Students in Janet Woodward’s second grade class at Smithville Elementary School have learned the names of all the U.S. Presidents in the order in which they served.
The children recited the President’s names for WJLE morning in their classroom.

Members of the class are Payton Bowman, Payton Cantrell, Anna Chew, Emme Colwell, Jeremiah Davis, Victor Escobar, Andrew Fontanez, Sergio Garcia, Lizzy Guinn, Braxton Hutchings, Mary King, Karley Knowles, Nate Lasser, Haylie Lockard, Bill Miller, Isaac Robinson, Mya Ruch, Malia Stanley, and Rilee Winfree. (Kenzie France was absent)
In addition to the video presentation here, you can listen to the children each morning this week following the 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. morning local news on WJLE AM1480/FM 101.7.

Thousands of dollars in scholarships will be awarded to members of the Class of 2010 at DeKalb County High School during the annual Senior Awards Day program, set for Friday, May 14th at 8:30 a.m.
Representatives of colleges, universities, branches of the military service, businesses, civic groups, and other organizations will be making the presentations.
WJLE plans LIVE coverage.
Awards are expected to be presented by the following groups:
U.S. Marines
U.S. Army
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Navy
University of Florida
Tennessee Tech University
Middle Tennessee State University
Cumberland University
Freed-Hardeman University
Centre College
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
St. Mary’s College
Carson-Newman College
DeKalb Soil Conservation District
Class of 1966
DeKalb Community Hospital
DeKalb Fire Fighters
Class of 1969
Smithville Business & Professional Women’s Club
Liberty State Bank
Jeff Garrett Memorial
Love-Cantrell Funeral Home
Alan Hooper Memorial
DeKalb Republican Women
Jolly Angels
CIC Foundation
DeKalb Scottish Rite
AmVets POST #101
AmVets Auxiliary POST #101
Agee Oil
DeKalb PTO
Hunter Davis Memorial
First Bank
Clay Edwards Memorial Tiger Pride
Smithville Rotary Club
Smithville Women’s Club
Leadership DeKalb
Lucille Stewart Memorial
Elzie & Nell McBride Memorial
Eddie Crips Memorial
DeKalb Retired Teachers
Comcast Leaders & Achievers
DeKalb Farmer’s Coop
Kyle & Kenny Robinson Memorial
FCCLA
DCHS Student Council

Eighteen members of the class of 2010 from Dekalb County High School have received the High Schools That Work (HSTW) Award of Educational Achievement. High school seniors who complete a challenging and focused program of study and demonstrate readiness for employment and for college studies receive the award. Award recipients receiving personalized certificates and congratulatory letters from the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) are Reeves Beller, Payne Denman, Dakota Dexter, Kendra Foutch, Nick Goff, Brandon Haas, Kyle Hogue, Grant James, Sasha Knowles, Layne Mathis, Tejaswi Munagala, Katie Nixon, Amanda Ours, Hunter Poteete, Haley Snyder, Caleb Spencer, Cynthia Woodward, and Tiffany Young.
“These students are to be commended for their efforts,” said Kathy Hendrix. “By taking challenging courses in high school and performing well high on rigorous exams, they have increased the likelihood of success in the workplace and further education.”
Students qualify for the award by completing a college-preparatory course of study in at least two of three subject areas (English/language arts, mathematics or science); completing a concentration in a career/technical area, mathematics/science or the humanities; and meeting readiness goals in all three subject areas on the HSTW Assessment.
HSTW, a Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) initiative, is the largest high school improvement effort in the United States, with more than 1,100 school sites in 31 states, the District of Columbia, and Calgary, Canada. HSTW is supported by member states and grants from organizations, such as the Wallace Foundation, Goldman Sachs Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Whitehead Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. SREB was founded in 1948 as America’s first multi-state compact for education.
For more information, contact Allison Timberlake, coordinator of assessment for School Improvement, or Emily Kagey, chief editor for School Improvement, at the Southern Regional Education Board, 592 10th St., N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318.

The Smithville Municipal Election is a little over a month away and the voter registration deadline in time for the balloting is Monday, May 17th
Meanwhile, early voting will be May 26th through June 10th. Voting times are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and Thursday from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on the first floor of the courthouse. No voting on Memorial Day, May 31st.
A mayor and two aldermen will be elected on Tuesday, June 15th. Each term is for two years. The terms of office for those elected will begin on July 1st.
Smithville Mayor Taft Hendrixson will be challenged for re-election again this year. Hendrixson, who is seeking his third term, will face opposition from former Smithville Mayor Bruce Medley and DeKalb County High School teacher Debi Loring DePriest
Hendrixson was first elected mayor in 2006 and he was re-elected in 2008. Medley, a local livestock producer, served one term as mayor from 1988 to 1990. He did not seek re-election in 1990.
DePriest will be making her first attempt at elected public office.
Meanwhile, Incumbent Aldermen Stephen White and Cecil Burger are seeking re-election. Also in the race for alderman is Shawn Beckham.
White was first elected in 2000 and will be looking for his sixth term as alderman. Burger is seeking his third term as alderman. He was first elected to that office in 2006. Prior to that, Burger served as Mayor from 1990 to 2006.
This is Beckham’s first attempt at elected public office.
Voters who don’t live in Smithville but own property in the city may vote in the municipal election under certain conditions.
The Smithville Charter allows Property Rights Voting. The property must be a minimum of
7500 square feet and the person owning the property must reside in DeKalb County. Proof of ownership and residence must be shown by the following means: (1) A certified copy of the deed and the execution of an affidavit that the person still owns this property and (2) A copy of the most recent DeKalb County real property tax notice, and (3) Proof of residence in DeKalb County. Property rights registrants are entitled to vote but not to hold any municipal office or serve on any municipal board or commission. Proof of ownership and registration form must be provided to the Election Commission office by the May 17th registration deadline.
Meanwhile, Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley reminds voters who have moved since registering to vote that the election commission office needs your current address on file.
“Updating the record is a simple process. All the voter needs to do is fill out a change of address form, which is available at the election commission office. To see if you need to update your record, simply check the address on your voter registration card. If it is different than your current address, you need to update the information with the election commission.”
“Updating the address will make your voting experience go much easier and quicker.” Stanley said,” and will not slow down the line at the polling place during early voting or election day.”

Governor Bredesen has the federal government has authorized a major disaster declaration for 12 additional Tennessee counties, including DeKalb County bringing the total number of counties declared to 42. This action makes federal assistance available to individuals in Chester, Clay, DeKalb, Hardin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Macon, Stewart, Trousdale and Wayne counties.
Bredesen asked President Obama on Monday to declare 52 counties federal disaster areas following the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that struck the state over the weekend. Forty-two counties have received declarations to date. In addition to the 12 counties announced today, counties authorized include: Benton, Carroll, Cheatham, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Madison, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Smith, Sumner, Tipton, Williamson and Wilson.
“I appreciate that President Obama and other federal officials continue to expedite our requests and announce declarations for additional counties,” said Bredesen. “This will be tremendously helpful to Tennesseans who suffered losses as they work to rebuild, and I look forward to seeing more counties authorized in coming days.”
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance immediately by registering online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).
Tennessee suffered 23 confirmed fatalities as a result of the extreme weather and flooding that struck the state April 30-May 2. Numerous evacuations and water rescues were performed as flood waters rose. Many residents lost all of their possessions as homes were destroyed or sustained major damages.
FEMA sent a liaison officer to the state Sunday and opened its regional coordination center in Atlanta to provide support to operations in Tennessee. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has been in the state twice since the flooding began, touring areas of both middle and west Tennessee.
The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties authorized to date, including both individual and public assistance.
Individual assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Public assistance is also available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency protective measures only at this time. In addition, federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.