Candidates interested in running for Aldermen in the Smithville Municipal Election this summer may now pick up qualifying petitions at the DeKalb County Election Commission Office in the courthouse.
Lisa Peterson, Administrator of Elections, says candidates have until Thursday, March 19th to qualify. The deadline to register to vote in time for the election is May 18th.
Three Aldermen will be elected on Tuesday, June 16th. The positions are currently held by Jerry Hutchins, Sr., Tonya Sullivan, and Willie Thomas. Each term is for two years.

33 year old Karen Lynn Lovell is scheduled to get out of prison Wednesday
According to the Tennessee Department of Corrections website, Lovell’s sentence, which began on February 22nd, 2004, is scheduled to end on January 21st. She has been incarcerated at the Tennessee Prison for Women in Nashville.
The woman who escaped from the DeKalb County Jail in May, 2003 and was later shot by Captain Mark Collins of the Sheriff’s Department, received a six year prison sentence after pleading guilty in Criminal Court to three of the five charges against her.
Lovell appeared before Circuit Court Judge John Maddux in October, 2003 and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, escape, and intentional killing of an animal.
Lovell received a six year sentence on the assault charge, 11 months and 29 days for escape, 11 months and 29 days and for the killing of the animal. All the sentences were to run concurrently or together for one six year sentence. The sentence however was to run consecutive to the conviction for which she was incarcerated when she escaped. She was in jail serving three concurrent 11 month-29 day sentences on charges of telephone harassment and stalking.
Other charges of attempted first degree murder and aggravated kidnaping were dismissed under the plea bargain agreement.
The story began around midnight on Friday, May 7, 2003 during the previous sheriff’s administration when Lovell reportedly faked an illness at the jail and was taken to the local hospital. When she was returned to the jail authorities were conducting a marijuana search when Lovell grabbed a service revolver and the keys to a patrol car and escaped.
Lovell drove to the home of her sister, Cathy Lester, on King Ridge Road, where Lester has legal custody of Lovell’s son Kaden, who was three years old at the time. Lovell shot the Lester family dog, a doberman, took the child at gun point, and then drove away with her son.
Deputy David Ward saw Lovell traveling southwest on New Home Road. Ward exited his vehicle and stood near the driver’s side door when Lovell drove toward him. Ward was thrown onto the hood of his car and Lovell, after also striking the driver’s side door, proceeded in the same direction before spinning out a short distance away. She then abandoned the stolen patrol car and fled on foot. A quick investigation of the scene indicated Lovell fired at deputy Ward, who was not seriously injured. Two spent shell casings from the stolen .40 Glock were found in the car and there was a bullet hole in the windshield.
Knowing Lovell had taken the child and spent only three of a possible 13 rounds in the stolen weapon, authorities began a massive search throughout the pre-dawn hours until almost noon using a tracking dog and air support with a TBI plane equipped with heat-sensing technology and a THP helicopter
Lovell then showed up around 11:00 a.m. at the home of Bill Ferrell at the intersection of New Home Road and King Ridge Road. She stood near the back door of the Ferrell residence holding her son in one arm and the gun in the other hand.
Captain Collins pleaded with Lovell to put the gun down but she continued to wave and point it at her child’s head, threatening to kill him. Collins then fired a shot from his revolver, striking Lovell in the temple area of her head. Collins then rushed to rescue the boy, who was not seriously injured.
Lovell was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga where she underwent surgery and returned to the jail two weeks later. She lost sight in one of her eyes.
A parole hearing was held for Lovell in December, 2004 but she was denied early release at that time.

The DeKalb County Fair received a “Premiere” Award during the 87th Annual Tennessee Association of Fairs Convention held January 15th-17th in Nashville.
As state divisional award winners from last year, the DeKalb County Fair in Division “A” along with the Middle Tennessee District Fair of Lawrenceburg in Division “AA” and the Coffee County Fair in Division “AAA” were in the running for the coveted Champion of Champions Fair award for 2008.
This year’s Champion of Champions award went to the Middle Tennessee District Fair while DeKalb County and Coffee County received the “Premiere” Fair Awards in their divisions.
Meanwhile the 2008 DeKalb County Fairest of the Fair, Nicole Linn, was among the top ten finalists for the Tennessee Association’s Fairest of the Fair. This year’s crown went to the Warren County Fairest of the Fair. A total of 51 contestants competed for the title.
State divisional champion awards for 2008 went to the Overton County Fair, Division “A”; the Dyer County Fair, Division “AA”; and the Putnam County Fair, Division “AAA.”
This year’s Merit Awards dinner, attended by hundreds of fair managers, vendors and volunteers from across the state, was held at the Nashville Airport Marriott Hotel on Saturday evening. Many of the state’s top county agricultural fairs were recognized for outstanding achievement during the 2008 fair season.

A DeKalb County woman has been charged with child abuse.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says deputies arrested 34 year old Lori Ann Keith of King’s Court Trailer Court on Wednesday. Keith allegedly assaulted her 15 year old child causing scratches and marks to the child’s arm and neck area. Keith’s bond was set at $1,000 and she will appear in court on January 22nd.
Meanwhile, on Saturday after receiving a complaint about a vehicle driving erratic, Deputies arrested 47 year old Dolores Castorena of Walker Street, McMinnville. Deputies spotted Castorena’s vehicle on Highway 146 swerving all over the road. After stopping the vehicle, officers asked Castorena to perform field sobriety tasks which he failed. Deputies also discovered that Castorena did not have insurance for his vehicle and did not possess a valid driver’s license. Castorena was arrested for no driver’s license and driving under the influence. He was also issued citations for violation of the implied consent law and no insurance. His bond was set at $2,000 and he will appear in court on January 29th.

Fire destroyed a home this morning (Monday) on Big Hurricane Road.
Lieutenant Bradley Mullinax of the DeKalb County Fire Department says the call came in around 6:00 a.m. Monday. A neighbor spotted the blaze and reported it.
Firefighters responded from the Cookeville Highway, Short Mountain Highway, Keltonburg, and Midway Stations and the Main Station, along with DeKalb EMS and the Sheriff’s Department.
Mullinax says the house was already too far gone by the time firefighters arrived and it could not be saved.
No one was home at the time of the fire and no one was injured.
Mullinax says firefighters were told that the home belonged to Darrin Ray.
(Photo by Callie Matthews)