FROM THE RADIO NEWS DEPARTMENT

Despite A Report That It Would Abandon Aerial Speed Enforcement, Virginia State Police Will Continue Using Its Airplane Fleet. According To Spokeswoman Corinne Geller, State Police Has No Plans To Retire Its Fixed-Wing Aircraft. She Said The Agency Will Continue Using The Cessna 182 Aircraft For Aerial Speed Enforcement Efforts. Geller Added Aerial Speed Enforcement Has Been Cut Back In Recent Years Because Of State Budget Cuts, Decreases In Federal Funding, And A Lack Of Manpower.

The Tri Cities Region Added Jobs During The Third Quarter Of 2012. That From The Latest Tri Cities Labor Market Report Compiled By East Tennessee State’s College Of Business. The Tri Cities Have Been Seeing Rising Job Levels Over Each Of The Past Quarters. On A Year To Year Basis, The Number Of Jobs Increased 0.8 Percent In Bristol, 0.7 Percent In Kingsport, And 0.2 Percent In Johnson City. The Labor Market News – National, Regional, And Local – Continue To Be Good. The National Labor Market Is Creating Jobs At The Best Pace In Five Years. Job Levels In The Metro Area Are Back To Pre-Recession Numbers.

According To The Latest Figures From The Virginia Compensation Board, The Scott County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office Is Severely Understaffed. The Figures Show The Office Has Half Of The Amount Of People That It Should. Marcus Mcclung Reportedly Said, If Funding Can Be Provided, His Office Is Due Two Prosecutors And Two Support Staff. The Office Is Fourth On The State’s Waiting List For Those Jobs.

Natural Gas Prices Are Expected To Remain Steady In Our Region Throughout The Winter Season. That According To Officials With Atmos Energy. The Company Is Also Pleased That Natural Gas Storage Levels Are Higher Than Normal, Which Means Customers Will Get Their Product Delivered Without Waiting. Atmos Encourages Everyone To Look At Ways To Reduce Your Energy Bills Even More.

Johnson City Leaders Are Seeking Feedback From Residents In The Form Of A Survey. The 2012 Citizen Survey Is Aimed To Help City Commissioners Develop A Strategic Plan That Will Serve As A Road Map For The Next Several Decades. Results From The Survey Will Be Used By The Commission For Goal Setting, Budgeting, Program Planning And Performance Measurement. The Survey Can Be Taken Online At N-R-C.Com/Survey/Johnsoncity.Htm

A Convicted Drug Trafficker Who Had Been On Probation Has Been Charged With Smuggling Drugs Into The Hawkins County Jail. 51 Year Old Larry Hawkins Of Church Hill Is Charged With Introduction Of Schedule Three And Four Narcotics Into A Penal Institution. A Search Of Hawkins’ Jail Cell Revealed A Total Of Three Hydrocodone Pills As Well As Two Xanax Pills. He Remains In The Hawkins County Jail Under A No Bond Status Due To Being Already Incarcerated On The Violation Of Community Corrections Charge. A Court Date For Hawkins Is Pending.

East Tennessee State University Is Helping Unicoi County Boost Its Economy. Patricia Oldham Has Been Named Director Of Community Outreach And Applied Research. The Goal Of The Initiative Is To Expand And Attract Small Businesses To The County, Encourage Entrepreneurship, Facilitate Downtown Erwin Revitalization, Capitalize On Tourism Opportunities And Support Strategic Planning For Economic Expansion. Oldham Has Said She Sees Much Potential In Unicoi County.

Eastman Chemical Company Will Be Conducting A Plant-Wide Test Of Its Hazardous Vapor Release Alerting System For The Next Couple Of Days. Spokeswoman Kristin Sturgill Says The Purpose Of The Test Is To Ensure The Company’s Emergency Preparedness Systems Are Operating Properly. The System Test Will Take Place Between Eight A.M. And Three Pm Tuesday And Wednesday.

More Good News For Motorists. Triple A Auto Club Is Predicting Prices At The Pump To Continue To Decline Through The Thanksgiving Holiday. The National Average Price For A Gallon Of Regular Gas Has Dropped To $3.46. The National Average Price At The Pump Has Now Fallen For 28 Consecutive Days, Breaking The Previous Streak Earlier This Year When Prices Dropped 26 Days In A Row.

A Large Grocery Chain With Stores In Tennessee, Virginia, And West Virginia Is Extending Its Commitment To Hiring Military Veterans. Throughout The Kroger Family Of Companies, More Than 17-Thousand Veterans Have Joined The Cincinnati Ohio-Based Company Since 2009. In Addition, Hundreds Of Kroger Associates Serve In The Armed Forces, Either As Members Of Reserve Units Or On Active Duty Status, And Thousands Are Military Veterans.

A Sullivan County Sheriff’s Deputy Is Being Remembered. 28 Year Old Albert Lee Campbell Was Known As A Friendly Guy Who Always Had A Smile On His Face. Campbell Died Saturday After His Motorcycle Struck The Rear Of Another Vehicle On State Route 126. Campbell Was Thrown From The Bike Into The Opposite Lane Before Being Struck By Another Vehicle. Witnesses Said The Late Afternoon Sun Was Blinding And May Have Contributed To The Crash. Campbell Had Worked At The Sheriff’s Office Since He Was A Teenager In The Agency’s Explore Program.

East Tennessee State University is holding special events in recognition of International Education Week. The university’s Honors College and Office of International Programs is hosting the events that start today. One event this year is “The Race Experience” kiosk. It’s an interactive visual learning experience that allows people to see how they might look as members of different cultural groups. The kiosk will be available the entire week in the D.P. Culp University Center, second floor Atrium.