DeKalb West Presents Perfect Attendance Award

April 4, 2019
By: Bill Conger

DeKalb West School announces its Perfect Attendance award for the 3rd nine weeks of school.

Principal Sabrina Farler presented Ben Driver with a $20 gift card from Walmart. Ben, a 4th grader in Cathleen Humphrey’s homeroom, was one of 35 students who didn’t miss a single day the 3rd 9 weeks. Actually, Ben has been present every day at school this year and has not been late or left school before the end of the day.

April 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

If you love gospel music by local talent you are in for a blessing.

Fiddle Dee Dee on Broad is sponsoring a monthly Sunday program beginning April 7 from 5-6 p.m. called Fiddle Dee Dee on Broad Gospel Hour.

The program will air once a month, on the first Sunday night of each month, from 5-6 p.m. featuring recorded local talent performing gospel music.

Sunday night’s program will showcase the music of Dessa Ray and Right on Time.

Tune in the first Sunday night of each month for the Fiddle Dee Dee on Broad Gospel Hour from 5-6 p.m. on WJLE.

WJLE is proud of our partner sponsors of religious programs each week and hopes you will tune in often and let them know you listen.

• Got A Minute?: 60 second message presented by the Smithville Church of Christ with Dan Gulley-Twice a day Monday-Friday each week (various times morning and around noon)
• Cross Connection sponsored by the Upper Helton Baptist Church featuring Jimmy Arms: Monday-Friday at 11:55 a.m. each week
• Morning Devotion: A 5 minute daily devotional by a different minister each week Monday-Saturday at 7:25 a.m.
• Amazing Facts sponsored by the Smithville Seventh Day Adventist Church: Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. each week

The following are weekly sponsored Sunday programs:

• 7:00 a.m.: Speak Life with Richard Bane
  •7:30 a.m.: Royce Moore of the New West Point Freewill Baptist Church (The Way of Life Ministry)
  •8:00 a.m. Elders Joseph and Ricky Arnold for the New Bildad and Mount View Primitive Baptist Churches (The Firm Foundation)
  •8:30 a.m. Outreach Baptist Church with Nathan Thomason (The Outreach Pulpit)
  •9:00 a.m. The Keltonburg Missionary Baptist Church (Only Through the Blood)
  •9:30 a.m. LOCAL NEWS
  •9:35 a.m. Trent Colwell of the Smithville Church of the Nazarene (The Living Word)
  •10:00 a.m. Steve Warren of Faith Chapel Ministries (Faith for the Hour)
  •10:30 a.m. Bobby Thomason of the Covenant Baptist Church (Fountain of Faith Ministries)
  •11:00 a.m. Worship Services from either the Smithville Cumberland Presbyterian (Isaac Gray) or Smithville First United Methodist (Dr. John Carpenter) Churches
  •12:00 NOON: LOCAL NEWS
  1:00 p.m.: Truth that Transforms with Aaron Wright
  •1:30 p.m. The Preaching Ministry of Toy Lawson of the People’s Pentecostal Church
  •2:30 p.m. Billy Hale of the Christ Pentecostal Church of Brush Creek (The King is Coming)
  •3:00 p.m. Prophet James Ferrell of the Church of Jesus Christ (The Word of the Lord)
  •4:00 p.m. LOCAL NEWS
  •4:15 p.m. Royce Curtis of the People’s Missionary Baptist Church
  •5:00 p.m. Fiddle Dee Dee on Broad Gospel Hour (1st Sunday)
  •6:05 p.m. Gospel music sponsored by Cantrell’s Furniture and Appliances
  •9:05 p.m. LOCAL NEWS

Listen each week on WJLE AM 1480 and WJLE FM 101.7 and LIVE Streaming at www.wjle.com.

April 4, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Members of the DeKalb County Commission and County Mayor recently took advantage of an opportunity to get a closer look at the operation of the Sheriff’s Department and Jail.

IMG_2307 from dwayne page on Vimeo.

Sheriff Patrick Ray has just completed his first ever Sheriff’s Citizens Academy, an eight week class intended to foster better communications between citizens and the Sheriff’s Department through education on the day to day operations. A graduation ceremony was held on the last night of the course.

The next session will be opened up to citizens from across the county who want to participate but Sheriff Ray wanted to make the first class available to the county mayor and county commission.

The course covers simunition firearms training, investigations, traffic stops, and other subjects. Participants even get to ride along with a deputy for a night.

The classes meet once a week for three hours each night over an eight week period.

The first Sheriff’s Citizens Academy was sponsored by Foutch Industries, IWC of Cookeville, Dr. Pepper Bottling Company of McMinnville, HIS Pharmacy, and Prichards Foods in Alexandria.

Sheriff Ray addressed the graduates of the course by first expressing appreciation to his staff and partners in the Citizens Academy.

“I want to thank my staff. To the group of guys who have worked very hard almost every day in the last 8 weeks and made your training possible, Chief Deputy Robert Patrick, Detective Stephen Barrett, Detective Brian Williams and Detective Billy Tiner” said Sheriff Ray.

“I also want to thank our group of speakers and role players, Criminal Court Judge Gary McKenzie, Assistant District Attorney General Stephanie Johnson, Parole and Probation Officer Holly Bough, Parole and Probation Officer Tiffany Dodson, Patrol Sgt. Michael Trusty, SRO Lewis Carrick, Deputy Andrew Lawrence, Deputy Brandon Deffendoll, Deputy Matt Summers, Deputy Joe Pack, Jail Sgt. Anthony Boyd, Warrants Clerk Samantha Halfacre and Jail Cook Amie Buchanan,” said Sheriff Ray.

The following is Sheriff Ray’s address to the class:

“Graduates, I have enjoyed the time we have spent together over the last 8 weeks.

One of my goals for this Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy is to try to bridge the gap of misunderstanding and confusion between the public and Law Enforcement.

I wanted to start our first Citizen’s Academy with you, the members of the county commission, the County Mayor, his staff and a prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office.

By doing this, it allows each of you to see how the Sheriff’s Department works in-depth on a day to day bases.

You, members of the county commission, are the voice for people who live in your district in our County. When it comes to crime issues and the safety of the people in your district who elected you, you are the one responsible for this.

Not only does your voice speak for your people who live in your district, but your voice also speaks for each employee of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. Your voice determines the employee’s livelihood, their career, and most importantly, their safety.

What you have experienced through this Academy will be what the public sees, hears, and also makes opinions of when they go through future academy’s here.

I hope we have answered any questions you have had. I also hope we have opened your eyes to the dangers that we in law enforcement face each and every day. All of what you have learned over the last 8 weeks may assist you in answering questions about the Sheriff’s Department to the citizens in your respected districts.

If my office or I can ever assist you with anything, please ask.

I will leave you with this:

I have worked at this Department for over 26 years of my 30 year law enforcement career. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department has been my life. I love this Department from the bottom of my heart and I want to see good and positive things happen for the employees of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.

I try very hard each and every day to be a strong leader with good morals for my department. I have tried to equip each officer with the knowledge and tools of our trade.

I always want to keep my employees concerns about their safety and wellbeing at the forefront of my discussions with you as county commissioners. I try to remember this simple saying.

A leader who refuses to listen to his employees will eventually have employees with nothing to say.

I am also a believer that each and every law enforcement officer and correctional officer is a calling from GOD.

My Bible speaks of them

Matthew 5:9 says:

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Thank you so much again for attending our academy! GOD BLESS each and every one of you and we all appreciate your willingness to serve in your respected positions,” said Sheriff Ray.

(Pictured in the front row: Sheriff Patrick Ray, County Mayor Tim Stribling, Commissioner Sabrina Farler, County Mayor Secretary Ronda Butler, County Mayor Secretary Kristie Nokes, Commissioner Beth Pafford, Traci Davison, Commissioner Jenny Trapp, Commissioner Anita Puckett, Assistant District Attorney General Stephanie Johnson, Commissioner Julie Young. Back Row: Detective Stephen Barrett, Commissioner Matt Adcock, Commissioner Bobby Johnson, Chief Deputy Robert Patrick, Detective Brian Williams, Detective Billy Tiner)