It’s football time in Tennessee and you can support the Vols while helping to save a life.
The Medic versus LifeSouth blood drive runs through Friday, it’s the annual UT versus Florida Blood drive to see which blood bank can collect the most blood donations.
Last year, Medic won so let’s keep the winning streak going and as of yesterday, Tennessee is winning 282 to 278 units of blood.
Donors will receive a lot of swag, including coupons to various restaurants, for your donation this week.
The Vols are taking on the Gators this weekend but an alligator has been found in East Tennessee.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency say they had a surprising call yesterday in the Whites Creek area of Rhea County where they trapped a four-foot alligator.
The gator was taken to the Chattanooga Zoo.
Officials say that alligators are not native to this part of Tennessee and ask that residents not dump unwanted animals. Currently, alligators are found in Shelby and Hardin Counties in West Tennessee.
TWRA says alligators are naturally expanding their range into Tennessee from the southern border states and can survive Tennessee winters by going into a hibernation.
An investigation is underway after multiple people are recovering following a crash involving a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper who was responding to a separate crash.
Preliminary reports say the first crash involved a 33 year old man who was going South on Maynardville Highway hitting a guardrail before spinning out of control, crossing the center line and hitting another car. Two people were injured in that crash. Charges are pending against the driver.
The second crash also happened on Maynardville Highway just past Raccoon Valley Road. A trooper was responding to the first crash with his lights and sirens on when a driver pulled in front of the trooper, the trooper hit that car causing both of them to run off of the road. Both drivers and a three-year old inside of that car were injured.
Steve Sumner, 55, is a former Indiana councilman who is charged with raping an underage girl. (Courtesy: East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers)
Gatlinburg, TN (WOKI) A former Indiana councilman, charged with raping a girl, may be in the Gatlinburg area, and law enforcement is asking for your help to find him.
The United States Marshals Service and Indiana State Police are on the hunt for 55 year-old Steve Sumner. Sumner, who also goes by the name Craig, is charged with multiple felony counts related to the rape of an underage girl.
Police say Sumner has been in and may still be in the Gatlinburg area. He also has connections with Waynesville, NC, and Maryland.
Officials say Sumner has a history of participating in the Nazarene Church in Montana and Colorado. He may also be working as a handyman.
They say Sharon Bailey Wood Barker is helping Sumner.
Courtesy: East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers
Anyone who may have seen Sumner or Barker is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers.
Zachary Hayes, 25 and Kimberly Hayes’ son, was identified as a suspect in his mother’s murder. (Courtesy: Blount County Sheriff’s Office)
Louisville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville man is in custody facing murder and other charges in the death of his mother Thursday night inside her Louisville home.
Officials with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office say 63-year-old Kimberly Hayes was pronounced dead at her residence on Samples Road Friday. BCSO deputies had responded to the home after receiving a call about a possible dead body.
A subsequent autopsy discovered Hayes had been stabbed multiple times consistent with homicide. Investigators also found a cat inside the house that had also died after being stabbed.
On Saturday, BCSO arrested 25-year-old Zachary Hayes, Kimberly Hayes’ son at his home on Pickett Avenue in Knoxville before 7:00 p.m.
Zachary Hayes is being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on the following charges:
• Criminal homicide • Aggravated burglary • Abuse of a corpse • Intentional killing of an animal
Hayes is scheduled to appear in Blount County General Sessions Court at 1:30 p.m. September 13, 2023. He remains in custody on bonds totaling $1.76 million.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) With it’s growing nationwide popularity, admission to the University of Tennessee has become very selective, prompting anxiety for homegrown students who have dreamed of attending the school.
Now, with the passage of a proposal guaranteeing them admission to UT, Tennessee’s high school students can breathe a little easier.
The UT Board of Trustees passed the guaranteed admission proposal for top Tennessee high schoolers on Friday, September 8, 2023; to qualify, students must meet any of the following criteria:
Finish in the top 10% of their high school’s graduating class; or
Achieve a 4.0 or higher GPA; or
Achieve a 3.2 or higher GPA and have an ACT composite score of 23 or higher (or an SAT score of 1130-1150 or higher)
The Knoxville campus will require students to have a minimum of a 19 subscore in Math and English.
The proposal is effective immediately, starting with the fall 2024 class.
It’s football time in Tennessee and you can support the Vols while helping to save a life.
The Medic versus LifeSouth blood drive runs through Friday, it’s the annual UT versus Florida Blood drive to see which blood bank can collect the most blood donations.
Last year, Medic won so let’s keep the winning streak going.
Donors will receive a lot of swag for your donation this week.
People are making their way to Pigeon Forge for Rod Run, the annual event that brings automotive lovers together from all over the country.
The event’s rising popularity has dedicated fans taking precautions like arriving early to secure a parking spot and to get ahead on booking a hotel room for next year’s event.
Longtime fans say the high demand has created high prices for what used to be an affordable weekend trip. Thousands of people are expected to make the trip to East Tennessee for the event with some people already showcasing their cars, but the official show begins on Thursday and runs through Saturday.
An investigation is underway after several animals die in an Apartment Fire in Montgomery Village.
Knoxville Fire Department crews were called to the scene Friday and found heavy smoke coming from the front of the building which contained six separate apartments. The fire was quickly contained but one apartment suffered heavy fire damage the other had smoke damage and unfortunately officials say several animals did die and KFD is investigating the cause of that fire.
When deputies arrived, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Claiborne County, TN (WOKI) The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a man was reportedly stabbed to death Friday morning.
CCSO officials say deputies responded to a home in the Speedwell area at around 10:45 after dispatch received a call saying a man had been stabbed.
Upon arrival, deputies discovered the man who was then pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials say the body has been sent to the Knox County Forensic Center for an autopsy.
CCSO investigators are interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence to learn more about the incident.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed that the persons involved in the incident were known to each other, and there is no danger to the general public,” CCSO officials said.
