DeKalb County Sheriff Lloyd Emmons is among twenty six persons who have applied for Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety.
The Tennessean is reporting Thursday that Interim Safety Commissioner Gerald Nicely is in the process of interviewing candidates to replace him atop the state Safety Department, which includes the THP and the state office that issues driver’s licenses.
Governor Phil Bredesen last week said “I want a real commitment to professionalism. I want somebody that I really believe is not just saying the words but I really believe is intent on creating a first-class, modern, professional Highway Patrol and all the stuff that that implies ? getting politics and all that kind of nonsense out of it.”
Bredesen says if the interviews go well, a new commissioner could be in place by next month, but if he doesn’t find the right person among these candidates, the process could take longer.
Nicely says the next commissioner will be tasked with seeing through changes in the department, which include a revamped professional standards division and the naming of several top command staff positions to be added after July 1.
The new commissioner will have to restore credibility to the agency and continue to get it back on track since its implosion in December. The top three officials stepped down amid scandal then, and Bredesen brought in Nicely from his regular job ? state transportation commissioner ? on a temporary basis.
Sheriff Emmons, former Tennessee Highway Patrolman and Lieutenant, left the patrol in 2002 to serve as DeKalb County’s sheriff, but he lost the May primary this year and will be leaving office in September.

A 21 year old Smithville man is facing charges after being caught by police near the scene of a burglary on Luttrell Avenue early Wednesday morning.
Smithville Police Chief Gus Clemente says 21 year old Joshua Lynn McCowan of 434 Morgan Drive is charged with public intoxication, resisting arrest, possession of burglary tools, possession of a schedule IV controlled substance, and unlawful carrying of a weapon. He is also charged with burglary, theft of property valued at over $500, and theft of property valued at under $500.
Sergeant Steve Deffendoll and patrolman William Elliott were dispatched to 809 Luttrell Avenue around 1:04 a.m. Wednesday morning on a prowler call.
Officer Elliott’s report states that “Upon arrival, I saw one suspect between two houses. When instructed to stop, the suspect began to run. I chased the suspect behind the house where I then saw a second suspect lying on the ground. Both suspects ran between the houses and split up. I followed McCowan on a foot pursuit in between houses. McCowan ran across a porch and then around the corner of a house. As I came around the corner, I saw the suspect lying behind a bush. I instructed him to lie on his belly and outstretch his hands. I notified Sergeant Deffendoll. When he arrived I took the suspect into custody and called the county sheriff’s department to transport him to jail.”
A search was conducted in the neighborhood for a second suspect but no one else could be found
Police say McCowan had in his pocket, a knife exceeding four inches and an unlabeled bottle containing three blue pills believed to be xanax.
Officers also recovered a flashlight, tape, box cutters, screwdriver, and other tools consistent with items often used in committing a burglary.
A camouflaged duffle bag was also recovered containing a stereo cd player and tools.
Police say McCowan, upon his arrest, had a strong odor of alcohol on his person, and his speech was slurred.
Detective Sergeant Chris Russell, later Wednesday morning, spoke with a resident at 800 Luttrell Avenue who reported to police that his 1989 Chevrolet work truck had been burglarized. Entry was made by prying open the rear glass of the truck.
Russell, Thursday afternoon, said he had charged McCowan with theft over $500, theft under $500, and burglary resulting from an investigation into two vehicle burglaries which occurred during the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 21st. The thefts occurred on Luttrell Avenue And Anthony Avenue.
Detective Sergeant Russell says McCowan was arrested around 1:00 a.m. on June 21st by Sergeant Deffendoll and Officer Elliot on Luttrell Avenue after the officers saw McCowan and another male walking on Luttrell. When the officers attempted to talk to the subjects they fled on foot. McCowan was apprehended within a few minutes. McCowan had in his possession at the time of his arrest a camouflage cooler which had been reported stolen from the vehicle on Anthony Avenue. McCowan is scheduled to appear in General Sessions Court on July 20. His bond is set at $50,000.

The 150th DeKalb County Fair in Alexandria will be held July 24th through July 29th.
The theme of this year’s fair is “Spotlighting 150 years of Memories”
The following events are scheduled:
Monday, July 24th: Junior Fair Princess Pageant at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Fairest of the Fair Pageant at the Lions Club Pavilion.
Tuesday, July 25th: Little Mr. and Miss Pageant at 6:00 p.m. at the Lions Club Pavilion; Go-Cart Racing at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena; and a Horse Show at 7:00 p.m. at the Grandstand.
Wednesday, July 26th: Little Miss Princess Pageant at 6:00 p.m. followed by the Miss Sweetheart Pageant at the Lions Club Pavilion; a Cattle Show at 6:00 p.m. at the Grandstand; and Four Wheeler and Motorcycle Racing at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena.
Thursday, July 27th: Senior Citizen Day activities at 9:00 a.m. at the Lions Club Pavilion; 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.
Friday, July 28th: Toddler Show at 6:00 p.m. followed by Gospel Singing at the Lions Club Pavilion; an Antique Tractor Pull at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena; and a Demolition Derby at 7:00 p.m. at the Grandstand.
Saturday, July 29th: a Horse Shoe Tournament at 3:00 p.m. at the barn; a performance by the DeKalb County High School Band at 5:00 p.m.; Karaoke and Games at 5:30 p.m. at the Lions Club Pavilion; Live Band and Dancing at 8:30 p.m. at the pavilion; and a Super Tractor and Truck Pull at 6:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Arena.
Music in celebration of the decades will be featured each night around 5:45 p.m. and there will be a $1,000 cash give away each night at 9:00 p.m. at the Lions Club Pavilion. You must be present to win. Any unclaimed money during the week will be given away on Saturday night.
WSMV Channel 4’s Snow Bird will be at the fair on Tuesday, July 25 from 5-7 p.m.
Rides on the Midway will be provided by the Family Attractions Amusement Company. Unlimited rides will be available each night for $14.00.
The fair will feature lots of delicious foods and many commercial, agricultural, and women’s exhibits.
Admission to the fair is $3.00 per person. Children under age six 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!
All non-perishable exhibit items must be brought to the fairgrounds on Saturday, July 15 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and all perishable exhibit items must be brought to the fairgrounds on Saturday, July 22 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Premium (Exhibit) books containing detailed information on entering items in the fair are available at the Smithville and Alexandria libraries; DeKalb Community Bank; Liberty State Bank; Regions Bank; and at the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce.
For more information, call 529-FAIR or visit on-line at www.dekalbcountyfair.us or dekalbtn.com.

Taft Hendrixson has been elected Mayor of Smithville.
Hendrixson defeated challenger Jerry Hutchins’, Sr. in Tuesday’s Municipal Election 365 votes (55%) to 301 votes (45%)
Incumbent Smithville Mayor Cecil Burger, who has served sixteen years as the city’s chief executive, decided not to seek re-election this year, opting instead to run for alderman.
Both Burger and Incumbent Alderman Stephen White were elected to the city council.
White led the ticket with 380 votes (34%) while Burger received 350 votes (31%).
Incumbent Alderman Jackie Rigsby, who is serving an unexpired term, lost his bid for election coming in third place with 322 votes (29%) and Alford Webber received 68 votes (6%).
A total of 696 people voted in the city election, including 425 early voters and 271 on election day. There are almost 3,100 registered city voters.
The vote in the mayor’s race breaks down as follows:
Taft Hendrixson: Early Voting- 199, Absentees- 16, and Election Day- 150.
Jerry Hutchins. Sr.: Early Voting- 182, Absentees- 10, and Election Day- 109
The vote in the aldermen race breaks down as follows:
Stephen White- Early Voting- 207, Absentees- 13, Election Day- 160
Cecil Burger- Early Voting- 210, Absentees- 17, Election Day- 123
Jackie R. Rigsby- Early Voting- 184, Absentees- 9, Election Day- 129
Alford H. Webber- Early Voting- 34, Absentees-3, Election Day- 31
The new make up of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen will be as follows:
Mayor Taft Hendrixson and Aldermen Stephen White, Cecil Burger, Aaron Meeks, W.J. (Dub) White, and Paul Young.
Each term is for two years.
The newly elected mayor and aldermen will be sworn into office to begin their new terms during a special meeting on Saturday, July 1st at 8:00 a.m. at city hall

USDA Rural Development State Director Mary “Ruth” Tackett today announced $3,000,000 in funding for the Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District to complete a new 33 mile transmission line improving service throughout the utility’s 20 county service area. The ceremony was held at the Middle Tennessee Gas training center in Smithville.
“Adequate public infrastructure is an important factor in providing a good quality of life and in making our communities attractive and well prepared to take full advantage of new economic opportunities,” said Tackett. “Middle Tennessee Gas has done a great job building partnerships with local leaders across their service area and by planning for the future in this way, they are helping to ensure this will remain a great place for families and businesses.”
This Rural Development community facilities loan will be used to complete 33 miles of gas lines from Woodbury in Cannon County to Rock Island in Warren County. This extension will upgrade the entire system and provide the Middle Tennessee Gas with an additional source of natural gas, which is beneficial in times when alternative transmission lines are interrupted and helps improve the utility’s access to competitively priced natural gas supplies. Rural Development also provided funding for phase one of this project through a $3,000,000 community facilities loan in 2003.
“A community’s quality of life depends directly on its utilities,” Congressman Bart Gordon said in a statement. “Improvement projects like this one are necessary to keep pace with Middle Tennessee’s growing population. By upgrading our infrastructure, we ensure residents maintain an enviable quality of life.”
The gas line extension is funded through Rural Development’s community facilities program which provides communities with the financial resources needed to construct or improve essential services. Education, Healthcare, retirement, and civic centers, along with local government buildings for police and fire protection are examples of projects typically funded through this program. Community facilities grants target rural areas with a population less than 20,000.
“This important Rock Island project has been greatly aided by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Loan Program, and we appreciate the cooperation and support that State Director, Ruth Tackett and the entire Cookeville Rural Development staff provided, ” said Les Enoch, Chief Executive Officer for Middle Tennessee Utility District.
In his remarks during the presentation, Enoch said “Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District is a Municipal Corporation established in 1955 to serve the energy needs of Middle Tennessee. In keeping with its mission, the District has continued to expand the distribution system where it has been financially feasible to provide quality natural gas service at competitive rates in a safe, environmentally clean and efficient manner. The District has made substantial progress during its more than 50 year history. It has expanded to 3,100 miles of distribution line and presently serves 53,000 customers located in more than 120 communities in all or portions of 20 counties.”
“As a part of the District’s ongoing planning process ‘Focus on the Future’, it was determined in the late 1990’s that additional sources of natural gas supply were required to meet the needs of its growing residential, commercial, and industrial energy market area. In 2000, the District began installing a 12 inch steel pipe from a new Interstate pipeline tap in Gladeville (Wilson County) toward Rock Island (Warren County), where it will serve as a new source of supply for the District’s customers. As this project developed, the pipepline has been interconnected to the District’s existing distribution systems in Watertown, Woodbury, McMinnville, Centertown, and Smithville, and 54.5 miles of 12-inch steel pipe have already been installed and in service. Previously, Rural Development provided a $3 million loan for the Cannon County Phase of the project. The final construction phase of this project extends the pipeline an additional 14.5 miles from western Warren County to a previously completed interconnect in Rock Island and Rural Development has again agreed to help bring this project to a successful conclusion.”
“When the final phase of the Rock Island Project is completed, it will allow the District to meet the growth needs of all counties in the District’s Middle Tennessee service area for many years into the future; it will lower costs for the District’s customers by diversifying sources of both gas supply and Interstate pipeline capacity; it will improve both the integrity and security of the District’s overall distribution system; and it will encourage economic development in this rural area of Tennessee.”
Other participants in the ceremonial check presentation included Senator Lamar Alexander’s Field Representative Brent Wiles, Congressman Bart Gordon’s Field Representative Billy Smith, and DeKalb County Mayor Mike Foster.
USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities in Tennessee by providing financial and technical assistance through housing, community, and business-cooperative programs. Rural Development assisted 459,219 Tennessee families and businesses with more than $257 million in financial assistance in Fiscal Year 2005. For more information on home ownership or business development programs, contact USDA Tennessee Rural Development toll free at 1-800-342-3149 extension 1493 or visit online at www.rurdev.usda.gov/tn

Five people were involved in a two vehicle traffic accident around 2:50 p.m. Saturday afternoon on Highway 70 east just west of Sligo Bridge. Two of them were seriously injured.
Sergeant Billy Prater of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 27 year old Bill D. Cannon of Little Brook Road, Cookeville was east on Highway 70 in a 2003 Dodge Neon when he crossed into the westbound lane while negotiating a curve and struck head-on a westbound 1998 Olds Bravada, driven by 49 year old Marvin T. Waggoner of Banks Pisgah Road, Smithville.
Cannon and a passenger of his car, 22 year old Janelle Frazier of Luna Road, Sparta were seriously injured and airlifted from near the scene by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. Frazier’s brother, 14 year old Chris Frazier, also of Luna Road Sparta, was slightly injured and taken by a private vehicle to DeKalb Hospital. He was also a passenger of Cannon’s car.
Waggoner and a passenger of his vehicle, 49 year old Charlotte Henry of Banks Pisgah Road, Smithville, were slightly injured and taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Hospital.
Sergeant Prater says the accident remains under investigation and there could be charges in the case.
In addition to Sergeant Prater, DeKalb EMS, and the Life Force Helicopter ambulance, others on the scene providing assistance were members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department, who provided extrication to get Cannon out of his vehicle; officers of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department; and members of the Johnson’s Chapel and Midway Stations of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department.
Traffic was backed up for a while during the crash investigation.

A 28 year old man was seriously injured in a Sunday morning crash around 6:46 a.m. on East Broad Street in Smithville.
Lieutenant Richard Jennings of the Smithville Police Department says David Gene Satterfield of Tracy City, but who is believed to reside in Smithville, was traveling west on East Broad Street in a 1991 Chevy S-10 pickup truck when he crossed into the eastbound lane, went off the highway, struck a curb, overturned, and clipped a utility pole. The truck came to rest upright in the parking lot of Disco Tienda Latina.
The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department was called to the scene to extricate Satterfield from the truck.
He was taken by DeKalb EMS to meet a Life Force Helicopter Ambulance which landed near the scene.
Satterfield was then airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.

Following the Internal Revenue Service’s
announcement to stop collecting the federal excise tax on long distance
phone calls, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon is urging congressional leaders to take
up legislation that would eliminate the excise tax from all calls.
Last month, the IRS announced it would no longer collect the 3
percent tax on long distance phone calls.
“The federal telecommunications excise tax was originally
enacted to pay for the Spanish-American War,” said Gordon. “This tax
certainly has outlived its original purpose, and the time to permanently
repeal it is long overdue.
“The IRS did the right thing by eliminating the tax on long
distance phone services. Now, Congress needs to take the next step and
eliminate the tax from local phone bills as well.”
The tax first was levied in 1898 as a luxury tax for wealthy
Americans who could afford telephones. Since then, the tax has been
repealed and reinstated numerous times and became permanent in 1990.
Today (June 16), Gordon joined a bipartisan group of his
colleagues in sending a letter to the Speaker of the U.S. House of
Representatives expressing support for the Telephone Excise Tax Repeal Act
of 2005.
Gordon is a co-sponsor of the legislation, which would repeal the federal
excise tax on all calls.
“With more telephones than people in the United States today,
the (federal excise tax) now represents the polar opposite of a luxury tax,
and merely serves to raise prices for consumers,” wrote the House members.
Taxpayers will be able to file for refunds on their 2006 tax
returns for any long distance excise tax paid after February 28, 2003. More
information is available on www.irs.gov .

If you plan to visit the Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree and Crafts Festival Friday and Saturday, June 30th and July 1st, please leave your pets at home.
The City of Smithville has an ordinance that prohibits most animals in the downtown area during the Fiddler’s Jamboree.
The ordinance states that “Whereas, the City of Smithville has received complaints in past years from people concerned about their safety and well being due to the presence of certain types of dogs, animals, and reptiles at the annual Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree, and
Whereas, on occasion, even animals restrained by a leash have been known to cause harm to individuals and instill fear for those attending the Jamboree, and
Whereas, the City desires to keep visitors to the Jamboree safe and free of fear of such animals,
Now, therefore be it ordained by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the City of Smithville that
All types of pets including dogs, cats, reptiles, and other such animals shall be strictly and expressly prohibited on the city streets within the boundaries of the Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree during the period of the annual event, with the exception of dogs for the visually impaired, disabled and police and military dogs that are being used for official business during the Jamboree.
Each violation of this ordinance shall be punishable by a minimum fine of ten dollars per occurrence.
A brochure distributed by the Fiddler’s Jamboree Committee states that the festival allows no pets, no alcoholic beverages, no fireworks, no roller blades, or no bicycles.

A 70 year old White County man was seriously injured in a one vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon on Highway 70 east.
Trooper Allen England of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says William M. Johnson of Roberts Matthews Highway, Sparta was traveling east on U.S. 70 in a 2002 Chevy Trail Blazer when he exited the roadway on the south side, struck a sign and mailbox, then went airborne, and came to rest some twenty feet below the roadway in a ravine.
Johnson was airlifted from the scene by a Life Force Helicopter Ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
The accident occurred around 1:58 p.m. at 2512 Sparta Highway in DeKalb County.
Trooper England says Johnson was not wearing a seat belt.