Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Police arrested a Knox County student at West High School Tuesday, May 14. The student is facing charges for having a stolen handgun on campus.
Following the student being taken into custody, KPD said West High received a call about a possible threat and out of an abundance of caution, the school was put on hard lockdown.
KPD officers and School Security Officers investigated the threat, finding no evidence to suggest the threat was credible. The lockdown was lifted around 2:15 p.m.
Another Knox County school, Vine Middle, was also placed on lockdown Tuesday for a potential threat.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A West Knoxville strip mall is evacuated and remains closed Wednesday morning following a fire Tuesday, May 14 at a Dollar General.
Knoxville Fire Department crews were dispatched to the fire at the Dollar General located at 9129 Executive Park Drive just after 3:00 p.m.
KFD says when crews arrived on the scene, there was heavy smoke and flames at the ceiling.
The fire was extinguished shortly before 5:30 p.m. No injuries have been reported.
Nashville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) Tennessee’s Attorney General is leading 18 states in a lawsuit against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) over new sexual harassment guidance.
Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti filed the suit on Monday against the EEOC’s new guidance that he says “unlawfully extends Title VII’s protections against sex-based discrimination to cover gender identity.”
Skrmetti alleges that under the new guidelines, an employer may be liable under Title VII if they or another employee uses a name or pronoun that doesn’t coincide with an employee’s preferred gender identity among other stipulations.
“Additionally, under the EEOC’s guidance, an employer can be liable if it limits access to a bathroom or other sex-segregated facility, such as a shower or locker room, based on biological sex and not on gender identity. Employers also may be liable if a customer or other non-employee fails to use an employee’s preferred pronouns or refuses to share a restroom with someone of the opposite sex,” the AG said.
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia, are also involved in the suit.
McMinn County, TN (WOKI) A McMinn County man has been convicted in connection to a September 2021 quadruple murder.
In 2021, Curtis Smith and Jazzmine Hall went to a home in Riceville with a gun where Hall’s husband and son lived.
After taking the child, they shot and killed the husband and three others.
Smith set the home on fire after they left.
Jazzmine Hall and Curtis Smith (Courtesy: MCSO)
Smith plead guilty on May 10 to four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of murder, one count of especially aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated arson and one county of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Both Smith and Hall will serve multiple life sentences for their crimes.
Sherri Parker Lee Stadium 2323 Stephenson Dr. Knoxville, TN 37996
Parking is available for free in lots S14 and C25 adjacent to Sherri Parker Lee Stadium and Regal Soccer Stadium. Reserved bus parking is only available by pre-arrangement from the Event Management office by calling (865) 974-1205. There is no public RV or bus parking in Lee Stadium lots.
All fans looking to attend the softball regional should be prepared for traffic congestion. Fans are reminded that parking shuttles will be free and available at the Agriculture Campus all weekend. When Stephenson Drive lots are full, fans will be directed to the free Ag Campus Parking and Shuttles on River Drive.
Weekend Schedule Friday, May 17 SPL gates open at 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. – Game 1 (Miami (OH) vs. Virginia) 2:30 p.m. – Game 2 (Dayton vs. Tennessee)
Saturday, May 18 SPL gates open at 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. – Game 3 3:30 p.m. – Game 4 6:00 p.m. – Game 5
Sunday, May 19 SPL gates open TBD TBD – Game 6 TBD – Game 7 (if necessary)
Stadium Notes
Tennessee’s clear bag policy will be in effect throughout the weekend. Tennessee’s full clear bag policy can be found here.
Gates for every game inside Sherri Parker Lee Stadium will open 60 minutes prior to first pitch.
A Water Monster with provided cups will be available for all fans throughout Regional games. The location for the Water Monster is on the concourse behind the third base dugout.
Fan Behavior and Fan Code of Conduct
In the spirit of sportsmanship, fans shall:
Conduct themselves in a manner that represents the NCAA with honor, dignity and respect.
Demonstrate qualities of civility and sportsmanship at all times.
Not use vulgar, abusive, racist, sexist, demeaning, or intimidating language at any time.
Support the players, coaches and officials in a positive manner.
Treat the visiting team, coaches and fans with courtesy and respect at all times.
Not engage in cheers that are vulgar, crass or demeaning.
Refrain from throwing objects onto the playing surface for any reason.
Not become inebriated or belligerent.
Refrain from entering playing and team areas at any time, including the game.
Be a positive role model for those around you by treating others with courtesy and respect!
The WNBA tips off its 28th year on Tuesday, and as the new season commences there will be six former Lady Vols on active rosters around the league.
Tennessee ranks second among SEC schools in the number of alums on WNBA squads, while South Carolina leads with 10. Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas and Texas A&M have two each, while Auburn, Kentucky, LSU and Missouri have one apiece. Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt have no players currently holding roster spots.
All-time, 53 Lady Vols have gone on to play in the WNBA. A total of 46 of those Tennessee products were taken in league drafts, including 21 first-rounders and three No. 1 overall selections.
The latest to join that group is 2024 No. 4 overall pick Jackson, a 6-foot-2 forward who begins her professional career in Los Angeles after tallying 1,176 points in only 60 games at UT and averaging 19.6 ppg. to rank No. 4 on UT’s career points-per-game list. She put up 20.2 ppg. as a senior in 2023-24 for the ninth-best single-season scoring average in Lady Vol history.
The two-time All-SEC First Team and All-America Honorable Mention selection and two-time Cheryl Miller Award finalist from Rocky Top joins Burrell in L.A. Jackson became the seventh Lady Vol to be selected by the franchise, following in the footsteps of Daedra Charles (1997 Elite, 1st Rd., 8th), Sidney Spencer (2007, 2nd Rd., 25th), Candace Parker (2008, 1st Rd., 1st), Shannon Bobbitt (2008, 2nd Rd., 15th), Cierra Burdick (2015, 2nd Rd., 14th) and Burrell (2022, 1st, 9th).
Burrell, now in her third year with the Sparks, appeared in 29 games a year ago and started in three. The 6-foot-1 guard/forward averaged 3.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 11.1 minutes of duty per contest. She shot 38.7 percent from the field, 39.0 percent from beyond the three-point arc and 81 percent at the free throw line. Burrell netted double-figure scoring in three of her last five games in 2023, dropping 18 in the season’s penultimate game on Sept. 7 vs. New York.
DeShields enters her sixth playing season and has returned to Chicago after spending the past two years in Dallas and Phoenix, respectively, including being sidelined due to injury in 2023. In 2022, she put up 13.1 ppg., 3.8 rpg., 2.2 apg. and 1.0 spg. while playing 25.3 minutes per contest during her first season with the Mercury. In 2021, the 6-1 guard contributed 9.8 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 2.3 apg. and 1.2 spg. in 26.9 mpg. as the Sky claimed its first WNBA title.
Harrison made the move from Dallas to Chicago in 2023, but a season-ending injury sidelined her as well. She embarks on year seven with her fourth professional franchise, previously playing in Phoenix, San Antonio and Dallas. The 6-3 forward averaged 10.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in 2021 and 8.7 ppg. and 4.3 rpg. in 2022 with the Wings prior to joining the Sky.
Horston is back for her second season in Seattle, where she earned a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie Team a year ago. The 6-2 guard appeared in 36 games, averaging 6.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 22.4 minutes per contest. On July 12, 2023, in Atlanta, she produced a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double against the Sky with her former Tennessee teammates looking on after making the trip from Knoxville.
Russell, a 6-6 center, is in her seventh year in the league after originally being drafted by the New York Liberty in 2018 and gives UT two LVFLs in Seattle. After an injury limited her to five games in 2022, Russell appeared in 37 contests in 2023, carding 5.0 ppg., 4.0 rpg. and 1.3 spg. while shooting 51.6 percent from the field. She got stronger as the year went on, notching a season-best 13 points vs. Chicago on Aug. 27 and contributing 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting vs. Dallas on Sept. 8.
Seattle will be the first team with LVFLs on the roster to make its 2024 debut, as it plays host to Minnesota on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET at Climate Pledge Arena. The game will be carried locally on Amazon Prime Video – Seattle, Bally Sports North Extra and FOX 13+. It also will be available via ESPN3 and WNBA League Pass.
On Wednesday, Chicago will face Dallas at 8 p.m. ET at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. The contest will be broadcast on Bally Sports Southwest Extra as well as The U and will also be available via WNBA League Pass.
At 10 p.m. ET Wednesday, Atlanta will be in California to face the Sparks at Walter Pyramid at Long Beach State University. The contest will be available via WNBA League Pass and on local TV via Spectrum SportsNet as well as PeachtreeTV and Peachtree Sports Network.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) American Medical Response presented its first progress report to the Knox County Commission Monday night.
The report comes after a new contract promised to fix serious problems with the ambulance service.
The company’s regional manager said since the new contract was awarded in November, the company has added 62 new employees and increased wages.
“That contract was awarded in November, so that really gave us the opportunity to start ramping up staffing as quickly as possible. Now that process takes about two months to get them through the entire process,” said AMR Regional Manager Josh Spencer.
Spencer says the move has also helped with response times, but not everyone sees it that way. One Knox County father told commissioners during the meeting his son was having seizures, and he had to drive his son to the hospital when an ambulance didn’t show up.
“My son could’ve died, and to me that’s unacceptable. What happens the next time I call for an ambulance?” he said.
The commission said it was a miscommunication and that it has been handled.
AMR said it is responding to calls on time at least 72% of the time, and that that number continues to climb each month.
Monroe County, TN (WOKI) The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help finding a man last seen in October.
MCSO officials say 48-year-old James Jefferson Hughes was last seen by a family member in October 2023 and was reported missing to the sheriff’s office in January.
Hughes is described as a white male who is 5′10″ tall and 185 pounds with gray hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with information regarding Hughes’ disappearance is asked to contact MCSO Captain Detective Conway Mason by email or at 423-442-3911.
Kingston, TN (WOKI) A man is facing numerous charges after a string of car burglaries earlier this month in Kingston.
Kingston Police Department officials say 20-year-old Jeremiah Noah has been arrested in connection to burglarizing eight different cars on May 3 in the area of First Street, Roane Street, and Spencer Street.
KPD says several items were taken from the cars, including money and firearms.
According to KPD, Noah was arrested on May 9 by the Lenoir City Police Department on several unrelated charges, and after further investigation, was charged with eight counts of burglary and eight counts of theft of property for the burglaries of the vehicles.
The investigation remains active and ongoing, and KPD is asking anyone with information to contact the department at 865-354-8045.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department Monday releases the Knox County Regional Forensic Center autopsy report on an officer who died in training earlier this year.
According to the report, 32-year-old Officer Wisbens Antoine passed away due to natural causes stemming from “exertional compartment syndrome.”
Though it is rare, the report indicates the disease is usually associated with crushing of the limbs but has been shown to be a risk in military training and sports involving heavy exertion.
Antoine, a member of the 2023-B Basic Recruit Class, collapsed at the end of a mile-and-a-half run during a routine training session back in February. He was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he later died.
Antoine was sworn in as an officer prior to his death.
