Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Despite public outcry, the Knox County Commission voted Monday night to rezone more than 40 acres of farmland off Northshore and Harvey Road for residential use.

The tract of land hasn’t been in use for the last few years.

A group of protestors from the area gathered at the meeting to voice their concerns over safety and overcrowding.

Some argued that bringing more homes to the area would add to what they believe to be an already dangerous stretch of road in the county.

Despite those voicing opposition to the change, the county commission approved the plans to rezone the land after nearly an hour of discussion.

While the move now paves the way for housing to be built, there are no specific plans in place to build as of now.

The agreement upon which the county commission voted allows up to three housing units per acre of this land.

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Fire Department investigators are working to determine the cause of a fire early this morning at an East Knoxville Restaurant.

KFD officials say crews were dispatched just before 12:30 a.m. to the scene of a fire at Buddy’s bar-b-q on Magnolia Avenue.

When fire crews arrived, they saw heavy smoke coming from the building. Officials say crews were able to make an interior fire attack to try and extinguish the fire. They add that firefighters had a hard time locating the fire but kept it from spreading throughout the building.

There were no employees in the building at the time of the fire.

Knoxville Fire Department is working to determine the cause of the fire.

Morristown, TN (WOKI) E. Morris Blvd. in Morristown is reopened to traffic, but firefighters remain on the scene of a fire at a decades-old sign shop in the city.

Morristown firefighters were dispatched Friday afternoon to the scene of a structure fire reported at Morristown Signs in the 1700 block of E. Morris Blvd; the street, from Hale to Liberty Hill, was closed but has since reopened to traffic.

Details as to what caused the fire have not yet been released by Morristown Fire Department officials.

Nashville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) The Knoxville lawmaker looking to unseat U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn has introduced a bill to raise our state’s minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $20.

The bill, HB 2602/SB 2646, was introduced by Representative Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville and Senator Sara Kyle, D-Memphis on January 31. It aims to increase the hourly minimum wage in the state.

“As introduced, increases the hourly minimum wage to $20.00, or the federal minimum wage established pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, whichever rate is greater,” the bill reads.

If the new bill passes, Tennessee would be home to the highest minimum wage in the country. Currently, Washington has the highest minimum wage of any state at $16.28.

“We are behind,” Johnson said during a Thursday press conference. “People are struggling to keep the lights on and keep food on the table. Other states that have raised the wage are doing well with it.”

Since its introduction, the bill has been assigned to committees and subcommittees for discussion in the House and Senate. Now, Johnson is calling on Tennesseans to join the cause and sign onto the bill as a citizen endorser.

Johnson said the bill will not likely pass due to opposition by the Republican supermajority, but significant minimum wage change is needed because she does not consider the current level a livable wage in the state. Rep. Johnson said if this bill doesn’t pass in Tennessee, she would push for similar legislation if elected to the Senate.

A campaign manager for Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Johnson’s likely opposition in the general election, released this statement about the bill:

“Gloria Johnson is as woke as they come, so it’s no surprise this radical socialist is trying to out-liberal Joe Biden’s minimum wage executive order,” the statement said. “It’s a clear sign she puts the liberal woke agenda and PR stunts before Tennesseans. Meanwhile, Senator Blackburn will continue to protect Tennessee and America and secure a strong economy.”

Independent non-profit group, Good Jobs Institute, said many businesses have already set their minimum wage at more than double the federal minimum. Stores like Target in Nashville are advertising starting rates at $16 per hour.