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 High School Band competed in the Hendersonville Golden Marching Invitational on Saturday and earned several top honors.
The band competed in "Class D", the smallest class and won first place in class. In addition, the band received first place awards for "Best Percussion", "Best Horn Line", and "Best Color Guard" in class
The band placed 7th in the small division (class d and the bigger class c), beating out a few of the larger bands.
The DCHS Fighting Tiger Band will perform during the Homecoming Day parade Friday afternoon on the public square and during halftime of the football game Friday night.
The next competition will be Saturday, October 2nd at the Blue Devil Invitational
A DeKalb County mother is charged with harboring a runaway after allegedly trying to hide her son who ran away from the Indian Mound Home for boys earlier this month.
31 year old Michelle Lee Culwell of Parsley Road, Smithville is charged with driving on a suspended license and hiding and harboring a juvenile child. She is under a $6,000 bond and she will be in court October 7th.
Culwell's son, who is in state custody, ran away from the Indian Mound Home for boys on Wednesday, September 1st. On Saturday, September 18th, a deputy saw the boy in an automobile with his mother, Ms. Culwell on Highway 56 south near Mystik Market.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Ms. Culwell was the operator of the vehicle seen leaving Mystik Market heading northbound on Highway 56 south. Upon getting the vehicle stopped, the juvenile jumped out and ran. Sheriff Ray says his mother knew that he was a runaway and she had been hiding him.
The deputy arrested Culwell for harboring a runaway and a check of her license found them to be suspended for failure to satisfy a citation in Hamilton County.
Meanwhile in another case, 52 year old Katrina Jo LaLiberte of Circle Drive, Dowelltown was arrested on Monday, September 13th and charged with reckless endangerment and public intoxication. Her bond is $4,500 and her court date is September 30th.
Sheriff Ray says a deputy was called to investigate a vandalism at a residence on Hunt Hollow Road. LaLiberte had allegedly fire rounds from a 22 caliber pistol at the victim's vehicle causing him to fear for his safety.
Upon arrival, the officer found a female (LaLiberte) on the porch wearing only a shirt and underpants. She was very unsteady on her feet and she had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on her person. She was so intoxicated that the officer had to pick her up and put her in the patrol car. The deputy took the weapon and placed her under arrest.
34 year old Sharon Kay Skinner of Sparta Highway, Smithville was arrested on Wednesday, September 15th on a warrant charging her with violation of community corrections. She was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Skinner is under a $1,500 bond on the drug charge and she will appear in court October 7th. She is being held without bond on the other offense pending a court hearing today (Monday).
According to Sheriff Ray, a deputy was summoned to Wal-mart after another officer called him to report that Skinner was there. The officer was aware that Skinner had active warrants against her. Upon arrival and speaking to Skinner, the deputy placed her under arrest and found four syringes in a purse during a search of Skinner's person.
31 year old Russell Shannon Estes of Kendra Drive, Smithville was arrested on Thursday, September 16th and charged with a second offense of driving under the influence Estes is under a $3,000 bond and his court date is September 30th.
Sheriff Ray says a deputy responded to Highway 56 south to check out an oncoming vehicle in which the driver was possibly intoxicated. Having received a description, the deputy spotted the automobile and then he got behind it. While following the vehicle, the officer witnessed it almost run off the roadway once and at one point, the automobile completely ran off the roadway. At this time, the deputy activated his lights and stopped the vehicle. While speaking to the driver, Estes, the officer noticed his speech to be slurred. He was asked to step out of the vehicle and perform several field sobriety tasks. Estes was very unsteady on his feet but he submitted to the tests and performed poorly. He also submitted to a blood alcohol test.
35 year old Keith Gordon Saliski of Lower Helton Road, Alexandria is charged with vandalism. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on September 30th.
Sheriff Ray says on Sunday, September 19th, a deputy responded to a residence on High Street in Alexandria to take down a report of a vandalism. The complainant reported that a man named Keith had broken the glass to his storm door. The deputy then went to another residence where he found Saliski. While speaking with him, Saliski admitted to going to the victim's residence, throwing a large rock, and breaking the glass to the door.
22 year old Billy D. Ferrell of R. Arnold Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence, evading arrest, and resisting arrest stop, frisk, and halt. His bond is $6,500 and he will be in court on October 7th.
According to Sheriff Ray, a deputy was called to check out a domestic complaint on Sunday, September 19th in which a woman with a small child was in a car with her boyfriend but he wouldn't let her out of the vehicle.
The officer spotted the vehicle, driven by Ferrell, coming toward him on R. Arnold Road. The deputy activated his blue lights and Ferrell stopped. Ferrell then put his car in reverse and backed up at a high rate of speed. The deputy noticed a woman and child in the back seat of Ferrell's car. After backing up, Ferrell turned into the graveled driveway of his residence and pulled in behind a trailer, stopped in a tree line, got out and fled on foot.
After a long foot pursuit, the deputy caught up with Ferrell, but he continued trying to resist arrest, failing to comply with orders to put his hands behind his back or to get on the ground.
The deputy, upon placing Ferrell in custody, noticed that he was unsteady on his feet and he had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. Ferrell submitted to a blood alcohol test. He admitted to drinking and taking hydrocodone.
