A Smithville Elementary School teacher and her educational assistant may receive a written reprimand from school officials after a four year old child left his pre-kindergarten classroom and the school building Friday afternoon without anyone noticing.
The child, Kameron Luther, was picked up by a passing motorist, Joyce Ferrell near the Regions Bank branch ATM location on Bryant Street. Ferrell took the child to the Smithville Police Department, who then alerted Dr. Bill Tanner, principal of the school.
Dr. Tanner told WJLE that the teacher was out of the classroom when Kameron left and the educational assistant, who was still in the room, did not notice the child leave since it was nap time for the students and the lights were off. “The little boy was in his pre-k class and they were taking a nap. The (teacher’s) aide was in the room watching the children but the lights were out and it was dark in the room. The children were laying on the floor on their little cots and he (Kameron) was over by the door. The teacher had stepped out of the room. I think she was going to the restroom. After she left, he (Kameron) decided he was going to go home. He was over by the (classroom) door and he slipped out. He went out of the pod area, came down the front hall, and went out the door (to the school) and left. He (Kameron) went down to where the Regions’ branch office is on Bryant Street. Somebody (Joyce Ferrell) picked him up as he was trying to cross the road. She saw him and thought that he had slipped away from home. She stopped and talked to him for a few minutes. He couldn’t tell her where he lived so she took him to the police station. They (police) contacted me. All of this occurred between a fifteen to twenty minute time period from the time he went out the door until the police called me.”
Dr. Tanner said he is thankful that the child was unharmed and for the actions of Mrs Ferrell. “This is something that you never want to happen and it scares you to death when it does happen. But the little boy is okay and I’m proud that Mrs. Ferrell did what she did. I want to thank her a thousand times. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure this never happens again.”
Because of this incident, Dr. Tanner said that the teacher and educational assistant responsible for the child may receive a reprimand.”There will be some repercussions because of this. A written reprimand is probably what we’re talking about because it’s our job to make sure that the children don’t escape the building. We can’t lock the doors from the inside but it’s the teacher’s responsibility to make sure that the children are safe.”
Director of Schools Mark Willoughby told WJLE that policies and procedures will be reviewed with school staff in an effort to try to ensure that nothing like this happens again.
Neither Dr. Tanner or Director Willoughby would identify the teacher and educational assistant.

DeKalb Countians have a few more days to pay their property taxes for 2010 without penalty.
Taxes are due to the trustee’s office by Monday, February, 28th. After that date,
penalty and interest begin to accrue at a rate of 1.5 percent per month. Tax notices were mailed out on October 19th.
Property taxes from 2009 may be paid in the trustee’s office through Thursday, March 31st. After that, they will be turned over to the clerk and master’s office and subject to additional fees.
Trustee Sean Driver said about $3.3 million of the expected $6.8 million-plus in tax rolls have been collected so far or 48.5% as of Thursday, February 3rd. But, Driver added that collections are expected to pick up significantly during the next three weeks. “We’re always busier the last two to three weeks of February”, he said.
Driver said taxes may be mailed in, paid in person, or by debit or credit card either in the trustee’s office or on-line at www.tennesseetrustee.com. ” We are now offering credit and debit card processing through the Business Information Systems for the property owners of DeKalb County. You may pay your property taxes using a VISA, MASTERCARD, or DISCOVER card. It can be handled on-line, in the Trustee’s Office, or by phone.”
Driver explained that a 2.75% convenience fee will be added to your tax bill, if you take advantage of on-line payment, but the county does not collect it. “If you want to do those payments on line, it is fast, easy, and secure. On-line payments may be made at www.tennesseetrustee.com. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may also pay your taxes in our office at 1 public square, room 206 in the DeKalb County Courthouse. Our phone number is 615-597-5176. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.”
Seniors, be sure to check with the office on the state property tax relief program. The income limit is $26,830 for single or combined household incomes. If a senior qualifies for the state program, they will also qualify for some assistance through the county. Disabled veterans and disabled homeowners may qualify for tax relief as well. If you meet the requirements you may apply in the Trustee’s Office. The deadline to apply is 35 days after February 28th, 2011 or April 5th, 2011.
If you have any additional questions, come by the Trustee’s office in the courthouse or call 597-5176.

Need a job?
Kelly Services will be conducting a job fair on Tuesday, February 8th from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. in the basement of the DeKalb County Courthouse, 1 public square, Smithville.
Immediate positions available at Federal Mogul in Smithville. Please bring your high school diploma or GED and two forms of valid IDs to the Job Fair.
Pay rates: $8.54 to $9.57 per hour with available overtime. First, second, and third shifts available.
Please call 866-513-5694 for full details.

State Senator Mae Beavers of Mount Juliet and State Representative Debra Maggart of Hendersonville have introduced legislation that calls for the adoption of a statewide, industry-funded electronic tracking system, called NPLEx (the National Precursor Log Exchange), to monitor and stop illicit purchases of over-the-counter cold and allergy products containing pseudoephedrine (PSE), an ingredient sometimes used to illegally manufacture methamphetamine. The bill provides an alternative, less-intrusive solution to the prescription-only bill (HB 181) introduced last week.
“This kind of government intrusion in our lives is not the solution we need to attack the meth problem in Tennessee,” said Sen. Beavers, the bill’s sponsor in the Senate. “We should not punish the tens of thousands of innocent Tennesseans who need this over-the-counter medication to get at the criminals who are using the drug illegally to produce meth when there is another approach which is very effective. Our legislation offers a proven, effective, non-governmental solution to the problem, without pushing up the cost of the medication on consumers by requiring them to visit a physician to obtain a prescription.”
There is currently no mechanism in place in Tennessee to block illegal sales in real time, as many pharmacies and retailers rely on handwritten, paper logbooks to track purchases. As a result, criminals have learned to
circumvent the current system. SB 325/HB 234 would provide a secure, interconnected electronic logbook that allows pharmacists and retailers to refuse an illegal sale based on purchases made elsewhere in the state or
beyond its borders. Most importantly, SB 325/HB 234 preserves access to the PSE medicines consumers rely on and trust for cold and allergy relief.
“For all law-abiding Tennesseans, the experience of buying cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine at the local pharmacy will not change,” said Rep. Maggart, the bill’s sponsor in the House of Representatives. “However, for those looking to purchase more than their legal limit, this system will immediately deny the sale, and law enforcement will possess a powerful tool to track down these individuals
when they attempt to do so.”
In the four states that have fully implemented e-tracking technology, nearly 40,000 grams of illegal PSE sales per month are blocked. The system, which provides local law enforcement officials with precise data
on who is attempting to buy illegal amounts of PSE, also helps law enforcement find meth labs.
“NPLEx is effective because it prevents the illegal sale of pseudoephedrine from ever happening in the first place,” said Carlos Gutierrez, a state government relations consultant at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association. “Electronic blocking technology gives law enforcement the ability to identify meth cooks, not only in Tennessee, but across state lines and in real time.”
The leading manufacturers of over-the-counter medicines containing PSE, represented by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, are working closely with state legislators and law enforcement to help implement NPLEx
technology to pharmacies and retailers in Tennessee free of charge.
SB 325/HB 234 is supported by the Tennessee Pharmacists Association, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry. If passed into law, SB 325/HB 234 would make
Tennessee the 13th state to pass legislation requiring a statewide e-tracking system to block illegal sales of medicines containing PSE. The NPLEx system would be fully integrated into Tennessee pharmacy systems by
January 1, 2012.

Donny Green, County Executive Director of the DeKalb County Farm Service Agency, announces that annual payments for the Tobacco Transition Payment Program, for the 2011 payment year, were released recently.
DeKalb County quota holders and producers will receive $474,122.60 in 2011 program year payments. Green says that direct deposit transactions should arrive in bank accounts within 3 business days while mailed checks should arrive within 10 business days for quota holders and producers who have enrolled in the program.
The Tobacco Transition Payment Program (TTPP), also called the “tobacco buy-out,” helps tobacco quota holders and producers transition to the free market.
The Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-357), signed by President Bush on Oct. 22, 2004, ended the Depression-era tobacco quota program and established the TTPP. The program provides annual transitional payments for 10 years to eligible tobacco quota holders and producers. Payments began in 2005 and continue through 2014. Payments are funded through assessments of approximately $10 billion on tobacco product manufacturers and importers. The remaining payments will be made in 3 annual installments that will be issued in January of each year.
For more information on the Tobacco Transition Payment Program, please contact the DeKalb County Farm Service Agency at 615-597-8225, extension 2.

The DeKalb County School System has announced it’s “Teachers of the Year” at each of the five schools in the county.
This year’s honoree are Christina Ontiveros, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Smithville Elementary School; Lisa Mabe, a second grade teacher at Northside Elementary School; Michelle Jones, a sixth grade teacher at DeKalb Middle School; Shelia McMillen, a second grade teacher at DeKalb West School; and Jenny Norris, a teacher at DeKalb County High School.
Three of these five teachers will soon be selected at the system-wide level to compete for regional honors in the Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program.
Michelle Burklow, Supervisor of Instruction for grades Pre-K to 6 said “Again this year, we’re going to participate in the Teacher of the Year program, which begins on the school level, moves to the system level, the regional level, and finally to the state level.
“In pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, Teachers of the year are Lisa Mabe from Northside Elementary, Christina Ontiveros from Smithville Elementary, and Shelia McMillen from DeKalb West School. One of them will be selected to represent DeKalb County at the regional level.
“In grades 5 through 8, the teacher of the year is Michelle Jones from DeKalb Middle School and she will represent DeKalb County at the regional level.”
“In the 9th through 12th grade, which is DeKalb County High School, Jenny Norris is the Teacher of the Year and she will represent DeKalb County at the regional competition.
Should these teachers win at the regional, they will represent DeKalb County at the state level in March.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program is designed to promote recognition, respect and appreciation for teachers; to stimulate interest in teaching as a career; and to encourage public involvement in education.
This program is sponsored annually by the Tennessee Department of Education and the Niswonger Foundation.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year represents Tennessee at the National Teacher of the Year competition, which is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic, Inc.
Teachers of the Year are selected competitively through five cycles: Building, System, Field Service Center Region, Grand Division and State; and from three categories (levels of teaching); Grades Pre K-4, 5-8, 9-12.
Teachers selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources. State recognition/awards include a banquet honoring the nine State Teacher of the Year finalists and certificates of appreciation from the Governor. In addition, the State Finalists and the State Teacher of the Year receive cash awards from the Niswonger Foundation.

Two men were arrested by the Sheriff’s Department Friday after a pursuit in the New Home Road/King Ridge Road area.
20 year old James Alan Harden of Old Casey Cove Road, Smithville is charged with reckless endangerment, evading arrest, vandalism over $500, driving under the influence, and resisting arrest. His bond totals $13,000. He was also issued citations for reckless driving and failure to maintain his lane of travel. His court date is February 24th.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday, January 28th an officer spotted Harden operating a motor vehicle in the New Home Road/ King Ridge Road area. He tried to pull him over for violation of the light law and failure to maintain his lane of travel. However, when the deputy activated his emergency equipment, Harden accelerated, causing the officer to have to initiate a patrol pursuit for about four miles before Harden went off the road, struck a stop sign, three mail boxes, and crashed into a tree. A DTC pole was also damaged. After the wreck, Harden then got out of his vehicle and tried to flee on foot, but he was chased down by the officer, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed. Harden had an odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person and he was unsteady on his feet. Because of his condition, he wasn’t subjected to any field sobriety tasks but he did submit to a blood test.
Meanwhile, a passenger with Harden, 21 year old Dustin Allen Pedigo of King Ridge Road, Dowelltown was charged with a second offense of DUI by allowance. His bond is $2,000 and he will be in court on February 24th. According to Sheriff Ray, the automobile Harden was driving belonged to Pedigo’s father but (Dustin) Pedigo allowed Harden to drive it, knowing he was intoxicated. Meanwhile, Pedigo submitted to field sobriety tasks and he performed poorly.
26 year old Raymond Austin Simpson of Church Street, Dowelltown is charged with driving on a suspended license. His bond is $1,000 and he will be in court on February 2nd. Sheriff Ray said that on Monday, January 24th, Simpson was operating a vehicle on Highway 70 when an officer stopped him, having prior knowledge that he had a suspended license. The same officer had written Simpson a citation for the same offense on January 23rd. A computer check confirmed that his license had been suspended on June 18th, 2010 in DeKalb County.
23 year old Joshua Lynne Batey of East Main Street, Smithville is charged with a first offense of driving on a suspended license. His bond is $1,000 and he will be in court on February 2nd . Batey was also issued a citation for violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance) and failure to stop at a stop sign. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, January 26th, a deputy saw an automobile run a stop sign at Juniper Lane and Highway 70 and at Juniper Lane and Wade Street. The officer stopped the vehicle and asked the driver, Batey, for his license. A computer check revealed that his license were suspended for failure to satisfy three citations. Due to his failure to pay the citations, Batey was placed under arrest. Batey also could not provide proof of insurance.
28 year old Matthew Allen Baker of Pine Orchard Road, Smithville is charged with driving on a revoked license. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on March 3rd. Baker was also issued a citation for violation of the vehicle registration law, and violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance). Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, January 27th Baker was operating a vehicle on Bright Hill Road when he was stopped by a deputy who had prior knowledge that his license were revoked. The vehicle was also unregistered and Baker could not provide proof of insurance. A computer check confirmed that his license were revoked. He had been issued a citation only a few weeks ago for the same offense, driving on a revoked license.
41 year old Victor G. Gingerich of Brook Lane, Smithville was issued citations for driving on a suspended license, violation of the light law, violation of the open container law, possession of drug paraphernalia, and simple possession of a schedule VI controlled substance, marijuana. He will be in court on February 24th. Sheriff Ray said that an officer stopped Gingerich’s automobile for a tail light violation. While speaking to the driver, Gingerich, the deputy detected an odor of marijuana. A search revealed an open Bud lite can, two glass pipes, and a small baggie of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana. A computer check revealed that Gingerich’s drivers license were suspended.
19 year old Abel C. Valazquez of Bright Hill Road, Smithville was issued citations for driving without a license and violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance). He will be in court on February 9th. Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, January 28th, Valazquez was operating a vehicle on Students Home Road when he went off the road and struck a tree. He did not have a drivers license on him at the time and could not provide proof of insurance. There was no other property damage, other than damage to his own truck.
Meanwhile, In the latest crime report from the Smithville Police Department, 78 year old Will Allen Cantrell of South College Street was charged on Tuesday, January 25th with filing a false report. Cantrell filed a report on January 12th with Corporal Travis Bryant stating that someone had stolen a checkbook from his residence and were passing the checks at local businesses. Upon further investigation by Detective Matt Holmes it was discovered that the checks had not been stolen and Mr. Cantrell was the person who had signed the checks. Officer Matt Farmer made the arrest. Bond for Cantrell is $1,000 and his court date is February 10th.
Officer David Phillips cited Julie Elaine Moore of Cookeville Highway for theft of merchandise on Tuesday, January 25th. According to a store employee Moore was seen putting items in her purse and attempting to leave Dollar General Store without paying for them. Her court date is March 3rd.
Anyone having information on any offenses is asked to please contact the Smithville Police Department at 597-8210 or the Tip Line at 464-6046.
Any information received that will help the Smithville Police solve any criminal offense will be greatly appreciated. All information is confidential.

Theft of property charges against two former employees of the City of Smithville will be dismissed and their records expunged upon their payment of restitution in a case in which they were accused of taking scrap brass from the water treatment plant and selling it to a recycling center
45 year old Kenny Waymon Dyal, Sr. of Floyd Drive, Smithville and 42 year old Christopher Derrick Ferrell of North Mountain Street, Smithville, each charged with two counts of theft over $500 and one count of theft under $500, appeared in DeKalb County General Sessions Court Friday.
Judge Tiffany Gipson of Jackson County presided. Judge Gipson holds court in DeKalb County once a month to hear cases in which Judge Bratten Cook, II has a conflict.
Assistant district attorney general Greg Strong announced that a settlement had been reached in the case in which Ferrell and Dyal would make restitution in the amount of $1,348 jointly and severally. Once each defendant pays his half of the restitution, $674, the case against him will be dismissed and his record expunged.
Dyal was the supervisor of the Smithville Water Treatment Plant and Ferrell was a city maintenance employee and water meter reader. Neither are now employed by the city.
The warrants against them alleged that on Thursday, October 21st; Wednesday, November 3rd; and Thursday, November 4th Dyal and Ferrell took scrap brass from the city water treatment plant without consent and took it to a recycling place where they sold it for $514.50 on October 21st; $156 on November 3rd, and $677.51 on November 4th.
The brass scrap was part of the materials being removed from the water plant, which is undergoing a renovation.

Got Medicare? Got questions? The Tennessee SHIP program can help.
TN SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program), administered locally by the Upper Cumberland Development District, provides free and objective counseling on Medicare and all related health insurance issues such as Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, Medicare and Prescription drug costs, Medicare Supplement or Medigap Insurance, Medicare with other insurance, Medicare with TennCare/Medicaid; and Long-Term Care Insurance.
Meghian Moore, SHIP manager from the Upper Cumberland Development District in Cookeville, said many people in DeKalb County may qualify for the low income subsidy. “That’s a program to help pay for their Part-D premiums, their co-pays, and their deductibles. It gives them extra help to pay for those items. It also eliminates that famous donut hole. Currently there are 273 people in DeKalb County who possibly qualify but they have not yet applied. You may apply locally at the Senior Center. Wanda Poss has been trained to help you fill out the application. If you can’t get to the Senior Center, we have a toll-free number that comes directly to the Cookeville Office. That toll free number is 1-877-801-0044.
Moore added that “The income guidelines to qualify for the extra help with Part-D for a single person is $1,353 per month or for a couple it’s $1,821 per month before deductions. Other resources or assets cannot exceed $12,640 for a single person or $25,260 for a couple.”
“My program counsels on all Medicare topics so if you’re not specifically interested in the low income subsidy, call the toll free number and we can counsel you on drug plans, supplements, or any questions you may have about Medicare. We also have a program called SMP which empowers seniors to prevent fraud. We help identify fraud and report it if we find it”, said Moore.

DeKalb County’s unemployment rate for December was at 9.7%, up from the November rate of 9.2% but still down from 11% in December, 2009.
The local labor force for December was 9,460. A total of 8,540 were employed and 920 were unemployed.
DeKalb County’s jobless rate tied for fifth lowest in the fourteen county Upper Cumberland region.
Here’s how those counties rank from highest to lowest:
Pickett County: 15.7%
Clay: 12.2%
White: 11.8%
Fentress: 11.2%
Cumberland: 11%
Warren: 10.9%
Van Buren: 10.9%
Jackson: 10.7%
Macon: 9.7%
DeKalb :9.7%
Overton: 9.6%
Cannon:9.4%
Putnam: 8.7%
Smith: 8.3%
Tennessee’s unemployment rate for December was 9.4 percent, unchanged from the November rate. The national unemployment rate for December 2010 was 9.4 percent, down four-tenths of a percentage point from the November rate.
County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for December 2010 show that the rate decreased in 52 counties, increased in 35 counties and remained the same in eight counties.
Lincoln County registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate at 6.2 percent, down from the November rate of 6.3 percent. Scott County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 20.4 percent, up from 19.8 percent in the previous month, followed by Pickett County at 15.7 percent, up from the November rate of 15.4 percent.
Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 6.8 percent, down from 7.1 percent in November. Hamilton County was 7.7 percent, down from 8.1 percent the previous month. Davidson County was 8.3 percent, down from 8.6 percent in November, and Shelby County was 9.4 percent, down four-tenths of a percentage point from November.