DeKalb County voters today will decide whether to increase the local option sales tax from 1.5% to 2.75%.
The special election on the sales tax referendum is being held today and voting will take place at all sixteen precincts in the county from eight a.m. until seven p.m.
A total of 562 cast ballots during early voting April 27th through May 12th.
If approved, the overall state sales tax rate in DeKalb County would go from 8.5% to 9.75%, however the county commission has pledged to reduce the property tax rate by nineteen and a half cents.
The rate was increased by 39 cents last September.
Lisa Peterson, Administrator of Elections reminds you that the polling place for Temperance Hall has been moved from the Temperance Hall Community Center. The new polling place is the Temperance Hall Methodist Church located at 113 Hayes Ridge Road.
Peterson adds that all voters should present some form of identification when they arrive at the polls to vote.
WJLE will have LIVE coverage of the election returns Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. on AM 1480 and FM 101.7 and LIVE audio streaming at www.wjle.com
The wording on the ballot will read:
“SHALL RESOLUTION 21-2-2007-1 PASSED BY THE DEKALB COUNTY COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 26, 2007 PROVIDING FOR AN INCREASE IN THE LOCAL SALES TAX FROM 1.5% TO 2.75% WITH ONE-HALF (1/2) REQUIRED BY LAW AND THE REMAINDER AS PER AGREEMENT CONTRACTS, BE APPROVED?

Several members of the Class of 2007 at DeKalb County High School received scholarship awards during Thursday’s annual Senior Awards Day program.
Colleges, universities, businesses, civic groups, and other organizations presenting awards and their recipients are as follows:
Middle Tennessee State University:
$5,000 Neill Sandler Scholarship- Jessica Berry
$2,500 Sydney & Elizabeth McPhee Scholarship- Jessica Berry
$12,000 Academic Service Scholarship- Kendra Adcock
$6,000 Academic Service Scholarship- Gwen Michaels
$2,400 per year Dream Scholarship- Brittney Bell
Tennessee Tech University:
$4,000 per year Academic Scholarships- Andrew Moore and Zach Davidson
$1,000 Engineering Scholarship- Chris Young
$20,000 Education Scholar Scholarship- Ashleigh Wright
University of Tennessee:
$3,000 per year Academic Service Scholarship- Courtney Rhody
$1,000 Valedictorian Alumni Scholarship- Courtney Rhody
Tusculum College:
$2,941 per year- Josh Stone
$1,000 NADC- High School Select Scholarship- Thomas Hale
Tennessee Temple University:
$5,500 Scholarship- Kayla Ottinger
$7,000 Scholarship- Heather Cantrell
U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete Awards- Kristen James & Josh Howe
U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Awards- Josh Stone & Kelsey Foutch
U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Awards- Andrew Moore & Courtney Rhody
Semper Fidelis Music Award- Kendra Adcock
DeKalb Community Hospital:
$1,000 Scholarship- Courtney Rhody
Smithville Women’s Club:
$500 Scholarship- Samantha Daniel
Lucille Stewart Memorial:
$2,000 Scholarships- Kelli Bess and Nathan Thomason
Matthew McAfee Memorial:
$2,000 Scholarship- Claire Garrett
Luigi’s/Bumpers:
$1,000 Scholarship- Rebecca Hendrixson
Charlene Morrison Johns Memorial:
$500 Scholarships- Kayla Kilgore and Andrew Moore
Agee Oil Company:
$1,200 Scholarship- Kristen James
Wal-Mart;
$1,000 Scholarships- Kristen James & Brandon Shaw
DeKalb County Scottish Rite Club:
$1,000 Scholarship- Ashleigh Wright
Eddie Crips Memorial:
$1,000 Scholarship- Justin Nokes
Liberty State Bank;
$1,000 Scholarships- Rachel Garrison & Nicole Macy
Kenny and Kyle Robinson Memorial:
$1,000 Scholarship- Justin Nokes
Jolly Angels:
$1,000 Scholarships- Tera Campbell & Martha Robertson
Jeff Garrett Memorial:
$500 Scholarship- Claire Garrett
Comcast;
$1,000 Scholarship- Brandon Shaw
DeKalb Funeral Chapel:
$500 Scholarships- Corey Bradford, Amy Ashford, & Kayla Kilgore
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home:
$500 Scholarships- Cheslie Ford & Jessica Bain
Allen Hooper Memorial:
$500 Scholarship- Ryan Childers
DeKalb Farmers Coop:
$500 Scholarship- Danny Pirtle
DCHS Class of 1966:
$500 Scholarship- Chase Tramel
DeKalb County Soil Conservation:
$500 Scholarship- Ryan Childers
First Bank:
$500 Scholarship-Ashley Rowland
Smithville Rotary Club:
$500 Scholarships- Brandon Shaw & Anna Trapp
$100 Math Award- Kristen James
$100 Vocational Award- Thomas Hale
DeKalb Retired Teachers Association:
$500 Scholarships- Heather Cantrell & Justin Nokes
Smithville Business & Professional Women’s Club:
$500 Scholarships- Michelle Scott & Kendra Adcock
Leadership DeKalb:
$500 Scholarship- Rachel Garrison
Leadership DeKalb Alumni Association:
$750 Scholarship- Rachel Garrison
DeKalb Foundation:
$500 Scholarship- Martha Robertson
DeKalb Republican Women:
$500 Scholarships- Sarah Nunley & Kelli Twilla
Ken Johnson Scholarship:
$1,000 Scholarship- Michelle Scott
Amvets Post #101:
$250 Scholarship- Claire Garrett
Amvets Post #101 Ladies Auxiliary:
$250 Scholarship- Jamie Johnson
DeKalb County Fire Fighters Association:
$750 Scholarship- Josh Tramel
DCHS Class of 1969:
$250 Scholarship- Tera Campbell
Elzie & Nell McBride Memorial:
$500 Scholarship- Ashley Rowland
DCHS Student Council:
$250 Scholarship- Rachel Garrison
Studio Six Photography:
$150 Scholarships- Courtney Rhody & Jessica Berry
FCCLA:
$500 Scholarship- Tiffany Walls

Despite a very light turnout, DeKalb County voters Thursday overwhelmingly voted in favor of raising the local option sales tax rate in DeKalb County from 1.5% to 2.75% .
The sales tax referendum passed 1,011 votes (71%) to 409 votes (29%)
A majority of voters in all sixteen precincts cast ballots in favor of the sales tax hike.
Here’s a breakdown by precinct:
Alexandria: 47 For, 15 Against
Temperance Hall: 22 For, 6 Against
Edgar Evins State Park: 8 For, 0 Against
Liberty: 56 For, 19 Against
Dowelltown: 31 For, 10 Against
Snow Hill: 30 For, 19 Against
Middle School: 86 For, 33 Against
Cherry Hill: 16 For, 7 Against
Rock Castle: 46 For, 4 Against
Courthouse: 57 For, 23 Against
Johnson’s Chapel: 20 For, 9 Against
Elementary School: 52 For, 26 Against
Belk: 36 For, 13 Against
Keltonburg: 38 For, 18 Against
Blue Springs: 27 For, 7 Against
Church of Christ Annex: 54 For, 21 Against
Absentee/Early Voting: 385 For, 179 Against
County Mayor Mike Foster says the sales tax increase will go in effect with the new fiscal year starting July 1st. The overall state sales tax rate in DeKalb County will increase from 8.5% to the maximum of 9.75%
The County Commission has also pledged to reduce the property tax rate by at least nineteen and a half cents per $100 of assessed value in the new budget year, which begins July 1st.

Early Voting dates and times have been set for the Smithville Municipal Election.
Early voting will be held Wednesday, May 30th through Thursday, June 14th from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Hours on Thursday will be from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Election Day is Tuesday, June 19th from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
All voting, both during early voting and on election day, will be in the basement courtroom of the DeKalb County Courthouse.
Three aldermen will be elected, each to serve a two year term, beginning July 1st.
Incumbents Aaron Meeks, W. J. “Dub” White, and Paul Young are being challenged by Jerry Hutchins’ Sr., Shawn Jacobs, Tonya Sullivan, Willie Thomas, and Todd Van Dyne.

A Gordonsville Police Officer, Christopher Shannon Harris, has been charged with a burglary and theft last week at a joint office building of Middle Tennessee Natural Gas and DTC Communications in Smith County.
The warrants state that “On or about Wednesday, May 9th, Christopher Shannon Harris did, without the effective consent of the property owner, enter the joint office building of Middle Tennessee Natural Gas and DeKalb Telephone Cooperative, located at 126 JMZ Drive in Gordonsville, when not open to the public, with the intent to commit a felony and or a theft.
The warrant further states that “While on duty as a Patrol Officer with the Gordonsville Police Department, Harris entered the building through an unlocked door, unhooked the video cameras and took them. Harris also took money, approximately $215 from a wooden filing cabinet, multiple batteries, size D and AAA and six computer hard drives.
According to the warrant, Harris has given a written statement to a Special Agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in which he has admitted to these facts.
Officer Harris is also charged with the burglary and theft of merchandise from three other Gordonsville businesses including Petty Pools and H & H furniture either on Friday night or Saturday morning, May 4th or 5th, and Lakeside Auto Transport on Tuesday, May 8th.

Smithville Police were summoned to the 500 Block of South College Street Monday after a concerned mother living in Lebanon had called to report that her 37 year son was despondent and threatening suicide.
Chief Thomas J. Stufano says “Upon arrival to the scene, Police found the man’s step-mother in the yard stating that she also believed that her stepson was suffering from depression and did in fact have a loaded gun in the house. Officers quickly cordoned off the street in front of the residence in order to contain the incident. Further investigation and conversation with the biological mother via phone noted that her son made a threat to her that he would “use his toe to pull the trigger”. Police were positioned throughout the neighborhood, especially along the south side of the residence which bordered the ball-field where over 200 people were in attendance at a game.”
As a precaution Paramedics were summoned to standby. After almost 45 minutes the man was talked out of the house by Chief Stufano.
Chief Stufano a trained FBI Hostage Negotiator and former US Homeland Security official has been involved with negotiating numerous airline hijackings during his tenure. Chief Stufano stated “my main concerns included the innocent by-standers, the officers and the victim”. “However long it took to resolve the situation we were prepared to wait to reach a peaceful solution”
Officers were able to successfully gain entry into the house and secured three shotguns and a loaded pistol one of which was near the subjects’ bed. With the help of neighborhood residents who allowed officers access to their homes to setup perimeters, a potentially lethal event was averted. Officers at the scene were able to talk to the man and the parents to a successful resolution without further incident.
Chief Stufano stated that he “credits the Neighborhood Watch Program for much of the department’s continued success and thanks the citizens for their input and help.”