DeKalb County has been honored by the Governor of Tennessee for its steps toward creating a healthier community.

The Governors Foundation has recognized DeKalb County with the Healthier Tennessee designation for 2018 including a highway sign and plaque presented to the DeKalb County Wellness Commission, Community Advisory Board, and the DeKalb Health Adventure Program for their work in helping to provide healthy opportunities for the residents of DeKalb County.

The Healthier Tennessee Communities initiative is a grassroots approach to improving Tennesseans’ health by engaging citizens and local leaders in cities, towns, counties, neighborhoods, and college campuses across the state.

To be designated, the communities established wellness committees and developed sustainable community-wide events and activities that support physical activity, healthy eating, and tobacco abstinence. They then tracked and measured outputs and accomplishments of the programs.

The Foundation launched the Healthier Tennessee Communities initiative in March 2015 with nine pilot communities. Today, more than 100 communities, neighborhoods, and college campuses are engaged with the program, and 59 have received the designation.

Pictured from left to right: Lisa Cripps, Helen Sefsik, Megan Kinslow, Colleen Wright, Elise Driver, Mandy Lawson, Norene Puckett, Shan Burklow, Kristi Paling, and Sheriff Patrick Ray.

Thursday, April 26 is your last chance to vote early for the DeKalb County Democratic Primary.

Voting Thursday will be from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on the first floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse.

As of Wednesday, April 25, a total of 968 people have cast ballots during 13 days of early voting. On Wednesday, 90 voted including 88 in person and 2 by absentee. Four years ago a total of 1,612 voted either during the 14 day early voting period or by absentee for the election and 1,701 cast ballots on election day for a total turnout of 3,313 in the 2014 May Democratic Primary.

This year voters are making their choices as to who will represent the Democratic party as nominees in the August General Election for the offices of Road Supervisor, County Mayor, Circuit Court Clerk, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, County Clerk, and for the county commission in each of the seven districts. There is no Democratic candidate for Trustee.

The primary will feature two county wide contested races for County Mayor and Circuit Court Clerk. There are four contested county commission district primary races including in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 7th districts.

Election day voting at all 15 precincts in the county will be from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1.

WJLE will have exclusive LIVE coverage of the local election returns starting at 7 p.m. on AM 1480/FM 101.7 and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com.

The community is invited to rally in support of the Joseph Bowen family on Saturday, April 28 for a benefit men softball tournament and male beauty contest featuring emergency personnel. All proceeds will go to the family of Officer Bowen, who lost his life in a tragic traffic accident in March.

Fourteen teams will be taking to the field, including seven each at the Bill Page and Joe L. Evins Softball Fields to compete starting at 8 a.m. “We chose a softball tournament because a favorite pastime of Joe’s was to play softball on the weekends with family and friends,” said Event Sponsorship Director Chris McMillen.

Organizers are hoping for a big turnout and have prepared well having received donations of many concession items including hamburgers, hotdogs, barbeque, nachos, soft drinks, and more.

Ten or more vendors will also be selling a variety of merchandise from their booths which will be set up near the Bill Page Ball Park.

Make plans to spend this Saturday enjoying a fun event while showing your support for the Bowen family.

For more information call McMillen at 615-417-0217 or Tournament Director Kenneth Whitehead at 615-464-7038.

Also check out Chris McMillen’s video promoting this event at
https://www.facebook.com/chris.mcmillen.948