News
State Rep. Michael Hale to provide Legislative Update at GOP Meeting
May 24, 2025
By:
DeKalb County’s own, State Representative Michael Hale will provide a Legislative Update to the DeKalb County Republican Party on Saturday, May 31st at 10AM at Smithville City Hall. Rep. Hale will provide highlights of this past Legislative Session and discuss issues that may arise in 2026. Donuts and drinks will be available. All DeKalb County Republicans are invited to attend.
“The Tennessee State Legislature passed some very important laws this year and we appreciate Rep. Hale coming to speak with us,” said Ryan Mollinet, Chairman of the DeKalb County Republican Party. “We look forward to hearing from him, and other elected officials as we work towards the 2026 Elections. Filing deadlines, primaries, and general elections for 2026 will be here before we know it.”
Michael Hale was first elected as Tennessee State Representative for District 40 in November 2022. Michael is a proud DeKalb County High School graduate and a lifelong resident of the 40th District, where he and his wife Tara, own and operate DeKalb Funeral Chapel, and attend New Life UPC. They are the proud parents of Kayla (Chad), Jaley (Trevor), and Maddux, and have been blessed with five grandchildren.
Gibbs Repeats as State Class 3A Softball Champs with 1-0 win over Tigerettes in 10 Innings
May 23, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
The DCHS Tigerettes battled the defending Class 3A state softball champions into the 10th inning before losing 1-0 to the Gibbs Lady Eagles Friday in the state tournament at MTSU in Murfreesboro.
(View Game Stats in Link Below)
https://tssaasports.com/event/results.cfm?id=129023
For Gibbs (41-3), it was their 12th state championship in 38 tournament appearances. It was the 9th appearance since 1992 for the Tigerettes in a state softball tournament and their first championship game in program history.
Gibbs scored 1 run on 7 hits and made 1 error. The Tigerettes were held scoreless on 4 hits and made 1 error.
Tigerette pitcher Kora Kilgore struck out 8 and walked 2.
Lacey Keck, the winning pitcher for Gibbs pitched a 4-hit shutout and struck out 5.
For the Tigerettes, Kora Kilgore, Zayleigh Bain, Brooke Fuson, and Sophie Adcock singled.
DeKalb County (26-6-1) completed the year as regular season and district tournament champions. They also won the region tournament, sectionals round, and went 3-1 and finished as runner-up in the state Class 3A tournament.
Karson Mullinax Wins the Two Top Reading Awards at DeKalb West
May 23, 2025
By: Bill Conger
For the second year in a row 6th grade student Karson Mullinax was the recipient of the top reading award at DeKalb West School. DWS School Librarian Amanda Mullinax, who is also his mom, presented Karson with the Amanda Mullinax Librarian Award for earning the most Accelerated Reader points since starting at DeKalb West. He has earned 2,364.5 points in his school career, securing him a prestigious spot on the plaque in the school library.
“Since last year when he accomplished his goal of having his name on the plaque, I am so extremely proud that he has continued to pursue his love of reading!” Amanda Mullinax said.
Karson also earned the Mrs. Sabrina Farler Principal Award for earning the most AR points this year with 458.1 points.
“Karson is the absolutely best student,” 6th grade teacher Melissa Sliger said. “He is a super hard worker and is always so kind. As far as reading goes he is always the first to finish his work and always picks up his book to read. By doing this I believe he is able to drown out everything around him because he is so into his book. I have never seen him without a book. He always has one with him. In March he started reading the series Warriors and he says he is loving it. Overall, I would keep Karson forever if possible. He is quiet, respectful, and truly enjoys reading “.
Karson is a brilliant student who shies away from the spotlight. But his past teachers have had no trouble bragging on the kind-hearted, studious young man.
“Karson was one of those students that was constantly reading in class,” says Karson’s 4th grade teacher and now Assistant Principal Cindy Snow. “As soon as he got finished with his work, he was reading a book. Free time…reading a book. During math class…reading a book. He would read any chance he would get. It seemed that reading was his “escape”, and he could totally zone everything else out while reading.”
“Karson is one of very few students in my many years of teaching that I have watched firsthand find the joy in reading,” 5th grade ELA teacher Rachel Desimone said. “He will complete his schoolwork and then back into the book he goes! The AR point system encourages some students as they watch their rocket soar to new heights, but I think Karson would stick with reading even if it weren’t for that. This says a lot about him and his love for reading.”
He has always loved books!” his mom said. “We all read to him when he was younger, which I believe showed him the importance. Here’s a funny: It wasn’t long after he learned to read himself that he made it very clear that he didn’t want me to read aloud to him anymore. He said, “You read too slow!” Which, in comparison to him now, is true; he is a much faster reader than I am!”
His teachers see that Karson’s passion for reading is reflected in his academics. This school year Karson earned “Leader of the Pack” awards in every subject area, straight A’s and is an active member of the Junior Beta Club.
“Due to the fact that he is such an avid reader, he has always had a more expanded vocabulary than most students,” says Snow. “He is quick to understand and create puns and figurative language, and we enjoy (outside of school) using quite a bit of sarcasm and joking with each other,” she adds with a laugh. “Also, his writing shows evidence of the fact that he loves to read. He is imaginative, humorous, and detailed in various forms of writing.”
