TELFORD MAN FACING DRUG CHARGES
JOHNSON CITY POLICE ARRESTED A TELFORD MAN MONDAY, AFTER NOTICING AN ODOR CONSISTENT WITH MARIJUANA DURING A TRAFFIC STOP. OFFICERS EXECUTED A PROBABLE CAUSE SEARCH OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND 4.4 GRAMS OF WHAT’S BELIEVED TO BE METH, AND 13.2 GRAMS OF WHAT’S BELIEVED TO BE MARIJUANA. 39 YEAR OLD CHRISTOPHER RANKIN OF TELFORD WAS CHARGED WITH FELONY POSSESSION OF METH AND SIMPLE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA.
TRI CITIES AIRPORT LEADERS CALL ON COMMUNITY FOR HELP EXPANDING AIR SERVICE
TRI CITIES AIRPORT LEADERS AND PARTNERS GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE STATE OF THE AIRPORT WEDNESDAY, WHILE FIELDING QUESTIONS ON EFFORTS TO ENHANCE AIR SERVICE AT THE AIRPORT. AIRPORT AUTHORITY PRESIDENT AND CEO GENE COSSEY SAID THE AIRPORT IS DOING GREAT, BUT THEY’RE TRYING TO MAKE THE AIRPORT EVEN BETTER. CONSULTANT KIRK LOVELL WHO WORKS WITH THE AIRPORT ON AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT SAID ROUGHLY 55 PERCENT OF PASSENGERS WHO COULD FLY THROUGH TRI CHOSE ANOTHER AIRPORT, AS AIRLINES HAVE NO INCENTIVE TO LOWER PRICES HERE. LOVELL SAID INVESTING IN A MINIMUM REVENUE GUARANTEE WOULD HELP BREAK THE CYCLE. IT GUARANTEES THAT THE AIRLINE WILL MAKE X AMOUNT OF MONEY PER FLIGHT, AND THOSE AGREEMENTS ARE TYPICALLY ONE TO TWO YEARS.
SHERIFF IDENTIFIES MAN KILLED AFTER TREE FALLS ON CAR IN TAZWELL TN
AT LEAST ONE PERSON HAS DIED AFTER SEVERE WEATHER IMPACTED PARTS OF EAST TENNESSEE, WITH ONE FATALITY CONFIRMED IN CLAIBORNE COUNTY. DAVID BREEDING WITH THE CLAIBORNE COUNTY EMA CONFIRMED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THAT ONE PERSON DIED AFTER A TREE FELL ON A CAR AT LONE MOUNTAIN ROAD AND JENNINGS ROAD IN TAZWELL TENNESSEE. THER SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM AS 22 YEAR OLD BRYCE HENTICK. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, STRAIGHT LINE WINDS IN THE SPEEDWELL AREA ALONG HIGHWAY 63 HAD TAKEN DOWN SEVERAL TREES.
ENDANGERED CHILD ALERT FOR JOHNSON CO TEEN
AN ENDANGERED CHILD ALERT HAS BEEN ISSUED OUT OF JOHNSON COUNTY. THE TBI SAID THAT 14 YEAR OLD LILYANA COOK WAS LAST SEEN WEDNESDAY MORNING IN MOUNTAIN CITY. AUTHORITIES ADDED THAT COOK COULD BE WITH HER NON-CUSTODIAL MOTHER STEFFANY HAMMER. THEY ADDED THAT SHE MAY BE HEADED TO COLORADO. HAMMER IS WANTED BY THE JOHNSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR CUSTODIAL INTERFERENCE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED TO CONTACT THE JOHNSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE AT 423-727-7761.
38 INDICTED IN BUCHANAN CO DRUG ROUNDUP
THERE WAS A MAJOR DRUG ROUNDUP IN BUCHANAN COUNTY VIRGINIA WEDNESDAY. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, DRUG TASK FORCE, AND VIRGINIA STATE POLICE WORKED WITH THE COMMONWEALTH’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, ALONG WITH THE HAYSI REGIONAL JAIL. A TOTAL OF 38 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INDICTED, AND SO FAT 16 OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SERVED. SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE ARE OUT OF STATE, AND AUTHORITIES ARE WORKING TO TRACK DOWN THOSE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA. SHERIFF ALLEN BOYD SAID THAT 95 PERCENT OF THE CASES IN THE DRUG ROUNDUP INVOLVED METH OR FENTANYL.
JCS WANTS FEEDBACK ON FAMILY LIFE CURRICULUM AT SCIENCE HILL
JOHNSON CITY SCHOOLS IS SEEKING INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC ON ITS PROPOSED FAMILY LIFE CURRICULUM, WHICH NOW FEATURES A NOW REQUIRED VIDEO DEPICTING FETAL DEVELOPMENT. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ADMINISTRATORS ARE EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL SIX DAY CURRICULUM THAT WOULD BE TAUGHT IN SCIENCE HILL HIGH SCHOOL’S LIFETIME WELLNESS COURSE. TENNESSEE LAWMAKERS PASSED A BILL WHICH WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR IN APRIL, REQUIRING SCHOOLS WITH A FAMILY LIFE CURRICULUM TO INCLUDE A VIDEO OF THAT NATURE, WHICH ADVOCATED THAT LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION. STARTING MONDAY, THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO EXAMINE MATERIALS IN THE CURRICULUM, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK USING A FORM. THE CURRICULUM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AT THE DISTRICT’S CENTRAL OFFICE AT 100 EAST MAPLE STREET MAY 13TH THRU THE 18TH FROM 8 AM UNTIL 4 PM.
FORMER EAST TN UTILITY MANAGER PLEADS GUILTY
THE FORMER WITT DISTRICT UTILITY MANAGER HAS PLEADED GUILTY FOLLOWING A STATE INVESTIGATION INTO MISUSE OF DISTRICT FUNDS AND PROPERTY. BENJAMIN HARRIS PLEADED GUILTY TO THEFT OF PROPERTY AND OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT. HE WAS SENTENCED TO STATE SUPERVISED PROBATION THROUGH THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. HARRIS AND HIS BROTHER JOSEPH HARRIS WHO WAS THE DISTRICT WATER TREATMENT OPERATOR, WERE INDICTED ON MAY 15TH 2023. THE INDICTMENTS FOLLOWED AN INVESTIGATION BY THE TENNESSEE COMPTROLLERS OFFICE AND THE TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. INVESTIGATORS FOUND THAT BENJAMIN HARRIS RECEIVED AT LEAST 67,392 DOLLARS IN OVERTIME PAY WITHOUT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION, USED DISTRICT FUNDS TO PAY FOR WORK ON HIS PERSONAL PROPERTY, USED DISTRICT EQUIPMENT FOR PRIVATE BUSINESS, AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE TAKEN A DISTRICT OWNED TRUCK TO A SPORTS BAR AFTER WORKING HOURS, AND ADMITTED TO DRINKING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING THESE VISITS.
FIVE YEAR IMPROVEMENT PLAN DISCUSSED BY GREENEVILLE CITY COUNCIL
THE GREENEVILLE CITY COUNCIL MET YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND DISCUSSED A 5 YEAR IMPROVEMENT PLAN RECOMMENDED FOR THE EAST ANDREW JOHNSON HIGHWAY. RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE THE PLAN ARE ESTIMATED TO COST AROUND 20 MILLION DOLLARS. CITY MANAGER TODD SMITH SAID THE 5 YEAR PLAN WAS FORMED AFTER DATA RECEIVED FROM A TRAFFIC STUDY WAS CONDUCTED. HE SAID THE PLAN GIVES THE COUNCIL GUIDELINES AND GOALS TO SHOOT FOR TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS. THE PLAN WASN’T AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT NEEDED A VOTE, BUT MORE OF AN INFORMATIONAL DISCUSSION. SMITH SAID THE PROJECTS AND THE BUDGET WILL BE VOTED ON BY THE COUNCIL WHEN THE PROJECT APPROACHES, AND BEFORE ANY WORK BEGINS.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION TO IMPACT TRAFFIC ON UNIVERSITY PARKWAY NEAR W STATE OF FRANKLIN
AS PART OF THE WEST WALNUT CORRIDOR REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, CONTRACTORS WORKING WITH THE JOHNSON CITY WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT, WILL CLOSE LANES ON UNIVERSITY PARKWAY, BETWEEN WEST STATE OF FRANKLIN ROAD, AND WEST PINE STREET, BEGINNING SUNDAY MAY 19TH. DURING THIS TIME ALL TRAFFIC WILL BE DIVERTED TO ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION. THIS PROJECT WILL BE DONE IN PHASES. DURING THE 1ST PHASE, ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY PARKWAY FROM THE EAST AT WALNUT, LYNN AND WEST MAPLE STREETS WILL BE BLOCKED. THIS PHASE WILL LAST SIX TO EIGHT WEKS. DURING THE 2ND PHASE, ACCESS TO THE WEST SIDE TO LYNN AND MAPLE STREETS WILL BE CLOSED FOR ABOUT FOUR WEEKS. WEST WALNUT STREET ON HE WEST SIDE WILL REMAIN CLOSED FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT.
