DCHS Track Runner Kaleb Spears Preparing to Sprint off to College

March 1, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A DeKalb County High School track runner will soon be sprinting off to college in full stride!

Kaleb Spears, a senior, signed papers Thursday committing to Milligan University to join the Buffaloes next year. He was joined at the signing by family, friends, and coaches.

It was during his middle school years that Spears became a runner in cross country and he continued participating in the sport at high school, but he really took off as a sprinter when he joined the DCHS/Warren County cooperative track program as a sophomore. Just last year as a junior, Kaleb set a school (Warren County) record placing 1st overall at Franklin County High School’s Sub-Sectional meet, with a personal best of 51.65 seconds. It was the third time Spears had broken the school’s record and his own in the same season.

Kaleb said he loves living and going to school in a small town like Smithville and that’s what he likes about Milligan. “It felt the most like home. It is a really small town and really closeknit. Everybody is nice and friendly. It’s a lot like DeKalb County and it felt like home to me when I was there,” said Spears.

Kaleb’s plans are to study chemistry and to become a forensic science technician for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Although he also enjoys basketball, Kaleb ‘s most success has been as a runner. “Basketball is my first love but when I made cross country in sixth grade I fell in love with the sport and I just kept doing it and its grown on me,” he said.

Before he sprints off to college, Kaleb still has more high school running ahead of him and more goals to achieve with his senior track season about to shift into high gear.

“It has really been exciting for me just to see all the hard work I have done to actually achieve something on the track as well as knowing that I still have my senior year coming up to hopefully improve on those records and maybe keep breaking my own records,” said Spears.

Jeremy Wilhelm, head coach at Warren County, said Kaleb is a gifted runner and has come a long way through hard work and perseverance.

“Kaleb takes long strides in the way he runs, and last year especially in the 400 meters event he did a really good job of improving his times. In fact, he broke the school record, three different times in the same season. He just continually got better and better and his hard work has paid off as is evidenced with this Milligan scholarship to further his education,” said Coach Wilhelm.

“With another high school season coming up, there are still a lot of things he can do this year that he is already pushing himself to do and that will result in the payoff of some good dividends because the little things he is doing now will set him apart when he goes to college,” added Coach Wilhelm.

Assistant Coach Kristen VanVranken of DeKalb County has worked with Kaleb from his days as a middle school runner and she has watched him excel in the sport over the years.

“Kaleb started running cross country with our DeKalb program as a middle schooler in sixth grade and he ran all three years of middle school. In high school he ran his freshman through senior years as a cross country runner and then in his sophomore and junior years he began running competitively in track and field through our Warren County cooperative program”, said Coach VanVranken.

“Kaleb is an extraordinary young man, super athletic, and he has just really blossomed the last two years with his track experience and training,” Coach VanVranken continued “He is very speedy. In cross country he was always a contributor to the team, but track is where he really shines. Kaleb does all the little things that sets him apart from being a competitive athlete to a collegiate level athlete. He does cross fit training through Vitality Fit. He trains with strength and you could really see that in his 400-meter run last year. Its just the extra stuff he does outside of practice that makes the difference for him and its pretty amazing to see,” added Coach VanVranken.

Along with his athleticism, VanVranken said Spears is among the best and brightest students academically in his class.

“Our 2024 DCHS class is super competitive with their academics. There are lots of smart kids in this class and Kaleb is ranked seventh which is determined through GPA and ACT scores. Its pretty impressive to make the top ten,” said Coach VanVranken.

Spears said while he is looking forward to college next year, he will always remember DCHS with a great deal of fondness.

“I’ll miss DCHS and seeing the people I grew up with and seeing their achievements in athletics and academics,” said Kaleb.

Milligan University is a private Christian university in Milligan College, Tennessee near Johnson City. Founded in 1866 as the Buffalo Male and Female Institute, and known as Milligan College from 1881 to May 2020, the school has a student population of more than 1,300 students, most of whom reside and study on its 355-acre campus. As a church-related liberal arts university, Milligan remains closely aligned with the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, a capella churches of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the three religious bodies that have traditionally supported the school. The university offers over 100 programs of study leading to both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The Milligan athletic teams are called the Buffaloes. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) since the 2001–02 academic year.

Milligan competes in 29 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, cycling, eSports, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, triathlon and volleyball; while women’s sports include basketball, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, cycling, dance, eSports, flag football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, triathlon and volleyball. Former sports included football and men’s disc golf.

February 29, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County has a new Veterans Service Officer.

Erica Degni was recently named to the position succeeding former Veterans Service Officer Bill Rutherford who resigned due to health reasons.

Degni was introduced to the county commission Monday night during its regular monthly meeting by County Mayor Matt Adcock who hired her.

Originally from New York, Degni’s family lives in Florida but she and her husband, who is from Mississippi, retired from Maryland and decided to move to DeKalb County while looking for a new home. “We were looking for property and what we wanted and found a place right here in DeKalb County,” said Degni.

A retired veteran, Degni served 24 years in the US Army and did Intelligence in computers. She and her husband left the service five years ago and they have been in DeKalb County for more than three years.

Degni got the Veterans Service Officer job in January and since has gone through training. She is now in the office every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and is anxious to meet local veterans and help them with what they need.

The Veterans Service Office is located on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse and although not required appointments are encouraged. The phone number is 615-597-3003.

February 29, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A man believed to be trafficking illegal narcotics was caught by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday exchanging drugs with a woman in the Walmart parking lot. Both have been charged with felony drug offenses and will make a court appearance March 14.

45-year-old Jerry Henry Goff of East Main Street, Smithville is charged with possession of the following controlled substances with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver: Adderall (schedule II), Buprenorphine (schedule III), Oxycodone (schedule II), Psilocybin Mushrooms (schedule I), Gabapentin (schedule V), Marijuana (schedule VI), Methamphetamine (schedule II), and Fentanyl (schedule II). His bond totals $257,000.

29-year-old Amber Cheyenne Barrett-Caldwell of Pine Orchard Road, Smithville is charged with possession of Methamphetamine (schedule II) with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. Her bond is $60,000.

Sheriff Patrick Ray issued the following statement on the investigation that led to the arrest of Goff and Caldwell.

“On February 27 while in an undercover capacity, detectives with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office were conducting surveillance on Jerry Goff due to receiving numerous reports of him trafficking illegal narcotics. While surveilling Goff at the parking lot of Wal-Mart, detectives observed an early 2000’s model truck pull up to the Dodge Nitro driven by Goff and a hand-to-hand transaction was made”.

“Detectives then stopped both vehicles to find Cheyenne Barrett-Caldwell to be the driver of the early 2000’s model Chevrolet truck. Goff, who is currently on state probation was searched along with his vehicle”.

“Detectives recovered 38 blue pills believed to be Oxycodone and a large sum of cash. The search of Cheyenne Barrett-Caldwell revealed 29.77 grams of a crystal-like substance believed to be Methamphetamine”.

“After leaving the scene at Wal-Mart, detectives along with deputies from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office went to the residence of Goff located at 624 East Main Street in Smithville to conduct a search of his residence. After the search of Goff’s home detectives recovered an additional large sum of cash along with 4 Adderall pills, 2 pink Oxycodone pills, 18 Buprenorphine pills, 3.43 grams of Psilocybin Mushrooms, over 100 Gabapentin pills, 92.24 grams of marijuana. and 55.4 grams of fentanyl. Detectives further recovered numerous items of drug paraphernalia including digital scales, syringes, spoons, straws, and other items. Detectives also seized the 2008 Dodge Nitro along with $5,636.00 in cash from Goff,” said Sheriff Ray.

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