FROM THE RADIO NEWS DEPARTMENT

Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a bill that allows school districts to let people with police training be armed in schools. The measure allows schools to hire retired law enforcement officers after they meet certain requirements, such as completing a 40-hour school security course. The measure makes information about which teachers are armed or which schools allow the guns confidential to anyone but law enforcement. Haslam included $34 million in his budget for local government officials to use on their priorities, which could include security measures.

A Greene County Attorney Has Received A Public Censure From The Board Of Professional Responsibility Of The Tennessee Supreme Court. Duncun Cates Cave Apparently Failed To Prepare An Order For The Court After Being Told To Do So And Failing To Attend A Hearing For A Show Cause Order. This Is More Less A Rebuke And Warning And Will Have No Affect His Ability To Practice As An Attorney.

A Former Greeneville Man Has Plead Guilty To Second Degree Murder In A 2011 Stabbing Incident. 23 Year Old Huerman Sanchez Admitted In Greene County Criminal Court To Stabbing His Roommate, 20 Year Old Francisco Ruiz, To Death. Police Said The Two Had Been Drinking And Got Into An Argument. Ruiz Was Stabbed 28 Times. Sanchez Was Sentenced By Circuit Court Judge John Dugger, Jr. To 15 Years In State Prison.

The East Tennessee State University Foundation Has Made A Huge Commitment To Support A Proposed ETSU Performing Arts Center. During Its Annual Business Meeting Yesterday, The Foundation Announced It Is Donating One Million Dollars For The Project. ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland Said This Gift Means Etsu Is Half Way Toward The Fundraising Goal. The Facility Is Projected To Cost Approximately 38 Million Dollars.

The Elizabethton City Council Is Looking At Creating A Utility Board, Funding Eight Additional Classroom Space For Its Local School System And An Athletic Complex For Elizabethton High School. These Were All Topics At A Recent Workshop Session Held By The City Council. With Interest Rates Lower Now Than They Were In 2008, A New Bond Issue Could Be Used To Hold Funds In Place To Refund The 2008 Bond Issue. This Provides As Much As 7.1 Million Dollars For New Capital Improvement Projects.

A Convicted Sex Offender Is In Trouble Again. 35 Year Old Ronald Devin Watson Is Charged With Three Counts Of Aggravated Stalking. Police Said Watson Repeatedly Drove Past Three Juvenile Girls As They Walked Home. He Reportedly Followed The Girls Until They Reached A Residence In Johnson City. A Court Date For Watson Is Pending In General Sessions Court. His Bond Has Been Set At 30-Thousand Dollars.

A Hiker Who Had Been Hiking The Appalachian Trail In Carter County Has Died From An Apparent Heart Attack. According To Sheriff Chris Mathes, The Hiker Was 71 Year Old George Grant From Western Australia. He Had Hitched A Ride Into Town And Was On His Way To A Convenience Store In Hampton. He Began Having Medical Problems And The Driver Stopped By The Carter County Rescue Squad. Grant Was Taken From There To Sycamore Shoals Hospital Where He Died. Mathes Said There Did Not Appear To Be Any Foul Play In His Death.

A Fugitive That Has Been On The Lam For Over Two Years Is Now Back In Custody. U.S. Marshals With The Help Of Kingsport Police Arrested Brandon Saylor At The Home Of His Girlfriend In Kingsport. He Had Escaped From A Kentucky Prison In March 2011. Saylor Had Outstanding Warrants For A February 2013 Home Invasion Out Of Harlan County Kentucky And A January 2013 Aggravated Burglary Out Of Washington County Tennessee. U.S. Marshals Are Expected To Issue A Statement Sometime Today On His Capture. He’s Currently Being Held In The Washington County Tennessee Detention Center.

A Johnson City Man Accused Of Holding Up A Local Credit Union Will Be Arraigned In General Sessions Court This Afternoon. Police Arrested 23 Year Old William Jacob Henry And Charged Him With One Count Of Armed Robbery Of Eastman Credit Union On North Roan Street. An Investigation Revealed Henry Was Allegedly The Man That Entered The Branch With His Face Covered And Took Money From The Bank. No One Was Injured In The Ordeal. Henry Is Being Held On A Ten Thousand Dollars Bond.

The Greater Kingsport Family Ymca Is Celebrating Its 30th Birthday This Year. So You’re Invited To Come Celebrate The Grand Opening Of The New Facility During A Series Of Free Events This Weekend . At Seven Pm On Friday, Five Couples In The Audience Will Compete To Win A Weekend Getaway By Playing A Rendition Of “The Newlywed Game.” On Saturday, A Healthy Family Day Of Events Is On Tap. The Y Is Located At 1850 Meadowview Parkway In Kingsport.

The Washington County Board of Supervisors has voted to display the Ten Commandments at the county government building. But the board plans to establish a committee to review the legal implications before the Ten Commandments are posted. The Rev. Jerry Eggers of Greendale Chapel requested the display. Eggers told the board that Christianity is the heritage of the nation and residents of Washington County. About 300 people attended the meeting earlier this week to show support for the move.

Several Roads Are Now Closed At East Tennessee State University. John Robert Bell Drive Is Closed Up To The North End Of Warf Pickle Hall From State Of Franklin Road. Also Jack Vest Drive Behind Warf Pickle Is Closed Up To North Dossett Drive As Well As Parking Lots Along Jack Vest Drive. The Roads Will Be Closed To Allow For Safe Pedestrian Traffic.

A Kingsport Man Is Behind Bars Following An Altercation With His Ex-Girlfriend. Tyree Ford Is Charged With Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Armed Dangerous Felonies, Vandalism, And Theft Under 500. The Charges Stem From Ford Allegedly Forcing Entry Into The Woman’s Residence In An Apartment Complex On Carroll Creek Road. While Reportedly Armed With A Handgun, Ford’s Accused Of Threatening To Kill His Ex-Girlfriend While Destroying Property Belong To The Victim And Stealing Property As Well. Ford Is Being Held In The Washington County Detention Center On A 25-Thousand Dollar Bond. He’s Set To Appear In General Sessions Court On May 20th.

A Carter County Man Accused In A 2011 Robbery And Pursuit Has Been Found Guilty Of The Crimes. 30 Year Old Travis Richardson Was Found Guilty On Charges Of Aggravated Robbery, Reckless Endangerment With A Deadly Weapon, Aggravated Assault, Evading Arrest And Criminal Simulation. The Charges Stem From The Robbery Of The Owner Of An S-U-V In 2011 That Was Followed By A Pursuit That Spanned Four Police Districts. Two Officers Were Allegedly Assaulted During The Incident. Richardson’s Sentencing Date Is Set For July 18th.

The Town Of Jonesborough Will Host An Unveiling And Dedication Of Of Its Town Hall This Weekend. To Honor Town Administrator Bob Browning’s 25 Years Of Service To The Community, The Town Will Dedicate The New Robert E. Browning Town Hall. The Event Will Include Special Comments From The Public And Refreshments Will Be Served Outside The Front Lawn Of Town Hall On Boone Street. The Unveiling Will Take Place On Sunday Afternoon At Three P.M. The Public Is Invited To Attend The Event.

Jonesborough’s Board Of Mayor And Alderman Has Approved A New Toursim Logo For Tennessee’s Oldest Town. The New Logo Features Jonesborough Artist Bill Bledsoe’s Animated Drawing Of The 100-Year Old County Courthouse On Main Street Above The Words “Historic Jonesborough, Tennessee, 1779, Storytelling Capital Of The World” In A Historic Font. The Logo’s Clock Tower Icon Will Appear On Tourist Way-Finding Signs To Be Placed On 11e And Throughout The Downtown Historic District.

The Elizabethton City School Board Has Moved Forward With A Controversial Recommendation By Superintendent Ed Alexander Not To Rehire Doug Mitchell As Principal At West Side Elementary School. The Change Was Announced During A Recent Meeting Of The School Board Without Any Objections Raised. Alexander Announced Mitchell Will Be Transferred To A Teaching Position At T.A. Dugger Junior High School Effective June 11th.

The Carter County School Board Has Presented It’s 2013-14 Spending Plan To The County Budget Committee. The New Spending Plan Is Balanced And Doesn’t Include Any Proposed Increase To The Property Tax Rate. Director Of Schools Kevin Ward Said Several Cuts Had To Be Made In Order To Keep The Spending Plan Out Of The Red, Including Allowing No Pay Raises Next Year, Except For Step Raises And Raises For Obtaining A Higher Academic Degree.

Bristol Virginia Leaders Have Agreed To Cooperate With Washington County Virginia Officials. City Leaders Say They Want To Resolve Differences Discussed During A Closed-Door Meeting Last Week. That Meeting Followed Months Of Haggling Over The City’s Budget, County Concerns About Losing One Or More Businesses To The City, And The County’s Desire To Secure Similar Legislative Tax Concessions For Possible Future Developments.

Final Preparations Are Taking Place For The 2013 Iris Festival In Downtown Greeneville This Weekend. This Year Will Mark The 19th Year For The Event Presented By The Greene County Partnership That Began In 1994. Vickie Andrew, Program Coordinator, Says The Festival Will Include Two Stages Of Music Along With The Ever-Popular Miss Iris Festival Pageant, Plus Much More. The Festival Traditionally Draws More Than 25-Thousand Visitors. Hours Of The Event Are On Saturday From 10 Am To 5 Pm, And On Sunday From Noon To 5 Pm In Downtown Greeneville.