WEDNESDAY JULY 9

254 APARTMENTS PROPOSED OFF OAKLAND AVE IN JOHNSON CITY

A REZONING REQUEST HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR TODAY’S JOHNSON CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. A PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN FROM FAYETTEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA BASED CAVINESS AND CATES, SHOWS 7 APARTMENT BUILDINGS OF THREE AND FOUR STORIES PROPOSED FOR A 21 ACRES SITE JUST OFF EAST OAKLAND AVENUE. THAT WOULD REQUIRE AN R-5 HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ZONING, WHILE THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY ZONED R-4 MEDIUM DENSITY AND B-4, PLANNED ARTERIAL BUSINESS. CITY STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST, NOTING THAT IT’S CONSISTENT WITH SURROUNDING DENSITY, AND COMPATIBLE WITH ADJACENT COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL USES.

MOUNTAIN CITY LEADERS CONSIDER REPLACING TOWN’S POOL

MOUNTAIN CITY LEADERS ARE CONSIDERING REPLACING THE TOWN’S POOL, WHICH MAYOR JERRY JORDAN SAYS IS EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT LEAKS AND DRAINAGE ISSUES. JORDAN SAID THE POOL IS WEEL INTO DISREPAIR, AND IS COSTING THE TOWN UNNECESSARY MONEY TO KEEP IT FUNCTIONING. JORDAN SAID JUST TO KEEP THE WATER LEVEL WHERE IT SHOULD BE IN THE POOL, THE TOWN HAS TO KEEP WATER PUMPING INTO IT AT ALL TIMES. JORDAN SAID IT WOULD COST MORE TO FIX THE POOL THAN TO BUILD A NEW ONE ON THE INSIDE OF THE EXISTING POOL, BUT THE DRAWBACK IS THE NEW POOL WOULDN’T BE AS DEEP AND THEY WOULDN’T HAVE DIVING BOARDS. THE TOWN CURRENTLY HAS A BID OF 387,000 DOLLARS TO PUT A POOL OVER THE EXISTING ONE.

PLANS IN MOTION FOR SWVA ADVANCED NUCLEAR REACTOR

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA IS ONCE AGAIN LOOKING LIKE A LIKELY PLACE FOR THE COMMONWEALTH TO DEVELOP ITS NUCLEAR ENERGY FUTURE. ON MONDAY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ISSUED A RELEASE STATING THE STATE IS MOVING FORWARD WITH PLANS TO USE SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AS THE BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR A NUCLEAR REACTOR. ACCORDING TO THE RELEASE, THE PROJECT WILL BE SUPPORTED BY A 100,000 DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE VIRGINIA CLEAN ENERGY INNOVATION BANK, AND A 97,500 DOLLAR GO VIRGINIA GRANT. GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN SAID BRINGING NUCLEAR ENERGY PRODUCTION TO SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA WILL HELP STIMULATE GROWTH IN THE REGION. WISE COUNTY LOOKS TO BE A LIKELY SITE FOR A REACTOR.

$500K APPROVED FOR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IN KP

STATE REPRESENTATIVE BUD HULSEY ANNOUNCED MONDAY THAT 500,000 DOLLARS IN STATE FUNDING WILL GO TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE CONNECTING THE BRICKYARD AND RIVERVIEW NEIGHBORHOODS TO DOWNTOWN KINGSPORT AT CENTENNIAL PARK. HULSEY SAID IN A RELEASE, THAT THE PLANNED BRIDGE WILL IMPROVE SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, AND ENCOURAGE FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SULLIVAN COUNTY. MORE IMPROVEMENTS ARE PLANNED IN BRICKYARD, INCLUDING A PRIVATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, A BICYCLE PUMP TRACK, A SKATE PARK, HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS, AND AN OUTDOOR EVENT VENUE. KINGSPORT RECEIVED TWO TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM GRANTS TOTALING 3.5 MILLION DOLLARS FROM TDOT FOR THE 1^ST PHASE OF THE PROJECT.

MOSHEIM MAN FACING ASSAULT CHARGE

A MOSHEIM MAN WAS ARRESTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT EARLIER IN THE DAY. GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES RESPONDED TO A SIMPLE ASSAULT CALL AT AN ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY RESIDENCE AROUND 12:30 PM. THE FEMALE VICTIM TOLD OFFICERS THAT HEATH STARNES CAME TO THE RESIDENCE DRUNK, GRABBED HER, AND THREW HER AGAINST A WALL, THEN CAUSE DAMAGE TO A BED AND DOOR BEFORE LEAVING. WHILE DEPUTIES WERE ON SCENE, STARNES DROVE BY AND OFFICERS BEGAN A PURSUIT. STARNES REPORTEDLY PASSED MULTIPLE CARS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED, BEFORE OFFICERS LOST CONTACT. HE WAS LOCATED LATER AT HIS RESIDENCE AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. HE’S CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC ASSAULT, FELONY EVADING ARREST, AND FELONY RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT.

CHUCKY WOMAN FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES

A CHUCKY WOMAN WAS ARRESTED SATURDAY, AFTER THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE RECEIVED A CALL OF A SUSPICIOUS PERSON. WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED, THEY MADE CONTACT WITH A WOMAN WHO GAVE THEM THE NAME OF SARAH. A RECORDS CHECK REVEALED HER IDENTITY AND THE DISCOVERY OF AN ACTIVE WARRANT FOR VIOLATION OF PROBATION. SHE ATTEMPTED TO FLEE ON FOOT BUT WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. SHE WAS CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION, EVADING ARREST, AND RESISTING STOP, FRISK, HALT, ARREST OR SEARCH.  

JOHNSON CITY LOOKING TO END DOWNTOWN ALCOHOL SALES AT 1 AM

THE CITY OF JOHNSON CITY INFORMED BUSINESSES ON TUESDAY THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE LIMITING LATE-NIGHT ALCOHOL SALES TO 1AM AT DOWNTOWN ESTABLISHMENTS. THE ABILITY FOR THE CITY TO SET ITS OWN ALCOHOL SALES HOURS PASSED THE TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN APRIL. AN EMAIL SENT BY THE CITY’S MAIN STREET PROGRAM TO BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY OWNERS ON TUESDAY SAID THAT A SERIES OF THREE READINGS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS WILL TAKE PLACE THIS MONTH AND IN AUGUST. IN THOSE MEETINGS, THE JOHNSON CITY COMMISSION WILL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO END ON PREMISE ALCOHOL SALES AT 1 AM IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

MAN SENTENCED IN 2022 JOHNSON CITY MURDER

A JOHNSON CITY MAN WS SENTENCED TO MORE THAN TWO DECADES IN PRISON AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF 2^ND DEGREE MURDER. REX DALE LEWIS WAS SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN PRISON FOR THE KILLING OF JAMES ALLEN WATSON. WATSON WAS REPORTEDLY FOUND DEAD INSIDE THE FOYER OF LEWIS’S HOME AT WOODSTONE CONDOMINIUMS IN APRIL 2022. AN INVESTIGATION REPORTEDLY DETERMINED THAT LEWIS HAD SPENT HOURS TRYING TO CLEAN WATSON’S BLOOD FROM THE SCENE, AND ATTEMPTED TO HIDE A SWORD THAT HE USED IN THE KILLING.

CHUCK VEST TO RESIGN AS MAYOR OF JONESBOROUGH FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR POST

THE WASHINGTON COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION IS GAINING A NEW ADMINISTRATOR, AND THE TOWN OF JONESBOROUGH WILL LOSE ITS MAYOR AS JONESBOROUGH MAYOR CHUCK VEST HAS BEEN UNANIMOUSLY SELECTED TO OVERSEE THE COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION. ELECTION COMMISSIONERS VOTED ON JULY 2^ND TO OFFER THE SLOT TO VEST, 7 MONTHS AFTER THE COMMISSION FIRED PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATOR DANA JONES. ELECTION COMMISSION CHAIR LORI ROSENOFF SAID VEST HAS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO LEAD AN ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO REPRESENTING ALL WASHINGTON COUNTIANS, AND ENSURING MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS.

NORFOLK SOUTHERN TO PERFORM WORK ON ELM, NEW STREETS

TEMPORARY CLOSURES BY NORFOLK SOUTHERN ARE OCCURRING AT THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS ON ELM AND NEWS STREETS IN JOHNSON CITY. TRACK MAINTENANCE ON NEW STREET BEGAN TUESDAY AND WORK ON ELM STREET WILL BEGIN TODAY. EACH CLOSURE WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO TO THREE DAYS, OR UNTIL ALL NECESSARY WORK IS COMPLETED. THE CROSSING WILL BE CLOSED DURING THIS TIME FRAME TO ALL TRAFFIC INCLUDING EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

BRISTOL TN CITY COUNCIL APPROVES BUDGET WITH CUTS, TAX INCREASE

THE BRISTOL TENNESSEE CITY COUNCIL PASSED A BUDGET ON 2^ND AND FINAL READING BY A 4 TO 1 VOTE TUESDAY NIGHT. THE BUDGET INCLUDES CUTS AND A TAX INCREASE, ALBEIT A SMALLER INCREASE THAN ORIGINALLY PROPOSED. THE CITY’S PROPERTY TAX RATE WILL GO UP TO 1.87 PER 100 DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUE, AN INCREASE OF 21 PERCENT. CITY LEADERS HAD ORIGINALLY CONSIDERED A 30 PERCENT INCREASE. CUTS IN THE BUDGET INCLUDE HALTING HIRING FOR OPEN POSITIONS, DELAYING CAPITAL EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, AND DELAYING PROJECTS.

MARION MAN CONVICTED OF BEATING AUTISTIC STEPSON SENTENCED

A MARION VIRGINIA MAN WAS SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN A STATE PENITENTIARY AFTER HE WAS CONVICTED OF BRUTALLY BEATING HIS 12-YEAR-OLD AUTISTIC STEPSON. IN A NEWS RELEASE, SMYTH COUNTY COMMONWEALTHS ATTORNEY PHILLIP BLEVINS ANNOUNCED THAT 35-YEAR-OLD CASEY MOBLEY WAS SENTENCED TUESDAY TO SERVE TWO YEARS IN PRISON. THE JUDGE ALSO SUSPENDED THREE YEARS ON THE CONDITION THAT MOBLEY BE ON SUPERVISED PROBATION. THE RELEASE STATES THAT MOBLEY ATTACKED HIS THEN STEPSON THE MORNING OF JULY 14^TH 2023, BECAUSE HE HAD EATEN BREAD WHILE IN BED. MOBLEY PLEADED GUILTY TO FELONY CHILD ABUSE ON MARCH 11^TH WITHOUT A PLEA AGREEMENT.