Rocky Hill, TN (WOKI) The co-owners of Rocky Hill Pharmacy are set to face trial in January after pleading not guilty in a case regarding a health care fraud conspiracy.
Tiffany Haney and Anne Warren, both licensed pharmacists, were indicted on multiple charges earlier this month amid accusations they were part of a health care fraud conspiracy that involved altering and forging prescriptions to get money from drug plan and pharmacy benefit managers.
According to court documents, a jury trial has been set for January 21, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. at the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville.
According to federal indictment documents, both women are accused of conspiring to commit health care fraud, making false statements relating to health care matters and aggravated identity theft.
A jury trial has been set for January 21, 2025 in Knoxville. (Credit: Frankly Media)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has lowered the age recommendation for people who should get vaccinated for pneumonia from age 65 to 50.
This as pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses surge in East Tennessee and across the country.
The CDC says lower the recommended age will better protect adults who are in that age range where the risk of respiratory illness significantly increases. The updated age-based recommendation could improve pneumococcal vaccination coverage among adults 50 through 64 years old with a risk condition. Risk conditions include chronic conditions, immunocompromising conditions, and other factors that can increase someone’s risk for pneumococcal disease.
Pneumococcal bacteria can cause serious illnesses, including pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections.
POWELL, Tenn. (Courtesy of our news partner WVLT) – For more than three weeks, the family of Savannah Copeland has grieved their loss after the 13-year-old was killed in the Broadacres neighborhood of Powell.
Malakiah Harris, 15, was charged with second degree murder after investigators believe he was the one responsible for Copeland’s death.
“I think it was a lack of compassion and a lack of empathy that drove the hand that took my daughter’s life,” said Savannah’s dad Michael Copeland.
Copeland said he knew something was wrong after not hearing from his daughter hours after she went missing from her home overnight. Using technology on his phone, he was able to track her location which would later reveal a tragic discovery for investigators along a popular walking path in the woods.
“Right now there’s not a lot of joy or genuine happiness,” said Copeland.
While this family has grieved, they’ve also been grateful from the outpouring of love and support from people across East Tennessee. People have been placing notes, flowers and items outside the Broadacres neighborhood sign near the area Copeland was killed.
“It helps to kind of restore my faith in God and everyone around us,” said Copeland.
Savannah was known for being passionate about cheerleading, which she did at Powell Middle School. Copeland said the cheer team has now started an award that will be given to someone on the team every year that embodies Savannah’s character the most.
“Spunkiness, eagerness, and kind of a go getter attitude I guess you should say,” said Copeland.
At the very spot where Copeland’s daughter was killed, there is now a cross with several important belongings that represent the 13-year-old. Instead of that spot being a reminder of tragedy, this family is choosing to see that place as a spot where they can remember the fond memories of their daughter.
Copeland is hopeful that people will see that cross and memorial and let it be a reminder to be kind to others.
“I’m not going to allow my heart to be filled with that kind of rage, it’s going to be filled with compassion. That’s the only way I know how to defeat evil.”
Copeland hoped to make that space a more permanent reminder of compassion and was to remember his daughter by building a bench and a more permanent structure for people to spend time at.
Harris, the teen accused of killing Copeland, will be in court once again on January 14, 2025.
A Maryville man is convicted of assaulting police, among other felony and misdemeanor charges, during 2021’s January 6th breach of the U.S. Capitol.
The FBI says 35-year-old Edward Kelley was found guilty of three felonies, destruction of government property and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers.
Kelley joined a growing list of people who stormed the Capitol after the 2020 election, upset with election results.
The FBI pointed to several videos which showed Kelley entering the building and assaulting officers.
So far, more than 1,500 people have been charged for crimes related to January 6th.
Maryville, TN (WOKI) One man is dead and a woman is injured following a shooting Thursday morning at the office of adult probation in Maryville.
Officials with the Maryville Police Department say an active shooter call prompted a large police response around 10:00 a.m. at Blount County’s adult probation office.
The caller told police that two people, a man and a woman, had been shot; they were later identified as 39-year-old Brian Steven Yates and 43-year-old Rikki Nicole Allen.
MPD says Yates shot Allen then himself. Officials add that the two share two children, but neither were present during the shooting.
No other injuries were reported, and the investigation is ongoing.
Scene safe after shooting in Maryville, police say. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Monroe County, TN (WOKI) The wife of a man accused in a Monroe County murder has been arrested.
Nicholas Hamlett made headlines after he was accused of murdering 34-year-old Steven Lloyd, making a fake call to 911 claiming he was a distressed hiker, then fleeing the state; he was taken into custody on Sunday.
According to charging documents, Hamlett’s wife, Taylor Fiber, is now facing numerous charges including lying to police concerning her husband’s identity and helping Hamlett evade capture by purchasing him a bus ticket to South Carolina so he could flee the state.
Fiber’s arrest warrant also states she warned Hamlett that law enforcement was on the lookout for him.
Nicholas Wayne Hamlett made headlines after he was accused of murdering 34-year-old Steven Douglas Lloyd, making a fake call to 911 claiming he was a distressed hiker, then fleeing the state. (Courtesy: TBI)
Greeneville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE 11/14: The verdict is in for Sean Williams. The federal trial undertaken this week in East Tennessee for Williams who prompted a month-long manhunt after escaping custody in October of 2023.
The 55-year-old Williams found guilty on all counts after less than 30 minutes of jury deliberation Thursday in his child sex crimes trial.
Williams faces a minimum of 15 years on each count and a maximum of 30 years on each.
The former Johnson City businessman is charged with three federal counts of child sex crimes; specifically, court documents said he had several pictures and videos of minors that he assaulted in Johnson City.
Williams’ case also prompted a lawsuit against Johnson City, which claimed police officers knew about his crimes but never charged him.
The department has denied the allegations.
ORIGINAL STORY: After a series of delays and an eleventh-hour rejection of a plea deal Tuesday, the federal trial for child sex crimes suspect Sean Williams is underway in Greeneville.
The 55-year-old Williams led law enforcement on a manhunt after escaping custody in October of 2023 while being transported from Laurel County, Kentucky to Greeneville, Tennessee.
Williams was later taken into custody and charged with three federal counts of child sex crimes. Specifically, court documents said he had several pictures and videos of minors that he assaulted in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Apart from the charges Williams faces, his case also prompted a lawsuit against Johnson City, which claimed police officers knew about his crimes but never charged him. The department has denied the allegations.
Sean Williams is arrested after fleeing custody. (Courtesy: Avery Jordan | Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Head coach Karen Weekly and the Tennessee softball program announced its complete 2025 schedule on Thursday. The Lady Vols had previously released their opening weekend and Southeastern Conference contests earlier in the fall.
The Lady Vols will host 24 games at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, with 15 road games and 13 neutral-site matchups. Tennessee is set to play 13 teams and 29 games against opponents that reached the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Of those 13 teams, six reached the Super Regionals, with four advancing to the Women’s College World Series. Two teams – Oklahoma and Texas – faced each other in the WCWS Championship Series.
Tennessee softball will open its season in Clearwater, Florida, for the second time in the past three seasons, taking part in the 2025 NFCA Leadoff Classic at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Opening Day for the Big Orange will be Thursday, Feb. 6, as it faces Nebraska at 7 p.m. ET. UT will also play Bethune-Cookman, Iowa, Notre Dame, Northwestern*, and Pittsburgh in the season’s first weekend.
The second weekend of February sees Tennessee travel to Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Beaumont, Texas, for a split tournament at McNeese State and Lamar (Feb. 14-16). The Orange & White will play McNeese State, Tulsa, Lamar, and Nicholls State.
Moving west, Tennessee heads back to Cathedral City, California, for the second year in a row for the 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, Feb. 20-22. Games against Oregon*, Oregon State, Rutgers, UCLA*, and Minnesota await the Lady Vols in The Golden State.
UT opens at home on Feb. 26 against Radford before hosting Delaware State, Indiana State, and UT-Martin in the Tennessee Classic, Feb. 28-March 2.
The remaining non-conference slate includes a midweek contest against Duke* (March 11), followed by a three-game series against UConn (March 14-16). The Lady Vols’ annual trip to Columbia, Tennessee, for the Mid-State Classic is set for March 18.
Western Carolina (April 1) and Clemson* (April 22) round out UT’s final midweek matchups.
In conference play, the two-time defending SEC champion Lady Vols begin their title defense on the road against Georgia* (March 7-9). Tennessee’s other road series will feature contests at Oklahoma* (March 28-30), Texas* (April 11-13), and Ole Miss* (April 25-27).
Tennessee’s home slate starts with Arkansas* (March 22-24), followed by Mississippi State* (April 4-6) and Auburn* (April 17-19), before wrapping up the regular season with Texas A&M* (May 1-3).
The 2025 SEC Tournament will be held at Georgia’s Turner Softball Stadium in Athens, Georgia. The tournament will begin on Tuesday, May 6, with the championship game slated to be played on Saturday, May 10.
Single-game tickets for Lady Vols softball will go on sale mid-January. Fans interested in group tickets should visit this LINK.
All dates and times for the 2025 schedule are subject to change.
There is an update and the murder case of a 13-year-old girl in Powell.
Prosecutors say the 15-year-old suspect Malakiah Harris could be tried as an adult during a preliminary hearing yesterday (Wed). Steps are in motion to transfer him to adult court.
Judge Tim Irwin says this could take a while, Harrris will appear in court again next year in January.
He is accused of stabbing a 13 year-old girl to death in Broadacres Subdivision on October 22nd.
A Knoxville man is in custody after a lengthy police chase.
35 year-old Anthony Dennis is facing several charges, including felony reckless endangerment, after the chase.
He was spotted by police Friday night at his home on Langly Place and officers who tried to take him into custody for an existing warrant but he left the scene in his car on Parkside Drive “driving extremely erratic.”
From there, the report outlines how Dennis drove through residential neighborhoods, along Kingston Pike and even on Pellissippi Parkway in the wrong direction.
During the chase, which spanned several officers as they made the decision to pull back and others reengaged, Dennis drove dangerously.
Officers outlined how Dennis swerved in front of cars while driving in the wrong direction, moving out of the way at the last second to avoid hitting them before he eventually crashed on Ball Camp Byington Road in the Hardin Valley area.
According to the report, Dennis then tried to run on foot, but was caught by an officer’s K9.
Dennis is wanted out of Virginia for a felony violation of parole.
Posted on November 15, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Rocky Hill, TN (WOKI) The co-owners of Rocky Hill Pharmacy are set to face trial in January after pleading not guilty in a case regarding a health care fraud conspiracy. Tiffany Haney and Anne Warren, both licensed pharmacists, were indicted on multiple charges earlier this month amid accusations they were part of a health care…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 15, 2024 by rcadle • 0 Comments
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has lowered the age recommendation for people who should get vaccinated for pneumonia from age 65 to 50. This as pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses surge in East Tennessee and across the country. The CDC says lower the recommended age will better protect adults who are in that…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 15, 2024 by rcadle • 0 Comments
POWELL, Tenn. (Courtesy of our news partner WVLT) – For more than three weeks, the family of Savannah Copeland has grieved their loss after the 13-year-old was killed in the Broadacres neighborhood of Powell. Malakiah Harris, 15, was charged with second degree murder after investigators believe he was the one responsible for Copeland’s death. “I think…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 15, 2024 by rcadle • 0 Comments
A Maryville man is convicted of assaulting police, among other felony and misdemeanor charges, during 2021’s January 6th breach of the U.S. Capitol. The FBI says 35-year-old Edward Kelley was found guilty of three felonies, destruction of government property and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers. Kelley joined a growing list of people who stormed the…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 14, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Maryville, TN (WOKI) One man is dead and a woman is injured following a shooting Thursday morning at the office of adult probation in Maryville. Officials with the Maryville Police Department say an active shooter call prompted a large police response around 10:00 a.m. at Blount County’s adult probation office. The caller told police that…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 14, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Monroe County, TN (WOKI) The wife of a man accused in a Monroe County murder has been arrested. Nicholas Hamlett made headlines after he was accused of murdering 34-year-old Steven Lloyd, making a fake call to 911 claiming he was a distressed hiker, then fleeing the state; he was taken into custody on Sunday. According…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 14, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Greeneville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE 11/14: The verdict is in for Sean Williams. The federal trial undertaken this week in East Tennessee for Williams who prompted a month-long manhunt after escaping custody in October of 2023. The 55-year-old Williams found guilty on all counts after less than 30 minutes of jury deliberation Thursday in his child…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 14, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
SoftballNovember 14, 2024 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Head coach Karen Weekly and the Tennessee softball program announced its complete 2025 schedule on Thursday. The Lady Vols had previously released their opening weekend and Southeastern Conference contests earlier in the fall. The Lady Vols will host 24 games at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium, with 15 road games and 13 neutral-site…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 14, 2024 by rcadle • 0 Comments
There is an update and the murder case of a 13-year-old girl in Powell. Prosecutors say the 15-year-old suspect Malakiah Harris could be tried as an adult during a preliminary hearing yesterday (Wed). Steps are in motion to transfer him to adult court. Judge Tim Irwin says this could take a while, Harrris will appear…… Continue Reading
Posted on November 14, 2024 by rcadle • 0 Comments
A Knoxville man is in custody after a lengthy police chase. 35 year-old Anthony Dennis is facing several charges, including felony reckless endangerment, after the chase. He was spotted by police Friday night at his home on Langly Place and officers who tried to take him into custody for an existing warrant but he left…… Continue Reading
