Tag Archives: Smithville

Dekalb County High School Principal Randy Jennings has stepped down after 26 years in education. Director of schools Patrick Cripps said he and Jennings go back together as administrators for over a decade. Cripps said Jennings was someone he could count on to bounce ideas and provide a steady force in the system. “You don’t replace Randy Jennings,” Cripps said. ... Read More »

All three tornado sirens in Smithville passed their test during Tuesday’s tornado warning. EMA Director Charlie Parker said the sirens are activated automatically when they are within the National Weather Service’s polygon area. Prior to adding two new sirens, the existing siren on city hall had to be activated manually. “The first warning issued for Dekalb County was more north, ... Read More »

Dekalb County is currently evaluating storm damages in several areas of the county. EMA Director Charlie Parker said a tornado has not been confirmed but straight line winds did take a definite path. Parker said Alexandria, northern Smithville and Johnsons Chapel took the majority of damages. “The biggest thing has been tree damage, we have some power lines down,” Parker ... Read More »

A Smithville man has been charged with TennCare fraud after allegedly reporting to the state he had custody of his child to get benefits. 34-year-old Grant Lynch faces charges of fraud and theft of services. Both are class D felonies. “Providing false information in order to receive TennCare benefits will not be tolerated in the state of Tennessee,” Inspector General ... Read More »

The Smithville-Dekalb County Rescue Squad will go to the county commission to request funding to form a Swift Water Rescue Task Force. Rescue Squad Captain Dustin Johnson said cars being swept off the road from flooding is an increasing issue. Johnson said the rescue squad is going to ask the county for $18,000. “What we’re trying to do is, we’re ... Read More »

Smithville’s two newest tornado sirens passed Wednesday’s testing. EMA Director Charlie Parker said the city ran the sirens in recognition of Tennessee’s Severe Weather Awareness Week. “The new sirens are an automatic siren tat will go off when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for the Smithville area,” Parker said. “We do want to check that monthly just ... Read More »

A McMinnville woman faces arson charges in connection with an April house fire in Smithville. 47-year-old Jan Marie Winchester booked into the Dekalb County Jail. She faces one count of arson after a joint TBI, Dekalb County Sheriff and Dekalb County Fire Department investigation. Winchester accused of seeing fire to a home on Lee Homer Road in Smithville April 14. ... Read More »

An Algood man faces murder charges in the drug-related death of a Smithville woman last May. Authorities arrested 41-year old Patrick Goolsby Monday on one count of second degree murder and one count of sale and delivery of a schedule II controlled substance. Goolsby is being held under $400,000 bond in the Dekalb County Jail. The charges resulted from the ... Read More »

A Smithville man died Thursday morning in an accident along State Route 96 in Dekalb County near Dale Ridge Road. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reports 41-year-old Brian E. Clark of Smithville died when his vehicle crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic striking a car head-on. The preliminary reports show Clark was not wearing a seatbelt. Clark was driving southbound ... Read More »

Smithville is looking to improve pedestrian walkways for two Highway 70 intersections within the city. Center Hill RPO Coordinator Virginia Alexander said the city is making sure its budget is flexible before applying for a T-DOT grant to fund most of the project. “It is going to be the hardest part just because construction costs vary so much,” Alexander said. ... Read More »