Two Injured in Friday Crash Near Walmart

January 18, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Two people were injured in a crash Friday on West Broad Street at the Walmart Drive traffic light.

According to Smithville Patrolman Will Judkins, 66 year old Deborah Culwell of Smithville was in the west bound turning lane on Broad Street in a 2005 Mercury Mountaineer when she turned left at the light into the path of an eastbound 2005 Ford Escape driven by 67 year old Sue Hughes of Smithville.

After impact, the Mountaineer spun around facing east and the Escape came to rest up against a guardrail facing southeast.

Culwell was transported to the hospital by DeKalb EMS. Hughes went to the hospital by a private vehicle.

Culwell was cited for expired tag and no insurance.

Officer Brandon Donnell assisted Officer Judkins in the crash investigation. The Smithville Volunteer Fire Department was also on the scene.

January 18, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

It wasn’t an actual storm alert but students at DeKalb West School filed into the tornado safe room Friday morning.

The tornado drill was staged for News2 StormTracker meteorologist Davis Nolan and a camera crew who videoed the event for a weather special to be aired in February and March.

Nolan, who visited DeKalb West for a career day last year, happened to notice the tornado safe room at that time and wanted to return for a feature story.

“I found this fascinating,” said Nolan.

“We came back here because they have this tornado shelter which withstands 250 mile per hour winds. There may be others but I have only seen one other school that has this up in Paris, Tennessee,” he said

“All schools have kids go to a hallway that is an interior part of the school and that is usually the safest place to be with those big cinderblock walls which are safe but they could still be knocked down. But you’re not going to see many tornadoes in Tennessee that will ever be able to penetrate this thing,” Nolan said.

The segment featuring DeKalb West School will be part of the News2 Storm Tracker Family Weather Day Special in February.

“We’re doing a weather special on Wednesday, February 27 called our News2 StormTracker Family Safety Day Road Block and there will be a story in every newscast. There will be eight different stories during the day. This will be one of them. On March 2 we will have a special at 6 p.m. featuring all the stories and we will repeat that special on March 9 at 4:30 p.m. During the segment on DeKalb West School we will talk about why and how this tornado safe room was built and how it was paid for,” said Nolan.

Nolan added that he was impressed with how quickly the students gathered in the tornado safe room during the drill.

“They did this tornado drill for us and we actually got to see them go in the hallway and take their positions and they were very quick,” he said.

The tornado safe room area, funded by a FEMA grant along with state and local funds, was completed in 2014 and opened with the start of school that year.

The shelter has been used several times during actual storm alerts for students, staff, and parents.

January 18, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

State Sen. Mark Pody has been appointed first vice chair of the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally made the appointment as the General Assembly prepares to close the 2019 organizational session Saturday.

“Our transportation system is of vital importance for the safety and convenience of citizens across Tennessee,” said Pody, R-Lebanon. “It also makes a crucial contribution to our state’s economic development and growth, paving the way for new and better-paying jobs. I appreciate the opportunity to serve in the leadership of this committee and look forward to working with my colleagues to improve Tennessee’s transportation system.”

Pody will also serve as a member of the Government Operations Committee and the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. The Government Operations Committee reviews all department and agencies of state government to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The Energy Committee’s scope includes review of legislation related to Tennessee’s hunting and fishing laws, state parks, energy conservation, agriculture, preservation of natural resources and fostering the state’s tourism industry.

Pody represents District 17 in the Tennessee Senate, which includes Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Macon, Smith and Wilson counties.

Meanwhile State House Speaker Glen Casada named state Rep. Clark Boyd chair of the House Consumer and Human Resources Committee, which makes Boyd the most junior member of the House of Representatives to chair a full committee.

The 12-person committee will be responsible for all consumer and human resource-related issues, as well as issues that pertain to Tennessee’s workforce.

Boyd will also serve on the House Commerce and Calendar and Rules committees, as well as the Consumer, Employee Affairs and Utilities subcommittees.

Boyd lives in Lebanon and represents House District 46, which includes Cannon, and parts of Wilson and DeKalb counties.

State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver of Lancaster has been appointed by Speaker Casada as chair of the Safety and Funding Subcommittee and member of the Education, House K-12 Subcommittee, and member of the Transportation Committee.

Weaver serves the 40^th district which includes Smith and Trousdale counties and parts of DeKalb and Sumner counties. She is starting her sixth term.

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