Knoxville, TN (WVLT) – Thursday, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development released data outlining unemployment rates in Tennessee.
East Tennessee’s Sevier County ranked lowest in unemployment in the state, joined by Moore County at 2.7%.
East Tennessee county ranks No. 1 for lowest unemployment(Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
That being said, Sevier County’s unemployment rate increased from August, a trend that affected much of the state.
Unemployment rates in 77 counties across Tennessee increased, according to the data. Rates decreased in five counties and stayed the same in 13.
Two counties in southeast Tennessee ranked high for unemployment, however. McMinn County and Meigs County both sit at a 4.7% unemployment rate, ranked 87 and 89 respectively among Tennessee’s 95 counties.
Those looking for help finding a job can check out the American Job Center, which has many centers across the state.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Fire Department is investigating a West Knoxville Apartment fire.
Crews called to the 2400 block of Piedmont Street last night (Thursday) and found heavy fire coming from a two-story apartment building. The crew was pushed back from the interior due to the heavy volume of fire.
A ladder truck was set up to provide water on the fire and once it was under control, KFD crews were able to enter the building and extinguish the blaze.
The building had four apartments, and six adults and two children were displaced but no one was injured. Three dogs also escaped without injury.
The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced occupants.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The long-awaited upgrades to Lindsey Nelson Stadium, the home of Tennessee baseball, saw another budget increase following Friday’s meeting of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees Finance and Administration Committee.
The committee approving the nearly $10 million increase ($9,300,000) which project representatives say is necessary to cover costs associated with unforeseen soil and utility conditions.
The approval brings the total cost of the project to over $105 million dollars ($105,100,000) and follows a 2023 budget increase which was approved that June.
University representatives claim the money won‘t come from the university’s budget directly, but from gifts and donations.
For comparison, Knoxville’s other stadium project — the downtown multi-use stadium — has been billed at around $114 million.
Dollywood’s Splash Country water park recently received the Al Turner Memorial Commitment to Excellence Award, presented annually by the World Waterpark Association (WWA).
According to the WWA, this honor is awarded to individuals, parks or organizations that provide leadership or fostered a sense of community.
“We are so proud of our entire Splash Country team and their commitment to giving every guest the best experience they can,” said Jordan Leach, Dollywood’s Splash Country Director of Operations, who was in Las Vegas to accept the award at the World Waterpark Association Symposium & Trade Show on Oct. 9. “We’re honored to receive this award, but we don’t do it for the awards. We simply want to provide all families with a safe and fun time at our water park.”
Dollywood’s Splash Country has been a consistent family-favorite vacation spot for more than two decades and is known as the Most Trusted Water Park in the Smokies. Opened by Dreamer-in-Chief Dolly Parton in 2001, the water park was built into the natural landscape of the Smokies. Splash Country spans 35 acres and immerses guests in the shaded beauty of the area to help them beat the summer heat in East Tennessee.
The water park is home to the only platinum award-winning lifeguards in the East Tennessee region. Splash Country lifeguards recently were honored with back-to-back Ellis and Associates’ Platinum International Safety Awards which recognizes organizations for achieving the highest quality of lifeguard operations. Splash Country also hosted its 14th annual Water Safety Day this year, with more than 700 people attending the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson.
Dollywood’s Splash Country is open annually from May to September and offers a variety of water slides and other attractions, as well as delicious summertime treats and meals for every appetite. For more information about Splash Country, please visit https://www.dollywood.com/waterpark/.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Juvenile Court Judge Thursday released the name of the teen charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 13-year-old girl in Powell.
Malakiah Lamar Harris appeared in court Thursday for the second time since the discovery of the girl’s body Tuesday afternoon.
Investigators with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office say that sometime in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Harris had used a pocket knife to stab the girl multiple times, killing her. The murder taking place in the Broadacres subdivision off Cranley Road.
Harris has a court-appointed attorney and is being held in custody pending trial. He is due back in court on October 29.
No word yet on whether prosecutors will seek to have Harris tried as an adult.
Malakiah Lamar Harris has been charged with second-degree murder. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville man is facing charges for breaking into a school and stealing equipment.
According to charging documents, Richard Passmore is facing charges for burglary, theft and vandalism after he broke into the Christian Academy of Knoxville.
The report indicates that security cameras caught Passmore in the act, capturing him breaking into the school’s Christian center and loading equipment into his truck.
Passmore is also accused of spreading an “unknown liquid” across the building’s stage and damaging some server racks.
In total, the report states Passmore stole more than $5,000 worth of supplies.
Cooler temperatures mean beautiful fall leaf colors around East Tennessee.
National Park officials say that the leaves have reached their peak for fall color in the highest elevations inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Color is beginning to show more and more in the valley as well thanks to a cooler stretch of weather.
Meanwhile, leaves in the middle to lower elevations are within a week of hitting their peak.
For the plateau, leaves are nearing their peak over the next week or so.
Due to the drier weather, a lot of leaves are falling off which means color this year may be a little more muted than normal due to the lack of rain through the summer and then Hurricane Helene’s winds knocking the leaves off the trees.
Knoxville – Wednesday, October 23rd marked the halfway point (seven days of fourteen) of early voting for the November 5, 2024 Presidential and Federal/State General Election.
Through the first seven days, a total of 80,845 early votes have been cast in Knox County, with an additional 5,067 votes cast by absentee ballot and in nursing homes.
There are 336,151 registered voters (318,311 active; 17,840 inactive) in Knox County as of Wednesday, October 23, 2024.
COMPARISON TO PRIOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AT MIDWAY POINT *
*Does not include absentee ballots
November 2024 – 80,845 (total votes cast – TBD)
November 2020 – 65,723 (total early votes cast – 153,197)
November 2016 – 66,992 (total early votes cast – 135,749)
NEW VOTERS
A total of 7,921 first-time voters through the first seven days (halfway point) of early voting.
CITY OF KNOXVILLE VOTERS VS. KNOX COUNTY VOTERS
City of Knoxville voters 24,514
Non-City of Knoxville voters 61,398
AGE INFORMATION
REGISTERED VOTERS BY AGE
Age 18 to 29 64,173
Age 30 to 44 90,364
Age 45 to 54 50,570
Age 55 + 131,044
VOTES CAST BY AGE
Age 18 to 29 6,986
Age 30 to 44 13,045
Age 45 to 54 11,803
Age 55 + 54,078
GENDER INFORMATION
REGISTERED VOTERS BY GENDER**
** Not all voter’s genders are known, as the federal voter registration form does not ask for gender.
Male 140,524
Female 165,942
Unknown 29,685
EARLY VOTES CAST BY GENDER**
** Not all voter’s genders are known, as the federal voter registration form does not ask for gender.
Male 31,572
Female 39,891
Unknown 14,449
VOTES CAST BY TENNESSEE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT
District 14 16,616
District 15 6,268
District 16 14,609
District 18 13,078
District 19 13,727
District 89 13,470
District 90 8,144
ABSENTEE BALLOT DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, October 29.
Anyone wishing to vote absentee can call the Election Commission at 865-215-2480 or can download an absentee request at www.knoxvotes.org.
The teen charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 13-year-old girl in Powell is set to appear in court again today.
The 15 year-old suspect, whose identity has not been released, appeared in court yesterday and he is currently behind bars without bond and has a court-appointed attorney.
Investigators with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office say that sometime in the early morning hours of Tuesday, the boy had used a pocket knife to stab the girl multiple times, killing her.
The court has some decisions to make, the first, whether or not it will release the boy’s name which is expected to be made today.
Second, whether or not to charge the boy as an adult. As it stands, the teen would face a maximum juvenile punishment up to his 19th birthday. After that, he’d move into the adult court system.
A Dandridge man is charged with multiple counts of child sex crimes.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Offices says 34 year-old Kyle Brown was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) after a year-long investigation into child pornography.
He is charged with 26 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.
