Two Arrested After Large Amount of Drugs Found During Traffic Stop

July 22, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Two men were arrested Sunday after a large amount of drugs including methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, Xanax, and buprenorphine were found during a traffic stop by the sheriff’s department.

41-year-old Jonathan Kyle McCormick of Old West Point Road, Smithville and 40-year-old Matthew Randall Sullivan of Old Snow Hill Road, Dowelltown will be in court on their charges August 15. Bond for McCormick is $200,000 and $195,000 for Sullivan.

McCormick is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of a schedule I drug with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of a schedule II drug with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of a schedule IV drug with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of a schedule III drug with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; driving while in possession of methamphetamine; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sullivan’s charges include possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of a schedule II drug with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of a schedule II drug with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of a schedule IV drug with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; possession of a schedule III drug with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on July 21 a deputy was patrolling Sparta Highway when he spotted a blue Jeep with the driver’s side taillight out. He conducted a traffic stop and spoke with the driver/ owner of the vehicle, McCormick and a passenger, Sullivan. The officer searched the vehicle and found two baggies that contained a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine. One of the bags weighed 451 grams and the other weighed 225 grams with a combined weight of 676 grams. Also found were several baggies and a scale in addition to the following: a baggie that contained a white powdery substance believed to be heroin that weighed 32.01 grams; a baggie that contained a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine that weighed 4.51 grams; a baggie that contained 10 yellow pills believed to be Xanax; a straw with residue; a scale with residue; a glass with a red liquid inside; a pill bottle that contained two orange pills believed to be Buprenorphine; and several burnt pieces of aluminum foil.

July 22, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Will the county commission now call for a public referendum on the bond resolution?

During a special called meeting today (Monday) the DeKalb County Election Commission certified a petition, signed by more than 10% of registered voters protesting and seeking a public referendum on the issuance of General Obligation Bonds in DeKalb County to borrow up to $65 million for a jail/ judicial center.

Administrator of Elections Dustin Estes said of the 2,500 signatures on the petition, 1,500 were checked and verified which exceeded the 1,361 needed to trigger a referendum subject to action by the county commission calling for a public vote. The notice of certification now goes to the county clerk, as required by law, who is to notify the county mayor and commission and it will be up to them whether or not to honor the petitioners’ wishes and request a public referendum in time for the November General Election.

“The letter of official certification from the county election commission has been turned over to County Clerk Jimmy Poss who will then give it to the county mayor and the county commissioners and anyone else required to have it,” explained Estes. “Then it is up to the county commission to decide if they want this referendum pertaining to the petition to be on the election ballot. If they decide not to push forward with an election resolution, then essentially the bond dies. It is to no effect. If they (county commission) pass an election resolution instructing the election commission to place the referendum on the ballot, they have up through the August monthly (county commission) meeting to put that on the November ballot. Anything after August would take some clarification to determine whether it could be on the November ballot or if it would have to be on a special election ballot later which would cost the county around $20,000,” said Estes.

Last month a successful grassroots petition drive was launched seeking to file a protest and request a public referendum after the county commission and county mayor approved an initial resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds to borrow up to $65 million for the development and construction of a judicial center/jail and a 51-cent property tax increase to pay for it through the county’s debt service fund putting the overall tax levy at $2.51 per $100 of assessed value. While a referendum would gauge the public’s approval or disapproval of the issuance of bonds, it would not force a repeal of the 51-cent tax increase. The petition bearing over 2,500 names was submitted to County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss as required by law who then turned the signatures over to the election commission last week for the 15-day signature verification process, which was completed in four days

The notice as adopted by the election commission states as follows:

“In accordance with TCA 9-21-207, on July 15, 2024, the DeKalb County Election Commission received from the county clerk, as required by law, a petition protesting the issuance of General Obligation Bonds in the county”.

“To call for a referendum on the issuance of general obligation bonds, TCA 9-21-207 requires a petition to be signed by ten percent (10%) or more of the registered voters of DeKalb County on the date DeKalb County published in the newspaper of general circulation the notice of the initial resolution adopted by the DeKalb County Commission. On June 26, 2024, the initial resolution appeared in the newspaper, and on that date, there were 13,607 registered voters in DeKalb County ten percent (10%) of such number is 1,361”.

“Upon examination of the petition, the election commission staff has verified 1,500 valid signatures, a number which exceeds the minimum number of signatures needed to call for a county referendum on the question of whether general obligation bonds may be issued in DeKalb County”.

“Therefore, on the 22nd day of July 2024, we the undersigned members of the DeKalb County Election Commission  (Chairman Brandon Gay and Commissioners Kim Luton, Yvette Carver, Loree Hall, and Ron Sifford) certify to the DeKalb County Commission that the petition filed on July 15, 2024 contains a sufficient number of valid signatures of registered voters to authorize the DeKalb County Commission to call for referendum on the question of whether the general obligation bonds may be issued in DeKalb County”.

“Before calling and setting an election date on the question of approving the issuance of the general obligations bond, the DeKalb County Election Commission will await the adoption of an election resolution under TCA 9-21-209 by the DeKalb County Commission,” the letter concluded.

Taking questions from WJLE after the election commission meeting today (Monday), Administrator of Elections Estes explained how the petition process was handled.

“We certified the petition today (Monday) protesting the issuance of general obligation bonds for DeKalb County”

“On June 26 the initial bond resolution (adopted by the county commission) appeared in the newspaper and on that date, there were 13,607 registered voters in DeKalb County and 10% of that number was required to validate the petition. That’s what we did today (Monday). We received the petition last Monday, July 15 from County Clerk Jimmy Poss. Basically from that date we had 15 calendar days to certify the petition which is what we did today (Monday) and we did it in half the time,” explained Estes.

“As of Thursday, last week, we reached the required number of 1,361 signatures verified”.

“I would like to explain our verification process. First, we checked to make sure that the person who signed the petition was a registered voter. Secondly, we made sure that their address matched or if it was different that they remained (resided) within the same precinct. Thirdly was the signature verification. Being able to match the signature we have on file and the signature that was placed on the petition itself. Lastly, we also recognized if there were any duplicates so anyone who signed the petition multiple times, those were caught and not counted”.

“We had roughly 2,500 signatures and we checked 1,500 which was well more than what was required. There were plenty more signatures and honestly at the rate we were going we could probably have passed 2,000. We just didn’t find it necessary. We have other things to tend to and we had what was required of us,” said Estes.

“I want to give special thanks to my deputy administrator Tina Gee and election worker Gloria Pinegar for helping support this activity in verifying signatures. It was an enormous task to do especially during early voting. The time allotted was 15 days for us to verify the signatures on the petition and we were able to do it in four days minus the certification process,” added Estes.

July 22, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Families in DeKalb County can get a helping hand with their back-to-school needs thanks to the annual Back to School Education Celebration hosted again this year by the Smithville First Baptist Church (FBC).

This Back-to-School Bash event will be held Thursday, August 1 starting at 6 p.m. at the church’s Life Enrichment Center downtown.

Pastor Chad Ramsey said other churches, businesses, etc. will be joining in the effort to provide free school supplies to families. Tables or booths will be set up inside the Life Enrichment Center gym and to help prevent duplication of services, they will each offer different types of supplies from pencils, paper, back packs, etc. Participants will line up at the door and enter after being handed information describing what they will find at each table. Families will walk through and get what they need from each booth. Most of the activity will be held inside.

“For many years the education celebration was an event that was held on the public square but for the last three years our church has hosted it at our gym which we call the Life Enrichment Center (LEC) which is right across from our main building so that rain or shine we get to pass out school supplies. Although we host and put it together this is a community event,” said Ramsey.

“This year we again have asked the teachers and principals what the main things are needed and from that we have updated the list in order that each child can walk out of there with things they need, and the amount needed,” he added.

If your business or group wants to host a table, contact the church at 615-597-4275.

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