DeKalb County’s unemployment rate for February was 4.6%, down from 4.7% in January but well below the 5.8% rate recorded in February, 2017.

The local labor force for February was 7,790. A total of 7,430 were employed and 360 were without work.

Jobless rates for February among the fourteen counties in the Upper Cumberland region were as follows from highest to lowest:
Jackson: 5.5%
Clay: 5.2%
Cumberland: 5%
DeKalb: 4.6%
Overton: 4.5%
Fentress: 4.3%
Van Buren: 4.2%
Pickett: 4.1%
Warren: 3.9%
White: 3.7%
Putnam: 3.5%
Smith: 3.5%
Macon: 3.2%
Cannon: 3%

According to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the latest statistics showed improved rates for the majority of the state’s counties during the month.

Sixty-nine of Tennessee’s 95 counties saw lower unemployment rates when compared to January 2018. The rates remained the same in 21 counties and increased in five counties.

“It is great to see unemployment rates decrease in so many counties during February,” said Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips. “While this type of rebound in February is typical after the state usually experiences a slight uptick in unemployment after the holidays, it is not a given.”

Williamson County continued to have the state’s lowest unemployment rate. The February rate of 2.4 percent is a decrease of 0.1 of a percentage point when compared to the previous month.

At 2.6 percent, Davidson County had the state’s second lowest unemployment rate in February, which was 0.1 of a percentage point lower than January’s rate.

Houston County had the state’s highest unemployment rate in February at 6.8 percent, which is the same rate the county had in January. The latest statistic was 0.2 of a percentage point lower than the county’s February 2017 unemployment rate.

Tennessee’s statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2018 was 3.4 percent, a 0.1 of a percentage point increase from the revised January rate of 3.3 percent. The national unemployment rate for the month held steady at 4.1 percent.

The statewide unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted, while county rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools and other recurring seasonal events from an economic time series.

One person was injured in a crash Saturday night on Highway 56 south near Ferrell Road and Pine Creek Nursery just south of Seven Springs Road. The wreck caused a power outage for a large area in the southern portion of the county.

According to Trooper Danielle Neal of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 21 year old Brandon Kircher of Smithville was traveling north on Highway 56 in a 2001 Ford Edge and failed to maintain the lane crossing the center line. The vehicle exited the roadway to the left and struck a mailbox before hitting a utility pole. It then went into a ditch and overturned onto its top with one passenger being completely ejected and another partially ejected out of the passenger side window.

Kircher, who was wearing his seatbelt, was not injured.

One of the passengers, 57 year old Michael Patillo of Chattanooga was taken by DeKalb EMS to Vanderbilt Hospital. The other passenger, 31 year old Ashley Ford of Bank, Tennessee was not injured. Neither Patillo or Ford were wearing their seat belts.

Kircher was cited for failing to maintain lane of travel, failing to provide proof of financial responsibility, and driving without a license

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

Seventeen DeKalb County 4-H members recently traveled to the Tennessee Livestock Center in Murfreesboro to compete in the largest Central Region 4-H Livestock Judging contest on record with around 400 contestants.

The Junior division team of Ian Barnes, Izayah Dowell, Tyler Dunn, Chaylea Lunsford, and Brooklyn Ponder took top honors out of 23 teams. Tyler placed 2nd individually while Izayah placed 4th. The Junior High team comprised of Jenna Cantrell, Colby Barnes, Elizabeth Seber, and Marissa Clark placed 7th and the team of Ansley Cantrell, Riley Fuson, Luke Magness, John Iervolino, and Caley Taylor placed 15th. Luke Magness was 8th high individual. There were 32 total teams in that division. Payton Cantrell, Clayton Crook, and Caleb Taylor competed in Senior High division and also represented us well placing 17th with only a three man team.

Livestock Judging teaches 4-H members decision-making skills while they learn more about the livestock industry. Beef cattle, sheep, goats, and hogs are evaluated to know which animals would be best in a farm’s breeding program or would make the most profit at market. 4-H’ers also learn how to read and use genetic information (EPDs) to assist in the selection of livestock. This is very useful knowledge if these young people ever buy livestock of their own. It also gives them a better understanding of where their food comes from. Eight total classes of animals are judged at the contest. The Senior division also must give two sets of oral reasons to explain why they placed the class the way they did. This improves their communication skills, as they must think under pressure while still using good presentation techniques.

These teams had a great time learning about livestock animals and made new friends along the way. They represented DeKalb County very well in this highly competitive contest! For more information about the 4-H livestock group, please contact the UT/TSU DeKalb County Extension Office at 615-597-4945.

Photo Caption:
Team: The DeKalb County 4-H Livestock Judging Teams at the regional contest in Murfreesboro. (Front) Chaylea Lunsford, Brooklyn Ponder, Izayah Dowell, Riley Fuson, Ansley Cantrell, Ian Barnes, & Tyler Dunn. (Back) Luke Magness, Marissa Clark, Clayton Crook, Payton Cantrell, Caleb Taylor, John Iervolino, Colby Barnes, Jenna Cantrell, and Elizabeth Seber.

Tyler:Tyler Dunn studies a pen of goats before winning 2nd place in the region.