Roses is coming to Smithville.
According to a prepared news release on the company’s website, Henderson based Variety Stores, a subsidiary of Variety Wholesalers, Inc. a discount retailer, has announced it will open a 30,000 – square-foot Roses store, a unit of the company’s retail division, in Smithville. The store is scheduled to open in early Spring 2010 at 750 South Congress Boulevard formerly Pamida.
In a statement to WJLE, Tony Luna says the Luna Realty Group co-brokered the deal to get Roses here. “About a month to six weeks ago, we were contacted by a group, I believe from Missouri, that we had the old Pamida building co-brokered with and they said the Roses group had contacted them about coming into this area. They were looking at several buildings in middle Tennessee.”
“I met them at the airport and brought them in and they fell in love with the community. After a couple of weeks, I was contacted again. They said they were definitely going to come into the area. They signed a long term lease with the Pamida group to move in at the old Pamida building.”
“We’re as excited as they are about them coming into this community, especially since the county is buying the old Food Center building. With Roses there, that’s going to be a hopping end of town again.”
According to the company news release, Roses operates several other stores in McMinnville, Murfreesboro, Memphis and Bowling Green, Kentucky. The new Roses store will offer a combination of “Value-Priced” merchandise that includes Clothing & Shoes for the entire family, Home Furnishings, Housewares, Toys, Food, Health & Beauty products, and Seasonal products such as, Lawn & Garden, BTS, and Christmas Decor, all at “Value Driven Prices”!
Variety Stores concept and mission is simple—provide great value, convenience, and a pleasant shopping experience for our customers. The new store will create 30 to 40 new jobs in the Smithville area. Plans are to begin hiring for this location mid December 2009. Interested parties can contact Carl Wright, Senior Manager of Human Resources at HYPERLINK “mailto:cwright@vwstores.com” cwright@vwstores.com
Variety Wholesalers, Inc. is a family owned business that has been operating since 1922, and has been listed in Fortune 500 magazine as one of the largest, privately owned companies in the United States.
The retail stores operated by the Company are grouped into three main divisions – Roses, Maxway and Super 10. The corporation operates over 425 stores across the Southeastern States. For more information on Variety Wholesalers, Inc, visit our website at HYPERLINK “http://www.vwstores.com” www.vwstores.com.

A Smithville woman has been charged with trying to smuggle drugs into the jail.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 24 year old Laura B. Elmore of Gentry Avenue, Smithville was arrested Wednesday, November 25th for facilitation to introduce drugs into a penal institution where prisoners are quartered. On November 13th, detectives and deputies were summoned to a beauty shop in Smithville where a woman had reportedly come into the business and purchased a bottle of shampoo. After making the purchase, the woman left the business but returned a short time later stating that she intended to take the shampoo to the DeKalb County Jail, but had forgotten that the jail would not accept shampoo unless it was signed into the facility by a registered beautician. The woman left the bottle at the business with the intent for the owner or employees to take the bottle of shampoo to the jail. After an investigation, detectives discovered that the bottle of shampoo contained two straws that were taped on each end. The straws contained 19 pills believed to be Xanax and 12 pills believed to be Oxycodone. Elmore was identified as the person who bought and returned the bottle of shampoo. Detectives allege that Elmore intended to slip the pills into the jail by hiding them in the bottle. Elmore’s bond was set at $2,500 and she will appear in court on December 3rd.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, November 28th, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 officer was patrolling on Highway 56 North and observed a vehicle fail to yield to a stop sign at the intersection of Cookeville Highway and Craft Center Drive. The officer stopped the automobile and the driver, 20 year old Samuel Max Meketon of Byrne Apartments Cookeville, showed him an identification card. When the officer checked the number, Meketon’s license was found to be suspended for an unpaid citation in Pennsylvania. The K-9 officer then allowed the K-9 dog, Banshee, to run around the vehicle. Banshee alerted at the trunk. Upon checking the trunk, the officer found a pillow case that contained 2 bags of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana. Meketon was arrested for a first offense of driving on a suspended license and simple possession of a schedule VI drug. His bond was set at $2,500 and he will appear in court on December 31st.
Also on Saturday, a deputy, while on patrol on Midway Road, spotted a vehicle weaving in the roadway. After stopping the automobile, the officer found 23 year old Zack Ross Hendrixson of West Main Street Hickman to be the driver. The deputy checked Hendrixson’s driver’s license and discovered that they were suspended for failure to satisfy a citation in Putnam County on August 23rd. The officer also found in Hendrixson’s car under the seat, a sunglasses case that contained a glass pipe with marijuana residue, 2 plastic bags of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, and a pill believed to be Suboxone. Rolling papers were also found in the glove compartment of the car. Hendrixson was charged with driving on a suspended license, possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession of a schedule III drug Suboxone, and simple possession of a schedule VI drug marijuana. Bond for Hendrixson was set at $5,000 and he will appear in court on December 10th.

The Smithville Police Department has released it’s arrest report for the week.
35 year old Donna Bogle of 658 Parkway Drive was arrested by Smithville Police on Friday, November 20th for possession of drug paraphernalia. According to the report: K-9 Officer Brad Tatrow observed a vehicle fail to use a turn signal when making a left turn off South Mountain Street onto White Street Upon making contact with Bogle, Officer Tatrow said it appeared that both she and her passenger were very jumpy and nervous. He received consent to search Mrs. Bogle’s vehicle as well as her purse and recovered two used hypodermic needles as well as a straw with yellow powdery residue. Mrs. Bogle was placed under arrest. Her bond is 1,000 and she will appear in General Sessions Court on December 17th.
40 year old Jose Miguel Sagahon of 304 White Street was arrested on Sunday, November 22nd for driving on a revoked license. Officer Randy King reports that he was dispatched to the intersection of West Bryant and South College Street and upon arrival. he saw a white Dodge truck attempting to pull a white Monte Carlo out of a ditch. The vehicle was towed out and across the roadway into the parking lot of Creative Styles Hair Salon. The operator of the Monte Carlo who had been involved in the accident was Sagahon. Officer King asked if he was driving the car and he replied “yes”. He also asked him for his name and he responded ” Miguel”. Officer King said he knew Sagahon’s license had been revoked in April for DUI . After he verified that the license were still revoked, he arrested Sagahon. Bond is set at 2,500 and Sagahon will be in court on December 3rd.
57 year old Danny Austin Reeder of 633 Restview Avenue was arrested on Sunday, November 22nd for Prevention or Obstruction of service of Legal Process or Writ. Officer Matt Farmer reports that on November 17th, Reeder hid Patsy Estes in his residence knowing there was an outstanding warrant on her. Police officers also told him that they had warrants on her. After officers entered the home, they found Estes there. The case against Estes is the result of an investigation into a stolen wallet taken from an office in the DeKalb County Courthouse. Bond is set at 1,000 and the court date is December 3rd.
20 year old Lucas David Bocel of 412 West End Avenue McMinnville was arrested by Officer Matt Holmes on Tuesday, November 24th for Solicitation of a Minor. An offense report was taken by Officer Randy King on November 21st regarding a possible statutory rape. It was reported that Bocel arranged to meet a 13 year old minor and that sexual contact had occurred. The case was later assigned to Officer Holmes. During Officer Holmes’ investigation it was determined that there was intimate contact but no sexual activity. Bocel was charged with Solicitation of a Minor. Bond is set at 5,000 and the court date December 3rd.
26 year old Jason L Knowles of 846 Anthony Avenue was arrested on Tuesday by Officer Scott Davis on a warrant for Violation of Probation. His court date is December 3rd.
51 year old Ricky Deland Adcock of 2917 Obie Adcock Road was charged with Public Intoxication on Tuesday. According to the report, Sergeant Joey Jones arrived at 119 Dearman Street on a suspicious vehicle call. The complaint was about a white pickup truck going slow up and down the roadway and then pulling into the driveway of the Dearman Street residence. Sergeant Jones says he was advised that the owner of the residence was not at home at the time. Upon arrival, Sergeant Jones noticed that the white pickup truck had backed up in the driveway on the east side of the residence and sitting behind the wheel was Adcock. Sergeant Jones says he stopped and walked up to the vehicle and detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage that smelled like beer. He asked Adcock what he was doing there. He told the officer that he was there to meet a friend. Sergeant Jones asked if he had any I.D. on him. Adcock then produced his driver license. His eyes were bloodshot and droopy and his speech was slurred. Sergeant Jones asked if he had been drinking but Adcock kept changing the subject. Sergeant Jones asked him to step out of his vehicle but he just sat there. He was asked twice more before he finally got out. As Adcock was getting out of the vehicle, he told the officer that he was not going to take field sobriety or any other tests. Sergeant Jones replied that was his choice and then advised him that he was going to be arrested for Public Intoxication. Adcock was taken into custody and transported to the Smithville Police Department for processing. He was then transported to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.. His bond is 1,000 and he will be in General Sessions Court on December 3rd.

Have you been operating a livestock farm less than 10 years? Is your total household income less than $22,050 a year? Are you a member of a socially disadvantaged group? If your answer is “yes” to any of these questions, you can still sign up in the 2008 Livestock Forage Program (LFP) for assistance due to the drought conditions in DeKalb County during 2007 and 2008.
DeKalb County and Cannon County Farm Service Agency are hosting a joint producer meeting on Monday, November 30th at 6:00 p.m. in Smithville at the “303 Building” on the north side of the DeKalb County Courthouse. The meeting will be targeted towards explaining Livestock Forage Program benefits to socially disadvantaged farmers, limited resource farmers, and beginning farmers. However, general information will also be provided for anyone interested in the 2008 Livestock Forage Program. Office staff will be on hand to accept applications at the meeting.
Producers meeting the requirements of a socially disadvantaged farmer, limited resource farmer, or beginning farmer did not have to pay the $100 buy-in fee or purchase a NAP policy for the 2008 crop year and will be eligible to sign up in the 2008 LFP by the December 10 deadline.
The definitions for each group qualified under this waiver are:
(1) Socially Disadvantaged Farmer: a farmer who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group that has been subject to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities.
(2) Limited Resource Farmer: a producer with BOTH the following:
a) direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than $100,000 in both of the previous 2 years, AND;(b) total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of 4, or less than 50% of county median household income in both of the previous 2 years. For DeKalb County and Cannon County, adjusted gross income (total household) of less than $22,050 would qualify.
(3) Beginning Farmer: an individual who (1) has not operated a farm for more than 10 years, AND (2) substantially participates in the operation.
For more information, or for directions to the meeting, contact the local Farm Service Agency. The DeKalb County Farm Service Agency office phone number is 597-8225, extension 2 and the Cannon County Farm Service Agency office phone number is 563-4321, extension 2.

Christmas on the Square will be celebrated on Thursday, December 3rd from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the Smithville Public Square.
Suzanne Williams, Executive Director of the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce, says festivities will be held at the 303 North Public Square building including Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus by Double J Photography, free pictures by Studio Six Limited, special music including the Community Chorus, Thea Tippin, Susie Guerin, Chris Summers, Sue Slager, Ron Noonan, Brian Russell, & students from Indian Mound, Chance, and the Cumberland Impact Center. Snowbird will be visiting around town from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Visit with your county officials and staff and enjoy lots of fresh baked goodies at the Courthouse Open House.
Williams says Children’s Train and Inflatables are scheduled (if weather permits). Extended hours at downtown stores will make this a wonderful time for Christmas shopping. At the Justin-Potter Library, Snowbird will read to the children and pose for pictures from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and you may visit with Santa will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Bring your camera.
Come out for this enjoyable and heartwarming experience –Christmas on the Square! For more information, call the Chamber office at 597-4163.