Louise Williams-Owen, M. Ed., CCC-SLP, was presented the Tennessee Association of Audiologist’s and Speech Pathologist’s (TAASLP) Public School Incentive Award. The presentation was made at the TAASLP Annual Convention Awards Breakfast, November 7.
This award was presented “In Recognition of Outstanding Dedication and Exemplary Contributions to the Tennessee Association of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists”.
Mrs. Owen is employed by DeKalb County, TN school system. She is the wife of Mike Owen of Smithville, TN and mother of Holly and Ashley Owen. She is the sister of Deanie and David Yoest of Statesville, TN. Mrs. Owen is a graduate of the Speech Pathology program of University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

The annual Chamber of Commerce Prayer Breakfast will be held on Tuesday, November 25th at 7:00 a.m. at the Smithville Church of God Fellowship Center.
Suzanne Williams, Executive Director of the Chamber, says State Representative-elect, Terri Lynn Weaver, will be the keynote speaker. Special music will be performed by Tomomi McDowell, Representative Weaver, and First Baptist Church’s signing group “Signs of Love.”
Prayers for our community, our leaders, and our children will make this a meaningful and memorable experience. A delicious breakfast will be catered by Jason Evans, head chef at The Inn at Evins Mill. Tickets are $12 per person and can be purchased at the Chamber office or from the Chamber Board of Directors. The Leadership DeKalb Class of 2009 will serve the beverages. Doors open at 6:30 a.m.

The City of Smithville’s very first fire engine will be returning to town for the Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 6th.
The parade is organized each year by the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department.
Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker says this 1938 Chevrolet fire engine, which was purchased by the city in 1938 remained in service here until it was sold in 1956. “We’ve got Smithville’s very first fire engine that will make an appearance at the parade this year. It’s a 1938 Chevrolet, the first fire engine that the City of Smithville purchased. We located it. The truck is in running condition. They’re going to bring it back for our parade. The city sold it to some gentlemen in Decatur, Tennessee in 1956. That’s when it left Smithville. It’s been away from here for a long time. It’s either been here or there since 1938. They finally got it in running condition and we’re excited to see it come back.”
Chief Parker says this year’s parade promises to be another exciting event and everyone is urged to participate. “The Smithville Christmas Parade will be Saturday, December 6th. It will leave from Smithville Elementary School at 1:00 p.m. and come down Congress Boulevard, then turn onto Walnut Street, and go around the public square. The line-up will begin at 11:00 a.m.. We’d like to get all the floats there by that time so we can start getting them lined up. All the kings, queens, and princesses from all the county pageants are invited to come. We would like for you to call one of two numbers, either John Poss at 597-1135 or Jeff Wright at 597-6750 so they can get your name and who you’re representing in the lineup. We hope you will do that the Thursday night before the Christmas Parade to give us time to get the lineup made. Then just be there at Smithville Elementary School Saturday starting at 11:00 a.m. and we’ll get you in the lineup. We’re looking forward to another fantastic parade. We still don’t have the Grand Marshal yet. We’ll be finalizing that in the next week or so. We encourage everybody to come out to see Santa Claus and be a part of the parade. We do encourage all the churches, groups, and businesses to enter. We are awarding a first, second, and third place in the float category. The Smithville Business and Professional Women also sponsor the Spirit Award which goes to the church or civic group that shows the most enthusiasm during the parade”
Meanwhile, the Liberty Christmas Parade will be held Sunday, December 7th starting at 2:00 p.m. The line-up begins at 1:00 p.m. on the west end of town. There will be four categories for prizes and giveaways after the parade. Santa will be riding into town to greet the public and to visit with the children. Santa will also bring his reindeer plus other animals for everyone to enjoy petting so bring your camera or have Santa’s elves take your picture with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. For more information call 615-536-5101.
The Alexandria Christmas Parade will be Saturday, December 13th at 2:00 p.m. The line-up begins at 1:00 p.m. on the Jim Curtis Highway or West Main Street. Call for more information at 529-2171.

A 25 year old Lebanon woman is in trouble with the law after leaving two young children unattended in a vehicle.
Detective Sergeant Jerry Hutchins, Jr. of the Smithville Police Department says Dallas Dorthy Leaf of Coles Ferry Pike, Lebanon is charged with two counts of felony child endangerment. Her bond is $10,000 and she will be in court December 4th.
One of the children was Leaf’s 3 year old daughter. The other child was a 5 year old boy, the son of Leaf’s boyfriend.
According to Officer Hutchins, Leaf left the children unattended in her vehicle downtown Smithville Thursday while she went into the courthouse to check on a pending divorce. The temperature outside at the time was around 43 degrees. The children were in the car for about 20 minutes when they got out of the vehicle and walked to a nearby business, looking to get something to drink. Someone at the business contacted police.
Officer Hutchins says he confronted Leaf after she came out of the courthouse. She was questioned about the incident and subsequently arrested and charged in the case.
He says the children are fine and were released to a family member.

Tennessee Fire Marshal Leslie A. Newman wants to remind Tennesseans to keep safe and warm as winter sets in across the state. But she urges residents to be cautious in the use of alternative heat sources.
“The winter weather means many people will begin to heat their homes with fireplaces, woodstoves and space heaters,” said Newman. “Cold weather months typically have a higher number of accidental fire injuries and deaths due to the use of these alternative heat sources.”
Following a few safety tips can greatly reduce the risk of fires:
•Make it a “house rule” to test your home’s smoke alarms before using a space heater or fireplace. All smoke alarms should additionally be tested once a month. Doing so could save your life.
•Space heaters need space. Never put a space heater within three feet of anything combustible, including furniture, bedding or aerosol cans. Make sure your space heater bears the mark of an independent testing lab such as UL or FM. Look for models with automatic shutoff features, when purchasing space heaters. Never use extension cords with space heaters.
•Before you use your fireplace, make sure the chimney has been professionally cleaned to remove the buildup of combustible materials that accumulate inside the flue.
•Be sure any kerosene-fueled heating device is installed with proper ventilation. A portable kerosene heater must be filled only in a well-ventilated area, free of flame and other heat sources, and only when the device has cooled completely. Use only the type of kerosene specified by the manufacturer, and never use gasoline in place of kerosene.
•Never leave a fire, space heater or flame unattended.
Additionally, make sure furniture, clothing and other combustible materials are not placed in front of permanently mounted heaters like those in walls or on baseboards. If they turn on when temperatures go below the thermostat’s set point, there will be no worry of the items catching fire.
The Department of Commerce and Insurance works to protect consumers while ensuring fair competition for industries and professionals who do business in Tennessee.

A 50 year old Smithville man was injured in a pickup truck accident near Alexandria this morning (Wednesday)
Trooper Jimmy Tisdale of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Edwin Dale Evans of 598 Smith Road, Smithville was traveling east on Highway 70 in a 2001 Chevrolet S-10 pickup when the truck ran off the left side of the road, struck a large boulder, overturned, and hit a utility pole. The truck came to rest upright on it’s wheels. The accident occurred around 6:20 a.m. about four tenths of a mile from the Wilson County line in DeKalb County.
Evans was taken from the scene by DeKalb EMS to meet a Life Force Helicopter ambulance on Highway 53 in Alexandria. He was airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville.