TUESDAY JULY 15
SULLIVAN CO MOTORCYCLE CRASH LEAVES 2 INJURED ANOTHER CHARGED
ACCORDING TO A TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL REPORT, TWO PEOPLE ON A MOTORCYCLE WERE INJURED AND ANOTHER PERSON WAS CHARGED, AFTER A DRIVER REPORTEDLY FAILED TO YIELD. THE CRASH HAPPENED AT 1:58 PM SUNDAY ON HIGHWAY 75. THE THP SAID A VOLVO WAS TRAVELING IN THE NORTHBOUND LANE OF HIGHWAY 75, AND MADE A LEFT TURN JUST AS A HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE WAS APPROACHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE MOTORCYCLE STRUCK THE VOLVO ON THE RIGHT SIDE AS IT WAS CROSSING THE SOUTHBOUND LANE. THE TWO PEOPLE ON THE MOTORCYCLE WERE INJURED. THE 83-YEAR-OLD DRIVER OF THE VOLVO WAS CHARGED WITH FAILURE TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY.
ONE DEAD, MINE EVACUATED AFTER UNDERGROUND INCIDENT IN JEFFERSON CO
A MINE EMPLOYEE IS DEAD AFTER AN UNDERGROUND INCIDENT WAS REPORTED EARLY SATURDAY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. AN INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING, AND THE COMPANY IS COOPERATING WITH THE MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION. THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAID AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30 AM, THE NYRSTAR EAST TENNESSEE YOUNG MINE, WHICH IS LOCATED OFF ANDREW JOHNSON HIGHWAY NEAR NEW MARKET, REPORTED AN UNDERGROUND INCIDENT. AS OF 12:15 SATURDAY, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE REPORTED THAT ONE EMPLOYEE WAS UNACCOUNTED FOR. ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE EVACUATED AND ACCOUNTED FOR. ACCORDING TO NYRSTAR’S WEBSITE, THE COMPANY EMPLOYS ABOUT 440 PEOPLE AT THEIR THREE EAST TENNESSEE ZINC MINES.
I-81 EXIT RAMP TO CLOSE TUESDAY NIGHT
THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS ADVISING OF A TRAFFIC ALERT THIS WEEK ON INTERSTATE 81 IN WASHINGTON COUNTY VIRGINIA. ACCORDING TO V-DOT, THE INTERSTATE 81 SOUTHBOUND ON RAMP AT EXIT 10 WILL BE CLOSED FROM 10 PM TUESDAY UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY. V-DOT SAID THIS IS DUE TO CONTINUED ROAD WORK IN THAT AREA, AND A TRAFFIC SHIFT WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THAT TIME ALONG THE INTERSTATE. DRIVERS ARE URGED TO STAY ALERT, FOLLOW ALL POSTED SIGNS, AND EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH THE WORK ZONE.
TN TAX FREE WEEKEND
TENNESSEANS CAN LOOK FORWARD TO SAVING NEARLY 10 PERCENT ON ESSENTIAL ITEMS DURING THE STATE’S ANNUAL SALE TAX HOLIDAY WEEKEND, WHICH WILL RUN FRIDAY JULY 25TH THROUGH SUNDAY JULY 27TH. DURING THIS PERIOD, CLOTHING AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES PRICED AT 100 DOLLARS OR LESS, AS WELL AS COMPUTERS PRICED AT 1,500 DOLLARS OR LESS WILL BE TAX-FREE. THESE SAVINGS APPLY TO BOTH IN-STORE AND ONLINE PURCHASE. GOVERNOR BILL LEE SAID HE ENCOURAGES EVERY FAMILY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BACK-TO-SCHOOL SAVING, AND HE THANKED THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE DIRECT FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR TAXPAYERS.
AFTON MAN FACING CHARGES AFTER WEEKEND CHASE
AN AFTON MAN IS FACING SEVERAL CHARGES RELATED TO AN INCIDENT SATURDAY, WHICH BEGAN WITH HIM CHASING A VEHICLE FROM HORSE CREEK ROAD TO TUSCULUM. ACCORDING TO THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, A COUPLE WAS PULLING INTO HORSE CREEK PARK FOR A PICNIC, WHEN A VEHICLE DRIVEN BY JEAN C KAST APPROACHED THEM. THE TWO ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE, BUT THE KAST STARTED FOLLOWING THEM, LATER DRIVING AROUND THEM, THEN BLOCKING THEIR PATH. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET AROUND THE CAR, WHICH THEN FOLLOWED THEM ON THE ERWIN HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS. TUSCULUM POLICE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE CAR, WHICH CONTINUED AT HIGH SPEEDS UNTIL IT WAS LAST SEEN PASSING RHEATOWN ROAD. LATER THAT AFTERNOON, KAST WAS SEEN WALKING ALONG THE ROADWAY AND WAS HELD AT GUN POINT AS DEPUTIES HAD BEEN TOLD HE WAS ARMED. A GUN WAS LOCATED IN HIS BACKPACK. HE WAS CHARGED WITH 4 COUNTS OF RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT, FAILURE TO EXERCISE DUE CARE, 4 COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, RECKLESS DRIVING AND DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE.
INJURED HIKER RESCUED
VOLUNTEERS WITH THE GREENEVILLE EMERGENCY RESCUE SQUAD AND GREENE COUNTY EMS PERSONNEL SPENT SUNDAY AFTERNOON ASSISTING AN INJURED HIKER IN THE HORSE CREEK RECREATION AREA. 911 DISPATCHERS RECEIVED A CALL AROUND 2:30 PM ABOUT A FEMALE HIKER WITH AN INJURED ANKLE NEAR PETE’S BRANCH FALLS. RESCUE SQUAD MEMBERS AND EMS CREWS WERE ABLE TO TRAVEL ABOUT 1 ¼ MILES USING OFF-ROAD VEHICLES, BUT HAD TO HIKE THE FINAL QUARTER-MILE ON FOOT DUE TO THE RUGGED TERRAIN. THE PATIENT WAS SECURED IN A STOKES BASKET AND CARRIED BACK TO A WAITING UTILITY VEHICLE, WHICH TRANSPORTED HER TO THE TRAILHEAD PARKING AREA AND A WAITING AMBULANCE. THE RESCUE OPERATION TOOK ABOUT 3 HOURS, AND WAS COMPLICATED BY A PASSING STORM.
MOTORCYCLIST DEAD AFTER CRASH IN JOHNSON CITY
ONE PERSON IS DEAD AFTER A CRASH IN JOHNSON CITY SUNDAY EVENING. ACCORDING TO THE JOHNSON CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A MOTORCYCLE CRASH IN THE 500 BLOCK OF NORTH ROAN STATE OF FRANKLIN ROAD JUST AFTER 9:30 PM. THE DRIVER OF THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TRAVELING NORTH, AND STRUCK A CURB WHILE ATTEMPTING TO NEGOTIATE A CURVE. THE MOTORCYCLE LEFT THE ROADWAY, WENT AIRBORNE AND CAME TO REST IN A ROCK-LINED CULVERT. THE DRIVER IDENTIFIED AS 35-YEAR-OLD CARDEN LAMB OF JOHNSON CITY DIED AT AN AREA HOSPITAL. AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH REMAINS ONGOING.
JONESBOROUGH BMA TO CONSIDER 28% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, WATER RATE HIKE
THE JONESBOROUGH BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMAN APPROVED A 2026 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET MONDAY, THAT INCLUDES A 28% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, AND AN HIKE IN WATER/SEWER RATES. THE PROPERTY TAX RATE WILL INCREASE FROM 96.6 CENTS TO 1.24 PER 100 DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUE. TAXES ON A HOME VALUED AT 250,000 DOLLARS WILL INCREASE FROM 604 TO 775 DOLLARS PER YEAR. MINIMUM WATER/SEWER RATES WILL GO UP BY 1 DOLLAR A MONTH, TO HELP FUND A NEW WATER PLANT.
BUCHANAN CO GRAND JURY RETURNS 272 INDICTMENTS
THE BUCHANAN COUNTY VIRGINIA GRAND JURY HAS RETURNED 273 INDICTMENTS AGAINST 37 PEOPLE COVERING A BROAD RANGE OF DRUG-RELATED, SEXUAL AND VIOLENT CRIMES. ACCORDING TO A NEWS RELEASE, THE GRAND JURY RETURNED THE INDICTMENTS MONDAY AFTER MONTHS OF INVESTIGATIONS. BUCHANAN COUNTY COMMONWEALTH’S ATTORNEY NIKKI STILTNER SAID THE INVESTIGATIONS INCLUDED ONE IN THE ROWE AREA INVOLVING THREE SUSPECTS ACCUSED OF DRUG TRAFFICKING, MONEY LAUNDERING AND DEPLOYING FENTANYL AS A WEAPON OF TERRORISM. ANOTHER INVESTIGATION CENTERED AROUND ACCUSATIONS OF SEXUAL CRIMES AGAINST A CHILD YOUNGER THAN 13, WITH CHARGES OF RAPE, ABDUCTION AND AGGRAVATED SEXUAL BATTERY.
KINGSPORT MOTORCYCLIST DIES AFTER SCOTT CO CRASH
A KINGSPORT MAN DIED FROM INJURIES SUFFERED IN A MOTORCYCLE CRASH IN SCOTT COUNTY VIRGINIA SUNDAY. ACCORDING TO THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE, THE CRASH OCCURRED SHORTLY BEFORE 2 PM SUNDAY ON YUMA ROAD. STATE POLICE SAID A HARLEY-DAVIDSON CROSSED THE CENTERLINE NEAR MONTANA DRIVE AND HIT A DODGE PICKUP TRUCK. THE VSP IDENTIFIED THE MOTORCYCLIST AS 35-YEAR-OLD DOUGLAS THATCHER OF KINGSPORT.
JONESBOROUGH MAN ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY EVADING AUTHORITIES
A JONESBOROUGH MAN FACES VARIOUS CHARGES AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY EVADED POLICE ON JULY 11TH. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE FROM THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, 21-YEAR-OLD CASSIUS KALEB TESTER WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT, POSSESSION OF A HANDGUN WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE, EVADING ARREST, FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND RECKLESS DRIVING. DEPUTIES ATTEMPTED A TRAFFIC STOP AROUND 10 PM IN THE 1500 BLOCK OF GRAY STATION SULPHER SPRINGS ROAD. AFTER LOSING SIGHT OF HIM, A WITNESS WAVED DEPUTIES DOWN AND POINTED TO TESTER’S VEHICLE, WHICH STRUCK A DECK AND TWO VEHICLES AT A RESIDENCE IN THE 400 BLOCK OF WILCOX CIRCLE. HE’S CURRENTLY FRE ON 12,000 DOLLAR BOND.
MORE THAN 70 CELLPHONES INTERCEPTED BY SECURITY STAFF AT NORTHEAST CORRECTIONAL
SECURITY STAFF AT THE NORTHEAST CORRECTIONAL COMPLEX IN MOUNTAIN CITY INTERCEPTED A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONTRABAND BEFORE IT COULD ENTER THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION. THE CONTRABAND WAS DISCOVERED WHEN CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS PERFORMED A SEARCH OF A SUSPICIOUS SHIPMENT RECEIVED AT THE FACILITY. INSIDE THEY FOUND SUBOXONE STRIPS AND DRUG LACED PAPER, MARIJUANA, THC OILS, MORE THAN 50 POUNDS OF TOBACCO, OVER 70 CELLPHONES AND CELLPHONE CHARGERS. AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ORIGINS OF THE CONTRABAND IS UNDERWAY. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION RELATED TO THE INTRODUCTION OF CONTRABAND IS ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE TDOC’S 24-HOUR TIP LINE AT 1-800-TDC-FIND.