TDOT: Interstate Construction Halted for Easter Holiday Travel

TDOT: Interstate Construction Halted for Easter Holiday Travel

Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will suspend all interstate construction work on Easter weekend in anticipation of increased holiday travel.

Lane closures will be discontinued beginning Thursday, March 28 at 6:00 p.m. and running through Monday, April 1 at 6:00 a.m.

Motorists will still encounter some long-term lane closures on construction projects that will remain in place.

Only three months into the year, there have already been 27 incidents involving drivers crashing into TDOT vehicles and equipment.

GPD: Pedestrian Hit by Vehicle while Crossing Road

GPD: Pedestrian Hit by Vehicle while Crossing Road

Greeneville, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway after a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle in Greeneville.

Greeneville Police say a woman is in the hospital after being hit early Saturday morning on Industrial Road while trying to cross the road near Rockwell Drive.

The driver stayed at the scene, and no alcohol or drug use was reported by the officer on scene. The woman was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

No charges are pending against the driver of the vehicle.

Knoxville Police Have Located the Parents or Guardians of Little Girl Found Alone in East Knoxville

Knoxville Police Have Located the Parents or Guardians of Little Girl Found Alone in East Knoxville

Updated story: Knoxville Police have located the guardians of a young girl after officers found her wandering East Knoxville this (Monday) morning.

The girl was found near N. Harrison Street and Washington Avenue.

Original story: Knoxville Police are looking for the parents or guardians of a young girl after officers found her wandering East Knoxville this (Monday) morning.

KPD did not release the name of the girl, but did say that she is safe and unharmed.

She was found her near N. Harrison Street and Washington Avenue.

We have her photo on our website, newstalk987.com.

If you have any information, please call 911.

Oak Ridge Police are Investigating a Fatal Motorcycle Crash

Oak Ridge Police are Investigating a Fatal Motorcycle Crash

An investigation is underway after a fatal motorcycle crash in Oak Ridge.

It happened Saturday when the motorcycle going South on South Illinois Avenue at the Bethel Valley Road overpass struck another vehicle and left the road. The motorcyclist, 54 year-old Eric Barnes according to WVLT, died at the scene.

The Oak Ridge Police Department along with several other agencies responded to the crash. The Public Works Department also responded to assist with scene cleanup.

An Investigation is Underway in Jefferson County After a Toddler Almost Drowns

An Investigation is Underway in Jefferson County After a Toddler Almost Drowns

An investigation is underway after a near drowning.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says Deputies were dispatched to Mountain Meadows Drive in New Market Friday and were told a 23-month-old child had gone missing and was found in a swimming pool. Family members were performing CPR, when deputies arrived and took over until Jefferson County EMS arrived and took the child to a nearby hospital.

The child was transferred to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and remains in critical condition.

The Dogwood Trails are Set to Open April 1st as Part of the Dogwood Arts Festival

The Dogwood Trails are Set to Open April 1st as Part of the Dogwood Arts Festival

Since 1955, Dogwood Arts has hosted Knoxville’s favorite springtime celebration. What started as a neighborhood beautification project, has blossomed into a year-round celebration of our region’s art, culture, and natural beauty. With the month of April quickly approaching, Dogwood Arts is gearing up to do it all again with events and programs for the entire community to enjoy.

Knoxville’s historic Dogwood Trails date back to 1955 and today cover more than 90 miles in 13 neighborhoods throughout the city. The Dogwood Trails, Open Gardens, and Camera Sites are open April 1-30th and visitors are invited to drive, walk, or bike the Trails as they take in the natural scenic beauty of East Tennessee in the springtime. Open Gardens and Camera Sites are open 10AM-6PM daily. Dogwood Arts is celebrating 69 years of blooming trails by featuring the Trails of West Knoxville this year: Sequoyah Hills, Westmoreland, Deane Hill, West Hills, and Farragut. A ribbon-cutting and community celebration to ‘officially’ open the Dogwood Trails is scheduled for Thursday, April 4th from 5-7:30PM in Talahi Park along the Sequoyah Hills Dogwood Trail (the first trail, established in 1955). The event will take place at 1034 Cherokee Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37919 and include a ribbon-cutting ceremony with City and County officials, food vendors, music, and a maker market.

Visitors can find Trailhead addresses, trail maps, and a list of Open Gardens, Camera Sites, and Walking Trails online at https://www.dogwoodarts.com/trailsandgardens. Printed Trail Guides are available at Visit Knoxville, all ORNL Federal Credit Union Branches, and the Dogwood Arts office [123 W. Jackson Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902].

The Dogwood Trails & Gardens Program is made possible by sponsorship support from ORNL Federal Credit Union, Realty Executives Associates, and the Town of Farragut. The realtors listed below proudly support this neighborhood beautification program, recognizing and celebrating the commitment and efforts of Trail residents across Knoxville. Trail Sponsors help preserve the legacy of the Historic Dogwood Trails for all to enjoy.

2024 Dogwood Trail Sponsors:

● Lakemoor Hills: Sara Price, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Chapman Highway: Tiana Winter, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Island Home: Carrie Poteat, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Sequoyah Hills: Colleen Boehr, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Westmoreland: Alexis Guindi, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Deane Hill: Steven Hardison, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● West Hills: Marian Epps, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Farragut: Pam Owen, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● North Hills: Terri Kerr, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Fountain City: Dylan Martin, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Holston Hills: Claire Hyrka, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Halls/Timberline: Mary Kidwell, Realtorⓡ, Realty Executives Associates

● Morningside: Realty Executives Associates


Several events are scheduled throughout the month to celebrate the efforts of trail residents and showcase these spectacular neighborhoods. *These events are not hosted by Dogwood Arts

Chapman Highway Dogwood Trail Kickoff Celebration: April 6th 9AM-2PM

● CommonPlace Coffee + Community (6000 Chapman Hwy, Knoxville, 37920)

● Food Trucks, Local Artists and Vendors, Music

West Hills Dogwood Trail Celebration: April 6th 9AM-12PM

● John Bynon Park (7624 Sheffield Drive, Knoxville, TN 37909)

● Dogwood tree dedication celebrating the 60th anniversary of the West Hills Community Association in honor of five outstanding neighborhood volunteers. Local artists, food trucks, Master Gardener Q&A, and volunteer cleanup along West Hills Park.

Talahi Plant Sale: April 20th 9AM-2PM

● Westminster Presbyterian Church (6500 S. Northshore Dr. Knoxville, 37919)

● Benefitting the Knoxville Garden Club. Native plants dug straight from members’ gardens along with herbs, trees, shrubs, annuals, homemade baked goods, and the ever-popular green elephant sale.

Holston Hills Garden Club Plant Sale: May 4th 9AM-2PM

● Holston Hills Community Park (Chilhowee & Wyndcroft Dr.)

Knoxville Botanical Garden & Arboretum Spring Plant Sale: May 4th 9AM-3PM

● 2649 Boyds Bridge Pike Knoxville, 37914 (Carriage House)

Find out more at http://dogwoodarts.com/trailsandgardens. Dogwood Arts, presented by ORNL Federal Credit Union, is a 501(c)3 organization with a mission to promote and celebrate our region’s art, culture, and natural beauty.

#7 VOLS TAKE SERIES WITH 15-4 RUN-RULE VICTORY OVER #17 OLE MISS
Courtesy / UT Athletics

#7 VOLS TAKE SERIES WITH 15-4 RUN-RULE VICTORY OVER #17 OLE MISS

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – In almost a carbon copy of Friday’s series opener, No. 7/8 Tennessee started fast and never slowed down in a 15-4 run-rule victory over No. 17 Ole Miss in front of a record crowd of 5,677 on Sunday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Big Orange finished Sunday’s rubber game with the same number of runs, hits (13) and home runs (five) as they did on Friday night and got contributions up and down the lineup with four players registering multi-hit efforts and five players finishing with multiple RBIs on the day.

Kavares Tears hammered a 2-0 pitch way over the wall in right center for a two-run homer to get UT off to a fast start in the bottom of the first. After the Rebels scored a run in the second to cut the lead in half, the Vols started their offensive onslaught with a five-run third inning that featured a two-run homer by Christian Moore and a three-run blast by Dylan Dreiling to make it 7-1.

Tennessee scored two more runs in the fourth inning and really put the game away with a six-run fifth inning that was punctuated by a Billy Amick grand slam. After a relatively quiet first two games of the series, Amick had a pair of hits and tied a career high with five RBIs on Sunday.

Tears and Dean Curley led the team with three hits apiece and combined for five runs scored and five RBIs. Blake Burke also added a pair of hits, including his SEC-leading 14th double of the year, to extend his hitting streak to 15 games and his on-base streak to 23 games.

On the mound, sophomore righthander Nate Snead was nails out of the bullpen as he set a career high with six strikeouts and did not allow a walk over 4.2 innings of work to earn the win and improve to 5-1 on the year. Senior lefty Zander Sechrist served as an opener of sorts for the Vols and struck out three over 2.1 innings in his first-career SEC start to give the team some early confidence.

Ole Miss starting pitcher Grayson Saunier was tagged for seven runs on six hits in 2.2 innings and fell to 3-3 on the year. Ethan Lege, Luke Hill and Reagan Burford all had two hits each for the Rebels, who had 11 total hits but left seven runners on base for the game.

UP NEXT: The Vols (21-4, 3-3 SEC) square off against Tennessee Tech on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. before another SEC home series next weekend against Georgia.

STAT OF THE GAME: With Sunday’s victory, Tennessee secured another SEC home opening series win and has now won all six of its home opening conference series under head coach Tony Vitello and has posted a 16-2 overall record in those series.

#7 TENNESSEE WINS SERIES WITH 7-0 VICTORY OVER #23 SOUTH CAROLINA
Courtesy / UT Athletics

#7 TENNESSEE WINS SERIES WITH 7-0 VICTORY OVER #23 SOUTH CAROLINA

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The seventh-ranked Lady Vols won their second SEC series of the season Sunday night with a 7-0 shutout of 23rd-ranked South Carolina at Beckham Field.
 
Tennessee (25-4, 5-0 SEC) won its 17th straight game – the longest streak in the nation – thanks to strong pitching and timely hitting.
 
Graduate Payton Gottshall got the start for the Lady Vols in game two and went the distance as she tossed her fifth complete game of the season. The right-hander fanned seven, walked four and scattered three hits en route to her 11th win.
 
The shutout is Gottshall’s first this year.
 
Rylie West finished 1-for-2 on the night and drove in three runs Sunday, including the game’s first as Kiki Milloy scored on a West sacrifice fly in the first inning.
 
In the third, West clubbed a two-run home run to left – extending Tennessee’s advantage to three. West has eight home runs this season, tying her single-season career high.
 
Junior Laura Mealer added a little insurance in the fourth inning with a two-run home run – her seventh blast this season – to make it 5-0 Lady Vols. The Chapel Hill, Tennessee, native also went 1-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored.
 
Tennessee added two more runs in the sixth as South Carolina walked in a run before McKenna Gibson knocked an RBI single for UT’s seventh score of the night.
 
Gibson and Destiny Rodriguez led the Orange & White as both players went 2-for-4 at the dish.
 
South Carolina (22-9, 0-5 SEC) managed just three hits off Gottshall – led by Riley Blampied with two. Denver Bryant picked up the Gamecocks’ only other hit on the night.
 
Alana Vawter started in the circle for South Carolina and lasted 3.2 innings before being lifted in the fourth for Sage Mardjetko. Vawter allowed five runs – four earned – on five hits. She walked two and struck out two.
 
Vawter took the loss and is 8-5 on the year.
 
Mardjetko tossed just 1.1 frames, walking one and striking out two before she gave way to Jori Heard who finished out the game. Heard allowed two runs on three hits, walked four and struck out one over three innings of work.
 
STAT OF THE DAY
With the series win, Tennessee has won 10 of its last 11 SEC series dating to May 7-8, 2022.
 
UP NEXT
Tennessee and South Carolina close out the three-game series Monday night on SEC Network. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Fans can also listen to Charley Collier call the action on AM990.

Vols Defeat Texas, 62-58, to Reach Second Straight Sweet 16
Courtesy / UT Athletics

Vols Defeat Texas, 62-58, to Reach Second Straight Sweet 16

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team clinched its second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance, its second time doing so in program history, with a 62-58 victory Saturday night over seventh-seeded Texas at Spectrum Center,

Fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht, who iced the game with four late free throws, scored a game-high 18 points for sixth-ranked, second-seeded Tennessee (26-8, 14-4 SEC), which led for over 36 minutes and forced 17 turnovers in a commanding defensive performance.

In the first 7:40, the Volunteers held Texas (21-13, 9-9 B12) to 1-of-6 shooting and forced six turnovers, including not allowing a point for 4:23, on the way to taking an 8-4 edge. Soon thereafter, Tennessee went on a 6-0 run in 1:27 to go ahead by eight with 9:39 on the clock, but the Longhorns answered with a 9-2 burst in 2:40 to make it 18-17 at the 6:38 mark.

Tennessee answered back with 10 straight points in 4:54 to go ahead by 11, 28-17, with 1:28 to go in the frame. A basket by Texas 25 seconds later ended a 5:19 scoreless drought and capped the first-half scoring, as the Volunteers entered the break up by nine, 29-20.

A 9-2 advantage in points off turnovers and a 7-of-8 (87.5 percent) free-throw mark helped Tennessee overcome a 10-of-35 (28.6 percent) field-goal ledger, including a 1-of-13 (7.7 percent) tally from 3-point range that featured 11 misses to open the contest. However, it also limited the Longhorns to an 8-of-26 (30.8 percent) ledger from the floor and a 2-of-9 (22.2 percent) figure from deep.

The Volunteers pushed their lead to a game-best 12 points, 40-28, on a third-chance basket with 12:59 remaining. Texas countered with a 14-5 spurt to get back within one possession, 45-42, with 7:15 to go. Tennessee then tallied eight of the next 10 points, including hitting back-to-back 3-pointers after going 1-of-21 through 34-plus minutes, to make it 53-44 with 4:23 left.

Texas again clawed back, this time using a 9-2 run in 2:18 to get the margin down to two, 55-53, with 1:53 on the timer. After stops on each end, junior forward Jonas Aidoo split a pair of free throws with 48.8 seconds to up the edge to three, but the Longhorns scored 14 ticks later to trim the deficit to one, 56-55.

Aidoo knocked down two free throws with 24.3 seconds to play and then, after a Tennessee stop, Knecht hit two with 8.8 on the clock, extending the cushion to five, 60-55. Texas junior guard Tyrese Hunter drilled a 3-pointer with 4.2 ticks to go, but Knecht made two more free throws—each of the Volunteers’ six makes in the closing 25 seconds were one-and-ones—with 3.8 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

In addition to pacing all players in scoring, Knecht also co-led the game in rebounding, as he pulled down nine boards. The Thornton, Colo., native, who moved into the top three on Tennessee’s single-season scoring list, shot 7-of-8 at the line in the triumph.

Aidoo scored 11 points and blocked two shots, making him the program’s career leader in blocks in the NCAA Tournament with 11. Sophomore forward Tobe Awaka battled foul trouble, but still amassed 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in just 11 minutes.

Fifth-year guard Josiah-Jordan James recorded nine points and matched Knecht with nine rebounds. Junior guard Zakai Zeigler stuffed the stat sheet with six points, a game-high seven assists and three steals while playing all 40 minutes. Fifth-year guard Santiago Vescovi also registered three steals, breaking the schools’ career record in the process.

Hunter and sophomore guard Chendall Weaver scored 13 points apiece for Texas, while graduate student forward Dylas Disu had 12 and graduate student guard Max Abmas notched 10. The Volunteers held Disu and Abmas to 4-of-18 and 3-of-10 shooting, respectively.

Although Tennessee finished 22-of-65 (33.8 percent) from the floor and 3-of-12 (12.0 percent) beyond the arc, it went 15-of-18 (83.3 percent) on free throws and posted a 36-20 edge in paint points. The victors also tripled up Texas in points off turnovers, 15-5, while holding the Longhorns to a 20-of-55 (36.4 percent) clip from the floor.

Tennessee became the second team ever to win an NCAA Tournament game while shooting under 34.0 percent from the floor and under 12.5 percent from 3-point range.

The Volunteers will make the 10th regional final appearance in program history Friday against No. 11-ranked, third-seeded Creighton at a to-be-determined time Friday in Detroit.

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.  

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes now owns 805 victories in his career, matching Rick Byrd for No. 14 on the all-time wins list (min. 10 years at a Division I school).
• Tennessee improved to 5-4 all-time versus Texas, including 1-3 at neutral sites and 2-1 over the last three years, with this the first postseason meeting between the two sides.
• Barnes, who served as the Longhorns’ head coach for 17 seasons (1998-2015), is 4-3 in Tennessee/Texas matchups, as he went 2-2 with the Longhorns and is now 2-1 with the Volunteers.
• This is the seventh time Tennessee has won at least 26 games in a single season, including the fourth in the last seven seasons under Barnes.
• Tennessee’s 26 wins this year match the fifth-highest single-season win total in program history, tying the marks in both 2017-18 and 1999-2000.
• The Volunteers are now 27-26 all-time in their 27 NCAA Tournament trips, including 8-10 in their second games, 9-8 in the first round, 8-5 under Barnes, 7-3 as a No. 2 seed, 2-2 versus No. 7 seeds, 11-20 against single-digit seeds, 22-11 versus lower seeds, 23-24 in regulation, 8-7 in North Carolina and 4-4 in Charlotte.
• Barnes’ 8-5 record at Tennessee ties him with Bruce Pearl (8-6) for the most NCAA Tournament wins in program history.
• After losing each of the first four NCAA Tournament contests in program history—one was a consolation affair—this is the first time Tennessee has ever owned an all-time winning record.
• This is the second time the Volunteers have reached the Sweet 16 in back-to-back years, joining the 2006-07 and 2007-08 campaigns.
• Tennessee is in the Sweet 16 for the 10th time ever; that includes doing so in 23-team tournament in 1967 in which it received a bye to the Round of 16 and a 48-team tournament in 1981 in which it received a bye to the Round of 32.
• In seven of its last 12 NCAA Tournament trips—all in the last 18 years, since 2007—Tennessee had earned a Sweet 16 trip after doing so just thrice in its first 14 appearances (one of which it started in the Round of 16).
• The Volunteers now own a 78-24 (.765) record in 102 games as an AP top-10 team under Barnes’ direction.
• The only other team to win an NCAA Tournament game while shooting under 34.0 percent from the floor and under 12.5 percent from 3-point range was fourth-seeded Clemson, also led by Barnes in his third season there, when it went 18-of-57 (31.6 percent) from the field and 1-of-11 (9.1 percent) beyond the arc against fifth-seeded Tulsa on March 16, 1997.
• Saturday marked the fifth time this season, including the second in a row, the Volunteers held their opponent to 20 or fewer first-half points.
• Tennessee notched a 16-6 advantage in paint points in the opening half and had a 9-3 margin in offensive rebounds.
• Awaka, James and Vescovi all committed three fouls in the first 25 minutes of the game.
• Texas entered the bonus with 10:05 left in the contest—Awaka picked up his fourth foul at that time—while it then had just two personal fouls of its own.
• Awaka had eight points and four rebounds in the first half, shooting 3-of-4 from the field and 2-of-2 at the line, but played just 5:52, as he recorded three fouls.
• Saturday marked the seventh time Awaka has scored in double figures as a collegian, including the fifth this season.
• Zeigler seven assists to put him at 204 in 2023-24, making him the fourth Tennessee player to reach 200 in a single campaign, alongside Rodney Woods (227 in 1974-75), Johnny Darden (221 in in 1976-77) and Jordan Bone (215 in 2018-19).
• Zeigler’sthree steals pushed his 2023-24 total to 62, moving him from co-No. 14 all the way to eighth on the Volunteers’ single-season leaderboard.
• After blocking two shots Saturday, Aidoo is now Tennessee’s all-time NCAA Tournament record-holder, as he possesses 11 in his seven appearances, breaking a tie with Rashard Lee and Isiah Victor atop the program’s leaderboard.
• Aidoo’s two blocks also put him at 66 on the year, breaking a tie with Kyle Alexander (2018-19) for sole possession of third place on the school’s single-season list.
• James moved into a tie with Wayne Chism (2006-10) for third place on Tennessee’s appearances list with his 142nd outing, while Vescovi pushed his second-place tally to 148.
• Vescovi now owns 105 victories at Tennessee, breaking a tie with Quinn Cannington (2006-10) and Wayne Chism (2006-10), for sole possession of fourth place in program history, while James upped his third-place mark to 113.
• Knecht’s first point of the night, on a free throw with 6:57 left in the first half, made him the fourth Tennessee player—fifth occurrence—to compile 700 points in a single year, joining Allan Houston (806 in 1990-91 and 717 in 1991-92), Dale Ellis (724 in 1982-83) and Tony White (711 in 1986-87).
• Now owning 717 points in 2023-24, Knecht surpassed Tony White (1986-87) and tied Allan Houston (1991-92) to rise from fifth to co-third on Tennessee’s single-season scoring leaderboard.

#7 Vols Fall in Back-and-Forth Affair Against #17 Rebels
Courtesy / UT Athletics

#7 Vols Fall in Back-and-Forth Affair Against #17 Rebels

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7/8 Tennessee came up short in a back-and-forth battle against No. 17 Ole Miss on Saturday night, falling 8-5 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

The Big Orange battled back to take a late 5-4 lead into the ninth inning after tying the game at four with two runs in the seventh before pulling ahead with a Blake Burke RBI single in the bottom of the eighth. However, the Rebels responded with four runs in the top of the ninth to come away with the win and even the series.

Hunter Ensley was the only UT player to record multiple hits on the night, finishing 2-for-4 with a run scored, a double and a two-run homer to give the Vols a 2-1 lead in the second inning.

The major reason for Tennessee’s offensive struggles was the stellar pitching from Rebels’ starter Liam Doyle. Ensley’s second-inning home run was the only blemish for the sophomore lefty until he was chased in the seventh inning after allowing two hits and two runs in the frame. Entering the seventh, Doyle had retired 12 consecutive batters and allowed just one hit.

Drew Beam put together another solid outing for the Vols, allowing three earned runs on six hits in 5.1 innings before handing the ball off to AJ Russell.

The sophomore righthander allowed just two hits but ended up giving up four runs after issuing six walks (one intentional walk) in three innings of relief.

Mason Nichols got the win for Ole Miss to improve to 3-0 after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. After the Vols battled to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth, Connor Spencer recorded a strikeout to end of the game and earn his fifth save of the year.

Andrew Fischer and Ethan Groff both had two hits and two RBIs to lead Ole Miss at the plate while Brayden Randle homered for the second straight game.

UP NEXT: The Vols (20-4, 2-3 SEC) and Rebels (17-7, 3-2 SEC) will play for the series in Sunday’s rubber game. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.

STAT OF THE GAME: With 5.1 innings pitched on Saturday night, Beam has now tossed at least five innings in all six of his starts this season.

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