The 106th General Assembly convenes Tuesday and Terri Lynn Weaver will officially become DeKalb County’s new State Representative as she takes the oath of office at noon
Representative Weaver told WJLE Monday she is excited and anxious to serve. “At high noon, the freshman class will be standing up and we will be taking our oath as the new representatives in the state. We’re the new kids on the block but we’re learning and it’s exciting and an honor for me to be in Nashville representing the folks of the 40th district.”
“It’s a week of organization. We’re electing our officials. I’ll soon learn where I’ll be planted. As of now, I’m in a temporary office. In fact, my desk is between a refrigerator, two microwave ovens, and a television but I’ll soon have an office. At the moment, I’m looking through resumes to hire an assistant. Right now I have a temporary assistant. After this week, we will recess for two weeks to get our offices in line and get our committees set up and come back around the first week in February and start governing.”
“I’ve put in for three committees I’d like to be on but I won’t know for certain which committees I’ll be on until probably Thursday. I’m mostly interested in being on the agriculture committee as well as the transportation and education committees.”
“I have a temporary number and people can call me at 741-2192. You can also email me at rep.terri.lynn.weaver@capitol.tn.gov”
State lawmakers will convene with a Republican majority in both the House and Senate. The session will start with election of the Speaker of the House.
On Monday, Republicans nominated former Deputy Governor Justin Wilson for comptroller, former state House Republican leader Tre Hargett for secretary of state and Shelby County Commissioner David Lillard for treasurer.
A joint session of the House and Senate is scheduled to elect the constitutional officers on Wednesday.

Students from the elementary to high school level competed in the annual DeKalb County 4-H Public Speaking Contest Monday night at Northside Elementary School.
First place winners in the competition are as follows:
Wyatt Martin, a fourth grade student from DeKalb West School
Ashli Chew, a fifth grader from Northside Elementary School
Lydia Trail, a sixth grade student from DeKalb West School
Cassie Cain, a seventh grader from DeKalb West School
Erin Cantrell Pryor, an eighth grade student at DeKalb West School
Elizabeth Sanders, a ninth grader at DCHS
Luke Willoughby, a twelfth grade student at DeKalb County High School
Runners-up in the contest included:
Kyra Trapp, a fifth grader who received second place
Brooke Reffue, a sixth grade student who was awarded second place
Katlyn Cox, a fourth grader who received third place
Jeremy Wagner, a fourth grade student who was awarded second place.
County Extension Agent Ron Rogers says the winners in this contest will advance to the next levels of competition. “In grades four through eight, they will go to the sub-regional contest and compete against students from eight other counties at Livingston. The competition ends there. Our winners in grades nine through twelve will represent us in the state public speaking contest at Murfreesboro during 4-H Congress in late March.”
Rogers says public speaking is not required for students in 4-H but it is strongly encouraged. “Many of the teachers promote it heavily because public speaking is a life skill. It’s something students will make use of all their lives no matter where they work or what they do. We think it’s a great thing to learn. It gets them over their fear of crowds and being in front of people. We really work at it hard and the teachers work with us. We really think it’s a very important project.”

Senior linebacker, Chris Odom, was named the 2008 DCHS Football Most Valuable Player at Saturday night’s awards banquet, sponsored by the DCHS Quarterback Club. Odom led the Tiger defense in tackles, this past season, was an All-Region selection, the Upper Cumberland’s Best Linebacker, and was considered for Dream Team and All Mid-State honors, this season, as well. Odom was a four-year member of the Tiger football team. The Tigers set many program records en route to final record of 9-3 in 2008.
Meanwhile, DCHS senior, Avarie Maynard, was named Most Valuable Cheerleader for the 2008 football season. Maynard was a senior captain, a four-year member of the cheerleading squad, and one of only three seniors on the 2008 DCHS football cheerleading squad.
Other football awards were as follows:
Best Offensive Player: Hunter Poteete
Best Defensive Player: Logan Roller
Best Offensive Lineman: Josh Emberton
Best Defensive Lineman: Nick Lester
Best Offensive Back: Matt Lawrence
Best Defensive Back: J.J. Herriott
Best Receiver: Abram Edwards
Best Linebacker: John Curtis
Best Special Teams Player: Zach Taylor
Most Improved: Tom West
Clay Edwards Memorial Tiger Pride Award: Matt Lawrence
Other cheerleading awards were as follows:
Best Stunts: Kidman Puckett
Most Spirited: Quincie Winchester
Best Jumps: Krysta Ferrell
Best Dance: Macy Felts
Most Improved: Erin Colwell
D.E.A.R. Award: April Hale
Macy Felts, Krysta Ferrell, Lela Ambrose, Kidman Puckett, and Johnna Roller were also given Perfect Attendance awards for not missing any practices throughout the course of the season.
The annual DCHS Football banquet was held Saturday night at Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church.

Tennessee’s 2008-09 deer hunting seasons will conclude with the Young Sportsman Deer Hunt to be held the weekend of Jan. 17-18. Only youth (ages 6-16) may participate in the Young Sportsman Hunt, regardless of whether they possess a junior or adult license.
Bag limits allow for either-sex hunting in all units. In Unit A, (DeKalb County) the antlerless limit is two for the hunt.
Antlered deer that are taken during the Young Sportsman Hunt count toward the statewide antlered deer bag limit. If a youth in Unit A has already taken three antlered deer this year, he or she would only be allowed antlerless deer on this hunt. A
Each youth must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 21 or older, who does not need a license, but also must wear 500-square inches of fluorescent orange.
Youth hunters ages 10-16 need a TWRA Hunter Education card along with the appropriate license where applicable. Hunters, ages 6-9, are not required to possess a hunter education card or license (these youth must have their Social Security number to check out a deer).
For those youth hunters, age 10 and older, who have not taken the TWRA Hunter Education course, the apprentice license is available.
The apprentice license exempts a hunter, 10 or older who falls within the hunter education requirement, from having to complete the mandatory TWRA Hunter Education course for the current license year.
The apprentice license (Type 12) may be purchased for $11 at any hunting and fishing license agent. The license is valid from the date of purchase through the last day of February. This license may only be purchased once in the lifetime of the hunter.
While hunting, the apprentice hunter must be accompanied by a licensed adult at least 21, who is hunter education certified or otherwise exempt from the law. In addition to the apprentice license, the hunter must have other applicable licenses and permits.
For more information about the Young Sportsman hunt, refer to the Hunting and Trapping Guide available at all license agents or on the TWRA Web site. (The icon is located on the lower portion of the home page.)

The Restore of DeKalb County’s Affiliate Chapter of Habitat for Humanity just completed its first full year of operation, easily exceeding its goals for the year.
“When we started, I hoped we could generate sales of $10,000,” reports Restore manager and Habitat board member Mike Antoniak. “For the year, gross sales totaled more than $16,000….not bad considering we were only open six hours a week.”
The Restore serves as a fundraising arm of the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Sales at the store support Habitat’s projects, and will help the group build its third home in DeKalb County.
Restores specialize in the sale of items donated to Habitat which cannot be used in Habitat homes. The local store has evolved into a combination thrift/building supplies center, selling new and re-usable household items, appliances, furniture, tools and all types of construction materials at bargain prices to generate funds for Habitat.
“Our success is entirely community-driven, and I’d like to thank our store volunteers, donors and everyone who shops the Restore for their support,” says Antoniak. “Special appreciation goes to Robin Driver of Center Hill Realty who has given the Restore a home, at no cost, so all sales directly benefit our Habitat chapter.”
The Restore is located at 415 Miller Road in Smithville and open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 until 12. Donations may be dropped off during regular business hours. For more information, or to arrange a pick-up of donated items, please call 215.8181 and leave a message on the ReStore voicemail box.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department responded to more than six thousand dispatched calls from January 1st to December 31st, 2008.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says the following are Incident Responses or dispatched calls; not self-initiated calls (incidents that officers respond to on routine patrols). Self-initiated calls are not included in these counts:
Calls Reported:
Wrecks- 637
4 wheeler calls- 99
911 calls- 205
Abandoned Vehicles- 45
Animal calls- 227
Assaults- 36
Boat Fires- 3
Break-ins- 208
Burglar Alarms- 428
Child Custody Exchanges- 18
Children in roadway- 13
Debris in roadway- 44
Disturbing the peace- 109
Domestic violence- 357
Drug trafficking- 43
Escorts- 120
Extra Patrols- 31
Fights- 84
Fire Alarms- 37
Funeral Escorts- 187
Gas drive-offs- 19
Harassments- 40
Indecent exposure- 7
Investigations- 303
Vehicle lockouts- 752
Medical Assists- 194
Missing Persons- 65
Phone harassment- 9
Possible D.U.I.- 125
Prowlers- 77
Public Intoxication- 25
Rape- 2
Reckless Drivers- 229
Recover Property- 29
Robbery- 3
Seizures- 10
Shots fired- 67
Shop lifter- 4
Stolen property- 209
Stolen vehicle- 68
Stranded motorists- 65
Structure Fires- 66
Someone threatened- 105
Suicides- 14
Suspicious persons/vehicles- 389
Traffic Hazards- 84
Trespassing- 13
Unruly juveniles- 36
Unwanted guests- 159
Vandalism- 141
Vehicle fires- 22
Wanted Persons- 27
Welfare checks- 132
Miscellaneous- 65
Total 6,536 incident calls