2 ARRESTED OVER 59 LBS OF METH SEIZED

TWO MEN ARE FACING DRUG CHARGES AFTER OVER 59 POUNDS OF METH WERE SEIZED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY VIRGINIA THIS WEEK. ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON COUNTY VIRGINIA SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TWO SEARCH WARRANTS WERE EXECUTED WEDNESDAY, AS PART OF AN EXTENSIVE DRUG INVESTIGATION. AUTHORITIES FIRST SEARCHED A VEHICLE DURING A TRAFFIC STOP ON INTERSTATE 81. DURING A SEARCH OF THE VEHICLE OFFICERS REPORTEDLY FOUND ROUGHLY 4 POUNDS OF METH. THE SEARCH ALSO UNCOVERED ABOUT AN OUNCE OF FENTANYL. 45 YEAR OLD ROBERT IVING OF ROANOKE WAS ARRESTED ON MULTIPLE DRUG CHARGES. THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ALSO EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT AT A HOME IN ABINGDON, WHERE THEY REPORTEDLY FOUND METH, FENTANYL, AND A FIREARM. 29 YEAR OLD  BRACK WIDNER IS FACING VARIOUS DRUG AND WEAPONS CHARGES. AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION, HOMES IN ROANOKE AND SALEM WERE SEARCHED, WHICH RESULTED IN THE DISCOVERY OF 59 POUNDS OF METH.

CLOSING ARGUMENTS SET FOR TODAY IN WILLIAMS TRIAL

CLOSING ARGUMENTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR TODAY IN SEAN WILLIAMS’ TWO ESCAPED RELATED TRIAL. WILLIAMS FACES UP TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON ON EACH COUNT. IN BETWEEN INTERVIEWING FIVE WITNESSES, WILLIAMS COMPLAINED THAT A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR HIRED FOR HIS DEFENSE WASN’T DOING HIS JOB, ACCUSED WITNESSES OF PROVIDING CONTRADICTORY TESTIMONY, CALLED FOR A MISTRIAL OVER A MINOR TECHNOLOGY ISSUE, AND APPEARED TO REPEATEDLY FRUSTRATE THE JUDGE AND PROSECUTORS, STATING AT ONE POINT THAT HE WAS BEING RAILROADED, AND ASKED AT ANOTHER IF THIS WAS A FAIR TRIAL. CLOSING ARGUMENTS ARE SCHEDULED TO BEING AT 9 AM THIS MORNING.

GREENE CO MAN CHARGED WITH SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A CHILD

A GREENEVILLE MAN WAS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY, AFTER AN INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN INVESTIGATION. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE FROM THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THE INVESTIGATION BEGAN FOLLOWING A TIP FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN, ABOUT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL BEING UPLOADED TO THE INTERNET. 41 YEAR OLD MARCU JOHNSON WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR. HE’S SET TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY.

MAN CHARGED WITH VEHICULAR HOMICIDE BY INTOXICATION AFTER FATAL CRASH ON I-26

A MAN IS FACING SEVERAL CHARGES IN CONNECTION TO A FATAL CRASH ON INTERSTATE 26 IN APRIL. DAVID RUSSELL WAS INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY ON CHARGES OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE BY INTOXICATION, POSSESSION OF A HANDGUN WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE, AND TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. RUSSELL TURNED HIMSELF IN TO THE WASHINGTON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER ON JULY 19TH AND HAS SINCE BONDED OUT OF JAIL. THE CHARGES ARE RELATED TO A CRASH THAT OCCURRED JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT AT EXIT 17 OF I-26 ON APRIL 28TH. POLICE SAID RUSSELL WAS DRIVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION WHEN HE CRASHED HEAD ON INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, KILLING THE DRIVER, 27 YEAR OLD AUSTIN TEAGARDEN OF KNOXVILLE.

JONESBOROUGH WATER OUTAGE SCHEDULED TO START MONDAY NIGHT

A SCHEDULED WATER OUTAGE WILL AFFECT SOME HOMES IN JONESBOROUGH NEXT WEEK. ACCORDING TO THE JONESBOROUGH WATER DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT, THE OUTAGE WILL START AT 10 PM ON JULY 29TH, AND LAST UNTIL 5 AM ON JULY 30TH. DURING THE OVERNIGHT OUTAGE, CREWS WILL WORK TO CONNECT A NEW WATER LINE ON BLALOCK ROAD TO THE EXISTING LINE ON HIGHWAY 11-E AT GRANDVIEW SCHOOL. THE OUTAGE WILL START AT TROYER’S AND GO UP TO GRANDVIEW SCHOOL. OAKLAND ROAD COULD ALSO EXPERIENCE DROPS IN PRESSURE.

SEASONAL UNEMPLOYMENT CHANGES IMPACT JUNE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES

ACCORDING TO NEW DATA RELEASE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SEASONAL CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT THAT OCCUR ANNUALLY, SUCH AS SCHOOL BREAKS, CAUSED TENNESSEE’S COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS TO INCREASE IN JUNE. UNLIKE THE STATEWIDE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, AT AN ALL TIME LOW IN TENNESSEE, COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT RATES ARE NOT ADJUSTED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SEASONAL IMPACTS. JUNE’S DATA SHOWED UNEMPLOYMENT RATES INCREASED IN EACH OF TENNESSEE’S 95 COUNTIES DURING THE MONTH. TENNESSEE’S STATEWIDE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR JUNE REMAINED AT A RECORD-BREAKING 3 PERCENT FOR THE 2ND MONTH IN A ROW.

VOLUNTEERS ASSIST WITH ELEVATOR RESCUE

VOLUNTEERS WITH THE GREENEVILLE EMERGENCY AND RESCUE SQUAD AND FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL RESPONDED TO AN ELEVATOR RESCUE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. JUST AFTER 7 PM, THE RESCUE SQUAD RESPONDED TO THE HAMPTON INN AT 3130 EAST ANDREW JOHNSON HIGHWAY, A FEMALE WAS REPORTEDLY TRAPPED IN AN ELEVATOR BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS. THE FEMALE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OUT ON HER OWN. GREENEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS USED A KEY TO OPEN BOTH DOORS, AND LOWER A LADDER. THE FEMALE WAS ABLE TO CLIMB OUT UNHARMED.

TN’S SALES TAX HOLIDAY BEGINS TODAY

THE STATE OF TENNESSEE’S ANNUAL SALES TAX HOLIDAY BEGAN AT 12:01 THIS MORNING. TENNESSEANS CAN SAVE NEARLY 10 PERCENT ON QUALIFYING CLOTHING, SCHOOLS SUPPLIES AD COMPUTERS. CLOTHING AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES PRICED AT 100 DOLLARS OR LESS, AND COMPUTERS PRICED AT 1500 DOLLARS OR LESS ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE PURCHASED TAX FREE. QUALIFYING ITEMS MAY BE PURCHASED IN STORES OR ONLINE. THE TAX-FREE HOLIDAY ENDS AT 11:50 PM SUNDAY.

FINAL FAFSA COUNTDOWN IS ON BEFORE AUG 1ST

THE FINAL FAFSA COUNTDOWN IS ON! THERE ARE ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT FOR STUDENTS IN THE CLASS OF 2024, TO FINISH THEI FAFSA  BEFORE THE AUGUST 1ST DEADLINE TO QUALIFY FOR THE TENNESSEE PROMISE. TENNESSEE’S HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION IS PARTNERING WITH DOZENS OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN COMPLETING THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENY AID, THE FIRST STEP TO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN COLLEGE GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS. THE LATEST NATIONAL REPORT SHOWS THAT JUST 59.1 PERCENT OF THE STATE’S 2024 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES HAVE COMPLETED THE FAFSA SO FAR THIS YEAR. STUDENTS AND FAMILIES CAN QUICKLY GET STEP BY STEP HELP WITH THE FAFSA APPLICATION AND ASK QUESTIONS AT COLLEGE FOR TN DOT ORG FORWARD SLASH FAFSA.