WJLE Recognizes DCHS Class of 2023 (View Photo Gallery Here)

April 1, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

WJLE and participating sponsors are presenting a photo gallery of the DCHS Class of 2023 in April and May.

Graduation is set for Friday, May 12 at 7 p.m. on the DCHS football field.

Click on the link below to view the senior formals.

Photo Gallery

Once you open the page, click each photo to view a larger image. The name of the senior you select is at the bottom of the photo or you may move your mouse over the photo to view the name.

There are 168 photos in the gallery divided up 48 photos to a page. After you view page 1 be sure to click the links for pages 2-4 (top or bottom of the page) to view the remaining photos.

The names of DCHS Seniors are as follows: (Some are not pictured in the photo gallery)

Danna Regina Acosta Guzman, Stetson Lane Agee, Mariela Aguilar Estrada, Samuel Elijah Allen, Cristal Alvarez Tinajero, Briston- Robert Lee Anderson, Andrea Arellano, Jackson Riley Arnold, Amelia Rose Atnip, April Areona Atnip, Christian Avalos Godinez,

Cameron Michael Bailey, Jase Glendon Bain, Colby Davis Barnes, Emily Rose Iseula Bates, Lacy Bell, Alexandrea Bella Beneke, Haven Samantha Betancourt, Zackary Parker Birmingham, Jordan Alexander Blackwell, Joshua Cole Brewington, Cooper Dunham Brown, Isaac Hartwell Brown, Serenity Faith Burgess, Jadin Zeus Burke

Aveya Grace Cantrell, Sayla Yvonne Cantrell, William Hunter Cantrell, Jose Fabian Carrillo Perez, Aviannca Nikole Chalfant, Shan-Chih Chen, Andrew Wayne Christian, Lauren Michelle Clark, Tiana Darlene Clark, Fernando Solomon Clavel, Alexis Nicole Clay, William Gavin Conger, Destiny Kay Conners, Bryan Carter Cook, Christopher James Cox, Zoe Potter Cripps, Landon James Crips,

Luke Preston Driver, Lance Duke

Rebecca Lynn Eastes, John Schuylar Ellis, Tessa Roshelle Ervin, Tyler Cleveland Estes, Hayden Andrew Evans, Noah Alexander Evans,

Aniston Jane Farler, Conner Jaylee Farmer, Makyra Christine Farris, Mersadies Kadley Fountain, Lily Jade Frederick, Lakeisha K. Fullilove, Jared Fultz,

Elizabeth Carlene Gaines, Carlos Daniel Garcia Sanchez, Rylee Grace Garmer, Katherine Dell Gassaway, Allison Faith Gay, Austin Matthew Glenn, Stephanie Godinez Perez , Teshia Jo Goff, Malcolm Alexander Gora, Lane Elijah Goss, Aaron David Gottlied, Nolan Wood Gottlied, Alyzandra Claire Griffith,

Morgan Mackenzie Hale, William Hale, Emma Caroline Hancock, Draven Damion Harner, Piper Mabe Hendrix, Christian Tyler Hendrixson, Emily Lynette Hendrixson, Hailey Mengayle Hendrixson, Estrella Ruby Hernandez Alfaro, Gracie Herrera, Dixie Mai Hill,

John Richard Iervolino,

Chandler Joseph Johnson, Emma Grace Johnson, Ean Wade Jones, Kailyn Alyse Jordan, Skyler Rae Jose, Jordan Rayne Judkins,

Tavia Logan Key, Jacklyn Rose Kleparek, Olivia Faith Knowles,

Christopher Lee Lewis, Chloe Chevelle Lockwood, Hannah Leigh Lohorn, Jessica Marie-Cyr Lyda, Xharia Lyons,

Sadreanna Jesenia Magallanes, Jamison Spencer Marlar, Eli Jeremy Martin, Emma Grace Martin, Kiley Hope Martin, Madison Elizabeth Martin, Miguel Angel Mata Guzman, Yair De Jesus Mata Garcia, Mario Alberto Matias, Devon Jerome Maxwell, Joshua May, Sayla Marie McBroom, Jerico Messer, Aleaha Michelle Miller, Cameron David Miller, Ryder Cole Miller, Breanna Frances Millsap, Zachariah Caleb Morris, Blake Lavoy Morton, Bailey Lynn Mullican, Ailish Belen Munoz, Casandra Munoz Garcia, Samantha Jo Murphy, Joshua Bradly Musick,

Halayna Jade Newby, Isaac Andrew Newby, Matthew Neal Nokes,

Sheridan Marie O’Connor, Kristen A. Oakley, McKenzie Oiler, Phillip Gage Olmstead, Jonathan Ortega Garcia, Jacqueline Alexandra Overstreet,

Braxton Kane Page, Connor Joseph Paladino, Hailey Jean-Elizabeth Palk, Hannah Grace Patterson, Katie Elizabeth Patterson, Berkley Allen Pedigo, Summer Haven Waters Pedigo, Alyssa Gail Pugh,

Kevin F. Quezada,

Adan Roel Ramirez, Ashtyn Elishah Ramos, Cristal Ramos, Darrah Elizabeth Ramsey, Shadie Simon Isaac Rankhorn, Brendyn Austin Richey, Drake Alexander Rogers, Vincent James Ross,

Carlos Sanchez, McKenzie Faith Sanders, Isacc Sasser, William Kensley Saucier, Raven Savage, Cameron Austin Scruggs, Brayden Shawn Shehane, Kiara Shoffner, Brandon Alexander Silva, Johnny Landin Skinner, Kaylee Eliza Lynn Sklenka, Logan Lewis Starkey, Hannah Elizabeth Swoape,

Kenlee Renae Taylor, Aiden Julius Thompson, Anthony William Tittle, Andrew Owens Tramel, Hannah Paige Trapp, Holden Craig Trapp, Sharon Marisol Trejo Bernardo, Braden Thomas Truelove, Kaden Ross Truelove,

Connor Hugh Vance, Elizabeth Grace Vaughn,

Brett Allen Walker, Layla Lynn Walker, Morgan Rhea Walker, William Alton Wallace, Caden Washer, Carlee Elizabeth West, Robert Sullivan Wheeler, Kaleb Chase Wildes, Justin Elijah Wilkinson, Haley Reese Williams, Katherine Elizabeth Aline Williams, Ethan Cole Winchester, Mason Alexander Winter, Aniston Grace Wood, Jenna Elizabeth Wright, Kenneth Wesley Wright,

Izayah William Young, Kelbi Diana Young, Bronson Youngblood, and

Jonathan Zavala

March 31, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The City of Smithville Swimming Pool will not open this summer due to the lack of available lifeguards.

Pool Manager Jeania Cawthorn made the announcement this morning (Friday).

“We can’t open the pool without lifeguards and we just couldn’t get enough lifeguards signed up for this year,” said Cawthorn.

“Today (Friday) was my deadline to get everything up and running because normally our pool would have already been filled with water and chemicals and repairs made. We just didn’t have enough lifeguards,” she said.

In addition to the physical work in preparing the pool for the swimming season, Cawthorn said months of planning is required in recruiting lifeguards.

“I have been making the announcement (need for lifeguards) since January in order to get people signed up for classes. There has been one class per month and they (lifeguards) have to take them (classes) out of town because we don’t staff a full-time instructor and there are only a few instructors in Middle Tennessee so we have to start advertising for those classes in January,” said Cawthorn.

“I put out the plea early and begged for people and the local media and social media shared it for me but I had only two lifeguards to sign up and they took the course and passed. We now have three potential lifeguards who were going to take the class in April but even if they go forward to take the class there are still simply not going to be enough. We use about 8 lifeguards a day because our days are long. We always get there before the public does, clean the pool from debris that has fallen overnight, check the chemicals, and then we stay afterwards and clean up the mess that has been left behind during the day so our hours are long. Out of those 8 lifeguards a day, some of them have other jobs and prior commitments so it takes 20-25 lifeguards to run the pool and do it successfully. Last year we had this problem but we managed to open for 3-4 days a week but even then we struggled to keep it open,” said Cawthorn.

“I want to thank all the lifeguards and parents who helped last year and those who were willing to help this year,” she said.

March 31, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

An update from the bench!

Since taking office last September General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox has implemented some new policies in the hope of bringing more efficiency to the court as he explained in an interview with WJLE Tuesday.

One of them is a standing order issued last month requiring a bond source hearing in certain cases. Judge Cox said the reason for such a hearing is to ensure that persons charged with a crime not be allowed to post bond greater than $50,000 from funds or property derived through illicit means?

“As you may have seen from a recent WJLE article, I implemented a standing order on bond source hearings in cases where the individual bond is greater than $50,000. I did this so that I can be assured that a defendant making such a bond is not using funds from illicit sources, such as the sale of illegal drugs, to make their bond. This is an issue of fundamental fairness, I believe. Since this standing order has been entered, we have had occasion to address the bond at a hearing or by agreed order on two occasions,” said Judge Cox.

Judge Cox is also taking steps to better ensure the confidentiality of all juvenile proceedings.

“Another major change I have implemented is that all juvenile court proceedings, including dependency and neglect proceedings and private juvenile matters, are heard on an individual and confidential basis. This means that when a juvenile case is called the only people permitted in the courtroom are the parties to the case, the attorneys, court staff and court officers. This was the first change that I made and I believe it has had a significant impact on the cases as they progress. Oftentimes, these cases involve very sensitive and serious issues related to small children. No person outside the parties to the case needs to hear about all the issues. Additionally, when the cases are called individually, with no one else in the courtroom, I can focus on each particular case and devote the appropriate time and consideration that the children and families deserve. The only issue I have with the policy is that we are limited on space, and when we have multiple courts going at once, we get quite crowded in the hallway outside the courtroom. But our court officers, court staff and attorneys have done an excellent job making this work,” said Judge Cox.

More changes are upcoming.

“In the coming months, I plan to meet with various groups and individuals to assess the court calendar to ensure that we are being as efficient as possible. I also plan to develop local rules of the General Sessions and Juvenile Court to more clearly establish the procedures and policies that I have implemented. This will be a collaborative effort, involving the local attorneys, and the court clerk. One of the things that I am most excited about is the expansion of our Recovery Court to potentially include a mental health and veterans court. My team is in the exploratory phase of this project and gathering as much information and attending as many training sessions as possible. However, we have a significant need in this community for a mental health court and I believe that it will be a net positive for the county once it is fully operational. I will release details of this as we move along and will be looking for support from the community, the County Mayor, the County Commission and other partners,” said Judge Cox.

“These are some of the changes we have made and some ideas we have for the future. It has been an honor serving the past six months. I am eager each and every day to do this job to the best of my ability. I am forever grateful that you have put your trust in me and I will strive to continue to honor that trust with my work,” Judge Cox concluded.