The Blount County Sheriff’s Office says two men are charged after 350 gallons of stolen diesel fuel is found in their minivan.
Sheriff James Lee Berrong says a deputy was patrolling East Lamar Alexander Parkway when he saw a Dodge Caravan parked on the far side of Lem’s Korner’s parking lot, the minivan pulled out going below the speed limit so the deputy followed the van but the driver, 28-year-old Arianley Camejo-Morales of Miami, Florida, did not stop and continued driving at low speeds before crashing into a tree in the 2200 block of Sevierville Road.
He and his passenger, 23-year-old Roberto Gutierrez-Morales of Houston, Texas, ran from the scene but were arrested.
Deputies found a 250-gallon gas tank and two 50-gallon cylinders filled with diesel fuel. Additionally, a hole cut in the van’s floorboard was found, which deputies believe was used to siphon fuel from the gas station’s holding tanks without leaving the van.
Both men have a bond hearing scheduled this (Wednesday) morning at 9 a.m..
DALLAS – SEC Football Media Days were held in the Lone Star State for the first time, with Tennessee making the rounds on the event’s second day.
Fourth-year head coach Josh Heupel, senior center Cooper Mays, senior linebacker Keenan Pili and senior defensive tackle Omari Thomas represented the Vols at the Omni Dallas on Wednesday. The quartet spent the day visiting with members of the local, regional and national media to preview the upcoming 2024 season.
“As I sit here today, it’s hard to believe that this is the fourth year, the fourth time that I’ve been here at SEC Media Days,” Heupel said. “I look back, so proud of what our staff and our players have built, the connection, the committedness, the care factor that they have for each other and the program. Twenty wins over the last couple of years, that’s top three in the league, the best that it’s been in 20 years on Rocky Top. As good as it’s been, the future is extremely bright, and we’re in a race to get where we need to be extremely quickly.”
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and their colleagues in demanding answers from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) efforts to prevent aliens from registering to vote in American elections.State officials across the country have recently taken steps to prevent, deter, and investigate cases of illegal voter registration by non-citizens, including in Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Ohio.
“As you are likely aware, the United States has experienced a record number of border encounters since President Biden took office—nearly 10 million—many of whom have been released into, or evaded apprehension while entering, the U.S.,” the Members of Congress wrote. “We’re writing to inquire regarding the efforts undertaken by your Department to enforce the law that prohibits non-citizens from voting in our elections.”
“Plainly, there are opportunities for and instances of non-citizen voter registration, and so the critical question is whether the laws against doing so are being enforced by your Department,” the Members of Congress continued. “There appear to have been few prosecutions by your Department under these laws, and there is no indication that you have been pursuing cases in places like Georgia and Ohio where aliens have been caught registering or voting.”
CO-SIGNERS
Co-signers of the letter include Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and JD Vance (R-Ohio), along with Representatives Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Ben Cline (R-Va.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Andy Harris (R-Md.), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Mary Miller (R-Ill.), Cory Mills (R-Fla.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Keith Self (R-Texas), and Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.).
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway after a house fire Tuesday in Rocky Hill.
Rural Metro Fire crews responded to the report of a house fire in the 7700 block of Queensbury Drive.
Rural Metro Fire officials say crews found a single-family home on fire with heavy smoke coming from the garage and eaves. They say no one was home when the fire broke out and believe that the home was undergoing a remodel.
Rural Metro says crews made a forced entry through the front door to extinguish the fire, but the home sustained heavy damage.
Rural Metro Fire responds to a house fire Tuesday in Rocky Hill (Courtesy: Rural Metro Fire)
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Benny Smith, the longtime general manager of the University of Tennessee’s student radio station, is retiring.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Smith said he intends to retire at the end of the year.
Smith has worked at WUTK for almost 20 years, and during his time at the station, it received several awards, including “Knoxville’s Best Radio Station.”
As part of his statement, Smith thanked the students, volunteers and community members who supported him while at the station, citing future changes planned for WUTK as the impetus for his retirement.
After a great deal of consideration and discussion with my family, I made the decision to retire as general manager of WUTK. I will remain an employee through the end of the year and will work with university leadership to ensure a smooth transition.
I have served the Knoxville community for nearly 20 years at WUTK, and that service has been a blessing. It has been a dream come true to mentor a generation of eager student broadcasters and to nurture a local music scene full of kind, creative people that help make our city a vibrant and special place.
With the changes coming to WUTK, for me it was the right time personally to make this move. I want to thank the students, volunteers, and community members that showed me so much support during this process. My only request is that they continue to show the same level of support for WUTK now and in the future.
First and foremost, I am a Vol For Life. I love the University of Tennessee, and I will continue to be a joyful part of its alumni community. I am leaving knowing that I gave my all for Tennessee. I am looking forward to what comes next. Stay tuned. – Benny Smith
WUTK began broadcasting in 1982.
The University of Tennessee campus (Courtesy: WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Police are investigating a shooting at Ridgebrook Apartments in the Mechanicsville area.
Officers arrested 39 year-old Jacob Brown who reportedly fired a round at three people Monday night following an argument near the front entrance.
Officers confronted Brown who went into an apartment and jumped out of a second-floor window. He was found a short time later and officers recovered the firearm he used.
Brown has an extensive criminal history and a previous felony conviction from a 2003 theft.
He was charged with aggravated assault and felon in possession of a weapon.
According to KPD, the arrest happened Monday night outside of Ridgebrook Apartments.(Frankly Media)
Knoxville Area Transit is making some big changes to its bus routes.
You’ll see those take effect next month. KAT wants you to be able to take a look and see how the changes could affect you.
You can go to https://katbus.com/ to download their app to view KAT Reimagined Bus network preview.
KAT is planning to hold various events highlighting these changes. Leaders say they want to make things as smooth as possible for passengers so the new routes, which start on August 26th, will be free to ride for the first two weeks while riders get used to the new routes.
KAT buses suspend operations due to dangerous road conditions (Courtesy: WVLT)
DALLAS – Football season has arrived for Tennessee as the Volunteers take their turn at 2024 SEC Football Media Day on Tuesday at the Omni in downtown Dallas. Tennessee will be represented by fourth-year head coach Josh Heupel, senior center Cooper Mays, senior linebacker Keenan Pili and senior defensive tackle Omari Thomas.
The experienced trio of players has served as game captains, are members of the team’s leadership council and have combined to play 125 games with 87 starts in their collegiate careers.
SEC Network will have full coverage throughout the day. Heupel will be on the main stage at 11:35 a.m. ET and then the network set with guests at approximately 12:45 p.m. ET. Players will be in the main media room at 12:15 p.m. ET. SEC Now on SEC Network sets the stage for the day at 7 a.m. ET.
Heupel and players will visit with more than 1,000 media throughout the day, as well as ESPN and SEC Network programming content that will be used for the season. Tennessee is paired with Georgia in the morning session, and Oklahoma and Missouri are set for the afternoon portion. The expanded 16-team conference event is being held in Dallas for the first time.
Thomas is making his second straight media day appearance. The SEC’s student-athlete representative on the NCAA Football Oversight Committee enters his fourth straight season as a starter at defensive tackle, accumulating 88 tackles and 11 tackles for loss during his tenure.
Pili is entering his second season with the Vols as a starter at linebacker. The seventh-year senior suffered a season-ending injury in last year’s opener but is fully healthy entering the 2024 campaign. Pili was a two-time team captain at BYU, playing in 36 games before transferring to Knoxville.
Mays is the catalyst of Tennessee’s offensive line, which was named Joe Moore Award semifinalists in back-to-back years. A 2024 Walter Camp preseason first-team All-American, Mays will be the starter at center for the fourth consecutive season. He’s logged over 2,000 career offensive snaps during his career and carries a 14-game streak of not allowing sack into the Chattanooga opener on Aug. 31.
The Vols are coming off a nine-win season and a No. 17 final ranking after shutting out Big Ten West champion Iowa, 35-0, in the Capital One Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day. Tennessee welcomed 18 early enrollees who participated in bowl practice and spring practice, including seven FBS transfers.
Heupel has guided the Vols to their winningest two-year stretch in school history and owns a 55-20 record in six seasons as a head coach. Heupel’s .692 winning percentage (27-12) at Tennessee is the second-highest by a Vol coach in the last five decades. His 27 wins are the third-most by a UT coach through his first three seasons, trailing only Bill Battle (31 from 1970-72) and Phillip Fulmer (29 from 1993-95).
Tennessee officially reports for camp on July 30 before going through its first practice on July 31.
FORT WORTH, Texas – Four more Tennessee Vols were selected on day two of the 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday, giving them an NCAA-best eight total draft picks through the first 10 rounds.
🚨MLB DRAFT PICKS BY SCHOOL (Thru Day 2)🚨
Tennessee 8 LSU 7 Arkansas 6 Florida State 6 Mississippi State 6 Oklahoma 6 Oklahoma State 6 Vanderbilt 6 Oregon State 5 Texas A&M 5 Wake Forest 5
The Volunteers’ eight picks are the program’s most ever through 10 rounds and are tied for the second most in any single draft with the 2023 and 1992 teams. Since the MLB Draft was shortened to just 20 rounds in 2021, UT has had at least seven players selected each year and leads the nation with 33 total players drafted in that span.
Three of the four Tennessee players drafted on Monday afternoon were pitchers as Drew Beam (Third Round – Kansas City Royals), AJ Causey (Fifth Round – Kansas City Royals) and Aaron Combs (Eighth Round – Chicago White Sox) were all taken to mark the fourth consecutive non-COVID year draft that the Vols have had at least three pitchers selected.
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Kavares Tears was the other Vol picked on Monday, going in the fourth round to the San Diego Padres.
UT led all programs with four picks on day one of the 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, representing the most players selected through the first two rounds of any draft in program history.
⚾️MOST DRAFT PICKS ON SUNDAY⚾️
Tennessee 4 LSU 3 Wake Forest 3 FSU 2 Kentucky 2 Mississippi State 2 Oregon State 2 Texas A&M 2 Vanderbilt 2 Virginia 2— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) July 15, 2024
For the second time in the last three years, Tennessee had two players selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, as the Vols’ dynamic duo of Christian Moore (No. 8 overall – Los Angeles Angels) and Blake Burke (No. 34 overall – Milwaukee Brewers) joined the growing list of UT first rounders.
The Vols have had at least one player selected in the first round of the MLB Draft in four of the last five years, and with Moore’s selection, have now had players picked in the top-10 overall in back-to-back drafts for the first time in program history during the modern draft era after pitcher Chase Dollander went ninth overall to the Colorado Rockies last year.
Moore and Burke, who rank first and second in program history in career home runs, are the 20th and 21st first-round picks in program history and the fifth and sixth under head coach Tony Vitello and staff.
The Big Orange also boasted two second-round picks in third baseman Billy Amick (No. 60 overall – Minnesota Twins) and outfielder Dylan Dreiling (No. 65 overall – Texas Rangers), a duo that combined to drive in 140 runs this season while helping lead Tennessee to its first National Championship in program history.
DAY 1 (ROUNDS 1-2)
2B Christian Moore – Los Angeles Angels – First Round – No. 8 Overall
Moore is the highest drafted Tennessee player of the Vitello era (2018-pres.) and the highest selected Vol since Nick Senzel went No. 2 overall to the Cincinnati Reds in 2016. Moore is coming off a record-setting junior season for the National Champion Volunteers, receiving first-team All-America honors from D1Baseball.com, Baseball America and Perfect Game as well as first-team All-SEC acclaim.
The Brooklyn, New York, native became just the third player in Southeastern Conference history to win the Triple Crown with his stats in league play, leading the SEC with a .429 batting average, 20 home runs and 41 RBIs in conference play while also leading the league with 57 hits and 123 total bases.
Moore finished the year as the nation’s leader in hits (111) and total bases (236) while also ranking in the top-25 nationally in home runs (3rd – 34), runs (t-8th – 83) and slugging percentage (14th – .797).
Moore’s numbers from this season rank in the top 10 in UT single-season annals in multiple categories, including first in home runs (34), first in total bases (236), first in extra-base hits (55), second in hits (111), third in runs (83), seventh in slugging percentage (.797) and seventh in RBIs (74). Moore also finished his Tennessee career as the program’s all-time home run leader with 61 while ranking in the top-10 in slugging percentage (third – .697), extra base hits (third – 100), total bases (third – 438), runs (fourth – 179), walks (fifth – 115) and RBIs (sixth – 160).
Burke is coming off his best season at the collegiate level, leading the nation with 30 doubles and finishing second in the country with 108 hits. The junior slugger’s 30 doubles were tied for the most in program history while his 108 hits ranked fifth most in Tennessee single-season history. Burke also posted career highs in batting average (.379), runs (74), home runs (20), RBIs (61), walks (35), total bases (200) and stolen bases (11) in 2024. His 50 career home runs rank second all-time at UT.
The California native was a unanimous first-team All-American at first base, becoming the second UT player to do so in the Vitello era. Burke is now a member of an exclusive group of Volunteers to garner first-team acclaim from five or more outlets, joining the likes of program legends Todd Helton (1995), Jeff Pickler (1998), Chris Burke (2001), Luke Hochevar (2005) and Dollander (2022).
Amick made the most of his lone season on Rocky Top, ranking among the team leaders in a handful of offensive categories for the national champion Volunteers despite missing eight games due to injury. His 23 home runs were tied for second on the team while his 65 RBIs were third most for UT.
The Batesburg, South Carolina, native was tabbed a first-team midseason All-American by Perfect Game and was named the SEC Player of the Week on March 4. Amick played his first two years of college ball at Clemson where he was an All-American and All-SEC selection as a sophomore in 2023.
Dreiling was selected with the final pick of the second round after a breakout sophomore season for the Big Orange, hitting .341 with 19 doubles, 23 home runs and a team-leading 75 RBIs, which rank sixth most in program history.
The third-team D1Baseball.com All-American and first-team All-SEC outfielder also led the Vols with 53 walks and a .459 on-base percentage.
Dreiling saved his best performances for the biggest moments, earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the Men’s College World Series after leading the team with a .542 batting average, three home runs and 11 RBIs during the Vols’ championship run in Omaha. In the championship series, Dreiling went 7-for-12 with four runs and seven RBIs and became the first player in MCWS history to homer in all three games of the finals.
Beam capped his accomplished collegiate career with another productive season for the Vols, earning All-America honors for the second time in his career. The junior righthander was tied for the team lead with 19 starts and tossed a career-high 102.1 innings, posting a 9-2 record and career-best 99 strikeouts on the year.
Beam was especially big during UT’s title run in Omaha, going 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 14 strikeouts over two starts at the Men’s College World Series.
The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native finished his Tennessee career ranked among the program leaders in a handful of categories, including tied for second in starts (52) and third in victories (26). Beam also ranks tied for sixth in strikeouts (249) and ninth in innings pitched (262.2) in UT career annals.
A proven winner and consistent presence on the mound who played a major part in bringing the Vols their first National Title in program history.#GBO // #MLBDraftpic.twitter.com/CJIOeO1vRk— Tennessee Baseball (@Vol_Baseball) July 15, 2024
OF Kavares Tears – San Diego Padres – Fourth Round (Compensation Pick) – No. 134 Overall
After a breakout redshirt-sophomore season, Tears was recognized as an ABCA All-Southeast Region and All-SEC performer for the first time in his career. The athletic and powerful outfielder was seventh in the SEC with 73 runs scored while ranking among the Vols’ team leaders in most offensive categories.
Tears finished second on the team in walks (53) and third in runs scored while ranking fourth in batting average (.324), OPS (1.070), hits (79), doubles (16), home runs (20), RBIs (62), slugging percentage (.643) and on-base percentage (.427).
The Lewisburg, Tennessee, was also tabbed to the SEC All-Defensive team after posting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with 102 putouts while showcasing his incredible arm strength with four outfield assists.
Causey was a breakout star for the Big Orange in 2024 and earned third-team All-America honors from three different outlets after finishing the year tied for first in the country with 13 victories. The junior righthander earned a win or a save in 14 of his 19 outings with eight of his victories coming against SEC foes.
Causey posted a 13-3 record with a team-leading 125 strikeouts, a mark that ranked 11th nationally and third in the SEC. With his win over Evansville in the NCAA Super Regional opener, Causey moved into a tie for fourth on UT’s single-season wins list. His strikeout total finished as the sixth-highest in program history, as well.
The nation’s leader in wins this season joins teammate Drew Beam in KC!
Combs emerged as one of the nation’s most dominant relief pitchers during the second half of the 2024 season and played a major part in the Vols’ postseason success. The Sarasota, Florida, native recorded the final three outs of the Men’s College World Series championship game.
The redshirt junior righthander ended the season with a 3-1 record and 3.35 ERA in 24 appearances while finishing fourth on the squad with 66 strikeouts in 45.2 innings pitched. His impact during conference play was even more impressive as Combs posted a 1.25 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .152 average in 11 SEC appearances.
Combs finished tied for the team lead and fifth in the SEC with six saves on the year, including saves in both the SEC Tournament Championship game and the final game of the MCWS finals.
A third oversized load will be on the move in East Tennessee this week.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation says there will be rolling roadblocks for the oversized load tomorrow (Wednesday) as it works its way from Knoxville to Kingsport.
They will be on I-40 East at Exit 398 (Strawberry Plains) from midnight-3 a.m., I-81 North at Exit 23 (Mosheim) from 3-6 a.m. and I-81 North at Exit 59 (Kingsport) from 6-9 a.m.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office says two men are charged after 350 gallons of stolen diesel fuel is found in their minivan. Sheriff James Lee Berrong says a deputy was patrolling East Lamar Alexander Parkway when he saw a Dodge Caravan parked on the far side of Lem’s Korner’s parking lot, the minivan pulled out…… Continue Reading
FootballJuly 16, 2024 DALLAS – SEC Football Media Days were held in the Lone Star State for the first time, with Tennessee making the rounds on the event’s second day. Fourth-year head coach Josh Heupel, senior center Cooper Mays, senior linebacker Keenan Pili and senior defensive tackle Omari Thomas represented the Vols at the Omni Dallas on Wednesday. The quartet spent the…… Continue Reading
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and their colleagues in demanding answers from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) efforts to prevent aliens from registering to vote in American elections.State officials across the country have recently taken steps to prevent, deter, and investigate cases of illegal voter registration by non-citizens, including in Tennessee,…… Continue Reading
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway after a house fire Tuesday in Rocky Hill. Rural Metro Fire crews responded to the report of a house fire in the 7700 block of Queensbury Drive. Rural Metro Fire officials say crews found a single-family home on fire with heavy smoke coming from the garage and eaves.…… Continue Reading
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Benny Smith, the longtime general manager of the University of Tennessee’s student radio station, is retiring. In a statement issued Tuesday, Smith said he intends to retire at the end of the year. Smith has worked at WUTK for almost 20 years, and during his time at the station, it received several…… Continue Reading
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Police are investigating a shooting at Ridgebrook Apartments in the Mechanicsville area. Officers arrested 39 year-old Jacob Brown who reportedly fired a round at three people Monday night following an argument near the front entrance. Officers confronted Brown who went into an apartment and jumped out of a second-floor window. He…… Continue Reading
Knoxville Area Transit is making some big changes to its bus routes. You’ll see those take effect next month. KAT wants you to be able to take a look and see how the changes could affect you. You can go to https://katbus.com/ to download their app to view KAT Reimagined Bus network preview. KAT is…… Continue Reading
DALLAS – Football season has arrived for Tennessee as the Volunteers take their turn at 2024 SEC Football Media Day on Tuesday at the Omni in downtown Dallas. Tennessee will be represented by fourth-year head coach Josh Heupel, senior center Cooper Mays, senior linebacker Keenan Pili and senior defensive tackle Omari Thomas. The experienced trio of players has served as game…… Continue Reading
FORT WORTH, Texas – Four more Tennessee Vols were selected on day two of the 2024 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday, giving them an NCAA-best eight total draft picks through the first 10 rounds. 🚨MLB DRAFT PICKS BY SCHOOL (Thru Day 2)🚨 Tennessee 8LSU 7Arkansas 6Florida State 6Mississippi State 6Oklahoma 6Oklahoma State 6Vanderbilt…… Continue Reading
A third oversized load will be on the move in East Tennessee this week. The Tennessee Department of Transportation says there will be rolling roadblocks for the oversized load tomorrow (Wednesday) as it works its way from Knoxville to Kingsport. They will be on I-40 East at Exit 398 (Strawberry Plains) from midnight-3 a.m., I-81…… Continue Reading
