The year in Review
Recapping the last six months of 2016
July:
Phillips named Grand Champion Fiddler at Jamboree
Peters repeats as Beginners Fiddle winner
Ivy Phillips of Chapmansboro won the fiddle-off at the 45th annual Smithville Fiddler's Jamboree and Crafts Festival in July, and was named the Grand Champion Fiddler of 2016. Phillips, the Junior Fiddle champion, took the coveted Berry C. Williams Memorial Award after facing Senior Fiddler Gail Johnson of Lavergne just before 10:30 Saturday night. Phillips also took the Neil Dudney Award in the Contest fiddle division.
Meanwhile, Giri Peters of Nashville took the Best Fiddler award at in the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners for the second consecutive year. Peters was presented with the James G. "Bobo" Driver Memorial Award Saturday by members of the Driver family. The young man also took first place in the Dobro Guitar, Mandolin, and Flat Top Guitar categories, and repeated as the Entertainer of the Year.
The 2016 Blue Blaze Award, presented each year to a musician who is actively cultivating a love of bluegrass music, to Danny Roberts of the Grascals. Roberts, a competitor at the Jamboree in past years, performed a set with members of the Grascals and his family.
Former local man drowns in Greece
A former local man died after apparently being swept out to sea while swimming in Greece on July 8.
According to Apokoronas News, 55-year-old Matthew Gillard drowned while swimming in Dramia near Kavros in Apokoronas. According to eye witnesses the man tried to swim towards the beach, but was unable to do so, prevented by wind and currents.
The coastguard arrived on the scene after an emergency call and managed to pull the distressed man out of the water. He was then taken by ambulance to Rethymnon general, where he was certified dead.
August:
Incumbent defeated in tax assessor race
Cantrell unseats Cantrell by 54 votes
The results of the DeKalb County General Election in August revealed that Republican challenger Shannon Cantrell defeated incumbent Democratic Property Assessor Scott Cantrell by only 54 votes.
While Scott Cantrell carried five of the county's 15 precincts, garnering 1,162 votes, or 48.9 percent of the total vote, Shannon Cantrell came out on top in the remaining ten precincts with 1,216 votes and 51.1 percent of the total. Shannon Cantrell carried the Alexandria, Church of Christ Annex, Dowelltown, Edgar Evins State Park, Johnson's Chapel, Keltonburg, Liberty, Rock Castle, Snow Hill and Temperance Hall precincts. Scott Cantrell topped the vote at the Snow Hill, Church of God, County Complex, Blue Springs and Belk polls.
Scott Cantrell took early and absentee votes 533-480.
In other races, longtime Fifth District School Board member W.J. (Dub) Evins, III bested two challengers to his seat, receiving 169 total votes, while Barry Mabe and Kevin Hale had 126 votes and 90 votes cast in their favor, respectively.
Early and absentee voting saw Evins take 84 votes, with Mabe bringing in 43 votes, and Hale 38.
Fourth and Sixth District School Board members Kate Miller and Doug Stephens ran unopposed.
Democrat Julie Williams Young came out on top in the race for First District DeKalb County Commissioner narrowly defeating Republican Tom Chandler. While Chandler took more early and absentee votes 42-22, as well as Edgar Evins State Park (6-2) and Temperance Hall (29-16), Young supporters in the Alexandria precinct chose her by a margin of 114-59, putting Williams ahead 154-36 at the end of the evening.
Young will fill the commission seat vacated by the recently resigned Elmer Ells Jr.
The Smithville city election saw three incumbent aldermen returned to their positions.
Incumbent Shawn Jacobs led the five-way race for three available seats with 420 votes, with Josh Miller taking in 390 and Danny Washer getting 351. A total of 205 voters backed Ronald Dale Stanley, and Richard Steinbach took 109 votes.
A total of 2,525 voters cast ballots in DeKalb County, including 1,402 on election day and 1,123 during early voting or by absentee.
Three airlifted from Allen Ferry after head-on crash
A DeKalb Middle School teacher and basketball coach was involved in a head on crash with a car carrying three local students in August.
According to Trooper Chris DeLong of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, a 2002 Chevy Silverado driven by Cody Randolph, 28, of Smithville was traveling toward Highway 70 on Allen Ferry road just after 7 a.m. when a 1997 Nissan Maxima driven by 18-year-old Dustin Utley of Dowelltown and traveling in the opposite direction, crossed the center line into Randolph’s lane of travel. Utley is reportedly a former DCHS student who is now being home schooled.
Utley’s vehicle carried two passengers, his younger brothers Daniel Hudson, 10, a Northside Elementary student in the front seat, and 14-year-old Christian Utley, a DCHS student, in the back seat. All three brothers were airlifted by Life Force and Air Evac helicopters and taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center.
Randolph was transported by DeKalb EMS to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital, and later to Cookeville Regional Medical Center, with a possible broken ankle.
The DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department extrication unit and rescue team helped remove Randolph from his truck, where he was trapped for more than an hour. The Main Station and Liberty Stations also responded to help set up a landing zone on the front lawn of a nearby home.
Corker visits DeKalb
Senator Bob Corker paid a visit to Smithville in August, addressing a gathering on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse and taking questions from the audience of invited guests.
Corker’s visit was one stop on a four-week tour of 32 Tennessee counties.
Chancellor rules that gate must be removed
Chancellor Ronald Thurman ruled in August that a gate across Sunset Drive must be removed, at least temporarily.
After nearly three hours of testimony in DeKalb County Chancery Court, in a continuation of a hearing that began two days before, the chancellor decided that the gate erected by Robert Grant Manning in the Belk community was obstructing a county road. A temporary injunction was issued until a final hearing can be held, but Thurman also ordered a judicial settlement conference to give the involved parties a chance to settle the case without further litigation.
While the county contended that Sunset Drive is a county road, and has been on the county road map since 1998, Manning claimed that the nine-foot wide gravel road is a private driveway through his property, and has been since 1990.
Thurman, while making his ruling on the temporary injunction, referred to a 2004 plat and 2006 deed Manning had signed, apparently dedicating and acknowledging Sunset Drive as a county road. "Whether he intended to or not, he signed documents calling it a county road," the chancellor said.
Mr. and Miss DCHS named
Eli Cross and Rachel Fuson were named Mr. and Miss DCHS in August. Cross is the son of Tony and Shelly Cross, and Fuson is the daughter of Joe and Missy Fuson. The pair, both seniors, were nominated by the faculty and elected by the student body. Cross was one of seven senior boys nominated for the honor, while four senior girls were nominated.
September:
Kingsbury busted with $14,000 in pot
The sheriff’s department arrested a suspected marijuana dealer, seizing an estimated $14,000 worth of the illegal weed and $10,000 in cash in September.
Michael Duane Kingsbury, 66, was arrested at his Jefferson Road home and charged with manufacturing a controlled substance (marijuana) and possession with intent to sell marijuana.
According to Sheriff Patrick ray, his department received a tip that Kingsbury had been growing marijuana, and detectives went to his home to investigate and executed a search warrant. They reportedly found 12 marijuana plants from 6-7 feet tall growing in a garden spot next to the house, along with more than 209 baggies of processed marijuana in the home, and drug paraphernalia, and $10,000 in cash.
City board votes to allow substation
The Smithville mayor and board of aldermen voted in September to overturn a June Smithville Planning Commission decision not to approve plans for a new substation on South College Street.
The measure was approved on a 3-1 vote. Aldermen Josh Miller, Shawn Jacobs, and Danny Washer voted in favor of a motion by Miller to overturn the ruling, while Gayla Hendrix voted no, telling the assembly that she needed more time to look into the matter.
The meeting was called after SES appealed the planning commission’s decision to the city board after Chancellor Ronald Thurman ruled last week that while the SES board of directors could not overrule the planning commission, city aldermen could.
The ruling was the result of a suit filed in chancery court on Sept. 2 by attorneys for Joe Rice, who owns a nearby subdivision. Rice’s attorneys, Sarah Cripps and Brandon Cox, brought the action against Smithville Electric System and the City of Smithville, and asked for a declaratory judgment and an injunction to prevent the construction of the substation at the planned location.
While Rice’s attorneys put forth that the planning commission voted in June to reject the plans for the station because the proposed location is inconsistent with the city’s Land Use and Transportation Plan, Jacobs, who is also a member of the Planning Commission who voted against the plans, said the reason he cast a no vote was because he had not had time to study the proposal.
Roller named homecoming queen
Kaitlyn Elizabeth Roller was been named the 2016 Football Homecoming Queen at DeKalb County High School in September.
Roller, 17, is a senior at DCHS, and the daughter of John and Michele Roller of Dowelltown.
She has been a member of the Literature Club for four years, and a member of the Spanish Club for two years. She has been a member of the DCHS Football Cheerleading squad for four years, and serves as captain this year. Roller cheered since seventh grade, is currently a member of the Senior Level 5 All Star Cheer Team at Premiere Athletics in Nashville, and will attend the World Competition in May.
Roller attends the New Life United Pentecostal Church on Sundays and The Gathering youth group on Wednesdays. She also volunteers at Titans games and at various concerts.
October:
Couple charged in West School burglary
A man and woman were arrested in connection with a Sept. 25 break-in at DeKalb West School in October.
Brian Clinton Howell, 30, of Brush Creek, and 25-year-old Shauna Melissa Fleetwood of Mount Juliet were arrested by the sheriff’s department after an investigation determined that they had not only taken part in the burglary at the West School, but at a number of Smith and Wilson county schools as well. Both Howell and Fleetwood are charged in DeKalb with burglary and theft of property under $500. Howell is additionally charged with vandalism and possession of burglary tools.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, video surveillance cameras at DeKalb West recorded Fleetwood, driving a green Ford Taurus, pulling up at the school and dropping Howell off. The man reportedly used a pry bar to enter a side door and break into a vending machine, taking $20 in cash.
Fleetwood allegedly returned to pick Howell up soon thereafter. The detective reportedly discovered that the Taurus went to a gas station in Liberty and parked for a few minutes before going back to the school.
It was soon discovered that similar break-ins had occurred at New Middleton Elementary, Forks River Elementary, and Carthage Elementary were hit in Smith County, and Tucker’s Crossroad Elementary and Sam Houston Elementary in Wilson County between September 17-28.
Building named for Ernest Ray
The board of education building on the courthouse square was officially renamed the Ernest Ray Education Center in a ceremony in October. A ribbon cutting took place to commemorate the event, and a throng of people attended, including long-time DeKalb County educator Ernest Ray and his family, school board members, former students and past coworkers.
Ray and his wife now live in Clarksville, where they moved to be near his two grandchildren. “I love DeKalb County,” Ray said. “It is still my home.”
Man airlifted after overturning excavator
A Franklin man was airlifted in October after the track hoe he was using rolled down a hillside in a remote area off Puckett Point Road.
Brad Jackson, 41, reportedly suffered a broken back, fractured skull and internal bleeding in the incident. Jackson was apparently thrown through the door of the cabbed excavator at some point during the tumble, taking the door off the hinges. The Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad retrieved the injured man from the steep incline in a Stokes basket, and drove him to meet DeKalb EMS at the top of the hill.
He was removed from the scene and transported to a landing zone on Highway 56 near Ponder Road. From there Jackson was flown to Vanderbilt medical Center in Nashville.
EMS receives Call of the Year Award
Members of DeKalb EMS were honored with the Upper Cumberland EMS Directors Association Region IV Call of the Year Award in October for their service at a recent head-on crash where three young men were seriously injured.
The award was shared by Jamie Parsley-AEMT, Tyler Grandstaff-CCEMT-Paramedic, Jonathan Rudd-EMT-Paramedic, Houston Austin-EMT-Paramedic, Donna Melton-AEMT, Greta Stone-EMT-Paramedic, and Tim Briggs-EMT-Paramedic, and was presented at the Upper Cumberland EMS Directors Association's Annual Education Symposium in Cookeville on Oct. 13 and 14.
The winners were nominated by DeKalb EMS Director Hoyte Hale nominated the crew for the award based on their response to a serious Aug. 12 two-vehicle crash on Allen Ferry Road in which a 2002 Chevy Silverado driven by Cody Randolph, 28, collided with a 1997 Nissan Maxima driven by 18-year-old Dustin Utley and carrying two passengers, his younger brothers Daniel Hudson, 10, in the front seat, and 14-year-old Christian Utley in the back seat.. Utley apparently crossed the center line into Randolph’s lane of travel.
All three brothers were airlifted by Life Force and Air Evac helicopters. Randolph was transported by DeKalb EMS to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital, and later to Cookeville Regional Medical Center.
The honor marks the third year in a row that DeKalb EMS members have received the award.
Askins sentenced in federal court
Former Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD), Executive Director Wendy Askins, 55, was sentenced in October to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger, followed by two years of supervised release. Askins must also pay $233,000 in restitution.
Askins pled guilty to theft of Federal program funds in late August, after being charged in a 12-count indictment on charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, embezzlement, and making false statements.
Askins was accused of using money from the UCDD and related agencies to purchase property outside Cookeville, which called Living the Dream. Askins used funds from the UCDD, the Cumberland Regional Development Corporation (CRDC) and the Cumberland Area Investment Corporation (CAIC), to renovate the home, intended as an assisted living facility for senior citizens.
Askins was also accused of asking employees to falsify UCDD board meeting minutes to hide her illegal activity, then lying about the incident. Court documents show that co-defendant Larry Webb, Askins carried out the scheme with co-defendant Larry Webb, who plead guilty in August 2015, and reportedly agreed to testify against Askins as part of a plea deal.
Board of Ed wins Top Chili
The 13th Annual Habitat for Humanity Chili Cook-off and Bake Sale, held on the Town Square in October, enjoyed a record turnout, and more than $5,400 was raised for Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County.
“Cowabunga Chili” from the DeKalb County Board of Education took Top Chili honors, with “Cheese Wagon Chili” from the DeKalb County Department of Transportation coming in second place. Third place chili honors went to “Hot Checks Chili” from Wilson Bank and Trust.
The Best Decorated Booth Award also went to “Cowabunga Chili” from the DeKalb County Board of Education, with “Spooky Bean Chili” from Middle Tennessee Natural Gas and “Cheese Wagon Chili” from the DeKalb County Department of Transportation tying for second place.
The Golden Spoon Award went to “The Courthouse Gang” from the DeKalb County Officials, who raised $197.00 for Habitat in cash donations at their booth.
November:
Trump elected president
Liquor referendums pass
The United States of America elected a new president in November.
Republican Donald J. Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton in the presidential race, besting his Democratic opponent in electoral votes. Trump carried DeKalb County with 5,164 votes, and the state with 1,515,181 (61.21%). Local voters cast 1,566 votes for Clinton, who took 860,237 (34.75%) votes in the state.
Among Independent candidates, Gary Johnson picked up 69,888 (2.82%) votes statewide, while 4,037 (0.16%) ballots were cast for "Rocky" Roque De La Fuente, 2,847 (0.12%) for Alyson Kennedy, 7,211 (0.29%) for Mike Smith and 15,846 (0.64%) Tennessee voters went for Jill Stein.
In the 6th District U.S. House of Representatives race, Republican Diane Black won the contest with 202,038 (71.09%) votes in the district and 4,385 in the county, while Democrat David W. Kent took 1,350 (21.79%) votes. Independent David Ross got 426 (7.12%) votes.
The race for 40th District Tennessee House of Representatives 40th District went to incumbent Republican Terri Lynn Weaver, with 19,641 votes (73.27%) in her district and 3,255 votes in DeKalb, while Democratic challenger Gayla Colvert Hendrix took 7,164 votes (26.73%) in District 40 and 1,526 in the county.
The 46th District Tennessee House of Representatives race saw Republican incumbent Mark Pody defeat Democrat Amelia Morrison Hipps 1,144 votes to 433 in DeKalb County, and 19,033 votes (75.19%) to 6,281 (24.81%) district-wide.
Two City of Smithville liquor referendums on the ballot passed. A referendum for or against legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in City of Smithville passed 665 votes to 597, while a referendum for or against legal sale of wine at retail food stores in the city was approved by a vote of 691 to 559.
Nurse fatally injured in two-car crash
A nurse at Family Medical Center was fatally injured in a two-vehicle collision in Liberty in November.
Tammy Renae Greco, 46, died from injuries suffered in the crash.
Four people were involved in the wreck, which took place when a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox driven by 44-year-old Daniel Greco collided with a 2009 Dodge Avenger driven by an unidentified 17-year-old female from Gordonsville.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Greco’s Equinox was traveling east on Highway 70 when the westbound 17-year-old’s car crossed through the east bound lanes, struck and bounced off the eastbound guardrail, and hit Greco’s car in the passenger side. The Dodge Avenger came to rest in the eastbound lane and Greco’s Chevy came to rest on the shoulder of the westbound lane.
While Daniel Greco was reportedly not injured, his wife, Tammy Greco, a passenger in the Dodge, was ejected from the vehicle. Their son Christian Greco, 24, was also injured in the crash, and the mother and son were taken to a landing zone near DeKalb West School by DeKalb EMS, then airlifted to Vanderbilt Medical Center, where Tammy Greco succumbed to her injuries.
The juvenile was cited for failure to exercise due care and taken by private vehicle to the hospital, where she was treated and released.
DeKalb honors veterans
DeKalb County residents thanked the veterans who risked their lives to preserve our way of life in November.
The annual Veterans Day program was held at the DeKalb County Complex’s Mike Foster Auditorium, and was sponsored by the American Legion Post 122 and Ladies Auxiliary. Susan Hinton and Alan Watt, along with the DeKalb County High School Chorus, directed by Josh Gulley, and the DCHS Band and director Tracy Luna provided music for the event.
Boy Scout Troop 347 presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Local minister Larry Green offered a prayer, and Commander William Edmonds and Adjutant Ronnie Redmon, Sr. welcomed the crowd.
Ladies Auxiliary President Judy Redmon introduced speaker Sergeant Major Becky George, Army National Guard (Retired). Veterans took a school bus escorted by Sheriff Patrick Ray and Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker and members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department to the courthouse at the end of the program, then placed a wreath at the Veterans Memorial Monument.
Josh Moon blew taps on his trumpet to bring the ceremony to a close. The assembly then enjoyed a lunch sponsored by Pam Redmon and the Smithville Senior Center and Regina Wilhite and Woodmen of the World.
Missing toddler found in Michigan
Authorities located Xavier Billings, the eight-month-old child who disappeared with his parents from the scene of an accident where a meth lab was found in November, in Michigan.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, officers from the City of Flint Police Department in Michigan were able to capture 29-year-old Andrew Billings and 19-year-old Adriana Billings on Nov. 18, and were also able to take into protective custody their eight-month-old child, Xavier Billings.
The sheriff said Michigan Department of Children's Services were summoned to the residence. The State of Tennessee Children’s Services has also been notified. Andrew and Adriana Billings were extradited back to DeKalb County Tennessee for criminal charges of Aggravated Child Abuse and Initiation of Methamphetamine Manufacture Process.
Fire destroys Dry Creek Road home
A fire destroyed the home of James and Becky Nokes at 677 Dry Creek Road in November.
According to DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green, the fire began about 9 p.m. in the basement of the home, then quickly spread to engulf the entire structure. Residents of the home were able to get to safety without injury, but lost everything but a few personal items to the flames.
The fire is believed to have started in a breaker box.
December:
Three dead in mobile home fire
Three people were confirmed dead, and two others were seriously injured after a fire on South Mountain Street in December. A child was among those lost in the blaze, which destroyed a mobile home just inside the Smithville city limits.
Five people were inside the home when the blaze began at around noon. A neighbor apparently rescued one of the victims from the flames, while city firefighter John Poss pulled a two-year-old child from the home.
The three injured, including a woman and two children, ages 2 and 4, were taken by DeKalb EMS to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital. The woman and one of the children were later transported to Vanderbilt Hospital. The other child reportedly died at the hospital.
Key gets 45 years in child beating death
Cody Ryan Key, 24, pled guilty on Dec. 1 to second-degree murder under a negotiated settlement in Putnam County Criminal Court in the May 17, 2015 beating death of 23-month-old Colten Alexander May and took a sentence of 45 years.
Key, who was set to stand trial for the crime Monday in DeKalb County Criminal Court, received credit of 563 days served from May 19, 2015 to December 1 of this year.
District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway told the Review that the deal his office negotiated was “out of range,” meaning that Key received more time than the normal range for the crime he pled to.
“The terms of the plea were guilty to second degree murder,” the DA said. “We negotiated a greater sentence than he would have received otherwise. What I mean by that is, normally when someone has been found guilty of second-degree murder you’d get a sentence of 25 years, but due to the circumstances of this case we negotiated 45 years at 100 percent. He was charged with first-degree murder, which is a felony murder. Felony murder means you have committed a felony, and someone died as a result of your actions. If you’re convicted of first-degree murder, you serve a minimum of 51 years. We negotiated 45 in the plea, so he will be going to prison for a long time.”
The young victim was beaten to death, according to Dunaway.
“This is just a sad case,” he said. “The victim was 23-months-old, just three weeks shy of his second birthday. The child died from blunt force trauma, which means he was beaten, in plain language, causing internal injuries which lead to his death.”
Key and the mother of the child, Jessica May, 20, were indicted by the DeKalb County Grand Jury in May 2015. Key was indicted for felony murder and aggravated child abuse and May was charged with aggravated child neglect.
DTC discontinues cell service
DTC Chief Executive Officer Christopher Townson said in a December letter to customers that Advantage Cellular Systems, DTC’s wireless division, will discontinue operations as of January 31, 2017. DTC’s fixed wireless service, landline voice service, broadband internet service, DTC TV service, DTC’s First Choice Security and other services provided by DTC Communications will not be affected.
Townson wrote that DTC Wireless customers should seek new carriers.
May sentenced in child beating death
Jessica May, 20, was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Dec. 7 for her part in the May 2015 beating death of 23-month-old Colten May.
She was given an eight-year sentence as a Range I mitigated offender to serve at least 20 percent before she is eligible for parole. Her parole date may not be far away, however, as she has served 568 days in jail since her May 19, 2015 arrest.
District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway presented the case against May, who was not accused of being an actual part of the killing of the young boy, but was charged because authorities said that she had allowed a history of abuse that led to the child’s death. Key reportedly helped in Key’s prosecution, helping to mitigate her sentence.
An investigation determined that Key had beaten the child, and that May was aware of the abuse. May was pregnant at the time of her arrest, and was placed in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction until the child was born. After the child was born, she was transferred to the Warren County Jail. The child is reportedly in the custody of family members. May was returned to the Warren County Jail after being sentenced.
