u201cSIGNIFICANTu201d WEAKNESSES IN CARTER AUDIT

A STATE AUDIT HAS CITED CARTER COUNTYu2019S FINANCE DIRECTOR.u00a0 THE REPORT FROM COMPTROLLER JASON MUMPOWERu2019S OFFICE FOUND SIGNIFCANT WEAKNESSES IN THE FINANCE DIRECTORu2019S OFFICE.u00a0 THE FISCAL 2022 AUDIT INCLUDES 11 FINDINGS, AND IT NOTES THAT THE COUNTYu2019S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WERE IN DISARRAY AND THAT AUDITORS HAD TO MAKE CORRECTIONS.u00a0 THE AUDIT ALSO NOTES THAT THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT AND SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ARE BEING INVESTIGATED.u00a0 u00a0IN RESPONSE, THE COUNTY HAS SUBMITTED A PLAN TO CORRECT THE FINDINGS.u00a0u00a0

BRISTOL VAu00a0 ARMED ROBBERY

BRISTOL VIRGINIA POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AFTER AN EARLY MORNING ARMED ROBBERY.u00a0 IT HAPPENED AROUND 12:50 AT NORTHWINDS TOWNHOUSES AND THE VICTIMS SAID TWO OF THE THREE PEOPLE WHO BROKE IN WERE ACQUAINTANCES.u00a0 THE VICTIMS SAID ONE WAS ARMED WITH A HANDGUN AND THAT A SHOTGUN, A VIDEO GAME SYSTEM AND CASH WERE STOLEN.u00a0 AUTHORITIES ALSO SAY THEREu2019S NO DANGER TO THE PUBLIC.

JC MAN CHARGED IN SULLIVAN ASSAULT

A JOHNSON CITY MAN IS FACING ASSAULT CHARGES IN SULLIVAN COUNTY.u00a0 IT HAPPENED MONDAY EVENING AT A HOME ON CAVE HILL ROAD IN BLOUNTVILLE AND AN INVESTIGATION FOUND A FEMALE VICTIM HAD BEEN ASSAULTED AND ALSO SUSTAINED A GUNSHOT WOUND TO HER LEFT HAND. SHE TOLD OFFICERS 40-YEAR-OLD MITCHELL RUNNINGS ASSAULTED HER AS SHE WAS TRYING TO LEAVE.u00a0 RUNNINGS WAS GONE BEFORE SHERIFFu2019S DEPUTIES ARRIVED AND WARRANTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR HIS ARREST.

EXPRESS TOLL LANES, EV FEES CLEAR SENATE

A PUSH FOR A NEW WAY TO BUILD ROADS IN TENNESSEE HAS PASSED THE STATE SENATE.u00a0 THE MEASURE WOULD ALLOW EXPRESS u201cCHOICEu201d LANES AND WOULD ALSO ALLOW PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.u00a0 THE LEGISLATION IS A CENTERPIECE OF GOVERNOR BILL LEEu2019S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AS HE SAYS $26-BILLION DOLLARS IN PROJECTS ARE NEEDED, AND THE MONEY ISNu2019T THERE.u00a0 THE FATE OF THE BILL NOW RESTS WITH THE HOUSE, WHERE ITu2019S SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD TODAY BY THE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.

TN HOSPITALu2014FINANCIAL WOES

A REPORT FROM THE TENNESSEE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SAYS MORE HOSPITALS IN THE STATE ARE AT AN INCREASING RISK OF FAILING.u00a0 NUMBERS RELEASED LAST MONTH SHOW 45-PERCENT ARE IN JEOPARDY OF CLOSING.u00a0 THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY CONTINUES STRUGGLING ON SEVERAL FRONTS, INCLUDING STAFFING SHORTAGES AND THE SECTOR HAS YET TO FULLY REBOUND FROM THE STRAIN OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.u00a0u00a0 PART OF THE ISSUE IS ALSO MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENTSu2014AND THATu2019S AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM FOR RURAL HOSPITALS.u00a0 THE REPORT ALSO NOTES THAT NEARLY 60-PERCENT OF TENNESSEE HOSPITALS OPERATED AT A FINANCIAL LOSS IN 2022.

MCNALLYu2014VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

TENNESSEE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RANDY MCNALLY HAS RECEIVED A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE BY THE SENATE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS.u00a0 THE VOTE WAS 19 TO 7 AND CAME AMID CONTROVERSY ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FROM AN ACCOUNT OWNED BY MCNALLY.u00a0 REPRESENTATIVE TODD WARNER HAS CALLED FOR MCNALLYu2019S RESIGNATION. MCNALLY HAS SAID THE COMMENTS WERE MEANT TO BE ENCOURAGING.

MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER

A HAWKINS COUNTY MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER WILL APPEAR IN COURT LATER THIS MONTH.u00a0 KEVIN BUTTRY AND THE VICTIM WERE ARGUING AND HEu2019S ALLEGED TO HAVE THROWN THINGS AT HER.u00a0 THE WOMAN ALLEGEDLY PULLED A GUN, AND BUTTRY TOOK IT AWAY.u00a0 IT WASNu2019T LOADED AND BUTTRY ALLEGEDLY USED IT TO BEAT HER IN THE HEAD.u00a0 BUTTRY GOES TO COURT MARCH 27.

ATV CRASH INVESTIGATION

THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES AFTER AN A-T-V CRASH IN LEE COUNTY VIRGINIA.u00a0 A SHERIFFu2019S DEPUTY TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE MONDAY NIGHT, BUT THE DRIVER FLED AND LATER CRASHED AND WAS AIR LIFTED TO A HOSPITAL.u00a0 A JUVENILE WAS REPORTEDLY ON THE BACK OF THE A-T-V AND WASNu2019T INJURED.u00a0 VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ARE HANDLING THE INVESTIGATION.

COMMISSION OKu2019S TRANSFER

PLANS FOR A C-T-E CENTER IN CARTER COUNTY HAVE TAKEN A BIG STEP FORWARD.u00a0 THE COUNTY COMMISSION HAS APPROVED TRANSFERRING THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX TO THE STATEu2014WHERE A DUAL ENROLLMENT CENTER IS PLANNED.u00a0 u00a0PLANS CALL FOR A CENTRALIZED LOCATION FOR C-T-E OFFERINGS FROM THE COUNTYu2019S 4 HIGH SCHOOLS ALONG WITH CLASSES FROM NORTHEAST STATE AND T-CAT.u00a0 ITu2019S A $40-MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.

STATE FUNDINGu2014BRISTOL VA LANDFILL

HELP FROM THE VIRIGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REPAIRS AT THE BRISTOL LANDFILL IS TIED UP IN RICHMOND WITH BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS.u00a0 THE CITY IS ASKING FOR AT LEAST $12-MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP PAY FOR PROJECTS AT THE SITE OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS.u00a0 ITu2019S HOPED A BUDGET DEAL WILL BE REACHED SOON.u00a0 THE NEW FISCAL YEAR STARTS JULY 1.

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