Greenbrook Park Graffiti Vandals Now Tied to Similar Crime at Local Church

September 22, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

More charges have been filed against the three Greenbrook Park graffiti vandals for committing a similar crime at a local church.

According to Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins, the same trio who spray painted graffiti on the amphitheater and playground equipment at Greenbrook Park late Monday night or early Tuesday morning are accused of having done the same thing on the same night at the Bethlehem Community Church on Dry Creek Road.

19-year-old Daisy Morales and 19-year-old Alex Diaz Vidal each have been charged in this case with vandalism under $1,000. As with the Greenbrook Park episode, a juvenile was involved at the church and will be charged in a juvenile petition.

In the offense report, a member of the Bethlehem Community Church told police that sometime between 5 p.m. on Monday, September 19 and 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 20 someone spray painted graffiti on the exterior walls of the church.

The investigation led to the same three who had entered the property of Greenbrook Park after hours the same night as the church incident.

For the Greenbrook Park offenses, Morales and Vidal are each charged with vandalism over $1,000 and burglary along with the juvenile. Both Morales and Vidal have been released on their own recognizance and will appear in General Sessions Court on October 6.

Greenbrook Park, which was closed Tuesday and Wednesday, has now been reopened.

September 22, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Grant James of the James Gang had a perfect 15-0 record last week and remains the leader of WJLE’s Fearless Forecasters picking college football winners.

James has the best overall record at 38-7 after the first three weeks of the season followed by Jared Davis 36-9, Ricky Atnip and Chad Kirby each at 34-11, John Pryor 33-12, Scott Goodwin 32-13, Darrell Gill of the Gill Gang at 30-15, and Scott Brown at 29-16.

For the week, Grant James had the best record at 15-0 followed by Jared Davis 14-1, Ricky Atnip, John Pryor and Chad Kirby each at 12-3, Scott Brown 11-4. Scott Goodwin 10-5, and Darrell Gill 9-6.

One Fearless Forecaster hit his underdog pick last week. Darrell Gill of the Gill Gang got on the board with 15 points as Wyoming defeated Air Force 17-14.

Overall, Gill leads in underdog points with 15 followed by Scott Brown 10, Jared Davis 7.5, and John Pryor 6.5.

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

Notre Dame at North Carolina, Texas at Texas Tech, Oregon at Washington State, West Virginia at Virginia Tech, Arizona at California, Baylor at Iowa State, Clemson at Wake Forest, Minnesota at Michigan State, TCU at SMU, USC at Oregon State, Missouri at Auburn, Arkansas at Texas A&M, Vanderbilt at Alabama, Florida at Tennessee, and in the NFL the Las Vegas Raiders at the Tennessee Titans.

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

September 22, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A day on the farm!

More than 200 DeKalb County third graders went on a field trip Wednesday to the Jimmy Herndon farm in the Blue Springs Community for a day of learning and fun.

Farm Day has become an annual local event sponsored by the DeKalb County Farm Bureau and many other community supporters to expose youngsters to farm life giving them a chance to meet farmers, see farm animals up close, and take part in agriculture related activities.

Leigh Fuson, Chairman of the DeKalb County Young Farmers and Ranchers organization, said in a day and age when many are removed from the farm, teaching kids about agriculture is more important than ever.

“We want to let them know where food comes from. That it doesn’t just come from the grocery store. Most kids are five to six generations removed from the farm now, so this lets them see a real working farm, where the food comes from and the work that goes into it,” she said.

“We had around 220 kids here, all third graders from Northside Elementary and DeKalb West Schools. They got to touch the farm animals, make butter from cream, shell corn, and see everything firsthand. I think the teachers and parents who came with them enjoyed it as much as the kids,” said Fuson.

Farm Day was also supported by the DeKalb Young Farmers and Ranchers, DeKalb 4-H and FFA, Prichard Foods, Harmony Lane Farm, USDA Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil and Water Conservation District, TN Forestry Dept, TN Wildlife Resources Agency, DeKalb County Fire Department, Caney Fork Electric, Edgar Evins State Park, Cummins Falls State Park, DeKalb/Rutherford Farmers Co-op, First Bank, Tisdale Dairy Farm, and numerous other volunteers.