Local News Articles

DeKalb Utility District's ten year water contract with the City of Smithville is set to expire within two months and no new agreement has yet been reached.

The parties have apparently not even been in any serious discussions on a new contract for several months.

Plans for a new DUD water treatment plant are still in the making but have apparently been put on hold because of a legal challenge in Davidson County Chancery Court by the City of Smithville and DUD ratepayers. But even if the legal hurdles are cleared and the DUD proceeds with its plan to build a water plant, it will apparently need a new water contract with the City of Smithville until the facility is completed.

The City of Smithville currently sells water to the DeKalb Utility District for $2.05 per thousand gallons. Under terms of the contract, the rate has increased by five cents per thousand in each of the last ten years beginning in January of each year. The two parties entered into the contract in 2004 and it expires December 31, 2013.

During Monday night's city council meeting, Alderman Tim Stribling called for a workshop to discuss new rates for the DUD. The workshop will be Monday, November 11 at 5:00 p.m. at city hall. DUD board members and officials are invited to attend. "Mr. Mayor, the DUD contract as we all know expires December 31. I would like for this board to maybe set up a workshop where we can discuss some things concerning the contract. We all know there is going to be a new rate so I would like to set up a board workshop," said Stribling.

"We'll just have some numbers together and look at some facts and figures. Of course we can't come to a conclusion or vote on it (because it's a workshop) but we can at least get the ball rolling," said City Recorder Hunter Hendrixson.

"Would you like me to send an invitation to DUD to be present," asked Hendrixson?. "Or course, it's an open meeting. If they want to be here they can be here," he added.

The aldermen agreed that since the workshop is open to all, DUD officials are welcome to attend and no formal invitation was necessary.

A recent study by Warren and Associates, paid for by the city, revealed that the actual cost for Smithville to produce water is $2.67 per thousand gallons. In April city officials discussed offering DUD a new ten year deal which would include selling them water at $2.20 per thousand gallons for the first five years of the contract and raising it to $2.40 per thousand gallons for the last five years. No official vote was taken but city officials sent the offer in writing to DUD officials a couple of days prior to the Tennessee Utility Management Review Board hearing which was held in Smithville to review DUD's water rates. DUD officials later responded agreeing to accept the offer but without the minimum volume purchase requirement the city wanted as part of the proposal.

Dr. Jeffrey Peterson of DeKalb Community Hospital Specialty Clinic was named Doctor of the Week by DeKalb Community Hospital. Dr. Peterson specializes in orthopedic surgery and lights up when talking about his chosen field. "I love taking care of patients," Dr. Peterson beams, "They are like family to me. I have a great staff and I really love what I do." When asked why he chose orthopedics over other specialty fields, Dr. Peterson smiles, "I got into orthopedic surgery because I saw an opportunity to give patients back the life they had prior to their injury or health issues. That part of my job just makes my day."

Orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Dr. Peterson uses both surgical and non-surgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, sports injuries, degenerative disease, infections, tumors and congenital disorders. Having been in practice for over eight years, Dr. Peterson has worked with many different age ranges and types of patients including one of his younger patients, Gracie Lynn Cowan. "Dr. Peterson is very nice and I really like him," Cowan grins, "I like coming here. The nurses are nice, too!"

Cowan's Grandma, Nancy Lance agrees, "We drove all the way from McMinnville to come here today. Dr. Peterson is great with kids and adults alike. I have brought two of my other grandkids to see Dr. P and they all just love him. He is excellent."

Dr. Peterson's staff was pleased with Dr. Peterson's recent recognition. "Everyone just loves Dr. Peterson. He is great to work with and his patients just adore him," said staff Michelle Cathcart, "DeKalb County is very lucky to have him here."

Dr. Peterson is located in the Specialty Clinic Building in front of DeKalb Community Hospital. For more information on Dr. Peterson or other specialty services, go to: www.dekalbcommunityhospital.com

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Pictured: (from left to right) Dr. Peterson and staff: Whitney Holt, Kim Driver, Dr. Jeffrey Peterson, and Michelle Cathcart. Dr. Peterson was named 'Doctor of the Week' by DeKalb Community Hospital.

Pictured: Patient, Gracie Lynn Cowan, smiles for the camera while waiting to see Dr. Peterson.

The search is on for the next superstar for the hit NBC show "The Voice" and local singing sensation Josh Issac is in the running for a special VIP audition.

Issac is among a number of singers who recently recorded a performance of the National Anthem in an audition in Nashville at the Music City Center. Now through November 17, viewers can go on-line and vote for their favorite audition. One winner will have a VIP audition for a future season of "The Voice"

(Click the link below to register and cast your vote. Josh Issac is contestant #13)

Issac said if he wins VIP status, it will guarantee him an audition for the show. "Basically, it's just a chance to win a ticket to skip the initial rounds of having to wait in long lines. This gives you a chance to sit down and actually talk to a producer and tell them, not only your ability of singing but also your story of how you got there," said Issac in an interview Friday with WJLE.

"What a lot of people don't know, on the show it looks like you are just automatically there but you go through about four or five rounds before you get to the national show. This (VIP Status) would let me skip two rounds so I would be about three rounds away," said Issac.

This is by no means Issac's first try for stardom on the national stage. "Six years ago I did participate in American Idol. I made it pretty far. I was on two different episodes which showed me on there. I decided after that time in my life to hang that up. But in the last couple of months different people have contacted me and I am able now to do some things I wasn't able to do then," he said

In order to secure a VIP audition, Issac needs votes. "Everybody has been asking, can we only vote once? No. You can actually vote once a day. So you get on the link. You have to register to vote. You will then go to your email. Confirm it and then you can vote every day. It's not that hard. Once you get through the initial process you just get on there and vote. People need to know that when you vote, each vote counts. Right now I'm in second place," said Issac.

"One question everyone likes to ask is which coach I would pick if selected on the show. I always tell them that while everyone loves Blake (Shelton) because he's from around here (Tennessee), I probably wouldn't pick him just because he likes country (music) and I am more R&B. I would probably pick Adam Levine," he said.

"The Voice", NBC's blockbuster vocal competition show, features some of the strongest vocalists from across the country . Celebrity musician coaches include Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Ceelo Green along with Carson Daly as host. The show’s innovative format features four stages of competition: the first begins with the blind audition, then the battle round, the brand new knockouts and finally, the live performance shows.

During the blind auditions, the decisions from the musician coaches are based solely on voice and not on looks. The coaches hear the artists perform, but they don't get to see them -- thanks to rotating chairs. If a coach is impressed by the artist’s voice, he/she pushes a button to select the artist for his/her team. At this point, the coach’s chair will swivel so that he/she can face the artist he/she has selected. If more than one coach pushes their button, the power then shifts to the artist to choose which coach they want to work with. If no coach pushes their button, the artist is eliminated from the competition.

Once the teams are set, the battle is on. Coaches will dedicate themselves to developing their team of artists, giving them advice, and sharing the secrets of their success along with the help from their celebrity advisers. During the battle rounds the coaches will pit two of their own team members against each other to sing the same song together in front of a studio audience.

After the vocal battle, the coach must choose which of his/her singers will advance to the next round of competition, while the losing artist is available to be stolen by another coach. Each coach has two steals during the battle rounds.

At the end of the battles, only the strongest members of each coach's roster remain and proceed to the new knockout rounds. The artists will be paired again with a member of their team, but this time they find out only minutes before performing who they are being compared against. The artists each select their own song to perform individually, while their direct competitor watches and waits. They are vying for their coach’s confidence and decision to take them to the live shows. Their coach will choose the winner and the artist not selected will be sent home.

In the final live performance phase of the competition, the top artists from each team will compete each week against each other during a live broadcast. The television audience will vote to save their favorite artists and the two artists with the lowest number of votes will be sent home each week. In the end, one will be named "The Voice" and will receive the grand prize of a recording contract.

Fall has definitely taken center stage since last I sent The Loop. The wind chimes outside my window are whippin’ in the wind, while the screen door is flappin’ every now and then reminding me there is a storm brewing on this last day of October.

With Governor Haslam saying it is unlikely the state will present an agreement with the federal government on Medicaid expansion before the new year, a window to speak with the Governor's office concerning a more fiscally-responsible alternative to state exchanges and medicaid expansion opened up for me last month. I want to thank Governor Haslam for taking time to hear from my friend, C.L. Gray, an M.D. who presented a common sense approach that would give states the ability and incentive to create lean, efficient Medicaid programs. With our national debt now approaching $17 trillion and states operating under the current system of unlimited federal matching dollars, out of control spending continues to be propelled. The more states spend on Medicaid, the more money they receive from Washington—the trajectory is unsustainable for the feds and the states, leaving us cash-strapped, overextended, and most certainly headed for a huge train wreck not far down the tracks. Folks, the Federal Government has proven it is NOT capable to run healthcare. Ask the millions who tried to enroll through the troubled federal website. All indications continue to reveal to me this mandate called Obamacare is nothing but WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!! There are ways for reform in healthcare and healthcost. To find out more info, read “The Battle for America's Soul” and watch “The Determinators” via YouTube, and decide for yourself. Are you on the side of empowering and protecting the individual OR surrendering power to the state?

The Tennessee Judicial Conference was held in October. When asked by Chief Justice Wade to “speak of your passion, Representative Weaver,” out of my heart rolled the need for Tennessee to establish more drug courts for mothers who can begin the process of healing, not only for themselves, but also for the babies they birthed who are addicted to prescription drugs. Being number one in the nation for the abuse of prescription drugs is not something to be proud of. This epidemic, stemming from the passage of the Intractable Act of 2001, plus the current lack of strong regulations on pain clinics, has resulted in the alarming number of babies being born forever affected by drugs. It will take all three branches of government to work as a team to heal our state of this sickness. Meeting the judges who already have successful drug courts in our state fueled my passion even more to stay the course. Also encouraging is to know that the Departments of Health, Mental Health, and Corrections are talking the same language and realizing there has to be accountability for this abuse which is no different than being accountable for driving drunk behind the wheel when another's life is broken or taken. Senate hearings concerning this issue showed me members are more educated than last year and see the need to pass legislation that jerks the knee out from under the illegal and legal drug pushers of Tennessee.

During the Tennessee Public Transportation Association’s Annual Conference at Music City Center, I participated in a Legislative Roundtable with three fellow legislators to discuss our state’s highway and transit funding. We are second, with Texas being first, in the nation for Transportation and Infrastructure. We live within our means and top the list in the nation with no transportation debt. Though I see at some point where public transit is going to be a top concern--currently?—well, I like my car and the freedom having my vehicle gives me. Apparently I am not alone, for the mindset of many like the ability to go and come as they please. There is much education needed in order to show the masses Nashville needs a public rapid transit system. Today we face some serious challenges, one of which is how we are going to fund maintaining our current roads and bridges when the gas tax is not sufficient and the federal matching money ceases after December 2014. Having attended Regions 2 and 3 TDOT Summits—25-Year Long Range Plan, addressing the changing demographics that will impact transportation demands across the state, I have invited a speaker from TDOT to my Coffee & Conversations in Smith County on November 15. Please join us and learn how we plan to keep Tennessee moving.

Trousdale County has had a busy and exciting October. First, the Governor visited the Elementary School, which was recognized as a Rewards School. Then a $500,000 grant for water system rehabilitation and economic development was presented to Hartsville-Trousdale County. And most recently, the schools were a district finalist and winner of the SCORE Award, demonstrating great success in student achievement, receiving $25,000 for all that hard work!!!! Great job, students and teachers. Also, it was announced that Trousdale County would be the site for a 2500-bed correctional facility that will bring many jobs and more economical boost to the smallest county in the state. Yes indeed, big things come in small packages and we are grateful for all the good things that have come by Trousdale County here of late.

In closing, what a great week Mike and I have had, taking former NFL player Herman Weaver to the schools in district 40. The response from students and teachers truly was awesome. Placing more positive influences before our children and training them in the way they should go will make a difference in the lives of our leaders of tomorrow.

Now as we begin November ,’tis the season to be thankful. In spite of all the sadness, darkness, and unsettling circumstances around us, I close with words from The Message, Colossians chapter three:

“And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ--The Message--have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives--words, actions, whatever--be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

Be ye thankful, and have a blessed Thanksgiving,

Terri Lynn

P.S.--Do not forget to join me every Friday at 7:30 for Coffee and Conversations:
1st Friday DeKalb County—Community Complex
2nd Friday Trousdale County—L & T Early Bird Café, Hartsville
3rd Friday Smith County—Smith County Chamber
4th Friday Sumner County—Mable’s Dining Room, Gallatin