Greene County, TN (WOKI) A woman is charged with animal cruelty after police seize 31 dogs from a home.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office says 50 year-old Polly Ayers was arrested Saturday after a welfare check at a home on Parton Loop.
Deputies say the home had a very bad smell, and it was very hot inside with no food or water for the dogs.
The Sheriff’s Office says animal control took the dogs from the home and allowed two dogs to go with family members.
Code enforcement condemned the home.
ATLANTA – Fourth-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel is one of 21 honorees named to the watch list for the 2024 Dodd Trophy, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. announced on Monday.
Managed by Peach Bowl, Inc. and presented by PNC Bank, The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted national coaching award, celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy.
The watch list was created through a selection process by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. taking into consideration each program’s Academic Progress Rate (APR), Graduation Success Rate (GSR), commitment to service and charity in the community, as well as projected success for the 2024 season.
Coaches in the first year with their current teams were not included as they are ineligible to receive The Dodd Trophy until their second year with their program.
In three seasons, Heupel’s remarkable revival of the Volunteers has seen him produce a 27-12 overall record, eight victories over Top 25 teams, the program’s first New Year’s Six berth in the College Football Playoff era and back-to-back top-20 poll finishes. The eight ranked wins are sixth nationally among FBS head coaches during that span and are the second-most by a UT coach through the first 39 games of a career.
Heupel’s .692 winning percentage 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).
Heupel has guided Tennessee to its winningest two-year stretch (20) since 2003-04, and the 20 victories over that span are tied for the third-most in the SEC.
Heupel and the Volunteers begin preseason camp on July 30 with the first practice scheduled for July 31.
2024 Dodd Trophy Watch List
Jeff Brohm – Louisville
Mario Cristobal – Miami
Ryan Day – Ohio State
Dave Doeren – NC State
Eliah Drinkwitz – Missouri
Kirk Ferentz – Iowa
James Franklin – Penn State
Marcus Freeman – Notre Dame
Mike Gundy – Oklahoma State
Josh Heupel – Tennessee
Brian Kelly – LSU
Lane Kiffin – Ole Miss
Chris Klieman – Kansas State
Lance Leipold – Kansas
Mike Norvell – Florida State
Brent Pry – Virginia Tech
Lincoln Riley – USC
Steve Sarkisian – Texas
Kirby Smart – Georgia
Dabo Swinney – Clemson
Kyle Whittingham – Utah
Donors to MEDIC Regional Blood Center will receive Dollywood Tickets next week.
Dollywood is helping MEDIC celebrate blood donors who make a successful blood donation from July 15th – 19th. Deferred donors will not receive a Dollywood ticket but will receive a coupon for Bruster’s ice cream.
Appointments are required for donors and MEDIC will not be able to take walk-in donors next week. Appointments can be made online at medic blood dot org.
Donors will not receive any additional incentives next week.
The Knoxville Police Department has identified the victim from a fatal domestic shooting that happened at an East Knoxville home.
32 year-old Matthew Walker was found shot early Saturday morning at a home in the 2700 block of Linden Avenue.
Based on the investigation so far, KPD sasy Walker was involved in a domestic dispute with family members when he pulled out a gun but was shot by someone inside the home.
The involved individuals have been identified and interviewed by Police. No charges have been filed at this time.
The investigation remains ongoing. Once complete, the findings will be turned over to the Knox County District Attorney General’s Office for further review.
City of Knoxville officials said crews will soon be thoroughly cleaning the streets of Fort Sanders.
City officials said the cleanup will take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 13-14 and July 27-28 to take advantage of the majority of University of Tennessee students being off campus for summer break.
During the Fort Sanders Summer Roundup, which happens each summer, crews will complete work, such as refreshing street markings, replacing signs as needed, sweeping the streets, picking up trash and brush, and weeding the public rights-of-way.
In order to remove trash, grime and grit from hard-to-reach corners and crevices, officials said it’s mandatory that all vehicles be moved on clean-up days from the streets being swept and cleaned. Vehicles that are not moved prior to each day’s clean-up will be towed.
“The Fort always looks its best after the Summer Roundup, and we thank and appreciate the help and patience of the Fort Sanders residents who make this possible,” City Parking Manager Mark Elliott said.
Below is a list of impacted streets and when they will be cleaned:
Officials said traffic is expected to continue to flow on the affected streets, although some temporary short-term closures may occur as needed due to safety protocols.
Roughly 250 temporary no-parking signs will be posted in the days prior to the start of the street-cleaning work, officials said. In addition, flyers will be placed on hundreds of vehicle windshields and throughout the neighborhood prior to the start of the Fort Sanders Summer Roundup. Story courtesy of WVLT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the second time in her career, former Lady Vol All-American Tjasa Pintar will represent Slovenia at the Olympic Games.
Pintar earned a spot on the national roster as a member of the 4×100-meter free relay. Her first appearance in the Summer Games came in 2016, when she was the fastest swimmer on the Slovenian 4×200 free relay that finished 15th overall.
During her time at Tennessee, Pintar garnered All-American honors 10 times and was a three-time SEC Champion as a member of multiple Lady Vol relays. In total, she helped bring home seven total conference medals, and she was a member of both UT squads that won SEC Championships. She currently ranks sixth in program history in the 100-yard freestyle (47.82) and eight in the 200 free (1:44.40).
In total, the Big Orange boasts a program-record 17 Olympic qualifiers for the upcoming games. A combined 12 different nations will be represented by the Vols and Lady Vols in Paris. Swimming officially begins on Saturday, July 27, at 5 a.m. Here’s a full list of Tennessee’s Olympians and the events they qualified in:
Gui Caribe (Brazil) – 50 Free, 100 Free
Erika Connolly (USA) – 4×100 Free Relay
Jillian Crooks (Cayman Islands) – 100 Free
Jordan Crooks (Cayman Islands) – 50 Free, 100 Free
Brooklyn Douthwright (Canada) – 4×100 Free Relay
Lyubomir Epitropov (Bulgaria) – 200 Breast
Martin Espernberger (Austria) – 200 Fly
Ella Jansen (Canada) – 400 IM
Mona McSharry (Ireland) – 100 Breast, 200 Breast
Kayky Mota (Brazil) – 100 Fly
Julia Mrozinski (Germany) – 200 Free
Tjasa Pintar (Slovenia) – 4×100 Free Relay
Regan Rathwell (Canada) – 200 Back
Lamar Taylor (Bahamas) – 100 Free
Kira Toussaint (Netherlands) – 100 Back, 200 Back
Joaquin Vargas (Peru) – 400 Free
Ellen Walshe (Ireland) – 200 IM, 400 IM
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a Silver Alert for 87-year-old Jack Ballard missing out of McMinn County.
According to TBI, Ballard is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. He is bald with brown eyes and was last seen wearing blue plaid pajamas in the area of Country Road 804 in Etowah.
Ballard also reportedly has a medical condition that may impair his ability to return home safely without assistance.
TBI said Ballard may be traveling in a gray 2020 Jeep Renegade with Tennessee tag 4IL 374.
Those with information are asked to call the McMinn County Sheriff’s Office at 423-745-3222 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
A woman is recovering after she is scratched by a bear in Gatlinburg.
It happened over the weekend at the Super 8 Motel on Historic Nature Trail. The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency says the woman left her hotel room and a bear was outside eating from an unsecured trash can and scratched her leg. The bear also had cubs and officials were able to get the bears out of the area.
TWRA says this is the second time something like this has happened at this motel. Just eight days ago, a man left his room and was scratched on his arm. The motel has been issued citation and provided with information on how to securely store their trash.
A person is arrested and charged with aggravated arson following an early morning (Monday) fire at home in Northwest Knoxville where people were illegally living.
Knoxville Fire Department Crews called to the 1500 block of Massachusetts Avenue and the home was on fire as well as a small fire in the yard near the home.
Crews quickly extinguished the outside fire but the home suffered significant fire damage and is a total loss.
It had been uninhabitable a long time prior to the fire. The home did not have electricity. Three people, two women and a man were living in the home without permission.
No injuries have been reported. An investigation is underway.
Update: Officials with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office say 18 year-old Lucia Ogburn has been found safe. She was found last night and no other information has been released.
Original story: The Knox County Sheriff’s Office needs help to find a missing Knox County Teen.
18 year-old Lucia Ogburn of Knoxville was last seen in the Crosswood Blvd. area at approximately 1 a.m. this morning (Sunday).
Detectives want to contact Ms. Ogburn for a welfare check.
She was last seen wearing a white hoodie, black Nike shorts, and white Vans tennis shoes.
If you have any information on Ms. Ogburn’s whereabouts, contact Major Crimes Detectives at 865-215-2243.
Greene County, TN (WOKI) A woman is charged with animal cruelty after police seize 31 dogs from a home. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office says 50 year-old Polly Ayers was arrested Saturday after a welfare check at a home on Parton Loop. Deputies say the home had a very bad smell, and it was very…… Continue Reading
ATLANTA – Fourth-year Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel is one of 21 honorees named to the watch list for the 2024 Dodd Trophy, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. announced on Monday. Managed by Peach Bowl, Inc. and presented by PNC Bank, The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted national coaching award,…… Continue Reading
Donors to MEDIC Regional Blood Center will receive Dollywood Tickets next week. Dollywood is helping MEDIC celebrate blood donors who make a successful blood donation from July 15th – 19th. Deferred donors will not receive a Dollywood ticket but will receive a coupon for Bruster’s ice cream. Appointments are required for donors and MEDIC will…… Continue Reading
The Knoxville Police Department has identified the victim from a fatal domestic shooting that happened at an East Knoxville home. 32 year-old Matthew Walker was found shot early Saturday morning at a home in the 2700 block of Linden Avenue. Based on the investigation so far, KPD sasy Walker was involved in a domestic dispute…… Continue Reading
City of Knoxville officials said crews will soon be thoroughly cleaning the streets of Fort Sanders. City officials said the cleanup will take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 13-14 and July 27-28 to take advantage of the majority of University of Tennessee students being off campus for summer break. During the…… Continue Reading
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the second time in her career, former Lady Vol All-American Tjasa Pintar will represent Slovenia at the Olympic Games. Pintar earned a spot on the national roster as a member of the 4×100-meter free relay. Her first appearance in the Summer Games came in 2016, when she was the fastest swimmer on…… Continue Reading
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a Silver Alert for 87-year-old Jack Ballard missing out of McMinn County. According to TBI, Ballard is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. He is bald with brown eyes and was last seen wearing blue plaid pajamas in the area of Country Road 804 in…… Continue Reading
A woman is recovering after she is scratched by a bear in Gatlinburg. It happened over the weekend at the Super 8 Motel on Historic Nature Trail. The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency says the woman left her hotel room and a bear was outside eating from an unsecured trash can and scratched her leg. The…… Continue Reading
A person is arrested and charged with aggravated arson following an early morning (Monday) fire at home in Northwest Knoxville where people were illegally living. Knoxville Fire Department Crews called to the 1500 block of Massachusetts Avenue and the home was on fire as well as a small fire in the yard near the home.…… Continue Reading
Update: Officials with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office say 18 year-old Lucia Ogburn has been found safe. She was found last night and no other information has been released. Original story: The Knox County Sheriff’s Office needs help to find a missing Knox County Teen. 18 year-old Lucia Ogburn of Knoxville was last seen in…… Continue Reading
