Rescue Squad gets funding from County to create Swift Water Rescue Task Force (View Video Here)

March 23, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad is getting the financial help it needs from the county to organize a Swift Water Rescue Task Force.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission voted unanimously to appropriate $18,000 from the general fund balance as an extra contribution to the Rescue Squad to train and equip up to fifteen volunteers for the task force. That comes to a little less than $1,200 per person.

The task force is being created due to an increase in DeKalb County swift water rescues in recent years, including two just last month.

The task force, to be led by the Rescue Squad, will also include volunteers from the DeKalb County, Smithville and Alexandria Volunteer Fire Departments and possibly local law enforcement officers and others who would be specially trained and equipped for swift water rescues.

“We would have fifteen sets of gear but I would like to have more than  fifteen personnel on this team but to start off with I want the equipment for fifteen. We will probably have more people on the list and they can go to school too but they will use the gear we will have. We won’t have to buy gear for every single person (more than fifteen). They can use each other’s gear. I think fifteen sets of gear will be significant to keep on hand although the gear will need to be replaced over time as it wears out,” said Rescue Squad Captain Dusty Johnson.

Second District Commissioner Myron Rhody pointed out that more volunteers might be needed to ensure enough people are available to answer a call when a swift water emergency occurs.

“You may have fifteen members but there might only be six or seven show up on a call or if you had thirty members you might not have but eight or ten respond so you will have enough gear to equip up to fifteen if they show up,” said Rhody.

The Rescue Squad, made up of volunteers, is a non-profit organization and not an entity of county government. It receives an annual contribution from the county of $26,000 for its services which includes searching for drowning victims, cave/rope rescues and searches for missing persons, etc. But in most cases, neither the rescue squad members nor volunteer firefighters and other emergency first responders locally are specially trained in water rescues. This additional $18,000 contribution from the county to the rescue squad will be earmarked just for this special training and equipment.

March 23, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The county commission is on the verge of striking a deal with the owner of a local business to lease the old Cherry Hill Community Center building which is no longer in use by the county.

County Commission looks to lease the Cherry Hill Community Center Building from dwayne page on Vimeo.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, County Mayor Tim Stribling informed the commission that the owner of JBeez Watercraft near Silver Point on Highway 56 wants to lease the Cherry Hill Community Center building for five years at $500 per month with a five year renewal option.

Although the commissioners have signaled their support of the move they want to see the deal in writing and voted have the county mayor direct the county attorney to prepare a lease for them to vote on next month.

Seventh District Commissioner Bruce Malone made that motion and it received a second by Second District Commissioner Myron Rhody. The vote was unanimous.

Before the vote County Mayor Stribling outlined terms of the lease to be drawn up as recommended by the county public works committee.

“I was approached by the JBEEZ and Canoe the Caney business that is next door to the Cherry Hill Community Center about renting it. Up until about two or three  years ago the Cherry Hill Community Center was a voting precinct but it is no longer  a voting precinct. The community hasn’t been active with that community center for quite a while,” said County Mayor Stribling.

“The owner of JBEEZ, Jason Carver and I had some conversations and he would like to rent the community center for five years at $500 per month with a five year renewable option. He would do all renovations inside. The bathrooms and kitchen will have to be redone. He would like to do it as an extension of his business and possibly put in a restaurant and serve barbeque and whatever else. The county would be responsible like most leases for the roof, walls, and floors. It had a new roof put on it through insurance about three or four years ago. In the lease we (county) would basically say that the tenant would rent for $500 a month for five years with possibly a five year renewable option. You could increase the rent at that time. We would be responsible for the roof and the outside structure of the building while the tenant would be responsible for any kind of repairs on the inside of the building, the parking lot, utilities, mowing the lawn, and general upkeep,” said County Mayor Stribling.

March 23, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A man is facing charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault after entering the Walker Drive apartment of his estranged wife and holding the woman there against her will.

18 year old Zachary Preston Ambrose of Oliver Springs is under a $63,000 bond on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, evading arrest, and violating an order of protection. He is scheduled for a court appearance on the charges April 22.

The arrest warrants by the Smithville Police Department state that Ambrose entered the apartment of Shelby Rice Ambrose on Tuesday, March 16 and then took the woman’s car keys and cell phone to keep her from leaving for work. Ambrose then allegedly tried to choke the woman and he hit her in the face. After telling him she wanted to go see her grandpa, Ambrose insisted on accompanying her and sat in the back seat of the car as she drove away. According to the woman Ambrose again tried to choke her as a show of force to make sure she was driving to her grandpa’s house. After being notified of the incident, police met Mrs. Ambrose in the parking lot of her apartment home and found her to be quite distraught and crying. Mr. Ambrose was found hiding in the back seat of Mrs. Ambrose’s car. After police handcuffed Mr. Ambrose he tried to run away but was caught by Patrolman Andy Snow. Police also learned that Ambrose was still under an active order of protection from October 19, 2020 to keep away from this woman.

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