Oak Ridge, TN (WOKI) An Oak Ridge Police Department officer resigns after being charged in a domestic assault case involving his estranged wife.
City officials confirming Officer William Cranmore resigned Tuesday following a charge of misdemeanor domestic assault in connection to a May 17 incident at a home on Oak Ridge Highway.
According to charging documents, deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the home and found Cranmore, who was in an argument with his wife about their upcoming divorce.
Police say the victim reported that “things got heated and [Cranmore] got aggressive,” adding that she had redness and swelling on her face.
City officials say Cranmore began at the Oak Ridge Police Department as a Public Safety Dispatcher Trainee on July 26, 2021. He first began serving as an officer on Nov. 28, 2024.
Former officer William Cranmore was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault in the incident, officials say. (Courtesy: Anderson County Sheriff’s Office)
Knoxville’s two city-run pools are set to open this week as the weather turns warmer, offering everyone a way to cool off over the summer.
The city has two pools: Inskip Pool on Bruhin Road and Ed Cothren Pool on Reynolds Street. Both will open Saturday.
Pool hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday Admission is $5, but the city offers Splash Passes for frequent visits.
As for the pools themselves, Ed Cothren Pool offers a diving board, ramp, baby pool, concession stand and covered areas. Inskip Pool includes a high dive, two low dives, a wading pool, a volleyball court and covered pavilions.
Both pools are surrounded by parks as well.
The city is also looking for lifeguards and water safety instructors; those interested can email [email protected] to learn more.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee softball standouts Karlyn Pickens and Taylor Pannell have been named to the Softball America First Team All-America list, the organization announced Tuesday. Pickens was also selected as Softball America’s 2025 National Pitcher of the Year.
Pickens, a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year, leads the nation with a 0.90 ERA and holds a 22-8 record in the circle. The right-hander has recorded a career-best 252 strikeouts over 186.1 innings while limiting opposing batters to a .168 average. In 37 appearances—including 27 starts—she has tossed 20 complete games and six shutouts.
The Weaverville, North Carolina, native is now a five-time All-American, including a consensus first-team selection in 2024 and D1Softball Freshman All-American honors in 2023. This marks her first national pitcher of the year award.
Pannell, a native of Milan, Illinois, enjoyed a breakout 2025 season, setting career highs in nearly every offensive category. She hit .399 with 65 hits, 51 runs scored, 11 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs, and 62 RBIs. She also posted a .502 on-base percentage, .767 slugging percentage, 33 walks, and nine stolen bases.
A two-time All-SEC First Team honoree, Pannell was named to the NFCA Mid-Atlantic Region First Team for the first time last week. This is her first career All-America honor.
The Lady Vols continue postseason play this weekend, hosting Nebraska in the Knoxville Super Regional, May 23-25.
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and the Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) are actively working together to determine the best path forward for black bear rehabilitation in Tennessee.
In 2023, six bears housed at ABR developed pneumonia, resulting in the death of one bear, euthanasia of two, and medical treatment of the remaining three. Again in 2024, pneumonia was identified in bears in the same enclosure, resulting in the difficult decision to euthanize 13 bears who had all been exposed to the affected bears.
In mid-April, TWRA received necropsy results from the 13 euthanized bears, which confirmed 10 of the 13 bears had pneumonia.
While testing was underway, TWRA staff sought input from bear managers in other states on best management practices and pen sanitation measures such as discing, burns, and leaving pens empty on an annual rotational schedule. Because of the risk of pathogen exposure to the larger bear population, TWRA will not place bears at the facility while work to implement sanitation protocols continues.
“Appalachian Bear Rescue has already completed extensive modifications and upgrades to our rescue facilities and operational protocols to mitigate future disease risks as per the recommendations of our wildlife veterinarians and disease pathologists,” said members of the ABR Board of Directors. “We will be ready and willing to accept bear cubs in need, and we are currently working with TWRA for approval. Our legacy of success is only possible due to the unwavering support of the public whose compassion for our wildlife resources continues to fuel our mission to give bears a second chance.”
TWRA leadership is also actively working with ABR to draft an official operating agreement to strengthen the relationship between the two entities, set clear expectations for best management practices for bear rehabilitation, and provide transparency to members of the public invested in wildlife conservation. At this time, board members of ABR are reviewing and providing their feedback on a proposed agreement. The agency is optimistic that an agreement can be reached that ultimately benefits the black bear population of Tennessee.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is the state agency tasked with preserving, conserving, managing, protecting, and enhancing the fish and wildlife of the state and their habitats for the use, benefit, and enjoyment of the citizens of Tennessee and its visitors. TWRA is also the permitting agency that regulates animal rehabilitation facilities.
Appalachian Bear Rescue is a wildlife rehabilitation facility that has cared for more than 400 black bear cubs and yearlings from nine states and multiple National Park sites over the course of its 29-year history. Countless other wild bears have benefited from educational outreach and research initiatives.
In East Tennessee, black bears are abundant and actively expanding across their historic native range in Tennessee. Bears have large home ranges which can overlap into multiple states and cross paths with numerous other bears. TWRA biologists manage at the population level to ensure conservation goals are met.
Morgan County, TN (WOKI / WVLT) A Morgan County deputy has been charged in connection to a deadly officer-involved shooting.
Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation say deputies with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office went to a burglary call at a home on Ray Cross Road in Harriman on May 2 wherein Deputy Charles Faircloth shot John A. Cox, who later died at the hospital.
According to the District Attorney’s office, Cox was shot multiple times after picking up a large rock and coming at the deputy.
“The first deputy on scene was already on his way to the sheriff’s office in his sheriff’s department marked vehicle when the call was dispatched. He arrived at the scene and was confronted by the subject who was the reason for the 911 call,” District Attorney General Russell Johnson said. “The adult male subject picked up a large rock and came after the deputy who shot multiple times.”
A Morgan County Grand Jury Monday returned indictments charging Faircloth with one count of criminally negligent homicide and one count of official misconduct.
Faircloth surrendered to authorities at the Loudon County Jail Tuesday and was booked on a $5,000 bond.
District Attorney General Johnson sent WOKI’s news partner, WVLT News, the following statement after Faircloth was indicted:
“When a law enforcement officer responds to a scene of unknown threat, we expect them to do so with the courage of Daniel and the strength of Samson. Once there, we expect them to assess the situation with the wisdom of Solomon and to exercise the patience of Job to remedy the threat without the loss of a life, especially their own, but also that of the person causing the disturbance.
In essence, we expect the impossible from them. Sometimes death of the threatening individual occurs.
We, as the district attorney’s office, turn to the grand jury whose membership consists of constitutionally appointed citizens of the community to weigh the actions of law enforcement and the outcome of these deadly encounters against the standards that they as citizen grand jurors expect in their community as they balance those expectations against the applicable law as set forth by the Legislature .
In this case, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation presented the results of their investigation to the Morgan County Grand Jury, including interviews, 911 and dispatch transmissions, as well as a 3-D rendition of the scene and the toxicology and autopsy results.
After the presentation, the grand jury members deliberated and returned an indictment for criminally negligent homicide and official misconduct against the responding officer, Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputy Ray Faircloth.
Deputy Faircloth was the first officer to arrive at Ray Cross Road and confronted John Anthony Cox, the subject of the 911 call. Faircloth ultimately shot four times killing Cox who was brandishing a rock at Deputy Fairfield’s approach.
Faircloth’s bond was set by Morgan County Criminal Court Judge Jeff Wicks at $5,000. His arraignment is set for next Tuesday at the Morgan County Courthouse, as are all other cases indicted during this term of the grand jury.” – 9th District Attorney General Russell Johnson
Additional information was not released.
DA Russell Johnson said Deputy Faircloth shot a man who was charging at him with a rock four times. He later died at the hospital. (Courtesy: Morgan County Sheriff’s Office)
Road Construction will not delay motorists traveling Tennessee’s highways this Memorial Day weekend. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will suspend all construction-related lane closures on interstates and state routes from noon on Friday, May 23, through 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 27. This will provide maximum roadway capacity for the record-breaking number of motorists expected to take a road trip in the state this Memorial Day weekend.
AAA predicts 948,388 Tennesseans will travel for Memorial Day, with the majority, 800,250, driving to their destination. That’s compared to 783,595 last year.
“We want to do our part to help everyone have an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend and keep traffic flowing as smoothly and efficiently as possible,” said Deputy Governor & TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “We also want to remind drivers that it is the law to move over and slow down for first responders and emergency vehicles, including TDOT HELP trucks that will be on patrol during the holiday weekend. So far this year, we’ve had 47 incidents where a driver hit a TDOT vehicle or equipment.”
Motorists may still encounter lane closures or restrictions while traveling through long-term construction projects. In addition, drivers should know that reduced speed limits will be in effect in work zones. Drivers convicted of speeding through work zones where workers are present face a fine of up to $500, plus court fees and possibly increased insurance premiums.
A man is facing multiple charges after taking a minor from Claiborne County to Pennsylvania without permission.
On Saturday, the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office contacted Authorities in Pennsylvania about a missing child.
WVLT reporting that an investigation by CCSO revealed that 18 year-old Talen Bruce, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, drove to Tennessee, picked up the minor and took her back to Pennsylvania without parental permission.
Bruce and the child were found at a motel in Upper Allen, Pennsylvania.
Bruce was arrested and charged with multiple charges:
