DeKalb County has joined over 21,000 communities nationwide that are allowed to purchase federally backed flood insurance. This availability follows the community’s adoption and enforcement of ordinances to reduce flood losses and acceptance by the National Flood Insurance Program.
DeKalb County is now a participant in the NFIP effective on December 21st, 2010. Residents of DeKalb County will be able to purchase flood insurance up to the limits under the Regular Phase of the program. However, there is a 30 day waiting period before flood insurance coverage goes into effect. For single-family dwellings, the building coverage limit is $250,000 and the contents coverage limit is $100,000. Renters can also protect their belongings by purchasing contents coverage. For commercial properties, the building and contents coverage limits are both $500,000.
Lenders must require borrowers whose properties are located in a designated flood hazard area to purchase flood insurance as a condition of receiving a federally backed mortgage loan in accordance with the Federal Disaster Protection Act of 1973.
The NFIP is implemented through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. There are over 5.5 million flood insurance policies in more than 21,000 participating communities nationwide.

Need friends you can count on? Need God’s healing? Need to feel something real? Free on Wednesdays?
Pastor John Purdue and the First United Methodist Church, Smithville, invite you to our brand new Wednesday Night Worship service. The service is called Love Wins and it features a loving environment, transforming Biblical truth and powerful drum and guitar music. The first service is next Wednesday, January 19 at 7:00pm at the Christian Fellowship Center, 102 W. Church St, (across from Love-Cantrell Funeral Home)
“A couple of years ago, I began to pray about where our church needs to go in the future. We have a good strong 11:00 a.m. Sunday morning worship and I am really happy with it but we were thinking about doing a contemporary worship. So instead of trying to change what people already love (on Sunday morning) is to add something else. I prayed about that a lot. We’ve been working on it for about two and a half years and this Wednesday, January 19th we’re going to have our first official service. We’ll have the exact same sermon on Wednesday nights that we have on Sunday mornings. The difference will be the music. The music on Wednesday nights will be drums and guitars. It’s all LIVE music. I think we have a fantastic band,” said Purdue

Sheriff Patrick Ray announces the formation of a new Crime Suppression Unit at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. This new Unit will focus on a team concept that uses a variety of resources including the members of the Department and citizens of our communities in DeKalb County.
Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department’s Crime Suppression Unit will work a variety of assignments with the investigative division of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. This unit is assigned by the Sheriff to work in areas where members of the community have expressed concerns about possible illegal activity or where there is a need for special tactical or unmarked patrol. Specific examples are: detection of traffic violators, conducting covert surveillance related to drug activity, completing field interviews on suspicious persons, executing search warrants, and seeking out and arresting individuals who violate state laws. This unit is designed by the Sheriff to attempt to deter criminal activity resulting in an improved quality of life for citizens throughout the county, and will have a direct positive impact on the communities’ safety and concerns.
The Sheriff has appointed Officer’s within the Department to serve on the Unit. This unit includes members of the Sheriff’s Department’s Road Deputies, K-9 Unit, and Detective Division. Each member of the Unit will be an active, responsible, trained, and experienced officer of the Sheriff’s Department.
The Crime Suppression Unit of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department will focus on 5 major target areas, as well as other criminal activity that arises in the county.
The 5 major target areas are:
1.Manufacture, Sell, and Delivery of Illegal Narcotics
2.Problem-Oriented Policing Projects
3.Property Crime Suppression
4.Gang Enforcement and Suppression
5.Alcohol Beverage Control Enforcement
Sheriff Ray says that community involvement is the key to making this initiative work. “DeKalb County is a rural county with a growing population. As the population grows, so does the occurrences of crimes. Subsequently, our citizens’ “eyes and ears” are important tools in helping us detect criminal activities,” says Sheriff Ray.

The Smithville Police Department has apparently solved a forgery scheme with the arrest of three people.
Chief Randy Caplinger reports that 22 year old Brittney D. Barnes, 44 year old Mary J. Robb, and 40 year old Randy Caldwell have each been charged with theft under $500. Robb is also charged with forgery.
According to Detective Matt Holmes, Barnes stole a book of blank checks from her great grandmother’s home on December 29th at 713 Cill Street and gave it to Caldwell, who in turn handed it over to Robb.
Robb allegedly signed the name of Barnes’ great grandmother to at least twenty of the checks and then passed them for more than $4,300 worth of merchandise at stores in several different towns, using a fake drivers license number. According to Detective Holmes, the way Robb conducted the scheme was that she would go into a Wal-mart, for example, and pass a forged check for merchandise. Then she would leave the store and go to a Wal-mart in another town and return most of the merchandise for a refund.
In addition to Wal-mart, Robb is accused of passing the checks at places like Walgreens, Lowe’s and Publix, among others in several mid-state towns including Smithville, Murfreesboro, Lebanon, Manchester, Crossville, Sparta, and Cookeville. As a result, other law enforcement agencies may also bring charges against Robb
On Thursday, January 6th, after reviewing surveillance footage of the forgery at the Wal-mart in Smithville, Detective Holmes said he saw a woman as he was leaving the store, who matched the characteristics of the female on the video. She got in a vehicle which left the parking lot, heading south on Anthony Avenue. “I followed the vehicle and it turned around and headed back to Wal-mart. I ran the tag through central dispatch and stopped the automobile and spoke to the woman, Robb, who was a passenger. She told me that she had been in Wal-mart and that she passed checks belonging to someone else. She was arrested and taken to the Smithville Police Department. After admitting to forging a name on about 20 checks, Robb was charged with forgery and theft under $500.”
After questioning Robb on Thursday, January 6th, Detective Holmes said he saw Caldwell coming out of the courthouse the same day and picked him up for questioning. Caldwell was subsequently charged in the case.
Detective Holmes said that on January 6th, he reviewed surveillance footage at the Smithville Police Department taken from the Sparta Walgreen store, which showed Robb and Caldwell in possession of the stolen checks. According to Detective Holmes, Caldwell benefitted from the forgery transaction by taking the merchandise and leaving the store.
Barnes was picked up by police the following day on Friday, January 7th at her great grandmother’s home and charged in the case.
Meanwhile, in a separate investigation, a 28 year old Smithville woman has been charged with aggravated child abuse after allegedly allowing her 12 year old daughter to smoke marijuana.
Smithville Police Chief Randy Caplinger said Stephanie Fagan is under a $3,500 bond and she will appear in court on January 27th.
According to Detective Matt Holmes, he met Fagan at 829 Gentry Avenue on Wednesday, January 12th while conducting a follow-up investigation on an offense report. She was then transported to the Smithville Police Department for questioning. Fagan allegedly admitted that a few weeks ago she was at her residence with an adult male and that he talked Fagan into allowing the12 year old daughter to smoke a marijuana cigarette with her
Fagan was arrested and charged and the child was removed from her custody by the Department of Children’s Services.

The Smithville City Council, last July, voted to ask the state comptroller to conduct an independent audit after Aldermen Steve White raised concerns about something he had seen in the budget, which he did not elaborate on at the time.
“I think that due to some of the issues that we found looking in the budget we need to call for an all out audit from the state comptroller’s office”, said White. “That way it would be an independent audit. It will cost us a little bit of money but I think it would be profitable for the city in the long run for us to do that.”, he said.
Last week, Dennis F. Dycus, CPA, CFE, Director of the Division of Municipal Audit for the state, issued a letter on a report on his findings of “selected records of the City of Smithville”, and that letter has been sent to the Mayor and Aldermen.
Mayor Taft Hendrixson acknowledged Monday morning that he and the aldermen have been notified of the audit findings but that there has been no action taken as a result of it.
While the audit report refers to actions taken by City Secretary- Treasurer Hunter Hendrixson, it does not accuse him of a crime or misuse of funds for personal gain.
The report states as follows:
“We have concluded our investigative audit of selected records of the City of Smithville. The purpose of the investigative audit was to address specific allegations primarily related to the city’s golf course and swimming pool operations. This investigative audit focused on the period July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010. However, when warranted, this scope was expanded.”
“In August 2008, the City of Smithville entered into a five-year agreement with a private company, Smithville Golf Management, LLC [SGM], to operate the Smithville Municipal Golf and Swim Club [golf course and swimming pool]. The duties and responsibilities for both the city and SGM were detailed in a written contract. However, our investigative audit established that the city had improperly assumed some of the financial burdens that, according to the written
contract, were the responsibility of SGM.”
City payment for SGM obligations:
“Our investigative audit identified four city checks, totaling $4,871, issued to pay for city swimming pool operation costs that were apparently obligations of SGM.”
“Two city checks, each in the amount of $680, dated April 17, 2009, and April 17, 2010, respectfully, were issued to the Tennessee Department of Health for swimming pool licensing fees. Although both checks had signatures for the mayor and city treasurer, the mayor advised state auditors that he had not signed the April 2010 check. The city treasurer (Hunter Hendrixson) acknowledged to state auditors that, without permission, he had signed the mayor’s name to the April 2010 check.”
“A city check in the amount of $2,511 dated June 14, 2010, bearing only the signature of the city treasurer was issued to an insurance company for a liability policy related to the city swimming pool.”
“A city check in the amount of $1,000 dated June 17, 2010, bearing only the signature of the city treasurer was issued directly to Smithville Golf Management for swimming pool start-up expenses.”
The city treasurer told state auditors that the $1,000 payment to SGM was to cover beginning inventory for the concession stand, lifeguard pay, and other expenses related to opening the swimming pool at the start of the summer season. He stated that he issued the checks
to Smithville Golf Management and to the insurance company because SGM was having
financial difficulties and would not have opened the swimming pool for the summer season
without financial assistance.”
SGM water usage not metered:
“Our investigative audit also determined that the water account for the city swimming pool was classified as inactive from September 2008 through July 2010. As a result, the water meter was not read and SGM was not billed for any water usage during that period. When asked about the failure to bill SGM for almost two years, the treasurer told state auditors that he was responsible for that decision. On or about July 29, 2010, the city billed SGM $2,702, the city’s
calculation for previously unbilled and unpaid water usage related to the use of the swimming pool.”
The contract between the City of Smithville and Smithville Golf Management LLC, states: “The Tenant [Smithville Golf Management] herein agrees to pay all utilities for said facility, except the Landlord [City of Smithville] will maintain the tennis courts, the nets and fence, as well as pay the electric bill for the tennis court lights. The Tenant shall be responsible for providing all water to the facility, except the landlord agrees to fill the swimming pool once a year and provide the necessary chemicals for start up each year. The Tenant will be responsible for all fees and charges associated with the operation of the facility, including but not limited to any fees to the Tennessee Department of Health….The Tenant herein shall provide at his sole expense public liability insurance….
“The Tenant shall be responsible for the Smithville Swimming Pool, same to include the hiring of certified lifeguards during all hours of operation….
“We noted that in August 2010, the Smithville Golf Management gave 60-day notice to
city officials that it would terminate its agreement with the city.”
On Monday morning, January 17th, City Secretary-Treasurer Hendrixson issued the following prepared statement in response in the state audit findings:
“A week or so before the opening of the pool season I was informed by the lessee, Smithville Golf Management, that their insurance policy on the pool had been dropped and they would not have one in time to open the pool. I took it upon myself to locate a policy but it was more than they could afford so I allocated the money through the City’s Golf Course/Swimming Pool checking account which at the time had around $75,000 in it and I also gave them another $1,000 for start up expenses such as lifeguard salaries and any other maintenance repairs needed to open the pool on time. We don’t have much to offer our youth recreationally so there was no way I was going to allow the pool to not open, however, I should have gotten the blessing of the Board before taking matters into my own hands”, said Hendrixson.
“As far as the issue of the water meter for the pool, the 2008 contract with the lessee states that the City pays for the ‘initial’ or first fill up of the pool. The Smithville Golf Mgmt could have used their well reservoir with their chlorinator after the initial fill up but apparently were under the impression that the City would provide all pool water costs. This was an oversight on both the City and Smithville Golf Mgmt’s part.”, Hendrixson added.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has found three meth labs since last Wednesday, January 12th resulting in the arrest of five people.
In one of the cases, 24 year old Ricky Wilbert Hendrixson of Cooper Street, Smithville is charged with manufacture and unlawful possession of a schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine). His bond totals $51,500 and he will be in court on January 27th.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Wednesday, January 12th, a deputy received information that someone may be cooking methamphetamine at a specific address and he went to the home to investigate. The officer received consent to search and when he went through the residence he found components used to manufacture meth, including seven glass jars, twenty coffee filters, turkey basters, funnels, ph test solution, draino, heet, coleman fuel, bi-layer liquids, tri-layer liquids, plastic hoses, scales, and several plastic liter bottles of liquid. The officer also found in Hendrixson’s room a plastic jar containing some methamphetamine. Hendrixson allegedly admitted that these items belonged to him.
Meanwhile, 52 year old Harold L. Hutchings of Sparta Highway, Smithville and 27 year old Charles James Davis of North Main Street, Sparta are each charged with manufacture and unlawful possession of a schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine). Bond for each totals $51,500 and they will be in court on January 27th.
According to Sheriff Ray, deputies went to check out a report of a possible meth lab at the Lake Motel on Sparta Highway on Wednesday, January 12th. The officers received consent from Hutchings to search the room he was renting. Davis, who was also in the room, told the deputies that he had been staying there with Hutchings. Found in the room were components used to make meth, including bi-layer liquids, tri-layer liquids, lithium batteries, ph strips, cold packs, and hypodermic needles. In a glass bowl, officers discovered a powdery substance, which tested positive for methamphetamine. Hutchings allegedly admitted to having cooked methamphetamine in the room. Both men were placed under arrest.
24 year old Charlie Chad Barnes and 22 year old Terry Ray Barnes both of Red Road, McMinnville are each charged with manufacture of a schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine). Bond for each is $50,000. They will appear in court on January 27th.
Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, January 16th, a deputy went to Big Hurricane Road to investigate a possible meth lab. The officer spoke with Chad Barnes who answered the door. The deputy told him why he was there. Barnes gave consent to search. Terry Barnes was also there. Found in the room were components used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, including a two liter bottle containing a clear liquid with lithium strips boiling, batteries, cut up batteries, lye, draino, cold packs, eight foot long plastic tubing, and other items consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine. The officer reported that when he approached the front of the residence, he noticed a chemical smell coming from inside the home.
38 year old Candida F. Davidson- Driver of Cill Street, Smithville is charged with violation of probation and resisting arrest. Her bond is $1,500 on the resisting arrest charge but she is being held without bond for the violation of probation. She will appear in court on January 27th. Davidson-Driver was also issued two citations for simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance, one for morphine and the other for dilaudid. She was further issued a citation for simple possession of a schedule IV drug (diazepam).
Sheriff Ray reports that on Saturday, January 15th officers went to a residence on E.H. Haas Road to serve a warrant on Davidson-Driver for violation of probation. While the officers were cuffing her, she began to resist arrest, fighting, kicking, and trying to pull away. She was finally taken down and cuffed. The deputies told her several times to stop resisting but she refused. Officers also found five medicine vials on a bed in the residence along with her keys. Davidson-Driver allegedly admitted that the vials belonged to her. The vials contained a half of a pill believed to be dilaudid, one and a half pills thought to be morphine, and eight blue pills suspected to be diazepam.

Students at Smithville Elementary have participated in the Fast ForWord program and received the Gold CAPS Award.
The FastForWord program develops and strengthens memory, attention, processing rate, and sequencing-the cognitive skills essential for reading intervention program success. The strengthening of these skills results in a wide range of improved critical language and reading skills such as phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, decoding, working memory, syntax, grammar, and other skills necessary to learn how to read or to become a better reader.
Dr. Bill Tanner, Principal at Smithville Elementary School, shared the good news with the Board of Education on Thursday night. “Last year our Fast ForWord program won the Gold Cap award as being one of the schools that uses the Fast ForWord program. That’s a program our children go through that trains their brain on how to read. It’s a fifty five minute period that they go through during the day for thirty days. I try to schedule it so every class gets to go in there sometime during the year. We try to get it done before the end of the year. Last year we included the first grade in it also. We have increased the program. So we have won that award again this year. The Fast ForWord program develops and strengthens memory and attention. I feel like it is a good program. Our teachers are working hard everyday. Our paraprofessional who is in charge of the program does a fantastic job with that. Winning this award shows that we’re using this program to the nth degree. I think it was developed to begin with as a program to help brain injured people. In using that, they found out it was also an aid in helping people learn how to read.”
FastForWord reading intervention supports the existing curriculum-it doesn’t replace it. It is aligned with the No Child Left Behind state mandates and has been an important factor in AYP success. And, most importantly, the gains students achieve are lasting, the result of enduring positive changes in their processing skills and learning capacity.

ESOL students from Northside Elementary in Mrs. Melissa Roysdon’s classroom are helping other children while they help themselves this school year by participating in Scholastic Book Clubs’ ClassroomsCare program, a philanthropy-based literacy campaign designed to teach children about the joys and importance of reading and giving – and to encourage them to read everyday to lead better lives.
This fall, each student is challenged to read 10 books and, in turn, Scholastic Book Clubs, a division of Scholastic, the global children’s publishing and media company, will donate one million new books to disadvantaged children nationwide.
Through this year’s ClassroomsCare program, called “The United States of Reading,” participating classrooms are reading for charities in their home states. They can log onto the ClassroomsCare Web site to keep track of their progress along with their state’s progress. Students, teachers, and parents are invited to go onto the site to see how the reading is making a difference. More than one million books will be distributed locally through three national charity partners whose shared mission is to help put books in the hands of the hardest to reach and neediest children: Reach Out and Read®. Save the Children®, and the Paiama Proaram.
“I smile every time I hear about a school where through their generosity and hard work, students are making a difference and improving the lives of others by participating in ClassroomsCare,” said Judy Newman, President of Scholastic Book Clubs. “In order to better prepare the children of the 21st Century to live complete and successful lives, we need to energize them to read more books, and read everyday. And showing children that their hard work pays off and they can make a difference in the lives of others is motivating and important as they grow up. Through the ClassroomsCare program, students aren’t just reading, they’re reading to give.”
“Each year, students and teachers alike are thrilled to take part in Scholastic Book Clubs’ ClassroomsCare program and read in order to give books to children who otherwise might have none,” said Mrs. Roysdon. “This year, our class read 280 books!”

Smithville Police have issued a citation and made an arrest on drug offenses since last Saturday, January 8th.
31 year old T J Jones of Nashville Highway was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia on Saturday, January 8th. Officer James Cornelius stopped Jones for a traffic violation. Jones gave consent to search the vehicle. A pouch containing needles was found in the glove box. Jones’ court date is February 3rd.
38 year old Janet Renay Mayo of Cooper Street was arrested on Sunday, January 9th for simple possession of a schedule II and VI controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Mayo was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Officer James Cornelius on a traffic violation. Mayo was asked to step out of the vehicle and empty her pockets. She had a bag containing drug paraphernalia and what is believed to be marijuana and methamphetamine. Bond for Mayo is $3,000 and her court date is February 3rd.
Meanwhile, anyone having information on any offense is asked to please contact the Smithville Police Department at 597-8210 or the Tip Line at 464-6046.
Any information received that will help Smithville Police solve any criminal offense will be greatly appreciated. All information is confidential.