State Senator Mae Beavers is reportedly considering a run for Governor in 2018.
The four term Republican Senator from Mount Juliet, who represents DeKalb County in the State Senate, has not yet filed any official paperwork and is still in the very early stages of a potential campaign.
Republicans Randy Boyd of Knoxville, former Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner and State Senator Mark Green of Clarksville have already officially declared and State House Speaker Beth Harwell of Nashville and U.S. Rep. Diane Black are considering campaigns. But Green is now being considered for Secretary of the Army by President Donald Trump.
On the Democratic side, former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean is the only formally declared candidate and Democratic House Leader Craig Fitzhugh is considering a run.
Author Archive: Dwayne Page
Franklin Scores Grand Slam with Osceloa Turkey Kill
Retired educator and avid hunter Linda Franklin and her husband retired TWRA officer Ben Franklin recently returned from a hunting trip to Welaka, Florida where they each bagged an Osceola turkey.
With the kill, Linda has scored an American grand slam, having harvested a turkey from each of the four major subspecies in the United States, Eastern, Merriman, Rio Grande, and now the Osceola.
“We went to Florida because it’s the only place that has an Osceola turkey. That is the only one that I lacked having a grand slam. This was my third time down there and for me the third time was the charm. I will have to say in my defense that I have never pulled the trigger on one until this time. When I pulled the trigger, he fell,” she said.
While Linda is thrilled to have her first grand slam, Ben has four grand slams and is one kill away from scoring his fifth. “We’re going to Kansas next month to hunt the Rio again and if he gets one there that will be his fifth grand slam,” said Linda.
Young Sportsman Spring Turkey Hunt Starts Saturday
Tennessee’s 2017 spring turkey season opens on Saturday, April 1 and continues through Sunday, May 14. The state young sportsman hunt for youth ages 6-16 is March 25-26.
Spring turkey harvest numbers have been consistent for a number of years in Tennessee. Tennessee turkey hunters have passed the 30,000 harvest mark for 14 consecutive years during the spring hunting season.
Hunting hours for turkeys are 30 minutes prior to legal sunrise until legal sunset. Legal hunting equipment includes shotguns using ammunition loaded with No. 4 shot or smaller. There is no restriction on number of rounds in magazine. Longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and crossbows are permitted.
Firearms and archery equipment may have sighting devices except those devices utilizing an artificial light capable of locating wildlife. Night vision scopes are illegal.
Bag limits are one bearded turkey per day, not to exceed four per season. Any turkeys harvested during the young sportsman hunt count toward the spring season limit.
More information on the 2017 spring turkey season can be found in the 2016-17 Tennessee Hunting & Trapping Guide. The guide is available at TWRA offices, license agents, and online at www.tnwildlife.org.
Bettie Lee Sandlin
94 year old Bettie Lee Sandlin of Smithville died Monday at the Webb House. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, a homemaker, and a member of the Mount Herman Baptist Church for more than 70 years. The funeral will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Burial will be in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Tuesday from 2-8 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. until the service at 3 p.m.. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Esther Childress Walls; her husband, Ewin Quentin Sandlin; and four brothers and four sisters. Survivors include three children, Eva and Mac Willoughby of Alexandria, Wanda and Jerry Scott of Smithville, and Freddy and Marica Sandlin of Smithville. Three grandchildren, Melanie Willoughby and Dana Richardson of Murfreesboro, Anthony and Dana Scott of Smithville, and Shandi Sandlin of Smithville. Two great grandchildren, Lauralee Richardson and Amber Simon of Murfreesboro. One expectant great grandchild of Shandi. Two great great grandchildren, Lily Grace Simon and London Simon of Murfreesboro. A sister, Reverend Charles and Earlene Walls Olson of Smithville. Sister-in-law, Marie Walls of Smithville and several nieces and nephews survive. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Members of the Real Estate Team Honored at Banquet
The Real Estate Team recently attended The Eastern Middle TN Association of Realtors Awards of Excellence Banquet at the Nashville Airport Marriott.
Three members of the team received the Gold Honor that represents sales in excess of $2.5 million and one silver honor in excess of $1.25 million.
Recipients’ include Tony Fuston, Betty Lattimore, Jennifer Hannah and Danny Conger. Some were saying this was the winners table for Dekalb County. The Real Estate Team strives for success and has added five new agents since October. They would like to thank all of our clients and DeKalb County for our continuing success. The firm is dedicated in representing the buyers and sellers in their best interest.
DeKalb Jobless Rate Increases to 7.2% in January
DeKalb County’s unemployment rate for January was 7.2%, up from 5.9% in December and above the rate of 5.8% in January, 2016.
The local labor force for January, 2017 was 7,670. A total of 7,120 were employed and 550 were unemployed.
County unemployment estimates for January 2017 show the rates increased in all 95 counties.
Jobless rates for January among the fourteen counties in the Upper Cumberland region were as follows from highest to lowest:
Jackson:9.1%
Clay: 8.9%
Pickett: 8.2%
Cumberland: 8.1%
Van Buren: 7.2%
DeKalb: 7.2%
Overton: 7.2%
Fentress: 6.8%
White: 6.1%
Smith: 6%
Putnam: 5.9%
Warren: 5.6%
Macon:5.2%
Cannon:5.1%
For the month of January, Davidson County has the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate at 4.1 percent, increasing from 3.7 percent the previous month. Knox County is 4.7 percent, an increase from the previous month’s 4.2 percent. The Hamilton County rate is 5.5 percent, increasing from a previous rate of 4.8 percent. Shelby County has a 6.3 percent rate, increasing from December’s 5.6 percent.
Tennessee and the U.S. have experienced an increase in the preliminary unemployment rates for January. Tennessee’s rate is 5.4 percent, increasing from the previous month’s revised rate by three-tenths of a percentage point. An increase of one-tenth raised the U.S. preliminary rate to 4.8 percent.
The state and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted, while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.
Anna Marie Ellis
Anna Marie Ellis age 78 of Smithville passed away Thursday afternoon March 16, 2017 at NHC Healthcare in Smithville. She was born August 8, 1938 to her parents the late Paul and Clara Oliver Malone. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Walter B. Ellis and brother Johnnie Malone. Ms. Ellis was a retired factory worker, a cafeteria cook at the High School and member of the New West Point Freewill Baptist Church. Funeral services will be held 2:PM Sunday at DeKalb Funeral Chapel with Bros. Royce Moore and Michael Hale officiating and burial to following in DeKalb Memorial Gardens. Visitation with the Ellis family will be Saturday 12:PM until 8:PM and Sunday 10:AM until time of the funeral at 2:PM. Survivors include children: Gayle Carter of Alexandria, Sharon (Tony) Boyd, Michael (Angie) EIlis both of Smithville; Grandchildren: Anthony (Tonya) Boyd, Dovie (John) Westmoreland, Austin, Briana and Christian Ellis, Cameron Page; Great-Grandchildren: Victoria Westmoreland, Mikel Westmoreland, Elijah Boyd, Johnathon Westmoreland, Becca Westmoreland; Sister: Sherry Bowman of Carthage; 2 Nephews: Anthony Bowman, Timmy Bowman; Niece: Tabatha Southard; Uncle: Jerry (June) Oliver of Goodlettsville; Special friend: Patsy Saunders. The family would like to say a Special Thank You to the Nurses and Staff of NHC for the care given. DeKalb Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Clara N. Billings
Funeral services for Clara N. Billings, age 76 of Baxter, will be held on Sunday at 2:00pm from the Chapel of Whitson Funeral Home. Brother Frank Davis will officiate at the service and family and friends will serve as Pallbearers. Burial will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home, on Saturday from 2:00pm until 8:00pm and on Sunday from 1:00pm until time of services. Clara N. Billings was born on April 4, 1940 in Putnam County TN to the late Sam L. and Jessie May Barr Dunn.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Old Zion Freewill Baptist Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by; 2 Sons, David Eugene Billings and Daniel Lloyd Billings, 2 Sisters, Myrtis Elrod and Margie Hickey, 1 Brother, Bill Dunn.
She is survived by; Husband, Lloyd Billings of Baxter, 1 Son, Donald Billings of Missouri, 5 Grandchildren, Christopher Billings, Joshua Billings, Daniel Valdiva, Andrew Billings and Alesha Kollomorgen, 14 Great grandchildren and 1 Great Great Grandchild.
A Host of family and friends also survive
Alton Donald Haggard
76 year old Alton Donald Haggard of Smithville died Thursday at Vanderbilt Hospital. He was a member of the Jefferson Community Church and a retired truck driver with A.H. Farms. The funeral will be Sunday at 3:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Jason Nunley will officiate and burial will be in the Peeled Chestnut Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jessie and Audra Brown Haggard; wife, Dorothy Haggard; a brother, James Haggard; and a great grandchild, Bryson Braseel. Survivors include two daughters, Teresa Linder and Meresa and Jeff Winchester all of Smithville. Two sons, Donald and Connie Haggard of Smithville and Michael and Sandra Haggard of McMinnville. Twelve grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren survive. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Virginia Atnip
89 year old Virginia Atnip of Silver Point died Thursday at NHC Healthcare Center of Smithville. She was a Pentecostal and a homemaker. The funeral will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Chapel of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Bernard Houk will officiate and burial will be in Mount Holly Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from noon until 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until the service at 3 p.m. She was preceded in death by her parents, Minnie Arnold and Anderson Curtis; a son, Terry Atnip; and her husband, E.J. Atnip. Survivors include four sons, Tommy Williams of Murfreesboro, Jeff and Tara Atnip of Murfreesboro, Gary Atnip of Smithville, Timothy Atnip of Smithville. Six grandchildren. Several great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Love-Cantrell Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.