Shelter from the cold for the homeless! (View Video Here)

January 14, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Shelter from the cold for the homeless!

Although it was not scheduled to open quite so soon, an emergency shelter for the homeless of DeKalb County has been opened by the non-profit group “Live and Let Live” for the next couple of days because of weather forecasts which currently call for 2-4 inches of snow and bitterly cold temperatures at night and during the day.

Volunteers were busy Sunday getting the shelter ready to open with food and supplies. Its located at 656-B West Broad Street in the back of the Vitality Fit building owned by Tyler Cantrell, a small space that Live and Let Live is leasing from Cantrell, apart from his business. The shelter is next door to O’Reilly Auto Parts and across the street from Bridgeway Motel. Look for the mailbox with the address. There’s also a small sign on the door to the side of the building.

The shelter is temporarily open to anyone who doesn’t have a place to shelter and keep warm and its being operated under the supervision of Live and Let Live volunteers.

“We are offering shelter beginning tonight (Sunday, January 14) at 4 p.m. and we plan to stay open through the day Monday and Tuesday, January 15 & 16,” Live and Let Live board member Gina Arnold told WJLE. “We have been watching the weather forecasts and we understand its going to be quite cold. We would like to get all of our unsheltered friends out of the cold and offer them a warm place to sleep and an option for them to shower and have a place to launder their clothes if needed and get a hot meal. We will be laundering the bedding and towels on site,” she said.

“We actually just acquired our non-profit status last month, so we had not planned to open this quickly, but the pending weather caused us to take a leap of faith and open up for our unsheltered friends,” Arnold explained. “Everybody has been so kind to come together and help support this effort. Temporarily this week because daytime temperatures are projected to be so cold we do plan to be open through the day but normally our goal for the rest of the winter is to open up on the nights when temperatures fall below 25 degrees starting at 4 p.m. and stay open until the following morning at 7 a.m. with the exception of the times when we are able to have enough volunteers here to provide daytime shelter due to the cold temperatures. I know 25 is still very cold but if we have good volunteer services then we might be able to be open when the temperatures are below 32 degrees,” said Arnold.

The community has rallied in support of Live and Let Live’s mission to serve the homeless in this community, but more volunteers are encouraged to join the effort.

“There has been an outpouring of support with people bringing in food for this week. We so appreciate all of our volunteers. We have had lots of food donations as well as donations of appliances and volunteer time. We have had volunteers to bring in meals for the night and daytime snacks and things like that. Churches and individuals in the area have been so very generous. We can’t say enough about the love everybody has shown,” said Arnold.

If you would like to help or get more information contact Dean Adcock at 931-409-5146, Lillie Vaughn at 931-265-3933, or Gina Arnold at 615-464-3047 or email liveandletlivetn@gmail.com. You may also visit the Live and Let Live, DeKalb County TN Facebook page to send a private message.

January 14, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Senior Ari White was named Most Valuable Player of the 2023 DCHS Tiger Football Team during the annual Awards Banquet held Saturday night at the Smithville First Baptist Church Life Enrichment Center building. Meanwhile, Ally Fuller, a Senior received the Most Valuable Football Cheerleader Award.

The trophies, sponsored by Liberty State Bank, were presented to White and Fuller respectively by Tiger Football Coach Steve Trapp and Cheer Coach Amanda Fuller, Ally’s mother.

Meanwhile Junior Ty Webb was announced as the winner of the Coach Clay Edwards Memorial Tiger Pride Award. Members of Edwards’ family presented the award to Webb including son Abram Edwards and Abram’s mother Tena Edwards-Jacobs along with Abram’s wife, Shannon and children Emmie Edwards, Carleigh Clay Edwards, and Harmony Edwards.

Although MVP Ari White made his mark on defense for the Tigers and was awarded the Region’s Most Outstanding Linebacker, Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said he was often used in other positions because of his athletic talent and versatility.

“It meant something to this young man to be good for the people around him. It wasn’t a selfish thing. He was a big time leader for us. I have been playing him since he was a sophomore. I had to get him on the field because he was so good. I had to put him at defensive line because we knew he was going to be the next middle linebacker. He came in and played running back when Malachi Trapp was hurt and he did a good job for us. We used him at tightend. He would always do what you asked him to do. He graduated early. It has been a pleasure to coach him. I watched him play in Junior Pro and at the Middle School and couldn’t wait for him to get to the high school level. When he got here he did not disappoint. I am super proud to be able to say that I coached this young man and super proud to announce that this year’s Liberty State Bank Most Valuable Player is Ari White,” said Coach Trapp.

In presenting the MVC Award, Cheer Coach Amanda Fuller talked about her daughter Ally’s work and leadership in this program.

‘The girl receiving this award tonight has waited her turn and worked so hard to lead the team. I always tell them (cheerleaders) to be a good leader you need to prove that you can be a good follower. She has shown respect to her former captains and has equally shown compassion and love to the freshmen on the team this year, I determine our captain each year based on seniority and score. I also consider their attitude, dedication to the team, and the input of my assistant coaches. Most will never see all that a captain does for the team and the pressure they feel their senior season when so much is on their shoulders and they care the most about the team and the results. This girl has been around the DCHS football cheerleading program her entire life. She has been cheering since she was six years old. She has genuine crowd appeal and makes it all look natural and easy. She has participated in gymnastics and competition cheer, and now works as a tumbling instructor at Infinity Athletics, She has been an NCA All-American nominee every year in high school and she made the All-American team last year. She has looked up to so many amazing cheerleaders over the years and now she has become the one that many young people look up to. She is so very precious to me. She makes me proud every day. I wish I could be more like her. The 2023 Most Valuable Cheerleader Award goes to Ally Fuller,” said Coach Fuller.

Individual Football Player Awards are as follows:
Offensive Player of the Year- Malachi Trapp
Offensive Lineman- Chris Pulley
Offensive Back- Briz Trapp
Receiver- Jordan Parker
Defensive Player of the Year- Ty Webb
Defensive Lineman- Wil Farris
Linebacker- Andrew Dakas
Defensive Back- Trace Hamilton
Special Teams Player- Adrian Prater
Most Improved-Bryson Arnold
MVP- Ari White
Coach Clay Edwards Memorial Tiger Pride Award-Ty Webb
Scout Team Player of the Year: Kobe Roller
Newcomer of the Year: Kevin Ahlgard

Nine DCHS Football players have earned 2023 All-Region honors. These awards are voted on by coaches in the region.

The local award winners recognized at the banquet Saturday night are as follows: Most Outstanding Linebacker-Ari White; Most Outstanding Running Back- Malachi Trapp; Most Outstanding Returner -Ryon Lyons; 1st Team – Wil Farris, Ty Webb, and Briz Trapp; and 2nd Team – Jordan Parker, Chris Pulley, and Andrew Dakas.

Individual Cheer Awards are as follows:
Most Valuable Cheerleader- Ally Fuller
Most Spirited- Macy Anderson
Best Dancer- Addyson Swisher
Best Stunts-Annabella Dakas
DEAR (Dedication, Enthusiasm, Attitude, and Responsibility- Jade Mabe
Best Jumps-Landen Tubbs
Best Motions: Elaina Turner

The DCHS Tigers closed the book on their 2023 football season Friday night, November 3 falling to the Red Bank Lions 30 to 0 on the road in the 1st round of the TSSAA Class 4A Play-offs.

The TSSAA awards schools and individual football players who have excelled academically in their grade point average for the last semester. Coach Trapp said the 2023 DCHS football team will receive the TSSAA’s Distinguished Scholastic Achievement Award for attaining a team GPA of 3.28. This award is given by TSSAA to teams with a GPA of 3.25 or above.

Twenty nine members of the DCHS program including football players and managers receiving TSSAA Individual Awards for a GPA of 3.5 or greater for the last semester are Bryson Arnold, Hunter Buchanan, Colin Dickens, Jerett Hamilton, Jon Hendrix, Jordan Parker, Conner Talley, Aiden Turner, Ari White, Blaine Atnip, Wyatt Carter, Wil Farris, Aaron Hatfield, Brownie Johnson, Adrian Prater, Briz Trapp, Tucker Webb, Chase Young, Hunter Ballew, Andrew Dakas, Jesse Foutch, Caiden Hecker, Jaxon Kleparek, Kobe Roller, Bryson Trapp, Ty Webb, Shelby Driver, Abby Cross, and Sadie Moore. Fourteen of them had a GPA of 4.0.

January 13, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The DCHS Tigers and Lady Tigers went to Baxter Friday night but returned home disappointed after losing to Upperman 41 to 28 in the girls game and 58 to 46 in the boys contest.

The Tigers are now 10-10 on the season and 1-2 in the district. The Lady Tigers drop to 9-11 overall and 0-3 in district play.

In the girls game, DC led 6 to 5 after the 1st period but trailed 20 to 10 at halftime and 30 to 22 after the 3rd period before losing 41 to 28.

Ella VanVranken led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 15 followed by Avery Agee with 8, Chloe VanVranken 4 and Tess Barton with 1.

Upperman led the Tigers 7 to 5 after the 1st period of the boys game. The Tigers held an 18 to 15 advantage by halftime but trailed 33 to 32 after the 3rd period. Upperman expanded its lead in the 4th period and went on to win 58 to 46.

For the Tigers, Conner Close scored 18, Jon Hendrix and Seth Fuson each with 8, Dallas Kirby 4, Kaleb Spears and Ian Colwell each with 3 and Alex Antoniak 2.

DeKalb County has a date with Livingston Academy on the road Tuesday night, January 16 and will host Stone Memorial Friday, January 19. Action each night begins with the girls game at 6 p.m. followed by the boys contest.

WJLE will have LIVE coverage each night.