Community Pours Out Love for Baby Hudson

September 30, 2019
By: Bill Conger

The community of DeKalb County continues to rally around Baby Hudson. The infant son of Chad and Brooke Mathis was born with a life-threatening condition that requires a heart transplant. For the last month the anxious mom and dad have been camped out at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, hoping for a miracle.

“It’s been a long wait,” says Brooke Mathis. “We’re holding up the best we can.

Born on July 8, Hudson weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and was 20 ¼” long.

“I thought he was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen,” the proud mom remembers when she first saw her son. “He’s just a real happy baby. He’s always smiling. He’ll smile at everybody that comes around him.”

But behind the smile is a little boy in need of a new heart to continue living. His mom, a private duty nurse, and dad, Chad, a delivery worker at Lowe’s, knew about their son’s rare heart defect before he was born. It’s called congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CCTGA), a condition where the heart’s lower half is reversed.

“His right and left ventricle are on opposite sides. His right ventricle is pumping to his whole body. His left ventricle is pumping to his lungs where it should be the other way around. He also has a tricuspid valve. It’s deformed and it has a severe leak. That’s really what’s causing the problems.”

Friends, family, churches, and people the Mathis family doesn’t even know have jumped in to offer help.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by everybody coming together and supporting us and praying for us. We really do appreciate it. We get through the day with prayer and God. “

A music benefit and silent auction will be held for Baby Hudson on Saturday, October 5 at the DeKalb County Complex from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.  Special guests during this music benefit and silent auction will be Sadie Faith, Shelby Lee Lowe, Jake Hoot, and local artist Seth Willoughby will be performing. All funds donated will go to help Hudson and his family.

The following weekend on October 12 a Truck and Tractor event called “Hookin’ For Hudson” is scheduled at the Alexandria Fairgrounds. Admission is $12 (5 and under free). Money raised will help provide financial assistance to the family and also medical bills while Baby Hudson stays at Vanderbilt. For more information contact Tasha at 615-663-4109.

September 29, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Board of Education will soon be looking at four locations for the possible future home of a new elementary school.

The board recently advertised asking property owners to answer a “Request for Proposal” if they were willing to sell from 25 to 100 acres.

Last Thursday morning was the deadline to receive those “RFP” proposals and four were submitted for consideration. However, the board will not limit its options to just these four properties.

During a meeting Thursday morning, County Mayor Tim Stribling reviewed the proposals with members of the county commission’s purchasing committee and Director of Schools Patrick Cripps.

The “RFP”s specified that the available properties be 25-100 acres in the City of Smithville or up to five miles around the City in DeKalb County with favorable topography, good vehicle access, and  with access to sewer, water, and natural gas services.

“This committee will not determine which proposal to take or not take. We will give these proposals to the Board of Education and they will do their due diligence from here,” said County Mayor Stribling.

The proposals submitted and the locations of the properties are as follows:

*25 plus or minus acres for $650,000 at 1008 South College Street east of Congress Boulevard in Smithville. Proposal submitted by Delma Vanhoosier Murphy and Doreta Vanhoosier Blaser of Roswell, Georgia. According to the proposal, the land is level with excellent vehicular access and sewer, water, and natural gas are readily available.

*24.53 acres for $20,000 per acre at 302 North Congress Boulevard in Smithville near Family Medical Center. Proposal submitted by Dr’s Cripps, Rhody & Hooper, General Partnership.

*60 acres (approximately) of unused property at 1111 West Broad Street in Smithville owned by Shiroki North America for $1,200,000.  Proposal submitted by Bob Young. According to the proposal this property  located near the industry meets the required specifications.

*Up to 200 acres at Highway 56 (North Congress Boulevard) and Holmes Creek/Allen Ferry Road in Smithville. Proposal submitted by Branen and Katherine Hurst of Signal Mountain. The land is priced according to the number of acres to be purchased as follows: First 25 acres at $20,000 per acre; 26-50 acres at $17,000 per acre; 51-75 acres at $14,000 per acre; 76-100 acres at $11,000 per acre; and 101-200 acres at $8,000 per acre. According to the proposal, the property has one mile of road frontage on Highway 56. The main entrance to the property is directly across from Northside Elementary School with access to the property off of Congress Boulevard (Highway 56) and Allen’s Ferry Road/Holmes Creek Road. Centrally located in Smithville, ¼ mile from the town square. Utilities (water, sewer, gas) in place on Highway 56 in front of the property to support a school facility. Up to 200 acres available for purchase or any portion that fits the county’s needs.

“The Board of Education and I will get with our architects and engineers and designate the property that best meets our needs,” said Director of Schools Cripps.

Asked if the Board’s options are limited to only these proposals, Director Cripps said no. “Nothing has been ruled out because nothing has been voted on by the board,” he said.

Cripps added that in addition to the purchase price, the board will have to examine these properties to determine the site prep costs. “If none of these properties meets our needs or if its going to cost more to get the land prepped it won’t work because If you have to push land in that is very expensive,” added Director Cripps.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will also have to be notified to conduct a traffic study  on which, if any of these sites, is selected.

September 29, 2019
By: Leigh Fuson, 4-H Agent

Have you ever stopped to think about the importance of soil?  Without quality soil, we would have no plants or animals, and thus no food!  4-H members Landon Colwell, Paul Oliver, Mason Taylor learned all about soil types and the lay of the land while preparing for the Central Region Land Judging contest held in Lewisburg.  They had great success by earning 2^nd place in the junior high division.  Individually, Paul was 1^st, Landon 4^th, and Mason 6^th.

The purpose of soil judging is to teach youth the skills necessary for soil science and land use. Competitors jump in the soil “pit” to test texture and determine quality. This offers the students insights into any potential problems or benefits of using a certain piece of land for production agriculture or home site development. Examining the soil also helps with conservation efforts. 4-H members must also learn about slope.

DeKalb County was represented very well in this challenging contest. We also want to thank Melissa Oliver, NRCS Soil Conservationist for coaching the team. For more information about Land Judging or any other 4-H activity, please contact the UT/TSU Extension office at 615-597-4945.

Picture Caption:

DeKalb County 4-H members placed 2^nd in the regional Land Judging contest: Mason Taylor, Paul Oliver, and Landon Colwell.

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