Dump truck driver escapes injury in rollover crash

January 29, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

A Cookeville man escaped injury Thursday morning when his dump truck overturned after rear-ending another dump truck on Falling Water Road in the Johnson’s Chapel area near Center Hill Lake.

According to Trooper Chris Delong of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Jeffrey Mahler was traveling down the steep and narrow road in a 1996 Ford dump truck hauling a load of rock to a job site when he lost control and rear-ended a 2017 Kenworth dump truck driven by 54 year old Harry Frady, Jr. of Cookeville who was also hauling a load of rock.

After impact, Mahler’s truck overturned on its side spilling its load of rock. Neither driver was injured. Members of DeKalb County EMS, DeKalb Fire Department, and DeKalb Sheriff’s Department responded.

January 28, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Signups for the DeKalb Youth Baseball League begin Saturday, January 30 from 8 a.m. until 12 noon at the county complex in the UT Extension office.

If you miss Saturday’s registration, there will be three other dates to signup on Saturday, February 6th, 13th, and 20th at the same times and location.

Registration fees are $65 per child and $50 for each sibling. Parents who don’t want to work the concession stand may make a $25 buyout payment. Please bring proof of player age and proof of residency. Tryouts are set for February 27. See the DeKalb Youth Baseball League Facebook for details. Debit and credit cards will be accepted and transaction fees apply.

DeKalb County Youth Baseball, formerly known as Little League, is played at the park on Allen’s Ferry Road. Player ages for this league are from 7 to 15 years old.

“The way our league works if you are not familiar with it is we have 7-8 year old Coach Pitch. Last year we had Machine Pitch but we are going to Coach Pitch this year,” said League President Casey Midgett.

“Our first year of Kid Pitch Baseball we call Minor League and that is for 9-10 year olds. We will also have 11-12 year old Major League Kid Pitch. Last year was our first year to offer Senior League which is 13-15 year olds and we plan to offer it again this year and they will play at the Joe L. Evins park. If we don’t have enough kids signup to play Senior League those who do will still be allowed to play baseball on some level,” said Midgett.

Girls are also welcome to signup.

“A question I get a lot is can girls play?. The answer is yes they can play. We encourage it. We have had some really good girls come through who were every bit as good as the boys that played. Its just that its baseball and not softball. We won’t have just a girls team but girls will can get drafted just like the boys,” Midgett said.

“We hope to have both the Middle School baseball and softball players join us this year. Most of the time the Middle School season is over by May. For anyone who wants to play in that league who is on the Middle School team, we will draft you on February 27 and then basically tell you we will see you after the Middle School season is over. You will not be expected to show up for practice or a DeKalb Youth Baseball game before then,” added Midgett.

This year the league will be unsanctioned.

“There are a few changes and we don’t have all the details worked out yet but we will be going from Machine Pitch to Coach Pitch for the 7-8 year olds and we are going to be unsanctioned this year. Last year we made a big push to be with Cal Ripken and that was great. They treated us really well and we had no complaints. In past years we were with TYBA and before that Little League. We met as a board this year and decided with all that is going on in the world right now we didn’t feel like it was prudent for us to affiliate with a league because it takes away some of the local control over what we can and cannot do such as dates for All-Stars and things like that. We didn’t really want to give that up (local control) but we will still pick All-Star teams and there will be a post season. We haven’t worked out all the details yet but the All-Star teams will play somewhere,” added Midgett.

January 28, 2021
By:

A new member has been named to the DeKalb County Election Commission by the Tennessee Election Commission.

Mrs. Kim Driver Luton, a resident of Smithville, is replacing Lisa Peterson as one of the two democratic members of the local commission. She will serve out Mrs. Peterson’s term, which expires in April 2021. Mrs. Peterson was first appointed in April 2017 and served until her death January 19, 2021.

“ I am so honored to be appointed to serve on the DeKalb Election Commission. I realize I have some very big shoes to fill with the loss of my friend Lisa Peterson. I can only hope I make her proud,” said Luton.

Since the state legislature is made up of a majority of GOP lawmakers, Republicans have the right to hold majority memberships on the Tennessee Election Commission as well as all county election commissions. The appointments to local commissions are made by the state election commission in April of odd numbered years. The term for each member is for two years.

The other four members of the DeKalb County Election Commission are Republicans Mrs.Walteen Parker, Mrs. Barbara Vanatta, Mr. Jim Dean, and Democrat Mrs. Jackie Smith.

Jordan Wilkins, Chair of the DeKalb Democratic Party, stated: “I am beyond devastated at the passing of Commissioner Lisa Peterson. Nobody in DeKalb County knew more about election law than Lisa. Lisa loved and respected the election process. As Chair, Lisa was a wealth of information for me and always dependable. I will miss her friendship and working with her. To her family: thank you for sharing her with us and I join you in mourning her loss.”

Wilkins recently recommended Kim Driver Luton to the Tennessee Election Commission to fill Peterson’s unexpired term on the local election commission left vacant by her death.

“After much thought and deliberation, I submitted Kim’s name to the state for consideration. Kim has been a lifelong and active member of the Democratic Party. Kim is very progressive and has experience in working as an election official. I am very excited about her appointment and I know she will serve the voters of DeKalb County with honesty and integrity.” said Wilkins.

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