KNOX COUNTY, TN (TBI / WOKI) – A joint ongoing investigation that began earlier this year has resulted in the arrest of a Knoxville man and the seizure of cocaine and other illicit drugs.
In February, special agents with the TBI Drug Investigation Division, the 5th Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into the sale and distribution of large amounts of cocaine and other drugs in Blount and Knox Counties. During the course of the investigation, Charles Sherman Hicks was identified as a supplier. On July 16th, a search warrant was executed at Hicks’ residence in the 6400 block of Sevierville Pike in Knoxville. Upon entering the home, authorities located approximately one kilogram of cocaine, approximately sixteen pounds of marijuana, over 160 grams of what are believed to be pressed fentanyl pills, and numerous oxymorphone pills. A handgun, more than $35,000 in cash, several vehicles, and various other assets were also seized.
Charles Sherman Hicks (DOB: 12/2/77) was arrested and charged with Possession of Schedule II Drugs for Resale, Possession of Schedule VI Drugs for Resale, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Dangerous Felony, Maintaining a Dwelling for Drug Use, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He is currently being held in the Knox County Jail.
The Knoxville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration also provided assistance.
The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
Jefferson County, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating after a woman is injured after crashing into a bridge Thursday morning on Old Dandridge Pike.
THP’s preliminary report indicates the crash happened around 7:20 and that the driver, a 52-year-old woman, told troopers she fell asleep while driving and crashed into a concrete and metal bridge before coming to a stop in the ditch.
The woman was taken to UT Medical Center for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.
THP says there was no indication of impairment.
Additional information was not released.
Woman injured in crash after falling asleep while driving in Jefferson County, THP says. (Courtesy: THP Fall Branch / WVLT)
Maryville, TN (WOKI) A Maryville man is facing several charges following an investigation into alleged drug sales out of a home in Blount County.
Officials with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office say 27-year-old Jamel Daion Mathis was arrested during a search of a home in the 200 block of Seals Crossing Way.
BCSO reports investigators seized more than two pounds of marijuana as well as THC edibles and other THC-related products, a firearm, and over $2,300 in cash.
Mathis is charged with possession of a Schedule VI substance for resale, maintaining a dwelling where drugs are used or sold, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. He is being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $15,000, pending a court hearing on July 23.
The investigation into Mathis began after complaints were made to the Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force that Mathis was distributing marijuana and THC products to juveniles and others.
“The Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force remains committed to working to keep illicit drugs out of Blount County by thoroughly investigating all narcotic and other illicit drug-related complaints,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a statement released Thursday afternoon.
The Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force is made up of deputies and officers from the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, the Alcoa Police Department and the Maryville Police Department.
The sheriff’s office says 27-year-old Jamel Mathis was arrested during a search of a home in the 200 block of Seals Crossing Way. (Frankly Media)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced Thursday its team and individual academic honors for the 2024-25 academic year, with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball program earning plaudits in both areas.
The Volunteers received the NABC Team Excellence Award for the fourth consecutive year. They are the only SEC team to claim the distinction each of the last four seasons, with no other program even owning a three-year streak.
Six fellow SEC schools made the cut in 2024-25. Tennessee joined Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Ole Miss and Texas on the list. The latter three are the only other SEC schools with even back-to-back recognitions.
The team designation is awarded to schools that post a GPA of at least 3.0 during the academic year. Tennessee vastly exceeded that figure with a 3.54 team GPA to set a new program record. That tally included a 3.59 GPA in the spring, the best single-semester GPA in program history.
In addition, five Volunteers netted NABC Honors Court recognition, which goes to juniors, seniors and graduate students who record a 3.2 GPA for the academic year.
Grant Hurst (recreation and sport management) made the cut for the second consecutive year, with four teammates joining him on the list. Fellow returnee Zakai Zeigler (retail and merchandising management) also garnered the designation, as did three first-year Volunteers.
Felix Okpara (retail and merchandising management) collected the honor in his first year of eligibility, while Darlinstone Dubar (strategic and digital communication) and Chaz Lanier (agricultural leadership, education and communications) did so in their graduate programs.
The complete list of 2024-25 NABC academic honorees, for both players and teams, can be found HERE.
All 14 players on the 2024-25 Tennessee roster were named to either the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll or the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll, both of which require a GPA of 3.0 or above.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
LEXINGTON, KY – March 20, 2025 – The Tennessee Volunteers during the first round game of 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament between the Wofford Terriers and the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
The Tennessee Department of Human Services says staff at a Clinton daycare did not report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Children Services.
They found on July 2 that some incidents at Kiddie Korner of Clinton Nursey & Preschool were not reported to DCS, DHS or parents/guardians as is required.
Additionally, the report said documentation of “the incidents” was not completed and placed in the children’s files.
TDHS says the daycare took corrective action on July 6 by reviewing rules regarding reporting incidents involving neglect and abuse to the agency’s staff. It also recommended the daycare document and file all staff disciplinary actions and to add photos of children on the cubbies.
The Clinton Police Department and DCS are investigating an “incident” using force to make a child take a nap, reportedly injuring the child.
Summary of Delivery of Safety Plan and Complaint Investigation Visit The visit conducted today included monitoring of the agency’s compliance with Licensing Rules and Regulations and Delivery of Safety Plan and Complaint Investigation. If any violations were received, details can be observed in the compliance details section of the visit along with corresponding corrective action plans.
Technical Assistance Provided
Technical assistance provided on June 27, 2025: 1. Continue documenting the supervision of all the educators on a safety plan whenever they are around children. 2. LCs reviewed the Rule on pages 58-59 – 1240-04-01-.15 PROGRAM, LANGUAGE, AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT. (5) Behavior Management and Guidance. (5) Behavior Management and Guidance. c) Potentially shaming, humiliating, frightening, verbally abusive, injurious discipline methods, and/or techniques that isolate the child are prohibited. Based on the footage, a violation was given. 3. LCs reviewed the Rule on page 58 – 1240-04-01-.15 PROGRAM, LANGUAGE, AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT. (4) Reclining Rest Period (e) No child shall be forced to lie down or nap or be forced to stay on a cot or on a mat for an extended period of time. 1. Children shall be allowed to participate in a quiet activity if not asleep within a reasonable time or if they wake up prior to the end of the rest period. Based on the footage, a violation was given. 4. LC also reviewed the Rule on page 59 based on the video footage (but did not give a violation just TA): (l) Physical Restraint and Seclusion. The following is not considered physical restraint and is considered acceptable: 1. Physical touch associated with prompting, comforting, or assisting that does not prevent the service recipient’s freedom of movement or normal access to his or her body. 2. Physical restraint and seclusion are emergency safety interventions, not therapeutic techniques, and are implemented in a manner designed to protect the child/youth’s safety, dignity, and emotional well-being. 3. The use of physical restraint is allowed only in the case of an emergency when the child/youth is at imminent danger of self-harm or of harming others and no other option exists to protect the safety of the child/youth and staff members. 5. One educator is not reflecting on the staff information tab in the provider portal, but she is cleared in bactrak. The agency has an open change report, but LCs advised that she needs to be added to a change report as soon as possible.
Quality/Compliance Indicators
Not Applicable
Compliance Details
Indicator
Rule
Compliance Status
Non-Compliance Observed
Corrective Action Taken
Date Correction Needed By
Violation Corrected Date
N/A
1240-04-01-.15 Program Language and Literacy Development
Compliant
Inappropriate discipline was used at naptime, as well as rough handling of a child.
The agency corrected the violation with the following actions: A staff member was let go. The child care agency shared a memo on appropriate protocols during naptime. The child care agency printed out child care licensing rules about naptime procedures.
07/11/2025
06/27/2025
N/A
1240-04-01-.15 Program Language and Literacy Development
Compliant
Children were forced to lie on their cots at naptime.
The agency corrected the violation with the following actions: A staff member was let go. The child care agency shared a memo on appropriate protocols during naptime. The child care agency printed out child care licensing rules about naptime procedures.
Knoxville earned the highest relative score (100) in Trajector Medical’s evaluation of 141 major U.S. cities.
The city’s #1 ranking is attributed, in part, to:
Healthcare Access:
Knoxville ranks ninth best for availability of health care. The city has the:
Sixth highest number of healthcare providers at Medicare-registered hospitals per 10,000 people with disabilities (988.17).
13th highest number of Medicare-registered hospitals per 100,000 people with disabilities (22.05).
Economic Opportunity:
Knoxville residents with disabilities also have the 13th highest median earnings compared to those without disabilities ($4,585 less).
Knoxville’s achievement reflects a citywide commitment to removing barriers, fostering independence for people with disabilities and serve as a model for communities nationwide.
Trajector Medical’s 30 Best Cities For People With Disabilities
Hover over each location to see a city’s overall rank and additional data. City ranking is determined by 14 metrics spanning three key categories: accessibility, affordability, and health care.
Knoxville’s achievement reflects a citywide commitment to removing barriers, fostering independence for people with disabilities and serve as a model for communities nationwide.
Note: To determine which cities are the best for people with disabilities, Trajector Medical examined data for the 150 most populated cities, 141 of which had available data.
Data Sources: The U.S. Census Bureau, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, The Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Zillow.
Why It Matters
Nearly one in seven Americans (13.6%) has a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. However, access to essential services, affordable housing, and employment opportunities varies widely. Trajector Medical’s study highlights this disparity but also underscores the crucial role of inclusive city planning and technology adoption in bridging this gap and supporting Americans with disabilities.
“Our mission has always been to empower people with disabilities who face barriers,” said Paige Polakow, president of Trajector Medical. “This research is another way we’ve fulfilled our promise for more than a decade to improve the life trajectory of those who are underserved or at risk.”
Methodology
Trajector Medical evaluated 141 U.S. cities using 14 metrics across accessibility, affordability, and health care—analyzing nearly 2,000 data points. Example metrics include the percentage of accessible buildings, affordable housing costs, and Medicare-registered hospitals per 100,000 people with disabilities. Data sources included the U.S. Census Bureau, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Zillow.
About Trajector Medical
Trajector Medical is a leading provider of medical evidence services for people with disabilities and is based in Gainesville, Florida. Founded in 2014, its licensed medical professionals help individuals gather the medical evidence they need to secure the disability benefits they medically, legally, and ethically qualify for.
Sevier County, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a crash that killed a 54-year-old man and injured a 45-year-old woman Tuesday evening in Sevier County.
THP’s preliminary report indicates that the driver, John Tallent, was driving along Pittman Center Road around 9:00 p.m. when the car left the roadway, rolling multiple times.
According to the report, John Tallent died in the crash; Janet Tallent, the passenger, was injured.
Additional information was not released.
According to THP’s preliminary report, the driver, John Tallent, was driving along Pittman Center Road when the car left the roadway, rolling multiple times. (Courtesy: THP)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) Tim Burchett, the U.S. representative for Tennessee’s second congressional district, is calling on Ghislaine Maxwell to testify about “the truth” behind Jeffery Epstein.
Burchett, a Republican who represents areas like Knoxville, Maryville and as far north as LaFollette, has long called for answers in the Epstein case.
Burchett took to social media Tuesday announcing he’d sent a letter to James Comer, the chairman of the GOP Oversight Committee, requesting Maxewell appear before Congress, adding that subpoena powers be used if she refuses a congressional invitation.
“Given the events of the past week, I respectfully request you invite Ms. Ghislaine Maxwell to testify in a public hearing before the Committee,” the letter reads. “Should Ms. Maxwell refuse the invitation, I encourage you to use subpoena powers.”
Epstein, a New York financier who committed suicide in 2019 after being accused of orchestrating a years-long sex trafficking operation, was rumored to have kept a “client list” containing the names of people who participated in the abuse.
The Justice Department last week denied the list’s existence after previous reports that Attorney General Pam Bondi had at one time possessed the list.
(Courtesy: U.S. House of Representatives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Monroe County, TN (WOKI) A multi-agency drug bust is credited with getting fentanyl and guns off the streets in Monroe County.
Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones announcing that agents with the sheriff’s office together with the 10th Judicial District Drug Task Force and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations seized approximately 31 grams of fentanyl, multiple handguns, a large quantity of cash and other items while serving a high risk warrant Monday evening.
Jones says one suspect was also taken into custody following a foot pursuit in the area of Turnpike Road.
One in custody following multi-agency drug bust in Monroe County. (Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriff’s Office)
