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.

Thanks to a bill that has cleared the legislature, counties are no longer required to purchase new voting machines, thus saving property taxpayers thousands of dollars while still maintaining the integrity of the election process.
The state Senate passed a measure Thursday that makes the purchase of Optical Scan voting machines permissive rather than mandatory. The state House had passed the measure earlier and the bill now goes to the governor.
Had the legislature not acted in this session, counties would have been forced to purchase new voting machines in a move that many considered “an unfunded mandate.” If Governor Haslam signs the latest legislation, individual county election commissions will have the option of going to
the new machines or staying with the equipment currently in use.
“This was a compromise to the original legislation adopted a few years ago and one that many election administrators and election commission members throughout the state applaud,” said Dennis Stanley, DeKalb County’s Administrator of Elections.
Under the original act passed in 2006, each county in Tennessee would have been required to use the precinct-based Optical Scan voting system beginning with the 2012 November election. A bill was introduced this year that would implement the plan only if the legislature included a specific
recurring appropriation in the General Appropriations Act for the 2011-2012 fiscal year to cover all the increased costs to the individual counties. That bill was amended to allow counties the option to go to the different voting system and the state would pay for the machines. However,
counties will bear the burden of recurring expenses with the new system. Optical scan voting machines utilize both a paper and electronic system in which voters mark a paper ballot which is then scanned (or read) by an electronic machine. Once the vote is recorded, the paper ballot is
automatically dropped into a sealed container. DeKalb County currently uses what is known as a DRE voting system, an electronic machine that records a vote without the use of paper ballots.
“The voting machines we have now were first used in late 2006 and are working as advertised,” said Walteen Parker, local election commission chairman. “At this point, there is no need to go to a different system that, in the view of many, actually opens the door to fraud and obviously
will result in increased expenditures.”
Many proponents have argued the optical scan voting system assures a person’s vote is counted correctly by providing a paper trail and voters receive a paper receipt upon completing the voting process. But Stanley said that is not totally true. “In reality, there is no way a voter can verify how his or her ballot is counted once it is scanned into the machine. And certainly, there is no
paper receipt given the voter, which would open the door to vote-buying,” he said. “Proponents of the optical scan machines have been misinformed on their use and the use of the current system we have in place here.”
Stanley said if the bill had become mandatory, it would have cost the local property taxpayers an estimated $60,000 more during the 2012 calendar year. “Even with the state purchasing the machines, the increased costs of printing the ballots, purchasing different voting booths and transporting the larger machines to and from the voting precincts would have been the
county’s responsibility,” he said.
“To give you an example of the increased expenditures, the database for the recent August DeKalb County General and State Republican and Democratic primaries totaled $2,000. If we had to print paper ballots for each of those elections, all held on the same day, the cost would have
been between $15,000 and $18,000. As long as the current machines provide an accurate picture of the voters’ wishes, I see no need to spend thousands of dollars to change voting systems,” he added.
Stanley and Parker took occasion to thank both Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver and State Senator Mae Beavers for their support of the compromise legislation. “They have been responsive to the needs of both the voter and the taxpayer,” Parker said. “Their understanding of election issues has been a real plus and we appreciate help with this legislation.”

DeKalb Community Bank recently hosted a luncheon in honor of the DeKalb County High School Top Ten Students.
Those in attendance were Brittany Campbell, Martha Webb, Tia Menix, Heather Owens, Ethan Duke, Clark Adcock, Tyler Seymour, Olivia Norton, Weston Rhody, speakers Joey Agee, DeKalb Middle School and Justin Nokes, recent TTU graduate, and Gentry Barnes, President DeKalb Community Bank.

The DeKalb County 4-H Club Banquet was held recently to honor outstanding 4-H members.
TOP PHOTO: High school members pictured with retiring 4-H Agent Steve Officer (front row): Erin Cantrell-Pryor, Alyssa Young, Katie Haggard, Mary Knowles, and Amanda Laxton. Second row: Kayley Green, Steve Officer, Elizabeth Sanders, Olivia Norton, Cassie Cain, Danielle Knowles, Katie Frazier, and Tyler VanHoose. Third row: Matthew Cain and Hayley Perry (photo by April Martin).
High school members pictured with retiring 4-H Agent Ron Rogers (front row): Erin Cantrell-Pryor, Alyssa Young, Katie Haggard, Mary Knowles, and Amanda Laxton. Second row: Kayley Green, Steve Officer, Elizabeth Sanders, Olivia Norton, Cassie Cain, Danielle Knowles, Katie Frazier, and Tyler VanHoose. Third row: Matthew Cain, Hayley Perry and Shelby Mulloy (photo by April Martin).
SECOND PHOTO FROM TOP:Junior High 4-H members receiving awards were: Eli Oliver, Willliam Cain, Kirkland Smallwood, Morgan Vickers, and Lydia Trail (photo by April Martin).
BOTTOM PHOTO: Other Junior 4-H members receiving awards were (front row, left to right): Derek Young, Tyree Cripps, Olivia Fuson, and Casey Vickers. Second row: Luke Green, Wyatt Martin, and Caitlyn Lawrence (photo by April Martin).

Noted ventriloquist David Turner and Friends entertained participants in Friday’s Older American’s Day celebration at Justin Potter Library
Turner, a resident and native of DeKalb County, performed with his pals “Tad Short”, “Johnny Cash”, “Willie Nelson”, “Elvis”, and “Maynelle”
David Turner from dwayne page on Vimeo.
The month of May is recognized nationally as Older Americans Month, a time when the vast contributions of older adults are recognized . Justin Potter Library joins in the national celebration each year by hosting Older Americans Day. This year’s theme was “Connecting the Community”. Participants enjoyed the fellowship and received door prizes, goody bags, and sack lunches.

DeKalb County Schools will close on time on Thursday, May 26
During Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting, the school board had planned to approve executive action taken by Director Mark Willoughby to amend the calendar to make up a school day lost due to severe weather on Wednesday, April 27th.
Plans were to extend the school year by one day, moving the last day of school from Thursday, May 26 to Friday, May 27.
However, Willoughby informed the board Thursday night that the state has granted the school system’s request for a waiver so that the lost day will not have to be made up. Therefore, the school calendar will not have to be changed. (Click here to listen to the entire school board meeting)
Students will not attend on Wednesday, May 25th. That will be an administrative day and all teachers must attend. The last day of school will be Thursday, May 26. That will be an abbreviated school day and report cards will be sent home.
DCHS Principal Kathy Hendrix Addresses School Board from dwayne page on Vimeo.
Meanwhile, DCHS principal Kathy Hendrix reminded the board Thursday night that high school graduation is set for Friday, May 20 at 7:00 p.m. on the football field and that Senior Awards Day will be Thursday, May 19 at 8:30 a.m. in the gym.

The DeKalb County Board of Education is seeking a seventeen cent increase in the local property tax rate to help fund the new school budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year which begins July 1st.
The school board adopted the proposed tentative general purpose and food service budgets during the monthly meeting Thursday night which was held at the DCHS cafeteria. All six board members present voted in favor. Sixth district member Bruce Parsley was absent.
The general purpose budget totals $20-million 146-thousand 303 consisting of local monies but mostly state funding. In order the make the proposed budget balance a total of $666,893 is needed from the Education Jobs Fund, which is federal one time monies; an appropriation of $658,016 from the school system’s allocation of Basic Education Program (BEP) reserves for equipment and capital outlay expenditures; and a seventeen cent increase in the local property tax rate. If approved, the local tax rate for schools would increase from the current level of 48 cents to 65 cents per $100 of assessed value. One cent of the tax rate is estimated to generate $44,323.
Director of Schools Mark Willoughby outlined during the meeting and then further discussed with WJLE afterwards the need for some of the extras in the proposed new budget including the following: (Click the following link to hear Willoughby’s comments made to WJLE)
A 3.2% pay raise for certified and support staff
Five new teacher positions (total funds needed $225,000):
One Northside Elementary School 5th grade teacher
One Northside Elementary School physical education teacher
One DCHS math teacher
One county wide instruction coach teacher
One band assistant teacher
Two new assistant soccer coach positions (total funds needed $5,570)
One new support staff position-DCHS site coordinator (total funds needed $33,580)
One new teacher position-DCHS special education teacher (total funds needed $45,000)
Three teacher positions which have been funded from federal stimulus (ARRA) money to be returned to the local general purpose fund now that the ARRA funds have been exhausted. (Total funds needed $135,000
One educational assistant position which has been funded from ARRA money to be returned to the local general purpose budget (Total funds needed $15,000)
Three new assistant principal positions with benefits (Total funds needed $229,100)
One at DeKalb West
One at Northside Elementary
One at Smithville Elementary
The proposed new budget also includes the following increases:
Textbook adoption (Math)- $40,000
Updated hardware/software Accounting Department- $40,000
Minimal increase in utility costs- $6,000
Increase in maintenance of plant supplies- $23,000
Increase in fuel costs: $124,000
Increase in capital outlay- $200,000 (mostly for DCHS science lab upgrades)
The spending plan will be presented to the budget committee of the county commission and if it meets with approval there, then it will go before the entire county commission in August for final approval. If the committee does not approve, then the proposed new school budget could be subject to some revisions by the board of education.

A young child, who was rushed to Vanderbilt Medical Center by DeKalb EMS Thursday evening after being hit by a vehicle, has been released from the hospital and is going to be okay.
Buddie Robinson, father of three year old Zeva Robinson, told WJLE Friday evening that his daughter suffered only superficial wounds and no internal injuries as a result of the accident. Robinson said he and his wife Donna want to thank everyone for their concern and prayers.
911 received a call at 6:15 p.m. Thursday that a three year old child had been hit by a car in the parking lot of the Bill Page Ballpark in Smithville.
Smithville Police said the child was playing near a gravel pile outside the fence in the parking lot when a 17 year old Rock Island girl, who was backing out of her parking spot in a 1987 Ford Probe, didn’t see the youngster and accidentally struck her.
Robinson said Zeva was first taken by EMS to DeKalb Community Hospital and then transported to Vanderbilt.