The DeKalb County Emergency Planning Committee in conjunction with DeKalb County Schools, DeKalb Community Hospital, and local Emergency Responders will conduct a MOCK DISASTER DRILL at Northside Elementary School on Tuesday, May 8th from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.
This drill will be held to test the effectiveness of DeKalb County?s Emergency Response Plan and DeKalb County School?s Safety Plan. There will be emergency responders from many different agencies on scene during the drill. DO NOT BE ALARMED BY THE PRESENCE OF EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.
For questions or concerns contact:
DeKalb Community Hospital 215-5000
DeKalb County Schools 597-4084
Northside Elementary 597-1575

DeKalb County voters will start going to the polls Friday to cast their vote on the proposal to increase the local option sales tax from 1.5% to 2.75%.
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.
Early voting on the referendum begins Friday, April 27th and ends Saturday, May 12th. The special election day will be Thursday, May 17th.
All early voting will be done in the basement courtroom of the DeKalb County Courthouse. Voting will be held every day except Sunday.
Voting hours are from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Thursday hours are from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
On election day, May 17th, the polling places at all sixteen precincts will open at 8 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
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?

A Smithville Police Officer was involved in a fatal head-on crash with another vehicle Monday night on Foster Road.
Sergeant Billy Prater of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 34 year old Officer Callie Matthews was responding to a call around 10:30 p.m. traveling north on Foster Road in her 2001 Crown Victoria police car. According to statements given by witnesses and Officer Matthews, Sergeant Prater says she was traveling with the car’s emergency lights on and the siren off.
As she crested a hill, Sergeant Prater says Officer Matthews applied her brakes to the point of lock up, went into a skid, crossed the center of the street, and made head-on impact with a southbound 2001 Kia Rio, driven by 18 year old Andrew B. Ferris of Cooper Lane, Smithville.
Members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department’s Extrication Team were summoned to the scene to help cut Ferris out of his vehicle. He was transported by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Officer Matthews and a passenger of the Kia Rio, 21 year old Brian A. Webber of West Main Street, Smithville were removed from their vehicles and taken by EMS to the parking lot of the Calvary Baptist Church, where they were airlifted by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
Sergeant Prater says Officer Matthews is stable while Webber remains in critical condition at Erlanger Hospital.
The crash remains under investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Critical Incident Response Team.
Sergeant Prater says there was no evidence of alcohol. He says Officer Matthews was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash, but Ferris and Webber were unrestrained.
Smithville Police Chief Thomas J. Stufano says “The City of Smithville would like to extend our deepest condolences and prayers to all of the victims and families”
Chief Stufano says Officer Matthews was responding to a dispatched “prowler” call in the area of Dry Creek Road and Foster Road when the accident occurred.

The DeKalb Sheriff’s Department now has a Malinois K-9 narcotic detector dog to fight the illegal use and sale of drugs.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says “The Sheriff’s Department bought the dog with monies that were seized through drug investigations and no tax dollars were required for this purchase. We also took one of the county owned SUV’s and installed a cage in the rear of the vehicle. This vehicle can transport the K-9 drug dog and can also transport one inmate safely. ”
The dog’s name is Banshee. She is 2 years old. Banshee and her handler Deputy Mike Agee have undergone intense training through Thunderhawk Kennels in Jackson County.
Sheriff Ray says that Banshee has been welcomed to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department by one local business owner. “Sandy Brown of S C B Enterprises and TN Barn Builders has kindly donated a dog kennel and free dog food from her business.”
According to Sheriff Ray, Banshee has already stepped up to the plate by making two positive drug hits on vehicles this last week. “On Thursday, deputies stopped a vehicle on Highway 56 North due to a traffic violation. The driver, 25 year old Joshua Johnson of Hendrixson Road Smithville was found to have a suspended driver’s license. When Johnson was asked to step out of the vehicle, a cigarette tin containing 2 pills believed to be hydrocodone fell from his person. Deputy Agee and K-9 Banshee checked the vehicle and after a positive drug hit from Banshee, deputies found a set of scales with a white powdery residue believed to be cocaine and a straw containing a white powdery residue. Johnson was charged with driving on a suspended license, simple possession of a schedule III drug (Hydrocodone), and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $3,000 and Johnson’s court date is May 10th.”
Also on Thursday, Sheriff Ray says “24 year old Michael Duane Vanpelt, II of Monroe Henley Ridge Road Silver Point was stopped on Allen’s Ferry Road for a traffic violation. Deputy Agee and K-9 Banshee checked the vehicle and after a positive drug hit from Banshee on the driver’s side door, deputies found a bag of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Vanpelt’s possession. Vanphelt was arrested and charged with simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. A $2,000 bond was set and Vanpelt’s court date is May 10th.
Sheriff Ray says “I believe Banshee will be a valuable tool for our Department by helping to identify and help rid our streets of drug dealers. Our plans are to use any and all resources at our disposal, such as Banshee, for the betterment of our county.”