Brittany Trentham was sitting in her bedroom when she heard the sound of tires screeching outside.
”I heard everything but I couldn’t really tell what it was,” said Trentham.
Just outside her bedroom window, a white super-duty Ford F-350 blew the stop sign across from her house and plowed through the family’s garage.
”Within one minute he has ran through our garage, hit our front porch, tore down our horse fence, and shot off down the road,” said Trentham.
The garage was an addition to the Trentham’s house they had been working on for almost the last decade.
Trentham and her husband designed the addition to their farmhouse in 2014 and finally came around to seeing the dream turn into reality.
The couple, along with their two daughters, stood outside their home Wednesday, in front of the super-duty-sized hole in their partly finished addition, thanking God it wasn’t worse than it was.
”It’s tough but I think we’re on God’s timing, and I think we’re on God’s timing all along and I think he has a purpose in this,” said Trentham.
Trentham believed there was a higher power at work Wednesday.
She said the rain forced her family inside when normally they would have been working in the garage at the time the truck hit. Adding that the family’s large trailer, which was parked between the garage and bedroom, likely saved the white truck from catapulting all the way into the very bedroom she was sitting in at the time the whole event happened.
”If the trailer hadn’t been here, the driver would have driven into my bedroom where I was sitting, and if it hadn’t been raining my family would have been standing here in the garage,” said Trentham. ”I have no doubt that is God’s divine protection over our family, he already knew what was going to happen.”
Trentham said the entire event took no more than a minute.
”As crazy as it sounds a 2×4 through the windshield, no headlights, leaking oil all over the place and some pretty substantial damage he was all out of here within a minute,” said Trentham.
The family’s surveillance cameras caught 12 seconds of the collision, showing a 2×4 through the front windshield and extensive damage to the truck.
Two days after the initial post by the sheriff’s office, a spokesperson said officials had recovered the Ford F-350. The Blount County Sheriff’s Traffic Safety Unit will continue investigating the case.
Church Hill Rescue Squad officials filed a court petition on June 30 asking to halt donations to an ongoing reward fund for tips into the ongoing search for missing Hawkins County six-year-old Summer Wells.
The CHRS also asked the Hawkins County Chancery Court to take over the future of the reward fund after issues arose about a portion of the money donated. The petition said that in October and November of 2021, a woman named Qiana Carlock deposited over $32 thousand into the account via wire transfer.
Shortly after the donation, the CHRS got an email from a woman known as Fiona O’Conner, who said she was an “independent investigator” that took issue with the donation. O’Conner said in the email that the money may have been raised through an illegal fundraiser through YouTube.
“The true identity of both Defendants Fiona O’Conner and Qiana Carlock [are] questionable,” the petition states. “Defendant Fiona O’Conner shows an address [in the] United Kingdom: however, an internet search reveals numerous persons having the same name in multiple countries of the UK. As to Defendant Qiana Carlock, a search reveals an address [in] Las Vegas, NV; however, such an internet search also reveals multiple similar names all outside of Tennessee.”
While the fund was accepting donations, people could give money through Civis Bank, however the petition said the bank did not make any record of deposits into the account. CHRS officials said the total for the reward fund was $73,705.90.
The Knoxville Transportation Authority votes to approve proposed changes to Knoxville Area Transit service during a public meeting.
Starting August 29, KAT will reduce, cut and change routes due to “continuing and worsening workforce shortages”.
“This is a completely unprecedented situation,” says Isaac Thorne, Director of Transit for the City of Knoxville in the release. “We currently have 156 operators out of the 200 needed to operate our pre-COVID service levels. Our bus operators are working hard to try to provide this current level of service to the community, but we must step back for a while with our service levels while we continue to redouble our hiring, training, and retention efforts.”
The proposed service reductions:
Elimination of Routes 10 – Sequoyah and 19 – Lakeshore/Lonas Reduction of all Sunday service schedules, with the last downtown departures at 5:15 p.m. All weekday and Saturday evening service ends earlier, with the exception of core routes 11, 12, 22, 31 and 41 continuing through an 11:15 p.m. line-up. Reduced hours on Route 13 – Beaumont Reduced weekday frequency on Route 42 – UT/Ft. Sanders Hospitals, added one 10:30 p.m. trip for hospital staff at both hospitals Reduced frequency on Orange and Green Line trolleys In addition to these service reductions two route changes are proposed:
A new proposal to serve West Town Mall (outbound only) via Gleason Drive A proposal for a route change on Route 12 – Western to use 5th Avenue to University (rather than Arthur and Boyd) through the Mechanicsville area.
The full details of these proposed changes can be found by going to https://katbus.com/
Keith Urban is out with a new song called “Brown Eyes Baby.”
Keith shares that he’s been hard at work, “Lots of new music that I’ve been working on in the last really solid year and a half — most of ’21 into this year; piecing things together. Lots of recording and feeling certain songs starting to come together to make a cohesive body of work.”
Now, that music Keith Urban has been working on is starting to reach the fans – like his just released song “Brown Eyes Baby” which you can listen to here…
The way Maren Morris records her albums has changed over the years thanks to her concert performances, “I think the more records I make and more touring I do on those records, I realize how things transfer live.“
It was that thought process that Maren took into the studio when she was creating her recently released third album Humble Quest, “I wanted it to feel like a live album.“
Maren shares, “I definitely know okay, some things play better in the studio some things like play better live. And for me I’ve fallen into traps where, oh my god, we play this live and I realized I recorded this way, way, way too low. And it worked in the studio and it doesn’t work live and I have to sing this song for the rest of my life. So I feel like with this record, I didn’t have to force too much, like oh, how will this translate live? I just knew I wanted to keep it very organic, which I knew would translate live.”
Morris adds, “With every recording session I feel like I pictured the venue we were playing it in and that’s never happened before. So yeah, I’m excited to play them all in actual venues for people.”
Maren’s Humble Questtour continues this weekend,
7/8/2022 – Leader Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA 7/9/2022 – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH 7/14/2022 – TD Pavilion at the Mann – Philadelphia, PA 7/15/2022 – Stage AE Outdoors – Pittsburgh, PA 7/16/2022 – Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON 7/21/2022 – Starlight Theatre – Kansas City, MO 7/29/2022 – Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY 8/4/2022 – Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD 8/5/2022 – Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica – Cleveland, OH 8/6/2022 – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre – Detroit, MI 8/10/2022 – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island – Chicago, IL 8/11/2022 – Saint Louis Music Park St. Louis, – MO 8/12/2022 – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park – Indianapolis, IN 8/13/2022 – BMO Harris Pavilion – Milwaukee, WI 8/16/2022 – Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater – Vail, CO 8/18/2022 – TBA – Salt Lake City, UT 8/19/2022 – Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden – Boise, ID 8/20/2022 – Big Sky Brewing Company Amphitheater – Missoula, MT 8/23/2022 – Wine Country Amphitheater – Walla Walla, WA 8/26/2022 – Hayden Homes Amphitheater – Bend, OR 8/27/2022 – King County’s Marymoor Park – Seattle, WA 8/28/2022 – McMenamins Edgefield – Portland, OR 9/15/2022 – Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA 9/16/2022 – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre – San Diego, CA 9/17/2022 – The Greek Theatre – Berkeley, CA 9/23/2022 – Arizona Federal Theatre – Phoenix, AZ 10/13/2022 – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA 10/19/2022 – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO 10/21/2022 – The Armory – Minneapolis, MN 10/28/2022 – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory – Dallas, TX 12/2/2022 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Fans heading out to the Humble Quest tour will be looking to see the live version of Maren Morris’s Top 10 single at country radio, “Circles Around This Town.”
VIP tickets for the 2022 Big Kahuna Wing Festival are on sale.
Tickets went on sale at 6 a.m. this morning for the September 4th event at World’s Fair Park which runs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
VIP Tickets are $200 in advance and includes Unlimited wings & beverages (including alcohol) and access to the VIP area.
General Admission Advance Tickets will be $20 and those also go on sale today through September 3rd. Tickets will be $30 at the gate. Children under 8 are free. That price includes admission along with 15 complimentary wings.
There are also non-Wing Eating Tickets available, those are $10 in advance. Includes admission into the festival, entertainment and fireworks show.
VIP tickets for the 2022 Big Kahuna Wing Festival are on sale.
Tickets went on sale at 6 a.m. this morning for the September 4th event at World’s Fair Park which runs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
VIP Tickets are $200 in advance and includes Unlimited wings & beverages (including alcohol) and access to the VIP area.
General Admission Advance Tickets will be $20 and those also go on sale today through September 3rd. Tickets will be $30 at the gate. Children under 8 are free. That price includes admission along with 15 complimentary wings.
There are also non-Wing Eating Tickets available, those are $10 in advance. Includes admission into the festival, entertainment and fireworks show.
A Knox County Community Action Committee summer food service program feeds thousands of kids lunch every weekday in the summer.
Workers at the CAC serve the Boys and Girls Club, YMCA programs and more. They also go to four neighborhoods between 11:30 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday to feed kids aged one to 18.
Those locations include:
-Hiawassee Square Apartments at 176 Hiawassee Avenue
-Sutherland Square Apartments at 410 Harry Street
-Holston Oaks Apartments at 1930 Natchez Avenue
-Big Oak Apartments at 3807 Middlebrook Pike
Families don’t have to live there to receive the meals.
Meals are served on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents must accompany children and the meals have to be eaten on-site.
Governor Bill Lee spoke out Wednesday following reports of negative comments that were made about public school teachers.
Governor Lee was reportedly at a reception in Cool Springs hosted by Hillsdale College President Dr. Larry Arnn. Governor Lee is working to bring “classical charter schools” to Tennessee and wants to create a partnership with Hillsdale to expand civics and the K-12 education approach.
During their meeting, Dr. Arnn reportedly said that “teachers are trained in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges in the country.”
In response to these comments, Governor Lee said on Radio Station SuperTalk 99 with Matt Murphy that the statement was made regarding a national conversation about teaching, not Tennessee teachers specifically. He then went on to blame the ‘left-wing agenda’ that he said exists in the public school system and that people who oppose the education laws passed in the state took the comment out of context.
“There is a recognition, there is an agenda, by many in this country a left-wing agenda frankly that creeps its way into our public school system, at the detriment of our teachers which was mainly, broadly what that conversation was about,” Governor Lee said. “That’s why we in our state passed a law prohibiting Critical Race Theory. That’s why we in our state passed a law that allowed parents to have access to what their kids have access to in a library so that the folks that are opposed to the laws that we passed it does creep its way into, and that was the broad subject of the conversation.”
The Tennessee Democratic Party said in an official statement last week that they feel that the Governor did not take the necessary measures to defend the teachers of Tennessee and has not done anything since the event to condemn the reported comments made by Dr. Arnn.
“This is a new low for the Governor and proves to us once again that he needs to be replaced in November. He has repeatedly abandoned our teachers and is attempting to dismantle our educational system,” said Hendrell Remus, TNDP Chair.
The Williamson County Democratic Party added that they stand in solidarity with public school teachers across Tennessee, especially those in Williamson County.
“We will not stay silent when our public school teachers have had two of the hardest years in recent history during the Covid pandemic,” Dr. Jenn Foley, Chair of the Williamson County Democratic Party. “They have risked their lives to teach our children, and we must boldly stand up and support them now and every day. I have three kids in our wonderful public schools, and I know firsthand how hard they work for our families. We cannot allow our leadership to decimate our public schools.”
“Families move to Williamson County because of the great quality of life and the excellent public education we provide our children,” Courtenay Rogers, Vice Chair of Williamson County Democratic Party. “Our schools are one of the main reasons businesses choose to relocate to our community as well, and we need to be focused on increasing funding and improving teacher salaries and benefits, not calling our teachers dumb.”
The Governor added that he and his administration had invested billions of dollars into the state’s education program and will continue to advocate for Tennessee educators as long as he is Governor.
“I will put our teachers up against anyone in the country when it comes to their performance and their value, and that was not what was up for debate that night, and that is not what is up for debate today,” Governor Lee said. “Teaching is a calling; I’ve said it is not a profession; it’s a calling. Our Tennessee teachers are called, and they have sacrificed greatly with tremendous results.”
That’s why Tennessee’s second-year athletic director wasn’t afraid to share his 5-year strategic plan known as Rise Glorious – a moniker he said he didn’t invent.
White’s plan calls for improved facilities, increased donations, the ultimate experience for the student-athlete and specific athletic achievement goals.
Like winning a national championship in at least one sport every four years.
Like winning the SEC title at least once every five years in each sport.
Like winning three SEC championships per year over the next five years (UT won five this year).
Tennessee just won the SEC All-sports trophy for the first time ever and won the men’s all-sports trophy. It finished second in the women’s all-sports derby.
Does that mean Tennessee is close to being where White wants it to be? No.
“I don’t think we are, no,’’ White said. “I don’t think we have the infrastructure from a facilities standpoint to be sustainable.’’
But he did point out he feels UT has many great coaches capable of winning at a high level.
White isn’t afraid to put those goals out there for public consumption, saying everyone in each sport needs to be accountable. He also thinks going public with those goals could provide motivation for fans to contribute to that success.
White also wants to finish in the top 15 three out of five years in the Learfield Director’s Cup national all-sports race. UT finished 13th this past season – its best in 16 years.
White has a goal for selling season tickets in football.
He also has a goal to increase the budget.
To raise the revenues White seeks, does football have to do well?
“no question,’’ he said. “It’s the rising tide that carries all ships.’’
White noted that football and men’s basketball are the only two net revenue-generating sports.
“Having a fun style of play (in football) and an exciting team to watch matters,’’ White said.
Season-ticket goals for football: 56,000 this year, then 61,000, then 68,000, then 69,000 ten 70,000. As recently as 20216, Tennessee sold a record 73,116 season tickets. In 2021, the year after Covid, season ticket sales were 52,236. In 2019, season ticket sales were 62,560. Tennessee sold 72,826 season tickets in 2008, the year after the Vols won the SEC East division and lost to LSU in the SEC title game.
White said he’s not sure he wants to sell out football season tickets because he wants some fans to be able to purchase individual game tickets.
In men’s basketball, Tennessee’s season ticket goal for this season is 12,500, then 13,000, then 13,500, then 14,000, then 14,500. Season ticket sales last year were 13,562. The high mark under Rick Barnes: 15,551 in 2019-20. The all-time record came under Bruce Pearl: 16,645 in 2008-09.
“Those are big numbers in big buildings,’’ White said.
In women’s basketball, the season ticket goal is 5,500 this year, then 6,500, then 7,000, then 7,500, then 8,000.
Tennessee has had some impressive season-ticket numbers in football and basketball. In 2016, Tennessee had 73,116 in football season tickets and 10,229 in men’s basketball for a total of 83,345.
In 2008-09, when men’s basketball set a record with 16,645 season tickets, football sold 72,826 for a combined total of 89,471.
White would like to increase the overall budget to $170 million this year, then $180 million, then $190 million, then $200 million, then over $200 million.
Unrestricted Annual Fund goal: $34 million for 2022-23, then $36 million, then $38 million, then $39 million then $40 million. That amount has fluctuated between $26-and-30 million over the past few years.
Regarding the budget and facilities goals, White admitted those are “pretty bold, pretty aggressive.’’
White said he is not concerned about donors contributing to a collective for Name, Imagine and Likeness and thus reducing the amount donated to UT athletics.
“I think there are plenty of generous, passionate Vol fans, some that contribute to both, because they can,’’ White said. “I don’t lose sleep over the competition of NIL from a fund-raising standpoint. It’s not something that’s on my radar at all.
“What we can’t do, though, is ignore the fact that there are schools in our own conference that we’re trying to beat that have the facilities we’re talking about building. Those things matter. We can’t just say we have NIL now the rest of this stuff is on the backburner. It’s not. It’s very real and very much a factor when it comes to winning in this league.’’
White also said that while the economic status of the country and area has an impact on many, he doesn’t think it will have a profound negative effect on donations to UT.
“Even in a bad economy,’’ White said, “somebody’s making money.’’
The national championship goal is intriguing. Since 2000, UT has won six national titles: two in women’s basketball, two in women’s track and field, two in men’s track and field.
White said UT’s coaches and athletes are competitive, and he’s confident the coaches are in place to bring success on the field or court to many sports.
Said White: “If I have to talk our coaches into wanting to win, we don’t have the right coach. And we don’t have a single coach like that.’’
On other topics:
White did not rule out selling naming rights to Neyland Stadium or Thompson-Boling Arena.
White said 60% of the seats in Neyland Stadium went down in price.
White said fans need to understand the budget is tied to success: “it would be like worrying about how fast the car is without being concerned about how big the engine is. The revenue is our engine.’’
