Although a lawsuit remains pending against the City of Smithville over the termination of former Police Chief Randy Caplinger, a majority of the aldermen voted Monday night to begin the process of finding a new chief.
Upon the recommendation of Mayor Jimmy Poss, the aldermen voted 3-2 to advertise seeking resumes from persons interested in becoming the city’s next police chief. Aldermen Danny Washer, Jason Murphy, and Gayla Hendrix voted in favor. Aldermen Josh Miller and Shawn Jacobs voted against, preferring to wait until the outcome of Caplinger’s lawsuit.
“I think it’s time we start advertising for a police chief. We’ve been a pretty good while without one. (Captain) Steven (Leffew) is doing a great job. But I think it’s time we started thinking about it. We’re talking about advertising for resumes. That’s just my idea. I want to see what you think about it,” said Mayor Poss.
“I think we should have already been advertising for it. Not that Steven has not been doing a good job but I’m not for sure he wants this burden on him forever. I do think we need to go forward with that,” said Alderman Hendrix.
Aldermen Murphy and Washer agreed.
But Alderman Miller said anyone selected should serve on an “interim” basis until the Caplinger lawsuit is settled. “I would like to see him be named interim chief until things are smoothed over,” he said.
City Attorney Vester Parsley said the city could still accept resumes in the meantime. “We can advertise for resumes and go from there. We’re not talking about getting into the pure application process. We’re talking about seeing what interest is out there and let them submit resumes to be considered later. There would be more (in the selection process) than just the resume later on. We’re not talking about an “interim” at this time. We’re just talking about taking some resumes. Depending upon when we get a hearing on the other (Caplinger lawsuit), we’re hoping that would be pretty soon but we don’t have a date set for that hearing,” said Parsley
In the lawsuit, attorneys for Caplinger, Sarah Cripps and Brandon Cox are asking, among other things, that the court “hold and declare that Caplinger’s suspension without pay effective March 13, 2015 is invalid, and hence, a nullity” and that Caplinger be allowed to “receive all accrued back pay from March 13, 2015 until the date of the hearing in this cause”.
“We are seeking to have Chief Caplinger restored to his rightful position as chief. We are also asserting that he is entitled to receive all accrued back pay and every other benefit to which he would be entitled had this unlawful suspension and termination never occurred,” Cripps told WJLE when the lawsuit was filed.

Larry Webb, the former deputy director of the Upper Cumberland Development District, is expected to be in U.S. District Court this month for a change of plea hearing.
According to an order entered on Wednesday, July 29, U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger has set this change of plea hearing for Monday, August 17 at 3:00 p.m.
The Herald-Citizen reports that Webb, along with former UCDD director Wendy Askins, pled not guilty in September 2014 to a variety of federal charges, including conspiring to commit various federal offenses, as well as six counts of theft and conversion of government property in excess of $1,000; four counts of bank fraud; three counts of money laundering; and a single count of concealing a material fact within the jurisdiction of the United States.
The indictment alleges that Askins, who was the executive director of the UCDD, and Webb, who was the deputy director of UCDD, perpetrated a scheme from February 2010 through February 2012 to convert over $670,000 of government funds intended for UCDD and its related agencies to the use of the “Living the Dream” property, which was owned by Askins and Webb.
Askins and Webb allegedly incorporated Living the Dream in their own names and caused money to be transferred from UCDD to Living the Dream without seeking the approval of the UCDD board of directors.
Askins and Webb also allegedly obtained bank loans and lines of credit in excess of $1,000,000 to renovate the Living the Dream property by using UCDD bank accounts and property as collateral for the loans, according to the indictment.
In order to cover up the illegal activity, Askins and Webb allegedly directed other individuals to alter the official minutes of the UCDD board meeting that occurred on Feb. 16, 2010, and to delete audio recordings of all UCDD meetings, according to the indictment.
If convicted on those federal charges, Askins faces up to 225 years in prison and a $6,750,000 fine as well as forfeiture of property derived from or used in the bank fraud and money laundering offenses charged. Webb faces up to 220 years in prison and a $6,500,000 fine, as well as forfeiture of property derived from or used in the bank fraud and money laundering offenses charged.
The case is set to go to jury trial Sept. 22 in Nashville.

A suspected drug dealer and sex offender was arrested twice last month by the Sheriff’s Department.
20 year old Thomas Braxton Nix of Morgan Drive, Smithville is charged with possession of a schedule II drug for resale (methamphetamine), possession of a schedule VI drug for resale (marijuana), possession of a schedule IV drug for resale (alprazolam), and possession of a schedule III drug for resale (hydrocodone). He is also charged with statutory rape of a 14 year old girl in a separate offense. His total bond is $300,000. Nix will make a court appearance on the charges August 27.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Monday, July 20 a sheriff’s department detective stopped a red Grand Am on Terrell Road after observing the car weaving on Highway 70 east. As he approached the vehicle, the detective noticed that the driver (Nix) was moving around inside. The officer asked Nix to exit the vehicle. When Nix got out of the driver’s seat, the detective spotted a cellophane pack containing four alprazolam pills. After Nix gave consent for a search of his person, the detective spotted a small piece of ICE (meth) on the ground and behind the vehicle was a baggie containing ICE (meth). Inside of Nix’s wallet were seventeen- 7.25 milligram Hydrocodone pills. During a search of the vehicle, the detective also found a blue and black bag that held two Mason jars. One of the jars was full of marijuana and the other had two marijuana buds. Two digital scales, several baggies, and a marijuana shredder were also found in the bag. Nix had a total of 23.4 grams of meth, 2.66 ounces of marijuana, four alprazolam pills, and seventeen hydrocodone pills along with $853 cash. Nix admitted selling meth and he was placed under arrest
The next day, Tuesday July 21, Nix was charged with statutory rape. According to Sheriff Ray, Nix was arrested by another detective for sexually penetrating a victim at a residence on County House Road. At the time of the incident, the female victim was 14 years old. Nix is 20 years old.

A Dowelltown man answered to an aggravated assault charge against a woman Monday, July 27 in DeKalb County Criminal Court.
30 year old Joseph Stephen Audas pled guilty to the offense and received a three year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. Audas was granted judicial diversion with his probation to be transferred to Warren County. Audas was given 229 days jail credit.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, July 10, 2014 Audas allegedly tied the woman’s wrist and hands with a belt and held her down at knifepoint while hitting her in the face. During the assault, Audas allegedly struck the woman’s left ear and cut her under the chin and throat with the knife.
27 year old Brandon Hutchings pled guilty to aggravated burglary and received a five year sentence to serve. The term is to run consecutive to a violation of probation sentence against him. He was given jail credit of 420 days.
43 year old Glenda Chapman pled guilty to two counts of forgery and received a two year sentence in each case to run concurrently with each other. She will be on probation and has made application for judicial diversion. Chapman must make restitution of $3,675 to the victim.
45 year old Billy Dobbs pled guilty to attempted manufacture of marijuana and received a two year sentence on supervised probation. He was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 64 days.
38 year old Jermaine McCoy pled guilty to possession for resale and sale of a schedule II drug. He received a four year sentence for possession and three years for sale to be served consecutively for a total of seven years but the term has been suspended to community corrections probation. He was fined $2,000.
31 year old Brandon Tallent pled guilty to sale of a schedule III drug and violation of probation. The terms are to run concurrently with each other and concurrently with another VOP against him. He received a two year sentence to serve in the drug case. He must serve the balance of a three year sentence for the VOP with 195 days credit.
39 year old Dennis Jason Reeder pled guilty to driving under the influence. He must serve 45 days. The sentence is to run concurrently with a White County case against him and with his current probation. He was fined $350.
34 year old Cynthia Carter pled guilty to driving on a revoked license and received a six month sentence on probation, supervised by CPS.

An off duty City of Smithville employee has been charged with driving under the influence and violation of the implied consent law.
Hunter Hendrixson, who serves as city administrator, is to make an appearance in General Sessions Court on Thursday, August 27.
He was pulled over on Vaughn Lane at 2:15 a.m. Friday morning, July 31 by Sergeant Charlie Caplinger of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
According to the complaint, ” I, Sergeant Charlie Caplinger was traveling east on Vaughn Lane. I noticed a gray pickup truck (2002 Dodge Ram 1500) traveling across the center double line several times. I observed this at least four times before a traffic stop was made. Upon approach I found Mr. Hendrixson behind the wheel with a strong smell of an intoxicant about his person. He admitted to drinking prior to driving. I asked him to perform field sobriety tasks in which he could not perform as demonstrated. Each field sobriety task showed clues of impairment. He was placed under arrest and transported to the DeKalb County Jail for warrants. Mr. Hendrixson was charged with a first offense of driving under the influence. I read the Tennessee Implied Consent form and asked him to provide blood for blood alcohol content. Mr. Hendrixson stated that he would not give blood for sample. This is a violation of TCA (Tennessee Code Annotated)”.
Hendrixson was off duty at the time and was driving his own personal vehicle.

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps has filled two vacant assistant principal positions.
Cripps told WJLE Sunday that Anita Puckett has been named assistant principal at Smithville Elementary School and Jenny Norris is now an assistant principal at DCHS.
Puckett, a longtime DeKalb Middle School teacher, is succeeding Karen Knowles who was recently chosen to be the new principal at Northside Elementary School upon the retirement of Dr. Gayle Redmon.
Norris, a DCHS teacher, is filling the assistant principal post left vacant by Kathy Bryant, who moved up to principal at DCHS when Patrick Cripps became Director of Schools.
The other principal and assistants remain the same
The administration at each school is as follows:
Smithville Elementary:
Principal- Julie Vincent
Assistant-Anita Puckett
Northside Elementary:
Principal-Karen Knowles
Assistant-Beth Pafford
DeKalb West School:
Principal- Sabrina Farler
Assistant-Joey Agee
DeKalb Middle-School:
Principal- Randy Jennings
Assistant- Amanda Dakas
DeKalb County High School:
Principal: Kathy Bryant
Assistant: David Gash
Assistant: Jenny Norris

Members of the community answered the call to pray for our schools Sunday afternoon during what has become an annual event at the DeKalb County High School gym.
This year’s prayer time called ” Back 2 School Call 2 Prayer” featured several local ministers offering prayers for each school as well as the students, teachers, transportation staff, and other employees.
“I had some ladies who came to me who were involved years ago just getting together to pray at the entrances of the schools. They told me that we cannot stop doing this. Since the beginning this has developed into a larger prayer gathering. But it all started with some mothers who went to the different schools having prayer, said Donnie Kelly, minister of the First Assembly of God who moderated the program. He spoke with WJLE after the program.
“As ministers and educators as well as community leaders, we need to join together. Even in our prayer times, some of the ministers today presented how important it is that we pray for each of our teachers, principals, children, the schools, so many things. We need that covenant. We need to join together to do everything we can to help our children to be able to achieve the very best,” said Kelly
Local ministers participating were Dan Gulley of the Smithville Church of Christ (who prayed for DeKalb County High School), Don Davidson of the Real Life Community Church (who prayed for DeKalb Middle School), Bill Robertson of the Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church (who prayed for Smithville Elementary School), Dr. John Carpenter of the Smithville First United Methodist Church (who prayed for Northside Elementary School), Donald Owens of Dry Creek Baptist Church (who prayed for DeKalb West School), Isaac Gray of the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church (who prayed for School Transportation), Graden Kirksey of the Smithville Church of God (who prayed for Athletics/Band), and Jordan Atnip of the Smithville First Baptist Church (who prayed for the School Resource Officers).
Director of Schools Patrick Cripps also made some remarks at the beginning of the program on plans and projections for the school year.

Parents working on checklists to get their children ready for the start of school have an important health item to include: required immunizations.
All children enrolling in Tennessee schools for the first time, as well as those going into the seventh grade, must provide an official Tennessee Immunization Certificate before classes start
The certificate must be signed by a qualified healthcare provider or verified by the state’s immunization information system.
All students entering seventh grade are required to have proof they have had two doses of the chickenpox vaccine, or a history of the illness, and a booster shot for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis or whooping cough, commonly known as Tdap, to protect them through their teens. Another required immunization is for measles, mumps and rubella, also known as MMR.
In addition, pediatricians recommend preteens get their first of three doses of a vaccine to help prevent cancers caused by the human papillomavirus, as well as their first dose of meningitis vaccine.
Although HPV and meningitis vaccines are not required for preteens, they are recommended to be given at the same time as the required Tdap booster and any other vaccine a child may need.
Incoming college students in Tennessee public colleges who will reside in campus housing must provide proof of immunization against meningococcal meningitis after age 16.
Medical or religious exemptions may apply for families not wishing to have their children immunized, but proper documentation is required.
According to the Tennessee Department of Health, immunizations required for school are available from most healthcare providers across the state, including county health departments. Children younger than 19 may be eligible for free vaccines if they have no insurance, are enrolled in TennCare, have private insurance that does not cover vaccines or are American Indian or Alaska native.
Most insurance plans, including TennCare, fully cover recommended and state-required childhood vaccines, as well as the cost of annual well child examinations through the age of 21. Insured children are encouraged to visit their primary healthcare provider or other provider who can administer vaccines and bill insurance for any services they might need. TDH strongly recommends a visit to the child’s primary care provider so the child can have an annual well child physical exam at the same time. Annual wellness visits are important to keep children healthy through all the changes of the pre-teen and teenage years, but many don’t get these important preventive health services.
Local health departments have vaccines available for all uninsured children, those whose insurance doesn’t cover vaccines, and any child who has difficulty getting in to see a healthcare provider to get a required vaccine. Local health departments can issue immunization certificates and transcribe immunization records for any child if the family isn’t able to get a certificate from their healthcare provider for any reason.
The complete list of Tennessee Child Care and School Immunization requirements is available on the TDH website at: http://health.state.tn.us/TWIS/requirements.htm. Questions about school policies on when or how immunization certificates must be provided should be directed to local schools.

The Annual First Day of School Education Celebration for DeKalb County will be held on Monday, August 3 starting at 6:00 p.m. downtown around the courthouse square.
The celebration is held on school registration day.
Michelle Burklow, Supervisor of Instruction for Pre-Kindergarten to 6th Grade, said the event is free and all parents and students are urged to attend to help kick off the new school year. “Our goal is to provide an evening of activities, education, and enjoyment for the residents of DeKalb County. We will be having information booths, passing out school supplies, refreshments, and various activities for the students to participate in while promoting education.”
“This will also provide a time for our teachers and parents to come together to build a foundation for new and positive relationships, right from day one,” said Burklow
“Our First Day of School Celebration is an opportunity for our schools to take a leadership role in re-enforcing and improving relationships among parents, teachers, students, and the community. This is the one day each year when it is both easiest and most important to enlist families as partners in our children’s education. This is a great time for us to engage our families and make them feel welcome into our schools.”
“So come out and join us. Everything is free that evening. We’ll have free school supplies, free food, snacks and lots of community people coming together to make this event possible”, said Burklow.
“There are many volunteers, churches, and organizations that come together to make this event possible for our children so they are able to start school with new supplies and a great positive attitude.”
If you would like to help with this event please call Michelle Burklow at 615- 597-4084. Volunteers are needed.
This celebration is totally free of charge to those who attend so make plans now to join the fun downtown Smithville on Monday, August 3 from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Licensed Physical Therapist, Courtney Smith, recently obtained the designation of Specialist in Geriatrics Certification. Certification is achieved through successful completion of a standardized online application and examination process. Coordination of the program is provided by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS).
“This is a tremendous accomplishment for Courtney and will greatly benefit our patients,” NHC Smithville Administrator, Clint Hall said. “Courtney is a professional in every sense of the word. She is already an accomplished physical therapist, but she continues to seek education and experiences that help her serve her patients in a better way. Across the United States, there are only a limited number of therapists who have obtained this specialization and we are honored to have her serving our patients at NHC Smithville.”
Specialty Certifications assist the public and health care community in identifying therapists with expertise in a particular field and are devoted to addressing the unique needs of the people with whom they work. This is a special designation that is very competitive and highly coveted.
“Continuous improvement and continuous education are very important to me and our leadership team at NHC Smithville,” Smith said. “I have challenged each of our therapists to pursue development of their professional and leadership skills so we can better meet our patient’s needs. Obtaining this specialty was a challenge, but well worth the effort. Having a sense of personal accomplishment, while also benefiting our patients was my goal all along, and I am grateful for the support from my family, friends, and colleagues.”
Courtney Smith has been a Physical Therapist at NHC Smithville since 2011 and currently serves as the Director of Rehabilitation Services. She obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (UTC) in 2011. She also completed her undergraduate degree from UTC in 2009. Courtney and her husband Matt have one child and reside in Lebanon, TN.
NHC Smithville offers inpatient and outpatient rehabilitative care and accepts Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, workers compensation, managed care, and private funds. The inpatient healthcare center offers skilled nursing and rehabilitation services to adults of all ages on a short-term and continuing care basis. NHC Smithville’s outpatient clinic offers physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. For more information about NHC Smithville, visit www.nhcsmithville.com or call (615) 597-4284.