The Tennessee Department of Education has released a checklist for families interested in getting state money to send their children to private school.
The checklist centers on the controversial Education Freedom Scholarship Program, also known as the school voucher bill which uses state dollars to families interested in private school. That bill passed at the start of this year during a special session.
Those picked to receive a scholarship will get $7,295 to go towards enrolling in private school. The Tennessee Department of Education will award 20,000 scholarships with two types of eligibility, Universal Scholarships Open to any eligible student Quali ed Scholarships Reserved for eligible students based on income, IEA eligibility, or ESA eligibility .
The Tennessee Department of Education has released a checklist for families interested in getting state money to send their children to private school.
The checklist centers on the controversial Education Freedom Scholarship Program, also known as the school voucher bill which uses state dollars to families interested in private school. That bill passed at the start of this year during a special session.
Those picked to receive a scholarship will get $7,295 to go towards enrolling in private school. The Tennessee Department of Education will award 20,000 scholarships with two types of eligibility, Universal Scholarships Open to any eligible student Quali ed Scholarships Reserved for eligible students based on income, IEA eligibility, or ESA eligibility .
An investigation is underway following an early morning (Thursday) hit and run accident in Halls.
Rural Metro Fire crews called to Maynardville Highway near East Emory Road and found one damaged car in the road while the other vehicle had fled the scene.
The driver of the vehicle at the scene was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
If you have any information, please contact authorities.
Today, April 9, 2025, Knoxville Fire Department investigators arrested and charged 42-year-old Brandon Humfleet with arson.
Humfleet was arrested earlier this morning following a fire at a business at 1520 Liberty Street. The fire was initially reported at 3:50 a.m.
When firefighters arrived at the business, they determined that the blaze had been intentionally set. Investigators worked throughout the morning to identify and locate the suspect.
Humfleet has now been charged with one count of arson and is being held at the Knox County Detention Facility.
No injuries were reported. The building received moderate fire damage and is open for business.
Two people are facing charges after they allegedly vandalized Lakeshore Park.
Knoxville Police and staff at Lakeshore Park say several people were caught on security video jumping the playground fence and spray painting inappropriate images and words on the slide and sidewalk last month.
KPD say the suspects are 20-year-old Victoria White and 19-year-old Austin Rogers, both of Loudon.
White and Rogers have both been charged with one count of vandalism and are scheduled to appear in court on June 3.
The Knoxville Smokies will take to the diamond inside Covenant Health Park on April 15th, marking a new era of baseball in East Tennessee.
Covenant Health Park, a joint venture by the Smokies, City of Knoxville, and Knox County, was built with the intention to bring baseball back to Knoxville and connect East Knoxville to downtown.
Yesterday (Tuesday), a crowd gathered outside the third base gate, known as Giants Landing, and watched as seven statues were unveiled as part of a ceremony honoring Black baseball in Knoxville.
The spot along Jackson Avenue where the new ballpark sits was historically a Black neighborhood.
The statues, created by master sculptor Brian Hanlon, highlight the Knoxville Giants of the Negro Southern League, the Knoxville Smokies and the first Little League program offered to Black children in Knoxville before integration.
The seven statues honor the likes of builders and players both.
Jerry Benjamin – A three-time All-Star outfielder in the Negro Leagues. Benjamin played his first season with the Knoxville Giants.
William M. Brooks – A founding executive member of the Negro Southern League, Brooks was the first Manager of the Knoxville Giants in 1920. He also taught at Austin High School and Green School.
Claude “Steel Arm” Dickey – A pitcher for the Knoxville Giants during the inaugural year in 1920, Dickey was a native of East Tennessee and known as “Pride of the South.”
Forrest “One Wing” Maddox, – Maddox was a pitcher and outfielder for the Giants in 1920. Some say he was the league’s first batting champion, despite losing his left arm to amputation when he was 10.
William Nathaniel “Nat” Rogers – A veteran outfielder, Rogers joined the Knoxville Giants in 1946, making history as the oldest active player in organized baseball at age 52.
“Big Jim” Tugerson – Top pitcher, Tugerson, while fighting racial injustice in the Deep South, played in the Mountain States League, integrating the 1953 Knoxville Smokies with an unmatched record of 29 regular season wins and an additional four playoff wins for the league championship. His brother also pitched for the Smokies.
Payne Avenue Little League – In 1951, Knoxville established its first Little League baseball team of Black children at the Payne Avenue Recreation Center on the hill next to Green School. The center was named after Richard “Uncle Dick” Payne, Knoxville’s first Black businessman.
McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy says deputies caught five burglars in the act at Sweetwater Airsoft.
Police were called to the business on County Road 275 Monday for a report of a theft in progress and found a Ford F-150 with two suspects inside, and as more deputies arrived, they found three more suspects at the corner of the property.
18 year-old Joshua Weber, 20 year-old James Whitner, 19 year-old Blake Fisher, 24 year-old Paiden Davis and a 17 year-old were taken into custody.
Guy says the stolen items were returned to the business owners as they were recovered.
Joshua Weber, 18, of Vonore
Two counts of burglary
Two counts of theft over $1,000
$56,000 bond
James Whitner, 20, of Sweetwater
Felony burglary
Theft over $2,500
$56,000 bond
Blake Fisher, 19, of Athens
Conspiracy to commit burglary
$5,000 bond
Paiden Davis, 24, of Vonore
Conspiracy to commit burglary
$10,000 bond
17-year-old juvenile
Charged separately through juvenile court
(L-R) Joshua Weber, James Whitmer, Blake Fisher, Paiden Davis(MCSO)
“It appeared that Weber and the juvenile had been to the Airsoft business at some time before and had returned the night before with Whitner, Davis and Fisher and burglarized it,” said Guy. “They returned the next night to do the same. Weber, Whitner and the juvenile broke in while Davis and Fisher waited outside in the truck. Several of the airsoft guns and other accessories had been hidden in the nearby woods, and deputies were able to locate those and others the thieves had taken to the homes of Webber and the juvenile in Monroe County. Those were later recovered from both locations with the assistance of Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies.”
Guy said the stolen items were returned to the business owners as they were recovered.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 1/1 Tennessee dropped both games of a doubleheader against Texas A&M on Saturday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
It was a day to forget for the Volunteers (28-4, 9-3 SEC), as the Aggies (16-15, 3-9 SEC) launched an offensive barrage, combining for 26 runs while hitting 11 homers over the two games, just one day after being no-hit in a 10-0 loss to open the series.
For Tennessee, Saturday’s losses snapped a program-record streak of 12 consecutive SEC series wins. The Vols’ last series loss prior to this weekend came on the road at Alabama in the first conference series of last season.
Game 1: Texas A&M 9, Tennessee 3
Texas A&M pulled ahead in the middle innings and continued to add to its lead with a three-run eighth inning to essentially put the game away and win the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, 9-3.
Starting with a run in the fourth to tie the game at two, the Aggies scored in five consecutive innings and finished with four home runs for the game.
Marcus Phillips was stuck with his first loss of the year after giving up four runs on five hits in 4.2 innings.
Chris Newstrom got the start in left field and was the lone Vol to have multiple hits in the game, finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Leadoff man Terrence Kiel II and catcher Bear Harrison both had three-hit performances for Texas A&M while Jace LaViolette and Caden Sorrell had two RBIs apiece.
Game 2: Texas A&M 17, Tennessee 6 (8 Inn.)
Texas A&M carried its momentum over from game one with a three-run top of the first in game two of Saturday’s twin bill. Bear Harrison hit the first of seven Aggies’ home runs for the game as they clinched the series with a 17-6 victory in eight innings.
After falling behind 4-0, Tennessee looked to gain some momentum with two runs in the bottom of the third to cut its deficit in half, however, Texas A&M squashed that immediately with a six-run top of the fourth, followed by four more runs in the fifth to build a commanding 14-2 lead.
Wyatt Henseler led the way for the Aggies with three hits and five RBIs, including a pair of long balls. Second baseman Ben Royo also homered twice for A&M.
Four Vols finished with multiple hits in the game in Dean Curley, Dalton Bargo, Chris Newstrom and Cannon Peebles. Newstrom was a bright spot for the Big Orange throughout the doubleheader, finishing with a pair of multi-hit games and four total hits for the day.
Hunter Ensley also drove in three runs with a home run into the porches in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Tegan Kuhns suffered his first loss of the year after allowing four runs on four hits and three walks in just 2.2 innings. Fellow freshman Brayden Krenzel also had a rough outing, surrendering five runs in just one inning of relief.
Junior lefthander Myles Patton earned the win for the Aggies after striking out seven batters over six innings of work.
Up Next
Tennessee will look to regroup against Alabama State on Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium before heading to Oxford for a big series at Ole Miss next weekend.
Nashville, TN (WSMV) Country music icon Dolly Parton is bringing her signature sparkle to the fashion world.
The limited edition denim line is called “Dolly’s Joleans,” named after her famous song “Jolene.”
Parton is collaborating with the brand Good American, which was co-founded by Khloé Kardashian. The brand is the first fully inclusive fashion brand, which offers pieces from size 00 to 32 Plus.
The line features denim pieces and tops with shimmering rhinestones and other glitzy details.
Parton says the jeans will “make any butt look good.”
The collection will be available for a limited time online and in-stores starting April 3rd. Prices range from $79 to $229.
The limited edition denim line is called “Dolly’s Joleans,” named after her famous song “Jolene.” (Courtesy: WVLT)
