It’s one of the town’s oldest businesses having served customers in the Alexandria area in the same location since the late 1940’s. But soon, Alexandria Auto Parts will have a new home.
The business, owned by Brad Driver and Chris Hale, will be moving from its current location on High Street to Highway 53 just past Prichard Foods. “We’re hoping to be in the new building by mid- September or the first of October,” said Driver.
The new store is much larger which will allow Driver and Hale to have more room to better serve their customers. “Over there we’ll have a 60′ x 60′ parts store and a 60′ x 60′ shop, “said Driver. ” We’ll have three doors (to the garage), but it’s two deep so we can have up to six bays,” he said.
“We do everything but internal engine work but over there we are going to start doing front end alignments. We’ve got a man trained on those alignments,” said Driver.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to get our customers in and out quicker in a more timely manner,” added Hale. “We will continue to do brakes, tires, exhaust, oil changes, intake gaskets, transmissions, alternators, starters, belts, etc. but we’ll have a better parts store. It will be fully stocked,” he said.
The new store will also have new hours. “We’ll be open from 7:30 a.m. til 7:00 p.m. weekdays and probably til 4:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays,” said Hale. “Right now we’re open from 7:30 a.m. til 5:00 p.m. weekdays and we open half a day on Saturdays,” he continued.
Born and raised in DeKalb County, both Driver and Hale began working in the auto related field at an early age. “Chris went to Nashville Auto Diesel College and then started out working at Walker Diesel in Cookeville. He also worked in maintenance at Tracker Marine in Murfreesboro,” Driver said.
Driver worked for D.Y. Young at Young’s Auto Parts while in high school and then joined the family business at Alexandria Auto Parts after graduation while also working part time at Liberty Exxon.
Driver and Hale have been co-owners of the store since July 2000. Driver bought half interest in the business from his father Darry “Red” Driver in 1994 and Hale bought the other half in 2000.
” My dad (Darry) started working here in 1968,” said Driver. “He then went to the service in 1970. When he came back he worked for Jewel Braswell here and bought the business in 1973. Four years later, he bought the building and was sole owner until 1994. He left the business in 2002,” said Driver.
The history of Alexandria Auto Parts dates back to the late 1940’s. “I’ve heard that the Sinclair Oil Company built this building for Robert Burton (the original owner). Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know,” said Driver.
“It was probably about a 20′ x 20′ building in the beginning and they sold gas. Then they added a garage. Over the years this building has been added onto about three times,” said Hale.
Gas is no longer sold there but the existing business now consists of a 40′ x 24′ parts store and customer service area and a 40′ x 40′ shop.
In addition to Driver and Hale, the staff includes mechanics Drake Vaughn, Chad Curtis, Derek Carter, and Spencer Prichard.
Driver and Hale said they look forward to serving their customers in the new location.
Alexandria Auto Parts is a Parts City Auto Parts store. Parts City stores are independently owned but are serviced by Ozark Automotive, the same company that owns O’Reilly Auto Parts stores.

To celebrate the recent success of the Weight Loss Challenge between DeKalb and Cannon Counties, DeKalb Community Hospital and Stones River Hospital decided to donate 943 pounds of food for the Hungry Kids Backpack Program. The 943 pounds was in honor of the total weight lost by all participants of the Challenge. The food was divided and distributed to backpack programs across both counties and has been received with grateful appreciation.
When asked how this idea came about, Marketing Director Shan Burklow replied, “Our CEO (Sue Conley) and myself were on a local radio program (Chamber Chat) where one of the guests were talking about the backpack program and how so many kids go home to no dinner on the table or even go hungry throughout the entire weekend. As we listened, Sue turned to me and whispered, ‘We’re going to help with this!’ …later that afternoon, we decided to ask our hospital employees to help us reach our goal of nearly a thousand pounds of food. Hundreds of pounds were donated just over two weeks later.”
The hospital would like to personally thank the artists from the Off the Beaten Path Tour for being the inspiration behind this great effort, “We are grateful to Tim Hintz and the great artists that steered us in the right direction with their original support of the program. If these good people had not stepped up to raise money for these kids, Shan and I would have never known there was such a monumental need right here where we work and live.”
“We are so very grateful to the employees of DeKalb Community Hospital for their generosity and care for the Backpack Program,” said Backpack Program Assistant Director Cindy Childers, “I started to cry when I saw all of the food. This means so much to these kids (and to us) as we try to keep over 200 backpacks filled weekly. If anyone is interested in helping us throughout the school year, please call the Board of Education and let us know.”
For more information on how you, your church, or your business can participate in the Hungry Kids Backpack Program, contact Cindy Childers (615) 215-2161
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Pictured: Tim Hintz along with local artists from the Off the Beaten Path Tour accept over two hundred pounds of food from Director Shan Burklow, CEO Sue Conley and CNO Kim Frazier of DeKalb Community Hospital and Stones River Hospital. Not pictured: Linda Gagne of DeKalb Community Hospital.

While the first election in 2014 is months away, DeKalb County Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley said potential candidates have already begun to ask questions about various offices.
“We have had people already ask what they need to do to become a candidate,” Stanley said. “Even though it is a little bit early, certain issues could come into play now, depending on the circumstances.”
It is likely a primary election will be called by one of the local political parties for May 6, 2014. As a result, the qualifying deadline for all candidates will be Noon February 20th. Petitions will be available November 22, 2013.
“Since petitions are not available until November 22, 2013, potential candidates may wonder how they can declare or announce they are running before November,” Stanley said. “Individuals may be announced candidates and may begin soliciting campaign funds at any time before the election. That is a political strategy issue and each candidate must make that decision.”
“However, before a candidate raises or spends money, the candidate needs to file an “Appointment of Political Treasurer” with the Election Commission. This form is available at http://www.tennessee.gov/tref/forms/ss-1120.pdf or can be obtained at our office. You can print it out online and bring it to us. We must have the original, so a fax or email will not work.”
”You may file the Appointment of Political Treasurer at any time, but it must be filed before you raise or spend money,” Stanley continued. “The Registry of Election Finance has said that “incidental” expenses while you are thinking about running do not count. There are different regulations for judicial candidates, so please ask us before soliciting campaign funds.”
Once a candidate files an Appointment of Treasurer form, the candidate is required to file periodic disclosure reports. The reports are to be filed quarterly during the election year and semi-annually in either the year(s) before or after. Additionally, a report is due 10 days before any election. The report dates can be found at http://www.tennessee.gov/tref/cand/cand_filing.htm or you can obtain a copy at the local election office.
“The State Registry of Election Financial (615-741-7959) or http://www.tennessee.gov/tref/contact.htm has jurisdiction over election financial issues,” Stanley said. “The DeKalb County Election Commission merely files the reports and makes them available to the public. The state office can answer any question you have about financial reports or requirements.”
More information about the petition process, including additional deadlines for Road Superintendent and Sheriff candidates, can be obtained at the election commission office on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse or by logging on to www.dekalbelections.com.

The DeKalb County unemployment rate for July was 8.2%, down from 8.7% in June but up slightly from 8.1% in July, 2012.
The local labor force for July, 2013 was 9,850. A total of 9,040 were employed and 810 were unemployed.
DeKalb County’s jobless rate for July was second lowest in the Upper Cumberland Region. Here’s how the fourteen counties ranked from highest to lowest:
Pickett County: 12%
Van Buren County: 12%
White County: 11.3%
Clay County: 10.5%
Warren County: 10.4%
Overton County: 10.3%
Jackson County: 10%
Fentress County:9.8%
Cumberland County: 9.2%
Macon County: 9.1%
Cannon County: 8.4%
Putnam County: 8.4%
DeKalb County: 8.2%
Smith County: 7.3%
County unemployment rates for July 2013 show the rate decreased in 79 counties, increased in 12, and remained the same in four counties. Specific county information is available on the Internet; enter http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/labor_figures/LaborJULY2013.pdf.
Davidson County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 6.7 percent, down from 7.0 percent in June. Knox County’s July rate decreased to 7.0 from 7.3 percent. Hamilton County decreased to 8.6 percent from 8.8 the previous month. Shelby County was 9.8 percent, down from 10.3 percent in June.
Tennessee’s preliminary unemployment rate for July is 8.5 percent, which is unchanged from the June revised rate. The national unemployment rate for July 2013 was 7.4 percent, down two tenths of one percentage point from the previous month.
The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.

The DeKalb County Commission is looking to fill a vacant judicial commissioner position and to add another one during Monday night’s regular meeting.
The county currently has two judicial or warrant commissioners. Jerry Taylor holds one of the positions. Tammy Ashburn held the other but she recently resigned. Until that vacancy is filled, Taylor has the responsibilities all to himself except for the services of Rod Higham, who fills in on a part time basis as needed.
Currently, each of the two judicial commissioners is on call for two weeks and is off for two weeks. The positions pay $890 per month.
During Thursday night’s “All-Committees” meeting, County Mayor Mike Foster said he would like to create a third judicial commissioner position. “What I’m thinking is, we could have three on call. Rotate weekly. It’s going to add $10,000 a year to the operation of the office but they (each judicial commissioner) could work a week and be off two weeks but still be on call in case one of the others got sick,” he said.
Since funds are not already budgeted for a third judicial commissioner, Foster said the county commission would have to adopt a budget amendment to pay for it.
Meanwhile members of the county commission Thursday night interviewed six applicants for the positions, Mark Adams, Hoyte Barrett, Oscar Boyd, McClure Cantrell, Taft Hendrixson, and Richard Jennings.
Two of those applicants will likely be appointed by the county commission Monday night, one to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Ashburn, and the other to fill the newly created position.
Other issues on the county commission agenda Monday night are as follows:
Budget amendments/Quarterly Reports
Discuss an emergency purchase for addition and improvement to high school football bleachers for the DeKalb County Board of Education per Phone Poll
Discuss a resolution to authorize the issuance of general obligation school improvement bond of DeKalb County resolution for detailed repayment.
Discuss authorization of agreement with DeKalb County Road Supervisor Kenny Edge for the county to purchase oil, etc. for improvement of convenience sites by the Road Department.
Discuss TDOT project status report
Discuss recycling transfer station plans and future plans. Discuss possible agreement with Smithville.
Discuss invitation to bid-Omega roof, gym, completion of surveillance cameras for the county complex
Discuss commission and committee vacancies
Any other business properly presented
Notaries.
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the downstairs courtroom of the courthouse. WJLE plans LIVE coverage.