A suspected drug dealer, already on probation for prior offenses, was arrested Friday by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department after officers found more than $18,000 worth of pills in his possession.
43 year old Homer Anthony Petty of 1588 Banks Pisgah Road, Smithville is charged with possession of a schedule II drug for resale (Morphine), possession of a schedule II drug for resale (Dilaudid), and two counts of possession of a schedule II drug for resale (oxycodone). His bond is $125,000 and he will be in court on March 20.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said as part of the department’s on-going investigation into the illegal sale of narcotics, drug detectives and other officers went to Petty’s home on Friday, March 7 to do a probation visit and search after identifying him as a suspect.
During the search, officers and detectives found 445 dilaudid pills in the pocket of a pair of jeans. The pills were packed in nine individual bags. Eight of the bags contained 50 dilaudid pills each. One bag had 45 dilaudid pills.
Petty also produced a pill bottle that contained eighteen morphine 30 milligram pills, five oxycodone 10 milligram pills and twenty three oxycodone 15 milligram pills. Petty had no prescription for the pills.
According to Sheriff Ray, the total street value of the pills is $18,735. While there, officers and detectives also seized $6,968 in cash, scanners, and security cameras which were set up on the premises so that Petty could monitor who was coming into his driveway.

Local churches are being asked to help support Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County.
Habitat has constructed four DeKalb County homes in recent years and has announced plans to build one for the fifth partner family, the Tia Adock family. Construction will begin this spring on the Adcock home on Hayes Street.
Letters have been sent to churches in DeKalb County asking for their help to build future homes. “The letters I am sending out are seeking to get cooperation among the churches in our area to help fund it (Habitat) because before we give out interest free loans, we must have the money to build the house. The house costs right at $50,000 plus the cost of the real property. What we’re after right now is getting that $50,000 ahead so that we can build the home and then they (partner family) can move in,” said Dr. John Carpenter, Church-Community Chair for Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County.
Congregations may send money or commit to providing volunteer labor when it’s time to build the next Habitat home. “From the smaller churches, if you could just take out one offering and send whatever you get to our address which is Habitat for Humanity. PO Box 750, Smithville, TN 37166,” said Dr. Carpenter.
“Suppose you’re part of a church that couldn’t afford to do so (provide funding). There are still a couple of other options. When the Habitat for Humanity House is built in April 2014, you could provide volunteers to help. They don’t need experience building homes because there will be professionals there guiding us. Or if you don’t have the volunteers that can do so, you could also provide lunches for the volunteers as we help build the house,” Dr. Carpenter continued.
Residents of a Habitat for Humanity Home must meet certain requirements. Partner families must complete a minimum number of volunteer hours in either building other Habitat Homes or doing community service; show evidence of being financially responsible; have further financial training before moving in; and, be taught how to make basic repairs on their homes, etc.
“The amazing thing is many times people will pay less on the Habitat for Humanity home loan than they presently pay in rent,” said Dr. Carpenter.
“Habitat for Humanity is an organization founded by Millard Fuller and his wife Linda. They found a deep purpose of their lives by making it possible for more people to own their own homes. They did this as much as possible by having professionally-supervised volunteer labor to reduce the cost and, in addition to that, gave home loans with no interest. Scripture speaks about that in Deuteronomy 23:19-20 where it states “Don’t charge interest to your kinsmen on any loan. Not for money or food or clothing or anything else.” Their organization did that and later became known as Habitat for Humanity”, Dr. Carpenter concluded.
For more information, call Dr. Carpenter at 615-597-4961. He is the pastor of the Smithville First United Methodist Church and the Bright Hill United Methodist Church.

Eighth grade DeKalb West School student Ethan Martin placed 5th in the Essay contest at the annual Tennessee Junior Beta State Convention.
Martin, who was DWS’s nominee for the John W. Harris national service award, was one of 21 students from DWS to make the trek March 2-4 at Gaylord Opryland Hotel.
Some schools across the state were prevented from making the trip thanks to Mother Nature’s icy wonderland that was created Sunday evening. Fortunately, schools from DeKalb already were safely tucked away at the hotel before the severe weather blew into the area. The weather appropriately fit the convention theme, “Making History with Junior Beta,” because it was the first time ice and snow had ever affected the convention.
In addition to Martin, students competed in a variety of events. Former DWS student, Tom Tippin, was the first place winner in Special Talent. Now a student at 7th grade Siegel Middle School in Murfreesboro, he performed Justin Timberlake’s “Suit and Tie.” Noah Roberts participated in the Spelling Bee. Hope Mofield entered her bracelet in the Arts and Crafts competition. Add in Holly Evans for the Math contest. Josh Martin, Elijah Foutch, Cody Antoniak, Christian Trail, and Peyton Harris competed in the Tower of Power category, which Angela Tripp and Jessica Antoniak coached. DWS also competed in the Living Literature event where students recreated a scene from Peter Pan. Jacob Frazier played the title role with Noelle Driver donning her wings for Tinker Bell, and Phillip Coats as Captain Hook. Samantha Street and Ashley Reynolds were pirates. Addison Oakley and Jasmine Parker played two of the children. Parents Clark Oakley constructed the set and Ria Baker painted a beautiful backdrop of the ocean. Art teacher Mike Luttrell donated his time and talents. Elizabeth Redmon oversaw five students in the Battle of the Books contest. Breanna Gibson, Callie Mulloy, Hannah Evans, Dallas Cook, and Jaimie Alexander competed.

Commerce and Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Julie Mix McPeak reminds Tennesseans to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors this weekend when they change their clocks Saturday night, March 8 for daylight saving time. McPeak also urges everyone to consider the age of their smoke alarms.
Both the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department and the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department have smoke alarms available free of charge. “We are installing smoke alarms for those who do not have them or if they are over 10 years old,” said Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker.
“It’s for everybody. Anybody without a smoke alarm or without a properly working smoke alarm is considered at high risk. If you have a smoke alarm and it is ten years old, which is what is considered the shelf life of a smoke alarm, then it needs to be replaced,” added DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green.
“Alarms, even those that are hard-wired, should have their batteries replaced regularly and should be tested monthly to ensure they are providing the proper protection,” McPeak says. “It is also important to note that any smoke alarm that is 10-years-old or older should be replaced entirely.”
Oftentimes, people don’t know how old their smoke alarms are and if they’re still functioning properly. That lack of awareness can have deadly consequences: nearly two-thirds of all home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office urges all residents to determine how old their smoke alarms are (the date of manufacture is located on the back of the alarm). If they’re 10-years-old or older, they should be replaced immediately! This includes smoke alarms that use 10-year batteries and/or are hard-wired.
Many fatal fires occur at night while the victims are sleeping. The smoke and toxic gases generated by a fire can cause people to sleep more deeply, narrowing the chances of surviving a fire. A working smoke alarm can double the chances of survival by increasing the amount of time a person has to escape a fire in their home.
“As daylight saving time begins, make sure you change your clocks and check your smoke alarms,” urges McPeak. “This is a great time to make sure your home and family are fire-safe.”
Here are some other helpful hints on residential smoke alarms:
•Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home, including the basement. For best protection, smoke alarms should be installed inside and outside sleeping rooms. Make sure everyone can hear the alarm and knows what it sounds like.
•Install smoke alarms away from the kitchen to prevent nuisance alarms. Generally, they should be at least 10 feet from a cooking appliance.
•For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual-sensor alarms. Interconnect the alarms so that when one sounds, they all sound.
•Smoke alarms with non-replaceable (long-life) batteries are available and are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps on these units, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
•For smoke alarms with any other type of battery, replace batteries at least once a year (preferably twice a year during daylight saving time). If that alarm chirps, replace only the battery.
•Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning to keep smoke alarms working well. The instructions are included in the package or can be found on the internet.
•Test alarms once a month using the test button. Replace the entire alarm if it’s more than 10 years old or doesn’t work properly when tested.
•Devise a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room and a common meeting place. Share and practice the plan with all who live in the home, including children.
•When a smoke alarm sounds, get out of the home immediately and go to your pre-planned meeting place to call 911.
For more information on making your home fire-safe, download and print the State Fire Marshal’s home fire safety checklist (http://tn.gov/fire/fsk/documents/checklist.pdf).
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is a division of the Department of Commerce and Insurance, which works to protect consumers while ensuring fair competition for industries and professionals who do business in Tennessee. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
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Being physically active is one of the best things you can do to improve and maintain your health, yet nearly two-thirds of Americans aren’t getting the activity they need. Consider taking up walking with friends or your family by participating in Walk Across Tennessee, which is an eight-week program that will spark some friendly competitions in DeKalb County. The event is being conducted by the University of Tennessee Extension office in partnership with DeKalb Community Hospital. Beginning Thursday, March 20th teams of eight will compete to see who can log the most miles walking, jogging, biking, and other forms of exercise in their community. Biking or jogging teams can have a team of four. The miles walked are not literally across the state, but reported on a map posted at the UT Extension Office, Greenbrook Park, Smithville Review and online.
Since everyone participates in a variety of sports, the Walk Across Tennessee program also has an exercise conversion chart so that participants can count aerobics, swimming, weight lifting, etc. For example, 16 minutes of high intensity aerobics would equal one mile. To make the contest more fair participants are not allowed to count any exercise done while on the job.
The Walk Across Tennessee kickoff for DeKalb County is set for Thursday, March 20 at the University of Tennessee Extension Office at 6:30 PM. “Teams will keep track of their miles, which will be posted in the Extension office, Greenbrook park, Smithville review, and online. Teams can be composed of coworkers, teachers, students, neighbors, etc. This is an excellent team competition for the workplace, neighborhoods, and families” said April Martin, DeKalb County Extension Agent. For general reporting purposes, 20 minutes will equal one mile.”
According to Martin, “There will be cash and other prizes for the winning teams and individuals. There is a small $10 registration fee for each team member. At least half of each team should be residents of DeKalb County to participate.”
To participate in Walk Across Tennessee, first get a team together. Biking and jogging teams are limited to four people. Choose a team captain and name your team. Team captains need to download up a captain’s packet, available at the UT Extension of DeKalb County website at http://dekalb.tennessee.edu., at the DeKalb County UT Extension Office or County Complex located at 722 South Congress Blvd. in Smithville. Packets will also be available the day of the sign up on March 20.
Each team member will need to complete a registration form which is included in the team captain’s packet or online. Individual as well as team forms should be returned to the Extension office. Cash awards and prizes will be given to the individuals who walk the most miles as well as the team who walks the most miles.
For more information, call the Extension office at 597-4945 or visit the website.
All of the programs of the University of Tennessee are open to all people regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, or disability. .

Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County is pleased to announce its fifth partner family. Following the application process, the Tia Adock family was selected to work with Habitat. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, Habitat homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat equity) into building their Habitat house and the houses of others. Construction will begin this spring on the Adcock home on Hayes Street.
Habitat is also now accepting applications for 2015. An information meeting, including assistance with the application, will be held Thursday, April 3, 6 p.m. at the Methodist Life Enrichment Center next to Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend.
Habitat Board members and partner family pictured from left to right: Mary Nell Summers, Tia Adcock family members and Larry Green.

The DeKalb County School System has announced its “Teachers of the Year” at the building level of the five schools in the county.
This year’s honoree are LeVaughnda Midgett, a kindergarten teacher at Smithville Elementary School; Anita Puckett, an eighth grade U.S. History educator at DeKalb Middle School; Kathryn Wisinger, an ESL(English as a Second Language) teacher at DeKalb Middle and DCHS grades 6-12; Elizabeth Nolt, a fourth grade educator at Northside Elementary School; and Tammy Payne, a sixth grade teacher at DeKalb West School
Lisa Cripps, Supervisor of Instruction for 7th through 12th grades said “Again this year, we’re going to participate in the Teacher of the Year program, which begins on the school level, moves to the system level, the regional level, and finally to the state level,” she said.
Competition for system-wide Teacher of the Year continued through February, and will be announced at the Teacher of the Year Banquet in May. These teachers also compete at the regional level in March, and if selected they will represent DeKalb County at the state level competition.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year Program is designed to promote recognition, respect and appreciation for teachers; to stimulate interest in teaching as a career; and to encourage public involvement in education.
This program is sponsored annually by the Tennessee Department of Education and the Niswonger Foundation.
The Tennessee Teacher of the Year represents Tennessee at the National Teacher of the Year competition, which is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic, Inc.
Teachers of the Year are selected competitively through five cycles: Building, System, Field Service Center Region, Grand Division and State; and from three categories (levels of teaching); Grades Pre K-4, 5-8, 9-12.
Teachers selected at each cycle receive local recognition and awards underwritten by local sources. State recognition/awards include a banquet honoring the nine State Teacher of the Year finalists and certificates of appreciation from the Governor. In addition, the State Finalists and the State Teacher of the Year receive cash awards from the Niswonger Foundation.

The Annual BETA Convention and Junior BETA Convention was held at Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN on March 2nd-4th. Well over 100 students from DeKalb Middle School, DeKalb West School and DeKalb County High School attended the three day convention which included over 8,000 students from across the state. The convention is a time for high achieving students from all across Tennessee to come together and compete in a variety of categories in order to express their various talents. It could be coined as an academic bowl for many. However, other talents are expressed through music, arts, crafts, and literature. DeKalb students are required to have an “A” average in order to be a member of this club. DeKalb Middle School was well represented at the convention with 92 members in attendance. This academic club is led by Lori Hendrix, Lisa Norton and Tonya Sullivan.
“It is evident that DeKalb Middle School puts academics and achievement as a top priority, as our students have excelled each year earning our club a spotlight on the Beta radar”, said Randy Jennings, principal of DeKalb Middle School, “We were notified that DeKalb Middle School BETA Club has received the National BETA Club School of Distinction Honor. I am very proud of our students and the hard work and dedication that they devote to academics. We have set the standards for BETA Club membership high so that it is an honor to become a member and remain in good standing. I would also like to thank Mrs. Sullivan, Mrs. Hendrix and Mrs. Norton for taking the time to sponsor the Beta Club. The parent support is phenomenal, as approximately twenty parents attended the conference to show their commitment to education. DeKalb Community Hospital also sponsored our group of young, talented students in the area of Living Literature with financial, as well as, hands on support. Support from the community and parents speak loudly to our students. They love knowing that their parents, school board members, director of schools, principals, teachers, and community recognize their academic achievement.”
“We are proud to support students in DeKalb County that go above and beyond what’s expected of them,” said Shan Burklow- Marketing Director of DeKalb Community and Stones River Hospitals, “These students are motivated to work hard, keep great grades, all while preparing weeks in advance for various academic competitions and demonstrations. These kids are our future. We are honored to help them reach their goals.”
Teacher Tonya Sullivan agrees, “Students at DeKalb Middle School are making great things happen during a time where huge demands are being placed on them with curriculum changes and more rigorous class work is required. Our students never cease to amaze me with their commitment to education! Education is demanding much of them, and DMS students are delivering! The convention is a time for these kids to be exposed to other talented young men and women. Being in the presence of approximately 8000 other high achieving students could be intimidating, but not for our students. Some step on the stage and perform with ease! I have found that no challenge is too big or too small for our students! I am honored to be a part of DeKalb Middle School Junior Beta.”
Teacher Lori Hendrix adds, “I want to thank those that made this trip possible. There is a lot of preparation that goes on behind the scenes that makes this a great experience for the students. I continue to have great support from Tonya Sullivan and Lisa Norton as they help with this club year after year. I am overwhelmed with the parental support that this academic club receives. Our parents give of their time freely and are always willing to assist with chaperoning or whatever needs to be done! We are blessed to have such strong support. The students recognize that this is a great opportunity! The school is well represented by our students who have displayed excellent behavior each year. It takes everyone involved to be successful! Thank you DeKalb Middle School Students for representing our school well with making your academics top priority.”
The following students participated in competitions:
Talent: Derek Young & Wesley Carpenter- Performed in front of thousands as they rocked a hit single from the Blues Brothers!
(VIEW VIDEO BELOW OF WESLEY CARPENTER (LEFT) AND DEREK YOUNG)

Living Literature: (DeKalb Community Hospital sponsored) Team members: Emily Burklow, Amelia Patterson, Kyle Justice, Taylor Reeder, Hannah Brown, Kristena Bain, Catherine Caplinger, Jaynee Angaran, Kayla Belk, Madison Judkins, and Haley Martin.
Academics:
Quiz Bowl-Ethan Cantrell, Tyree Cripps, and Ami Patel
Battle of the Books-Maggie Robinson, Ethan Jenkins, and Braya Murphy
Essay- Madison Cantrell
Math-Thomas Webb
Spelling- Kayla Belk (4th Place)
Technology- Ealy Gassaway, Lance Davis, and Alec Reynolds
Science- Kelsie Merriman
Social Studies-Colter Norris
Language Arts- Abby Evans
Tower of Power- Allyson Maynard, Luke Bryant, Issac Walker, Kaitlynn Cantrell and Andrew Fuson
The following artists won local competition and competed at the convention:
Color Photography- Parker Gassaway
Sketch-Marshal Evins
Sketch (Ink) Jaynee Angaran
Wood Working- Will Stephens, Tanner Poss, and Noah Martin
Jewlery- Seth Pack
T-Shirt design- Aizley Turner, Ashley Phillips, Megan Redmon, Ann Rachel Blair, Robin Pafford,
Dulce Maciel, Faith Judkins, and Matthew Agee
Sketch – Logan Painter Austin Johnson, Bella Perez, Hunter Jennings, Jacob Freeman,
Luke Oliver, and Ethan Jennings,
Color Photography & Black /White Photography (Competed at local level & winners went on to convention)
Faedra Burns, Shauna Pedroza, Leslie Hembree, Hailey Redmon, Bella Perez, Emily Gillenwater, Deann Nipper, Brooklyn Wilson, Trey Jones, Joni Robinson, Catherine Caplinger, Sophie Cripps , Maddison Parley, Hannah Anderson, Kaitlyn Bain, Madison Mick, Olivia Fuson, Jessica Davidson, Emily Brucker, Rebecca Gray, Malone Fletcher, and Trey Fuston.
Pictured: DeKalb Middle School Students performed a scene from ‘Babes in Toyland’ during the Living Literature Competition. Thousands of spectators visited Opryland from across the state to view this popular evening event. Students must recreate a ‘frozen’ scene from their favorite book or play. (from left to right) Kristena Bain, Taylor Reeder, Hannah Brown, Emily Burklow, Kyle Justice, and Amelia Patterson.
Pictured: DMS Living Literature participants show their thanks to sponsor DeKalb Community Hospital (back row) Director Shan Burklow, Hayley Martin, Kayla Belk, Kyle Justice, Taylor Reeder, Amelia Patterson, Catherine Caplinger, Jaynee Angaran (front row) Hannah Brown, Emily Burklow, Kristena Bain and Madison Judkins.
Pictured: DeKalb County High School Beta students performed a scene from ‘Pretty Little Liars’ during the Living Literature Competition.
Pictured: 92 students from DeKalb Middle School gather on the grand staircase at the Opryland Hotel to celebrate their time together at the BETA Convention.
Pictured: Shauna Pedroza student at dms entered her black & white photograph in the state competition
Pictured: Student Marshal Evins entered his sketch in Beta competition
Pictured: Student Parker Gassaway entered his color photography in the junior beta competition
Pictured: Student Jaynee Angaran entered ink category with her art work for state convention
Pictured: Kayla Belk of DeKalb Middle School placed 4th place in the Beta Statewide Spelling Competition.
Pictured: Wesley Caplinger and Derek Young as Blues Brothers

Several people facing methamphetamine related charges appeared for sentencing in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Friday, February 21.
Judge David Patterson presided.
44 year old Anthony Mason Adcock pled guilty to one count of initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine. He received a ten year TDOC sentence, suspended to 294 days of time served with the balance on supervised probation. The term is to run concurrently with a sentence against him in a Wilson County General Sessions Court case. Other charges against him in the indictment locally were dismissed. His probation is to be supervised by TDOC. He was fined $2,000 and he is to forfeit two-22 caliber pistols and video surveillance equipment.
43 year old Tammi Faye Adams pled guilty to initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine. She received an eight year sentence but was given credit for 156 days of time served. The remainder of the sentence has been suspended to probation. All other counts against her have been dismissed.
Adcock’s arrest on May 2, 2013 came as the result of a lengthy investigation by the Sheriff’s Department. Adams was also arrested that day along with 34 year old Shawn Bradley Patton, who was picked up for violation of parole.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said “We were able to get a search warrant on Adcock’s residence after an investigation into the illegal sale of weapons. Adcock is a convicted felon and cannot possess, buy, sell, or trade on any firearms of any kind. When we arrived at his Old Mill Hill Road address (May 2, 2013) Adcock, Adams, Patton, and three other individuals were there. While conducting the search warrant we found a .22 caliber pistol in his residence and ammunition. During the search we also found marijuana, marijuana paraphernalia such as pipes, plastic grow trays, marijuana seeds, and over 30 small marijuana plants that Adcock had growing in a plastic tote. My Department and I stopped the search and my drug detectives and I went back to the jail and obtained yet another search warrant for the marijuana, the paraphernalia, and any other controlled drugs. When we executed that search warrant for the drugs not only did we find items to manufacture marijuana with, we also found items that are consistent in the manufacture of methamphetamine such as tubing, coffee filters, turkey basters, ammonium nitrate, drain cleaner, and acid in a 20 oz soda bottle,” said Sheriff Ray.
At the time of his arrest Adcock’s money, an outside security system, and car were seized and the residence was quarantined due to the meth lab discovery.
32 year old Rhonda King pled guilty to initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine. She received an eight year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. She was fined $2,000. King was given jail credit of 33 days.
Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday July 11 a detective of the sheriff’s department stopped a pickup truck in Dowelltown for a traffic violation. The truck, driven by King, turned west onto Highway 70 from West Main Street without stopping at a stop sign. Bradley Pugh was a passenger. After making the stop, the detective saw a straw in the console. Pugh, who is on probation, was searched and under his seat a metal container was found which held scales and methamphetamine. The rest of the vehicle was searched and found were several components used in the manufacture of methamphetamine including lithium batteries, drain opener, coffee grinder, ph strips, rock salt, empty blister packs, cut lithium batteries, used lithium strips, and a one pot plastic bottle.
After the truck was searched, Pugh gave consent for the detective to search his home, according to Sheriff Ray. The detective accompanied Pugh and King to the Dowelltown residence. At the home was King’s thirteen year old son. The detective also found two one pot bottles along with a twenty pound bag of ammonium nitrate, one gallon of muriatic acid, liquid drain opener, and a gasser. Pugh and King were arrested and brought to the jail for booking. Pugh has already been sentenced in the case.
32 year old Steven Gandy pled guilty to initiation of a process to manufacture methamphetamine. He received an eight year sentence, all suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000. Gandy was given jail credit of 34 days.
Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, August 29 a caretaker at a residence on Short Mountain Highway entered the home and found components used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Gandy then arrived at the home, went inside, and attempted to hide the components. A drug detective of the sheriff’s department made an investigation. The homeowner gave the detective consent to search and found were items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine including 2- one pot cook bottles, mason jars containing a bi-layered liquid; two gasser bottles, two funnels, coffee filters, plastic tubing, two bottles of crystal drain cleaner, along with other items associated with the manufacture of meth. Gandy was arrested and brought to the jail for booking.
31 year old Matthew Baker pled guilty to promotion of methamphetamine and received a three year suspended sentence. He was fined $2,000. The term is to run consecutive to a sentence he is now serving. He was given jail credit of seventy two days.
Sheriff Ray said Baker was picked up at his home on Thursday, May 9, 2013 on an outstanding state warrant against him for a violation of probation. Baker was found in his bedroom along with a bowl which contained a powdery substance believed to be meth and a plate with a powdery substance thought to be hydrocodone. Three straws, two knives, and aluminum foil containing a residue from a powdery substance were also recovered.
Meanwhile on Friday, May 10, 2013 authorities listened to a recorded telephone conversation from the jail between Baker and his wife and heard them talking about having hidden meth lab components in their house and barn. A drug detective later received consent from Mrs. Baker to search her home and there he found drain cleaner, muriatic acid, Coleman fuel, acitone, propane tanks, coffee filters, cold packs, ammonium nitrate, and several other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine along with some finished product. Inside a child’s bedroom, the detective found about a half gram of methamphetamine in a child’s coat pocket. Mrs. Baker admitted to knowing the items were on the property and that she tried to hide them. Matthew Baker told investigators that these items belonged to him.
35 year old Sherry K. Malone pled guilty to attempted initiation of a process to manufacture meth. She received a six year sentence but was released with time served. She was fined $2,000. Malone will be on probation for the balance of her sentence, She was given jail credit of almost six months from August 7, 2013 to February 21, 2014.
Malone was one of five people arrested by the Sheriff’s Department on drug charges after a detective found a meth lab at a Smithville residence last summer.
Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, August 6 a drug detective went to the residence for a knock and talk. After receiving consent from the resident and homeowner to do a search, the detective found a one liter cook bottle, a 20 ounce bottle containing a bi-layered liquid, two lithium batteries, a bag of white powder believed to be Pseudoephedrine weighing 29 grams, 12 hypodermic needles, a visine bottle containing acid, and several other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
According to Sheriff Ray, Malone admitted to the detective that the meth making components found belonged to her. The others were charged because they were in the same room where the items were located.
31 year old Brandon Gurley pled guilty to initiation of a process to manufacture meth. He received an eight year sentence to serve at 30% before his release eligibility date. He was fined $2,000.
Gurley was among thirty three people named in sealed indictments by a special called session of the grand jury in August 3013 after a lengthy investigation by the Sheriff’s Department into the illegal sale of narcotics and other crimes committed in DeKalb County

Thanks to the Smithville Industrial Development Board and the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, the county is a step closer to developing a solid waste transfer station and recycling center, which could be operational by fall.
During its regular monthly meeting Monday night, the Smithville Aldermen voted to deed to the county some property in the Industrial Park on Highway 70 east behind Tenneco for the development of the transfer station. Surveys are to be done but city and county officials said the site includes about five to seven acres of useable property. The industrial development board deeded the property to the city at no cost knowing that the city would deed it to the county at no cost for this purpose.
According to County Mayor Mike Foster, the county will fund the cost of extending a road that currently dead ends by Tenneco in the industrial park. The road will then make a right turn and extend toward the transfer station, which will be on the back corner several hundred yards behind Tenneco. “Working with the city and the Industrial Development Board, we’ve been able to acquire that property and in exchange for that we’re (county) going to build the road into their property. We’ve agreed to dig out the top soil and put in the gravel and get it ready to pave, then we’re going to apply for a fast track grant and hopefully get that to help pave it for the city and everybody who uses it,” said County Mayor Foster in an interview with WJLE Wednesday.
The existing Class I landfill, located off Billings Road in the eastern portion of the county, will soon be full. Foster said he is hopeful that the transfer station can be opened and the landfill closed by this fall. ” The county is wanting to get out of the Class I landfill business because of the environmental liability and its costly the way you have to do things. You have to line it (cell) with 60 mil plastic and put a 60 mil plastic over the top,” said Foster.
Although it’s not a landfill, the transfer station would be a gathering point for household solid waste. The garbage would be brought in by trucks, dumped inside a building, immediately loaded onto semi-trucks and then hauled away to another county willing to contract with DeKalb County to accept it. “One of the good things about it is that there is very little leachate that comes out of that (garbage) but whatever there is will go into the city sewer system. There is a sewer line there we can hook to without having to haul it (leachate) that is such a problem,” said Foster. The county currently has to haul leachate from the landfill by trucks for treatment and disposal at the city waste water treatment plant. Leachate is a liquid that moves through or drains from the landfill or a garbage collection site.
Another advantage is that the transfer station would be centrally located in the county and both the city and county would save fuel costs. ” Its a win, win because the city will no longer have to haul their garbage to the landfill, ten or eleven miles each way and we won’t either,” said Foster. “The garbage will come in, just the household garbage. It will come in, be loaded on a semi and hauled out of the county and disposed of either in Smith County or Murfreesboro,” he said.
While the Class I landfill will be closing, the county will maintain a Class III/IV landfill next to the existing site for non-household solid waste. ” We will still have a Class III/IV cell on the property adjoining where we are now that is owned by the county. It would be for construction debris, brush, or anything but household garbage. To develop the Class III/IV cell, we will have to dig it out and then pack it with clay to get a liner in there. But we won’t have to put a plastic liner in that (cell) and we won’t have to put a plastic liner on top of it. The estimates from the engineers are that it (Class III/IV landfill) would last us forty to fifty years,” said Foster.
Like all the previous landfills, the county will have to meet state and federal post closure regulations for up to 30 years after the existing Class I landfill closes. Under post closure standards, operators of Class I landfills are required to continue monitoring and maintaining the site once its closed to protect against leaks or other hazards that would pose a threat to the environment.
According to Foster, the county has sufficient funding available to develop the transfer station and recycling center, close the existing Class I landfill, and start a new Class III/IV landfill cell for non-household garbage. ” We started putting our depreciation and post closure money into a fund several years ago and we’ve got enough now to close the cell, build a III/IV cell and build the transfer station without having to borrow any money,” he said.
Foster expressed his thanks to the Smithville Mayor and Aldermen and members of the Industrial Development Board for their support. “I’m very thankful to the city and industrial board for helping us with this. We can make it (solid waste operation) much better for them and us and for the people in the county without that environmental liability,” he said.
(TOP PHOTO: Aldermen Jason Murphy, Tim Stribling, Mayor Jimmy Poss, and Aldermen Josh Miller, Shawn Jacobs, and Danny Washer)
(MIDDLE PHOTO: Smithville Industrial Board Chairman Walter Burton, Industrial Board member Tim Stribling, and Mayor Jimmy Poss. Industrial Board members not pictured: Richard Judkins, Tom Grooms, Alan Webb, Wesley James, and John Robert Nixon)
(BOTTOM PHOTO: FRONT ROW: County Commissioners: Bradley Hendrix, Elmer Ellis, Jr. Jimmy Poss, Jerry Adcock, former county commissioner John Green, and Bobby Joines. BACK ROW: County Mayor Mike Foster and County Commissioners Mason Carter, David McDowell, Larry Summers, Jerry Scott, Jeff Barnes, Wayne Cantrell, and Marshall Ferrell. Not Pictured: Rick Cantrell, who replaced John Green)