The DeKalb/Cannon County Amateur Radio Club conducted a Special Event Station at the 41st Annual Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Craft Festival on Saturday, July 7th, 2012. This year marked the thirteenth year that a special event station had been set up at the Jamboree.
The station was setup at the front entrance of the Justin Potter Library during the early morning hours on Saturday. Antennas were assembled, radios were properly checked, and transmissions were begun at 7:30 AM local time. Operations took place in the 20 meter, 40 meter, 15 meter, and 10 meter Amateur Radio bands, and the station was publicized in Amateur Radio magazines QST, CQ, and the club website.
The station contacted 202 total Amateur Radio Stations in 35 States, and Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Quebec, Canada. One interesting contact included the Ham Station at the Hands-On-Museum in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Stations were also contacted in Nicaragua – Central America and Havana, Cuba in the Caribbean.
Amateur Radio Operator Guests included the following: WB9RRQ – Bob Wilson, Bolingbrook, IL; WB4HDM – Lynne Hamrick, McMinnville, TN; K0CSJ – Brice Umsted, Knoxville, TN, W4HZD – Willard Sitton, Knoxville, TN; KC4TMV George Jackson, Nashville, TN; and WB7DWJ = Bill McCraw, Nashville, TN.
Participants of the station included DeKalb/Cannon County Amateur Radio Club Members:
KD4WFE – Clarence Gilley, Woodbury, TN; KJ4VXG – David Brown, Christiana, TN KF4QNT – Kevin Neely, Smithville, TN; KK4GBO – James Young, Woodbury, TN; KG4IKT – Jeff Estel, Bradyville, TN; and KC4GUG – Freddy Curtis, Smithville, TN. This year the station also had CW or Morse code included in the operation. This was done by N4LZY – Jerry Elkins of Woodbury, Tennessee and added greatly to the station operation.
The local club looks forward to operating another special event station at next year’s Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Craft Festival. The club would like to offer its thanks to Jamboree Coordinator – Mr. Jack Burton, Justin Potter Librarian – Mrs. Kathy Hendrixson, and the Smithville Post Office for their support of this activity.
The DeKalb/Cannon County Amateur Radio Club is an organization of Amateur Radio operators from DeKalb, Cannon, and Surrounding Counties and is an affiliated club of the American Radio Relay League. The next club meeting will be on Thursday, July 26th, 2012 – 6:30 PM at the DeKalb County Center, 722 South Congress Boulevard, Smithville, TN. Any person interested in Amateur Radio is invited to attend.
Picture Caption:
Amateur Radio Operators at the Special Event Station during the 41st Annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival included:
Left to Right – KC4GUG – Freddy Curtis, KD4WFE – Clarence Gilley, and KJ4VXG – David Brown. Photo Courtesy of N4LZY – Jerry Elkins.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District today (Wednesday) announced that its contractor, Bauer Foundation Corporation, is set to begin constructing a subsurface concrete wall to keep Center Hill Dam safe for generations to come. A “First Bite” ceremony was held at noon with initial excavation into the earthen portion of the main dam. The much-anticipated work is the culmination of years of evaluation, design and preparatory efforts. Bauer and Corps employees and staff, and media attended the event.
The $106 million contract was awarded to Bauer in late 2011. “The main dam barrier wall is the major feature of the dam rehabilitation” said Project Manager Linda Adcock. “A vertical concrete wall will extend down over 300 feet beneath the top of the dam, which includes over 100 feet into rock.”
Bauer’s specialty excavation equipment will remove long columns of the earthen dam and rock foundation which will be replaced with concrete. The concrete columns will overlap to form a long, continuous concrete wall acting as a barrier for potentially harmful seepage water moving beneath the earthen dam. Equipment will vary based on the material to be removed and depth of the excavation. Excavated columns are either steel cased or held open with a slurry liquid which also transports cuttings to the surface for removal.
“The equipment you will see on the dam supports, guides and operates the cutting tools working deep beneath the surface” said Bjoern Hoffman, Project Manager for Bauer Foundation Corporation. The wall construction will continue over the next two years.
Highway 96/141 over Center Hill Dam is now restricted to one lane. The restriction is necessary to enlarge work space on the dam to support the next construction phase of the Center Hill Dam Foundation Remediation Project, installation of the foundation barrier wall. During the two-year duration, one lane of Highway 96 will be closed and an automated traffic control system will safely manage vehicles across the dam. The maximum wait time is five minutes.
“We regret the inconvenience to the public; however, this barrier wall, constructed by Bauer Foundation Corporation, is the major protective feature to keep the earthen portion of the dam safe for many years to come,” said Adcock. In addition to lane closure, motorists can expect occasional traffic delays along Highway 96 as large equipment is transported to the site.
The seepage rehabilitation plan is a combination of grouting, completed between 2008 and 2010, and construction of a continuous concrete barrier wall for long-term stability, which is being installed from 2012 through 2014. “A vertical concrete wall, at least two-feet thick, will be constructed through the earthen dam and deep into the rock foundation below to prevent seepage from harming the earthen dam,” said Adcock.
Awarded in March 2008, the grouting filled voids and soil-filled openings in the rock foundation and left rim to southwest of the dam. More than one-and one-half million gallons of grout have been successfully placed in the rock foundation along the 800-foot-long earthen dam, 2,700-foot-long left rim and 700 feet downstream of the earthen dam, making the dam safer according to Adcock, and preparing the rock foundation for construction of the permanent concrete barrier wall.
The Corps identified the seepage problem through long-term dam monitoring, which stems from the type of karst limestone rock surrounding the foundation of the dam when constructed in the late 1940s. A study is underway to determine the optium repair plan for the final phase, the earthen saddle dam, built to fill a low area about 1,500 feet east of the main dam. The study is expected to be concluded by the end of 2012.
Total cost of the project is estimated at $295 million, which about $140 million spent to date on investigations, design and construction. The Corps currently manages Center Hill Lake levels targeting a summer high of 630 feet above mean sea level and a winter pool of about 620 feet; however, day to day lake levels are highly dependent on the weather. These target elevations are 10-15 feet lower than normal and are part of risk management until the repairs are complete in late 2015.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is offering the public free guided tours of the Center Hill Power Plant. These are the first tours of the power plant since the Corps restricted visitation after Sept. 11, 2001.
Approximately 45 minutes in length, tours are scheduled on July 21, Aug. 18, and Sept. 22, with tours beginning at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon.
Tour size is limited and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. All guests including minors are required to submit a request form at least five days prior to the tour and receive confirmation from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District.
Center Hill Lake Resource Manager Kevin Salvilla said it is the Nashville District’s mission to unlock the story of the Center Hill Lake Power Plant and its many benefits to the nation. “Guided access will be provided inside the power plant where participants can view the generators and gain an understanding of how the plant operates and the importance of hydropower generation to the community and the nation,” Salvilla said.
Registered tour participants will be required to check in at the Center Hill Power Plant reception area approximately 15 minutes prior to the designated tour time where they will receive a brief introduction prior to beginning the tour.
In addition to the guided power plant tours, Corps Park Rangers will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Resource Manager’s Office to answer questions and conduct a brief presentation on the many benefits that Center Hill Lake provides. Linda Adcock, project manager for the Center Hill Dam Seepage Rehabilitation Project, will also be providing a brief update at the Resource Manager’s Office’s Shop Conference Room on the progress of construction. Visitors may stop by any time from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to take part in this update and receive the latest information on the rehabilitation project. Registration is not required for access to the Resource Manager’s Office.
To request a tour registration form and to learn more about the tours’ rules and details, please call the Center Hill Lake Resource Manager’s Office at (931) 858-3125, or visit the Center Hill Lake website at http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/op/cen/rec/.

The City of Smithville will host an appreciation to Cecil Burger for all his years of dedication as a former city employee, mayor and alderman.
The event will be held at Greenbrook Park on Saturday, July 14 at 6:00 p.m. All current and former mayors, aldermen, and city employees and their families are invited.
After forty five years of service to the City of Smithville, including sixteen years as mayor and six years as alderman, Burger ended his long association with the city on Saturday, June 30.
Mainly because of his health, Burger decided not to seek re-election as aldermen. “I’ve got a little health problem and I decided that I might not be able to do the job I should”, said Burger.
In twenty two years, Burger never lost an election, having first been elected mayor in 1990. He served eight terms, sixteen years in that office until 2006 when he chose instead to run for alderman. Burger just completed his third term as alderman.
He began his career with the city in 1966 as secretary-treasurer, which also meant overseeing the city’s public works operation and city employees. He served as city judge for the first couple of years as well. Burger retired from the secretary-treasurer position in 1989 but came out of retirement fifteen months later after being elected mayor in 1990.
During his time with the city as an employee and alderman Burger served under or with ten mayors starting with Othel Smith, John Bill Evins, Charles Gentry, Edward Frazier, Gary (Gus) Johnson, Hilton Conger, Waniford Cantrell, Dewey Love, Bruce Medley, and Taft Hendrixson.
The fifty two aldermen he served under or with as a city employee, mayor, and alderman from 1966 through 2012 include Jim O. Amonett, W.H. Smith, Sr., Eugene Webb, Freddy Colvert, Hobert Hendrixson, John Bill Evins, Bass Estes, Floyd Brown, Sr., Edward Frazier, Robert Alexander, Carter Braswell, Paschal Cantrell, Donnie Lewis, Alfred Parker, T.C. Atnip, Ray Johnson, Bob Smithson, Gary (Gus) Johnson, Tom Keith, Hilton Conger, Dr. Kenneth Twilla, Bill Maffett, Marsha Darah, Cordell Walker, Charles Trapp, Paul Hendrixson, Dr. Melvin Blevins, Elmus Johnson, David Redmon, Jim Eddins, Dewey Love, Bruce Medley, Elzie McBride, Charles Burchfield, Larry Wright, Jack Cantrell, Jerry Taylor, W.J. (Dub) White, Charles Olson, Bert Driver, Steve White, Paul Young, Brad Mullinax, Mark Loring, Jackie Rigsby, Aaron Meeks, Willie Thomas, Tonya Sullivan, Jerry Hutchins, Sr., Shawn Jacobs, Danny Washer, and Gayla Hendrix.
In an interview with WJLE, Burger said he appreciates all the support he has received during his career with the city. “The people have been good to me and I appreciate it very much. They supported me well and I’d still help them if I could,” said Burger.
“We (city) grew a right smart while I was mayor and we tried to serve the whole city. I don’t know of anything special (we did) only trying to do our work with everybody. I had a lot of good help. I appreciate my friends who have helped me out all these years. They helped me when I was mayor and still do. I have plenty of friends. I’ve tried to treat them like I wanted to be treated,” said Burger.

A 30 year old Smithville man involved in a two vehicle crash over two weeks ago has died.
Chris Gammons passed away Monday, July 9 at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
Gammons was one of four people in that accident which occurred on Saturday morning, June 23 on Highway 70 near the intersection of Highway 96 (Dale Ridge Road) on Snow Hill.
Gammons and Troy Bruno, both of Smithville were airlifted from near the scene of the crash by Life Force and Air Evac helicopter ambulances. The other two in the wreck were 32 year old Cleva Elaine Gammons of Smithville, wife of Chris Gammons, and 52 year old Johnny Hickey of Liberty. Hickey was not injured but has been charged with three counts of vehicular assault as a result of the crash investigation. He may be facing additional charges now as the result of Gammons’ death
Central dispatch received the call at 3:28 a.m that morning.
According to Trooper Darrell Knowles of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Hickey was traveling west on Highway 70 in a 2004 F350 full size flat bed truck when he crossed the turning lane and into the path of an eastbound 2002 Nissan Altima, driven by Cleva Elaine Gammons. Chris Gammons was a front seat passenger and Troy Bruno was a back seat passenger of the Altima. Chris Gammons was ejected and landed on the highway, in front of the Altima. Bruno was trapped in the backseat and had to be extricated by members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department’s Extrication and Rescue Team.
Bruno and Chris Gammons were transported by DeKalb EMS to a helicopter landing zone on Highway 70 at the intersection of Toad Road. One of them was airlifted by a Life Force helicopter and the other was flown out by an Air Evac helicopter. Mrs. Gammons was transported to DeKalb Community Hospital, where she was treated and released.
On the scene were Trooper Knowles of the THP, DeKalb EMS, Sheriff’s Department deputies, DeKalb Fire Extrication and Rescue, and members of the Short Mountain Highway, Main Station, Liberty, and Cookeville Highway stations of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department.
The complaint against Hickey states that he admitted to consuming four beers. Several field sobriety tasks were given. Hickey did not perform as demonstrated. Hickey was transported to the emergency room of the hospital for a blood alcohol test and then to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department for booking.

Parents working on checklists to get their children ready for the start of school have an important health item to include: required immunizations. In Tennessee, children enrolling in school for the first time and all children going into 7th grade must provide schools with a state immunization certificate before classes start as proof they have had immunizations necessary to protect them and their classmates from serious vaccine-preventable diseases.
Kindergarten students and those who will be entering the seventh grade next month must have their immunizations up to date or their parents risk those children not being enrolled in school.
Dee Anna Reynolds, School Health Coordinator, and Director of Schools Mark Willoughby addressed the issue during the April school board meeting. “Our nurses checked records for students in the sixth grade who will be going into the seventh grade. Parents of students who are currently not compliant in the sixth grade should have received a letter prior to spring break giving them the opportunity to get those immunizations current and up to date then on the first day, registration day August 2, Coordinated School Health and our school nurses will be there checking those records one final time,” said Reynolds
Director of Schools Willoughby said incoming kindergarten students must also meet state immunization requirements. “Basically the state of Tennessee says that in the seventh grade year, you don’t start school unless your immunizations are up to date. For the past two years, we have actually been letting students come (to school) and to work with them on trying to get those immunizations up to date in a time frame. This year we’re doing more homework up front in notifying those parents. They’ve already gotten one notification before spring break. We’re going to follow the state guidelines and for seventh graders and kindergarten students, if they come to school to register and they do not have their immunizations up to date, we’re going to ask them at that time to go get their immunizations,” said Willoughby.
Reynolds added “Just to let parents know, there are two shots that we’re checking for, because all other shots should be current anyway up until sixth grade, and that is the Tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis booster (“Tdap”) and then there’s a second dose of Varivax which is chicken pox. The only way they would be allowed back in school without that second dose of Varivax is if they do have a doctor’s documentation of having had the chicken pox. So that’s the two we’re looking for and checking for in our sixth graders who will be seventh graders next month,” said Reynolds.
“We understand the challenges of getting children ready to start school; having immunization certificates completed and ready helps make the start of school go more smoothly,” said Kelly Moore, MD, MPH, medical director of the Tennessee Immunization Program. “Getting vaccinated is a safe and simple way to protect us all from potentially deadly diseases, and it helps ensure children won’t miss important classroom time due to a preventable illness.”
Most insurance plans, including TennCare, fully cover recommended and state-required childhood vaccines, as well as the cost of annual well child examinations through the age of 21. Insured children are encouraged to visit their primary healthcare provider or other provider who can administer vaccines and bill insurance for any services they might need. TDH strongly recommends a visit to the child’s primary care provider so the child can have an annual well child physical exam at the same time. Annual wellness visits are important to keep children healthy through all the changes of the pre-teen and teenage years, but many don’t get these important preventive health services.
Local health departments have vaccines available for all uninsured children, those whose insurance doesn’t cover vaccines, and any child who has difficulty getting in to see a healthcare provider to get a required vaccine. Local health departments can issue immunization certificates and transcribe immunization records for any child if the family isn’t able to get a certificate from their healthcare provider for any reason.
It is important to note that certain important vaccines are recommended, but not required, for
pre-teens and teens, and that most teens are missing at least one vaccine recommended to
protect their health. These include a vaccine against certain types of meningitis and the HPV
vaccine against viruses that cause cervical cancer in women and other cancers in men. Many teens have missed out on getting a second dose of chickenpox vaccine or the tetanus,
diphtheria and pertussis booster shot (Tdap), both of which are now required for 7th graders.
Parents should talk to their healthcare provider about vaccines their child may need to stay healthy, even if not required for school.
The complete list of Tennessee Child Care and School Immunization requirements is available on the TDH website at: http://health.state.tn.us/TWIS/requirements.htm. Questions about school policies on when or how immunization certificates must be provided should be directed to local schools.
“Thanks to the cooperative work of primary care providers, families, schools and local health departments, Tennessee has very high immunization rates among our school children, which saves lives and protects their health,” Moore said. “But we can’t rest on our laurels; in order to eliminate the needless burden of vaccine-preventable diseases, we have to make sure all children are vaccinated on time with the vaccines recommended for them. This effort to defeat vaccine-preventable disease begins again with each child born in Tennessee and continues for a lifetime.”
The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. For more information about TDH services and programs, visit http://health.state.tn.us/.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has announced the appointments of 165 Tennesseans to 62 state boards and commissions including one from Smithville.
Dr. Melvin Blevins has been named to the TennCare Pharmacy Advisory Committee. The advisory committee meets quarterly to make evidence-based recommendations to the TennCare Bureau regarding medications to be included on the Preferred Drug List.
Earlier this year, the legislature passed Haslam’s recommended reforms to many of the state’s boards and commissions, and most of those changes take effect between July and October.
The governor continues his review of the state’s complete range of boards and commissions to determine other potential reforms that might be made to improve efficiency, effectiveness and accountability.
“I appreciate the willingness to serve the state and the commitment of these men and women,” Haslam said. “Tennessee will be well-represented on these boards and commissions, and I look forward to continuing our review to make sure Tennesseans have a government responsive to them.”
Appointment terms are varied due to differing statutory requirements or term limits determined by specific qualifications.