Sunday Fire Destroys Two-Story Home and Burns about 13 Acres of Woodland (View video here)

April 24, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A Sunday fire destroyed a two-story residence at 1095 Lakeview Drive at Lakeview Mountain Estates and spread to about 13 acres of woodland coming dangerously close to other structures in the area.

DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green said firefighters were dispatched to the residence of Anthony W. Mickle, Jr and Ronda Mickle. No one was home at the time.

In a prepared statement, Chief Green said “Sunday at 11:37 a.m., DeKalb Fire was dispatched to a structure fire on Lakeview Drive. Upon arrival, the structure was fully involved and had spread into a steep wooded area. The homeowners were not home”.

“Firefighters worked quickly to gain control of the fire and protect other nearby threatened structures and the Tennessee Department of Forestry was called in to assist with the wildland fire”.

“The two-story home, contents, and two dogs were lost in the fire. The American Red Cross Chapter was also dispatched to assist the owners with their immediate needs. Approximately 13 acres of woodland burned, and four other structures were threatened”.

“The Main Station Engine, Brush Truck, Tanker, Cookeville Highway and the Liberty Fire Stations responded along with the Rehab Team, DeKalb Sheriff’s Department, and DeKalb EMS”.

April 24, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Eligible voters who haven’t participated in early voting for the May 3 primaries have four more days to do so.

The hours for early voting this week (April 25-28) are as follows: Monday 1 p.m. until 5 p.m., Tuesday 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Thursday from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. all at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Smithville. Thursday, April 28 is the last day of early voting for the May 3 DeKalb County Democratic and Republican Primaries. Early voting will also be held Monday, April 25 from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Fairgrounds in Alexandria. All properly registered voters can vote early at either location.

A total of 120 people cast ballots Saturday. That brings the nine-day total of early voting to 1,205 including 1,136 in person and 69 by absentee. Through Saturday, the DeKalb County Republican Primary turnout has totaled 778 compared to 427 for the Democratic Primary.

During the three hour early voting period on Saturday, 120 voted including 108 in person and 12 by absentee. A total of 90 voted in the DeKalb County Republican Primary and 30 in the Democratic Primary.

To vote early or on Election Day, DeKalb County voters need to bring valid photo identification to the polls. A driver’s license or photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Tennessee state government or the federal government is acceptable even if it’s expired. College student IDs are not acceptable. For more information about what types of ID are acceptable and other election details, visit GoVoteTN.gov.

The deadline to apply for an absentee by-mail ballot is Tuesday, April 26. To receive an absentee by-mail ballot, voters must submit a written application to the DeKalb County Election Commission. Applications can be sent by mail to DeKalb Election Commission, P.O. Box 543, Smithville, by fax to 615-597-7799 or by email to dekalb.commission@tn.gov.  If emailing the application, the document must include the required information, your scanned signature, and be attached to the email.

Completed absentee by-mail ballots must be returned by mail to the DeKalb County Election Commission. Ballots must be received before the polls close on Election Day, Tuesday, May 3.

For more information about early voting, voting absentee by-mail and other election information, visit GoVoteTN.gov or contact the DeKalb County Election Commission at 615-597-4146.

Here’s how the early voting total breaks down for each day to date:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13:
TOTAL—106
In person—92
Absentee—14
Republican—71
Democrat—35

THURSDAY, APRIL 14:
TOTAL-187
In person-183
Absentee- 4
Republican-109
Democrat-78

NO VOTING ON GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 15

SATURDAY, APRIL 16:
TOTAL-134
In person-132
Absentee- 2
Republican-94
Democrat-40

MONDAY, APRIL 18:
TOTAL-125
In person-108
Absentee/one assisted living-17
Republican-87
Democrat-38

TUESDAY, APRIL 19 (SMITHVILLE)
TOTAL-132
In person-125
Absentee-7
Republican-77
Democrat-55

TUESDAY, APRIL 19 (ALEXANDRIA)
TOTAL-38 (all in person)
Republican-32
Democrat-6

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20
TOTAL-107
In person-103
Absentee-4
Republican-60
Democrat-47

THURSDAY, APRIL 21
TOTAL-161
In person-154
Absentee-7
Republican-88
Democrat-73

FRIDAY, APRIL 22
TOTAL-95
In person-93
Absentee-2
Republican-70
Democrat-25

SATURDAY, APRIL 23
TOTAL-120
In person-108
Absentee-12
Republican-90
Democrat-30

TOTAL FOR NINE DAYS COMBINED:
TOTAL-1,205
In person-1,136
Absentee-69
Republican-778
Democrat-427

April 23, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Students and staff at DeKalb County High School experienced what life in a wheelchair is like firsthand Thursday as part of the Team ALeX “Spend a Day in My Wheels” challenge.

The idea for the challenge came from 16-year-old Alex Johnson, a tenth grader at Friendship Christian School in Lebanon and a wheelchair user. Alex is the son of Smithville native and DCHS alumni Nathan Johnson. Alex is the grandson of Mike and Jeana Johnson.

The challenge is used to raise accessibility awareness for people that use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Team ALeX challenges participants to spend a work or school day doing their daily activities in a wheelchair. Alex designed the challenge to open everyone’s eyes to the difficulties people with mobility devices face on a daily basis. The Permobil Foundation supplies the wheelchairs for all wheelchair challenges. Through a partnership with the Permobil Foundation, Alex hopes to change the world one challenge at a time.

DCHS Assistant Principal Thomas Cagle and DCHS Senior Brayden Tubbs were among nine students, three teachers, one administrator, and Director of Schools Patrick Cripps who took part in the daylong event.

“We did as many challenges in the wheelchairs as we could during the day from going to all our classes, the restroom, and cafeteria and we had a pre-checked box of things to try to accomplish today in the wheelchairs. The goal was to stay in the wheelchairs all day and to try to do as many things as possible. Some things we struggled with but that is part of the point to understand the impact wheelchairs can have on individuals that need them and for us to gain some empathy for those people and try to understand what life is like for them and how it is different,” said Cagle.

Tubbs said he took the challenge and found the experience to be an eye opener.

“It was different. You feel like you are on a different level than other people. Its like people have to look down at you. Its just a weird feeling but it was a learning experience. It was hard. My arms are killing me right now. I am definitely going to be sore tomorrow,” said Tubbs.

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