Steve Officer Appointed to Farm Service Agency State Committee

January 6, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Steve Officer of DeKalb County has been appointed to the Farm Service Agency State Committee for Tennessee. Officer is not only a member, he also serves as chairman of the state committee.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue Thursday announced the slate of Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Committee Appointees. State committees are selected by the Secretary, serve at the pleasure of the Secretary, and are responsible for carrying out FSA’s farm programs within delegated authorities.

“The State Committees will help to ensure USDA is providing our farmers, ranchers, foresters, and agricultural producers with the best customer service,” Secretary Perdue said. “They serve as a liaison between USDA and the producers in each state across the nation by keeping them informed and hearing their appeals and complaints. The committees are made up mostly of active farmers and ranchers, representing their peers and ensuring USDA’s programs are supporting the American harvest.”

State committees are appointed for a one year term which began on January 1, 2018. Each state committee has five members, one chairperson and four members.

January 5, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Health Department is offering flu vaccines at no charge to patients. Influenza activity is widespread in Tennessee, so it’s extremely important for anyone over six months of age to get a flu shot now.

The flu vaccine is especially important for infants, young children, pregnant women, adults over age 50 and for those with chronic medical conditions. The flu shot remains the best protection we have against influenza.

The DeKalb County Health Department clinic is currently offering flu vaccinations at no cost to patients until vaccine supplies are depleted. Patients may walk in to request a flu vaccine any time during regular clinic hours. OR Appointments must be made to receive flu vaccine, and are now being scheduled at the clinic.

“Getting a flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, family members and others from the flu and help keep our community healthy,” said DeKalb County Health Director Michael Railling. ”We urge everyone who has not received a flu shot yet, to get one now.”

It’s also important to help prevent the spread of flu and other winter viruses by practicing good health habits:
•Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer
•Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing
•Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
•Stay home if you are sick

For more information about the flu and free flu vaccines, call the DeKalb County Health Department at 615-597-7599.

January 5, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

There’s a safe place for old prescription drugs, and it’s not in the medicine cabinet.

Thanks to the DeKalb Prevention Coalition, two permanent drop boxes are now available in DeKalb County for you to dispose of old or unwanted prescription medications in order to keep potentially unsafe medicine from hurting children, fueling drug abuse or polluting the environment.

The newest drop box location is inside the Alexandria City Hall building. It’s available to anyone during normal business hours at city hall but especially to residents in the Alexandria, Liberty, and Dowelltown communities. The other drop box is at the Smithville Police Department inside the City Hall building. It has been available to the public for over four years.

The drop-off points are part of the DeKalb Prevention Coalition’s effort to bring more awareness to safe medication storage and help citizens dispose of pills or other medications they don’t need anymore.

“The first step is to make people, especially parents, aware of the problem. If we’re able to help one family through education, awareness and the practical solution these drop boxes offer, it’s absolutely worth doing this program,” Lisa Cripps, Coordinator of the DeKalb Prevention Coalition told WJLE Thursday.

“Last fall we met with Alexandria Police Chief Chris Russell and asked if he would be interested in having a drop box for medications in the western end of our county. He said he would love to have that so we started the paperwork in the fall and we got approval of it by October. The drop box has been mounted at city hall and became ready for use in December. We deposited our first medications Thursday. I’m thrilled to have it there for the people of Alexandria, Liberty, and Dowelltown and even surrounding counties,” said Cripps.

According to Cripps, DeKalb County is fortunate to receive a second drop box.

“The state gets so much money every year for the drop boxes and you have to apply for those. They only awarded five or six this year across the state so we were really lucky to get one of those. We put our application in early and felt like we had a good chance for it,” she said.

“Having two drop box locations in this county is going to be wonderful. We have the one at the Smithville City Hall and its great. We have used it a whole lot and we will continue to use it a lot. But its really good to have one in the western part of the county close to where people in the rural areas don’t have to travel longer distances,” Cripps said.

“If anyone has a loved one who has passed away and they don’t know what to do with their prescriptions bag it up and bring it in to the Smithville City Hall or the Alexandria City Hall and dispose of that medication. We know that prescription medications are a part of everybody’s life but if it is unused or out of date, drop it off at one of our drop boxes to keep it environmentally safe,” Cripps concluded.

The DeKalb Prevention Coalition also helps sponsor a local effort on National Prescription Drug Take Back Day every April and October to encourage residents on those days to come out and drop off any unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription medication for safe disposal at city hall in downtown Smithville.

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