Adventure awaits at the 7th annual Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour set for Saturday, October 28th, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, and Sunday, October 29th, Noon – 5:00 pm.
Ten different home studios in DeKalb and Cannon County will host over 20 award-winning artists who look forward to sharing with visitors their creative skills in glass, paper, wood, clay, fibers, cement and copper. Along with various unique forms of clay and glass design, the tour features the expertise of artists in sculpture, wood furniture, quilting, paper, and fiber art.
The Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour is nestled along a beautiful meandering drive through rural middle Tennessee at the peak of the fall season. This annual free event is offered by artists who genuinely care about their art, and who desire to open their private studios to educate and visit with all those interested in how fine art is created. Live demonstrations will be given throughout the tour at most of the studios.
Featured artists include: Tim Hintz, ladder-back chairs, winner of the 2005 Best of Tennessee Exhibition at the Tennessee State Museum; Susan DeMay, clay, associate professor at Vanderbilt University; Timothy Weber, clay, former director of Visual Arts, Craft and Media for the Tennessee Arts Commission; Louis and Christine Colombarini, clay, 2005 winner of the national Niche Award from the Rosen Group at the Philadelphia Buyer’s Market of American Craft and featured artists in American Style and Sunshine Artist magazines; Claudia Lee, paper, past president of TACA and a member of the Book Babes who will also be part of the tour; Tom Fuhrman, glass, whose works include a permanent glass installation at the Frist Center for Visual Arts; Ken and Dee Vanek, cement and copper, 2005 award winners at the Dave Macon Days Festival in Murfreesboro and the Webb School Art and Craft Show; William Kooienga, wood sculpture, featured artist in American Style and Crafts Report magazines; award-winning artist Arlene Knaak, clay; the innovative Meredith Novak, quilting; popular craftsman Rob Harvey, clay; Sharon Kooienga, weaving, featured artist in American Style and Crafts Report magazines; award-winning artist Sherri Gilbert Gard, clay; creative and talented Nancy Wunsch, glass jewelry and fiber art; Teresa Swystun, glass; and innovative Ed Wooten, lamp working and glass. New to the tour this year are: T. J. Edwards, clay; Breanna Rockstad-Kincaid, fibers art; and John Sellberg, clay.
This year’s major tour sponsor, Lifeworks Foundation, will host a hospitality center throughout the weekend at the Healing Stones Sanctuary off Lee Braswell Road in Smithville. The restored cabin will feature a collective Off the Beaten Path artists’ display. Light refreshments will be served. Also on display at the center will be the Lifeworks Foundation Empty Bowls collection, featuring vessels created by Tennessee craft artists in support of the Empty Bowls hunger project.
Brochures and maps are available at all the studios, Stella Luna Art Gallery, the Appalachian Center for Craft, and the Arts Center of Cannon County. For more information, visit www.smithvilletn.com, email obp@smithvilletn.com, or call Tim Hintz, (615) 597-8770.
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The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department arrested two people Sunday night charging them with burglarizing a vacant home on the Cookeville Highway a total of nine times, where a house full of furniture and antiques were stored.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 54 year old William Arendall and 48 year old Sherry Cook , both of Sparta Highway (Lake Motel) have each been charged with nine counts of burglary and theft of property.
Cook was also charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and a seventh offense of driving on a suspended license. Cook allegedly had a loaded needle in her possession at the time of her arrest.
Sheriff Ray says the investigation reveals that the burglaries took place on nine separate occasions between October 8th and 15th.
Entry was made through a back window on each occasion and several truck loads of antiques, furniture, quilts, pictures, dishes, and other items were stolen from the home, totaling more than $10,000.
Some of the stolen goods were sold to an antique dealer in Sparta, and those items have been recovered.
Bond for Arendall is set at $675,000 and $686,000 for Cook.
Meanwhile, A 19 year old Liberty man, Johnathan Rice, has been charged with theft of property, accused of stealing jewelry from K & M Jewelry in Smithville on August 15th.
Sheriff Ray says Rice entered the store that day and apparently swiped a diamond ring, gold necklaces, and bracelets, unbeknownst to the store clerks.
During an interview with officers, Ray says Rice admitted to stealing the jewelry. Rice claims he asked the store clerks if he could use the restroom and while in there, he apparently put the jewelry in his pants and walked out.
After discovering the jewelry missing, the store clerks contacted authorities.
Rice was arrested October 14th and his bond is set at $15,000. He will be in court on the charge, November 2nd.

The DeKalb County Fighting Tiger Band traveled to Centerville Tennessee for the Hickman County Marching Invitational this weekend with good results.
The band placed 2nd with an average band score of 82.333, just behind Waverly Central High School’s 83.333. The Field Commander, Dustin Estes, and Percussion section also placed 2nd behind Waverly. The Color Guard took 2nd behind Stewart County High School. “All of the sections seemed to have improved last week. I’m very proud of these students. Fall Break had already started and they still managed to keep their head in the game for this competition. We’ll be taking this week off and letting the band and their director take a much needed rest” Band director Chuck Gilbert said with a smile. “We’ll pick our normal practice schedule back up on Monday October 23rd to prepare for the Smoky Mountain Invitational and Division II State Finals”.
The Band and Boosters would like to thank Mapco Express, General Equipment in McMinnville, DeKalb Market and the whole community for being behind the band and supporting with Ice, Water, Sideline Equipment and just general support. Booster President Kennie Barnes said “without the support of the community, the band would not exist. These kids work hard and we’re here to support them 110%. The Community has always been there to support and for that we say thank you”. The Boosters would also like to thank DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray and the Smithville Police Department for the escorts into town Saturday. Barnes said “We want to show the whole town what a great group of kids that we have and our law enforcement officials helped us do that on Saturday. It was much appreciated and the kids seemed to have loved it”.
The DCHS High School Band Boosters will be hosting a Ham Breakfast and Yard Sale Saturday October 21st at the High School Cafeteria and Parking Lot. Breakfast will be served at 5am and will include Ham, Eggs, Taters, Gravy, Biscuit, Milk Juice and More. The Price for the Breakfast is just $5. For advance orders call Band Booster President, Kennie Barnes at 597-0572 or for call-ins that day, call the Band Room at 597-7213. We’ll even deliver with-in the city limits. The Boosters are raising money to help pay for the new uniforms and any help would be greatly appreciated.
The DCHS Band Booster’s next monthly meeting will be Monday November 6th at 6pm in the Band Room. If you are a parent of a DeKalb County Band Student or a supporter of the Band Program please attend this meeting. The Super-Boosters meet on the first Monday of every month. We’re always discussing upcoming fundraisers and events. Come on out and support these students, they’re really working hard. For more info on the band, their fundraisers and schedule, log on to www.DekalbBand.com

The DeKalb County Board of Education formally adopted the school calendar for the 2007-2008 year Thursday night.
Registration for all students will be Monday, August 6th from 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. That will be an abbreviated school day.
Tuesday, August 7 will be an administrative day at all schools and all teachers must attend from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Students will not attend.
The first full day of school for all students will be Wednesday, August 8
A system wide professional development day will be Wednesday, August 1 at DCHS and all teachers from all schools must attend from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
All teachers will report to their individual schools Thursday and Friday, August 2 & 3 from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each day.
Students will not attend on Monday, Labor Day, September 3rd.
Schools will be closed for the fall break October 12-19
Students will be off for the Thanksgiving holiday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, November 21, 22, & 23 and for the winter break December 20 through January 2, 2008. Wednesday, December 19 will be the last day students attend before winter break and that will be an abbreviated school day. Students will return after the holidays on Thursday, January 3rd to begin the third nine week session.
Schools will be closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 21 and for President’s Day, Monday, February 18.
The spring break will be March 21st through 28th
Students will not attend on Thursday, May 22. That will be an administrative day and all teachers must attend.. The last day of school will be Friday, May 23. That will be an abbreviated school day and report cards will be given to the students.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, October 9 and Thursday, March 13 at DeKalb County High School from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will also be held from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Thursday, October 11 and Thursday, January 31st at DeKalb Middle School, Northside Elementary, Smithville Elementary, and DeKalb West School.
Report cards will be sent home on Thursday, October 4th, Monday, January 7th, and Monday, March 10th.
Competency testing at DCHS will be October 9-11 and February 12-14.
Gateway testing at DCHS will be December 4-6 and May 6-8. Gateway test makeup will be December 7th.
Writing Assessment for the 5th, 8th, and 11th grades will be February 5th. Writing Assessment make-up will be February 6th.
TCAP testing of elementary students will be April 14-18.
(Stockpile Days) Professional Development/Instructional Days will be held from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 5th; Friday, April 25th; and Friday, May 9th.
Board member Charlie Robinson, who is also a member of the Tennessee School Board Association’s (TSBA) Board of Directors, presented the local board and Supervisor of Federal Programs Michelle Burklow an award for the recent “Education Celebration.”
The TSBA offers awards for Excellence in Education Programs that are designed to provide creative ways to enhance learning for students.
Robinson said the “Education Celebration,”held August 4, “allowed students to collect various school supplies appropriate to their grade level and provided parents the opportunity to meet with school administrators and teachers to begin a year-long partnership to promote student success.”
“Education Celebration was a means for DeKalb County Schools to take a leadership role in reinforcing and improving relationships among parents, teachers, students and the community. This program involved business partners, local churches, the Director of Schools, school board
members and various community volunteers.”
Robinson personally thanked Burklow, who headed up the project, saying “I am privileged to present TSBA’s Award for Excellence in Education Programs to the DeKalb County Board of Education and to the people of DeKalb County.”
In other business, Director of Schools Mark Willoughby presented his monthly written personnel report to the board.
Those added to the approved substitute teacher’s list include Carolyn Allen, Lisa Bowman, Christina Bowley, Amanda Carlton, Lorrie Evans, Kelly Frazier, Robbie Joan Frazier, Shelly Gibson, Dustin Hendrix, Joyce K. Hendrixson, Brenda Henry, Amy Johansen, Melinda J. League, Tracie Meadows, DeAnn Birdsong-Merrell, Angela Hedge Miller, Todd Miller, Sonya Parsley, and Jeanni L. Watson.
Tommy Darryl Davenport was added to the substitute bus driver list.
Those who have resigned include Beverly Starnes, cafeteria worker; Edith Lasser, Physical Therapy Assistant; and Phyllis Reed, Education Assistant at Smithville Elementary.
Ashley Barnes, Guidance Counselor at DeKalb Middle School, was granted a leave as requested.
Rita Young was transferred to the position of Attendance Clerk at Northside Elementary School and Smithville Elementary School.

An investigation into the trafficking of cocaine has led to the arrest of two young women.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 25 year old Amanda Hicks and 20 year old Tasha Nicole Bain were arrested during a traffic stop late Tuesday night and charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance (cocaine) with intent to sell or deliver. Hicks is also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia (scales) and possession of a schedule II controlled substance (hydrocodone).
Sheriff Ray says officers pulled over a Toyota Camry on South College Street in Smithville and found the women in possession of 16 grams of cocaine and hydrocodone tablets.
Officers seized some cash and impounded the vehicle.
Bond for Hicks is $54,000 and $25,000 for Bain.
They will appear in General Sessions Court October 26th.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department was assisted at the scene by officers of the Smithville Police Department.

Three people were arrested by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday, October 4th, following break-ins at two homes that day, one on Ferrell Road and the other on New Home Road.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 22 year old Carrie Young of Lonnie Cantrell Road, 28 year old James Freddy Summers of Toad Road, and 25 year old Randy Caldwell of Sparta are each charged with two counts of theft over $1,000 and two counts of aggravated burglary.
The three are charged with breaking into both homes and taking a computer, guns, a DVD player, DVD’s, jewelry, and other items.
Sheriff Ray says the three were arrested about four hours following the second break-in after their vehicle was spotted parked at Mapco Express.
Some of the stolen goods were found in the vehicle.
The defendants will appear in General Sessions Court October 26th.

One person was injured in a bizarre traffic accident around 9:23 a.m. Monday morning on Highway 70 east.
Trooper Allen England of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 41 year old Timothy Pedigo of Smithville was traveling west in a 2001 Chevrolet pickup truck, when a ladder strapped to the truck bed, came loose and crashed into the windshield of an east bound 1992 Jeep Cherokee, driven by 43 year old Dana Heath Wilson of Sparta.
Wilson was transported by DeKalb EMS to White County Hospital, where he was treated and released.
Pedigo was not injured

A 66 year old woman was seriously injured in a three vehicle traffic accident Friday afternoon on South Congress Boulevard in front of Jewel’s Market.
Darlene Summers of Midway Road, Smithville was airlifted from the scene by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
Another woman, 27 year old Tanya A. Wood of Joe Tittsworth Road, Smithville was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital where she was treated and released.
Thomas J. Stufano, Executive Officer for the Smithville Police Department, in a prepared news release, states that ” At approximately 3:39 p.m., officers from the Smithville Police and Fire Departments and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office responded to a three vehicle auto accident in the 1200 block of South Congress Boulevard (State Highway 56). Upon arrival, officers found that two vehicles had collided causing major damage with one vehicle then leaving the roadway and striking a third parked vehicle.”
“A followup investigation revealed that Summers was traveling north on Highway 56 in her 1994 Ford car, attempting to turn left into the parking lot of Dogwood Plaza, when she collided with Wood, who was driving a 1997 Mercury car southbound. Due to the severe impact, Wood’s vehicle left the roadway, going down a drainage embankment, crashing through a sign, and then colliding with a parked 1990 Chevy truck, owned by 56 Mini Storage.”
“Ms. Summers had received life threatening injuries but was immediately attended to by Nurse/EMT Gretchen E. Jones of McMinnville who had been driving northbound on State Highway 56 just after the accident occurred. Due to the extent of Ms. Summers serious injuries, she was flown by helicopter to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga and is listed in serious condition. Ms. Wood was taken to DeKalb Community Hospital and was treated and released.”
“Traffic was stopped in both directions for approximately 45 minutes so that emergency personnel could attend to the accident scene.”
“The case is still pending investigation by Sergeant Steven Leffew of the Smithville Police Department.”

School spirit was on display Friday afternoon as students from DeKalb County High School celebrated the last day of Homecoming Week with a parade from the school to downtown.
The Tiger football team’s homecoming opponent Friday night is the Upperman Bees and each float in the parade had a Tiger versus Bees theme.
The parade featured the Homecoming Queen and her court, the DCHS Fighting Tiger Band, county and city law enforcement officers and fire fighters, DeKalb EMS, and State Senator Mae Beavers, among others.
The Sophomore Class took first place with their float called “Tigers Exterminate the Bees” The float depicted a huge can of bee spray, a large Tiger paw pressing the spray button, and a large stuffed bee dying from the spray.
The Senior Class won second place with their float called “Tigers Hurl the Bees”. This float had a large stuffed Tiger throwing bees through the goal post, hitting a bee hive.
Third place went to the FCCLA Club for their float entry called “Tigers Smoke out the Bees”. This float had an old time black cook stove with smoke coming out, a bee hive, and a Tiger cooking the bees with dead bees lying around.
The Junior Class took fourth place with their float called “DeKalb Tigers Swat Down the Bees. The float depicted a large stuffed bee being swatted by a giant fly swatter, held by a Tiger standing near the bee hive.
The Freshman Class received fifth place with their float called “Rock on Tigers, Beat the Bees” The float featured a LIVE Rock Band with lots of balloons.
Winners of the best decorated vehicles in the parade were: First place- Keshia Byford; Second place- Kelsey Foutch; and Third place- Katie Herman.
Winners of the best decorated classroom doors at DCHS were: First place- Amanda Brown; Second place- Donna Emmons; and Third place- Marie Hill (library)
Winners of the best decorated business category were: First place- Shamrock; Second place- The law office of Sue Puckett-Jernigan; Third place- Region’s Bank; and Fourth place-Atnip Chiropractic Clinic.

A $101,015 U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant will enable the DeKalb County Fire Department to purchase personal protection equipment, U.S. Representative Bart Gordon announced today (Friday).
The grant is funded 95% federal, $95,965, and 5% local, $5,050.
“Many communites struggle to maintain fire-protection services,” said Gordon, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “Even though demands on firefighters have increased tremendously over the years, the resources they depend on to provide their life-saving services have not.
“That’s why Congress initiated the Assistance to Firefighters Program, which is similar to the highly successful COPS program that put more than 100,000 new police officers on the nation’s streets.”
Chief Donny Green said the funds would be used to purchase personal protection equipment such as fire fighting protection clothing and spare air cylinders for breathing apparatuses, and laundry equipment to clean the clothing of blood-borne pathogens, keeping them maintained and allowing them to last longer.
“This is equipment we would not have been able to purchase without federal assistance,” Green said. We’re able to protect not only the community, but our firefighters, as well.”
Homeland Security awarded the grant through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, created by Congress to help underfunded fire departments better serve community residents. In addition to funding operations and firefighter safety programs, the grants can also be used to purchase firefighting vehicles.
“Countless lives and properties have been saved through the valiant efforts of firefighters and rescue squad members, “Gordon said. “This program is a much-needed opportunity for local fire departments to strengthen their resources and capabilities.”