Sunday Motorcycle Crash Claims One

April 29, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A 21-year-old man lost his life in a motorcycle crash Sunday afternoon on State Route 96/Dale Ridge Road near Center Hill Dam.

Dead is Akili H. Robertson.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Akili was traveling North on a 2012 Suzuki GXR Motorcycle and began to skid while negotiating a curve to the left. The motorcycle left the roadway to the right, went over a steep embankment, and struck a tree. Akili was thrown from the motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries.

In addition to the THP and DeKalb EMS, members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb Fire Department, and Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad were on the scene. Volunteers from the fire department and rescue squad assisted in bringing Akili’s body back up the embankment. He reportedly died at the scene.

April 29, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

Its your “Lucky” day!

“Lucky”, the WJLE/DeKalb Animal Shelter featured “Pet of the Week” is now available for adoption at the DeKalb Animal Shelter.

“Lucky is a domestic short haired cat, four or five months old. He has had all of his vaccinations. He has been neutered and micro-chipped. Lucky is a little bit shy so he is not super fond of being picked up but he is super sweet once he gets used to you,” said shelter employee Dakotah Cool. Lucky’s adoption fee is $120.

“Go to our website at https://www.dekalbanimalsheltertn.com/ and look for adoptable pets, select cats, and you’ll find Lucky. When you click the link for Lucky you’ll find at the bottom of his profile the option to apply for adoption. Fill out that application and then come to meet him,” added Cool

The shelter is open Monday-Friday from 8 to 4 and Saturday from 8 to 12 at 186 Transfer Station Road. Phone 615-597-3647.

April 28, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

EMS sleeping quarters at the new Liberty Fire Station.

DeKalb EMS Director Hoyte Hale is asking the budget committee to make an allocation from the county’s capital projects fund in the 2024-25 budget to add sleeping quarters to the Liberty Fire Station which opened last November.

During Thursday night’s meeting, Director Hale informed the budget committee that he has obtained a quote from Tim Pedigo, who built the fire hall, for $170,720 to make the addition to the building. Hale has also requested that $14, 170 be included in the budget to fund a generator for the new fire hall.

According to Director Hale, sleeping quarters will be needed at the Liberty station should the county budget committee grant his previous request to add four more full time employees (preferably paramedics) in order to fully staff three Advanced Life Support 24/7 crews (24 hours per day, 7 days per week) including two crews at the headquarters in Smithville and one 24/7 ALS crew at Liberty. ALS ambulance crews consist of EMTs and a paramedic.

“Sleeping quarters would allow an ALS unit to remain at the Liberty Station 24/7 providing uninterrupted coverage of the western and northern portions of the county. This would have a significant impact on the towns of Dowelltown, Liberty, and Alexandria,” said County Mayor Matt Adcock.

Two years ago, the county allocated $382,912 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to build the Liberty Fire Hall, a district station, which sets on an 8.65-acre site in the city limits of Liberty owned jointly by the towns of Liberty and Dowelltown and once used as a recreation park off Highway 70 on West Main Street. Leaders of both towns last year entered into a 99-year lease agreement with the county to use this property for the fire hall which is 55’ x 60’ in size and has bays to house a fire truck, tanker, brush truck, and an ambulance. The facility also has a restroom along with an unfurnished room intended for use as an office or dayroom/sitting area.

Meanwhile, Director Hale has also asked the budget committee to allocate $260,000 for a new ambulance which would include the cost of a power loading system. He also wants the county to add $9,964, the cost of purchasing and installing a new mobile radio for an ambulance being bid out this year.

The EMS is awaiting arrival of two ambulances for which funding has previously been allocated. Until the county takes delivery on them, funding authorized but not yet spent will be rolled over to the new budget including $225,000 for one ambulance due to arrive in December and $352,497 for another unit which was funded by a Community Development Block Grant with a 16% grant match by the county of $67,142. This ambulance is to be equipped with a Stryker automatic loading system, Pro 2 ambulance cot, Stryker Stair Chair, Zoll heart monitor, Stryker Lucas chest compression device, and ventilator.

The budget committee has not yet acted on EMS Director Hale’s request.

Sheriff Patrick Ray also addressed the budget committee Thursday night with his capital projects requests which is for four new patrol cars totaling $165,000.

The budget committee has not yet acted on Sheriff Ray’s request.

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