Voters To Decide Thursday

August 1, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Four contested races for county-wide public offices will be settled with the DeKalb County General Election on Thursday, August 2.

Voters will decide who will hold the offices of County Mayor, Sheriff, Road Supervisor, and Circuit Court Clerk for the next four years.

The polls at all 15 precincts in the county will be open Thursday from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. WJLE will have LIVE election return coverage and interviews with candidates starting at 7 p.m.

The lineup of candidates as they appear on the ballot are as follows:

County Mayor: Democrat Tim Stribling and Independent Randy Paris

Sheriff: Republican Patrick Ray and Democrat Michael Jay Agee

Circuit Court Clerk: Republican Susan Martin and Democrat Nicole Wright

Road Superintendent: Republican Danny L. Hale and Democrat Jimmy Sprague

Others running unopposed are as follows:

Trustee: Republican Sean D. Driver

County Clerk: Democrat James L. (Jimmy) Poss

Register of Deeds: Democrat Jeff McMillen

The winners will take office September 1.

Each of the seven county commission district races will be contested in the DeKalb County General Election on Thursday.

The lineup of candidates in each district as they appear on the ballot are as follows:

1st district: Republican Tom Chandler and Democrats Dennis Slager and Julie Williams Young. Two are to be elected.

2nd district: Republican Sabrina Farler and Democrats Nora Harvey and Myron Rhody. Two are to be elected.

3rd district: Republican Renee Steff and Democrats Bobby G. Johnson and Jenny Trapp. Two are to be elected.

4th district: Republican Greg Matthews and Democrats Janice Fish-Stewart and Scott Little. Two are to be elected.

5th district: Republican Jerry D. Adcock, Democrats Lloyd F. Emmons and Anita Puckett, and Independent William Millard Rutherford. Two are to be elected.

6th district: Republican Matt Adcock and Democrats Betty Jean Atnip and Jeff Barnes. Two are to be elected.

7th district: Republican Bruce Malone and Democrats Beth Pafford and Larry Summers. Two are to be elected.

The winners will take office September 1.

The Smithville Municipal Election will feature a contested mayoral race on Thursday.

The candidates for Mayor as listed on the ballot are Josh Miller, Jimmy W. Poss, and Curtis L. Rust.

Two alderman candidates are running unopposed, Brandon J. Cox and Gayla C. Hendrix.

The winners will take office September 1. The terms are for four years.

The Liberty Municipal Election also has a contested Mayor race on August 2.

The candidates are Darrell W. Johnson and Dwight Mathis.

The five alderman candidates are unopposed including Dwayne Blair, J.D. Bratten, Derek Johnson, Jason H. Ray, and William Howard Reynolds, Jr.

The terms are for four years.

Three aldermen are to be elected in Dowelltown but only one name appears on the ballot, Ronald L. Griffith. The terms are for four years.

Three aldermen and a mayor are also to be elected in Alexandria but only one name for alderman appears on the ballot Lloyd Dale Dyer. Two other persons plan to mount a write-in campaign for alderman including Shane Blair, an incumbent, for a full four-year term and Bridgette Rogers, for a two-year term that fills a vacancy.

There is no name on the Alexandria ballot for mayor although two persons Bennett Armstrong and Donna Davis are conducting a write-in campaign for that office.

The mayor’s term is for four years.

There is one contested school board race. Second district member Jerry Wayne Johnson faces a challenge from Thomas A. Hayes.

The others running for re-election are unopposed including Danny Parkerson in the 1st district, Jim Beshearse in the 3rd district, Kate Miller in the 4th district, and Shaun Tubbs in the 7th district.

The school board terms are for four years

August 1, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

A former prisoner appeared in criminal court last week on charges that he retaliated against Sheriff Patrick Ray after being released on bond in October, 2017.

33 year old Michael Brandon Redmon, charged with retaliation for a past action, aggravated criminal trespass, vandalism under $1,000, and disorderly conduct, entered a plea to charges of aggravated criminal trespass and vandalism under $1,000. He received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to serve in each case to run concurrently. Redmon has already flattened his sentence and must make restitution of $150 to Patrick Ray. Redmon was given jail credit from October 19, 2017 to July 23, 2018

The incident occurred on October 16, 2017.

According to the investigation, Redmon went to Sheriff Ray’s home on Belk Road late that night, beat on the front door several times, and tracked white paint on his asphalt driveway, sidewalk, and carpeted porch. Sheriff Ray was not at home when the incident occurred but his wife was there and called him. The sheriff and detectives, who were working on other cases at the time, went to Ray’s home but Redmon had already left by the time they arrived. Redmon was picked up in Warren County later that week and served by officers there with a violation of probation warrant against him out of DeKalb County Criminal Court.

The sheriff explained that Redmon had been arrested on Thursday, October 12, 2017 by the Smithville Police Department for theft of property and that he was released on Saturday, October 14 after posting bond. However when Redmon was booked into the jail, correctional officers took some items from him, which they did not give back to Redmon upon his release. Redmon apparently became upset over the incident and decided to take out his frustrations against Sheriff Ray.

Meanwhile, 21 year old Olivia Hope Barber entered a plea to a charge of bringing contraband (drugs) into a penal facility (county jail). She received a four year TDOC sentence suspended to supervised probation. She must make restitution to the sheriff’s department. Barber was given jail credit of 26 days.

The incident occurred on February 17, 2017.

July 31, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe have announced the 60 counties, including DeKalb, that will receive ThreeStar Grants.

The grants will be used for a variety of local programs addressing economic development, education and workforce development, public safety, health and efficient government.

“The ThreeStar grant for DeKalb County in the amount of $15,000 was awarded to purchase commercial grade exercise equipment for the DeKalb County Complex Fitness Center. We have increased the amount of grant DeKalb County has received the last two years from $10,000 to $15,000. There is no match required by the county.  The grant was written with the assistance of Chamber Director Suzanne Williams and we are very pleased DeKalb County was one of the 60 counties to receive the ThreeStar grant” said DeKalb County Mayor Tim Stribling.

“Providing more opportunities for Tennesseans is one of our state’s main objectives, and with the assistance of the ThreeStar Competitive Grants, the 60 recipients will be better prepared for success,” Haslam said. “The ThreeStar program is a great asset to help communities across Tennessee thrive, and I look forward to seeing each of these 60 communities continue to succeed.”

“I want to congratulate the 60 communities chosen in this round to receive the ThreeStar Grants,” Rolfe said. “The projects that these counties complete with ThreeStar grant assistance will enhance local communities by creating a better living and working environment for residents.”

ThreeStar focuses on best practices in five key community areas, including jobs and economic development, education and workforce development, fiscal strength and efficient government, public safety and health. To be eligible for this grant, the county must meet requirements in these five areas and show how the project will move the county forward in at least one of those areas.

“TNECD is able to assist the 60 recipients of the ThreeStar Grants by investing in locally-driven projects that transform communities,” Amy New, assistant commissioner of Community and Rural Development, said. “We are proud to partner with these communities as they continue to work collaboratively to enhance their economic landscape.”

In total, TNECD is awarding $955,000 to Tennessee communities through this round of the ThreeStar Grant program. TNECD is committed to helping communities in the areas that they prioritize on a local level. The projects are new programs or expand upon existing programs.

The grants have been awarded to the following counties:

Anderson $5,000

Benton $25,000

Campbell $25,000

Cannon $5,000

Carroll $25,000

Chester $15,000

Claiborne $10,000

Clay $25,000

Cocke $25,000

Crockett $5,000

Cumberland $15,000

Decatur $25,000

DeKalb $15,000

Fentress $15,000

Giles $5,000

Grainger $25,000

Grundy $25,000

Hamblen $5,000

Hamilton $5,000

Hardeman $25,000

Hardin $25,000

Hawkins $15,000

Haywood $25,000

Henderson $15,000

Henry $5,000

Hickman $15,000

Humphreys $5,000

Jackson $25,000

Johnson $25,000

Lake $15,000

Lauderdale $25,000

Lawrence $15,000

Lewis $25,000

Macon $5,000

Marion $5,000

Marshall $5,000

McMinn $15,000

Meigs $25,000

Monroe $15,000

Moore $5,000

Morgan $25,000

Obion $15,000

Perry $25,000

Pickett $15,000

Polk $15,000

Rhea $15,000

Roane $5,000

Scott $25,000

Sequatchie $5,000

Smith $5,000

Stewart $15,000

Tipton $5,000

Trousdale $5,000

Unicoi $25,000

Union $25,000

Van Buren $25,000

Warren $15,000

Wayne $25,000

Weakley $15,000.

White $15,000

Each application was supported by the community’s senator and representatives in the Tennessee General Assembly.

« First ‹ Previous 1 2169 2259 2267 2268 22692270 2271 2279 2369 2492 Next › Last »