Helga Thompson and her dog Max help brighten Saturdays for residents at NHC

September 4, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Spreading happiness to the max!

Each Saturday residents of NHC Smithville are treated to a visit by Helga Thompson and her dog Max. Going from room to room, they greet the folks and many of the residents get to pet Max and hand him a doggie treat provided by Helga.

Thompson said it’s a joy to see those smiling faces each week and to know she and Max are helping make someone’s day a little brighter.

Helga explained how she got the idea.

“I had a friend that used to do Karaoke at the nursing home and the people loved it. When I got Max I realized he is just a lover dog so I thought I needed to get him around people. I brought him to the Karaoke events at NHC and I saw how the people enjoyed being able to pet and talk to him so I asked NHC if I could bring him just to visit people. They said as long as he has had his shots I could bring him. That was about five years ago,” said Thompson.

“I work with the activities director there at NHC and I am an official volunteer with Max. He is on their schedule on Saturdays. We go around to each room. Max is big enough to go up to the bed and they (residents) can put their hand on him and give him a treat. Max is so gentle that I can put these little doggie treat bones between somebody’s fingers and he just nuzzles it out. That’s how gentle he is. Max will sit or give his paw. That’s about all that he does but that’s enough. We just try to spread a little love. I think more of them (residents) know Max’s name now than they do mine. He is known as Max the lover dog,” said Thompson.

“When visitors began returning after the pandemic hit, Max was among the first to come on a regular basis,” said Ryan Vaden, Administrator. “Animals are very important to our patients, and we’re grateful that Helga is willing to share her dog with NHC. Visits with Max are therapeutic for everyone.”

September 4, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A DeKalb County man serving time in prison for voluntary manslaughter is scheduled for another parole hearing this month.

55-year-old Albert Wayne Fisher, Jr. has served over two and a half years of a six-year sentence in the fatal 2019 Halloween shooting of his stepson, 38-year-old Tyler Durden outside the Fisher home on Eckles Heights in Liberty.

Fisher’s first parole hearing was held, March 14, 2023 at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville where he is incarcerated. Parole Board Chairman Richard Montgomery, who presided over the hearing, heard from Fisher as well as three supporters including his mother, and several family members along with the District Attorney General’s Office who was opposed to Fisher’s early release. Assistant DA Greg Strong participated in the hearing by video conference from Cookeville. Support and opposition letters were also in Fisher’s file.

The Board’s final decision from Fisher’s initial parole hearing was to decline parole due to the seriousness of the offense. Four concurring Board member votes were needed to reach the final decision. The Board scheduled another parole review for Mr. Fisher which, according to the Tennessee Department of Correction website will be Tuesday, September 24.

Fisher stood trial on November 17, 2021 on a charge of second-degree murder which carries a range of punishment as a Class A felony of 15-25 years, but the jury found him guilty of the lesser crime of voluntary manslaughter. The shooting occurred outside Fisher’s home on Eckles Heights in Liberty. Two months after the trial, Fisher was given the maximum prison term of six years for the crime by Judge Wesley Bray following a sentencing hearing in DeKalb County Criminal Court.

Fisher admitted firing the fatal shot but said he did it in self-defense because he felt threatened by the victim not knowing it was his stepson because he was wearing a Halloween disguise and never uttered a word. After the shooting, Durden was taken to Vanderbilt Hospital where he later died.

September 4, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Regional Planning Commission will have a public hearing during its next regular monthly meeting on Monday, September 9 at 6 p.m. at the courthouse on whether to change the subdivision road standards by removing the tar and chip availability to contractors and requiring that only asphalt or concrete be the standard for new road construction.

If approved by the planning commission, the new permitted types of surfacing standards would only apply to newly constructed roads. Existing roads in subdivisions or those over the last five years that have already received at least preliminary plat approval by the planning commission could not be held to the new standards. Those roads would be maintained in the manner they were constructed, tar and chip, etc.

Road Supervisor Danny Hale, who is making the recommendation, said by changing the standards, roads would be built better and hold up longer.

In addition to this issue, the agenda for the planning commission is as follows:

Consideration of a preliminary subdivision plat for property located on Johnson Chapel Road (JRB Developers Division)

Consideration of a final subdivision plat for property located on Goff Ridge Road and Landis Road (Brown Division)

Consideration of a final subdivision plat for property located on Allen Ferry Road (Clayton Division)

Consideration of a final subdivision plat for property located on Old Snow Hill Road (Duke Division)

Consideration of a final subdivision plat for property located on A.B. Frazier Road (Turner Division)

Staff Report-Arms Division and Averbach Combination

Other business as necessary.

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