A 62 year old resident of Fiddler’s Manor Apartments on Walker Drive was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga Sunday morning with severe burns after apparently smoking in bed .
The name of the woman is being withheld pending notification of her family.
Detective Sergeant Chris Russell of the Smithville Police Department says Officer Marcus Caldwell responded to the call around 11:00 a.m. The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department was also summoned to the scene.
Upon arrival, Officer Caldwell and another resident found smoke coming from under the door of the woman’s apartment. Caldwell forced open the door and found the apartment filled with smoke. The woman was in the bathroom and she had suffered severe burns on her head, back, and the sides of her body.
Officer Caldwell removed the woman from the apartment. She was treated at the scene by DeKalb EMS and airlifted from the parking lot of Smithville Elementary School by a Life Force Helicopter Ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital.
The other sixteen residents of the apartment complex were evacuated from the building as a precaution, but no one else was injured.
Detective Sergeant Russell says the preliminary investigation is that the woman may have been smoking in bed and either caught her clothing or some other cloth material on fire. Authorities believe she had gone from the bedroom to the bathroom in an attempt to extinguish the fire.
The woman’s apartment apparently received little or no fire damage, and no other apartment was affected by the fire.

Hundreds gathered at Green Brook Park Friday night for the annual Relay for Life fund raiser sponsored by the DeKalb County Unit of the American Cancer Society and the event has generated more than $97,000.
There was plenty of food for sale, games for kids, a male beauty contest, a candle light illumination ceremony, a cancer survivors walk, and more, all in an effort to raise money to find a cure for cancer.
Iva dell Randolph says this year’s goal of $100,000 was almost met with still some more money yet to come in. “As of Saturday morning, we had collected and deposited in the bank, $97,562. We want to thank everyone for their support.”
SW Manufacturing’s team raised $7,426, more than any other team. Smithville Elementary School had the best decorated camp, and K & M Jewelry was recognized for having the Most Spirit.
Mark “Kitty” Violet was the winner of the male beauty contest.

Fifty three members of the Class of 2006 at DeKalb County High School received scholarship awards during Friday’s annual Senior Awards Day program.
Colleges, universities, businesses, civic groups, and other organizations presenting awards and their recipients are as follows:
Tennessee State University:
Four year $36,000 Minority Scholarship- Keitha Pryor
Middle Tennessee State University:
$1,000 Raider Scholarship-Paige Reeder
$5,000 Neill Sandler Scholarship- Bethany Davis
$6,000 Four year Provost Scholarships- Charles Cox, Justin Hooper, Shane Baker, and Sean Leiser
$12,000 Academic Service Scholarships- Samantha Emerson, Ben Malone, and Jacob Norton
Tennessee Tech University:
Athletic Scholarship to play golf- Tara Cantrell
$16,000 Four year Academic Scholarship & $1,000 College of Engineering Scholarship- Kirk Micheals
Valedictorian Scholarship/ Human Ecology Department (Martin and Lorraine Peters Endowed Scholarship $2,500 per year)- Elise Cantrell
$8,000 Golden Eagle Diversity Residential Life Scholarship- Jessica Ingram
$4,000 Legacy Scholarship- Aaron Young
$3,500 Science Fair Scholarship- Zachary Fuson
$1,000 College of Business Administration Louise N. Taylor Endowed Scholarship- Kheela Blair
Tennessee Technology Center at Livingston:
Academic Scholarships- Benjamin Nolt and Samantha Walker
Vol State Community College:
$1,500 Division Academic Service Scholarship- Corey Williams, Samantha Walker, and Caitlin Robinson
Cumberland University:
$2,500 per year Academic Scholarship- Bethany Sims
Academic Scholarship- Paige Bass
University of Tennessee at Knoxville:
$1,500 per year University Scholarship- Daniel Alexander
$3,000 per year Volunteer Scholarship- Courtney Curtis
U.S. Army:
$37,144 Montgomery GI Bill Award- Matthew Sorrell
U.S. Marine Corps:
$36,000 Scholarship- Alesha Billings
Distinguished Athlete Awards- Ben Malone and Tara Cantrell
Scholastic Excellence Award- Elise Cantrell
Motlow State Community College:
$4,000 Academic Service Scholarships- Joshua Hendrixson and Sara Jared
Tennessee Titans:
$1,200 Community Service & Leadership Scholarship- Ben Malone
DeKalb Hospital:
$1,000 Scholarship- Christen Hale
Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarship (Caney Fork Chapter)- Malea Adamson
Smithville Women’s Club:
$500 Scholarships- Paige Preston and Malea Adamson
Lucille Stewart Memorial:
$2,000 Scholarships- Jacob Nokes and Cody Randolph
Matthew McAfee Memorial:
$2,000 Scholarship- Ashley Underhill
DeKalb Foundation for Education:
$500 Scholarship- Kristen Strickland
Kenny and Kyle Robinson Memorial:
$1,000 Scholarship- Paige Reeder
DeKalb County Scottish Rite:
$1,000 Scholarship- Janda Emmons
Eddie Crips Memorial:
$1,000 Scholarship- Janda Emmons
Liberty State Bank:
$1,000 Scholarships- Kealah Curtis and Kheela Blair
Chris Lawson Memorial:
$500 Scholarship- Kristen Strickland
Pizza Inn/Bumpers Drive-In :
$1,000 Scholarship- Kristen Strickland
Charlene Morrison Johns Memorial Senior Achievement Award for Excellence:
$500 Award- Susan Willis and Jacob Norton
DeKalb Funeral Chapel:
$500 Scholarships- Bethany Davis and Janda Emmons
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home:
$500 Scholarships- Whitney Rice, Zachary Fuson, and Chase Bradford
Allen Hooper Memorial:
$500 Scholarship-Corey Williams
DeKalb Farmers Coop:
$500 Scholarship- Aaron Young
DCHS Class of 1966:
$500 Scholarship- Whitney Rice
AmSouth Bank:
$500 Scholarship- Amanda Green
Smithville Rotary Club:
$500 Scholarships- Paige Reeder and Krista Puckett
$100 Math Award- Charles Cox
$100 Vocational Award- Sarah Randolph
DeKalb Retired Teachers Association:
$500 Scholarships- Jason Lattimore and Josh Odom
Smithville Business & Professional Women’s Club:
$500 Scholarships- Tiffany Nicole Waggoner and Janda Emmons
Leadership DeKalb Alumni Association:
$500 Scholarship- Daniel Alexander
DeKalb Republican Women:
$500 Scholarship- Kris Robinson
Agee Oil Company:
$1,200 Scholarship- Daniel Alexander
Amvets Post #101:
$250 Scholarship- Zack Lay
Amvets Post #101 Ladies Auxiliary:
$250 Scholarship- Josh Ramsey
DeKalb County Fire Fighters Association:
$250 Scholarships- Elicia Taylor, Whitney Rice, and Ashley Underhill
DCHS Class of 1969:
$250 Scholarship- Kevin Colvert
Elzie & Nell McBride Memorial:
$500 Scholarship- Jacob Norton
DeKalb County Soil Conservation District:
$500 Scholarship- Zachary Fuson
DCHS Student Council:
$250 Scholarship- Janda Emmons
Studio Six Photography:
$200 Scholarships- Ashley Underhill and Nicole Linn
Two students, Shane Miller and Jacob Norton, received awards for perfect attendance during their four years at DCHS.
Two teachers, Betty Paris and Joey Reeder, were also recognized for perfect attendance this year.
Harriett Cantrell was named DCHS Teacher of the Year as selected by the faculty.
The Tennessee Scholars is a recognition program that encourages students to take a more rigorous and challenging course of study in high school. It is a partnership between the school district, County Mayor’s office, the education committee of the Chamber of Commerce, the State Department of Education, Tennessee Chambers of Commerce and Industries, and the Tennessee Business Round Table.
The Tennessee Scholars have met a rigorous program of study, which includes advanced math, science and technical classes, have maintained a good record of discipline and attendance and have completed at least twenty hours of community service.
The following students from DCHS are this year’s Tennessee’s Scholars: Daniel Alexander, Tara Cantrell, Courtney Curtis, Samantha Emerson, Janda Emmons, Kalee Finley, Amanda Green, Justin Hooper, Jessica Ingram, Sara Jared, Nicole Linn, Ben Malone, Jacob Norton, Lourdes Quezada, Cody Randolph, Caitlin Robinson, Kris Robinson, Amanda Scott, Kathy Scott, Bethany Sims, Matthew Taylor, Ashley Underhill, Corey Williams, Susan Willis, and Aaron Young.
Other senior awards and the recipients are as follows:
Senior Band Awards: U.S. Marines “Semper Fidelis”- Josh Hendrixson; Outstanding Senior Musician- Corey Williams; Most Improved Senior Musician- Kathy Scott; Most Dedicated Senior Band Student- Zach Fuson; Outstanding Color Guard Member- Samantha Emerson.
Outstanding FCCLA Seniors- Amy Williams and Susan Willis.
U.S. Marines Scholastic Excellence Award- Elise Cantrell.
Distinguished Athlete Awards- Ben Malone and Tara Cantrell
Economics Award for Outstanding Achievement- Courtney Curtis and Daniel Alexander
Government Award for Outstanding Achievement- Ben Malone and Malea Adamson
Advanced English IV- Shane Baker and Kirk Michaels
English IV- Alesha Billings and Lulu Quezada
Art- Erica Brown and Nicole Linn
Health Science Education- Shane Baker
Forensic Science Academic Achievement- Kristen Strickland and Corey Williams
Theatre Arts Best Actress- Susan Willis; Theatre Arts Best Supporting Actress- Ashley Craver and Kathy Scott; Theatre Arts Best Supporting Actor-Cody Byars; Theatre Arts Best Animated Character- Amy Williams.
Student Council Vice-President- Zach Fuson; Student Council Treasurer- Sean Leiser; Student Council Senior Members- Jacob Norton, Janda Emmons, Ben Malone, Amy Adkins, Ashley Craver, Bethany Davis, Jessica Ingram.
Overall Business Award- Kris Robinson
Yearbook Awards: Co-Editors- Elise Cantrell and Keitha Pryor; Business Manager- Shane Miller; Features Editor- Matthew Taylor.
Most Improved Math Student- Ricardo Gutierrez
Math Award- Jessica West
Database- Andrew Nunley and Ryan Taylor

A total of 141 students at DeKalb County High School will receive their diplomas during graduation exercises Friday, May 19 at 7:00 p.m. on the high school football field.

The registration deadline is approaching for those who want to vote in the Smithville Municipal Election.
Voter registration in person must be done by May 19th or postmarked by May 21st if done by mail.
Meanwhile, early voting for the Smithville Municipal Election will be May 31st through June 15th at the courthouse. Hours have not been set.
Election day is Tuesday, June 20 at the courthouse from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
A Mayor and two Aldermen will be elected.
The candidates for Mayor are Taft Hendrixson and Jerry Hutchins’, Sr.
Those in the race for Aldermen are Cecil Burger, Jackie Rigsby, Alford Webber, and Steve White.

Judge Sells Wins Close Election District-Wide
Criminal Court Judge Lillie Ann Sells, by only a few hundred votes, apparently defeated Edwin Sadler district-wide in Tuesday’s primary election
Counties in the 13th Judicial District include DeKalb, Putnam, Overton, White, Pickett, Cumberland and Clay.
Unofficial vote totals in those counties showed Sells the winner of the primary with 10,737 votes and Sadler with 10,221 votes.
Sells defeated Sadler in DeKalb County, 1,412 to 1071. In Overton County, Sells had 2,317 votes, and Sadler had 1,455 votes. In Cumberland County, Sells got 1,403 votes, and Sadler had 1,030 votes. In White County, Sells had 2,380 votes, and Sadler had 1,593 votes. In Pickett County, 52 voted for Sells, and 36 voted for Sadler
Sadler carried Putnam County with 5,036 votes, to Sells’ 3,173 votes.
Reportedly, the Clay County Election Commission did not have a primary election
Sells will face Independent candidate David Patterson in the August 3rd General Election.

DeKalb County Sheriff Lloyd Emmons lost his bid for re-election by 207 votes in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary falling to challenger Myron Rhody 1,754 (50%) to 1,547 (44%)
Rhody will face Republican nominee Patrick Ray for Sheriff in the August General Election. Emmons’ term expires August 31.
A total of 3,706 people voted in the primary including 3,639 who cast ballots in person (early voting and election day) and 67 by absentee.
Including the absentee votes cast from each precinct, Rhody won six of the sixteen precincts and carried the early vote. Rhody also had a majority of the absentees. Rhody carried Snow Hill, Middle School, Belk, Keltonburg, Blue Springs, and the Church of Christ Annex.
Emmons carried ten of the sixteen precincts including Alexandria, Temperance Hall, Edgar Evins State Park, Liberty, Dowelltown, Cherry Hill, Rock Castle, Courthouse, Johnson’s Chapel, and the Elementary School.
The other two candidates for Sheriff were David C. Redmon, who received 122 votes, and Randall Stanley who had 111 votes.