Forty eight students will be competing in the Tenth Annual County Wide Spelling Bee at the DeKalb County Complex Auditorium on Monday, February 11 at 6:00 p.m.
The 2012 winner was Kirkland Smallwood, who was an eighth grader last year at DeKalb West School. He is the 14 year old son of Jimmy and Jennifer Smallwood of Liberty.
Earlier this year students from DeKalb Middle School, DeKalb West School and Northside Elementary School competed at the school level to become eligible for the county competition. WJLE will broadcast the Spelling Bee LIVE. Along with thirty-nine counties, the first and second place winners in the DeKalb County Spelling Bee will compete in the Middle Tennessee Regional Spelling Bee sponsored Middle Tennessee State University. The regional bee will take place on Saturday, March 2 at 9:30 a.m. at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The winner of the Regional Spelling Bee will compete in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.
The purpose in sponsoring the County Wide Spelling Bee is to “help students improve Spelling skills, increase vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives”.
Participants in this year’s County Wide Spelling Bee are:
DeKalb West:
Cayden Kyle, Jordan Crook, Holly Evans, Ashton Sensing, Diego Vazquez, Phillip Coats, Jacob Frazier, Jaime Alexander, Cody Hale, Jayra Plattenburg, Brandy Rock, Casey Vickers, Jacob Billings, Rosa Payne, and Paige Snyder
Northside Elementary:
Briona Agee, Alexis Cudney, Julia Curtis, Yessi Dragustinovis, Kenzie France, Skylar Fuson
Kiersten Griffith, Savannah Jackson, Duncan Johnson, Karly Knowles, Raiden Martin, Makenzie Poss, Laynie Rippee, Carly Vance, Justin Washer, MyKenzie Wilson, and Jayden Worley
DeKalb Middle
Calen Arnold, Kayla Belk, Alexis Cantrell, Ethan Cantrell, Timothy Cassinera, Dalton Daniels, Baylie Davis, Malone Fletcher, Olivia Fuson, Kyle Justice, Reagan Patton, Skylar Pease, Ashley Phillips, Alec Reynolds, Alyssa Sewell, and Savannah West.

Hunter Graham, a senior member of the DCHS Tiger baseball team, will play for the Columbia State Community College Chargers next season.
A signing was held Friday afternoon at DCHS. Graham was joined by his parents, Kyle and Doris Graham; his sister, Tyra Graham, DCHS baseball coach Scott Odom and assistant coach Andrew Dixon; and Mike Corn, head coach of the Columbia State Chargers.
“I’m very excited to sign to play college baseball. Its been a dream since I was a kid,” said Graham.
Coach Corn said its also a pleasure to have Hunter as a member of the Chargers. “We’re real excited to bring Hunter and his family into our family,” he said. “Its so important for these young men to be recognized, not only as baseball players but as student athletes and Hunter is a great representation of both of those. He’ll graduate (DCHS) in 2013 and start up with us in the fall of this year and we’ll expect big things from him coming in. This is not a huge recruiting class for us. He’s our first signee of the year. For recruiting purposes with the junior college it just now really cranks up in January for us. I think he is going to be a great talent and he would certainly project as a Division-I pitcher for me after two years with us,” said Coach Corn.
Before he moves on to the next level, Graham said he is hoping to help lead his team to another state tournament appearance this spring. “Definitely going to state my freshman and sophomore year was a big deal. We’re hoping to go back for a three peat my senior year,” said Graham
Coach Odom said he is excited for Graham to be able to continue his baseball career at Columbia State. “It is a good program and Coach Corn has done a wonderful job there,” said Coach Odom. “However, we are really glad he still has another year of eligibility left with us. Hunter has started with us since he was a freshman. In those three years the TIGERS have an impressive 75-17 record and an .815 winning percentage with two district championships, 2 region appearances, 2 region and sectional championships and 2 state tournament appearances, where we finished ranked as high as #3 in the state and #4 last year,” he said..
“Hunter has a lot of talent and has put in a lot of hard work as well,” said Coach Odom. “Nothing good comes easy and he has earned this right to go to college and hopefully get a degree and keep playing. They like him as a pitcher and a hitter. He has been one of our best hitters over the last two years and we rely on him a great deal as both a pitcher and hitter,” he said.
“I am really happy for him and his family. They are very supportive of Hunter and the TIGER baseball team. The best part is he is as good of a young man as he is a baseball player. He is someone that all of DeKalb County can be proud of. I know that I am,” said Coach Odom.
Following a record breaking 2012 season, Coach Corn at Columbia State Community College was named Coach of the Year by the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association. This marks the second consecutive year Corn has received this award.
The Chargers had an impressive 2012 season with a record 38 consecutive wins at home, a program best 43 victories and an NJCAA national ranking of number four. The 2012 team also boasts four Division-I signees and the only MLB draft pick in the TCCAA, Marsalis Holloway (34th Kansas City Royals).
In its history, Columbia State has logged six World Series appearances, sixteen state titles, twenty division titles, twenty four pro baseball signees, 238 four year signees, and 132 Division-I signees.
Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee’s first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation.
Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association and the National Junior College Athletic Association.
(Pictured above: Left to Right- DCHS assistant baseball coach Andrew Dixon, Tiger head coach Scott Odom, Columbia State head coach Mike Corn, Kyle Graham (father), Doris Graham (mother), Tyra Graham (sister); seated, Hunter Graham)

The Smithville Beer Board Thursday night granted applications from three Mexican Restaurant owners for on-premises consumption permits.
City Secretary-Treasurer Hunter Hendrixson, who presided over the meeting, said that all three businesses, El Rancho of 1101 West Broad Street, Mercadito Chabelita Restaurant of 408-A East Broad Street, and Los Lobos of 106 East Broad Street meet all requirements including the minimum distance of 400 feet to schools, churches, and or other places of public gatherings. “El Rancho is located fairly close to the high school so I had Phillip Gotro go out and shoot a line, front door to front door since it must be 400 feet or more. He had it at 756 feet so it exceeds well over the 400 feet (minimum requirement). I have a certified surveyor letter from him,”said Hendrixson.
City Beer Board member Annette Greek asked Hendrixson to read the regulations in the beer ordinance as they relate to “on- premises consumption permits”
Hendrixson, reading from the beer ordinance, said that “To qualify for a Class 1 On Premises permit, an establishment must, in addition to meeting the other regulations and restrictions
(A) Be primarily a restaurant or an eating place; and
(B) Be able to seat a minimum of thirty people in booths and at tables, in addition to any other seating it may have; and
(C) All seating must be part of the premises. In case of any outdoor seating, the outdoor seating area must be accessible from the inside of the restaurant or eating place and the outdoor seating area must have some type of enclosure around it, such as a wall or fencing; and
(D) In addition to the requirements of subsection 8-210(1) (a) through (c), the monthly beer sales of any establishment which holds a Class 1 On Premises Permit shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the monthly gross sales of the establishment. As used herein, the term “gross sales” means all retail sales of the permit holder plus any applicable taxes. As used herein, the term “beer sales” includes all retail beer sales plus any taxes applicable to beer sales”
Hendrixson added, “basically what its saying is it (ordinance) prevents bars from opening up everywhere. Its saying your beer sales can’t exceed your food sales. But I don’t think that’s going to be the case for any of these three applicants,” he said.
City Beer Board members Annette Greek, Steve Hayes, Farron Hendrix, and Alderman Danny Washer all voted to grant the three permits. Member Lloyd Black was absent.
The Smithville aldermen in December changed the city’s beer laws to allow eligible restaurants to have an on-premises permit.

Two former record setting football players at DeKalb County High School recently sat down with local attorney Sarah Cripps with Ben Herman’s Country Community Radio Show on WJLE to reflect on their playing days.
Mike Corley, a local attorney for Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, and Joey Reeder, DCHS educator and former Tiger baseball coach and assistant football coach both set single game rushing records at DCHS during the 1970’s.
Corley, a tailback, rushed for 190 yards at Jackson County in October 1972. Four years later, Reeder, a fullback, broke Corley’s record with 210 yards on 18 carries in the season opener at Nashville Joelton. Reeder’s record was broken by Mike Kress during the 1980’s. Corley, Reeder, and Kress played for former DCHS Football Coach Wayne Cantrell.
(PLAY VIDEO BELOW TO HEAR CORLEY AND REEDER TALK ABOUT THEIR RECORD SETTING PERFORMANCES)

The UT Extension Office in DeKalb County has scheduled a series of classes for producers who wish to participate in the University of Tennessee Master Beef Program. Along with the information gained from the event, producers will also receive a certificate recognizing their training, Master Beef manual, and a Master Beef Producer Farm sign and cap. Producers are urged to contact the UT Extension office in DeKalb County at 722 South Congress Blvd in Smithville or phone (615)597-4945 to sign up for the Master Beef Producer program.
The Master Beef Producer Program is an educational program designed to provide information to Tennessee cow-calf producers to help them be the very best in the country, improve their profitability and position the industry to be competitive with other states. The MBPP is part of the overall effort of the Tennessee Beef Cattle Improvement Initiative and enables participants to apply for a 50% cost-share through the Tennessee Ag Enhancement program.
The topics for the sessions will include: Managing and Planning for Success, Marketing Beef Cattle, Developing Genetics to meet the Needs of the Industry, Carcass Merit, Food Safety, Feeding the Beef Herd, Forage Production, Reproduction in Beef Cattle, Herd Health, Cattle Handling and Behavior, Environmental Concerns, and Management of the Beef Herd.
All classes will be at the UT Extension Office at 722 South Congress Blvd in Smithville, which is in the new County Complex building across the road from Food Lion. The classes take place from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on the following dates: Thursday, February 7; Monday, February 11; Thursday, February 14; Monday, February 18; Wednesday, February 20; Monday, February 25; Thursday, February 28; Monday, March 4; Thursday, March 7. Lunch will be provided at each session.
In order to graduate and become an official Master Beef Producer, a producer must attend a minimum of 7 of the 9 educational sessions. Registration fees are $175. Producers with BQA Certification and Premise ID are eligible for a $100 scholarship through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The cost per person would be only $75 with a Premise ID. A Premise ID can be obtained at the USDA FSA office on Bright Hill Road.
For more information or to sign up for the Master Beef program, contact Michael Barry, County Extension Director at (615)597-4945.

DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOLS TO BE CLOSED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY DUE TO ILLNESS
“We’re going to close DeKalb County Schools Thursday and Friday in hopes that some of this sickness and stomach viruses and things like that will clear out,” said Director of Schools Mark Willoughby
“We’ve had a lot of students who have been out sick along with teachers and other folks who have had to stay home to take care of their children. I think its going to be a plus for everybody involved to be out a few days without having to be around everybody. We’ll get back to school next week and hopefully everybody will be a lot healthier,” said Willoughby
With schools being closed Thursday and Friday, DeKalb County will have used three of its allotted ten days for inclement weather or other reasons.

The Trustee’s Office would like to remind you that February 28 is the last day to pay the 2012 property taxes before penalties start accruing March 1.
The Trustee’s Office is open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday- Friday. “Remember, if the last day comes and you can’t make it to the post office to postmark your payment, we do have a drop box on the outside wall of our new location at the new county complex,” said Trustee Sean Driver.
The Trustee’s Office also offers the State of Tennessee Tax Relief. “If you would like to check on a possible tax relief for 2012, come and see us at 732 South Congress Boulevard, Room 103 or call us at 597-5176,” said Driver. ” The last day to sign up for tax relief is April 5. Also any 2011 unpaid property taxes will be turned over to the Chancery Court on April 1,” he added.
Driver said you have four options for paying 2012 property taxes. “You can come by in person at the Trustee’s Office or you may mail in your payment. We also offer online bill pay at www.tennesseetrustee.com. You go to that website and select DeKalb County and then follow the instructions. Business Information Systems has set this up for approximately 65 Trustees across the state and there is a fee to use your debit or credit card. If you do pay online the fee to use your debit or credit card is 2.75%. Or you can use an e-check for 1.5%. Online accepts Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and American Express,” said Driver.
“We are also accepting partial payments. That is new for 2012 and it’s only for 2012 taxes. Partial payment can be for any amount that you want to pay of the total tax bill. Remember if you take advantage of the partial payment plan for 2012, only that portion left unpaid after the deadline will accrue the 1.5% penalty and interest per month,” said Driver.

The DeKalb County Landfill may be out of space within a year but instead of searching for a new site the county is looking to develop a solid waste transfer station.
During Monday night’s meeting, County Mayor Mike Foster told the county commission that its time to make a decision. “We really need to put this in high gear because the cell we have right now is filling up pretty fast. We thought it was going to be a good year (before landfill is out of space), but it now looks like eight to ten months,” said Foster. “Part of the reason is because our compactor burned and we’re not getting the compaction that we were. Our new compactor, which is not really new. It’s rebuilt. It should be here in about two weeks. When we get that compactor in, what I’d like to do is dig part of that up and pack it back in which should give us much better compaction than we have been getting and maybe gain us that four months back,” said Foster.
Under a transfer station operation, household garbage would continue to be collected at local convenience centers across the county, then loaded onto trucks and brought to the transfer station, where the garbage would be separated from recyclables and then loaded onto semi trucks and transferred to a landfill site in another county. DeKalb would contract for the garbage to be hauled out of county and for the disposal of it at a certain price per ton. The recyclables would be baled and sold.
Should the county develop a transfer station, Foster said the county could keep a Class III-IV landfill for disposal of non-household garbage, such as construction materials. “We would probably want to keep a Class III-IV cell for construction materials. We could use the property we have over there (current landfill site) for the Class III-IV or CD which is for non-household garbage. We wouldn’t have to build an expensive cell with a rubber liner for it. This would just be lined with clay. It would only be for construction debris, mattresses, and things of that sort. If we go to having a transfer station, we would then probably be able to go into a really good recycling situation where we would try to recycle plastics, paper, cardboard, and metals,” he said.
Convenience sites would still be required throughout the county and residents could continue to bring their household garbage there or directly to the transfer station. “You bring it (household garbage) into a transfer station. Dump it out. You have people there that pull out the cardboard, the metal, the plastics, and some of the things that you can recycle and then you dump the household garbage into a semi truck. You pull the recyclables out and put them in boxes and take them to another shed and bale them into bales of about 1300 pounds apiece. Meanwhile the garbage you put in that semi truck, you pay some landfill to take it and dispose of it that way you don’t have to have a Class I landfill. So its hauled and disposed of, then you bale your recyclables and put them into a storage shed until you get enough for a load or two and sell them to some agency or company that buys it (recyclables),” said Foster.
According to Foster, DeKalb County would have fewer environmental worries about solid waste, if it had its own transfer station “It probably won’t be any cheaper but it will get us out of the environmental liability that we’re in. It gets worse every time you build a cell. Use to, you put a two foot clay liner under it. It (regulations) went from a two foot to a five foot clay liner. Then you added another layer with a 60 mil membrane there. Then you had to put two feet of crushed rock on top of that. It (regulations) just keeps getting worse. Now, we’ve got to go back in the cell we’re in and put a rubber cap on that on the entire five to seven acres. That’s an expensive proposition,” said Foster.
In the fall of 2011, Foster and members of the county commission visited Overton County’s solid waste transfer station (See photos above). Foster said Monday night he would also like to see the Crossville operation. “I will try to have some information back from an engineer by next month. I’ve got a copy of a couple of transfer station blueprints. But I’d like for us to go see the one at Crossville and then figure out what we want to do,” said Foster.

More DeKalb Countians are choosing to obtain a valid handgun carry permit.
According to the latest available records kept by the state, DeKalb County had a total of 1,661 handgun permit holders as of January 3, 2013. That’s up by 340 within the last three years. There were 1,587 permit holders as of March 10, 2012; 1,462 on January 1st, 2011; and 1,321 on January 1st, 2010.
Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger, who is also an authorized state handgun permit class instructor, told WJLE that a lot of people are obtaining a handgun carry permit to make them feel more safe and secure. “A lot of people are concerned about protecting themselves now, especially in their homes. A lot of people are also concerned about taking the training, learning how to operate a weapon and to be comfortable with it. We get a lot of people who want to take the class just for the safety aspect of it.”
Caplinger said he has been teaching the class since his days with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. “I teach the state authorized handgun permit class for anyone interested in obtaining a Tennessee handgun permit. I started teaching these classes in 1996 and continued to teach during my career with the Tennessee Department of Safety. After I retired with the THP, I continued teaching the classes.”
Handgun carry applicants must be at least 21 years of age and meet other conditions, according to Caplinger. “You cannot be a convicted felon. If you’re being treated for any type of drug or alcohol abuse; if you’re under any type of restraining order or other court order; or if you’ve been convicted of any type of spousal abuse, stalking, or sex crime it can and will keep you from getting a handgun carry permit. If you’ve had one DUI within five years or two DUI’s within ten years it can keep you from getting your handgun permit. If you’re being treated for any type of mental disorder or if you’re under any type of mental treatment you’re not allowed to apply for a handgun carry permit,” said Caplinger.
In order to obtain a valid handgun carry permit, Caplinger said you must complete a training course. “The first thing you have to do if you’re interested in obtaining a handgun carry permit in Tennessee is to attend one of the authorized classes at a school that is certified with the State of Tennessee Department of Safety handgun permit course. You can take up to an eight hour class, depending upon the instructor. Usually it’s a one day class which starts with classroom training following a certain curriculum that the state requires to make everyone aware of where they can and can’t carry the gun. The course then goes into the safety part on how to operate and carry the weapon. The class covers several different aspects. After the classroom part is completed, you go to the firing range and fire the weapon. After completing the course, you must apply for the Tennessee handgun permit. Just because you attend the school does not automatically grant you a permit. It only gives you the right to apply for the permit because you have had the mandatory training by taking the course,” said Caplinger
“Once you successfully complete the course, you’re given a certificate that you are to carry to any full service drivers license station in Tennessee. The ones closest to Smithville are in Cookeville, McMinnville, Lebanon, and Murfreesboro. You must present your handgun certificate, your certified birth certificate or valid passport and $115 before being able to make application for your permit. If your birth certificate is not certified, they will turn you down. You must present a certified birth certificate,” said Caplinger.
If you don’t have a copy of your birth certificate, Caplinger said you can obtain a copy at the health department. “You can go to your local health department and have a copy of your birth certificate printed. It will be certified. I think the charge is either seven or eight dollars. You can go on-line to the department of health in Nashville and order a copy of your birth certificate on-line with a credit or debit card or you can call the department of health by phone and use a debit or credit card and obtain it that way. It will be sent to you in the mail,” said Caplinger.
Once you obtain your handgun carry permit, Caplinger said its valid for four years before renewal. “Some people get confused because their drivers license are valid for five years. They (drivers licenses) expire on your birthday. Your gun permit expires on the date it was issued, which might not necessarily be close to your birthday. You will receive a notice in the mail to renew your gun permit. You’re never retested again. The only thing is you’ll have to go through a background check. The Department of Safety issues the background check to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.”
“Your permit renewal application is sent out four months prior to it expiring, “said Caplinger. “Once the Department of Safety sends out that notice, they enter your name with the TBI and the TBI will start a background check Once the background check is completed, if there’s nothing on your record to hold it up or any questions that arise, you will receive your notice in the mail. You can then send it into the state because it’s already been approved. That’s something new that the Department of Safety has started and its working. Two years ago if you renewed your handgun carry license, you were lucky to get it back within ninety days. Most people had to get an extension. Today, if a renewal goes through with no problems and everything is approved, you’re probably going to get it back within twenty days even though the Department of Safety tells us to tell everyone it will be ninety days,” said Caplinger.
Should you let your handgun carry permit expire, Caplinger said you have a six month grace period before having to retake the course. “If you wait beyond that six month grace period you have to go through that complete course and everything again. Once you get your permit for the first time and you keep it valid, your permit is good for four years. At the end of four years you never have to pay the $115 again but you have to pay $50 for the renewal fee every four years for the remainder of the time you keep the gun permit but you never have to go through the class again,” said Caplinger.
While Tennessee does not have a concealed carry law, Caplinger said he urges his students to be cautious about displaying their handguns. “By law, if you obtain your handgun carry permit you are legally allowed to carry your weapon in public if you wish. Some do. Some don’t. Instructors have different opinions. I do not recommend that anyone carry their handgun out in the open but it’s still up to the individual who has the permit.”
Caplinger adds that there are several places where a handgun is prohibited. “A good way to remember is that if you’re in or on any city, county, state, or federal property, building, school, or at any type of judicial proceeding, carrying a handgun is off limits. You are also prohibited from carrying a handgun into a restaurant that sells alcohol or a bar if you’re going to be drinking.”
Many people opposed to handgun carry laws have expressed concerns about more people in public with weapons, but Caplinger said it hasn’t been a problem here. “We don’t have a problem with most people (with handgun carry permits) because they’ve had the training. They understand what they can and can’t do. Most people understand that if a problem arises and they misuse that permit or that weapon, they can lose that permit just as easy as they got it. These people are good, everyday citizens that can pass the background checks. We’ve really had no problem with them. It was a concern when it started in 1996 (when handgun permits were first issued) but law enforcement understands that the people with these permits have had the training and know what should happen and what can happen, and how to handle a gun. It hasn’t been a problem,” concluded Caplinger.
For more information visit http://www.tn.gov/safety/handgunmain.shtml

As expected, the county commission Monday night took no action on authorizing 24-7 sales for stores licensed to sell packaged beer in the county as Smithville did for city stores in December.
(PLAY VIDEO BELOW OF JEWEL REDMON SPEAKING TO COUNTY COMMISSION)

With several people both for and against the proposal in attendance waiting to hear what the county commission would do, County Mayor Mike Foster announced that the commission would do nothing until a public hearing is scheduled to give citizens a chance to express their views. Foster said the commissioners want to take some time to see how the changes made in the city are working out. “We had a request from Jewel Redmon to address the county commission. He did that last Thursday night. He was asking for Sunday beer sales. We talked about that a little bit. But to fulfill the requirements of the law, we will set a hearing date for that and advertise a public hearing and proceed with that at a future date. We would like to get a couple of months history from the city to see what’s happened and not go into this cold. We’ll set a date in the near future for the public hearing and that will be advertised and we will invite people to speak,” said Foster.
As WJLE previously reported, the county commission last Thursday night, in what is called an all-committees session, heard from local businessman Jewel Redmon, owner of Jewel’s Market and Pizza on North Congress Boulevard who asked that stores be allowed to sell beer on Sunday. “I would like the county commission to consider letting us sell beer on Sunday,” said Redmon. “Eighty five percent of the places (licensed stores) in DeKalb County sell beer on Sunday now anyway. We would just like to have the same opportunity to compete with our competition. I don’t care about all the hours. We just need, say til twelve o’clock in the morning and Sundays. Being 24 (hours) I really don’t care about that,” said Redmon.
“We would like to have it the same as it is in the city” said Roger Sharp, owner of Sharp Lodge on Cookeville Highway near Silver Point.
Local minister Bernard Houk asked the county commission not to extend the hours for beer sales. Houk said this issue is personal with him because he has seen how that alcohol has destroyed lives. He urged the commissioners to think about what’s best for people rather than somebody’s wallet.
One county commissioner told WJLE after the meeting Monday night that he would prefer the county call for a public referendum in the 2014 elections to give the people of DeKalb County a chance to vote it up or down.
Stores in the county with permits are prohibited from selling packaged beer from midnight til 6:00 a.m. weekdays and all day on Sundays. Smithville now allows licensed stores in the city limits to sell beer 24 hours a day, seven days week.