An escaped Tennessee inmate, who may be connected to a missing Carter County man’s disappearance, has been taken into custody in Greenville County South Carolina.
Billy Fletcher was arrested Thursday night after waling off from his work detail at the Carter County Detention Center here in Tennessee on June 20th.
Authorities are still investigating how Fletcher is connected with the disappearance of Victor Birchfield.
Birchfield’s daughter reported him missing on June 21st along with his silver 2004 Toyota 4Runner which was found in South Carolina.
The search for 61-year-old Victor Birchfield is ongoing with a TBI Silver Alert still in effect.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-TBI-FIND.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says the 11th boating related fatality has occurred on Tennessee waters this year.
TWRA officers and local authorities responding to a call Friday about a man, reportedly in his 70’s, who was fishing with a friend and believed to have suffered a medical emergency and fell into the water where the Hiwassee and Tennessee Rivers meet in Meigs County.
He was not wearing a life jacket and the man still on board tried to save him and called 911, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Motorists traveling on Alcoa Highway (US 129/State Route 115) in Knox County should be aware of upcoming road construction activities that will have a temporary impact on traffic.
Beginning on Monday, July 8 and continuing through Friday, July 12, the contractor will perform rolling roadblocks on Alcoa Highway (US 129/State Route 115) between Woodson Drive and Cherokee Trail. These rolling roadblocks will take place in short intervals (approximately 20 minutes each) and will be spaced out to allow traffic to return to normal flow between operations. These rolling roadblocks will be intermittent daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and are necessary to allow crews to safely mobilize equipment and perform rock excavation and clearing activities.
In addition, beginning on Monday, July 8, and continuing through Friday, July 12, crews will be conducting flagging operations on the ramp from northbound Alcoa Highway (US 129/State Route 115) at the traffic signal at Cherokee Trail and along Cherokee Trail between the Alcoa Highway interchange and Medical Center Way. The flagging operations will take place daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and are necessary to allow crews to unload materials and for trucks to safely enter and exit the work areas.
This schedule is contingent on favorable weather conditions. Motorists are advised to expect delays and use extreme caution in this area as workers will be present.
As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and “Know Before You Go!” by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.
An investigation into a deadly domestic shooting is underway after Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a Linden Avenue home early Saturday morning.
At just after 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 6, 2024, KPD officers were dispatched to a home in the 2700 block of Linden Avenue in response to reported shooting with a victim.
Officers arrived on scene, where an adult man had been shot. Responding Knoxville Fire Department personnel attempted life-saving care, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Based on the investigation being led by KPD Homicide Unit detectives, it is believed that the victim was engaged in a domestic dispute with family members when he pulled out a gun. The victim was then shot by an individual inside the home, who remained on scene. There were no other injuries reported.
No charges have been filed at this time and the investigation remains ongoing.
The 2024 World Rowing Senior, Under 23 and Under 19 Championships will be a combined event, taking place August 18-25 in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
The top event of the year for the Under 23 classic rowers is the World Rowing Under 23 Championships. There are 22 boat classes to compete in, including eight lightweight boat classes. The Championships usually attract up to 1,000 rowers from around the world.
The Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course is the site of this year’s U23 Championships. This world class rowing facility is located in the historic waterfront village of Port Dalhousie.
The facility has a fully buoyed, eight-lane, 2000-meter course that was built on the location of the first Welland Canal. The course has a total length of 2,300 meters and is surrounded and sheltered by tree-lined shores and the historic homes of Port Dalhousie.
Pidgeon, a rising junior from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, capped the 2024 spring season with an impressive season boat record of 44-4, racing solely in the Tennessee First Varsity Eight crew. In that 1V8+ boat, Pidgeon aided the crew to Big 12 Boat of the Week honors on April 24, following multiple dominant performances at the Big Ten Invitational.
Abrams, a senior for Tennessee in 2023-24 who is originally from Maitland, Australia, earned CRCA First Team All-America recognition in 2024, after posting a 44-4 season record in the 1V8+ boat. She was also on the All-Big 12 Rowing Team, a Big 12 Academic All-Conference First Team honoree and a CRCA National Scholar-Athlete in 2024.
A rising junior for UT from Nelson, New Zealand, Campbell posted a 45-4 overall boat record in 2024, competing primarily in Tennessee’s First Varsity Eight crew. She earned CRCA National Scholar-Athlete honors to cap a stellar sophomore campaign.
Fahey, a native of Wellington, New Zealand, was named a CRCA First Team All-American for a second consecutive year in 2024, posting a spring season record of 44-4 as a junior, primarily in the 1V8+ boat. She was also a member of the 2024 All-Big 12 Rowing Team, along with earning recognitions as a CRCA National Scholar-Athlete and Big 12 Academic All-Conference First Team member in 2024. Last summer, Fahey was a silver medalist in the women’s coxed four for Team New Zealand at the 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
There is opportunity for additional Lady Vols to qualify for the 2024 running of the U23 Championships later in July.
The following events are offered on the women’s side at the 2024 World Rowing Under 23 Championships: Under 23 Women (BW): 1x, 2x, 2-, 4x, 4-, 4+, 8+ Under 23 Lightweight Women (BLW): 1x, 2x, 2-, 4x
For the most up-to-date information about the program, follow Tennessee rowing on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
Tennessee Soccer alum Michelle Alozie was named to the Nigerian Women’s National Team roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Nigerian Football Federation announced Wednesday.
Alozie is set to make her Olympics debut but has experience with the Nigerian Women’s National Team after participating in the 2023 World Cup, 2022 Cup of Nations and three various friendlies from 2021 through 2023.
The La Jolla, California, native currently plays for Houston Dash. During the 2024 season, Alozie has appeared in a vast majority of the club’s NWSL games, making 14 appearances and accumulating 735 minutes of playing time. She has started in eight of those appearances and come on as a substitute in six occasions.
Alozie played at Tennessee during the 2019 season after transferring from Yale. In her lone season on Rocky Top, she scored three goals in 17 appearances.
Nigeria, who will be playing in Group C, is set to begin its 2024 Olympic run against Brazil on July 25 and will then go on to face off with Spain (July 28) and Japan (July 31) to round out group play.
With a regular season slate that includes games against seven NCAA Tournament teams and three conference champions from 2023, Tennessee soccer head coach Joe Kirt announced the Lady Vols’ schedule Wednesday morning.
In Kirt’s third season at the helm, Tennessee looks to build off a 2023 season in which it advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in program history.
“We are excited to announce our 2024 schedule,” Kirt said. “Our staff is eager to get on the field with a deep and talented team who is set to face off against the best teams in the state as well as across the country. We look forward to welcoming fans back to Regal Stadium and are ready to get underway with the fall slate.”
The 2024 season is set to kick off on Aug. 7 with an exhibition match at Virginia followed by another exhibition match at home against UNC Asheville on Aug. 11. The regular season will begin when UT heads to Indiana on Aug. 15. Five additional home matches against Chattanooga (Aug. 18), Lipscomb (Aug. 25), UCLA (Sept. 5), Florida Atlantic (Sept. 8) and Memphis (Sept. 12) along with two additional away contests at ETSU (Aug. 22) and Duke (Sept. 1) will round out the non-conference slate.
In conference play, the Lady Vols welcome five teams to Regal Stadium, facing Ole Miss (Sept. 19), Vanderbilt (Sept. 29), Missouri (Oct. 4), Auburn (Oct. 13) and South Carolina (Oct. 24). The Big Orange will face Alabama (Sept. 22), Florida (Sept. 26), Arkansas (Oct. 10), Georgia (Oct. 18) and Kentucky (Oct. 27) on the road.
Tennessee’s schedule includes seven matches against teams who advanced to the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Additionally, the Lady Vols will square off with reigning champs from the PAC-12 (UCLA), AAC (Memphis) and SEC (Arkansas).
UT’s 2024 opponent lineup will feature contests against six teams that were ranked inside the top-25 in the final 2023 United Soccer Coaches rankings.
The SEC Tournament will be held in Pensacola, Fla., for the third time in as many years, having previously been held in Orange Beach, Ala., for 18 of 19 seasons. The conference tournament will begin on Nov. 3 and run through Nov. 10. The first four rounds of NCAA Tournament action will be hosted at campus sites, with the NCAA Women’s College Cup set for Dec. 6-9 in Cary, N.C.
The entire schedule may be viewed online. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee soccer, follow @vol_soccer on X and Instagram.
The Knoxville Fire Department says service calls increased this year for July 4th.
KFD responded to 99 calls for service from 8:00 AM yesterday to 8:00 AM this morning which reflects a slight increase from last year.
One KFD firefighter was injured when a firework was shot into the cab of Engine 7 in the Lonsdale community. The firefighter suffered possible hearing issues, and some KFD equipment received minor damage.
The Knoxville Fire Department says the cause of a house fire in Northwest Knoxville has been determined and they say fireworks started it.
Crews called to the 1900 block of Ohio Avenue just after midnight and found heavy fire coming from the roof.
The home was unoccupied and suffered moderate fire, smoke, and water damage.
The majority if the fire was limited to the attic space and roof.
The Knoxville Fire and Police departments respond to an incident involving a car fire and fireworks.
Crews responding the area of Gloria Garner and New York Avenue last night and found a car that was fully engulfed in flames. When officers arrived on the scene, KFD was already working to put out the fire.
A group of juveniles shooting fireworks from the car apparently caught it on fire. All five juveniles were treated at the hospital for varying severity of burns.
As we move into the weekend, KFD wants to remind everyone that the weather will likely remain hot and dry. This means the potential for fireworks to cause fires remains high, and they are asking the public to refrain from using fireworks.
LOUDON, Tenn. (TWRA) —The identity of a man who drowned while docking his boat at a Watts Bar Lake marina yesterday (Thursday 7/4) is being released.
James Doyle Frost, 75, of Knoxville, drowned while docking his boat at Tennessee National Marina yesterday afternoon. Witnesses say he fell overboard, went underwater, and did not resurface.
A search ensued and his body was located by a Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency Investigator using a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV), and members of the Loudon County Dive Rescue team made the recovery just after 9 p.m.
TWRA would like to thank the Loudon Police Dept., Loudon County Sheriff’s Office, Loudon County Rescue Squad, and the Loudon Fire Dept. for their efforts.
TWRA offers prayers and condolences for the victim’s family.
An escaped Tennessee inmate, who may be connected to a missing Carter County man’s disappearance, has been taken into custody in Greenville County South Carolina. Billy Fletcher was arrested Thursday night after waling off from his work detail at the Carter County Detention Center here in Tennessee on June 20th. Authorities are still investigating how…… Continue Reading
The Greeneville Police Department is investigating after a decomposing body is found in a culvert. The body was found lying in a culvert in the 1700 block of Moore Avenue Saturday morning. Police believe the body has been at there for about a week due to the state of the decay. Due to the condition…… Continue Reading
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says the 11th boating related fatality has occurred on Tennessee waters this year. TWRA officers and local authorities responding to a call Friday about a man, reportedly in his 70’s, who was fishing with a friend and believed to have suffered a medical emergency and fell into the water where…… Continue Reading
Motorists traveling on Alcoa Highway (US 129/State Route 115) in Knox County should be aware of upcoming road construction activities that will have a temporary impact on traffic. Beginning on Monday, July 8 and continuing through Friday, July 12, the contractor will perform rolling roadblocks on Alcoa Highway (US 129/State Route 115) between Woodson Drive and Cherokee Trail. These…… Continue Reading
An investigation into a deadly domestic shooting is underway after Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a Linden Avenue home early Saturday morning. At just after 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 6, 2024, KPD officers were dispatched to a home in the 2700 block of Linden Avenue in response to reported shooting with a victim. …… Continue Reading
ST. CATHARINES, Ontario, Canada – Four Tennessee rowers have qualified to compete at the 2024 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. Alex Pidgeon is set to compete for Team Canada, Sarah Abrams will suit up for Team Australia and the Kiwi duo of Nicole Campbell and Alice Fahey will represent New Zealand. The 2024 World Rowing Senior, Under 23 and Under 19 Championships will…… Continue Reading
Tennessee Soccer alum Michelle Alozie was named to the Nigerian Women’s National Team roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Nigerian Football Federation announced Wednesday. Alozie is set to make her Olympics debut but has experience with the Nigerian Women’s National Team after participating in the 2023 World Cup, 2022 Cup of Nations and three various friendlies from…… Continue Reading
With a regular season slate that includes games against seven NCAA Tournament teams and three conference champions from 2023, Tennessee soccer head coach Joe Kirt announced the Lady Vols’ schedule Wednesday morning. In Kirt’s third season at the helm, Tennessee looks to build off a 2023 season in which it advanced to the second round of the NCAA…… Continue Reading
The Knoxville Fire Department says service calls increased this year for July 4th. KFD responded to 99 calls for service from 8:00 AM yesterday to 8:00 AM this morning which reflects a slight increase from last year. One KFD firefighter was injured when a firework was shot into the cab of Engine 7 in the…… Continue Reading
LOUDON, Tenn. (TWRA) —The identity of a man who drowned while docking his boat at a Watts Bar Lake marina yesterday (Thursday 7/4) is being released. James Doyle Frost, 75, of Knoxville, drowned while docking his boat at Tennessee National Marina yesterday afternoon. Witnesses say he fell overboard, went underwater, and did not resurface. A…… Continue Reading
