Qualifying Deadline One Month Away for March 2024 DeKalb Primaries

November 14, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

With the qualifying deadline only one month away, two more people have obtained petitions for the March 5th DeKalb County Republican Primary including Jason Brown for Constable-District 6, and Jason Miller, Incumbent School Board Member-District 6.

Brown, an incumbent constable, was elected to the office in 2020 as a Democrat and Miller won the 6th district school board seat in 2020 as a non-partisan or independent candidate.

Recently governor appointed judge Shawn Fry of Cookeville has also filed his petition in the six counties including DeKalb that make up the 13th Judicial District to seek a full eight-year term to the newly created criminal court judgeship.

Six others had already obtained petitions for the GOP Primary. Two of them plan to be in the race for Property Assessor including incumbent Shannon Cantrell and challenger Amy Clare Lockhart. Fourth district constable Lane Ball will be seeking a full four-year term as constable and Incumbent Fifth district constable Mark Milam has picked up and returned his petition for re-election with the required number of signatures to be a qualified constable candidate for the primary. Incumbent Third district constable Travis Bryant will be seeking re-election as constable and newcomer Danny Adamson has picked up and returned his petition with the required number of signatures to be a qualified candidate for constable in District-2.

Both the DeKalb County Republican and Democratic Parties will be holding primaries simultaneously on Tuesday, March 5th for the offices of Property Assessor, Constable (districts 1-7), and Board of Education (5th & 6th) districts along with the newly created position of criminal court judge-Part III in the 13th judicial district. The primaries will be held in conjunction with the Tennessee Presidential Preference Primary.

The qualifying deadline is Thursday, December 14 at 12 noon. The voter registration deadline for the March 5th primaries is February 5 and the early voting period will be Wednesday, February 14 through Tuesday, February 27. The Absentee ballot request deadline is Tuesday, February 27, 2024.

Independents wishing to run for Assessor of Property or Constable (districts 1-7), Board of Education (5th & 6th) districts, or for criminal court judge-Part III in the August 2024 County General Elections must also qualify by noon on Thursday, December 14.

Party nominees and independents for these offices will run in the DeKalb County General Election on Thursday, August 1, 2024 and those elected will take office September 1, 2024.

The incumbents in these offices are Assessor of Property Shannon Cantrell and Constables- 1st District: Waylon Kyle, 2nd District: Darrell Johnson, 3rd District: Travis Bryant, 4th District: Lane Ball, 5th District: Mark Milam, 6th District: Jason Brown, and 7th District: Johnny King.

The school board seats up for election in 2024 are currently held by Jamie Cripps in the 5th district and Jason Miller in the 6th district.

November 14, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A man picked up by the Sheriff’s Department on an active warrant against him was found with drugs during the arrest.

28-year-old Cody Lane Lawrence Bogle of Students Home Road, Smithville is charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. He is under a $25,000 bond and will appear in court November 23.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on November 7 a deputy spotted Bogle on West Broad Street and placed him under arrest knowing that Bogle had an active warrant against him. During the arrest, Bogle emptied his pockets and produced a black container with a piece of tin foil which held a powdery substance believed to be Heroin that weighed 0.28 grams. According to Sheriff Ray, Bogle admitted that the substance was Heroin. Bogle also had on him a glass container which held five white round pills believed to be Carisoprodol and a baggy, which he produced from the black container which held a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine that weighed 1.5 grams.

26-year-old Tanisha Danielle Bandy of East Main Street, Smithville is charged with driving on a revoked license. Her bond is $1,500 and she will be in court November 30. Sheriff Ray said that on November 10 while patrolling East Broad Street, a deputy saw Bandy driving a maroon Dodge Durango. Knowing that her license was revoked, the officer pulled her over and placed her under arrest. This same officer had cited Bandy for the same offense on November 2.

48-year-old Chadwick Foster Sherrod of Tenaha, Texas is charged with possession of a firearm during a felony, reckless endangerment, evading arrest, and a 5th offense of driving under the influence. His bond is $40,000 and he will be in court November 30. Sheriff Ray said that a deputy was summoned to Nashville Highway due to a possible DUI driver and when he approached the area the officer spotted a black Chevrolet Silverado traveling all over the road. The deputy activated his emergency equipment and tried to pull over the vehicle, but the truck failed to stop almost hitting several other automobiles. The vehicle subsequently stopped after a pursuit and the officer spoke with the driver, Sherrod who had a strong odor of alcohol on him. Sherrod’s speech was slurred, and he was unsteady on his feet. A Winchester model 1200 12-gauge shotgun was found behind the truck seat and several open containers of alcohol were in plain view. Sherrod refused to submit to field sobriety tasks.

41-year-old Willie Ray Murphy of West Bryant Street, Smithville is charged with a second offense of driving on a revoked license. His bond is $7,500 and he will make a court appearance November 30. Sheriff Ray said that on November 6 a deputy was patrolling Four Seasons Road when he spotted Murphy driving a white Lincoln car. Knowing that Murphy’s license was revoked, the deputy pulled him over and confirmed the revocation through central dispatch.

November 13, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A Sunday afternoon fire destroyed one home, heavily damaged another, and charred five acres of woodlands in the Cove Hollow Community off Dale Ridge Road.

According to Assistant Chief Anthony Boyd, the DeKalb County Fire Department was summoned to 175 Village Way to the lake home of Steven Chamberlain, who was not at home when the fire started. Chamberlain’s primary residence is in Hendersonville.

The cause of the fire is undetermined. Assistant Chief Boyd said neighbors who were inside their own homes at the time heard something and came outside to discover the fire. 911 was alerted at 3:28 p.m.

The blaze consumed the home and all contents. Heat from the fire then sparked a blaze at the neighbor lake home of Keith and Teresa Harmon at 160 Village Way. The Harmon’s were not present at the time. Their primary residence is in Murfreesboro.

Although the Harmon home was heavily damaged, the dining room and a bedroom were spared except for some smoke and water damage.
(Jim Beshearse video)

Members of the DeKalb Fire Department’s Main station, Liberty, Temperance Hall, and Cookeville Highway Stations responded along with a tanker, brush truck, the rehab team, and the Alexandria Fire Department who provided mutual aid. DeKalb EMS and the Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene.

(Jim Beshearse video)

The Tennessee Department of Forestry brought the woodland fire under the control.

A firefighter suffered an injury when he fell through the porch of the Harmon home while fighting the fire. He was taken by DeKalb EMS to Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital where he was treated and released.