Two former DCHS basketball legends will soon be honored.
During Thursday night’s regular monthly meeting, the Board of Education granted a request from the DCHS basketball program to retire the jersey of Jerry Foster. Board member Jerry Wayne Johnson asked that the jersey of the late Rosa Stokes also be retired. The board requested that the ceremonies be held on different nights of basketball at DCHS.
Foster was a basketball star for DeKalb County during the 1970’s and went on to shine as a college and professional athlete. He graduated from DCHS in 1976. After his playing days, Foster became a teacher and high school coach. Foster was head coach of the DCHS Lady Tiger basketball program from the 1993-94 season to 1999-2000. He is now a teacher at Northside Elementary School.
Coach Foster was recently diagnosed with cancer and is being treated. DCHS hosted a fundraiser for him and another is scheduled next month. DeKalb Middle School and DeKalb West School will have benefit basketball games for Coach Foster on Saturday, January 6 at DeKalb Middle School. It’s called “Battle on the Hill”. The junior varsity game will start at 3 p.m. followed by the varsity game. Proceeds will go to Coach Foster. Everyone is urged to come out and support this event.
At the time of her death in August 2003, Stokes was head women’s basketball coach at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia.
Stokes was a star athlete for the DCHS Lady Tigers (Tigerettes as they were known then) during early 1980’s. She graduated from DCHS in 1983 and then played collegiate basketball at Cumberland University in Lebanon (1984-89) scoring more than 1,000 points. Stokes was a graduate assistant at the University of Louisville during the 1989-90 season and Murray State University in 1988-89. From 1990-92, she was the assistant coach at Tennessee Tech University. Stokes came to Georgia Southwestern State University as coach after a five-year run with Long Beach State University in which the last two were as the associate head coach. Previously, she served two years with the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga as assistant coach.
In other business, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps gave his monthly report on personnel.
Employment:
Justin Coats, Mechanic
McKenzie Dunaway, Education Assistant at DeKalb West School
Leave of Absence:
Kim Violet, Custodian at Northside Elementary School
Resignation:
William Jennings, retirement, DCHS teacher.

A midnight fire destroyed a residence on Coconut Ridge Road early Thursday morning.
Central dispatch received the call at 12:19 a.m.
County Fire Chief Donny Green said that firefighters were called to the residence of Timothy White. A neighbor had spotted the blaze and called to report it.
No one was home at the time.
According to Chief Green, Mr. and Mrs. White live in Brentwood and use the home on Coconut Ridge as a secondary residence.
The home was fully involved in flames by the time it was discovered and firefighters could not save it. They were able to keep the fire from spreading into the woods around the home. The cause is undetermined.
Members of the Cookeville Highway, Short Mountain Highway, and Main Stations of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department responded along with DeKalb EMS and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

DeKalb West School announces its Students of the Month for December. Making the grade as the top students this month are Alex Vincent, Kindergarten, Gabriel Blair, first grade, Kaden Mitchell, second grade, Olivia George, third grade, Johnathan Keith, fourth grade, Emily Young, fifth grade, Brayden Carter, sixth grade, Lexi Rayl, seventh grade, and Rebecca Lawrence, eighth grade. Students are chosen for the honor based on their academics, character, and other traits that make them an outstanding student.
Pictured first row left to right are Alex Vincent, Gabriel Blair, and Kaden Mitchell.
Pictured back row left to right are Assistant Principal Joey Agee, Rebecca Lawrence, Brayden Carter, Lexi Rayl, Emily Young, Johnathan Keith, and Principal Sabrina Farler. Not pictured Olivia George.

A man responsible for a burglary and theft at DeKalb West School over a year ago was sentenced Tuesday in DeKalb County Criminal Court.
Judge Gary McKenzie presided.
31 year old Brian Howell entered a plea to burglary and received a four year sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction. The term is to run concurrent with sentences against him in Wilson County in which he is to serve eight years in prison. Howell must make restitution jointly and severally of $525 to DeKalb West School.
A co-defendant, 27 year old Shauna Melissa Fleetwood of Mount Juliet received a two year sentence for burglary on Monday, November 27 and will be on probation. The term is to run consecutive to another case against her. She must make restitution of $525 jointly and severally to DeKalb West School.
The burglary occurred on Sunday, September 25, 2016.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, video surveillance showed that Fleetwood, driving a green Ford Taurus, pulled up at DeKalb West School and dropped off Howell. He then used a pry bar to enter a side door and broke into a soft drink vending machine, taking $20.00. Fleetwood later returned to pick up Howell and they drove away.
After being contacted by the Principal, Sheriff Ray said his department started an investigation. “We got a report Sunday, September 25, 2016 that somebody had broken into DeKalb West School and vandalized a coke machine. The intruder got into the machine and stole money out of it. A detective went down to the school, reviewed the video, and got a good description of the intruder and the vehicle which dropped him off,” said Sheriff Ray.
After learning that a school in Watertown had also been recently burglarized, the detective contacted authorities there and during their joint investigation discovered that burglaries had occurred in Smith County as well and that a “BOLO” had been issued for area law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the suspects. On Thursday evening, September 29, 2016 Wilson County Sheriff’s Department deputies and Lebanon Police Department officers located the suspects, Howell and Fleetwood, at the Traveler’s Inn in Lebanon.
In the DeKalb County case, Sheriff Ray said Howell was charged with burglary, vandalism, possession of burglary tools, and theft under $500. Fleetwood was charged with burglary and theft under $500 for being involved in a burglary in which she dropped off Howell in her vehicle , went to a gas station nearby, and then returned to pick him up. Both admitted to detectives their involvement in the crimes.
The pair also faced charges for the burglaries at elementary schools in Wilson and Smith Counties.

A Smithville man was in DeKalb County Criminal Court Tuesday to answer to charges of tax evasion.
Judge Gary Kenzie presided.
31 year old Brandon Alan Tramel entered a plea to two counts of evading taxes and received a two year sentence to serve at 30% in each case to run concurrently for a total of two years. The sentence has been suspended to supervised probation and he must make restitution of $5,538. 55
The case was brought by the Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue and taken to the DeKalb County Grand Jury on July 24 which led to an indictment against Tramel for tax evasion, theft, and aggravated perjury.
Specifically Tramel was indicted on seven felony counts of tax evasion, seven felony counts of aggravated perjury, and one felony count of theft over $2,500 but less than $10,000. The indictment alleged that Tramel evaded taxes due to the Tennessee Department of Revenue by fraudulently registering two vehicles and five boats with the DeKalb County Clerk’s office.
“The Department of Revenue promotes voluntary taxpayer compliance by educating taxpayers, aggressively pursuing criminal sanctions and demanding accountability when taxpayers engage in fraudulent activity,” said Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano. “This indictment underscored the Department’s ongoing efforts to enforce Tennessee’s tax laws.”

A homeless woman who allegedly went around stealing from homes, outbuildings, barn, and a church in the Alexandria, Liberty, and Dowelltown areas appeared in DeKalb County Criminal Court Tuesday for sentencing.
Judge Gary McKenzie presided.
24 year old Ashley Nicole Tittle entered a plea by criminal information to two counts of aggravated burglary and received a five year sentence in each case to run consecutively for a total of ten years. The sentence has been suspended to supervised probation except for one year to serve. She was given jail credit from September 12 to December 12.
A co-defendant, 32 year old Joshua Dewayne Brown entered a plea by criminal information on Tuesday, November 7 to three counts of aggravated burglary and received a five year sentence in each case to run consecutively for a total of fifteen years. He will be on TDOC probation after serving one year in the DeKalb County Jail. He has been given jail credit from September 12 through November 11, 2017.
The couple is to make restitution to the victims totaling $6,535
Brown and Tittle were recently charged with 10 counts of burglary, 3 counts of aggravated burglary, 4 counts of vandalism, 10 counts of theft under $1,000, and 3 counts of theft over $1,000. Brown was also charged with 1 count of evading arrest.
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Brown and Tittle were found living under a tent in an old outbuilding on Wilson Hollow Road at Liberty. They had targeted 11 victims in their crime spree including one who was victimized three times.
Sheriff’s Department Detectives recovered some of the stolen property.
Under a negotiated settlement with state prosecutors, Brown entered a plea in three of the aggravated burglaries at the same residence on Alexandria to Dismal Road, Liberty on March 15, September 4, and September 11, 2017.
Tittle entered a plea to aggravated burglaries at the same residence on the Alexandria to Dismal Road, Liberty on September 4 and September 11, 2017.
In a separate case, 61 year old Vicky Elaine Bogle entered a no contest (best interest) plea to a charge of theft over $2,500. Although Bogle is not admitting guilt, she has been granted judicial diversion and the term of two years at 30% has been suspended to unsupervised probation. She must make restitution of $10,000 to Tennessee Credit. If Bogle successfully abides by the conditions of her probation, the case against her will be dismissed after two years and she may apply for expungement of her record
Bogle, a former manager of Tennessee Credit, had originally been indicted in the case for theft over $60,000.
The indictment alleged that “Bogle, between the 1st day of January, 2009 and the 19th day of December 2014 knowingly did obtain or exercise control over certain property, to wit: money/cash being over the value of $60,000, the property of Tennessee Credit, without the effective consent of Tennessee Credit, with the intent to deprive Tennessee Credit of said property, constituting the offense of Theft”.
According to the family at the time of her indictment, Bogle was one of five owners of Tennessee Credit and had served as a former operating manager there.
A man accused of assaulting a woman during an argument and then stealing her car was sentenced Tuesday in Criminal Court.
27 year old Randy James Wheeler entered a plea to theft over $2,500 and assault. He received a four year TDOC sentence in the theft case and 11 months and 29 days for the assault. The terms are to run concurrently for a total of four years. Wheeler is to make restitution of $250 to the victim and he is under a restraining order to keep away from her. He was given jail credit from October 23 to December 12.
Sheriff Ray said that on September 16 a deputy was dispatched to Jack Hudson Road in reference to a physical domestic which had just occurred. Upon arrival, the officer spoke to the victim who said that she and Wheeler had gotten into an argument because she refused to perform a sexual act for him. Wheeler demanded the keys to her car but she refused. He then pulled her from the car and threw her to the ground, kicked her in the back, and stomped her head onto the ground. He then got in the car and sped off leaving her on the ground.

DeKalb County High School has been recognized for having one of the top 50 hospitality/culinary arts programs in the country by the National Center for Hospitality Studies at Sullivan University in Kentucky.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW THE LIST)
http://pages.sullivan.edu/elite50/winners.asp
Every year, the Elite 50 recognizes secondary schools that demonstrate commitment to hospitality and culinary excellence
Only three schools in Tennessee received this honor for 2018, with DCHS being the only school in Middle Tennessee. Schools nationwide applied for the recognition.
The Elite 50 list is comprised of high schools and tech centers that excel in the areas of culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and/or hospitality management. Some are state and national competition winners from ProStart, SkillsUSA and Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Research was also conducted to establish schools for the list with strong hospitality enrollment and influence in their community.
Additional criteria for those selected for the Elite 50 included: an original recipe with photos or a restaurant management design; two essays from students on the topic, “Why I want to pursue a career in hospitality”; and video(s), brochure(s) and additional information about the school’s program. Further considerations were given to schools that operate a restaurant or offer catering service, etc. as part of culinary/hospitality training.
About The National Center For Hospitality Studies.
Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) has earned an outstanding reputation as one of the finest hospitality schools in the country. NCHS’s student competition team has won more than 400 (and counting) gold, silver and bronze medals and awards in regional, national and international competitions. NCHS was the first and only school in the nation entrusted to prepare meals for U.S. athletes in the Beijing and Vancouver Olympics. NCHS has also been honored for its outstanding culinary and hospitality training with a Five Diamond Award of Excellence presented by Hilton Hotels and AAA Kentucky.

The DeKalb County Election Commission has issued more qualifying petitions to potential candidates for the May 1, 2018 DeKalb County Democratic Primary
Those who have obtained petitions to date are as follows:
*Mike Foster-County Mayor
*Tim Stribling-County Mayor
*Bradley Hendrix-County Mayor
*Kevin Robinson-County Commissioner 7th District
*Nora Harvey-County Commissioner 2nd District
*Jack Barton-County Commissioner 3rd District
*Scott Little-County Commissioner 4th District
*Jeff Barnes-County Commissioner 6th District
*Betty Atnip-County Commissioner 6th District
*James L. (Jimmy) Poss-County Clerk
*Jimmy Sprague-Road Supervisor
*Jeff McMillen-Register of Deeds
*Nicole Wright-Circuit Court Clerk
*Mark Milam-Circuit Court Clerk
*Julie Young-County Commissioner 1st District
*Bobby R. Taylor-County Commissioner 4th District
Poss’ petition has been returned and (enough signatures) verified
In addition to Democrats County Clerk James L. “Jimmy” Poss, Road Supervisor candidate Jimmy Sprague, and Circuit Court Clerk candidates Nicole Wright and Mark Milam, Republicans who have made public announcements on WJLE of their intentions to run for election or re-election in 2018 are:
*Trustee Sean Driver
*Sheriff Patrick Ray
*Danny Hale for Road Supervisor
*Reed Edge for Road Supervisor
*Susan Martin for Circuit Court Clerk
The following county offices are up for election in 2018: Road Supervisor, County Mayor, Circuit Court Clerk, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, County Clerk, and Trustee and for the county commission in each of the seven districts (two per district for a total of 14).
DeKalb County Democrats will be nominating candidates for county offices in a primary set for May 1, 2018.
Democratic nominees will face any Republican and or Independent challengers in the August, 2018 general election. The DeKalb County Republican Party will be choosing its nominees by caucus. The qualifying deadline for all candidates will be the same, NOON February 15, 2018.

Smithville Elementary has recognized its Students of the Month for December. These students were selected for their outstanding character, academics, and other traits that make them an all-around excellent student. Selected as Students of the Month for December are:
PreK – Jolynn O’Connell
K – Ty’Yari Jackson
1st – Colten Harwell
2nd – Edward Crook

An Alexandria man has been arrested for breaking into an outbuilding and stealing a chainsaw and hedge trimmers.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL- Intakes & Releases From: 12/04/2017 Thru: 12/11/2017)
Seagate Crystal Reports – REPOR_51.pdf (2.82 MB)
19 year old Barry Wayne Lewis, Jr. of Liberty Hill Road, Alexandria is charged with burglary, aggravated criminal trespassing, and theft of property under $1,000. His bond is $7,500 and he will make a court appearance January 4.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Sunday November 26 Lewis allegedly broke into an outbuilding on Coon Branch Road and took a Stihl MS 180C chainsaw and a set of hedge trimmers valued at $330.
Lewis illegally came onto the grounds to commit the crimes while being under an active restraining order to keep off the property.
The case was investigated by a detective.
41 year old Chad Wilson Johnson of Greenwood Drive, Smithville is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell or deliver. He is under a $5,000 bond and his court date is December 21.
Sheriff Ray said that on November 5 a deputy went to a residence on Colvert Lake Road, Smithville to serve a warrant. While at the residence, the officer conducted a probation search and Johnson was found to have a small white container in his front pocket. Inside the container was a small clear baggie that held a crystal like substance which field tested positive for methamphetamine. It weighed 0.5 grams.
36 year old Chad Dwayne Cantrell of Old Bildad Road, Smithville is charged with filing a false report, theft of property, and criminal trespassing. His bond is $12,000 and he will make a court appearance on December 21.
Sheriff Ray said that on October 14, Cantrell trespassed on the victim’s property on Potts Camp Road, Smithville and took a Hallmark Dual Axle Cargo Trailer from the residence. The total value of the trailer is $5,000.
Cantrell was then charged with making a false statement on Friday, December 1 after lying to a detective during a criminal investigation in the case.