The Tennessee Highway Patrol was called to the scene of a rear end crash involving three vehicles Saturday evening on Highway 83 (Allen Ferry Road).
According to Trooper Bobby Johnson, 40 year old Melanie Stansberry of Smithville was traveling west on Highway 83 (Allen Ferry Road) in a 2001 Chevy Tahoe when she was forced to stop due to another vehicle having stopped in front of her. Behind Stansberry was a 2012 Chevy Equinox, driven by 66 year old Betty Davis of Smithville who was also traveling west. Following behind Davis was a westbound 2006 Kia Spectra, driven by 38 year old Joey Redmon of Smithville.
“Ms. Davis was slowing in her travel lane when Mr. Redmon failed to stop, striking Davis’ vehicle in the rear knocking her into the rear of Mrs. Stansberry’s automobile. Mr. Redmon stated his vision was obstructed by the sun which caused him to strike Ms. Davis’s vehicle. Mr. Redmon was transported to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital. Mr. Redmon was issued citations for failure to exercise due care and financial responsibility,” said Trooper Johnson.
Neither Davis, Stansberry or her passenger, 46 year old William Stansberry were injured.

The American Cancer Society invites you to make a special donation in honor or in memory of a loved one during the Christmas holiday season through “Love Lights a Tree”. A special memory board will be erected on the south side of the courthouse that will list the names of loved ones being honored and remembered.
The DeKalb County Unit of the American Cancer Society seeks your support in the “Love Lights a Tree” fundraising campaign to raise money for research to find a cure as well as cancer education and patient services. Donations may be made throughout the holiday season. The persons you honor or remember do not necessarily have to have suffered from cancer.
The names are in “honor of” and in “memory of” for a donation of five-dollars per name. Forms may be obtained at the local banks. For more information, contact Ivadell Randolph at 615- 597-5296, Lynda Luna at 615- 597-5837, Renee Cantrell at 615-684-2688, or Gail Taylor 615-597-5936

A 35 year old Smithville man was injured after losing control of his 2003 Ford Explorer on New Home Road (State Highway 83) Saturday afternoon. The vehicle overturned on its top.
Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said Joshua Isaac Melton was traveling east when his vehicle went off the right side of the highway into a ditch, hit a fence and then overturned on a road sign before coming to rest on its top.
Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department’s extrication and rescue team were called to the scene to help free Melton who was trapped in the vehicle. He was taken by DeKalb EMS to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department was also on the scene.
Melton was later airlifted from the hospital to Vanderbilt Hospital

A midnight fire Friday destroyed a portion of a mobile home at 3620 Cookeville Highway .
The owner and resident, Debra Caldwell, escaped unharmed.
“Just before midnight (Friday) we were called to 3620 Cookeville Highway to a mobile home fire,” said DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green.
“Upon our arrival, we found half of the structure fully involved with other nearby structures threatened. The owner, Debra Caldwell, was at home and her dog awoke her. Caldwell then heard her smoke alarms sounding. The house became filled with smoke but Caldwell managed to escape with her purse and her dog. She went next door to her mother’s house and had her mother call 911,” Chief Green continued.
Members of the Cookeville Highway, Short Mountain Highway, and Main Stations responded along with the County Fire Department’s tanker truck, DeKalb EMS, and Sheriff’s Department.
“Another person rented half of the trailer but he was out of town for the holiday weekend,” added Chief Green.
“Approximately half of the trailer was totally destroyed and the remaining portion received extensive heat and smoke damage. The fire caused no damage to any nearby structures,” he said.
“Mrs. Caldwell and her dog suffered some smoke inhalation but Mrs. Caldwell refused medical treatment and transport by EMS”.
“The fire began in a kitchen area but the exact cause is under investigation,” Chief Green concluded.

Since the election commission closed the Cherry Hill precinct some members of the county commission have expressed an interest in selling the property. But in order to do that the county will have to file an application with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to remove a deed restriction and purchase the 0.24 acre lot.
More than three decades ago, the state deeded the lot to the county at no cost but included a provision that requires the county to use the property “ for public purposes for the benefit of DeKalb County citizens”. The county later built a community center on the lot and still owns and maintains the facility although no one uses it anymore.
“At one point, it served its purpose but interest in the community center has declined to the point where no individual or group uses it anymore. The county maintains and upkeeps utilities, mowing, etc of the entire facility at taxpayer dollars with no use by its citizens. The building is also in need of repair. In the summer of 2011 there was an effort from several individuals in the community to revive the center but there was not enough interest. They made a web page when they tried to revive it. They had tee shirts printed up. They had meetings and tried to have a barbeque to raise money but there was no interest. That was the last organized effort by the community dealing with the center. We have had nobody call wanting to rent or use it,” County Mayor Tim Stribling told the county commission during a committee meeting Tuesday night.
“I looked on the property data map and it still shows the (Cherry Hill Community Center lot) on the state right of way. I called the Department of Transportation in Chattanooga and they looked back on the deed. Although the state deeded it to us (county), DeKalb County did not buy the property. Since the land must be used for public purpose for the benefit of citizens of DeKalb County according to the deed, we will have to go through the process of filing an application to the state and go before the excess land committee to ask for the deed restriction to be removed. In order to do that the property will have to be appraised and we will have to purchase the property. Not the building but the lot. While the property belongs to the county, we can’t sell it because of the deed restriction. The state will send somebody out to look at the lot and if it’s valued at under $10,000 they will do an appraisal. If it’s valued at over $10,000 they will get an independent appraiser. They will only appraise the lot, not the building,” said County Mayor Stribling.
The county commission will discuss the issue again during the regular monthly meeting Monday night, November 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the downstairs courtroom of the courthouse.

DeKalb County’s unemployment rate for October was 5.8%, down slightly from 5.9% in September and well below the 6.3% rate for October, 2015.
The local labor force for October was 7,580. A total of 7,140 were employed and 440 were unemployed.
Jobless rates for October among the fourteen counties in the Upper Cumberland region were as follows from highest to lowest:
Jackson:7.2%
Clay: 6.2%
Van Buren: 6%
Cumberland:6%
DeKalb: 5.8%
Pickett:5.7%
Fentress: 5.6%
Overton: 5.4%
White:5.2%
Warren: 5.1%
Putnam: 5%
Cannon:4.7%
Smith: 4.4%
Macon:4.4%
County unemployment rates for October 2016 show the rates decreased in 80 counties, increased in seven, and remained the same in eight counties.
For the month of October, Davidson County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate at 3.7 percent, decreasing from 3.9 percent the previous month. Knox County was 4.1 percent in October, down from 4.3 percent in September. The Hamilton County rate was 5.0 percent, decreasing from 5.1 the previous month. Shelby County was 5.7 percent, also decreasing from 5.8 the previous month.
Tennessee’s preliminary unemployment rate for October was 4.8 percent, increasing two-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month’s revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for October was 4.9 percent, decreasing one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month.
The state and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted, while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.

Two landowners are at odds over whether a portion of a county road in the Wolf Creek area should be closed.
Andy Redus is asking the county commission to close 1,085 feet of the end section of Taylor Lane where he has a part time residence.
Taylor Lane is located near the intersection of Wolf Creek Road and the Buffalo Valley Road-Medley Amonette Road. Redus, who lives out of the county, said he wants to install a gate to restrict access to his private property for public safety concerns. “My residence is not a full time residence. I have no way of telling what’s going on there all the time,” Redus told the county commission during a committee meeting Tuesday night. Redus wants to keep out sightseers, trespassers, and litterers. He has already obtained permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, an adjoining landowner, to erect the gate provided the Corps has access.
Janice Martin, who also has property on Taylor Lane, is opposed to the closure because an old cemetery is located on the road inside the area where Redus wants to put the gate. Although the cemetery has been there for over a century and is unkept with overgrowth Martin said the road should remain open for anyone who wants to visit there. “This road is not only to my cemetery back there that’s family, there are other people in this county I have talked to who own businesses that have people buried in that cemetery. This is not just the two graves that you can see (stones showing) because the markers (of the other graves) are not there now. It’s a very old cemetery,” said Martin in addressing the county commission.
The DeKalb County Regional Planning Commission held a public hearing in September where Martin voiced opposition but voted to recommend to the county commission that Redus’ request be approved subject to the right of access of visitors to the cemetery located at the end of Taylor Lane and that a hammerhead turnaround which meets with the approval of the Road Supervisor be developed at the expense of Redus.
Martin said the turnaround is not large enough especially for emergency vehicles. “I am totally opposed to closing the road. Andy knew when he bought the property what he was buying. We own both sides of the road all the way back passed that area. I’m within 50 feet of the turnaround so I will have to use that turnaround on a daily basis. I took one of our hay wagons behind my vehicle back there and I could barely get turned around. It is very hard to do. I may also build another house within 50 feet of this property so I will have to have access to fire trucks, ambulances, or other emergency vehicles that would have to come in there. They would have to use this turnaround,” said Martin.
Redus claims the turnaround is large enough and provided pictures showing where he turned around there with a pickup truck pulling a sixteen foot trailer.
Redus said he would provide a key to Corps officials for access to Corps property and make access available to others requesting entry to the cemetery by opening the gate himself remotely from his phone.
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the County Commission is expected to vote on a resolution recommended by the planning commission, which if approved, would grant Redus’ request to close 1,085 feet of the end section of Taylor Lane with the aforementioned conditions.
The meeting will be Monday, November 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the downstairs courtroom of the courthouse.

For the first time in DeKalb West School’s history, a student will be advancing to the national finals of the Junior Beta Club. 8th grader Garrett Hayes, the DWS Junior Beta President, won second place this week at the Tennessee Junior Beta State Convention in the Visual Arts category of Color Photography. Hayes is the son of Alan and Lesa Hayes.
Thirty-six Junior Beta members left Nov. 20 for a two-day stay at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel to compete in a variety of academic, arts and crafts, and other contests. The theme was “Betas: Above and Beyond.”
Also representing DeKalb West in the academic competitions were Jaden Johnson in Math, and Brayden Antoniak, Science. Breanna Cothern, Abby Lawson, Riley Overstreet, and Nathaniel Crook were quizzed on 12 books that they read for the Book Battle contest. The Tower of Power team consisted of Aniston Farler, Madison Martin, Aly Griffith, Brett Walker, and Matt Nokes. The contest is designed for students to use innovative problem solving techniques and engineering concepts to create a straw tower that supports a tennis ball for one minute. Members of the Living Literature team were Bralin Moss, Jathan Willoughby, Lydia Willoughby, Lucas Hale, Dawson Bandy, Nathaniel Crook, Brayden Antoniak, and John Ellis. They created a set from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and they had the task of standing still like wax figures to recreate the piece of literature for viewers to see. Isaac Brown, Alley Beth Cook, Lynsey Ellis, and Nathan Dace made up the DWS Quiz Bowl team. For “Spotlight Your Club,” Alex Moreno, Kortnee Skeen, Lacey McMillen, and Kyndal Cox put their creative skills to the test to devise a tri-fold board that would demonstrate what the DWS Junior Beta Club is like focusing on the convention theme, “Betas: Above and Beyond.” Representing the club in the Scrapbooking contest were Gracie Griffin, Emma Damron, Summer Crook, and Bonnie Hale. Levi Driver sang “Little Drummer Boy” in the Special Talent contest. In the area of Visual Design, Emma Martin entered Sketching, Lydia Davenport, Black and White Photography, Kaia Howard, Recyclable Art, and Breanna Cothern, Sculpture.
“I am proud of our students,” said Bill Conger, DWS School Counselor and Junior Beta Sponsor. “They represented us well in the competitions and with their behavior at the convention. They’re always striving to be the best at DeKalb West.”
Amanda Mullinax, Jessica Antoniak, and Nadina Martel also sponsor the club.

Members of the DeKalb Middle School Junior Beta Club got a sheriff’s department escort and were greeted by cheers from the student body upon their return from the State Convention Tuesday where they won first place for their anti-bullying drama presentation called “Be the Change”.
The 46 member group from DeKalb Middle School beat out fifteen other schools in their division to earn the state honor and will compete next summer during the National Convention at Disney World in Orlando Florida.

“I’ve been a Junior Beta sponsor for 12 years and we have never done anything like this before. We’ve fought back tears of joy today. It’s been very emotional,” said Lori Hendrix, DMS teacher and Junior Beta sponsor.
After the first round of competition on Monday, the Junior Beta Club was named among the top six before moving on to the finals on Tuesday where they were judged “Best in the State” in their division.

“We’ve watched these kids work hard and perform but today was absolutely the most powerful message they have had. The crowd was moved to tears by the time they got done. The performance was outstanding and their hearts were in it. We’re just really proud of these kids. There were sixteen groups in our division and there was a lot of talent but I think the message we had about bullying just hit home with a lot of people. So many people have been bullied. Our theme was for everyone to take a look in the mirror and “Be the Change”. Sometimes we have to take a look at ourselves. It’s a good message for adults and children to always be that person who steps up and does the right thing,” said Tonya Sullivan, DMS teacher and Junior Beta sponsor.
Josh Isaac, who wrote and choreographed the skit, said it sends a powerful message. “It is about bullying. Basically in our society cyber bullying and bullying is a thing that kids deal with on a daily basis. We really wanted to emphasize that so we took a slogan called “Be the Change” and turned it into a drama to showcase how that one person can change everything that goes on in a person’s life,” said Isaac.
“This live human message was very moving and it’s very fitting with what goes on with children, preteens, teenagers and some adults these days. Our kids did a beautiful job. I could not be more proud of them. I’ve cried every time I’ve watched it (skit). I told them no matter if they placed or not to hold their heads high and know we are behind them 100%. We believe in them and the message. We also appreciate the leadership and the vision of Josh Isaac and the Junior Beta leaders, Lori Hendrix and Tonya Sullivan. Having received first place for the entire state, they will now get to represent the state of Tennessee at the Junior Beta National Convention,” added Amanda Dakas, Assistant Principal at DeKalb Middle School
Director of Schools Patrick Cripps was among those who welcomed home the students. “It’s exciting to see our kids succeed. This group had a powerful message and from what I have been told it moved the whole group. We’re really proud of them for their accomplishments and for representing DeKalb Middle School,” he said.
The club now seeks financial support from the community as it makes plans for the trip to Orlando next summer.

Smithville Police have charged a man in a shooting last week.
26 year old Bobby Jewel Wilson of Evins Mill Road was arrested Friday, November 18 for aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
According to the arrest warrant, Wilson, a convicted felon, fired several shots from an assault rifle from his vehicle at another man. This occurred on Monday, November 14 in a highly populated area in the City of Smithville with houses in close proximity. No one was injured.
In the latest report from the department, Smithville Police report that officers were called to the residence at approximately 9:45 p.m. on Monday, November 14 where someone had fired shots into the home. Upon talking with the victims, police learned that two bullets had passed through two different windows. After the shooting, one of the victims looked outside and saw a white car quickly leaving the area. Police then talked to a neighbor down the street who informed them that Wilson had fired a shot at him after he asked Wilson to leave his residence because he was starting to get loud. Wilson had already left the neighborhood before police arrived to investigate but he was later found in Rutherford County and taken into custody.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that he and a deputy went to Wilson’s residence on Evins Mill Road after the shooting and found his vehicle but Wilson was not there. “On Monday, November 14 the city (police) got a call of a shooting. The city advised county (sheriff’s department) units that a witness stated it was Wilson (who did the shooting) and that he lived with his mother on Evins Mill Road. The witness stated that Wilson was driving a white Cadillac. I got dispatch to run his drivers license and found an address on Evins Mill Road. I along with another county deputy went to the address and found the white Cadillac setting behind a barn. After a search, Wilson was not found to be there,” said Sheriff Ray.
34 year old William Travis Malone was cited Saturday, October 29 for simple possession of schedule II & IV drugs. Police responded to Dairy Queen in reference to a person passed out at the wheel of his vehicle in the drive through. Upon arrival, the officer spoke to the man, Malone, and received consent to search. During the search, the officer found a clear container with four pink oval gel pills believed to be morphine, 14 blue round pills thought to be oxycodone, 14 pink round pills believed to be oxycodone, and seven yellow pills thought to be alprazolam. Malone had no prescription for the drugs. His court date is December 1.
40 year old Shannon Dawn Stanick and 47 year old Elsie Mae Judkins were recently arrested for sale and delivery of a schedule IV drug and 63 year old Kathy Ann Taylor was cited for simple possession. During an investigation it was discovered that Judkins made a phone call to Taylor in order to assist Stanick in selling her prescription resulting in the sale of twenty (20) somas. Bond for Stanick is $5,000 and $6,500 for Judkins.
47 year old Billy E. Cook Jr. was arrested on Wednesday, November 2 for burglary; resisting stop, frisk, halt, arrest or search; and resisting arrest. Police responded to East Side Inn where Cook had allegedly broken into three rooms and stayed the night in one of the rooms without paying. As officers were placing him under arrest for the burglary, Cook pulled away and balled up his fist at them. Police were eventually able to get handcuffs on Cook and he was transported to the police department for paperwork to be filled out. When the time came to transfer him to the jail, Cook became belligerent and uncooperative with the officers. Due to his previous actions and concern for the officers’ safety, Cook was warned that a taser would be deployed if he didn’t cooperate. After Cook continued to be non compliant he was tased with a single 5 second burst, taken into custody without further incident, and then transported to the Sheriff’s Department for booking. His bond is $13,000.
31 year old Bessie C Gammons and 33 year old Bruce L Gammons were arrested for child abuse or neglect on Thursday, November 3. Police were summoned to a residence where a man and woman had been verbally arguing. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the Gammons’. After questioning all parties involved it was determined that Bruce had struck the minor in the face and that Bessie had hit the youngster twice in the face and once to the stomach/chest area leaving puffy, redness, and light bruising to the left cheek. Bond for each is $4,000 with conditions.
39 year old Teresa Lynn Lefever was cited for theft on Friday, November 4. Lefever was found to have several items in her purse belonging to the Dollar General Store.
47 year old Cathy Darlene Morton was cited for theft on Friday, November 4 at the Dollar General Store. Morton was observed taking an item out of its package and putting it in her purse.
23 year old Jessie Ray Herman was cited for simple possession on Saturday, November 5. Police were called to a residence where someone was causing problems. Herman was identified as the person responsible and upon consent to search his person, police found four small white round pills believed to be oxycodone in his right pocket. Herman had no prescription for the pills.
21 year old Elijah Caleb Poss was cited on Monday, November 7 for failure to show proof of insurance, texting while operating a vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, and simple possession. Poss was stopped after police saw him texting while driving. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer observed Poss trying to hide something behind him. The officer received consent to search and found .12 ounces of marijuana, rolling papers, grinder, and two pipes. Poss also could not provide proof of insurance. His court date is December 1.
21 year old Makayla Brooke Barrett was arrested Wednesday, November 9 for theft in connection with a stolen purse at Walmart. The purse was initially reported to be lost or stolen from a shopping cart on July 5. The store’s surveillance video showed Barrett in possession of the purse. An investigation revealed that a wallet in the purse had been turned in to a Wal-Mart employee but some of the contents along with the purse remain missing. Bond for Barrett is $2,500 and her court date is December 1
40 year old Tyrone D. Owens was arrested on Tuesday, November 15 for driving under the influence and possession with intent to sell a schedule II drug. He was also cited for simple possession of a schedule II drug and for violation of implied consent. Police were dispatched to the area of West Broad and South Mountain Street where a vehicle was in the roadway and the driver appeared to be passed out. Upon arrival an officer noticed that the driver, Owens appeared to be trying to put something down his pants or his pockets then acted as if he were trying to hide something in the console. Owens was asked to exit the vehicle and police conducted a search of his person . Found in his front pocket was a plastic bag containing one small baggie of a white powdery substance and another small baggie which held a white solid substance. Both substances were believed to be cocaine and weighed 6 grams. The plastic bag also held five smaller empty plastic baggies. Police further found in Owens’ right front pocket a small white round pill believed to be oxycodone for which he had no prescription and he had $497.00 in cash on him believed to be money from drug transactions given the fact that he had empty baggies and cocaine in his possession. Owens’ speech was slow and slurred. He performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and he refused to submit to a blood test. His bond is $6,500 and his court date is December 1
22 year old John Mason and 25 year old Joshua Anderson were arrested for theft of property on Tuesday, November 15. Mason and Anderson allegedly stole several items from their victim’s vehicle while brandishing a gun and a knife. Upon further investigation, police found no evidence to support any weapons having been used in the commission of the theft. Bond for each is $1,500 and their court date is December 1.
27 year old Joshua Ledale Baxter was cited for simple possession on Wednesday, November 16. Police were called to a business for a possible break in. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with Baxter who informed him that he (Baxter) had been looking at some items outside. Upon consent to search, the officer found on Baxter a prescription bottle with 5 white bar pills and three blue oval pills believed to be Xanax for which Baxter had no prescription. His court date is December 1.
48 year old William Andrew Cantrell was arrested on Thursday, November 17 for resisting stop, frisk, halt, arrest, or search. Cantrell tried to flee from a county deputy and a Smithville Police Officer as they were serving a warrant on him. Because he would not cooperate, police tased Cantrell before taking him into custody. Cantrell’s bond is $2,500 and his court date is December 1.
21 year old Spencer Ervin Stanfield was arrested Saturday, November 19 for driving under the influence and cited for violation of the registration law and financial responsibility (no insurance). Police were called to a vehicle crash and spoke with the driver, Stanfield who had an odor of alcohol on his person. Stanfield was unsteady on his feet and he performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He was taken into custody. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is December 1.
38 year old Michael Alan Hendrix was arrested on Sunday, November 20 for aggravated assault. Police received a 911 call of shots being heard outside a residence. Upon arrival, police were informed that Hendrix had been observed leaving the area in a dark green Ford truck. Seven 9 millimeter shell casings were recovered from the front yard near the road. Police later spoke with Hendrix and determined through an investigation that he had fired rounds into the ground as a warning to one of his victims that he was coming for him. Bond for Hendrix is $5,000 and his court date is December 15.
52 year old Todd M. Yoder was arrested for domestic assault on Sunday, November 20. Police responded to a domestic call and upon arrival learned that Yoder had pushed his victim into the bathroom of their residence several times until she fell into the bathtub. Yoder then fell on top of the woman pinning her in the tub. Police determined that Yoder was the primary aggressor. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is December 1.