TWRA Officer Tony Cross to Retire Friday, October 4

September 30, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

If you see TWRA Officer Tony Cross after this week you may not recognize him dressed in something other than his uniform.

Officer Cross has announced his retirement with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency after 32 years of service. His last day is Friday, October 4.

Cross started with the agency in 1988 as a fisheries technician. In 1992 he became a TWRA boating officer on Dale Hollow and later that fall, Van Buren County Wildlife Officer. Cross moved to DeKalb County in 1996.

Five years ago, Cross was named Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, District 31 Officer of the Year. He had received this award twice before in previous years. This prestigious title is awarded to officers who excel in teamwork, public outreach, innovation, attitude, leadership and achievements. In 1996, Cross received the statewide Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) Wildlife Officer of the Year award.

In an interview with WJLE last week, Cross talked about how his career path brought him from his native Pickett County to Smithville.

“I was born and raised at Byrdstown in Pickett County and went to school there through high school,” said Officer Cross. “I then went to Tennessee Tech and got my degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science and was fortunate enough to be hired by TWRA my sophomore year as a part time fisheries technician in stream fisheries. I had come to Center Hill Lake a few times while I was at Tech,” Cross explained. “I had some buddies, and we came down to fish here at the old Tech Aqua (Lakeside Resort) location and I had a couple of classes there. It was a lot like where I was born and raised. It was very similar to Dale Hollow”.

“I finished up working as a part time technician and then became a boating officer on Dale Hollow for one summer right after I graduated and then worked almost five years as an officer in Van Buren County. Mike Foster was my TWRA supervisor while I was there and I got to work with him and TWRA officers Ben Franklin, Wayne Blair and later with Tommy Alexander and Tommy Stockling here in DeKalb County and got to know a lot of folks here. Once Wayne retired and the position came open, I transferred from Van Buren to DeKalb County. I moved here in October 1996. Up until about five years ago you had to live in the county where you worked as a TWRA officer. Initially I thought when the position here came open that I would move here and then at some point move back closer to home in Pickett County but once I got here, I decided I didn’t want to go anywhere else,” said Cross.

“My wife Shelly and I met in the spring of 1993 and married in the summer of 1994. After moving here in 1996 we started our family in 1999 when our first child was born. We have five children Eli, Ally, Isaac, Silas, and Abby. This is the only home they have ever known,” said Cross.

Well-known and respected locally and beyond, Officer Cross partners with many civic and sportsman’s groups on and off duty because part of the job is to educate. For almost 20 years, Cross had his own Monday morning radio program on WJLE to share important hunting and fishing dates and news along with current events and humorous stories. It’s a program he took over from former TWRA officer Ben Franklin when he retired. The radio program will continue sponsored by Belk Grocery & Sporting Goods every Monday at 7:05 a.m. with TWRA Officer Colt Elrod.

“Yes, the vast majority of our time is in enforcing hunting laws, especially this time of the year but because of the flexibility in what we do there is such a variety of things from one day to the next. I often go into a classroom typesetting and talk to young kids either about wildlife management or conservation or teaching a hunter or boater education class,” explained Cross.

“A misconception about wildlife officers is that you only work with animals, and you do sometimes but 98% of the job is people management whether its hunters, fishermen, boaters, classrooms, whatever the case. For example, I have an educational program scheduled with some boy scouts on a little farm in the northern part of the county and most of these kids have never been outside of Nashville or the bigger cities. We have an informational box or bones box with pelts, skulls, tracks that kids here have gotten to see over the years but for these kids its something we will introduce them to that they may have only seen on TV,” said Officer Cross.

In this job, Cross said developing and maintaining good public relations is important and its that part of it that he will miss most.

“I originally met some people by having to write them a citation, but they are now good friends of mine. They are good folks. Thankfully most of the hunters and fishermen try to do the right thing. I will miss interacting with people in this role although I will still do it in a different capacity,” said Cross. “I will also miss working with the guys (TWRA Officers) I work with on a day-to-day basis. I also want to give a shout out to all the emergency services from EMS, police and sheriff’s department, fire departments, rescue squad, state parks, corps of engineers and others. They have all been fantastic to work with,” said Cross.

While he didn’t have to retire just yet, Cross said after 32 years with the agency, the time had come for him to step aside.

“With TWRA in the law enforcement section, you can work until you are age 60. That is a mandatory retirement age. I am 55 but I have 32 years of service. I still enjoy what I do but I don’t want to become that grumpy old guy they have to push out the door at the last minute,” said Cross. “Hopefully I can enjoy a few things I couldn’t do before just because of the job. I couldn’t go hunting on opening days. I’ll get to do that now. I hope to do a lot more hunting and fishing. I also look forward to spending more time with my wife and to take an occasional trip or two. There are not a lot of free weekends and holidays with this job”.

For the last several years, Cross has also maintained a successful construction business as a sideline job, and he plans to continue that.

Being a wildlife officer is not a 9 to 5 job, but Officer Cross said his wife and family have stood by him over the years and been supportive.

“You may go out on a call that you think may be a couple of hours long and it turns out to be 15 hours. Something may happen on the lake and I’m down there all night long or half the next day. Shelly has understood that and been very supportive,” said Cross. “She has had to put up with a lot for a lot of years with the phone ringing and people literally coming to our house to ask about something. She and my kids get asked questions frequently including how they can get in touch with me. I appreciate that especially with Shelly. I couldn’t have done it without her,” said Cross.

September 30, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Ambulance Service has lost its leader

Hoyte Hale, who had served as Director of DeKalb EMS for almost nine years, passed away suddenly on Sunday.

“Today, DeKalb County has lost a great public servant,” said County Mayor Matt Adcock. “Hoyte Hale selflessly dedicated his life in emergency services to the community that he loved. We have lost a great friend that was always there for his people and his community. There are not many people on this earth with a heart as big as Hoyte’s,” said County Mayor Adcock.

“Hoyte served the City of Smithville Fire Department faithfully for many years. His passing will leave a great void on the fire department and EMS. We are praying for all Hoyte’s family during this time of loss”, said Smithville Mayor Josh Miller

“I, like the entire Smithville Fire Department, am shocked and devastated by the sudden loss of Deputy Chief Hoyte Hale,” said Smithville Alderman and City Police & Fire Department Commissioner Shawn Jacobs. “ Hoyte was a consummate professional and a true friend to all who knew him.  He for many years was the number one volunteer in attending the most fire calls and often was first on the scene.  Hoyte was especially valuable because he wore two hats – as a firefighter and EMS chief.  His presence will be sorely missed by the community.  I want to extend my most sincere condolences to Hoyte’s family, as well as his comrades at the fire department and EMS,” said Alderman Jacobs.

Hale, an EMT-Paramedic, served as interim EMS director for two and a half years before becoming the director in 2015. Prior to being named interim, Hale was the assistant EMS director for seven years.

In addition to his EMS duties, Hale was also a veteran volunteer firefighter for the Smithville Fire Department having served there for almost 40 years and at the time of his death was Deputy Chief. Hale was an eight-time winner of the department’s “Robert Eller Highest Attendance Award” given in response to the most incidents of anyone during the year.

Mr. Hoyte Eugene Hale age 62 of Smithville, TN passed away suddenly on Sunday, September 29, 2024 at St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital.

Mr. Hale was born on June 29, 1962 in Smithville, TN to his parents, Ray & Margaret Melton Hale. Preceding him in death is his Father, Ray Harvey Hale, Maternal Grandparents, Clarence Otis & Reba Irene Melton, Paternal Grandparents, Jeffery Davis & Aubrey Maey Hale. Several Aunts & Uncles also precede him in death. Mr. Hale attended the Long Branch Community Church.

Hoyte was more than just a boss to his employees and fellow fire fighters; he cared for each one and wanted to be known as a friend all the way though to the end of his watch.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 2pm at the Smithville First Baptist Church Life Enrichment Center. Visitation with the Hale family will be on Tuesday, from 10am – 1pm and again from 3pm-8pm at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. Visitation on Wednesday will be from 9am – 12pm at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home at which time Mr. Hale’s remains will be taken to the Smithville First Baptist LEC for visitation from 1pm until the time of the service at 2pm. Burial will follow at DeKalb Memorial Gardens with full Fire Fighters Honors.

Survivors include 3 Sons, Zackary (Destin) Hale of Purvis, MS, Devin Caldwell Hale of Murfreesboro, TN & Quentin (Myrie) Hale of Smithville, TN. 2 Grandchildren, Roman & Bonnie Hale of Purvis, MS. Mother, Margaret Melton Hale of Temperance Hall, TN. Sister, Rosea Young of Smithville, TN. Niece, Tia (Brandon) Puckett of Smithville, TN. Great Nephews, Jackson & Maverick Puckett of Smithville, TN. Mother of his Children, Lesa Hale of Smithville, TN.

The family extends a special thank you to Smithville Fire Dept., DeKalb EMS, & the staff at NHC Healthcare.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the TN Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial in memory of Mr. Hale. Contributions can be made at the funeral home.

September 29, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

A suspected drug dealer was sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court last Tuesday.

42-year-old Nathan Joe Trapp entered a plea to possession of methamphetamine for resale and received a 10-year sentence to serve as a range 1 offender. Trapp received jail credit from August 12, 2022 to April 10, 2023 and from September 14, 2023 to September 24, 2024. He was fined $2,000.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Friday, August 12, 2022 a detective and other members of the Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant at Trapp’s residence and found 650 grams of a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine, two whole orange pills and broken pills believed to be Suboxone, two Alprazolam bars, five Clonazepam pills, numerous scales, baggies, and other drug paraphernalia along with two loaded Taurus 9 mm handguns, a loaded DB 5.56 caliber AR-15, and $30,750 in cash. In addition to the money, investigators seized from Trapp a 2003 Nissan Murano and a 2002 Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle. They also discovered that the VIN number had been removed from the dash, door jams, and frame of a black Chevy Silverado truck on the premises. Trapp’s charges in the August 2022 bust included possession of Suboxone, Alprazolam, and Clonazepam with intent to sell or deliver; and possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver over 300 grams; unlawful possession of a weapon; possession of drug paraphernalia; violation of an order of protection; and alteration of a VIN number. Trapp was charged with the illegal possession of the weapons because he was a convicted felon for two previous aggravated assaults and was not allowed to have any firearms. He went to prison for a time for those crimes.

Meanwhile,44-year-old Brandon Edward Smith entered a plea to two counts of possession with intent to sell methamphetamine under 0.5 grams. He received a 6-year TDOC sentence in each case to run concurrently with each other suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000 in each case and received 39 days jail credit.

58-year-old Paul G. Cantrell entered a plea to two counts of possession with intent to sell methamphetamine over 0.5 grams and received an 8-year TDOC sentenced in each case to run concurrently with each other suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000 in each case and given 25 days jail credit.

56-year-old William Andrew Cantrell entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug (cocaine) over 0.5 grams and received an 8-year sentence to serve at 30% before his release eligibility date. His case will be furloughed to the 13th Judicial District Recovery Court. He was fined $2,000. Cantrell was given jail credit of 269 days.

46-year-old Rachel Spurlock entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) over 0.5 grams and received an 8-year sentence all suspended to supervised probation. She was fined $2,000 and given jail credit of 114 days.

33-year-old Eric Dwayne Judkins entered a plea to possession with intent to sell a schedule II drug (methamphetamine) under 0.5 grams and received a 6-year TDOC sentence suspended to supervised probation. He was fined $2,000 and given 16 days jail credit

37-year-old Rickey Hendrixson entered a plea to possession of a schedule II drug with intent to sell and received an 8-year sentence on supervised probation. He was fined $2,000 and given 41 days jail credit.

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