If you never completed high school and would like to obtain an equivalency diploma you have that opportunity.
Free High School Equivalency (Hi-Set) Classes are held on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the County Complex at 722 South Congress Boulevard. Enter through the UT Extension/Motlow College Corridor, Room 119. Mary Anne Carpenter is the class instructor. On-line classes are also available.
Student registration is conducted on Mondays, beginning at 3:30 pm and then again on Tuesdays starting at 8:30 am – 12:00pm. The Toll Free phone number is: 855-516-0160.
Nearly 500,000 Tennesseans between the ages of 18 to 64 are without a high school diploma, according to the American Community Survey 5 year average. 31,015 of those reside in the Upper Cumberland region, and approximately 2,000 reside in DeKalb County alone. By 2022 the Tennessee Department of Labor estimates 32% of existing jobs and 39% of all new jobs will require some post-secondary education.
According to Paraprofessional Carol Pritchard, a focus on Adult Education saves money by reducing public assistance, health care and incarceration costs. Most importantly, adults are given the opportunity to improve their lives and better support their families. The Adult Education opportunities provided right here in Smithville are absolutely free and are designed to prepare students to successfully pass the HiSET®, general equivalency exam.
The General Educational Development (GED®) testing program was developed to give U.S. and Canadian citizens who have not graduated from high school the opportunity to demonstrate the level of achievement normally acquired through the completion of a traditional U.S./Canadian high school course of study. The current High School equivalency test, known as the HiSET®, covers five subject areas: Writing, social studies, science, reading, and math.
Benefits of Adult Education:
•Adult Education empowers individuals to become self-sufficient by providing the basic skills and knowledge necessary to complete a secondary education credential and works with individuals to help them meet their educational and career goals.
•Adult Education in Tennessee prepares students to be college and career ready, while earning a High School Equivalency Diploma. With a strong commitment to quality and efficient instruction that meets the needs of students, programs across the state help these students gain academic skills and credentials to transition to postsecondary education, be successful in the workplace, and contribute to their communities.
•Currently, a person with a high school credential earns about $10,000 annually more than a high school dropout. Individuals without a high school credential are more likely to be unemployed, three times as likely to live in poverty and eight times as likely to be incarcerated.
•Classes are available in every county across the state to enhance future employment opportunities and personal growth.
Process:
In order to enroll, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
•Must be 18 years of age.
•Not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary school
•Do not have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent
To begin, individuals will take the CASAS® (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems) assessment to evaluate their reading, math, and language arts abilities. This will provide both the instructor and the student with an idea of where to best start the instructional process and insure that no valuable time is wasted between enrollment and successful completion of the program.
After completing some classroom instruction hours, students take another short CASAS® test to demonstrate academic gains and to allow the instructor and student to then work together in order to refine the learning process in order to prepare the student for the official practice test, or OPT. The goal is to assist the student to reach his/her goal in the shortest amount of time possible.
The Official Practice Test (OPT) has the same look and feel as the real High School Equivalency Test (HiSET®). The OPT allows the student to obtain firsthand experience answering questions written and developed by the HiSET® test creators. The results of the OPT indicate whether or not an individual is prepared for the HiSET®.
Finally, Governor Haslam and TN General Assembly have allocated funds to cover the cost of the official HiSET® exam. Individuals throughout the State of Tennessee can now enroll in classes and take the HiSET® in order to receive a high school equivalency diploma at no cost.

A community outpouring of love was shown for Suzanne Williams Monday evening as friends and family gathered outside the courthouse to pray for her healing.
The long time Director of the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce was seriously injured in a fall last Wednesday and remains hospitalized at the LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville. The injury has left Suzanne unable to breathe on her own. She has been on a ventilator but underwent a tracheotomy Monday.
“She has come through surgery well,” said Suzanne’s daughter Shan Burklow. “ They have put in the tracheotomy and the next three days will tell how quickly she can heal from that and then we have to look at some long term care for her recovery. We need all the prayers we can get,” Burklow told WJLE.
Among those taking part in leading the prayer service Monday were County Mayor Tim Stribling, General Sessions/Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II, Circuit Court Clerk Katherine Pack, local ministers Isaac Gray and Don Rigsby, and community leaders and friends Josh Isaac, Jen Sherwood, Norene Puckett, and Kathy Hendrixson.
At the conclusion of the service, everyone gathered in a large circle hand in hand to recite the Lord’s prayer
Burklow told WJLE she was overwhelmed by the concern that has been shown for her mother and her entire family appreciates it.
“It’s overwhelming and that’s the term my sister used on the phone. She said please let everyone know how overcome we are with gratitude for the outpouring of our community coming together to pray for our mom. I know she’s the Chamber of Commerce Director and she is an outgoing person and does a lot in the community but she is our mom and just to see people come out pray for her and say such nice things about her means so much to us. When she recovers she is going to have a really big head. Her ego is going to be out of control. We are so grateful and we just want everyone to know that,” said Burklow.

The following story was provided to WJLE by our news partner “The Smith County Insider”.
A Smithville man faces two counts of attempted first degree murder and a host of other charges after firing shots at Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies who were investigating an attempted vehicle burglary during the early morning hours of Thursday, October 5. No one was injured.
47 year old Steve Franklin Mabe, Jr. of Charity Lane, Smithville is charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder, evading arrest, reckless endangerment, possession of drug paraphernalia (set of digital scales), possession of a schedule II drug (5 oxycodone, 15 milligram) manufacturing, delivery, sale of a schedule II drug (0.97 ounces of methamphetamine), possession of a schedule VI drug for resale (more than 40 plants of marijuana), possession of stolen property (bumper hitch wooden floor trailer confirmed stolen from Smithville), possession of a weapon by a convicted felon (9 millimeter pistol) and possession of same weapon during the commission of a dangerous felony. Mabe’s bond totals $292,500 but he is being held without bond on the attempted first degree murder charges.
His girlfriend, 37 year old Martha Conger Hale, also of Charity Lane, Smithville is charged with evading arrest (hiding from officers in a camper), possession of a weapon (rifle) by a convicted felon, possession of a schedule VI drug for resale (more than 40 marijuana plants on her property), and two counts of accessory after the fact (for trying to help Mabe evade arrest). Her bond totals $215,000.
Both Mabe and Hale will appear in Smith County General Sessions Court on Thursday, October 12.
Sgt. Jimmy Gregory of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a Ward Hollow residence in Brush Creek following a report of someone trying to break into a vehicle.
Gregory arrived in the area just after 1 a.m. and drove around to see if there was anyone walking down the road. On his way back, he noticed a red Jeep Cherokee next to a building. He went on down to the residence and made contact with the complainant.
According to the arrest warrant, the complainant stated that her dogs were barking at something. She looked out her son’s window and saw a man standing next to her car.
The complainant set the car alarm off and stated that she heard a man and female arguing in the woods beside her house, according to the arrest warrant. She then stated that she heard what sounded like an ATV start up and drive off, according to the arrest warrant.
Around this time, Deputy Nick Campbell arrived at the location. Gregory and Campbell drove up the road and parked.
The officers walked down to a trailer and looked around it but didn’t see anything out of place. They then started walking down the road a bit farther and saw the red Jeep start up and drive a short distance into the woods.
Per the arrest warrant, Gregory described the Jeep as being “kind of loud” and that it could be mistakened for an ATV.
The officers crossed the cable at the building and started walking toward a wooded area.
When Gregory and Campbell were about 25 to 30 yards from the Jeep, a flash and gun shot came from the other side of the vehicle, according to the arrest warrant.
Gregory announced themselves as being with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and for those in the Jeep to come out with their hands up, but they took off running into the woods, according to the arrest warrant.
Dispatch was alerted of shots fired and the SRT Team (Special Response Team) was activated and sent to the officers’ location.
While waiting for the entire team to show up, Gregory heard the Jeep start up. He got on his PA and stated that “this is the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, come out with your hands up,” according to the arrest warrant.
Two male individuals, Joshua Spurlock (25, Silver Point, Tennessee) and Richard Davidson (23, Smithville), walked out of the wooded area and were taken into custody. They stated they had been working on a truck, according to the arrest warrant.
When the rest of the team showed up, they started clearing out vehicles as they came to them. Along the way, they came into contact with a camper on the property, which they advanced to.
While searching the camper, Martha Hale (37, Smithville) was found hiding under a bed with a rifle beside her, according to the arrest warrant.
Hale was placed in custody and then taken back to the staging area with the weapon.
At the point, the search turned to Steve Mabe (44, Smithville). The officers cleared the building behind the camper and then started down some trails.
As they were going through the woods, they came into a clearing where marijuana plants were growing.
Gregory and Lt. Jenkins stayed behind at the camper to guard the plants. While waiting, they heard movement behind them.
The officers went back to the patch, and when they turned on their flashlights, they saw Mabe standing over a bundle of marijuana.
Mabe was told to freeze, and he took off running. As he was running, he turned to the right and fell, according to the arrest warrant.
When Jenkins and Gregory made it to the area where he fell, they looked for him.
According to the arrest warrant, Mabe had put on a ghillie suit and was hiding in the weeds.
Mabe was then found and taken into custody, and Deputy Silcox and Sgt. Gregory took him to the staging area. According to the arrest warrant, a Kel Tec .9 mm fell from Mabe’s waistband.
They went back to the Jeep and found the casing that had been fired earlier, according to the arrest warrant.
When they got Mabe back to the staging area, he was searched again, and a metal box with five oxycodone 15 mg were found in his pocket along with a blue plastic container with 27.3 g of meth in it. They then went back and harvested the marijuana and brought it out.
Units from Gordonsville, South Carthage and Carthage P.D. responded for backup initially and helped set up a perimeter and transport suspects.
Spurlock and Davidson were held for investigation and then released.

Northside Elementary School has been the recipient of two water bottle refill stations. DeKalb Coordinated School Health purchased the stations, DeKalb School Nutrition will pay for the new filters each year, and the Healthier TN Community along with DeKalb Prevention Coalition, donated 800 reusable water bottles to every student and staff member at NES.
The water bottle refill stations have a filter and can fill 3 times faster than a regular water fountain. There is a sensor so the student will not have to touch anything on the station, just place the bottle and it fills and cuts off by itself. They also have a counter on them that records every time a 20oz water bottle is filled, so the school can see how many plastic bottles are being kept out of our landfills. The water bottle refill stations have already recorded over 3500 refills in just over 3 weeks since install.
“We hope that by putting in the water bottle refill stations that we can encourage students to drink more water instead of sodas and also be more eco-friendly. Due to all of these great partnerships, we will be able to make a difference in the health of our students and staff. We would also like to thank the principal, Mrs. Karen Knowles, for allowing us to implement this initiative at NES,” said Elise Driver CSH Coordinator.
Pictured from left to right, Cindy Childers CSH Assistant, Amy Lattimore DeKalb School Nutrition Supervisor, Elise Driver CSH Coordinator, Lisa Cripps DeKalb Prevention Coalition Coordinator, and Norene Puckett-DeKalb Prevention Coalition Community Outreach Liaison.

State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver has received the “Tennessee Champion of Prosperity Award” from Americans for Prosperity – Tennessee (AFP-TN), the conservative grassroots organization fighting for lower taxes and limited government.
James Amundsen, Deputy State Director for Americans for Prosperity, presented Representative Weaver the award at Angie’s Diner in Smithville Friday during her monthly “Coffee and Conversations” meeting with constituents.
The “Champion of Prosperity” award is given to select lawmakers who scored 90 or higher in AFP-TN’s biannual legislative scorecard and voted against raising the gas tax.
“Today I presented Representative Weaver with our “Champions of Prosperity Award” which is in recognition for her support for free market economic policies throughout the legislative session. Terri Lynn has scored really high on our biannual legislative scorecard. We are also recognizing the fact that she stood up in defense of taxpayers in the state of Tennessee with her opposition to the Governor’s Improve Act, which we recognize as being a gas tax increase on the hardest working families in Tennessee. We wanted to make sure she was recognized for all of her efforts. We are doing a tour throughout the remainder of this month recognizing about 40 state legislators, both state representatives and state senators,” said Amundsen.
Representative Weaver said she is honored to receive the award.
“A majority of the people in our district did not want any more taxes. They are taxed enough. We stood our ground. I think we did a very good presentation of the peoples’ voice who didn’t want it (gas tax increase). Unfortunately we lost that battle. It takes a lot of spine to stand up in an atmosphere that is basically overwhelming you but the good news is that I can come back to my district and I can tell the people who sent me down there that I stood strong on this issue and that I will continue to stand strong and remain a voice for people who believe in free market values, capitalism , our constitution, and less government. When 65% of your district did not want this to happen (Governor’s Improve Act) that is a strong voice and I am honored that I am able to represent them,” said Representative Weaver.
Although Representative Weaver opposed it, the state gas tax increase under the Governor’s Improve Act was adopted by the state legislature and signed by the governor earlier this year. It took effect on July 1.

A convicted felon who got in trouble with the law again after being involved in a break-in last December at a residence on Pea Ridge Road was in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Friday, October 6.
Judge David Patterson presided.
47 year old Randall Joe Swindle entered a plea to aggravated burglary and possession of a weapon by a felon. He received a six year sentence to serve in each case in the Tennessee Department of Corrections. The two terms are to run concurrently with each other and concurrently with a 16 year sentence against him in Franklin County. He was given jail credit here from December 12, 2016 through October 6, 2017.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Monday, December 5, 2016 Swindle was involved in a break-in on Pea Ridge Road. The intruder gained entry by prying open the front door, causing damage. Taken from the home were a Remington 1889 double barrel shotgun, a crescent 1900 double barrel shotgun, a sentry safe, and a jar of change. The total value of the stolen property came to approximately $1,500.
A check of Swindle’s criminal history showed him to be a felon convicted for aggravated burglary in Franklin County.
According to Sheriff Ray, Swindle admitted to having taken the guns from the Pea Ridge residence and having them in his vehicle. He was arrested on Monday, December 12, 2016. The case was investigated by Sheriff’s Department Detectives.
Swindle escaped on Tuesday, March 28 but was captured minutes later at the parking lot of Hardees Restaurant. He was indicted for the offense in April.
In a separate case, 33 year old Roxanna Landis entered a plea to four counts of forgery and received a two year TDOC sentence in each case on probation. The terms are to run concurrently with each other. Landis is to make restitution of $735.79 to the victim. The offenses occurred July 15, 25, & 28, 2016.

A man caught breaking into a residence almost a year ago was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Friday, October 6.
Judge David Patterson presided.
48 year old Billy Eugene Cook entered a plea to aggravated burglary and received a three year TDOC sentence on probation except for 120 days to serve in the DeKalb County Jail. He was given jail credit for having served 122 days. He must also make $100 restitution to the victim.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Monday, October 17, 2016 a deputy responded to a residence on Andrew Jackson Boulevard due to a burglary. Upon arrival, the officer spoke to the homeowner, who said he found a man inside his home without consent. The intruder left before the officer got there. The homeowner identified Cook as the burglar and confirmed it after viewing a booking photo.
Cook was later found at DeKalb Market and though he resisted, the officer placed him under arrest. “While trying to place him in custody, Cook failed to comply with verbal commands. He physically tried to resist being placed in custody,” said Sheriff Ray
In a separate case, 43 year old Michael Shayne Reeder entered a plea to theft over $1,000 and received a two year TDOC sentence on probation. He has applied for judicial diversion. Reeder must make $1,000 restitution to the victim and he must forfeit his weapon.
Sheriff Ray said that on Friday June 2, 2017 Reeder stole two firearms, including a Smith & Wesson M&P AR-15 and a .22 caliber Ruger. The total value of the weapons is $2,000. The case was investigated by a sheriff’s department detective.

The community is urged to gather Monday afternoon downtown to pray for Suzanne Williams, Director of the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce who is hospitalized in east Tennessee with a serious injury.
According to family, while at a conference in Gatlinburg on Wednesday, Suzanne fell in the bathroom of her hotel room and landed on her throat across the tub crushing vital organs and leaving her unable to breathe on her own. She was taken to a Sevierville hospital for treatment in the intensive care unit and placed on a ventilator.
At last report, her condition was stable with no brain damage and plans are to remove the ventilator Monday. At the moment, her injury is apparently not life threatening but the community is encouraged to pray for Suzanne’s continued healing and strength for the long road of recovery ahead of her.
Please come to the east side of the courthouse for fellowship and prayer from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, October 9 or in the basement of the courthouse in case of rain.
Fellowship Prayers will be offered every 10 minutes. This is open to the public. Come for a few minutes or stay as long as you wish. If unable to attend, please join in spirit and pray where you are for Suzanne and her family.

A bond reduction request has been denied for a Nashville man charged with using a 15 year old Liberty girl for prostitution.
34 year old Charles Earl Denton appeared in DeKalb County Criminal Court Friday for a hearing with his lawyer Adam Parrish of Lebanon.
Parrish asked that Denton’s bond be reduced from $250,000 to $10,000. At the conclusion of the hearing Judge David Patterson denied the request.
Denton is charged in a DeKalb County Grand Jury sealed indictment with trafficking for commercial sex act.
The investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department began on Friday, August 4th after the girl’s family reported her missing. The family said the teen sought and received permission to spend the night at a friend’s house two days before on Wednesday, August 2nd but she never came home. The investigation revealed that the girl knew Denton and that he had arranged through social media to meet her. Denton drove to Liberty on Wednesday, August 2, picked up the girl, and transported her to Nashville for the purpose of commercial sex. She was later found at a Nashville motel with another missing teen and an adult woman. Denton was not at the motel at the time.
“Through an investigation, it was found that Charles Denton was the one who planned to meet our missing juvenile on August 2nd. Denton drove to Liberty here in DeKalb County and picked the juvenile up and transported her to Nashville for the purpose of commercial sex,” said Sheriff Patrick Ray.
“Detectives obtained a state warrant for Charles Denton,” he said.
“On August 25th, a special called meeting of the DeKalb County Grand Jury convened and a sealed indictment was obtained for trafficking for a commercial sex act on Charles Denton”.
“Denton was picked up in Davidson County on August 31st. He was transported to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department where he remains in custody on a $250,000 bond,” added Sheriff Ray.

A man who entered a plea Friday in DeKalb County Criminal Court to charges of aggravated burglary and theft of property over $1,000 will soon learn his fate.
A sentencing hearing for 46 year old Homer Anthony Petty, Sr. Is coming soon. He is facing a possible sentence of 4 years in each case as a range III offender to run concurrently with each other. He is expected to get jail credit from October 20, 2016 to October 6, 2017.
Petty had other charges against him including simple possession/casual exchange of a schedule VI drug (marijuana), DUI (3rd offense), driving while licensed revoked, possession of schedule II and IV drugs with intent to sell or deliver, filing a false report, and possession of a weapon by a felon.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, October 20, 2016 a deputy responded to Old Givens Hollow Road, Liberty due to a burglary.
Upon arrival, the officer learned that the homeowner caught Petty and another person stealing items from his home. “The homeowner witnessed Petty and another person attempting to leave the residence with a Norinco SKS rifle and a head band. The victim (homeowner) recovered the rifle and held Petty at gunpoint until law enforcement officers arrived. The other person with Petty fled the scene. Other items taken in the burglary and theft were an electronic game call, a back pack, multiple turkey calls, and numerous collectible knives. Some of those were recovered.
During a search, the deputy found a baggie in Petty’s left pocket, containing a small green leafy substance believed to be marijuana which weighed 0.399 ounces.