Long time Smithville Firefighters Recognized for Years of Service

January 7, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville Aldermen Monday night approved the current list of volunteer firefighters and officers serving the department for the city in 2020 and those with 21 to 40 years of service received a plaque from Fire Chief Charlie Parker.

“I want to recognize our firefighters for their outstanding service. I am proud of each and every one. We are very excited to have these one and two year people but those with 15- 40 years, these guys are the reason the fire department is what it is today. They have been very instrumental in bringing the department along with training and equipment to what we have today. I am proud of each and every one for what they do,” said Chief Parker.

Members of the department and their years of service are as follows: Jeff Prisock-1 year, Brent Keenan-1 year, Shannon Smith-1 year, Andrew Cooper-Rookie 1 year, Kayla Williams-Photographer/Auxiliary 1 year, Brenda Soto-Rookie 2 years, Dillon Hicks-Rookie 2 years, Caleb London-3 years, Ryan Herron: 4 years, Seth Wright-4 years, Kim Johnson-4 years, Bradley Johnson- 6 years, Dalton Roberts-6 years, C.J. Tramel- 6 years, Shawn Jacobs- Auxiliary 7 years, Becky Atnip- 7 years, Cory Killian-9 years, Glen Lattimore-12 years, Stephanee Wright-14 years, Gary Johnson-15 years, James Randall Hunt-15 years, Wallace Caldwell- Chaplain 16 years, Lieutenant Kevin Adcock- 21 years, William (Wink) Brown-22 years, Greg Bess-Photographer/Auxiliary 25 years, Lieutenant John Poss-30 years, Captain Jeff Wright-35 years, Deputy Chief Hoyte Hale-35 years, Lieutenant Donnie Cantrell-40 years, Lieutenant Danny Poss-40 years, and Chief Charlie Parker-40 years.

January 7, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

An elderly man escaped serious injury in a rollover crash Thursday on Highway 56 in the Shiney Rock Community.

According to Trooper Chris Delong of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 76 year old Sanford Chrisman of Smithville was traveling south on Highway 56 in a 2018 Nissan Kicks when he went off the right side of the road and struck a culvert. The vehicle overturned on its top. Chrisman was taken by DeKalb EMS to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department Rescue and Extrication Team helped remove Chrisman from the vehicle

January 5, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Members of the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church and other volunteers devoted several hours of their day Saturday to make sure the less fortunate of our community have plenty to eat for the next few days.

Hundreds of families were served during the drive through mobile food pantry in what has become a regular event, held at least twice a year.

Cars began lining up on South College Street across from the church several hours ahead of schedule and by the time the food drive began, the line of vehicles stretched all the way to near Green Brook Park.

Church Pastor Isaac Gray said Second Harvest brings in pallets of food on trucks. The food is then off loaded and organized in preparation for the distribution.

“It includes vegetables, fruit, canned goods, potatoes, and all sorts of different food items. We unload and sort it out in the alley behind Market Street and people drive through. They can get one box per household or two boxes depending upon how many people are in the car. That’s what makes this food drive unique is that people don’t even get out of their car. They stay in their vehicle the whole time and we do the work for them. They drive thru and we fill up their cars with boxes of food and we give it out until the cars stop coming or until we run out of food. Every time we have done this we have always had enough food for every person who has come through,” he said.

Gray said the church enjoys serving the community in this way and plans to keep on doing it at least twice a year.

“We love doing it and people seem to be very thankful and grateful for what we are doing. We just want to try to help our community and help people who need some food. That is what we are about,” said Gray.