WEDNESDAY APRIL 30

AUTHORITIES IN SOUTHWEST VIRGIN SEARCHING FOR MAN CHARGED WITH ELUDING & ABDUCTION

AUTHORITIES IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA ARE SEARCHING FOR A MAN CHARGED WITH ELUDING AND ABDUCTION. DAKOTA REYNOLDS IS CURRENTLY WANTED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY AND SMYTH COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA. AUTHORITIES SAY THAT AROUND 2:30 AM TUESDAY, WASHINGTON COUNTY DEPUTIES ATTEMPTED A TRAFFIC STOP WHEN REYNOLDS FLED FROM THE VEHICLE ON FOOT IN THE WESTWOOD DRIVE/EXIT 14 AREA OF ABINGDON. REYNOLDS WAS LAST SEEN WEARING BLUE JEANS AND A BLACK HOODIE. HE HAS A BEARD AND TATTOOS ON HIS FACE. AUTHORITIES URGE THE PUBLIC NOT TO APPROACH REYNOLDS IF SEEN, AND TO IMMEDIATELY CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

SULLIVAN CO DEPUTY RETURNS FIRE AFTER SHOTS FIRED FROM HOME

A SULLIVAN COUNTY DEPUTY RETURNED FIRE AFTER A PERSON REPORTEDLY FIRED SHOTS AT AUTHORITIES FROM A KINGSPORT HOME TUESDAY. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE FROM THE TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, THE SULLIVAN COUNTY SWAT TEAM WAS EXECUTING A NARCOTICS SEARCH WARRANT AT A MOBILE HOME ON BARNETT DRIVE SHORTLY AFTER 9:30 AM. A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT A PERSON FIRED SHOTS FROM INSIDE THE MOBILE HOME AS THE SWAT TEAM APPROACHED. A DEPUTY REPORTEDLY RETURNED FIRE DURING THE INCIDENT. THE PERSON INSIDE THE MOBILE HOME ,SURRENDERED AFTER A SHORT STANDOFF. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. AS OF TUESDAY AFTERNOON, AND INVESTIGATION BY THE TBI WAS ONGOING.

PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP WITH BOYD SPORT PRESENTED TO BRISTOL TN CITY COUNCIL

DURING TUESDAY’S CITY COUNCIL MEETING, BRISTOL TENNESSEE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR MIKE MEANS PRESENTED A PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BOYD SPORT AND BRISTOL TENNESSEE CITY SCHOOLS TO THE COUNCIL. THE PARTNERSHIP WOULD GIVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND BRISTOL STATELINERS EQUAL ACCESS TO TOD HOUSTON FIELD, AND WOULD ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY TO USE. THE FIELD WILL REQUIRE SOME RENOVATIONS BEFORE IT CAN BE PLAYED ON, WHICH CITY MANAGER KELLI BOURGEIOS SAID IS LONG OVERDUE. MAINS SAID THERE’S NO SET DATE AS TO WHEN THE STADIUM WILL BE COMPLETE. THE COUNCIL. WILL VOTE ON THE PARTNERSHIP AT NEXT TUESDAY’S MEETING.

VDH CONDUCTING SURVEY ON CHILD CANCER CASES IN SCOTT CO

THE LENOWISCO HEALTH DISTRICT OF THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS LOOKING AT CHILD CANCER RATES IN SCOTT COUNTY. THE DEPARTMENT SAYS MANY COCNERNED PARENTS INS COOT COUNTY HAVE CONTACTED THE VIRGINIA CANCER REGISTRY, THEY ARE NOW LOOKING TO DETERMINE EXACTLY HOW MANY CHILDREN IN SCOTT COUNTY HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED, TO DETERMINE IF THE AREA CAN BE CONSIDERED A CANCER CLUSTER. THE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED IT IS CONDUCTING A SURVEY OF SCOTT COUNTY PARENTS WITH CHILDREN 19 OR YOUNGER, WHO HAVE DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER SINCE 2015. THE FAMILY MUST ALSO HAVE LIVED WITHIN SCOTT COUNTY, OR NO MORE THAN 15 MILES OUTSIDE THE COUNTY BEFORE THE DIAGNOSIS. THOSE WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURVEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THEIR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

BITCOIN MINER EYEING MOUNTAIN CITY FOR NEW LOCATION

ONE OF THE NATION’S LARGEST BITCOIN MINING COMPANIES IS LOOKING TO OPEN A 30 MEGAWATT FACILITY IN MOUNTAIN CITY, AND COULD BE OPERATING WITHIN SIX TO 12 MONTHS OF APPROVAL. ACCORDING TO MOUNTAIN ELECTRICAL COOPERATIVE CEO RODNEY METCALF, NEVADA BASE CLEANSPARK WOULD BUILD ON 50 ACRES AT HIGHWAY 421 AND RAINBOW ROAD, NOT FAR FROM JOHNSON COMMUNITY HOSPITAL. METCALF SAIS THE REVENUE FROM THE DEAL WOULD MORE THAN OFFSET THE LOSS OF POWER USAGE AND REVENUE CAUSED BY THE CLOSURE OF THE PARKDALE MILLS PLANT AFTER HURRICANE HELENE. FINALIZED SITE AND GRADING PLANS WILL GO TO MOUNTAIN CITY’S PLANNING OFFICE FOR FINAL APPROVAL. CLEANSPARK SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT HARRY SUDOCK SAID THE COOLING TECHNOLOGY USED IN THE MOUNTAIN CITY OPERATION, WHICH IS IN AN AREA WITH LOTS OF BUSINESSES AND HOMES NEARBY, SHOULD MAKE NOISE A NON-ISSUE. APPROVAL FROM LOCAL BOARDS COULD CAME AS EARLY AS NEXT MONTH.

HEALTHCARE CAN NOW BE DENIED UNDER CONSCIENCE CLAUSE

GOVERNOR BILL LEE SIGNED INTO LAW THE MEDICAL ETHICS DEFENSE ACT, WHICH LETS HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS REFUSE TO PERFORM OR PAY FOR A PROCEDURE OR PRESCRIPTION THAT GOES AGAINST THEIR PERSONAL MORALS, ETHICS, OR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. HOUSE SPONSOR DR BRUAN TERRY TOLD LAWMAKERS, THE MEASURE PROTECTS HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS FROM MORAL INJURY, WHICH HE SAID IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE IN TENNESSEE. HOWEVER DR AMY GORDON BONO, A TENNESSEE PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN ARGUES THAT THE MEASURE GOES AGAINST THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH, WHICH REQUIRES DOCTORS TO PRIORITIZE THEIR PATIENTS WELL-BEING.

TELFORD BRIDGE CLOSING WEDNESDAY MORNING

A BRIDGE IN TELFORD WILL BE CLOSE INDEFINABLY, BEGINNING THIS MORNING. THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NOTIFIED THE WASHINGTON COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT THAT THE TELFORD BRIDGE OVER BROWN BRANCH NEEDED TO BE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT IS CLOSING THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS LOCATED OF HIGHWAY 34 LEADING TO HIGHWAY 11-E. THE DEPARTMENT SAID TRAFFIC WILL BE ABLE TO DETOUR ON MATTHEWS MILLS ROAD.

GOV LEE SIGNS BILL ALLOWING MERIT-BASED PAY FOR TEACHERS

IN A PUSH TO INCENTIVIZE TEACHERS TO MEET AND EXCEED EXPECTATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM, GOVERNOR BILL LEE SIGNED A BILL INTO LAW, ALLOWING SCHOOLS DISTRICTS TO IMPLEMENT MERIT-BASED PAY FOR HIGH-PERFORMING EDUCATORS, BUT SOME EDUCATORS WORRY IT’LL BACKFIRE. THE MEASURE IS PERMISSIVE, WHICH JC BOWMAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS OF TENNESSEE SAID IS A POSITIVE ASPECT OF THE BILL. HOWEVER HE DOUBTS MANY DISTRICTS WILL IMPLEMENT IT. THE LEGISLATION DOES NOT DEFINE SPECIFICS STANDARDS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE. SOME LAWMAKERS ALSO BROUGHT UP CONCERNS THAT MERIT-BASED PAY PLANS CREATE COMPETITION AMONG TEACHERS, AND DISCOURAGE COLLABORATION. THE MEASURE WILL GO INTO EFFECT DURING THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR, BUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE PAY PLAN.

FORMER TN DRUG TASK FORCE DIRECTOR PLEADS GUILTY TO METH CHARGES

THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE DRUG TASK FORCE THAT SERVES SEVERAL TENNESSEE COUNTIES PLEADED GUILTY LAST WEEK TO TWO CHARGES OF POSSESSION OF METH WITH INTENT TO RE-SELL IN MARION COUNTY. AN INVESTIGATION BY THE TENNESSEE COMPTROLLERS’ OFFICE FOUND THAT 7,246 DOLLARS IN CONFIDENTIAL AND SEIZED FUNDS WAS TAKEN BY CODY SMITH BETWEEN 2017 AND 2021. INVESTIGATORS FOUND THAT SMITH MISAPPROPRIATED FUNDS BY OBTAINING MONEY FOR CONTROLLED DRUG PURCHASES WITHOUT SUPPORTING EVIDENCE, TAKING CASH SEIZED FROM A DRUG INVESTIGATIONS SUBJECT, AND TAKING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT FUNDS TRANSFERRED FROM ANOTHER AGENT.

VA SEES 16% RISE IN ABORTION RATES, DRIVEN BY OUT OF STATE PATIENTS

A RECENT STUDY BY THE GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE HAS REVEALED A 16 PERCENT INCREASE IN ABORTION RATES IN VIRGINIA OVER THE PAST YEAR, WITH MANY PATIENTS TRAVELING FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE. THIS TREND FOLLOWS THE 2022 SUPREME COURT DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE V WADE, WHICH LED TO CONCERNS ABOUT ABORTIONS ACCESS NATIONWIDE. VIRGINIA CURRENTLY HAS NO RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTIONS UNTIL THE THIRD TRIMESTER, A FACTOR THAT PLANNED PARENTHOOD DESCRIBES AS A SAVING GRACE FOR WOMEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

GREENEVILLE EMERGENCY & RESCUE WARNS OF CONTINUED DANGERS AROUND NOLICHUCKY

SEVEN MONTHS FOLLOWING THE DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION CAUSED ALONG THE NOLICHUCKY RIVER, THE GREENEVILLE EMERGENCY AND RESCUE SQUAD IS STILL WARNING RESIDENTS AND THOSE WHO USE THE WATER FOR RECREATION, THAT THE RIVER HAS EXPERIENCED NOTABLE CHANGES. THE WATERWAYS HAVE SHIFTED IN WAYS THAT CALL FOR GREATER AWARENESS AND RESPECT. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL SAY THE RIVER HAS CHANGED COURSE IN PLACES, WITH NEW SANDBARS, ERODED BANKS, SUBMERGED DEBRIS IN PREVIOUSLY CLEAR AREAS, SWIFT WATER MOVEMENT, WITH AREAS THAT WERE ONCE CALM NOW POSING NEW CHALLENGES FOR RECREATION AND RESPONSE.