Contested County Commission Races in Six of Seven Districts August 4

July 10, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Four years ago, ten new members were elected to the fourteen-member county commission. There will be at least six changes on the commission this year and perhaps more depending upon the outcome of the August 4th General Election.

As of this date, there will be one new member elected in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and two new members in the 5th district. The terms are for 4 years beginning September 1.

Early voting begins Friday, July 15 and runs through Saturday, July 30

The field of county commission candidates in each district for the August General Election are as follows:

First District: Julie Young (Democrat), Bennett Armstrong (Republican), Tom Chandler (Republican), and Daniel Cripps (Independent). Two are to be elected.

Second District: Myron Rhody (Democrat), Sabrina Farler (Republican), and Jim Pearson (Republican). Two are to be elected.

Third District: Susannah Cripps Daughtry (Democrat), Jack Barton (Democrat), Tim Perricone (Republican), and Tony Luna (Independent). Two are to be elected.

Fourth District: Janice Fish Stewart (Democrat), Greg Matthews (Republican), Tony (Cully) Culwell (Republican), and Wayne Cantrell (Independent). Two are to be elected.

Fifth District: Larry Green (Republican) and Glynn Merriman (Republican). Both are to be elected unopposed.

Sixth District: Jeff Barnes (Democrat), Danny McGinnis (Democrat), Doug Stephens (Republican), and Justin Douglas Adcock (Republican). Two are to be elected.

Seventh District: Beth Pafford (Democrat), Bruce Malone (Republican), and Timothy Reynolds (Republican). Two are to be elected.

Early voting times are as follows at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Smithville: Mondays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.; Wednesdays 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.; Thursdays 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. until Noon. Early voting will also be held again in the western part of the county on a limited basis. The DeKalb County Fairgrounds will be the site of early voting on July 19th from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on July 25 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Each early voting site is for any properly registered DeKalb County voter.

July 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A changing of the guard!

Director of Schools Patrick Cripps announced Friday that DeKalb Middle School has a new principal and assistant principal.

Caleb Shehane will be taking over from former DMS Principal Lacey Foutch, who served in that role for three years, while Angela Johnson will success Anita Puckett as Assistant Principal. Both Foutch and Puckett have been reassigned.

Shehane, a Warren County native with ties to DeKalb County, lives in the Short Mountain area with his wife Heather Cantrell Shehane and they have two children, ages 6 and 4 years old. For the last 12 years, Shehane has been a 6th grade math teacher at Centertown Elementary School in Warren County. This is his first job in administration.

“I am excited to have this opportunity,” said Shehane. “We will focus on teaching high academic standards while building meaningful connections with students. We will also support the teachers and encourage all stakeholders to get involved and help us move forward in a positive way to make sure our students are ready for high school. Our motto here is that we are going to be a student-centered learning community in a safe, positive and respectful environment,” he added.

Shehane earned a Bachelors Degree from Tennessee Tech and a Masters Degree in Curriculum Administration and an Educational Specialist Degree in Administration from MTSU.

Johnson, the new Assistant Principal, is well known to the staff and most students at DeKalb Middle School. She has been an educator there for 6 years including the first 3 as a Science teacher and the last 3 years as a Response to Intervention (RTI) instructor supporting students in their reading abilities and as an English Language Arts (ELA) coordinator. Before joining the staff at DMS Johnson served six years as a second-grade teacher at Smithville Elementary School and before that she was an educational assistant in the school district for 4 ½ years.

Angela and her husband Bobby Johnson have three children, Ian and twins Garrett and Isabella along with a grandchild, Waylon who will turn 3 years old in August.

Johnson earned her Associates Degree from Motlow State Community College, a Bachelors Degree at Tennessee Tech, and a Masters Degree at TSU.

With less than a month before the start of a new school year, Johnson said she is excited about her new role and looks forward to working with Principal Shehane.

“We are already working well together and feeding off each other. We want to build a family here. A family not just with the staff and employees but also with the students so that they feel when they come here they are supported and that we care,” said Johnson.

“We are excited about the vision Caleb and Angela have and where they want to take the school,” said Director Cripps.

“Caleb may be the most excited person I have ever hired going into a position. Even from the first interview you could tell he was a go getter. People who know him from Centertown Elementary including parents have come up to me and said you are getting somebody special. You are getting somebody that is a worker who loves kids and loves people. That is what I am excited about,” Director Cripps continued.

Cripps also took notice of Johnson’s dedication when it came time to select a new assistant principal.

“Angela has worked afterschool programs and summer school programs. She is a worker and is here before school starts and way after it ends. I am excited about the work ethic she has for students. Administration is a tough job, and it has changed in the 17 years I have been doing it,” said Director Cripps. “Things I always have with me in my backpack are my Bible, board policies, and Tennessee Code Annotated (state law book). I will always remember that after Mr. (Mark) Willoughby (former Director of Schools) hired me as principal at DCHS. Mr. (Ernest) Ray (former principal and Director of Schools) called me with some advice which I will pass along to Caleb and Angela and that is you can say “no” and change it to a “yes” but it’s harder to say “yes” and change it to a “no”. I have lived by that acknowledgment from that day because it will serve you well,” Director Cripps concluded.

July 8, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department is seeking your help in locating 31-year-old Brittany Ann Miller who has been missing since Monday.

According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Miller was last seen on July 4th around 4:00 p.m. at her home on Hurricane Ridge Road, Smithville. At the time she was reportedly wearing a black tee shirt possibly saying “DCHS Tigers”, black shorts knee length, and black tennis shoes with black “no show” socks. A white woman, Miller is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. Her eyes are blue and she has dark brown shoulder length hair. She also wears black frame glasses and has a tattoo of “Adam” across her forearm and “Tyler” on her right ankle.

If you have seen Miller since July 4th or have any information of her whereabouts, please notify DeKalb Central Dispatch at 615-215-3000 or the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department Crime Tip Line at 615-464-6400. Miller has been listed with the National Crime Information Center as a missing person

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