A new market leadership team has been announced following the affiliation this summer of DeKalb Community Hospital (DCH) and Stones River Hospital (SRH) with Capella Healthcare. The new partnership united the two hospitals with Capella’s White County Community Hospital (WCCH) to form a new regional entity designed to broaden care in the Upper
Cumberland Plateau.
Bill Little, who has served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for DCH and SRH since July 2009, has been promoted to Market CEO with responsibility for all three hospitals. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sarah Clark has moved up to Market CFO for the new entity and Eric Phillips, formerly Chief Nursing Officer for DCH, has been promoted to Market Chief Operating
Officer (COO).
Each of the three hospitals has a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), with Karen Hickey at Stones River Hospital, Robin Byler at White County Community Hospital, and Rick Gillentine joining DeKalb Community Hospital this month.
Bill Little, a native of Smithville, served as Chief Operating Officer at Cookeville Regional Medical Center prior to joining DCH and SRH. Before that, he spent five years serving as Vice President of Financial Operations at Vanguard Health Systems in Arizona. While there, he also
served as the Chief Financial Officer for Arrowhead Hospital and Medical Center in Glendale, AZ. Little obtained his B.S. degree in Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University.
Sarah Clark also worked at Cookeville Regional Medical Center prior to joining DCH and SRH, serving as Director of CRMC’s MSO, where she directed operations for all of their employed physicians. Prior to that she was a principal in an accounting firm providing consulting and accounting services to physicians and other small businesses. She spent ten years with HCA working at the corporate office and in two facilities, Smyrna Medical Center and Livingston Regional Hospital. A Certified Public Accountant, Clark earned her B.S. degree in Accounting from Tennessee Technological University.
Prior to his promotion to Market COO, Eric Phillips served as CNO for DCH since 2009. Before that, he held nursing supervisor positions at Cookeville Regional Medical Center, University Medical Center (Lebanon) and Centennial Medical Center (Nashville). Phillips began his career in
healthcare as a paramedic. He earned a bachelor’s degree in emergency management from Western Carolina University and a law degree from the Nashville School of Law. A decorated veteran, Phillips served with the U.S. Navy for four years in Sea Air Search and Rescue (Waterborne Rescue Operations), earning numerous awards.
Rick Gillentine, RN, joined DCH on September 1 as Chief Nursing Officer. He previously worked for StoneCrest Medical Center in Smyrna for seven years in a variety of positions, including Community Navigator, Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, and Assistant Director of Emergency Services. Gillentine also worked in nursing at Centennial Medical Center and Saint
Thomas Hospital in Nashville as well as River Park Hospital in McMinnville. He earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Belmont
University.
Karen Hickey, RN, has been CNO at SRH since 2010, overseeing all clinical departments and serving as program director for the geriatric psychiatric unit.
Robin Byler, RN, has been CNO at WCCH for five years, assisting with the hospital’s transition to Capella Healthcare in 2008.
“We are excited about the strength of this leadership team and the opportunities they have before them to expand and enhance services throughout the region,” said Mark Medley, President of Capella Healthcare’s Hospital Division. “All three hospitals have a rich history
of providing high quality care and excellent service for their communities. We are confident they are well-positioned for success in the coming years.”
Based in Franklin, Tenn., Capella Healthcare owns and/or operates 15 general acute-care hospitals in seven states. With the philosophy that all healthcare is local, Capella collaborates with each hospital’s medical staff, board and community leadership to take care to the next level. The
company has access to significant leadership and financial resources, reinvesting 100% of net cash flow into its family of hospitals to strengthen and expand services and facilities.
Capella has five hospitals in Tennessee, including 71-bed DeKalb Community Hospital in Smithville, 60-bed Stones River Hospital in Woodbury and 60-bed White County Community Hospital in Sparta as well as Grandview Medical Center in Jasper and River Park Hospital in McMinnville. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.CapellaHealthcare.com.

Although plans are in the making for the return to Smithville of KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and Taco Bell , a combo restaurant, the Smithville Planning Commission has not yet acted upon a site plan for the project.
Wallace Caldwell, Chairman of the Planning Commission told WJLE that during the regular monthly meeting last week, the issue was on the agenda but since the site plan was not ready to be submitted for consideration, action was tabled until the next meeting.
“It was on the agenda but we just tabled it until the next time we meet (October) or if they have a special called session on it, said Caldwell.
“Right now the plans have not been submitted to the Smithville Planning Commission for approval for them to start any construction at the present time. There are a few preliminary things that they have to work out with the surveyors so we (planning commission) are at the place right now where they (KFC) are wanting to come here but we don’t yet have the plans to look over to okay for them to go ahead and start their construction,” said Caldwell
“With a site plan what we have to look for is to make sure they (KFC) have the adequate space for parking spaces required per square footage of the building, etc. We have to make sure there is adequate parking and that they have proper access to the highway, utilities, etc,” said Caldwell
The proposed property for the business is located at East Broad Street and Oak Street near the former Estes Furniture Company and car wash locations. No land transaction on the property has yet been recorded at the Register of Deeds Office.
According to the deed restrictions on the site, currently owned by Tyree & Taylor Properties, LLC, “The property will not be used for restaurant or food service purposes for a period of 20 years from the date of December 26th, 1991, the effective date of the restrictive covenant granted to McDonald’s Corporation by the Grantor. The term “food service purposes” means any retail business that provides a place where meals can be bought and eaten such as a McDonald’s Restaurant.” That restriction expires December 26, 2011.

A Murfreesboro man was arrested Saturday after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend at Floating Mill campsite.
29 year old Sladen Anthony Shagun of Manchester Pike, Murfreesboro is charged with public intoxication and domestic assault. His bond totals $6,000 and he will be in court on September 22.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, a deputy was called to investigate a domestic violence complaint at the Floating Mill camp site on Saturday, September 3. After speaking to everyone involved, the deputy determined Shagun had assaulted his girlfriend, hitting her about the face with his fist. She had a swollen left eye, her nose was bleeding, and she had bruising on her right arm from an earlier assault that day. Upon speaking with Shagun, the officer noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person.
24 year old Zachary Nathaniel Hale of Meadowbrook Drive is charged with a first offense of
driving under the influence. He was also issued citations for improper passing, violation of the implied consent law, and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on September 22
Sheriff Ray reports that on Tuesday, August 30, Hale was operating a vehicle on Highway 56 south near the Mystick Market when he passed an officer on a double yellow line. Hale’s vehicle was also weaving on the roadway. After stopping the automobile, the officer spoke with the driver, Hale, and detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle. Hale was asked to step out of the vehicle and to perform field sobriety tasks. Hale had slurred speech and he was unsteady on his feet. Hale performed poorly on all tasks. Hale refused to submit to a blood alcohol test, saying he would fail it. He admitted to drinking beer. A glass pipe was also found during the investigation which contained what is believe to be marijuana residue
51 year old Daniel Ray Anderson of Duck Pond Road, Sparta is charged with a second offense of driving on a suspended license and failure to appear in court. He was also issued a citation for violation of the financial responsibility law. His bond is $6,000 and he will be in court on September 22.
Sheriff Ray reports that on Tuesday, August 30 a deputy stopped a vehicle on South Mountain Street, Smithville and informed the driver, Anderson that he had a capias or bench warrant against him. The bench warrant was for failure to appear in court February 3, 2010 on another charge of driving on a suspended license. The officer asked to see his license but Anderson said he thought they were suspended. A computer check revealed the license were suspended for failure to satisfy a citation on October 23, 2007 in Putnam County. He also had a prior charge of driving on a suspended license against him in Warren County.
33 year old Santos Menchu of Short Mountain Road, Smithville was issued a citation on September 1 for speeding, traveling 46 miles per hour in the 25 mile per hour zone at DeKalb West School; no drivers license; and violation of the financial responsibility law. He will be in court on September 22. According to Sheriff Ray, a deputy spotted a vehicle traveling through the 25 miles per hour school zone at a high rate of speed. Menchu’s speed was confirmed by radar. A computer checke revealed that Menchu only had an ID and no insurance.
33 year old Joel Thomas Hayes of Bobby Hayes Road, Dowelltown is charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and a first offense of driving under the influence. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court on October 6.
Sheriff Ray reports that on Friday, September 2, a deputy saw a vehicle weaving while pulling a trailer on Highway 53 in Liberty. The vehicle crossed the center line three times and twice on the fog lane. The officer pulled over the automobile for failure to maintain the proper lane of travel. The deputy spoke to the driver, Hayes, and noticed that his speech was very slurred and his eye lids looked to be very heavy. Hayes submitted to but performed poorly on several field sobriety tasks. Hayes did submit to a blood alcohol drug test. Hayes was arrested for DUI and upon an inventory of the vehicle, the officer found two hollow ink pens containing residue; and a black plate with a white powdery substance. Hayes had in his possession prescription pills for oxycodone.
20 year old Cory Matthew Huffman of Northfield Boulevard, Murfreesboro is charged with a first offense of driving under the influence, unlawful possession of a schedule VI drug for sale and delivery; and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. He was issued a citation for violation of the light law. A total of four hundred dollars in his possession was also seized by the officer as evidence. Huffman’s bond totals $10,000 and he will be in court on September 29
Sheriff Ray reports that on Sunday, September 4, a deputy stopped a vehicle on Highway 70 east for violation of the light law (head light out). Upon speaking with the driver, Huffman the officer noticed that he had red watery eyes. The deputy also detected a strong odor consistent with the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Huffman submitted to but performed poorly on several field sobriety tasks. Huffman did submit to a blood alcohol drug test. Huffman gave the deputy consent to search and the officer found in a cloth bag, several plastic baggies containing a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, and a small black digital scale. The approximate weight of the marijuana was 2.3 ounces.

A Labor Day outing on Center Hill Lake turned tragic for a Murfreesboro family Monday as the body of 10 year old Elizabeth Grace Hathaway was recovered from the lake around 6:15 p.m. near their houseboat at Hidden Harbor Marina. The child, who was not wearing a life jacket, was the victim of an apparent drowning, although an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
Sheriff Patrick Ray told WJLE that members of the Rutherford County Special Operations unit, using a sonar device, pinpointed the location of what they suspected was the body. Divers then went down and found the body of the child in about forty feet of water.
The body was near the back of the family’s houseboat, which was docked at the marina. Witnesses reported having seen the child on the deck of the boat around 8:30 Monday morning, shortly before her disappearance.

After the family discovered her missing, they called 911 and the search effort began. Not knowing at the time whether the child had fallen into the lake or had wandered away from the houseboat and into the woods a search by ground and water was initiated and conducted throughout the day.
Searchers checked the woods and roads in the immediate area as well as vehicles parked in the vicinity. Any houseboats docked at the marina that were open or occupied were also searched.
DeKalb 911 placed automated reverse calls to residents in the area asking them to be on the look out for the child.
Among those taking part in the search either by ground or on the lake were members of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the DeKalb County Rescue Squad, the Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb EMS, Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Charlie Parker, the DeKalb County Fire Department’s Search and Rescue Team, the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, the Putnam County Rescue Squad and Dive Team, and the Rutherford County Special Operations unit and divers.
Special thanks to DeKalb Market and other individuals who supplied food and water to the searchers and to Hidden Harbor Marina for their assistance.

The Tennessee General Assembly recently passed a law to make the elections process more secure. Beginning in 2012, voters must present identification bearing their names and photographs in order to vote, just as if they were
boarding an airplane or cashing a check.
The process is simple: voters who do not have valid photo IDs may obtain free photo IDs for voting from any participating Department of Safety driver service center across the state. And voters over the age of 60 who
have driver’s licenses without photos and no other form of valid photo IDs for voting may have their photos added to their licenses free of charge.
County election commissions are making efforts now to get the message out about the changes well in advance of the 2012 elections.
“Our staff is prepared to help voters learn about the new requirements, and, if necessary, how to get a photo ID,” said Dennis Stanley, Administrator of Elections. “We will do our best to ensure every voter is informed in plenty of time.”
Examples of acceptable photo IDs, even if expired, include: a Tennessee driver’s license with a photo, a United States passport, a Department of Safety photo ID, a United States military photo ID, a state-issued handgun carry permit, or any other photo ID issued by the federal or state government, except college student IDs.
“Local election administrators are working hard to prepare voters and poll workers,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “I am confident this law will be beneficial and can be implemented smoothly.”
Some citizens will be exempt from the new law, including: absentee voters, residents of nursing homes or assisted living centers who vote at the facility, people who are hospitalized, people who have religious objections to being photographed and those who are indigent and unable to pay for photo IDs. Voters who do not bring photo IDs to the polls may vote with provisional ballots that will be counted if they return to their local election commission office and present a valid photo ID within two business days of the election.
For more information about the voting requirements, contact the DeKalb County Election Commission at 597-4146 or call Mark Goins, Coordinator of Elections, or Andrew Dodd, Elections Specialist, in the state Division of
Elections at 1-877-850-4959.