TUESDAY MAY 13
TBI INVESTIGATING INMATE DEATH IN UNICOI CO
THE TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION IS INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF AN INMATE AT THE UNICOI COUNTY JAIL OVER THE WEEKEND. ACCORDING TO THE TBI, 35 YEAR OLD DANIEL JENNINGS WAS TRANSPORTED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL SUNDAY AFTERNOON. JENNINGS WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE HOSPITAL. HIS BODY HAS BEEN SENT FOR AN AUTOPSY.1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE FINNEY REQUESTED TBI AGENTS INVESTIGATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF JENNINGS’ DEATH. AS OF MONDAY AFTERNOON THE INVESTIGATION WAS ONGOING.
KP FARMERS MARKET HOSTING AG WEEK EVENT
THE KINGSPORT FARMERS MARKET IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE IT WILL BE HOSTING AGRICULTURE WEEK FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN ON MAY 14TH. THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 9 AM TO 11 AM. 2ND GRADERS FROM KINGSPORT CITY SCHOOLS WILL ROTATE THROUGH A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL STATIONS, GROCERY BAG COLORING, FLAVORED WATER TASTING, CATTLE FARMING, BEE KEEPING, AND WATERSHED AND SOIL ANALYSIS. THEY’LL ALSO GET TO PARTICIPATE IN A PHYSICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITY AT THE NEARBY CAROUSEL PARK. ACCORDING T A RELEASE, LEARNING ABOUT AGRICULTURE IS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, AS IT PROVIDES THEM WITH INFORMATION ON WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM, THE JOURNEY FROM FARM TO TABLE, AND THE PROCESS INVOLVED IN PRODUCING VARIOUS TYPES OF FOOD.
SURVEY OPENS FOR FUTURE OF DAVID CROCKETT BIRTHPLACE STATE PARK
TENNESSEE STATE PARKS OFFICIALS ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THE DAVID CROCKETT BIRTHPLACE STATE PARK. GREER TIDWELL, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF CONSERVATION AT THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT SAID IN A NEWS RELEASE, THAT THEY NEED VISITOR FEEDBACK ON HOW TO BEST HONOR THE LEGACY OF DAVID CROCKETT, AND THE PARK THAT BEARS HIS NAME. ACCORDING TO THE RELEASE, A MASTER PLAN FOR THE PARK HAS STARTED, AND THE SURVEY IS A KEY STEP IN THE PROCESS. THE ONLINE SURVEY IS OPENING UNTI MAY 18TH.
US & CHINA AGREE TO TARIFF REDUCTIONS
THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA AGREED MONDAY TO CUT BACK MOST OF THEIR RECENT TARIFFS FOR A 90 DAY TRUCE IN THE TARIFF WAR. U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE JAMIESON GREER SAID THE U.S AGREED TO DROP ITS TARIFFS ON GOOD FROM CHINA BY 115 PERCENT TO 30 PERCENT, AND CHINA AGREED TO LOWER ITS RATE ON U.S. GOODS BY THE SAME AMOUNT TO 10 PERCENT. ACCORDING TO A JOINT STATEMENT, THE REDUCTION IN TARIFFS WILL TAKE EFFECT ON WEDNESDAY.
ONE INJURED IN WRECK INVOLVING CAR AND MOTORCYCLE
ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN A WRECK SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN GREENE COUNTY. ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM THE GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THE CRASH INVOLVING A CAR AND A MOTORCYCLE OCCURRED IN THE 5600 BLOCK OF THE 107 CUTOFF AT HOMEPLACE LANE. NO NAMES WERE RELEASED, BUT THE REPORT DID STATE THAT THE MALE OPERATOR OF THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TAKEN TO JOHNSON MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT OF A LEG INJURY.
GREENEVILLE POLICE INVESTIGATE AUTO STORE THEFT & VANDALISM
GREENEVILLE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A WEEKEND VANDALISM AND THEFT AT THE ADVANCE AUTO PARTS STORE ON EAST ANDREW JOHNSON HIGHWAY. SOMETIME OVERNIGHT SATURDAY OR EARLY SUNDAY, THE STORE DOOR AND WINDOW WERE SPRAYED WITH BLACK PAINT. TWO TRASHCANS AND A CIGARETTE DISPOSAL WERE ALSO TAKEN FROM THE PROPERTY. LOSS AND DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT JUST OVER 2,100 DOLLARS.
TEMA APPLICATIONS FOR DISASTER RECOVERY AVAILABLE THROUGH END OF MAY
GOVERNOR BILL LEE AND TENNESSEE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY DIRECTOR PATRICK C. SHEEHAN SAY THAT APPLICATIONS ARE STILL OPEN FOR THE GOVERNOR’S RESPONSE AND RECOVERY FUND, A 100 MILLION DOLLAR INITIATIVE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE FLEXIBLE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CURRENT NEEDS AND FUTURE UNMET DISASTER RECOVERY NEEDS, INCLUDING HELENE. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, FARMERS AND FORESTERS IN CARTER, COCKE, GREENE, HAMBLEN, HANCOCK, HAWKINS, JOHNSON, SULLIVAN, UNICOI AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES MAY APPLY. APPLICATIONS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT THE TEMA WEBSITE. ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY MAY 31ST.
POSTERS OF FORMER MEMPHIS OFFICERS HUNG AFTER NOT GUILTY VERDICT
WANTED POSTERS FEATURING IMAGES OF THREE FORMER MEMPHIS POLICE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE TYRE NICHOLS CASE, APPEARED AROUND MEMPHIS, AFTER THE MEN RECEIVED NOT GUILTY VERDICTS. THE POSTERS SAY THE THREE FORMER OFFICERS ARE WANTED DEAD OR UNALIVE FOR NICHOLS’ DEADLY POLICE BEATING. NICHOLS’ MOTHER SAID HER SON WAS MURDERED BY 5 MEMPHIS POLICE OFFICERS AND THREE GOT OFF. STATE REPRESENTATIVE JUSTIN PEARSON OF MEMPHIS SAID HE DOESN’T CONDONE THE POSTERS, AND ADVISES THE COMMUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR EMOTIONS IN A NON-VIOLENT WAY.
BIG LOTS STORES IN TN REOPENING THIS WEEK
ANOTHER ROUND OF BIG LOTS STORES, PREVIOUSLY SHUTTERED AS PART OF ITS CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY FILING, ARE SET TO REOPEN THIS WEEK. THIS MARKS THE 3RD WAVE OF STORES REOPENING THIS YEAR. IN APRIL, 9 STORE REOPENED AS PART OF A DEAL THE RETAILER PREVIOUSLY REACHED WITH GORDON BROTHERS RETAIL PARTNERS. THE DEAL STIPULATED THAT VARIETY WHOLESALERS WOULD ACQUIRE HUNDREDS OF BIG LOTS STORES, WHICH WOULD RETAIN THE ORIGINAL BRANDING. A MUCH LARGER GROUP TOTALING NEARLY 60 REOPENED THE START OF MAY. ON THURSDAY, OVER FIVE DOZEN LOCATIONS WILL OPEN THEIR DOORS AGAIN, INCLUDING JOHNSON CITY, GREENEVILLE AND MORRISTOWN IN OUR AREA.
TRUMP SIGNS ORDER SETTING 30-DAY DEADLINE FOR DRUGMAKERS TO LOWER COSTS
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP MONDAY SIGNED A SWEEPING EXECUTIVE ORDER SETTING A 30-DAY DEADLINE FOR DRUGMAKERS TO ELECTIVELY LOWER THE COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN THE U.S., OR FACE NEW LIMITS DOWN THE ROAD OVER WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL PAY. THE ORDER CALLS ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO BROKER NEW PRICE TAGS FOR DRUGS OVER THE NEXT MONTH. IF DEALS ARE NOT REACHED, ROBERT F KENNEDY JR WILL BE TASKED WITH DEVELOPING A NEW RULE THAT TIES THE PRICE THE U.S. PAYS FOR MEDICATIONS TO LOWER PRICES PAID BY OTHER COUNTRIES.
RUSSELL CO TEEN CHARGED AFTER CAT CRUELTY VIDEO CIRCULATES
THE RUSSELL COUNTY VIRGINIA SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS CHARGED A JUVENILE AFTER A REPORTED VIDEO OF CRUELTY TO A CAT BEGAN CIRCULATING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE VIDEO REPORTEDLY MADE THE ROUNDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WAS BROUGHT TO THE AUTHORITIES ATTENTION. THE ALLEGED CRUELTY TOOK PLACE ON MARCH 7TH OF THIS YEAR. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE ANIMAL CONTROL DIVISION HAS PLACED CHARGES ON THE JUVENILE. AS OF MONDAY THE CASE WAS PENDING IN THE RUSSELL COUNTY JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT.
