School Calendar Committee Seeks Public Input on WJLE Web Poll

February 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Do you prefer a one week or two week fall break for DeKalb County students and teachers?

As it makes preparation to submit a recommendation to the Board of Education for the 2020-21 school year the calendar committee would like to know what the public thinks.

You are asked to vote on the following web poll now posted at www.wjle.com

“Which calendar option do you feel most benefits the students, employees, and families of DeKalb County”?

1. Two Week Fall Break

2. One Week Fall Break with a One Week Thanksgiving Break

DeKalb County students and teachers had a two week fall break in October, 2018 but next school year (2019-20) the school calendar will return to a one week fall break in October with a full week off for Thanksgiving in November, 2019. The Board of Education set the school calendar for the 2019-20 school year in March, 2018.

While results of the web poll will be considered, it will not be the sole determining factor in the committee’s recommendation to the Board of Education. Input from teachers and parents will also be sought.

February 3, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Portland man was arrested by Smithville Police last month after he was spotted acting suspiciously in the Restview Avenue neighborhood.

42 year old William Andrew Robertson was charged on January 16 for criminal impersonation, simple possession and he was cited for driving on a suspended license and violation of the open container law. While on routine patrol, an officer spotted a man get out of his vehicle and run behind a residence on Restview Avenue holding a flashlight. Due to several reports of suspicious people in the area the officer got out of his vehicle, approached the man, and asked him to identify himself. The man gave a name but the picture provided from a computer check did not match the name. After asking him again, Robertson gave his correct name. During a search incident to arrest, Robertson was found to have 1 gram of a crystal-like substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine. His license were also found to be suspended. After Robertson was arrested an inventory of his vehicle turned up an open can of alcohol in the floorboard on the passenger side and an open bottle of whiskey in the passenger seat. His bond is $6,000.

42 year old Chad William Johnson of 190 Greenwood Drive was cited on January 18 for simple possession. Police responded to Wal-Mart due to a suspicious person on the property. Upon arrival the officer spoke with the suspect, Johnson and learned that he had 6 pills believed to be Acetaminophen/Oxycodone on his person for which he could produce no prescription. His court date is February 14.

64 year old Jimmy Lee Ridner of Smithville was arrested for public intoxication on January 18. Police were dispatched to Bridgeway Motel due to an unwanted guest. Upon arrival the officer found the man, Ridner sitting in a car that did not belong to him and he refused to get out of it. He was drinking a beer and smelled of alcohol. Police tried to get a ride for the man and someone came forward to have him taken to the Cookeville Rescue Mission as he is homeless but Ridner allegedly threatened to hit the good samaritan with his cane. Due to his being intoxicated and not wanting help Ridner was transported to the police department and charged with public intoxication. His bond is $1,500.

40 year old Hector Alejandro Caballero of 519 Talley Road was arrested on January 20 for DUI and he was cited for violation of the open container law and littering. Police responded to Taco Bell where a man was reported to be passed out behind the wheel of a truck setting in the drive thru. Upon arrival the officer spotted the truck go around the parking lot and the driver threw out an open beer before parking. The officer approached the driver, Caballero, and detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. Caballero was asked to exit the vehicle and perform sobriety tasks. Caballero was unsteady on his feet. His speech was slurred and his eyes glossy. Police determined that he could not perform the tasks due to medical reasons. Caballero was also believed to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. He was placed into custody. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is February 7.

22 year old Cayton Trey Lance of 2217 Midway Road was cited for improper passing of a school bus on January 22. An officer observed Lance pass a school bus that was stopped with the stop sign extended. Children were getting off the bus at the time the vehicle passed. Lance’s court date is February 13.

50 year old Christopher Todd Storie of Byrdstown was arrested for a second offense of driving under the influence on January 24. He was also cited for speeding. While on routine patrol an officer observed a vehicle traveling at 60 mph in a 40 mph zone. He initiated a traffic stop and spoke with the driver, Storie. The officer also detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. After learning that Storie had consumed a few beers, the officer asked if he would perform a series of standardized field sobriety tasks. Storie submitted to the tasks but performed poorly. Bond for Storie is $3,500 and his court date is February 14.

41 year old David Russell Palmer of 2500 Four Seasons Road was cited for passing a stopped school bus on January 25. Palmer failed to stop when the school bus stop sign was displayed but he did stop after he had passed the stop sign on the bus. His court date is February 13.

42 year old April Morton of Kingsport was arrested for shoplifting on January 29. Five days before on January 24 police were called to Wal-Mart on a shoplifting complaint. Upon arrival the officer learned that a woman had stolen some items from the store and then ran into the woods leaving the truck she arrived in at the parking lot. The officer recognized the truck and went to the home of the person who owned it. There he spoke with Morton by phone who stated she knew police were looking for her. The officer informed Morton that if she came back and talked to them, she would possibly just get a citation instead of being arrested. Morton responded by telling the officer to do what he had to do and hung up. A shoplifting warrant was then issued for her arrest on January 29 and she was located at 808 Gentry Avenue and placed under arrest. Police said Morton, a former resident of the local halfway house, has no current address but that she is originally from Kingsport. Because Morton was uncooperative in the first encounter with police, she was arrested instead of being issued a citation. Her bond is $1,500 and her court date is February 14.

35 year old Jason Douglas Stembridge of 597 C. Walker Road was cited for shoplifting on January 28. Police were called to O’Reilly’s Auto Parts on a shoplifting complaint in which a man was spotted putting unpaid for items in his hoodie before leaving the store in a black Chevrolet Tracker. The officer located the vehicle at Tractor Supply and questioned the driver, Stembridge about the shoplifting incident. Stembridge produced 2 sets of automobile gauges from the back of the vehicle. The officer also discovered that while the truck had a valid license plate there was no VIN plate or other markings to verify its identity. The officer could not determine if the license plate matched the vehicle. The truck was impounded in order for police to verify the information of the vehicle. Stembridge’s court date is February 14.

34 year old Wallace Marlon Rackley of Quebeck was arrested on January 31 for unlawful possession of a weapon. Rackley was pulled over at 210 Spring Street due to outstanding warrants and he informed the officer that he had a rifle in his truck. The officer located the rifle and Rackley was charged with unlawful possession as he is a convicted felon. Bond for Rackley is $10,000 and his court date is February 14.

54 year old Rickey Lee Shehane of 309 Wade Street was arrested on January 31 for violation of an order of protection. Police received a call that Shehane was at 309 Wade Street with his girlfriend. Upon arrival, the officer learned that Shehane had just left the home and gone to 319 Jackson Street. Shehane was found there and he admitted to having been at the Wade Street residence earlier. Shehane is under an active order of protection and bond conditions which prohibits him from staying at the Wade Street home because of a domestic assault charge against him. Bond for Shehane is $3,500 and his court date is February 21.

February 3, 2019
By:

The Tennessee Department of Health joins partners from across the state including the DeKalb Prevention Coalition in celebrating the fourth annual Tennessee Quit Week February 4-8 renewing the call to each and every Tennessean to be part of our state’s celebration of Tennesseans who have quit using tobacco products and inspire more people to join them.

“The impacts of tobacco and nicotine addiction in Tennessee go beyond the damage done to the health, quality of life and incomes of people using these products, most of whom got addicted as youth,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH. “We lose 30 precious people a day in Tennessee to tobacco use and beyond these tragic early deaths, it costs our state billions of dollars each year in lost productivity and health care costs, serious and preventable consequences that hurt the prosperity of our state and those who live and work here. We want to increase our partnerships across the public and private sectors to educate people on the harms of tobacco use and how we can work together to help people improve their health and their lives by beating nicotine addiction.”

Tennessee Quit Week raises awareness of the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine and other free resources available to help Tennesseans quit smoking and/or using other tobacco products. These proven, effective services can double a tobacco user’s chances of quitting.

Quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk of developing smoking-related diseases. Tennesseans who smoke and are ready to quit can call the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine, use a web-based program or attend in-person counseling services, and may receive free FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy. These services are provided at no charge to participants. Call the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to talk with a counselor who will help you create a quit plan. For more information and resources or to enroll online visit www.tnquitline.org.

Along with counseling, partnering with health professionals is a proven way to help smokers quit for good. People who work with health care professionals to quit smoking are ultimately more successful in quitting tobacco use and report higher satisfaction with overall health care received compared to untreated tobacco users, according to the U.S. Public Health Service.

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