Child Airlifted After Two Auto Crash Thursday

July 12, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A 12 year old boy was airlifted from the scene of a two auto crash Thursday afternoon on Highway 56 (Cookeville Highway) near the old Cherry Hill Community Center building. The child was flown by a helicopter ambulance to Vanderbilt Hospital.

Trooper Chris Delong of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said the boy was a backseat passenger of a 2004 Chevy pickup truck, driven by his uncle 38 year old Abraham Andres of Cookeville. 41 year old Christopher Watson of Lebanon was also a passenger.

According to Trooper Delong, Andres was traveling north when his truck was hit by a southbound 2016 Nissan Sentra, driven by 38 year old Jeremy Burnsides of Cookeville who crossed the center line into the northbound lane while trying to negotiate a curve. Upon impact the truck overturned and flipped over a guardrail before coming to rest off the highway. The car spun around in the road and came to a stop facing south.

Watson was transported by EMS to Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and DeKalb Fire Department were on the scene. Trooper T.J. Withers of the THP assisted Trooper Delong with the crash investigation.

Burnsides was charged with failure to exercise due care.

July 12, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County School Nutrition Department has expanded its mobile Free Lunch summer program by adding two more stops on the route through July 26.

The new stops are at Greenbrook Park at 812 Fisher Avenue Monday through Friday from 2:10 p.m. until 2:40 p.m. and at DeKalb County High School at 1130 West Broad Street from 12 noon until 1 p.m. (starting Monday, July 15)

The meals are provided to all children ages 18 and younger without charge regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, etc. No sign up or documentation required.

“We are targeting areas with a high concentration of children and will be delivering lunches to those areas Monday-Friday. The meals are free to anyone 18 and under and are funded through the Department of Human Services “Summer Food Service Program”. We hope to feed a lot of children on our route. We are starting small this year, but hope to build on the route in years to come,” said Amy Lattimore, DeKalb School Nutrition Supervisor.

Other stops on the mobile summer feeding route are:

*Bell Street Apartments, 318 Bell Street Smithville from 11 until 11:20 a.m.

*Brookview Apartments, 740 Walker Drive Smithville from 11:30 a.m. until 11:50 a.m.

*Smithville Housing Authority, 626 Highland Drive Smithville from 12 noon until 12:20 p.m.

*Short Mountain Village, 301 Christine Street Smithville from 12:30 p.m. until 12:50 p.m.

*Smithville Housing Authority, 421 Morgan Drive, Smithville from 1:00 p.m. until 1:20 p.m.

*Evans Manor Apartments, 484 Foster Road, Smithville from 1:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.

For more information call 615-215-2104.

July 12, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

An annual prayer for our schools observance will be held Sunday, August 4 at DeKalb County High School starting at 2 p.m.

Parents, church leaders, educators, and community leaders are invited to attend this special “BACK 2 SCHOOL -CALL 2 PRAYER” gathering. Information from the past year and projections related to the new school year will be presented.

Prayers will be offered by pastors and youth pastors for each school in DeKalb County and for school sponsored activities. A special prayer will also be offered for law enforcement agencies.

Instead of a closing prayer, those present will be asked to go to the geographical location of each school and pray. A prayer of blessing and protection will be offered for the students and faculty for the school year.