Knoxville’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is This Weekend

Knoxville’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is This Weekend

Posted on March 13, 2024

The 2024 Knox St. Patrick’s Parade is Saturday! The parade steps off at 1pm. Participants and parade goers will want to plan accordingly, as roads begin to close at 10:45 am. The City of Knoxville announced road closure times in preparation for Saturday’s parade:

The following roads will close at 10:45 a.m.: 

• Hill Avenue between Hall of Fame Drive and Walnut Street
• Council Place between Sevier Avenue and Gay Street
• Gay Street between Main Street and Sevier Avenue

Gay Street between Main Street and Magnolia Avenue will close at 12:15 p.m. All road closure times are subject to change. 

The parade will step off from the corner of Gay Street and Main Street and head down Gay Street to Magnolia Avenue. Actor and comedian Josh Mancuso, also known as the “College Mascot Guy,” will serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal.

Sunday, the city has planned the Barley’s St. Patrick’s Day 5K, which will close some roads in the Old City, Emory Place, Fourth & Gill and World’s Fair Park. The run starts at 2 p.m.

An Asheville Woman Loses Priceless Bracelet at Zoo Knoxville Which Contains Sister’s Ashes

An Asheville Woman Loses Priceless Bracelet at Zoo Knoxville Which Contains Sister’s Ashes

Posted on March 13, 2024

For the last two years, Jody Turnip has worn a bracelet to honor the life of their sister Taylor, who passed away.

Originally from Asheville, Turnip was in Knoxville over the weekend and went to Zoo Knoxville, which is where it’s believed the bracelet went missing.

“And when I looked down and noticed it wasn’t there, my heart just sank,” said Turnip.

The black and silver bracelet contains some of Taylor’s ashes in it and is a priceless piece of jewelry.

After realizing it was lost near the elephant exhibit at the zoo, it was a helpless feeling for Turnip now being hours away back home.

“I felt like I had let my sister down on some level because I lost something to me, and it was her pretty much,” said Turnip.

Turnip said having it found and sent back would be the best gift they could possibly receive and is now counting on the kindness of East Tennesseans to help with the search.

Zoo Knoxville said they’ve looked throughout the zoo but haven’t found it, but they said that employees will be keeping an eye out for it in the coming days.

If you find the bracelet at the zoo, you’re asked to contact the Ranger Station at the zoo, but if you find it outside the zoo around East Tennessee, you can also return it to Zoo Knoxville so they can contact the owner. Story courtesy of WVLT

Knox County Wants to Build a Fourth Splash Pad, Commissioners Will Discuss Proposal

Knox County Wants to Build a Fourth Splash Pad, Commissioners Will Discuss Proposal

Posted on March 13, 2024

The Knox County Parks and Recreation Department plans to build its fourth splash pad, this one at French Memorial Park in South Knox County off Martin Mill Pike.

That means the county will have water amenities in all four geographic regions – New Harvest Park (East); Powell Station (North); and Carl Cowan (West).

“This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time and I’m glad we can make it happen,” Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said. “As the weather starts to heat up, our residents can take comfort knowing they can stay cool every day at these park attractions. Just be sure to read the rules and be safe.”

The Knox County Commission will talk more about the project during its upcoming meeting this month. If approved, contractors could begin work shortly said Knox County Parks and Recreation Department Senior Director Joe Mack.

“Work should take only a few months and we hope to have it up and running possibly for this summer,” Mack said.

Knox County typically kicks off its splash pad season in May and it usually runs through the end of September. Several years ago, parks and rec crews replaced the 15-year-old splash pad at Carl Cowan Park.

Knoxville Police are Still Searching for a Man Wanted in a Deadly Valentine’s Day Shooting

Knoxville Police are Still Searching for a Man Wanted in a Deadly Valentine’s Day Shooting

Posted on March 13, 2024

Knoxville Police are still looking for a man connected to a deadly shooting.

James Perry is wanted for voluntary manslaughter and weapons charges related to February’s incident.

Officials say Sherwin Harris was shot and killed on McCullough Avenue on February 14th.

If see him or know where he could be please call Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.

Knoxville Man Indicted in Mother’s Death, Blount County Court Says

Knoxville Man Indicted in Mother’s Death, Blount County Court Says

Posted on March 12, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville man has been indicted in the death of his mother, who was found dead in Blount County in September of 2023.

Officials with Blount County Circuit Court say 25-year-old Zachary Hayes was indicted for first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and aggravated cruelty to animals in the death of his mother 63-year-old Kimberly Hayes and a cat.

Blount County Sheriff’s Office deputies found the mother and the cat dead at a home in Louisville.

According to the Knox County Regional Forensics Center and investigators, Kimberly Hayes and the animal had been stabbed multiple times.

Zachary Hayes was indicted on Monday, March 4.

Knoxville Police Department Chief Asking City for Almost $3M for Raises

Knoxville Police Department Chief Asking City for Almost $3M for Raises

Posted on March 12, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department’s Chief of Police is asking the city for almost $3 million for employee and officer raises.

KPD Chief Paul Noel, making his case to city leaders during a budget hearing on March 6, said that even with the new hires the department secured in 2023, the department had a net loss for employees, partly because officers moved to higher-paying agencies.

“We are losing officers to the Y-12, the plants because the pay is very, very significant, and we’ve lost officers to other agencies as well, agencies like the [Tennessee] Highway Patrol and University of Tennessee [Police Department] that pay more money than we do,” Noel said.

According to Noel, KPD has the lowest starting pay in the county and close to the lowest starting salary in the entire East Tennessee region.

Noel’s ask comes just under a year after Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler went head-to-head with Mayor Glenn Jacobs over raises in the sheriff’s office.

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon is expected to deliver her State of the City Address on April 26, the day the proposed budget will be released.

Prescribed burns planned for Cataloochee Valley this week

Prescribed burns planned for Cataloochee Valley this week

Posted on March 12, 2024

The National Park Service (NPS) and Appalachian Piedmont Coastal Fire Management Zone plan to burn approximately 96 acres across six fields in Cataloochee Valley at Great Smoky Mountains National Park this week. Weather permitting, burn operations may begin as early as Tuesday, March 12.

Over the last 20 years, park managers have conducted burns during the spring and fall in Cades Cove. However, the last time fire managers conducted a prescribed burn in Cataloochee was 2015, and this will be the first time all of the Cataloochee meadows will receive prescribed fire treatments. These prescribed burns will help maintain open fields at Cataloochee, safely reduce fuels, manage pollinator habitat and preserve the historic landscape.

Before conducting a prescribed burn, park staff closely monitor fire weather conditions including vegetation and soil moisture, wind speed and direction, temperature and relative humidity to ensure that conditions meet the burn plan objectives for the site.

Motorists along Cataloochee Entrance Road and Cataloochee Creek Road should reduce speed, turn on headlights and stay alert when smoke is visible. Be aware of park rangers, firefighters and equipment along the roadway. The roads may close temporarily during operations for firefighter and visitor safety.

The prescribed burns in Cataloochee Valley are funded in part through a generous donation from the park’s philanthropic partner Friends of the Smokies.

A Bill to End the Grocery Tax in Tennessee is Advancing

A Bill to End the Grocery Tax in Tennessee is Advancing

Posted on March 12, 2024

Tennessee is one step closer to potentially ending its grocery tax as a bill advances.

The bill, HB 2043/SB 1934, would prohibit state and local governments from taxing groceries.

“In a groundbreaking move to alleviate financial burdens on working families, Representative Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) and Senator Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville) have successfully advanced their legislation to eliminate Tennessee’s grocery tax,” the spokesman for the Tennessee House Democratic Caucus said.

The bill passed out of the House Government Operations Committee on Monday and will advance to the House Finance Subcommittee. Next, it will be presented in the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Revenue Subcommittee.

“Tennessee’s sales tax rate on food currently stands at 4%, with local jurisdictions able to add up to an additional 2.75% in local sales taxes. The proposed legislation prohibits state and local governments from taxing groceries, providing much-needed relief for working families. To address potential revenue decreases, the lawmakers plan to pair the grocery tax repeal with corporate tax reform, closing loopholes benefiting billion-dollar corporations,” the spokesman explained. Story courtesy of WVLT

A Guilty Plea in the Death of a 2-Month-Old in Jefferson County

A Guilty Plea in the Death of a 2-Month-Old in Jefferson County

Posted on March 12, 2024

A guilty plea in the death of a two month old in Jefferson County.

Chelsea Marsh and Nick Lay were charged in October after firefighters responded to a home on Lowery Loop Road to find a baby not breathing.

The two were originally charged with aggravated child neglect and abuse as well as multiple drug charges.

They pled guilty to both the drug charges and the lesser charge of child neglect and abuse.

#8 TENNESSEE WINS MONDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN OVER HOWARD 11-4
Courtesy / UT Athletics

#8 TENNESSEE WINS MONDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN OVER HOWARD 11-4

Posted on March 12, 2024

WASHINGTON, DC – No. 8 Tennessee used a nine-run second inning to defeat Howard 11-4 on Monday night at the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy.
 
UT (19-4) has won 11 consecutive games and outscored its opponents 58-5 over the last seven.
 
Junior Sophia Nugent went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Giulia Koutsoyanopulos finished 2-for-3, scored twice and had a team-high three RBIs.
 
Laura Mealer and McKenna Gibson finished with two hits apiece. Mealer drove in two RBIs and scored one run, while Koutsoyanopulos had an RBI and a run scored.
 
Kiki Milloy, Gabby and Alannah Leach and Destiny Rodriguez picked up Tennessee’s remaining hits.
 
Charli Orsini got the start for the Lady Vols in the circle and allowed four runs on four hits before giving way to Payton Gottshall. The graduate finished the game, tossing six innings, striking out seven, walking one and scattering three hits.
 
She earned the victory and is now 8-2 on the year.
 
Howard (16-6) started Amelia Weber who lasted 1.2 innings. She surrendered 10 runs on eight hits and took the loss – falling to 7-3. Mia Gonzales took over and kept UT off the board until the seventh inning.
 
She scattered six hits but allowed just one run with two walks and three strikeouts over 5.1 innings of work.
 
Tennessee scored early in the first courtesy of a Gibson single before exploding for nine runs on six hits.
 
Howard responded in the home half of the frame with four runs on four hits and an error.
 
The bats for both teams fell silent after the second before the Lady Vols added a final run in the seventh.
 
UP NEXT
Tennessee returns home on March 15-17 as it opens SEC play against No. 12 Missouri at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.

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