News
Indiana Fugitive for Child Sex Crimes Arrested in Smithville
May 14, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
Working with federal authorities, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department today (Wednesday) assisted in the arrest of a Georgia man in Smithville wanted for Indiana child sex crimes.
47-year-old Michael Andrew Denton of Snapping Shoals Georgia is charged in a fugitive from justice warrant with four counts of child molestation and three counts of child molestation with intercourse. He was booked into the DeKalb County Jail on a $75,000 bond and his court date is May 29. Denton is awaiting extradition to Indiana.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said according to a U.S. Marshal’s media release, “A U.S. Marshal’s Task Force in Tennessee working a collateral lead from the U.S. Marshal’s Service in Indiana today (Wednesday) arrested a man wanted in Indianapolis, Indiana for multiple sex crimes against children. The warrant for Denton’s arrest was issued in the superior court of Marion County, Indiana on May 7, 2025”
“On May 9, the Indianapolis metro police department requested the assistance of the US Marshal’s Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in locating and apprehending Denton. Upon developing information, Denton was residing in the Smithville area. The Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s Middle Tennessee Fugitive Task Force and located Denton at a residence on McMinnville Highway in Smithville. Denton was arrested without incident with the assistance of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and taken to the DeKalb County jail”.
DCHS Class of 2025’s Best of the Best Awarded for Academic and Athletic Achievement
May 14, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
Seventy plus members of the DCHS Class of 2025 were rewarded for years of academic and athletic achievements during Tuesday evening’s senior awards night program held in the high school gym.
WJLE and participating sponsors are presenting a photo gallery of the DCHS Class of 2025.
Click on the link below to view the senior formals.
WJLE recorded the program and will feature it Wednesday, May 14 at 9:30 a.m. on WJLE AM 1480/FM 101.7 and on the Live audio stream at www.wjle.com. The program sponsors are DTC Communications, FirstBank, Glynn’s Auto Sales, and Optimus Pest Solutions.
Commencement for the Class of 2025 will be Friday, May 16 at 7 p.m. at DCHS
Four DCHS Seniors have graduated college before finishing high school
May 14, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
Almost every year at least one or more seniors at DCHS completes the credits necessary to earn an associate degree from Motlow State Community College just as they are finishing up their high school studies in preparation for graduation.
Such is the case this year for Dare Collins, Allison Goodwin, Alyssa Gilpin, and Megyn Patterson who can now proudly call themselves a college graduate while they await their high school diploma which will be presented to them Friday night, May 16 during the commencement for the Class of 2025 at DCHS starting at 7 p.m.
Through Motlow College’s dual enrollment program, high school students like Collins, Goodwin, Gilpin, and Patterson can earn college credits while still enrolled in high school. Students can take classes on a Motlow College campus, online, or even at a partner high school like DCHS.
According to the Motlow website, Dual Enrollment participation requirements are as follows:
• 3.0 High School GPA (2.5 GPA for CTE courses, such as Mechatronics) and a 3.0 GPA in a student’s high school classes in the subject area they wish to take collegiate classes, or ACT subscores of 18 English, 19 Reading, 19 Math
• “Homeschool students must have qualifying ACT scores (must have a composite of 21 or higher to get two free classes in a semester). If a homeschooled student doesn’t have an ACT composite of 21 or higher, he/she may receive more than one grant in a single semester if he/she has maintained a B average after the completion of at least two collegiate courses”.
Some high schools may have more stringent eligibility requirements
Collins and Patterson earned an associate degree in health science while Goodwin and Gilpin received an associate degree in psychology
