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Alexandria Police Chief Chris Russell Stepping Down to Join Sheriff’s Department as Detective

July 17, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The Alexandria Police Department will soon have a new chief.

Chris Russell, who has served as Alexandria Police Chief for eight years, will soon be stepping down. Russell will be joining the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department as a detective.

Russell joined the Alexandria Police Department as a patrolman in 2007 and was later promoted to sergeant before becoming police chief in 2015.

Prior to his tenure in Alexandria, Russell worked for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department starting in 1999 and moved to the Smithville Police Department in 2002 where he worked for five years until joining the Alexandria Police Department. He has logged 24 years in law enforcement.

Russell said he has enjoyed working for the people of Alexandria and he is appreciative to all the mayors and aldermen, past and present, for their support. His last day as chief will be July 21.

The Alexandria Mayor and Aldermen will meet in regular monthly session on Tuesday, July 25 and may officially name Russell’s successor at that time.




Square Dancing Wows Crowd on Closing Night of the DeKalb County Fair (View Video and Fair Photo Gallery Here)

July 16, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Square dancing was one of the major attractions on closing night of the 167th edition of the DeKalb County Fair Saturday evening in Alexandria.

(View UPDATED and Completed WJLE DeKalb County Fair Photo Gallery featuring 259 photos at the Fair from Monday-Saturday at link below sponsored by Family Care Chiropractic and Good Health Family Clinic. You might see yourself or someone you know) Also view videos in other posts further down this page from fair pageants, lip sync, and more!

https://www.wjle.com/dekalb-county-fair/

The square-dancing teams of Mary Ann Puckett wowed the crowd including the DeKalb Dancin’ Delights, Center Hill Hoedown, Caney Fork Circle Eights, and Smithville Select, the two time and reigning Youth Square dancing champions of the Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree and Crafts Festival.

Smithville Select will also make an appearance later this year at the world-famous Grand Ole Opry to dance on stage with the Opry Square Dancers at a date to be announced.

After the square dancing the Dalton Gray band took the stage for more than an hour of country, pop, and rock originals and cover songs.

A scheduled Super Truck and Tractor Pull at the T.C. McMillen arena was cancelled apparently due to poor field conditions from rains the latter part of the week.

Nine people each took home $500 in cash from the fair Saturday night. Every night during the week, two drawings were held each for $500, but winners had to be present to get the cash otherwise the unclaimed money would roll over to Saturday night when drawings would be held until it was all given away. There had only been three winners up until Saturday night which meant a total of $4,500 would be given away on the last night of the fair.

Saturday night’s $500 cash winners were Taylor Davis of Alexandria, Misty Gingerich of DeKalb County, Jennifer Martin of Liberty, John Anderson of Cookeville, Kailey Harvey of Alexandria, Westly Ashford of Watertown, Steven Peyatt of Carthage, David Lawson of Liberty, and Blake Pichey of Walling.

In addition to the rides and carnival attractions, the last night of the fair also featured a homemade ice cream contest at the ag center and the winners were Tim Rowland, who took first place and specialty show for his strawberry cheesecake ice cream while Wayne Robinson won first place for his vanilla ice cream. Gary Council won first place for his chocolate ice cream.

A pet show was also among the attractions of the night.




Mom and Daughter Win Lip Sync Battle (View Video Here)

July 15, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Veronica Johnson and her daughter Alexis Grace Atnip won the 2023 Lip Sync Battle at the DeKalb County Fair Friday night beating out four other contenders for the title. Audience response determined the winner.

Johnson and Atnip lip synced to the country song “Somethin’ Bad” by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. Their performance earned them a first-place award and $250 in cash.

Coming in second place was Jack Harvey as he lip synced to the Osborne Brothers’ bluegrass classic “Rocky Top. He took home $150.

Haddeigh Grace Harvey received $100 and third place for her lip sync performance of “Let it Go “from Frozen.

Meanwhile Ella Beth Jane Ferrell lip synced to “Like my Father” by Jax and Amanda Ford and Tyler McCloud performed a lip sync version of Mindy McCready’s “Ten Thousand Angels.




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