A fire Wednesday morning destroyed a barn at 323 Webb Lane.
Central dispatch received the call at 11:16 a.m.
Captain Mark Young of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department says the barn belonged to Ray Donald “Rusty” Webb.
Members of the Keltonburg and Blue Springs Stations and Tanker Truck #1 of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department responded.
Captain Young says the barn was destroyed along with contents including a tractor, bobcat, bales of hay, saddles and horse tack. The cause of the fire is undetermined.

A 33 year old Smithville woman remains in Chattanooga’s Erlanger Hospital after being involved in a one auto accident Saturday afternoon on Highway 70 near Sligo bridge.
Trooper Dewaine Jennings of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Jerri Marie Spivey of 797 Parkway Drive, Smithville was driving a 2000 Ford Focus east on highway 70 when she failed to properly negotiate a curve. The vehicle left the road to the right and entered a ditchline. The automobile then overturned and came to rest on it’s top.
Two children, 11 year old Seth Vincent and 12 year old Amanda Vincent, were passengers of the vehicle. They were taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital where they were apparently treated and released. Spivey was airlifted by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital, where she is now recuperating in a private room.
Trooper Jennings says a rain slick highway may have contributed to the crash along with slick tires on the vehicle. He says there wasn’t much tread on the tires.
Those rendering aid on scene were DeKalb County Fire Department’s Extrication Team, Midway Engine 63, Johnsons Chapel Engine 68, DeKalb County Sheriff Department, DeKalb EMS and THP.

Donny Green, DeKalb County FSA County Executive Director, announces that the nomination period for the 2010 Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee Election is underway. The nomination period continues through August 2, 2010.
“I encourage all producers to participate in the county committee election process by nominating candidates by the August 2 deadline,” said Green. “We are counting on as much participation as possible, because county committees are an important link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We have seen a trend in recent years of increased nominations of minority, beginning farmers, and women producers and we hope that will continue.”
Committees apply their judgment and knowledge to make decisions on county commodity price-support loan eligibility, establishment of allotments and yields, conservation programs, disaster programs, employment and other farm program-related issues. Nationwide, there are more than 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to five members who are elected by eligible local producers.
To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.
For the 2010 Election, nominees must reside in Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 3 which is described as the area that includes: East of Hwy. 56 South beginning at the DeKalb/Warren county line, following Hwy. 56 in a northern direction to the intersection of Highway 56 and Highway 70; south of Highway 70 East to Center Hill Lake; following Center Hill Lake north and northwest to the Caney Fork River thence to the Smith County line; south of the Smith County line and west of the Putnam County line to the White County line; west of the White County line to the Warren County line; north of the Warren County line following the county line back to Highway 56 South at the DeKalb/Warren County line.
LAA # 3 generally covers the communities of Antioch, Belk, Keltonburg, Jefferson, Four Seasons, Seven Springs, Student’s Home, Bright Hill, Indian Mound, Johnson’s Chapel, Austin Bottom, Rock Castle, Cherry Hill, Wolf Creek, and Edgar Evins State Park.
Individuals may nominate themselves, or others, as a candidate. In addition, eligible candidates can be nominated by community-based and other organizations in the county where the election is being held before the close of the nomination period, especially groups representing socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. Nominations and elections are open to all eligible candidates and voters without regard to race, color, religion, nation origin, age, sex, marital status or disability. The nomination form (FSA-669A) is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/publications/elections.
Ballots will be mailed to all eligible voters in LAA # 3 on November 5, 2010. Completed ballots must be returned, either in person or postmarked, no later December 6, 2010. For more information about FSA county committees, visit the DeKalb County USDA Service Center or call 615-597-8225, extension 2.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department arrested two people from Pikeville on drug charges last Wednesday, May 26th after a deputy checked out a suspicious vehicle setting behind a building on Allen Street.
61 year old Glenda Walters and 32 year old Anthony Herbert Walters, both of Grove Road, Pikeville were arrested. Glenda Walters is charged with simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond is $3,000 and she will be in court on June 24th. Anthony Herbert Walters is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on June 24th.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says a deputy, while on patrol, spotted a suspicious vehicle on Allen Street setting behind a building. After checking the vehicle, the officer found Glenda Walters to be in possession of a loaded hypodermic syringe. Walters had the syringe tucked into her waistband. The syringe contained a yellow substance believed to be dilaudid.
Also in the vehicle was Anthony Herbert Walters. Deputies arrested him after he was found to have a used needle, hemostats, and a tourniquet in his possession.
35 year old Tracey Lavonne Guthrie of Cherry Point Court was arrested on Thursday, May 27th and charged with a first offense of driving under the influence. Bond was set at $1,500. She was also issued a citation for refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test. Guthrie will appear in court on June 10th.
Sheriff Ray says a deputy received a call of a reckless driver on Cookeville Highway. When the officer spotted the vehicle, he noticed the driver to be operating at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was also crossing the traffic lines. Guthrie was identified as the driver. Upon stopping the vehicle, the officer discovered that Guthrie had slurred speech and her eyes were red and watering. Guthrie submitted to field sobriety tasks which she failed. Guthrie also refused to submit to a blood alcohol test.
36 year old John Allen Judkins Jr. was charged Thursday, May 27th with theft of property over $1,000 after he was found to be in possession of stolen items that were taken from a barn on Big Rock Road. Through an investigation, detectives discovered that Judkins took items such as tractor weights, scrap iron, and a bucket of bolts to a scrap business here in DeKalb County. The items were found to be stolen from the Big Rock barn. Bond for Judkins was set at $25,000.

A group of patriotic citizens joined members of the American Legion POST 122 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars POST 7623 in remembering those who have died in our nation’s service during a Memorial Day program Monday morning at the 303 building downtown Smithville.
The service featured gospel and patriotic music by Fred VanHook and the Harmoneers, poems by VanHook and Susan Hinton, a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Luke Willoughby, an opening prayer by Chuck Olson, Doyle Smith leading the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and remarks by the guest speaker, minister Donald Owens. “This nation of ours has never known anything but wars. We’re now involved and engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. I don’t have all the answers to it but ladies and gentlemen if we get that settled then it won’t be the end of it (war). There’ll be another. And if time goes on there’ll be another. There are people who hate us (Americans). They hate our way of life. They hate our freedom. They hate our smiles. They hate our happiness. They hate our luxurious life that we live and they’re not going to stop. They’re not going to give up. So just dig in deep and say “it’s worth fighting for”. I’m grateful, humbled, and thankful for all those who have served and I’m grateful and thankful for those who paid the supreme sacrifice. It cost a lot of fathers and mothers their sons and daughters. It cost a lot of wives their husbands. It cost a lot of children their fathers. I want to do my part to make this country what it should be for those who follow after me so that those who pay the supreme sacrifice someday will know that the sacrifice that they paid was worth it for those who followed after them. God bless America.”
The following poem was read by Susan Hinton in tribute to our veterans:
“It is the VETERAN , not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN , not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN , not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the VETERAN , not the politician,
Who has given us! the right to vote.
It is the VETERAN,
who salutes the Flag.
It is the VETERAN,
who serves under the Flag,
God Bless them All”
The following poem was also read by Susan Hinton:
“Red for the blood shed in the name of Freedom
For which we fought united
Blue for the oceans of time we have crossed
Remaining the land of the free
White for the peace we wish to share
All men created equal
Stars to remember those who fought
Throughout the night bravely for our land
Stripes to remind us of the lashings
Taken by the Prisoners of War
With a seal, in God We Trust
We each are one of many in which we stand
United in Brotherhood, a symbol of Pride
A salute to those who died in the fight
A blanket to cover us in times of need
Waving high to show we are still here, undefeated
With honor you are presented to the world.”
Fred VanHook recited a poem called “That Ragged Old Flag”
“I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin there.
I said, “Your court house is kinda run down,
He said, “No, it will do for our little town”.
I said “your old flag pole kinda leaned a little bit,
And that’s a ragged old flag you got hanging on it”.
He said “have a seat”, so I sat down,
He said, “is this your first visit to our little town”
I said, “I think it is”
He said “I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud of
“That Ragged Old Flag”
“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it, writing
“Oh Say Can You See”
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
tugging at its seams.
It almost fell at the Alamo beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on tho.
It got cut with a sword in Chancellorsville,
Got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
“That Ragged Old Flag”
On Flanders Field in World War I,
She took a bad hit from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time that one was through,
She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent
by her Uncle Sam.
She’s been over to the Gulf to fight Saddam
And now as you know, she’s over in Afghanistan
She’s waved from our ships on the briney foam
But they’ve just about quit waving her here at home
And here in her own good land,
She’s been abused, burned, dishonored, denied and refused,
And the very government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearing kinda thin,
But she’s in pretty good shape, for the shape she’s in.
So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,
We don’t let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought
I do like to brag
Cause I’m mighty proud of
“That Ragged Old Flag”
At the conclusion of the program, a wreath was laid at the veterans memorial monument on the south side of the courthouse, placed there by Ronnie Redmon of the American Legion POST 122 and Commander Edward Frazier of the VFW POST 7623
Colton Rhody then blew TAPS on his trumpet to close out the program.

“Imagine a world with more birthdays” is the theme for the 13th annual Relay for Life, which begins Friday evening, June 4th at Greenbrook Park.
Chris Summers, Community Representative for the American Cancer Society, says thanks to funds raised through efforts like Relay for Life, more cancer survivors are celebrating more birthdays. “Our theme is “Imagine a world with more birthdays” The reason we chose that theme is because through our research and patient services, we help provide more birthdays for cancer survivors. We want cancer survivors to have more birthdays with their families and in our communities. So our theme this year is “Imagine a world with more birthdays.” At the campsites when you come to Relay we’ll be doing birthday parties. I personally love our theme. It’s been very well received. How cool is that to say that we help provide birthdays for more cancer survivors? Cancer survivors are surviving longer. There are more battles being won. It’s very humbling. I am proud to play a role in that and so is our entire Relay for Life planning committee and our teams.”
Casey Midgett, the 2010 DeKalb County Chairman for Relay, says this year’s program will start with entertainment at around five o’clock. “We have groups coming in to sing from five o’clock all the way til past midnight. Every possible variety of music will be included. We’re also going to have some drama teams there. It’s going to be something that everybody will enjoy. There is truly something for everybody. Of course, we’ll have all the booths again this year with all the wonderful food that everyone looks forward to each year. All of our main stays are back plus we’ve picked up a couple of new teams this year. I look forward to it being a lot of fun. Some of the teams are going to do things a little different this year. We’re going to have a lot more for the kids. We’ll have some big inflatables, bounce zones, and some slides. It’s just going to be a lot of fun for the whole family. For the teams that participate, it’s also going to be a lot of fun. As teams stay all night long, we’ve got a lot of stuff planned for them. It’s just going to be a lot of fun. It always is.”
Relay For Life, the American Cancer Society’s signature event, is a fun-filled overnight experience designed to bring together those who have been touched by cancer. At Relay, people from within the community gather to celebrate survivors, remember those lost to cancer, and to fight back against this disease. Relay participants help raise money and awareness to support the American Cancer Society in its lifesaving mission to eliminate cancer as a major health issue. During Relay For Life events, teams of people gather and take turns walking or running laps. The events are held overnight to represent the fact that cancer never sleeps. Through the survivors’ lap and the luminaria ceremony, the people who have faced cancer first hand are honored, and those who have been lost to this disease are remembered.
But, Relay isn’t about taking laps — it’s about coming together in the fight against cancer. It’s a time to remember those lost to this disease and celebrate those who have survived. It’s a place where people connect with others, share the cancer experience, and find comfort and solace. And it’s an opportunity to build hope for a future where cancer no longer threatens the lives of the people we love.
As volunteers and donors, your efforts support research, education, advocacy, and services that allow the American Cancer Society to offer help and hope to people across the country when they need it most. By joining together at Relay, we celebrate life, friendship, and an opportunity to work to defeat cancer for future generations.
On June 4th, the community will gather together as one group to help in the battle against cancer. At Greenbrook Park in Smithville, dozens of teams, volunteers, community leaders, and citizens will enjoy the annual Relay for Life event. Plans are to have lots of entertainment and food available that evening. Planning for the Relay is a year round event and the organizers hope that you will enjoy what they have in store for you. Relay is the largest community event held in DeKalb County. Please join in for this special night and have lots of fun helping raise money.
For more information about participating in Relay for Life, contact Casey Midgett, Chris Summers, Lynn Miller, Iva dell Randolph, or any member of the planning committee.
Meanwhile, on the second weekend in June, a 5K and One Mile Fun Run will be held to benefit Relay for Life. “It’s the Relay 5K and it’ll be held on Saturday, June 12th, the weekend after Relay for Life”, said Lynn Miller. ” It’s a 5K and a one mile Fun Run. All the money from that event will go to Relay for Life. If you’re interested in participating in the 5K and Fun Run, you can come by and see me at Regions Bank to pick up a form or you may contact Casey Midget. Forms are also available at other locations.”

Smithville Police made two arrests last week for DUI and one for public intoxication.
23 year old Cipriano Petriz of 1532 Vaughn Lane was arrested on Sunday, May 23rd for a first offense of driving under the influence. Officer David Phillips saw Petriz driving without his headlights on and not maintaining proper lane of travel. Upon stopping and speaking with Petriz, Officer Phillips smelled a strong odor of a fermented beverage coming from him. Petriz also had slurred speech and he was unsteady on his feet upon exiting his vehicle. Due to the language barrier and his intoxicated state, field sobriety tasks were not performed. Bond for him was set at $1,500 and his court date is June 17th.
58 year old Keith Michael Upton of 2488 Turners Bend Road, McMinnville was arrested for driving under the influence on Tuesday, May 25th. Corporal Travis Bryant responded to a possible drunk driver on West Broad Street. Upon making contact with Upton, Corporal Bryant suspected him to be under the influence of something. Upton was asked to perform several field sobriety tasks and he performed poorly on all tasks. Upton submitted to a blood alcohol test and admitted taking medication, Xanax earlier. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is June 10th.
40 year old Robert Roy Atnip Jr of 205 South 1st Street was arrested for public intoxication on Tuesday, May 25th. Officer Matt Holmes responded to a suspicious person that had left K & M Jewelry on West Broad Street. Officer Holmes made contact with Atnip who was unsteady on his feet and almost stumbled into the roadway. Upon speaking with Atnip, Officer Holmes noticed him to have a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person and his speech was slurred. Bond is $1,000 and his court date is June 10th.
On Thursday, May 27th, Officer Scott Davis arrested 28 year old Christina L Johnson of 530 Miller Road on a warrant for failure to appear.
Any information received that will help Smithville Police solve any criminal offense will be greatly appreciated. All information is confidential.

A 28 year old man was injured in a car wreck Friday evening on Highway 56 near the DeKalb/Warren County line.
Central dispatch received the call at 6:32 p.m.
Trooper Dewaine Jennings of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Shaun Travis Hill of Johnson City was traveling north on Highway 56 in a 1990 Chevy Lumina Mini-Van when he crossed over the center line into the oncoming lane, went off the left shoulder, and struck a mail box post. The mini-van then traveled north a short distance in a ditchline and struck a culvert, causing the vehicle to roll over on it’s passenger side. The accident occurred just inside the DeKalb County line.
A passerby stopped to render assistance to Hill until EMS arrived. Members of the DeKalb County Fire Department responded to perform extrication services, cutting out the windshield so that Hill could be removed on a backboard and treated at the scene by EMS. Hill was later airlifted on site by a Life Force helicopter ambulance. He was believed to have been flown to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
Trooper Jennings says charges are pending against Hill.

DeKalb County’s April unemployment rate was unchanged from March at 10.9% and only slightly higher than the rate for April, 2009 of 10.7%
The local labor force for April was at 9,630. A total of 8,580 were employed and 1,050 were unemployed.
DeKalb County and Macon County tied for having the fourth lowest unemployment rates in the Upper Cumberland region for April at 10.9%.
The other counties ranked as follows from highest to lowest:
Pickett- 15.2%
Van Buren- 13.2%
White- 13.1%
Clay- 13.1%
Warren- 12.4%
Smith- 12.4%
Jackson- 12%
Fentress- 12%
Overton-11.3%
DeKalb-10.9%
Macon-10.9%
Cumberland 10.8%
Putnam-9.6%
Cannon-9.6%
Meanwhile, Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 10.5 percent, down from the March rate of 10.6 percent. The United States unemployment rate for the month of April was 9.9 percent.
County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for April show that the rate decreased in 89 counties, increased in three counties and remained the same in three counties.
Lincoln County registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate at 7.1 percent, down from 7.4 percent in March. Scott County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 20.3 percent, up from 19.8 in March, followed by Marshall County at 17.3 percent, down from 18.4 percent in March.
Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 8.2 percent, unchanged from March. Davidson County was 9.0 percent, down from 9.1 in March. Hamilton County was at 9.0 percent, down from 9.4 in March, and Shelby County was 10.3 percent, down from 10.5 in March.

The DeKalb County High School Tigers were eliminated from the TSSAA Division I Class AA state baseball tournament Thursday afternoon in Murfreesboro, losing to Knoxville Gibbs 12 to 2 in five innings.
Gibbs scored twelve runs on eleven hits while the Tigers scored two runs on five hits. Neither team committed an error. The game ended in the fifth inning due to the ten run rule.
Gibbs scored one run in the first inning, three runs in the second inning, six runs in the third, one in the fourth, and one in the fifth inning.
DeKalb County scored two runs in the fourth inning.
Hunter Graham the losing pitcher, went one inning, faced nine batters, and gave up three earned runs on one hit. He walked three and three were hit by a pitch. Chris Powell came in for one and a third innings and faced nine batters. He gave up five runs (4 earned) on four hits. He struck out one and walked one. McCullough Wallace went two thirds of an inning. He faced seven batters and gave up two earned runs on two hits. He walked one and there was one hit by a pitch. Evan Curtis then came in for one inning and faced eight batters. He gave up two earned runs on four hits and there was one hit by a pitch.
Hits:
Corey Atnip had two singles
Tyler Kent, single
Tyler Caldwell, single
Andrew Atnip, a single and an RBI
Steven Howell, RBI
The Tigers went 2-2 in the tournament, losing to David Lipscomb 2 to 1 in ten innings on Tuesday night, beating Jackson Southside 5 to 0 on Wednesday morning, defeating David Lipscomb 2 to 1 on Wednesday night, and losing to Knoxville Gibbs 12 to 2 on Thursday in the final four or semi-finals.
The following is a summary of the other three games the Tigers played in the State Tournament beginning with the match against David Lipscomb on Tuesday night in which DeKalb County lost 2 to 1 in ten innings.
David Lipscomb scored one run in the fifth inning and one run in the tenth inning. DeKalb County scored one run in the third inning.
Garrett Hoke, the losing pitcher, went nine and a third innings and faced 38 batters. He gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits. He struck out eight and walked four.
Hits:
Destry Wiggins, single
Shane Salley, single
Tyler Caldwell, two singles
Cody Puckett, single
Andrew Atnip, single
On Wednesday morning the Tigers defeated Jackson Southside 5 to 0 in the loser’s bracket. DeKalb County scored one run in the first inning, two runs in the second inning, and two runs in the fourth inning.
Cody Puckett, the winning pitcher, faced 29 batters. He gave up four hits, struck out three and walked three. Two batters were hit by a pitch.
Hits:
Tyler Kent, single
Corey Atnip, a double and RBI
Tyler Caldwell, two singles
Cody Puckett, single
Andrew Atnip, single
Travis Neal, single and RBI
Stephen Howell, double and RBI
On Wednesday night, the Tigers had a rematch with David Lipscomb and won 2 to 1.
DeKalb County scored one run in the third inning and one run in the fourth inning. David Lipscomb scored one run in the fourth inning.
Shane Salley, the winning pitcher, faced 29 batters. He gave up one earned run on five hits. He struck out four and walked three.
Hits:
Destry Wiggins, single
Shane Salley, double and RBI
Tyler Kent, double
Tyler Caldwell, single
Andrew Atnip, single
Travis Neal, single
The Tigers conclude the season with an overall record of 21-7. They finished second in the regular district season, won the district and region tournament championships, won their sub-state game, and finished in the final four of the Division I Class AA state baseball tournament.