DCHS FCCLA joined more than 7,500 FCCLA student leaders, members, and advisers at the Music City Center in Nashville, TN, July 2nd-6th to participate in the annual FCCLA National Leadership Conference (NLC).
The conference provided DCHS FCCLA student opportunities for listening to inspiring speakers, attending learning sessions, competing on the national level, and networking with other leaders. The theme of this year’s conference was “Unlimited Possibilities,” which inspired attendees to discover the unlimited possibilities within their reach while exploring career opportunities, developing leadership skills, and growing personally while making difference in their families and communities.
“We were thrilled to have an attendance of over 7,500 members, advisers, partners, and guests who were committed to discovering the unlimited possibilities available through FCCLA. The relationships and skills developed during this conference have inspired students to make a difference in their own communities and to discover the unlimited possibilities within their reach,” said Sandy Spavone, executive director of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.
Ashley Reynolds from DCHS FCCLA participated in one of 30 Family and Consumer Sciences related Competitive Events offered at NLC, including STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events and the FCCLA/LifeSmarts Knowledge Bowl. These events support foundational, leadership, and workplace skills in areas such as advocacy, culinary arts, and entrepreneurship. Competing with over 4,200 STAR Event participants in Nashville, Ashley Reynolds achieved Silver Recognition in her Advocacy project.
Ashley stated the following about her experience, “Going to National Leadership Conference was honestly a dream come true! I have worked extremely hard on my Advocacy project to help teens become aware of the effects and responsibility of teenage pregnancy, and being able to go to Nationals and showcase everything that I did and be recognized just tops it all off. I will be forever grateful for this experience and couldn’t have done it without the patience, love, and support from my advisors, parents, family, and friends! Hopefully, NLC will see me again next year!”
About FCCLA
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a dynamic and effective career and technical student organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. FCCLA has more than 164,000 members and more than 5,300 chapters from 49 state associations, in addition to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
FCCLA: The Ultimate Leadership Experience is unique among youth organizations because its programs are planned and run by members, and it’s the only career and technical in-school student organization with a central focus on careers that support families. Participation in national FCCLA programs and chapter activities helps members become strong leaders in their families, careers, and communities.
For more information on FCCLA, please contact Linda Parris at 615-597-4094 or lindaparris@dekalbschools.net

A 40 year old man has been charged with raping a woman knowing she was mentally challenged.
Brandon Dean Steakley of Bluhmtown Road, Smithville is under a $75,000 bond and his court date is August 10.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Saturday, July 29 Steakley did allegedly unlawfully sexually penetrate a woman without her consent. He also had reason to believe that his victim was mentally challenged.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL- Intakes & Releases From: 7/24/2017 Thru: 7/31/2017)
Seagate Crystal Reports – REPOR_32.pdf (3.96 MB)
27 year old Christopher Brock Tatrow of Sparta, an inmate at the jail, is charged with assaulting a fellow prisoner. Bond for Tatrow is $2,500 and his court date is August 17. Sheriff Ray said that on Friday, July 28 while incarcerated at the jail, Tatrow came up to another inmate and hit him several times in the face and upper body causing bruising and swelling to the inmate’s face.
29 year old Racheal Lynn Bell of Middleton Street, Nashville was arrested for public intoxication on Saturday, July 29. Her bond is $1,500 and she will make a court appearance on August 17. Sheriff Ray said that while at Pates Ford Marina a deputy found a woman, Bell who was passed out in a utility vehicle. When she was awakened, Bell was observed to be very unsteady on her feet. Her speech was slurred and she had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person. Bell also appeared to be very disoriented. For her safety and that of the public, she was arrested for public intoxication.
21 year old Kathleen Ann Schwartz of Hazel Drive, Carthage is charged with public intoxication. She is under a $1,500 bond and her court date is August 17. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, July 30 a deputy was called to Pates Ford Marina where a woman was observed walking along the road who appeared to be intoxicated. Upon arrival the officer spoke with the woman, Schwartz. She had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on her person and her eyes were red and watery. Her speech was slurred and she was unsteady on her feet. Schwartz submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. She was placed under arrest for her safety and that of the public.
47 year old Charles Franklin Kilgore, II of Joelton, Tennessee is charged public intoxication. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is August 17. Sheriff Ray said that on Sunday, July 30 while at Pates Ford Marina in response to another complaint, a deputy observed Kilgore who was passed out on the boat ramp. When Kilgore was awakened, he became very unsteady on his feet, his speech was slurred, and he had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. Due to his being in an intoxicated state, Kilgore was taken into custody for his safety and that of the public.
24 year old Zachary Layne Bennett of Hogsfoot Road, Liberty is charged with driving under the influence. Bennett was further cited for simple possession of a schedule VI drug (4.4 grams of marijuana) and for possession of drug paraphernalia (two glass pipes). He is under a $1,500 bond and his court date is August 10. Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, July 25 a deputy and detective were called to the intersection of Old Liberty Road and Upper Helton Road where a vehicle had struck a fence. Upon arrival the officers spoke with Bennett, the driver. He had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his person. His speech was slurred and his eyes were red and watery. Bennett admitted to having consumed four 12 ounce beers and one 25 ounce beer. He submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. The marijuana and glass pipes were found during a search of Bennett’s vehicle.

A Smithville man arrested last week in a rash of recent home burglaries, vandalism, and thefts has been charged in three new cases as a result of the on-going investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL- Intakes & Releases From: 7/24/2017 Thru: 7/31/2017)
Seagate Crystal Reports – REPOR_32.pdf (3.96 MB)
28 year old Cory Alan Bradford of Love Lane, Smithville is charged with two new counts of aggravated burglary, three new counts of theft, and two new counts of vandalism. Sheriff Patrick Ray said these are crimes Bradford is alleged to have committed before his arrest on the charges filed against him last week.
The new cases against Bradford are as follows:
*On Saturday, July 1, Bradford allegedly entered a home on Floyd Drive through a window, causing $200 worth of damage to the window. While inside, he allegedly took a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, valued at $3,000.
*On Thursday, July 6, Bradford allegedly entered a home on Coconut Ridge Road, causing $500 worth of damage to a door. While inside, he allegedly took a Phillips TV valued at $600.
*On Wednesday, July 19 Bradford allegedly took a gold single diamond necklace and a cluster ring made into a necklace, valued at $675.
Bradford is now charged by the Sheriff’s Department with a total of eleven counts of aggravated burglary, eleven counts of theft, eight counts of vandalism, and one count of possession of burglary tools. The Smithville Police Department has charged Bradford with one count of aggravated burglary.
His total bond on the charges against him by the sheriff’s department totals $217,500. He is also under a $10,000 bond on the Smithville Police Department charge against him. Bradford will make a court appearance on all the charges August 3.
In the other cases, Bradford is accused of breaking into homes on Lakeside Drive, Oak Drive, Lakeview Drive (3 homes), Lakeside Place, Puckett’s Point Road (2 homes), Blackberry Hill Road, and Riley Avenue between June 2 and July 20. TVs and other items were taken from several of the homes.
20 year old Braxton Kain Bennett of Smith Road, Smithville is charged with burglary and theft of property. His bond is $5,000 and his court date is August 10.
Sheriff Ray said that on Tuesday, February 28 Bennett allegedly broke into a vehicle and took two pocket books containing a stethoscope, a blood pressure cup, a Bible, and other personal belongings. Bennett was later found to have some of these items in his possession.
32 year old Dustin O’Brian Cash of Toad Road, Smithville is charged with violation of the sex offender law and criminal impersonation. He was also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia (glass pipe and a hypodermic needle). Bond for Cash is $13,500. His court date on the sex offender violation charge is August 3 and August 10 for the criminal impersonation and drug paraphernalia offenses. Sheriff Ray said that on Wednesday, July 26 a detective and deputy were called to a residence on Toad Road due to a possible altercation. Upon arrival a woman reported that Cash had stolen her cell phone and had gone to another address on Toad Road. The deputy went to that residence and found Cash but he identified himself as Brian Nash and gave conflicting dates of his birth. After a further investigation, officers learned the man’s real name is Dustin O’Brian Cash and that he is a registered sex offender in Davidson County with a conviction date of May 31, 2014. Cash said DeKalb County has been his home for about one month but during that time he has not registered as a sex offender here. Cash was taken into custody for criminal impersonation and the arresting officer found on him a glass pipe and a hypodermic needle.
22 year old Selah Ann Williamson of Clear Creek Road, Liberty is charged with criminal impersonation. Her bond is $1,500 and her court date is August 17. Sheriff Ray said that on Thursday, July 27 a deputy was dispatched to the area of Circle Drive due to a suspicious vehicle parked there. The caller reported that the car was a silver Dodge Neon and that the lights were off. Upon arrival the officer spoke with a woman who identified herself as Brittany Gassaway and she gave her date of birth but that information could not be confirmed through Central Dispatch. The woman then provided a social security number but it belonged to a man. When confronted with a photo of the man, the woman then offered her actual social security number. It was then discovered through Central Dispatch that Williamson has two active warrants against her in Trousdale County. She was placed under arrest.

The Friends of DeKalb County Animals has two fundraisers planned in August to benefit the new DeKalb Animal Coalition Shelter:
The first is a Canoe & Kayak Poker Run on the Caney Fork River Sunday, August 6, 2017 at Big Rock Market/Caney Fork Outdoors River Store located at 1193 Wolf Creek Rd, Silver Point, Tennessee 38582.
Registration is from 9 am until 12 pm, cost is $30 per person to participate in the poker run. The actual float should take an average kayaker approximately 4 hours to complete. You may begin the float anytime between 9:30 am – 1 pm and be able to complete it by 5 pm. If you do not have your own kayak or canoe, all rentals from Caney Fork Outdoors will help the animals as Janice Martin, owner, has graciously offered to kickback $15 from each boat rental to the event. Canoes will rent for $45 (2 ppl can ride in a canoe for $45) and kayaks will be available for $40 each (1 person only). All rentals include PDFs, paddles, and boats-just bring yourself and coolers if you want to have lunch along the river!
The best poker hand/scorecard wins! All scorecards must be turned into last checkpoint by 5 pm in order to be eligible for prizes. The poker run is NOT a race; you simply register/obtain a score card, float the 7 mile stretch of the Caney Fork River between the Gordonsville Access boat ramp and the Bob Lowery Sr. Boat Ramp in South Carthage below the AG Center/Crump Ballfields stopping along the way at each of the 4 checkpoints to ‘draw’ a poker card. Your cards will be recorded on your score cards by the poker run officials. After 5 pm, all score cards submitted on time will be evaluated by poker run officials. The best 3 hands win! You do not have to be present to win. Winners will be contacted by Debbie Rowe to set up prize delivery times.
The Grand Prize, donated by our Sponsors Big Rock Mkt and Caney Fork Outdoors River Store is a $500 value, 2-night cabin getaway, kayak rental (a $2000 Jackson kayak), and a gourmet lunch.
2nd place donated by Kayla Miller of Salon Gallaria in Mt. Juliet, TN is a $100 Gift Certificate
3rd place is a kayak paddle donated by Friends of DeKalb County Animals
The last checkpoint in South Carthage, at the boat ramp, poker run participants will have the option to ‘buy’ extra poker cards for $5 each or purchase an entire new hand for $15. All proceeds go to opening and operating the new animal shelter located behind Tenneco on Transfer Station Road, Smithville, TN. All current and future fundraisers are public events posted on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1045907762211547/?acontext=%7B%22action_…
The 2nd fundraiser is a Kayak Raffle. A Jackson Rivera Kayak donated by Cindy Ward of Architectural Custom Cabinetry will be given away on Saturday, August 26, 2017.
Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $12 and are on sale NOW until the date of the drawing on Saturday, August 26, 2017.
Tickets can be purchased at the Mike Foster Mutli-Purpose Center on Wednesday, August 2 from 7-10 am and Thursday, August 3 from 3-6 pm. OR you can contact Debbie at 615-417-4623 to purchase tickets at other times.

As students are starting back to school, Jimmy Sprague, Transportation Supervisor for the DeKalb County School System wants to caution drivers to be aware of the rules and penalties for improperly passing a school bus.
“Buses will start running on August 7, which is an abbreviated school day. Our first full day is August 9. I want to let the public know that the buses will be running so please pay attention. We will have children at the bus stops to be picked up in the mornings and dropped off in the afternoons. Remember when the buses stop and the lights are flashing, don’t pass the buses because we’re either loading or unloading children. If you should be running late for work in the mornings, please don’t try to make up for lost time by trying to pass a school bus. Leave a little earlier to get to your destination to avoid the bus traffic. Nothing is as dangerous as when children are getting on or off a school bus, especially when there is traffic that doesn’t stop for a bus,” said Sprague.
Four lane highways are of particular concern. “For example Highway 70 (West Broad Street) in Smithville is a four lane with a driveable median and state law says if there is a driveable or paved median between the (east and westbound lanes) then all four lanes of traffic have to stop if a bus is picking up a child. If there is a non-driveable (grass or barrier) median only traffic going in the same direction as the buses have to stop. The state has been cracking down violators. It is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine. I want to encourage everybody to practice safe driving at all times but especially around school buses,” he said.
Sprague said all buses are in good condition and drivers are certified to begin the new year. “Our drivers have been certified this year. DeKalb County is blessed with an outstanding group of drivers. I go to meetings within our state transportation department and I tell them all, and I make no bones about it, DeKalb County has the best bus drivers in the state of Tennessee,” said Sprague.
The Tennessee law states: The driver of a vehicle upon a highway, upon meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus that has stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children, shall stop the vehicle before reaching the school bus, and the driver shall not proceed until the school bus resumes motion or is signaled by the school bus driver to proceed or the visual signals are no longer actuated. Subsection (a) shall also apply to a school bus with lights flashing and stop sign extended and marked in accordance with this subsection (a) that is stopped upon property owned, operated, or used by a school or educational institution, if the bus is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children outside a protected loading zone.
All motor vehicles used in transporting school children to and from school in this state are required to be distinctly marked “School Bus” on the front and rear thereof in letters of not less than six inches (6”) in height, and so plainly written or printed and so arranged as to be legible to persons approaching the school bus, whether traveling in the same or opposite direction.
The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus that is on a different roadway or when upon a controlled-access highway and the school bus is stopped in a loading zone that is a part of or adjacent to the highway and where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway. For the purpose of this subsection (a), “separate roadways” means roadways divided by an intervening space that is not suitable to vehicular traffic.
Except as otherwise provided by subdivisions (a) (1)-(3), the school bus driver is required to stop the school bus on the right-hand side of the road or highway, and the driver shall cause the bus to remain stationary and the visual stop signs on the bus actuated, until all school children who should be discharged from the bus have been so discharged and until all children whose destination causes them to cross the road or highway at that place have negotiated the crossing.
It is a Class C misdemeanor for any person to fail to comply with any provision of this subsection (a) other than the requirement that a motor vehicle stop upon approaching a school bus.
It is a Class A misdemeanor punishable only by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for any person to fail to comply with the provision of this subsection (a) requiring a motor vehicle to stop upon approaching a school bus.
Be alert and allow our children to arrive to and from school safely without harm.

A teenager was airlifted after a two vehicle crash Sunday afternoon on Highway 70 near the intersection of Hurricane Ridge Road.
Trooper Mark Jones of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that the 17 year old boy was driving a 2007 Pontiac G5 pulling from Hurricane Ridge Road to go east on Highway 70 when he crossed the path of a 1999 Ford F-150, driven by 45 year old Steven Glynn of Dale Ridge Road, Dowelltown. Glynn was traveling west on Highway 70.
Members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department’s Extrication and Rescue Team were summoned because the teen was pinned in his car. The boy was picked up at the scene by a helicopter ambulance and flown to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville.
Glynn was not injured.
Members of the DeKalb EMS and the Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene.

A 56 year old Manchester man was airlifted after a midnight crash on Highway 70 east early Sunday morning.
The accident was reported at 12:03 a.m.
Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that 56 year old Roy Gipson was driving a 2002 Ford F150 west on US 70 when he ran off right side of road and hit a utility pole causing power lines to fall on the truck. Not knowing if the lines were still hot, EMS and firefighters waited for a crew from the electric company to arrive to make sure the power was off before accessing the truck to get Gipson out.
Gipson was airlifted from the scene by a Life Force helicopter ambulance and flown to Erlanger Hospital.
Charges are pending. Trooper Johnson said alcohol was a factor in the crash. Gipson said he fell asleep while driving.
Members of the DeKalb EMS, Sheriff’s Department, and DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department were also on the scene.

A 29 year old Hartsville man lost his life on Center Hill Lake Saturday.
The body of Michael Stephen Davidson was recovered near Sligo bridge around 8:30 p.m.
During a recreation outing, the man jumped off a cliff into the lake at the old rock quarry near the bridge. When he didn’t resurface, 911 was notified.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said the call came in at 6:20 p.m.
Members of the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad, TWRA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DeKalb County EMS, and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department responded.
According to Dustin Johnson, Captain of the Rescue Squad, the body was located in about 28 feet of water. “We (rescue squad) had two boats out there dragging and using side scan sonar but the TWRA located the body using an underwater robot which they happened to have here this weekend. The body was then brought to the surface and we recovered it and brought it back by boat to the ramp at Sligo Marina,” Captain Johnson told WJLE. The body was then taken by DeKalb EMS to the hospital.
“We had a lot of help. Eighteen members of the Rescue Squad responded along with the Corps which had a boat out there and the TWRA, who had three boats and were also using side scan sonar along with their underwater robot. Thanks to everybody involved we made a recovery pretty quickly. We also want to thank the owners of Sligo Marina who provided us drinking water and a pontoon boat for us to use at the scene,” said Captain Johnson.

Two men have been indicted by the DeKalb County Grand Jury on rape charges.
47 year old Michal Lee Bailey, Sr. of Snow Hill Road, Dowelltown is indicted for rape while 19 year old Jacory Watson Vaden of Charles Vaden Lane, Gordonsville is indicted for statutory rape. Both were named in sealed indictments returned by the Grand Jury on Monday, July 24. Bailey was arrested on Friday, July 28 while Vaden was taken into custody on Tuesday, July 25. They will be arraigned in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday, August 7.
The indictment against Bailey alleges that “on or about the 2nd day of July, 2017 in DeKalb County, Bailey did intentionally, and or knowingly engage in unlawful sexual penetration of (18 year old girl) without her consent, constituting the offense of rape”.
The indictment against Vaden alleges that “on or about the 7th day of July, 2017 in DeKalb County, Vaden did intentionally, knowingly or recklessly engage in sexual penetration of (14 year old girl) and the defendant (Vaden) is at least four years older than her, constituting the offense of statutory rape.
The case against Bailey was investigated by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. The Smithville Police Department investigated the case against Vaden.

Nashville attorney and former Army helicopter pilot James Mackler says he is running for the Democratic nomination to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Senate.
Mackler, who spoke at the DeKalb County Democratic Party potluck dinner Thursday evening at the high school, said he wants to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Bob Corker in next year’s general election.
Speaking with WJLE prior to his remarks, Mackler said he suspended his legal career in response to the 9-11 attacks and joined the Army in 2001. “I was practicing law on September 11, 2001 and as a result of the attacks on our country I shut down my law practice. I walked into an Army recruiting station and I volunteered. I went to flight school and learned to fly helicopters and deployed with the 101st Airborne Division as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot. After several years including a combat deployment, I transferred to the JAG Corp where I was a military prosecutor. In that capacity, I mostly prosecuted military sexual assault offenses. I eventually returned to private practice in the Tennessee Air National Guard where I continue to serve and in recent months I resigned from my law practice in order to run this campaign full time,” said Mackler.
Much like when he joined the military, Mackler said he again feels a call to service but of a different kind this time. “I felt a call back to service much like the way I felt after 911 in the sense that I feel something desperately needs to be done to change the direction of this country. Much like I had the courage to join the Army after 911, that experience taught me that when something is important to you and you feel passionate it is worth taking the risks involved trying to make a change,” he continued.
Mackler said the politicians in Washington must put aside their partisan differences and work toward solutions for the people they serve. “The most important thing that needs to be done is that we’ve got to learn, as we learned in the military, that mission accomplishment is our primary goal. Politicians have got to learn to work with one another despite their diverse backgrounds and differences to work for the American people. That is their mission. To improve opportunity for each and every American and that is what is not being done,” he said.
“Senator Corker said, for example, that the substance of the health care bill didn’t even matter that he would vote for whatever party leadership asked him to vote for and that is what he did. Blind obedience to a party crafting secret legislation behind closed doors is exactly what is wrong with the politics in Washington. Cutting Medicaid, reducing benefits, increasing premiums, those things would all be disastrous for rural counties. What we need to do on health care is have a sound discussion on what’s wrong with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and certainly there are things that need to be fixed and then work together to craft those solutions to help every Tennessean”.
As for military spending, Mackler advocates a smarter approach. “ I feel the issue with military spending at this point isn’t the amount of spending, it’s the way we spend our money. I personally observed a lot of wasted money while I was in the military. Certainly we did not always have what we needed when we needed it but that was an allocation problem across the military and not necessarily an overall spending problem. I’ll say this. The idea of cuts to the state department in order to increase funding to the department of defense is a serious mistake. I and I believe most military officers understand the importance of diplomacy both to prevent conflicts and to shorten conflicts and I would not want to see diplomacy be cut in order to give more money to the military particularly when we can improve military effectiveness without necessarily increasing spending,” he said.
Mackler said his campaign is off to a good start and he is being received well across the state. “The campaign is going great. We have experienced support from all over the state both from Democrats, Independents, people who have never been in politics before, and many people who have voted Republican in the past. They are enthusiastic about having a candidate who really stands for accountability and integrity,” he concluded.