Board of Education Set to Allow Admission of Non-Resident Students Upon Approval and Payment of Tuition

August 8, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

For several years the DeKalb County School District has maintained a closed door policy to any students from other counties wishing to enroll in either of the five schools here except for those whose parents are employed by the school system 

But that closed door policy may soon change. 

During Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting, the Board of Education adopted on first reading an amendment to the existing policy to allow non-resident students to apply for admission to DeKalb County Schools subject to approval of the Director of Schools and payment of a $750 per semester tuition per student. 

Out-of-district students with parents who are employees of the system would still be allowed to attend DeKalb County Schools.

Students who transfer to another school district or who become residents of the school system shall be refunded any unused portion of the tuition on a pro-rata basis.  

When payment is not made on all or any part of the required tuition for a previous year, the student(s) shall be excluded from future attendance until all prior and current tuition is paid.  

The Board will act on the policy amendment on second and final reading at the next meeting in September.

August 8, 2019
By:

The DeKalb County Health Department recently participated in the Red Sand Project. The Red Sand Project is artwork created by Molly Gochman that uses sidewalk interventions and earthwork installations to create opportunities for people to question, connect and take action against vulnerabilities that can lead to human trafficking and exploitation.

Participants simply fill a sidewalk crack with red sand and then document their sidewalk transformation on social media using #RedSandProject. The DeKalb County Courthouse was the location for the 2019 Red Sand Project.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Human Trafficking is the second-fastest growing criminal industry, just behind Drug Trafficking. In the United States, on average, every two minutes, a child is bought or sold for sex with the average age being 13.

For more information on Human Trafficking, please contact Megan Kinslow, Health Educator at 615-597-7599 or Megan.Kinslow@tn.gov. You may also visit the TBI website at https://www.tn.gov/tbi/crime-issues/crime-issues/human-trafficking.html or the Red Sand Project at https://redsandproject.org/.##

August 8, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Sparta man responsible for a burglary and theft at two cabins belonging to the same victim on Timber Lane has been arrested by the Sheriff’s Department

38 year old Chadwick Noble Dunham of Sparta is charged with two counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of vandalism, and two counts of theft. Dunham is under a $75,000 bond on these charges and he will make a court appearance on August 15.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on July 14, Dunham broke into a residence on Timber Lane and destroyed a glass door window in the process before taking a 48 inch Proscan television, 55 inch Samsung Smart television, Echo weedeater, two vacuum cleaners, and several other items with a total value of $2,600. The damage caused during the vandalism came to $400.

On the same day, Dunham broke into another residence on Timber Lane and destroyed a window in the process before stealing a 55 inch Vizio television, Xbox One, Sunny Bluetooth with speakers, Ipod, DVD player, two garden wagons and two lamp shades with a total value of $1,700. Damage from the vandalism came to $250.

Dunham had previously been arrested by the Sheriff’s Department after stealing items from three boats and damaging two of them in the process on Timber Lane.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 14 Dunham broke into a 2004 Triton boat, a 2013 Moomba boat, and a 2014 Cobalt boat and took a knee board, marine speakers, assorted cleaning supplies, a boat anchor, a black generator cover, several fishing rods, reels and fishing tackle. The total value of the items is $1,670.  On two of the boats, Dunham destroyed a trolling motor, fishing rods, battery, and wiring to the boats causing damage totaling $2,350.

25 year old Jeremy Frank Campbell of Chapel Hill is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court August 15.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 26 a deputy was called to check on a man who was observed waving down cars on Nashville Highway in Liberty. Upon arrival the officer spoke with the man, Campbell and noticed that he had a strong odor of alcohol on his person. He was also unsteady on his feet and his speech was slow. Campbell was also unaware of his surroundings. He admitted to having consumed a few drinks earlier.

25 year old Rodna Wayne Brock, Jr. of Shady Place, Smithville is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $3,500 and he will be in court August 15.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 27 a deputy responded to a domestic call at the Brock home and spotted a vehicle driven by Brock that had just left the residence. He then went to the Brock home and spoke to a man who reported he and his brother, Brock, had gotten into an argument and that Brock hit him in the face with a candle causing three gashes above his eye.

28 year old Ashley Carol Hernandez of Gentry Avenue, Smithville is charged with assault; resist stop, frisk, halt, arrest, or search; and bringing contraband into a penal institution. Her bond is $10,500 and she will make a court appearance on August 15.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 27 a deputy went to West Main Street to serve a warrant on Hernandez but while she was being placed in custody, Hernandez became profane and began to resist. She hit the deputy in the mouth with her elbow causing him to sustain a bloody lip.

After Hernandez was brought to the jail she was strip searched by a female correctional officer in the bathroom of the booking area where a small blue container was recovered that held two yellowish green colored pills.

42 year old Heath Wesley Braswell of Ferrell Road, Smithville is charged with filing a false report. His bond is $5,000 and he will make a court appearance on August 15.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 30 three deputies were called to Braswell’s home due to a reported physical domestic in progress. Upon arrival the officers spoke with Braswell who reported that a woman had hit him in the face several times but she told the deputies that there had been no physical altercation between her and Braswell. When pressed further, Braswell admitted that there had been no physical assault.

43 year old Jackie Lynn Davidson of Pine Creek Drive, Smithville is charged with failure to appear. She is under a $1,500 bond and her court date is August 15.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 31 Davidson failed to report to jail within the required ten days to be booked on a criminal summons for dogs running at large. Davidson had been served with the summons on July 18 and had until July 28 to report for booking.

25 year old Carlee Rose Landis of Johnson’s Chapel Road is charged with domestic assault. Her bond is $2,500 and she will make a court appearance on August 15.

Sheriff Ray said that on August 1 a deputy was dispatched to Landis’ home due to a physical domestic. Upon arrival the officer spoke with a woman who reported that she and her granddaughter, Landis had gotten into an argument and that Landis grabbed her hair and pulled her down before pushing her into a wall and scratching her face.

36 year old Jaquantez Shermont Pearson of Bell Street, Smithville is charged with violation of an order of protection. His bond is $3,500 and he will be in court on August 22.

Sheriff Ray said that on three different occasions Pearson called the petitioner of an order of protection against him while he was incarcerated at the jail.

39 year old Aubrey Glenn Rigsby of Bethel Road, Smithville is charged with a 7^th offense of driving on a suspended license. His bond is $7,500 and he will be in court on August 22.

Sheriff Ray said that on August 3 a deputy spotted Rigsby drive into the parking lot of Mapco Express in a silver Pontiac Grand Prix. Knowing that Rigsby’s license are suspended the officer stopped to confront Rigsby and confirmed through a computer check that his license has been suspended since April 4, 2003 for failure to appear in court and he had six prior offenses for driving without a license.

21 year old Adam Michael Whitecotton of Oak Drive, Smithville is charged with assault. His bond is $5,000 and he will make a court appearance on August 15.

Sheriff Ray said that as a correctional officer was escorting him back to his cell at the jail Whitecotton became confrontational and struck the officer several times about his face.