Smithville Man Charged with Harboring Putnam County Runaway

October 14, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

A Smithville man is in trouble with the law in two counties for allegedly hiding or harboring a 17-year-old runaway girl from Putnam County.

19-year-old Devon W. Yokeum of 274 Bluebird Trail, Smithville is under a $4,500 bond on the local charge.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Saturday, October 8, a DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department deputy went to Yokeum’s residence at 274 Blue Bird Trail, Smithville to look for a runaway juvenile. After knocking on the door and getting no answer, the deputy pinged Yokeum’s phone which was in the area of the home. The runaway juvenile’s phone had last pinged in the area of the same house the night before (October 7). The Assistant District Attorney Genreral was contacted and advised that the deputies had circumstances to make entry. The DeKalb County deputy, Chief Deputy and an officer of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department made entry. Yokeum came down the stairs and he was placed under arrest. The Chief Deputy and the Putnam County officer went upstairs and found the juvenile hiding inside a mattress.

According to the arrest warrant, Yokeum had knowledge that the 17-year-old girl was a runaway and he refused to come to the door of his residence at 274 Blue Bird Trail, Smithville. After making entry into the home, officers found Yokeum and the 17-year-old who was in an upstairs bedroom hiding inside a mattress.

Yokeum is reportedly facing charges in Putnam County from the same incident in which he is alleged to have kidnapped the girl.

A report in the Herald-Citizen of Cookeville quotes arrest warrants stating that “the victim went to a movie with Yokeum”.

“[The victim] asked to be taken to her own vehicle to enable her to return home,” the warrant said. “[Yokeum] refused to do as requested and instead took the victim to his residence in DeKalb County.”

The warrants indicate that statements made by both the victim and Yokeum revealed that the victim had been held against her will. He had “hollowed out the bottom side of a mattress and [hid] her there until local law enforcement arrived looking for the victim.”

“Warrants do not reveal how long the victim was allegedly held against her will,” the report stated.

October 14, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Tigers and Upperman Bees will meet in “The Battle of Center Hill” tonight (October 14) in Baxter. The Tigers are hoping to reclaim the oar from the Bees who have a five-game winning streak against the black and gold.

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

The oar, a trophy instituted a few years ago between these two schools, is affectionately nicknamed “The Battle of Center Hill,” because the teams are on opposite sides of Center Hill Lake.

The Tigers (6-1) will be looking for their fifth victory in a row this season and to remain in the hunt for the top spot in the region standings. The Bees come into this game at 5-2 overall. Both teams are 2-1 in region play.

The Class 4A Region 4 Overall Records and Region Standings are as follows:

Macon County: 7-1 (3-1) (Loss to Upperman 28-14)
Stone Memorial: 7-1 (3-1) (Loss to Macon County 35-34)
DeKalb County: 6-1 (2-1) (Loss to Macon County 21-13)
Upperman: 5-2 (2-1) (Loss to Stone Memorial 15-14)
Cumberland County: 1-7 (1-3) (Win over Livingston Academy 7-0)
Livingston Academy: 0-8 (0-4)

Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said the 48-0 homecoming win two weeks ago over Livingston Academy was very satisfying.

“It was a really good night for the Tigers. We did a lot of things well although we didn’t start the game quick. On our first offensive series we went three and out. That was the first time we had done that in quite a few weeks. We have been emphasizing start fast, stay fast, and finish fast but after that the guys really got it going. We made plays in all phases of the game, a safety, a blocked punt for a touchdown, and a defense scoop and score. We scored almost every way we could other than maybe a pick 6. I was really proud of the way they worked all week. Homecoming is always an exciting time but they focused in on their work and we capped off a really fun week with a really great victory,” he said.

Coach Trapp said tonight’s game against the Bees at Upperman should also be a great one.

“Upperman is a very disciplined and physical football team. They don’t do a whole lot schematically but what they do it’s done extremely well. You know what is coming at you. They will bring a physical run game and a big offensive line. They still have playmakers on the outside. With what they do offensively its almost like playing a wing-t. They just pound you and pound you but then they have the opportunity to hit a big pass play on you too so you have to be ready for everything and we have seen some new things from them. Defensively they are very solid. Its one of the better defenses that you will face. They are very disciplined. They tackle and fit their gaps well. They are in the right spots so this will be two good football teams going at each other and it could come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes,” said 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 and Tennessee Titans Radio Play by Play Color Analyst 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, Jordan Parker, and Wil Farris.

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* (Tigers won 48-13)
September 23: Cannon County- (Tigers won 55-7)
September 30: Livingston Academy* (HOMECOMING)-(Tigers won 48-0)
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.

October 14, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

New lighting and bleachers will be in place at the DeKalb County High School Football stadium within the next few months.

During the regular monthly meeting Thursday night, the Board of Education voted to purchase LED lights and poles from Musco Sports Lighting based in Cincinnati, Ohio at a bid price of $151, 951. Installation will be done by the school district’s maintenance crew. The existing six poles and lights will be replaced with four poles and a total of 28 brighter LED lights (seven lights per pole). A show light entertainment package is included with a control and monitoring cabinet and touch screen for onsite theatrical light show effects. The new lights are expected to be in place by graduation next May.

The board also awarded a bid to Toadvine Enterprises based in Fisherville, Kentucky in the amount of $477,123 for the purchase and installation of new aluminum handicapped accessible bleachers with a section of VIP seating at the DCHS football field which includes the relocation of a portion of the existing bleachers to the high school soccer field and to make them handicapped accessible. The new bleachers are to be in place by the start of the football season next year.

Currently the total stadium seating capacity is 994 including over 600 on the home side and the rest on the visitor side of the field. With the new bleachers, the stadium home seating capacity would more than double to over 1,300 stretching almost the length of the field. There would be no bleacher seating expansion on the visitor side. The benches will also be powder coated providing opportunities to display school colors. A concrete base will be put down to support the new set of bleachers.

Bid specifications for the new bleachers include the following: elevated 15/5 row x 218 feet long; total seats 1,305; fully closed shot blasted slip and stain resistant walk surfaces; powder coated riser boards in school colors; powder coated riser closure below front walkway in school colors; (14) ADA notches; 40 inch elevation at walkway; (3) entry stairs; (1) ADA ramp; 8 inch rise x 24 inch spacing at bench seats and right and left sections; 5 rows x 69 feet long VIP section; 10 inch rise x 33-5/8 inch at VIP rows; VIP colosseum vented chairback seats.

In other business, Director of Schools Patrick Cripps gave his monthly report on personnel.

Those employed since last month are Jennifer Adcock, Educational Assistant at Smithville Elementary School, Katie Denton, Educational Assistant at DeKalb Middle School, Tavia Gilbert, Educational Assistant at Smithville Elementary School, and Tanya Howard will replace Dean Broadhead at Smithville Elementary School. Dean Broadhead has been transferred to an Educational Assistant position at DCHS.

Employees granted a leave of absence as requested are Suzanne Gash, Tina Gash, Emily Harville, Janda Hendrixson, Danielle Horton, Shelia McMillen, Carol-Ann Tripp, Mary-Margaret Tripp, Celia Whaley, and Elizabeth Wright.

Kenderly Cripps has resigned as bookkeeper at the central office and Ethan VanHook has resigned as an educational assistant at DeKalb Middle School.

The school board meeting began with a moment of silence for the family of Eli Harvey, a 4-year-old DeKalb West School Pre-K student who died after a tragic accident on his family’s property earlier this week.

Board member Danny Parkerson asked that the board consider recognizing the child and his family and others in the future who die while still enrolled in the school system. Director Cripps agreed adding that the child will be remembered as part of his graduation class when that time comes years from now.

Director Cripps asked the community to keep in prayer the Harvey family as well as the DeKalb West School family who are going through a difficult time with the loss of Eli.

Director Cripps also recognized a Northside Elementary School student, Ace Tarpley who was featured in a story on NewsChannel 5 recently. Tarpley will be part of an upcoming Murfreesboro production of “Peter Pan,” a play that gives children with disabilities a chance to shine on stage. Ace has spina bifida and hydrocephalus. The play will be presented in January at the Murfreesboro Mills-Pate Arts Center.

The board also authorized an application for an Innovative School Models Grant to provide four-year funding for the high school, middle school, and the west school to boost opportunities for career readiness and student success.

The “Innovative School Models” grant opportunity expands on the state department’s initial ESSER investment of $30 million with an additional $500 million investment of state funds designed to eliminate structural barriers that exist between middle and high school, workforce, and post-secondary opportunities. These models allow students the ability to seamlessly make connections earlier and graduate high school prepared to successfully complete a post-secondary credential or excel in a career pathway of their choice.

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