MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN HAWKINS CO CRASH
A MOTORCYCLIST WAS KILLED WHEN A DUMP TRUCK PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF HIM THURSDAY IN HAWKINS COUNTY. ACCORDING TO THE TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL, THE CRASH HAPPENED AROUND 1;00 PM ON U.S. HIGHWAY 11-W NEAR SUBSTATION ROAD IN THE MOORSEBURG COMMUNITY. INVESTIGATORS SAY A HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE DRIVEN BY 39 YEAR OLD BRET GAREGNANI OF COLORADO WAS TRAVELING SOUTH, WHEN A DUMP TRUCK PULLED INTO HIS PATH FROM OLD HIGHWAY 11-W. GAREGNANI WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. A PASSENGER ON THE MOTORCYCLE, A 37 YEAR OLD COLORADO WOMAN, WAS REPORTEDLY INJURED. CHARGES AGAINST THE DRIVER OF THE DUMP TRUCK ARE PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE INVESTIGATION. THE DUMP TRUCK INVOLVED WAS DESCRIBED BY THE THP AS A FARM VEHICLE, NOT A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE.
MAN CONVICTED OF RAPE OF TEEN BY JOHNSON CO JURY
A MAN HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST A TEENAGER BY A JOHNSON COUNTY JURY. ACCORDING TO THE OFFICE OF 1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE FINNEY, ANTHONY LAWRENCE JOHNSON WAS FOUND GUILTY OF MULTIPLE SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING A 16 YEAR OLD IN JULY 2021. JOHNSON WAS 60 WHEN THE OFFENSES TOOK PLACE. HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF RAPE, 3 COUNTS OF SEXUAL BATTERY BY AN AUTHORITY FIGURE, STATUTORY RAPE BY AN AUTHORITY FIGURE, AND AGGRAVATED STATUTORY RAPE. JOHNSON IS SCHEDULED TO BE SENTENCED ON JANUARY 5TH.
SCHOOL BOARD TO REVIEW BIDS FOR BUCK VAN HUSS DOME RENOVATION
LEADERS WITH KINGSPORT CITY SCHOOLS AND CITY OFFICIALS ARE GETTING READY TO EVALUATE AND REVIEW BIDS FOR RENOVATION WORK TO THE BUCK VAN HUSS DOME AT DOBYNS-BENNETT HIGH SCHOOL. LAST YEAR THE DOME WAAS CLOSED DUE TO STRUCTURAL CONCERNS. SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY ISSUES CAME TO LIGHT AFTER TESTING WAS DONE ON THE DOMES ROOF. IN AUGUST BIDS FOR THE WORK WERE ADVERTISED, WITH A DECISION EXPECTED TO BE MADE AT NA UPCOMING MEETING. ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT ANDY TRUE SAID THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE MORE THAN JUST REPAIR OF THE ROOF. IT’S ALSO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE NEW SEATING, NEW FLOORING, NEW SCORE BOARD, NEW HVAC, AND ELECTRICAL WORK. A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26TH.
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NEW JC WATER-SEWER SERVICES COMPLEX
RIBBON CUTTING AT 10:30 THIS MORNING ON JOHNSON CITY’S NEW WATER AND SEWER SERVICES COMPLEX. IT’S ON EDDIE WILLIAMS ROAD AND INCLUDES AN OFFICE BUILDING, WAREHOUSE, REPAIR GARAGE/MACHINE SHOP, AND A COVERED MATERIALS STORAGE BUILDING. THE NEW COMPLEX REPLACES ONE ON RIVERVIEW DRIVE WHICH SERVED THE DEPARTMENT FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS. WORK ON THE NEW COMPLEX BEGAN TWO YEARS AGO.
HAWKINS SCHOOL GRANT
THE HAWKINS COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS RECEIVED A GRANT OF OVER $1-MILLION DOLLARS. THE FEDERAL “STRONGER CONNECTIONS” GRANT WILL BE USED FOR VARIOUS INITIATIVES, INCLUDING HIRING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STAFF AND PURCHASING CURRICULUM TO HELP WITH ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMS. THE DISTRICT IS ONE OF 46 TO RECEIVE MONEY.
JC HOMELESS VETERANS HOUSING
HOMELESS VETERANS IN JOHNSON CITY WILL SOON HAVE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AVAILABLE. THE SALVATION ARMY IS BUILDING A 15-UNIT HOUSING WING. VETERANS WILL BE ASSIGNED THEIR OWN PRIVATE FURNISHED ROOMS WITH PRIVATE BATHROOMS. FUNDING IS COMING THROUGH COMMUNITY DONATIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND AREA BUSINESSES.
WASH CO PROPERTY REAPPRAISALS
IT’S PROPERTY REAPPRAISAL TIME IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. REAPPRAISALS ARE DONE EVERY 5 YEARS AND THE LAST ONE WAS IN 2019. VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO JUMP BY AS MUCH AS 70-PERCENT IN 2024. HOWEVER, THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL IS GOING UP. IF PROPERTY VALUES GO UP, THE CERTIFIED TAX RATE IS LOWERED TO BRING IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE. THE ASSESSOR’S OFFICE WILL LOOK AT 69-THOUSAND PARCELS OF LAND AND THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MARCH.
BAYS MOUNTAIN WORK
WORK IS UNDERWAY ON THE FIRST PHASE OF RENOVATIONS AT BAYS MOUNTAIN PARK IN KINGSPORT. PHASE ONE WORK INCLUDES EXPANDING THE GIFT SHOP, RENOVATING AND RIGHT-SIZING EMPLOYEE OFFICES, REPLACING THE CARPET IN THE LOBBY WITH VINYL FLOORING AND CREATING A NEW ENTRANCE TO THE PLANETARIUM. CURRENTLY, THE PLANETARIUM IS CLOSED, BUT THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE NATURE CENTER IS OPEN. FIRST PHASE WORK WILL COST ABOUT $650-THOUSAND DOLLARS AND SHOULD BE FINISHED IN FEBRUARY.
FOOD CITY TO PAY MILLIONS IN OPIOID SETTLEMENT
THE COMPANY THAT OWNS FOOD CITY GROCERY STORES WILL PAY $44.5-MILLION DOLLARS AS PART OF A 2021 OPIOID LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT. K-VA-T FOOD STORES WAS SUED BY THE STATE OF TENNESSEE FOR ALLEGEDLY VIOLATING THE STATE’S CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT. THE SUIT ALLEGES THREE KNOXVILLE-AREA STORES SOLD HIGH AMOUNTS OF OPIOIDS FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS. FOOD CITY OFFICIALS DISPUTE ANY ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT AND SAY THE SETTLEMENT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL PARTIES. MOST OF THE MONEY WILL GO TO THE STATE’S OPIOID ABATEMENT FUND TO SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE EPIDEMIC.
