Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Tennessee wide receiver has been charged with driving on a suspended license.
Chris Brazzell was arrested following a traffic stop Friday night.
Knoxville police say Brazzell was speeding at 60mph across the Henley Street Bridge which has a speed limit of 35mph. According to charging documents, police found Brazzell had a suspended license for failing to appear in court in Blount County in August of 2024.
Officers say he was arrested because of having a history of not appearing in court. Brazzell is scheduled to appear in court on August 20.
Andersonville, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway in Anderson County following a deadly shooting early Saturday morning.
Officials with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office say deputies responded around 2:00 a.m. to a home on Sequoyah Road in Andersonville for a reported shooting wherein they found a man, later identified as 23-year-old Samuel Ridenour, who had been fatally shot.
ACSO says an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting is still ongoing, adding that charges may be forthcoming.
Additional information was not released.
Deputies with the sheriff’s office responded to a home on Sequoyah Road in Andersonville at around 2:00 a.m. (Courtesy: Anderson County Sheriff’s Office)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee football made its Neyland Stadium debut this camp, as the Volunteers went through a two-hour scrimmage Saturday morning to wrap up the second week of preseason practices.
Tennessee worked all three phases and special situations with various “thud” and live tackling periods. All three quarterbacks – true freshman George MacIntyre, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger and senior graduate transfer Joey Aguilar – took equal reps in the team periods.
“I’m not naming a starter today, but all three of those guys have shown some really good characteristics of doing some special things with the ball, also managing the game, eliminating negatives,” said head coach Josh Heupel. “There are some things that each of them and collectively as a group, we have to get better at, and that’s always the nature of this point in training camp.”
Offensively, a skilled collection of running backs continues to standout. Redshirt sophomore DeSean Bishop had already established himself as one of the top backs and continues to flash. Bishop rushed for 455 yards a season ago before earning a scholarship in the spring. Duke transfer Star Thomas has made a significant jump since his January arrival, and sophomore Peyton Lewis continues to make an impact. Speedy freshman Daune Morris and Justin Baker bolster a deep group.
“He’s a dramatically different player,” Heupel said of Thomas. “Just his body, his movement, explosiveness, his physicality with the ball and without the ball. Some of the details and fundamentals that it takes in pass protection, special teams as well, he has done an elite job from the end of spring ball to where we are through practice eight.”
Player families were on hand for the scrimmage and then participated in a lunch event before the Vols reviewed scrimmage work Saturday evening. The team is off Sunday, and back-to-back practices are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
No. 18 Tennessee opens its 2025 campaign three weeks from today on Aug. 30 when its takes on Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Kickoff is slated for noon ET on ABC. Tickets are on sale now at AllVols.com.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Aug. 9, 2025 Head Coach Josh Heupel
Opening statement… “Great to be out here inside the stadium for a scrimmage. It’s as close to a gameday environment as we’re going to get before we kick off here in a few weeks. A lot of good, and a lot of things to learn from too. We got some situational football in, which is good for everybody, in particular the quarterbacks. Excited to go watch the tape. I also just want to say, we have a ton of families that are here for today’s scrimmage. I appreciate all of them coming by. It’s always great to get our entire family together.”
On what was beneficial from being in a scrimmage setting at the stadium… “It’s as close to gameday (as possible). We try to make practice like gameday when we get into our team periods (with) how we function and operate. Make it gameday like with officials and that type of thing but this is as close as you’re going to get. Them having to own it, control situations, unique situations that come up just in the normal flow and then the situations that we put them in (like) four-minute (drill) coming out today, so football awareness and controlling everything.”
On if the team did well in the situations that were presented during the scrimmage… “Yeah, overall, there’s a few things that we can clean up at quarterback, but really on both sides of the football teaching subtle details, which at this point in training camp, you’re constantly growing and pushing to go master the details of the game. It doesn’t just end during training camp. Good teams continue to get better throughout the course of the season. These guys have had a good mindset and have grown each day, but we’ve got a lot more that we got to get to before we get to kickoff.”
On managing practice during fall camp while also managing injuries and keeping guys healthy… “Your practice habits matter in keeping guys healthy. Some of it you can’t control. Guys have continued to push and take advantage of their opportunities. During the course of the season, gameday from week to week, there’s an ebb and flow and the next guy has to be ready to go. Our guys that have been out, some of those guys are coming back. I like what they’ve done, in particular in our walkthroughs, the detail of it. But, as a football team, we’ve just got to continue to grow.”
On if injuries change his evaluation at any particular position or overall… “Well, I think you understand the totality of what’s going on in the situations that they’re put in, but in each phase of the game, it truly is the details. That’s for all 11 guys continuing to grow and the guys that didn’t get that rep. One of the things we talk about is not making the same mistake twice. If you want to be elite, you learn from guys that made a mistake that you weren’t in on and that are playing your position. I like the growth that we’ve seen, there’s a lot more out there for us though.”
On if the picture is any clearer at quarterback after scrimmage No. 1… “I’m not naming a starter today, but all three of those guys have shown some really good characteristics of doing some special things with the ball, also managing the game, eliminating negatives. There are some things that each of them and collectively as a group, we have to get better at, and that’s always the nature of this point in training camp.”
On Joey Aguilar’s ability to run the offense after having to learn it quickly over the summer.. “With what we’re doing offensively in our installs from protections, to run game, controlling it and what he’s seeing on the other side of the football (with) how multiple we’ve been here in the early part of training camp, I really like, overall, what he’s done. There’s still more for him within the structure and the details of it, but I like what he’s done.”
On if he will adjust reps following the first scrimmage… “We haven’t got a chance to go watch tape. I don’t anticipate us dramatically changing the reps right now.”
On what he wants to see improve after two weeks… “Eight practices in, there has been good growth. Practices have been competitive, they have been physical, good fundamental and technique growth which ultimately leads you to being in position to go make plays in all phases of the game. We still have a lot left individually and collectively, by unit, to continue to be our best. Growth mindset and let’s continue to push.”
On how George MacIntyre has performed through camp… “George, we challenged him post spring ball in some of the areas he had to grow. Some of that physical and some of that fundamental and technique. You’ve seen a lot of that growth from him and you’ve seen his level of play be dramatically different than where we finished spring ball and that’s from day one of training camp. He’s had good presence and good control of what we’re doing. There’s some areas he’s going to have to continue to grow in, as all of our players have to do at this point. I’ve really liked what George has done so far.”
On what he saw from the receivers in the scrimmage… “Overall, I thought they made a few plays. There are some plays that are there to make. But they operated relatively efficiently in the confines of what we’re doing offensively and for them there are some subtle details in how they operate that this is as close to gameday as they get too, which is going to be a great learning experience from them. But overall, I like what they have done.
On Boo Carter and his involvement during camp… “When we started training camp and I talked to you guys, there were steps that he had to take to continue to earn his place in the scope of what we’re doing as a football team. He has taken those steps and continued to grow. I like what he has been able to do here, in particular the last four days. What’s going to transpire, we’re taking it day to day at this point, is the best way to say it.”
On how David Sanders Jr. has looked… “I thought David has done a really good job. Eight practices in throughout training camp, thought today, he handled himself extremely well. Really good player in spring ball, continues to grow mentally and physically and then the fundamentals and technique too. Here through the early part of training camp, he has done a really good job for a young football player expecting to play at a really high level.”
On his takeaways from the defensive performance during Saturday’s scrimmage… “I like how hard they are playing. We use the word ‘attack,’ playing through the echo of the whistle. (I like) how they’re running to the football, the ability to not go one-for-one out in space and in the core, block destruction. For us, the details in what we’re doing – from a shift, trade, motion, whatever it may be – all three levels communicating to be on the same page. We’ve been solid, but there’s more growth for us on a play-in, play-out basis right now with ones, twos and threes. They’ve had a great mindset and continue to grow.”
On Jermod McCoy’s recovery being on schedule after going through individual practice drills… “Cool moment for Jermod. Big moment, getting back on the field and doing some of that individual work. It was cool to see the way his brothers were excited for him in that moment and how big that was for them, too. He broke us down before practice, and he’s done an elite job throughout his rehab. There’s still more that he has to continue to do, but excited to get him back out with us.”
On the competition at the center position… “It’s still a competition. Ultimately, who the starting five (offensive linemen) are, moving pieces and finding the best five that fit cohesively together. At that position, multiple guys have to be ready to go play. (We will) potentially have some moving parts, as far as guys lining up from center to guard, guard to tackle, whatever it might be. Those guys have repped extremely hard. They’re playing hard. They’re playing well as a group with the moving pieces. The communication has been really solid, but we’re eight practices in. There’s a lot more for us to continue to get to.”
On Star Thomas’ progression from spring practice to fall camp… “He’s a dramatically different player. Just his body, his movement, explosiveness, his physicality with the ball and without the ball. Some of the details and fundamentals that it takes in pass protection, special teams as well, he has done an elite job from the end of spring ball to where we are through practice eight.”
On Edwin Spillman’s ability to affect the quarterbacks in Saturday’s scrimmage… “Edwin made a couple of plays behind the line of scrimmage. He’s taken a step as a leader. He’s taken a step in his understanding and ownership of what we’re doing defensively. His ability to communicate and get all three levels on the same page, a young player that’s only going to continue to get better. He pushes extremely hard every day to go chase his best.”
TIPTONVILLE, TN (Story courtesy of WSMV / WVLT) – The man accused of killing four people in Lake County appeared virtually before the court on Thursday morning.
The Lake County Courthouse saw 28-year-old Austin Drummond via video conference call as the judge read aloud the charges against him.
Drummond is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, as well as aggravated kidnapping and abandonment.
The judge revealed that the four Tiptonville victims were found shot to death.
Due to Drummond not having his own attorneys, the judge entered a not guilty plea for him and later appointed an attorney from Covington, Tennessee, to represent him.
The district attorney for the state of Tennessee declared that he intends to seek the death penalty, leading the judge to deny bond.
Drummond is accused of murdering Matthew Wilson, Adrianna Williams, Cortney Rose, and Braydon Williams in Tiptonville, Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake on Tuesday, July 29.
The four bodies were found Tuesday night on Carrington Road in Tiptonville, located in Lake County, approximately 40 miles away from where a seven-month-old girl was dropped off in a Dyer County yard.
The Dyer County sheriff confirmed the victims are the baby’s parents, grandmother, and 15-year-old uncle. The Dyer County sheriff confirmed during Tuesday’s press conference that the baby was unharmed and is doing well.
Drummond was captured after a nearly weeklong manhunt in West Tennessee. Multiple agencies were involved in the search and it was initially believed he had fled the state before he was spotted in Jackson, Tennessee, on Sunday, August 3.
The search efforts converged on a section of Pleasant Plains Road near Union University with no success until he was spotted on several residential security cameras on Monday night.
A “shelter in place” was ordered for residents on Tuesday morning, and Drummond was located a short time later. The Jackson Police Department announced his arrest at 9:15 a.m.
Jackson Police Chief Thom Corley said Drummond was located behind a vacant pool house. Several weapons were found, but Drummond himself was not armed.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshal Service, and multiple sheriff’s departments all assisted in the search for Drummond before he was brought in by the Jackson Police Department.
During the search for Drummond, the investigation also expanded to include people who officials said assisted him after the murders and even tampered with evidence.
The TBI charged 23-year-old Dearrah Sanders, of Jackson, with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder on Monday morning.
Two others are also charged with helping Drummond. The TBI arrested Tanaka Brown, 29, and Giovonti Thomas, 29, both of Jackson. Brown and Thomas have been charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
Brown is also facing an additional charge of tampering with evidence. The TBI said the charges come after their investigation revealed Brown and Thomas assisted Drummond, but the agency did not share any details as to how in the arrest affidavit.
Multiple agencies are working together to collect more evidence and are investigating other people who might’ve helped Drummond evade capture after the shootings.
Drummond is expected back in court on August 14 at 9 a.m.
Tennessee (WOKI and WVLT) – Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn announces her run for Governor of Tennessee this (Wednesday) morning on social media.
Blackburn said “In his first six months, President Trump has made historic strides in Making America Great Again, but as he sends power back to the states, he’s going to need strong conservative governors who can bring that revolution home. I’m running to serve as Tennessee’s next governor to ensure Tennessee is America’s conservative leader,” She went on to say “I’m ready to deliver the kind of conservative leadership that will ensure our state is America’s conservative leader for this generation and the next, and I would be honored to have your support.”
The campaign announcement highlighted a focus on job creation, immigration enforcement and social issues like gender identity.
Blackburn started the announcement with a promise to make Tennessee the country’s primary “job creating, energy producing powerhouse.” It’s a priority she shares with the sitting governor, Bill Lee, who has emphasized Tennessee’s investments in nuclear energy production over the last few years.
Much like her fellow conservatives, Blackburn is following the immigration enforcement playbook as well. In the announcement, she promised to crank up illegal alien deportations, saying “respect for the law starts with enforcing it.”
Another focus in the announcement was gender politics, with the governor hopeful saying the state would, under her, “define boys and girls the way God made them,” promising to “get rid of gender pronoun insanity.” Gender identity and similar LGBTQ+ issues have long been a standing social issue conservatives have rallied behind.
In January, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs endorsed Blackburn, even before her official announcement. He doubled-down on the endorsement Wednesday, saying she “has a proven record of defending Tennessee conservative values, and exactly one year from today, I will proudly cast my vote for her to be our 51st Governor.” Jacobs, who is currently serving his final term in office due to term limits, is serving as her campaign treasurer.
Blackburn is currently serving her second term in the U.S. Senate. Prior to her stint in the Senate, she served as a U.S. representative from 2003 to 2019.
Nashville, TN (WVLT) The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) announced the opening of the TN Promise Application for the high school graduating class of 2026.
TN Promise provides high school graduates the opportunity to attend college tuition-free. Students can use this scholarship at any of Tennessee’s community colleges or Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCAT,) said THEC.
This year’s application is also the entry point for a new initiative called Tennessee’s Direct Admissions Pilot Program, which automatically accepts eligible high school seniors into in-state public and private universities, as well as TCAT, according to THEC.
THEC said “In partnership with tnAchieves and The Ayers Foundation Trust, TN Promise supports students not only financially, but with built-in mentoring and support to help them navigate the transition from high school to college.”
Last year’s TN Promise application cycle welcomed a record-breaking number of class applicants, according to THEC.
“Tennessee Promise has helped more than 250,000 Tennessee students access college over the past ten years,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, THEC executive director. “We are excited that the class of 2026 will have the opportunity to not just benefit from this program but to break last year’s application record. We and our partners remain committed to helping students take the first step toward earning a college credential.”
Students can now apply here. The deadline to apply is Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) announces the opening of the TN Promise Application for the high school graduating class of 2026. (Courtesy: WVLT / WVJC)
Knoxville –As of Wednesday, July 30, 2025, there are 82,848 active registered voters in the city of Knoxville that are eligible to vote in the 2025 City of Knoxville Primary Election. A breakdown of the number of active registered voters in each Knoxville City Council district is as follows:
1st District – 12,012
2nd District – 20,053
3rd District – 17,579
4th District – 19,601
6th District – 13,603
TOTAL: 82,848
NOTE: There are a total of 97,274 active registered voters in the City of Knoxville, but 14,426 reside in the 5th City Council District, and cannot vote in the 2025 City of Knoxville Primary Election.
EARLY VOTING
Early voting begins Wednesday, August 6th at 12 p.m. at six (6) locations across the city of Knoxville.
The locations are:
DOWNTOWN City County Building, Small Assembly Room (400 Main Street)
WEST Downtown West (1645 Downtown West Blvd., Unit 40)
EAST Eternal Life Harvest Center at Five Points (2410 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.)
NORTHWEST Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Highway)
SOUTH Meridian Baptist Church (6513 Chapman Highway)
NORTHEAST New Harvest Park (4775 New Harvest Lane)
Hours are generally 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. There are a handful of exceptions to the standard hours, and all details can be viewed at www.knoxvotes.org.
The first day (Wednesday, August 6), and all Wednesdays, all locations will open at 12 noon. On those days, all locations except Meridian Baptist in south Knoxville will be open until 7 pm (Meridian will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays).
Help us grant East Tennessee Teacher’s Classroom Wish Lists presented by Ted Russell Ford Lincoln! We want to help make sure our teachers have what they need for their classrooms. Many of our teachers have wish lists on Amazon. Let’s work together to grant their wishes!
Teachers, please fill out the form below to submit the link to your classroom Amazon wish list. We will share your list with the WIVK family of listeners in hopes they will purchase items from your list! The easy thing about this, is it will ship directly to you! Once each week we will randomly select one of you to receive a $200 Amazon Gift Card thanks to Ted Russell Ford Lincoln and Shoney’s! Good luck!
WIVK Family of listeners, please help us support our teachers and get them what they need for their classrooms by purchasing items from their wish list! CLICK HERE to go to the wish list page. Feel free to scroll until you find your school, or randomly select a teacher to support. You can purchase one item or several! Join together with your family, friends or co-workers, select a teacher, and grant wishes!
Sign up for Teacher Wish Lists 2025!
Teachers, fill out this form and include the link to your Amazon Wish List!
