Erin Cantrell-Pryor received over $212,500 in scholarships at DCHS Thursday, the largest total award presented to any student, including a $186,000 scholarship from Cornell University
Rawlin Vanatta, owner/operator of the White Possom Grille in Smithville, talked about jobs in the culinary arts during Career Day at DeKalb West School
DCHS Class of 2013 Scholarship Recipients at Awards Day
Singer/Songwriter Sam Mullins talked to 6th-8th grade students at DeKalb West School about careers in music at the annual Career Day, coordinated by School Counselor Bill Conger.
Junior DCHS Golfer Mallory Sullivan signs with Cumberland University to play golf after she graduates. Members of her family joined Mallory at the signing Thursday along with DCHS Coach Joe Pat Cope
School Board Votes 4-1 to make cuts in Tentative Budget for 2013-14. (OLDER PHOTO) (READ STORY UNDER LOCAL NEWS)
DCHS Principal Patrick Cripps, Valedictorian Taylor Leach, Salutatorian P.J. Carroll, State Rep Mark Pody, State Sen. Mae Beavers, State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, and Director of Schools Mark Willoughby
Smithville Crime Stoppers Board meets with D.A. Randy York: Officer Matt Farmer, Shawn Jacobs, Randy York, Gayla Hendrix, John Daniels, Karen Caplinger, Mayor Jimmy Poss, and Phillip (Fluty) Cantrell
The Delta Kappa Gamma Society for Key Women Educators welcome new members Mandy Dakas and Kathy Bryant into the Beta Theta Chapter. Pictured with long-time members, Louise Frazier and Jenelle Pugh.
Sheriff Patrick Ray, detectives, deputies, and TBI agent Billy Miller examine Chevy Blazer pulled from the lake where Putnam County woman died after the vehicle ran into the water. (See Videos)
Chevy Blazer Pulled from Center Hill Lake at Johnson Chapel Boat Ramp. Putnam County woman died after the vehicle submerged in the water. Two others escaped unharmed (See videos)
Woman Dies After Chevy Blazer Runs off Boat Ramp and Submerges in Lake (SEE VIDEOS UNDER LOCAL NEWS)
Retiring teachers from Smithville Elementary left to right and their years of service. Ms. Jan Thomas- 35 years, Mrs. Sue Driver- 39 years, Mrs. Mary Pugh- 30 years
Cancer Survivors at Relay for Life
Presentation of the Colors by Boy Scout Troop #347 at Relay for Life
Crowd enjoys David Turner and Friends at Relay for Life
David Turner and Friends entertain at Relay for Life
On Friday, May 10, the Cookeville Children's Theater performed "Seussical" at both DMS and Smithville Elementary School. Picture by Lisa Craig
The DeKalb County Fire Department has compiled its 2010 Incident Response Summary.
The best news in this report is that DeKalb County did not record any fire-related deaths in 2010. Overall, 2010 fire incident responses in the county were down by 82 calls from 2009. In 2009, the department responded to a total of 474 fire incidents. The department responded to 392 fire incident responses in 2010. This count does not include the 408 rural medical first responder calls that county fire department personnel responded to.
With DeKalb County's rural population growing at rates higher than the cities' population growth within DeKalb County, the department continues to strive to prevent fires and fire related incidents by using prevention and educational measures. DeKalb County Fire Department's Fire Prevention and Safety Officer, Lt. Brad Mullinax, says that preventing incidents is much more economical than responding to them.
The following is a breakdown of each type of fire incident response that the department responded to in 2010:
The Smithville aldermen have still not taken action on the future of the golf course.
During Monday night's city council meeting, Alderman Steve White mentioned that the greens would be re-seeded and fertilized once the weather warms up. "The seeding and fertilizing of the greens hasn't been done yet. They're waiting on some warmer days in a row. Otherwise if they put the seed down it wouldn't germinate properly so it would be just wasted money if we did it right now, until we have a few 40 to 50 degree days in a row."
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White also made a motion that bids be advertised once specs are drawn up on repairs and maintenance of the municipal swimming pool. The board approved White's motion. "I met with one of the guys who has done work on the pool in the past. With it (pool) empty we needed to see how bad it was. He looked at it. I think what we need to do is go ahead and advertise and get some bids in that way we can get a jump on the pool because it will take quite a bit of time for them to finish it. There's quite a few cracks (in the pool). There are some softer spots or leaks and some structure cracks. All of those have to be repaired and then of course it'll need the gel coating. That should hold it for approximately ten years", said White.
Alderman Aaron Meeks also mentioned that some maintenance work will have to be done soon on the clubhouse, but no action was taken on that Monday night. "From the visit we made to the golf course, there's going to be some repairs that's going to be required on the club house. It's not been maintained through neglect or whatever, I don't know the reason and I wouldn't begin to establish a reason or cause but there's going to have to be some renovations and improvements made to the clubhouse at some point in time too", said Meeks.
With no tenant or anyone to manage it, the municipal golf course remains closed for now.
Meanwhile, the aldermen approved the list of officers and members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department. Chief Charlie Parker included the request in his monthly report to the board. Parker said the department held it's election of officers about an hour before the meeting of the mayor and aldermen Monday night. The following officers and members were approved by the department: Charlie Parker-Chief, Hoyte Hale-Deputy Chief, Jeff Wright-Captain and Training Officer, Danny Poss- Lieutenant, Jon Poss-Lieutenant, Donnie Cantrell-Lieutenant, Anthony Wright-Lieutenant and firefighters Wink Brown, Charles Young, Wallace Caldwell, Gary Johnson, Randall Hunt, Stephanie Wright, Glen Lattimore, Ronald Whitaker, Patrick Edge, and Greg Bess- Photographer.
Chief Parker added that "December starts a new year for the fire department. We had a busy December with a total of seven alarm calls, three motor vehicle accidents, eight landing zones, and two structure fires."
Police Chief Randy Caplinger, Bobby Pinegar of the sewer plant and Public Works Director Kevin Robinson all gave their monthly reports to the mayor and aldermen.
Concerned citizen Gary Durham addressed the mayor and aldermen briefly asking them to again consider taking action to update or develop a new twenty year plan setting goals to meet future needs. Durham said he had surveyed 44 city residents and all had expressed support for a twenty year plan. Durham added that "it's up to you to do what the people want, or what you want." Mayor Taft Hendrixson said the issue will be referred to the city planning commission which meets the first Thursday night of each month.
Unless there is a need for a special meeting, the mayor and aldermen will not convene again in regular session until Monday, February 7th at 7:00 p.m. There will be no meeting on Monday, January 17th due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday.
