Possible Tornado Causes Damage in Liberty Area

November 6, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

It turns out the storms overnight did cause damage in DeKalb County.

The home of Randy and Cheryl Campbell on Adamson Branch Road near Liberty was hit by a possible tornado just after 1 a.m. causing damage to the residence and a barn and destroying two sheds. The Campbell’s were home at the time but escaped injury.

“My wife was up and she woke me up when we got a cell phone alert about the tornado warning. They had said on TV it was going to hit Green Hill Road at 1:15 a.m.which is right across the road from our house but it hit (our house) at 1:03 a.m. so it was a little ahead of schedule. We had time to take shelter in a closet. My wife and our grandkid got in one closet and I got in another. We could hear the roar and the wind blew a window out in front of our house just as it hit,” said Randy Campbell.

Another barn was destroyed in the same area and a shed was blown down at a residence on Woodbury Highway.

Trees were also reported down and across the road on the Old Snow Hill Road. Power lines were down in some areas.

November 6, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Election Day has arrived.

Voting at all 15 precincts in DeKalb County will be today from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Voters will elect a Governor, U.S. Senator, Congressman in the 6th District, State Senator in District 17, and State Representatives in Districts 40 & 46.

Candidates for Governor are Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean. Twenty six independents are also in the race for Governor.

U.S. Senate candidates are Republican Marsha Blackburn and Democrat Phil Bredesen. Six independents are also running for the U.S. Senate.

Republican John Rose and Democrat Dawn Barlow are in the race for the U.S. House of Representatives from the 6th Congressional District along with two independents.

Candidates for the State Senate in District 17 are Republican Mark Pody and Democrat Mary Alice Carfi. There are no independents

Republican Terri Lynn Weaver is unopposed for State Representative in District 40

In District 46, Republican Clark Boyd and Democrat Mark Cagle are in the race for State Representative. There are no independents.

Be sure to tune to WJLE for LIVE election return coverage Tuesday night at 7 p.m. on AM 1480/FM 101.7 and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com

1,378,840 Tennesseans voted in person or absentee during the two-week early voting period which ended Thursday, November 1, 2018. In DeKalb County, 3114 voted early.

Voters can download the GoVoteTN app, available in the App Store or Google Play, to view voter-specific information. Voters can find polling locations, view and mark sample ballots and much more. The platform is also available at GoVoteTN.com.

Tennesseans voting should remember to bring valid photo identification with them to the polls. A driver’s license or photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security as well as photo IDs issued by Tennessee state government or the federal government are acceptable even if they are expired. College student IDs are not acceptable.

More information about what types of ID are acceptable is available by calling toll free 1-877-850-4959.

State law requires polling locations and the area within a 100-foot boundary surrounding each entrance remain campaign-free zones. Tennessee law prohibits the display or distribution of campaign materials and the solicitation of votes for or against any person, party or question on the ballot in these areas.

Frail, physically disabled or visibly pregnant voters should tell their polling officials if they are unable to wait in line to vote. The law allows them to move through the process faster.

People with questions or concerns about the voting process can go to GoVoteTN.com or call the Division of Elections toll-free at 1-877-850-4959. The DeKalb County Election Commission phone number is 615-597-4146.

November 6, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

The City of Smithville is closer to securing grant funding to build a parallel taxiway at the Airport.

During Monday night’s monthly meeting, the Mayor and Aldermen voted to apply for a $150,000 grant to pay most of the engineering costs in conducting a 30% design of the taxiway project. If approved, the grant would be funded 90% by federal funds, 5% by the state, and a 5% local match or $7,500.

Airport Manager Joe Johnson said this engineering project must be underway before the city can qualify for another grant of up to $4.6 million to actually construct the taxiway. The city has already applied for that 100% federally funded grant and should know by February if it is awarded. Should the $4.6 million grant be approved, then the city will proceed with the remaining 70% of the taxiway design at a 5% grant match.

Johnson will appear before the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission November 15 to present the city’s plans for the taxiway project.

If the grants are approved it will likely be 2020 before construction begins on the taxiway.

Johnson also praised the Mayor and Aldermen and City Attorney Vester Parsley for supporting him in reaching a settlement with a landowner in the city’s efforts to acquire property for the development of the parallel taxiway.

Meanwhile, a committee has been named, which will select a consulting engineer for the project.

Johnson said the city’s five year contract with the consulting firm of CHA expires this month. Members of that committee in addition to Johnson are Aldermen Shawn Jacobs and Brandon Cox, and other members Roth Terrell and Ron Hurd.

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