Two Escape Injury in Wednesday Afternoon Crash near WJLE

August 21, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Two people escaped injury in a two car crash Wednesday afternoon on Highway 56 south at South Tittsworth Road near WJLE.

Trooper Brent Collier of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said 22 year old Tayler Martin of Smithville was traveling south in a 2013 Toyota Scion FR-S on the McMinnville Highway when she stopped to make a left turn onto South Tittsworth Road. Approaching her from behind was a 2001 BMW 325, driven by 22 year old Tristin Jackson of Franklin who was also heading south.

According to Trooper Collier, Jackson tried to pass Martin and struck her car as she was making the turn. Upon impact the BMW overturned through the edge of a cornfield and came to rest on it’s top in a grassy area off the highway. Martin’s car came to rest off the road facing east.

Neither driver was injured but Jackson was cited for failure to exercise due care.

August 21, 2019
By: Leigh Fuson, 4-H Agent

Think you know what it takes to be a grill master? DeKalb County 4-H members sure do! Katlin Hutchins, Cody Robinson, Caleb Taylor, and Darren Waggoner placed 1st overall at the Central Region Outdoor Meat Cookery Contest in Lebanon at the Wilson County Fair. This is the 2nd year in a row DeKalb County has won this title. This year’s team will be representing DeKalb County and the Central Region at the state contest in Knoxville on October 19th. Individually, Caleb placed 1st in Pork, Darren was 1st in Beef, and Katlin was 2nd in Lamb.

We are also proud of our Junior High team of Landon Colwell, Riley Fuson, Luke Magness, Luke Midgett, and Lilly Waggoner who placed 6th out of 20. Riley was 2nd high individual in Beef and Luke Midgett placed 9th in Pork. There were over 160 participants this year from around 20 different counties in this contest that continues to grow each year.

4-H’ers in grades 7-12 can participate in this fun, practical contest that not only teaches them how to grill, but how to do it safely. Each contestant must start his or her own charcoal grill, prepare the meat, and cook it to perfection. On a four person team, each member is responsible for grilling a different species of meat: beef, poultry, lamb, and pork. They are judged throughout the cooking process to make sure they start their fires properly, prepare the meat safely, and cook it to the correct temperature. Finally, the meat is judged on taste, texture, appearance, and originality of recipe.

Congratulations on representing DeKalb County so well! The 4-H members would also like to say thank you to Smithville Food Lion for helping to supply quality meat for the contest. If you are interested in participating in this contest next year, or any other activities, please contact the 4-H office at 615-597-4945.

4-H is the Youth Development program for University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University Extension. UT/TSU Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment through the cooperation of county, state, and federal governments.

August 21, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security announced the launch of an efficient method to access traffic crash reports from law enforcement agencies across the state. Effective immediately, involved parties may obtain their crash reports through www.PurchaseTNcrash.gov.

“Our goal is to provide the best customer service to citizens of Tennessee and to those who travel through our state. The implementation of this website will provide the public with a fast, convenient option to access a crash report online and enhance the efficiency of law enforcement agencies across the state,” said Commissioner Jeff Long.

To obtain a crash report, you must have the following information: date of the crash, name of the agency that investigated the crash, last name of the driver involved and the driver license number of the driver involved in the crash. In addition you must also have one of the following: VIN number, license plate number, or the case or tracking number.

Crashes investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), as well as local police and sheriff departments, should be available online within seven business days of the crash. The cost of an online crash report is $10. Citizens may continue to visit any local THP district office to purchase crash reports or request a copy to be sent via the U.S. mail. The fee for those options is $4. Business entities and insurance companies may request a business account for accessing the new system by submitting a request through www.PurchaseTNcrash.gov.

You may access online crash reports by visiting www.tn.gov/safety or www.PurchaseTNcrash.gov The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s mission is to serve, secure, and protect the people of Tennessee.