The DeKalb County Firefighters Association has voted to endorse five of the nine candidates running for the 40th State Legislative seat being vacated by long-time representative, Frank Buck.
The Association announced Friday they would endorse Democratic candidates, Gayla Hendrix, Cleveland Derrick Bain, Steven Cantrell and Jeff Barrett, along with Republican, Terry Lynn Weaver. Those who did not receive the Firefighters’ endorsement were Democrats, Sarah Marie Smith and Carl (Hix) Jones, and Republican, Nicky Rittenberry.
The Firefighters Association sent each candidate a questionnaire to survey them about specific concerns about how volunteer firefighters could better be prepared to assist citizens, according to Association President, Shawn Puckett. Weaver, Hendrix, Bain, Cantrell and Barrett all completed and returned the survey.
“Having the opportunity to review these candidates’ answers and comments allowed our Association’s members to understand how these candidates feel about the volunteer fire service,” Puckett said, while also pointing out several of the candidates – including two not endorsed by the Association – recently attended a fire department fish fry, while three of the candidates worked in the food both at the Jamboree. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the candidates that attended these events,” Puckett added.
Weaver, Hendrix, Sircy, Bain and Smith all attended the fish fry on May 31st, while Smith, Weaver and Bain all helped in the fire department food booth at the Jamboree. Weaver also attended a breakfast fundraiser at the Midway Fire Station.
The Association was established in 2002 with the purpose to foster and promote a better understanding among members, elected and appointed officials, and the public. The DeKalb County Firefighters Association has approximately 70 members.

The Smithville City Council will meet in regular session Monday night at City Hall, and will consider a mostly light agenda. The council will discuss the future of Smithville Golf Course and the Municipal Swimming Pool. Jimmy Lewis, the current tenant at the golf course and pool, recently notified the council that he plans to terminate his lease with the city, due to, as Lewis put it in his letter to the council, “trouble making a profit due to a number of reasons.” He added, “The most important concerns are the amount of the lease payments and the swimming pool.”
Lewis originally had the golf course and swimming pool leased until 2012 at a rate of $2,500 per month. Under an amended agreement, Lewis was granted an extension of his lease through 2017 at the same rate of $2,500 per month, with a five year renewal option as a consideration for his commitment ” to expend the sum of one hundred thousand dollars in order to dig a second well, to install a sprinkler system for the fairways, and to purchase golf carts”. The monthly rate could have been renegotiated in 2017.
Last December, Mayor Hendrixson vetoed a city council vote to amend last year’s budget and spend $215,000 to purchase and install a sprinkler system at the golf course. The aldermen failed to override the veto on a 3 to 2 vote.
The council will also discuss playground specs for the Smith Road Park, Monday night, and any other business properly brought before the council.
WJLE plans live coverage of Monday night’s City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Low-income households may be eligible to receive between $300 and $375 through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) toward their electric, wood, coal, natural gas, LP gas or kerosene costs, announced Phyllis Bennett, Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency Executive Director. UCHRA administers federally-funded LIHEAP in fourteen counties of the Upper Cumberland, including DeKalb County.
Applications will be available and households in DeKalb County may apply August 11th through August 22nd.
Applicants for LIHEAP assistance must be at or below 125 percent poverty level and must provide proof of all household income. Even individuals receiving benefit checks such as VA, SSI or Social Security will need to submit verification of their award amounts. Applicants must also submit a copy of an electric bill and/or a bill for propane gas, wood, coal, or kerosene purchases.
Sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Human Services, LIHEAP provides assistance regardless of age, race, creed, national origin, handicap, or sex. Minorities are encouraged to apply.
Interested individuals may apply at their local UCHRA office August 11th through August 22nd between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The local office is located at 527 West Main Street in Smithville. No client will be denied an opportunity to fill out an application; however, applications received after August 22nd will be placed on a waiting list in the event additional funds become available at a later date. Energy assistance awards are based on a priority point system and are not “first come, first serve”. Individuals requiring assistance with completing their applications may schedule appointments with agency personnel.

A woman was injured in a single-car accident, Wednesday morning, at 6121 McMinnville Highway.
DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green told WJLE that Mary Wright of Keltonburg Road, Smithville, was traveling northbound on Highway 56 in a Chevrolet Corsica, when her automobile left the roadway and struck a tree. Wright had to be extricated from the vehicle by members of the local volunteer fire department, and was taken from the scene by helicopter to Vanderbilt Hospital for treatment of her injuries, which included several broken bones and trauma.
Members of both the Keltonburg and Blue Springs Fire Departments rendered assistance on the scene, along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, DeKalb EMS and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.
Meanwhile, a second traffic accident was reported on Allen’s Ferry Road, Wednesday morning, which caused a power outage in portions of Smithville. No further details about that accident are available at this time, but officials of Smithville Electric System were on the scene for a while after the clean up making repairs to a power pole.

Two people from Smithville were arrested in Cookeville, Saturday afternoon, on felony shoplifting charges. The Cookeville Herald Citizen reports that 60 year old Charlene Poss, and her daughter, 24 year old Terry Lynn Poss, both of Poss Road in Smithville were taken into custody by Cookeville police after they allegedly stuffed two large purses full of items from Kohl’s department store on West Jackson Street in Cookeville. The two allegedly removed the store tags from the items, which included clothing, jewelry and other items. The items removed from the store had a total estimated value of $1,139.
Cookeville Police officers Donna Revis and Jeremy Lintz were dispatched to the store to investigate, and the store security officer told the officers that he had confronted Terry Lynn Poss, while Charlene Poss was still in the store dressing room. According to the police report obtained by the Herald-Citizen, the daughter knocked on the dressing room door and told her mother to “come out, we’re in trouble.”
The security officer told the officers the two entered the store carrying large handbags that looked empty, and that because of that, they were observed by video while they shopped. The report stated the two women’s purses appeared flat and empty as they were observed going into the dressing rooms, but Terry Lynn Poss’ purse appeared full upon leaving the dressing room. At that point, the security officer stopped her and the investigation began.
When police officers conducted their in-store investigation, they found discarded store tags and found that even though the two women were allegedly trying to steal numerous items of clothing, each had several hundred dollars in cash.
Both women taken to a Putnam County jail, and will appear in General Sessions Court there on the charges, August 4th.

What appeared to be a routine traffic mishap on the Public Square, Tuesday morning, almost turned into a major disaster. However, quick action by Smithville Police Lieutenant Steven Leffew kept the incident from becoming much more serious than it was.
Chief Richard Jennings said it all started as a rather routine traffic accident on the north side of the Public Square, but ended up with Lieutenant Leffew stopping a runaway vehicle from possibly running into Regions Bank on the south side of the square. Chief Jennings said the original mishap occured when a tractor-trailer truck was stopped to apparently unload heavy construction equipment, which was being used to work on the former Lavelle Smith building on the north side of the square. 35-year-old Brad Driver of Smithville ran into the back of the trailer in his 2003 Mercury car. Driver was taken from the scene to DeKalb Community Hospital by DeKalb EMS for treatment.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Leffew had called for a wrecker to assist at the scene, but as the tractor-trailer driver was beginning to pull off, he started dragging the lodged vehicle. Leffew yelled for the truck driver to stop, and Driver’s vehicle dislodged and began rolling downhill around the square. Leffew tried to stop the vehicle but the doors were locked since the vehicle contains a device that automatically locks the doors once the vehicle is in gear.
The Mercury struck an SUV-type vehicle parked at Cantrell’s Jewelry and that vehicle then struck a parked Lincoln, which belonged to Imogene Cantrell. The Mercury continued on toward the south, heading straight toward Regions bank. Lieutenant Leffew got into his patrol car and pulled in front of the Mercury, causing him to absorb the hit, but his actions brought the vehicle to a halt before it reached the bank building.
“It (Driver’s Mercury) would have hit the bank building,” said Chief Jennings. “He (Leffew) did the right thing.”
No other injuries were reported at the scene.

Lightning during several thunderstorms on Saturday kept local DeKalb County volunteer firefighters on the move, and a wreck added to the busy day.
Local county fire chief, Donnie Green, said local fire departments received four calls within a span of about 30 minutes on Saturday, all related to the storms that rumbled through the area. Green noted most of the alarms were caused by lightning, which set off several home alarms, but county fire officials did respond to a fire at an outbuilding at a Lakeside Drive residence in the Lakeside Mountain Estates Development. Green said lightning struck a nearby tree, and ran underground into the outbuilding causing the fire. The surge also ran into the home through electrical outlets and damaged several appliances, although no fire was reported in the home.
Green said the homeowners reside out of town, and use the residence primarily as a weekend home.
Before local fire officials were finished at the scene, another call came in directing firefighters to a single car accident in the Dry Creek community near Possum Hollow road. Trooper Mark Jones of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that 49-year-old Martin Allen Arnold of Bluff Springs Road, McMinnville was driving a 1997 GMC Sierra pick-up, when his car ran off the left side of the road, went down a steep embankment and was trapped in some trees. Arnold was pinned in the vehicle and had to be extricated by DeKalb EMS. Jones said Arnold was coherent, but had to be life-flighted from the scene to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga with serious head and neck injuries.

Sheriff Patrick Ray of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department reported several recent arrests, on Monday.
Sheriff Ray said 18 year old Clinton Lane Cope of Midway Road was arrested on Wednesday, July 9th, on Highway 70 East at the Gentlemen’s Club after deputies were stopped by a security guard. The security guard advised deputies that a subject was trying to sneak into the club. Deputies found the subject to be Cope. Upon talking with Cope, they found him to be under the influence of alcohol, as they detected a strong odor of alcohol on his person, blood shot eyes and Cope was unsteady on his feet. Cope admitted to deputies that he had been drinking whiskey. While deputies were doing a pat down search of Cope, they found a small bag of a green leafy substance believed to be Marijuana. Cope was charged with Under Age Consumption and Simple Possession of Marijuana. Bond was set at $2,000.00 and Cope will appear in court on the charges on July 24th.
24 year old Jose Martinez Mendez of Colar Street in Tracy City, Tennessee, was arrested on Thursday, July 10th, after he was involved in a single auto accident on Highway 70 East. Mendez could not produce deputies a driver’s license, and after a computer check, there was no evidence of Mendez ever having a license. Mendez was arrested for no driver’s license and was written a citation for violation of the financial responsibility law (no car insurance). Bond was set at $1,000.00, and Mendez will appear in court on the charges on July 16th.
28 year old Felipe Pinon of Adcock Cemetery Road Smithville, was arrested on Thursday, July 10th, after being involved in an automobile accident on Vaughn Lane in Smithville. Pinon could not produce deputies a driver’s license and after a computer check, there was no evidence of Pinon ever having a license. Pinon was arrested for no driver’s license and was written a citation for violation of the financial responsibility law (no car insurance). Bond was set at $1,000.00, and Pinon will appear in court on July 16th.
Meanwhile, 42 year old Shannon Lynn Newby of Anthony Avenue, Smithville, and 30 year old Amy Janette Lawson of Haley Road, Smithville, were arrested on Thursday, July 10th, for theft of property over $500.00 and theft of property over $1,000.00. Newby and Lawson allegedly went to a home on Jacob’s Pillar Road on or about Monday, July 7th, and stole a 5×8 foot tilt utility trailer with a three-drawer tool box containing assorted tools. The trailer and tools were valued at $1,100.00. Then on Wednesday, July 9th, the two went to a residence located on Short Mountain Highway and stole a 5×11 foot utility trailer with a high tailgate valued at $900.00. Both trailers were taken and sold to another individual in DeKalb County. Detectives received a tip on the trailers and who stole them. Both trailers were recovered. Bond for both Newby and Lawson was set at $50,000.00 each, and both will appear in court on July 17th.

The DeKalb County Fair in Alexandria will be held Monday through Saturday July 21st through July 26th.
The fair will feature at least two new events this year, the Tennessee Off-Road Challenge and Tennessee Top Model Audition for females ages 15 to 29.
Fair Manager Jeff McMillen says the Tennessee Off-Road Challenge will be Monday night during the fair at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena. “It’s these four wheel drive vehicles that climb rock and we’ll have a 200 foot obstacle course for those type vehicles. We’re expecting it to be a good event and a big event. Hopefully, it’ll turn out to be a weekend event instead of a Monday night event eventually.”
DeKalb Idol will be back this year. Audition nightly at the DeKalb Idol Tent from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. to compete in the final competition Saturday night for $300. A brand new “People’s Choice” voted on by the audience compete’s for a $100 cash prize.
Participants in fair pageants (Fairest of the Fair, Junior Fair Princess, Little Miss and Mister, Miss Sweetheart, and Little Miss Princess) may register on-line at www.studiosixlimited.com or www.dekalbcountyfair.us or you may register in person at the fairgrounds on Saturday, July 19th.
Parents wishing to register their children in the baby and toddler shows may obtain an application on-line at www.dekalbcountyfair.us. Just print off the form and send it in or stop by
the Smithville Review for a registration form.
The fair will feature lots of delicious foods and many commercial, agricultural, and women’s exhibits.
The Kenneth Sandlin Center will be open Monday through Friday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
All Perishable exhibits ONLY will be accepted Saturday, July 19th from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Exhibit rule books are available at your local Post Office, Library, Chamber of Commerce, Liberty State Bank, DeKalb Community Bank or at www.dekalbcountyfair.us or www.dekalbtn.com.
Enjoy nightly entertainment at the Memory Lane Stage in Memory Village featuring Blue Grass music, LIVE bands, Karree Phillips, a Bassoon Concert, Southern Dreams Band, Al Mahan, Karaoke, Clogging and Square Dancing, Terri Lynn Weaver, Meet Elvis, Bluegrass Express Cloggers, Tae Kwon Do Demonstrations, Martial Arts Demonstration, Krystal Marie, Jubal’s Cry, Crossfire Band, the Country Giant Band, the DCHS Band, the Saturday Nite Two Step and more!
Every night is T-shirt night! Wear any DeKalb County Fair T-shirt from ANY YEAR and ask for your ticket to win great BONUS PRIZES during the $1,000 cash giveaway each night at 9:00 p.m. at the Lion’s Club Pavilion. Request tickets at the gate.
The following events are scheduled:
Monday, July 21st: National Anthem at 5:45 p.m. at the Lion’s Club Pavilion; T-Shirt Preview at 5:50 p.m. at the Lions Club Pavilion; Cattle Show at 6:00 p.m. at the grandstands ; Off-Road Challenge at the Hilltop Arena at 6:30 p.m.; Junior Fair Princess Pageant at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Fairest of the Fair Pageant at the Lions Club Pavilion. $1000 cash giveaway at 9:00 p.m. and announcement of DeKalb Idol winners at the Pavilion.
Tuesday, July 22nd: 4-H Lamb Cooking Demonstration; the Little Mr. and Miss Pageant at 6:00 p.m. followed by David Turner and Friends at the Lions Club Pavilion; Go-Cart Racing at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena; and a Horse Show at 7:00 p.m. at the Grandstand; $1000 cash giveaway at 9:00 p.m. and announcement of DeKalb Idol winners at the Pavilion.
Wednesday, July 23rd: Little Miss Princess Pageant at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Miss Sweetheart Pageant at the Lions Club Pavilion; Four Wheeler and Motorcycle Racing at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena; $1000 cash giveaway at 9:00 p.m. and announcement of DeKalb Idol winners at the Pavilion.
Thursday, July 24th: Senior Citizen Day activities at 9:00 a.m. at the Lions Club Pavilion; 4-H Chick Chain Show at 5:00 p.m. at the barn; Junior Goat Show at 6:00 p.m. at the barn; a Baby Show at 6:00 p.m. followed by a Vintage Fashion Show at the Lions Club Pavilion; and Lawn Mower Racing at 7:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena; $1000 cash giveaway at 9:00 p.m. and announcement of DeKalb Idol winners at the Pavilion.
Friday, July 25th: WSMV Channel 4 Snow Bird from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Toddler Show at 6:00 p.m. followed by Tennessee Top Model at the Lions Club Pavilion; an Antique Tractor Pull at 7:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena; and a Demolition Derby at 7:00 p.m. at the Grandstand; $1000 cash giveaway at 9:00 p.m. and announcement of DeKalb Idol winners at the Pavilion.
Saturday, July 26th: A Horse Shoe Tournament at 3:00 p.m. at the barn; and a Super Tractor and Truck Pull at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena: DeKalb Idol Final Competition at 6:00 p.m. at the Lions Club Pavilion followed by Gospel Singing; $1000 cash giveaway at 9:00 p.m.
One thousand dollars in cash will be given away each night, Monday through Saturday and you must be present to win. If no one presents the winning ticket within three minutes, the money will be saved and given away on Saturday night in increments of $1,000. Your fair admission ticket is your ticket for the cash drawing.
Rides on the Midway will be provided by the Family Attractions Amusement Company. Unlimited rides will be available each night for $16.00.
Admission to the fair is $3.00 per person. Children age four and younger will be admitted free! Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Parking is Free!
For more information, call 529-FAIR or visit on-line at www.dekalbcountyfair.us or www. dekalbtn.com.

The tenant at the Smithville Municipal Golf Course has given notice that he is giving up his lease with the city and will be out, as of August 8th.
In a letter to Mayor Taft Hendrixson dated July 8th, Jimmy Lewis states that “At this time with great regret, I have to terminate my lease with the City of Smithville. The Smithville Golf Club has been having trouble making a profit due to a number of reasons for some time. The most important concerns are the amount of the lease payments and the swimming pool.”
“I have tried for over a year to work with the City of Smithville to amend the current lease so I could make a go of the operation and save the City lots of time and worry with having to rebid the contract; but to no avail has this been worked out.”
“The Smithville Golf Club is in much better shape today than when I was awarded the contract some years ago. I am now giving my 30 days notice and I will be out on August 8th, 2008.”
Mayor Hendrixon said the city’s options are to either lease the golf course and pool to someone else or to hire someone to operate them.
Lewis originally had the golf course and swimming pool leased until 2012 at a rate of $2,500 per month. Under an amended agreement, Lewis was granted an extension of his lease through 2017 at the same rate of $2,500 per month, with a five year renewal option as a consideration for his commitment ” to expend the sum of one hundred thousand dollars in order to dig a second well, to install a sprinkler system for the fairways, and to purchase golf carts”. The monthly rate could have been renegotiated in 2017.
Last December, Mayor Hendrixson vetoed a city council vote to amend last year’s budget and spend $215,000 to purchase and install a sprinkler system at the golf course.
The aldermen failed to overide the veto on a 3 to 2 vote.
Had it been approved, the city would have spent $215,000 taking $88,000 from the golf course checking account and $127,000 from the general fund account to pay for the project.
In March, Mayor Hendrixson proposed that the lease be amended. Under the terms, Lewis would have continued operating the golf course through the year 2017, but he would have been relieved of his responsibility for operating the swimming pool. Hendrixson proposed cutting Lewis’ rent in half from $2,500 per month to $1,250 per month, but Lewis would have been responsible for all upkeep and maintenance of the golf course. Mayor Hendrixson further proposed that the swimming pool operation and maintenance be funded from the city’s recreation budget.
However City Attorney Vester Parsley, Jr. said these proposed changes were so significant that the lease, in his opinion, could not be amended. “I’ve looked over the lease agreement that you have with Jimmy Lewis that was entered into on March 22nd, 2006. Although it does have a provision for modifications, I don’t think it’s contemplated that we would make a major deviation from the current contract. Currently, Mr. Lewis is supposed to be paying $2,500 per month and there was discussion about reducing that in half and then also the (city) taking over the swimming pool which Mr. Lewis currently has to manage. My feeling is that because this is such a major deviation from the contract, the city would probably have to re-let that contract if they were going to do that and if Mr. Lewis opts to say he is going to terminate his agreement with the city then I think the city has no option other than re-letting and let others vie for that contract. You’re talking about a significant deviation from the contract. This contract goes through 2017 and there is no provision to have that big a deviation so I feel like that it would be ill advised for the city to deviate and make those major changes since other people may want to vie for that contract.”