The Blount County Sheriff’s Office with a scam warning if you buy a shirt or other things in memory of fallen Deputy Greg McCowan and or Deputy Shelby Eggers.
They say the families of both deputies have approved three T-shirts where all the money will be donated to them.
One is at Pokey Sports in Maryville along with Blue Line Tennessee and Bougie Lady.
BCSO says they are not aware of any other T-shirt sales. A reminder that the memorial ride for Deputy McCowan is happening on Sunday.
A wildfire in Campbell County has grown.
Crews say the fire has grown and strong winds may have been a factor.
At last check that fire burned 115 acres is 50% contained according to the Tennessee Division of Forestry.
Crews say 30 to 50 homes could be in danger. Strong winds and steep slopes are making it difficult for them to tackle these wildfires and they hope the rain will help significantly.
There’s no word yet on what caused the fire. The Division of Forestry is investigating.
Morristown, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: In the latest update from the Morristown Police Department, Brayan Lopez was reportedly found safe Friday afternoon.
ORIGINAL STORY: Investigators with the Morristown Police Department are asking for help to find a missing teen.
Officials are searching for 16-year-old Brayan Lopez who was reported missing by his parents Friday morning. He was last seen at home Thursday night around 11:00 p.m.
Investigators and family are concerned for his safety.
Brayan is approximately 5’9” tall and weighs approximately 150 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Please see the attached photo.
Brayan was last seen wearing black shorts and a black or grey shirt. He has a heart tattoo or drawing on his forearm.
The MPD is asking anyone with information concerning Brayan Lopez’s location to contact police immediately through the dispatch center at 423-585-270.
Scott County, TN (WOKI) A former Scott County Sheriff’s Office Deputy pleads guilty Thursday to an assault charge but will not see the inside of a jail cell.
Officials with the Oneida Police Department say 27-year-old Rachel Thomas was taken into custody and charged with assault in July of last year after she punched her mother. OPD says Thomas’s mother was trying to stop her from leaving the house while drunk.
Thomas received judicial diversion for the charge, which means she won’t spend any time in jail and her record will stay clean.
Officials add that Thomas is no longer with the department.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville historian and civil rights activist Robert ‘Bob’ Booker has died.
Booker, considered a powerful voice not just in Knoxville but across the state, was an author, historian, civil rights activist and even a state legislator.
He grew up in East Knoxville, graduating from Austin High School before joining the military. Booker spent three years in the Army stationed in France and England. He graduated from Knoxville College on the G.I Bill in 1962 with a degree in education. At the college, he spent two terms as president of the student body and organized sit-ins to advance desegregation in Knoxville.
Booker died Thursday, February 22, 2024; he was 88.
Nashville, TN (WOKI) Cell phones could soon be banned in Tennessee classrooms.
A new bill, HB 2758/SB 2809, making its way through the General Assembly would prohibit students from displaying, using or accessing an electronic device, like a cell phone, during instructional time unless that device is authorized or provided by the school for instructional purposes.
“As introduced, requires LEAs and public charter schools to prohibit students from displaying, using, or accessing an electronic device during instructional time unless the electronic device is authorized, or provided to the student, by the LEA or public charter school for instructional purposes; requires local boards of education and public charter school governing bodies to develop and adopt a policy to implement the prohibition.”
The measure was introduced back in January by Representative Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough, and Senator Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol. Since then, it’s passed on two considerations in the Senate and has been recommended for passing by the K through 12 Subcommittee to the Education Administration.
Nashville, TN (WOKI) A new bill could see Tennessee implementing digital identification cards and driver’s licenses.
The bill, HB 2792/SB 2661, aims to establish and implement a secure digital license system for Tennesseans. Digital driver licenses and photo identification licenses would be issued upon request.
The measure was introduced by Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson, and Sen. Dawn White, R-Murfreesboro, on Jan. 31. Since then, it’s been assigned and discussed in committees and subcommittees.
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security says a program is in the works for Tennesseans to use a digital version of a state ID and/or driver’s license.
No timeline has been given for the program’s launch.
A locally owned movie theater in Knox County is closing its doors immediately.
Halls Cinema 7 made the announcement on social media saying they weren’t making enough money.
The theater says as a member of the Halls community it is very personal and it hurts very much to say goodbye to something like this.
Knox County leaders are looking to honor the life of fallen U.S. Army Specialist Jeremy Daniel Evans.
Evans was killed in a rollover crash during a military training exercise in Alaska back in October.
He was a Gibbs High School graduate and now county Commission wants to rename part of East Emory Road to Specialist Jeremy Daniel Evans Memorial Highway.
They’ll vote on that proposal Monday.
Early morning widespread wireless service interruptions for many AT&T customers are ending as many are now seeing their service return.
Several East Tennessee E 911 agencies confirming the nationwide outage with Jefferson County and Knox County saying their E 911 centers are operational.
Verizon and T-Mobile customers are also reporting service issues but in connection with calling A T & T customers.
