Sophomore Tanner Poss was named the DCHS Tiger basketball Most Valuable Player Friday night at the annual team banquet, while Senior Hannah Panter received the Lady Tiger MVP honor. Senior Captain Allison Rogers is the Most Valuable Cheerleader. The awards were sponsored by Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. The MVP and MVC awards are named in memory of Allen D. Hooper.
In addition to being named MVP, Poss received the team’s Best Offensive Player award. He was also named to District 8AA 2nd team All-District. Panter was named Best Offensive Player for the Lady Tigers and made the District 8AA 2nd team All-District in addition to the Team MVP honor.
The season for the DeKalb County Tigers ended with a loss to Smith County last month in the District Tournament at Cookeville. The Tigers finished with an overall record of 7-20
The DeKalb County Lady Tigers wrapped up their season losing to York Institute in the District Tournament. They closed out the campaign with a record of 11-16.
Other individual cheerleading awards included:
MVC: Allison Rogers
Most Spirit: Haley Dies
Best Stunts: Zoe Maynard
Best Jumps: Malia Stanley
Best Dance: Holly Evans
Best Cheer: Maegan Harris
STAR Award (Spirit, Team, Attitude, Respect): Hannah Evans
Other Lady Tiger basketball awards were as follows:
MVP: Hannah Panter
Best Offensive Player: Hannah Panter
Best Defensive Player: Madison Parsley
Best 6th Man: Madison Parsley
Best Free Throw Shooter: Macy Hedge
Smartest Player: Macy Hedge
Best Rebounder: Emme Colwell
Most Improved: Sophie Cripps
Best Passer: Mya Ruch
Best Ball Handler: Mya Ruch
Best Practice Player: Lydia Brown
Best Attitude: Abbi Taylor
Best Athlete: Nicole Coffee
Toughest Player: Megan Walker
District 8AA 2nd Team All-District: Hannah Panter
All District Honorable Mention: Macy Hedge
All District Honorable Mention All Freshman Team: Emme Colwell
For the Tigers,
MVP: Tanner Poss
Best Offensive Player: Tanner Poss
Best Defensive Player: Bradley Miller
Best Athlete: Bradley Miller
Toughest Player: Trey Jones
Best Rebounder: Trey Jones
Most Improved: Trey Jones
Best Free Throw Shooter: Gentry Harpole
Best Ball Handler: Marshal Evins
Smartest Player: Marshal Evins
Best Practice Player: Alan Munoz
Hustle Award: Alan Munoz
Best Passer: Colter Norris
Best Sixth Man: Chandler Vincent
Best Attitude: Chandler Vincent
District 8AA 2nd Team All District: Tanner Poss
All District Honorable Mention: Trey Jones

The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) reminds Tennesseans to take the time to check their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when setting clocks forward one hour this Sunday morning, March 12, 2017.
“As Daylight Saving Time begins, we encourage citizens to change the batteries in their smoke alarms if necessary and check the age of these important devices,” said State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “Any smoke alarm 10 years old or older should be replaced entirely as it may not function properly in the event of an emergency.”
Smoke alarms more than 10 years old no longer offer a reliable level of safety and are often the source for nuisance alarms. The SFMO urges all residents to determine how old their smoke alarms are (the date of manufacture is located on the back of the alarm). If they’re 10 years old or older, they should be replaced immediately. This includes smoke alarms that use 10-year batteries and/or are hard-wired.
State fire data indicates that 70 percent of Tennessee residential structure fires in 2016 occurred in homes where no smoke alarm was known to have been present. In addition, 46 percent of smoke alarm failures during that period were due to missing or dead batteries in the device.
Both state and national data reflect that many fatal fires occur at night while the victims are sleeping. The smoke and toxic gases generated by a fire can cause people to sleep more deeply, narrowing the chances of surviving a fire. A working smoke alarm can double the chances of survival by increasing the amount of time a person has to escape a fire in their home.
The SFMO shares the following safety tips on residential smoke alarms:
·Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home. For best protection, smoke alarms should be installed inside and outside sleeping rooms. Make sure everyone can hear the alarm and knows what it sounds like.
·For the best protection, equip your home with a combination of ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual-sensor alarms. Interconnect the alarms so that when one sounds, they all sound.
·Smoke alarms with non-replaceable (long-life) batteries are available and are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps on these units, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
·For smoke alarms with any other type of battery, replace batteries at least once a year (preferably twice a year during daylight saving time). If that alarm chirps, replace only the battery.
·Remember, even alarms that are hard-wired into your home electrical system need to have their battery back-ups maintained in case of electrical power outage.
·Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning to keep smoke alarms working well. The instructions are included in the package or can be found on the internet.
·Test alarms once a month using the test button. Replace the entire alarm if it’s more than 10 years old or fails to sound when tested.
· Devise a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room and a designated outside meeting place. Share and practice the plan with all who live in the home, including children.
·When a smoke alarm sounds, get out of the home immediately and go to your pre-planned meeting place to call 911.
For more information on making your home fire-safe, download and print the State Fire Marshal’s home fire safety checklist. Tennessee residents can request a free smoke alarm by visiting www.tn.gov/fire.

Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital in Smithville, Tennessee has begun a complete renovation of the hospital’s Emergency Department. The construction, which began this week, is scheduled to be completed within 30 days, and will not affect the continuous operation of emergency services at the hospital.
“The purpose of the renovation is to upgrade and modernize the Emergency Department and to add features, such as a security room, which will help us be more efficient in delivering care to the community,” said Bob Burritt, Interim Director of Clinical Operations. “The Emergency Department is a main front door to the hospital.” Burritt said the investment is part of Saint Thomas Health’s commitment across the system to providing the best facilities for the region’s healthcare. Saint Thomas Health is a part of Ascension, the nation’s largest Catholic and non-profit health system.
The Emergency Department area is being completely rebuilt, including the waiting room, the reception area, each individual treatment room and the nurses’ stations, including new flooring, new counters and painting.
“We want to assure the community that the performance of the Emergency Department will not be affected in any way during the renovation,” Burritt added. Emergency facilities have been replicated in a nearby wing of the hospital, and are fully operational.
Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital serves DeKalb County, Smithville and the surrounding region, and cares for an average of 30 patients every day in its Emergency Department.

Members of the DeKalb Middle School Junior Beta Club are making plans for a trip to the National Convention at Disney World in Orlando, Florida after winning first place at the State Convention in November for their anti-bullying drama presentation called “Be the Change”.
The National Convention will be held June 24-28 but in order to make the trip, the club must raise more than $17,000. Several fundraisers have already been held and more are planned according to Lori Hendrix, DeKalb Middle School teacher and Junior Beta sponsor. “We need to raise approximately $17,000 and so far we have done a fashion show where we raised nearly $5,000. Next week at the parent teacher conference at Northside and Smithville Elementary we are going to be doing a soup supper where parents can stop and buy a quart of soup and the crackers for $5.00. They can take it home and heat it up. We are also doing a pancake breakfast which is this Saturday, March 11 at Applebees in McMinnville. We’re always taking donations. Lots of businesses have already turned in lots of donations. If you would like to make a donation you may send it attention to Lori Hendrix at DeKalb Middle School or donations may also be dropped off at First Bank to Brenda Cantrell. We are taking a charter bus down there which will cost us about $7,000. Hotel rooms are also about $10,000 for the group but that cost does not include any meals or anything else for the children. That’s just for their room, board, and transportation. We have lots of parents who are going but we have about ten children going who will not have their parents with them,” said Hendrix.
Josh Isaac, who wrote and choreographed the skit, said “Be the Change” sends a powerful message.
“I wanted to do something that was different but also something that put a message out there. What big of a message than bullying? That is something I think almost everyone can relate to at some time in their life. Social media bullying is something that is very much affecting all of our kids nowadays. We put this skit together. The kids came together. They really only had four to five practices which is an amazing feat in itself but we came together. I have never choreographed 48 kids together in my life. That was a little challenging but they worked hard and it paid off,” said Isaac.
“It’s called “Be the Change” and its basically about a group of kids bullying a girl. One of the kids steps out and says he doesn’t want to do that anymore and the choreography shows that. By one person changing it causes an affect on everyone. I feel like that is what we need in our schools and in our world because it just takes one to cause that affect for all,” he continued.
Isaac said the group is already preparing for the national competition. “We have already started working. We’re about to start going into high gear. We have new choreography. It’s a lot harder choreography with better props and other things we plan to do to make it appeal more on a national level. These kids are working so hard not only to raise the money for the trip but also in the choreography and getting themselves ready.The most exciting thing is about just sharing the message of this video “Be the Change”. Its going to be on a national level with a national stage. On the state level there were 8,000 people out there watching. This will be an even bigger place for us to show that everyone can make a difference”.
The community is urged to get behind the Junior Beta Club students and support them. “Our community has all come together to just be part of this, That’s a great thing about living in DeKalb County. Everyone rallies together. We truly have some of the best staff at DeKalb Middle School. Lori Hendrix and Tonya Sullivan work so hard. They don’t have to do this. They are doing this on their own. Its stressful but they are making a difference in these kids lives,” Isaac concluded.

This week’s “Classroom Champion” award goes to Haidyn Hale, a seventh grader at DeKalb Middle School.
The award was presented by Smithville Attorney Jim Judkins and Dwayne Page of WJLE .
Haidyn is the 12 year old daughter of Melissa Odom and Chad Hale of Smithville. She has a sister, Hailey Ball. Hale is an active member of the Junior BETA Club at DeKalb Middle School, an athlete on the DMS soccer team, and a member of the basketball cheerleading squad. Haidyn was a cast member in the play “Christmas in Neverland” at DMS and is a member of the First Assembly of God. Her favorite subject in school is math.
“Haidyn is a young lady who strives to excel in both the classroom and her extracurricular activities. She exemplifies characteristics of a model student,” said her 7th grade teacher Suzette Barnes.
In an effort to recognize achievements of students in the DeKalb County School System, WJLE has partnered with attorney Judkins in featuring a “Classroom Champion” each week for the next several months.
The name of the student selected each week will be announced on WJLE and will be featured on the WJLE website. Each student winning will receive a plaque and a gift certificate.
“This is our way of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of the future citizens and leaders of the community. It can benefit their learning and overall school atmosphere and climate. The students’ selection is based on academic performance, responsibility and work ethic, leadership abilities, and citizenship and character,” said Judkins.

DeKalb West School has named its March Students of the Month. Congratulations to Bane Averitte, Kindergarten, Molly Carpenter, 1st Grade, Ben Barton, 2nd Grade, Caitlin Shoemake, 3rd Grade, Kenson Moss, 4th Grade, Blair Gipe, 5th Grade, Brett Walker, 6th Grade, Brayden Antoniak, 7th Grade, and Nick Cothern, 8th Grade. The school recognizes students based on their grades, character, and other traits that make them an outstanding student.
Pictured Front Row Left to Right: Molly Carpenter, Bane Averitte, Ben Barton, and Caitlin Shoemake
Back Row Left to Right are Assistant Principal Joey Agee, Blair Gipe, Brayden Antoniak, NIck Cothern, Brett Walker, and Kenson Moss.

Have you hugged a school bus driver today?
The DeKalb County School System is recognizing the outstanding job performance of the 30 plus bus drivers who transport students to and from school and school-related events throughout the year.
The official observance is on Saturday, March 18 but bus drivers will be recognized locally on Friday, March 17.
“We’re going to celebrate it on Friday, March 17 at the schools. We want to bring recognition to our drivers and show them our appreciation. DeKalb County is blessed with good drivers,” said School Transportation Supervisor Jimmy Sprague.
Bus drivers are the first contact children have with the school system each day and while their job is challenging it is also rewarding.
“We run right at 1,200 miles per day. We carry anywhere from 2,000 to 2,200 students per day. My drivers’ main objective is to get the children to and from school safely and we do that every day. We run 32 buses on routes. I have 32 drivers plus I have four substitute drivers including myself. I have seven handicapped aids who ride my special needs buses. I have two aid substitutes. These drivers are out in adverse weather conditions in the cold, rain, and snow. They are up before daylight doing pre-trips on buses. You can’t just get anybody to drive a school bus. They are special people. You don’t realize the difference they make in a child’s life just by being a school bus driver. They go above and beyond. They listen to the kids. They have a good relationship with them,” said Sprague.
To be a school bus driver, Sprague said one must have a commercial driver license and be recertified each year. “All drivers are required to have a CDL with a P&S endorsement. That’s not easy to get. The state comes out once a year and they do a recertification every year when we have our annual bus inspection. All my drivers are up to date. We’ve got good drivers,” he said.
Sprague urges the community to show its support for DeKalb County’s school bus drivers especially during this observance.
“If your child rides a bus say thank you to the bus drivers. They do a good job and they take care of the babies. That’s the main thing. To take care of these kids,” he concluded.
Employees of the school system’s transportation department are Michael Agee, Danny Bond, Dwayne Cantrell, Shannon Cantrell, Shara Cowan, Debbie Eaton, Ricky Edwards, Marshall Ferrell, Julie Fitts, Tina Fletcher, Linda Fowler, Bill Fowler, Lynn Griffith, Orlando Guzman, Terry Hall, Darnette Hibdon, Melissa Hicks, Kathy Jacobs, Danny Jenkins, Dwight Knowles, Frances Lawson, Daniel Lawson, Donnie Lewis, Roy Merriman, Ronald Merriman, Linda Gail Pack,Jimmy Poss, Ashley Redmon, Myron Rhody, Jimmy Sprague, Carol Swope, Ken Taylor, Bobby Taylor, B.J. Thomason, Cindy Washer, Danny Washer, and Angela Wilkerson.

After more than sixteen months since the Holmes Creek Road bridge was ordered closed by the state due to deficiencies, frustrated residents and motorists longing for the re-opening of the road over Fall Creek will soon get their wish.
The new bridge will be completed within a few days after the railing and paving projects have been completed.
The bridge, at the bottom of town hill behind Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, has been closed since October 30, 2015.
The state forced the City of Smithville to close the bridge due to a Tennessee Department of Transportation Evaluation Report which detailed various bridge deficiencies making it potentially unsafe.
As WJLE has reported in previous weeks, the contractor, Twin K. Construction of Helenwood, Tennessee began work in early October and the completion date under the contract is March 18th.
In September, the Smithville Board of Mayor and Aldermen accepted Twin K’s bid of $687,791. It was the lowest of the five bids submitted and was recommended for approval by the city’s engineer for the project. In addition to the construction bid, other added costs including engineering, design, and inspection fees, geotechnical exploration, right of way, temporary construction easement, asbestos study, and permits, put the total project at $778,655.
The project is being funded under the state’s Bridge Grant Program. The matching cost to the city is going to be $196,625