Smithville Police Chief Warns of Social Security Scam

August 7, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Social Security numbers are the skeleton key to identity theft. And what better way to get someone’s Social Security number than by pretending to be from Social Security?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates that scammers call thousands of Americans every day, looking to wangle personal information, steal benefits or both. It’s a common form of government imposter scam in which fraudsters pose as government officials to get you to send money or give up personal and financial data for use in identity theft.

Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins says such activity has been occurring locally of late.

“The elderly are being targeted by these scammers. People are reporting to us that they have received telephone calls from the number 1-844-228-5887 and the caller claims to be from the Social Security Administration. The scammer tells the would be victim that their social security number has been used for fraudulent activity and then requests personal information from the victim in order to keep them safe. Do not fall for this scam. The Social Security Administration already has your personal information and will not call you in this manner,” said Chief Collins.

If someone has tried to make you a victim of this scam you may report it to the Smithville Police Department at 615-597-8210.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported a surge in late 2018 in scams involving fake SSA employees calling people with warnings that their Social Security numbers had been linked to criminal activity and suspended. The caller asks you to confirm your number so he or she can reactivate it or issue you a new one, for a fee. This is no emergency but a ploy to get money and personal data: Social Security does not block or suspend numbers, ever.

This con is sometimes executed via robocall — the recording provides a number for you to call to remedy the problem. In another version, the caller says your bank account is at risk due to the illicit activity and offers to help you keep it safe.

August 7, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A celebration was held Tuesday evening for three adults and three juveniles who have graduated from the DeKalb County Recovery Court Program and are on the path to sober living.

The Retreat at Center Hill Lake served as the setting for the observance.

(Video below of Judge Bratten Cook, II)

IMG_9122 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Each of the adult graduates, Justin Murphy, Maranda Murphy, and Jamie Ramos, along with the juveniles, Kaylee Duggin, Jacklyn Reed, and Emily Roehner received plaques from General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II in recognition for their accomplishments.

“This program takes an extreme amount of dedication and hard work, but our hope is that these graduates will take the knowledge and skills that they have learned throughout their time in the program and not only implement it in their life, but to be an inspiration to others,” said Kate Arnold, Coordinator of the DeKalb County Recovery Court Program.

(Video below of Recovery Court guest speaker Justin Cantrell)

IMG_9123 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Recovery Court, a 12 month program, provides an alternative to incarceration for eligible non-violent offenders, who are deemed substance dependent.

Ramos was accepted by the Recovery Court Team on April 12, 2018. A resident of the Hope Society in Lebanon, Ramos has completed treatment, recovery, parenting, and the 12 Step Programs, paid her court costs and fines, and has now obtained employment. Ramos has been Baptized and now attends spiritual services each week and on March 13 she won custody of her daughter.

“Recovery Court helped save my life. Recovery Court gave my daughter her mother back and I have worked really hard over these 16 months and I will continue to work on staying sober. I can say I am proud of myself and I truly love myself. Recovery is possible. It works if we work it. I have also been able to fix relationships that were destroyed due to active addiction. I could not have done this without God. I thank God for allowing me another chance to change my life. I also want to thank Recovery Court for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself and pushing me to be better. God has blessed me with an amazing support system and I am grateful to be graduating tonight and to be sober,” said Ramos.

Maranda Murphy entered the Recovery Court Program on December 15, 2016. She has paid all of her court costs and fines and last fall was admitted to the House of Hope, Mission Teens in Brazil, Indiana and successfully completed the program on July 26 after 282 days. During that time, Maranda served as a full time cook and later was promoted to Assistant Food Manager. She eventually became a trainee counselor of other residents there.

“I want to thank Jesus for all His blessings on me and for everything He has brought me through. I also want to thank the Recovery Court team for believing and trusting in me enough to send me to a place long enough to where I could trust in myself again. Somewhere that changed me and made me realize my family and life is better than falling into the devil’s temptations. In the beginning I didn’t have hope with my addiction but God saw fit for me to have another chance,” said Maranda Murphy.

Justin Murphy was accepted into the Recovery Court Program on April 26, 2018. He received his certificate of completion from the Buffalo Valley Substance Abuse Treatment facility on July 14, 2018 and got his very first job with benefits at Omega Apparel in November, 2018 and he is still employed there today. Murphy has paid all his court costs and fines and completed the 12 Step Program among other obligations.

“I just want to say difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. I would like to thank everybody and the Recovery Court Team for giving me guidance in the right direction,” said Justin Murphy

Although skeptics remain, Judge Cook said more people are beginning to realize the importance of Recovery Courts.

“Some of my colleagues (judges) do not believe in Recovery Court but thank goodness there are very few of those people but some still do not recognize that addiction is a disease. Medical science has shown time and again that addiction is a disease and it takes a lot to treat it. If you incarcerate someone it costs about $20,000 a year to keep them up and that is if they don’t have any serious medical problems. The expense for those in Recovery Court is about $5,000 a year so it’s a no brainer. Do we want to treat and get them back on the right road at $5,000 a year or do we want to throw them in jail and spend $20,000 a year on them where they learn nothing and usually come out worse than when they went in. Thank goodness our society is coming around to the belief that addiction is a disease and one that we do need to treat. As far as I’m concerned, the people we’re afraid of we need to incarcerate and those we are mad at we need to treat. None of the people in our program are violent offenders but we’re mad at them because they might have stolen a checkbook and forged a bunch of checks or stolen something to try and get money for drugs. We’re not afraid of them. We’re just mad and when we find out the root of the problem and start treating it then they start in recovery and eventually get here as our six graduates are tonight,” said Judge Cook.

Justin Cantrell, a recovering drug addict and guest speaker for Tuesday night’s program, said his life has completely changed within the last three years thanks to Recovery Court.

“I grew up in a broken home. Both of my parents were drug addicts. I grew up angry and displeased about everything. I never felt good enough in school and never thought I would be a part of anything but I thank God for my grandparents. They really stepped in and helped me throughout my life. I took a hard road to get where I am today. I thank God for the 12 steps of recovery which allowed me to be here today. Without it I would have no peace in my life. That is what brought me to the understanding of my higher power, which is Jesus Christ. Once I started believing in myself my whole life changed and I started setting goals. Now I have my freedom, a car, home, a job, and I recently got married. My life has completely changed and I am going on three years clean now. I give all the glory to God,” said Cantrell.

Members of the DeKalb Adult Recovery Court Team who oversee the program in addition to Judge Cook, Recovery Court Coordinator Arnold, and Case Manager Rhonda Harpole are Clara Knowles of PSI Probation; Connie Beltz of the Sheriff’s Department; John and Kay Quintero of Haven of Hope; Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Johnson; Assistant District Public Defender Scott Grissom; Larry Latzman, Recovery Coach at Finding My Recovery Virtual Peer Support at Plateau Mental Health Center; and Keeley McKay of the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.

DeKalb Juvenile Recovery Court Team members in addition to Judge Cook and Recovery Court Coordinator Arnold are Case Manager Katie Parker; Sara Whisnant and Jamie York of DCS probation; Attorney Brandon Cox; Richard Williams, Juvenile Court Youth Service Officer; Tonya of Haven of Hope; and Tonya Kemper of UCHRA Intensive Probation.

August 6, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District announces that Ragland Bottom Day Use Beach at Center Hill Lake in Smithville, Tenn., is reopened as water conditions have returned to acceptable levels.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Rangers at Center Hill Lake closed the beach abruptly Aug. 2, 2019 due to elevated levels of Escherichia coli (E. Coli.). The two other designated swimming areas at Floating Mill Recreation Area tested in the normal range and remained open.

Droppings from non-migrating geese are suspected to be the culprit of the high bacteria levels at Ragland Bottom and measures are being taken to prevent future occurrences. Visitors are encouraged not to feed geese around designated swimming beaches and are asked to report any health related illness to local county health departments.

The Nashville District routinely tests water quality throughout the recreation season at its designated beaches and swimming areas at all 10 lakes in the Cumberland River Basin. For more information about water quality in Tennessee, please visit https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/wr-water-resources/water-quality.html. For more information about water quality in Kentucky, please visit https://eec.ky.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water/Pages/default.aspx.