After 16 years DeKalb County will have a new Circuit Court Clerk September 1.

Katherine Pack will be completing her fourth term August 31. She was first elected in 2002 but chose not to seek re-election this year. Her successor will be either Susan Martin or Nicole Wright. Voters will decide the race between Martin and Wright on Thursday, August 2. Early voting begins next Friday, July 13 and runs through Saturday, July 28.

Both Martin, a Republican, and Wright, a Democrat, are touting their qualifications for the job.

“My parents are Vic and Debbie McMillen of Alexandria,” said Martin. “ My husband of 23 years is Shane Martin. He is a School Resource Officer at Smithville Elementary School and has been employed with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department for 13 years. We have three children, Hope, Brooke, and Lance”.

“I am a member at West Main Baptist Church in Alexandria where I teach a Sunday School Class and also serve as Youth Leader and Youth Choir Director,” she said.

“For 14 years I have been a licensed Court Reporter and have owned my own business for seven years”.

“During my years working in the judicial system, I have developed a close working relationship with the judges, attorneys, as well as the public and my commitment to you is to always be courteous and professional in my dealings with you. I will serve you with honesty and integrity and make use of my experience and training in the legal field to give you the best service possible,” added Martin.

“I grew up in the Keltonburg community and have been a life-long resident of DeKalb County,” said Wright. “My husband Jeff Wright and I reside in Smithville with our two daughters Jenna, 12, and Lydia, 5. Jeff has been an active member of the Smithville Fire-Rescue Department for over 30 years, and is currently employed by the Murfreesboro Fire- Rescue Department where he serves as the Training Coordinator.”

“I graduated from DeKalb County High School. I began serving the citizens of DeKalb County in 1995 at DeKalb County Ambulance Service as an Emergency Medical Technician. I later worked at the DeKalb Sheriff’s Department as a 911 dispatcher, the City of Smithville Police Department as a police and fire dispatcher, and as a DeKalb E-911 dispatcher. I worked for Circuit Court Clerk Katherine Pack from 2006 to 2011 as a Deputy Clerk. I worked as the office administrator for Jeremy D. Trapp, Attorney from 2011 to August, 2017 where I gained valuable knowledge and experience working in the law. I returned to work for Katherine Pack in the Circuit Court Clerk’s office as a Deputy Clerk in September, 2017,” Wright continued.

“Public service has been at the center of my employment most of my adult life. I have always enjoyed working with and for the citizens of DeKalb County. I am seeking this position because I want to continue the integrity and efficiency this office has worked so hard for during Mrs. Katherine’s reign as clerk. The years of experience that I have under her leadership will allow me to keep this office moving forward providing the best services available for the people of DeKalb County,” said Wright.

Pack said she has been honored and privileged to have served the people of DeKalb County

“I would like to thank all the citizens of DeKalb County for allowing me the opportunity to serve as DeKalb County’s Circuit Court Clerk the past 16 years,” said Ms. Pack.

“I have so enjoyed working with the judges in Circuit, Criminal and Civil, General Sessions Criminal and Civil, and Juvenile Courts, all the attorneys from our local bar and surrounding counties, the District Attorney General’s Office, District Public Defender’s Office, the Sheriff’s Department, City of Smithville and Alexandria Police Departments, and my special friends elected officials of DeKalb County, you all have a special place in my heart,” she continued.

“My prayer for our county and these special people is: with unity, love, and thankfulness, we all seek God’s guidance and leadership daily in all we do,” Ms. Pack concluded.

Two people were involved in a one vehicle crash Friday morning on New Home Road.

The driver of a Toyota Land Crusier lost control and wrecked. One of the occupants was bleeding from his head but refused to be transported by EMS to the hospital.

The accident is under investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol.The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and Volunteer Fire Department were also on the scene along with DeKalb EMS.

The 47th Annual Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival is now in progress and continues until the final competition has been awarded.

“We are looking for a record crowd this year,” said Sam Stout, second year President and Coordinator of the Festival.

The Fiddlers Jamboree is always in search of new ideas to improve the show and this year a dining tent is being added to give visitors a more comfortable place to eat while they are in town.

“We’re having a 40’ x 60’ dining tent where people can sit and enjoy their food in the comfort of some shade with a nice table and some chairs so they don’t have to balance the food on their laps. This is the first time we have done that and we think it will really be good for the food vendors. There is just a lot of great things we are trying to do to improve the festival and it’s going well,” said Stout.

The Fiddlers Jamboree also launched a new website this year at www.fiddlersjamboree.com

Highlight on-stage attractions of the Fiddlers Jamboree each year are the square dancing, the competition for beginners up to age 12, and of course, the Fiddle-Off between the grand champion Junior and Senior Fiddler. The community chorus is featured during the opening ceremony on Friday evening and on Saturday night, the Blue Blaze Award is presented. This year’s recipient is Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper.

“We give this award every year to someone who has done great things in bluegrass music. This year the recipient will be Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper. Michael is a phenomenal musician. He actually performed here when he was nine years old. He has won more bluegrass fiddle player of the year awards than anybody in that history. He is an incredible talent. We invite everybody to come and see him. Michael is completely blind but that has not stopped him from playing the fiddle. Trust me you have never in your life heard anybody play a fiddle like Michael Cleveland,” said Stout.

With over 35 music and dance categories, streets full of hand-made crafts, and over a dozen food booths, there is something for everyone at the Jamboree. You have to experience it in person…come and see the Jamboree!

Preliminaries will be held in the following categories on Friday, July 6:

Old Time Appalachian Folksinging (Solo); Junior Clogging (ages 13-39); Junior Buck Dancing (ages 13-39); Old-Time Appalachian Folksinging (Duet, Trio, Quartet); Dobro Guitar; Mountain Dulcimer; Hammer Dulcimer; Novelty Event (Spoon Clacking, Jug Blowing, Washboard, Tub, Saws-Appalachian Related Only); Autoharp, Gospel Singing (Solo); Country Harmonica; Old Time Banjo; Youth Square Dancing (4 Couples-8 Total Dancers); Gospel Singing (Duet,Trio, and Quartet); Mandolin; and Old Time Fiddle Band.

The top three acts in each category will be called back for the finals on Friday night and a first, second, and third place will be awarded.

A United States flag and a Tennessee State flag will be presented on Friday evening. The flags, which have flown over the state capitol, go to the persons who travel the greatest distances, both from inside and outside the country, to get here. The flags will be presented by State Senator Mark Pody and State Representatives Terri Lynn Weaver and Clark Boyd.

The Smithville Community Chorus is expected to perform with a variety of patriotic songs.

Fiddler’s Jamboree Craft Awards will be presented during the weekend for “Best of Show”, “Best Appalachian Craft”, “Best Newcomer”, and “Best Craft Display”

On Saturday, July 7, preliminaries will be held in the following categories:

Junior Old Time Appalachian Flatfoot dance (ages up to 39); Senior Old Time Appalachian Flatfoot dance ( ages 40 and over); Senior Buckdancing (ages 40 and over); Senior Clogging (ages 40 and over); Bluegrass Banjo; Junior Fiddlers (ages 13-39); Flat Top Guitar; Contest Fiddle for the Neil Dudney Award; Bluegrass Band; Senior Fiddlers (ages 40 and over); and Square Dancing (4 Couples-8 Total Dancers).

Preliminaries will be held in each event and then the top three finalists will be called back Saturday night to compete for first, second, and third place.

Award-winning fiddle player Michael Cleveland has been named the 2018 Blue Blaze Award Winner for the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival and he will be accepting the award on Saturday, July 7th at 5pm followed by a mini-concert by Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper.

The winners of the Junior and Senior Fiddling competition will square off for the Grand Champion Award, the Berry C. Williams Memorial Trophy at the conclusion of the festival.

Meanwhile, the National Championship for Country Musician Beginners will be held Saturday afternoon, July 7 during the Jamboree featuring competitions for children, up to age twelve, in the categories of Buck Dancing, Clogging, Dobro Guitar, Mandolin, Five String Banjo, Flat Top Guitar, and Fiddle.

Preliminaries will be held in each event and then the top three finalists will be brought back to compete for first, second, and third place.

One child will receive the Best Overall Instrumental Entertainer Trophy Award and the top fiddler will get the James G. “Bobo” Driver Memorial Trophy.

In addition to the on-stage musical entertainment, the Fiddlers Jamboree will feature many crafts, plenty of delicious food; and lots of shade tree picking around the public square.

WJLE will broadcast most of the on-stage entertainment LIVE on AM 1480/ FM 101.7 and LIVE Streaming at www.wjle.com.

For more information on the festival, go to www.fiddlersjamboree.com