Several motorcycles and all terrain vehicles were destroyed in a Thursday evening fire at an Alexandria business, but quick action by the Alexandria Fire Department helped prevent a total loss of the building.
Redline Cycles, a motorcycle and ATV sales and repair business, located on Highway 70 in Alexandria, is at the former location of Prichard’s Foods beside Alexandria Café.
Caleb Roth, Assistant Alexandria Fire Chief, says the owner of the business, Brad Langford was working on a motorcycle when it caught fire. Langford tried to extinguish the blaze but it quickly spread. Firefighters, who arrived within minutes of receiving the call, found flames coming through the roof and around the bay door of the garage.
Roth says firefighters were able to contain the fire damage to the garage area, which is located in a two story portion of the building on the southeast side The showroom and living quarters of the building received some smoke damage. Contents of the garage, including several motorcycles and ATVs were destroyed. No one was injured although the Langford family dog perished in the fire.
Members of the DeKalb County and Watertown Volunteer Fire Departments assisted the Alexandria Fire Department in battling the blaze.

Thursday at noon, April 1st, is the qualifying deadline for persons wanting to run for a seat on the DeKalb County Board of Education in the August 5th DeKalb County General Election.
School board members will be elected in the first, second, third, fourth, and seventh districts. Each term is four years.
Those who have qualified to run include:
First District:
Incumbent John David Foutch
Second District:
Incumbent Charles Robinson
Jerry Wayne Johnson
Third District:
Incumbent Kenny Rhody
Jonathon Willoughby
Fourth District:
Billy Miller
Larry Redmon
Seventh District:
Incumbent Johnny Lattimore
School board contenders run as non-partisan candidates

Kristina Stephens and Seth Willoughby were named the 2010 DCHS basketball Most Valuable Players Thursday night at the annual team banquet, while Kendra Foutch was selected as Most Valuable Cheerleader. The awards were presented by Chad Kirby of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, in memory of his late grandfather, Allen D. Hooper. The MVP and MVC awards are named in memory of Mr. Hooper.
Stephens was one of four seniors on the Lady Tiger team this year. Coach Joe Pat Cope recognized Stephens for her offensive production, especially in district and regional tournament games. She also received District Honorable Mention. The Lady Tigers had their best season in many years, finishing with an overall record of 17-15, breaking a ten year losing streak in district play, and advancing to the second round of the region tournament.
Willoughby was among seven seniors on the Tiger team. In addition to the MVP award, Willoughby received awards for “Best Offensive player”, “Most Improved”, and for “Best Athlete”. He was also recognized for being named to the First Team All District and for being the District’s Most Improved Player. The Tigers finished the year with an overall record of 16-12. Their season came to an end in the district tournament.
Foutch, meanwhile, was one of three seniors on the DCHS Basketball Cheerleading squad. In addition to being named MVC, Foutch received an award for “Gymnastics” and she shared honors for “Stunt: Spot” with Sydney Robinson. Foutch and fellow seniors Caroline Carter and Amanda Ours, all received the “Captain Award” for Leadership.
Other individual cheerleading awards included:
Tiger Spirit: Amanda Ours
Most Improved: Allison Little
Best Practice Attitude: Ashlee Whitehead
Jump: Jasmine Dimas
Gymnastics: Kendra Foutch
Stunt: Flier- Emily Webb
Stunt: Base- Jasmine Dimas
Stunt: Spot- Kendra Foutch and Sydney Robinson
Tiger Mascot: Tiffany Young
The DCHS basketball cheerleaders recently received another first place award in the TSSAA State Cheer Championship and earned a TSSAA Distinguished Scholastic Achievement Award with a 3.64 GPA team average. Cheerleaders were also recognized for the TSSAA Individual Award of Merit which is for student-athletes who earn a 3.5 to 4.0 GPA.
Walteen Parker, who has guided the basketball cheerleading program as coach for 26 years, is stepping down as cheer coach. Director of Schools Mark Willoughby recognized Parker for her years of dedication and service and the banquet crowd gave her a standing ovation.
Other Lady Tiger basketball awards were as follows:
MVP: Kristina Stephens
Best Athlete/Best Free Throw Shooter/ Best Ball Handler: Cynthia Woodward
Best Defensive Player/Hustle Award: Alex Meadows
Best Sixth Man: Nikki Bass
Best Rebounder/Best Offensive Player: Martha Webb
Best Practice Player: Elicia Cantrell
Most Improved: Brooke Hutchings
Tiger Award: Mercedes Luna
Toughness: Morgan Page
Freshman Offensive MVP: Chelsea Lewis
Freshman Defensive MVP: Lydia Foutch
Cynthia Woodward was named to the All-District Second Team Regular Season and to the All District Tournament Team. Martha Webb and Kristina Stephens received Honorable Mention and Alex Meadows made the All-Defensive Team.
For the Tigers,
Best Offensive Player/Most Improved/ Best Athlete/ MVP: Seth Willoughby
Hustle Award: Hunter Poteete
Best Practice Player/ Smartest Player: Ethan Hale
Best Passer: Abram Edwards
Best Rebounder:Sonni Young
Best Attitude: Travon Johnson
Best Free Throw Shooter/Best Ball Handler: Payne Denman
Payne Denman was named to the Second Team All District; Sonni Young made the Third Team All District, the All Freshman Team, and the All Defensive Team. Destry Wiggins and Hunter Poteete received Honorable Mention.
The awards were presented by each team’s coach. Many of the student athletes were also recognized for academic achievement.
Meanwhile, Zach Odom was named the Tiger basketball Fan of the Year, and received a plaque in recognition of his dedication to the program.
The annual DCHS basketball banquet was held at the Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church.
(Top Photo: Standing left to right- Seth Willoughby (MVP), Shelia Kirby, Chad Kirby; Seated left to right- Kendra Foutch (MVC) and Kristina Stephens (MVP)
(Second Photo from Top: Standing left to right- Seth Willoughby, Sonni Young, Abram Edwards, Hunter Poteete; Seated left to right- Ethan Hale and Payne Denman)
(Third Photo from Top: Standing left to right- Mercedes Luna, Lydia Foutch, Cynthia Woodward, Nikki Bass, Martha Webb, Elicia Cantrell, Brooke Hutchings, Alex Meadows, and Chelsea Lewis; Seated left to right- Morgan Page and Kristina Stephens)
(Bottom Photo: Standing left to right- Tiffany Young (Tiger Mascot), Emily Webb, Ashlee Whitehead, Jasmine Dimas, Allison Little, and Syndey Robinson; Seated left to right- Kendra Foutch and Amanda Ours)

An elderly woman was airlifted from the scene of a two vehicle traffic accident just before noon Wednesday on Highway 56 south at the intersection of South College Street.
Central dispatch received the call at 11:30 a.m.
Trooper Darrell Knowles of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 81 year old Mattie Brandon of Capshaw Road, Smithville was north on Highway 56 in a 1996 Nissan Sentra and was attempting to turn left onto South College Street when she crossed into the path of a southbound 1981 Jeep, driven by 34 year old William Dozier of Lascassas. Passengers of the jeep were 33 year old Sharla Dozier, 9 year old Kensington Dozier, and 6 year old Brycen Dozier.
According the Trooper Knowles, the jeep overturned after impact and came to rest off the west side of the highway. A passerby stopped to help get the Dozier’s out of their vehicle.
Brandon’s car spun counterclockwise upon impact and came to rest off the east side of the highway. She is believed to have suffered head and leg injuries.
Mr Dozier suffered some minor cuts but the other members of his family were apparently uninjured. They later went to the hospital by private vehicle to be checked out.
Brandon was airlifted from the scene by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
Traffic was blocked for a period of time.
In addition to Trooper Knowles and Life Force, others on the scene were members of DeKalb EMS, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, Smithville Police Department, and the Short Mountain Highway and Main Stations of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department, who helped set up the helicopter landing zone and were on standby in case of fire. Neither of the vehicles caught fire but there was a fuel spill from the jeep.

Judge Leon Burns, Jr. handed down sentences against several defendants in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday.
33 year old Sharon Skinner pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, three counts of theft over $500, and forgery. She received a total sentence of four years including three years on the aggravated burglary charge and one year in each of the other cases. Two of the sentences are to run consecutively for a total of four years. The others are to run concurrently. Skinner will be on supervised probation. She was given jail credit of 77 days.
38 year old Craig Hill pleaded guilty to burglary, theft over $1,000, forgery, and two counts of theft under $500. Hill received a two year sentence on the burglary charge, suspended to supervised probation after serving 120 days. He was given credit for time served. Hill also received a two year sentence for theft over $1,000 on DOC probation. Hill received a one year sentence on DOC probation in the forgery case and a sentence of 11 months and 29 days on probation in each of the theft under $500 cases. Almost all the sentences are to run concurrently.
35 year old Jeremy Bilbrey pleaded guilty to a first offense of driving under the influence. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended except for 48 hours to serve. Bilbrey will lose his license for one year, pay a fine of $360, and he must complete the Alcohol Safety Education Program, undergo an alcohol and drug assessment, and follow any recommended treatment.
Steve A. Stanley pleaded guilty to possession of a schedule II controlled substance with intent to sell and driving on a suspended license. He received a sentence of four years, all suspended to supervised probation except for 104 days to serve. Stanley was given jail credit of 104 days and he must pay a $2,000 fine. Stanley received a six month sentence on the driving on suspended license charge, suspended to supervised probation. The sentences are to run concurrently with each other but consecutive to his current six year probation in another case.
24 year old Jonathon D. Thomas pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and three charges of evading arrest. He received a sentence of three years for attempted burglary and 11 months and 29 days in each case of the evading arrest charges all to run concurrently with each other and all suspended to probation. The sentence is to run consecutive to a violation of probation against him in which he is to serve one year before being released to state probation.
20 year old Nina Natasha Sullivan pleaded guilty to criminal responsibility for facilitation. She received a six year sentence in the community corrections program. She was given jail credit from September 15th to March 22nd
34 year old James LeDuc pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, theft over $500, burglary, and theft under $500. He received a total sentence of three years with one year to serve. The sentences break down as follows: three years for aggravated burglary, one year for theft over $500, two years for burglary, and 11 months and 29 days for theft under $500. All the sentences are to run concurrently as a three year term but consecutive to a violation of probation against him in which he must serve one year. He was given jail credit of 187 days.
39 year old Jefry V. Overall pleaded guilty to a third offense of driving under the influence. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to 120 days to serve. He will lose his license for three years and he must pay a fine of $1,100 and complete the alcohol safety education program. The sentence is to run concurrent with any other sentence against him. Overall was given jail credit of 243 days. Overall has been classified as an Habitual Motor Vehicle offender. Under the order, Overall is prohibited from being issued a license to operate a motor vehicle for three years, after which he will have to petition the court for a restoration of his driving privileges.
51 year old James Linder pleaded guilty to a second offense of driving on a revoked license and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days, all suspended to supervised probation. He will lose his license for a period of time.
41 year old Larry David Luna, charged with manufacturing marijuana, was granted pre-trial diversion probation under a memorandum of understanding for a period of two years. He must perform 50 hours of community service work and adhere to all other provisions of his probation.
38 year old Willard Brown pleaded guilty to domestic assault. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to good behavior probation except for time served. He must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and attend anger management classes. He was given jail credit from July 18th, 2009 to February 24th, 2010.
42 year old Christopher Cantrell pleaded guilty by information to reckless endangerment and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation except for five days to serve
40 year old Donna Blankenship pleaded guilty to simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance. She received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to probation, including six months of supervised and six months of unsupervised probation. She must also pay a fine. Blankenship was given jail credit of 90 days.
40 year old Paul Edward Stanley pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days on probation except for 48 hours to serve. He must pay a fine of $350 and he will lose his license for one year.
33 year old Jimmy Estes pleaded guilty to public intoxication and received a 30 day sentence to serve which is to run concurrently with a violation of probation against him.
35 year old Michael Evans pleaded guilty to two charges of child neglect and a first offense of driving under the influence. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case to run concurrently. He was given nine days of jail credit. Evans will be on supervised probation and he must pay a fine of $350. A handgun possession charge against Evans was dropped however he must forfeit the weapon under his plea agreement.

A 26 year old Smithville man was arrested Sunday by the Sheriff’s Department for the recent burglary of a boathouse and the theft of an automobile near the lake.
Chris David Pinegar of Roy Foster Road, Smithville is charged with burglary, theft of property over $1,000, and theft of property over $10,000. Sheriff Patrick Ray says Pinegar was arrested on Sunday, March 21st and charged after he was questioned about recent thefts in the Cookeville Highway area.
On Saturday, March 20th, deputies responded to a theft at Hurricane Boat Ramp off of Cookeville Highway where someone had stolen a vehicle containing some expensive jewelry. Then on Sunday, March 21st, officers responded to Relax Drive concerning a vehicle that was setting in the parking lot of Lakeside Resort. After checking the tags, it was discovered that the vehicle was the same one that was reported stolen the day before at the boat ramp. Officers went to a cabin at the Resort where Pinegar and a female had been staying. A warrants check was conducted on them and authorities learned that they were both wanted in Warren County on unrelated charges. While searching the room, deputies found a set of keys that went to the stolen vehicle. They also found some of the jewelry.
Detectives were called to the scene to conduct a further investigation and discovered that on March 15th Pinegar entered a boathouse and took several fishing rods and reels, a fish finder, a kneeboard, floats, and skies which were valued at over $1,000. Bond for Pinegar was set at $45,000 and he will appear in court on April 22nd. The female was not charged locally.
46 year old Jimmy Dean Skelton of Page Drive Smithville is charged with driving on a suspended license, burglary, and theft of property under $500. Sheriff Ray says that on Tuesday, March 16th, as deputies were investigating a burglary and theft at a residence on Savannah Drive, Smithville, they spotted Skelton, who was a suspect in the case. The officers stopped Skelton and found him to be driving on a suspended driver’s license. After interviewing Skelton about the break-in, the deputies also charged Skelton with burglary and theft. According to Sheriff Ray, Skelton admitted to entering a home which was under construction on Savannah Drive and taking an air compressor without the owner’s consent. Bond for Skelton was set at $7,000 and he will appear in court on March 25th.
27 year old Helen B. Lawson of Danklefs Lane, Sparta is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence and driving on a revoked license. Sheriff Ray says Lawson was involved in an automobile accident on Back Bone Ridge Road on Thursday, March 18th. Lawson had a smell of alcohol on her person and she was unsteady on her feet. She submitted to field sobriety tasks which she failed. A check of her driver’s license revealed them to be revoked for a DUI. Lawson was also issued citations for having no automobile insurance and violation of the implied consent law. Her bond was set at $3,000 and she will appear in court on April 1st.
38 year old Donald Perry Jr of Adcock Cemetery Road, Smithville is charged with theft of property under $500. Sheriff Ray says he was arrested on Friday, March 19th after an investigation by detectives into the theft of two Wal-Mart gift cards that were delivered by mail to a former resident who lived at the Adcock Cemetery Road address. Perry opened an envelope, which came by mail, containing a letter and two gift cards. Perry took the cards out of the envelope and resealed the envelope that contained the letter and put it back into the mailbox to return it to the sender. On December 14th, 2009, Perry then took the two gift cards to the Smithville Wal-Mart and cashed them in. Bond for Perry was set at $1,000 and he will appear in court on April 1st.
Joshua Brandon Graham is charged with simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana). Sheriff Ray says on Saturday, March 20th, a deputy went to Graham’s home on New Bildad Road, Smithville to serve a civil paper on him. Graham met the officer on the porch. The deputy smelled an odor of marijuana on Graham’s person and he asked Graham about it. Graham went back into the residence and retrieved a plastic bag that contained the marijuana. Graham also had marijuana seeds in his pants pocket. Graham’s bond was set at $1,500 and he will appear in court on April 22nd.
24 year old Stephen Hunter Pugh is charged with a first offense of driving on a revoked license. Sheriff Ray says on Sunday, March 21st an officer spotted Pugh on Cave Springs Road. Having prior knowledge that Pugh had two warrants against him for violation of probation, the deputy stopped Pugh. The officer checked Pugh’s driver’s license and discovered them to be revoked. His bond was set at $1,000 and he will appear in court on April 22nd.
40 year old Donna S. Blankenship of Greenhill Road, McMinnville was arrested on Sunday, March 21st for a second offense of driving on a suspended license after she was involved in an automobile accident on New Home Road in Dowelltown. Bond for Blankenship was set at $2,000 and her court date is April 22nd.

Early voting dates and times are set for the May 4th DeKalb County Democratic Primary
Dennis Stanley, Administrator of Elections, says early voting will be Wednesday, April 14th through Thursday, April 29th. Voting times will be from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays.
The primary will feature three contested races for county wide public offices, county clerk, county mayor, and register of deeds, and three contested races for the county commission in the third, fourth, and fifth districts. All other candidates will be unopposed.
The offices and candidates listed on the ballot are as follows in this order:
Circuit Court Judge, Part 1, 13th Judicial District to fill unexpired term: Amy Hollars
District Attorney General, 13th Judicial District to fill unexpired term: Randall A. York
County Mayor:
Mike Foster
Bob Snyder
County Commissioner (Vote for Two)
1st District- Elmer Ellis, Jr.
2nd District- Jack E. Barton, III
3rd District:
Bradley Hendrix
Roy Merriman
Jerry Scott
4th District:
Jesse Baker
Wayne Cantrell
David McDowell
Ron Rogers
5th District:
Randy Braswell
Johnny Ringo Colwell
John Green
Bobby Taylor
6th District:
Jeff Barnes
Marshall Ferrell
7th District:
Jimmy W. Poss
Larry Summers
Trustee: No Candidate
Sheriff: No Candidate
Circuit Court Clerk: Katherine Pack
County Clerk:
Mike Clayborn
Glynn Merriman
Chris Smithson
Register of Deeds:
Jeff McMillen
Clarence R. Trapp
Road Supervisor: Jimmy D. Sprague

Lou Ann Zelenik of Rutherford County, Republican candidate for Congress in the sixth district, campaigned in Smithville on Thursday.
Zelenik will be seeking her party’s nomination in the Tennessee Republican Primary on August 5th. “A little bit about me, I’m a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. I built a heavy construction company during the ‘80s, and for twenty-three years I created jobs, balanced a budget, and met a payroll. And that’s kinda what it’s about here, and for citizens across the fifteen counties of the district. So many are worried about having a job, and so many business owners and those are the ones I’ve really been meeting and speaking a lot with, to hear their concerns and worries, and they’re worried about meeting that bottom line; they don’t know what Congress will be placing upon them next year or even this year, or what new regulation, or tax, or bill. So many people are very concerned about the health care bill that’s being debated back and forth. It seems like it’s become more about the buying of votes. It’s about so many in Congress and not about real people doing the real business for the people of their district. I just met with a mother who has a child that is critically ill and concerned that under these new bills that their child would not get the healthcare needed, because it’s cystic fibrosis, a very serious disease.”
“One of the problems that has gone on in Washington is those that we work really hard to get elected, they forget their roots and are more worried about winning the next time or getting their campaign coffers up. My campaign is about sending a real person to Washington, someone that has walked in the boots of so many in DeKalb County. You know, I put two nickels together to start a business and paid those taxes and created jobs. I’m not a career politician and anyone running for office becomes a politician but I’m going to Washington to bring that representation back. For too long it seems like people forget what’s important, and I’ve already built my career, I’m proud to have built it in business, and I’m privileged to represent Tennesseans and go to Washington to not build another career but to go up there and stand strong for our principles, our values, to join with others, and have our voice heard in a large number.”
” I am a fiscal conservative, a faith, family, and freedom conservative. I’ve also been in Rutherford County, the GOP party chair and Vice Chair. Last year in February I put my name on a national website to organize a Tea party on April 15th and almost three thousand showed up for the largest rally in Rutherford County history. We did it again in July and then we did a health care forum for our seniors after Bart Gordon voted for HR 3200 out of committee and for taxpayer funded abortions. We had over 750 senior citizens come to the square in August to find out more about HR 3200 and get involved to try and get the latest information. That’s what we’re seeing. People who have never been involved are getting involved.”
As for putting people back to work, Zelenik says “When you deregulate business, when you take away some of the restraints on business and you give them real tax breaks, that does give incentives to those businesses to hire and create jobs. That’s something that was done in the 1980’s and it worked. It was also done again with the Bush tax cuts on the first wave of tax cuts for businesses. I was a business owner at the time and I saw that I could depreciate more equipment so I bought more goods. When my tax bracket was lowered, we didn’t have to pay as much come April 15th so what we did instead, we gave it to our employees in the form of raises and hired new people. We gave a little bigger Christmas bonus. Those are the things you do to encourage that innovation and morale. Right now even though businesses may be holding their own, they don’t know where to look because they don’t know if Cap and Trade and job killing energy taxes will be placed upon them, which would really impact manufacturing and really hit hardest our farmers and family’s electric bills. They also don’t know what’s going to happen with this health care bill. I talked to one business owner who has 250 employees and he said, based on the U.S. House of Representatives version of the bill, it will cost him over $200,000 more next year if this bill is passed just based on additional penalties added to businesses. So give businesses something to base on for the future, give them tax breaks right now, and let our free market, free enterprise system work. That’s what has worked in the past and it’s a really great way to do it in the future.”

Smithville Police have released the weekly city crime report.
44 year old Sandra Lee Atnip of 1983 Capshaw Road was charged on Monday, March 15th with seven counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and two counts of theft. Detective Jerry Hutchins made the arrest. On February 3rd K-9 Officer Bradley Tatrow took a report from Debra Scruggs who stated that her credit card was stolen out of her purse at work. Authorities later discovered that the card had been used at numerous businesses.
44 year old Tony Reeder of 516 East Main Street was arrested on Tuesday, March 16th for public intoxication. Officer Matt Holmes received a call that Reeder was driving a blue Ford Ranger, that he had been at DeKalb Community Bank, and was now in the parking lot. The caller said that Reeder appeared to be highly intoxicated. While en route another 911 call came in reporting that a blue Ford Ranger had wrecked on Short Mountain Highway in the ditch but that the truck had continued traveling down the road. Central dispatch(911) then received another call from a woman who said she lived on Crestlawn Avenue and that there was a blue truck that had almost run over people in that area. Upon arrival to that location, Officer Holmes saw Reeder on the porch of a residence knocking on the door. The resident of the house said she had never seen Reeder and didn’t know who he was or why he was knocking on her door. As Officer Holmes was speaking to Reeder, he detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. Reeder was also unsteady on his feet and he almost fell down several times. Bond for Reeder was set at $1,000 and his court date is April 1st.
26 year old Shana Nicole Pittman of 125 Meridian Drive was arrested on Wednesday, March 17th for theft. Sergeant Randy King made the arrest. According to Joyce Sobotka of Wal-Mart, Pittman had been observed on video taking merchandise from Wal-Mart without paying for it while employed by the store. Bond for Pittman was set at $1,000 and the court date is April 22nd.
34 year old Michael K Pelham of 245 Allen Street was arrested on Wednesday, March 17th for theft. Pelham allegedly went into the BP Station on Highway 56 and took two drinks and a candy bar to the back of the store and sat down. Employees told him he needed to pay for his items and leave. Pelham replied that he was resting. Pelham opened one drink, consumed half of it, and then placed it and the other drink and candy bar on a shelf. Officer Matt Farmer requested to see his driver’s license but Pelham advised that he couldn’t as the picture on the license was of a guy and he was a girl. He said his name was Michelle Shelton and according to the clerks, he made a statement that he was allowed 12 mistakes. Pelham gave a social security number that belonged to Michael K Pelham and Mr. Pelham finally admitted that it was him. Bond for Pelham was set at $1,000 and his court date is April 1st.
Meanwhile, anyone having information on the following offense is asked to please contact the Smithville Police Department at 597-8210 or the Tip Line at 464-6046.
On Friday, March 19th Corporal Travis Bryant met with Christine Tramel who reported that she had came out of Wal-Mart on Thursday, March 18th around 2:00 p.m. and was putting groceries into her car. Tramel said she had to get in her car to move it and then got back out and loaded up her groceries and left the property not realizing that her purse was missing until she got home. There are no suspects at this time.
Any information received that will help Smithville Police solve any criminal offense will be greatly appreciated. All information is confidential.

Congressman Bart Gordon says he will vote in favor of the controversial health care bill when it comes to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In a prepared release, Congressman Gordon says “The health care bill being considered by Congress now accomplishes three things: one, it reduces health care costs for families and small businesses; two, it improves access to affordable care, regardless of pre-existing conditions; three, it lowers our budget deficit. That’s why I am supporting it.
Over the past year, I have been contacted by thousands of Middle Tennesseans with opinions on health care. Because this issue is so important, I have heard from passionate voices on all sides through face-to-face meetings, call-ins, surveys, town halls, calls and letters.
During that time, I have consistently said I would not support any version of health care reform unless it brings down rising health care costs, improves access to affordable care, and does it all without adding one nickel to the national deficit. I’ve now been presented with a bill that does all three; in fact, this proposal reduces the deficit by $130 billion over the next 10 years and $1.2 trillion in the 10 years after that. Finding solutions to the problems we face has been challenging, but we simply cannot sustain the status quo any longer.
I’ve heard from many Tennesseans in the past year who are struggling to afford health care. Since 2000, health insurance premiums for the average family have doubled. Too many hard-working families and small businesses are getting priced out of needed health care.
There is no evidence this trend of escalating costs is moderating. If no reform is passed, the average family premium in Tennessee is expected to increase from $11,550 today to $19,700 in 2019. Hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans who currently have insurance are projected to lose their coverage. Small businesses that have stretched their budgets to cover employees will be forced to either cut care or cut staff. If we do nothing, local hospitals that are already struggling to accommodate uninsured patients through emergency room care and other resources will be stretched to the breaking point; some will likely go bankrupt.
Drawing from Republican and Democratic ideas, the bill before the House now has the potential to bring about major, commonsense remedies to our system that most all Tennesseans agree are necessary. Under the bill’s reforms, Tennesseans with preexisting conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer would be able to purchase insurance from any insurance company in the United States. Young adults would be able to remain on their parents’ policies until they turn 26. Families in financial trouble would receive tax breaks to help them find affordable insurance plans in the private sector. And finally, for the 100,000 seniors in my district, the bill would eliminate the Part D donut hole and extend Medicare’s solvency nine years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Growing health care costs are also straining our economy and increasing our national debt. Health care expenditures now account for 20 percent of the federal budget. Without reform, that number is projected to double in the next ten years. The Congressional Budget Office calls current federal spending on health care “the single greatest threat to budget stability.” These costs must be contained if we are to get serious about cutting our national debt. I voted against the House bill in November because that version didn’t do enough to address health care inflation. The Congressional Budget Office now says the current bill will address the problem by reducing the deficit.
With this bill, we have an opportunity to address a number of inefficiencies that have drained our system and driven costs up artificially. To begin with, we can address the pressing issue of frivolous and expensive malpractice lawsuits, which force doctors and hospitals to practice defensive medicine and put a huge financial burden on the system. That’s why I introduced a measure based on Tennessee’s own successful Certificate of Merit Program, which has already brought down the number of malpractice suits in Tennessee by 60 percent.
We can attack waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare. We can hold insurance companies accountable and prevent companies from hiking premiums arbitrarily and dropping patients when they get sick. These are the measures I believe are essential to sensible reform, and these are the measures the new bill includes.
In November, I said I hoped the Senate and House could work out the difference and produce a bill I could support – one that takes responsible steps to make health care more affordable for our economy and for our families and small businesses. If I and each of my 534 colleagues in Congress had been able to write our own health reform packages, we would be looking at 535 different bills today. In the end, the question I’m faced with is this: will this reform be better for Middle Tennessee than the status quo? I think it will. That’s why I believe passing meaningful health care reform is essential and why I have made my decision to help ensure health care is affordable for Middle Tennesseans today and for generations to come.”