Joe Milton III, Omari Thomas, Jacob Warren To Represent Vols at #SECMD23 July 20

Joe Milton III, Omari Thomas, Jacob Warren To Represent Vols at #SECMD23 July 20

Posted on July 17, 2023

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Quarterback Joe Milton III, defensive lineman Omari Thomas and tight end Jacob Warren will join head coach Josh Heupel to represent Tennessee at 2023 SEC Football Media Day in Nashville on Thursday, July 20.

The conference office unveiled each school’s representatives on Monday, a week prior to the event, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt from July 17-20. SEC Network will have full coverage all week.

Milton, a native of Pahokee, Florida, enters his sixth and final season at the collegiate level after a strong finish to the 2022 campaign as the most valuable player of the Orange Bowl. In two seasons with the Vols, he has thrown for 1,346 yards and 12 touchdowns with zero interceptions. Of the 114 FBS quarterbacks who threw 10 or more touchdown passes last season, Milton was the only one to not throw a pick.

Thomas returns as a leader at defensive tackle in his fourth season with the program. The Memphis native has played in 36 games with 19 starts, accumulating 57 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He has served as the Vols’ representative on the SEC Football Leadership Council the past two seasons.

Warren, UT’s starting tight end, elected to return for his sixth and final season. A leader on and off the field for the Vols, the Knoxville native has caught 37 passes for 416 yards and four touchdowns in his career. He made nine starts a year ago, catching 12 passes for 163 yards for the nation’s No. 1 offense. He is a five-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and a candidate for the Wuerffel Trophy.

Tennessee enters its third season under the direction of Heupel, who has posted an 18-8 record with seven victories over Top 25 teams and the program’s first New Year’s Six berth in the College Football Playoff era. The 2022 Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year, Heupel led the Vols to their first 11-win season in two decades, culminating with a victory over ACC champion Clemson in the Orange Bowl and a No. 6 final ranking.

The Vols report for preseason camp on Aug. 1 before going through their first practice on Aug. 2. Tennessee heads to Nashville for SEC Media Day nearly six weeks before it opens its 127th season in the Music City. The Vols take on Virginia at 11 a.m. CT/noon ET on Sept. 2 in Nissan Stadium.

Tickets for the Nashville opener are on sale now through the Nashville Sports Council and Nissan Stadium via Ticketmaster.com.

Season tickets for the 2023 Tennessee football campaign sold out on May 25 with 70,500 purchased. Fans interested in joining the 2024 season ticket waiting list can fill out the season ticket interest form at UTsports.com/seasontickets. 

-UT Athletics

SEC Media Days – UT / Credit: UT Athletics
Metro Drug Coalition Along with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office for Senior Medication Mail-Back Program

Metro Drug Coalition Along with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office for Senior Medication Mail-Back Program

Posted on July 17, 2023

Metro Drug Coalition is partnering with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office to focus on Knox County’s senior population with the announcement of a new medication mail-back program and the return of the Aging Adult Resource Fair. Both initiatives aim to provide aging adults with resources to better their lives and improve their safety. 

The new medication mail-back program will allow seniors to place unwanted or expired medications in an envelope and send it in for safe disposal from their homes. Metro Drug Coalition is providing the mail-back envelopes and postage free of charge. These secure envelopes will be delivered directly to homebound seniors by The Knox County Sheriff’s Office Senior Citizen Awareness Network (SCAN). The unwanted medications are mailed to American Rx Group, which operates in compliance with all DEA regulations and requirements for medication mail-back.

The 2021 Drug Related Death Report revealed people over the age of 55 saw the sharpest increase in drug-related deaths in Knox County, including a 150% increase in those over the age of 75. These increases make proper disposal of medications more important now than ever. MDC’s medication mail-back program gives those seniors who are unable to attend in-person take back events the opportunity to make their homes safer by reducing the risk of accidental ingestion of both household and prescription medication.

For those seniors who are able to attend in person, Metro Drug Coalition and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office will also hold their quarterly Aging Adult Resource Fair on July 21, 2023 at the South Knox Senior Center from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. This event offers another opportunity to dispose of unwanted and expired medications safely, while also providing a variety of resources for both seniors and their caregivers in a one-stop shop. According to the 2022 Advance Knox State of the County Report, people aged 55 and over is the fastest growing demographic group in Knox County. This event is an opportunity to connect that population with the services available to them to help combat problems often faced by aging adults, including financial, social, emotional, and medical challenges. 

Nearly thirty vendors will be in attendance, including the CAC Office on Aging Rise Above Crime Program and Volunteer Assisted Transportation, Knox County Public Library, Senior Financial Group, Concord Adult Day Enrichment Program, and others. Paper Bee Gone will also be there to offer free document shredding. 

For more information about these programs, visit https://metrodrug.org/takeback/.

Authorities Investigating a Fire and Two Dead Bodies at Knoxville College Campus

Authorities Investigating a Fire and Two Dead Bodies at Knoxville College Campus

Posted on July 17, 2023

Knoxville Police are investigating after two dead bodies are found inside a building on the Knoxville College campus.

After an unrelated fire was extinguished by Knoxville Fire Department crews, KPD officers also responding yesterday (Sunday) to a report that there were two bodies in a building separate from where the fire had occurred.

Officers did find a man and woman dead inside that building.

KPD says foul play is not suspected at this time.

The Knoxville Fire Department is investigating that fire at Knoxville College.

Crews called to the scene yesterday (Sunday) morning on the reported of a dormitory being on fire. Crews found a small fire with heavy smoke coming from the building. The building was already in poor condition from multiple previous fires and received moderate fire damage due to this fire.

No injuries were reported.

Body of Missing Bean Station Man Found in Cherokee Lake

Body of Missing Bean Station Man Found in Cherokee Lake

Posted on July 14, 2023
TWRA: the body of a missing Bean Station man is found on Cherokee Lake Friday morning. (Photo credit: WVLT)

Grainger County, TN (WOKI) The body of a missing Bean Station man kayaking on Cherokee Lake earlier this week has been recovered.

Officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency report the body of 36-year-old Jeremie Carpenter of Cherokee Drive was recovered from the lake near his home around 9:50 Friday morning. Officials say Carpenter was not wearing a life jacket.

TWRA together with the Grainger County Sheriff’s Office and the Grainger County Rescue Squad had been searching for Carpenter since Wednesday after a kayak with personal items was found adrift in the Twin Church area of Cherokee Lake.

This is the 17th deadly boating incident in Tennessee this year.

The investigation is ongoing.

KCSO: Man Found Dead Inside Powell Community Splash Pad Bathroom

KCSO: Man Found Dead Inside Powell Community Splash Pad Bathroom

Posted on July 14, 2023
KCSO: Man found dead inside Powell Community Splash Pad bathroom (Photo credit: WVLT)

Powell, TN (WOKI) A man is found dead inside the men’s bathroom of the Powell Community Splash Pad Friday, July 14.

Officials with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office say Knox County Parks and Recreation officials called the police because they needed entry to a locked deadbolt in the men’s restroom.

KCSO reports when deputies arrived, they found a dead man inside, but officials say that foul play is not suspected.

The victim’s identity is being withheld until next of kin is notified.

KPD: Three Teens Arrested After Entering Chapman Highway Weigel’s Wearing Ski Masks

KPD: Three Teens Arrested After Entering Chapman Highway Weigel’s Wearing Ski Masks

Posted on July 14, 2023
Knoxville Police Department officers were on routine patrol when they saw three boys enter a Weigel’s on Chapman Highway wearing ski masks and carrying guns. (Knoxville Police Department)

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The keen eye of law enforcement results in the arrest of three juveniles at a Knoxville Weigel’s early Thursday morning.

Knoxville Police Department officers on routine patrol spotted three boys wearing ski masks enter the Weigel’s on Chapman Highway. All three were identified as juveniles and were ultimately detained.

Two guns, one one of which KPD officials said was stolen from a vehicle at a South Knoxville apartment complex earlier this month, were recovered.

The Property Crimes Unit also connected the boys to at least one other vehicle burglary nearby.

Alcoa Police Searching for Fugitive in High-Speed Chase

Alcoa Police Searching for Fugitive in High-Speed Chase

Posted on July 14, 2023
Kyler Hicks is wanted for aggravated assault, domestic assault, reckless endangerment with a motor vehicle and felony evading.(Blount County Sheriff’s Office)

Alcoa, TN (WOKI) A man is facing a slew of charges after leading Alcoa police on a high-speed chase Thursday, July 13 throughout Blount County.

Police continue to search for 18 year-old Kyler Hicks of Maryville after encountering him impaired, armed and driving recklessly in the area of the Alcoa Duck Pond. Officers had been dispatched originally to a report of domestic assault in the Springbrook community. Officials say efforts to pull over Hicks, who drove in excess of 100 mph, were unsuccessful.

Hicks is wanted on charges of aggravated assault, domestic assault, reckless endangerment with a motor vehicle and felony evading.

Alcoa police say anyone with information leading to Hick’s arrest is asked to contact the department at (865) 981-4111.

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