Smithville Elementary would like to recognize our Students of the Month for November. These students were selected for their outstanding character, academics, and other traits that make them an all-around excellent student. Selected as Students of the Month for November are:
PreK: Jasmine Gallegos
Kindergarten: Katie Martin
1st Grade: Landon Brown
2nd Grade: Triniti Thomas

A cookbook is now available for sale in time for the holidays to raise funds for the DCHS Class of 2018 Project Graduation.
The cookbook called “Classic Gourmet” is packed with great recipes from the class of 2018 graduates and their friends and families.
The cost is 15.00
Parents may pick up the cookbooks to sell for their senior from Gena Cripps at Dr. Cliff Duke’s Office or Webb’s Drug Store and Soda Fountain
For more information call Gena Cripps at 615-785-8859 or Ann Whitefield at 931-409-0743

The DeKalb Emergency Services Association (DESA), in partnership with local businesses and volunteers, will be preparing and delivering Thanksgiving Meals to the needy or underserved on Thursday, November 23.
“We feel that this is just another way our local emergency service providers can serve our community. If you or a family member needs a hot meal on Thanksgiving Day, please call one of the numbers listed below to be added to our delivery list. We will need your address, phone number, and number of persons in your household. The meals are scheduled to be delivered between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon,” says Association President Blake Cantrell.
DESA will accept names of persons requesting meals through Friday, November 17.
To get your name on the delivery list, call 615-390-0297 or 615-712-4286 or 615-390-0189.
Additionally, if you want to support this community project by donating food items or volunteering your time to prepare meals and/or make deliveries, you can contact any of the phone numbers above.

DeKalb West School announces its Students of the Month for November. Congratulations to Hailey Brown, Kindergarten, Bane Averitte, 1st Grade, Fiona Street, 2nd Grade, Ethan Brown, 3rd Grade, Mireya Barrett, 4th Grade, Ethan Kempton, 5th Grade, Hasten Waggoner, 6th Grade, Braxton Page, 7th Grade, and Breanna Cothern, 8th Grade.
Teachers choose students based on the quality of their character, academics, and other factors that make them one of the best at DeKalb West.
Picture front row left to right are Hailey Brown, Mireya Barrrett, Bane Averitte, and Fiona Street. Back row left to right are Principal Sabrina Farler, Ethan Brown, Ethan Kempton, Breanna Cothern, Hasten Waggoner, Braxton Page, and Assistant Principal Joey Agee.

The 2nd annual Lighting of the Tower is scheduled for Saturday, December 2 at Edgar Evins State Park.
Join the staff and friends of Edgar Evins State Park as they welcome the Christmas Season with cookies, hot chocolate, tree trimming and music.
There may even be an appearance from Santa and hayrides for the children and young at heart. This will be a relaxed, informal, come-as-you-are type of event. At a set time they will turn on the colored lights on the newly repainted observation tower. Time: 6 p.m. CT to about 8 p.m. CT. They hope to make this an annual event.

NHC Smithville is hosting a Career Day on Thursday, November 16 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the History Room of the DeKalb County Complex and again on Wednesday, November 22 from noon until 3 p.m. in the cafeteria area of the County Complex.
Career opportunities will be available for nurses, CNA’s, housekeepers, dietary aids, cooks, laundry, maintenance, recreation, health information, rehab, and business office.
Applications will be accepted and interviews conducted on site. Background checks will be conducted on all applicants.
“Begin a career with the team that makes a difference at one of the best healthcare companies in the state,” said Clint Hall, Administrator of NHC Smithville.

Early voting hours for the December 19th 17th Senatorial District Special Election have been set.
The candidates are Mary Alice Carfi, the Democratic nominee, and Mark Pody, the Republican nominee. The winner will fill the unexpired term of former State Senator Mae Beavers.
The DeKalb County Election Commission voted Monday night to set the following hours
Mondays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 12 Noon
Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 12 Noon
Thursdays 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Fridays 9 a.m. to 12 Noon
Saturdays 9 a.m. to 12 Noon
Early voting begins November 29 and runs through December 14. All early voting is conducted on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse.
Election Day is December 19 and polls will open that day at 8 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, local candidates are gearing up for the May DeKalb County Democratic Primary and DeKalb County General Election in August. County offices up for election in 2018 are Road Supervisor, County Mayor, Circuit Court Clerk, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, County Clerk, Trustee and the county commission in each of the seven districts (two per district for a total of 14).
Petitions for the Democratic Primary will be available at the election office beginning Friday, November 17th. The qualifying deadline is Noon February 15, 2018.
Independent candidates for those county offices can also pick up petitions beginning Friday.
Republican candidates will be selected by a party caucus.
Independent and Republican candidates must also qualify by Noon February 15.

A man has been arrested after allegedly breaking into the home of his ex-wife and assaulting her.
50 year old Thomas Thomason of South College Street, Smithville is charged with aggravated burglary and domestic assault. His bond is $15,000 and his court date is December 14.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL- Intakes & Releases From: 11/06/2017 Thru: 11/13/2017)
Seagate Crystal Reports – REPOR_47.pdf (2.7 MB)
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on September 18 a deputy, while investigating a domestic assault, spoke with a woman who said that her ex-husband, Thomason made entry into her home by breaking a door chain and picking a lock. There were signs of forced entry at the residence. After entering the home Thomason allegedly hit the woman in the head causing her to fall into a plastic crate. She had visible marks on her body.
Meanwhile in a separate case another man has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend.
45 year old Mark Anthony Mason, Jr. of Redmon Road, Smithville is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $3,500 and his court date is November 30.
Seagate Crystal Reports – REPOR_48.pdf (2.54 MB)
Sheriff Ray said that on Monday, November 6 a deputy was dispatched to Kings Court in Smithville in response to a domestic complaint. Upon arrival the officer spoke with a woman who said while a friend was visiting her, Mason (her boyfriend) came in through the back door, grabbed her by the hair and arm, and threw her out the door. She landed on the front porch leaving red marks on her arm.
52 year old Cynthia Lynn Herman of Nashville Highway, Liberty is charged with driving under the influence. She was also cited for driving on roadways laned for travel. Her bond is $2,500 and her court date is December 7.
Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, November 7 a deputy responded to a complaint of a reckless driver in a red Nissan truck on Nashville Highway. He spotted the vehicle on West Broad Street in Smithville and observed it failing to maintain its lane of travel. The deputy made a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, Herman whose speech was slow and she appeared to be disoriented. She claimed to have taken Xanax and Gabapentin earlier in the day. Herman submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks.
47 year old Mark Anthony Graham of Short Mountain Highway, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $3,500 and his court date is December 7.
Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, November 10 a deputy was on routine patrol in the area of the public square in Smithville when the driver of a vehicle pulled up beside him and began asking questions about a previous call to which the officer had responded. While speaking with the driver, Graham, the deputy noticed the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his vehicle. The officer asked Graham to step out of the automobile and submit to field sobriety tasks. Graham consented but performed poorly on the tasks. He was then placed under arrest.
38 year old Christopher Shannon Mooneyham of Murfreesboro is charged with public intoxication. He was also cited for simple possession. Mooneyham is under a $2,500 bond and his court date is November 30.
Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, November 11 two deputies were called to Poss Road due to a man believed to be highly intoxicated. Upon arrival the officers found the man, Mooneyham who was attempting to break in to a truck. He was very unsteady on his feet and his speech was slurred. Mooneyham told the officers that he had smoked some marijuana and had used methamphetamine. He was placed under arrest. During a search incident to arrest, two strips of a substance believed to be suboxone was found in Mooneyham’s wallet.
20 year old Dylan Allen Crook of Carthage is charged under a two count sealed indictment with sale and delivery of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine). He was indicted on May 30 along with many others as a result of an undercover drug investigation by the sheriff’s department. Crook was arrested on Monday, November 13. His bond is $100,000 and he will be arraigned in criminal court on November 27.
68 year old Steven Michael White of Pea Ridge Road, Liberty is charged with simple possession/ casual exchange of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $5,000 and his court date is November 30.
Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, November 2 a sheriff’s department detective assisted probation and parole with a probation search at the home of White. During a protective sweep of the home, the detective spotted a glass pipe and a set of digital scales setting on top of a dresser. A further search turned up approximately 75 grams of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana along with eight pipes and a set of digital scales.

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

Coordinated School Health’s 2nd Annual Turkey Trot was this past Saturday, November 11, 2017. The event was held to benefit CSH’s Back Pack Program. Participants were asked to bring non-perishable food items for a donation to The Back Pack Program. “There were generous donations of food and funds made to our program at the Turkey Trot thanks to individuals, businesses, and civic groups”, said Elise Driver, Coordinated School Health. “All of the food donated today will be going into our Christmas boxes that we will be delivering to every family on our Back Pack list this year.”
“We had 75 participants this year. That ended up being a compiled 230 plus miles that were walked/ran in an hour and a half! That is amazing!” “We would like to thank everyone that came out to the Turkey Trot this year, whether you walked, worked, or donated, we are so grateful for this show of support for The Back Pack Program. This program would not be possible if it were not for our wonderful community.”
Winners in the female age categories: 5 & under-Trinity Parker(4 laps), 6-12-Alex Moreno(22 laps), 13-19-Misti Lloyd(5 laps), 20-29-Marissa Garmer(11 laps), 30-39-Carrie Gottlied(15 laps), 40-49-Susan Vandyne(9 laps), 60-69-Gloria Pinegar(10 laps).
Winners in the male age categories: 5 & under-Caysen Hale(4 laps), 6-12-Aaron Gottlied(30 laps), 13-19-TJ Bratcher(7 laps), 20-29-Danny Pirtle Jr.(7 laps), 30-39-Andrew Harvey(3 laps), 40-49-Edward Gottlied(16 laps), 50-59-Bill Conger(11 laps), 60-69-Jerald Cripps(3 laps).
We are continuously seeking food/funding to maintain our program. If you are interested in donating, please contact Elise Driver at 615-215-2118 or Cindy Childers at 615-215-2161.