County Clerk Erects American Flag Display Made of License Plates on Downtown Building (VIEW VIDEO HERE)

May 27, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

An American flag display made out of red, white, and blue automobile license plates now graces the side of a building on the public square thanks to County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss and some friends.

Poss came up with the idea and had the display erected at no cost to the county on the north side of the DeKalb Title building facing East Main Street. Attorney Chris Cantrell, the owner of the building, gave permission for the project. The plates were donated by collector and craftsman Bill Neal of Lakeland, Tennessee and Willard Brock of Willard’s Construction in Smithville helped with the installation.

County Clerk Poss wanted the display to be in a highly visible area and chose to erect it on Memorial Day to give it special significance.

“This is in appreciation to all military people, living and deceased, for what they have done for us and our country,” said Poss.

“Mr. Neal provided the plates. He goes around to county clerk’s offices throughout the state and gets these plates as they are turned in and are no longer in service. He collects them and does different types of art work with the plates,” added Poss.

“I have been an avid license plate collector for well over 20 years primarily focusing on the older Tennessee plates but I happened to search the web one day and got on a crafter’s page and found where people were making things out of license plates from various states. This intrigued me because I had a number of just common old plates that people were not interested in so I began to make things and took some to a county clerk (in another county) and she really liked what I was doing and asked if I would make some door prizes for the County Clerk’s Association Conference. I told her I would make them. I cut out a board in the shape of the state of Tennessee, painted it UT orange, and  spelled out the words county clerk on there using plates from many different states and it went over big,” said Neal.

“The plates on this display are attached to marine plywood which should last for many years. It’s been treated with an oil-based paint underneath on top of the plywood and screwed into the masonry brick of the wall to make it tightly secure. We have installed LED lights above so it can be seen at night and the stars on the display are made out of Tennessee plates with the reading In God We Trust,” said Poss.

May 27, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A special tribute was paid to the flag during Monday’s Memorial Day observance at the county complex.

Active duty and retired members of the 118th Airlift Wing of the Tennessee Air National Guard in Nashville presented “Operation Patriotism”, a stirring program which teaches the audience about the history of our Flag and how it came to be what it is today. “Operation Patriotism” takes you on a journey through history for a look at some of the early flags that were part of America’s past followed by a moving narrative from the viewpoint of our national emblem “Old Glory”.

(Video below shows entire Flag Tribute Program)

M2U02996 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

(Video below shows veterans and others (riding school bus) being escorted downtown by Sheriff Patrick Ray and DeKalb Fire Department for placement of Memorial Day wreath at Veterans Monument)

The Five Flag Ceremony included the Queen Anne Flag from 1707 to the Revolution, Grand Union Flag raised over George Washington’s Headquarters on January 1, 1776, Betsy Ross Flag the first official flag of the new nation, the United States of America on June 14, 1777, Star Spangled Banner flag May 1, 1795 and inspired Francis Scott Key to write our National Anthem, and finally Old Glory April 4th, 1818 the Flag of the United States of America of today.

Don Rigsby, a Senior Master Sergeant now retired from the 118th unit, was the guest speaker for the program and arranged for “Operation Patriotism” to be presented as part of the Memorial Day observance here.

“We are here to remember. Memorial Day is a national holiday celebrated the last Monday in May to pay tribute to those who died serving in the military of our country. I want us to remember these men and women who gave their lives for our freedom. I’d also like to remember the families of those who died. They also sacrificed for our freedom,” said Rigsby.

“One way we can keep alive in our hearts memories of those who died is to look to the American flag. As I look at America today I see a problem with our country in patriotism. I don’t see the same patriotism that I saw in my growing up years. I think we need that patriotism to come back. That flag means so much to so many people. It has draped coffins of dead people from all the wars. It is always to be honored and kept upright and clean,” Rigsby continued.

The Memorial Day program was hosted by the American Legion Post #122.

The observance began with patriotic music by Susan Hinton and James Snyder followed by a welcome from Commander William Edmonds and then the presentation of colors and pledge of allegiance by Boy Scout Troop #347.

Rigsby led in prayer and a chorus of four performed the National Anthem.

Judy Redmon, President of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary paid tribute to fallen soldiers with the following poem  called “The Soldier” and then a moment of silence.

I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young soldier saluted it,
And then he stood at ease..

I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He’d stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil
How many mothers’ tears?

How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?
No, freedom isn’t free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill

I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant ‘Amen, ‘
When a flag had draped a coffin.
Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn’t free.

Following Rigsby’s remarks as guest speaker, Ronnie Redmon, Adjutant President of the American Legion Post 122 made closing comments.

The audience then gathered at the veterans memorial monument outside the courthouse on the south side for the placement of a wreath where Josh Moon blew taps to close the program.

May 27, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A man was arrested last week after he was caught operating a farm tractor while under the influence.

52 year old Scott Green Pedigo of Pages Lane, Smithville is charged with a second offense of driving under the influence. His court date is June 13. He was cited for possession of methamphetamine (1.6 grams), a light law violation, violation of implied consent, driving on a revoked license, and for possession of a prohibited weapon (pair of brass knuckles).

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on May 21 a deputy was patrolling on Obie Adcock Road around 10:53 p.m. when he noticed a tractor traveling on the road with no lights on at the intersection of Obie Adcock Road and Pages Lane. He stopped the tractor and spoke to the driver, Pedigo who was very fidgety and unsteady on his feet. The deputy found 1.6 grams of a crystal like substance believed to be meth in Pedigo’s pocket. Pedigo admitted to having used meth and performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. After he refused to submit to implied consent a search warrant was obtained for a blood sample from Pedigo. He was also found to be in possession of a pair of brass knuckles.

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