WJLE UPDATING WEBSITE

February 3, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

WJLE is in the process of re-designing our website to expand our service to you with more spaces for advertising and local information. Currently to access links to the COMMUNITY CALENDAR, CHURCH NEWS, CLASSIFIEDS, OLD TIME COUNTRY COMMUNITY RADIO SHOW, AND MORE, click the “COMMUNITY” drop down box located just above the Tim Stribling and Jimmy Poss ads near the top of the HOME PAGE or above the St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital and Dr. Mitchell Tatum ads on the LOCAL NEWS PAGE. Our updated site will look very similar to the present site and will be launched soon.

February 2, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County Mayor Tim Stribling has proclaimed February 5-9 Tennessee Quit Week in DeKalb County. “It’s Quittin’ Time in Tennessee” is an opportunity to celebrate Tennesseans who have quit using tobacco products and inspire more people to join them.

“We support anyone who lives in, works in or visits DeKalb County and wants to stop using tobacco as part of our efforts to make this a healthier community,” said Mayor Tim Stribling. “We’re also encouraging our local health care providers to talk with patients about tobacco use and share resources for quitting with those who use tobacco.”

Tennessee Quit Week is part of a statewide effort led by the Tennessee Department of Health to raise awareness of the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine and other free resources available to help Tennesseans quit smoking and/or using other tobacco products. These proven, effective services can double a tobacco user’s chances of quitting.

“We are here to encourage, support and assist anyone trying to break the addiction to nicotine and move toward a life free from smoking, dipping and/or using other tobacco products,” said DeKalb County Health Department Director Michael Railling. “We know how hard it can be to kick the habit. Call or come see us, call the QuitLine, talk with your health care provider – do whatever it takes to learn about all of the options available that can help you succeed!”

Smokers can call the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine, use a web-based program or attend in-person counseling services and may receive free FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy. Call the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to speak with a counselor who will help you assess your addiction and help you create a quit plan. For more information and resources including an online cessation tool, visit www.tnquitline.org.

Why Team Up to Quit?

•Patients who work with their health care professionals are ultimately more successful in attempts to quit tobacco use.

Tobacco users who receive treatment report higher satisfaction with overall health care received compared to untreated tobacco users, according to the U.S. Public Health Service.

•Smokers who quit can add up to 10 years to their life expectancy.

Visit the Tennessee Department of Health online at http://tn.gov/health.
Connect with TDH on Facebook and Twitter @TNDeptofHealth!

February 2, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

DTC Communications is being awarded a $1.7 million broadband accessibility grant to help build new infrastructure to serve parts of Smith and Wilson counties.

The announcement was made last week by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe. A total of $9.844 million in broadband accessibility grants are being awarded by the state that will help build new broadband infrastructure in parts of 13 Tennessee counties.

DTC Communications is in the midst of a major effort to build a world class high-speed broadband network for its five county service area with fiber optics. The $40 million project is being done in phases to serve DeKalb, Cannon, Wilson, Rutherford, and Smith counties. The goal is to complete the initial build-out within five years. The grant will aid DTC in funding the project.

The grants are the result of the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act, Haslam’s 2017 legislation to increase broadband to more Tennesseans and offset the capital expenses of deploying broadband in areas that currently lack access. The grants will provide broadband service to more than 5,000 locations in counties across the state.

Alongside digital literacy grants announced last week, the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act has already supported nearly $10 million in broadband investments across the state.

“In communities across Tennessee, broadband is an essential service that will increase economic investment and growth to help businesses, families and individuals thrive,” Haslam said. “With the assistance of these grants, underserved communities will now have access to broadband that will benefit not only the communities themselves, but the state as a whole. These grants are a step in the right direction for our state and will help Tennessee reach its full potential.”

TNECD received 71 applications requesting more than $66 million in funding. The nine grantees selected demonstrated a high need for grant funding, the ability to implement and sustain the project long term, strong community support and the economic impact of the infrastructure deployment. Grantees will provide more than $10 million in matching funds for a combined investment of more than $20 million across the state.

“One of our top priorities is creating an environment in Tennessee that promotes job growth and success in rural communities. With the leadership of Gov. Haslam and support of the Tennessee General Assembly, those rural communities will now have access to reliable internet and will be better equipped for success,” Rolfe said.

The grant recipients include:
• Aeneas Communications: $190,000 to serve parts of Hardeman County
• Ben Lomand Communications: $1,025,000 to serve the Pocahontas Community in Coffee County
• Comcast: $850,000 to serve parts of Tipton County
• DTC Communications: $1,725,000 to serve parts of Smith and Wilson counties
• Gibson Electric Membership Corporation: $1,353,148.14 to serve parts of Lake and Obion counties
• Scott County Telephone Cooperative: $1,900,000 to serve Surgoinsville in Hawkins County
• Sunset Digital Communications: $1,375,000 to serve parts of Claiborne and Hancock counties
• Tri-County Fiber Communications: $1,350,000 to serve parts of Sumner and Trousdale counties
• Volunteer First Services: $76,714 to serve the Sunset Ridge Community in Cumberland County

In 2016, TNECD released a commissioned study assessing broadband in Tennessee that found that 13 percent of Tennessee residents do not have access to broadband at federally recognized standards. The Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act provides $45 million over three years in grants and tax credits for service providers to assist in making broadband available to unserved homes and businesses. The TBAA also permits private, nonprofit electrical cooperatives to begin providing retail broadband services to their members.