MONDAY APRIL 21

CARTER CO RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT PROPOSED RETREAT

A COUPLE’S PLAN TO BRING WHAT THEY SAY IS A COUPLES’ RETREAT TO CARTER COUNTY IS FACING PUBLIC BACKLASH ON SOCIAL MEDIA. ORIGINALLY FROM CALIFORNIA, BATIAN AND MARISOL YOTTA TRAVELED AROUND THE COUNTRY BEFORE SETTLING IN CARTER COUNTY. THE YOTTAS SAID THEY PLANNED TO BUILD 11 DOMES ON PROPERTY THEY BOUGHT IN POGA AS PART OF A COUPLE’S RETREAT CALLED HIDDEN HARMONY. MUCH OF THE PUBLIC BACKLASH SURROUNDS MARISOL’S POSTING ON ADULT CONTENT WEBSITES AS A WAY OF INCOME. A CHANGE DOT ORG PETITION HAS BEEN CREATED BY POGA LOCALS WITH THE GOAL OF STOPPING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RETREAT. THE CARTER COUNTY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE WILL MEET TUESDAY IN ELIZABETHTON AND WILL DISCUSS THE MATTER. THE YOTTAS SAY THEY PLAN TO BE IN ATTENDANCE.

FUGITIVE WANTED SINCE 2013 FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR ARRESTED IN SALTVILLE VA

SMYTH COUNTY SHERIFF CHIP SHULER REPORTED THAT A FUGITIVE WANTED OUT OF KENTUCKY SINCE 2013 WAS LOCATED AND APPREHENDED IN SALTVILLE THURSDAY. ACCORDING TO A NEWS RELEASE, 45 YEAR OLD ANTOINE L. BELL WAS WANTED IN FRANKFORT KENTUCKY FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR ON CHARGES INVOLVING A MINOR UNDER THE AGE OF 12 YEARS OLD. THE RELEASE SAID BELL HAD EVADED CAPTURE SINCE 2013, AND WAS LISTED AS AN ACTIVE FUGITIVE. THE SMYTH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE RECEIVED A TIP FROM A CITIZEN REGARDING BELL POSSIBLY RESIDING IN SALTVILLE ON APRIL 8^TH. ON THURSDAY, SMYTH COUNTY DEPUTIES, U.S. MARSHALS AND THE SALTVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT LOCATED AND ARRESTED BELL WITHOUT INCIDENT. A SEARCH WARRANT WAS EXECUTED AT THE RESIDENCE WHERE HE WAS FOUND, WHICH RESULTED IN THE SEIZURE OF NUMEROUS FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION. HIS CHARGES INCLUDE FELONY FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE, FIVE COUNTS OF FELONY POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON, AND POSSESSION OF AMMUNITION BY A CONVICTED FELON. MORE CHARGES ARE PENDING.

CARTER CO CAR CLUB CRUISE IN MOVED TO ELIZABETHTON H.S. PARKING LOT

THE CARTER COUNTY CAR CLUB HAS MOVED THE START OF ITS SEASONAL CRUISE-INS FROM DOWNTOWN ELIZABETHTON TO THE PARKING LOT AT ELIZABETHTON HIGH SCHOOL, DUE TO THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF THE BROAD STREET BRIDGE, WHICH HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE HURRICANE HELENE. THE CARTER COUNTY CAR CLUB WILL HAVE ITS FIRST CRUISE-IN OF THE YEAR ON MAY 31^ST IN THE EHS PARKING LOT FROM 5 TO 9 PM. IT WILL CONTINUE THERE EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT UNTIL JULY. JIM BASS, PRESIDENT OF THE CARTER COUNTY CAR CLUB, SAID HE HOPES TO MOVE THE CRUISE=INS BACK DOWNTOWN AFTER THE BROAD STREET BRIDGE REOPENS.

DAVID CROCKETT STATE PARK TRAIL REOPENING SATURDAY

DAVID CROCKETT BIRTHPLACE STATE PARK REMAINS CLOSED NEARLY SEVEN MONTHS AFTER HURRICANE HELENE DESTROYED MUCH OF THE PARK. BUT THAT CHANGED LAST WEEKEND WITH THE CROCKETT SHOALS OVERLOOK TRAIL OPENING ON SATURDAY. WATER LEVELS FROM HELENE REACHED AS HIGH AS THE TRAIL, BUT THERE’S ALSO A NEW SIGN OF NEW LIFE NOW THAT THE WATER HAS RECEDED. PARK RANGER JONATHAN CHINOUTH SAID THEY’RE STARTING TO SEE SOME REGROWTH OF THINGS LIKE NATIVE RIVERCANE. THE TRAIL WILL HAVE NORMAL OPERATION TIMES FROM DAWN TO DUSK, BUT VISITORS OF THE PARK WILL NOTICE A FEW CHANGES. CHINOUTH SAID PARKING WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE HOUR, AND THERE WILL ONLY BE SPACE FOR FIVE VEHICLES. THERE’S CURRENTLY NO TIMETABLE FOR REOPENING THE REST OF THE PARK.

UNSEASONAL SLIDE: GAS PRICES CONTINUE TO FALL

AS SPRING BREAK TRAVEL WINDS DOWN, GAS PRICES ARE FOLLOWING SUIT, DOWN FIVE CENTS SINCE LAST WEEK. SOFTER DEMAND IS FUELING THIS DOWNWARD TREND, AND WITH CRUDE AS LOW AS IT’S BEEN IN A FEW YEARS, DRIVERS MAY CONTINUE TO SEE LOWER PUMP PRICES AS SUMMER APPROACHES. ACCORDING TO NEW DATA FROM THE ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, GASOLINE DEMAND INCREASED SLIGHTLY FROM 8.42 BARRELS PER DAY TO 8.46. TOTAL DOMESTIC GAS SUPPLY DECREASED FROM 236 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY TO 234. GASOLINE PRODUCTION INCREASED LAST WEEK, AVERAGING 9.4 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY. HERE IN THE TRI CITIES GAS IS SELLING AN AVERAGE OF 2.73 A GALLON IN KINGSPORT AND BRISTOL, BUT 2.85 IN JOHNSON CITY. THOSE PRICES ARE DOWN 4 CENTS FROM A WEEK AGO IN KINGSPORT AND BRISTOL, BUT THE SAMES AS LAST WEEK IN JOHNOSN CITY.

NEW ULTRASOUND DEVISE TO HELP BRISTOL VA PARAMEDICS SAVE LIVES

PARAMEDICS IN BRISTOL VIRGINIA NOW HAVE A POWERFUL NEW TOOL IN THE FIELD TO HELP SAVE LIVES. THE CITY’S FIRE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY ADDED A HANDHELD ULTRASOUND DEVISE TO ITS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TOOLKIT. IT’S DESIGNED TO QUICKLY DETECT INTERNING BLEEDING IN TRAUMA PATIENTS. THIS INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS MEDICS TO DIAGNOSE CRITICAL INJURIES ON THE SCENE, SPEEDING UP TREATMENT AND ENSURING PATIENTS ARE TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITALS EQUIPPED FOR EMERGENCY SURGERY. TRAINING OFFICER LT JOSHUA WILKENSON SAYS THE QUICKER MEDICS CAN IDENTIFY INTERNAL BLEEDING, THE FASTER THEY CAN MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHERE A PATIENT NEEDS TO GO. ACCORDING TO THE BRISTOL VIRGINIA FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT HAS ONE ULTRASOUND UNIT, WHICH COSTS ABOUT 12,000 DOLLARS.

RUSSELL CO PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISCONTINUING LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM

RUSSELL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS DISCONTINUING ITS LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM, THE RUSSELL COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM STATED THURSDAY THAT IT WAS A COMBINATION OF FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS DECISION, INCLUDING A STEADY DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT, ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES IN MEETING NEW ACCREDITATION STANDARDS, AND BUDGET CONSTRAINTS. IT WAS ADDED THAT THE PROGRAM IS NOT FUNDED BY ANY STATE OR FEDERAL GRANT, SO IT COSTS AROUND 250,000 DOLLARS TO RUN THE PROGRAM, AND TUITION FOR EACH STUDENT IS AROUND 900 DOLLARS. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SAID THAT THEYA RE WORKING WITH SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PROVIDE ADVISING AND TRANSFER FOR THE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS.

TENNESSEE CONFIRMS TWO NEW MEASLES CASES REACHING A TOTAL OF SIX FPR 2025

THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS CONFIRMED TWO MORE MEASLES CASES IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AS OF THURSDAY. THIS BRINGS TENNESSEE’S TOTAL TO SIX CONFIRMED CASES OF MEASLES FOR 2025. BOTH OF THESE NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES REPORT THAT THE INDIVIDUALS ARE CURRENTLY QUARANTINING AT HOME. THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH STATES THERE HAVE BEEN NO ADDITIONAL EXPOSURES RELATED TO THE NEWLY CONFIRMED CASES AS OF THURSDAY, AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF SUSTAINED MEASLES TRANSMISSION IN THE COMMUNITY OR STATE. THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ALSO REMINDS THE PUBLIC THAT THERE IS AN ONGOING NATIONAL MEASLES OUTBREAK, INVOLVING OVER 700 CASES IN 25 STATES, WITH TWO CONFIRMED FATALITIES IN THE STATES SO FAR.

TN LEGISLATURE ADVANCES BILLS TARGETING DEI PROGRAMS IN PUBLIC SECTORS

A NEW BATTLE OVER DIVERSITY PROGRAMS IS HEATING UP AT THE TENNESSEE CAPITOL. TENNESSEE LAWMAKERS ARE ADVANCING TWO BILLS THAT COULD DISMANTLE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES ACROSS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, SCHOOLS, AND UNIVERSITIES. HOUSE BILL 0622, CALLED THE DISMANTLE DEI ACT, WOULD PROHIBIT PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AS WELL AS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM MAKING HIRING DECISIONS BASED ON RACE, SEX, RELIGION, AGE OR DISABILITY. INSTEAD, INSTITUTIONS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HIRE BASED SOLELY ON INDIVIDUAL QUALIFICATIONS. THE BILL PASSED THE HOUSE ON THURSDAY. MEANWHILE HOUSE BILL 0923, WHICH WOULD DISMANTLE DEI DEPARTMENTS ACROSS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AS WELL AS PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, WAS SCHEDULED FOR DEBATE THURSDAY. HOWEVER THE DISCUSSION WAS ABRUPTLY HALTED AFTER DEMOCRATS REQUESTED 30 MINUTES PER SIDE FOR DEBATE. REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM LAMBERTH ENDED THE CONVERSATION BY CALLING THE BILL INTO RECESS UNTIL TODAY.

WOMAN CHARGED WITH CRASHING INTO THP UNIT ON I-81

A WOMAN WAS CITED AFTER CRASHING INTO A TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL VEHICLE THAT WAS PARKED AT THE SCENE OF A PREVIOUS, CRASH ON INTERSTATE 81 SUNDAY MORNING. ACCORDING TO A THP REPORT, THE CRASH TOOK PLACE NEAR MILE MARKER 59 AROUND 8:29 AM. THE THP UNIT WAS BLOCKING OFF THE LEFT LANE WITH BLUE LIGHTS ACTIVATED WHILE AWAITING A TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE FOR A DISABLE VEHICLE FROM A PREVIOUS CRASH THAT WAS JUST IN FRONT OF THE THP UNIT.  A KIA SORENTO WAS TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE AND FAILED TO MERGE INTO THE RIGHT LANE, STRIKING THE THP UNIT, PUSHING IT INTO THE ALREAD DISABLED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE SORENTO, A 27 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHOSE NAME WAS NOT RELEASED, WAS CITED FOR FAILURE TO EXERCISE DUE CARE. SHE WAS NOT INJURED, BUT HAD TWO CHILDREN AGES 2 AND 4 WITH HER. BOTH RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

TDOT POURING CONCRETE AT KINSER BRIDGE IN GREENE CO

THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BEGAN POURING CONCRETE ON THE KINSER BRIDGE  ON STATE ROUTE 107 IN GREENE COUNTY SATURDAY. IT MARKS ONE OF THE FINAL STEPS TOWARD REOPENING THE BRIDGE CROSSING THE NOLICHUCKY RIVER, THAT WAS WASHED AWAY BY FLOODING FROM HELENE. ACCORDING TO T-DOT REGION 1 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER MARK NAGI, SATURDAY’S TASK MARKED A MAJOR MILESTONE IN THE KINSER BRIDGE’S REPAIR PROCESS, AND THAT T-DOT HOPES TO HAVE IT OPEN ON OR BEFORE JUNE 23^RD.