DeKalb County 4-H Grilling Team wins State Championship

November 8, 2018
By:

After winning the Central Region 4-H Outdoor Meat Cookery contest, the DeKalb County grilling team set their sights on a state title. The team comprised of Creston Bain, Hailey Bogle, Clayton Crook, and Lily Martin attended the State 4-H Competition in Knoxville last Month. They competed against eight other teams across the state that had placed in the top three of their respective regions, and the team claimed the first state championship in this contest for DeKalb County 4-H.

The contest is comprised of four different species: beef, pork, lamb, and poultry. Each contestant cooks a cut from one of the species and submits it for judging along with a copy of their recipe. At the state level, the team also completes a presentation, complete with a theme and a platter consisting of all four products that were grilled. The team chose “Hillbilly Fixins” as their theme, and was also the highest scoring group in this part of the competition as well as overall. A special thanks goes out to the Smithville Food Lion store for helping to sponsor the meat that was used throughout the program. Congratulations to this hardworking group of young people.

November 8, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Dewain Hendrixson still leads his fellow WJLE Fearless Forecasters for picking winners after ten weeks of the college football season.

Hendrixson has an overall record of 97-52.

Darrell Gill is in second place at 95-54, two games back followed by Will Graham at 90-59, seven games out. Scott Brown and Grant James of the James Gang are each 8 games out of first place at 89-60. Ricky Atnip and Chad Kirby are 10 games back at 87-62. John Pryor is 12 games out of first place at 84-65 and the Guests are 14 games back at 83-66.

Meanwhile Darrell Gill and Ricky Atnip each had the best record for the week at 13-2 followed by Grant James of the James Gang at 12-3. Scott Brown, Chad Kirby, John Pryor, and Dewain Hendrixson each went 11-4, the guest County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss went 10-5, and Will Graham was 8-7.

Two forecasters hit their underdog picks last week. Ricky Atnip picked Illinois to upset Minnesota and got 9.5 points. The guest, County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss picked Missouri to beat Florida and got 6 points.

Overall Will Graham at 41 has the most underdog points followed by Grant James of the James Gang with 38 points. Scott Brown has 35 points while Ricky Atnip has 24.5, the guests 20, Darrell Gill 14, John Pryor 11.5, Dewain Hendrixson 11, and Chad Kirby 5.

Today (Thursday) the Forecasters will be picking winners in the following games:

Ohio State at Michigan State, Wisconsin at Penn State, Washington State at Colorado, Oregon at Utah, Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh, Miami at Georgia Tech, Texas at Texas Tech, California at USC, Temple at Houston, Fresno State at Boise State, Auburn at Georgia, South Carolina at Florida, Vanderbilt at Missouri, Kentucky at Tennessee, and in the NFL the Tennessee Titans versus New England.

Today’s special guest is DCHS Lady Tiger Basketball Coach Danny Fish.

Catch the Fearless Forecasters on WJLE today (Thursday) at 4:30 p.m. on AM 1480/FM 101.7 and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com.

The program is sponsored by the Charles D. Atnip Realty and Auction Company, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, Liberty State Bank, DeKalb County Insurance, Gill Automotive, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, and DeKalb County Ace Hardware.

November 8, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

Smithville Elementary students and teachers paid tribute Thursday morning to the brave men and women who have served our country in honor of Veterans Day during an assembly program in the lunchroom.

Local veterans seated on the stage were treated to children singing songs in honor of each military branch of service as well as “God Bless the USA” and “I love America” under the direction of  Ms. Gates Craighead. A music video by Dailey & Vincent called “Unsung Heroes” was shown to open the program.

Anita Puckett, interim Principal, said the purpose of the assembly was to honor veterans and instill in these children at an early age the importance of the men and women who have dedicated their lives to the service of our country.

M2U02851 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

“Boys and girls this is a very special day at Smithville Elementary. In fact its probably one of my favorite celebrations that we recognize each year. I know you may not truly understand the value of this day but I hope here at SES we are planting a seed for your future appreciation of these men and women, our present and future soldiers. These men and women did something most cannot do such as the act of sacrifice. Sacrifice is the offering of one’s self for a higher purpose. That purpose is for our freedom. Boys and girls you are very fortunate that you were born in America, home of the free and land of the brave. Freedom although taken for granted by many, much was sacrificed and today we honor and we recognize those who sacrificed much,” said Puckett.

Video below shows children singing “I Love America” under the direction of Gates Craighead

IMG_2548 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Adrienne McCormick read the following “Veterans Day” poem by Cheryl Dyson:
“On Veterans Day we honor all,
Who answered to a service call,
Soldiers young, and soldiers old,
Fought for freedom, brave and bold
Some have lived, while others died,
And all of them deserve our pride,
We’re proud of all the soldiers who,
Kept thinking of red, white, and blue,
They fought for us and all our rights,
They fought through many days and nights,
And though we may not know each name,
We thank ALL veterans just the same.”

Veterans recognized during the program were as follows:

*Paul Cantrell, US Navy- Korea

*Drew Ehlerd, US Army-OTF and OEF

*Jimmy Sprague, US Army-Operation Just Cause

*Edward Frazier, US Army-World War II

*Edsel Frazier, US Army-World War II

*Alysha Garmer, US Air Force

*Joe Stone, US Air Force, Vietnam

*Ron Mollinet,US Navy-Iraq, Libya, and Iran

*Darryl Young, US Navy

*George Beckley, US Army-Vietnam

*Allen Midgett, US Navy-Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq

*Philip DeBord, US Army

*John Washer, US Air Force-Operation Iraqi Freedom

*Joshua Reed, US Army

*Eddie Young, US Navy-Vietnam and Desert Storm

*James Owens, US Army-Vietnam

*Dallas Dale Hall, US Army-Vietnam

*Jerry Adcock, US Marine Corps-Vietnam to Desert Storm and Desert Shield

*Ken Clark, US Army-Vietnam

*Walter Phillips, US Army-Korea

*Corbin Keith, US Army-Korea and Vietnam

*John Michael, US Air Force- Cold War

*Ronnie Bates, US Army-Vietnam

*Brian Reed, US Air Force-Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan)

*John Hummer, US Marine Corps-Vietnam

*William Heath Phillips, US Navy- deployed

*Paul Robinson, US Navy-World War II (deceased)

*Bill Newby, US Army-Vietnam (deceased)

*Carl Albert Hilla, US Army-World War I (deceased)

*Clyde Thomas, US Navy-Korea (deceased)

*Robert Karl Hilla, US Army-World War II (deceased)

*Robert Lee Hilla, US Navy-Vietnam (deceased)

*Isaac Harman Hannah, US Army-Civil War (deceased)