DeKalb County High School Football Coach Steve Trapp is one of four nominees for the Tennessee Titans High School Coach of the Week honor
Other nominees are, Bruce Lussier of Nashville’s Father Ryan, Justin Price of Campbell County High School and Noah Lampkins of Gleason High School.
FANS MAY VOTE FOR COACH OF THE WEEK BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW, SELECTING THE NAME OF THE COACH AND THEN CLICKING THE SUBMIT BUTTON.
http://www.titansonline.com/community/coach-of-the-week.html
Each coach was nominated by sports media throughout the state of Tennessee on the basis of specific criteria. The specific criteria for Tennessee high school coaches included beating a longtime rival, snapping a losing streak, defeating a defending champion, an amazing come from behind victory, and/or involvement in the local community.
Also considered is a coach’s consideration of his players’ safety, by teaching the fundamentals of the game, proper tackling techniques, concussion management practices and adherence to heat and hydration guidelines.
Led by a freshman quarterback, Steven Jennings, Coach Trapp’s Tigers defeated Livingston Academy Wildcats, 35-28 last Friday night. This is DeKalb’s first win against the Wildcats since 1994. In the game’s final seconds, the Tigers’ defense was successful with a goal line stand as Livingston threatened to tie the game.
Week 2 voting is open until 9 a.m. ET/8 a.m. CT, Thursday, Sept. 12.
The ten weekly winners of the Coach of the Week will earn a $1,000 grant from the Tennessee Titans Foundation for his football program to be used to provide funds for equipment, turf treatment or upgrades to their field house!
At the conclusion of the Tennessee state playoffs, a Titans High School Coach of the Year will be selected and that winner will earn a $2,000 grant from the Titans Foundation for his school’s football program!
The Titans began honoring Tennessee’s High School Coaches in 1998 and since that time, have awarded more than $150,000 in grants to support high school football programs throughout Tennessee via this program!

A McMinnville man was caught breaking into an outbuilding on Bethel Road Thursday by the owner of the premises who was home at the time.
36 year old Robin Lee Lawson, II is charged with public intoxication, burglary, and theft of property over $1,000. His bond totals $11,500 and he will be in court on September 26.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, September 5 a deputy was dispatched to a residence on Bethel Road to a complaint of a theft in progress. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with Lawson and another man (the victim). Lawson had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. His eyes were bloodshot and he was unsteady on his feet. The victim said that Lawson had come to his residence and knocked on the door. When the victim did not answer the door, Lawson went to the victim’s outbuilding and took a chainsaw and weedeater. According to Sheriff Ray, Lawson admitted to committing the burglary and thefts as well as drinking alcohol. He was placed under arrest.
In other cases, Mitchell Lee Corso of Nashville Highway, Liberty is charged with possession of a weapon by a felon. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court September 12. Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, September 3 a deputy went to Corso’s residence in Liberty to serve an order of protection on him. Upon receiving consent to search, a 30-06 Springfield rifle was in his possession. The weapon belonged to Corso but he wasn’t supposed to have it because of his being a convicted felon. Corso was arrested and brought to the jail for booking.
35 year old James Frederick “Freddy” Summers of Cookeville Highway, Smithville is charged with a fifth offense of driving on a revoked license. He was also issued citations for violation of the registration law and violation of the financial responsibility law (no insurance). His bond totals $5,000 and he will be in court on October 3. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, September 4 a deputy while on routine patrol saw Summers operating a motor vehicle on Holiday Haven Road. Having prior knowledge that Summers’ drivers license were revoked, the officer stopped the vehicle. A computer check confirmed the license to be revoked and that the tag on the automobile was for another vehicle. Summers was arrested and brought to the jail for booking.
Michael Ray Reeder of Pine Orchard Road is charged with possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) for resale. His bond is $5,000 and he will be in court on September 26. Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, September 5 a detective of the sheriff’s department saw a Chevy S-10 pickup truck traveling on West Broad Street in Smithville. The occupants were not wearing their seatbelts. The detective stopped the truck on Short Mountain Highway and spoke with the driver, Reeder, who gave the officer consent to search. Found in the rear of the truck in a tool box was a sandwich baggie, which also held four other baggies containing marijuana. According to Sheriff Ray, Reeder admitted handing a female passenger another bag containing marijuana. The woman handed over the bag to the detective. Three of the baggies weighed .24 ounces. One baggie weighed .16 ounce. Another weighed .11 ounce. The overall total weight of the baggies was 1.02 ounces. The marijuana was believed to have been packaged for resale. Reeder further gave officers consent to search his room at the Lake Motel. Inside his safe was a box of sandwich baggies, digital scales, and smaller baggies.
44 year old Shannon Eugene Tayes of Midway Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on October 10. Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, September 5 a deputy saw a Ford pickup truck, driven by Tayes, leave its lane of travel on North Congress Boulevard. The officer stopped the truck and found that Tayes had a strong odor of alcohol on his person and he was unsteady on his feet. Tayes submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. For the safety of Tayes and the public, he was arrested for DUI and brought to the jail for booking. Tayes refused to submit to a blood test and was cited for violation of the implied consent law. He was also cited for failure to maintain his lane of travel.
48 year old Tony Joe Corley of Lower Helton Road, Liberty is charged with a sixth offense of driving under the influence. His bond is $10,000 and he will be in court September 12. Sheriff Ray said that on Saturday, September 7 a deputy was dispatched to Lower Helton Road due to an auto accident. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with Corley and noticed that he was very unsteady on his feet and his speech was slurred. Corley submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks.
39 year old Linda Eva Matthews of Sparta Highway, Sparta is charged with domestic assault. Her bond is $1,500 and she will be in court on September 26. Sheriff Ray said that just before midnight on Friday, September 6 a deputy was dispatched to Sparta Highway on a complaint of domestic assault. The officer spoke with a man who said that his wife, Matthews had been drinking and taking pills. The man said Matthews then started a fight accusing him of cheating on her with another woman. Matthews then allegedly grabbed a large kitchen knife and came running toward him. He pushed her against the wall, took the knife away from her, and called for police. Matthews was placed under arrest.
40 year old Steven Lee Gebhardt and 49 year old Crystal Ann Tisdale both of Hurricane Ridge Road, Smithville are charged with domestic assault. Bond for each is $1,500 and they will be in court on September 26. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, September 8 a deputy was dispatched to a residence on Hurricane Ridge Road on a complaint of a physical domestic assault. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with Gebhardt and Tisdale. Both had marks on their faces and necks. Gebhardt told the officer that Tisdale had hit him several times in the face and head. Tisdale said that Gebhardt had choked her . Since the primary aggressor could not be determined, both were arrested and brought to the jail for booking.
35 year old Steven Anthony Nelson of Allen Street, Smithville is charged with public intoxication, evading arrest, and resisting arrest. His bond totals $5,500 and he will be in court on September 26. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, September 8, a deputy was dispatched to Allen Street for a possible domestic assault. The officer spoke with a woman who said that she and her husband, Nelson had gotten into a fight but that he left the residence after she called 911. When officers spotted Nelson walking across Shady Drive, he began running behind a house and into the woods. Nelson was unsteady on his feet. After catching up with Nelson, officers ordered him to get on the ground but he refused. He had to be forcibly taken to the ground. Nelson had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. He was placed under arrest and brought to the jail for booking.

State Senator Charlotte Burks (D-Monterey) recently announced that she will be retiring at the end of her current term. She will not seek re-election to serve the 15th District, which includes Cumberland, Jackson, Overton, Bledsoe, Putnam and White Counties. The next election is scheduled for Aug. 2014.
She is a native of Jackson County and owns a farm in Monterey where she raised her family and has resided for nearly 50 years. Burks has three daughters, ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren. The only occupation she has ever known is that of a farmer.
She has served in the State Legislature since 1998. The people of the 15th District made her a part of Tennessee history by electing her as the first ever “write-in” candidate to the State Senate after the tragic death of her late husband State Senator Tommy Burks. During her tenure in office, Burks has served on numerous committees, including ethics, commerce, labor, agriculture, education, government operations and the select committee on children and youth.
She has also received multiple awards and recognitions for her work as a State Senator. Much of her focus has been in the areas of education, domestic violence and issues concerning children. She has been an 8 time recipient of the “Legislator of the Year” award from the Tennessee Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence for her work in those areas. She also received national recognition from the U. S. Attorney General’s Foundation for the Improvement of Justice.
Sen. Burks’ first efforts in Nashville focused on completing some of the work started by her late husband. He had been successful in getting a constitutional amendment on the state ballot for a “Victims Bill of Rights” which passed in the November 1998 election. Ironically, this was after he himself had become a victim of crime and lost his own life. She completed his work by drafting and passing the legislation that made the provisions of the amendment into law. She also passed a bill that allowed inmates in local jails to pick up litter on our state highways on which he had been working.
She has sponsored and passed many important pieces of her own legislation during her tenure in office. When asked what stands out in her mind as the most important legislation on which she worked, she replied, “My work on the fight against Meth in our state.” She had tried unsuccessfully for three sessions to pass a law to regulate and limit the sale of over-the-counter drugs containing Ephedrine which is the main ingredient of Meth.
The attention caused by Sen. Burks’ efforts caused Governor Phil Bredeson to create a state Meth Task Force, of which, Burks was a member. Legislation recommended by the task force and endorsed by the governor that was finally made into law contained all of her original recommendations and was made even stronger. The passage of this bill significantly reduced the production of Meth across our state.
“I have tried to focus on the issues that are important to our families and our every day life,” Burks commented. She has been an advocate for Tennessee’s families, as well as for education, affordable health care, senior assistance and for issues important to our rural communities. She served on the Domestic and Sexual Violence State Coordinating Council, the Creating Homes Initiative Task Force, the State Vocational Education Board, the Southern Regional Education Board and the state Victims of Crime Coordinating Council.
“It has been an honor to represent the people of the 15th Senatorial District over the years,” Burks reflected. “I never imagined that I would ever serve in the state legislature, but it gave me a sense of direction and purpose that I needed after the loss of Tommy. It was a responsibility that I took seriously, and I am satisfied that I served the people of this district with honesty and integrity. Our family has a deep love and appreciation for the Upper Cumberland and its people. We will forever be grateful for the kindness and support we have received. Thank you for allowing us to serve.”
To show her appreciation, Senator Burks will host a reception on October 10th at the Leslie Towne Center in Cookeville from 4:30 pm until 6:30 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.
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An 18 year old man is facing theft charges after Smithville Police pulled him over for a traffic offense and found the vehicle he was driving to be stolen out of Warren County. A further investigation revealed he had also allegedly stolen a bicycle.
John Thomas Mason has been charged with two counts of theft. Chief Randy Caplinger said Sergeant Brad Tatrow recently spotted someone in a green Toyota Camry, not wearing a seatbelt, who made an illegal turn. Sergeant Tatrow made a traffic stop and found that the driver, Mason was unlicensed and had no proof of insurance. Upon checking the auto tag through Central Dispatch, it was discovered the vehicle was stolen out of Warren County. Mason was placed under arrest for theft of property.
Meanwhile, Mason was identified as a suspect in another theft after Officer Joey Myers took a complaint from a resident on Wednesday, August 28 reporting that a bicycle along with some other items had been stolen. Also, Captain Steven Leffew had received some calls about a young man (Mason), driving a Toyota Camry, who was randomly trying to sell a camera to several persons. Police checked his automobile and found a camera and gas card belonging to DeKalb EMA. Detective Brandon Donnell conducted an inquiry and it was determined that Mason had taken the bicycle reported stolen on August 28. Mason was arrested for both thefts. Bond for Mason is $3,000 and he will be in court on September 26.
In other cases, 28 year old Stephanie Ann Long was arrested for criminal trespassing on Saturday, August 3. According to the warrant, K-9 Officer James Cornelius was dispatched to Wal-Mart where he arrested Long for criminal trespassing. Ms. Long had previously been notified to stay off the Wal-Mart property and she had signed the written notice issued to her at that time. On August 3, security video showed Ms. Long on the property in the parking lot approaching customers. Her bond is $1,500.
43 year old Robert Roy Atnip was recently cited for simple possession. Sergeant Brad Tatrow was dispatched to Green Brook Park to check on a possible intoxicated person. Sergeant Tatrow recovered from Atnip a round pill container which held several pills.
60 year old Ross H Stiver Jr. was arrested on Tuesday, August 6 for driving on a revoked license. Stiver was operating a motor vehicle when he was spotted by Officer Joey Myers pulling into a parking lot. Upon getting out of the vehicle, Stiver was unsteady on his feet. Officer Myers did a welfare check to make sure he wasn’t intoxicated. A computer check revealed his license were revoked for a DUI. Bond for Stiver is $1,500 and he will be in court on September 25.
21 year old Joshua Lee Anderson was arrested for public intoxication on Thursday, August 8. Anderson was a passenger of a vehicle involved in an accident. Corporal Travis Bryant arrived on the scene to investigate and found Anderson outside the vehicle. His speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet. Bond for Anderson is $1,500.
48 year old Deborah Lynn France was recently cited for theft of property. Corporal Travis Bryant responded to Rite Aid Pharmacy to investigate a possible shoplifter. Ms. France allegedly attempted to leave the store without paying for merchandise in her possession.
19 year old Jessica Lynn Counts was arrested for public intoxication on Wednesday, August 14. Officer Will Judkins was dispatched to South Mountain Street to do a welfare check and found Counts sitting on the sidewalk. Ms Counts had an odor of an alcoholic beverage on her person and she was unsteady on her feet. Bond for Counts is $1,500.
31 year old Lori Ann Lewis was arrested for forgery on Friday, August 16. Detective Brandon Donnell responded to Johnny’s Drugs where he spoke with Lewis concerning a doctor’s prescription that had been altered. Bond for Lewis is $5,000.
55 year old Forrest Byrd was arrested for a third offense of DUI on Saturday, August 17. Captain Steven Leffew was dispatched to Dry Creek Road where Byrd had been involved in a one car accident. Byrd had an odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. He was unsteady on his feet and his speech was slurred. A computer check revealed two prior DUI’s against Byrd. Bond for Byrd is $5,000.
32 year old Misty Dawn Brandon was arrested for theft on Thursday, August 22. Brandon, an employee of Advanced Auto Parts allegedly falsified a return of a battery and kept the money. Bond for Brandon is $1,500 and she will be in court on September 26.
57 year old Diane Lynn Kemp was arrested for DUI on Monday, August 26. Corporal Travis Bryant responded to Green Brook Park to check on someone reported to be possibly intoxicated. Corporal Bryant noticed Kemp had an odor of an alcoholic beverage on her person. Her speech was slurred and she was unsteady on her feet. Kemp submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. Bond for Kemp is $1,500 and she will be in court on September 12.
26 year old Dustin Burgess was arrested for a second offense of driving on a suspended license on Friday, August 30. Corporal Travis Bryant spotted Burgess operating a motor vehicle. Having prior knowledge of outstanding warrants against Burgess, Corporal Bryant stopped him and a computer check confirmed his license were suspended in Jackson County. Burgess has a prior conviction against him for driving on a suspended license. Bond for Burgess is $5,000 and he will be in court on September 12.
K-9 Officer James Cornelius recently arrested 23 year old Mark Christopher Davenport for DUI. Davenport was operating a motor vehicle when he was stopped for speeding. Davenport had an odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. He was unsteady on his feet and he submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. Bond for Davenport is $1,500 and he will be in court September 12.
29 year old Jessica Taylor Lane was cited for theft of property on Sunday, September 1. Corporal Travis Bryant responded to Rite Aid Pharmacy where Lane allegedly attempted to take several items from the store without paying for them. She will be in court on September 12.

A 61 year old man was found dead Saturday in an automobile accident on Four Seasons Road. 911 received the call around 11:30 am.
Dead is Michael J. Dean of Smithville.
Trooper Jeremy Wilhite of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that Dean, of Burton Ridge Lane, was operating a 1999 Toyota Rav4 heading south on Four Seasons Road when he went off the right side of the road , struck a tree stump, and a telephone substation box. The SUV overturned in tall weeds coming to rest upright off the right side of the roadway facing south. Dean, who not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected. His body was found on the ground near the vehicle
The exact time of the accident is not known. A passerby spotted the wreck and reported it.
Members of DeKalb EMS, Sheriff’s Department, and the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department were also on the scene.

The body of a 27 year old Tullahoma man was recovered from Center Hill Lake Sunday afternoon almost twenty four hours after he jumped off a pontoon boat and drowned on Saturday.
Dead is William Bates.
TWRA Officer Tony Cross told WJLE that Bates’ body was recovered in about 90 feet of water near where the incident occurred about a mile from Floating Mill Recreation area.
According to Officer Cross, Bates was with five other men on a pontoon boat going upstream Saturday afternoon when Bates jumped in the water to take a swim as the boat came to a stop. When Bates didn’t come back up after going under the water, the others jumped in but were unable to rescue him.
911 was notified and members of the TWRA, DeKalb County Rescue Squad, and U.S Army Corps of Engineers Rangers came to the scene. The search continued non-stop throughout the rest of the day on Saturday, all night, and during the day on Sunday until the body was found. Others participating in the search were members of the White, Putnam, Coffee, and Franklin County Rescue Squads. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and local Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Charlie Parker assisted in the effort.
In addition to dragging operations, divers and sonar equipment aided in the search. In fact, the body was detected by the Franklin County Rescue Squad’s tow fish sonar. Divers of the White County Rescue Squad then went down and recovered it.
The body was brought by boat to the Hurricane Bridge Recreation Area and then loaded onto a DeKalb EMS ambulance for transport to the hospital.
Captain Dustin Johnson of the DeKalb County Rescue Squad said he wished to thank all those who supported them in the search and to the Caney Fork Chapter of the American Red Cross, who set up at the Floating Mill Recreation area to provide food and drinks to the emergency personnel and volunteers. Johnson also expressed his thanks to DeKalb Market and Pizza Hut for their donation of food.

Local attorney Brad Hannah is joining the office of Vester Parsley, Jr. Attorney at Law.
Parsley made the announcement in his downtown Smithville office Friday afternoon. Other members of the local bar were present for the occasion.
Hannah is a graduate of DeKalb County High School, Tennessee Tech University, and the Nashville School of Law.
He has been in practice for two years working with the Morrison Law Firm in Tullahoma.
Hannah and his wife Jennifer reside in Smithville. Their five year old son Isaac has just started kindergarten.
Born and raised in DeKalb County, Hannah is the son of Pam Dolan and the late Cliff Hannah. His grandfather was the late Edd Poss, affectionately known for many years as the “Suit Man”.
Hannah, who plans to begin working with Parsley around the middle of September, said he is very appreciative of this opportunity.
“I’m proud to have him here,” said Parsley. “I’m anxious to get him to work so I can take it a little easier and he can take over some of that load that I’ve been having to do at nine and ten o’clock at night,” he said.
Parsley, a former DeKalb County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge, has been in practice here for almost 37 years. Over the years he has partnered with attorneys including the late George LeFevre, Hilton Conger, the late McAllen Foutch, Mike Corley, and more recently Jeremy Trapp.
Parsley currently serves as city attorney for both the Cities of Smithville and Alexandria.
(Bottom Picture: left to right- Jennifer and Brad Hannah, Vester Parsley, Jim Judkins, Tecia Pryor, Sarah Cripps, Jon Slager, and Gayla Hendrix)

A 53 year old Smithville man escaped serious injury Friday morning after his car crashed into a utility pole on Braswell Lane.
Captain Steven Leffew of the Smithville Police Department told WJLE that Darrell Pack was driving east on Braswell Lane in a 2010 Nissan Altima when he failed to negotiate a curve. The right tires dropped off the road and Pack lost control of the car. The vehicle struck a utility pole.
Pack refused transport to the hospital by DeKalb EMS. He was cited for violation of the financial responsibility law for no insurance.
A Smithville Electric System crew is shown above setting a new utility pole after the crash.
Meanwhile, three other people were involved in an earlier accident Friday at the intersection of Bryant Street and South Congress Boulevard near Rite Aid Pharmacy.
Captain Leffew told WJLE that 87 year old James Hill of Smithville was driving south on Congress Boulevard (Highway 56) in a 1994 Crown Victoria when he collided with a 1997 Ford Thunderbird, driven by 29 year old Amanda Moss of Smithville. According to Captain Leffew, Moss was attempting to make a left turn from Bryant Street to go north on Congress Boulevard and was in the intersection when Hill’s vehicle struck her car in the driver’s side door. 37 year old Donna Thompson of Smithville was a passenger of the Moss vehicle.
No one was injured.
Hill was cited for violation of the financial responsibility law for no insurance.
In addition to the Smithville Police Department, members of DeKalb EMS and the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department were on the scenes of both accidents

A Classroom Hunter Education Course starts Monday, September 9 at the Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church on Highway 83 or Allen Ferry Road.
Classes will be held each night from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The course is offered free of charge.
Participants must attend each night in order to complete the course. “There are actually three classroom nights and on the last day, that afternoon we do the test and the LIVE fire. You do have to attend all of those,” said TWRA Officer Tony Cross.
“You must be at least nine years old by the first night of the class to participate,” he said. “We will take up to fifty persons in the class. You do have to go on-line to register now for any of our Hunter Education classes. Go to the www.tnwildlife.org website. You click on the button “For Hunters”. Click on the section “Hunter Education”. A button will come up in the middle of the page “Find A Class”. Click on that and go to the classroom portion of the Hunter Education Course. Look on the left hand side of the page. It’ll bring up the dates. Just look until you find the one that says Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church. It will then have another button that will allow you to register now,” said Officer Cross.
For more information, call Officer Cross at 597-9625

Fifteen votes is all it took to elect a new mayor of Alexandria Thursday.
Jim H. York, Jr. ran unopposed in the Alexandria Municipal Election and received fifteen votes to become the town’s next mayor. He succeeds incumbent Mayor Ria Baker, who chose not to seek re-election.
Only nineteen people voted in the election including sixteen in person and three by absentee. Since the election was uncontested, only paper ballots were used.
In addition to the election of York as mayor, Pat Jackson received eighteen votes in his bid for alderman. He ran unopposed.
Three aldermen were to have been elected but no one else qualified to run.
It will apparently be up to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to make an appointment to fill those two aldermen positions.
Altogether, Alexandria has a mayor and six aldermen positions.