A DeKalb EMS paramedic is being hailed a hero after saving the life of a Lieutenant of the Tennessee Highway Patrol who suffered a heart attack during an outing on Center Hill Lake last Friday, June 20. Both the paramedic, Tyler Grandstaff and THP Lieutenant David Allred were off duty at the time.
Allred and his family had just set up camp at Floating Mill Recreation area when he felt faint and then collapsed.
Fortunately, Grandstaff , who was with his family closeby at the same time, came to his aide. “We were at the lake at Floating Mill and we had a man exhibiting signs of chest pain and diaphoresis (profuse sweating). He was pale, grayish and didn’t look well. I went to the truck and got my bag and my oxygen tank and did what we normally do. He was conscious but not alert and very disoriented. I started an IV and gave him some oxygen and fluids. Gladly an ambulance got there pretty quick,” said Grandstaff.
“We had got there at the campground and probably had been there for an hour and a half,” said Allred. “We had just got the camp and everything all set up. I walked over to my brother’s camper. I told my wife that I feel like I’m fixing to pass out. I did. At no time did I have any pain until after the second or third time I went down, then the pain really started. After that I could hear everything going on. I remember when Tyler ran up and I heard him say he was going to get his bag. I could feel everything going on. I could feel what he did to my arm and when he stuck the IV in and although I couldn’t communicate, I could understand everything everybody was saying,” said Allred.
DeKalb EMS was notified and quickly arrived on the scene. Grandstaff accompanied Paramedic Tim Briggs and EMT Becky Atnip in transporting Allred by ambulance to Cookeville Regional Medical Center.
One week after the attack, Allred is out of the hospital and feeling much better, although he is not yet back to work. “It was a massive heart attack. I go back for an update with the doctor on July 21st and he will re-evaluate everything and see what we’re going to do. I still have two more blockages. Hopefully after we get those taken care of I’ll return to work,” said Allred.
Had it not been for Grandstaff and others, Allred said he might not have survived. “As far as Tyler and the other Paramedic and EMT persons, that’s what saved me. As far as Cookeville Hospital, they also did a great job. The dispatchers here did a great job. Everybody did their job that day or I wouldn’t be here today. Thankfully Tyler was there that day or I don’t think I’d be here,” said Allred.
“I am glad I was there to help him out,” said Grandstaff.
As a show of appreciation, DeKalb EMS Director Hoyte Hale Friday presented Grandstaff with a certificate for “Outstanding Service”. Allred and members of his family were also on hand for the occasion at the headquarters of the Central Dispatch/911 Center in Smithville.
The certificate states as follows:
“DeKalb County Emergency Services Outstanding Service Award is hereby granted to Tyler Grandstaff for your outstanding instinct and actions on June 20, 2014. Your actions undoubtedly contributed to a positive outcome. We sincerely appreciate your dedication to DeKalb EMS. DeKalb County Emergency Services. Awarded June 27, 2014. Signed by Hoyte Hale, EMS Director”.
Director Hale said he is also proud of Briggs and Atnip for the work they did on the Allred call and for the professionalism of his entire staff. ” Tim and Becky was the crew that transported him (Allred) to Cookeville and they did a great job too! I’m glad we have crews and staff who are dedicated to their job,” he said.

The 16th annual Fiddler 5K and One Mile Fun Run, sponsored by Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County will be Saturday, July 5, the weekend of the Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree. All proceeds from the race will be used in building another Habitat for Humanity home in DeKalb County.
The race will begin promptly at 7:00 a.m., RAIN OR SHINE. The course begins and ends on Church Street in Downtown Smithville. “We encourage anybody who is interested in doing either the one mile fun run or the 5K which is a 3.1 mile course to go to www.fiddler5k.com where you’ll find a printable registration form that provides all the details of registration and a link to online registration,” said Race Director Tecia Puckett Pryor.
(CLICK PDF LINK BELOW FOR REGISTRATION FORM)
2014 Registration Form.pdf (160.7 KB)
Paper registrations must be submitted no later than Monday, June 30. “If you want to register by paper. If you want to print out a form and mail it in or bring it by my office, that needs to be done by Monday, June 30. If you pre-register online you need to do that by midnight Wednesday, July 2. The advantage of pre-registering is that you save $5.00 and you may pick up your packet on Friday evening, July 4 from 5-7 p.m. at the First Baptist Life Enrichment Center on Church Street, which is also the start line for the race. That’s a real perk in that you don’t have to get up quite as early on Saturday morning, July 5. You’ll already have your race bib and t-shirt and you’ll be ready to go. But you can still pick up your packet on Saturday morning. You don’t have to pick it up on Friday night if that doesn’t work for you,” said Pryor.
Participants may also sign up on race day.”The cost of race day registration is $30 and $25 for those age 18 and younger. Again, for early registration it’s $25 for adults age 19 and older and for youth its $20 for ages 18 and younger so you save a little bit of money by pre-registering,” Pryor said.
“We have a fabulous shirt this year. It’s made of the same material as last year. It’s called the new tech shirt. It’s going to be navy. It looks really great. I want to thank our t-shirt sponsors because they help underwrite the cost of the shirts so that more money goes to Habitat. Our sponsors are Janney & Associates, CPA, Stonehaus Winery, DeKalb Community Bank, First Bank, Dr. Mitchell S. Tatum, DDS, Glenda Davis, CPA, Federal Mogul, Cumberland Presbyterian Church, DeKalb Community Hospital, Sligo Marina, and Tenneco Automotive. We are really appreciative to those folks and what they do to help us,” Pryor continued.
“A few years ago we went to chip timing where you have a chip on your bib and when you cross the finish line it will instantly tell you how fast you did the race. We have a gun start meaning that the start is not chip timed, everybody starts at the same time but the finish is chip timed and that is done by Tennessee Race Timing of Cookeville. They do a great job for us with the timing,” she said.
“For our awards, we give an overall male award and a female award for the fastest runners. We also started giving a Masters award a few years ago which is for the fastest male and female age 40 and older. We also give out the top three awards in the age categories of nine and younger, and then go up from there in five year increments. We give ribbons for those categories. For the Fun Run, we only give awards for children who are age twelve and younger. We give overall awards for male and female and then we do the top three. Everybody gets a nice ribbon and the overall winners get medals. We also have some goodies for the first place winners,” said Pryor.
“We changed the course a couple of years ago. The start line is no longer on Highway 56. It starts right across from the Life Enrichment Center on Church Street and goes down town hill by the swimming pool and the golf course, up Riley Avenue by the hospital and then comes up Main Street to the finish. It’s a fairly challenging course but it’s really a beautiful course with all the trees as you go down town hill and coming up Main Street,” she said.
“A lot of kids participate in the One Mile Fun Run and we also have adults that just like to get out to walk a mile and be part of this. The Fun Run stays right in town. It does not go down town hill. We have it really well marked. Both races end right at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. In the parking lot of the funeral home is where we will be on Saturday morning so if you want to register and you haven’t by then be there by 6:00 a.m. and we’ll get you registered. If you pre-registered and didn’t pick up your packet on Friday night then come to the same place, the Love-Cantrell Funeral Home parking lot because that’s where we will be set up to start and finish,” said Pryor.
Spectators are urged to come out and cheer on the runners the morning of the race. “If you live along the race course, get out and cheer on these runners. It’s great when you’re out running and you see people out cheering for you,” she said.
For more information or copies of paper registrations call the office of Tecia Puckett Pryor at 597-7370 or stop by at 312 West Broad Street, Smithville.
Funds raised through the Fiddler 5K support Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County. “We hope to have a great turnout and raise a lot of money for Habitat. We hope to see everybody on Saturday, July 5,” Pryor concluded.
A Ground breaking celebration was held last month for the fifth Habitat for Humanity home in DeKalb County. Committee and Board members of Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County and the new partner family, Tia Adcock , her son Caven Ponder, and daughter Caitlin Adcock gathered for the brief ceremony at the site of the home at 202 Hayes Street in Smithville.

DeKalb County’s Unemployment Rate increased to 6.3% in May, up from 5.7% in April but well below the rate of 8.4% in May, 2013.
The local Labor Force for May was 9,220. A total of 8,640 were employed and 580 were without work.
DeKalb County’s Jobless Rate for May was fifth lowest in the fourteen county Upper Cumberland region.
Here’s how they rank from highest to lowest:
Pickett: 9.9%
Van Buren: 8.8%
Clay: 8.4%
White: 8.4%
Jackson: 7.5%
Cumberland: 7.4%
Fentress: 7.4%
Overton: 7.1%
Warren: 6.9%
DeKalb: 6.3%
Putnam: 6.2%
Macon: 5.8%
Cannon: 5.5%
Smith:5.3%
County unemployment rates for May 2014 show the rate decreased in five counties, increased in 88, and remained the same in two.
Davidson County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate in May at 5.2 percent, up from 4.7 percent in April. Knox County was 5.3 percent in May, also up from 4.7 in April. The Hamilton County May rate was 6.2 percent, up from 5.6 percent in April. Shelby County was 7.5 percent in May, up from 7.0 percent in April. The Tennessee unemployment rate for May was 6.4 percent, and the U.S. rate was 6.3 percent; both were 6.3 percent in April.
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.

The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of the 2014 “Project Welcome Mat” in time for the Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival July 4 & 5.
This year’s winners are as follows: People’s Choice – DeKalb Community Bank; Best Worded- Liberty State Bank (for messages on both sides of their sign); Most Original –Cumberland Insurance.
“We want to thank all the businesses that used their message signs to welcome Jamboree visitors. It’s vitally important to make sure that our guests know how appreciated and important they are. Tourism makes a huge positive economic impact on DeKalb County, and a lot of those tourism dollars come during the Jamboree,” said Chamber Director Suzanne Williams
The winners and messages are as follows:
DeKalb Community Bank – Winner of “People’s Choice” Award-“Twitter, Text or Snap, Fiddli’n & Feet That Tap, It’s Jamboree 43, Finest Fest in Tenn”
This social media-inspired message was written by DCB Employee, June Keith.
Liberty State Bank received the Chamber’s “Best Worded” Award for messages on both sides of their sign. Best Words” on Side 1 were written by LSB Employee Lisa Garrison -“A Fiddle, A Banjo, And A Glass of Sweet Tea, All at Jamboree 43.” “Best Words” on Side 2 were written by Liberty State Bank customer, Danny Cowan – “If It Was Me, I’d go to Jamboree 43.”
Cumberland Insurance– Winner of “Most Original” Sign-” “Bigger Better, More To See, Clap Your Hands & Stomp Your Feet, Jamboree Can’t Be Beat!”
The message was composed by Cumberland Insurance employee, Glenda Randolph. The sign was made by D&S Specialtees.
Bumpers Drive In received Honorable Mention for their sign – “Arts and Crafts, Music And Fun, The Jamboree Has Something For Everyone.”
(TOP PHOTO: Pictured l-r: DCB Vice-President Chad Colwell, Adm. Asst. June Keith, DCB President Gentry Barns, Chamber President Julia Cantrell, & Chamber Director Suzanne Williams)
(SECOND PHOTO FROM TOP: LSB Picture – Side 1 Chamber President Julia Cantrell, LSB Employees Trina Graham, Annette Jacoby, Amanda Green, Charlene Adcock, Lisa Garrison, LSB Vice-President Ronnie Goodwin & Chamber Director Suzanne Williams)
(THIRD PHOTO FROM TOP: LSB Picture – Side 2 LSB Vice-President Ronnie Goodwin, Lisa Garrison, Charlene Adcock, Amanda Green, Trina Graham, Annette Jacoby, Chamber President Julia Cantrell, Chamber Director Suzanne Williams)
(BOTTOM PHOTO: Pictured l-r: Chamber Director Suzanne Williams, Cumberland Insurance employees – Agent Kim Kyle, Receptionist Karen Caplinger, Agent Glenda Randolph, Chamber President & Cumberland Insurance Agent Julia Cantrell)

Four persons pleaded guilty to TennCare Fraud and other charges Tuesday and were sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court. Three of the cases were from a recent undercover drug investigation conducted by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. The other case was made by the Tennessee Office of Inspector General with the assistance of the Sheriff’s Department.
Judge Leon Burns, Jr. presided in criminal court Tuesday.
36 year old Jackie Ervin pleaded guilty to two counts of TennCare fraud and one count of prescription fraud. He received a two year sentence in each case with two of the terms to run consecutively for a total sentence of four years. He must make restitution of $290.91 and he will lose his TennCare benefits.
Ervin was named in a sealed indictment in November, 2013 charging him with three counts of TennCare Fraud and three counts of Prescription Fraud. He was arrested on Wednesday, November 27. The indictment alleged that Ervin, a TennCare enrollee, did unlawfully commit the offense of Fraudulently Obtaining TennCare Medical Assistance Benefits to which he was not entitled by knowingly obtaining a prescription for Adderrall in DeKalb County on October 22, 2011 and December 23, 2011 and for Lortab on November 23, 2011. The prescriptions were subsequently filled and paid for by TennCare. The indictment further alleged that Ervin intentionally obtained possession of these controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, or subterfuge.
31 year old Jackie Sanders pleaded guilty to one count of TennCare fraud and two counts of sale of a schedule II drug. He received a three year suspended sentence in two of the cases and one year in the other all to run concurrently for a total sentence of three years. He was fined $2,000. Sanders will also lose his TennCare benefits.
The indictment against Sanders alleges that “on or about October 21, 2013, he did unlawfully, intentionally and Knowingly sell and deliver a controlled substance obtained through TennCare (Oxycodone), constituting the offense of TennCare Fraud”.
41 year old Lisa Lue Ray (Summers) pleaded guilty to one count of TennCare fraud, one count of sale of a schedule III drug, and one count of sale of a schedule II controlled substance. She received a five year sentence in one case, two years in another, and one year in the third case, all to run concurrently with each other for a total sentence of five years. She will be on probation and must pay a fine of $2,000. Restitution of $40 must be paid to the Sheriff’s Department and she will lose her TennCare benefits.
The indictment against Summers alleges that “On or about December 4, 2013, Summers did unlawfully, intentionally, and knowingly sell and deliver a controlled substance obtained through TennCare (Hydrocodone) constituting the offense of TennCare Fraud.”
35 year old Michael Shone Saylors pleaded guilty to one count of TennCare fraud and two counts of sale of a schedule III drug. He received a three year sentence in two of the cases and one year in the other all to run concurrently with each other for a total sentence of three years, suspended to 89 days of time served with the balance on supervised probation. The term will run consecutive to a three year sentence against him in another case. Saylors was fined $2,000 on two of the charges and he will lose his TennCare benefits effective September 30, 2014.
Saylors’ indictment in one of the cases alleges that “On or about October 7, 2013, he did unlawfully, intentionally, and knowingly sell and deliver a controlled substance obtained through TennCare (Hydrocodone), constituting the offense of TennCare Fraud.”

Early Voting hours for the August 7 elections have been set by the DeKalb County Election Commission.
Because of the lengthy ballot, voters are encouraged to take advantage of early voting in order to avoid possible long lines at the polls on election day.
Voters are also urged to study the sample ballot in advance before coming to the polls. You can view the sample ballot by clicking the PDF link below:
DelalbTN-PG14-NewspaperTyposFixed.pdf (107.55 KB)
Early voting begins July 18 and the last day is August 2. All Early Voting will be in the first floor courtroom of the courthouse. The hours are as follows:
Mondays– 1 p.m.to 6 p.m.
Tuesdays– 9 am. to 1 p.m.
Wednesdays– 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursdays– 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Fridays-9.a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturdays- 9 a.m. to Noon
Locally, voters will be electing a Sheriff, Road Supervisor, General Sessions Judge, County Mayor, County Clerk, Circuit Court Clerk, Register of Deeds, and Trustee along with all fourteen county commissioners, five school board members, and three persons to fill vacant constable positions.
In the 13th Judicial District, voters will elect five judges, a District Attorney General, and a District Public Defender.
Smithville and Dowelltown will be having municipal elections August 7. In Smithville a mayor and two aldermen will be elected. Three aldermen will be elected in Dowelltown.
Across the state, Democrats and Republicans will be choosing party nominees for Governor, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representatives (Congressmen), State Senators, and State Representatives, along with State Executive Committeemen and women. Primary winners will face off in the November Tennessee General Election.
Voters in August also will be asked whether or not to retain several state judges

A suggestion by the Town of Alexandria Beer Board to allow restaurants the opportunity to apply for a permit to serve beer by the drink has given cause for concern among many residents there.
Several citizens attended Tuesday night’s monthly meeting of the Alexandria Board of Mayor and Aldermen to speak out against the proposal.
Mayor Tony Tarpley said the beer board, which is made up of the town’s aldermen, met recently in a workshop to discuss the idea. “The beer board met and made a suggestion to the city council to make an amendment to the beer permit ordinance where if it was a restaurant that applied for a permit that they could sell beer by the drink on the premises,” he said.
The town already allows eligible stores to be permitted to sell packaged beer for off premises consumption.
City Attorney Vester Parsley explained that no permits could be issued for beer by the drink in restaurants unless the aldermen were to vote to amend the current beer ordinance, which would require two readings at city council meetings and a public hearing.
Thurman Seber, a local minister, was among those who spoke in opposition. Seber said if beer by the drink were approved it would eventually lead to a push for liquor. In fact, Seber said he has learned that a petition either is or will be circulated seeking signatures calling for a referendum on liquor sales in Alexandria.
Others who expressed their opposition were David Cripps, Robert Walker, Mark Willoughby, Danny Parkerson, Stein Prichard, Jimmy Arms, and Peggy Leach.
Both Mayor Tarpley and Alderman Matt Boss said they too are opposed to any effort to allow beer by the drink in Alexandria.
The aldermen took no action Tuesday night.

A man found drunk and naked on Sparta Highway last week was arrested by the Sheriff’s Department
47 year old Marty Brad Tallent of West Broad Street, Smithville is charged with public intoxication and public indecency. His bond is $3,000 and he will be in court on July 10. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, June 19 a deputy responded to a location on the Sparta Highway to check out a report of someone beating on doors. Upon arrival, Tallent was found standing in the middle of Sparta Highway completely naked and he was unsteady on his feet. Tallent also threw a beer bottle at the patrol car as it approached and he tried to leave on foot. Tallent had to be forcibly taken to the ground to be handcuffed. He was placed under arrest and taken to the jail for booking.
30 year old April Lynn Anderson of Quail Point Drive, Smithville is charged with failure to appear. Her bond is $1,500 and she will be in court on August 21. Sheriff Ray said that Anderson was supposed to begin serving seventeen days in jail on weekends October 25, 2013 but she has not appeared to serve her time. She was arrested on Monday, June 16.
Marco Antonio Granadoz of Short Mountain Highway, Smithville is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court July 17. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, June 21 a sheriff’s department deputy was dispatched to Short Mountain Highway due to a fight in progress. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with Granadoz and his wife. The couple had been in a physical altercation and the woman had markings on her left shoulder area. The investigation revealed that Granadoz was the primary aggressor and that he had assaulted his wife by grabbing her shoulder.
43 year old William Marvin Jared of Center Drive, Sparta is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence. He was further issued a citation for failure to maintain his lane of travel. His bond is $3,000 and he will be in court July 10. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, June 21 a deputy spotted a gold Toyota Camry traveling south on Belk Road. The vehicle left its lane of travel. After stopping the automobile, the officer spoke with the driver, Jared. He had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. Jared admitted to having drunk six beers. He submitted to but performed poorly on all field sobriety tasks. Jared also submitted to a blood test. He was arrested and brought to the jail for booking.
25 year old Raymond Howard Rollins of South Judkins Lane, Smithville is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court on July 17. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, June 22 a deputy received a domestic call on South Judkins Lane in the Jefferson Community. Upon arrival the officer spoke with a woman who said that Rollins had thrown her from the front porch to the ground. She claims Rollins grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall, bursting the wall. Through an investigation, the deputy found that Rollins was responsible for the assault and caused the woman to fear bodily injury. He was arrested and brought to the jail for booking.
43 year old Vickie Lenae Alvis of Sparta Highway, Smithville is charged with violation of an order of protection. Her bond is $2,500 and she will be in court July 17. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, June 22 a deputy received an unwanted guest call on the Sparta Highway. Upon arrival the officer found Alvis at the residence. Another woman there has an active order of protection against Alvis. She (Alvis) was determined to be in violation of the order of protection and was arrested.

Jimmy Womack has been reappointed to a new four year term on the DeKalb Utility District Board of Commissioners.
The county commission Monday night voted in support of County Mayor Mike Foster’s appointment of Womack. Those voting in favor were county commissioners Elmer Ellis, Jr, Mason Carter, Jerry Scott, Bradley Hendrix, Wayne Cantrell, David McDowell, Rick Cantrell, Jeff Barnes, Marshall Ferrell, and Larry Summers. Jerry Adcock voted no and Jimmy Poss passed.
Womack is one of two DUD board members whose current term expires this year. The other is Roger Turney of Cannon County
During its regular monthly meeting on June 5 the DUD board certified a list of nominees to the county mayors of DeKalb and Cannon County to fill those positions.
The term of Turney, serving Cannon County on the DUD’s board will expire on August 31, 2014. Womack’s current term will expire on October 31, 2014. Womack is one of three members on the board who serves DeKalb County. Each term is for four years.
By law, the DUD board must submit the names of three nominees to fill each position, listed in order of preference. During the June 5th meeting, the board voted to submit the names of Turney, Chris Blackburn, and Winfred Gaither in that order to the Cannon County Mayor. The DUD board also voted to submit the names of Womack, Jimmy Herndon, and Paul Blair in that order to the DeKalb County Mayor.
Under the law, a customer could have also submitted names for consideration by the DUD board for the list of nominees. A public notice was published in May but no names were offered by DUD customers.
The general provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated (State Law) TCA § 7-82-307 provide that the utility board members must submit three nominees, listed in order of preference, to the county mayor (where the vacancy exists). The county mayor has the authority to appoint one of the nominees to the vacant position on the board or reject all of the nominees. If the county mayor rejects all three nominees, then the board of (utility) commissioners has to submit three additional nominees to the county mayor for consideration.
The DUD Board is made up of five members, three from DeKalb County (Jimmy Womack, Joe Foutch, and Hugh Washer), one from Cannon (Roger Turney), and one from Smith County (Danny Bass). The terms are staggered.

An Alexandria man is charged with aggravated arson for allegedly setting fire to the residence where he lives on Lower Helton Road last week.
23 year old Shawn Patrick Byrd is under a $25,000 bond and he will be in court June 26.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire on Wednesday, June 18 at the residence on Lower Helton Road in Alexandria. When firefighters found the source of the blaze they thought it to be suspicious and summoned a sheriff’s department detective to the scene. The detective conducted an investigation and discovered what appeared to be an intentionally set fire. Through the investigation, Byrd was identified as a suspect. During the interview with the detective, Byrd allegedly admitted to starting the fire.
Sheriff Ray said the investigation reveals that the fire was set in the upstairs portion of the residence next to the HVAC unit in the closet using a table cloth and a piece of wood. Three other adults were in the home at the time including two downstairs and one upstairs.