FROM THE RADIO NEWS DEPARTMENT

The Scott County Virginia School System Recently Mailed Letters To Employees About Jobs For The Next School Year. The Letter States With The Continued Lack Of Funding Across The State, No Jobs In The School System Are Safe During The 2013-14 School Year. School Superintendent Scott John Ferguson Said A Similar Memo Has Been Sent Out Over The Last Four Years Without Any Job Cuts. Ferguson Wanted To Assure Everyone That Job Cuts, Which Are A Possibility With The Budgetary Woes, Are A Last Resort In Solving Any Financial Hardships.

The Legal Battle Between U-Haul And Johnson City Has Been Routed From The State Appeals Court Back To Washington County. It Will Now Be Up To A 12-Person Jury To Determine What The City Should Pay To Compensate The Company For Its Downtown West King Street Property.

Sullivan County School Leaders Will Decide Toward The End Of Spring If And How School Attendance Zones Will Be Redrawn For The 2013-14 School Year. Several Plans Will Be Discussed Thursday February 28th At 7pm In The Cafeteria Of Sullivan Central High School. The Board Will Make A Decision No Later Than 30 Days After February 28th. Anyone Who Wishes To Submit Public Comment By Email Can Do So By Emailing Rezoning At Sullivan K12 Dot Net.

Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips Will Have A Challenger For The First Time In Eight Years In The Upcoming May 21st City Election. Gary Lane, An Electrician At Domtar, Filed A Petition With The Sullivan County Election Commission Last Week, Challenging Phillips For The Mayor’s Position. Lane Said He’s Tired Of The Runaway Spending In Kingsport And Said The Board Of Mayor And Alderman Needs To Get Back Reality And Serve The Needs Of The People.

A New Urgent Care Facility Will Be Opening For Business Monday In Kingsport. Wellmont Urgent Care Is Located At 111 West Stone Drive, Suite 110. The Urgent Care Facility Will Be Open From 8 A.M. Until 8 P.M. Monday Through Friday, And From 10 A.M. To 6 P.M. On Saturday And Sunday. No Appointment Is Necessary.

A Johnson City Man Is Behind Bars Facing A Felony Charge. William Henry Is Charged With Theft Over A Thousand Dollars. The Charge Stems From An Investigation Into Cash Payments That Went Missing From Napa Auto Parts Dating Back To October 2012. Henry, Who Was Employed By Napa At That Time, Was Later Terminated For Unrelated Circumstances. It Was Discovered Cash Payments Meant For The Business Were Being Pocketed By Henry. He’s Accused Of Keeping More Than 2-Thousand Dollars. Henry Is Currently Being Held In The Washington County Detention Center And Will Appear In Sessions Court On Monday.

A Public Meeting In Johnson City Has Been Set To Discuss Parking In The Downtown Area. The Parking Garage Part Of The Downtown Center, Which Can Accomodate 330 Spaces, Has Been Closed For Six Months. Northeast State Community College Had Closed The Downtown Center And It’s Parking Garage With Plans For Renovations That Had Originally Been Set Last August. The Johnson City Development Authority Will Hold A Public Meeting On The Parking Issue February 28th On The 4th Floor Of The King Center On East Main Street.

Greeneville Authorities Are Warning The Public About A Debit Card Phone Scam That Is Circulating In The Area. According To Greeneville Police Captain Beth Dyke, The Scammer Attempts To Get The Victims To Provide Their Debit Card Number. She Advises Residents To Never – Ever – Give Out Any Personal Information Over The Phone And Report Any Attempts To Police.

If You Own Stock In A Kingsport Based Chemical Giant, You’re A Bit Richer Today. The Board Of Directors Of Eastman Chemical Company Has Declared A Quarterly Cash Dividend Of 30 Cents Per Share On The Company’s Common Stock. The Dividend Is Payable April 1st To Stockholders.

An Abingdon Virginia Man Is Free On Bond Following An Investigation Into A Breaking And Entering That Occurred Earlier This Month. 25 Year Old Kevin Eskridge Is Charged With Breaking And Entering, Forgery Of A Stolen Check, And Numerous Other Charges. Sheriff Fred Newman Said The Incident Is Alleged To Have Occurred At A Residence In The Rhea Valley Area Of Washington County. Firearms, Archery Equipment, And Other Items Valued At Around 2-Thousand Dollars Were Reportedly Taken During The Break In. Eskridge Is Free On Bond Of 75-Hundred Dollars. He Will Appear In Court Soon.

A Carter County Grand Jury Has Indicted A Former Sheriff And Current Constable On A Charge Of Sexual Battery. John Henson Turned Himself In Yesterday And Was Released On A Three Thousand Dollars Bond. The Charge Involved An Alleged Incident With A Woman At A Local Convenience Store. Details Aren’t Being Released At This Time. Henson Was Sheriff For Ten Years. The Lawman Is Expected To Appear In Criminal Court For Arraignment Soon.

A Rogersville Tennessee Woman Is Good At Spinning The Wheel. So Good In Fact, She Spun Her Way To The Final Puzzle On Wheel Of Fortune Last Night. However, Kathryn Napier Didn’t Win The Final Prize Of 30-Thousand Dollars, She Did Take Home More Than 25-Thousand.

Sullivan County Mayor Steve Godsey Has Cancelled A Called Meeting Next Week With The Sullivan County Commission Which Was Meant To Discuss A Lawsuit Filed By Sheriff Wayne Anderson. Just Two Days Earlier, Godsey Had Announced A Called Meeting February 25th To Discuss Information With The Commission About The Closed-Door Mediation Between Himself, Sheriff Wayne Anderson And Lawyers Representing Each Side. That Meeting Was Cancelled Due To Ongoing Negotiations. Sheriff Anderson Filed The Multi-Million Dollar Lawsuit Seeking Additional County Funding For His Department.

A Chattanooga Men Accused Of Holding Up A Johnson City Pizza Store Has Been Arraigned In Washington County Sessions Court. 26 Year Old Martell Jones Is Charged With Aggravated Robbery. He’s Accused Of Holding Up Little Caesar’s Pizza On North Roan Street. He’s Currently Being Held On A 50-Thousand Dollars Bond. His Next Court Date Is Not Known. Meanwhile, The Driver Of The Getaway Vehicle, 27 Year Old Ledarius Owens, Will Not Face Robbery Charges Here, But Is Wanted Out Of Chattanooga. He Will Face An Evading Arrest Charge In Unicoi County. His Next Court Date Is Not Known.