Clinton, TN (WOKI) An Oak Ridge man, found guilty of several counts in a grisly Anderson County rape and murder case, will now join 44 other men on Tennessee’s death row.
Sean Finnegan now faces the death penalty after being convicted of 11 of 13 counts Monday including first-degree murder, rape and abuse of a corpse.
The charges stem from a 2020 investigation, during which police said Finnegan and his girlfriend, Rebecca Dishman, held 36-year-old Jennifer Paxton inside their home, torturing and raping her for days before finally killing her.
The jury reconvened Wednesday, recommending the death penalty for Finnegan. The judge approved the sentence.
Sean Finnegan, 56 (Courtesy: Anderson County Sheriff’s Office)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Two suspects are in custody following a robbery in North Knoxville.
Knoxville Police Department officials say 26-year-old Mackenzie Weaver and 29-year-old Matthew Bryson robbed a victim Monday morning at the Red Roof Inn on Central Avenue.
Police say Bryson also assaulted the victim.
They were arrested on Chapman Highway a few hours later.
According to Knoxville Police, Matthew Bryson, 29, and Mackenzie Weaver, 26, robbed the inn early Monday morning.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday afternoon the league schedule for the upcoming 2024-25 men’s basketball season.
The Volunteers, coming off arguably the best season in program history, will play 18 conference games between Jan. 4 and March 8, with both the opener and the finale on their home court at Food City Center. Fewer than 150 season tickets remain and can be purchased HERE.
“The SEC is the nation’s premier basketball conference. It is a deep league the features talented and experienced players, as well as high-level coaches,” Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said. “All 18 games will provide a challenge, which we fully embrace. We look forward to hearing our fans cheer us on at Food City Center as we host some of the very best teams in the country throughout conference play.”
Tennessee, the reigning outright SEC regular season champion, begins league play Jan. 4 at home against Arkansas. The team then heads to Gainesville, Fla., to play its first road contest of the calendar year Jan. 7/8 at Florida.
The Volunteers next visit Austin, Texas, where they play Jan. 11 for their first SEC matchup with new conference member Texas. The two sides met in the NCAA Tournament last year, with Tennessee notching a 62-58 victory to reach a second straight Sweet 16.
Barnes, now in his 10th year on Rocky Top, and the Volunteers then return home for a Jan. 14/15 contest against Georgia before traveling down I-40 to face Vanderbilt in a Jan. 18 affair in Nashville, Tenn.
Tennessee next welcomes Mississippi State to Knoxville for a Jan. 21 game, then makes the trip to Auburn, Ala., where it plays Jan. 25 at Auburn. The Volunteers close the month with a home contest Jan. 28 versus Kentucky.
In the second of three straight SEC home games—its lone stretch with even two in a row—Tennessee has a Feb. 1 outing against Florida. It closes the homestand Jan. 4/5 versus Missouri.
The Volunteers face the SEC’s other new member, Oklahoma, Feb. 8 in Norman, Okla. They follow that with a Feb. 11/12 visit to Lexington, Ky., for a second clash with Kentucky in under two weeks.
Up next for Barnes’ team is a Feb. 15 meeting with Vanderbilt at Food City Center, followed by a midweek bye.
Tennessee then has its third and final back-to-back road swing, first playing Feb. 22 against Texas A&M in Bryan-College Station, Texas, and then Feb. 24/25 versus LSU in Baton Rouge, La.
To begin the final month of the regular season, the Volunteers play March 1 against Alabama. Their SEC road finale is slated for March 4/5 at Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss.
Tennessee concludes the 2024-25 regular season March 8 versus South Carolina at Food City Center. The program will recognize its six-man senior class prior to tipoff.
The Volunteers return two of their top five scorers, senior guards Jordan Gainey and Zakai Zeigler, from a 2023-24 team that went 27-9 (14-4 SEC) and earned the second Elite Eight berth in program history.
Tennessee also brings back senior guard Jahmai Mashack, who appeared in all 36 contests last year, along with sophomores Cameron Carr (guard), J.P. Estrella (forward) and Cade Phillips (forward). The team also brings in five newcomers, including a quartet of experienced transfers and one top-75 freshman.
FULL 2024-25 SEC SCHEDULE Jan. 4 – ARKANSAS Jan. 7/8 – at Florida Jan. 11 – at Texas Jan. 14/15 – GEORGIA Jan. 18 – at Vanderbilt Jan. 21 – MISSISSIPPI STATE Jan. 25 – at Auburn Jan. 28 – KENTUCKY Feb. 1 – FLORIDA Feb. 4/5 – MISSOURI Feb. 8 – at Oklahoma Feb. 11/12 – at Kentucky Feb. 15 – VANDERBILT Feb. 22 – at Texas A&M Feb. 25/26 – at LSU March 1 – ALABAMA March 4/5 – at Ole Miss March 8 – SOUTH CAROLINA
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.
Vonore, TN (WOKI) A former KCSO lieutenant is charged with DUI following a traffic stop in Monroe County.
Officials say Charles Seth Miller quit his job at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility on August 16th, the same day he was arrested in Vonore.
A state trooper says he found 22 empty or partially empty cans of alcoholic beverages inside Miller’s car during a traffic stop on Highway 441.
According to an arrest warrant, Miller also reportedly had a handgun in the car at the time of the arrest, and the trooper struggled to extricate him from the vehicle.
Miller is facing charges of driving under the influence, implied consent, possessing a handgun while under the influence, resisting arrest and open container offenses.
Charles Seth Miller was stopped on U.S. Highway 441 in Vonore by the Tennessee Highway Patrol for erratic driving, the warrants said. (Frankly Media)
KNOXVILLE – Tennessee Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kim Caldwell shared her program’s non-conference schedule on Tuesday, and her Lady Vols are set to face six teams that played in last season’s NCAA Tournament.
Among them are 2024 NCAA Final Four participants UConn and Iowa. The Huskies are No. 3 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, and they will join No. 18 Florida State as ranked non-league teams playing at Food City Center this season. UT, meanwhile, will face last season’s national runner-up Hawkeyes at the Women’s Champions Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Tennessee also squares off vs. three in-state schools outside of league play, including 2024 NCAA qualifiers Middle Tennessee and UT Martin at home. They’ll also visit Memphis and LVFL Alex (Fuller) Simmons in a contest played vs. the Tigers at FedExForum.
Including previously announced SEC opponents, UT is guaranteed to play 16 of its 29 total contests vs. teams making last year’s NCAA field. The total of foes seeing postseason action rises to 19 when including those who competed in the 2024 Women’s Basketball invitation Tournament (WBIT).
Ten match-ups for the Big Orange in 2024-25 will be against teams ranked in the ESPN Way-Too-Early preseason poll. Among them are home tilts vs. No. 1 South Carolina, No. 3 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 18 Florida State, No. 21 Alabama and No. 23 Ole Miss, and road trips to No. 6 Texas, No. 7 LSU and No. 25 Kentucky. Season tickets are available now at AllVols.com
The Lady Vols take the floor for their first contest on Oct. 31, as Carson-Newman comes to town for an exhibition. Tennessee will open the regular season with five home contests in November, starting with Samford on Nov. 5 and UT Martin on Nov. 7. UT will welcome Middle Tennessee to The Summitt on Nov. 12 for the second of a four-game series with the perennial NCAA Tournament program, before Liberty and Western Carolina visit on Nov. 16 and 26, respectively.
December features seven match-ups, with only three occurring at home. No. 18 Florida State starts the proceedings by making a reciprocal trip to Knoxville on Dec. 4 for the SEC-ACC Women’s Basketball Challenge before the Lady Vols wing their way to New York to meet 2024 NCAA runner-up Iowa at the Barclays Center in the Women’s Champions Classic on Dec. 7. After hosting North Carolina Central on Nov. 14, Tennessee will play at Memphis on Dec. 18, followed by a trip to the West Palm Beach Classic on Dec. 20 and 21 vs. opponents that tourney organizers will announce soon. One of those squads made the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
A Dec. 29 home tilt vs. Winthrop and LVFL Semeka Randall Lay is Tennessee’s first action coming off winter break and will serve as a tune-up for SEC play, which is expected to begin the first Thursday in January. The final non-league event will feature a home clash between the Big Orange and No. 3 UConn on Feb. 6. That match-up is part of a home-and-home series that will see the two teams meet in Connecticut next season. The location and date of that game will be shared later.
Carson-Newman (Oct. 31)
This is the 19th meeting between UT and C-N in an exhibition game
Tennessee is 18-0 in exhibitions vs. Carson-Newman
The Lady Vols and Lady Eagles last met on Oct. 30, 2023 (UT, 105-72)
Samford (Nov. 5)
This is the first meeting between these programs
The Bulldogs are members of the Southern Conference
UT Martin (Nov. 7)
This marks the 17th meeting between these teams
Tennessee leads the all-time series, 14-2
The teams last met on March 17, 2012, with the Lady Vols prevailing, 72-49
The Skyhawks made the 2024 NCAA field, notching their fifth all-time berth in the tourney
Middle Tennessee (Nov. 12)
This is the 24th meeting between these programs
UT is 22-1 all-time vs. Middle Tennessee
The Blue Raiders upset Tennessee, 73-62, in Huntsville, Ala., last season on Dec. 6
MTSU made the NCAA Second Round in 2024, knocking off Louisville to open the tourney and pushing LSU before falling in Baton Rouge
Liberty (Nov. 16)
This marks the fourth meeting in series history
UT is 3-0 all-time vs. Liberty
The Lady Vols won the last meeting, 90-55, over the Flames in Lynchburg on Dec. 31, 2023
Western Carolina (Nov. 26)
This will be the 18th meeting in the series
UT holds a 10-7 advantage over the Catamounts
The last meeting came on Nov. 25, 2008, when UT won, 83-56, in Knoxville
Florida State (Dec. 4)
This is the fourth meeting in series history
UT is 2-1 all-time vs. Florida State
The teams last met on Nov. 9, 2023, in Tallahassee, with the Seminoles prevailing, 92-91
FSU was an NCAA First Round participant in 2024
vs. Iowa (Dec. 7)
This is the fourth all-time meeting between these programs
Tennessee holds a 2-1 series advantage
UT won, 72-56, the last time these teams met on March 27, 1993
Iowa was the 2024 NCAA Final Four runner-up
North Carolina Central (Dec. 14)
This is the first meeting between these programs
The Eagles are members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
at Memphis (Dec. 18)
This will mark the 29th meeting between these programs
Tennessee is 27-1 vs. Memphis
The teams last met on Nov. 13, 2023, in Knoxville, with UT winning in overtime, 84-74
Alex (Fuller) Simmons is in her second season as head coach at UM
UT senior Destinee Wells hails from the Memphis suburb of Lakeland
The Lady Vols will play UM in Memphis for the first time since Dec. 29, 2001.
vs. TBD (Dec. 20)
Tennessee’s first game in the West Palm Beach Classic
vs. TBD (Dec. 21)
Tennessee’s second game in the West Palm Beach Classic
Winthrop (Dec. 29)
This is the sixth meeting between Tennessee and Winthrop
UT holds a 3-2 advantage in the series
The teams last met on Nov. 21, 2014, with the Lady Vols winning, 81-48, in Knoxville
LVFL Semeka Randall Lay has led the Eagles since 2020-21
UConn (Feb. 6)
This will mark the 27th meeting between Tennessee and UConn
The Huskies hold a 17-9 all-time series lead
UConn won the last meeting, 84-67, on Jan. 26, 2023, in Knoxville
The Huskies lost in the 2024 NCAA Final Four semifinals
Head coaches Geno Auriemma (1,213-162, 88.2 pct.) and Kim Caldwell (217-31, 87.5 pct.) are both ranked in the active top 10 for career winning percentage at any level of women’s college basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Athletics has announced its 2024 home football game designations in Neyland Stadium as the 15th-ranked Volunteers kick off the fourth season of the Josh Heupel era this fall.
#CheckerNeyland presented by Pilot takes center stage for the Vols’ SEC home opener against Florida on Oct. 12. #CheckerNeyland showcases Tennessee’s iconic checkerboard pattern through Neyland Stadium. This will be the eighth #CheckerNeyland in program history.
When Tennessee hosts Kentucky on Nov. 2, it will be the third annual Champions Weekend presented by Pilot. That weekend, past teams and individuals who won SEC and/or NCAA championships during specific years and celebrating anniversaries are invited back to Rocky Top.
UT will also recognize the 2024 Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame Class when the Wildcats visit Neyland Stadium. The 2024 class was formally inducted last spring and includes: softball’s Sarah Fekete-Bailey, women’s basketball’s Sheila Frost, football’s John Henderson, track and field’s Stan Huntsman, volleyball’s Julie Knytych, legacy inductee Jim Haslam and trailblazer inductee Ann Baker Furrow.
Homecoming is set for Nov. 9 when the Vols take on Mississippi State. It will be just the second time in the past 15 years that the Bulldogs visit Knoxville. The Kentucky and Mississippi State games are night kickoffs in the 6-8 p.m. ET window.
The annual Salute to Service game, which honors our nation’s service members, veterans and their families, is slated for Nov. 23 when UTEP visits Neyland Stadium. The home finale against the Miners will also serve as Senior Day. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
Tennessee opens its 128th season on Aug. 31 against Chattanooga. Limited tickets remain on sale for the 12:45 p.m. contest at AllVols.com.
The Vols are welcoming all youth for Youth Sports Day presented by DICK’S House of Sport on Aug. 31. All youth participants are invited to experience the Youth Sports Day Zone pregame in Vol Village including photo ops, inflatables and more. Vol Village is open from 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Tickets to the Chattanooga game for Youth Sports Day are available here.
Tennessee home games versus Kent State, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and Mississippi State are sold out. Season tickets are sold out for the second straight season, a year after the Vols led the SEC in accumulated attendance (713,405) and average attendance (101,915). Fans interested in purchasing future new season tickets can fill out the 2025 season ticket interest form.
2024 Tennessee Football Game Designations Oct. 12 Florida – #CheckerNeyland presented by Pilot Nov. 2 Kentucky – Champions Weekend presented by Pilot, 2024 Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame Recognition Nov. 9 Mississippi State – Homecoming Nov. 23 UTEP – Salute To Service, Senior Day
Nashville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) Tennessee has unveiled new designs for drivers licenses and ID cards.
The new design features Tennessee’s state capitol and flag. It also has waves and patterns printed in very fine lines which cannot be scanned or easily reproduced (see photo below).
Officials said the new credentials are made with a sturdy polycarbonate composition. They include elaborate overlapping of data and graphics and laser-engraved elements that will show if the document has been altered or is fraudulent.
Additionally, the back of the card contains a machine-readable barcode with applicable classes, endorsements, and restrictions. A mini ghost image repeated from the photograph is encoded as an element for automated validation to help reduce identity theft.
State officials say this does not mean you have to go out and get the drivers license right now.
“The current one that [you] have is valid until the expiration date. If [you] do come in to get a renewal, or a replacement or a duplicate, then [you] will get the new license” said Tennessee Department of Homeland Security Spokesperson Marlo Mason speaking with WOKI news partner WVLT.
In addition to a new design for licenses and IDs, new self-service kiosks are being rolled out to reduce wait times at Driver Service Centers.
“We are excited about the added flexibility and convenience the new self-service kiosks will provide for Tennesseans,” said TDOSHS Commissioner Jeff Long. “Citizens can complete many Driver Services transactions at one of these new kiosks, which will help reduce wait times at Driver Services Centers.”
In addition to new a new design for licenses and IDs, new self-service kiosks are being rolled out to reduce wait times at Driver Service Centers. (Courtesy: TDOSHS)
Posted on August 21, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Clinton, TN (WOKI) An Oak Ridge man, found guilty of several counts in a grisly Anderson County rape and murder case, will now join 44 other men on Tennessee’s death row. Sean Finnegan now faces the death penalty after being convicted of 11 of 13 counts Monday including first-degree murder, rape and abuse of a…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 21, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Two suspects are in custody following a robbery in North Knoxville. Knoxville Police Department officials say 26-year-old Mackenzie Weaver and 29-year-old Matthew Bryson robbed a victim Monday morning at the Red Roof Inn on Central Avenue. Police say Bryson also assaulted the victim. They were arrested on Chapman Highway a few hours…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 21, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
Share: Men’s BasketballAugust 20, 2024 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday afternoon the league schedule for the upcoming 2024-25 men’s basketball season. The Volunteers, coming off arguably the best season in program history, will play 18 conference games between Jan. 4 and March 8, with both the opener and the finale on their home…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 21, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Vonore, TN (WOKI) A former KCSO lieutenant is charged with DUI following a traffic stop in Monroe County. Officials say Charles Seth Miller quit his job at the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility on August 16th, the same day he was arrested in Vonore. A state trooper says he found 22 empty or partially empty…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 21, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A longtime business leader in Knoxville has passed away. Bill Baxter, the CEO of Holston Gas, passed away on Sunday; he was 71. The Wort Hotel, a historic hotel in Jackson, Wyoming which Baxter owned, made the announcement on Sunday. Baxter was also chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority board and economic…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 20, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Blount County, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: A Blount County infant at the center of a TBI Endangered Child Alert has been found. Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation say two-month-old Chremson Blair was located Tuesday morning and is safe. The baby was reported missing Monday, having last been seen on August 9. In their alert,…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 20, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Police have charged a woman in connection to a fatal hit-and-run crash Monday night on North Broadway. KPD says officers were called to the crash near Buchanan Avenue just before 9:00 p.m. for a woman who had been hit by a car that left the scene. Police say 75-year-old Ollie Jenkins…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 20, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
KNOXVILLE – Tennessee Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kim Caldwell shared her program’s non-conference schedule on Tuesday, and her Lady Vols are set to face six teams that played in last season’s NCAA Tournament. Among them are 2024 NCAA Final Four participants UConn and Iowa. The Huskies are No. 3 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25, and…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 20, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Athletics has announced its 2024 home football game designations in Neyland Stadium as the 15th-ranked Volunteers kick off the fourth season of the Josh Heupel era this fall. #CheckerNeyland presented by Pilot takes center stage for the Vols’ SEC home opener against Florida on Oct. 12. #CheckerNeyland showcases Tennessee’s iconic checkerboard pattern through Neyland Stadium. This will…… Continue Reading
Posted on August 20, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Nashville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) Tennessee has unveiled new designs for drivers licenses and ID cards. The new design features Tennessee’s state capitol and flag. It also has waves and patterns printed in very fine lines which cannot be scanned or easily reproduced (see photo below). Officials said the new credentials are made with a…… Continue Reading
