“Broken asphalt pavement resulting in a pothole, dangerous to motorists. Shot with shallow dof. ….recent addition”
Motorists traveling on East Tennessee interstates and state routes should be aware of upcoming road construction activities that will affect traffic.
Beginning on Tuesday morning, January 23, TDOT crews will be patching potholes regionwide. This is being done in response to the damage recent winter weather has done to East Tennessee roadways.
Please keep an eye out for crews working in the following areas:
I-640 East at Rutledge Pike in Knox County
I-40 in Loudon County
I-40 in Roane County
I-75 in Campbell County
SR 63 from Harrogate to LaFollette
Various state routes in Hancock, Hamblen, Hawkins and Greene Counties
This schedule is contingent on favorable weather conditions. Motorists are advised to expect delays and use extreme caution in this area as workers will be present.
As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and “Know Before You Go!” by checking travel conditions before leaving for their destination. Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.
Rocky Top, TN (WOKI) UPDATE1/23/24 3:30 p.m.: One person is found dead and an investigation continues following an early morning apartment building fire in Rocky Top.
Multiple crews were called to the 300 block of Main Street just before 4:00 a.m. Tuesday for a major fire. Officials on scene say the building housed five apartments as well as businesses.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is helping to investigate the blaze; they are confirming that one person was found dead inside the building after the fire.
Fire officials say eight people are believed to have been affected by the fire, including the one who died.
The Red Cross is helping those who have been displaced.
ADDITIONAL UPDATE: An investigation is underway after an early morning downtown fire in Rocky Top that leaves several displaced.
Multiple Crews were called to the 300 block of Main Street just before 4 a.m. and found flames coming from the roof and eventually spreading to the exterior before crews put it out.
Officials say the building houses five apartments as well as businesses and that eight people are believed to have been affected by the fire.
The Red Cross is helping those who have been displaced.
No word on injuries and authorities are still asking people to please avoid this area as crews continue to monitor the fire.
UPDATE: An investigation is underway and one person is unaccounted for after an early morning downtown fire in Rocky Top.
Multiple Crews were called to the 300 block of Main Street just before 4 a.m. and found flames coming from the roof and eventually spreading to the exterior before crews .
Officials say the building houses five apartments as well as businesses.
Fire officials say eight people are believed to have been affected by the fire, including the one person who is unaccounted for. The Red Cross is helping those who have been displaced.
No word on injuries and authorities are still asking people to please avoid this area as crews continue to monitor the fire.
ORIGINAL STORY: Anderson County – Multiple Crews are on the scene of an apartment building fire in the 300 block of Main Street and Third Street in Rocky Top this morning.
Fire crews were called to the scene just before 4 a.m. this morning and say there are 5 apartments in the building but it’s not known if anyone is living there and no word on injuries at this time.
Roads are closed in the area while crews battle this fire which was saw smoke and flames coming from inside, out the roof and coming through windows to the exterior earlier but crews have managed to stop that spread and are making progress fighting that blaze.
Flames are greatly reduced but some interior fires are still burning.
Please avoid this area as crews continue to fight that blaze.
TDEC encouraging residents to test their homes for radon during ‘Radon Action Month’ (Courtesy: TDEC Facebook)
Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation encourages residents to identify and address radon problems in their homes by providing free radon test kits through the Tennessee Radon Program.
Governor Bill Lee has proclaimed January as “Radon Action Month.”
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is released during the natural decay of uranium, which is found in most rock and soil. It is odorless, invisible and without taste and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
For your free test kit and to learn more, please click here.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville pastor out for his morning jog Monday finds a man lying dead outside of Edgewood Chapel AME Zion Church.
Knoxville Police Department officials say the pastor came across the deceased man around 7:30 a.m. outside of the church located at 2440 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.
Officers dispatched to the scene determined that the 73-year-old man had been staying at an address on MLK Jr. Avenue earlier this week. KPD says he was last seen around 3:00 p.m. on January 21.
The body was taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center for further investigation and to determine the cause of death. KPD reports no apparent signs of foul play at this time.
Officers called to the 1400 block of Beaumont Avenue after a woman reported her car was taken at gunpoint yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.
Officers spotted the car which eventually crashed at Texas Avenue and Sherman Street and the man, identified as 18 year-old Shaun Sullivan, ran from the car and was caught behind the Emerald Youth facility with a loaded handgun.
Sullivan is charged with carjacking, reckless driving, possession of a firearm with intent to go armed and leaving the scene of an accident.
Updated Information: The victim from the fatal crash that happened on Rutledge Pike on Sunday morning has been identified as Michael Eastridge, 52 of Knoxville, Tennessee. The victim was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Crash reconstruction investigators also believe that the poor condition of the vehicle’s tires was a contributing factor in the crash.
Original Story: Knoxville Police are investigating a deadly shooting at a home in North Knoxville.
Officers responding to the 5700 of Chesswood Drive early this morning (Monday) on reports of shots fired in the home and they found a man who had been shot at least once, who was pronounced at the scene.
KPD says the suspected shooter was known to the victim. The suspect was detained at the scene then taken in for questioning.
The circumstances that led to the shooting remain under investigation.
Jerrod Martin (Courtesy: Newport Police Department)
Newport, TN (WOKI) Newport police arrest a murder suspect Thursday, January 18 after finding the body of a missing woman along a highway in Cosby.
Murder suspect Jerrod Martin was arrested Thursday in connection to the disappearance and murder of Michelle Johnson of Newport who was reported missing on January 9.
Newport Police Department officials say Martin lead NPD and TBI investigators to the location where he disposed of Johnson’s body; her body was recovered along US-321 near Limestone Way in Cosby.
Martin is charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. He is being held in Hancock County for charges out of that county, and a hold has been placed on his transfer to Cocke County.
No further details have been released as the investigation is still ongoing.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Officials with the Knoxville Police Department are confirming the discovery of a dead woman outside of an apartment complex near Old City.
Officials say police along with the Knoxville Fire Department and the Medical Examiner’s Office responded around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 17 to the complex at 246 Hall of Fame Drive. They say the woman was 50 years old.
Her cause of death has not been released; however, police say no initial signs of foul play were found.
KAT buses suspend operations due to dangerous road conditions (Courtesy: WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) announces it is suspending operations for the rest of the day Friday due to dangerous road conditions.
KAT representatives say safety is their number one priority, and the roads are too icy to operate city buses safely.
KAT says it plans to operate severe snow routes tomorrow Saturday, January 20 with the first lineup at 11:15 a.m. and the last lineup at 8:15 p.m.; however, the schedule is subject to change after road conditions are re-evaluated on Saturday.
To stay updated on the latest from KAT, click here.
Updated Story: The weather related deaths from the snow and ice that hit our area a week ago has risen.
The state says the death is now at 27, four of those in Knox County, two in Roane County, one in Anderson County and two in Washington County.
The state says weather related deaths include many different situations like hypothermia, exposure, falling through ice and drowning which is determined by the Medical Examiner.
How much will clearing the streets and Knox County cost?
Crews across East Tennessee have been hard at work plowing streets and laying down salt as snow fell last Monday and cold temperatures hampered progress.
Jim Snowden with Knox County says they estimated they spent nearly $250,000 on salt alone, and after the reviews of equipment damages and equipment repairs, the expenditures would most likely top $300,000.
Officials with the City of Knoxville say preliminary numbers were only available through this past Wednesday and were only for public services like employee overtime and resource purchases which were more than $335,000 with totals expected to be released mid-week.
Original Story: The Tennessee Department of Health says more people have died due to below freezing temperatures after a winter storm hit Tennessee this week.
The TDH says two new deaths occurred in Marshall County and one in Roane County, bringing the total of weather-related deaths to 17.
Extreme cold weather is expected to linger through the weekend, with temperatures in the teens on Saturday. Ice also continues to be a problem on the roadways.
Officials continue to urge residents to stay off the roads and out of the frigid temperatures.
