DeKalb EMS Director Hoyte Hale recently presented each of the County’s Senior Centers with their own Portable Defibrillator. County Mayor Tim Stribling facilitated procuring the units.
“We’re so grateful for these defibrillator units. We had all tried to get grants to be able to afford them but with no success. The units usually cost between $1,500-$3,500. Hoyte presented these to us at the end of our CPR/First Aid certification class after we had already filled out our evaluation of the class. He also had them insured and is taking care of the consumable supplies. These are excellent units that literally “talk” the user through the entire process,” said Sandy Brown, Director of the Alexandria Senior Citizens Center.
(Pictured from left to right; Senior Director Pam Redmon, Smithville; Director Sandy Brown, Alexandria, EMS Director Hoyte Hale, County Mayor Tim Stribling, and Director Nancy Goad, Liberty)

Smithville Police have made arrests and issued citations in recent days for offenses ranging from shoplifting and theft, to DUI, public intoxication, driving on suspended license and domestic assault.
30 year old Justin Lynn Murphy was arrested for public intoxication on Friday, March 25. Police responded to the area of White Street and Highland Avenue on three different occasions that afternoon due to Murphy causing a disturbance and trying to start a fight. After informing Murphy on the second call to stay inside his home, police arrested him after the third incident. He was found to have a strong odor of a fermented beverage on his person. He was also unsteady on his feet and had slurred speech. Murphy was determined to have been annoying others in the area. Officers also found his demeanor to be uncooperative and he was combative with them. Murphy was arrested for his safety and that of the public. His bond is $1,500.
29 year old Katelyn McDuffie Scott was cited for shoplifting on Sunday, March 27. Police were called to the Dollar General Store where an item was found in Scott’s purse that she had not purchased.
48 year old Krista L West was cited for theft of property under $500 on Monday, March 28. West was issued a citation with a General Sessions court date of May 5 when a pack of hypodermic needles was found inside her makeup bag.
35 year old Brian Joseph Christensen was arrested for domestic assault on Wednesday, March 30. Police responded to a residence concerning a domestic situation. Upon speaking to the parties involved it was determined that Christensen and the victim became involved in an argument which turned physical when Christensen struck the victim on the left side of the face causing an injury. His bond is $5,000 and his court date is April 14.
41 year old Sharon Caldwell Malone was arrested for shoplifting on Thursday, March 31. Malone was observed by a Wal-Mart employee ripping tags off clothing, placing the tags in the makeup aisle, and then stuffing various items of clothing and makeup valued at $676.66 in a pink tote bag in an attempt to conceal them. Her bond is $5,000.
51 year old Rodney Lynn Kirby was arrested for DUI on Friday, April 1. According to the warrant Kirby was found to be passed out at the steering wheel of his vehicle in the parking lot of O’Reilly Auto Parts. Kirby was sitting in the driver seat and the keys to the automobile were in the ignition. The officer awoke Kirby and found that his speech was slurred. When asked to exit the vehicle, Kirby became unsteady on his feet. Kirby also submitted to but performed poorly on several field sobriety tasks. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is May 5.
55 year old Kenneth R. Adams was arrested for DUI on Saturday, April 2. Police spotted a truck swerving all over the road and upon conducting a traffic stop spoke with the driver, Adams. His driver’s license were found to be suspended and he was asked to exit the vehicle. Adams, who was unsteady on his feet, fell to the ground. Adams also submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. Adams was then taken into custody and cited for suspended license and failure to maintain his lane of travel. Bond for Adams is $1,500 and his court date is May 5.
44 year old Stanley William Morris Jr. was arrested for a 4th offense of driving on a suspended license on Wednesday, April 6. Police were dispatched to an accident where Morris was found to be the driver of one of the vehicles involved. He could not provide a valid driver’s license. A computer check with Central Dispatch showed the license to be suspended. Morris has three prior driving on suspended offenses. His bond is $1,500 and he will make a court appearance on May 19.

DeKalb Farm Bureau has announced the 2016 4th grade Poster Contest and 7th grade Essay Winners.
Poster Contest Winners for local 4th graders in the event titled “Farm to Fork”. (Pictured from left) Dan Hancock, Farm Bureau President, Madelyn Johnson-1st place winner of $50.00, Caley Taylor-2nd place winner of $25.00, Melanie Bogle-3rd place winner of $15.00, and Cathy Officer, Farm Bureau Women’s Chair. Mrs. Shelly Jennings, teacher with the most posters submitted was also awarded $50.00. Madelyn’s poster has been submitted to the state contest to be judged in June.
Essay Contest Winners for local 7th graders. The subject for the essay was “Why is Agriculture Important?”. (Pictured from left), Dan Hancock, Farm Bureau President, Skylar Fuson-1st place winner of $50.00, Garrett Claiborne-2nd place winner of $25.00, and Cathy Officer, Farm Bureau Women’s Chair. Mrs. Jenny Elrod, teacher with the most essays was also awarded $50.00. Skylar’s essay has been sent to the state contest to be judged in June.

Sixth District Congressman Diane Black of Gallatin is seeking re-election to a new two year term but she is facing opposition in the Tennessee Republican Primary on Thursday, August 4th.
Noon Thursday, April 7th was the qualifying deadline for the race.
Her opponents in the Republican Primary are Joe S. Carr of Lascassas, Tommy N. Hay of Monterey, and Donald Strong of Crossville.
Two candidates, David W. Kent of Cottontown and Flo Matheson of Crossville, are running in the Tennessee Democratic Primary.
The Republican and Democratic nominees will be on the November 8th General Election ballot along with Independent David Ross of White House.
Black was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010.
The 6th Congressional District includes Pickett, Fentress, Cumberland, White, DeKalb, Cannon, Coffee, Wilson, Smith, Jackson, Overton, Clay, Putnam, Trousdale, Macon, Sumner and Robertson Counties and small portions of Van Buren and Cheatham counties.

DeKalb Middle School Science students and others now have an opportunity to take their studies outdoors.
A new pavilion, complete with six picnic tables, and access to running water and electricity, has been completed which will serve as an “outdoor classroom” for occasional use by DMS science classes and others
“The outdoor classroom was built in order to facilitate hands-on science projects which will better meet the needs of our students as we forge ahead with the S.T.E.M.-type curriculum in mind. Of course, S.T.EM. is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” said DMS Assistant Principal Amanda Dakas.
Members of the student council began collecting aluminum cans about a year and half ago to raise money for the project. ” We didn’t start the project until we knew we had the funds to complete it. We had to do all the fundraising. We wrote grants and we had fund raising dances after school at night and things like that. All the money raised has been spent on the outdoor classroom and it was finished just last week during spring break,” said Suzette Barnes, DMS seventh grade science teacher.
While the pavilion is mainly for science classes, Dakas said other teachers can make use of it as well. “Building this facility offers not only our science teachers an opportunity for hands-on learning , but ALL teachers will be able to use the facility as well for any student-based hands-on activity that ties the math, engineering, and sciences together. So we are really excited about this and so are the students,” said Dakas.
“It’s mostly for science. If science teachers are doing experiments that could get messy, they can do it in the outdoor classroom. But we’re not limiting it to science. Any teacher in the building has the opportunity to hold a class out there at any time. There are six picnic tables which will accommodate a full classroom of 30 students,” said Barnes.
Although the pavilion is completed, the fundraising continues to add a sidewalk from the school to the pavilion. “We will continue to raise funds. My plan for the next phase is to be able to build a sidewalk from the building to the outdoor classroom. We will continue to raise funds and take donations to accomplish that portion of the project. We also still have the recycle bin for aluminum cans in front of the school near the highway. That money goes to the outdoor classroom as well. We have been successful with that effort. Since we started we have emptied it (recycle bin) three different times and that money goes straight to the outdoor classroom,” said Barnes.
“I want to thank the community and especially the student council members who have worked to raise the money for this. Without the fundraising and these grants this would not have been possible but it is something that will be used for many years to come,” Barnes said.
“We are so proud of our student council for playing a vital role in making this come to fruition,” Dakas concluded.

A 20 year old man arrested in March for having sex with an underage girl has been granted probation.
20 year old Dustin Michael Golden, charged with two counts of statutory rape and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, appeared in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday, April 4.
Golden entered a plea by criminal information to one count of mitigated statutory rape and received a sentence of two years and one day all suspended to supervised probation. He is requesting judicial diversion. Golden has been given 35 days of jail credit. He is under a restraining order to keep away from the victim.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said on Tuesday, March 1 a Sheriff’s Department Detective conducted an interview with Golden and discovered that he and a 15 year old girl had engaged in sexual acts and drug use. The girl said she and Golden had sex on Monday, February 29 and Tuesday, March 1. During questioning, Golden allegedly admitted to smoking marijuana with the girl.
31 year old Ellissa Howard was granted judicial diversion Monday. She had entered a plea last September to sale of a schedule II drug and received a three year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. At that time she filed a request for judicial diversion. Howard was fined $2,000 and given five days of jail credit.

Three positions on the DeKalb County Board of Education will be up for election on Thursday, August 4 but only one race will be contested. Noon today (Thursday, April 7th) was the qualifying deadline
Incumbent 5th district member W.J. (Dub) Evins, III will be challenged for re-election by Barry Mabe and Kevin Hale.
6th district incumbent Doug Stephens will be unopposed for re-election.
In the 4th district, Kate Miller will be unopposed for the election to fill the remaining two years of her husband Billy Miller’s unexpired term. Billy Miller was re-elected to the school board in August 2014 but he resigned September 30, 2014 due to his having accepted a new job with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation which does not allow him to hold public office. The county commission appointed Kate Miller in October 2014 to fill the position until the August 2016 election. She was sworn into office in November 2014.
The 5th and 6th district winners will serve four years.
The other school board members, Danny Parkerson in the 1st district; Jerry Wayne Johnson in the 2nd district; Jim Beshearse in the 3rd district, and Shaun Tubbs in the 7th district were elected in 2014 and are in mid-term. Their terms are up August 31, 2018.
Today (April 7th) was also the qualifying deadline for the race to fill the remaining two years of an unexpired county commission term in the 1st district. The election will be Thursday, August 4th
The candidates are Republican Thomas Chandler and Democrat Julie Williams Young. They were each nominated by their party during conventions held last month. No independents qualified for the position.
The winner will fill the seat left vacant by Elmer Ellis, Jr. who recently resigned.
Meanwhile candidates chosen in the March 1 Democratic Primary or by party convention who will be on the DeKalb County General Election ballot on Thursday, August 4th are as follows:
Assessor of Property:
Scott Cantrell, Democrat
Shannon Cantrell, Republican
Constable 1st district—Lee Plummer, Republican and Jason Taylor, Democrat
Constable 2nd District—Thomas Theriaque, Republican
Constable 3rd District—Travis Bryant; Democrat
Constable 4th District—Paul Cantrell, Democrat
Constable 5th District—Mark Milam, Democrat
Constable 6th district—Carl Lee Webb, Democrat
Constable 7th district—Johnny King, Democrat

The Smithville Municipal Election will be contested on Thursday, August 4th.
Five candidates have qualified for the race in which three aldermen will be elected, each to serve a four year term.
Incumbents Shawn Jacobs, Josh Miller, and Danny Washer are running for re-election along with newcomers Ronald Dale Stanley and Richard Steinbach.
Also on August 4th, Dowelltown voters will elect a mayor and alderman. The only candidates to qualify were Pam Redmon for mayor and William A. Davis for alderman. Another alderman position was to have been filled in the election but no other candidate qualified. The terms are for four years.
The Liberty Municipal Election is also set for Thursday, August 4th. Dwayne Blair, Todd Dodd, and Jason Ray are each seeking a four year term as alderman. They are unopposed. J.D. Bratten will be a candidate for alderman to fill a one year unexpired term.
The qualifying deadline was noon today (April 7th) for the Smithville, Dowelltown, and Liberty Municipal Elections.
(Photos of the other candidates unavailable)

State Representatives Terri Lynn Weaver of Lancaster in the 40th district and Mark Pody of Lebanon in the 46th district will be challenged for re-election this year.
Representative Weaver will be unopposed for re-nomination in the Tennessee Republican Primary on Thursday, August 4th but she will have a Democratic opponent in the November 8th General Election.
Gayla Colvert Hendrix of Smithville and Teresa Marion of Smith County are seeking the Democratic nomination for State Representative in the 40th district in the Tennessee Democratic Primary on Thursday, August 4th. The winner will face Weaver in November.
The 40th district includes Smith, Trousdale and part of DeKalb and Sumner Counties.
Meanwhile, Representative Pody will face Jim Gibbs of Cannon County for nomination in the Tennessee Republican Primary on August 4th. The winner will be opposed by Democrat Amelia Hipps of Lebanon in the November 8th General Election. Hipps is unopposed for nomination in the Tennessee Democratic Primary on August 4th.
The 46th district includes Cannon, and part of Wilson and DeKalb Counties
Each term is for two years.
Noon today (April 7th) was the qualifying deadline.
(Photos of Teresa Marion and Jim Gibbs unavailable)

An investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the indictment of a DeKalb County log home salesman, charged with stealing from clients who ordered from him.
At the request of 13th District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway, TBI Special Agents, working alongside detectives with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, began investigating Lawton Duane Park on September 9, 2015. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information that between 2013 and 2014, Park was selling log home kits to individuals without producing the product that was sold. The name of the business under which Park sold these log home kits is Starry Hill Log Homes.
On Monday, the DeKalb County Grand Jury indicted Lawton Duane Park, 47, on three counts of Theft over $10,000 and one count of Theft over $1,000. Park was arrested Tuesday night by deputies with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the DeKalb County Jail. He was released after posting a $75,000 bond. He will be arraigned in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday, April 11.
Count one of the indictment against Park alleges that on or about the 19th day of August, 2013 he knowingly did obtain or exercise control over certain property, to wit: $30,261.50 being over the value of $10,000 the property of Jodi Renwand with the intent to deprive constituting the offense of theft.
Count two alleges that on or about the 8th day of June, 2015 Park knowingly obtained or exercised control over certain property, to wit: $15,000 being over the value of $10,000 the property of Danny and Tara Hall with the intent to deprive constituting the offense of theft.
Count three states that on or about the 21st day of July, 2015 Park knowingly obtained or exercised control over certain property, to wit: $12,000 being over the value of $10,000 the property of Danny and Tara Hall with the intent to deprive constituting the offense of theft.
Count four alleges that on or about the 15th day of June 2015 Park knowingly obtained or exercised control over certain property, to wit: $4,000 being over the value of $1,000 the property of Danny and Tara Hall with the intent to deprive constituting the offense of theft.
Last September Park and his wife appeared in General Sessions Court on charges they assaulted a disgruntled customer who confronted them at McDonald’s Restaurant in Smithville.
After a hearing, Judge Bratten Cook, II found Mrs. Park guilty of assault and unlawful possession of a weapon. Judge Cook dismissed an assault charge against Park.. Mrs. Park received a sentence of 30 days on the weapon charge and six months for the assault but she was placed on probation. She was also fined a total of $100 plus court costs.
The Parks’ were arrested by Smithville Police on Thursday, August 27, 2015 after a Michigan man, Danny Hall confronted them at McDonald’s claiming they had defrauded him. Hall claimed he and his wife ordered a brand new log home through the Starry Hill Log Homes website in January, 2015 a company run by the Parks and paid $36,000 but never got the logs to build the home.
During the confrontation at McDonalds which was captured on video, Hall was allegedly assaulted by the Parks. While finding Mrs. Park guilty of the assault, Judge Cook dismissed the case against Mr. Park after reviewing the video and reportedly determining that he appeared to be trying to break up the fight. Mrs. Park was charged with the gun offense after police found the weapon in her purse during the assault investigation for which she had no permit.
At the time, Mr. Park, a pastor, reportedly offered regular Bible studies at the New Heart Outreach located on Broad Street in Smithville.