The new education center is the largest center in the United States for bald eagles and birds of prey. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Sevier County, TN (WOKI) A new American Eagle Foundation education center is open in Sevier County.
The center provides people a chance to have an up close and personal experience with bald eagles. The Foundation hopes that this new education center will help encourage the community to take part in conservation and protection efforts.
The Foundation’s next project is to open the nation’s largest rehabilitation hospital for bald eagles and birds of prey on their 57-acre campus.
To learn more about the American Eagle Foundation, click here.
Food delivery robot on the University of Tennessee Campus (Courtesy: WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A robot could soon be delivering to your doorstep, but Knoxville City Council is saying not yet.
Despite their popularity and successful use on UT’s campus, the city council on Tuesday, October 31 approved a temporary six-month ban on the use of autonomous delivery vehicles, or food delivery robots within the city.
“It seems like it works well for university and campus but does that make sense for everywhere in Knoxville? Not necessarily, so we’ll use the six months to figure that out,” said Director of Strategic Planning and Programs for the City of Knoxville Carter Hall.
Hall and city leaders are also looking at whether or not to allow the delivery bots on Knoxville’s streets from a safety standpoint. “We feel like the technology works well, but we want to make sure it would be translated well to Knoxville in a safe way,” Hall said.
Hall said the city will consult with other cities who have the service as well as local law enforcement, businesses and disability services.
UT’s fleet of food delivery robots allows students to order food on their phones, getting it in their hands quickly and contact free. The devices are covered in cameras and sensors and roam campus on their own.
“They’re very convenient, you know. People have bad days. You don’t want to walk and get your food, or you’re in the library studying and don’t want to leave,” said Marina Rodgers, a freshman at UT.
The service has been successful on UT’s campus for more than a year. The new ban does not apply to UT’s services.
The ban is similar to the one city council took before approving the use of electric scooters and bikes in Knoxville.
Sevierville, TN (WOKI) A former Sevier County golf coach who worked at Northview Academy in Kodak has been charged with statutory rape.
Sevierville Police Department officials say 38 year-old Jennifer Paige Blanchard was arrested in Seymour on Tuesday, the charge stemming from her time working at the school.
Police report the victim, now an adult, said Blanchard sexually assaulted them when they were a student in 2017. The investigation, which began in June, is ongoing.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) If you’re worried about having enough money to pay utility bills this winter, you’re not alone, and there are programs out there to help.
The “Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program,” or LIHEAP can help pay up to $800 on your utility bill, one time per year.
Senior citizens struggling to keep faulty heaters going can also get help to repair or replace them according to experts with the Knoxville-Knox County Social Services.
Those experts say the demand for assistance has increased dramatically already this heating season.
“We’re just seeing more people in need right now,” said Director for Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee Social Services Misty Goodwin. “Rent is skyrocketing in Knoxville right now. People are not able to keep up with that. We see and hear from a lot of single parents who are raising their children who are just not able to make ends meet every month.”
Goodwin said so many people are in need right now, they’re seeing double to triple the number of applications they normally do this time of year. She said with their year starting on October 1, they typically have about 1,000 to 1,500 applications by now; but this year, they already have over 3,000 applications.
Some good news . . . Goodwin said the department has extra funding this year, and they’re hoping it will be enough.
If you need help getting started, Goodwin said to call social services at (865) 546-3500.
Donations from the public, monetary or in the form of heaters for seniors, are also welcome.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A 40-year-old Oliver Springs man is facing charges including aggravated kidnapping and domestic assault following a shooting in a parking garage at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
The incident occurred Wednesday night, November 1. Matthew Green was reportedly shot in the leg by his son after allegedly assaulting his wife.
He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
His son had given Green multiple warnings to stop the assault on his mom before the shooting.
Charges against Green were already pending out of Oak Ridge, and he has a warrant out of Roane County for aggravated assault.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Powell caretaker is charged Wednesday, November 1 with elder abuse and domestic assault after fighting with a man under her care.
According to a police report, officers responding to a domestic call at a home on Cate Road found the victim who reportedly told them that Kathy McCroskey and he had gotten into a fight. During that fight, McCroskey tried to hit the man, until he locked himself inside his bedroom and called police.
Police also found signs consistent with a struggle inside the home and injuries to the victim’s arms and face.
Student in custody after bringing starter pistol to Anderson County school (File) (Courtesy: WVLT / KPTV)
Clinton, TN (WOKI) A Clinch River Community School student was taken into custody Tuesday, October 31 for bringing a track and field starter pistol to school.
Officials with the Anderson County Schools report that the student was removed from the school within five minutes of administration learning that the individual had the pistol.
The student was not identified.
“While this incident is not something we ever want to have happen in our schools, we are extremely thankful for the way that our employees as well as the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office responded to this threat,” said Director of Schools Dr. Tim Parrott.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a serious crash in Scott County involving a deputy who hit a Fire truck.
It happened yesterday (Tuesday )on U.S. Highway 27 near Wolf Creek Road in Robbins. Deputy Michael Hanson was involved in a head-on collision with a Whitley City fire truck. Scott County’s Sheriff says the deputy was on duty and lost control of the cruiser, smashing into the fire truck. Deputy Hanson was taken to the hospital to be treated for a broken leg.
An investigation is underway following a fatal shooting in East Knoxville.
Deputies with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office called to a shooting in the 8500 block of Old Rutledge Pike last (Tuesday) night and found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds who was pronounced dead on the scene.
The suspect was taken into custody by KCSO without incident.
