Soales Pleads Guilty to Theft of Services for Stealing Electricity

May 28, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A man charged with stealing more than $5,600 in electricity from Caney Fork Electric Cooperative almost three years ago appeared for sentencing in DeKalb County Criminal Court Tuesday, May 28.

50-year-old Shawn Edward Soales entered a plea to theft of services over $2,500 and received a two-year TDOC sentence on supervised probation. He was ordered to make restitution of $5,601 to Caney Fork Electric Cooperative.

Soales was arrested in October, 2021 after it was discovered that he had created an electrical bypass which allowed him to have use of electric power without being charged for it.

The charge against him alleged that “on October 11 Soales altered and tampered with electrical wires established by Caney Fork Electric Cooperative to obtain and divert those services for his own benefit. Soales altered the wires to bypass the meter used to measure the amount of electricity used at his residence therefore bypassing any billing. Caney Fork Electric Cooperative showed this residence as a vacant account since February 21, 2020 and the estimated amount owed is $5,601,” said Sheriff Patrick Ray.

Meanwhile, 41-year-old John Phillip Petrone, Jr. entered a plea to burglary and received a two-year TDOC sentence on supervised probation but was given jail credit of 46 days. He must make restitution of $715 jointly and severally with a co-defendant in the case.

33-year-old Kieran Walker entered a plea by criminal information to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams and received a six-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000 and given 52 days jail credit.

May 28, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Need some minor fix up, cleanup projects done around your home?

The Smithville Church of Christ Work Camp may be able to help. This event is set for June 10-13. The work camp is an annual home rehabilitation and beautification effort organized by the Smithville Church of Christ. The church started the work camp 12 years ago as a means of helping less fortunate residents of the county.

“The week of June 10-13 is when we will have the work camp. We are doing this on behalf of the church. We are trying to show Christ’s love through this while promoting the Smithville Church of Christ but you don’t have to be a member of the church for us to help you,” said spokesperson Casey Midgett.

“All the application forms are out at the local banks. You can stop by any bank and pick up a form or you can go by our church location and get a form. Just get the forms back in by June 1,” said Midgett.

During the week of the work camp, members of the church load up on church vans and head to the homes of residents to perform a variety of tasks.

The work camp is primarily for those who own their homes and are in most need of help.

“Its based-on need but even If you have the means to do it and can’t because you’re too feeble we can help. The skilled crew will build handicapped ramps and help make light repairs to people’s houses that need it. The unskilled crew will go out and cut brush out of people’s yards, clean their gutters, pressure wash their houses and things like that,” said Midgett.

“Its for people who own their homes. We’re iffy about improving rental houses. If you own your home, you are eligible to talk to us about it. There are certain cases where we have done rental homes before but its very tough for us to do that,” Midgett explained.

“A lot of times people are reluctant to ask for help,” said spokesperson Chad Colwell. “People need to get past that. If you need assistance give us a call and we’ll look at it”.

Getting around to all those who apply sometimes depends on logistics.

“For example, if we get 80 applicants we may have to select. If we have more homes in a specific area its more feasible for us to get to those, than one house here or there. It’s a schedule that is ever changing. Sometimes when you are working on a yard there are unseen challenges that will extend your time. If you allot an hour to be there and it takes three hours then that’s a domino effect for the rest of the day,” said Colwell.

“We never give them a specific day when we will show up. We just say it will be June 10-13,” added Midgett.

The Smithville Work Camp concentrates its efforts in the Smithville-DeKalb County area. If you would like to have your home considered for the project, contact the church at 615-597-4159 by Saturday, June 1 to acquire an application and release form. The church is located at 520 Dry Creek Road, Smithville.

May 27, 2024
By:

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival has awarded Sister Sadie the Blue Blaze Award for the 53rd annual event. The Blue Blaze Award is given to artists for continuing and promoting bluegrass music as well as participating in the past Jamborees.

Comprised of original members Deanie Richardson (fiddle), Gena Britt (banjo & vocals) and newcomers Jaelee Roberts (guitar & vocals), Dani Flowers (guitar & vocals), and Maddie Dalton (acoustic bass & vocals), Sister Sadie has combined the varied talents of each of the individual women in the lineup to create something that is far more than the sum of its parts. It is a sound uniquely their own. The first gravitational shift came in finding a new lead vocalist in 2020—someone whose voice had the power and confidence to hold court and capture an audience. Fortunately, Jaelee Roberts had all the above and more. Roberts had been near the members of Sister Sadie for her whole life: Richardson played with her dad, Danny Roberts (another Jamboree favorite) in New Tradition and Britt had played with her mom in Petticoat Junction. The original Station Inn lineup formed the core of the band for the majority of the first eight years, featuring Dale Ann Bradley, Beth Lawrence, Tina Adair, and of course, Deanie Richardson and Gena Britt. In 2019, following the release of their second studio album “Sister Sadie II” on Pinecastle Records, they had their debut on the Grand Ole Opry, won their first IBMA award for Vocal Group of the Year, and received a GRAMMY nomination for Bluegrass Album of the Year. In 2020, Deanie was named the IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year (the second woman to win that prize in the 30-year history of the awards), and the band took home the top prize as the Entertainer of the Year. Sister Sadie also was named Vocal Group of the Year for the second year running.

“We are thrilled to give this year’s award to Sister Sadie. Four out of the five band members have been at the Jamboree – Deanie Richardson, Jaelee Roberts, Dani Flowers, and Gena Britt. What an honor to give this award to a group of women who have been involved with the Jamboree over the years and have been successful in their musical endeavors ever since,” stated Jamboree President Kim Driver Luton.

“I started going to the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree when I was a young girl,” said Deanie Richardson. “I was the first fiddler to win the National Beginner Fiddler Championship at the age of twelve. That win also awarded me my first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. I cannot tell you what this Jamboree means to every young person who plays an instrument and works all year to prepare for this competition. I have made lifelong friends that I still talk to and play music with that I met at the Jamboree. I now have students of my own that attend the Jamboree and I get to go with them and accompany them when they compete. That is the ultimate experience for me to get to relive it and feel their excitement about being there as I did when I was their age. I am thrilled to get to be there this year with our band, Sister Saide and accept the Blue Blaze Award for 2024”, continued Deanie.

In 2021, Sister Sadie was featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s American Currents exhibit. That same year, the band took home a third consecutive IBMA Vocal Group of the Year award, and new member Jaelee Roberts was awarded the IBMA Momentum Vocalist of the Year award. In 2022, Gena Britt was recognized as the SPBGMA Banjo Player of the Year and Sister Sadie signed with Mountain Home Records to begin work on their third studio album. In 2023, Jaelee Roberts took home the honor of SPBGMA Female Vocalist of the Year. The band continues to work on the third album which is set to be released soon.

“Sister Sadie is an inspiring musical collaboration bringing together some of the best women bluegrass music has ever claimed.” ~ Alison Krauss.

The Blue Blaze award will be presented on Saturday, July 6th @5:00 pm – followed by music provided by Sister Sadie. The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Craft Festival is free to the public.

For more information about Sister Sadie, go to Sister Sadie (sistersadieband.com). Visit smithvillejamboree.com for more info about the Jamboree. This year’s Jamboree will be held Friday, July 5th & Saturday, July 6th.

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