COSBY, Tenn. (WVLT) – With the year coming to an end, a new legislative session is on the horizon. Hurricane Helene is expected to be a major topic when state lawmakers return in January.
Republican State Rep. Jeremy Faison tells WVLT News he is working on legislation that would give homeowners impacted by natural disasters a tax break. His district includes Cocke County, an area hit hard by floods after Helene.
“This is at the top of a lot of us in our hearts and minds,” Faison said. “I have constituents that where their house was is no longer able to even put a house back … they shouldn’t have to pay taxes on that.”
Now working with state agencies to create legislation, Faison says people should not have to pay taxes on property severely damaged by natural disasters, like the Helene floods or the recent tornados in West Tennessee.
“This is not just an East Tennessee flood problem. This is across the state,” Faison said. “We have an issue with our constitution and current laws. When somebody has suffered such a great loss, they shouldn’t have to pay property taxes.”
Faison says the change will not be quick or easy, but is a priority for legislators on both sides.
“We need to look at this and make sure we’re getting it right for five, 10 years down the road so the next group of people – our children or grandchildren – if they lose something that there’s reprieve even a small amount they don’t have to repay while they’re rebuilding their lives,” Faison said.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Tennessee’s age-verification law, the Protect Tennessee Minors Act, was set to go into effect on Jan. 1. However, two days before the law goes into effect, the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) said a Tennessee District Court judge has blocked the law.
The Western District of Tennessee’s Western Division granted the FSC’s motion for preliminary injunction on Monday.
The law would have given parents more control over their children’s online activity as well as tightening restrictions on social media accounts and access to adult content.
The FSC argued that the law would suppress a large amount of speech which they said adults have a First Amendment right to give and receive.
“The legislature’s goal, however admirable, does not allow it to undermine an adult’s freedom of speech,” the FSC said. “Neither the legislature nor this Court can turn a blind eye to the Constitution.”
FSC’s executive director, Alice Boden said the “deeply flawed law” could put website operators at risk for criminal prosecution for trivial speech such as “a mention of a human nipple.”
“I cannot express enough gratitude to our legal team, especially Gill Sperlein, who flew to Tennessee on the eve of the Christmas holiday to argue this case,” Boden said. “These victories come with long hours and hard work, and can only be achieved through the financial support of our members.”
The FSC said it is challenging similar laws in Louisiana, Texas, Utah, Indiana, Montana and Florida.
The Texas case, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton will be heard by the United States Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2025.
TAZEWELL, Tenn. (WVLT) – It’s been nearly a week since the Tazewell Police Department said an officer was shot at, and they are still searching for who was responsible.
Last Thursday morning, Officer Andrew Harris responded to a home near the intersection of Old Cave Springs Road and Old Highway 25-E after there was a report of a prowler in the area.
Chief of Police Jeremy Myers said it was at that point that five-to-ten shots were fired in the direction of Officer Harris, who immediately took cover.
“It was fairly close. It was close enough that the officers could hear them whizzing by,” said Myers.
Officer Harris had only been with the department for three months but thankfully was not harmed during the shooting.
“He’s in really good spirits. He’s doing really well; his training is really good. He’s recovered from it and is back at it and working hard,” said Myers.
Harris didn’t take any time off and has been back at work helping in the investigation.
While there haven’t been any arrests made in this investigation, Chief Myers said they have a suspect that they’re looking at and feel confident that someone will be held accountable.
No officer has been shot in the line of duty at the Tazewell Police Department, according to Myers.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball wrapped up the calendar year by defeating Norfolk State, 67-52, Tuesday afternoon at Food City Center.
Top-ranked Tennessee (13-0) led from start to finish behind a game-high 24 points from fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier, sealing an unblemished non-conference record for the fifth time since joining the SEC (1932-33).
The Volunteers started 7-of-10 from the floor, including 4-of-7 beyond the arc, and made five straight field goals to take an 18-10 lead at 13:11 mark. At that time, Lanier personally had 11 points on a 4-of-5 clip.
Another 3-pointer by Lanier as part of a 7-0 run helped Tennessee go ahead by 13, 25-12, with 9:34 left in the frame. Norfolk State (9-7) went on to cut the deficit to nine on four occasions before the break and followed the final one with a buzzer-beating jump-shot to make it a seven-point game, 35-28, at halftime.
Tennessee scored 13 of the first 19 points after the break to build a then-game-best 14-point advantage, 48-34, with 14:17 to go. The Spartans closed the margin to 10, 52-42, with 9:52 remaining, but never got it down to single digits.
The Volunteers held Norfolk State scoreless for 6:17 as they pushed their lead to 17 points, 63-46, with 2:54 remaining. They stretched it to a game-high 20, 66-46, just 24 seconds later and ultimately claimed a 15-point decision.
Lanier’s two-dozen points came on an 8-of-18 clip, including a 6-of-16 mark from beyond the arc, with the six attempts one shy of his career best and the 16 attempts a career high and the co-fourth-most in Tennessee history. He added two rebounds, two assists, two steals and his first block of the year.
Sophomore forward Cade Phillips registered 10 points and a career-high five blocks, the latter the top total by a Volunteer in 2024-25. He went 3-of-5 from the field and 4-of-5 at the line.
Jordan Gainey scored 10 points, as did fellow senior guard Zakai Zeigler, who added a game-best six assists to move into a tie for second place on the program’s all-time career leaderboard with 577. Senior forward Igor Miličić Jr., paced all players with 10 rebounds in the triumph.
Christian Ings posted 19 points and four assists to lead Norfolk State in each category, while fellow graduate student guard Brian Moore Jr., added 18 points to go along with five rebounds.
Tennessee, which amassed seven steals and eight blocks, held the Spartans to 22-of-59 (37.3 percent) shooting, including a 5-of-21 clip down the stretch. The victors, who 13-of-16 (81.3 percent) at the stripe, had a 20-2 cushion in points off turnovers, forcing 13 and committing just six, along with a 20-2 tally in bench points.
With its perfect non-conference slate complete, Tennessee now begins SEC competition Saturday at 1 p.m. against No. 23/RV Arkansas, live on ESPN from Food City Center.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES • Tuesday marked the 15th game in program history with Tennessee ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, as it improved to 13-2, including 12-1 in head coach Rick Barnes‘ tenure. • The Volunteers also upped their record to 27-4 all-time while ranked top-three in the AP Poll, including 23-2 under Barnes. • Tennessee remained one of the only four undefeated teams in the country and the lone school unbeaten in both men’s and women’s basketball. • The Volunteers are now 5-3 all-time on New Year’s Eve, including 4-1 at home and 1-0 in Barnes’ tenure, with this the first such instance since 2014. • Barnes improved to 9-0 in his career against the current MEAC membership, including 2-0 with the Volunteers. • Tennessee is now 2-0 against Norfolk State during the 2024 calendar year—it posted an 87-50 home victory Jan. 2—after never previously facing the Spartans. • The Volunteers moved to 13-0 to begin a season for the second time in program history, alongside a 14-0 start in 1922-23. • Tennessee now has its fifth winning streak of at least 13 games program history, joining a 19-game span in 2018-19, a 15-game stretch from 19114-15 to 1916-17, a 14-game tally in 1922-23 and a 13-game ledger from 1913-14 to 1914-15. • The dates of other two single-season winning streaks of at least 13 games for Tennessee are as follows: 19 from Nov. 28, 2018, to Feb. 13, 2019, and 14 from Jan. 8- Feb. 20, 2023. • Tennessee is the 12th team in SEC history to win 13-plus regular season non-conference games without a loss, including the third in 2024-25, joining 2024-25 Florida (13-0), 2024-25 Oklahoma (13-0), 2023-24 Ole Miss (13-0), 2019-20 Auburn (13-0), 2015-16 South Carolina (13-0), 2014-15 Kentucky (13-0), 2009-10 Kentucky (15-0), 2007-08 Vanderbilt (15-0), 2007-08 Ole Miss (14-0), 2005-06 Florida (14-0) and 1999-2000 LSU (13-0). • This is the fifth time, including the second with nine-plus games, in the SEC era (since 1932-33) the Volunteers have posted an undefeated record in regular season non-conference play, alongside 2020-21 (6-0), 1997-98 (11-0), 1980-81 (8-0) and 1956-57 (8-0), while the program also finished a perfect 12-0 in 1915-16 before the creation of the SEC. • Tennessee has now finished undefeated in non-conference home games in five consecutive seasons, running its winning streak in such contests to 36 in a row dating to the 2020-21 opener against Colorado, a 56-47 triumph on Dec. 8 2020. • Over the last 13 full months, from Dec. 2023 through Dec. 2024, Tennessee owns a 35-6 record, with four of the defeats by six points or fewer. • Tuesday marked the fifth time in 2024-25 the Volunteers never trailed, including the third time they led from start to finish. • The Volunteers have held a halftime advantage in 12 of their 13 outings this season, including a margin of seven-plus points 10 times, double digits eight times, 12-plus six times, 14-plus five times and 23-plus thrice. • Tennessee has conceded 35 or fewer first-half points in 12 of its 13 outings thus far, including 29 or fewer on eight occasions and 21 or fewer fur times. • The Volunteers held a lead of 18-plus points in 12 of its 13 contests this season, including by 26 in all but four, and still has not faced a deficit larger than eight. • Across its 13-game non-conference slate, Tennessee led for 452:24 and trailed for just 43:39 of a possible 520 minutes. • Twelve of Tennessee’s 13 wins thus far are by 13-plus points, with seven by at least 22, four by at least 35 and two by 40-plus. • The Volunteers concluded non-conference play without an opposing player posting five-plus assists in a game, as Ings’ four for the Spartans matched five others for the most thus far by a Tennessee foe. • Phillips, who finished with five blocks, tallied four in the first 18 minutes alone, already doubling his prior career high for a full game, as he notched two both Nov. 27, 2024, against UT Martin and Dec. 3, 2024, versus Syracuse. • The five blocks by Phillips marked the highest single-game total by a Volunteer this year, surpassing the four by Felix Okpara on Nov. 27 against UT Martin, • Lanier logged 20-plus points for the 21st time as a collegian, including the sixth in 13 outings as a Volunteer. • The 16 3-point attempts by Lanier eclipsed the career high of 15 he set on Dec. 19, 2023, at Florida State while with North Florida, as well as passed Dalton Knecht’s 15 on March 9, 2024, against Kentucky for the most by a Tennessee player in Barnes’ tenure. •Lanier’s 16 3-point attempts tied Chris Lofton’s mark on Dec. 23, 2006, in an overtime game against Texas, then coached by Barnes, for the fourth-most in a single game in Tennessee history. • Gainey now has double-digit points in eight of the first 13 games this season after reaching that mark 10 total times in 2023-24 across 36 outings. • Miličić pulled down double-digit rebounds for the 20th time in his career, including the sixth in 13 games at Tennessee. • Zeigler upped his career point total from 1,194 to 1,204, moving from No. 44 up to No. 39 on the program’s all-time leaderboard, while also becoming the 41st Volunteer to reach the 1,200 mark. • The six assists by Zeigler increased his career mark to 577, moving him into a tie with C.J. Watson (2002-06) for the second-most in Tennessee history. • Zeigler played 38:22 in the win, the highest total by a Volunteer this season, one second greater than the mark he set Nov. 22 against Baylor in Nassau, Bahamas.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After a breakout first season on Rocky Top, Tennessee senior tight end Miles Kitselman will return for the 2025 campaign, he officially announced on Monday.
Last week, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved a waiver that extends an extra year of eligibility in 2025-26 to athletes who previously competed at a non-NCAA school for one or more years and otherwise would have exhausted their NCAA eligibility following the 2024-25 season.
Kitselman played the 2021 season at Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College before spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Alabama. The Lyndon, Kansas, native joined the Volunteers in the spring of 2024 and made an immediate impact with his pass catching and physical blocking ability.
Kitselman finished the 2024 season with 22 receptions for 301 yards and four touchdowns, while adding a rushing touchdown at Georgia. His four receiving scores tied for fourth-most among SEC tight ends, and his five total touchdowns were tied for third-most in the league at his position. He helped lead the Vols to their first College Football Playoff berth with 10 victories.
Including his time at Alabama, Kitselman has played in 32 games with 13 starts.
Kitselman is part of an outstanding Tennessee tight end room returning in 2025 that includes 2024 Freshman All-SEC selection Ethan Davis (13 rec., 100 yds, two TD), freshman Cole Harrison and incoming true freshmen four-star prospects DaSaahn Brame (Derby, Kansas) and Jack Van Dorselaer (Southlake, Texas).
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team is ranked atop the nation’s major polls for the fourth consecutive week.
Tennessee (12-0) is once again listed first in both the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, as released Monday afternoon.
This is the ninth time, across three campaigns, the Volunteers come in at first overall in AP Poll. They previously held the top position once in 2007-08 and four times in 2018-19.
Nine of Tennessee’s 11 all-time weeks in the AP top three, including eight of its nine first-place positionings, are during head coach Rick Barnes‘ 10 years on Rocky Top. One of just seven teams to claim the top spot in the AP Poll in more than one of the last seven seasons, the Volunteers are 26-4 all-time while holding an AP top three spot (22-2 in the Barnes era), including 12-2 at first nationally (11-1 in the Barnes era).
This is the 68th consecutive week Tennessee is listed in the AP Poll, a streak spanning four campaigns and dating to the 2021-22 preseason release. The ledger is 31 weeks above the program’s prior top mark and is the third-longest active streak in the country, trailing only Houston (94) and Kansas (73). No other schools are at even 50-plus, while the next closest SEC team, Kentucky (30), ranks eighth in streak length and is 38 behind the Volunteers.
Tennessee is among the AP top 15 for the 42nd time in the last 45 releases, dating to Nov. 28, 2022. This is the 64th AP top-10 spot for the Volunteers under Barnes, including its 32nd top-five placement, with the latter mark nearly double the program’s entire total (17) before his 2015 hire. Tennessee also now has over four times as many top-two rankings under Barnes (nine) as it had before his arrival (two).
Barnes has led the Volunteers to an AP top-five spot in each of the last four years, a streak only Kansas can match. He has also steered Tennessee to an AP top-six position in each of the past five years, a ledger equaled by just Alabama, Houston and Kansas.
Tennessee defeated Middle Tennessee State, 82-64, last Monday night in its lone game of the week. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier paced the team with 23 points, while senior guard Zakai Zeigler had 17 points and a career-high 15 assists.
With one ballot missing from in the AP voting, the Volunteers earned 1,504 of a possible 1,525 points and received 41 of the 61 first-place nods. In the Coaches Poll, they replicated their numbers from last week, compiling 764 of a possible 775 points, including 20 of the 31 first-place nods.
The Volunteers head a batch of 10 SEC teams in the top 25 of each poll, nine of which are ranked in both. They are featured alongside second-ranked Auburn, No. 5/6 Alabama, No. 6/5 Florida, No. 10/11 Kentucky, No. 12/10 Oklahoma, No. 13/12 Texas A&M, No. 17/16 Mississippi State and No. 24/23 Ole Miss in both polls, while Arkansas in No. 23 in the AP Poll and receiving votes in the Coaches Poll. Additionally, Georgia and Missouri are included in the receiving votes section from both outlets.
Still one of four remaining unbeaten teams nationally, the Volunteers remain second in the NCAA NET rankings and third on KenPom’s list.
Tennessee continues competition Tuesday at 3 p.m. when it hosts Norfolk State at Food City Center in its non-conference finale, live on SEC Network+.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. –Zakai Zeigler of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team is the SEC Player of the Week, as announced Monday afternoon by the league office.
A senior guard from Long Island, N.Y., Zeigler is the second Volunteer to collect the weekly distinction in 2024-25. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier previously did so Nov. 25.
In Tennessee’s lone contest last week, Zeigler posted 17 points and a career-best 15 assists in an 82-64 victory Monday night versus Middle Tennessee State at Food City Center. It marked his second straight double-double, a first for him as a collegian, and pushed his career double-double tally to 11. He also shot 8-of-9 from the line to set season bests in makes and attempts.
Zeigler’s 15 assists matched Fred Jenkins’ ledger on Feb. 28, 1987, for the fifth-most in program history, with that also the most recent 15-assist performance by a Volunteer.
The two-time reigning All-SEC designee notched the highest single-game assist total by an SEC player in a non-conference game since Nov. 15, 2019. Zeigler also became the league’s first competitor with a 15-point, 15-assist showing in a regulation non-conference game in the last 20 seasons (2005-25).
This is the second SEC Player of the Week plaudit for Zeigler, who also collected the honor on Jan. 30, 2023, during his sophomore campaign.
Thirteen different individuals have combined for 22 total SEC Player of the Week distinctions during head coach Rick Barnes‘ 10-year tenure. Zeigler is the fourth among that group to win multiple recognitions, joining Dalton Knecht (four), Grant Williams (four) and Admiral Schofield (three), with the latter two the only others to garner the nod in multiple seasons.
Zeigler and top-ranked Tennessee (12-0) resume action Tuesday at 3 p.m. with their non-conference finale, as they host Norfolk State at Food City Center, live on SEC Network+.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
Greeneville, TN (WOKI) A driver for Greene County Solid Waste is the victim of a fatal crash Monday in Greeneville.
Greeneville Police Department officials say Kenny Ricker was traveling west on East McKee Street at around 9:22 a.m. when the truck, owned by Greene County Solid Waste, dropped off the edge of the roadway near the Winchester Drive intersection.
GPD says the truck came back onto the roadway and rolled onto its passenger side before the cab hit a tree on the opposite side of the road.
Emergency responders extracted Ricker who died as a result of the crash. His body was then taken to the Quillen College of Medicine in Johnson City for an autopsy.
Officials report that the road was wet and slippery at the time of the crash and that the truck sustained disabling damage.
A crash report noted that the road was wet and slippery at the time of the crash.
Nashville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) If you are looking for something to do on New Year’s Day, there’s no better place to go than the great outdoors!
Tennessee State Parks is inviting those who wish to jumpstart their New Year’s resolutions to be more active to get their hearts pumping at their local state park.
Park rangers will offer free guided hikes for all ages on January 1.
These “First Day Hikes” are part of Tennessee State Parks’ year-long “Signature Hikes” series, with most of the 59 parks hosting the events statewide.
The First Day Hikes vary from easy walks to strenuous ones.
The following are participating state parks in East Tennessee:
Harrison Bay
Sycamore Shoals
Norris Dam
Seven Islands
Cumberland Trail
Fort Loudoun
Panther Creek
Frozen Head
Indian Mountain
Red Clay
Hiwassee Ocoee
Roan Mountain
Cove Lake
Warriors Path
Rocky Fork
Officials said hikers are encouraged to wear closed-toed walking shoes and layered clothing and to bring water and snacks.
Click here for details about the First Day Hikes at each park.
The First Day Hikes vary from easy walks to strenuous ones. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Posted on January 1, 2025 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
COSBY, Tenn. (WVLT) – With the year coming to an end, a new legislative session is on the horizon. Hurricane Helene is expected to be a major topic when state lawmakers return in January. Republican State Rep. Jeremy Faison tells WVLT News he is working on legislation that would give homeowners impacted by natural disasters…… Continue Reading
Posted on January 1, 2025 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Tennessee’s age-verification law, the Protect Tennessee Minors Act, was set to go into effect on Jan. 1. However, two days before the law goes into effect, the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) said a Tennessee District Court judge has blocked the law. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Tennessee to enforce stricter online controls for minors in 2025…… Continue Reading
Posted on January 1, 2025 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
TAZEWELL, Tenn. (WVLT) – It’s been nearly a week since the Tazewell Police Department said an officer was shot at, and they are still searching for who was responsible. Last Thursday morning, Officer Andrew Harris responded to a home near the intersection of Old Cave Springs Road and Old Highway 25-E after there was a report of…… Continue Reading
Posted on January 1, 2025 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
Game Recap: Men’s Basketball | December 31, 2024 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball wrapped up the calendar year by defeating Norfolk State, 67-52, Tuesday afternoon at Food City Center. Top-ranked Tennessee (13-0) led from start to finish behind a game-high 24 points from fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier, sealing an unblemished non-conference record for the…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 31, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After a breakout first season on Rocky Top, Tennessee senior tight end Miles Kitselman will return for the 2025 campaign, he officially announced on Monday. Last week, the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved a waiver that extends an extra year of eligibility in 2025-26 to athletes who previously competed at a non-NCAA school…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 31, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee men’s basketball team is ranked atop the nation’s major polls for the fourth consecutive week. Tennessee (12-0) is once again listed first in both the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, as released Monday afternoon. This is the ninth time, across three campaigns, the…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 31, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. –Zakai Zeigler of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team is the SEC Player of the Week, as announced Monday afternoon by the league office. A senior guard from Long Island, N.Y., Zeigler is the second Volunteer to collect the weekly distinction in 2024-25. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier previously did so Nov. 25. In Tennessee’s lone…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 31, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Greeneville, TN (WOKI) A driver for Greene County Solid Waste is the victim of a fatal crash Monday in Greeneville. Greeneville Police Department officials say Kenny Ricker was traveling west on East McKee Street at around 9:22 a.m. when the truck, owned by Greene County Solid Waste, dropped off the edge of the roadway near…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 31, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Newport, TN (WOKI) A death investigation is underway after a body is found Monday at an apartment complex in Newport. Officials with the Newport Police Department say the death occurred at Village East Apartments. While information is limited at this time, NPD says there is nothing that leads investigators to believe foul play was involved.…… Continue Reading
Posted on December 31, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Nashville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) If you are looking for something to do on New Year’s Day, there’s no better place to go than the great outdoors! Tennessee State Parks is inviting those who wish to jumpstart their New Year’s resolutions to be more active to get their hearts pumping at their local state park.…… Continue Reading
