Culwell Charged With Ten Counts of Forgery

January 7, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Smithville woman has been charged with ten counts of forgery after passing checks at local businesses on the same victim ten times within a week in December.

25 year old Josie Danielle Culwell of Eagle Creek Road is under a $50,000 bond and her court date is January 17.

The forgeries occurred as follows:

*December 15 Culwell passed a check on her victim at Walmart for $69.74 and again at Walmart for $34.28

*December 16 Culwell passed a check on the same victim at Walmart for $26.89 and again at Walmart for $59.50

*December 17 Culwell passed a check on the same victim at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts for $72.30 and at Walmart for $24.01 and again at Walmart for $13.14

*December 18 Culwell passed a check on the same victim at Walmart for $21.82

*December 20 Culwell passed a check on the same victim at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts for $451.20

*December 21 Culwell passed a check on the same victim at Larry’s Discount Grocery for $50.00

42 year old James Walter Stringer of Church Street, Liberty is charged with violation of the sex offender law. His bond is $20,000 and he will make a court appearance on January 24.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said Stringer failed to meet the December 31, 2018 quarterly deadline for reporting his listing on the state’s sex offender registry to the sheriff’s department.

January 7, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Smithville man found with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop will make a court appearance on January 17.

37 year old Danny Ray Murphy is charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to manufacture, sale, or delivery. He is under a $25,000 bond

On Friday, December 28, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a blue Chevy S10 pickup truck at North Congress Boulevard and Don Cantrell Street. The driver and passenger agreed to a search. The officer found 8.85 grams of a crystal like substance believed to be meth in the pocket and the sock of Danny Murphy. It was in three separate baggies with two baggies weighing 0.85 grams total. The large baggie contained 8.0 grams of meth. A scale, needle, glass pipe, and numerous baggies were also found. Murphy was arrested and taken to the sheriff’s office for booking,

January 6, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

NASHVILLE – State Sen. Mark Pody discussed Friday his priorities for the 2019 legislative session as the General Assembly prepares to convene Tuesday, with passage of a fiscally conservative budget at the top of the list.

The legislature meets to organize the 111th General Assembly on Tuesday when Pody, R-Lebanon, and 17 other senators who were elected in November will take the oath of office as the first order of business.

“Tennessee is ranked among the top financially managed states in the nation,” said Pody. “Conservative budgeting and a healthy rainy day fund, which is the state’s savings account in case of a downturn in the economy, is a big part of that success. Our healthy financial status has also been a key contributing factor to helping us recruit industry and jobs to Tennessee. Like families across our state, we need to save in the good times to ensure that if an economic downturn or emergency occurs in the future, we have adequate reserves to keep our state in good stead. Currently our rainy day fund at $861 million, is shy of the $1 billion our financial experts maintain is needed to be prepared and I would like to see us fill that gap.”

In other budgeting matters, Pody said he would like to see Tennessee better prepare and compensate primary teachers as the state strives to improve the quality of education.

“Studies show that teachers matter more to a student’s academic performance than any other aspect of schooling,” Pody said. “We must ensure that our students are prepared for the classroom. We have made great strides in improving teacher pay over the past several years, and I want to see those efforts continue to move forward in 2019, as well.”

Another top issue for Pody is to provide law enforcement officers in Tennessee the chance to retire after 25 years of service. He said he plans to draft legislation in the Senate that would give them that option.

On criminal justice reform, Pody said he supports efforts to reduce recidivism in Tennessee prisons.

“We need to give those who have served their time a better chance at a fresh start. At the same time, any reform of the criminal justice system should be efficient and place as small a burden on taxpayers as possible, while maintaining strong protections for public safety,” he said.

In addition, Pody said he supports efforts to propel progress in Tennessee’s rural communities, including expansion of broadband accessibility and better health care access to those who are underserved.

“I am very excited about Gov.-elect [Bill] Lee’s plans to meet the needs of rural Tennesseans and to extend opportunities to all of our citizens. I look forward to working with him and my colleagues in the General Assembly to address the needs of the state’s rural communities,” he said.

Pody also called for passage of legislation to eliminate Tennessee’s professional privilege tax. The $400 tax is an annual charge levied on individuals who have an active license to practice professions such as accountants, architects and engineers.

“Tennessee is one of only six states which imposes a professional privilege tax. This burdensome tax puts those who practice a wide variety of professions in our state at a disadvantage. This tax should have never been imposed and should be eliminated,” Pody said.

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