If you want to become a registered voter in time for the November 7th Tennessee General Election, you have one more week to do so.
The deadline for voter registration in person is October 6th. If by mail, it must be postmarked by October 8th.
Early Voting will be October 18th through November 2nd.
The election will be held for the purpose of choosing a Governor, U.S. Senator, U.S. Congressman, State Senator, and State Representative..
The candidates for Governor are Democratic Incumbent Governor Phil Bredesen versus Republican challenger Jim Bryson. Independent candidates are David Gatchell, Maurivauna Stout Leinoff, Charles E. Smith, Howard M. Switzer, and Carl “Twofeathers” Whitaker.
Candidates for the United States Senate are Republican Bob Corker and Democrat Harold Ford, Jr., Independent candidates are Emory “Bo” Heyward, Gary Keplinger, and Christopher Joseph Lugo.
Candidates for State Senator of the 17th District are Republican Incumbent Mae Beavers and Democratic challenger Bob Rochelle.
Candidates for U.S. Representative of the 6th Congressional District are Democratic Incumbent Bart Gordon and Republican challenger David R. Davis. Independent candidates are Robert L. Garrison and Norman R. Saliba.
Candidates for State Representative of the 40th District are Democratic incumbent Frank Buck versus Republican Terri Lynn Weaver and Independent Carl Jones.

Almost two months after the August 3rd election, it appears there is now a winner in the race for Criminal Court Judge Part II in the 13th Judicial District.
Retired Nashville Judge Ben Cantrell, appointed to hear the election contest lawsuit filed by Lillie Ann Sells, dismissed the case Wednesday night after hearing two days of testimony in the Putnam County Chancery Court hearing.
Judge Sells, who lost her re-election bid to challenger David Patterson by 10 votes, asked that the election be voided
Sells filed her “contest of election” suit on August 17, alleging that various irregularities occurred in the voting on election day and asking the Chancery Court to review her allegations and either declare her the winner or order a new election.
Among her allegations are claims that convicted felons voted in one county, that voters applying for absentee ballots were not required to furnish their Social Security numbers, that voters spent too much time in the voting booths in some instances, and that a non-resident of the district was allowed to vote in one county.
Judge Cantrell ruled that he could find only one or two votes that shouldn’t count. One of those ballots was cast by a convicted felon in White County. The other was an absentee ballot signed by someone who assisted the voter, with no witness signature present.
The other contested ballots had missing information, such as a Social Security number, reason for voting absentee or dates of the voter’s absence.
Many of the requests or applications for absentee ballots were elderly voters, who are allowed by law to vote absentee if they are over 65 years old. However Stephen Zralek of Nashville, Sells’ attorney, said that those votes should not be counted when the voter’s age is not specifically listed as the reason for voting absentee, even though the voter’s birth date is clearly on the application.
Zralek claimed that those missing items were necessary in order to process applications for absentee voting, according to the law governing absentee ballots. Zralek contended that the strict rules of absentee voting should be followed, saying, “The violations of the statute affect the freedom and purity of the ballot. Either the law is strictly complied or it’s not.”
Defense attorneys argued that Sells’ complaint over the election alleges no fraud or purposeful wrongdoing on the part of administrators or voters in that election.
Judge Cantrell sided with the defense saying there was no proof of any fraud, no allegations of any fraud and no proof of conspiracy. The judge said he didn’t believe that the statute requires applications for absentee ballots to list Social Security numbers.
Sells has 30 days to appeal Judge Cantrell’s decision.
John M. Roberts of Livingston has been serving as an appointed interim judge, pending the outcome of this case.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has made an arrest in a local theft investigation.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says 22 year old Daniel Rose of 410 South College Street has been charged with aggravated burglary, theft under $500, and forgery.
Sheriff Ray says on or about Wednesday, September 20th, Rose allegedly stole a check made out for $400 from a residence on Allen’s Ferry Road. He then allegedly forged a signature on the check and cashed it at a local bank.
His bond is set at $12,500.

A man and woman were arrested Wednesday after officers of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department found marijuana in their residence.
28 year old Joseph McCoy of 200 Huddleston Loop, off Adcock Cemetery Road is charged with manufacturing, delivery, and sale of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to appear. His bond is $61,000.
22 year old Bonnie McCoy of the same address is charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and manufacturing, sale, and delivery of marijuana. Her bond is $60,000.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says deputies went to the residence to serve a failure to appear warrant on Joseph McCoy when they smelled the odor of marijuana that had been smoked . Upon a further investigation, officers found a large amount of marijuana inside a container along with drug paraphernalia including bongs, pipes, hemostats, and seeds.
The McCoys will appear in General Sessions Court on October 4th.

A Smithville man, wanted by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department since last week, is now in custody.
30 year old William Paul McGee was arrested Wednesday night in Warren County.
Sheriff Patrick Ray says Warren County investigators found his vehicle at an apartment complex and contacted the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.
Sheriff Ray says DeKalb and Warren County officers set up surveillance and closed in as McGee emerged from the apartments. He says McGee jumped in his vehicle and took off, hitting a utility pole behind the apartments, before he was stopped and placed in custody.
McGee has been charged in DeKalb County with reckless endangerment and felony evading arrest. His bond on these charges is $41,000
McGee is also wanted on other charges in at least two other counties.
Authorities believe McGee and 21 year old Josh Neal were the two men in a Jeep Cherokee that ran from county deputies on Tuesday night, September 19th which led to Officer Andy Snow losing control of his patrol car and overturning on Short Mountain Road near the DeKalb/Cannon County line.
Neal was arrested the next day.
McGee remained at large until Wednesday.

A 20 year old Smithville man has been arrested on multiple counts of burglary and vandalism as the result of an investigation by the Smithville Police and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Departments.
In a prepared news release, Thomas J. Stufano, Executive Officer of the Smithville Police Department, says Brian Dewayne Thomason of 439 Morgan Drive is charged with one count of aggravated burglary of a dwelling, two counts of vandalism to a structure and five counts of burglary of vehicles occurring on West Spring Street, Fisher Avenue, Short Mountain Street, Anthony Avenue, Kendra Drive, and Meadowbrook Drive. Additional charges could be filed pending a further investigation.
Thomason was booked into the DeKalb County Jail with bail set at $32,000.
According to the news release, “On Wednesday, September 27th at approximately 11:20 p.m. police officers and sheriff’s deputies working a Burglary Task Force in the 300 block of West Bryant Street were able to positively identify and arrest a suspect who had eluded authorities for almost three weeks.” The suspect, Thomason, is accused of breaking into seven residences and automobiles.
“Based on leads, reports and witness statements over the last three weeks concerning the escalating rise in burglaries in the area, officers canvassed the neighborhoods speaking to residents and tracking prospective movements of the suspect. With the cooperation of good neighbors and concerned citizens coupled with fast police response times and effective report writing, Task Force Officers working the cases were able to easily identify the suspect.”
“Smithville Police Sergeant Steve Deffendoll, Officer Bill Elliott, Officer Lelani Defore, and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Detective Chris Russell were able to closely align and track the suspect’s movements over the past three weeks that plagued these quiet residential areas.”
“Incidental to the arrest, Mr. Thomason voluntarily cooperated with the investigation identifying additional areas he had either broken into or attempted to break into but had been stopped by vigilant neighbors who called the police. During his interview, Thomason stated that he was able to keep track of police response times in order to time his get away by using a portable handheld police scanner.”
Stufano’s news release states that ” In speaking to the victims and neighbors, all were highly in favor of the city’s new Crime Watch Program due to roll out shortly. This nationally recognized crime prevention program trains citizens on how and what to look for when reporting incidents. Additionally, home and business inspections are performed to help provide a safer living or working environment. Simple methods such as replacing outside light bulbs that have burned out or trimming hedges that block windows, and making sure your car doors and windows are locked are things citizens can do to deter crime in their area.”

Governor Phil Bredesen and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matthew Kisber recently approved a $366,730 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to assist in improvements to the Alexandria sewer system collection system in DeKalb County.
?I?m glad the state of Tennessee can provide funding to improve sewer systems and expand economic opportunities in communities, like DeKalb County,? said Bredesen. ?The CDBG grants maintain and update community resources and improve the overall economic and environmental health of our state.?
Funding for the $403,000 project will include $36,270 in local funds. The funds were provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and were allocated under a procedure authorized by the Tennessee General Assembly. The grants were approved by the ECD Loan and Grant Committee following an application by each county.
?CDBG grants help Tennessee communities lay the groundwork for economic development through improvements to roads, water and sewer facilities and the overall quality of life? said Kisber. ?I’m proud the State of Tennessee can play a role in the progress of our communities.?
The grant was approved following an application by the Town of Alexandria and has the support of State Representative Frank Buck. U.S. Senators Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander and Congressman Bart Gordon aided in securing the funds.
?Such grants are a good example of long range planning by local government. I give credit to our
officials for their vision and willingness to do the work necessary to apply for CDBG funding.
This is a win-win situation for our community and the state,? said Rep. Frank Buck.
Allocation of CDBG funds is based on priorities set at local levels where community needs are best known. The CDBG program is administered in Tennessee by the Department of Economic and Community Development.

The Smithville Board of Mayor and Aldermen is scheduled to adopt an ordinance on second and final reading Monday night to charge for making copies of public documents, requested by the public, and for the time required by city employees to produce those documents.
The council adopted the ordinance on first reading September 18th and a public hearing will be held prior to second reading passage Monday night, October 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at city hall.
The City has sought assistance from MTAS, the Municipal Technical Advisory Service, in preparing the ordinance, which is similar to ordinances in other cities.
However a legal challenge is being mounted against Loudon County over their fee policy.
The Knoxville News Sentinel, in their Wednesday, September, 20th edition, reported that a Chancery Court petition for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief has been filed on behalf of three Loudon County residents.
Loudon County’s policy requires that those seeking access to county records come to the county mayor’s office and fill out a form. Applicants must pay $25 an hour plus 25 cents per page for copies; and there is a non-refundable minimum charge for the first hour that must be paid up front.
According to the state’s attorney general, local governments can’t charge for employees’ time spent fulfilling a public records request. That from Frank Gibson, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government.
According to Gibson, the attorney general says the only thing the law and the Tennessee Supreme Court has said is allowable under Tennessee law is the cost of the copies.
Under the proposed Smithville ordinance, fees for inspection and copying of city records shall cover the costs of retrieving, supervising access to, and inspection of, and reproduction of records.
“Such fees shall be as follows: seventy five cents per page for each photostatic copy provided by the city. Fees for items such as, but not limited to, cd roms, computer disks, and audio/video cassettes, will be assessed at the rate paid for such items by the city. Actual personnel costs related to time spent retrieving and accessing records based upon each involved employee’s effective hourly rate of pay, including benefits. Actual personnel costs related to time spent supervising access to and inspection of or reproduction of records based upon each involved employee’s effective hourly rate of pay, including benefits.”
The proposed ordinance states that “All fees for purposes identified in this chapter shall be due at the time such costs are incurred. If multiple copies are requested or copies are requested that require more than minimal time for retrieval, the City of Smithville may require a reasonable deposit for the estimated cost which must be paid prior to the retrieval of the records and prior to the commencement of copying said records. If the city employee involved in the retrieval and copying of records determines that the costs of retrieval will exceed the amount of the deposit, the city employee involved in the search and retrieval shall request an additional deposit sufficient to cover the estimated cost. No reproduction fee shall be assessed, other than the photostatic copy fee of seventy five cents per page, when an employee of the City of Smithville determines that the cost of charging and handling the fee exceeds the cost of providing a copy without charge.”