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THE SOUTHERN TORCH / FRIDAY, November 5, 2021 / VOL. 7, NO. 45 / $1.00
DA Accepts Dalton’s Plea By Marla Jones Managing Editor
Case Involved Rape of a Minor
marla@southerntorch.com
DEKALB CO., Ala-Former DeKalb County Teacher Dustin Wade Dalton, 29, entered pleas of guilty to three felony sex offenses Monday morning in Circuit Court at the DeKalb County Courthouse. He was convicted of one count of Sodomy in the Second Degree and two counts of being a teacher having sexual contact with a student under nineteen years old. He was sentenced by Circuit Judge Jeremy Taylor to sentences totaling 10 years in state prison. He will be required to serve three years in prison before his release to serve another five years on supervised probation. As a result of the convictions, Dalton will be a lifetime
registered sex offender upon his release. Chief Deputy District Attorney Bob Johnston said, “The plea agreement was reached after several meetings with grieving family members. As always, we want to achieve accountability and just punishment while reducing any further trauma to victims of child sexual abuse. We are grateful for the brave students who came forward and hope this can help them feel a measure of closure and peace.” Johnston also thanked the long hours of investigation and interviews conducted by the Child Abuse Review Team of DeKalb County including Investigator Priscilla Padgett, the DeKalb County DHR, the CAC, and
>See Dalton, P3
Collinsville Gymnasium Coming Soon
By Marla Jones Managing Editor
marla@southerntorch.com
RAINSVILLE, Ala.--The DeKalb County Board of Education held a Special Called Meeting on Tuesday, November 2. The Board accepted a bid to Lee Builders in the amount of $5,537,238.00 for a new gymnasium at Collinsville High School. After negotiations, the project came in under the proposed budget of six million dollars. The approved contracts will be sent to the State for approval and groundbreaking possibly could begin within eight weeks. Collinsville and Ider High School are the two remaining schools, in the system that does not have a new facility.
A new gymnasium for collinsville was approved at Tuesday’s meeting of the DeKalb BOE Photo by Bradley Crawford | Collinsville High School “We do want the Ider community to know that we are still in the process of building a gymnasium for them” stated DeKalb Superintendent of
Education, Wayne Lyles. “ We are really struggling with a location that will be aesthetically pleasing and not use all of the front parking of the school. We
are exploring all our options, even the relocation of the softball field to provide the best location.” The Board also approved the replacement
of awnings at Geraldine School. A low bid of $24,990.00 by Jennings Awning was accepted. The following resignations were accepted: • Haley Peek, Itinerant Special Education Paraprofessional-Crossville Elementary • Kristin Williams, ½ Assistant Principal/ ½ Teacher-Crossville Middle School The following Leave of Absence was granted: • Ryan Johnson, Elementary TeacherCrossville Elementary School (10/29/21-5/27/22) The Board approved the following On-the-Job Injury: • Sheila Frix, Elementary Teacher-Collinsville High School (2 days)
>See Gym, P6
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