WJLE Recognizes DCHS Class of 2021 (View Photo Gallery Here)

April 1, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

WJLE and participating sponsors are presenting a photo gallery of the DCHS Class of 2021 in April and May.

Graduation is set for Friday, May 14 at 7 p.m. on the DCHS football field .

Click on the link below to view the senior formals.
https://www.wjle.com/graduation-2021/

A WJLE DCHS Class of 2021 Photo Gallery box also appears on the right side of the WJLE homepage and on the left side of the WJLE Local News Page that you may click to view the photos.

Once you open the page, click each photo to view a larger image. The name of the senior you select is at the bottom of the photo or you may move your mouse over the photo to view the name.

There are 160 photos in the gallery divided up 48 photos to a page. After you view page 1 be sure to click the links for pages 2-4 ( top or bottom of the page) to view the remaining photos.

The WJLE photo gallery page is sponsored in April by General Sessions/Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II, County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss, County Mayor Tim Stribling, Ascension St Thomas DeKalb Hospital, Gill Automotive, Good Health Family Clinic ,DeKalb Funeral Chapel, Alexandria Auto Parts, First Bank, the DeKalb County Prevention Coalition, Woodbury Insurance Agency, and DTC Communications.

April 1, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The Biden administration has announced a three-month extension to a national eviction moratorium, a move designed to help millions of tenants who have fallen behind on their rent even as courts have disagreed on whether the relief is legal.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended the eviction moratorium through June 30. It had been set to expire Wednesday, March 31

The moratorium, which originated from an executive order signed by then-President Donald Trump in September, protects tenants who have missed monthly rent payments from being thrown out of their homes if they declare financial hardship.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has presented a historic threat to the nation’s public health,” the White House said in a press release Monday. “Keeping people in their homes and out of crowded or congregate settings—like homeless shelters—by preventing evictions is a key step in helping to stop the spread of Covid-19.”

A series of conflicting court rulings have called into question the legality of the moratorium. At least three federal judges—in Tennessee, Ohio and Texas—have ruled the moratorium is unlawful. The Justice Department is appealing those cases.

This ruling will continue to affect landlords and tenants in DeKalb County.

“The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) last year put down a nationwide moratorium on detainer actions along with the Supreme Court. The thinking was that this was no time to put somebody out on the sidewalk (eviction) because of the financial strain COVID has been on so many people although I understand it is also a financial strain on landlords because many of them owe on their rental property and the banks are looking for payment every month and if the renters are not paying its putting a real burden on them,” said General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II in a previous statement in January.

“For those landlords who have rental property that consists of single family homes or residential property, there can be no detainer actions heard at all until at least July 1. Tenants are still obligated under the Supreme Court order to continue paying rent but there currently can’t be any detainer action and consequently no writs of possession where the sheriff comes out and actually moves someone out. That only applies to rental property that is used for residential purposes. That does not apply to business rental property,” Judge Cook said.

March 31, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

No deal!

The county commission met in special session Tuesday evening for the purpose of leasing the old Cherry Hill Community Center to Jason Carver, the owner of JBeez Watercraft near Silver Point on Highway 56 who wants to possibly open up a restaurant there. But after several motions and amendments, the commission could not muster the seven votes needed to grant the lease.

Carver wants a five year lease with three more renewable five year options up to 20 years. The rent for the first five years would be $500 per month and increase by $100 per month in the subsequent five year intervals ($600 per month in years 6-10, $700 per month in years 11-15, and $800 per month in years 16-20). Under terms of the lease, Carver would be responsible for maintaining the HVAC, roof and septic system and all general upkeep of the building and grounds including walls, floors, ceilings, parking areas, driveways, sidewalk, landscaping, etc. Both the county and Carver would carry liability insurance on the property.

Only nine of the thirteen members of the county commission were present for the special meeting including Julie Young, Sabrina Farler, Myron Rhody, Anita Puckett, Jerry Adcock, Dr Scott Little, Jeff Barnes, Beth Pafford and Bruce Malone. Commissioner Malone left soon after the meeting was opened stating he would not participate in an illegal session. Malone complained that County Mayor Tim Stribling had not given a prior five day advertised notice of the meeting as Malone said was required by state law. County Attorney/ Parliamentarian Hilton Conger said Stribling complied with the county commission’s policies and procedures by posting notice last Thursday on the county’s website and sent notices to members of the commission and local media. Conger went on to say that if commissioners felt adequate notice was not provided they could suspend the rules for this meeting. That was not done. Malone said the county’s rules can’t be in conflict with state law.

Stribling said Malone suggested to him last Tuesday that a special meeting could be called for the following Tuesday (March 30) when he (Malone) knew that the notice could not have been published in the weekly newspaper in time. Now, Stribling said Malone wants to complain about adequate notice.

Like Malone Commissioner Jerry Adcock expressed concerns saying he didn’t get his notice of the meeting until Friday. At one point Adcock started to leave the meeting room but then returned to his seat.

As for the Cherry Hill Community Center issue some commissioners thought the county was acting too quickly and should take more time to consider terms of the lease. Others thought a potential 20 year lease was too long.

Commissioner Jerry Adcock said a lease for that long could tie the county’s hands later if someone stepped up to buy the property. But Commissioner Dr. Scott Little argued that lease extensions were proper since the tenant would be renovating and maintaining county property at his own expense.

“This gentleman is leasing the property and paying for the renovation. I understand his need for an option to continue if he wants to. Its not fair for us to let this man pay for all these renovations to our property and then possibly take it back from him in five years,” said Commissioner Little.

The issue may be brought back up at the next regular meeting in April.