The Retrial Of Former Unicoi County Sheriff Kent Harris Is Underway. Testimoney Will Resume Later This Morning. Harris Is Charged With Theft Over 1-Thousand Dollars And Criminal Simulation. It’s Alleged That Harris Sought And Received 45-Hundred Dollars In County Funds To Pay For Two Vehicles That Were Actually Donated To The Sheriff’s Office. One Of The Central Figures In The Case, Tom Cobol, Testified Yesterday He And His Wife Turned Over The Titles To The Two Cars In Question. He Also Stated He Saw Harris Roll Up The Money And Put It In His Shirt Pocket – And He Never Saw It Again. Harris’ Defense Attorney Plans To Show The Money Was A Portion Of The Funding That Was To Go Toward The Care Of Two Bloodhounds Purchased By The County To Serve As Search And Rescue Dogs For The Sheriff’s Department. The Trial Is Expected To Last Through The End Of The Week.
A Washington County Virginia Man Is In Trouble With The Law Facing Numerous Charges. 30 Year Old Jamie Roark Of Saltville Is Charged With Grand Larceny, Petit Larceny, Felony Identity Theft, And Obtaining By False Pretense. The Victim Told Police That He Wrote A Check To Roark For 100-Dollars For The Purchase Of Two Chairs, But Later Discovered That This Wasn’t The Only Transaction That Had Occurred. Multiple Unauthorized Transactions Totaling Over 11-Thousand Dollars Had Been Made On The Victim’s Checking Account. Roark Is Free On A 10-Thousand Dollar Bond. He Will Appear In Court Soon.
The Jonesborough Board Of Mayor And Alderman Has Voted To Accept Eight Exceptions Included In A Title Report On The International Storytelling Center Building If They Are Not Cleared Before The Closing On The Town’s Purchase Of The Building. Town Attorney Jim Wheeler Told The Board The Lawyer Contracted To Prepare The Title Report Has Indicated Some Of The Exceptions Appear To Be Older And Not Relevant To The Pending Purchase.
Tennessee Continues To Receive Encouraging News About Its Overall Health. That According To A Report Released Called America’s Health Rankings 2012 That Ranks The Volunteer State 39th In The Nation. Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean Of The East Tennessee State University College Of Public Health, Says The State Clearly Has Forward Momentum. For The First Time Since The Report Has Been Published, Tennessee Is Now Above The National Average In Terms Of Its High School Graduation Rate Which Dr. Wykoff Believes Speaks Well For The Future Of Tennessee.
A Telford Man Accused Of Assaulting A Woman Is Behind Bars. 34 Year Old Eric Sinks Is Charged With Aggravated Assault. He Allegedly Confronted The Victim While Armed With A .44 Caliber Handgun And Demanded To See Her Cell Phone. He Reportedly Grabbed And Pushed The Woman Before Fleeing The Scene. Sinks Was Captured A Short Time Later. No One Was Injured In The Incident. He’s Being Held Without Bond And Is Expected To Appear In Court Soon.
Tennessee Department Of Transportation Officials Unveiled An Alternative Plan For Possible Improvements To State Route 126. The Proposal For Memorial Boulevard Removes Any Threat To Graves At East Lawn Cemetery. According To TDOT, The Proposal Would Also Limit Adverse Impact On Historic Yancey’s Tavern. The New Alternative Would Not Result In A Four-Lane Section Of Road Between The Two Properties. Some People, Including The Sullivan County Commission, Are Asking The State To Four-Lane That And Other Sections Of State Route 126 Between Center Street And Interstate 81.
A Popular Road In Johnson City Could Reopen Again Later This Month. Lone Oak Road Is Expected To Stay Closed For At Least Another Week As Construction Is Completed. The Project Has Experienced Several Delays With A Big One Coming This Past July Due To A Blast That Damaged A Nearby Condominium. An Opening Date Is Expected Around The 20th Of December.
The Former Head Of The Now Closed Mcleod Cancer And Blood Center In Johnson City Has Formally Pleaded Guilty In U.S. District Court In Greeneville To Buying Misbranded Drugs In Order To Allegedly Maximize Profits. Dr. William Kincaid Of Gray Admiited To A Charge Of Receiving In Interstate Commerce A Misbranded Drug With Intent To Defraud Or Mislead. Kincaid Has Been Released On A 20-Thousand Dollar Bond And Faces Sentencing On June 3rd 2013. He Could Received Up To Three Years In Prison And Up To 250-Thousand Dollars In Fines. Meanwhile, The Company’s Former Business Manager Pled Guilty Three Months Ago To A Similar Charge.
Donations Are Being Accept For A Few More Days For An Annual Drive To Help Homeless Veterans In Our Area. The Fifth Annual Christmas Care Package Drive Is Seeking Fleece Blankets, Gloves, Scarves, Games, Bibles And Other Items. Donations Can Be Dropped Off At The National Guard Armory Building In Bristol Tennessee, The Lyle House At ETSU In Johnson City, And The Offices Of VIP Scene On Broad Street In Kingsport Through Monday, December 17th. The Items Will Be Distributed To Homeless Veterans At The Va Medical Center In Johnson City And Area Homeless Shelters.
The Virginia State Police Is Continuing To Investigate A Train Derailment In Lee County That Left One Person Dead. Police Said A Csx Train Car Loaded With Coal Derailed Near The Intersection Of Routes 635 And 636. A Mini-Van Owned By J&K Transportation That Was Used As A Transport Taxi To Shuttle Railroad Employees Back And Forth To The Train Destinations, Was Parked In A Gravel Lot Adjacent To The Tracks. When The Rail Car Derailed, Part Of It Overturned Onto The Van Injuring The Driver, 31 Year Old Jamie Collins Of Baxter Kentucky. He Died A Short Time Later At A Local Hospital. A Passenger In The Vehicle, 33 Year Old Jason Williams Of Viper Kentucky Was Treated For Serious Injuries At Holston Valley Medical Center In Kingsport. The Investigation Into The Cause Of The Accident Remains Ongoing.
Opening Statements Are Set This Morning In The Retrial Of Former Unicoi County Sheriff Kent Harris. Harris Is Charged With Theft Over 1-Thousand Dollars And Criminal Simulation. It’s Alleged That Harris Sought And Received 45-Hundred Dollars In County Funds To Pay For Two Vehicles That Were Actually Donated To The Sheriff’s Office. His Defense Attorney Plans To Show The Money Was A Portion Of The Funding That Was To Go Toward The Care Of Two Bloodhounds Purchased By The County To Serve As Search And Rescue Dogs For The Sheriff’s Department. The Trial Is Expected To Last Through The End Of The Week.
The Tennessee Department Of Transportation Will Hold Two Public Hearings Today On Possible Improvements To State Route 126 Between Center Street In Kingsport And Interstate 81. The First Hearing Will Be Held Beginning At 11:30 This Morning At The Kingsport Civic Auditorium On Fort Henry Drive. The Second Hearing Will Be Held At 6pm Tonight In The Sullivan Central High School Gym On Shipley Ferry Road.
A Kingsport Woman Accused Of Firing A Shot At Her Son Over The Weekend Is Free On Bond. 63 Year Old Wilma Harrison Is Charged With Attempted Second Degree Murder. It Happened Saturday At A Home On Brooklawn Drive. Harrison First Denied Having A Gun But One Was Located On A Table In The Home And She Allegedly Admitted To Firing It At Her Son As A Means Of Scaring Him. A Bullet Hole Was Found In The Kitchen Area. Harrison Is Free On A 50-Thousand Dollars Bond. She Will Appear In General Sessions Court Later This Week.
Several roads throughout the Cherokee National Forest in upper East Tennessee will close for the winter to protect wildlife and reduce road maintenance costs. The U.S. Forest Service announced the annual seasonal road closures will begin on Dec. 17. The winter road closures protect wildlife habitats, decrease disturbance for wildlife in the forest and reduce the cost to maintain the roads during the winter. The roads are located in the Unaka and Watauga Ranger Districts and include the counties of Sullivan, Cocke, Greene, Washington, Unicoi, Carter and Johnson. For more information, contact the Forest Service district offices.
Tennessee Finance Commissioner Mark Emkes says the state’s overall revenue collections for November are slightly more than they were this time last year. Emkes said Monday that November collections were $768.2 million, which is 0.35 percent above last November. He said November collections for this year were $17 million less than the budgeted estimate, and the general fund fell short by $13.6 million. Emkes said the numbers continue to indicate this will be a “moderate growth year.”
A New Washington County-Johnson City Ems Executive Director Is Expected To Be Named Tonight. The Ems Executive Committee Will Make Its Recommendation To The Ems Board Of Directors. The Board Will Meet At 6pm Tonight.