REGIONAL EYE CENTER SCHOOL SCHEDULE CHANGES
TENNESSEE
JOHNSON COUNTY SCHOOLS – 2 HOUR DELAY
UNICOI COUNTY SCHOOLS – 2 HOUR DELAY
VIRGINIA
WISE COUNTY SCHOOLS – 2 HOUR DELAY
NORTH CAROLINA
AVERY COUNTY SCHOOLS – CLOSED
MADISON COUNTY SCHOOLS – CLOSED
OPTIONAL TEACHER WORK DAY
MITCHELL COUNTY SCHOOLS CLOSED
OPTIONAL TEACHER WORK DAY
ASHE COUNTY SCHOOLS – 2 HOUR DELAY
NETN LAWMAKERS PROPOSE ANOTHER $100M IN HELENE RELIEF
TWO STATE LAWMAKERS ARE BEHIND AN EFFORT TO BRING ANOTHER 100 MILLION DOLLARS IN HELENE RELIEF TO NORTHEAST TENNESSEE. STATE REPRESENTATIVE TIMOTHY HILL AND SENATOR RUSTY CROWE ARE SPONSORING A BILL TO CREATE TWO GRANT FUNDS TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THE HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF FUND WOULD DISTRIBUTE GRANTS TO COUNTIES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, REMEDIATION, PROPERTY REPAIRS, AND OTHER GENERAL RECOVERY EFFORTS. THE BILL WAS APPROVED BY A HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE THIS WEEK, AND WILL GO BEFORE THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE NEXT.
$2.1M APPROVED FOR UNICOI CO INDUSTRIAL PARK RAIL SYSTEM REPAIRS
MORE THAN TWO MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN APPROVED TO REPAIR A RAIL SYSTEM SPUR IN UNICOI COUNTY, PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE RIVERVIEW INDUSTRIAL PARK. THE INDUSTRIAL PARK AND RAIL SYSTEM SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE FROM HELENE’S FLOODWATERS. THURSDAY THE STATE OF TENNESSEE AND FEMA ANNOUNCED THAT 2.1 MILLION DOLLARS HAD BEEN APPROVED TO REPAIR THE RAIL SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO FEMA, FUNDING FOR REPAIRS AROUND THE INDUSTRIAL PARK IS VITAL TO UNICOI COUNTY’S RECOVERING ECONOMY SINCE HELENE, NOTING THAT THE INDUSTRIAL PARK ACCOUNTS FOR A LARGE PORTION OF THE COUNTY’S TAX BASE, AND IS THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE COUNTY.
MAN DEAD AFTER OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING IN SMYTH CO
A MAN IS DEAD AFTER AN EARLY MORNING OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING THURSDAY IN SMYTH COUNTY VIRGINIA. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE FROM THE SMYTH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THEY A 911 CALL AT ABOUT 12:41 AM, OF A PERSON WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND IN THE 4200 BLOCK OF BLUEGRASS TRAIL IN SALTVILLE. SMYTH COUNTY DEPUTIES AND FIRE/RESCUE, ALONG WITH NEBO FIRE/RESCUE WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE. THE SALTVILLE AND CHILHOWIE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ALSO RESPONDED TO THE INITIAL CALL. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAID A SMYTH COUNTY DEPUTY WAS CONFRONTED BY A MAN ARMED WITH A HANDGUN. THAT MAN WAS SHOT BY THE DEPUTY AND DID NOT SURVIVE. THE INVESTIGATION WAS TURNED OVER TO THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE. THE DEPUTY INVOLVED WAS PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE.
BOIL WATER ADVISORY LIFTED FOR PARTS OF WASHINGTON CO VA
THE WASHINGTON COUNTY VIRGINIA SERVICES AUTHORITY ANNOUNCED THAT A BOIL WATER ADVISORY WAS LIFTED THURSDAY MORNING. THE BOIL WATER ADVISORY WAS PLACED IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY ON TUESDAY MORNING DUE TO MAIN WATER LINE SERVICE ON WYNDALE ROAD. CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCED AN INTERRUPTION OF WATER SERVICE TUESDAY ON TUESDAY, AND THE BOIL WATER PRECAUTIONS WERE TO BE FOLLOWED FOLLOWING THE INTERRUPTIONS.
CREWS BATTLING 1,000 ACRE FIRE IN RURAL PART OF LEE CO VA
CREWS WERE BATTLING A 1,000 ACRE FIRE IN A RURAL AREA IN LEE COUNTY VIRGINIA THURSDAY. ACCORDING TO THE LEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, THE BIG GLOW FIRE STARTED AT AROUND 1:30 AM THURSDAY. ALL 6 COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED, AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY HAD TAKEN OVER FIGHTING THE BLAZE. AT MID MORNING THURSDAY, THE FIRE WAS LISTED AS 0 PERCENT CONTAINED. NO STRUCTURES WERE LISTED AS IN DANGER AS OF THURSDAY MORNING.
MOTORISTS ADVISORY WARNING – MEMORIAL BOULEVARD
AT THE REQUEST OF THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE CITY OF KINGSPORT WILL BE PERFORMING BANK STABILIZATION REPAIRS ALONG MEMORIAL BOULEVARD NEXT WEEK. AS A RESULT, A 400 FOOT SECTION OF MEMORIAL BOULEVARD BETWEEN HARBOR CHAPEL ROAD AND TANGLEWOOD DRIVE, WILL BE REDUCED FROM THREE LANES TO TWO, FROM MARCH 24TH THROUGH MARCH 28TH. THIS WORK ZONE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE FOR THE ENTIRETY OF PROJECT. SIGNAGE WILL BE IN PLACE TO DIRECT MOTORISTS THROUGH THE WORK ZONE. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO EXPECT DELAYS, AND SHOULD USE CAUTION WHILE TRAVELING IN THE AREA AS WORKERS WILL BE PRESENT ON THE HIGHWAY.
TN BILL TO SEPARATE BATHROOMS BY BIOLOGICAL SEX HEADED TO GOV LEE’S DESK
A PROPOSAL IN TENNESSEE THAT WOULD REQUIRE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT HOUSE STUDENTS OVERNIGHT TO SEPARATE BATHROOMS BY IMMUTABLE BIOLOGICAL SEX, IS HEADED TO GOVERNOR BILL LEE’S DESK. THE REPUBLICAN DOMINANT SENATE EASILY CLEARED THE LEGISLATION THURSDAY OVER THE OBJECTIONS OF LGBTQ+ ACTIVISTS, AND THE CHAMBER’S HANDFUL OF DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS. THE LEGISLATION IS JUST THE LATEST EFFORT TARGETING THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IN TENNESSEE, WHERE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS HAVE OVER THE YEARS, REPEATEDLY ENACTED BILLS AIMED AT THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AS THE PARTY PURSUES SUCH LEGISLATION NATIONWIDE. THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT PUBLICLY COMMENTED ON THE BILL, BUT HAS YET TO OBJECT TO CONTENTIOUS ANTI-LGBTQ+ EFFORTS, AND IS EXPECTED TO SIGN IT. IF SO THE LEGISLATION WOULD TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
FORMER TAZEWELL CO TEACHER SENTENCED TO NEARLY 200 YEARS FOR SOLICITING CHILD PORN
A FORMER TAZEWELL COUNTY TEACHER HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 193 YEARS FOR SOLICITING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY FROM A MINOR. 33 YEAR OLD JOHN MICHAEL SHARPE OF TAZEWELL AS SENTENCED THURSDAY ON 20 COUNTS OF ENTICING A CHILD TO PERFORM IN PORNOGRAPHY, WITH 19 OF THOSE COUNTS BEING A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE.
ACCUSED CHURCH BURGLAR ARRESTED
A MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED IN CONNECTION TO A REPORTED CHURCH BURGLARY IN CARTER COUNTY. THE CARTER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ANNOUNCED THURSDAY THAT 36 YEAR OLD DOUGLAS LEE SHAVER OF ELIZABETHTON, WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH THEFT OF PROPERTY, BURGLARY, AND ATTEMPTED BURGLARY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, SHAVER WAS ARRESTED AFTER AN INVESTIGATION BEGAN INTO AN EARLY TUESDAY BREAK-IN AT HARMONY FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH IN HAMPTON. SHAVER WAS DEVELOPED AS A SUSPECT AND FOUND BY DEPUTIES IN HAMPTON ON THURSDAY. HE WAS ARRESTED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CARTER COUNTY DETENTION CENTER.
BILL TO LOWER SCHOOL BUS DRIVER MINIMUM AGE FAILS IN COMMITTEE
A BILL THAT SOUGHT TO LOWER THE MINIMUM AGE TO DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS IN TENNESSEE FAILED IN THE SENATE TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY COMMITTEE. THE BILL THAT WOULD HAVE LOWERED THE MINIMUM AGE FROM 25 TO 21 FAILED BY A VOTE OF 5 TO 4. THE BILL WAS PROPOSED IN HOPES OF EXPANDING THE POOL OF ELIGIBLE BUS DRIVERS TO COMBAT A SHORTAGE.
