Emotional Recovery from COVID-19

July 30, 2020
By: Bill Conger

Besides the physical battles COVID-19 has caused across the world, the pandemic is also leaving a trail of emotional scars. As a result, there have been increases in depression, suicide, substance abuse, overdoses, family conflict and child abuse and other mental health issues. Thanks to the Tennessee Recovery Project grant program, help is available.

“The purpose of the COVID-19 grant is to provide individuals who may be suffering from emotional or social issues as a result of either fear of disease, isolation or loss of job, or experiencing any kind of issues as a result of the pandemic and need someone to talk to,” says Program Manager Donna Vize, LSMW.

A hotline is manned live seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. for anyone in the Upper Cumberland counties needing assistance. The number to call is 833-954-2424. The Hotline provides connection to resources, short-term supportive counseling, long-term counseling referrals, and coping advice.

In addition, virtual groups will gather on the Facebook page, “Tennessee Recovery Project: Emotional Recovery from COVID-19.”

“The benefit of participating in a group or a live chat is one to eliminate that feeling of isolation to see if there are other people who are experiencing the same thing and two, to gain insight and support from other people who are experiencing the same kind of issues that you may be experiencing,” said Vize.

Here are some of the signs a person is experiencing stress: difficulty falling or staying asleep, having nightmares, low energy or difficult concentrating, irritability, outbursts of anger, crying and feeling sad, excessive drinking or drug use, feeling nervous or “on edge,” constant worrying, incapacitating guilt and self-doubt, sudden painful emotions, feeling apathetic or numb, withdrawing from others, and developing a fear of leaving home.

Again, the hotline for the Tennessee Recovery Project is 833-954-2424.

July 30, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A man who escaped from custody after appearing in General Sessions Court Thursday morning has been apprehended.

Acting on a tip, detectives of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department found James Ricky Ashford, Jr. inside a shed by a residence on McMinnville Highway, only hours after he made his getaway. Ashford was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Sheriff’s Department where he has been charged with escape.

According to Chief Deputy Robert Patrick, Ashford was placed in custody during court Thursday morning due to multiple outstanding warrants against him for violation of probation.

“Ashford was handcuffed and escorted across the street along with other inmates from the court house to the Sheriff’s Department when he bolted from a court officer and the correction staff and ran toward North Mountain Street near central dispatch before getting into an early 2000’s model (blue) Chevrolet pickup truck and fleeing the area. The incident occurred at 10:16 a.m.,” said Chief Deputy Patrick.

The information on Ashford was entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data base and a Be On The Lookout (BOLO) was issued to surrounding counties. Although he was being taken there Ashford had not been incarcerated at the jail facility at the time of his escape.

July 30, 2020
By:

DeKalb County has been included on a “daily hotspot triage” report distributed by the Department of Homeland Security and obtained by ABC News. It identified 98 emerging hot spots for COVID-19 in 30 states and 21 of these were considered “new emerging hot spots.”

According to the Tennessee Department of Health, there were 269 total COVID-19 cases in DeKalb County as of Wednesday, July 29. Two weeks ago, the county only had 119 cases, which is a 126% increase during that time period.

The county of roughly 20,000 people has 159 active cases, according to the state, and one person has died. A total of 4,127 people have been tested since March with 3,858 negative results. One hundred nine persons tested positive  have recovered.

The DeKalb County Health Department’s testing hours are Monday-Friday from 9am to 12 NOON every day.

At 269 cases, DeKalb County ranks 6th highest in the 14 county Upper Cumberland region behind Putnam with 1,465 (13 deaths), Macon 794 (13 deaths), Cumberland 346 (6 deaths), Warren 339 (3 deaths), and Smith 322 (2 deaths ). Other counties in the region with COVID-19 cases are White 175 (3 deaths), Overton 118 (1 death), Cannon 105, Jackson 103, Fentress 63, Clay 52, Van Buren 29, and Pickett 22 (1 death)

(Click Link Below for COVID-19 Prevention Tips)

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html