NO INJURIES IN TRACTOR TRAILER CRASH ON I-26 IN ERWIN

A PORTION OF INTERSTATE 26 WAS CLOSED DUE TO AN EARLY MORNING TRACTOR TRAILER CRASH IN ERWIN WEDNESDAY MORNING. ACCORDING TO THE TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL, A PETERBILT SENI-TRUCK PULLING A TANKER TRAILER FILLED WITH MILK, HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER JUST AFTER 3 AM. THE TRUCK THEN OVERTURNED, BLOCKING BOTH LANES OF THE INTERSTATE. THE THP REPORTED THE DRIVER WAS UNINJURED IN THE CRASH. AND NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED.

GREENEVILLE MAN ARRESTED AFTER POINTING GUN AT A NEIGHBOR

A GREENEVILLE MAN WAS ARRESTED AFTER POINTING A GUN AT HIS NEIGHBOR MONDAY. ACCORDING TO THE GREENEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AN OFFICER RESPONDED TO 1600 TENNESSEE 70 BYPASS HIGHWAY JUST AFTER 3 PM REGARDING AN AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. WHEN THE OFFICER ARRIVED, THE VICTIM TOLD POLICE THAT THEIR NEIGHBOR IDENTIFIED AS ETHAN FREDRICKS, WAS OUTSIDE ALLEGEDLY YELLING RACIAL SLURS, AND CAUSING A DISTURBANCE. THE VICTIM STATED THEY WENT OUTSIDE TO TELL FREDRICKS TO STOP YELLING, WHEN HE REPORTEDLY PULLED A SEM-AUTOMATIC HANDGUN OUT, CHAMBERED A ROUND, AND POINTED IT AT THE VICTIM. FREDRICKS REPORTEDLY LEFT THE SCENE BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED, AND A WARRANT WAS ISSUED CHARGING HIM WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. HE WAS ARRESTED AT HIS RESIDENCE TUESDAY.

21 NON-PROFITS RECEIVE GRANT FUNDING TO HELP HELENE SURVIVORS

THE EAST TENNESSEE FOUNDATIONS HAS AWARDED NEARLY 500,000 DOLLARS IN GRANT MONEY TO 21 DIFFERENT NON-PROFITS, TO HELP PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY HELENE. THE NON-PROFITS WILL DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS IN VARIOUS WAYS FOR HOME REPAIR, REBUILD, FARM RECOVERY, BUSINESS REPAIRS AND MORE. THE GRANT MONEY IS SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON HELPING PEOPLE WITH LONG TERM RECOVERY, TO HELP THEM GET REESTABLISHED.

A TASTE OF WINTER TO ARRIVE

THE WEATHER MAN SAYS AS EARLY AS THE AFTERNOON HOURS TODAY, YOU COULD SEE SOME FLURRIES WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE REGION. HIGHS TODAY ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO REACH INTO THE LOW TO MID 40’S, WITH THE LOW FALLING INTO THE 20’S. THE BEST CHANCE OF SNOW COMES LATE TONIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY MORNING, WITH AN 80 PERCENT CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. THE LOWEST ELEVATIONS ARE LIKELY TO SEE A TRACE TO A DUSTING OF SNOW, WHILE HIGHER ELEVATIONS COULD SEE ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW. HIGHS FRIDAY ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO REACH ABOUT 39 DEGREES. BUT MILD TEMPERATURES SHOULD RETURN BY SUNDAY WITH HIGHS OF AROUND 57 EXPECTED AND 61 ON MONDAY.

OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREE HARVESTED FROM AVERY CO

THE 2024 OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREE WAS HARVESTED FROM CARTNER’S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM IN NEWLAND NORTH CAROLINA. THE THREE CARTNER BROTHERS MAINTAIN THE FARM THEIR PARENTS BEGAN 65 YEARS AGO, WHEN THE FIRST OF WHAT’S NOW NEARLY 500 ACRES OF CHRISTMAS TREES WAS PLANTED IN AVERY COUNTY. THE CARTNER’S SAY WINNING THIS YEAR MEANS MORE TO THE AREA, AS NEARLY 7,000 TREES ON THEIR FARM WERE LOST TO MUDSLIDES FROM HELENE. THE WINNING TREE IS A FRASER FUR, WHICH THE CARTNER’S CONSIDER THE PREMIUM OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE SPECIES. IT’S 25 YEARS OLD, STANDS 20 FEET TALL AND IS 12 FEET AROUND. IT’LL BE DISPLAYED IN THE BLUE ROOM AT THE WHITE HOUSE. THE TREE WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE FIRST LADY BY THE CARTNER FAMILY NOVEMBER 25^TH.

JOHNSON CITY POLICE PROVIDE TIPS FOR SAFE TRAVEL DURING UPCOMING HOLIDAYS AND WINTER WEATHER

AREA OFFICIALS WITH THE JOHNSON CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT SAY WHILE THE UPCOMING WINTER WEATHER EVENT IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON TRAVEL, IT’S A GOOD TIME TO GET PREPARED FOR THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH WINTER DRIVING. CHIEF BILL CHURCH SAYS WINTER WEATHER CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE, AND A LITTLE PREPARATION CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE. BEFORE TRAVELING THIS WINTER, PREPARE YOUR VEHICLE, MAKE SURE TIRES ARE PROPERLY INFLATED, WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF ANTI-FREEZE, AND KEEP YOUR GAS TANK AT LEAST HALF FULL TO PREVENT FREEZING. HAVE AN EMERGENCY KIT, INCLUDING BLANKETS, WATER, NON-PERISHABLE FOOD, A FLASHLIGHT AND PHONE CHARGER. AND REMOVE ALL SNOW AND ICE FROM WINDOWS, MIRRORS AND THE ROOF BEFORE DRIVING.

CARTER CO VOTERS GIVEN WRONG BALLOT, POTENTIALLY IMPACTING JC CITY COUNCIL

CARTER COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS ADMIT THEY GAVE DOZENS OF PEOPLE THE WRONG BALLOT IN THE NOVEMBER 5^TH ELECTION, ALLOWING THEM TO VOTE IN JOHNSON CITY DESPITE NOT BEING JOHNSON CITY RESIDENTS. AFTER A TIGHT CITY COMMISSION RACE, IT COULD HAVE IMPACTED WHO WON. DOCUMENTS REVEAL THAT 44 CARTER COUNTY VOTERS WERE JOHNSON CITY BALLOTS DESPITE NOT LIVING IN THE CITY LIMITS. ADMINISTRATOR OF ELECTIONS TRACY HARRIS WROTE, HEATHER LANE WAS ACCIDENTLY PUT IN THE CITY OF JOHNSON CITY, AFTER THREE VOTERS CLAIMED TO PAY JOHNSON CITY TAXES. SHE SAID IT WAS LATER CORRECTED AFTER OTHER VOTERS SAID THAT ISN’T THE CASE. STATE OFFICIALS SAY THE ONLY LEGAL WAY TO REMEDY IS FOR A CANDIDATE TO CONTEST THE ELECTION. IF THAT HAPPENS, LOCAL OFFICIALS SAID REDOING THE ELECTION COULD COST UPWARDS OF 118,000 DOLLARS.

FIRST SAFE HAVEN BABY BOX IN VIRGINIA IS COMING TO BRISTOL

THE FIRST SAFE HAVEN BABY BOX IN VIRGINIA IS COMING TO BRISTOL. THROUGH A FUNDRAISING EFFORT, ENOUGH MONEY WAS RAISED TO ESTABLISH THE BOX, WHICH WILL BE LOCATED AT THE BRISTOL VIRGINIA FIRE DEPARTMENT ON LEE STREET. ONCE IT’S INSTALLED THE BABY BOX WILL GIVE MOTHERS IN CRISIS A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO GIVE UP THEIR NEWBORN. IT PROVIDES AN OPTION THAT’S SAFE FOR THE BABY AND ANONYMOUS FOR THE MOTHER. THE SAFE HAVE BABY BOX IS SET TO BE INSTALLED EARLY NEXT YEAR.

EARNEST BRIDGE REOPENS TUESDAY NIGHT

RESIDENTS OF NORTHEASTERN GREENE COUNTY CAN SHAVE NEARLY 20 MILES OFF THEIR COMMUTE, NOW THAT THE EARNEST BRISGE ON CHUCKY PIKE OVER THE NOLICHUCKY RIVER HAS REOPENED. CHUCKY PIKE CONNECTS TO HIGHWAY 11-E, NORMALLY ABOUT A 10 MINUTE DRIVE. THE BRISGE OPENED TO SINGLE LANE TRAFFIC TUESDAY NIGHT. IT HAD BEEN CLOSED SINCE THE AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER 27^TH, WHEN RISING WATERS OVERTOPPED IT, AND LEFT DEBRIS ON THE BRIDGE. TDOT WAS ABLE TO REPAIR EMBANKMENTS AND ROADWAYS. BARRIERS ARE IN PLACE WHILE REPAIR WORK WILL CONTINUE ON THE GUARD RAILS. UNTIL THAT WORK IS COMPLETED, THE BRIDGE WILL BE ONE LANE, WITH SIGNAL LIGHTS ON BOTH ENDS.