Officials with Knoxville Fire Department are investigating how an early morning fire in East Knoxville started.

Crews called to the 1500 block of North Fourth Avenue after a 9-1-1 caller advised that a neighboring vacant house was engulfed in flames.

The building sustained very heavy fire damage. No injuries have been reported.

Knoxville city council members approve a total ban of leaving dogs chained up outside unsupervised.

Following nearly two hours of discussion and amendments last night (Tuesday). The new ordinance included an amendment for the chain to be at least five times the length of the pet’s body. City council also making an age requirement stating a dog needs to be six months or older to be chained up outside.

Some opposed to this change say about 53% of residents in the City of Knoxville are renters and do not have the ability or resources to install a fence or other containment alternative.

The first violation will be a verbal warning then fines for each additional violation will be issued.

Authorities are investigating a bank robbery and false call report in Blount County.

The Alcoa Police Department says a suspect is in custody after a robbery at CBBC Bank on Topside Road yesterday (Tuesday).

The suspect wrecked their motorcycle fleeing and was taken into custody by U.S. Marshal’s.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and APD are investigating the bank robbery. They did recover the cash and a firearm believed to be linked to the robbery.

Authorities received calls about the robbery as they were finishing a sweep at an Alcoa Walmart after receiving a false report of employees being held at gunpoint.

Anyone with information about the false report or the robbery should call the Alcoa Police Department at 865-981-4111.

Have you seen fugitive Demarco Derez Williams? Williams is wanted on Attempted First-Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault charges stemming from a shooting that took place during the early morning hours of December 21, 2022 in Strawberry Plains, TN. 

In addition, to these charges by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office the Knoxville Police Department is looking for Williams on several felony charges from an incident that took place around West Hills in September resulting in Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault and Carjacking charges. 

Though Williams is from the Atlanta area he is known to frequent Knoxville staying in the motels along I40 near Cedar Lane. Williams should be considered armed and dangerous. If you have any information on his whereabouts submit a tip to East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers – 

Call: 865-215-7165 or ?TIPS

Online:http://www.easttnvalleycrimestoppers.org/sitemenu.aspx?ID=937&

All tipsters will remain anonymous and if your tip leads to his arrest, you will receive a CASH reward.

Knoxville city council members will discuss a total ban of leaving dogs chained up outside unsupervised Tuesday night.

The current city ordinance allows it, but the Knoxville Animal Welfare Alliance wants to change that, and brought the issue up to city leaders. The co-founder of the group, Julia Roy, said they followed the guidelines of what Johnson City put into law a few years ago.

“We know Knoxville is a very pet-friendly community. We’re supposed to be one of the most dog-friendly communities in the nation, and we feel like this is a good step towards that title,” Roy said.

The proposed ordinance change would also include a requirement of at least a 10-foot chain if a dog is chained up outside supervised. They’re also asking city council to make an age requirement stating a dog needs to be six months or older to be chained up outside. The proposed change would also require dogs to be at least two feet from any sidewalks or other walkways. Roy said the goal is to provide better animal care for dogs in Knoxville.

″We hope that it ends the continuous tethering of dogs in Knoxville and that we can improve animal care standards as far as proper shelter for outdoor dogs where dogs aren’t being left outdoors in severe inclement weather,” Roy said.

The only city councilperson opposed to the ordinance change is also the CEO of Young-Williams Animal Center Janet Testerman.

The animal center sent WVLT News a statement which stated the following:

In accordance with the positions of national animal welfare organizations, Young-Williams Animal Center does not support a total ban on tethering. Young-Williams Animal Center supports, instead, enacting higher sheltering standards to improve the quality of life for tethered and non-tethered pets. The best way to make a significant impact on the lives of outdoor pets is to require better care such as increased and more specific definitions of shelter, accessible food and water, adequate shade and humane standards of tethering, such as replacing fixed-point tethering with trolley systems that allow animals to exercise and enjoy enrichment activities.

A total ban could have serious, unintended consequences, including disproportionately affecting and punishing low-income pet owners, and would not address the standards of care for pets still kept outdoors.

An estimated 53% of residents in the City of Knoxville are renters. Many pet owners do not have the ability or resources to install a fence or other containment alternative. From many years of working with pet owners, we know that pets are most often tethered due to a lack of resources and/or education.

With stronger sheltering laws, we can save pets being kept in inhumane conditions and make a long-term impact by educating pet owners.Young-Williams Animal Center

If the change were to get passed and go into effect, the punishment for leaving dogs tethered unattended would start as fines. If the problem were to continue and the dog is left without proper food, water or shelter, that’s when animal control could step in and take the dog off the property.

Story Courtesy of WVLT.