A 29 year old Spencer man escaped serious injury in a one vehicle rollover crash Friday morning on Highway 70 east in the Midway area.

Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said Rayford Keen was traveling west in a 2014 Honda CRV when he went off the right side of the highway and overturned down an embankment. The vehicle came to rest on its side against a tree. Keen said he lost control after a car in front of him stopped to make a left turn into a private driveway. Keen refused transport to the hospital by EMS but planned to seek medical treatment on his own. He was cited for failure to exercise due care.

Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene.

Today, Wilson County attorney and Democrat Mary Alice Carfi, announces she will run for the state Senate seat she narrowly lost during the Special Election in 2017.

In the two-and-a-half month-Special Election, Carfi came within 307 votes, or 2.6 percent, of defeating her Republican opponent in a solidly red district that consists of Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Macon, Smith and Wilson counties.

“We came incredibly close to winning the District 17 seat in the special election last year,” Carfi noted. “Because many volunteers put in a lot of hard work, we won three of the six counties in the district and lost Wilson by only 79 votes.

“Since the special election on Dec. 19, people throughout District 17 have encouraged me to run again,” Carfi said. “People who weren’t able to volunteer in the special election are already stepping forward to do so in 2018. I can feel how excited and hopeful my fellow Tennesseans are for a chance to make their voices heard.”

“I am running because it is time to take our state back,” Carfi said. “It’s time to focus on the issues that matter. It’s time to show our children that by giving others an opportunity to improve their education, their jobs and their healthcare, we make our state a better place to live.

As an attorney in a solo-practice in Mt. Juliet, Carfi can relate to the issues that affect the small business owners throughout District 17.

“People are ready for our government to do something different. Our current senator is continuing down the same path he took in the House of Representatives. It is time for a change,” she said.

“We need representation that will make the lives of our citizens better by working to expand Medicaid, advocating for a wage that allows workers to provide for their families, and demanding equal pay for equal work for women.”

Carfi believes in creating real jobs for Tennessee workers with wages that can sustain their families. She believes in letting teachers teach and students learn. “And I believe that NO ONE should have to decide between feeding their family and paying for their prescriptions,” she added.

“I am running because I care about the people of our state. It is our state legislators’ job to pass laws that improve our state. My representatives haven’t been focusing on the things that matter. When hospitals are closing, and people can’t afford medical care, it doesn’t matter which bathroom a person uses,” Carfi said.

As a general practice attorney, Carfi often works with people who have differing opinions. “It’s my job to bring these people together; to help them compromise when and where it’s necessary, so that a positive result can be agreed upon by all parties.

“It’s time for some common sense in Tennessee’s Senate, and I ask for your support and your vote so I can bring this to our legislative body.”

Carfi grew up in Smith County, the daughter of Don and Phyllis Eckel of Gordonsville. She is the granddaughter of the late Pete and Evelyn Watts, who owned Watts Angus Farm. Pete Watts was a well-known building contractor in Middle Tennessee and owner of Watts Construction Company.

She has one daughter, Alexia, 9, and is a member of the Carthage United Methodist Church, where she sings in the choir. She and her husband, Jamie, are both members of the Bert Coble Singers in Lebanon. She also serves on the Bert Coble Singers Leadership Team.

Carfi is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and the 15th Judicial District Bar Association. She is a graduate of Smith County High School and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice administration from Middle Tennessee State University. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Nashville School of Law. She was chosen as the Best Attorney in Mt. Juliet in 2018 and 2016 by the readers of The Chronicle of Mt. Juliet newspaper.

For more information about Carfi and her campaign, visit her website at www.electmaryalice.com and follow her on social media accounts on Facebook, ElectMaryAlice; Twitter @ElectMaryAlice; and Instagram, @ElectMaryAlice. Emails may be sent to info@maryalicecarfi.com or call 615-547-8046.

DeKalb County students and teachers will have a two week fall break in October, 2018 but the following year the school calendar will return to a one week fall break in October, 2019 with a full week off for Thanksgiving in November, 2019.

The Board of Education Thursday night adopted the school calendar for the 2019-20 school year. The 2018-19 school calendar with the two week fall break was approved last year.

2018-2019 School Calendar

2019-2020 School Calendar

Up until this school year, students and teachers enjoyed a two week fall break with three days off for the Thanksgiving holiday. This past fall, the calendar was changed to provide for only one week for fall break and a full week off for Thanksgiving.

During Thursday night’s meeting, the school board voted 5-2 for the shorter fall break and longer Thanksgiving holiday for the 2019-20 year.

Members Jerry Wayne Johnson and Jim Beshearse voted no. Beshearse said his decision was based on a survey which showed a majority of teachers and school staff wanted a two week fall break . The total vote in that survey was 130 to 112. A recent WJLE on-line poll survey showed 615 respondents (62%) favored a one week fall break and a full week for Thanksgiving while 382 respondents (38%) wanted a two week fall break.

Meanwhile in his monthly report on personnel, Director Patrick Cripps informed the board that Margaret Curtis has been hired as cook at DeKalb West School and Josh Isaac Melton has resigned as educational assistant at DeKalb Middle School.

The Smithville Women’s Club will have to look elsewhere to have their Spring Blossom Pageant in April.

The board of education rejected a request for the club to have the pageant in the Northside Elementary School gym beginning this year and every year hereafter
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The board did not want to give approval for this year and all future pageants and is asking the club to revise and re-submit its request.

Board Chairman W.J. (Dub) Evins, III also read a letter from Cheryl Whitfield, a cousin of the late Rosa Stokes, thanking DCHS on behalf of Rosa’s family for honoring her in a basketball number retirement ceremony in January. “We are so happy to know that Rosa’s name and number will forever hang in the gym where she got the start to have a great basketball career. She loved DeKalb County and so do we. God bless you and continue to honor past players. This truly makes families feel special”.