WDKN

Rhiannon Mason named new principal at Stuart-Burns, DCHS decision on hold

cnorman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:48:21 +0000

Rhiannon Mason

Rhiannon Mason has been named the new principal of Stuart-Burns Elementary School. Director of Schools Dr. Danny Weeks announced his selection of Mason midday Friday but said he would not be announcing a new principal for Dickson County High School at that time. Mason replaces Lisa Cooper, who announced her intention to retire at the end of the year in February. Mason has been assistant principal at Stuart-Burns Elementary School for a year. She was formerly an assistant principal and history teacher at Springfield High School. The Cross Plains native is a graduate of East Robertson High School and Austin Peay State University. She is married to Josh Mason, who was named Dickson County’s director of secondary education last year, and they have two sons. Weeks did not say when he expects to name a replacement for Ed Littleton, who is leaving as principal at DCHS after eight years to return to the classroom. Dickson County schools ended their year today and the 2013-14 school year begins Aug. 1.

Lady Cougars get rematch with Smyrna for state title by beating Clarksville 6-2

cnorman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:39:16 +0000

Ashley Scott smashed a two-RBI double and a solo homerun as Dickson County’s Lady Cougars rolled over Clarksville 6-2 Friday morning to advance to this afternoon’s Class AAA state softball championship game. Dickson County must beat Smyrna twice to claim its second state title in school history. The Lady Cougars and Lady Bulldogs will meet at 3 pm in Murfreesboro and if the Lady Cougars win the second deciding game will be at 6:30. In the second inning Wednesday morning, Scott drew a walk to lead off the second inning, then pinch runner Lainey Reed came around to score on a double by Allison Pendergrass. With Rachel Rife and Makray Odom on base in the third, Scott smashed a double to plate both runs, including what would turn out to be the game-winner. Becca Estes scored in the fourth on a Payton Grove single to go up 4-0. Scott homered to center for a 5-0 lead in the fifth. Dickson County went up 6-0 in the sixth when Selena Crafton singled and scored on an error. With a big lead, Coach Shane Buchanan pulled starter Brooklin Lee for the last two innings. Clarksville picked up two runs in the sixth helped by a couple of Lady Cougar errors before Delane Bryant closed out the win in relief. Smyrna sent Dickson County into the losers bracket with a 1-0 win Thursday night.

Board sends budget to county without debt payment, takes $3.2M from reserve

cnorman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:37:53 +0000

The Dickson County School Board gave final approval to a $61.7 million budget for 2013-14 that does not ask for any additional operating revenue from the county and will take an estimated $3.2 million from reserves to balance. The budget approved Thursday night and forwarded to the county commission’s Budget Committee totally eliminates the annual $1 million payment made toward the county’s debt, which was proposed to be reduced to $750,000 in the first draft of the new budget. Mayor Bob Rial’s county debt service budget proposal includes an anticipated almost $800,000 payment from the school system. Board Chairman Tim Potter said to include the annual debt payment would force the school system to drain its fund balance to a point well below the recommended 3 percent reserve. As approved Thursday, the budget proposes to start the fiscal year with a $5.4 million fund balance and use $3.2 million, leaving the school system with a projected $2.2 million reserve by the end of June 2014. School officials have said they prefer to keep a reserve of at least one month’s operating expenses, which would be $4 million, while the recommended practice from state auditors is to maintain at least 3 percent of the overall operating expenses in reserve, which would be about $1.8 million. Potter said to make the annual debt payment would either put the school system’s fund balance at a dangerously low level or force the system to either cut teaching positions or educational opportunities for students. The budget also does not include any money to fund a turning lane on Highway 96 that was requested by the town of Burns or any funds for school safety improvements recommended by a special committee. The budget will be forwarded to the county and is scheduled to be reviewed by the commission’s Budget Committee on June 3.

Board to ask commission for $750,000 to begin implementing safety improvements

cnorman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:37:07 +0000

While no funds for school safety improvements are included in the operating budget approved Thursday night, the Dickson County School Board will ask the county commission to consider an allocation of approximately $750,000 to implement some of a special committee’s recommendations. “Now’s the time for us to move forward with that,” Vice Chairman Kirk Vandivort said. The board voted to not include the request as part of its overall budget, but instead to ask the county commission to consider the recommendations separately. The special committee was formed in the wake of December’s deadly school shooting in Connecticut and reviewed procedures and structural changes at each school to come up with a list of recommendations totaling an estimated $1.5 million. Vandivort made the motion to seek funding for the first four committee recommendations, which include updating the system’s crisis management plan and staff training, creating an interior door security barricade system, updating surveillance and communications systems with safe rooms at each school and structural changes to entrances and common areas at several schools to control access to buildings. Board member and Dickson police Chief Rick Chandler, who served on the committee, said as more time passes the immediacy for safety improvements dims as the memory of Newtown fades. “We know it’s going to happen again somewhere,” Chandler said. Chairman Tim Potter said a recent change in state statute allows the county commission to make a one-time allocation to the school system without increasing the Maintenance of Effort requirement that educational funding cannot be reduced. Potter said school safety improvements would be “perfect” for such an allocation. The request for an allocation of $750,000 for safety improvements will be presented to the county’s Budget Committee June 3 along with the school system’s annual budget request.

Ragan, Smith to be speakers at Dickson Co. Memorial Day Service on Courthouse Square

cnorman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:36:17 +0000

Dickson County Mayor Bob Rial is sponsoring an official county observance of Memorial Day on the Courthouse Square in Charlotte Monday. The Memorial Day Service is scheduled for 11 am Monday on the north lawn of the historic Dickson County Courthouse. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be moved inside the Commissioners Courtroom in the Courthouse Annex. Attorney Brian Ragan and gym owner Dan Smith will be featured speakers. Ragan retired in 2007 after 20 years with the Tennessee Army National Guard, including a one-year tour of duty in Afghanistan as a combat infantry adviser conducting joint operations with international forces. The owner of Dickson Athletic Club, Smith has over 25 years experience in U.S. Special Forces and is a former national judo champion and instructor. He is a private security consultant for companies and government agencies and recently advised a special committee reviewing school safety procedures in Dickson County. Rial said the ceremony also will include the reading of the names of all Dickson County residents who have given their lives in service to the United States. The Dickson County Memorial Day Service is free and open to the public.

School board gives Weeks high marks in evaluation after first year as director

cnorman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:34:09 +0000

Director of Schools Dr. Danny Weeks

Following his first year as Dickson County’s director of schools, Dr. Danny Weeks received high marks in evaluations from Dickson County School Board members. Weeks was evaluated on a 1-5 scale in several areas, with five being far exceeds expectations. Board Chairman Tim Potter announced the cumulative average scores for Weeks at Thursday night’s meeting. Weeks received scores of 3.87 in school board relations, 4.37 in community relations, 4.17 in staff relations, 4.07 in job performance and 4.07 in student achievement for an overall cumulative rating of 4.107, exceeds expectations. Potter said the evaluation by board members shows that Weeks is “doing a great job.” The budget approved by the board Thursday night show’s Weeks getting a 2.5 percent pay hike from $125,000 to $128,125. Weeks was named director of the Dickson County school system last June following the retirement of Johnny Chandler. He is entering the second year of a four-year contract.

Final Texaco Country Showdown preliminary round 7 pm at White Bluff Community Center

cnorman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:33:08 +0000

Tonight is the final preliminary round of the Texaco Country Showdown at the White Bluff Community Center. Next week the four preliminary winners will battle in the final for the right to move on to the Tennessee state competition. Tonight’s winner will join defending Tennessee title winner Jonathan Wells, Fred Winston and Luke and Jessie in next week’s finale. The weather forecast appears to be ready to allow the competition to be held outdoors for the first time this year. Sponsored by WDKN and The One FM, the Texaco Country Showdown is the oldest and longest-running country music talent competition in the country. Local winners advance to state competitions with those winners going on to the regional competition in Georgia this year. The national finals are held on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium and the winner receives $100,000. The final round begins at 7 pm tonight at the White Bluff Community Center and attendees should bring chairs or blankets for the outdoor concert. Admission is free. Co-sponsored by the White Bluff Economic and Community Development Committee, each Friday’s competition accepts donations and allows concessions to be a fund-raiser for various service organizations. Any solo, duo or group that is not currently signed to a professional contract can enter the competition. The deadline to register is 6:45 and there is a $20 registration fee. For more information on competing in the final preliminary round of this year’s Texaco Country Showdown, call Nikki Holland at 446-0752 extension 304.

Smyrna sends Lady Cougars into TSSAA softball losers bracket with 1-0 win

cnorman — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:31:34 +0000

Dickson County’s Lady Cougars face the challenge of having to win three games today to claim the second softball state championship in the school’s history. The Lady Cougars fell 1-0 to Smyrna in the Class AAA semifinals in Murfreesboro Thursday night. Dickson County faces Clarksville in the losers’ bracket final at 9 am today. The winner advances to the 3 pm championship game and must beat the Lady Bulldogs twice to claim the championship. If needed, the second game is scheduled for 6:30. Smyrna pitcher MaKenzie Prince was dominating Thursday, striking out 13 Lady Cougars while not giving up any walks and extending her streak to 24 innings without giving up an earned run. Pitching her third game in two days, Lady Cougar Brooklin Lee gave up only two hits while striking out eight, but it was her only two walks of the game in the second inning that set up Smyrna’s lone run. Lee issued back-to-back walks to Kelsey Russell and Malorie Prince before Taylor Randolph’s one-out single pushed the only run across the plate. Dickson County had a chance with the bases loaded and one out in the third, but a strikeout and popup ended the threat. Lady Cougar Selena Crafton singled and moved around to third on an error in the fifth inning but was called out on a controversial interference call. In Dickson County’s last shot in the seventh, Prince struck out the side to secure the win. In a May 1 regular season finale, Prince did not pitch in an 8-0 Lady Cougar win at Smyrna. Clarksville beat Dickson County in the District 10 tournament championship while the Lady Cougars topped the Lady Wildcats in the Region 5 title game.

Women collecting donations for Oklahoma tornado victims; church plans cleanup mission

cnorman — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:16:14 +0000

Two Dickson County women are teaming up to collect donations today to be taken to the victims of the devastating tornado in Oklahoma and a Dickson church is organizing a mission to help with cleanup. 24 people were killed when a massive tornado struck Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City, on Monday. Julie Harrell of Charlotte and Donna Matlock of Dickson began planning to collect donations to take to the area individually, then connected through Facebook to join forces. The pair hopes to fill a truck with donations and head to the stricken area tomorrow evening. Donations are being accepted 10 am-5 pm today at a trailer in the parking lot at Wal-Mart and Yesterday’s Treasures at 517 North Main Street will stay open until 7 pm today as a drop-off point. After contacting the Salvation Army, the needs list includes water and sports drinks, non-perishable food, formula and baby items, pet food and supplies, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products, garbage bags and more. The effort also will be accepting cash donations to help with gas for the trip and any leftover funds will be donated to the recovery efforts. Most of the supplies will be taken to the Salvation Army in Oklahoma City and distributed at other churches and schools. The group will be leaving Friday evening. For more information on how you can help, contact Harrell at 946-5093 or Matlock at 924-9120. First Baptist Church in Dickson is organizing a volunteer mission to help with the cleanup after the storms. There are 40 spots available for a $50 donation. The group will leave at 6 am Wednesday and return on Saturday. Volunteers will help with clearing debris and offer support to victims through ministry and prayer. For more information, contact Todd Vermilyea of First Baptist at 446-4640.

Convicted sex offender faces statutory rape charge for having sex with teenager

cnorman — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:14:19 +0000

Lonnell Members

A Dickson man already on the state’s sex offender registry has been indicted for having sex with a teenage girl. 35-year-old Lonnell Members pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated statutory rape in Dickson County Circuit Court last week. Judge Larry Wallace appointed the Public Defender’s office to represent Members and scheduled his trial for Oct. 21 with an appearance on July 12 during an arraignment in Charlotte. The indictment charges that on Nov. 24 Members had sexual contact with a female between the ages of 13 and 18 years old. Because she is a minor and Members is at least 10 years older than her, the charge is aggravated statutory rape, a Class D felony. Dickson County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Andy Davis said there could be additional charges related to the case. Members is listed on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry for two convictions of criminal attempt to commit aggravated sexual battery and one conviction for aggravated statutory rape in 2007. The registry lists his address as Todd Street in Charlotte while the indictment gives his address as Meadow Drive in Dickson. Members remains in the Dickson County Jail on $100,000 bond.