DeKalb Jobless Rate in August Dropped to 4%

October 18, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Unemployment rates for each of Tennessee’s 95 counties dropped during August 2019 according to data released recently by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).

 The DeKalb County Jobless rate for August was 4%, down from 5.2% in July and below the 4.6% rate in August, 2018. 

The local labor force for August was 7,920. A total of 7,602 were employed and 318 were without a job. 

Unemployment is now less than 5 percent in 89 of the state’s counties. The August rates in six counties currently sit at 5 percent or greater.  

“Many counties saw unemployment decrease by more than a percentage point in August, while several dropped by two percentage points,” said TDLWD Commissioner Jeff McCord. “To see lower rates in every county across the state is always a positive sign coming out of the summer months.” 

Sevier and Williamson counties had Tennessee’s lowest unemployment in August with a rate of 2.5 percent. Williamson County’s rate dropped by 0.7 of a percentage point when compared to the previous month, while Sevier County decreased by 0.8 of a percentage point. 

At 2.6 percent, Davidson and Cheatham counties had the next lowest rates in the state. When compared to July, Davidson County saw a decrease of 0.6 of a percentage point and Cheatham County experienced a 0.7 of a percentage point drop in unemployment. 

Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Maury, Robertson, and Smith are the remaining counties that have the 10 lowest unemployment rates for August. 

Clay County recorded the state’s highest August unemployment rate at 6.1 percent, but that represents a 1.9 percent drop from July’s rate. At 6 percent, Hancock County has the second-highest rate which is 2.1 percent lower than the previous month’s statistic.

Statewide, seasonally adjusted unemployment across Tennessee held steady in August matching July’s rate of 3.5 percent. 

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also remained the same in August at 3.7 percent for the second consecutive month. 

Job seekers can find more than 200,000 current openings from across the state on Tennessee’s workforce development website www.Jobs4TN.gov.

October 18, 2019
By: Bill Conger. Photos by Tena Edwards

When the D.C.H.S. Fighting Tiger Marching Band takes the field during half-time tonight, it will be the last home game for six of the members.

Breanna Beatty

As the drum major, Breanna Beatty leads the band in setting the tempo for the songs.

“I’ve been an assistant for two years,” says Beatty. “I just now got the chance to do the real thing. I’ve really got this habit of liking to be in charge and [using] leadership skills.”

“I have to make sure that everybody stays on time, and that everybody is doing what they’re supposed to do.”

This is Breanna’s sixth year in the band.  A former lower brass section leader, Breanna started out playing trombone.

“When I moved here, we didn’t really march trombones that much so they made me switch over to baritone,” she says. “I ended up liking it more than I like the trombone.”

In addition, Beatty plays piano and “whatever I can get my hands on.” Her interest in music will continue after she graduates. She plans to major in Music Therapy.

Erin Mitchell

For Erin Mitchell, being in the band is all in the family. Her mom, her sister, and her aunt had all been involved in color guard, so it’s little wonder that’s where she chose to be too.  Prior to joining band six years ago, she participated in ballet for a year and a half.  This year she’s the captain of the marching band color guard.

“The color guard is the visual effect to the marching band,” explains Mitchell.  “We paint the story of what’s going on in the show.”

Mitchell has been involved with marching band and the winter guard for 12 seasons.

“I love the music,” she says. “The people are really great. They’re really creative. They’re outside the box [thinkers]. They’re fun people to be around.”

The 17-year-old senior says she’ll miss her friends in the band. Her next venture will be as a member of the Air Force.

Linda West

Section leader Linda West says she was initially drawn to play the clarinet from the animated SpongeBob SquarePants’ character, Squidward, who has a passion for the instrument.  When the band came to Northside Elementary School when Linda was in 5^th grade, she was hooked.

“It looked really fun, she says. “I wanted to get to know other people because I had a hard time with socializing.”

“It was a lot harder than I thought it would be first of all,” she admits. “You need to focus on your marching and your playing, and you need to play right, and you need to march right. If you don’t, then it doesn’t fit together; nothing’s right. You have to practice a lot.”

Besides the love of music, Linda says she’s grown a lot personally from her band experience the last seven years.

“When I first joined band, I had attitude problems, because I couldn’t take criticism” she says. “That’s something you have to take to be in band. Otherwise, you’re not going to get better.”

While Linda says she’ll feel “kind of empty” when band ends, she won’t be giving up music.  A future Tennessee Tech student, she says she plans to continue music in some capacity.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it, but I’m going to do something with instrumental music for the fun of it,” she says, “but enough to make money,” she adds, laughing.  “Sometimes I like to play popular or rock [music] in general because it’s just fun.”

Blaine Sexton

Blaine Sexton was attracted to the saxophone because he thought it would be a fun instrument to play.

“At first, I didn’t play the Bari Sax; I played the alto,” Blaine says. “Then, whenever I heard the Bari Sax, I wanted to play it. It’s in the same key as the alto [saxophone] so it’s fairly easy, but the entire instrument is bigger.”

Sexton, who has been a band member since 7^th grade, says the band has improved since he started.

“Before we couldn’t get the entire show completed until the last competition, but now we have the show on and all of it memorized. It’s been going a lot faster and easier—sounding good and looking good.”

Blaine says he plans to study to become a mechanic after graduating. What memories does he leave behind?

“Just being the goofy one,” he answers. “A lot of kids know me from being goofy and cheering them on.”

Brisa Brown

Another senior playing saxophone is Brisa Brown, who has been playing alto sax since 5^th grade.

“I liked how it sounds, and my mom did play it when she was younger,” Brown says. “I didn’t know that until I brought it home one day. It wasn’t really hard for me to pick up and play.”

Although uncertain of her career plans, Brisa plans to attend Tennessee Tech and continue with music in some manner in her future.

Elizabeth Saylors

Her first year in the band, Elizabeth Saylors tackled the mellophone, but that’s not where her passion was.

“I actually tried for color guard my very first year,” says Saylors. “I ended up not making it because the team was too full. I opted to play an instrument in the marching band.”

Opportunity knocked her freshman year, and Elizabeth made it into the color guard where she has remained throughout her time at D.C.H.S.  She says she likes the dedication it takes to be in it.

“It’s a lot of physical straining on your body,” Saylors says. “It’s a work out! A lot of people don’t think it’s a sport, but I completely disagree. It’s very challenging, but the results in the end are so amazing that you wouldn’t even believe it.”

Saylors will pursue a degree in Culinary Arts at Sullivan University in Louisville, KY after she walks the graduation line in May. Before leaving town, she plans to assist with band camp next year to guide along the next color guard line. For Elizabeth, band has been about more than adding the visual element to the marching shows.

“This has been my life all of high school,” she says. “I had a home before I even entered the high school. That’s an amazing feeling to have. You’re coming into high school, and you already have a place where you fit in and a place that you love to be.”

October 18, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Singer and songwriter Dillon Adams is the featured artist on “Jammin’ at the 428” Friday on WJLE.

The program will air at 8:30 a.m. following the “Old Time Country Community Radio Show”.

Jim Hicks, the host of the show, will interview Adams and showcase his music on the program. “We had a great time doing the show with Dillon. He is a talented artist,” said Hicks.

(Click link below to hear this week’s program)

Jammin at the 428 October 17

Adams records at Rick Scruggs’ Studio in Smithville, also known as the 428.

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