we have developed here. Now there is going to be a direction. There is going to be a director who will be on site day to day and oversee the activities that are being held. They (director) will have specific things we will require of them (him or her) on a daily basis and we want them looking for venues to come in that will generate new revenues from our complex,” said Puckett.
“As for bringing in new venues, events, and encouraging people to come to our complex, in my opinion that falls in with the Chamber of Commerce recommending people to come in and the county mayor’s office. That is part of his job to bring in new people to our county,” said Atnip.
The pay for the director is expected be on the same scale as clerks in other county offices, starting at $25,436 per year at step one or $12,718 for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Norris said the position could be funded without adding new monies to the county budget.
“Looking at the budget and what is already allocated versus what was actually spent in 2016, we think we can do this without any new monies, but obviously that is not a guarantee. We have salaries there now (budgeted) at $54,000. The way we did the math if you added in insurance, retirement and things like that, I think we’re still going to be within that $54,000. We may need to restructure some (county complex) budget line items but I don’t think its going to be any new money,” he said.
Norris agreed with Puckett that a director could help bring more activities and generate additional revenues at the complex.
“Last year the county complex brought in $44,000 against $88,000 in expenses. I don’t think anyone here thinks it (county complex) is going to be a cash cow. That is not its purpose. But it does need to be closer in terms of balancing. I believe that a director, somebody who is there, handling , promoting, and pushing that, is going to be able to increase those memberships and revenues so we have a little bit of an offset of the liability,” said Norris.

The new term of the DeKalb County Grand Jury convened Monday and returned indictments against 39 people including 11 named in sealed indictments.
Defendants will be arraigned in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Tuesday, December 12.
Those indicted and their charges are as follows:
Anthony Steven Alley: evading arrest
Jammie Renee Ashford: possession with intent to sell and deliver over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia
Andrew Lafate Billings: attempted first degree murder, initiation of a process intended to result in the manufacture of methamphetamine, and aggravated child abuse
Riley Anthony Bullard: simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana)
Thomas Patrick Courtney: driving under the influence and unlawful possession of a weapon
Christopher Keith Lane Derrick: driving under the influence, vehicular assault, evading arrest, and violation of the implied consent law
Jessica Denise Dyal: aggravated burglary and theft under $1,000 (2 counts)
Jeffery Allen Flatt: driving under the influence and reckless endangerment
Sonni M. Fullilove: simple possession of schedule VI drug (marijuana)
Mark Alan Goodson: possession with intent to sell and deliver over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, violation of the seat belt law, violation of the registration law, and violation of financial responsibility
David Matthew Hill: aggravated burglary (2 counts), theft under $1,000, burglary, and vandalism under $1,000
Laddie Bill Jerrells: desecration of a place of worship (8 counts), resisting arrest, and false report
William Travis Malone: simple possession of a schedule II drug (morphine) and simple possession of a schedule II drug (oxycodone)
James Howard Markham: driving under the influence (4th offense) and violation of the habitual traffic offender order
Phillip Andrew Martin: driving on a revoked license (2nd offense)
John Thomas Mason: driving on a revoked license (2nd offense) and evading
Amber Lynn Matchett: simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) and failure to stay in lane of traffic
Christopher Alan Medlin: forgery (8 counts)
Terry Wayne Owens: driving under the influence, vehicular assault (2 counts), violation of the implied consent law, failure to exercise due care, violation of the financial responsibility law, and failure to yield right of way.
Winston Alexander Puckett: sexual exploitation of a minor and aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor
Christopher Anthony Shelton: driving on a suspended license (8th offense)
Brandon Lee Starnes: possession with intent to sell and deliver over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine
Brian Franklin Strahan: domestic assault
Melody Ann Thomas: driving under the influence and failure to maintain lane of traffic
Richard Allen Tilly: driving under the influence
Jason Andrew Whitherspoon: worthless check over $2,500
Roy Junior Wilkey: sexual exploitation of a minor
Johnny Reb Williams: aggravated assault
Names of those charged in sealed indictments cannot be disclosed until they are served.

Two people were involved in a rollover accident Saturday at the intersection on East Main Street and North Congress Boulevard.
According to Smithville Police Officer Will Judkins, 37 year old Bobby Cross of Smithville was traveling north on Congress Boulevard in a 2014 Ford Escape as 66 year old Jeffrey Wood of Smithville was heading east on Main Street. The vehicles collided in the intersection at the traffic light. The impact caused the truck to rollover up on the driver side where it came to rest.
Members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department and Extrication Team were summoned to help get Wood out of his truck. Neither he nor Cross were seriously injured and they refused transport by DeKalb EMS to the hospital.
Cross was cited for driving without a license and violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance).

Another jail escapee is back in custody thanks to an alert Alexandria Police Officer and a few citizen bystanders.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL- Intakes & Releases From: 11/20/2017 Thru: 11/27/2017)
Seagate Crystal Reports – REPOR_49.pdf (3.3 MB)
32 year old Bryon Ray Gibbs of 200 Gin Alley, Alexandria was taken into custody Saturday afternoon by Alexandria Police Officer Josh Arnold but the arrest didn’t come easy. After being confronted, Gibbs resisted and began fighting with Arnold. Citizens who witnessed the scene came to the aid of the officer to help subdue Gibbs. Deputies and detectives of the Sheriff’s Department also responded to provide assistance.
The incident occurred at around 12:55 p.m. Saturday, according to Alexandria Police Chief Chris Russell.
“Alexandria Police Officer Josh Arnold was patrolling on Edgewood Street when he observed a male subject run into the middle of the street. Officer Arnold recognized the male as Bryon Ray Gibbs , a recent escapee from the DeKalb County Jail. Officer Arnold got out of his patrol vehicle and ordered Gibbs to the ground. While attempting to place handcuffs on Gibbs he disobeyed the officers commands and began to resist arrest . Gibbs continued to resist arrest by fighting with Officer Arnold . Several citizens observed the incident and offered assistance. With the help of the bystanders , Gibbs was handcuffed and placed into custody. DeKalb County Sheriff’s Deputies and detectives responded to provide assistance,” said Chief Russell.
Gibbs was charged by Alexandria Police with resisting arrest and aggravated assault.
“I would like to thank the citizens who assisted by placing themselves in danger to help in the apprehension of Gibbs,” said Chief Russell.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, detectives and officers with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and officers with the Alexandria Police Department had been working throughout the previous night planning Gibbs’ apprehension after receiving information that he was in the Alexandria area.
Sheriff Ray said he wishes to thank Alexandria Police Chief Russell and Officer Arnold for all of their assistance.
Gibbs is back in the DeKalb County Jail and has been charged by the Sheriff’s Department with escape.
Gibbs is one of three inmates who broke out of the jail annex Tuesday night. He, 38 year old Jack Mullican, Jr., and 26 year old Daniel Trey Hamilton, escaped from the back of the jail annex through a door they jimmied open.
Mullican was captured Wednesday morning after being found in an underground water drain near Mapco Express. He became trapped there after making his escape.
Hamilton remains at large.
Please contact Central Dispatch at 615-215-3000 or the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department 615-597-4935 if you have any information on Hamilton’s whereabouts.

Another woman has been charged with aiding one of the jail escapees.
28 year old Alesha Rushell Scott of Gin Alley, Alexandria was arrested on Friday, November 24 at her home in Alexandria and charged with “permitting or facilitating an escape”. Scott’s bond is $20,000 and her court date is December 7.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said her charges stem from an investigation into the escape of Bryon Ray Gibbs.
Three other women were arrested last week in separate incidents of aiding jail escapees Bryon Gibbs and Daniel Hamilton who broke out of the DeKalb County Jail Annex Tuesday night along with Jack Mullican, Jr.
40 year old Margaret Ann Taylor of Store Road, Rock Island; 40 year old Miranda Nicole Johnson of Joe Blanton Road, Woodbury; and 29 year old Jessica Anne Jenkins of Bright Hill Road, Smithville are each charged in separate cases of “permitting or facilitating an escape”.
Although accused of the same offense, Sheriff Ray said these women are charged individually for separate contacts with both escapees. Bond for both Johnson and Jenkins is $10,000 each. Taylor’s bond is $5,000. All will make a court appearance on December 7.
Sheriff Ray said as the investigation continues more arrests are expected.

Former DeKalb County High School pitching standout Steven Jennings will soon see his face on a Major League Baseball card.
The Bowman Company has released the checklist for its popular Bowman Draft produce and Jennings will appear on an insert card called “Recommended Viewing,” a two-player card that pairs up prospects from the same franchise.
Drafted this summer in the 2nd round by the Pittsburg Pirates, Jennings will appear along with the player the team drafted in the first round, Shane Baz. The card will have 4 parallel versions-refractors, gold refractors numbered to 50 copies, red refractors numbered to only 5 copies and a superfractor which is a one-of-a-kind card.
The product is expected to be released December 6th.
Meanwhile, Panini Elite Extra Edition, another prospect-filled baseball card set, is scheduled to hit hobby shops at the same time and there is speculation Jennings will also appear in that product, possibly even with an autograph card, although Panini has yet to release the checklist.
After being drafted, Jennings was assigned to the Pirates Gulf Coast League affiliate. According to rumbunter.com, a Pirate internet fan site, Jennings made 10 starts and compiled 26.1 innings. He had an earned run average (ERA) of 4.10 while striking out 13 batters and walking 10. While his strikeouts per nine innings rate was low at 4.44, he had an impressive groundball rate of 55.6 percent. Opponents batted only .281 off him which gave him a WHIP average of 1.56.
The website said “Jennings will most likely play in Short-Season A ball next season. He will likely make about 10 starts in Bristol and the Pirates will likely try to keep his innings limited in his second professional season.”
The website also said “The expectations are very high for him going forward. MLB Pipeline has him ranked as the Pirates number 10 overall prospect.”

Cash Express will be hosting its annual “Fill the Police Car” event on Black Friday, November 24th at their business location 126 E. Bryant Street. A Bake sale is also being held. The Smithville Police Department is partnering with Cash Express in this event and providing the vehicle to fill up with non-perishable food items, toys, and coats. Please stop by with your gift of love and grab a bite to eat as there will be food available.
“Friday we are doing a fill a police car for our annual toy and coat drive for DeKalb County and everything will stay in DeKalb County. Its from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. We will take new or used toys, coats, clothes, and non-perishable foods. We’ll also be serving hot dogs and chips that day,” said Athena Knauer.
“We have over 100 drop box locations in DeKalb County including Liberty and Alexandria but you can also drop off your donations at our location on East Bryant Street. Our hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.,” said Knauer.
“All the toys will be distributed to needy families by the Smithville Police Department. The Clothes Closet will also get some (toys) and of course the coats and clothes go to them as well. All of our non-perishable foods will go to “Gods Food Pantry” in DeKalb County for families who need help with food. We will get with the schools and the class with the most donations from each school will get a pizza party. We also get with the schools to see if there are any kids that need a winter coat and if so we’ll distribute the coats after we wash them,” Knauer continued.
For questions concerning this event, you may contact Jamie Dawson or Athena Knauer at Cash Express, 615-597-3427.

A 69 year old Smithville man lost his life in a car accident Thanksgiving night on New Hope Road (Walker Creek Road) near Alexandria.
Dead is Marvin Oppenheim.
Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that Oppenheim was traveling east in a 1990 Lincoln Towncar when the vehicle went off the right side of the narrow road over a steep embankment beside Walker Creek where it came to rest after hitting several small trees. Oppenheim was trapped inside the car
Members of the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad and DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department Rescue and Extrication were summoned to stabilize the car.
Oppenheim died at the scene. His body was removed from the car and taken by DeKalb EMS to the hospital.
Because the car was not badly damaged in the accident, Trooper Johnson said Oppenheim may have suffered a medical condition causing him to wreck. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department was also on the scene.