DeKalb County Volunteer Firefighters were called to a structure fire at 3:22 a.m. Monday on Magness Road.

Upon arrival, the firefighters found an abandoned house, in the midst of trees and overgrowth, fully involved in flames.
County Fire Chief Donny Green said the property owner is Russell Norton. Although a line extended to the house, it had no electrical service.
Members of the Belk, Short Mountain Highway, and Main Stations responded from the DeKalb County Fire Department along with the Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb EMS. There were no injuries.

A 50 year celebration was observed Sunday for Justin Potter Library.
Members of the community stopped by during the two hour event to visit and enjoy refreshments. State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver presented a proclamation signed by herself, State Representative Mark Pody, and Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell marking the occasion and Chamber Director Suzanne Williams honored the library with a Milestone Award.
Current and past Library Board members, Directors, and employees joined in the celebration including Jenelle Pugh, the only surviving 1967 library board member.
Justin Potter Library opened in June 1967 followed by an official dedication and open house on September 17, 1967. It was named for the late Justin Potter, a DeKalb County native and successful Nashville businessman, whose family provided funds to help build the library through the Justin and Valere Potter Foundation.
Potter’s grandson, Justin Wilson was among those in attendance for the celebration.
“This was done by Congressman Joe L. Evins from Smithville in 1967. I remember going up to see him in Washington to talk about how to get this funded. I am really pleased to see how wonderfully the library is doing today for the community,” said Wilson, who also is the current Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
For eleven years prior to 1967, the library was located in a room on the main floor of the Veterans Memorial building downtown.
DeKalb County Historian Thomas G. Webb, also in attendance at the observance, said Justin Potter Library is a great asset to the community. “When I was growing up DeKalb County had no library at all. You don’t know what a change it is to have this from no library. We’re proud of our library,” he said.
“The library is important to DeKalb County and it is run by a great board and staff. They are very professional. We can all be proud of them,” said County Mayor Tim Stribling.
The state proclamation honoring Justin Potter Library follows:
“Whereas, the members of this legislative body take great pleasure in recognizing those venerable institutions that are devoted to serving their communities; and
Whereas, one such institution is the Justin Potter Library, which is this year celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, a hallmark occasion for this community gathering place that supports and informs its patrons and serves as the heart of the DeKalb County community; and
Whereas, on September 24, 2017, the DeKalb County Library Board and staff will host a fiftieth anniversary celebration, joining with members of the community to reflect on the library’s history and success; and
Whereas, organizational efforts for the Justin Potter Library were spearheaded by Emma Burton; in 1966, when available federal money for library construction required a matching donation, Mrs. Burton found a willing benefactor in the Justin and Valere Potter Foundation; and
Whereas, a 3,764 square foot edifice was built in 1967 to house the Justin Potter Library; the library opened its doors to the public in June of that same year, hosting a formal opening celebration on September 17, 1967; and
Whereas, in 2003, the building underwent a 2,000 square foot expansion funded by the DeKalb County Court, with donations from members of the community providing shelving and furniture; while the original structure was built to hold 10,000 volumes, the expanded building now contains over 25,000 items; and
Whereas, featured in the library’s more than 25,000 items is an extensive collection of county genealogy and Historical materials, thanks to the combined efforts of Jorene Parsley, Earl France, County Historian Thomas G. Webb, and many others; and
Whereas, the library’s mission has always been to provide all DeKalb County residents with opportunities to improve the quality of their lives by offering quality materials and services that fulfill the educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the entire community in an atmosphere that is welcoming and respectful; and
Whereas, the Justin Potter Library has been successful in fulfilling its mission; throughout the last five decades, it has been home to many educational and cultural programs, including summer reading, author book signings, holiday events, Older American’s Day celebrations, art and computer classes, homeschooling events, discussion groups, school field trips, and volunteer opportunities for Tennessee Promise students and others; and
Whereas, in addition to making available thousands of volumes in print and online, the Justin Potter Library has worked to get books in the hands of as many individuals as possible; it facilitates sign-up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and engages in book outreach to area schools; and
Whereas, the library also provides other services to the community, including interlibrary loans, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency boating exams, and tax and voter registration forms; and
Whereas, from 2016 to 2017, there were nearly 40,000 visits to DeKalb County libraries, with 8,000 registered borrowers, 64,000 materials checked out, 112 programs offered that saw 2,000 in attendance, and approximately 15,000 computer users; and
Whereas, the members of the DeKalb County Library Board of Trustees at the time of the opening of the Justin Potter Library were W.R. Lassiter, chair; Emma Burton, chair building committee; Otha Dell Conger, building committee; Nell McBride, building committee; Bessie May White; Rosa John Twilla; and Jenelle Pugh; and
Whereas, current library board members are Genrose Davis, Annette Greek, Jane Hobson, Brenda Hooper, Betty Pankey, Jane Ramsey, Pam Redmon, Board Chair Jan Thomas, and Bobby White; and
Whereas, the Justin Potter Library has enjoyed the superb leadership of four directors since 1967: June Vaughn (1967-68, 1991-2004), Idell Spann (1968-91), Kathy Winchester Vardy (2004-07), and Kathy Hendrixson (2007-present); and
Whereas, the success of the library is wholly attributable to the dedication and hard work of the library board members, staff, and volunteers and the support of the Justin and Valere Potter Foundation, Smithville Study Club,, DeKalb County, City of Smithville, State and federal government, and the community throughout the last fifty years; and
Whereas, the Justin Potter Library has served the citizens of DeKalb County for five decades now, and it is fitting that the organization be honored; now, therefore,
I, Beth Harwell, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the One Hundred Tenth General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, at the request of and in conjunction with Representative Mark Pody and Representative Terri Lynn Weaver, do hereby proclaim that we congratulate the Justin Potter Library upon fifty years of devoted service to the DeKalb County community, extending our sincere best wishes for much continued success in the future.
Proclaimed in Nashville, Tennessee, on this the 31st day of August, 2017.”

One candidate has had a change of heart and will not seek the seat of former State Senator Mae Beavers in the special election this fall.
Steve Wilson of Lebanon, who had previously announced his intentions to be a candidate for the Republican nomination in the November 7 primary, has decided to withdraw
Wilson sent a letter to the DeKalb County Election Commission and to other counties in the 17th district making the withdrawal official.
State Representative Mark Pody, a Republican, is now the only announced candidate for the special election. No other Republican and no Democrat has yet announced a bid. Pody’s name will be on the GOP primary ballot.
The special election was created due to the September 1 resignation of Senator Beavers, who is running for governor. Her senate term expires after the 2018 elections next November.
The qualifying deadline for candidates is Noon Thursday, September 28th.
The primary will be held on November 7th followed by the General Election on December 19th.
Early voting for the primary will be held October 18 through November 2 on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse. Early voting hours are Mondays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesdays 9 a.m. until Noon; Wednesdays 9 a.m. until Noon; Thursdays 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays 9 a.m. until Noon and Saturdays 9 a.m. until Noon.
Voting hours for election day, December 19 at all precincts will be 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Tennessee’s 17th Senate District includes Wilson, Cannon, DeKalb, Clay, Smith and Macon counties.

The DeKalb County Tigers celebrated a homecoming victory Friday night over the visiting Cannon County Lions 42-0.
The Tigers are now 2-4 on the season and will travel to Livingston Academy next week. The Wildcats are 5-1 on the season and 2-0 in Region play. Cannon County falls to 0-6 on the season.
After getting the ball on a Cannon County turnover at the Lions 20 yard line, DeKalb County Quarterback Tyler Cantrell threw a 20 yard touchdown pass to Paxton Butler with 8:20 left in the 1st period. The PAT by Andrew Fuson was good and the Tigers led 7-0.
The next score came as the Tigers capped a 52 yard drive on a 40 yard touchdown pass play from Quarterback Axel Aldino to Braxton Linder with 10:41 left in the 2nd period. Andrew Fuson added the extra point for a 14-0 Tiger lead.
DeKalb County extended its advantage on a 2 yard touchdown pass play from Aldino to Bradley Miller, capping a 74 yard drive. Fuson’s PAT gave the Tigers a 21-0 lead with 2:30 left in the 2nd period.
After the Tigers blocked a Cannon County punt, Jesse Smith scooped up the loose pigskin and raced 25 yards for a Tiger touchdown with 48 seconds left in the 2nd period. Fuson booted the extra point and the DeKalb County lead at halftime was 28-0.
The Tigers cashed in on two more Cannon County turnovers in the second half. After a Lions interception by Tiger Bradley Miller, DeKalb County capped a scoring drive on a 15 yard pass from Quarterback Axel Aldino to Riley Sexton with 7:53 left in the 3rd period. Fuson added the extra point and the Tigers held a 35-0 lead.
On the ensuing kick-off, the return man for Cannon County fumbled in the air and DeKalb County’s Bradley Miller grabbed it and rambled 25 yards for a touchdown with 7:30 left in the 3rd period. Fuson booted the PAT and DeKalb County went on to win 42-0.

A man accused in the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend more than two and a half years ago may stand trial in February.
44 year old Anthony (Tony) Tyrone Crews made a brief appearance before Judge Gary McKenzie in DeKalb County Criminal Court today (Friday).
Judge McKenzie set December 13 as the date to hear pre-trial motions in the case including a change of venue request. He has also set the trial date for February 13, 2018.
The District Public Defender, who is representing Crews, is asking the court to have the trial in Putnam County, rather than DeKalb County. Crews is currently being held in the Putnam County Jail. The judge has given the Public Defender’s staff until October 23 to file all their pre-trial motions and the District Attorney General’s staff has until November 15 to file answers to the motions.
Crews is under indictment for first degree murder in the death of 28 year old Ashley Bain, whose body was found lying on the floor of a bedroom at the home she and Crews shared at 3870 Cookeville Highway, Smithville on Thursday afternoon, February 5, 2015.
Bain was stabbed numerous times about the upper body. It’s not known exactly how long she had been dead by the time authorities were notified but she had been seen alive earlier in the day. A knife, believed to have been the murder weapon, was found in the home.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Crews called 911 at 2:33 p.m. on February 5, 2015 to report that he had discovered Bain’s body when he entered the residence. Sheriff Ray and members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department were alerted and quickly arrived on the scene. The TBI and District Attorney General’s Office also joined the investigation. Sheriff Ray said authorities determined that Crews had committed the crime and made up the story about finding the body.
One week later, Crews made his first court appearance under tight security at the DeKalb County Courthouse.
During the brief hearing in General Sessions Court, Judge Bratten Cook, II increased Crews’ bond from $250,000 to one million dollars. He also appointed the District Public Defender’s Office to represent Crews.
Before increasing the bond amount, Judge Cook questioned Crews about his background. Crews said he was from New York and had relocated to McMinnville three years ago (prior to the murder). He is married and had once served in the military. At the time of his arrest, Crews was enrolled as a student at MTSU and had worked at Shiroki in Smithville. He admitted to having a misdemeanor criminal past for simple assault in New York but claimed the charges against him there were dismissed. Crews said he is not currently on parole or probation for any other offense.
After being appointed to represent Crews, Assistant District Public Defender Allison Rasbury West asked that his bond be kept at $250,000 saying that amount was sufficient. However Judge Cook raised it to one million dollars.
Crews’ second appearance in General Sessions Court was for a preliminary hearing on March 26, 2015
Following the hearing, Judge Cook ordered the case bound to the grand jury and increased Crews’ bond from one million to two million dollars.
Assistant District Attorney General Greg Strong called two persons to testify during the March 26 hearing and they were questioned by both Strong and Assistant Public Defender Allison Rasbury West , who at the time was representing Crews.
Amy Tucker, a clerk at Village Market Marathon on North Congress Boulevard, testified that Crews was a regular customer and bought beer there on the day that Bain was killed. ” He was a pretty steady customer. He came in usually two or three times a day every day and bought beer,” she said.
During his testimony, TBI Special Agent and Criminal Investigator Lance Walker said surveillance video from Village Market showed Crews making a beer purchase around 1:00 p.m. on the day of the murder and an empty beer bottle and a bloody knife, believed to have been the murder weapon were found later that afternoon inside a Village Market bag at the crime scene. “We had heard that he had gone to Village Market and we retrieved a receipt (from the store) that matched up with beer sales of Mr. Crews purchasing 2-24 ounce Bud Ices and a Steel Reserve with a time stamp on the receipt at 1 p.m. The store video showed him making the purchase. When we got to the scene back in the bedroom where Ms Bain’s body was found, there was a plastic bag consistent with the bags that Village Market uses and in the bag was an empty Steel Reserve bottle and next to the bottle in the bag was a knife that had been bent from the force used upon it covered in reddish brown stains. There was also blonde hair appearing to belong to the victim on that knife. The knife was recovered and sent for testing,” Walker testified.
Agent Walker said that he was notified of the stabbing at around 2:00 p.m. that day and arrived on the scene at around 3:30 p.m. He described what he observed . ” I arrived on the scene after I received the call. We set up a perimeter for the crime scene. Mr. Crews (who was on the scene) was transported to be interviewed by another agent. I conducted a crime scene investigation. The first thing we noticed was that the front door was ajar. The frame was off the door. We went through the house and saw reddish brown stains which we assumed to be blood throughout the house leading back to the back left bedroom. And then we encountered Ms. Bain’s body. She was found on the left side of the bed, near the foot of the bed close to the wall. The manner of death (according to the autopsy) was multiple stab wounds. They could confidently say that there were at least fifteen (stab wounds). They could not establish the estimated time of death,” testified Agent Walker.
” Mr. Crews (who was at the scene) was disheveled. He was repeating himself over and over again. He appeared to be incoherent and he had a strong odor of alcohol on him. My understanding was that he and Ms. Bain were in a relationship and he stayed at the house at times throughout the week off and on. His clothing had what appeared to be blood. His long sleeved shirt, pants, and shoes all had reddish brown stains on them. His hands had what appeared to be dried blood. His clothing was sent to the lab for testing,” said Walker.
“Samples of blood were taken from designated areas inside the home and sent to the crime lab for analysis including from the floor of the hallway, bedroom, dining/kitchen area, and a number of other items such as the knife and Bain’s wallet, which was found between two trash bags filled with trash (one on top of the other) in the kitchen. The wallet had about $1,400 in it. We also found more money (another $1,600 or $1,700) that appeared to come from the same source in the bedroom,” Walker testified.
As for the broken front door, Agent Walker said Crews had reported to the Sheriff’s Department in January, 2015 that it had been damaged in an attempted break-in. “The Sheriff’s Office let me know that a report had been filed on January 26, 2015 for a supposed break-in. I think Crews filed the report that somebody had broke the door. I re-secured it before I left. It seemed secure,” Agent Walker testified.

DeKalb County High School students celebrated the last day of Spirit Week with a Homecoming Day parade Friday afternoon
The Tiger football team’s homecoming opponent Friday night is the Cannon County Lions and the floats in the parade had a Tiger versus Cannon County theme.

The parade featured Homecoming Queen Allison Maynard and Attendants Kaitlyn Cantrell, Kayla Belk, Leah Davis, Alley Sykes, and Callie Mulloy; class and club floats, the football team, lots of decorated cars and trucks, county and city law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and other emergency vehicles, among others.
The event concluded with a pep rally led by DCHS Football cheerleaders and a performance by the DCHS band on the square.
Winners of the float competition were as follows:
First Place: Junior Class
Second Place: DCHS Tiger and Lady Tiger Basketball Players and Cheerleaders
Third Place: Senior Class
Best Decorated Automobiles:
First Place: Noah Martin
Second Place: Christina Bain
Third Place: Hannah Brown
Honorable Mention: Braya Murphy

Who makes the best chili in DeKalb County? Find out on Friday, October 27th when Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County hosts its 14th annual Chili Cook-off and Bake Sale.
Chili will be served from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the DeKalb Courthouse Lawn. In case of bad weather, the event will be moved to the DeKalb County Complex. For a cash donation, eat all the chili you want and vote for your favorite chili and the best decorated booth. Ceramic bowls with the event’s logo are available for $20.00. Delicious baked goods prepared by members of local churches will be for sale. Take out is also available. Awards and bragging rights will be given in the following manner: 1st and 2nd place Chili. People’s Choice Chili (Golden Spoon Award), and Best Decorated Booth.
The event drew a record turnout last year and more than $5,400 was raised for Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County.
“Cowabunga Chili” from the DeKalb County Board of Education took Top Chili Honors, with “Cheese Wagon Chili” from the DeKalb County Department of Transportation coming in second place. Third place chili honors went to “Hot Checks Chili” from Wilson Bank and Trust.
The Best Decorated Booth Award also went to “Cowabunga Chili” from the DeKalb County Board of Education, with “Spooky Bean Chili” from Middle Tennessee Natural Gas and “Cheese Wagon Chili” from the DeKalb County Department of Transportation tying for second place.
The Golden Spoon Award went to “The Courthouse Gang” from the DeKalb County Officials, who raised $197.00 for Habitat in cash donations at their booth.
Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Habitat for Humanity builds and renovates houses in partnership with volunteers and families in need, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. The houses then are sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged.
For more information on the Chili Cook-off and Bake Sale, contact Tecia Pryor at 615-597-7370. To contact Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County, call 615-215-8181.