Two Charged in Separate Fraudulent Use of Credit Card Cases

April 20, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Two women have been charged in separate cases of fraudulent use of a credit card.

37-year-old Molly Sue Lawrence of East Main Street, Dowelltown is under a $5,000 bond and she will be in court April 24.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that between February 7 and March 17 Lawrence allegedly used a Tennessee Way 2 Go card belonging to someone else to make several purchases totaling $5,432 without the consent of the card holder. The case was investigated by a detective.

Meanwhile, 39-year-old Melinda Beth Murphy of Frosty Point Road, Dowelltown is under a $3,500 bond and her court date is April 24.

Sheriff Ray said that on March 31 and April 1 Murphy allegedly used an EBT card at Walmart belonging to someone else to place several online grocery orders for pickup and delivery. The orders totaled $1,065. Murphy did not have consent of the card owner for the purchases. The case was investigated by a detective.

38-year-old Christopher Eugene Layne of Bright Hill Road is charged with public intoxication. His bond is $1,500 and he will be in court April 24.

Sheriff Ray said that on April 7 a deputy responded to several calls on Tabernacle Road about a man trying to get into the front door of a residence. The officer found Layne standing in a yard. He had pinpoint pupils, and he was acting erratically. For his safety and that of the public, Layne was arrested for public intoxication.

65-year-old Charles Anthony Farless of Short Mountain Road, Woodbury is charged with public intoxication. He is under a $1,500 bond and his court date is April 24.

Sheriff Ray said that on April 9 a deputy was dispatched to Pea Ridge Road where a man was reported to be knocking on doors. Upon arrival the officer found Farless unsteady on his feet. His speech was slurred and his pupils constricted. For his safety and that of the public, Farless was arrested for public intoxication.

46-year-old Gregory Wayne Roberts of Rodonna Drive, Smithville is charged with resisting arrest. His bond is $2,500 and he will make a court appearance on April 24.

Sheriff Ray said that on April 11 a deputy confronted Roberts who had active warrants against him, but he ran out the door of a camper. After a short foot pursuit, Roberts was apprehended.

35-year-old Jerry Donald Cantrell of Adcock Cemetery Road is charged with domestic assault. His bond is $3,500 and he will be in court May 1.

Sheriff Ray said that on April 13 Adcock allegedly spat in his mother’s face and aggressively pushed his head against her head making threats while in a vehicle on the way to Adcock Cemetery Road.

April 18, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

The March Teacher of the Month award at DeKalb County High School goes to Kevin Burchfield.

For winning the honor, Burchfield received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal at El Rancho Mexican Restaurant.

Burchfield, a veteran physical science teacher at DCHS, will soon be stepping down. He has announced his retirement with the close of the school year next month ending a 29-year career. Burchfield began his teaching duties in 1992 as a biology instructor but later took a few years off before making his return to the classroom in 1998.

Burchfield said he appreciates having received this Teacher of the Month honor and he has enjoyed his tenure on the staff at DCHS.

“Education changes about every four or five years, but its been fun and I really have enjoyed teaching here and being with the people. My students make me feel old because I had some of their fathers and mothers in my class at one time. I’m teaching the second generation,” he said.

Burchfield’s wife Penny works at Shiroki, and they are the parents of two, Erin Payne and Wesley Burchfield. They have a granddaughter, Sarah.

As for plans after retirement, Burchfield said “I have enough stuff around the house to do to last me a year but after taking a year off I might come back as a substitute teacher,” he said.

April 18, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Another record breaker!

Good Friday was made even better for the DCHS Class of 2025 with a successful WJLE Radiothon for Project Graduation which shattered the all-time record set just two years ago although it fell short of the $15,000 goal.

During a three-hour WJLE radiothon on Good Friday, April 18 which was also LIVE streamed on the DC Blitz Facebook page, the community rallied in support of the DCHS Class of 2025 with pledges and donations totaling a record breaking $13,685 edging out the previous WJLE DCHS Project Graduation Radiothon record of $13,390 set in 2023 and easily beating last year’s total of $8,500.

The radiothon was hosted by Jordan Atnip. Many members of the class participated and parents on the Project Graduation committee worked behind the scenes to help make the program run smoothly. A special thanks to Daniel Leslie who set up the DC Blitz Facebook Live stream from the WJLE Studios.
To add extra fun and excitement, members of the class took challenges to sing, dance, and to gulp down pickled pigs’ feet, pork brains, habanero, mystery meat, and spoonfuls of baby food, dog food, cat food, and more.

Donations can still be made through Venmo and by cash or check at the high school, Family Medical Center, and at City Hall.

“We appreciate WJLE, all the listeners, and everybody who called in and donated today and to the kids for coming out here and giving of their time to the cause that is going to benefit them,” said Project Graduation Committee Chairman Michiko Martin.

“In all reality this will probably be the last time this whole group of kids are ever together, so we want to make it a fun and exciting time for them with games and food and ways for them to make money and have prizes but be safe on graduation night. For a lot of them they will be going off to college and they will be able to get some things from this to help make their next step in life successful even if they are not going to college,” said Martin.

“We had a good time and were super excited to raise over $13,000 and I know its going to a good cause. We just want to say thank you so much to everyone who donated today. I think Project Graduation will be a good thing to be able to hang out with all of our friends for the last time before we all go off to college. For me, next year I will be going to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and I am planning on majoring in Biology and going Pre-Med,” said DCHS Class of 2025 Salutatorian and Class President Madeline Martin.

Project Graduation is an all-night drug-free, alcohol-free graduation party for members of the DCHS Class of 2025 committed to having a safe, wholesome, yet entertaining celebration together for the last time as a class. The event begins following the graduation ceremony Friday, May 16.

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