Council Uses Assessment Process to Identify DeKalb’s Top Health Priorities

July 30, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

For more than two decades, Tennessee’s County Health Councils have provided critical leadership in bringing people together to improve health outcomes in our communities. In January 2019 Tennessee became one of the first states in the nation to launch a community-informed, county-level health assessment process called the County Health Assessment or CHA initiative.

By participating in Tennessee’s first round of CHAs with the Tennessee Department of Health, the DeKalb County Health Council has identified the county’s top health priorities they will work to address over the next three years. The priorities include:

•Frequent Mental Distress
•Substance Misuse
•Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

The DeKalb County Health Council includes individuals with backgrounds in health care, education, local government, business, public health and other areas. The CHA process challenges health councils to engage with local stakeholders in order to gather relevant data and listen to residents’ health concerns. Now that these priorities have been identified, the DeKalb County Health Council will review strategies that can be adapted and implemented to address these health priorities.

“The goal of our health council is to improve availability, accessibility and affordability of quality health care and the County Health Assessment has been a great way to identify health concerns in DeKalb County and improve the health of the people who live here.” said Lisa Cripps, County Health Council Member.

“Each county has different health priorities and the CHA process has been extremely valuable to identify these priorities and to bring community partners together to find solutions that will improve the health of people in DeKalb County.” said Michael Railling, DeKalb County Health Department Director.

DeKalb County is one of 16 counties in Tennessee participating in this year’s County Health Assessment and over the next three years, all 89 rural counties in Tennessee will conduct a CHA. The results from these assessments will be used to support the TDH mission to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee.

From start to finish, the CHA process puts community members in the driver’s seat and creates an exciting opportunity for communities to come together to identify and address local health issues.

For more information on DeKalb County’s CHA, visit www.tn.gov/vitalsigns or contact the DeKalb County Health Department at (615) 597-7599.

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

Connect with TDH on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn @TNDeptofHealth!

July 30, 2019
By:

The Smithville Fire Department is pleased to announce it has been awarded a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant. This was a grant for a Polaris Ranger Utility All-Terrain Vehicle, valued at $24,950.10.

This vehicle is equipped with a unique compressed air foam system that utilizes a small amount of water, foam and compressed air to produce an exceptional fire extinguishing solution that can be used of everything from vehicle to wild land fires.

The fire department will utilize the vehicle for commercial incidents, off road areas, and any special operation event. The vehicle will also be available for mutual aid request from other departments to utilize at wild land fires, search and rescue operations or special events.

“Most of all we would like to thank Firehouse Subs Public Safety foundation for their generosity in giving back. We are grateful to them for allowing us this opportunity to better serve our community,” said Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker

About Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation

In 2005, the Firehouse Subs Founders established the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation with the mission of providing funding, lifesaving equipment, and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations. Through the non-profit 501(C) (3), Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has granted more than $ 44 million to hometown heroes in 49 states and Puerto Rico, including over $ 1.9 million in Tennessee.

July 30, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Smithville man has been charged with aggravated statutory rape for having sex with a minor.

36 year old Greg Alan Fox of Big Hurricane Road is under a $75,000 bond and he will make a court appearance on August 8.

According to the offense, on May 5, 2018 Fox did unlawfully have sex with a 15 year old female and that he is more than 10 years older than the female victim.

The case was investigated by the Sheriff’s Department.

Meanwhile 43 year old Jimmy Layne Estes of Crestlawn Avenue has been charged by Smithville Police with theft. He is under a $7,000 bond and will be in court on August 15.

Police report that on July 24 Estes took 10 Lisinopril, 3 suboxone pills, 2 IBU pills, 6 Gabepentin pills, 6 Zoloft pills, and 5 Lipitor pills that were in a pill organizer. Also taken was a TN ID card and $30 in cash. The victim told police that she saw Estes him reach into her purse and grab an item and run out the front door. She also stated that she had closed and zipped her purse a short time earlier and no one else had access to it. The items were not recovered.

A Liberty man whose car crashed into a tree while he was trying to outrun a deputy during a pursuit will be in court on a variety of charges next week.

49 year old David Dewayne Anderson of Deadmon Hollow Road was arrested July 19 for a 2nd offense of driving while license suspended; possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver methamphetamine; evading arrest in a vehicle and on foot; reckless endangerment; failure to appear; and three counts of probation violation. His bond totals $15,000 and his court date is August 8.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on July 19 a deputy spotted Anderson in a maroon Honda Passport and tried to pull him over on the Old Mill Hill Road. Anderson failed to stop even when the officer activated his blue lights and siren until he left the road in a curve and crashed into a tree. Before the wreck, Anderson had crossed in and out of both lanes and at one point came close to hitting an oncoming car. After the crash, Anderson bailed out of the car and tried to flee on foot down an embankment toward Dry Creek Road but the officer caught up with him.

During a search the deputy found in Anderson’s car a clear pipe which contained 0.19 grams of a clear crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine. A check showed that Anderson’s driver license was suspended for failure to maintain proof of financial responsibility on July 14, 2016. He has one prior offense against him for driving while suspended on January 11, 2018. He was placed under arrest and brought to the jail.

50 year old Charles Monroe Skinner of Dixon Springs is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court August 8.

Sheriff Ray said that on July 20 a deputy responded to a business on Highway 70 where Skinner was intoxicated and trying to buy more alcohol. As the officer spoke with Skinner he smelled a strong odor of alcohol on him. Due to his intoxicated state, Skinner was placed under arrest.

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