Judges Order Release of Several Non Violent Prisoners from DeKalb County Jail Due to COVID-19 Threat

March 21, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Some inmates incarcerated in the DeKalb County Jail have been given an early release under judicial orders in response to the spread of COVID-19 .

Several non-violent offenders including older ones with pre existing health conditions and those whose sentences were about to expire anyway have been released within the past week to make room should remaining prisoners become infected and have to be quarantined.

Jails across the state and nation are also releasing prisoners to lessen the risk of a pandemic outbreak among the inmate population. The decision locally came after a Tennessee Supreme Court order last week suspending in-person court proceedings until March 31.

“The judges have been good helping us getting the prisoners released that we need out. I met with the criminal court judges and the chancellor in Cookeville last Friday and that evening I met with DeKalb County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II and we talked about the inmates we have here. We had some inmates in jail for non-violent crimes who were awaiting bond hearings, arraignments, etc. and others already sentenced who were close to completing their terms. We also looked at older inmates including those with pre existing health conditions. We didn’t want to possibly further endanger their health if someone came into the jail with COVID-19 so the judges did orders on those inmates to release them and we have been doing that since last Friday. We are only releasing inmates who are non-violent. Prisoners incarcerated for violent crimes including sex offenses, robberies, etc. will not be released,” said Sheriff Ray.

“We currently have 27 inmates in our jail and two or three of them will be released when their sentences expire Sunday. Since last Friday, we have only had four new prisoners come into our jail.”

For new prisoners entering the jail, Sheriff Ray said a protocol is being followed to monitor their condition and to keep them from exposing others in the event they should be diagnosed with the virus.

“We have a quarantine cell with three rooms where we lock down inmates who are newcomers to the jail. They go through a protocol and a nurse assesses them for five days to make sure they don’t develop a fever,” he said.

Sheriff Ray began restricting public access to the facility last week until further notice due to the threat of the coronavirus.

“Our number one priority is to prevent possible exposure to staff as well as inmates therefore we have placed the sheriff’s office and jail on a soft lock down which means that the general public is not able to enter the facility. The front door to the lobby has been locked. Anyone in need of an officer or services such as a warrant must press a button at the front door which will ring for a correctional officer who will meet you at the door to offer assistance,” said Sheriff Ray.

For all non-emergency issues please call 615-597-4935.

“Tuesday night church services and family visitations with inmates at the jail are prohibited except for online visitations and the inmate roadside litter pickup program has been suspended until the threat subsides,” said Sheriff Ray.

“Rather than an in court appearance, video conferences are being arranged for defendants needing an immediate hearing before a judge for certain matters such as bond conditions, etc.,” he said.

To keep the jail from being infected, regular wipe downs are being conducted throughout the jail and cell areas.

The pandemic threat has also created a lack of some menu food items and cleaning products at the jail as the supply from vendors has run short although a new shipment is expected in a few days.

March 21, 2020
By:

The following is a prepared statement from Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District.

The health and safety of our workforce, customers, and communities is our top priority as the impact of the Covid-19 virus continues to be felt around the world. Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District remains committed to providing highly responsive service to our customers and our communities. Safeguarding the health of our employees is the first step in maintaining our operations and meeting the needs of the communities that we serve.

Safety related calls will be handled per our normal operating procedures. However, we ask for all customers to cooperate and to let us know if any individual within the home or business is ill, so that our personnel can be prepared when responding to the call. Currently our offices remain open and available to assist you.

If you do not already participate, please consider signing up for one of our electronic bill payment options. This process can be handled via our website www.MTNG.com or by calling your local office.

http://www.MTNG.com

We will continue to follow the guidance and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as state and local governmental agencies. As the situation continues to evolve, we will revise plans and make the necessary decisions to ensure the safety and health of our workforce while trying to minimize the disruption for our customers.

At this time, we have the following measures in place, so that we can focus on our core mission to provide safe and reliable natural gas service:

• Suspend and reschedule non-critical appliance installs
• Suspend meter change-out program
• Test and ensure our capabilities to continue operations remotely
• Restrict travel
• Cancel training classes and meetings

These changes are not made lightly, and we recognize how these temporary modifications in operations could impact families. We will work through this together, and we ask for your patience.

If additional limitations or restrictions are mandated by federal or state authorities, we will comply with all guidelines and restrictions while trying to minimize the impact to customers. We will continue to monitor this situation daily and provide updates as quickly as possible.

March 21, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Local factories are being impacted by the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic which is resulting in layoffs for a few due to supply issues.

During a WJLE Radio program Friday, County Mayor Tim Stribling said industry officials he has talked to this week are concerned. Smithville Mayor Josh Miller and DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Charlie Parker joined Stribling on the radio program.

(Click link below to hear the program)

https://www.wjle.com/update-on-local-response-to-covid-19-threat/

“I have been in touch with most of our industries this week and they are all very concerned. Layoffs are happening now with our industries and smaller, individual businesses. We are automobile heavy related in the county when it comes to industries and as automobile manufacturers shut down across the country it will trickle down. I talked to an industry Friday that is automobile related. They are still going to try to work but their concern is their suppliers not being able to send them what they need. Unfortunately that has happened at one industry and will probably happen at others in time,” said County Mayor Stribling.

Help is available to workers affected by layoffs.

“If you have been laid off working for a small business you may call 1-877-813-0950 which is the unemployment division for the state. You may be on hold for a while but be patient. They are waving the waiting week. You usually have to wait a week before you can file for unemployment benefits and start drawing but they are waving that week,” Stribling continued.

Although COVID-19 has forced local governments to temporarily change the manner in which they serve the community in many cases, Stribling said the business of government goes on even if the public cannot visit with their elected officials face to face.

“County services are still operational as normal including our emergency services and the solid waste and garbage collection convenience sites are all open,” said Stribling.

“We want to reassure everyone not to panic because we are taking steps to ensure the safety of the public including county employees. We have had to make some hard decisions to lock some county buildings that provide services to citizens but we are still in there working and signs are on the doors with phone numbers so you can call the public official you want to speak with and they can tell you how your situation can be handled.”

“I was on a conference call with the Governor for all county mayors in the state this week and one of the things he said which struck me was that government will do what it can but that government can’t solve all this. It is going to take families, businesses, and organizations being responsible and I think that is happening here in DeKalb County. I think people realize the seriousness of this virus. As far as county offices, we are still providing services. On the health front, I just encourage everyone to continue to be aware of your surroundings because all the medical experts have said this is going to get worse before it gets better,” added County Mayor Stribling.

While Smithville Mayor Josh Miller joins Stribling in calling for residents to remain calm during this crisis, he disagrees with those who say the community is overreacting to it.

“Some may have questioned whether we are going to the extreme by doing what we are doing. I don’t think so and if we are we will apologize later but I don’t think we can disregard what we are hearing from our governor, president, and medical personnel. That would be foolish,” he said.

“We decided to close city hall to public access this week but we have the drive through window open and are still conducting business. All of our services are available including garbage pickup, water and sewer services, and police and fire protection. As far as our city is concerned our services are and will be available,” Mayor Miller continued.

The mayor said he is happy to see local businesses acting responsibly as well.

“We have many restaurants and banks in town doing drive through service only and I know many churches have made a hard decision on cancelling worship services for the next few weeks and I think that shows great responsibility. We are all doing what we need to do at this time.”

Mayor Miller also cautioned the public against panic buying at the local markets.

“I was on the phone Thursday night with a manager at one of our big grocery stores and my question to him was are we getting low on stock. Are we good with our supplies? He said they are getting trucks in two or three times a week but the panic buying has gotten everybody bent out of shape. If everyone will buy as they did three weeks ago I think everything will be fine,” he said.

“I know we will come back from this so I encourage everyone not to panic because the City of Smithville and the County are on top of this,” added Mayor Miller.

Although there still have been no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in DeKalb County, local EMA Coordinator Charlie Parker said testing is available.

“We have been testing in DeKalb County for a while now. The Centers for Disease Control recommendations for that is for you to contact by phone your primary physician first and they will do a pre-screen and then tell you where you need to go to get tested. They will also do a pre-screening when you get there to determine if you meet the conditions to be tested for COVID-19. There are tests you must take first. If you do not have a primary physician then the health department can test. They have been doing testing the last couple of days. They have testing kits. If you do get tested they are asking you to self quarantine until the results come back,” he said.

“Locally we have formed a DeKalb County COVID-19 Task Force to address the situation in our county. This includes law enforcement, government officials, first responders, health care providers, education officials, public works and others. We have a good mix of people in our county making decisions in the best interest of everyone,” added Parker.

Meanwhile the Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office has created an information line for local residents and healthcare providers to call with questions or concerns related to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus.

The information line is 931-646-7586 and is designed to provide callers with trusted information related to COVID-19. Residents with medical questions will be referred to their health care provider. The Tennessee Department of Health has additional information available at http://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html. The CDC has updated information and guidance available online at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/index.html.

The information line will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Recommended Precautions:

Tennesseans are encouraged to take routine precautions used in guarding against respiratory viruses:

*Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
*Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
*Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
*Stay home if you are sick.
*Stay away from people who are sick.
*Flu shots are available for free at your local health department.

Visit the Tennessee Department of Health online at http://www.tn.gov/health

Connect with TDH on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedinatTNDepttoHealth!

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