Jason Miller Plans to Run for 6th District School Board Seat

February 4, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Two positions on the DeKalb County Board of Education will be filled in the county general election on August 6.

Those seats are currently held by W.J. (Dub) Evins, III in the 5th district and Doug Stephens in the 6th District. The terms are for four years.

Monday, February 3 was the first day potential candidates could pick up a qualifying petition for the School Board election and Jason L. Miller has obtained one to seek the 6th district seat.

The qualifying deadline is April 2.

Seven members make up the Board of Education but they do not all run in the same year because their four year terms are staggered. The 5th and 6th district positions are up for election this year. The other five were filled in 2018 and will be on the ballot again in 2022.

February 4, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The Smithville Municipal Election will be Thursday, August 6 and already potential candidates are showing an interest in running

Monday, February 3 was the first day persons could pick up qualifying petitions for the city election.

The election commission issued four petitions Monday.

Incumbent Aldermen Shawn Jacobs and Danny Washer will seek re-election and two newcomers, Jessica Higgins and Timothy John Perricone are planning to get in the race. The qualifying deadline is noon on April 2.

Three aldermen will be elected in August including the positions currently held by Jacobs and Washer and another incumbent Alderman Donnie Crook. Jacobs was first elected to the council in 2009 and Washer came on board after his first election in 2011. Crook was appointed by the aldermen in 2018 to fill the unexpired term of former alderman Josh Miller who was elected mayor that year. Although he has not yet obtained a petition, Crook has signaled that he may seek election as alderman

All terms are for four years.

The City of Smithville has five aldermen and a mayor but they do not all run for election in the same year. Three aldermen will be elected this year. The other two aldermen and the mayor were elected in 2018 and will be up for election again in 2022.

Perricone is a former local businessman and Higgins is also active in the community.

Higgins released the following formal announcement.

“Jessica Higgins is the first candidate to announce her candidacy for Alderman to serve on the Smithville City Council. As founding member of Art Revolution, current Marketing Director for Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour, and owner of Nature’s Main Street, Jessica understands the role of the arts and crafts for community and economic development. Jessica currently works for Center Hill Realty as Marketing Administrator, Licensed Assistant and REALTOR®. Jessica wants to use her experience in marketing arts and business to expand the development of Smithville. One project in particular that she would like to promote is to make downtown more user friendly for people with disabilities.

Jessica is married to Chris Higgins. They have shared the joy of parenting Eleonore, Karleigh, and Amelia Atnip. Jessica and Chris also delight in time spent with Chris’ grandchildren. Cooking for friends and family is one of Jessica’s favorite things to do whenever she is given the opportunity.

Jessica’s work in the arts and crafts and business has taught her that any goal can be achieved if we are willing to think creatively to achieve it. As Alderman, Jessica wants to work with the council and citizens to build on the city’s already numerous accomplishment”.

February 3, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

For his heroic actions during the Spanish-American War, Charles P. Cantrell of DeKalb County received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military’s highest award for valor.

Cantrell’s medal, which has been on display at Justin Potter Library since 1995, will be on loan to the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center of Chattanooga through May 13 for an exhibit titled “Honoring the Sacrifice: Medals of Honor Through Time”.

Members of the American Legion Post #122; Kathy Hendrixson, County Library Director at Justin Potter Library, and members of the DeKalb County Library Board formally presented the medal Monday afternoon to Molly Randolph, Curator of the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center.

The exhibit, which will launch at the Grand Opening of the Heritage Center on February 22, is designed to showcase a large collection of Medals of Honor and to highlight the individual backgrounds and stories behind the Medal of Honor recipients, from the Civil War to Vietnam. Each of the recipient sections will include a biography, pictures of the recipient, the actual medal and various objects that belonged to the individual and represent their service.

Private Charles P. Cantrell was born 13 February 1874 in Smithville, TN, and entered the Army from Nashville, TN. He was sent to fight in the Spanish-American War with Company F, 10th U.S. Infantry, a unit that played a major role in the taking of San Juan Hill, a stronghold of the Spanish. In that battle at Santiago, Cuba on July 1, 1898, Cantrell, without regard for his own safety, gallantly assisted in the rescue of the wounded from in front of the lines and under heavy fire from the enemy and was cited for his bravery with the Medal of Honor. Private Cantrell died on August 3, 1948 and is buried at Nashville National Cemetery.

Cantrell’s grandson, Charles Thomas Cantrell presented the medal to the American Legion Post #122 in a formal ceremony on June 29, 1995 on the stage of the Fiddlers’ Jamboree during a special Tennessee Bicentennial Celebration. Since then Cantrell’s medal, binoculars, citation, and American flag have been kept on display at Justin Potter Library.

“We are borrowing objects from institutions and individuals all over the country in order to bring this very large collection to the Heritage Center, said Randolph. Our hope is that visitors will be inspired by these extraordinary acts of valor by ordinary individuals and that they can connect these same character traits to their day to day lives”.

The exhibit will officially open to the public at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 22. The public is invited to join at least 15 visiting Medal of Honor recipients and numerous national, state and local dignitaries at 10 a.m. that day for a special celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony that will culminate a three year campaign to build the new National Medal of Honor Heritage Center in Chattanooga, the heart of where the Medal’s heritage started nearly 158 years ago. Because of its Tennessee roots, the Heritage Center will feature a large number of Tennessee Medals of Honor and recipients in this and subsequent exhibits, which will rotate three to five times a year.

Self guided tours of the Heritage Center will be offered from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and from noon until 6 p.m. on Sunday during Grand Opening weekend. Tour tickets are required and may be purchased in advance through www.MOHHC.org/Tickets. Special discounts are offered to military and senior citizens and group rates are available.

For more information about the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, please visit www.mohhc.org or call 423-877-2525.

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