Unicoi County, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Transportation today Thursday reopened a section of I-26 in Unicoi County closed previously due to flooding from Hurricane Helene.
TDOT officials say the roadway is open from the Tennessee/North Carolina state line to Exit 40 in Erwin, Tennessee for local traffic and deliveries only. Officials stress that the interstate is not open to commercial vehicles or thru-traffic.
They add that local law enforcement will be on the road to enforce the restrictions.
According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, all roads in western North Carolina should still be considered closed due to the widespread damage.
In addition, TDOT says drivers should use extreme caution along the Nolichucky River corridor while crews continue assessing local roads, and State Route 36 remains impassable in Unicoi County.
I-26 in Unicoi County reopens after Helene flooding, TDOT says. (Pexels)
NEW YORK — For the fourth consecutive year, Tennessee’s offensive line has earned a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll, recognizing the nation’s most outstanding offensive line units.
The Vols are one of 22 teams on the 2024 honor roll, including four SEC units.
Tennessee’s offensive line has paved the way and protected for a unit that is putting up 519 yards of total offense per game, ranking second in the SEC and fifth in the FBS this season. The Vols lead the league and rank fourth nationally in scoring offense (46.0 points per game), while UT’s rushing attack ranks atop the conference and fifth in the country with 266.8 yards per game on the ground.
The Vols’ 2024 offensive line unit has combined for 138 collegiate starts. Preseason first team All-American center Cooper Mays and senior right guard Javontez Spraggins have been mainstays on the o-line during the Josh Heupel era, touting 37 and 42 career starts respectively. Mays has not allowed a sack in 19 straight appearances, a streak that dates to the 2022 season and spans more than 600 pass block snaps according to PFF.
Under the direction of offensive line coach Glen Elarbee, Tennessee was named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award in 2022 and 2023. The Vols joined Oregon, Georgia and Michigan as the only schools to accomplish that feat.
The Joe Moore Award is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history, most notably for his work at Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh.
The Joe Moore Award voting committee judges solely on six criteria: toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique and finishing. The selection of semifinalists will be made on Nov. 12, and finalists will be chosen on Dec. 3. Selection of the 2024 Joe Moore Award winner will be made public after a surprise visit to the winning university’s campus in late December.
2024 Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll Alabama Army Clemson Iowa Kansas State Louisiana LSU Miami Michigan Navy Ohio State Oregon Penn State Rutgers SMU Tennessee Texas Texas Tech UConn UNLV Western Michigan West Virginia
Knoxville, Tenn. – The Knox County Health Department will offer free flu shots at four locations as a part of the Tennessee Department of Health’s Fight Flu TN Day. Fight Flu TN will take place on Oct. 15 with select locations across the state offering free flu shots.
KCHD will offer the vaccines at the following locations:
Knox County Health Department
8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
140 Dameron Ave
Sarah Simpson Professional Development Technology Center
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
801 Tipton Ave (in the Great Room)
Sarah Moore Greene Elementary
4:30 – 7 p.m.
3001 Brooks Ave
Lonsdale Elementary
4:30 – 7 p.m.
1505 Louisiana Ave
The clinics are open to the public. KCHD will vaccinate insured and uninsured adults and children at no cost to the patient. No appointments are needed.
NOTE FOR FIRST-TIME VOTERS – Be aware that, while having your voter registration card is helpful to speed up the early voting process, you do not need it to vote. However, all voters must present a photo identification issued by the State of Tennessee (such as a Tennessee Driver’s License) or the Federal Government (such as a passport).
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT / WOKI) – Six Tennessee counties are seeing election updates after devastating floods brought by Hurricane Helene.
Secretary of State Tre Hargett made the announcement Wednesday, saying the state and local election officials are working to make sure voters can cast a ballot this election, whether it be in-person or absentee.
“The devastation experienced in northeast Tennessee is heartbreaking and unimaginable,” said Secretary Hargett. “However, I continue to be amazed at the planning and resiliency of our local election officials. We have been working with our local elections administrators — Josh Blanchard, Sarah Fain, Tracy Harris, Dana Jones, Cheri Lipford, and Justin Reaves — throughout the entirety of this disaster, and their unwavering leadership and commitment will ensure this election proceeds as planned, so registered voters have the opportunity to vote.”
Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington Counties have all been affected. Below is the latest information from Hargett’s office:
Carter County:
Two Election Day polling places have temporarily been changed and voters in the impacted areas will vote at their temporary location on Election Day. Notices are being sent to local media and letters are being mailed to the impacted voters. Hampton High School (Tiger Valley Precinct) will vote at Hampton Elementary Elk Mill VFD (Elk Mills Precinct) will vote at Little Milligan Elementary
Early Voting:
Carter County Election Commission, 116 Holston Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643 Monday through Friday (9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), Saturday (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon)
Cocke County:
The Election Commission has moved to 157 Western Plaza Drive, Newport, TN 37821 The new mailing address is PO Box 459, Newport, TN 37822.
Early Voting:
Western Plaza Shopping Center, 157 Western Plaza Drive, Newport, TN 37821 Monday through Friday (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.), Saturday (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon) with extended hours October 30 and 31 (9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
Greene County:
All locations are expected to be open by Election Day. Voters are encouraged to monitor road conditions for possible closures.
Early Voting:
Greene County Election Commission, 311 CCU Boulevard, Suite 1, Greeneville, TN 37745 Monday, Wednesday, Friday (8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.), Tuesday and Thursday (8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.), Saturday (8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Johnson County:
Access to the Trade Community Center polling place is limited. Election officials are monitoring repairs to HWY 421 to determine if additional adjustments are needed. The Trade Community Center polling location is expected to be open. If this changes, notice will be widely distributed.
Early Voting:
National Guard Armory, 1923 S Shady Street, Mountain City, TN 37683 Monday (8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.), Tuesday through Friday (8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.), Saturday (8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon)
Unicoi County:
Election Day Voting at the Temple Hill Elementary School will now occur in the library. Voters can gain access at the left rear of the building.
Johnson City Fire Station #8, 106 Gray Commons Circle, Gray, TN 37615 Freedom Hall, 1320 Pactolas Road, Johnson City, TN 37604 Old Jonesborough Middle School, 308 Forest Drive, Jonesborough, TN 37659 Monday through Friday (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.), Saturday (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon), Extended hours October 29th (9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.) Washington College Academy, 116 Doak Lane, Limestone, TN 37681 October 22-26, Tuesday through Friday (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.), Saturday (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon)
There have also been updates to who can and cannot request an absentee ballot. According to Hargett, those affected by the flooding can qualify.
That means anyone who has been displaced outside their county or relief workers who have moved in from other parts of the state can request to vote by mail.
For those who have lost a photo ID, the state has set up several existing and temporary locations to get replacements:
Elizabethton Driver Services Center
1741 HWY 19 E Bypass
Elizabethton, TN 37643
Newport Grammar School
301 College Street
Newport, TN 37821
Unicoi Police Department
3600 Unicoi Drive
Unicoi, TN 37692
Greeneville Driver Services and Reinstatement Center
1210 Hal Henard Road
Greeneville, TN 37743
Johnson County Clerk (Duplicates and Renewals of Non-CDL Only)
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has a page set up for anyone needing information on interstate detour routes, road closures, traffic impacts and other traffic information.
HAMBLEN COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – Farmers in Hamblen County are now having to lean on each other after devastating flooding from Helene wiped out much of what they’ve worked generations for.
Connie Holdway said her husband has lived along Enka Highway for 77 years.
“I said ‘Well, we have to leave our properties, so what do you want to take?’ He said ‘Well, nothing. Everything will be safe; nobody will bother it. We will be back in the morning.’ So, I said okay and grabbed a few things,’” Connie said.
Water from the Nolichucky River never touched their home until flood waters from Helene ravaged East Tennessee.
Connie said when they returned, not only were their homes flooded but their lives were too.
“We had cows floating down the river because we assumed they would be fine with the houses. We were trying to call our cows out of the river, and we were fortunate to get a few of them to come to us, but it was so pitiful,” Connie said. “I know that cows are not the most important thing because I know we lost lives during this flood all along the Nolichucky, so I have to praise God that we’re alive.”
Other farmers living along the Nolichucky in the Lowland community lost their homes and farms as well, including Eddie Gilbert.
“At 69 years, I am ready to retire, but I don’t want to go down and sit down. But this makes you want to go home and sit down. I got a lot of neighbors that feel the same way, but I am not a quitter. The good Lord will see me through.”
Gilbert said generations of hard work at Gilbert Farms is now completely destroyed. He said his dad started farming on the land in 1948.
“Crops wise, we’ve lost close to half a million dollars between the hay, the corn and the soybeans. The grass, we’re having to feed the cattle hay now because it is so muddy they can’t eat it,” Gilbert said. “It’s going to take another generation. At my age, I will never see it recover completely. It will take another generation for it to recover.”
“You know people are so gracious and kind, and how could you not love the world that we live in when we have people like that?” Holdway said.
The Knoxville Police Department has been awarded a $700,000 grant to enhance its ability to quickly identify individuals who are engaged in violent crime, the guns used in those crimes, and their sources.
Last week, it was announced that the KPD had received the maximum $700,000 award through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s 2024 Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Integration Initiative. The grant award is designated for the implementation of a new crime gun intelligence center (CGIC) in collaboration with the ATF.
“We have made significant strides in preventing violence and identifying those driving violent crime in Knoxville, and this grant will only help us build on that work,” Chief of Police Paul Noel said. “Crime gun intelligence centers have an established track record of successfully identifying the small number of the most violent individuals in cities all across the country. This grant will greatly expand our investigative resources and position our department to positively impact gun violence all across the region.”
“Stopping gun violence in our community requires partnership, intentionality, and focus,” said Mayor Indya Kincannon. “This grant will bolster our efforts to get violent criminals off our streets.”
Crime gun intelligence centers are defined as an “interagency collaboration focused on the immediate collection, management, and analysis of crime gun evidence, such as shell casings, in real time, in an effort to identify shooters, disrupt criminal activity, and to prevent future violence. CGICs rely on an ongoing collaboration between the ATF, local police department, the local crime laboratory, probation and parole, local police gang units, prosecuting attorneys, U.S. Attorney’s Office, crime analysts, community groups, and academic organizations.”
Multiple area law enforcement agencies and partners submitted letters of support that were included in the grant application, including the ATF, District Attorney General Charme Allen, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Knox County Sheriff’s Office and University of Tennessee Police Department.
The grant funding will allow the KPD to expand on its already robust firearms and ballistics examination capabilities. The department’s Forensics Unit currently has a three-person team dedicated solely to firearms examination. That team analyzes recovered cartridge casings and firearms in an effort to expediently develop solid investigative leads, potentially connect guns and individuals to crimes through various sources, including the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), and assist in the successful prosecution of violent offenders.
KPD serves as the lead agency for firearms and ballistics examinations in the region, regularly conducting detailed examinations to support investigations into violent crimes that occurred in neighboring jurisdictions.
Knoxville was one of three cities to receive the maximum grant award amount for the implementation of a CGIC. The three-year grant will fund current and additional firearms examination salaries, upgraded equipment and supplies, and travel and training to visit other existing CGIC sites.
Posted on October 10, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Unicoi County, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Transportation today Thursday reopened a section of I-26 in Unicoi County closed previously due to flooding from Hurricane Helene. TDOT officials say the roadway is open from theTennessee/North Carolina state line to Exit 40 in Erwin, Tennessee for local traffic and deliveries only. Officials stress that the…… Continue Reading
Posted on October 10, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
NEW YORK — For the fourth consecutive year, Tennessee’s offensive line has earned a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll, recognizing the nation’s most outstanding offensive line units. The Vols are one of 22 teams on the 2024 honor roll, including four SEC units. Tennessee’s offensive line has paved the way and protected…… Continue Reading
Knoxville Police Detectives need your help to identify a shooting suspect. The shooting happened in the 1500 block of Connecticut Avenue on September 28th and was captured on video. The victim, a 48-year-old man, was shot in the foot. The suspect, wearing dark-colored clothes, ran from the scene. If you have any information, you are…… Continue Reading
Knoxville, Tenn. – The Knox County Health Department will offer free flu shots at four locations as a part of the Tennessee Department of Health’s Fight Flu TN Day. Fight Flu TN will take place on Oct. 15 with select locations across the state offering free flu shots. KCHD will offer the vaccines at the…… Continue Reading
Knox County offers twelve early voting locations – the most ever for a Knox County election – with generous hours and two Saturdays Knoxville – Early voting begins Wednesday, October 16 at eleven (11) locations across Knox County. Those locations are: Additionally, a 12th location will be open on the University of Tennessee campus for the…… Continue Reading
Flood clean-up continues in East Tennessee after Helene and unfortunately another death is confirmed in the state. TEMA says there has been 17 weather-related deaths in Tennessee and officials are still searching for 6 missing people. Governor Bill Lee says the state is extending the tax filing date for businesses in certain disaster areas to…… Continue Reading
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT / WOKI) – Six Tennessee counties are seeing election updates after devastating floods brought by Hurricane Helene. Secretary of State Tre Hargett made the announcement Wednesday, saying the state and local election officials are working to make sure voters can cast a ballot this election, whether it be in-person or absentee. “The…… Continue Reading
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has a page set up for anyone needing information on interstate detour routes, road closures, traffic impacts and other traffic information. Please go to https://www.tn.gov/tdot/projects/projects-region-1/hurricane-helene-recovery.html for updates on East Tennessee Roadway Closures.… Continue Reading
HAMBLEN COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – Farmers in Hamblen County are now having to lean on each other after devastating flooding from Helene wiped out much of what they’ve worked generations for. Connie Holdway said her husband has lived along Enka Highway for 77 years. “I said ‘Well, we have to leave our properties, so what…… Continue Reading
The Knoxville Police Department has been awarded a $700,000 grant to enhance its ability to quickly identify individuals who are engaged in violent crime, the guns used in those crimes, and their sources. Last week, it was announced that the KPD had received the maximum $700,000 award through the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s 2024 Local…… Continue Reading
