DPC and Others Gather to Honor and Remember Survivors and Victims of Drug Overdose

September 4, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

As part of September National Recovery Month, the DeKalb Prevention Coalition marked International Overdose Awareness Day on Thursday with an event that honored those who have died from drug overdoses and provided resources for those battling drug addiction.

The event, held on the west side of the courthouse concluded with a moment of silence as participants held hands encircled around a tree decorated with purple ribbons placed there in memory of loves ones lost to an overdose.

“Our mission is to eliminate overdose, eliminate stigma associated with substance use disorder, and ensure every patient has access to and support throughout the recovery process,” said Jennifer Matthews, Director of the DeKalb County Prevention Coalition.

The ceremony featured entertainment, food, as well as remarks by County Mayor Matt Adcock and General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox along with Will Taylor, Faith-based Community Coordinator for Middle Tennessee and Justin Cantrell, Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist.

“I challenge all of you today to pay remembrance to lives lost but to recover out loud, share your story because there is nothing to be ashamed of,” said Will Taylor.

Justin Cantrell, a recovering drug addict and guest speaker for Thursday evening’s program, said his life has completely changed.

“My life before was unmanageable. Court dates, jail, and rehab twelve different times. I was miserable and my family and every relationship in my life was destroyed. I had no job and was broke, homeless, busted and disgusted and I didn’t want to face reality, but I had to fully admit that I had a problem, and that I was powerless over this. The disease of addiction. It was only then that my life began to change through a 12-step recovery program, and I turned my will and life over to God and received a spiritual awakening,” said Cantrell.

The family of the late Christie Mullican also displayed a purple chair with sparkles called “Christie’s Chair” in tribute to their loved one who died of an overdose in 2005 and in memory of others who have lost the battle of addiction.

“At first, we decided to do the chair in memory of my sister Christie but then we came to doing it for overdose awareness. Every sparkle on that chair represents a life lost to an overdose. Its called Christie’s Chair. We also have a poster for survivors,” said Amanda Parsley.

A poem in memory of Christie called “My Empty Chair”, written by Parsley and Melissa Randall, was read during the event by Isaac Pinegar. “Do not take my chair. Leave it be. My chair sits here empty in memory of me. I am in God’s care. With every sparkle on my chair remember the love we share. I gained my wings. You gained my voice. Please tell the world I made the wrong choice. Overdose Awareness August 31. Overdose is preventable”.

“We have to spread this message to let people be aware of how serious drugs are. You might use for the first time or for the last time and for a lot of people it is the last time. If you are alive at least you still have a choice,” said Parsley

Part of the event included training in how to administer naloxone, a life-saving drug that can revive someone who has overdosed. Suzanne Angel, Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist for the State of Tennessee Region 3 North conducted the training.

September 4, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

For the first time this fall, DCHS has recognized an outstanding teacher (staff member), student, and parent/guardian of the month. The Excellence for DCHS awards program was started last school year (2021-22) as a monthly event and has become a popular observance.

The first award recipients, for the month of August, were honored Friday morning.

Each received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal from Kilgore’s restaurant. A different restaurant will be offering a meal gift card to each month’s honorees.

Family liaison and translator Rebecca Parker was selected as Staff Member of the Month while Freshman Valya Hennessee, daughter of Brad and Renee Hennessee, is Student of the Month, voted on by the teachers. The Parent/Guardian of the Month is Rachel Seal, mother of DCHS Senior Kiley Martin.

“I’m excited,” Valya said upon receiving her Student of the Month Award. Hennessee is a member of FFA and her future plans are to become a photographer.

“Valya had a teacher nominate her, then all the teachers voted for her to be the award winner. She has excellence in everything she is doing. She goes above and beyond in the classroom. She’s always a super help with her teachers and other students in the school, and we couldn’t be more proud to have her as our August Student of the Month,” said Assistant DCHS Principal Thomas Cagle.

Parker, Staff Member of the Month, is employed for the DeKalb County School District as a Spanish translator and family liaison working with families. She has worked in the district for 10 years, and travels to all the schools. Parker said she was born in Uruguay to her missionary parents and moved to DeKalb County 12 years ago to care for her parents and in-laws.

“I feel so excited,” Parker said. “I’m just honored”

“I don’t have enough words to tell what Mrs. Parker means to our school,” said Cagle. “She does so much as far as translating and helping our Hispanic population and working with us to help make sure that population of students are getting all their needs met that we can possibly provide. She does such a wonderful job and has such a loving and caring heart for all of these students. She is what we strive to be as a faculty and a school.”

Mrs. Seal received the Parent/Guardian of the Month honor after a winning essay by her daughter, Kiley Martin.

“The essays let us know the many ways a parent or guardian impacts our students’ lives, and the things they do to support them outside of school,” said Assistant Principal Cagle. “Martin’s essay was one that I thought, not only in structure and how she wrote it, but the many different ways she mentions how her mom helps her try to achieve the goals that she’s reaching for. I thought her essay was written really well. Mrs. (Jenny) Norris helped me read the essays and she agreed that Kiley’s essay should be the one chosen this month,” added Cagle.

Kiley said the essay is an expression of how deeply she feels about her mother.

“I wrote about the many ways she has helped me through my life and through my journey in school,” Martin explained. “It is just about how she has been an influence and impact in my life. She has given me some of the best advice, and she is just so strong in her faith. She prays for me every day and it’s just a big influence.”

Martin is a senior at DCHS and is a member of the Service Society Club and FCA, and her mother said she is very proud of her. “The privilege and honor are all mine,” Seal said tearfully. “God blessed me with such wonderful kids and it’s an honor that He allowed me that privilege.”

“The purpose of our Excellence for DCHS awards is to point out the things that we may not see every day that our students, our parents and guardians, and our staff are doing here at DCHS. We want to hand these awards out once a month and recognize the efforts of the different people who are affecting the school in many different ways. It takes many hands to do what is needed at our school,” said Assistant Principal Cagle.

September 4, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The City of Smithville is contracting with a company to perform a study of water and sewer rates. The idea is to get a professional opinion on what the rates ought to be to keep the city’s water and sewer utility financially solvent as is required by the state.

During Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting, the aldermen voted to enter into an agreement with Buddy Petty of RateStudies based in Hermitage to conduct the study. The cost to the city to do the analysis is $9,000.

“We just need to know how to move forward,” said Mayor Josh Miller. “I talked to the state comptroller’s office a couple of years ago and they recommended that the city go up on rates two percent every year in the water and sewer account”.

The city raised water rates by two percent last year and again by four percent this year.

City customers now pay $7.70 per thousand gallons of usage. Rates for customers outside the city limits are $11.55 per thousand. City sewer customers pay $7.17 per thousand.

“What I want the public to understand is that while I want to pay the cheapest (water and sewer rates) I can too, we (city) have to make money (show a profit) because if we don’t and lose money in two consecutive years, they (state) can come in and set the rates. We don’t want the state to do that,” said Mayor Miller.

He also explained that under state law money from the city’s general fund cannot be transferred to shore up the water and sewer department.

“We cannot mix funds. We can’t mix general funds with water and sewer funds. It has to support itself,” said Mayor Miller.

“I think we just need to know where we are moving forward because we don’t want any trouble with the state comptroller’s office,” Mayor Miller said.

According to the 2022-23 city budget, the water and sewer fund is expected to show a small surplus of $6,403 by June 30, 2023.

Results of the water rate study are expected by the end of December.

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