Community Unites in Prayer for Schools (View video here)

August 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Members of the community concerned about our school system answered the call to pray Sunday afternoon during what has become an annual event prior to the start of school.

This year’s prayer time called ” Back 2 School Call 2 Prayer” was held at DeKalb County High School. As in past years it featured several local ministers offering prayers for each school as well as the school transportation staff, athletic activities and band program, law enforcement agencies, and the school board.

Donnie Kelly, retired Pastor of the Smithville AG (First Assembly of God) made welcoming remarks followed by Director of Schools Patrick Cripps, who spoke briefly about plans for the school year. Jamie Greco, Praise & worship leader at the Smithville AG sang the National Anthem.

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Local ministers participating were:

* Jordan Atnip, Youth Pastor of Smithville First Baptist Church (who prayed for DeKalb County High School)

* Chris Moore, Pastor of the Smithville Church of God (who prayed for DeKalb Middle School)

* Shayne Ray, Youth Pastor of Outreach Baptist Church (who prayed for Northside Elementary School)

* Sam Scavo, Campus Pastor at Christpoint in Smithville (who prayed for Smithville Elementary School)

* Jimmy Arms, Pastor of Upper Helton Baptist Church (who prayed for DeKalb West School)

* Graden Kirksey, Pastor of Refuge Church (who prayed for School Transportation Staff)

* Brian Jones, Pastor of Pomeroy Chapel (who prayed for the athletic department/band)

* Dan Gulley, Minister at the Smithville Church of Christ (who prayed for the local law enforcement departments)

* Joel Wood, Pastor of the Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church (who prayed for the School Board)

Instead of a closing prayer, everyone was encouraged to go to the school where their children or grandchildren attend to offer a prayer.

August 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A man caught on surveillance cameras stealing fuel and batteries at the DeKalb County Landfill was recently sentenced in Criminal Court.

40 year old Brandon Lyle Bohannon entered a plea to theft of property on July 16 and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to CPS probation. He must make restitution of $2,251 to DeKalb County.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that from February 15 through May 9, 2018 Bohannon stole six vehicle batteries, gas, and 45 gallon buckets of hydraulic fluid from the DeKalb County Landfill on Felts Road.

Bohannon was identified as the suspect after his image was caught on surveillance cameras set up at the landfill by a sheriff’s department detective.

A woman arrested for auto burglary at a local funeral home in April was also recently sentenced in criminal court.

28 year old Heather Leigh Standridge entered a plea by criminal information on July 16 to auto burglary and theft over $1,000 and received a TDOC sentence of two years in each case to run consecutively for a total of four years but suspended to supervised probation. The term is to run consecutively with a violation of probation against her in General Sessions Court.

A co-defendant, 41 year old Ernest R. Mashburn Jr. entered a plea in June by criminal information to auto burglary and theft over $1,000. He received a 2 year sentence in each case to run consecutively for a total of 4 years. He will be on TDOC probation. Mashburn was given jail credit from April 19 to June 18, 2019.

Smithville Police were called to Love-Cantrell Funeral Home in reference to a theft. Upon arrival the officer noticed that someone had scattered items around inside a van belonging to the funeral home. The owner informed the officer that witnesses spotted a man (Mashburn) suspiciously walking around the backside of the funeral home where the van was parked. Video surveillance from the funeral home showed a man (Mashburn) and a woman (Standridge) entering the van and taking items out of it. Police later located the couple walking in front of Omega Apparel and placed them in custody.

Police recovered items taken from the van including a Ruger 22 handgun, Oakley sunglasses, key fob, radio remote, touch screen radio, FM transmitter, cassette adapter, 2XL US shirt, headphones, phone chargers, cold weather face mask, and 2 packs of baseball cards. The total value of the stolen items was $2,280.

25 year old Samuel Dylan Giles entered a plea to reckless endangerment and received a sentence of six months all suspended to CPS probation. All other charges against him were dismissed.

Smithville Police responded to 246 Jacobs Pillar Road on February 2 due to a vehicle that had run through a fence there. During an investigation, the officer was informed that the driver, Giles had lost control of the vehicle after his hands became numb. While speaking with Giles the officer detected an odor of alcohol coming from his person. The officer also learned that Giles had consumed 3 or 4 beers prior to the accident. Giles submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He was then taken into custody without incident.

36 year old Ashley Nicole Owen entered a plea to tampering with evidence and received a three year sentence suspended to supervised probation.

Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, April 12 James Owen’ vehicle was stopped on East Broad Street for a display of registration violation. While speaking with Owen, the deputy noticed that his speech was very rapid and stuttered. His eyes were red and glossy and his pupils constricted. As Owen got out of the vehicle, he was unsteady on his feet and fidgety. He performed poorly on field sobriety tasks and although he submitted to implied consent for a blood test, a search warrant was obtained for a blood sample. A search of his vehicle turned up 0.2 grams of meth from the console of the car, glass pipes, and Oxycodone.

Ashley Owen was a passenger with James and as she got out of the automobile, the deputy saw Ashley put something in her mouth, believed to be a pill before swallowing it. The officer found other pills on Ashley including Hydrocodone along with a needle.

Jessica Owen was also a passenger and had on her person a bottle of 51 pills believed to be Hydrocodone. Owen, who had no prescription for the drugs, has been convicted before for the sale and delivery of the schedule II drug Oxycodone. As Jessica got out of the vehicle, she too put a Hydrocodone pill in her mouth and tried to swallow it but the officer was able to retrieve it. He also found in her possession a needle and glass pipes with residue.

The cases against James and Jessica Owen remain pending in court.

66 year old Melvin Leon Cripps entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug with intent to sell. He received a six year suspended sentence on judicial diversion supervised probation. He must make restitution of $65 to the sheriff’s department.

39 year old Hani Ittayem entered a plea to sale of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams and received a six year TDOC sentence to serve. He was fined $2,000 and was given jail credit of 292 days.

26 year old Marco Antonio Granados entered a plea to driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days on CPS supervised probation except for 48 hours to serve. He will lose his license pursuant to Department of Safety regulations. The term is to run consecutive to a DeKalb County General Sessions Court sentence against him. He was also fined $350.

August 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Community Health Center/Health Department will celebrate National Health Center Week Aug. 4-10. The goal of this observance was to raise awareness of the ways health centers are providing affordable health care in communities.

There are 14 community health centers/health departments across the Upper Cumberland Region. These health centers provide full-service adult and pediatric primary care as well as preventive health services to anyone with private insurance, TennCare or Medicare as well as those without insurance. They are part of a nationwide network of health centers that serve more than 28 million people.

“We are proud of the work our community center/health department does to provide people in this community with numerous health services and treatment as well as the resources they need to help prevent disease and improve the health of everyone who lives here. ” said Michael Railling. “
To learn more about the services of your local community health center, please call 615-597-7599.