
News
Third District County Commissioner Susannah Cripps Resigns
December 17, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
Third District County Commissioner Susannah Cripps is stepping down.
Cripps tendered her resignation to County Mayor Matt Adcock personally on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 17.
“It is regretful that my job schedule has made this necessary, but I truly believe this is for the best,” she said.
Cripps was appointed to the county commission to fill a vacancy in April 2021 and was elected to a full four year term in August, 2022.
It’ll now be up to the county commission to fill her unexpired term which ends on August 31, 2026.
Cripps’ resignation letter reads as follows:
“Dear Mayor Adcock, Colleagues, and fellow DeKalb Countians:
It has been my distinct honor and privilege to represent the members of the Third Civil District of DeKalb County, Tennessee, first, by appointment, and, ultimately, by the votes of confidence from my constituents. I am, indeed, humbled by the continuing support demonstrated by countless residents of the Third Civil District.
I have always striven to serve my constituents without fear or favor and to exert my best efforts to improve the lives of all DeKalb Countians. Unfortunately, my current position as a community chain pharmacist precludes me from fulfilling my obligations and responsibilities, in a manner deemed satisfactory to myself, to those who elected me as well as my fellow Commissioners. Therefore, it is with great sadness that I must resign my seat as Third Civil District Commissioner effective immediately.
In closing, I charge my colleagues to come together to appoint a resident of the Third District who is determined to seek information and knowledge on all issues coming before this body, to question, to act fairly and justly, and to serve all DeKalb Countians with unparalleled excellence and courage.
Very Truly Yours,
Susannah Cripps
Third District County Commissioner”
DCHS Senior Shon Tucker writes winning “Parents of the Month” essay
December 17, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
A twelfth grader at DCHS prepared a winning essay in tribute to his parents for the honor of “Parents of the Month” for November.
Daniel and Karie Tucker will receive a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal at F.Z. Webb & Sons Soda Foundation. They were unable to attend the presentation of the award last week.
“Shon Tucker wrote an essay about why his parents are deserving of this parents of the month award,” said Assistant DCHS Principal Seth Willoughby.
“I wrote this essay because I know how my parents are and what they have always done for me,” said Shon. “They are always there for me when I need them and they always support me in everything I do no matter what it is. I just wanted to show some appreciation toward them for that,” he said.
Shon said he plans to join the U.S. Army National Guard after he graduates.
Public Hearing Tuesday Night on Proposed Rock Quarry Water Discharge Permit Application (View Video Here)
December 16, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
Residents trying to stop Jones Brothers Contractors LLC from starting up a rock quarry in the Liberty/ Alexandria area are being afforded a public hearing to speak out against the state’s issuance of a water discharge permit for the proposed operation and the potential impact on human health and the environment.
(Click link below to access mor information on this proposed project)
https://www.tn.gov/environment/ppo-public-participation/ppo-public-participation/ppo-dmgr.html
In a public notice issued Wednesday, November 13 the Division of Mineral and Geologic Resources announced that it would hold a public hearing regarding the proposed issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. The public hearing will be held Tuesday, December 17 at 6 p.m. at the DeKalb County Complex. An information session will be held at 5 p.m.
During a posted public comment period through September 27, residents in the Liberty/Alexandria area through fax, emails, and phone calls requested a hearing on the proposed permit application for a new limestone quarry to be named Jones Alexandria Quarry at 2159 Old Highway 53, Liberty in DeKalb County. The receiving stream for the proposed discharge of treated mine and wastewater and industrial waste is Helton Creek. The public hearing will be presented via video-teleconference and may be attended online, by phone, or in-person.
The purpose of the hearing is to gather information from the public relevant to a final decision on the permit application. Comments not related to water quality or to the information contained in the permit application will not be considered in the decision-making process. Issues such as air quality, zoning, blasting, noise, dust, and traffic are not related to water quality and are not regulated by the Division of Mineral and Geologic Resources or the NPDES program therefore, consideration of these issues would not contribute relevant information for the proposed permit.
Daniel Lawrence, Program Manager Division of the Mineral & Geologic Resources Mining Section in the Knoxville Environmental Field Office spoke with WJLE by phone in August to explain the reasons for a water discharge permit.
“Ultimately this is a water quality permit so this regulates any water that would be discharged from the facility,” said Lawrence. “The idea being we put limits on that water in order to protect the stream to make sure any water leaving the facility is not going to pollute the stream and cause any problems. That is the main authority the state has over mining facilities. We get a lot of questions and concerns about other aspects of mining and things like blasting, truck trafficking noise, and dust but we don’t have any authority over that and its outside of the scope of this draft permit,” Lawrence explained.
He also described the meaning of the term “wastewater” in the Jones Brothers permit application.
“When you hear that word wastewater a lot of people assume sewage, domestic wastewater and that sort of thing. That is technically the correct term but its really rain that has come into contact with processing rock so if there is any rain that falls on a rock crusher the water that runs off of that is considered to be wastewater by the legal technicalities. It doesn’t mean sewage or domestic wastewater discharge in this case,” said Lawrence.
