WJLE Project Graduation Radiothon for Class of 2024 Set for Monday, April 1

March 28, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A WJLE Radiothon to raise money for the DCHS Class of 2024 Project Graduation will be Monday, April 1 from 9:00 a.m. until noon.

High school seniors and parents on the Project Graduation committee will be answering phones, taking pledges during the drive. Any member of the Class of 2024 is urged to stop by the station to make an appearance on the radiothon to talk about their school activities and future plans.

During last year’s three-hour WJLE radiothon on April 10 which was also LIVE streamed on the Awakening facebook page, the community rallied in support of the DCHS Class of 2023 with pledges and donations totaling a record breaking $13,390 for that year’s Project Graduation event. The fundraiser broke the previous Project Graduation radiothon record of $12,785 set in 2022.

Project Graduation is an all-night drug-free, alcohol-free graduation party for members of the DCHS Class of 2024 committed to having a safe, wholesome, yet entertaining celebration together for the last time as a class. The event begins following the graduation ceremony Friday, May 10.

Call 615-597-4265 during the Radiothon to make your pledge from 9:00 a.m. until noon on Monday, April 1.

Listen LIVE on FM 101.7/AM 1480 and LIVE audio streaming at www.wjle.com.

March 28, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

One more week!

The qualifying deadline is Thursday, April 4 for offices in the Tennessee Democratic and Republican Primaries as well as the Alexandria, Dowelltown, and Smithville Municipal Elections all to be held on Thursday, August 1, 2024

Persons may pick up qualifying petitions from the DeKalb County Election Commission.

In the State Primaries on August 1, nominees in both the Republican and Democratic Parties will be selected for the offices of US Senate, US House of Representatives (6th District), Tennessee House of Representatives (40th District), and Tennessee Senate (16th District).

Those positions are currently held by US Senator Marsha Blackburn (R), Congressman John Rose (R)- US House of Representatives (6th District), State Representative Michael Hale (R)- Tennessee House of Representatives (40th District), and State Senator Janice Bowling (R)- Tennessee Senate (16th District). Hale has qualified to seek re-election.

In the Smithville Municipal Election August 1, three aldermen will be elected, each to serve a 4-year term. The positions are currently held by Aldermen Shawn Jacobs, Danny Washer, and Jessica Higgins. All three incumbents have qualified to seek re-election.

The Alexandria Municipal Election on August 1 will be held to fill the positions of mayor (unexpired term), three aldermen, and three other aldermen (unexpired terms).

In the Dowelltown Municipal Election on August 1, a mayor and two aldermen will be elected.

The qualifying deadline for the August 1 elections is Thursday April 4 at 12 noon and the withdrawal deadline is Thursday, April 11 at 12 noon. The voter registration deadline for the August 1 elections is Tuesday, July 2. Early Voting for the August 1 elections is Friday, July 12 to Saturday, July 27. The absentee ballot request time period is from May 3 to July 25 for the August 1 elections.

Meanwhile the DeKalb County General Election will be August 1 in which party nominees selected in the March 5 primaries will be running for the offices of Assessor of Property, Board of Education (Districts 5 & 6), Constable (Districts 1-7), and Criminal Court Judge- Part III in the 13th Judicial District.

The offices of County Commission District 6 and District 7 will also be on the August 1, 2024 ballot to fill unexpired terms. The GOP nominees are Andy Pack in District 6 and Mathias Anderson in District 7. This election will be held in conjunction with the 2024 DeKalb County General Election. Independents may now pick up petitions and get qualified by 12 noon April 4th.

March 27, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County has been awarded a $100,000 state funded grant for the implementation of a Safe Baby Court through the Juvenile Court.

The object of Tennessee’s Safe Baby Court is to address the critical needs of child and family programs to reduce the incidents of child abuse, neglect, and endangerment, to minimize the effects of childhood trauma, and to provide stability to parents and children.

DeKalb County’s Safe Baby Court will serve families with children 36 months of age or younger who are involved in the child welfare system. Wraparound services will be utilized not only for the infant, but also the siblings, parents, and caregivers.

During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission adopted the $100,000 budget amendment to accept the state funding for this program.

DeKalb County General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Cox addressed the commission during last Thursday night’s committee of the whole meeting.

“We have a grant of $100,000 for this fiscal year and technically its $50,000 for next year because its set to sunset in December but there is some legislation to keep that going,” explained Judge Cox. “ It should be a $100,000 annual grant. We are asking for a budget amendment to include those grant funds in the juvenile program. Its 100% grant funded. It’s a pilot program and several other counties are participating . Its adjunct or adjacent to our DCS (Department of Children Services) cases and it would be impactful for any family that has DCS involvement whatsoever with a child under three years old. There could be five kids in the home but if there is one under age three they could qualify for this program. It basically opens us up to resources, some funding to help solve problems for these families that we have trouble solving in our community,” said Judge Cox

“I am asked often and its one of the hardest things I have to do is sign papers to remove kids from parents. Oftentimes, its for drug related issues. We had a case in December and at that time, there were identifiable drug issues in the home. After an assessment, certain services were recommended. We are almost in April now and those services haven’t started because they don’t have insurance, the department (DCS) is not going to fund it, or they are balking at funding because they need this information or that piece of paper. With a program like this, funds are available for those families where we can identify the need and meet the need,” Judge Cox continued.

“Ninety nine percent of the folks in my DCS type court are also indigent and they have appointed counsel. They can barely afford rent and sometimes food, even with government assistance and they can’t afford some necessities like car seats or cribs, etc. This program has the ability to do that. The grant lays out what we can do for them. Its basically to identify a need for a family in the program and to fix that need with the funds we have available. That is the crux of it. What it looks like in reality is going to develop over time because it’s a very new program and I am sure I will adjust it along the way to fit our needs here,” said Judge Cox.

The program will establish specific eligibility requirements and will be tailored to target the most at risk children and families meeting the requirements.

The Safe Baby Court will be comprised of a Multidisciplinary Team including the following members, at a minimum:

Birth parents, out of home caregivers, judge, coordinator and supervisor, mental health providers, attorneys and guardian ad litem, department of children’s services, early intervention specialists, foster parents and support organizations, and other community members.

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