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 Wednesday morning in their classroom.
Janet Woodward’s 2nd Grade Class at Smithville Elementary School from dwayne page on Vimeo.
Members of the class pictured in the video are as follows: (Back row left to right) Edilma Gonzalez, Noah Terry, Cory Roberson, Matthew Cowan, Johnathon Brock, Saxon Bain, Ambria Cooper, and Patrick Cline. (Front row left to right) Carly Vance, Holden Hendrix, Leah Davis, Dylan Judkins, Sydney Turner, Josef Osment, Presley Agee, Hannah Willingham, and Aaron Godinez
In addition to the video presentation here, you can listen to the children each morning May 23-27 following the 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. morning local news on WJLE FM 101.7.

The DeKalb County Fire Department expresses it sincere appreciation to the DeKalb County High School’s General Metals Class for modifying the water tanks on the Blue Springs, Belk, and Temperance Hall fire trucks.
The modification was needed to allow more efficient water shuttle operations by the fire department. Each tank modification took about a week and, with the cooperation of Mr. Todd Cantrell and the DCHS General Metals Class, the department saved about $5,000 in expenses that would have had to been paid out the county fire department’s budget.
The DeKalb County Fire Department provided a pizza lunch for the class on May 5 as a token of the department’s appreciation. Picture above is the DCHS General Metals Class.

Is the City of Smithville overcharging city water customers for sewer?
Local resident Waniford Cantrell believes so.
When the aldermen adopted the budget last year, they increased water and sewer rates. City customers are now paying $5.00 for the first one thousand gallons of usage plus $5.00 for each additional thousand gallons
Sewer rates also increased to $5.00 for the first thousand plus $5.00 for each additional one thousand gallons of usage
For example, if your monthly water bill is ten dollars then your sewer bill would be ten dollars making your total monthly bill twenty dollars.
Waniford Cantrell Accuses City of Overcharging for Sewer Services from dwayne page on Vimeo.
Cantrell, who addressed the mayor and aldermen Monday night, said he has been checking his own bill and has obtained bills from friends and neighbors and has discovered that in every case, sewer charges are higher than water charges by $3.62. Cantrell insists that, according to the budget, sewer charges should be equal to the water fees and no more.
Cantrell said the city should not only correct the billing to make this right, but it should give a rebate to the 2,300 water and sewer customers who he believes have been over billed since the budget was enacted last year.
Mayor Taft Hendrixson challenged Cantrell on his assumption saying that he doesn’t believe the city is overcharging for sewer services. The mayor said the city is required by state law to charge everyone a fair user flat rate fee of $3.62 over and above regular city rates, which does put monthly fees for sewer higher than water charges. However, according to Mayor Hendrixson this flat rate user fee for sewer is nothing new. It has been budgeted and charged to customers for several years.
Cantrell pointed out that no such fee is spelled out in the budget and that if it wasn’t included in the spending plan, it should not be passed on to water and sewer customers.

As the opening day of the swimming season approaches, the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen and the tenant of the golf course/swimming pool are at odds on how many lifeguards are needed at the city swimming pool and whether the city should pay their wages during private pool parties.
Last year three lifeguards were on duty at the pool under a previous tenant but Tony Poss, the tenant now, said Monday night during the city council meeting that three is not enough. He is asking for the city to fund at least four lifeguards at the pool this summer, and possibly as many as five. Poss said lifeguards would be needed not just during regular pool hours but during private pool parties at night. “We’re going to request that we have five lifeguards there at all times on each shift or a minimum of four to keep that pool safe. Three, we don’t feel is enough. We’re looking at rotating these four or five lifeguards during the day and have three new fresh ones coming on at night (during pool parties). In my opinion we can’t operate this pool with three lifeguards. We can but it is not safe. We need a minimum of four,” said Poss.
Mayor Taft Hendrixson asked Poss “Do you know yet what your state requirements are (on lifeguards)?
Poss replied “No”.
Mayor Hendrixson answered “Well in my opinion that will determine how many you’ve gotta have”.
Meanwhile Mayor Hendrixson and city attorney Vester Parsley, Jr. argued that the city should not be paying for lifeguards after hours, because private pool parties are privately booked and not generally open to the public. “Pool parties are not open to the public. If you have a party over there at night, your family can’t go swim during somebody else’s pool party. Whatever you (Poss) charge (for pool parties) should be figured into your charges on that (for lifeguards). Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for private party lifeguards,” said Mayor Hendrixson
City attorney Parsley agreed saying “I assume pool parties ought to pay for themselves”.
Poss claims nothing in his lease with the city calls for him to hire his own lifeguards during pool parties. He said that’s the city’s responsibility. “Our impression was that in the contract we have with the city, you guys agreed to pay all lifeguards wages. There were no stipulations about if we had a pool party. When we set our fees on that (pool parties) we were under the assumption that you all were going to pay for the wages”. Poss said several pool parties have already been booked at $100 for members and $200 for non-members. “We’ve done sold memberships based on golf and the pool. We can’t go back on that now. That wouldn’t be fair,” said Poss.
The actual lease states as follows: “The tenant (Poss) shall be responsible for the operation of the Smithville Swimming Pool, to include the hiring of certified lifeguards, however the landlord (City) shall pay their salaries during all hours of operation.”
Still, Mayor Hendrixson insists it’s not right nor legal for city taxpayers to fund the cost of providing lifeguards during private pool parties. “We have figured approximately twelve thousand dollars for three lifeguards at seven hours a day for nine weeks and it’s going to run with benefits, FICA about twelve or thirteen thousand dollars. They will be our employees and we’re going to pay for them, but I don’t think we can take taxpayer’s money and pay for these private parties,” said Mayor Hendrixson.
As for the number of lifeguards the city will pay for, Poss and city officials will check with the state to determine the minimum number of lifeguards required per number of swimmers at a given time.
Meanwhile, the aldermen voted 3 to 0 to pay lifeguards minimum wage this summer. Aldermen Steve White and W.J. (Dub) White abstained from voting since Steve’s daughter who is also W.J.’s granddaughter has worked at the pool as a lifeguard.
The pool is expected to be open by Memorial Day.

Fifth graders at Northside Elementary School received pins and certificates during the annual DARE graduation ceremony held Monday
The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program was conducted by DARE Instructor and Chief Deputy Don Adamson of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Patrick Ray addresses 5th Grade DARE Graduating Class from dwayne page on Vimeo.
Each student prepares an essay during the course and those with the best essays from each class are recognized and awarded. This year’s essay winners at Northside are:
Fifth Grader Kelsie Merriman Reads her Winning DARE Essay from dwayne page on Vimeo.
Kyle Justice from Amy Raymond’s class
Calista Jones from Amanda Griffith’s class
Hailey Redmon from Carrie Gottlied’s class
Jayla Angaran from Ginger Wenger’s class
Taylor Reeder from Alisha Day’s class
Kelsie Merriman from Cheryl Vance’s class
Evin Dyer from Melissa Hale’s class
Kelsie Merriman was the over-all winner and she read her essay during Monday’s program. In addition to the award, prizes, and recognition, Merriman gets to keep “Daren the Lion” the DARE Mascot. Judge Bratten Cook II also presented her a check for $50.
Sheriff Patrick Ray, who spoke during the DARE graduation, told the students that “D.A.R.E. is a cooperative effort by the DeKalb Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County School System, parents, and the community. “I ask you today students, to take this valuable information and apply it to your lives, now and forever.”
Others who made remarks during the ceremony were Northside Principal Dr. Gayle Redmon, Judge Cook, and Director of Schools Mark Willoughby.
Other public officials on hand for the DARE graduation program, in addition to Sheriff Ray and Judge Cook, were County Mayor Mike Foster, Circuit Court Clerk Katherine Pack, Register of Deeds Jeff McMillen, and Trustee Sean Driver.
(BOTTOM PHOTO LEFT TO RIGHT: Chief Deputy Don Adamson, Taylor Reeder, Kyle Justice, Calista Jones, Kelsie Merriman, Evin Dyer, Hailey Redmon, Jayla Angaran, Sheriff Patrick Ray)

On behalf of the citizens of DeKalb County, Sheriff Patrick Ray last week presented Family Advocate Deborah Goodwin from the Cookeville Genesis House 149 donated used cell phones the Sheriff’s Department has collected from residents here.
Goodwin said “I want to thank the Citizens of DeKalb County for their cell phone donations. We take the donated phones, refurbish them, and give them to our clients as a way to contact law enforcement in case they find themselves in immediate danger or have an emergency. The cell phones only will call 911. Goodwin said that every 14 seconds in our country, a woman is battered by her intimate partner and every 5 years, more women are killed by domestic violence than Americans killed in the Vietnam War.”
Sheriff Ray also expressed his concern about domestic violence adding that 20% of all murders are domestic violence related and 76% of rape and sexual assaults are committed by husbands, ex-husbands, boyfriends, family members or acquaintances. Anyone who is a victim of domestic violence may contact Sheriff Ray at 597-4935 for information or for a ride to a domestic shelter in Cookeville. You may also call the 24 hour Genesis House Crisis Line at 1-800-707-5197 or 931-525-1637.
Sheriff Ray said he wants to thank the Citizens of DeKalb County for one of their largest cell phone donations ever and to remind you that the department will be collecting used cell phones again this year. You may drop off any cell phones at the Sheriff’s Office. “If you have a cell phone you no longer plan to use, whether or not it is functional, just drop it by the Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Department collects these phones during the year and makes an annual donation on behalf of DeKalb County to the Genesis House,” said Sheriff Ray.

An arrest has been made in a recent burglary and theft investigation by the Sheriff’s Department.
34 year old James W. Stringer of Morgan Drive, Smithville is charged with one count of burglary, theft of property over $500, and theft of property over $1,000. His bond totals $15,000 and he will be in court on the charges June 9th.
Sheriff Patrick Ray reports that on Friday, April 15th, Stringer allegedly entered a barn at Pea Ridge Road and Dry Creek Road with the intent to commit a theft. Entry was made through a fence behind the barn. Items taken from the barn included a Honda 4-wheeler, a John Deere Radiator, a 12 horsepower Briggs and Stratton motor, a cast iron block for a motor, a Gravely tiller, Gravely side cycle mower attachment, a box of assorted radio parts, miscellaneous electrical motors, and five bundles of fence posts. The estimated value of the stolen items comes to $1,175. Stringer has allegedly admitted to taking these things. The detective who filed the charges has recovered the stolen 4-wheeler.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, April 20th Stringer allegedly entered property at Pea Ridge Road and Dry Creek Road and stole a 1986 year model 125 Honda 4-wheeler, valued at $500, which was behind a shed. Stringer has allegedly admitted to taking the 4-wheeler.
29 year old Leoncio Celaya Ramirez of Bonner Street, McMinnville is charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage. His bond is $3,500 and he will be in court on June 2nd. Sheriff Ray reports that on Friday, May 13th, Ramirez was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Highway 56 south and that he left the scene on foot. EMS spotted Ramirez about one mile from the scene. Ramirez admitted to the officer making the arrest that he was the driver of one of the automobiles involved in the mishap.
44 year old Walter D. Crawford of Bluhmtown Road is charged with resisting, stop, frisk, halt, arrest, or search; unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia; simple possession of a schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana); and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. His bond totals $27,500 and he will be in court on June 2nd. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, May 15th two deputies went to Bluhmtown Road to do a welfare check on a fifteen year old female. The girl told the officers that she was afraid of her uncle, Crawford, with whom she resides. The girl stated that Crawford had sexually assaulted her, that he had guns in the home, and that he was a felon. Crawford admitted to the guns being in the residence but when the officers asked him if he were a felon, Crawford responded that he didn’t know. When asked if he had been charged with any sexual offenses, Crawford replied “no”. However, a check through central dispatch revealed that Crawford is a sex offender. After finding guns in his bedroom, officers placed Crawford under arrest for possession of a weapon by a felon. As they were confiscating the weapons from the bedroom, the deputies saw, in plain view on a dresser, a plastic bag with two packs of rolling papers and marijuana. A pipe was also found on top of the bag. The weapons seized included two pistols, eleven long guns (rifles), and five shotguns. The deputies asked Crawford to turn around and place his hands behind his back. When the officers tried to place handcuffs on Crawford, he pulled away. Force then had to be used in order to handcuff him.