Blood Drive to be held in memory of SFC Tyler Durden

August 3, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A Blood Assurance Drive will be held Saturday, August 28 in memory of the late SFC Tyler Durden from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the DeKalb County Complex in Smithville.

Sergeant Durden served his country for 17 years in the United States Army.

All donors will be given a FREE “Adventures Begins” cooler bag and those who donate twice will be entered for chance to win a side-by side.

To schedule an appointment, go to Bloodassurance.org/tyler or contact Jessica Anderson at 615-318-3974 or gatorfan_jessica@yahoocom.

Please remember to EAT A GOOD MEAL, drink additional water, avoid high energy drinks and bring a photo ID. Blood Assurance is the SOLE blood provider for our local hospitals

August 3, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A man arrested on a grand jury sealed indictment for sale and delivery of methamphetamine has been caught trying to smuggle cocaine into the jail.

44 year old Jermaine Derperise McCoy is under a $25,000 bond for introduction of contraband into a penal institution and he will make a court appearance on that charge September 30.

McCoy and a co-defendant, 25 year old Katie Leigh Mooneyham McCoy were named in sealed indictments by the grand jury last month for sale and delivery of over 0.5 grams of methamphetamine. The incident occurred on February 18.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that while being booked into the jail on July 20, Jermaine McCoy was found to be in possession of 10 grams of a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine. He initially tried to conceal it but later turned it over to the officers.

Both McCoy’s were arraigned in criminal court on the meth charges Monday, August 2. Their bond for that offense was $50,000 each.

63 year old Marty Paul Neal of Tabernacle Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence, aggravated assault, and possession of a handgun while under the influence. His bond totals $24,500 and he will make a court appearance August 5.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 22 a deputy was summoned to a residence on Tabernacle Road where an unwanted guest had a gun and was threatening the victim but before the officer could get there the man, Neal left on a motor bike. The deputy stopped Neal on Short Mountain Highway and found him to be under the influence.. The officer searched Neal and found a Taurus 9 millimeter handgun in his right pocket. Neal admitted that there had been a physical altercation between himself and another man at the Tabernacle Road residence. The victim claimed that Neal drew a handgun and pointed it at him during the incident. Neal admitted to having the weapon and drinking alcohol during the altercation. Neal submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks.

26 year old Matthew Adam Cubbins of Aaron Webb Road, Smithville is charged with domestic assault and forgery. His bond is $11,000 and he will make a court appearance on August 5.

Sheriff Ray said that on June 30 Cubbins cornered a woman in a bathroom of the residence before grabbing her arms and refusing to leave. On the same day Cubbins passed information as being an official medical document from Cheer Mental Health. Staff at the center were shown the document and stated it was not authentic.

31 year old Cameron Renee Page of Pine Orchard Road, Smithville is charged with driving under the influence. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court on August 12.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 29 a deputy was alerted to a reckless driver who had struck a trash can and a small tree in the City of Smithville. The officer caught up with the suspect, Page on Bright Hill Road. Page’s eyes were glossy and his speech was slurred. He submitted to field sobriety tasks but performed poorly.

44 year old Byron Ray Wilson of Shelbyville is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court August 19.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 31 a deputy was dispatched to the area of Big Hurricane Road where a suspicious man was stumbling and walking his bicycle in the middle of the roadway. Upon arrival the officer spoke with the man, Wilson who was very unsteady on his feet and his speech was incoherent. Wilson said he had taken what he thought was Suboxone a few days prior and thought he was coming down from the influence of it . He was placed under arrest.

37 year old Curtis Armstrong Fox of Walker Creek Road, Alexandria is charged with domestic assault. He is under a $3,500 bond and his court date is August 26.

Sheriff Ray said that on August 1 Fox assaulted his girlfriend by striking her in the face several times. A deputy was called to a residence on Walker Creek Road to investigate a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival he spoke with a woman who had blood on her face and clothing and knots and bruising to her facial area. Fox had scratches on his arms which appeared to be defensive wounds from the altercation. Both of them had been drinking prior to the altercation.

August 3, 2021
By: Bill Conger

Middle Tennessee Tae Kwon Do school in Smithville earned the distinction of placing second in the national for overall tournament points at the recent national competition in Daytona Beach, FL.

Owned and run by 5th Degree Black belt Master George Lloyd and his wife, 2nd Degree Black belt Head Instructor Amy Lloyd, the school brought home 50 medals including 29 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze. Three students placed in the Top 10 in the nation. Deana Jones was 5th, Kinley Fisher came in 6th, and Natalie Fulton finished 8th. Middle Tennessee Tae Kwon Do received a trophy for Most Improved School, and Master Lloyd was pinned for his Master Rank. Student Jacob Harrell performed his form on stage for the Night of Champions.

“When Nationals was announced and we were able to travel to compete in the first live in-person tournament of the season, we had 16 students step up to want to travel to Daytona Beach, FL,” says Head Instructor Amy Lloyd. “13 of the 16 students had never competed in a live tournament before. We held twice a week tournament specific practices plus held a few successful fundraisers such as a spaghetti dinner and auction, Penny Wars, indoor yard sale and students got to duct tape me to the wall!”

Four students competed virtually from home in Smithville. Over the past year due to COVID-19 restrictions the school’s association, US Chung Do Kwan Association, decided to offer virtual tournaments. This meant competitors could compete through Zoom against other competitors throughout the US. Middle Tennessee Tae Kwon Do was a host school, which meant the school set up rings where students came to compete.

“We averaged 15 students for the six virtual tournaments we held at our school.” In just one year during the pandemic the school grew from30 students to 120.

Below are the individual results from the nationals:

Individual results:

– Head Instructor Amy Lloyd

1 speed kicking, 2 forms, 3 team sync with son Bane Averitte

– Bane Averitte

1 speed kicking, 1 kama weapons, 2 forms, 3 team sync

– Ivanny Earlington

1 speed kicking, 1 point sparring, 2 forms

– Jacob Harrell

1 forms, point sparring and bo staff weapons

– Deana Jones

1 speed kicking, kama weapons, and form, 2 team sync with son Benjamin Jones

– Kinley Fisher

1 point sparring, speed kicking and bo staff weapons

– Destiny Earlington

1 point sparring, 3 forms

– Taylor Vincent

1 point sparring

– Logan George

1 point sparring and bo staff weapons, 2 speed kicking and forms

– Alexis Fulton

1 bo staff weapons

– Natalie Fulton

1 bo staff weapons, 3 forms and speed kicking

– Bryan Parker

1 point sparring, 3 speed kicking and Kamas weapons

– Benjamin Jones

2 team Synchronized Forms, 3 point sparring

– Braylin Chapman

1 forms and team Synchronized Forms with cousin Jordyn Baumgard, 2 point sparring

– Reagan Manness-Stephens

1 point sparring and speed kicking, 2 Kamas weapons, 3 forms

– Joseph Quistgaard

1 point sparring, 2 forms, 3 speed kicking

– Jordyn Baumgard

1 forms, point sparring and team Synchronized Forms, 2 speed kicking

– students Lily Quistgaard, Michael Fulton and Hadley Fulton also competed