4-H students show their public speaking skills at County and Regional Contests

January 28, 2022
By: Mykaela Young, DeKalb 4-H Agent

“If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.” -Gerald R. Ford.

A group of 4-H students from 4th to 12th grade participated in the DeKalb County 4-H Public Speaking Contest on January 11 and one of them, 11th grader Jacklyn Kleparek will be competing at the Central Region Senior High Public Speaking Contest on February 5 at Cumberland University in Lebanon.

The county contest is open to all 7th-12th graders each year and students in 4th-6th grade have individual classroom contests to earn a spot in the county contest.

Students who won 1st or 2nd in their age group at the county contest were eligible to compete in the regional competition held on Monday, January 24 in Putnam County. Jacklyn Kleparek placed in the top 5 in the 11th grade division there which made her eligible to compete in the Central Region Senior High Public Speaking Contest to be held on February 5 at Cumberland University in Lebanon.

“We are extremely proud of our students for all their accomplishments in that they are doing what most adults fear: Public Speaking! They have worked hard and overcome obstacles to be able to speak in front of a crowd. We look forward to the things they will accomplish in the future,” said DeKalb 4-H Agent Mykaela Young

Pictured: (4th Grade) back row: Natali Johnson, Riley Scarbro, Haydin Stacy, Chaelyn Hollingsworth, Austin O’Connor, Elyza Collier, Travis Childers. Front Row: Kara Kelso, Emily Roberts (1st Place), Grady Thomason (2nd place), Bentley Martin (3rd place), Aiden Cook

(5th grade) back row: Balei Benson, Kenna Sykes, Ella Kirksey, Hannah Tobitt. Front Row: Adam Brown, Payne Bryant (2nd place), Cora Cox (1st place), Emmaline Hendrix (3rd place) not pictured: Kinli Fish

(6th-12th grade): Bella Franz (1st place in 7th grade), Chaylea Lunsford (2nd place in 8th grade), Jacklyn Kleparek (1st place in 11th grade), Cali Agee (1st place in 8th grade), Triniti Kelsor (1st place in 6th grade)

January 28, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

An increase in Tennessee’s unadjusted labor force participation had a slight impact on county unemployment rates in December. According to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, unemployment increased in 87 counties during the month including DeKalb. Five counties saw rates go down, while the numbers remained the same in three counties.

The DeKalb County unemployment rate for December was 3.7%, up slightly from 3.5% in November but well below the 6.4% rate for December 2020. The local labor force for December was 7,579. The number of employed was 7,296 while 283 were without a job.

The new county-level data comes after Tennessee recorded its lowest statewide unemployment rate in two years. The December 2021 seasonally adjusted figure of 3.8% was down 0.2 of a percentage point from November and the lowest the state has recorded since January 2020.

Unlike statewide unemployment data, county data is not seasonally adjusted to account for economic influences such as school breaks and severe weather events.

The state’s unadjusted labor participation increased to 60.6% in December, from 60.2% in November. When people join the labor force, they are typically unemployed, and that can drive unemployment rates up.

While the unadjusted number of employed individuals did increase during the month, which is consistent with seasonal hiring, the number did not grow enough to offset the labor force growth, which caused the county unemployment rates to inch upward.

Williamson County topped the list of counties with the lowest unemployment in December. It recorded a rate of 2.1%, which mirrored its number from the previous month. Moore County had the state’s second-lowest rate at 2.3%, which was up 0.1 of a percentage point compared to November.

Perry County recorded the highest unemployment rate in Tennessee during December. The rate there jumped 2.7 percentage points to 7.9%. Cocke County followed with a rate of 5.4%, up 0.6 of a percentage point from November.

Nationally, unemployment for the month dropped 0.3 of a percentage point to 3.9%.

Tennessee has many different services that can help unemployed residents find a new job or assist someone looking to skill up for a new career. There are nearly 100 American Job Center locations across the state where job seekers can meet with career specialists and come up with an action plan. They can also find assistance online. The journey to a new job in the Volunteer State starts at www.TNWorkReady.com. The site offers multiple resources in an easy-to-access format.

January 27, 2022
By:

On National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, Secretary of State Tre Hargett launched a new statewide campaign, Be an Election Hero. Become a Poll Worker., to encourage Tennesseans to serve their community as poll workers for the 2022 election cycle.

“We cannot run elections in Tennessee without poll workers. They are the most fundamental piece of the process,” said Secretary Hargett. “That is why we are encouraging Tennesseans, especially young adults, to step up to serve their community as poll workers and be the next generation of election heroes for our great state.”

DeKalb County Administrator of Elections Dennis Stanley agreed. “At the training classes I routinely tell our workers we could not have an election without them. They are the core of the voting process,” he said.

During early voting and on Election Day, poll workers help polling sites in their community run smoothly by conducting various tasks, including greeting voters, answering questions, explaining how to cast a ballot, and counting votes.

Poll workers are paid for working during early voting and on Election Day, as well as for attending required training sessions.

Most Tennesseans are eligible to work as poll workers, regardless of political affiliation. The minimum age to work as a poll worker is 16 years old. Anyone over 18 must be a registered voter in the county they are serving in.

Qualifications to Be a Tennessee Poll Worker:
•Be at least 16 years old
•Be a registered voter in the county if 18 or older
•Be able to read and write in the English language
•Not be a candidate or close relative of a candidate
•Not be supervised by a county or municipal elected worker on the ballot
Government Employees Who Can Serve as Poll Workers:
•All City, County and Metro employees (unless working directly under the supervision of an elected worker on the ballot)
•State of Tennessee employees
•Federal employees – consult your Human Resources Department to ensure eligibility

“It takes thousands of poll workers to help Tennessee’s 95 county election commissions run elections so that voters can confidently cast their ballot and know the election results are secure,” said Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins.

Established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, National Poll Worker Recruitment Day aims to raise awareness about the important role poll workers play in elections.

For the latest information about becoming a poll worker or upcoming Tennessee elections, follow the Secretary of State’s social media channels Twitter: @SecTreHargett, Facebook: Tennessee Secretary of State and Instagram: @tnsecofstate.

To step up to serve your community as a poll worker, apply now at GoVoteTN.gov or call the DeKalb County Election Office at 615-597-4146.

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