Tuesday is Primary Election Day in DeKalb County

May 1, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Election Day is Tuesday, May 3 for the DeKalb County Democratic and Republican Primaries.

Voting will take place at all 12 precincts in the county Tuesday, May 3 from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. WJLE will have LIVE election return coverage and interviews with the candidates Tuesday night starting at 7 p.m.

For the 13 days of early voting combined (April 13-28), a total of 1,909 cast ballots including 1,815 in person and 94 by absentee. In the Republican Primary, a total of 1,247 voted compared to 662 in the Democratic Primary.

(View sample ballots at links below)

Democrat Primary Sample Ballot

Republican Primary Sample Ballot

A total of eighteen candidates are in the race for the eight county-wide public offices up for election this year in DeKalb County and each party (Democrat and Republican) is having its own primary on the same day, Tuesday May 3 to nominate candidates to run in the August DeKalb County General Election. Voters must choose which primary in which to vote, either Democrat or Republican. Voters cannot vote in both primaries on Tuesday, May 3.

Three incumbent Republican County office holders are running unopposed in both the May 3 GOP primary and the August 4 General Election including Circuit Court Clerk Susan Martin, County Clerk James L. “Jimmy” Poss, and Trustee Sean Driver.

Incumbent Republican Road Supervisor Danny Hale is running unopposed in the May 3 GOP Primary, but he will face Democrat Wayne Shehane in the August General Election. Shehane is unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Road Supervisor on May 3.

In the race to succeed retiring Incumbent Register of Deeds Jeff McMillen, there are two candidates, Democrat Shelby Reeder and Republican Daniel Seber. Both are running unopposed in their respective party primaries on May 3 but will run against each other in the August 4 General Election.

Incumbent Republican Sheriff Patrick Ray faces opposition from Keneth Lee Whitehead in the May 3 GOP Primary. The nominee will be unopposed in the August 4 General Election.

Both party primaries feature contested races for County Mayor. Incumbent Tim Stribling faces opposition from Mike Foster in the May 3 Democratic Primary while Matt Adcock, Bradley Hendrix, and Anita Puckett are seeking their party’s nomination for County Mayor in the May 3 Republican Primary. Winners of each Primary on May 3 will run against each other in the August 4 General Election.

There are also contested races in both party primaries for General Sessions Court Judge.

Margie Rigsby Miller and Tecia Puckett Pryor are vying for their party’s nomination in the May 3 Democratic Primary while Mingy Kay Ball and Brandon Cox are running against each other for the Republican nomination in the May 3 GOP Primary. Winners of both primaries will face each other in the August 4 General Election. The newly elected Judge will succeed Incumbent Bratten H. Cook, II who is retiring from the bench as of August 31.

The terms of each office are for four years except the General Sessions Judge which is an eight-year term.

Twenty-nine candidates are in contention for one of the 14 seats on the county commission in 2022 including 9 Democrats, 17 Republicans, and 3 Independents.

Both the Democratic and Republican Parties are having Primaries on May 3 to select nominees (2 from each of the 7 districts in the county per primary) to run in the August 4 DeKalb County General Election. Two commissioners from each district will be elected in August. The terms are four years each.

In District 1, Incumbent Julie Young is running unopposed in the May 3 Democratic Primary while Bennett Armstrong and Tom Chandler are unopposed in the May 3 GOP Primary. Independent candidate Daniel Cripps will be on the ballot with Young, Armstrong, and Chandler in the August General Election. Two are to be elected in August.

In District 2, Incumbent Myron Rhody is unopposed in the May 3 Democratic Primary while Incumbent Sabrina Farler and Jim Pearson are unopposed on the May 3 GOP Primary. All three will be on the ballot in the August General Election. Two are to be elected in August.

In District 3, Incumbents Susannah Cripps Daughtry and Jenny Trapp are facing opposition from Jack E. Barton, III in the May 3 Democratic Primary (two Democratic candidates to be nominated) while Tim Perricone is unopposed in the May 3 GOP Primary. The Democratic and Republican nominees will be on the ballot in August along with independent candidate Tony Luna. Two are to be elected in August.

In District 4, Incumbent Janice Fish Stewart is unopposed in the May 3 Democratic Primary while the Republican Primary on May 3 has three candidates, Tony L. “Cully” Culwell, Dan Delacruz, and Greg Matthews (two GOP candidates to be nominated). The Democratic and Republican nominees will be on the ballot in August along with independent candidate Wayne Cantrell. Two are to be elected in August.

In District 5, there are no Democratic or Independent candidates, but five persons are running in the May 3 GOP Primary including Incumbent Jerry Adcock, Larry L, Green, Joshua Holloway, Charles Glynn Merriman, and Steve Randall Merriman, Sr. (two GOP candidates to be nominated) The nominees will be unopposed in the August 4 General Election.

In District 6, Incumbent Jeff Barnes and Danny McGinnis are running unopposed in the May 3 Democratic Primary. Two candidates are running unopposed in the May 3 GOP Primary including Justin Douglas Adcock and Doug Stephens. The Democratic and Republican nominees will be on the ballot in August. Two are to be elected in August.

In District 7, Incumbent Bruce Malone and Timothy Brian Reynolds are unopposed in the May 3 GOP primary. Democratic Incumbent Beth Pafford is unopposed in the May 3 Democratic Primary. The Democratic and Republican nominees will be on the ballot in August. Two are to be elected in August.

There are two contested Board of Education races in 2022 but not until the August 4 DeKalb County General Election.

Voters in district 1, 2, 3, 4, & 7 will elect a school board member. The terms are for 4 years.

There are no Democratic or Republican candidates for the Board of Education in District 1 but Incumbent Danny Parkerson is running unopposed as an Independent for re-election in the August 4 General Election.

Incumbent school board member Alan Hayes is unopposed in the May 3 GOP Primary in District 2 as well as the August General Election.

Incumbent school board member Jim Beshearse in District 3 is unopposed in the May 3 GOP Primary as well as the August 4 General Election.

Three people are in the race in August to succeed Incumbent school board member Kate Miller in District 4 who is not seeking re-election. Scott Little, in the Democratic Primary on May 3, and Eric Ervin in the GOP May 3 Primary, are unopposed but they will be challenged by Independent Tony Poss in the August 4 General Election.

Incumbent school board member Shaun Tubbs in District 7 is running for re-election as an Independent in the August 4 General Election. He will face opposition from Republican Ryan Mollinet who is unopposed in the May 3 GOP primary.

Seven positions in the seven-county 13th judicial district are up for election in 2022 and a total of nine candidates are in the race All are eight-year terms.

The district is made up of Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, and White Counties.

The candidates for each office are as follows:

Chancellor- 13th Judicial District
Ronald Thurman (Incumbent) –Republican (May 3 GOP Primary) Unopposed

Circuit Court Judge Part I- 13th Judicial District:
William T. “Will” Ridley-Republican (May 3 GOP Primary)
Amy Turnbull Hollars (Incumbent)-Independent (August General Election)

Circuit Court Judge Part II-13th Judicial District:
Caroline E. Knight-Republican (May 3 GOP Primary)
Jonathan Young (Incumbent)-Republican (May 3 GOP Primary)

Criminal Court Judge Part I 13th Judicial District:
Gary S. McKenzie (Incumbent)-Republican (May 3 GOP Primary) Unopposed

Criminal Court Judge Part II 13th Judicial District:
Wesley Bray (Incumbent)-Republican (May 3 GOP Primary) Unopposed

Public Defender 13th Judicial District:
Craig P. Fickling, Jr. (Incumbent)-Republican (May 3 GOP Primary) Unopposed

District Attorney General 13th Judicial District:
Bryant C. Dunaway (Incumbent)-Republican (May 3 GOP Primary) Unopposed

Starting with this election, those who voted in the past at Dowelltown, Belk, and Edgar Evins State Park, will be voting at different locations.

“I want to remind voters of some precinct changes. Those who did vote at Edgar Evins State Park will now vote on election day at the Temperance Hall Community Center. Those who voted at the Dowelltown Community Center will vote now at the Liberty Community Center and those who were voting at the Belk Community Center will vote on election day at the Keltonburg Community Center,” said Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley.

To vote 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.

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 or other election information, visit GoVoteTN.gov or contact the DeKalb County Election Commission at 615-597-4146.

April 30, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Katelyn Sanders’ career is soaring!

One year after being named manager of the Smithville Municipal Airport, Sanders has settled into the job she has grown to love, and her work there has not gone unnoticed.

In fact, city leaders have been so impressed with her that they are considering making her part-time position full time. That’s good news for Sanders who is about to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management with a minor in Business Administration from MTSU.

Sanders could also be considered a trailblazer. At age 23, Sanders is not only the first female and youngest airport manager in Smithville, but she is believed to be currently the youngest airport operator in the nation as well.

Although Sanders has always loved travel and flying, aviation was not her planned career path. She began her college years practicing medicine as a Pre-Med major at Chattanooga State Community College where she earned an associate degree in Nutrition. It was only after she enrolled at MTSU, one of the top aviation schools in the country, that her passion for flying was renewed. It was also at MTSU that she learned of the job opening in Smithville.

“My whole life and in my first years of college I wanted to be in the medical field. I thought that is what I wanted to do and when I started working in the medical field, I became a pharmacy technician and was a Pre-Med major and I hated it. I love medicine and the science behind medicine but insurance issues and the blame that’s put on a lot of healthcare workers for things we can’t control were concerns for me so after I got my associate degree in Chattanooga I came back home and started at MTSU but at that time I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I discovered that MTSU is actually one of the top five colleges in the country for aviation. I think its number three for pilots, management, air traffic controllers, and drones, etc. When I started there, I saw planes everywhere. People were going flying, going to airports, and I found that really fascinating so I started out in their piloting program but then COVID hit, and everything was put on pause. Because of the long wait due to the pandemic, I decided to take another direction and went into aviation management and found that really interesting as well,” Sanders continued.

“One day we got an email letting us know that Smithville was looking for an airport manager, so I decided to respond even though I thought to myself I am not going to get this job because of my age and my lack of qualifications because I was still in school and had no experience, but I got the chance. I was fortunate to meet with the previous airport manager Mike Carpenter and members of the city’s airport advisory board, Roth Terrell, Shawn Jacobs, and John Daniel. They were all so kind and took a chance on me and I am glad they did. I really appreciate them and the mayor and aldermen for giving me this opportunity,” said Sanders.

While she currently commutes between her home in Mount Juliet to work in Smithville, Sanders said she doesn’t mind it because she loves her job, this town, and the people here. Sanders said although it is small, the Smithville Airport has much to offer.

“One thing that Smithville prides itself in as that we try to have the cheapest fuel in the area. That has worked really well in our favor. We also have 18 residential hangars right now as well as our big Landergood Aviation maintenance hangar where Lee Bridges and his crew do plane maintenance. I am super thankful for them and their help to me. They do amazing work on aircraft there,” said Sanders.

As for future airport plans, Sanders said the city has a few projects on the table. “We have had a few city meetings about it. We are working on buying property around the airport. We’re doing this big land acquisition and obstruction project. We want to extend our minimums where pilots can land at night time on our runway and for the safety of the residents at the end of our runway we need to make sure we have enough space above their houses for planes to land as well so right now we are working on basically buying the airspace around the airport and property close to the airport and then after that one big project we really want to do is build some more hangars. We would love to bring in more people to the airport. It’s a big commodity right now to have a hangar and we have a waiting list for them with 20-25 people on it. Our biggest revenue sources are from fuel sales and hangar rent and our hangars can be rented monthly, yearly, or every five years,” said Sanders.

Aside from her studies and job, Sanders keeps busy even in her spare time. “On the side, I go to Class Bravo at the Lebanon Airport and fly planes a few mornings a week. I have met many amazing people in this industry and have begun flight training, gaining hours towards my Private Pilot’s License. I have spent multiple years in the Women in Aviation Air Raiders Chapter as a member and Secretary and I am also the marketing coordinator for the MTSU Tennessee Aviation Professionals Society. Anything involving planes and aviation I am all about it,” added Sanders.

April 30, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A local observance for the National Day of Prayer will be Thursday, May 5 at 6 p.m. at the County Complex.

Isaac Gray, minister at the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church, said everyone is invited to attend the event which is non-denominational.

“I want to invite you to come and join us on Thursday, May 5 for the observance of the National Day of Prayer. On that day, our community will gather and pray for our nation, our state, our city, our communities, and our churches. It is a great privilege for God’s people to come together with the purpose of seeking His will and His ways. This event is not sponsored by any church or organization. It is simply a gathering of God’s people with the purpose of seeking His face and His glory. We will have local pastors from Smithville and surrounding areas lead us in this time of prayer,” said Gray.

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. The Task Force is a privately funded organization whose purpose is to encourage participation on the National Day of Prayer. It exists to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, to create appropriate materials, and to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and its families. The Task Force represents a Judeo-Christian expression of the national observance, based on the understanding that this country was birthed in prayer and in reverence for the God of the Bible.

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