Police Find Child at Suspected Drug House. Father Charged with Neglect

June 10, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Smithville man is facing a child neglect charge after one of his children was found staying at a suspected drug house

48-year-old Ricky Lane Evans of 405 North Mountain Street was arrested on May 9. Hs is under a $5,000 bond.

Smithville Police began an investigation after being informed that Evans’ children had not been in school for 2 weeks and discovered that one of the kids was staying at a known drug house and Evans didn’t know her whereabouts.

21 year old Adam Michael Whitecotton of 625 Highland Street was arrested on May 8 for theft after allegedly stealing a phone from Center Hill Wine and Spirits.

Smithville Police were called to the store and upon investigation spotted the man (Whitecotton) on video surveillance footage  committing the crime before leaving the store Using the myfriends app on another iPhone to ping the missing phone’s location, police learned the phone was at Whitecotton’s home. The phone was recovered and returned to the victim. The officer arrested Whitecotton instead of citing him after learning that he was planning to leave the state soon. Bond for Whitecotton is $7,500.

Matthew Allen White of 625 Highland Street was cited for theft and assault on May 3 for an incident that occurred on April 14. According to the initial report White and the victim met to do some drugs but later the victim changed his mind. After telling White that he didn’t want to do drugs White punched the victim in the face and took $60.00 from him. The victim suffered a cut on the left side of his face and his eye was red, consistent with a punch.

June 10, 2019
By:

Northside Elementary summer school kids singing with Webb House residents in the Phoenix wing Monday morning.

June 10, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County government and Volunteer Fire Department have been recognized for being able to serve three communities with newer fire trucks through USDA Facility Grant funding.

Jim Tracy, State Director of the USDA Rural Development Program was in Smithville this morning (Monday) for the observance held at the County Fire Department’s Main Station on King Ridge Road.
The county secured grant funding to purchase fire trucks for the Temperance Hall, Cookeville Highway, and for the soon to open Four Seasons Fire Hall.

“I appreciate your service in protecting the citizens of DeKalb County. When you go to sleep at night just know you are helping DeKalb County and that is what we are here on this earth to do is help others. If someone has a fire or other emergency you are there. Rural Development is all about helping rural communities prosper. As a rural community if you are going to retain jobs and bring people in you have to protect the community and fire services with new fire trucks that we were able to help provide with these funds is very important,” said Tracy.

The latest truck was purchased earlier this year for $27,655. The 1996 Ferrara International Model truck had 22,171 miles on it at the time and came from Mississippi. It is stationed at Temperance Hall.

This is the third fire truck the county has been able to purchase through this grant program according to County Mayor Tim Stribling.

The first truck, a 1992 Pierce model with 17,214 miles, was purchased from the City of Smithville last spring for $30,000 and is located at the Cookeville Highway Fire Station.

The second truck, a 1993 E-One International model with 24,291 miles was purchased last fall for $25,000 from a fire department in Connecticut to be located at the new Four Seasons Fire Hall when it is completed.

“A couple of years ago we received two grants from the USDA amounting to $88,800. The local match on the grants was $57,800. The way this works is we (county) have to spend our local match first ($57,800) and any amount above that up to the full grant amount of $88,800 will be reimbursed to the county ($31,000) through the grant program. We have spent $55,000 for the two fire trucks and another $27,655 for the third truck. We will still have left to spend $6,145 to finish out the grant,” said County Mayor Stribling.

(PICTURED ABOVE: Blake Cantrell, Herb Checci, Rachel Checci, and Jay Cantrell, Chris Hampton -Area Director of USDA Rural Development, Jim Tracy-State Director of USDA Rural Development, County Mayor Tim Stribling, County Commissioner Anita Puckett, Michael Lawrence, Steve Repasy, Justin Bass, Justin Coats, Kristie Johnson, Kim Cantrell, Travis Checci, County Commissioner and firefighter Matt Adcock, and County Fire Chief Donny Green.

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