Fallen Firefighter Memorial Bike Ride to Pass through Smithville Saturday (VIEW VIDEO HERE)

September 5, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Local law enforcement officers and firefighters plan to welcome motorcycle riders Saturday morning as they pass through Smithville and DeKalb County on a charity ride to help raise funds for the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial.

(View video of last year’s motorcycle ride through Smithville below)

IMG_0919 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Bikers from across the state, many of whom are members of emergency services, will gather in Sparta to participate in the 6th annual event. Bikers will pay $20 and passengers $15 each. Registration will be from 7:30 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. Kick Stands Up at 9:00 a.m. They are scheduled to depart from the Sparta Fire Department traveling west on Highway 70 and are expected to arrive in Smithville around 9:30 a.m. before turning onto Short Mountain Highway toward Woodbury enroute to Bell Buckle on the campus of the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy where the memorial is located.

This year’s ride is dedicated to Jason Dickey of the Lawrenceburg Fire Department, the 2008 Line of Duty Death, and Barry Brady (Shady Brady) of the Sparta Fire Department, the founder of the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial ride who passed away this year.

If you have questions, contact Kayla Williams at 615-948-7508, Bradley Johnson at 615-967-6557, or Kenny Kilgore at 931-200-7380.

Beginning in 2002, the first Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial Committee was founded with a mission to create a memorial to honor fallen firefighters in Tennessee. After earning its 501©3 not-for-profit status, the board of directors began to actively raise funds to build the memorial.

In 2005, the Tennessee General Assembly passed a resolution, which dedicated land on the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy property to be used for constructing a memorial. Fundraising efforts began with the TUFF Challenge and by selling bricks in support of the memorial.

Construction of the memorial was broken up into two phases. The official ribbon cutting ceremony for phase one was held Sept. 11, 2009. Dedication of the completion of the second phase was held on Sept. 10, 2011.

The Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial honors the fallen firefighters of Tennessee. Additionally, a section was added to the memorial that pays tribute to the lives lost during the terrorist attacks that occurred Sept. 11, 2001. As part of that memorial, a piece of a steel I-beam, which was recovered from “Ground Zero” in New York City, is also on display.

September 5, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Two of WJLE’s Fearless Forecasters tied for having the best record picking winners during opening week of the college football season.

Chad Kirby and Dewain Hendrixson each compiled a record of 10-5 last week. The James Gang (Grant James), John Pryor, Scott Brown, and the guest Chad Ramsey each went 9-6. Ricky Atnip and Jared Davis each had a record of 8-7, Darrell Gill and Jacob Parsley each were 7-8. Will Graham finished 5-10.

Three forecasters hit their underdog picks last week. Jared Davis got on the board with 17.5 points picking Wyoming to upset Missouri. Chad Ramsey got 10.5 points for the guests with North Carolina’s win over South Carolina. And the James Gang picked up 4.5 points with a Boise State upset of Florida State.

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

Ohio at Pittsburgh, Syracuse at Maryland, South Florida at Georgia Tech, Nebraska at Colorado, San Diego State at UCLA, LSU at Texas, Arkansas at Ole Miss, Miami at North Carolina, Minnesota at Fresno State, North Texas at SMU, Stanford at USC, Tulsa at San Jose State, Vanderbilt at Purdue, BYU at Tennessee, and the Tennessee Titans at Cleveland.

Today’s special guest is Isaac Gray, minister at the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

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, Davis Auto Body, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, Liberty State Bank, DeKalb County Insurance, Gill Automotive, Love-Cantrell Funeral Home, DeKalb County Ace Hardware, and Domino’s Pizza.

September 5, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Three adults and seven children were injured in a two vehicle crash Wednesday night at the intersection of Highway 56 south and Joe Tittsworth Road in Smithville.

Central dispatch received the call at 8:03 p.m.

According to Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol 52 year old Franklin Elliott of Smithville was driving north on Highway 56 in a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country minivan when he turned left onto Joe Tittsworth Road and crossed the path of a southbound 2016 Kia Soul driven by 37 year old Margaret Pedigo of McMinnville. The Kia did not have its headlights on at the time.

Elliott and passenger 34 year old Jessica Farris of Smithville were taken by private vehicle to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital. Four children in the vehicle with them including a 14 year old girl, 16 year old boy, 8 year old girl, and a 12 year old boy were also injured and taken to the hospital by ambulances.

Three children were in the vehicle with Pedigo including a 13 year old boy, 9 year old boy, and 12 year old boy. Pedigo and two of the children were airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital and the other was taken by EMS to Cookeville Regional Medical Center where he was airlifted.

A landing zone for three helicopters was set up on Highway 56 near the crash scene. DeKalb EMS responded with four ambulances and received mutual aid support from Putnam County EMS which sent two ambulances.

No charges or citations have been filed.