Campbell County, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: An investigation is underway, and officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have released the name of the inmate who died over the weekend at the Campbell County Jail.
TBI says agents responded to the jail for a reported death Sunday morning; officials confirming Monday the identity of the deceased as 52-year-old Mark Garner.
Officials report that Garner’s body was sent for an autopsy; there is no word as to the cause or circumstances surrounding his death.
It marks the fourth Campbell County Jail death the TBI has been asked to investigate since April.
ORIGINAL STORY: An investigation is underway at the Campbell County Jail by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation after agents respond to the jail for a reported death.
Information is extremely limited at this time into yesterday morning’s (Sunday) discovery, including the person’s identification and the circumstances surrounding the death.
According to TBI, additional information will be released after the next of kin is contacted.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Area Transit, better known as KAT, will be offering free rides for Election Day.
KAT offers the service each election cycle. This year, all transit rides, from buses to KAT’s Lift service (for those with disabilities), will be fare-free.
Officials with KAT say the move is aimed at making sure anyone and everyone can get to the polls.
“Election Day is a critical moment for our community to come together and make their voices heard,” Director of Transit Isaac Thorne said. “By offering free rides across our system, we’re helping to make that process as accessible as possible for everyone. I encourage all Knoxville residents to take advantage of this opportunity to get to the polls and participate in our shared future.”
KAT will be running its regular routes and schedules; you can access those here.
It‘s a service that KAT offers each election. This year, all transit rides, from buses to KAT’s Lift service, will be fare-free. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Oakdale, TN (WOKI) A second man is sentenced in the death of a Roane County man.
District Attorney Russell Johnson says 44 year-old Shane Douglas Parks was convicted and sentenced in the death of Robert Quenton McCullough in 2020.
He is facing two concurrent 45-year sentences in the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
Parks joins 39-year-old Joshua Aikens, who was convicted in March. According to court records, Parks, Aikens and a third man — Nicholas Holloway — tied McCullough up using rope and zip ties while McCullough was at Holloway’s home then took him to a trailer and left him.
Johnson said Shane Douglas Parks, 44, was convicted and sentenced in the death of Robert Quenton McCullough in 2020. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Quincy Jones, a music mogul whose career in the industry spanned over seven decades, died Sunday night at 91 years old, his publicist Arnold Robinson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Jones was surrounded by his children, siblings and close family at his home in Bel Air, California. No further details about his death will be released at this moment, as the family requests privacy “in this time of great mourning,” Robinson said.
The following statement was provided from the Jones family:
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him. He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”
Jones, who was the first popular conductor-arranger to record with a Fender bass in the mid 1950s, worked with many iconic artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to Ray Charles to Michael Jackson.
He produced and conducted the best-selling single of all time in “We Are The World,” and three of Jackson’s albums, including the all-time best-selling album, Thriller. He also worked with Sinatra for three years as a conductor and arranger, and created the famous arrangement of “Fly Me To The Moon.”
Jones began as vice president of Mercury Records in 1961, making him the first Black executive of a major record company, and held that position for a few years before entering the film industry, where he also became very successful. He co-produced “The Color Purple” in 1985 with Steven Spielberg, earning 11 Oscar nominations, and he helped launch the hit series “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” in 1991 as an executive producer.
Jones also formed Quincy Jones Entertainment, a co-venture with Time Warner, Inc., and the Quincy Jones Media Group during his decades in the entertainment industry.
Jones’ work earned him hundreds of awards, including an Emmy, seven Oscar nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, 28 Grammy Awards and 80 nominations, and N.A.R.A.S.’ prestigious Trustees’ Award and The Grammy Living Legend Award. He has also been awarded a variety of international awards and honorary doctorates.
He was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2001, recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master in 2008 and was bestowed the National Medal of Arts – America’s highest artistic honor – in 2010.
Old photo of Quincy Jones Jones was not only a titan in the music and film industries, but a best-selling author and known for his decades of humanitarian work. (A&M Records/Getty Images)
In 2016, Jones won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for the Broadway production of “The Color Purple” and joined a very exclusive club of artists who have received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.
Jones was also a best-selling author and longtime humanitarian, with notable charity work beginning in the 1960s.
He is survived by seven children and three siblings. (Story courtesy of Fox News)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Direct Temporary Housing Assistance for East Tennesseans affected by flooding from Helene.
The assistance was approved for homeowners and renters who had major or significant structural damage as a result of floodwaters, according to FEMA.
It will provide temporary housing for 18 months, ending on April 2, 2026. Additionally, it covers direct lease, multifamily lease and repair, and transportable temporary housing units.
For direct lease, FEMA said it leases existing, ready-to-occupy residential properties for use as temporary housing.
Under multifamily lease and repair, FEMA funds the repair or improvement of existing, vacant multi-family rental properties that eligible applicants can use for temporary housing.
Additionally, FEMA will also contact homeowners to determine if they would like a transportable temporary housing unit, which are furnished one-, two- or three-bedroom units provided at no cost to eligible survivors.
If needed, these units can also be modified or improved to be compliant with the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, providing accessibility for individuals with disabilities or access and functional needs.
Preliminary data from TEMA estimates that between 346 and 414 applicants may be eligible for FEMA direct housing.
Those looking to apply must live in one of the following counties:
Carter
Cocke
Greene
Johnson
Unicoi
Washington
Additionally, assessments are still ongoing for Hamblen and Hawkins counties.
Applicants must first apply for FEMA Individual Assistance before Monday, Dec. 2 to be eligible for Direct Temporary Housing Assistance.
Following intense flooding brought by Hurricane Helene, FEMA inspectors are checking in with those affected to determine if they qualify for federal assistance. (Courtesy: DHS.gov)
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating after a device is found underneath a car in Tellico Plains.
Investigators with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office went to a home in the 400 block of Shadden Road yesterday (Sunday) afternoon and found a device underneath a car on the property, the Knox County Bomb Squad in addition to fire and EMS crews were called to the scene.
An evacuation of a 100 yard area around the device, impacting two homes, was in place while crews took four hours to dismantled the device.
This, after authorities received a call of a suspicious fire in the garage of this home last week. MCSO says it is possible the suspicious fire could be connected to the device found, but that has not been determined at this time.
November 5, 2024 Election:Absentee Ballot Information andImportant Reminders Before Voters Head to the Polls
Knoxville – As Knox Countians head to the polls on Tuesday, the Election Commission wants to issue a few reminders.
ABSENTEE BY MAIL BALLOTS
For voters that have requested but have not received their absentee ballot by Election Day, they can go vote at their Election Day precinct and request a provisional ballot to cast. Polls are open from 8 am to 8 pm.
For voters that have received their ballot, but fear that they won’t be able to mail the ballot in before the close of polls on Tuesday, the voter can take their ballot to either:
Downtown Post Office’s front counter
501 West Main Street
Knoxville, 37902
or
Weisgarber Road Post Office’s front counter
1237 Weisgarber Road
Knoxville, 37950
By 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 and have the ballot hand-stamped with postage at the front counter.
The Election Commission will proceed to pick up any ballots that are received by the USPS at both of these locations in the late afternoon.
TIMES FOR VOTING
POLLS ARE OPEN ON TUESDAY FROM 8 AM TO 8 PM. Any voter in line by 8:00 pm will be allowed to vote.
PHOTO IDENTIFICATION
A photo ID issued by the State of Tennessee (such as a driver’s license) or the Federal Government (such as a passport) is required to vote, unless an exemption applies. Election workers are trained to ask for your photo identification prior to issuing a ballot. Driver licenses from other states are not acceptable forms of ID for voting in the state of Tennessee.
WHERE DO I VOTE?
On Election Day, voters must vote at their assigned precinct. For voters that are unsure where they vote, they can visit www.knoxvotes.org and click on the “Where Do I Vote?” box on the front page and enter their residential address. The website will match the voter’s address with the correct polling place.
NEW POLLING PLACES
For voters in eight precincts across Knox County, their polling place changed (prior to the March 2024 Election).
PRECINCT 12 – YWCA, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, 37914
(This replaces the Boys and Girls Club, 381 McConnell Street – Boys & Girls Club is no longer a polling place).
(UPDATE 11/3/24 9 p.m.) The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly crash that happened on I-75, which killed a Tellico Plains High School star cross country runner.
TDOT says the crash, which happened on I-75 South at mile marker 80, shut down the southbound side of the interstate for several hours after Saturday afternoon’s crash.
Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones confirmed to WVLT that Darrah Wiseman, a senior, that made the entire county proud was killed in the crash.
She qualified for the state championship last week and is a six-time state champion in events dating back to 2022.
Grief counselors are expected be available to students at Tellico Plains High School.
Original story: The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly crash that happened on I-75.
TDOT says the crash, which happened on I-75 South at mile marker 80, shut down the southbound side of the interstate and caused a miles-long traffic delay for several hours after the crash Saturday afternoon.
The Knoxville Police Department is investigating after a man either jumped or fell from the 11th Street Parking Garage on Saturday night.
At around 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2024, KPD officers responded to the area of the 11th Street Parking Garage, where a 21-year-old man was critically injured after falling from an upper floor of the parking garage. The victim was transported to the UT Medical Center and remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
It is unknown at this time if the victim intentionally jumped or accidentally fell. Based on witness statements and the findings of the preliminary investigation, it is believed that the victim was intoxicated. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Seventh-ranked Tennessee outscored visiting Kentucky by 17 points over the final 35 minutes Saturday night at a sold-out Neyland Stadium, treating the 101,915 fans in attendance to a 28-18 triumph.
The Volunteers (7-1, 4-1 SEC) scored 21 of the game’s 29 second-half points, en route to defeating the Wildcats (3-6, 1-6 SEC) for the fourth time in as many tries under head coach Josh Heupel.
A staunch Tennessee forced three turnovers, two of which led to second-half touchdowns, helping the team post a second-half comeback victory for the third consecutive outing.
Junior running back Dylan Sampson totaled a career-high-tying 27 carries for a career-best 142 yards, as well as notched a pair of rushing touchdowns to give him a school-record 19 this season. Redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava went 28-of-38 through the air, setting career highs in attempts and completions. He threw for 292 yards, his second-most as a collegian, and one touchdown.
On the opening drive, the Tennessee defense came up with a fourth-down stop at its own five-yard-line to keep the Wildcats off the board. However, following a missed 43-yard field goal, the Volunteers allowed a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, culminating with a 27-yard pass from Brock Vandagriff to Josh Kattus with 5:28 on the timer.
Neither team scored the remainder of the session, as the teams flipped sides with the Wildcats holding a 7-0 lead. Tennessee did, however, make another big defensive play late in the frame, as defensive back Andre Turrentine, with 1:28 to go, caught a deflected pass for his first interception of the season and the first of his career against an SEC foe.
The Volunteers, on their fourth trip inside the 25-yard-line, leveled the score with 4:45 left in the opening half. Running back Peyton Lewis hit paydirt for the first time as a collegian, finishing a 14-play, 65-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown carry. The Wildcats responded with a 10-play, 61-yard drive to regain the advantage, doing so on a 32-yard field goal by Alex Raynor with 30 seconds left in the half.
Despite the narrow deficit, Tennessee outgained Kentucky, 254-196, in the opening 30 minutes and held the visitors to a 2-of-7 mark on third down, plus stopped the Wildcat’s lone fourth-down attempt.
The Tennessee defense made another game-changing play on its first series of the second half, as defensive lineman Joshua Josephs drilled Vandagriff to force a fumble, which linebacker Jeremiah Telander recovered at the Kentucky 28-yard-line with 10:05 to go in the third quarter. The turnover led to a five-play scoring drive that took just 97 seconds and ended with a seven-yard rushing touchdown by Sampson. For the junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the score made him the first Volunteer ever to score a rushing touchdown in eight straight games in a single campaign.
Defensive back Will Brooks tallied Tennessee’s third takeaway of the contest late in the third quarter, this one with the Wildcats at the Vols’ 24-yard-line. The redshirt senior jumped Gavin Wimsatt’s first pass of the game and returned it 67 yards to the Kentucky 10-yard-line with just 1:01 to go before the final session. Two plays and 28 seconds later, tight end Miles Kitselman caught a six-yard strike from Iamaleava to put Tennessee ahead, 21-10.
Kentucky countered with a six-play, 75-yard drive in just 2:02, with Ja’Mori Maclin catching a 32-yard pass from Wimsatt to end it. The Wildcats then converted a two-point conversion to pull within three, 21-18, with 13:31 remaining.
After punts by each team, Tennessee used a 13-play, 91-yard drive to go back up by double digits, 28-18, with 4:55 to play. The drive ended with a six-yard carry by Sampson, his 19th rushing touchdown of 2024, breaking the single-season school record of 18 set by Gene McEver in 1929. It also moved him into a tie with Joshua Dobbs (2013-16) for third on the career leaderboard with 32.
The Volunteers forced a turnover on downs on Kentucky’s next drive, effectively icing the game with 2:19 to go. Linebackers Arion Carter (10) and Jalen Smith (nine) each set career highs in tackles to pace a Tennessee defense that amassed seven quarterback hurries and allowed just 11 points in the final 50 minutes.
Additionally, the Vols held Kentucky to just 14-of-27 passing for 192 yards, while registering a pair of interceptions. The Wildcats finished 4-of-14 on third down and 0-of-2 on fourth down.
Offensively, nine Tennessee players caught a pass in the game, with seven logging multiple grabs. Kitselman, who had the lone receiving score, led the team with six catches for 97 yards, both career highs.
The Vols, who improved to 5-1 all-time in black uniforms, racked up 476 total yards, 292 through the air and 184 on the ground, their highest total in SEC play this season and fourth time eclipsing 450 in 2024. They had 29 first downs and conceded only 19.
UP NEXT Tennessee is back in action Nov. 9 against Mississippi State at 7 p.m. for its SEC home finale and its last of four straight games at Neyland Stadium. The contest will be televised on ESPN.
