Alexandria Christmas Parade Held Under the Lights

December 4, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Santa made another appearance in DeKalb County on Sunday night for the Alexandria Christmas Parade.

(View more photos of the Alexandria Christmas Parade on the WJLE Facebook Page)

The town’s annual holiday tradition, held for the fourth consecutive year after dark, gave onlookers a chance to experience the spirit of the season under the glow of lights along the parade route from West Main Street to the downtown square.

The Grand Marshal was Jeff Ford of the Alexandria Church of Christ.

The parade made its way into town led by Alexandria Police Chief Travis Bryant. The Parade also featured floats, the DCHS band, vintage / antique automobiles, horseback riders, ATVS, Mayor Russell Bradshaw, State Representative Michael Hale and wife Tara, Mr. and Mrs. DeKalb County Shane and Susan Martin, the Alexandria and DeKalb County Fire Departments, Smithville- DeKalb Rescue Squad, DeKalb EMS, Santa Claus, and more.

No awards were presented this year but drawings for prizes followed the parade.

December 4, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The town of Liberty rang in the holiday season with its annual Christmas Parade Sunday afternoon.

With rains having forced a one week postponement of the Smithville Parade on Saturday, Liberty became the opening act for parade lovers in DeKalb County this year featuring a showcase of holiday themed floats, vintage automobiles and farm tractors, horseback riders, the DCHS band, Liberty Mayor Audrey Martin, the grand marshal, State Representative Michael Hale and wife Tara, Mr. and Mrs DeKalb County Shane and Susan Martin, ATVs and motorcycles, Smoky the Bear and the Tennessee Forestry Division, emergency vehicles including the DeKalb County EMS, DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department featuring the Liberty Station, Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad, Sheriff Patrick Ray, County Mayor Matt Adcock, Register of Deeds Daniel Seber, Road Supervisor Danny Hale, Assessor of Property Shannon Cantrell, and more including the star of the show, Santa Claus.

Parade participants began lining up at Salem Baptist Church and putting finishing touches on their floats as early as an hour before start time and then as the parade made its way down Main Street to the center of town it was greeted by hundreds who lined with street to get a good view and a chance to scoop up some of the candy tossed to the crowd by Santa and others in the parade.

After the parade, awards were presented to the best entries and drawings were held for prize giveaways.

Salem Baptist Church took 1st place for their float entry and Back 40 Farms from the Harvey Family of Liberty (Alyssa, Brynn, Bryce, Wesleigh, Braxton, and the Grinch) received 2nd place.

For Vintage or Antique automobiles, Brady Evans won 1st place while Mark and Melinda Miller were awarded 2nd place.

The Spirit awards went to Bill Stanton -1st place and to Luke Prichard-2nd place.

For kids, Alexis Reynolds won 1st place and 2nd place went to Brayden Carter, Kye, and Briggs.

Meanwhile, the Smithville Christmas Parade has been rescheduled for Saturday December 9th and will begin at 2:00 pm.

The parade lineup will be at the New Life Connection center on Congress Boulevard

The parade, sponsored by the Smithville Fire Department, will move down Congress Boulevard to Don Cantrell Street around the square then onto West Main Street and will end once it gets to the intersection at South college Street.

“You Do Not have to register to be in the parade, just show up the day of the parade between Noon and 1:45 pm and we will put you inline as you arrive,” said Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker

The band and any one unloading people or supplies should park in the Dekalb Community Complex parking lot next door. Only parade entries will be allowed in the New Life parking lot.

2023 Parade Guidelines
•Parade entries will enter through the Dekalb Community Complex parking lot behind On The Way Market.

• We recommend that Parade entries should have a clear sign as to who or what organization they are representing.
• Side-by-sides are allowed with licensed drivers, but no 4 wheelers.
• Candy is allowed to be passed out to the crowd. Please make every effort to get the candy out to the crowd and not in the roadway.
• Horses and wagons should unload at Bill page ballpark and make your way down Bryant Street to enter the parade at the redlight.
• Only one official Santa is permitted in the parade and he has already committed to ride on the Fire Truck.

The City of Smithville or The Smithville Fire Department is not responsible for any damages, injuries, or liabilities associated with the Smithville Christmas Parade. The City of Smithville or The Smithville Fire Department does not provide any liability insurance for protection for individuals, organizations, spectators, or any others who may participate in the 2023 Smithville Christmas Parade.

(Note: Poor Video quality)

December 3, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

A woman believed to have been responsible for a fire in the Jefferson Community last fall appeared for sentencing in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday, November 27.

39-year-old Scarlett Suzette Lawrence Strayn entered a plea to arson and received a three-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. The sentence is to run consecutively with a Warren County sentence against her. Strayn was given jail credit of 62 days. She will be making restitution in an amount to be determined.

The indictments alleged that on November 7, 2022 Strayn unlawfully and knowingly damaged a structure as well as personal property, land, or other property belonging to Jermaica League by means of a fire or explosion without the consent of all persons who had a possessory, proprietary, or security interest therein in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated (State Law).

Members of the DeKalb County Fire Department were dispatched at 2:32 a.m. on November 7, 2022 to a single wide mobile home on South Judkins Lane in the Jefferson Community where the residence and a bass boat were reportedly on fire.

“Upon arrival firefighters found the mobile home with heavy fire showing through the roof on one end of the residence in the bedroom area. The bass boat also had heavy fire in the engine and fuel tank areas. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire containing the blaze to the bedroom of the mobile home. The remainder of the residence received extensive heat and smoke damage. Two caged dogs perished inside the home. The boat was extensively damaged by the fire,” said DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green.
No one was injured and no other nearby properties were damaged. The incident was investigated by DeKalb Sheriff’s Department detectives and the TBI.

The Keltonburg, Belk, Blue Springs, Four Seasons, Short Mountain Highway, and Main Stations responded along with the tanker, DeKalb EMS, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

26-year-old Tanisha Danielle Bandy entered a plea to two counts of simple possession of a schedule VI drug (marijuana) and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days to run consecutively but suspended to supervised probation. She was fined a total of $500.

50-year-old Shirley Hardy entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams with intent to sell or deliver and received a three-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation on judicial diversion

50-year-old Anthony Brian Johnson entered a plea to sale of a schedule IV drug and received a two-year sentence all suspended to TDOC probation under judicial diversion.

45-year-old Charles McCurry entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams for sale or delivery and received a three-year sentence all suspended but to run consecutive to a White County case against him. He was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 33 days.

41-year-old Lacy Lee West entered a plea to a first offense of driving under the influence and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended except for 48 hours to serve. She will be on supervised probation and will lose her driver license for a year. West was fined $350, and she must complete an alcohol safety education program and attend the MADD Victim Impact Panel.

74-year-old Antonio Lujan entered a plea to simple possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) and received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days all suspended to supervised probation except for 30 days to serve. The term is to run concurrently with a White County case against him. He was given jail credit for one month.