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.

An elderly DeKalb County died in an all terrain vehicle accident on his farm in the Alexandria-Temperance Hall area Tuesday.
The body of 79 year old Billy Joe Corley of Lower Helton Road, Alexandria was discovered early Wednesday morning.
Detective Charles Griffith of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department says Corley left his house on a three wheeler to check on a cow Tuesday afternoon and when he didn’t return family members became concerned and began looking for him.
Authorities were later notified and Griffith says people on foot, on four wheelers, in four wheel drive trucks, and by other means took part in the search including family, friends, neighbors, members of the DeKalb County Rescue Squad, Sheriff’s Department, volunteer firefighters, and others. An aerial spotlight search by helicopter was also planned but was canceled because of dense fog. The search continued through the night and into the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday morning.
According to Griffith, the search was scheduled to resume after sunrise Wednesday, but word came around 5:50 a.m. that members of the family had found the body.
Detective Griffith says it appears Corley lost control of his three wheeler while trying to negotiate a turn on a steep hillside and overturned. His body was found near the three wheeler. Griffith says the accident occurred on Corley’s farm approximately a half mile from his home but the three wheeler and body were difficult to find because of the rolling landscape and tall brush and weeds in that area.

The 2006 DeKalb County Fair Miss Sweetheart is 11 year old Kelley Beth Walker.
She was crowned Wednesday night during the annual pageant held at the fair.
Walker is the daughter of Shane and Michelle Walker of Smithville.
She succeeds the retiring 2005 Miss Sweetheart, Kristen Smartt, the 12-year-old daughter of Aaron and Paula Taylor and Leslie and Dedra Smartt of Smithville.
The first runner-up in the pageant was Tessa Shawn Thomas, the 12 year old daughter of Troy and Judy Thomas of Smithville.
Kerigan Bess Sanders was the second runner-up. She is the 10 year old daughter of Larry and Melissa Knowles of Smithville.
11 year old Arielle Corinne Davis was named Miss Photogenic. She is the daughter of Eddie and Beth Davis of Brush Creek.

Nine year old Kelsey Sueanna Hedge was crowned Little Miss Princess at the DeKalb County Fair Wednesday night.
Hedge is the daughter of David and Trina Hedge of Smithville.
She succeeds the retiring 2005 Little Miss Princess, Haley Marie Hale, the 9 year-old daughter of Chad and Melissa Hale of Smithville.
First runner-up in the pageant was Destiny Danielle Franklin, the 7 seven year old daughter of Christopher and Jennifer Franklin of Smithville. She was also named Miss Photogenic.
Seven year old Tyra Grace Graham was the second runner-up. She is the daughter of Kyle and Doris Graham of Smithville.

Hunter Vaught and Macy Elizabeth Hedge were crowned Little Mister and Miss at the DeKalb County Fair Tuesday night.
Vaught is the 6 year old son of Ronnie and Bethany Vaught of Brush Creek.
Hedge is the 5 year old daughter of David and Trina Hedge of Smithville.
The 2006 winners succeed the retiring Little Mister and Miss, Tanner James Poss and Deering Grace Hendrixson.
Poss is the 5 year old son of Jimmy and J.J. Poss of Smithville and Hendrixson is the 5 year old daughter of Darbie and Tiffany Hendrixson of Smithville.
First runner-up in the Little Miss contest was Cailin Trapp, the 5 year old daughter of Brad and Kim Trapp of Smithville and Mike and Vanessa Hayes.
Second runner-up was 4 year old Elizabeth Grace Guinn, daughter of Rick and Kendra Guinn of Smithville.
Four year old Madison Hope Gossard, daughter of Kenneth and Stephanie Murphy of Smithville, was named Miss Manners.
First runner-up in the Little Mister contest was Triston Stanley, the 5 year old son of Kim Curtis and Steve Stanley of Smithville. He was also named Mister Manners.
Six year old Austin David Johnson was the second runner-up. He is the son of David and Patricia Johnson of Dowelltown.

A three year old child was injured around 8:00 p.m. Sunday evening after being struck by a car on Morgan Drive.
The child, Kason Redmon, of 716 Gentry Avenue, was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital. His injuries were not believed to be life threatening.
In the accident report, Officer Marcus Caldwell says 19 year old Mindy C. Magouirk of 718 Gentry Avenue was driving east on Morgan Drive in a 1987 Chevrolet Celebrity when she struck the child.
Officer Caldwell, in the report, stated that “Upon my arrival, I noticed this 3 year old lying in the lawn of 724 Morgan Drive with his father, Jeffery Redmon, kneeling over him. I noticed the child was crying. Medical care was rendered to the child until EMS arrived.
Magouirk, in her statement to police, said ” While driving, I noticed a neighborhood kid at 429 Morgan Drive and waved at her. When I looked back at the road, I saw a child but could not stop in time.”
According to the report, the child’s father, Jeffery Redmon, ran to his son after hearing him scream, picked him up out of the road, and placed him onto the lawn of 724 Morgan Drive.

One person was injured in a shooting around 5:30 a.m. Monday morning at a residence on Jacobs Pillar Road.
Sheriff Lloyd Emmons says the victim was not seriously injured.
No names have yet been released.
Emmons will not reveal the suspected reason for the shooting nor the circumstances surrounding it at this time.
There have apparently been no arrests

18 year old Whitney Nicole Rice of Smithville is the 2006 DeKalb County Fairest of the Fair.
Rice is the daughter of Brenda and the late Bobby Rice.
She succeeds the retiring 2005 Fairest of the Fair Jodee Leigh Stults, the 18 year old daughter of Kenny and Tavia Stults of Dowelltown.
The first runner-up in the Monday night pageant was Tara Joan Griffin, the 19 year old daughter of Mike and Tammy Griffin of Alexandria. Griffin was also named Miss Congeniality.
The second runner-up was Christen Ashley Hale, the 18 year old daughter of Craig and Evelyn Hale of Liberty.