Community Effort Underway to Help Victims of Sunday Apartment Fire

July 8, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A community effort led by several local churches is underway to help ten families who lost their homes and belongings in the Towne’s Edge Village Apartment Fire Sunday.

Chad Ramsey, Pastor of the Smithville First Baptist Church said an account has been opened at First Bank for anyone who would like to make a cash donation to these families.

“Several of the churches have gotten together and contacted the apartment complex that caught on fire July 4 and we have set up an account at First Bank so if you would like to give to the families go to First Bank and give a donation and it will be split evenly to all the families who were caught up in that horrible fire over the weekend” said Ramsey.

Along with the Smithville FBC, at least four other churches, Outreach Baptist, New Life United Pentecostal, Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian, and the Smithville Church of Christ are pitching in to help.

“These churches are reaching out to the families to make sure they get assistance. If you would like to give to a family individually call any of these churches. Each has a list of which churches are helping out with which families,” Ramsey said.

Although temporary housing has been arranged for most of the fire victims, efforts are underway to find more long term solutions.

“If you know of an available apartment or rental space let these churches know so we can get the word out because finding rental property in Smithville and DeKalb County can be difficult at times,” Ramsey continued.

Donations of furniture are also needed, more so than clothing.

“They (fire victims) have as much clothes as they need thanks to sources like the New Life Center and others but furniture will be needed down the line as they find more permanent places to live. You may go to the HOPE Center on West Broad Street near Walmart to donate furniture and they can hold it until the families get settled,” added Ramsey.

“Its been great to see all the churches come together for this and we look forward to helping these families working together as a community.”

July 7, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb Prevention Coalition is hosting a Pool Party Friday, July 9 at the Smithville Golf Course Pool

Stop by the DeKalb Prevention Coalition table and get your FREE all-day pool pass and food voucher from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The event will include door prizes, fun activities, free prevention materials and free adult Narcan training.

If the pool is closed due to weather, the event will be rescheduled. Additional information may be found on the DeKalb Prevention Coalition facebook page. Call 615-580-9290 for more information.

The DeKalb Prevention Coalition is letting youth in DeKalb County know they can live above the influence and stay drug and alcohol free!

July 7, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County has a new Veterans Service Officer.

Bill Rutherford was recently named to the position succeeding longtime Veterans Service Officer Paul Cantrell who passed away last month.

The Veterans Service Office is located on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse and is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and although not required appointments are encouraged. The phone number is 615-597-3003.

“I’m excited about becoming the new Veterans Service Officer for DeKalb County and thrilled to be able to make a difference. I am here as an advocate for veterans to aide, assist, and fill out forms” said Rutherford.

DeKalb County has almost 1,500 military veterans and many of them , if not all, will need help when the time comes to apply for benefits and entitlements. Rutherford can not only file claims but help in gathering information to support them and track the claims through the system free of charge.

It is important that you use a Veteran Service Officer because, according to Rutherford, he can help you avoid the delays that missing paperwork or improperly filled out claims can cause.

“I can help find records including your DD214. That is a very important form which provides an in-depth look at your military career and character of service. I can also do compensation claims, pension claims and can assist you in getting into a Tennessee Veterans Nursing Home. Although it is a separate entity I can also help you with access to the VA Hospital System, providing contacts and ways of helping get you in the right direction. I can further help with burial needs. An important thing happening in the next few years is there will be a new veterans cemetery in White County and I expect a lot of veterans may want to be buried close to home at that veterans cemetery. It will be a state cemetery,” said Rutherford.

To provide faster and better service, the local Veterans Service Office can now process claims online.

“The state came in and loaded the (computer) programs and got us up and running so the DeKalb County Office is now all electronic. Its digital so when you come into the office and I file a claim its going in that day and once its loaded up it will come back and verify. That’s important because on an intent to file it puts a place marker and its good for one year so as we work and develop the claim, if you are awarded the claim, it will go back to the date that you initially came in and we filed intent for any back compensation pay. I have access to the VA system to look and see if you are receiving compensation or if you have ever filed a claim. I can see what codes were assigned to your disability and your claim, percentages, and assist if you are asking for an increase in the compensation rate or if you are filing a new claim,” he said.

Rutherford and his wife Nancy reside in DeKalb County and they have six children and sixteen grandchildren. He is retired with 40 years of service for UPS. Rutherford is also a retired military man having served six years in the Marine Corps and fourteen years with the Tennessee National Guard. He has a bachelor’s degree in management/leadership.

To become accredited as a Veterans Service Officer, Rutherford completed 80 hours of accreditation classes and participates in a monthly continuing education program to keep up to date.

Rutherford invites all veterans to stop by to see him on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the courthouse office or call if you have questions.

“I do go out to veterans homes and am called away from the office sometimes but I try to be here as much as I can on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Although each county has a Veterans Service Officer, I can assist you no matter where you are from. If you moved here from somewhere else I can still assist you. I want every veteran to feel welcome to come in,” said Rutherford.