FROM THE RADIO NEWS DEPARTMENT

Johnson City Fire Officials Are Investigating A House Fire That Claimed The Life Of A City Man. It Happened Yesterday Morning At A Home On East Watauga Avenue. No Name Has Been Released At This Time. Fire Officials Spent Most Of Yesterday Sifting Through The Debris In An Attempt To Determine What Caused The Fire. It Appears It Started In The Front Of The House. The Man’s Body Has Been Taken To The Quillen College Of Medicine For An Autopsy.

The Founder Of The Storytelling Festival In Tennessee’s Oldest Town Is Retiring After 40 Years. Jimmy Neil Smith Came Up With The Idea While Teaching At Science Hill High School. The Iconic 3.5 Million Dollar International Storytelling Center In Jonesborough Will Soon Transfer To Town Ownership. The Center Just Emerged From Bankruptcy With A Restructuring Plan That Will Allow It To Continue Its Annual Festival In Jonesborough. Smith’s Retirement Will Be Effective January 1st. He Will Continue, Part-Time At The Center.