Fire Risks Rise as Temperatures Drop During Winter Months

January 7, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

This week’s snow storms and plummeting temperatures pose enhanced fire-related risks to homeowners.

During winter, fire deaths increase by almost 75 percent across the Volunteer State, according to state fire data. Heating equipment is the leading cause of home fire deaths nationally and among the leading known causes for home fire deaths in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) remind you to focus on fire safety in order to help reduce home fires and save lives this winter.

“Tennessee homeowners can stay warm and safe this winter by remembering to take a few simple steps,” said TDCI Assistant Commissioner Gary Farley. “By making sure to always turn off space heaters when leaving a room and using working smoke alarms all year long, Tennesseans can reduce risk to themselves and emergency responders.”

A homeowner’s first line of defense against home fires in any season is a working smoke alarm. To help protect Tennesseans and save lives, the SFMO’s “Get Alarmed, Tennessee!” smoke alarm program continues to be a critical resource in helping Tennessee fire departments and fire safety partners reduce risk from home fires. Alarms installed through the “Get Alarmed” program now have 324 verified saves since the program began in 2012. Over 254,000 working smoke alarms have been distributed through this program to the SFMO’s fire service partners.

•Keep flammable items like blankets, rugs, or furniture at least three feet away from space heaters and wood stoves.

•Practice a home fire escape plan with your family. Everyone should know two ways out of each room.

•Always turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

•Never use your oven to heat your home.

•Have heating equipment and chimneys inspected every year.

•Burn only dry, seasoned wood in fireplaces and wood stoves. Never burn garbage or use flammable liquids to start a fire.

•Make sure any fireplace has a sturdy screen to reduce the risk of flying sparks.

•Install wood-burning stoves following manufacturer’s instructions or have a professional perform the installation. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

•If you smell gas coming from your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call your local fire department or gas company.

For more fire safety information, visit tn.gov/fire.

January 6, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County Schools will be closed Friday, January 7

The Smithville City Hall is closed today (Friday, January 7)

The DCHS vs Macon County basketball games for Friday night, February 7 are cancelled.

The DCHS vs Warren County basketball games for Saturday, February 8 are cancelled

DeKalb County Government offices will be closed Friday, January 7

The Mike Foster Multi-Purpose Center will be closed Friday, January 7

The DeKalb County landfill, transfer station and trash convenience sites will be closed Friday, January 7.

The Justin Potter Library and the Alexandria Library will be closed Friday, January 7, 2022.

The remaining City of Smithville garbage collection routes for Thursday, January 6 and routes for Friday, January 7 will all be run Monday, January 10.

The Family Medical Center will be closed on Friday, January 7 due to inclement weather. If you have a medical emergency, please go to the Emergency Room at Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital, located at 520 W. Main St., Smithville, TN 37166.

January 6, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A total of 46 persons interested in running for county offices in either the May 3, 2022 DeKalb County Democratic or Republican Primary or as an Independent in the August General Election have picked up qualifying petitions from the election commission.

According to the election commission office, the following persons have been issued petitions:

Democratic Primary:

County Mayor- Mike Foster and Timothy Robert “Tim” Stribling (Incumbent)

General Sessions Court Judge-Margie Rigsby Miller and Tecia Puckett Pryor

Register of Deeds- Shelby D. Reeder

Road Supervisor-Wayne Shehane

County Commissioner, District 1– Julie Ann Young (Incumbent)

County Commissioner, District 2- Billy Myron Rhody (Incumbent)

County Commissioner, District 3– Jack E. Barton, III, Susannah Cripps Daughtry (Incumbent), and Jenny A. Trapp (Incumbent)

County Commissioner, District 4– Janice M. Fish Stewart (Incumbent)

County Commissioner, District 6– Michael Paul Atnip, Jeffery K. “Jeff” Barnes (Incumbent), Danny L. McGinnis

County Commissioner, District 7- Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Pafford (Incumbent)

Board of Education (School Board), District 1– Robert D. (Danny) Parkerson, Jr. (Incumbent). Parkerson also obtained a petition to run as an independent candidate for School Board, District 1 but he can only return one petition to the election commission to run either as a Democratic Candidate in the May Primary or as an Independent Candidate in the August County General Election.

AUGUST GENERAL ELECTION:

Board of Education (School Board), District 7-Emitt Shaun Tubbs (Incumbent)-Independent candidate

Republican Primary:

County Mayor– Matthew N. “Matt” Adcock, Bradley S. Hendrix, Anita T. Puckett

Sheriff-Patrick R. Ray (Incumbent) and Keneth Lee Whitehead

General Sessions Court Judge-Mingy Kay Ball and Brandon J. Cox

Register of Deeds– Daniel A. Seber

Road Supervisor-Danny Lynn Hale (Incumbent)

County Clerk- James L. “Jimmy” Poss (Incumbent)

Circuit Court Clerk– Susan L. Martin (Incumbent)

Trustee-Sean D. Driver (Incumbent)

County Commissioner, District 1– Bennett Armstrong and Thomas E. “Tom” Chandler

County Commissioner, District 2– James David “Jim” Pearson and Sabrina R. Farler (Incumbent)

County Commissioner, District 3– Joshua Brown Chapman

County Commissioner, District 4– Tony L. “Cully” Culwell and Gregory S. “Greg” Matthews

County Commissioner, District 5-Larry L. Green and Joshua E. Holloway

County Commissioner, District 6– Justin Douglas Adcock

County Commissioner, District 7– Boyd Bruce Malone,  (Incumbent) and Trevin Merriman

Board of Education (School Board), District 2- Thomas Alan Hayes (Incumbent) and Matthew J. Quarles

Board of Education (School Board), District 3-Jim Beshearse (Incumbent)

Board of Education (School Board), District 7-Ryan Wayne Mollinet

Offices on the May primary ballots include: County Mayor; Road Supervisor; Sheriff, General Sessions Judge; Circuit Court Clerk; County Clerk; Trustee; Register of Deeds; County Commissioner in all seven (7) districts (2 can be nominated per district); School Board members in districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7; Constable in District 4 to fill a vacancy; Circuit Court Judge Part I and Part II (13th Judicial District); Chancellor (13th Judicial District); Criminal Court Judge Part I and Part II (13th Judicial District); District Attorney General (13th Judicial District); and Public Defender (13th Judicial District).

Petitions must be returned by Noon February 17th.

There is an additional earlier deadline for Sheriff and Road Supervisor candidates. They must have appropriate paperwork to the Peace Officer Standards Training Commission (POST) for sheriff and the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification board 14 days before the qualifying deadline.

While the above offices will appear on May primary ballots, candidates also have the option to run as Independent candidates who will not appear on the ballot until August. However, the same qualifying deadlines apply.

Winners of the May primaries will square off against each other in the August DeKalb County General Election along with any properly qualified Independent candidates.

The local election office is open Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is located on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse.

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