THP Charges Man with Leaving Scene of Injury Crash

The Tennessee Highway Patrol has filed charges against a man who left the scene on foot after being involved in a two vehicle crash on Saturday, September 16.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL- Intakes & Releases From: 9/18/2017 Thru: 9/25/2017)
Seagate Crystal Reports – REPOR_40.pdf (2.62 MB)
43 year old Robin Clark Green of Sparta is charged with reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an injury crash, driving while license revoked, improper passing, and failing to exercise due care. His bond is $11,500 and his court date is December 14.
According to the THP, the crash occurred at 9:26 p.m. on Highway 70 east (Sparta Highway) near Howard Redmon Road as Green, driving a 1994 Nissan Xterra east on U.S. 70, crossed into the westbound lane to pass another vehicle on a double yellow line. 30 year old Juan Delgado of Smithville, who was traveling west on Highway 70 in a 1998 Toyota Tacoma, swerved to avoid a collision but Green’s vehicle hit the Tacoma in the left front. Delgado’s truck then traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a ditch where it came to its final rest. Green’s Xterra traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a ditch and then a fence before coming to its final rest in a field.
After the crash, Green fled the scene on foot. He had three passengers in the vehicle with him, 39 year old Angela Atnip, 22 year old Zachary Walker, and 42 year old Barry Atnip all of Smithville. Both Angela and Barry Atnip were transported by ground ambulance to St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital while Walker was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga.
Delgado was not injured but he was cited for no drivers license and failing to provide proof of financial responsibility.
Trooper Jason Cobble was the investigating officer.

Abandoned House Destroyed by Fire (VIEW VIDEO HERE)

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.

Gladys Marie Fitts

77 year old Gladys Marie Fitts of Brush Creek passed away Friday at the Quality Care Health Center in Lebanon. She was a member of the West Main Baptist Church in Alexandria and was a retired machine operator at Work Wear Factory. The funeral will be Monday at 1 p.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Burial will be in the New Hope Cemetery in Alexandria. Visitation will be Sunday from 4-8 p.m. and Monday from 10 a.m. until the service at 1 p.m. Fitts was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Willie Biggs Stafford; husband, James Fitts; daughter, Melissa Jackson; granddaughter, Brittany Fitts; brother, Richard Stafford; and sisters, Dora Stafford and Margaret Cline. Survivors include a daughter, Melinda and Tim Robertson of Brush Creek; sons, Michael and Porta Fitts of Maryland, Mickey and Lori Fitts of Illinois; grandchildren, James Fitts and Aaron Fitts of Maryland, Meghan Fitts and Briley Fitts of Illinois, Chad Robertson of Brush Creek, and Derek Robertson of Smyrna. Four great grandchildren. Brothers, Elbert Stafford of New Middleton and Willie Stafford of Westmoreland. Sisters, Cora Dillard of Portland, Mabel Mooneyham of Kentucky, and Kathy Clark of Hartsville. Several nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Community Celebrates Justin Potter Library’s Golden Anniversary

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.”

Wilson Withdraws from State Senate Race

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.

Tigers Dominate in Homecoming Win over Cannon County

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.

DCHS Spreads Homecoming Spirit (VIEW VIDEO HERE)

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

Habitat for Humanity Chili Cook-Off Set for October 27

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.

DUD Approves Project to Serve 33 New Customers

The DeKalb Utility District Board of Commissioners met in special session Thursday afternoon and took action that will soon provide water to 33 new customers on Tramel Branch Road, Oakley Road, Carter Lane, and the Alexandria to Dismal Road
Bids were awarded to two contractors to extend water lines to the targeted areas. The $930,000 project will be funded through a $500,000 Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Block Grant and $430,290 in funding from the DeKalb Utility District.
The DUD had originally intended to provide only $121,000 but decided to add another $309,290 after bids for the project came in higher than expected.
The board accepted a bid of $392,865 from Flo-Line Contracting of Monticello, Kentucky to do the work on Alexandria to Dismal Road and for $294,345 for the project on Carter Lane and Oakley Road. Mofield Brothers Construction of Carthage got the bid for $148,580 to extend water lines on Tramel Branch Road.
According to the DUD, the water line extensions will provide water to fourteen customers on the Alexandria to Dismal Road, seven families on Tramel Branch Road, and twelve households on Carter Lane and Oakley Road.
The original plans were to also include Old Givens Hollow Road, which would have served seven customers, but that portion of the project was excluded due to the costs. “The low bid on that alone was $315,000 just to do it (Old Givens Hollow). It was just too cost prohibitive. Had we done this we wouldn’t have been able to do anything else and we wouldn’t have gotten the grant because we wouldn’t have qualified with enough people (customers). Even though we are putting a lot more money into this overall project, it just wasn’t feasible to do this portion (Old Givens Hollow),” said DUD Manager Jon Foutch.
The DeKalb County Commission adopted a resolution in January, 2016 authorizing the filing of the grant application.
The county had applied for and been denied the grant twice within the previous two years. But this time in order to improve its chances, the county asked for a little less grant money while the DeKalb Utility District committed to ante up more in its local match commitment.
Amanda Mainord of Grassroots Planning & Consulting, was the grant administrator for the project.

Homecoming Day for DCHS, Parade Set for This Afternoon

After getting their first victory of the season last week against Grundy County, the DCHS Tigers will try to make it two in a row as they host the Cannon County Lions for Homecoming tonight (Friday).
Kick-Off is at 7:00 p.m.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO HEAR TIGER TALK WITH COACH STEVE TRAPP AND TIGER PLAYERS JESSE SMITH, DAVID BRADFORD, AND AXEL ALDINO)
http://www.wjle.com/audio/tiger-talk-september-22
Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said after the first four weeks of disappointment, it felt good to get a win last week.
“Any time you can walk away on Friday night and the scoreboard has more points in your favor it makes for a better weekend. It makes the week’s worth of preparation worthwhile. I was really proud and touched to see the joy on the guy’s faces after the game because we put a lot of time, effort, and energy into being the best that we can be and we have not really been rewarded a whole lot so far during the regular season so it was just good to see these guys celebrate with each other and have that feeling of accomplishment after a week’s worth of work following a football game,” said Coach Trapp.
DeKalb County is 1-4 with losses to Warren County 26-10, Upperman 49-27, Stone Memorial 38-16, and Watertown 59-21. The lone win was against Grundy County 27-7.
Cannon County is winless with losses to Red Boiling Springs 14-0, Jackson County 20-19, Sequatchie County 48-6, Moore County 35-6, and Upperman 34-14.
“Cannon County has a true identity which is a little bit different from what they have been in the past. They know what they want to do. Offensively, they want to eat the clock. They are going to offer a heavy dose of the run game and then they will mix in some play action. They have a big six foot, four receiver on the outside who has made plays in every single game as far as catching the ball. Sometimes its a one man route and its him. A lot of times it will be our one guy on their one guy and we’ll see who makes the play. For us it’s going to be our All-State corner Bradley Miller so he needs to prove his worth in that regard. They like to use a lot of compressed formations with a lot of big guys running the ball. I think they took a lineman and put him in the backfield. Defensively it looks like they want to bring a little bit more pressure which is what we expect. Last year when we played them they had a little bit different defense so I’m also expecting something from them that we haven’t seen on tape this year as well,” said Coach Trapp.
Last week, Tiger quarterback Tyler Cantrell left the game in the second period due to a sprained ankle. Coach Trapp said whether he sees action tonight will be a game time decision.
The DCHS Homecoming Day Parade will be today (Friday).
The parade schedule is as follows:
*Parade leaves the high school: 12:45 p.m.
*Band performs at Northside Elementary School: 12:45 p.m.
*Parade arrives at Smithville Elementary School: 1:00 p.m.
*Parade arrives at Northside Elementary School: 1:20 p.m.
*Band leads the parade to the public square
*Parade arrives at the public square: 1:50 p.m. followed by a pep rally and band performance on the square.
WJLE will have LIVE coverage of the football game on AM 1480/FM 101.7 and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com with the Voice of the Tigers John Pryor and Luke Willoughby.
WJLE’s Pre-Game shows begin with “Coach to Coach” at 5:00 p.m. featuring former UT football coach Phillip Fulmer and former UT assistant coach Doug Matthews with broadcaster Larry Stone talking Tennessee and SEC football.
“Coach to Coach” is followed by “Murphy’s Matchups at 6:00 p.m., a look at Tennessee High School Football from Murphy Fair with commentary on games and coaches interviews.
“Tiger Talk” airs at 6:30 p.m. with the Voice of the Tigers John Pryor interviewing Coach Steve Trapp and Tiger players Jesse Smith. David Bradford, and Axel Aldino.
The game kicks off at 7:00 p.m. with play by play coverage on WJLE with John Pryor and color commentary by Luke Willoughby