Several children spent this past week at Camp Phoenix (Indian Creek Camp in Liberty) thanks in part to the Tennessee Firefighters Burn Foundation, Inc.
The foundation operates and provides funding for a summer camp experience for children who are all burn survivors. Camp Phoenix is staffed mainly by professional and enthusiastic volunteer firefighters, EMTs and paramedics. The camp program provides safe and fun outdoor programs for kids ages 6-17. The goal is to promote healing of the heart and mind, personal enrichment and new friendships.”
On Tuesday June 1st, approximately 50 campers spent the afternoon at the DeKalb County Fire Department’s main station. They enjoyed a meal and got to see up close, an extrication unit, a deputy sheriff car, ambulance and the fire engines.
County firefighters, a deputy sheriff, paramedics, County Mayor Mike Foster and a UCHRA van driver assisted these campers in having a great afternoon.
For more information about the Tennessee Firefighters Burn Foundation, Inc. visit (http://www.tnfbf.org/)

A Smithville woman and her two year old daughter were injured Thursday morning when their truck overturned on Highway 288 in the Keltonburg area. The accident occurred about three tenths of a mile east of Green Hill Road and about a mile from the Keltonburg store
Central dispatch received the call at 7:52 a.m.
Trooper Dewaine Jennings of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 24 year old Jennifer Gayle Summers of 1254 Wright Bend Road, Smithville and her daughter, Adison Summers, were taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital where they were treated, but their injuries were not life threatening.
According to Trooper Jennings, Summers was driving a 2003 Dodge Ram west on Highway 288 when she left the roadway to the right, overcorrected, crossed the center line, then came back across going off the right side of the road again. The truck exited the road sideways and began to overturn. It rolled down an embankment, through a small creek, and rolled back up the other side of the embankment.
Summers was wearing her seatbelt and the two year old was properly restrained in a child safety seat, which may have prevented them from sustaining more serious injuries.
Summers was cited for failing to maintain the proper lane of travel.

A fire Wednesday morning destroyed a barn at 323 Webb Lane.
Central dispatch received the call at 11:16 a.m.
Captain Mark Young of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department says the barn belonged to Ray Donald “Rusty” Webb.
Members of the Keltonburg and Blue Springs Stations and Tanker Truck #1 of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department responded.
Captain Young says the barn was destroyed along with contents including a tractor, bobcat, bales of hay, saddles and horse tack. The cause of the fire is undetermined.

A 33 year old Smithville woman remains in Chattanooga’s Erlanger Hospital after being involved in a one auto accident Saturday afternoon on Highway 70 near Sligo bridge.
Trooper Dewaine Jennings of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says Jerri Marie Spivey of 797 Parkway Drive, Smithville was driving a 2000 Ford Focus east on highway 70 when she failed to properly negotiate a curve. The vehicle left the road to the right and entered a ditchline. The automobile then overturned and came to rest on it’s top.
Two children, 11 year old Seth Vincent and 12 year old Amanda Vincent, were passengers of the vehicle. They were taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital where they were apparently treated and released. Spivey was airlifted by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital, where she is now recuperating in a private room.
Trooper Jennings says a rain slick highway may have contributed to the crash along with slick tires on the vehicle. He says there wasn’t much tread on the tires.
Those rendering aid on scene were DeKalb County Fire Department’s Extrication Team, Midway Engine 63, Johnsons Chapel Engine 68, DeKalb County Sheriff Department, DeKalb EMS and THP.

Donny Green, DeKalb County FSA County Executive Director, announces that the nomination period for the 2010 Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee Election is underway. The nomination period continues through August 2, 2010.
“I encourage all producers to participate in the county committee election process by nominating candidates by the August 2 deadline,” said Green. “We are counting on as much participation as possible, because county committees are an important link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We have seen a trend in recent years of increased nominations of minority, beginning farmers, and women producers and we hope that will continue.”
Committees apply their judgment and knowledge to make decisions on county commodity price-support loan eligibility, establishment of allotments and yields, conservation programs, disaster programs, employment and other farm program-related issues. Nationwide, there are more than 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to five members who are elected by eligible local producers.
To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.
For the 2010 Election, nominees must reside in Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 3 which is described as the area that includes: East of Hwy. 56 South beginning at the DeKalb/Warren county line, following Hwy. 56 in a northern direction to the intersection of Highway 56 and Highway 70; south of Highway 70 East to Center Hill Lake; following Center Hill Lake north and northwest to the Caney Fork River thence to the Smith County line; south of the Smith County line and west of the Putnam County line to the White County line; west of the White County line to the Warren County line; north of the Warren County line following the county line back to Highway 56 South at the DeKalb/Warren County line.
LAA # 3 generally covers the communities of Antioch, Belk, Keltonburg, Jefferson, Four Seasons, Seven Springs, Student’s Home, Bright Hill, Indian Mound, Johnson’s Chapel, Austin Bottom, Rock Castle, Cherry Hill, Wolf Creek, and Edgar Evins State Park.
Individuals may nominate themselves, or others, as a candidate. In addition, eligible candidates can be nominated by community-based and other organizations in the county where the election is being held before the close of the nomination period, especially groups representing socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. Nominations and elections are open to all eligible candidates and voters without regard to race, color, religion, nation origin, age, sex, marital status or disability. The nomination form (FSA-669A) is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/publications/elections.
Ballots will be mailed to all eligible voters in LAA # 3 on November 5, 2010. Completed ballots must be returned, either in person or postmarked, no later December 6, 2010. For more information about FSA county committees, visit the DeKalb County USDA Service Center or call 615-597-8225, extension 2.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department arrested two people from Pikeville on drug charges last Wednesday, May 26th after a deputy checked out a suspicious vehicle setting behind a building on Allen Street.
61 year old Glenda Walters and 32 year old Anthony Herbert Walters, both of Grove Road, Pikeville were arrested. Glenda Walters is charged with simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond is $3,000 and she will be in court on June 24th. Anthony Herbert Walters is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on June 24th.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says a deputy, while on patrol, spotted a suspicious vehicle on Allen Street setting behind a building. After checking the vehicle, the officer found Glenda Walters to be in possession of a loaded hypodermic syringe. Walters had the syringe tucked into her waistband. The syringe contained a yellow substance believed to be dilaudid.
Also in the vehicle was Anthony Herbert Walters. Deputies arrested him after he was found to have a used needle, hemostats, and a tourniquet in his possession.
35 year old Tracey Lavonne Guthrie of Cherry Point Court was arrested on Thursday, May 27th and charged with a first offense of driving under the influence. Bond was set at $1,500. She was also issued a citation for refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test. Guthrie will appear in court on June 10th.
Sheriff Ray says a deputy received a call of a reckless driver on Cookeville Highway. When the officer spotted the vehicle, he noticed the driver to be operating at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was also crossing the traffic lines. Guthrie was identified as the driver. Upon stopping the vehicle, the officer discovered that Guthrie had slurred speech and her eyes were red and watering. Guthrie submitted to field sobriety tasks which she failed. Guthrie also refused to submit to a blood alcohol test.
36 year old John Allen Judkins Jr. was charged Thursday, May 27th with theft of property over $1,000 after he was found to be in possession of stolen items that were taken from a barn on Big Rock Road. Through an investigation, detectives discovered that Judkins took items such as tractor weights, scrap iron, and a bucket of bolts to a scrap business here in DeKalb County. The items were found to be stolen from the Big Rock barn. Bond for Judkins was set at $25,000.

A group of patriotic citizens joined members of the American Legion POST 122 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars POST 7623 in remembering those who have died in our nation’s service during a Memorial Day program Monday morning at the 303 building downtown Smithville.
The service featured gospel and patriotic music by Fred VanHook and the Harmoneers, poems by VanHook and Susan Hinton, a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by Luke Willoughby, an opening prayer by Chuck Olson, Doyle Smith leading the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and remarks by the guest speaker, minister Donald Owens. “This nation of ours has never known anything but wars. We’re now involved and engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. I don’t have all the answers to it but ladies and gentlemen if we get that settled then it won’t be the end of it (war). There’ll be another. And if time goes on there’ll be another. There are people who hate us (Americans). They hate our way of life. They hate our freedom. They hate our smiles. They hate our happiness. They hate our luxurious life that we live and they’re not going to stop. They’re not going to give up. So just dig in deep and say “it’s worth fighting for”. I’m grateful, humbled, and thankful for all those who have served and I’m grateful and thankful for those who paid the supreme sacrifice. It cost a lot of fathers and mothers their sons and daughters. It cost a lot of wives their husbands. It cost a lot of children their fathers. I want to do my part to make this country what it should be for those who follow after me so that those who pay the supreme sacrifice someday will know that the sacrifice that they paid was worth it for those who followed after them. God bless America.”
The following poem was read by Susan Hinton in tribute to our veterans:
“It is the VETERAN , not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN , not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN , not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the VETERAN , not the politician,
Who has given us! the right to vote.
It is the VETERAN,
who salutes the Flag.
It is the VETERAN,
who serves under the Flag,
God Bless them All”
The following poem was also read by Susan Hinton:
“Red for the blood shed in the name of Freedom
For which we fought united
Blue for the oceans of time we have crossed
Remaining the land of the free
White for the peace we wish to share
All men created equal
Stars to remember those who fought
Throughout the night bravely for our land
Stripes to remind us of the lashings
Taken by the Prisoners of War
With a seal, in God We Trust
We each are one of many in which we stand
United in Brotherhood, a symbol of Pride
A salute to those who died in the fight
A blanket to cover us in times of need
Waving high to show we are still here, undefeated
With honor you are presented to the world.”
Fred VanHook recited a poem called “That Ragged Old Flag”
“I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin there.
I said, “Your court house is kinda run down,
He said, “No, it will do for our little town”.
I said “your old flag pole kinda leaned a little bit,
And that’s a ragged old flag you got hanging on it”.
He said “have a seat”, so I sat down,
He said, “is this your first visit to our little town”
I said, “I think it is”
He said “I don’t like to brag, but we’re kinda proud of
“That Ragged Old Flag”
“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it, writing
“Oh Say Can You See”
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
tugging at its seams.
It almost fell at the Alamo beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on tho.
It got cut with a sword in Chancellorsville,
Got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
“That Ragged Old Flag”
On Flanders Field in World War I,
She took a bad hit from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time that one was through,
She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent
by her Uncle Sam.
She’s been over to the Gulf to fight Saddam
And now as you know, she’s over in Afghanistan
She’s waved from our ships on the briney foam
But they’ve just about quit waving her here at home
And here in her own good land,
She’s been abused, burned, dishonored, denied and refused,
And the very government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she’s getting thread bare, and she’s wearing kinda thin,
But she’s in pretty good shape, for the shape she’s in.
So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,
We don’t let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought
I do like to brag
Cause I’m mighty proud of
“That Ragged Old Flag”
At the conclusion of the program, a wreath was laid at the veterans memorial monument on the south side of the courthouse, placed there by Ronnie Redmon of the American Legion POST 122 and Commander Edward Frazier of the VFW POST 7623
Colton Rhody then blew TAPS on his trumpet to close out the program.