DPC Awards DeKalb West Red Ribbon Poster Contest Winners

November 20, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb Prevention Coalition has recognized students at DeKalb West School who participated in a poster contest in support of Red Ribbon Week last month.

Red Ribbon Week raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs facing our community, and encourages parents, educators, business owners, and other community organizations to promote drug-free lifestyles.

This year’s theme was “Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Drug Free!

The DeKalb Prevention Coalition provided cash prizes from a community yard sale fundraiser held in July along with red ribbon materials.

The following are DeKalb West School Red Ribbon Poster contest winners and teacher/ classroom prize winners.

Grades 3-5
1st Christian Cripps
2nd Grady Thomason
3rd Averly Moss (Not pictured)
4th Abram Maynard

K-2
1st Sawyer Hendrix
2nd Claire Cripps
3rd Maggie Hendrix
4th Emma Thomason

Teachers
1st Ashlee Thomason
2nd Karen France
3rd Whitney Brelje

November 19, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Donny Green, County Executive Director of the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency, announces that the 2020 FSA County Committee elections are underway as ballots were mailed to eligible voters in Local Administrative Area (LAA) # 2 (DeKalb County) on November 2nd. LAA # 2 generally includes the Alexandria, Helton, Temperance Hall, Liberty, Dowelltown, Dry Creek, Dale Ridge, and Snow Hill communities.

December 7, 2020 will be the last day to postmark voted ballots returned by mail, or to deliver voted ballots to the local FSA office.

Grant Williams was the only candidate nominated for LAA # 2 during the 2020 nomination period. Mr. Williams has been certified as an eligible candidate and is currently completing his first 3-year term on the DeKalb FSA County Committee. Grant owns and operates a farm in the Dale Ridge Community where he produces livestock and hay.

Write-in nominations can be accepted on ballots. However, the write-in nominee must meet eligibility criteria and attest to his or her willingness to serve, if elected, by signing a nominating petition. Agricultural producers were encouraged to submit candidate names during the nomination period that ended August 1, 2020.

“The FSA county committee system is unique among government agencies because it allows producers to make important decisions concerning the local administration of federal farm programs. All eligible farmers and ranchers, especially minorities and women, are encouraged to get involved and make a real difference in their communities by voting in this year’s elections,” says Green.

To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must participate or cooperate in FSA programs. A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm can also vote.

Eligible voters in DeKalb County LAA # 2 who did not receive a ballot can obtain a ballot at their local USDA Service Center. December 7, 2020 is the last day for voters to submit ballots in person to local USDA Service Centers. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than December 7, 2020. The DeKalb/Cannon FSA County Committee will meet on December 10, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. to canvass and tabulate the ballots. This meeting is open to the public. The newly elected committee member and alternates take office January 1, 2021.

November 19, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Forty six people were indicted in various crimes by the DeKalb County Grand Jury Monday and they are scheduled for arraignment in Criminal Court December 8.

Those indicted and their charges are as follows:

Crystal Michelle Baker: Possession with intent to sell or deliver a schedule V drug (Gabapentin), simple possession of a schedule II drug (3 counts), simple possession of a schedule VI drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Michael Loyd Ballinger: Auto burglary, vandalism over $1,000, and theft over $2,500

Lavar Kinte Bass: Driving on a revoked license (9th offense) and retaliation for a past action

Christopher Elliott Bradshaw: Burglary, theft over $1,000, and vandalism under $1,000

Henry Thomas Butler: Aggravated burglary, burglary, theft over $2,500, and auto burglary

Christopher Gene Burchett: DUI and violation of the implied consent law

Fred Thomas Dowell, Jr.: DUI, driving on a revoked license (3rd offense), and violation of the open container law

Bennie Ted Evans: Aggravated assault

William Doyle Flarity: DUI (2nd offense)

Samantha Bee Florida, Jonathon David Thomas, and Kenneth Adam Wright: Aggravated burglary (2 counts) and theft over $2,500

Royce Avoin Foster: Burglary, theft under $1,000, and vandalism over $1,000

Steven Ray Foster III: Aggravated burglary, theft over $1,000, and theft under $1,000 (2 counts)

Krisann Rene Garmer: Filing a false report

Caroline Rose Guffy: DUI, violation of the implied consent law, and DUI per se

Jamie Lynn Hall: Fraudulent use of a credit card

Amanda Kay Hamilton: DUI (2nd offense, violation of the implied consent law, and introduction of contraband (oxycodone) into the county jail

Gabriel James Hesson: Theft over $1,000

Travis Michael Jenkins and Patrick Ryan Goolsby: Possession with intent to sell or deliver a schedule I drug (Heroin) and possession with intent to sell or deliver over 0.5 grams of a schedule II drug (Methamphetamine)

Hope Leigh Lachenauer: Theft under $1,000

Charlotte Elaine Malone and Crystal Gail Malone: Manufacturing marijuana

Melisha Rena Martin: Theft under $1,000

Amanda Lynn McClure: Assault

Harry Carlson McIntosh: Domestic assault

Micah Daniel Murphy: DUI and evading arrest

Bobby Ray O’Conner, Jr. Aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Gregory Michael Patton: Aggravated burglary, theft under $1,000, auto burglary, and theft over $10,000

Shawn Bradley Patton: Reckless driving, evading arrest and reckless endangerment

Stephen Brandon Pirtle: DUI and DUI per se

Gary Christopher Ponder: Fraudulent use of a debit card

Terri Lynn Poss: DUI and DUI per se

Danny Ray Prater: Theft over $1,000

Robert Joseph Salyers: Aggravated assault

Michael Andrew Snyders: Aggravated burglary and vandalism over $1,000

Jessica Lee Steinbach: Auto burglary, theft over $2,500, burglary, and theft over $1,000

Joshua Allen Stubblefield: DUI and DUI per se

Jason Alexander Sturdivant: Evading and driving on a suspended license

Benjamin Theodore Taylor: DUI (2nd offense) and DUI per se

Jonathon David Thomas: Theft under $1,000 and criminal trespassing

Michael King Williams, Jr.: DUI, DUI per se, evading, possession of a handgun while under the influence, and aggravated assault.

Justin Glynn Vandergriff: DUI (2nd offense)

Ismael Vicente Viel: DUI and DUI per se

Ryan Lee Walden: Aggravated burglary (3 counts), theft over $2,500, theft under $1,000 (2 counts), auto burglary, and possession of burglary tools

Steven Michael White: DUI