County Mayor Mike Foster last week signed a proclamation designating April as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” in DeKalb County.
Rachel Pugh, advocate for the Genesis House in Cookeville was present for the signing of the proclamation.
The mission of Genesis House is to help victims of domestic and sexual violence find safety in their lives and the self-sufficiency and healing needed to become independent of abuse. It is also the mission to keep the community enlightened in the dynamics of domestic and sexual abuse and its prevention by providing comprehensive educational programs.
Genesis House is a private, non-profit agency that is dedicated to empowering victims of domestic and sexual violence by providing a pathway to a safe and self-sufficient life.
Services include a 24 hour crisis line, crisis intervention, court advocacy, domestic and sexual violence and self-esteem support groups, individual counseling, and referrals to other community agencies for housing, employment, and other needed services.
The 24 hour crisis line is 1-800-707-5197
The proclamation is as follows:
“Whereas, sexual assault affects every person of DeKalb County as a victim survivor or as a family member, significant other, neighbor, or co-worker of a survivor; and
Whereas, many citizens of DeKalb County are working to provide quality services and assistance to sexual assault survivors; and dedicated volunteer help staff 24 hour hotlines, respond to emergency calls and offer support, comfort, and advocacy during medical exams, criminal proceedings, and throughout the healing process; and
Whereas, DeKalb County staff and volunteers of sexual assault programs are promoting prevention education by offering training to schools, churches, and civic organizations, as well as medical, and mental health, law enforcement, education, and criminal justice personnel regarding sexual assault issues; and
Whereas, it is vitally important that continued education efforts to provide information about prevention and services for sexual assault be supported and enhanced; and
Whereas, it is critical to intensify public awareness of sexual assault, to educate people about the need for citizen involvement in efforts to reduce sexual violence, to increase support for agencies providing sexual assault services, and to increase awareness of the healing power of creative expressions; and
Whereas, Genesis House requests public support and assistance as it continues to work toward a society where all women, children, and men can live in peace, free from sexual violence and exploitation;
Now therefore, I, Mike Foster, County Mayor of DeKalb County do hereby proclaim the month of April, 2012 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in DeKalb County”.

The state Senate gave final legislative approval Thursday night to a bill that would mean most kids turning 5 after Aug. 31, 2013, would have to wait a year before entering public kindergarten that year. The cutoff date would move up to Aug. 15 in 2014 and all subsequent years.
Currently, children may enter kindergarten if they turn 5 on or before Sept. 30 of the school year in which they are entering. That date remains in effect for children who will be entering kindergarten in the upcoming 2012-13 school year. Parents may still “hold back” their children for a year if they feel they are not ready for school.
The House approved the bill Wednesday, the Senate followed through on a 21-10 vote Thursday night and it now goes to the governor, who has signaled no opposition to the bill.
House Bill 2566 as amended would move up the eligibility date in two phases: Children entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31 for the 2013-14 school year, and on or before Aug. 15 for all subsequent school years.
The bill contains two exceptions:
If the director of schools finds, through evaluation and testing at the request of the parent or guardian, that a child who is 5 on or before Sept. 30 is “sufficiently mature emotionally and academically,” then the child may be permitted to enter kindergarten.
Children who participated in a pre-kindergarten program during the 2012-13 or 2013-14 school years may enter kindergarten in the 2013-14 or 2014-15 school years respectively.
Sen. Roy Herron, D-Dresden, argued that even though the eligibility window is only being altered by six weeks, parents of children who are affected will face another year of paying for child care and the child will be behind a year. “For those who are struggling to make ends meet, it’s another year of child care and it’s financial,” Herron said.
Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, said the bill was sought by kindergarten teachers in his area because many of the youngest children who enter kindergarten aren’t ready for it

DeKalb County High School students adorned their formal wear and posed for pictures with their dates, friends, and family as they excitedly awaited departure from the school for the prom Friday evening
This year’s prom was held off campus at the Embassy Convention Center in Murfreesboro
Stretch limousines picked up several groups for the ride to the dance.
The prom of course is one of the last big events of the school year prior to graduation on Friday, May 18th

The Smithville Police Department is honoring one of its own.
Corporal Travis Bryant has been presented a certificate of achievement in recognition of five years of dedicated service with the Smithville Police Department.
Corporal Bryant received the award from Chief Randy Caplinger on Wednesday, April 25
Others on hand for the observance were Mayor Taft Hendrixson and Alderman/Police Commissioner Shawn Jacobs.
Corporal Bryant serves as the department’s evidence officer and radar instructor and he has helped the department secure more than $90,000 in grants through the Governor’s Highway Safety Office to buy equipment such as in-car cameras, radars, computers, and overtime funding for saturation patrols, traffic control, and DUI enforcement, along with free specialized training.
Chief Caplinger said the department plans to make it a practice of honoring other members of the department for specific years of service.
(Pictured left to right: Alderman/Police Commissioner Shawn Jacobs, Corporal Travis Bryant, Chief Randy Caplinger, and Mayor Taft Hendrixson)

DeKalb County’s unemployment rate dropped to 8.1% in March, down from 8.5% in February and much lower than the rate of 9.5% in March, 2011.
The local labor force for March was 9,810. A total of 9,020 were employed and 790 were unemployed.
DeKalb County’s unemployment rate for March was the fifth lowest among the fourteen counties of the Upper Cumberland region as follows:
Pickett County- 13.9%
Van Buren- 11.3%
White- 10.6%
Clay- 10%
Jackson-9.7%
Cumberland-9.4%
Warren-9.1%
Fentress-9%
Overton-8.9%
DeKalb-8.1%
Macon-8%
Smith-7.6%
Cannon-7.4%
Putnam-7.2%
County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for March 2012 show the rate decreased in 89 counties, increased in five counties, and remained the same in one county.
Tennessee’s unemployment rate for March fell to 7.9 percent, down from the February revised rate of 8.0 percent. The national unemployment rate for March 2012 was 8.2 percent, 0.1 percentage point lower than the February rate.
The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.
Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 5.7 percent, down from 6.1 percent in February. Davidson County was 6.6 percent, down from 7.0 percent in the previous month. Hamilton County was 7.4 percent, down from 7.6 percent, and Shelby County was 9.1 percent, down from the February unemployment rate of 9.2 percent.

Smithville Police have charged a 41 year old woman with four counts of forgery.
Chief Randy Caplinger told WJLE Tuesday that police arrested Michelle Byars on a failure to appear warrant March 29th and while searching her, an officer found a check belonging to another female. Upon a further investigation, Byars was found to have allegedly stolen several checks belonging to this other female. Byars allegedly forged the name of this other woman on the checks and passed three of them at Save-A-Lot and another one at DeKalb County Ace Hardware. Her bond is $6,000.
51 year old Phillip Davis is charged with shoplifting. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court April 26. Chief Caplinger reports that on Wednesday, April 4, police were called to the Dollar General Store. Upon arrival, the officer was informed by the store manager that a man, who had been doing electrical work for them, had allegedly taken an item from the store without paying for it. Camera surveillance and a witness confirmed it and Davis allegedly confessed to it when confronted.
31 year old Jason Allen Mosely is charged with two counts of theft of property over $500. His bond is $5,000. Chief Caplinger reports that on Wednesday, April 4th, police received complaints from two residents on Jennings Lane that their small utility trailers had been stolen. During a further investigation, authorities discovered that the trailers were sold to a pawn shop in McMinnville. The trailers were recovered. Moseley was later arrested. The sheriff’s department also has charges against Mosely in other theft cases.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Wednesday, March 28, Moseley broke into a shed on New Bildad Road and took a riding mower, a weedeater, a leaf blower, a power washer, two propane fish fryers, two propane tanks, a black plastic tool box, and a battery charger. The total value is $3,047. He is charged with theft of property over $1,000 and burglary. He was arrested on Wednesday, April 11. Moseley’s bond is $23,000 and he will be in court on April 26.
30 year old Barry Gibbs is charged with evading arrest. His bond is $2,500. Chief Caplinger reports that on Tuesday, April 10 police spotted Gibbs at Walmart. Knowing that Gibbs had Warren and Macon County warrants against him, the officer confronted Gibbs. He tried to flee but was quickly apprehended and taken into custody.
28 year old Melissa Webb is cited for shoplifting. Her court date is May 10. Chief Caplinger said that on Tuesday, April 17 an officer was called to Walmart. Upon arrival, an employee said that Webb was observed taking items from the store into a restroom. She later came out of the restroom,but none of the items could be seen on her. The restroom was searched and several empty containers were found. Webb was confronted and allegedly admitted to taking the items. They were found in her purse.
22 year old Lyndsey Davenport is cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. She will be in court on May 10. Chief Caplinger reports that on Wednesday, April 18 an officer responded to Pack Circle on an unwanted guest call. Upon arrival, the officer confronted Davenport in the roadway. The officer obtained consent to search and in her purse, he found hypodermic needles and straws used to snort drugs. Davenport allegedly admitted to having these items for the illegal use of dilaudid
21 year old Jennifer Koon is charged with driving under the influence. Her bond is $1,500. Chief Caplinger said that on Thursday, April 19, an officer was dispatched to South Congress Boulevard in reference to a vehicle possibly being operated by an intoxicated driver. Police spotted the suspected automobile traveling at 54 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour speed zone. The officer stopped the vehicle, which was driven by Koon. He could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on her person. She submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. Koon was placed under arrest. She submitted to a blood alcohol test.
41 year old Tisha Burns is charged with simple possession of a schedule II, IV and VI controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. She will be in court May 17. Chief Caplinger reports that on Sunday, April 22, Burns was stopped for a traffic violation. The officer received consent to search the vehicle and found a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana and a pipe believed to have been used to smoke it. She also had nine xanax pills and three roxycodone pills.
Meanwhile, due to a rise in theft reports recently, Chief Caplinger is asking city residents to keep their garage doors closed when they are away from home “We’re noticing during the day while we’re on patrol, a lot of people are leaving their garage doors up. You can see mowers, weed eaters, and all types of equipment inside those garages. It is very enticing for thieves,” he said.
The Police Department now has two humvees in its fleet.
Chief Caplinger said the department recently applied for and received approval to obtain two humvees at no costs from military surplus in Montgomery Alabama and they will be used during tactical operations, weather related diasters, and in other emergency situations. The vehicles will be fixed up and repainted, before being deployed.

It was a night to shine Tuesday evening for the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce as its members celebrated forty nine years leading this community in unity and growth.
The banquet took place in the brand new auditorium of the county complex on South Congress Boulevard, the first event to be held there.
Darrin Vincent, of the very popular and award winning bluegrass duo Dailey and Vincent, entertained the dinner crowd along with his teenage daughter Victoria Vincent.
Vincent was also the featured speaker. He talked of his family and music career and his impressions of the people of DeKalb County, a place he and his family have called home now for several years.
The program began with a silent auction, welcoming remarks by Chamber President Kathie McGlamery and County Mayor Mike Foster, presentation of the flags and pledge by members of Boy Scout Troop 347, and a performance of the National Anthem by Victoria Vincent. Invocation by Dr. John Carpenter of the First United Methodist Church and dinner music by Tomomi McDowell.
A video presentation was shown hosted by Chamber Director Suzanne Williams and Leadership DeKalb Director Jen Sherwood, featuring DeKalb County attractions and showcasing highlights of many activities and events held during the year.
Meanwhile, the retiring members of the Chamber board were recognized including Rob Willingham of Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, Michelle Burklow of the DeKalb County Board of Education, Angie Meadows of the Smithville Review and the Smithville Business and Professional Women’s Club, and Anita Patrick of DTC Communications.
New members are Julia Cantrell of Cumberland Insurance Agency, Craig Gates, Chief Executive Officer of DTC Communications, Carol South, Marketing Director of Bumper’s Drive-In, Susan Young, Office Manager of the Customer Service Department of MTUD in the Smithville Operations Office, and Charlotte Parsley, who works in the Marketing Department of Shiroki North America.
Other member of the Chamber board are Keith Blair, Attorney-at-Law, Rhonda Caplinger of Liberty State Bank, George Oliver of the Smithville Rotary Club; Jason Ray, Leadership Alumni from the Class of 2009; Mike Williams of the DeKalb County Fair Board; Janna Gillard, publisher of the DeKalb County Guide, Valerie House, Leadership DeKalb Alumni, Bill Little, Administrator of DeKalb Community Hospital, Tony Luna of the Real Estate Team, and Lori Manns of Manns Master Mechanics.
The 2012 officers are President Kathie McGlamery, Vice President; Janna Gillard, Secretary Valerie House, and Treasurer Julia Cantrell.
(TOP PHOTO: Chamber Director Suzanne Williams with Banquet speaker and entertainer Darrin Vincent and his daughter Victoria. All three holding awards previously won by Darrin including a Grammy, held by Suzanne)
(BOTTOM PHOTO: Chamber Director Suzanne Williams with retiring Chamber Board Members Anita Patrick, Angie Meadows, Michelle Burklow, and Rob Willingham)