Smithville Home Heavily Damaged by Fire

April 15, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A fire Tuesday evening caused extensive damage to a Smithville home.

The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department was summoned to the residence of Brenda Robinson at 511 Green Meadow Drive.

Robinson was home at the time but escaped with minor injuries. She was taken by DeKalb EMS to Ascension St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control but the interior of the home was heavily damaged.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but was believed to have started from an accidental ignition.

April 14, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Recovery Court will be moving outdoors Wednesday.

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the first ever drive through Recovery Court will begin at 3 p.m. for adult participants followed at 3:30 p.m. for juveniles in the city parking lot behind the law office of General Sessions/Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II who oversees the program.

According to Kate Arnold, Coordinator of the DeKalb County Recovery Court’s Adult and Juvenile Programs face to face meetings with the participants is vitally important on their journey to recovery and the social distancing requirements due to the pandemic have prevented those in person meetings with the judge and team leaders.

“As people stay at home, the physical, emotional and mental risk of substance abuse has increased. We have had to look at different ways to connect with our participants all while ensuring that the health, safety, and welfare are top priority for our team and participants,” said Arnold

The drive through recovery court is a means of having those meetings but from a proper distance.

“We will have participants line up in their vehicles in the city parking lot and drive through to meet with the judge and team leaders who will be stationed there. Even though no one will get out of their cars, the area will be marked off for proper social distancing. The judge will speak to each participant who drives through and the team members will also be there to speak with them. For the few who can’t drive or be brought by vehicle, they plan to arrive on foot or by bicycle but they too will be required to keep a safe distance from others in line. We expect to see a total of 20 or more Wednesday,” said Arnold.

“We will be checking on them as they go through the line and asking questions such as how are you? Is there anything you need? How is your recovery going? What step are you on in the 12 step program? Normal things we would tend to talk with them about except this is in a drive through,” Arnold continued.

Other avenues of communication with the participants were explored but Arnold said the drive through seemed to be the best alternative.

“Although the team tried  virtual court sessions, some participants were unable to fully participate in hearings due to cell service and locations. After many State (TARCP) and National (NADCP) webinars, we have come together as a team and decided it would be in the best interest of our participants to have drive through court sessions. In the drive through court session, each participant will be able to speak to the judge just as they would in a normal court session, but they will be more than 6 feet away from the Judge and team at all times. The drive through court will allow the participants to have accountability as well as having support from the team during this time of crisis. It has been highly important for the DeKalb County Recovery Court to stay connected and adjust during this pandemic,” Arnold continued.

Current ways the DeKalb County Adult and Juvenile courts have adapted due to the COVID-19 Pandemic are:

• Porch visits
• Online meetings with team member Lary Latzman at findingmyrecovery.org
• Virtual weekly staff meetings with the judge and all team members
• Submitting weekly papers from participants electronically
• Daily telecommunication with each participant

•Virtual classes and counseling at Haven of Hope

The drive through recovery court concept is apparently new with only a few in the state opting for this method but Arnold said plans are to make it a weekly occurrence for the DeKalb County Recovery Court until the pandemic is over.

Fourteen years after its beginnings in DeKalb County, the Recovery Court program (formerly known as Drug Court) has grown and is making a difference in the lives of more people, juveniles and adults. Recovery Court for adults, started by Judge Bratten Cook, II in 2006, provides an alternative to incarceration for eligible non-violent offenders, who are deemed substance dependent. Judge Cook began the recovery court program for juveniles in 2002. Team members oversee the program locally in addition to Judge Cook and Recovery Court Coordinator Arnold.

Those who complete the program graduate and are recognized for their accomplishments.

April 14, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

God’s Food Pantry will be open this Friday, April 17th. In consideration of adherence to CDC Corona Virus COVID-19 guidelines, there will be changes in the food distribution process.

(1) Food boxes will be distributed as follows:

(A) 9:00AM to 10:30AM, Only Senior Citizens, 60 years of age and older.

(B) 10:30AM to 12:00 NOON Only persons with Last Names beginning with letters A through M, 59 years of age and younger.

(C) 12:00Noon to 1:30PM Only persons with Last Names beginning with letters N through Z, 59 years of age and younger.

(2) All persons must remain in vehicles and drive to designated pantry door. A food box will be placed in your vehicle by a pantry volunteer.

These operational changes will remain in place until further notice for the twice a month general food pantries.

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