The paving of downtown city streets is tentatively scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, September 26 & 27.
City Public Works Director Kevin Robinson said officials of Tinsley Asphalt Company, the contractor for the project, have informed him that they plan to block off the public square Sunday evening in preparation for the paving project which is expected to take two days to complete. The work is to be done Monday and Tuesday, barring any further delays.
In addition to the public square around the courthouse, streets to paved are Don Cantrell Street, West Walnut Street, East Main Street, West Main Street, and West Market Street.
The courthouse and all businesses in the area will remain open during this period. Persons are advised to use the city parking lot across from Love-Cantrell Funeral Home while the project is underway.

The DCHS Tiger Golf team finished 4th in the Region 4A AA Golf Tournament at Fall Creek Falls State Park on Thursday with a score of 353.
Individually Isaac Walker earned a 2nd place finish in the Region and a berth in the State Tournament at Willowbrook in Manchester October 3-5.
Walker led the charge for the Tigers with a 75 followed by Marshal Evins who shot 81, Jadyn Young 97, Ethan Jennings 100, and Sammy Clayborne 105.
Macon County won the Region with a 324 and Jay Fox from Goodpasture won the tournament with a 74.
“I am so proud of the way my team competed and conducted themselves this entire season. These are some great kids and I have enjoyed spending time with them this season. This team loses no one to graduation so I expect things to be bigger and better next year. Isaac has worked so hard and is really talented and I look forward to seeing how he finishes at the state tournament in two weeks,” Tiger Golf Coach John Pryor told WJLE.

The DeKalb County Tigers are hoping to get their fourth straight victory and the fifth of the season Friday night as they travel to Lafayette to face the Macon County Tigers.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO HEAR WJLE’S “TIGER TALK” PROGRAM THIS WEEK)
http://www.wjle.com/audio/tiger-talk-september-23
If so, they will have to do it without their talented starting senior quarterback Steven Jennings, whose high school career ended last week after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the game at Smith County.
“He unfortunately tore his ACL and is to undergo surgery. His football career at DeKalb County is complete. He has had a great career. I know we would all like to see him finish out and do all the special things that he has done in the past but that wasn’t to be,” said Tiger Coach Steve Trapp on WJLE’s Tiger Talk Program.
“It was a rough weekend last week but ultimately when Monday started we had to move on and we just have to get our guys ready. The ones who need to step up. I sent a message to every single one of our players through our App that regardless of the injuries that we’ve had we still need people to step up. I’m super proud of the person Steven is and the type of football player he was for us,” said Coach Trapp.
Backup Junior Quarterback Tyler Cantrell will now guide the Tigers for the remainder of the season. Last week after Jennings’ injury, Cantrell came in the game and helped lead the Tigers to a 34-32 victory over the Owls.
DeKalb County is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the region with wins over Warren County 27-7, York Institute 28-21, Cumberland County 43-28, and Smith County 34-32. Their only loss has been to Stone Memorial 34-7.
Macon County is 3-2 and 0-2 in the region with wins over Smith County 34-12, Westmoreland 35-0, and Jackson County 62-42. Their losses have been to Pearl Cohn 50-14 and to Maplewood 38-17.
Listen for LIVE play by play coverage of the game with the Voice of the Tigers John Pryor and Luke Willoughby at 7:00 p.m.
WJLE’s pre-game shows begin with “Coach to Coach” at 5:00 p.m. followed by “Murphy’s Matchups” at 6:00 p.m. and “Tiger Talk” at 6:30 p.m. featuring Coach Steve Trapp and Tiger Football players Nick May, Devin Zaderiko, and Tyler Cantrell.
Listen LIVE on WJLE AM 1480/FM 101.7 and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com

A DeKalb County man is in trouble with the law in Warren County for allegedly hiding a tracking device in his estranged wife’s car while under a restraining order to stay away from her.
62 year old Carl Michael Fleming of Dowelltown is charged with electronic tracking of a motor vehicle. According to a report in the Wednesday edition of McMinnville’s Southern Standard, mechanics found a land/sea tracking key inside the dash area of Mrs. Fleming’s car after she had taken it to a garage for an inspection. According to the report, the woman became suspicious as to how Fleming knew where she had been and was advised to have the car inspected.
The woman believes Fleming is the person who planted the device and suspects he has been coming to her residence to periodically change the tracker’s batteries. She claims he is the only other person who has a key to her car.
In May, Fleming was charged in DeKalb County with aggravated assault of his wife.
Sheriff Patrick Ray told WJLE at the time that on Tuesday, May 10 Fleming’s wife came to the sheriff’s office to report a domestic assault. According to the woman, she went to her residence on Toad Road to gather some belongings and while there she and her husband got into an argument. He allegedly cursed her, grabbed her keys, and shoved her backwards against a cabinet. When she reached for a phone to call 911, Fleming allegedly grabbed a Glock pistol from a bookcase and warned that if she made the call, she would never leave. The woman then took her car keys, ran out of the home, and across a field to get away. The woman said as she was running from the house, Fleming fired a shot from the gun.
That case has been bound to the next term of the Grand Jury.

Free Medicare Help is Available
Medicare Open Enrollment for 2017 begins October 15. For those who are eligible to sign up for Medicare or have questions about making changes to their Medicare health plans and/or Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, free, un-biased Medicare information and counseling is available through the Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Aging and Disability.
SHIP/SMP will be at the Liberty Senior Center Monday, October 24 from 9:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.. To schedule an appointment, call 615-536-5422 Monday through Thursday.
Open enrollment for the coming year runs from October 15 to December 7. During this time, currently enrolled Medicare beneficiaries can make changes to their plans. The staff at UCAAAD, a division of Upper Cumberland Development District, and volunteers are trained to provide free, un-biased counseling and advice for those seeking assistance with making changes to their Medicare plans.
It is important for Medicare beneficiaries to compare their current plans to the 2016 coverage options, which will be released on October 1, 2015. UCAAAD staff helps those seeking assistance with plan comparisons without selling anything and can be reached at the toll free SHIP line at 1-877-801-0044.
Throughout open enrollment, UCAAAD staff and volunteers will also be offering Medicare counseling at locations throughout the Upper Cumberland. A full list of appointment times and locations can be found at www.ucdd.org or at www.facebook/ucddconnect or by calling the toll free SHIP line at 1-877-801-0044.

The 2016 Homecoming Queen at DeKalb County High School is Kaitlyn Elizabeth Roller.
A senior, Roller is the 17 year old daughter of John and Michele Roller of Dowelltown.
Kaitlyn is a four year member of the Literature Club and has been a member of the Spanish Club for two years. She is a four year member of the DCHS Football Cheerleading squad and serves as Captain this year. Roller has been cheering since the 7th grade and she is currently on the Senior Level 5 All Star Cheer Team at Premiere Athletics in Nashville. She will be attending the World Competition in May. Other awards include: Four year All-American; named Top All-American in this her senior year-Top Team; Biggest Prankster; Junior Attendant; Asked to join the NCA Staff; and Received “Best Jumps” honors for three years. Roller attends the New Life United Pentecostal Church on Sundays and the Gathering as a member of the youth group on Wednesdays. She has also served as a volunteer at Titans games and at various concerts.
The Homecoming Attendants are:
Senior Attendant –Susan Marie Webb, the 17 year old daughter of C.D. and Cindy Webb of Dowelltown. Webb is Vice President of the FBLA Club, Treasurer of the Student Council, member of the BETA Club and Literature Club, and she was Freshman President of the Junior BETA Club. Susan is also a four year DCHS Football Cheerleader, competes in Tennis, and is a former Lady Tiger Basketball player. Other awards include: Freshman Attendant; Girls State Delegate, National Society High School Scholar; Miss DCHS Nominee; and two year All American Cheerleader Nominee. Webb is a member of the First Baptist Youth Group and is a former 3rd-6th grade Sunday School Teacher.
Senior Attendant- Bailey Ashton Redmon, the 17 year old daughter of Mike and Elizabeth Redmon of Dowelltown. Bailey is a member of the BETA Club and Spanish Club and a four year member of the FBLA Club. She has also attended the State BETA Conference. Redmon participated in ballet, pointe, tap, and Irish step dancing for 11 years. Other awards: Participated and placed in Regional and State FBLA Conferences; attended the Tennessee Governor’s School for prospective teachers at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Bailey will graduate in May 2017 with her Associates of Arts Degree in History from Motlow State Community College. Redmon attends the Dowelltown United Methodist Church and has volunteered at the DeKalb County Fair. She also volunteers her time to educational activities of elementary school children. Bailey hopes to receive her PhD in History and Foreign Language to teach at the college level.
Junior Attendant- Nalia LaShaie Ramos, the 16 year old daughter of Rachel and Larry Bain of Smithville.
Sophomore Attendant- Madison Suzanne Judkins, the 15 year old daughter of Jeremy and Tammy Judkins of Smithville. She is a member of the HOSA, FBLA, and Science Clubs and the Climate Crew. Madison has been a Football Manager for two years and she is a member of the First United Methodist Church.
Freshman Attendant- Emme Katherine Colwell, the 14 year old daughter of Derrick and Shea Colwell of Smithville. Emme is a member of the Climate Crew, Student Council, Literature Club, Science Club, FCA, and FBLA Clubs. She is also a member of the DCHS Lady Tiger Basketball and Tigerette Softball Teams. She attends the First United Methodist Church.
Spirit week activities will be held September 26-30 at DCHS. The Homecoming Parade will take place Friday afternoon, September 30 and the Tiger Homecoming Football game will be at 7:00 p.m. that night against Sequatchie County. WJLE will have LIVE coverage of the game.
DCHS has released the following schedule:
Monday: Camouflage or Patriotic Day (no flags or rebel flag attire)
Tuesday: Color Wars (Seniors-blue, Juniors-orange, Sophomores-red, and Freshmen-green)
Wednesday: Flashback vs Future (dress like the past or dress for the job you hope to have in the future)
Thursday: Mathletes vs Athletes; Bonfire at 7:00 p.m. and Homecoming Dance
Friday: Black, Gold,& White; Field Competitions, Parade and Downtown Pep Rally, Homecoming Game vs Sequatchie County at 7:00 p.m.; Presentation of Queen and Attendants at 6:30
The parade lines up at 12:30 p.m. at DCHS. Parade leaves DCHS at 12:45 p.m. The band performs at Northside Elementary School at 12:45 p.m., The parade arrives at Smithville Elementary School at 1:00 p.m. The parade arrives at Northside Elementary School at 1:20 p.m. The band leads the parade to the city square. The parade arrives at the square at 1:50 p.m. A pep rally and band performance will follow on the square.

The statewide archery season for deer is Sept. 24-Oct. 28. The first of two Young Sportsman hunts is Oct. 29-30. Archery season resumes Oct. 31-Nov. 4. Archery/muzzleloader season is Nov. 5-18.
Gun/muzzleloader/archery season has the traditional opening date of the Saturday before Thanksgiving which this year is Nov. 19. The season runs through Jan. 8, 2017. An antlerless hunt on private lands is Jan. 9-13 in Unit L counties only while the final Young Sportsman hunt is Jan. 14-15.
Antlerless bag limits in archery season are three per day in Unit L while Unit A, B, C, and D have a bag limit of four. The antlered bag limit is two for the license year. DeKalb County is now part of Unit B.
Unit C and D are new management units this year. Unit C includes Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Jefferson, Unicoi, Union, and Washington counties. Unit D includes the four counties of Blount, Monroe, Polk, and Sevier.
Sportsmen are reminded of changes made for the 2016-17 deer hunting seasons in Tennessee in regard to the definition of antlered deer.
An antlered deer is now defined as any male or female deer with an antler protruding above its hairline. An antlerless deer is now defined as any deer with no antler protruding above its hairline.
The new definition was established by the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission at its season-setting meeting this past May. The definition is also listed with photo examples on page 23 of the 2016-17 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide as produced by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Male fawns with no antler protruding above the hairline do not count toward a hunter’s antlered bag limit, rather toward the hunter’s antlerless bag limits. Deer having already shed their antlers and does without antlers are also considered antlerless.
Male fawns with an antler protruding above the hairline do count toward a hunter’s antlered bag limit, since the deer does have antler(s) as opposed to hair covered pedicles (i.e., antler attachment point to the skull). Velvet antlered deer are also considered antlered.
For the exact boundaries of the different deer units and license requirements, hunters can refer to the 2016-17 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide, available where hunting and fishing licenses are sold and at all TWRA offices. The guide can also be viewed at TWRA’s website at www.tnwildlife.org.

Two people were involved in a rear end collision Tuesday afternoon on Highway 56 south near Webb’s Chapel Church.
Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that 62 year old Jerry Holley of Rock Island was traveling south in a 1998 Chevy Silverado when he rear ended a southbound 1982 GMC Sierra, driven by a 16 year old, who had stopped to make a left turn into a private driveway. The teen was taken by DeKalb EMS to the hospital. Holley was not injured.
According to Trooper Johnson, Holley was cited for failure to exercise due care.
Members of the DeKalb EMS, Sheriff’s Department, and County Fire Department were also on the scene.

Smithville Electric System now has the blessing of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to proceed with plans to build a new substation on South College Street.
During a special meeting Monday evening, the Aldermen voted 3-1 to overturn a decision by the Smithville Planning Commission to disapprove of SES’s plans for the substation at the proposed location.
Aldermen Josh Miller, Shawn Jacobs, and Danny Washer voted in favor. Alderman Gayla Hendrix voted “no” saying she needed more time to study the issue. Alderman Jason Murphy was absent.
“I’m not voting “no” because I don’t believe it’s the correct place to put the substation. I am voting no because I have not had time to investigate it,” said Alderman Hendrix.
“I’m voting “yes” because we put the (SES) board in there and I respect their decision to move forward with this,” said Alderman Washer.
Smithville Electric System made this appeal before the Mayor and Aldermen after a ruling by Chancellor Ronald Thurman last Wednesday. In his decision, Chancellor Thurman found that when the Smithville Planning Commission disapproved the substation project during a meeting on June 14, SES did not have the authority to overrule the planning commission but should have filed an appeal with the Smithville Board of Mayor and Aldermen asking for a simple majority vote to overturn the planning commission’s decision. SES had 30 days to make the appeal.
Local developer Joe Rice, through his attorneys Sarah Cripps and Brandon Cox, brought the action against Smithville Electric System and the City of Smithville on September 2 in Chancery Court asking for a declaratory judgment and an injunction to keep SES from building the substation near his subdivision. While not a party to the lawsuit, other residents in the neighborhood are also opposed to the substation there.
After Mayor Jimmy Poss opened the special meeting Monday evening, Alderman Hendrix made a motion that the vote be delayed to give the council more time to study the issue especially since the Chancellor had not yet signed an order on last Wednesday’s ruling. Her motion died for the lack of a second.
“This is a complicated issue. I’ve had several people in the community approach me about it. I sat in on the hearing last Wednesday but I missed the ruling and I asked for a copy of the ruling before tonight. I got Ms. Cripps’ order that she drafted but I understand the attorneys for the city and Smithville Electric have submitted a competing order. When there are competing orders we don’t know which one the Chancellor is going to sign. Based upon that and the fact that I would like to read the transcript of the court file from Wednesday’s hearing, I personally feel that I don’t have adequate information to go forward with a vote tonight. I need more time to study this. I make a motion that we move this to see which order the Chancellor is going to sign and then look at that order and specifically what it tells us to do and then do the research we need as far as our charter, the Smithville Electric System by-laws, and I’d like to see a site plan of this substation. I’d like to see the zoning ordinances. We need to thoroughly investigate it,” said Alderman Hendrix.
City attorney Vester Parsley said whichever order the Chancellor signs will be the same on the key issue of requiring the Smithville Electric System to come before the Mayor and Aldermen to seek an appeal to overturn the decision of the planning commission. “ Both of those orders specify that Smithville Electric is to come before the board. There isn’t any difference in that provision of the judge’s order,” said Parsley.
“What bothers me greatly is that we have a board in place (planning commission) to review this type of thing. We appoint those folks to do that. When they said “no” this is not an adequate location and don’t put it here, the Smithville Electric Board went forward anyway. That concerns me. Why do we have these boards in place? Because there are checks and balances in government,” Alderman Hendrix continued.
During last week’s hearing, Rice’s attorneys Cripps and Cox asserted that the planning commission disapproved SES’s plans based on the grounds that the proposed location by SES is inconsistent with the city’s Land Use and Transportation Plan.
Alderman Jacobs, a member of the Planning Commission, said the reason he voted “no” at the June meeting was because there had been no time to study the proposal. “As a member of the planning commission, I know several members including myself voted “no” that night because we didn’t have enough information. We didn’t know it was coming our way at the time. It was plopped down in front of us. We had no where the information we should have had to be able to make a decision and that’s why I voted no. I know some other members said the same thing. We have had more information since then,” said Alderman Jacobs.
At the beginning of the meeting Monday evening, Mayor Poss cautioned that no questions or comments would be allowed by the public and that the purpose of the meeting was for the aldermen to either vote to uphold or overturn the planning commission’s decision on this issue. And when attorney Brandon Cox approached the mayor and aldermen with a petition signed by 124 residents in the neighborhood and elsewhere in the city opposing this project, he was warned that if he kept talking he would be escorted out of the meeting room by police.
After the meeting Attorney Sarah Cripps told WJLE she was concerned that the mayor and members of the board of aldermen stifled any public discussion of this issue.
“I was astounded that the males on this board (aldermen) sought to mute all discussion from people who opposed what they (aldermen) had already decided what they wanted to do. The only reason you suppress the right of the people to voice an opinion to those who are elected to represent them is when you know you are going to do whatever you want regardless of the popular will. And for this board to say we don’t care and we don’t want to educate ourselves is an abrogation of their duty,” said Cripps
“Think of what the power board itself did. The arrogance of a body to say we don’t have to go before the planning commission. That we are a law unto ourselves. It is absolutely appalling,” Cripps continued.
“Electric substations are unsightly. They are required to remain lighted at all times. They generate visual and auditory pollution. Half of the acreage that this body (SES) purchased in its arrogance is in a protected wetlands area. They admitted that they disturbed that area because we the electric board did not think we had to investigate that.”
“It concerns me that two members of the electric power board who claim to be attorneys and know the law determined that a state statute did not apply to them and determined and took action to subject the city to inverse condemnation lawsuits by all of the surrounding property owners”.
“I’m just ashamed of my government and I think it’s let me down,” she said.
Cripps went on to say that the SES is not representative of the city at large because there are no women or minorities on the board.

A Smithville man was sentenced Monday, September 12 in DeKalb County Criminal Court after entering a plea to one count of attempting to sell a schedule II drug.
38 year old Jerry “Bugg” Goff received a two year sentence to serve to run consecutive to an eight year term he is currently serving. Although he doesn’t have to pay a fine, Goff must forfeit his vehicle and $800 in cash. He was given jail credit from July 27, 2015 to September 12, 2016.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday July 17, 2015 a Sheriff’s department detective and deputy went to Eastside Inn and spoke with Goff, who was sitting in a white Durango. The detective conducted a probation search of Goff and found in his left cargo pocket a gold metal container which held 48 pills believed to be Dilaudid. In his right cargo pocket was a silver metal container with 19 pills thought to be Oxycodone. Goff did not have a prescription for the drugs and he was placed under arrest. Goff’s Durango was also seized because it is believed to have been used to transport illegal narcotics for resale.
30 year old Amanda F. Mooneyham entered a plea by criminal information to sale of a schedule VI drug and received a two year sentence, all suspended to TDOC supervised probation. She was fined $2,000. The sentence is to run consecutive to a Warren County sentence against her. According to court documents, Mooneyham, on or about January 10, did knowingly sell a schedule VI drug (marijuana), not less than 0.5 ounces (14.175 grams) in violation of state law. At the time of her arrest by Smithville Police, Mooneyham was five months pregnant and was charged with endangering a viable fetus as a victim, possession of a schedule VI drug for resale, possession of drug paraphernalia, and criminal impersonation.
According to Chief Mark Collins, while police were attempting to serve a warrant on Christopher Eugene Layne , they found Mooneyham and Brandon Michael Dearth were also at the residence. Upon a search of their persons and vehicles Dearth was found to have a small bag which he claimed contained methamphetamine. Mooneyham had in her possession several baggies of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana along with scales and several other drug paraphernalia items. When asked Mooneyham admitted to officers that she had smoked pot and did meth earlier in the day. The cases against Layne and Dearth apparently remain pending in court.
59 year old Neil Bernard Keenan entered a plea to simple possession of a schedule IV drug and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days. He was fined $750. He will be on supervised probation. Smithville Police received a call on Friday, November 20, 2015 of a possible drunk driver that had crashed into a pole in the parking lot of Food Lion. The officer spoke with Keenan in a checkout line inside the store. Keenan was unsteady on his feet. His speech was slurred and he had an odor of an alcoholic beverage about his person. Incident to arrest, a silver pill container with a Schedule IV substance was found in his front pants pocket. Keenan was placed under arrest.