The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department responded to a house fire early Wednesday morning which may have been triggered by lightning.
“We had a house fire at 807 South Mountain Street, the home of Mrs. Willie Brown Adams at approximately 2:23 a.m.,” said Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker.
“Mrs. Adams smelled smoke in the house and called 911 just after a passing thunderstorm”.
“When Smithville Police arrived they helped Mrs. Adams out of the home and noticed flames coming through the roof on the back side of the house.”
“The Smithville Fire Department arrived and extinguished the flames. There was some damage in the attic and to the exterior of the house,” said Chief Parker.
“The fire is still under investigation but it appears that lightning may have played a part in the ignition of this fire,” he said.
No one was injured.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. DeKalb Community Hospital along with the local schools and civic organizations are bringing awareness to this important topic in various ways throughout the month of October. A county-wide ‘Pink-Out’ is scheduled for Friday, October 17th where the public, county schools and businesses are encouraged to wear pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness and our fight against all forms of cancer. County schools are participating in a ‘pink’ jack-o-lantern contest sponsored by DeKalb Community and Stones River Hospitals, and various businesses and organizations have agreed to take the ‘Pinky Swear Dare’ – painting their pinky nails pink throughout the month of October after pledging to get regular mammograms after the age of forty.
“We would like to thank the community and local schools for making this year’s Pink-tober events so very successful,” said Shan Burklow- Marketing Director for DeKalb Community and Stones River Hospitals, “I am humbled by the wonderful and caring people who have volunteered their time to help us spread the word about the importance of early detection and mammograms in the fight against breast cancer. This is such an ugly disease and it has touched everyone in some way. Take this month to remind your friends and family of the importance of weekly self-exams and annual mammograms. Early detection is so very important in the fight against cancer. Hundreds of people across Tennessee have taken the ‘Pinky Swear Dare’ and we hope that hundreds more participate before the month’s end.”
For more ways that your family, business or organization can support the fight against cancer, go to www.relayforlife.org or contact Shan Burklow: sburklow@dchtn.com
Pictured: Nancy Trapp shows off her pink painted pinkies in support of the ‘Pinky Swear Dare’ for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Pictured: DeKalb County is gearing up for the county-wide ‘Pink Out’ supporting Breast Cancer Awareness on Friday, October 17th. Wear pink and show your support of the fight against cancer.

A McMinnville woman charged with TennCare fraud was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday, October 3.
Judge Gary McKenzie presided.
37 year old Julie D. Wright pled guilty to TennCare fraud and received a one year sentence on probation to run concurrent with her Warren County probation in another case. She must give up her TennCare insurance.
Wright was charged in an indictment in April of 2013 with TennCare fraud in connection with obtaining a controlled substance paid for by TennCare, while planning to sell a portion of the drugs. She was apprehended later after eluding authorities for over a year.
In other court cases Friday, 34 year old Nieka Barrett Patton pled guilty to two counts of simple possession of a schedule IV drug. She received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case suspended to probation. Patton must also pay a drug fine of $2,000. The terms are to run concurrently with each other but consecutive to all current sentences against her.
56 year old Billy Stephen Braswell pled guilty by information to two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case to run consecutively. He was fined $150. His supervised probation will end after one year if he has no other violations. Braswell was given jail credit of 33 days.
26 year old Bruce Cantrell pled guilty to sale of a schedule III drug and received a two year sentence but he was granted judicial diversion probation. Cantrell was also fined $2,000.
47 year old Alton David Estes pled guilty to theft over $1,000 and got a four year sentence to serve 30% before his release eligibility date. The sentence is to run concurrently with a Coffee County case against him. He was given jail credit from March 5 through October 3, 2014.
29 year old Danny Prater pled guilty to domestic assault and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days on probation to run consecutive to a violation of probation against him.
35 year old Kenny Bly pled guilty by information to sale of a counterfeit substance and received a two year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. The term is to run consecutive to a six year TDOC sentence against him.
53 year old Tommye Lou Bell pled guilty to sale of a schedule II drug and received a four year sentence all suspended to TDOC probation. She was fined $2,000 and must make restitution of $160 to the sheriff’s department. She must forfeit the pills and money seized by law enforcement.
37 year old Quastaia Braswell pled guilty to initiation of meth and received an eight year sentence on probation upon her completion of a long term treatment program. She was fined $2,000. Braswell was given jail credit of 89 days.
32 year old Elizabeth Chalfant pled guilty to forgery ($1,000-$10,000) and received a two year sentence on supervised probation to run consecutive to a violation of probation against her. She must make restitution of $187 to the victim. Chalfant was given jail credit from June 23 to August 11, 2014.
39 year old Stephen Jason Moore pled guilty to burglary and received a five year sentence to run concurrently with a violation of probation against him in General Sessions Court. He must make restitution of $1,700. Moore was also given jail credit of 53 days.
25 year old Kenneth Roberts, Jr. pled guilty to theft under $500 and theft over $500. He received a sentence of one year in one case and 11 months and 29 days in the other to run concurrently with each other. He must make restitution of $1,776 and he will be on supervised probation.
31 year old Christopher Trent Barnes pled guilty to sale of a schedule II drug and was granted judicial diversion probation for four years. He was fined $2,000.
49 year old Darlene Cantrell pled guilty to attempt to sell a schedule II drug and was granted judicial diversion probation for two years. She was fined $2,000.
38 year old Lynda Neville pled guilty to theft over $1,000 and received a two year TDOC sentence all suspended to probation.
27 year old Philando Fullilove pled guilty to possession of a schedule II drug and received a suspended sentence of 11 months and 29 days to run consecutive to his parole in another case. He was fined $750.
19 year old Lucas Shane Bogle pled guilty to theft over $1,000 and was granted judicial diversion probation for three years. He will be on supervised probation for two years and if all costs are paid and conditions are met he will be eligible for good behavior probation for the last year. He must make restitution of $6,800.
25 year old Karla Montgomery pled guilty to theft under $500 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to serve 75%. The term is to run concurrently with another sentence she is serving. Montgomery was given jail credit from October 3, 2013 to October 3, 2014.
49 year old Ronda Butler pled guilty to driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to serve 48 hours at the Swain Center in Rutherford County, where she will also attend a DUI class. She will then be on probation. Her fine is $365.
39 year old Kevin Bogle pled guilty to driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to good behavior probation. Bogle was given credit for time served. He was fined $360.
50 year old Tony J. Corley pled guilty by criminal information to two counts of driving under the influence (3rd offense). The sentences are to run concurrently with each other. He must serve 120 days and he will then be on probation. He was fined $1,100 and he will lose his driver’s license for six years.
33 year old Ronald Collins pled guilty by information to reckless driving and received a six month sentence all suspended to CPS probation. The term is to run concurrent with a Warren County case against him.
30 year old Mindy Magouirk pled guilty to driving on a suspended license. She received a six month suspended sentence and was fined $50. She will be on supervised probation.

How can a child focus on solving a math problem or memorizing a new word when she or he is trying to ignore the persistent pangs of hunger?
Across the country, teachers and school nurses have found that in some instances, Monday morning comes and they are forced to compete against hunger for the attention of their students. More than 18 million children qualify for free or reduced price meals through the National School Lunch Program, the fuel that they need to get them through the week. What happens to these children when they go home over the weekend?
For more than 15 years, the Feeding America BackPack Program has been helping children get the nutritious and easy-to-prepare food they need over the course of the weekend.
The DeKalb County School System’s Backpack program, through Coordinated School Health, began seven years ago as a means of providing essential foods to needy children over the holidays to keep them from going hungry. Since then the program has grown and now needy children get food to take home every week for the weekend when school is out. To keep up with the demand, more support is needed.
Cindy Childers, Assistant with the Coordinated School Health Program is asking for your help. “Each year we try to get it a little bit better and give a little bit more to the kids. We try to meet their needs to the best of our ability. This year we have started off with (number of children to be served) what we normally end our year with. I am a little concerned that our numbers are going to grow so much that we won’t make it past Christmas with the donations we’ve already received. I am asking you to please make a donation of food or money. We try to find things that a kindergarten or pre-school student can open up on their own, where they don’t need a stove or refrigeration, but that they can eat for themselves. All donations will go to the Backpack Program. We go a couple of times a month to SAMS’s and we buy in bulk what we think the children would like and what is healthy for them and gives them protein and vitamins. The hospital has also helped us with some food this year. We have churches and other organizations that have adopted schools so they pick up the food, pack it for us, and deliver it to the schools. Currently we have Whorton Springs Baptist Church, the Smithville First United Methodist Church, and the DeKalb West School BETA Club that are packing for us this year. We’d like to thank them,” said Childers.
Suggested individually packaged foods to donate for the BackPack program include: 100% juice in single serving unbreakable bottles, boxes, or pouches; small boxes or bags of nutritious cereal; nutritious snack/breakfast bars; fruit cups; small boxes of raisins or dried fruit; microwave popcorn; non-perishable single serve microwave kids meals; individually packaged crackers (peanut butter and crackers); Slim Jims, gummy fruit, pudding, instant oatmeal, peanuts, and Ramen noodles.
If you have questions or would like to help call 615-215-2161 or 615- 215-2118.

The DeKalb County Jail and Jail Annex have again met minimum standards for certification by the Tennessee Corrections Institute.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said the TCI recently performed an inspection of the Jail and the Annex.
In a letter to Sheriff Ray, TCI Executive Director Beth Ashe, wrote ” the TCI recently inspected the facilities. The inspection revealed that this facility meets all applicable minimum standards. This status shall be reported to the board of control at its next meeting. After approval from the board of control, you will receive a certificate of certification. You are to be congratulated for attaining this degree of professionalism in your organization,” wrote Ashe.
Detention Facility Specialist Joe Ferguson, in the report wrote that ” On August 12, 2014 I inspected the DeKalb County Jail and Annex. Sheriff Ray and Staff are to be commended on the cleanliness and professionalism of the facility. With no deficiencies, I recommend continued certification for the year 2014,” he wrote.
The inspection noted that the jail was not overcrowded; that the physical plant appeared to be well maintained and in good state of repair; that security checks were being performed hourly and documented; that the kitchen was clean and the stove and hood were in good working order; and that a menu had been approved by the dietician.
The DeKalb County Jail and Annex have a certified capacity of 102 beds.

The City of Smithville will soon be extending sewer services to an area annexed into the city limits earlier this year.
During their regular monthly meeting Monday night, the aldermen awarded a contract to the low bidder, Flo-Line Contracting, LLC of Monticello, Kentucky for $141,600.
A bid opening was held Thursday, September 25 at city hall on providing low pressure sewers for the area on Highway 70 west. Bids were received from three companies, Madewell Construction Inc. of Spencer for $163,865 and John T. Hall Construction, Inc. of Sparta for $162,445, in addition to Flo-Line Contracting, LLC.
J.R. Wauford & Company Consulting Engineers, Inc., the city’s utility engineer, evaluated the bids and recommended the low bidder.
The sewer project will serve an area which includes six parcels of property and a portion of another parcel which were annexed on the west side of the city. The properties were zoned and a plan of services was adopted for the area, in accordance with state law which establishes a timeframe within which city services and/or amenities are to be provided. Property owners in the area who wish to connect to the new sewer lines must bear the expense of taps and the pump system on their property.
In other business, the aldermen voted to make an offer to purchase a home on Allen’s Chapel Road that is in the airport runway flight path. To comply with FAA regulations, the home must be removed. The offer, being made to the property owner through the city’s airport engineer, is for $80,500. Although the city has budgeted $96,000 for this expense, all but five percent of the costs will be covered by a grant for which the city has been approved by the state. The property has already been surveyed and appraised.
Meanwhile, the City of Smithville is having another water cost study done. Results of the last study released in 2013 revealed the cost for the city to produce water to be $2.67 per 1,000 gallons. City officials believe that cost may be more now. Any change in the rate based on results of a new cost study could have an impact on the DeKalb Utility District which currently pays $2.67 per thousand gallons for the water it buys from the city.
In other matters, Airport Manager Wesley Nokes updated the mayor and aldermen on the status of other airport improvement projects being funded mostly by grants.
Nokes said bids have been advertised twice for a new fuel farm at the airport but so far there have been no bidders. “We had the fuel farm put out for bids twice but we didn’t get any bids on that. TDOT has recommended that we wait before we put it back out for bids again. There are very few contractors that are licensed to do this kind of work in Tennessee and apparently they are all very busy and have more work than they need right now. TDOT has recommended that we wait probably another four to six weeks before we put that back out,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nokes said bids have been advertised for the airport lighting rehabilitation project. Bids will be opened on Friday, October 24. “That is to replace all the airfield lighting with new LED’s, a new beacon, beacon tower, a new electrical vault which will be outside and will house all of our airfield lighting electronics. That will get it out of the big hangar which will free up some more space for the maintenance operation. I’ve also included a backup generator so that when power goes out we’ll have airfield lighting and the fuel farm will be able to operate in the event of power failure,” said Nokes.
To meet FAA regulations, several trees were cut and removed recently that were penetrating the approach paths at the airport . “We just finished the tree removal project. We had to break that down into two phases per the state. The first phase was to clear the approaches on both ends (of the runway). We got all those cut and we got approval on that. The second phase of that which we are doing some engineering on right now will consist of removing some trees that are out farther to take care of our night time approach issues that the FAA has with us. The FAA recently did a fly over of several airports in the area and deemed that there were obstructions that were hazards to night time approach. They shut down the night time approaches to a various group of airports (including Smithville) and didn’t notify anybody. The way I became aware of it was when one of the pilots told me that on his new approach plates that it had been deemed void due to these obstructions. We’re working to correct it and when we get some numbers in hand, I’ll be back to ask you (to apply) for another grant to take care of the second part of that,” said Nokes.

A 30 year old woman responsible for the robbery and kidnapping of an elderly man almost a year ago was sentenced for the crimes Friday, October 3 in DeKalb County Criminal Court.
Judge Gary McKenzie presided.
Amanda Gail Maxwell Bain pled guilty to robbery and kidnapping and received a four year sentence in each case as a range one offender. The sentences are to run concurrently with each other but consecutive to another TDOC sentence against her. She was given jail credit from November 6, 2013 to October 3, 2014.
According to Smithville Police, the victim was kidnapped at knifepoint on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 in Smithville and then forced to withdraw funds from his bank account at an ATM machine. The man’s abductors later drove him to McMinnville where he made his escape and called police.
The case was investigated by Lieutenant Detective Matt Holmes and Detective Brandon Donnell of the Smithville Police Department.
According to Lieutenant Holmes, Bain telephoned the 81 year old victim, an acquaintance, and asked him to come to her Smithville home to talk with her. The victim, who lived in Warren County, drove to Bain’s home on Fisher Avenue. As he arrived and entered the residence, Bain allegedly attacked the man from behind and forced him at knifepoint (boxcutter) back into his car, a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. As the victim sat on the front passenger seat, Bain drove to ATM machines at two local banks where the man was forced to withdraw cash from his account. Bain allegedly got $300 as a result of the crime.
In an attempt to get more money from the victim at another bank ATM, police believe Bain picked up 31 year old Charles Wayne Reagan of Smithville at her home and the two of them drove the elderly man at knifepoint to McMinnville, according to Detective Donnell. But as they got to McMinnville and stopped at a traffic light, the victim bailed out of the car and escaped. Bain, the driver, got out and ran after him but the victim managed to get to a phone and called 911. McMinnville Police were first alerted but they then contacted the Smithville Police Department. Reagan, who was in the back seat of the victim’s car, got into the front seat and drove away. Police believe he abandoned the vehicle somewhere.
Bain and Reagan later made it back to Smithville and stayed the night at a local motel, apparently in an attempt to hide from police. They returned to Bain’s home on Wednesday, November 6 2013 where police found the two and brought them in for questioning.
Bain and Reagan were co-indicted in April, 2014 for aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, and theft over $1,000. Reagan’s case remains pending in court.

A McMinnville man has been charged in a recent burglary and theft.
43 year old Anthony Lynn Colwell of McMinnville was arrested on Wednesday, October 1 for aggravated burglary and theft of property over $1,000. Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on July 8 Colwell allegedly broke into a residence on Man Hill Road and took several pieces of jewelry. Colwell then pawned the items at a DeKalb County jewelry store and a pawn shop in Warren County. His bond is $17,000. The case was investigated by a sheriff’s department detective.
34 year old George William Rogers, II of Aaron Webb Road, Smithville is charged with being a fugitive from justice. His bond is $50,000 and he will be in court October 16. Sheriff Ray said Rogers is wanted in Springfield, Missouri for driving while intoxicated and being a persistent offender. Rogers was arrested on Monday, September 29.
22 year old Nathaniel Dylan Tippens of Redman Road, Smithville is charged with theft of property over $500. His bond is $5,000. He was arrested on Saturday, October 4. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, September 24 Tippens allegedly stole a 1997 white Ford Aspire from a residence on Redman Road and took it to a local recycling business with the intent to sell the vehicle. The attendant informed Tippens that the business could not purchase the automobile because it was reported stolen. Before leaving, Tippens told the attendant to report that the vehicle had been found. The case was investigated by a sheriff’s department detective.
34 year old Rebecca Jade Andrews of Cookeville Highway, Smithville is charged with public intoxication. Her bond is $1,500 and she will be in court October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, October 3 a deputy spotted Andrews who was sitting on the side of the road on Highway 56 north. She had a strong odor of alcohol on her person and her speech was slurred. Andrews was also unsteady on her feet. She was taken into custody for her safety.
36 year old Casey Joseph Jacobs of Old Snow Hill Road, Dowelltown is charged with assault. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, October 5 an altercation took place between Jacobs, an inmate in the jail, and another prisoner which became physical. After an investigation it was determined that Jacobs was the primary aggressor. His bond is $1,500 and he will make a court appearance October 16.
29 year old Joshua Lynn McCowan of Adams Street, Smithville is charged with violation of bond conditions. His bond is $2,500 and he will be in court October 9. Sheriff Ray said that on Monday, September 29 a deputy was dispatched to a residence on Toad Road, Dowelltown where he found McCowan. Due to his having an active bond condition under which he is prohibited from being near a woman at this residence, McCowan was placed under arrest.
29 year old Isidro Gonzalez Ruiz of Murfreesboro is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence. He was further issued citations for driving on a revoked license and failure to maintain lane of travel. His bond is $3,000 and he will be in court October 16. Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, October 3 a deputy spotted a black Mustang driven by Ruiz. The vehicle left its lane of travel into oncoming traffic. The officer stopped the vehicle and spoke with Ruiz. He detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the car. Ruiz’s eyes were glossy and his speech was slurred. Ruiz performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. A computer check revealed that Ruiz’s driver’s license were revoked for a DUI in 2006. He was placed under arrest.

The County Clerk’s Office recently completed an inventory on hundreds of expired plates dating back from 2007.
After notification and approval from the Tennessee Department of Revenue these plates were transported to a vendor to be destroyed.
County Clerk James L. “Jimmy” Poss witnessed the vendor insert the plates into and through a 3,000 pound hydraulic bailer/crusher to be destroyed. The plates were weighed at 524 pounds and a check was provided to the clerk for $168.32. A notarized certificate of destruction was signed by the clerk and vendor.
The certificate along with a complete inventory list was submitted to the Department of Revenue.

Members of the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad spent the weekend brushing up on their training in rope rescue techniques.
Mike Crum, Captain of the Metro Nashville Fire Department, conducted an instruction class on Saturday at the local rescue squad building. The group then traveled to a location on Highway 96 in Liberty Sunday to practice the use of ropes in rappelling down a rock bluff .
Joe Johnson, member of the local Rescue Squad, told WJLE Sunday the training is designed to better prepare members of the rescue squad in the event of catastrophic events. “We had a re-certification on rappelling with ropes which are used in going down bluffs or steep places to reach people who are hurt and then carrying them back up. We use (ropes to rappel) in caves and bluffs on the lake,” he said.
“Mike Crum is a Captain and rope instructor for the Metro Fire Department and he donated two days of his time Saturday and Sunday to teach us the proper and safe way to recover anyone who might fall and get hurt. We went through this class once before but we have some new people (members) who hadn’t been through it (class) or hadn’t done the rappelling. For those who didn’t (rappel during the exercise) we had places (assignments) for them at the top of the bluff in making sure the ropes were anchored properly. We got our people (members) familiar with the harness and how to put it on correctly and how to get the patient up safely in a basket. Mike taught us how to do that,” said Johnson.

“The Rescue Squad asked me to come and do a refresher on a class I did about two years ago here. We were just honing their skills and getting them ready for an emergency in which they would need to be using ropes, whether it be a cave, the side of a bluff, or a river bank. It’s just easier for the rescue people if we can use some ropes and pulleys,” said Captain Crum in an interview with WJLE. “You don’t have the tall buildings here like we do in Nashville but the system they (rescue squad members) are learning this weekend will work anywhere. In the rescue world we don’t do a whole lot of rappelling or climbing of rope anymore. What we do now is we lower a rescuer down and haul a rescuer back up. It’s a lot safer and a lot quicker and it can be a lot less time consuming. It’s awful hard to bring a patient back up with you when you are climbing the rope. There is a little bit of classroom work that comes with this. I am not real big on classroom work. I like for people to actually get their hands on the rope and see how the system works. These guys this weekend have been fantastic work with. They are very attentive,” said Captain Crum.