DeKalb County Man Charged With Growing Marijuana

The discovery of several marijuana plants Friday led to the arrest of a DeKalb County man.
Captain Mark Collins of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department says 43 year old Ray Martin has been charged with cultivating and manufacturing marijuana.
Collins says on Friday afternoon he received an anonymous tip that marijuana plants were being grown in pots at 455 Parsley Road off Cookeville Highway. When he went to the scene to investigate, Captain Collins found 18 marijuana plants, 3 to 4 feet tall, in pots next to Martin’s residence.
Martin was placed under arrest. His bond is $3,500 and he will be in General Sessions Court on the charges August 17th

Woodbury Man Injured In Motorcycle Accident

A 41 year old Woodbury man was injured in a motorcycle accident Sunday morning on Highway 146 near the Cannon County line in DeKalb County.
Trooper Brian Raymond of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Gerald F. Suess of Valley Drive, Woodbury was riding a 2006 Honda Shadow north on the Short Mountain Highway when he went off the road, through a ditch, and struck a culvert. Suess, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown from the motorcycle.
He was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital where he was treated and released.

Dianna Fuson Carter

55 year old Dianna Fuson Carter of Smithville died Saturday at her residence. She was Director of Medical Records at DeKalb Community Hospital and a member of the Allen’s Chapel United Methodist Church. The funeral will be Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Burial will be in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Sunday from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.; Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.; and Tuesday until the time of the service at 11:00 a.m. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Carrie Graham Fuson; her husband, James Ronald Carter; a son, Dustin Carter; and a sister, Paulette Fuson Keith. Survivors include a daughter, Stephanie Fuson and a son, Wesley Carter both of Smithville. Two step-daughters, Rhonda Lucci of Smithville and Amy Wheeler of Lascassas. Five step grandchildren, Serena and Adrian Lucci of Smithville, Elizabeth, James, and Sarah Wheeler of Lascassas. Two sisters, Rita Fuson-Frazier of Hermitage and Cathy Fuson Frazier of Smithville. A brother-in-law, Bobby Keith of McMinnville. Two nieces, Dori Lee Keith Mooneyham and Claudette Frazier Lasser both of Smithville. Three nephews, Ronald Frazier of Nashville, Lane Keith of Florida, and Jamie Frazier of New Port. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

A Total of 2,079 Vote During Early Voting Period

A total of 2,079 people cast ballots during the early voting period of July 14th – 29th at the courthouse.
The DeKalb County Election Commission reports the following daily voting breakdown: Friday, July 14th -139, Saturday, July 15th -148, Monday, July 17th-84, Tuesday, July 18th- 131, Wednesday, July 19th- 145, Thursday, July 20th- 240, Friday, July 21st- 132, Saturday, July 22nd- 114, Monday, July 24th- 120, Tuesday, July 25th- 111, Wednesday, July 26th -120, Thursday, July 27th- 224, Friday, July 28th- 147, and Saturday, July 29th- 224. These numbers also include the mail ballots received.
The DeKalb County Election Commission reminds you that Thursday, August 3rd is election day.
Polling places at all sixteen precincts across the county will be open Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
WJLE will have exclusive LIVE election return coverage starting Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. at the courthouse. WJLE will also have regular updates throughout the night on www.wjle.com.

Shirley Mabe

68 year old Shirley Mabe of Alexandria died Friday night at her residence. She was the wife of William Mabe. The body is at Avant Funeral Home in Alexandria where arrangements are incomplete.

DeKalb Jobless Rate Jumps To 6.3% In June

The DeKalb County unemployment rate jumped from 5.4% in May to 6.3% in June.
The local labor force for June was 9,590. A total of 8,980 were employed and 610 were unemployed.
County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for June 2006, released today, show that all 95 counties increased. The increase in Tennessee’s county rates is largely due to the seasonal closing of schools, increasing the amount of unemployed students and workers into the labor market. Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June, which was released last week, was 5.6 percent, 0.2 percentage point higher than the May rate of 5.4 percent.
Williamson County registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate at 3.6 percent, up from 3.1 in May. Knox and Blount counties were the second lowest with 4.5 percent, up from the May rate of 3.8 percent. Lawrence County had the highest county rate at 12.5 percent, up from the May rate of 11.5.
Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate for the month of June at 4.5 percent, up from the May rate of 3.8 percent. Davidson County was the next lowest with 4.9 percent, up from 4.2 percent in May. The Hamilton County rate increased to 5.4 percent from 4.4 percent in May. Shelby was 6.9 percent in June, up from 5.6 percent in May.

Thurston Millard Cantrell

60 year old Thurston Millard Cantrell of Sparta died Thursday at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He was a DeKalb County native. The funeral will be Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the East Sparta Church of God. Jerry Barnwell will officiate and burial will be in the Oaklawn Cemetery. Visitation will be after 6:00 p.m. Saturday at the church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Otis Cantrell and Ola Rigsby Cantrell. Survivors include his wife, Linda Faye Lowery Cantrell of Sparta. A daughter and son-in-law, Christie and Billy Hammons of Rickman. A granddaughter, Hannah Hammons of Rickman. Twin brother, Willard Cantrell of Cookeville. Four sisters, Leta Snodgrass of Sparta, Alene Jones of McMinnville. Kathleen Cantrell of Nashville, and Lucille Smith of Smithville. Hunter Funeral Home in Sparta is in charge of the arrangements. This information provided as a courtesy of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home

Joe Thomas Harvey

89 year old Joe Thomas Harvey of Alexandria died Friday at UMC Hospital. He was a Wilson County native and a farmer. The funeral will be Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Liberty Hill Presbyterian Church where he was a member for 77 years and an Elder for 50 years. Tim Diffenderfer will officiate and burial will be in the Talley Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the funeral home and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the service at the church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Jefferson and Maude Gatton Harvey; a brother, Gilbert Harvey; an infant sister; and son-in-law, Eddie M. Crips. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Alene Adamson Harvey. Children, Mary Katherine and her husband Richard Matus, Margaret Doris and her husband Donnie Uselton, and Charlotte Elaine and her husband Ken Chapman all of Lebanon, James Tommy and his wife Miranda Harvey of Alexandria, and Brenda Gail Crips of Smithville. Grandchildren, Kendra and her husband David Erie of Lebanon, Shelley Lynn Lanius of Lebanon, Randall and his wife Tara Harvey of Mount Juliet, Kevin and his wife Angelia Harvey of Alexandria, Chad Harvey of Mount Juliet,and Ryan Crips and Jeff Crips both of Smithville. Great grandchildren, Andrea Chapman, Drew Erie, Kailey Harvey, and Wyatt Harvey. Sisters, Montie Lee Robinson and Mable Dunn Christian both of Alexandria. A sister-in-law, Willie Harvey. Anderson Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. The family requests that donations be made to the Liberty Hill Presbyterian Church or to the Talley Cemetery, in lieu of flowers.

Paul E. Howard

81 year old Paul E. Howard of Alexandria and formerly of Pocola, Oklahoma died Wednesday at his residence. He was a retired contractor and horseman. The funeral will be Friday at 2:00 p.m. at Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown. Don Mathis will officiate and burial will be in the Hillview Cemetery in Alexandria. Visitation will be Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. He was preceded in death by his parents, Len Howard and Mary Bolt Howard. Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Phyllis Stafford Howard of Alexandria. A son and daughter-in-law, Brandon and Debbie Howard of Watertown. Three daughters, Mary Frances and her husband Jim Evans of Lebanon, Sandy and her husband Henry Crawford of Jacksonville, Florida, and Ladonna McClendon of Orlando, Florida. Five grandchildren, Larry Paul Bowden, Brandy Lee Bowden, and Brady Len Bowden all of Lebanon, Richard Mistone of Watertown, and Kimberly Williams of Ohio. Two sisters, Ruby Nell Perkins of Pocola, Oklahoma and Mary Lee Williams of California. Special friends, Linda and Nick Mitchell, Debra Ray, and Dub and Debbie Prescott. Hunter Funeral Home in Watertown is in charge of the arrangements

FSA County Committee Nomination Deadline Approaching

Donny Green, County Executive Director for the DeKalb County Farm Service Agency, reminds DeKalb County farmers that the deadline to nominate candidates to serve on USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee is Tuesday, August 1.
?Our goal is to have as many eligible candidates nominated to serve on FSA county committees as possible, especially minorities and women,? said Mike Johanns, Secretary of Agriculture.
Committees apply their judgment and knowledge to make decisions on county commodity price-support loan eligibility, establishment of allotments and yields, conservation programs, disaster programs, employment and other farm program-related issues.
Nominees must reside in Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 1 which generally covers the central belt of DeKalb County including Blue Springs, New Home, city of Smithville, Holmes Creek, Allen?s Chapel, Cookeville Hwy., Cherry Hill, and portions of Dale Ridge communities. Individuals may nominate themselves, or others, as a candidate. In addition, eligible candidates can be nominated by community-based and other organizations in the county where the election is being held before the close of the nomination period, especially groups representing socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. Nominations and elections are open to all eligible candidates and voters without regard to race, color, religion, nation origin, age, sex, marital status or disability. The nomination form (FSA-669A) is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/publications/elections.
Producers should keep in mind several important dates regarding the upcoming county committee elections. Producers can request, fill out and submit nomination forms up to August 1. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters by November 3. The deadline to return ballots is December 4.Elected committee members and alternates take office on January 1, 2007.
For more information about FSA county committees, visit the DeKalb County USDA Service Center or call 615-597-8225, extension 2.