News
DCHS Tennis Developing a Winning Culture
March 17, 2025
By: Brian Cadle
DCHS Tennis Developing a Winning Culture
The DCHS boys’ tennis team won the DeKalb Invitational with a 5-2 victory over Macon County at the Smithville Golf Club last Friday. The Tigers were 3-0 on the day, with their other two victories over Riverdale and Oakland. The tournament title was the first in the tenure of Head Coach Brian Cadle, who is in his fourth year at the helm for the Tigers.
Lance Duke, a freshman, led the Tigers with a 6-0 record for the day, going undefeated in both singles and doubles play. Tiger seniors Ian Barnes, Jackson Mathis, and Luke Midgett all won five matches to secure the team championship. The Tigers stand at 4-1 for the season and Coach Cadle was both pleased and excited for the boys. “I started this tournament a few years ago to give our kids a chance to play lots of matches on the same day as a way to prepare for both the district regular season matches and tournament. Winning the tournament and gaining valuable season experience is a double blessing.”
The girls finished second in the tournament with a 2-1 record. They defeated Riverdale and Oakland but lost to Macon County in the championship. Charlotte Paladino, the lone senior in the varsity lineup, led the girls with a 4-2 record. Junior Candice Rico also won four matches. Juniors Abby Joe Crook, Jayde Lester, and sophomore Kayce Hale all won three matches for the Lady Tigers. The girls’ team record is 3-2, with the three wins equalling half of the team victories from last season. Cadle pointed out the growth of the girls’ team over the past three seasons. “Our girls’ program had to essentially start over in 2023, with the loss of several seniors and two returning players not coming out. We did not win a match that year, won six matches last year and now sit at three wins already. The girls have worked through the adversity and worked hard in the off-season to improve and get more experience. It certainly shows right now.”
The DCHS tennis program has enjoyed an overall surge in both participation and success, along with growing player confidence. Mathis, the senior captain, for the Tigers, commented on his confidence as a doubles player. He is partnering with a longtime friend, Midgett. “Luke and I have been friends for over ten years and know how to play off each other. We are both very energetic people on the court who know when to take the load if one of us is not playing well. We are confident in each other and go into every match knowing that we can win.”
Cadle is excited about the Tiger tennis program seeing players from the same family joining in. “We are proud to have two second-generation players in Ian and Lance. Their dads, Adam Barnes, and Patrick Duke, were both tennis players at DeKalb during their time in high school. Barnes stated, “My dad was a great influence in how I got into tennis and grew my skill so quickly. We would go to the courts a lot and hit and he taught me all that he knew about the sport.”
The DCHS team also has several siblings of current players in the tennis program pipeline. Ethan Brown, a sophomore Tiger player has an older brother, Isaac, who played for the Tigers and graduated back in 2023. Mia Bell is a freshman player for the girls’ varsity team and has a brother, Oliver, who is a 6th grader on the middle school team. Luke Midgett’s youngest, brother, John Casey, a 4th grader, is participating in the 10 and under tennis program offered in Smithville by Coach Cadle. Paladino has an older brother, Ian, who played for the Tigers and graduated in 2022. “The best tennis programs have players who belong to tennis families, with several kids playing tennis for their school. I have seen that trend in all my years of coaching. I am so excited to see our DeKalb families going in that direction.”
The boys’ program has seen a winning season in the last two seasons and earned ten wins in 2024. Cadle is hopeful that both teams will reach that pinnacle this season.”We have started strong and the kids have begun to develop a winning culture of commitment, consistency, and confidence. Our team has progressed to believing in their ability to win matches.” At press time, the Tigers played White County on Tuesday and will host York Institute on Thursday at 3:30 pm.
Mayor places Alexandria Police Chief on suspension without pay pending hearing
March 15, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
The Town of Alexandria is again without a police chief at least temporarily.
On Thursday March 13, Mayor Beth Tripp issued a written reprimand of Police Chief Kenneth (K.D.) Smith and placed him on suspension without pay until a disciplinary hearing before the mayor and aldermen Thursday night, March 20 at 7 p.m. at city hall.
The mayor’s written reprimand or write-ups to go in the chief’s personnel file are based on alleged events which occurred on November 30, 2024, December 14, 2024, March 10, 2025, and March 13, 2025.
WJLE was unable to make contact with Mayor Tripp by phone for comment Saturday but Chief Smith provided WJLE with a copy of the mayor’s written reprimand as shown here which alleges as follows:
“Resident complaints on several occasions telling residents city information”
“Making workplace intolerable”
“Making workers and myself (mayor) feel unsafe. This isn’t the first time”
“I gave several warnings on your temper and voice getting loud”
“Body language shows anger”
“Not following chain of command on several occasions”
“Talked with you several times trying to get you to calm down”
“Many residents have complained to me about you”
“On Thursday, March 13 at around 3 or 3:30 p.m. the mayor came in and told me to go home for the day. About 15 minutes later I was getting ready to leave and I got called in the office to read and sign a written reprimand. I read over it. I put on it “non agreeable” because I don’t agree with the information that was written down. I initialed it and handed it back to her. I had to turn in my badge, my gun and the keys to the vehicle (patrol car) and to the department. I left the vehicle parked and I had to get an officer to get me a ride home,” said Chief Smith.
“She (mayor) suspended me without pay. I have a hearing on March 20 at 7 p.m. at city hall to determine the disciplinary action toward me. I presume that will be either to dismiss the suspension, uphold it or terminate me,” Chief Smith continued.
According to Chief Smith, the allegations are baseless and without merit.
“As far as I know I have a good rapport and good relationship with all the citizens in the town that I have had contact with and all the businesspeople. I’m the type of person that I go and sit down and talk with the businesspeople. I see people sitting on their front porch and I have stopped and talked with them. I don’t know where the citizen complaints are coming from. That’ll be something that I will address at the hearing. I am trying to build a good police department for the city, and we have a good working relationship with everybody. We’re trying to get there but this is kind of a slap in the face,” said Chief Smith.
According to Chief Smith, the police department is now left with only three part time officers. “There are no full-time officers right now. There are only part time officers trying to cover the town and there will be days between now and my hearing that there will be limited police presence. I hate that for the citizens of the town,” he said.
Counties could increase mineral severance tax under proposed state legislation
March 15, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
DeKalb County stands to gain under proposed legislation in the Tennessee General Assembly giving counties authority to increase the mineral severance tax for local road construction and maintenance.
The DeKalb County Road Department currently gets $30,000 per year from the county’s mineral severance tax assessment of 15 cents per ton on companies such as quarries and rock crushers that sever from the ground sand, gravel, sandstone, chert or limestone.
State Representative Michael Hale, who supports the legislation, said any increase in the tax would help.
“Currently the mineral severance tax is 15 cents per ton. Over a period of time, its going to go up five cents every five years to the point its going to be up to 30 cents per ton and that will be earmarked totally for roads. I think its around $30,000 right now for DeKalb County which doesn’t seem like a lot but when its doubled over time to $60,000 it will help especially when it costs $200,000 plus to pave one mile of road. Everything the county can get is a help,” said State Representative Hale.
Under the legislation as introduced, the rate of the tax must be set by two thirds vote of the county legislative body, but must not exceed the following amounts per ton on sand, gravel, sandstone, chert, or limestone severed from the ground in the county:
(1) For a tax period that begins prior to July 1, 2025, fifteen cents (15¢) per ton;
(2) For a tax period that begins on or after July 1, 2025, and prior to July 1, 2030, twenty cents (20¢) per ton;
(3) For a tax period that begins on or after July 1, 2030, and prior to July 1, 2035, twenty-five cents (25¢) per ton; and
(4) For a tax period that begins on or after July 1, 2035, and for subsequent tax periods, thirty cents (30¢) per ton.
According to the legislation, not less than thirty (30) days after the end of a county’s fiscal year, each county that receives revenue from a tax levied pursuant to this part shall provide an annual written report to the comptroller of the treasury, the commissioner of transportation, the chair of the transportation and safety committee of the senate, and the chair of the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over transportation issues, detailing the amount of revenue deposited into the county road fund during the previous fiscal year, the amount of revenue spent by the county, and how those expenditures have been designated and used for construction, maintenance, and repair of the county system.
A county legislative body that has authorized a tax under this part may increase the tax rate in accordance with state law (§ 67-7-203) adopting a resolution by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote. The presiding officer of the county legislative body shall deliver a certified copy of the resolution increasing the tax rate to the department of revenue. The new tax rate must not be collected by the department of revenue pursuant to the county legislative action until the first day of a month occurring at least thirty (30) days after the receipt of a certified copy of such action by the department.
