Some new members to join County Commission this fall

May 5, 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 makeup of the commission as of September 1, 2018, was Dennis Slager and Julie Young in the 1st district, Myron Rhody and Sabrina Farler in the 2nd district, Bobby Johnson and Jenny Trapp in the 3rd district, Janice Fish-Stewart and Dr. Scott Little in the 4th district, Jerry Adcock and Anita Puckett in the 5th district, Matt Adcock and Jeff Barnes in the 6th district, and Bruce Malone and Beth Pafford in the 7th district.

Only four members from 2014 were re-elected in 2018 including Jerry Adcock, Jeff Barnes, Anita Puckett and Julie Young.

In January 2021 Shaee Flatt was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Dennis Slager who resigned in November 2020 as a 1st district member. Flatt did not seek election this year.

Susannah Cripps Daughtry was appointed to the commission as a 3rd district member in April 2021 after the resignation of Bobby Johnson the month before. She is now running for her first elected term.

In the primaries on Tuesday of this week, 3rd district member Jenny Trapp and 5th district member Jerry Adcock lost their bids for re-election and will be replaced by new members in the August election.

Fifth district member Anita Puckett and Commissioner Matt Adcock in the 6th district opted to run for County Mayor rather than seek re-election to the commission and will be replaced by new members this fall. Matt Adcock is still in the race for County Mayor and will be running against Mike Foster for the position in August.

Fourth district member Dr. Scott Little chose not to seek re-election to the county commission this year but will be a candidate for the Board of Education in August along with two others, Eric Ervin and Tony Poss.

The remaining commissioners from 2018 still serving, Young, Rhody, Farler, Stewart, Barnes, Malone, and Pafford are all seeking re-election, but all are facing contested races in August. The only sure thing is that Larry Green and Glynn Merriman in the 5th district, who won their primary races Tuesday will be joining the commission this fall as they have no opponents in the August General Election.

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.

May 5, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Its story telling time again in DeKalb County with the 17th annual Dots Storytelling Day dedicated to the children of DeKalb County to raise money for the Imagination Library.

Dots Storytelling Day is sponsored by the Smithville Study Club and DeKalb Family Consumer Education Club (FCE). This year’s theme is “Wrinkles in Time”. The event will be presented on Saturday, May 7 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. at the DeKalb County Complex History Room.

“This year’s storytelling will be dedicated to one of our wonderful storytellers the late Brownie Tittsworth,” said spokesperson Susan Hinton.

The event event will feature music, entertainment, and special guests including the newly crowned Mrs Tennessee Senior America Queen Margo Jacobs of Dickson who will be telling a story as well as signing copies of her new book called “A Face In the Clouds”. Jacobs will be vying for the national title in Hershey, Pennsylvania this fall

“If you love a good story or want to tell a good story call me for more information at 615-597-9300. Hope to see you there” said Hinton.

May 5, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

An organization has been formed in the Upper Cumberland area to help preserve the heritage of southern gospel and bluegrass music.

Larry Self, President of the Upper Cumberland Gospel Music Association based in Cookeville, said the group wants to create venues for lovers of southern gospel and bluegrass to gather for singings featuring local and regional talent and hopefully to spark an interest in this genre of music among others especially youth.

“We started the Association over three years ago and what we are trying to do is keep old hymns and southern gospel and bluegrass music alive in the Upper Cumberland area. We are not trying to woo anybody away from contemporary music, but we know there are pockets of people in our communities that still like this older type music and we are trying to get them connected to encourage each other,” said Self.

Roger Gaw, member of local gospel group the Joyful Praises and Vice President of the UCGMA, said enthusiasm for these singing events is growing.

“It’s a good thing. It has helped our group venture out more in different areas but it helps the churches involved and the people. We want to connect everyone who loves this kind of music and provide singings for them to hear it. There is nothing wrong with other forms of gospel music. We even do some praise and worship music at our church but some still enjoy southern gospel and bluegrass and we are just trying to keep that alive,” said Gaw.

“What we like to do is go to different churches on maybe a Sunday or Wednesday evening and bring some of our singers to let the public hear what we are promoting and what our Association is about and how it came to be,” Self continued.

“A lot of times singing groups will get discouraged and quit thinking nobody wants to hear their kind of music but we want to give them encouragement to keep on glorifying God in song by having these singing events and we have a good time doing it”.

“We have two singings each month and one of them is the first Friday night of the month at Wilhite Baptist Church in Cookeville near the Rescue Mission. The address is 20W Davis Road, Cookeville and we would love to have you come and join us,” said Self.

The singing Friday night, May 6 starts at 6 p.m. featuring Hearts Journey with special guests the Shirah Brothers. Another singing will be held on Saturday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Aletheia Baptist Fellowship at 909 Grider Road, Cookeville featuring Cross Creek.

Dogwood Park at 30 E. Broad Street in Cookeville will be the site of a summer singing on June 4 from 3-7 p.m. featuring several local and regional gospel groups or soloists including the Joyful Praises of Smithville, Perfect Will, Arlene Mason of Hearts Journey, the Old Time Singers of McMinnville, Cross Creek, and others.

“In the middle of that singing we will have all the pickers and singers get on stage together and do about a 30 minute set. I call it front porch singing on stage,” said Self.

Although no admission prices are charged to attend these singings, love offerings are often received to further the cause of the association.

“We receive love offerings, and we give half of it to our special guest singers and the rest is for our Association office expense, printing and things like that,” Self added.

For more information call 931-979-3904 or 931-510-5191

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