AGGRAVATED ASSAULT IN BUMPAS COVE LEADS TO ARREST
WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES ARRESTED AN ERWIN MAN, AFTER RESPONDING TO AN AGGRAVATED ASSAULT IN THE 100 BLOCK OF BUMPAS COVE ROAD AROUND 5:30 PM MONDAY. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES ON SCENE, 59- YEAR OLD GERALD N WILLIAMS EXITED THE VEHICLE HE WAS RIDING IN AND RAN TOWARD THE VICTIM. HE STRUCK THE VICTIM IN THE FACE AND THEY FOUGHT UNTIL BOTH WERE ON THE GROUND. WILLIAMS CHOKED THE VICTIM WHILE CONTINUING TO STRIKE HER IN THE FACE. WITNESSES PULLED WILLIAMS OFF HE VICTIM, WHO THEN FLED THE SCENE. WILLIAMS WAS LOCATED AT A RESIDENCE IN THE 100 BLOCK OF FURNACE HILL ROAD THE FOLLOWING DAY, AND TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY. HE WAS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.
WCSO ARRESTS ERWIN MAN FOR AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC ASSAULT, AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING
WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES ARRESTED 37 YEAR OLD JOSEPH S. KUSCSIK MONDAY AFTER DEPUTIES RESPONDED TO A 911 HANG UP CALL IN THE 300 BLOCK OF LITTLE GERMANY ROAD SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. DEPUTIES WERE TOLD THAT THE NUMBER HAD CALLED THREE TIMES, DISCONNECTING EACH TIME. BUT THE DURING THE THIRD CALL DISPATCH WAS ABLE TO ASCERTAIN THAT A PHYSICAL DOMESTIC HAD OCCURRED. WHEN DEPUTIES ARRIVED, THEY HEARD LOUD BANGING INSIDE THE RESIDENCE. THE VICTIM OPENED THE DOOR AND STATED THAT KUSCSIK WAS IN THE BEDROOM. AS DEPUTIES APPROACHED HE FLED THE RESIDENCE. THE VICTIM STATE KUSICSIK DRUG HER DOWN THE STEPS AND STRUCK HER REPEATEDLY. SHE SAID SHE WAITED UNTIL HE WAS ASLEEP TO CALL 911, BUT HE WOKE UP AND PREVENTED HER FROM CALLING. KUSCSIK WAS FOUND HIDING IN THE CRAWL SPACE UNDER THE RESIDENCE. HE REFUSED TO COME OUT UNTIL A K-9 WAS BROUGHT IN. HE CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED DOMESTIC ASSAULT, AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING, EVADING ARREST, AND 3 COUNTS OF INTERFERING WITH AN EMERGENCY CALL. HE’S DUE IN COURT TODAY.
MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON AFTER APARTMENT MURDER
A MAN WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON AFTER THE MURDER OF A MAN AT A JOHNSON CITY APARTMENT COMPLEX IN 2021. 21 YEAR OLD WILLIAM LAVONTA ADLER ENTERED A GUILTY PLEA TO 1ST DEGREE MURDER AND ROBBERY IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH OF DANIEL KING IN 2021. ON MARCH 10TH THAT YEAR, ADLER WHO WAS 17 AT THE TIME, MET KING IN THE PARKING LOT OF PLYMOUTH RIDGE APARTMENTS TO PURCHASE A FIREARM. ADLER THEN SHOT KING 17 TIMES, SOME AT POINT BLANK RANGE WHILE STANDING OVER HIM WITH A 9 MM HANDGUN. HE THEN STOLE TWO AR-15 RIFLES FROM KING’S TRUNK. ADLER WAS TRANSFERRED FROM JUVENILE COURT TO BE TRIED AS AN ADULT IN JUNE 2021. AFTER SERVING 23 TO 35 YEARS, ADLER COULD HAVE A PAROLE HEARING.
NE TENNESSEANS CAN MAKE $25 PER HOUR WORKING STORM RECOVERY JOBS
PART-TIME JOBS PAYING 25 DOLLARS PER HOUR AE AVAILABLE TO TENNESSEANS IN COUNTIES AFFECTED BY HELENE. ON TUESDAY, THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUED A NEWS RELEASE STATING THAT THE JOBS ARE AVAILABLE IN 7 NORTHEAST TENNESSEE COUNTIES, INCLUDING CARTER, GREENE, HAWKINS, JOHNSON, SULLIVAN, UNICOI AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES. THE JOBS ARE MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE TENNESSEE COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE FOR RECOVERY EMPLOYMENT FUNDING. ANYONE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THE PART=TIME STORM RECOVERY JOBS CAN APPLY ONLINE AT THE TENNESSEE LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE.
SURVEY REVEALS 70% OF WORKERS SEE THREATS OVER POLITICAL DIFFERENCES
NEW DATA REVEALS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF U.S. WORKERS ARE EXPERIENCING OR WITNESSING THE ESCALATION OF TENSIONS, THREATS AND EVEN VILENCE DUE TO POLITICAL DISAGREEMENTS. ACCORDING TO THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT’S CIVILITY INDEX, 70 PERCENT OF U.S. WORKERS REPORT THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED AND OR WITNESSED PEOPLE MAKING THREATS TO ONE ANOTHER IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES DUE TO DIFFERENCES IN POLITICAL OPINIONS. 69 PERCENT HAVE EXPERIENCED AND OR WITNESSED PEOPLE BEING VIOLENT TOWARD ONE ANOTHER IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. AND 78 PERCENT REPORTED EXPERIENCING OR WITNESSING POOR TREATMENT.
ELIZABETHTON CITY JUDGE LAW LICENSE SUSPENDED
MONDAY THE TENNESSEE SUPREME COURT’S BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY SUSPENDED THE LAW LICENSE OF ELIZABETHTON MUNICIPAL JUDGE JASON HOLY. THE DECISION COMES JUST A WEEK BEFORE AN ELECTION THAT WILL DECIDE WHETHER HOLLY WINS A 2ND TERM FOR THE PART-TIME JOB. THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE TYPICALLY HEARS TRAFFIC CASES, CODE VIOLATIONS, AND OTHER NON-CRIMINAL MATTERS. HOLLY’S SUSPENSION COMES BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO AN OCTOBER 24TH PETITION FOR IT, HE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY CONCERNING A COMPLAINT OF MISCONDUCT. HOLLY WILL LIKELY WON’T BE ABLE TO HEAR CASES AS LONG THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF HIS LAW LICENSE REMAINS IN PLACE.
BABY POWDER SOLD IN TN RECALLED DUE TO POTENTIAL ASBESTOS CONTAMINATION
A NATIONWIDE BABY POWDER RECALL PROMPTED BY POTENTIAL ASBESTOS CONTAMINATION HAS BEEN EXPANDED. ACCORDING TO THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, THE RECALL IMPACTS HUNDREDS OF CASES OF DYNACARE BABY POWDER PRODUCTS THAT WERE SOLD AFTER JANUARY 18TH 2024. THE PRODUCTS WERE SOLD IN 35 STATES INCLUDING KENTUCKY, NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE AND VIRGINIA. THE AFFECTED PRODUCTS WERE SOLD IN 14 OUNCE AND 4 OUNCE PLASTIC BOTTLES.
VA BALLOT TO INCLUDE AMENDMENT ON PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR MORE MILITARY SPOUSES
WHEN VOTERS IN VIRGINIA HEAD TO THE POLLS, THEY’LL NOTICE SOMETHING NEW ON THEIR BALLOT. IT’S A YES OR NO QUESTION, ASKING IF THE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION SHOULD APPLY TO SURVIVING SPOUSES OF A SOLDIER WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. CURRENTLY A SPOUSE CAN ONLY GET THIS TAX EXEMPTION IF THEIR HUSBAND OR WIFE DIES IN ACTION OR BATTLE. THE CHANGE WOULD MAKE THAT EXEMPTION APPLICABLE IF THE SPOUSE DIED PERFORMING ANY TASK WITHIN THEIR DUTIES IN THE MILITARY. IF VOTERS SAY YES, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT.
MEDIAN U.S. GAS PRICE FALLS TO $2.99
FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE PRICE OF GAS RETURNED TO A DECLINE OVER THE WEEK BEFORE, FALLING 5.3 CENTS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS WEEK, AND STANDS AT 3.07. PATRICK DE HAAN OF GAS BUDDY SAID THE NATIONAL AVERAGE PRICE OF GAS HAS CONTINUED ITS DECLINE OVER THE LAST WEEK AS EXPECTED, AS OIL PRICES HAVE SUNK DUE TO ISRAEL AVOIDING ATTACKS ON IRAN’S OIL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SEASONAL DECREASES IN DEMAND ARE PUSHING GAS LOWER, AS IS NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. HERE IN THE TRI CITIES GAS IS SELLING FOR AN AVERAGE OF 2.84 A GALLON IN JOHNSON CITY, 2.75 IN KINGSPORT AND BRISTOL. THOSE PRICES ARE DOWN ABOUT 3 CENTS FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK, BUT UP ABOUT 5 CENTS A GALLON FROM ONE MONTH AGO.
COST TO REBUILD WATER INTAKE FACILITY COULD EXCEED $10M
EARLY ESTIMATES OF THE REPLACEMENT COST OF GREENEVILLE’S WATER INTAKE PLANT DESTROYED IN THE SEPTEMBER FLOODS OF HELEN COULD EXCEED 10 MILLION DOLLARS. GREENEVILLE WATER SUPERINTENDENT LAYRA WHITE TOLD THE GREENEVILLE WATER COMMISSION BOARD TUESDAY, THAT FLOOD WATERS OVERTOPPED THE INTAKE BUILDING BY 8 FEET AND DAMAGED THE WALLS, BUT THE FOUNDATION AND SUBSTRUCTURE WERE IN GOOD SHAPE. WHITE SAID THE TOP FLOOR HAS 4 FEET OF MUD INSIDE, AS WELL AS A ROUND BALE OF HAY. ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT WAS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED, ALTHOUGH ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT ERIC FRYE SAID SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT WAS BEING CHECK TO SEE IF IT COULD BE SALVAGED. WHILE REBUILDING THE STRUCTURE COMPLETELY MAY TAKE UP TO A YEAR, THE WATER COMMISSION HAS PLANS IN PLACE TO KEEP THE TEMPORARY PUMPS WORKING UNTIL THEN.
