Local Korean War Veteran Presented Ambassador for Peace Medal

September 16, 2022
By:

A local Korean War veteran was recently recognized for his service by receiving the “Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal.”

Jimmie Andrew Beshears was presented the Medal by DeKalb County Veterans Service Officer Bill Rutherford. Also present at the event was Beshears’ wife of 67 years, Louise, and Mae Belle Foster of Suncrest Home Health.

Born May 17, 1928, Beshears served in the United States Army and entered the Korean War at the beginning of the war in 1950 at the age of 22. He was previously awarded the combat infantry badge as well as the Republic of Korea War Service Ribbon USAMM and the Korean Service Ribbon.

Corporal Beshears said he remembered how cold they were and digging foxholes shoulder high while fighting to push back the North Koreans. He said that after digging the foxhole waist deep the Sergeant said ‘dig deeper men.’ It was cold and wet in the foxholes.

Corporal Beshears served with the Eighth Army. The Eighth Army, after coming ashore at Inchon, was able to push North Korea back across the 38th parallel and advance all the way to the capital city of Pyongyang, with thoughts the war would be over quickly, until China entered the war.

The Eighth Army is still active today and serves in South Korea along with the Republican of Korea (ROK) military, protecting the US and our Allies’ interest in Southeast Asia.

“Corporal Beshears is one of just a handful of the Korean War veterans that are still with us in DeKalb County,” said VSO Officer Rutherford. “The Korean War is known as the ‘forgotten war’ and it is a great honor to meet and hear Corporal Beshears memories of entering into Korea at the beginning of the war.”

Corporal Beshears was given a challenge coin from DeKalb County thanking him for his service.

If you are a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, there are caring, qualified VA responders standing by to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

CALL 1-800-273-8255 Press 1

September 16, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Tigers will be at Crossville tonight (Friday) in search of their fourth victory of the season as they face the Cumberland County Jets.

https://www.wjle.com/tiger-talk/

Kick-off will be at 7 p.m. and WJLE will have LIVE coverage.

DeKalb County is 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the Region while Cumberland County is still in search of its first win of the season at 0-4.

Last week the Tigers overcame mistakes to defeat the Watertown Purple Tigers 26-14. Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said his team can’t keep counting on wins if those kinds of miscues keep occurring.

“I think our slow start last week probably contributed to all the mistakes we made. I think we had three offensive series in a row where we turned the ball over, dropped a punt, threw a punt interception and all that really hindered us but our defense played really well. With our emphasis on the run game last week, they (Watertown) got worn down a little bit and things started happening more for us. We mixed it up inside and outside with Colby Barnes and Malachi Trapp and the rest of the guys we were getting the ball to until finally we got a break that went in our favor. They (Watertown) made a couple of mistakes at the end and we were able to capitalize on it but there’s no doubt we have to clean things up,” he said.

Cumberland County, the Tigers next opponent tonight (Friday), not only is winless this season but hasn’t even scored the last three weeks. Some Tiger fans may want to write this down as an easy victory for DeKalb County but Coach Trapp sees it differently.

“They have not won a game and if you look at their scores you think its gulley washers every night but when you watch their films and disregard the scoreboard you see a team that is doing a lot of good things. I think they are really solid up front and solid in the line backing corps. You can tell they have a system they are utilizing on offense they have just had a lot of bad breaks. We have seen a lot of scores they have made that have been called back on penalties and things like that so they are doing things the right way. It’s a very quality opponent and one that has our full attention,” added Coach Trapp.

WJLE’s Pre-Game shows begin with “Coach to Coach” at 5:00 p.m. featuring former UT assistant coach Doug Matthews with former coach Dave McGinnis and broadcaster Larry Stone talking Tennessee and SEC football.

“Coach to Coach” is followed by “Murphy’s Matchups at 6:00 p.m., a look at Tennessee High School Football from Murphy Fair with commentary on games and coaches interviews.

“Tiger Talk” airs at 6:30 p.m. with the Voice of the Tigers John Pryor interviewing Coach Steve Trapp and Tiger football players Colby Barnes, Tyler Estes, and Trace Hamilton.

Kick-off is at 7:00 p.m. with play-by-play coverage on WJLE AM 1480 and WJLE FM 101.7 from the Voice of the Tigers John Pryor and Luke Willoughby. You may also listen on the LIVE Stream at www.wjle.com

The DCHS 2022 Football Schedule is as follows:
REGION OPPONENTS (*)
August 19: Warren County-(Tigers won 35-34).
August 26: Smith County-(Tigers won 17-14)
September 1 (THURSDAY): Macon County*- (Tigers lost 21-13).
September 9: Watertown-(Tigers won 26-14)
September 16: Cumberland County*- Crossville 7 p.m.
September 23: Cannon County-Woodbury 7 p.m.
September 30: Livingston Academy* (HOMECOMING)-Smithville 7 p.m.
October 14: Upperman*-Baxter 7 p.m.
October 21: Goodpasture-Goodpasture 7 p.m.
October 28: Stone Memorial* Smithville 7 p.m.
WJLE will have LIVE coverage of each week’s games and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com.

September 15, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

After being on the back burner for the last couple of years, a project to build a new Pre-K to 2 elementary school to replace the existing Smithville Elementary School could be about to take center stage again.

(Click link below to view plan)

School Plans

Prior to Tuesday night’s regular monthly meeting, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps unveiled for the Board of Education in a workshop, a rendering of what a new Smithville Elementary School campus would look like in an updated schematic site plan by Upland Design Group, the architect for the project.

More than two years ago the school board voted to allocate funds from its own budget to purchase 24.5 acres of property on North Congress Boulevard adjacent to Northside Elementary School for construction of a new pre-K to 2nd grade elementary school. The price paid was $18,000 per acre for a total of $441,000. The purchase was made after a favorable core drill assessment of the property and TDOT approval of a traffic plan into the proposed new school off Highway 56 north.

Director of Schools Cripps said one reason for the long delay in the board’s request to proceed with the project has been the dramatic increase in the cost of construction. Over the last two years, the estimated cost of this project has gone from $30 to $46 million. With no sign of costs coming down anytime soon and the need still there and growing, the Board has decided to renew its efforts to build a new school and he (Cripps) will be asking County Mayor Matt Adcock to arrange a meeting between the new county commission and school board to discuss it.

According to Upland Design Group, the proposed new Pre-K to 2 Smithville Elementary School would be 124,207 square feet in size and would be designed to accommodate 800 students with room for future expansion to house up to 300 additional students (1,100) total. The school would be built with 11 classrooms for each grade level of kindergarten, first, and second grade (33 classrooms for 20 students each) along with seven Pre-K classrooms for 20 students each plus four CDC/SPED classrooms as needed. The future expansion would accommodate 15 new classrooms at 20 students each.

In September 2020 the School Board adopted a traffic plan as proposed by T-Square Engineering based in Franklin on how best to get traffic entering the schools off of Highway 56 to reduce congestion.

Under the plan each school (The proposed new Smithville Elementary School and Northside Elementary) would have its own entrance for car traffic off of Highway 56 (North Congress Boulevard) but there would also be a lane connecting the two schools should parents have to pick up and drop off children at both places.

Buses would enter the Northside campus from Smith Road for student pickup/drop off and then would follow a bus (only) lane to the new elementary school for pickup/drop off to be located at the rear of both schools. After making a turnaround at the new school, buses would then exit the same way they entered via the bus lane and then back onto Smith Road.

“It would get the parents that bring their children to school off the road (Highway 56) both at the new school and at Northside. T-Square Engineering says two lanes looping through the campus will get up to 109 cars off of the highway at the new school and we will be adding an extra loop (lane) at Northside which will get up to 90 cars off the road there,” said Director Cripps.

“Each school will have its own car entrance. If you have children at the new school, you will enter below where the Family Medical Center is located but if you have children at both the new school and Northside, we will hook it up where parents will not have to re-enter the highway. We will have a lane connecting the two schools that parents can travel directly from the new school to Northside for a smoother transition. We are looking at adding a third traffic or bypass lane at the new school so that if someone gets in the wrong lane and needs to get out, they can. Buses will drop off at Northside and then route behind Northside to the new school for drop off and then the buses will come back out the same way they entered. There will be no access points where cars and buses will enter at the same area,” Director Cripps added.

No construction or alterations will be needed on Highway 56 to accommodate the school traffic plan according to T-Square Engineering.

If a new school is built, it will be up to the county commission to decide on the funding mechanism for the project.

School Plans

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