Vandals Strike at Greenbrook Park

September 20, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Greenbrook Park has been closed today (Tuesday) and will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday) as city employees work to remove vulgar graffiti spray painted on the amphitheater and playground equipment. It is believed vandals committed the act overnight.

“Due to vandalism Greenbrook Park will be closed til further notice! Any information as to whom might be responsible please contact the Smithville PD,” wrote Mayor Josh Miller on his facebook post.

“We believe the park will be able to re-open on Thursday! I appreciate everyone’s patience and our city employees that never disappoint,” wrote Mayor Miller

September 20, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Students do not have to work quite as hard to get the same letter grade as last year thanks to a new state law.

The new grading system for high school students went into effect for the 2022-23 school year statewide. The change was not mandated for middle and elementary schools, but the DeKalb Board of Education last Tuesday night decided to make it apply district-wide for third through 12th grade for consistency throughout the system and amended the grading system policy (4.600) accordingly.

The new grading scale is as follows:

— An “A” is now 90 to 100 (formerly it was 93 to 100)
— A “B” is 80 to 89 (formerly 85 to 92)
— A “C” is 70 to 79 (formerly 75 to 84)
— A “D” is now 60 to 69 (formerly 70 to 74)
— An “F” is now 0 to 59 (formerly 0 to 69)

“Schools shall use the uniform grading system established by the State Board of Education. Using the uniform grading system, students’ grades shall be reported for the purposes of application for post-secondary financial assistance administered by the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation,” according to the policy.

“This grading system shall be uniform throughout the school district for each grade 3-12”.

Tennessee lawmakers said the previous grading scale presented challenges for families.

“It was brought to my attention by some constituents that Tennesseans were at an academic disadvantage relative to students from other states,” said State Representative Charlie Baum (R-Murfreesboro). “That’s because students in other states are on a 10-point grading scale and students from Tennessee had been on a seven-point grading scale.”

Tennessee’s previous grading scale meant getting a 92 in Kentucky was an ‘A’ while getting a 92 in the Volunteer State was a ‘B.’ The letter grades then negatively impacted students’ grade point averages. Every state that borders Tennessee is on a 10-point scale.

“The idea for this bill was brought to me by military families in Clarksville that have children who have transferred to Tennessee schools from another state with a 10-point grading scale, automatically causing those military students’ GPAs to go down,” stated State Senator Bill Powers (R-Clarksville). “In some instances, this has resulted in lost scholarships.”

“We don’t want our constituents and their students who are in high school to face an academic disadvantage when applying to colleges or a financial disadvantage when applying for scholarship money,” said Baum.

September 20, 2022
By:

Hundreds of DeKalb County residents converged downtown Friday evening for the first Art Walk, sponsored by the Shoppes of West Walnut.

“It was a perfect night for a perfect gathering,” says Bert Driver one of the event organizers and sponsors.
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“Judging from the enthusiastic turnout, people here in Dekalb County are hungry for this kind of cultural get-together.”

For art aficionados, Art Walk presented a unique opportunity to explore the old and new, right here at home. Participating artists exhibiting their latest creations along Walnut St. included Gerry Smith Burklow, felt/paper mache; painter Lara Cottrell; Beverly Mayes- mixed media sculptor; One Stop Soul Shop- MacKenzie; Kerry Judkins, acrylic and oil landscapes; Andy Murphy, landscape photographer; photographer and woodworker Matt Antoniak; and Tabitha Thierjung, Glass Artist in Residence at The Appalachian Center for Craft. Best of Show Honors went to Lara Cottrell while Gerry Smith Burklow earned Best Display.

Meanwhile, a free art gallery was set up showcasing originals by Renoir, Dali, Whistler, and other renowned masters from the collection of Shane Brock, as well as a vintage hand carved tusk on loan from Crede Colgman.

Live musical entertainment for the evening was provided by members of MTSU’s Cerulean Soul Jazz Band.

“By every measure, Art Walk was a success,” notes Driver. “We promise there will be more events like this for the people of DeKalb County in the future.”

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