FENTANYL—JAIL—INVESTIGATION
AN ELIZABETHTON WOMAN CHARGED IN A FENTANYL OVERDOSE AT A LOCAL JAIL HAS BEEN ARRAGINED. 34-YEAR-OLD KRISTEN GARLAND ALLEGEDLY BROUGHT THE DRUG INTO THE WASHINGTON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER AND THAT LED TO 8 INMATES AND TWO DETENTION OFFICERS BEING TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT LAST WEEK. A PRELIMINARY HEARING HAS BEEN SET FOR DECEMBER 13TH IN WASHINGTON COUNTY SESSIONS COURT.
WOMAN CHARGED WITH ATTACKING DEPUTIES
A JOHNSON CITY WOMAN FACES SEVERAL CHARGES—AFTER SHE ALLEGEDLY ATTACKED THREE SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES. WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICERS ANSWERED A DOMESTIC ASSAULT CALL ON GARDEN CIRCLE BETWEEN JOHNSON CITY AND JONESBOROUGH AND FOUND AN INJURED VICTIM, WHO ALSO SAID TATUM STREET TOOK HER VEHICLE. DEPUTIES FOUND STREET IN THE 35-HUNDRED BLOCK OF GREENWOOD DRIVE AND SHE’S ALLEGED TO HAVE KICKED THREE OFFICERS—FORCING THEM TO USE A CHEMICAL AGENT TO SUBDUE HER. STREET FACES A TOTAL OF 6 CHARGES AND IS IN COURT TODAY.
HARSHBARGER—BORDER
FIRST DISTRICT CONGRESSWOMAN DIANA HARSHBARGER OF KINGSPORT RECENTLY TOOK ANOTHER TRIP TO THE US-MEXICO BORDER. THE FOCUS IN TEXAS WAS ON SUPPORTING BORDER PATROL AGENTS. SHE ALSO SAID AGENTS ARE NOW TAKING IN MORE MARIJUANA AND THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THOSE WHO CROSSED ILLEGALLY THAT AUTHORITIES CAN’T ACCOUNT FOR.
BRISTOL VA LANDFILL—STATE LEADERS
WITH DEMOCRATS NOW IN CONTROL OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BRISTOL VIRGINIA OFFICIALS WANT THE NEW LEADERSHIP TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CITY’S TROUBLED LANDFILL—AND THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT’S COSTING FOR REMEDIATION. CITY OFFICIALS HOPE A FIRST-HAND LOOK WILL HELP GIVE A BETTER PICTURE. THE CITY HAD ASKED FOR STATE HELP, BUT THAT WASN’T APPROVED IN THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE.
BOONES CREEK INTERCHANGE—WORK
A HEAVILY-USED EXIT OFF INTERSTATE 26 IN JOHNSON CITY WILL BE CLOSED THIS WEEKEND FOR REPAIR WORK. FROM 11 TONIGHT UNTIL 6 MONDAY MORNING, THE EXIT 17 WESTBOUND RAMP TO BOONES CREEK ROAD WILL BE CLOSED. CREWS WILL BE MAKING REPAIRS TO THE CONCRETE ON THE RAMP. DETOUR SIGNS WILL BE POSTED.
SEAN WILLIAMS—COURT APPEARANCE
FORMER JOHNSON CITY BUSINESSMAN AND ACCUSED CHILD RAPIST SEAN WILLIAMS HAS A NEW FEDERAL COURT DATE. HE’LL APPEAR DECEMBER 21ST IN GREENEVILLE AND THIS APPEARANCE IS CONNECTED TO HIS ESCAPE CHARGE. EN ROUTE TO COURT OCTOBER 18, WILLIAMS BROKE FREE FROM A TRANSPORT VAN AND REMAINED ON THE RUN UNTIL HE WAS ARRESTED NOVEMBER 21 IN FLORIDA. HIS ATTORNEY HAS ALSO FILED MOTIONS TO WITHDRAW.
PARADE SATURDAY
CHRISTMAS PARADES TOMORROW IN JOHNSON CITY AND KINGSPORT. JOHNSON CITY’S IS SET FOR 10:30 SATURDAY MORNING AND WILL START AT UNIVERSITY AND STATE OF FRANKLIN, WILL GO DOWNTOWN AND END AT LEGION AND STATE OF FRANKLILN. PARKING RESTRICTIONS GO INTO EFFECT AT 5 A.M. IN KINGSPORT, THE PARADE STARTS DOWNTOWN AT 6:00 AT CLINCHFIELD AND WEST CENTER. DOWNTOWN PARKING RESTRICTIONS WILL ALSO BE IN EFFECT. THE CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING BEGINS AT 7:45 ON CHURCH CIRCLE.
BRISTOL VIRGINIA CONFEDERATE STATUE
THE BATTLE OVER MOVING A CONFEDERATE STATUE IN DOWNTOWN BRISTOL VIRGINIA CONTINUES. LAST MONTH, REVEREND JACKIE NOPHLIN ASKED CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE MOVING THE STATUE. EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY GROUP ASKED LEADERS TO LEAVE IT WHERE IT IS—NEAR CUMBERLAND SQUARE PARK. MAYOR NEAL OSBORNE SAID THERE’S NO RUSH TO CONSIDER MOVING IT BECAUSE OF THE COST INVOLVED AND THE POOR CONDITION OF THE STATUE.
WARREN DIES
FORMER SULLIVAN CENTRAL BASKETBALL COACH DICKIE WARREN HAS DIED. HE WAS 89. WARREN TOTALED 922 VICTORIES OVER A 40-PLUS YEAR TSSAA HALL OF FAME COACHING CAREER. WARREN WAS A DOBYNS-BENNETT GRADUATE AND ALSO COACHED AT THE OLD BLOUNTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE CENTRAL WAS FORMED THROUGH CONSOLIDATION. WARREN WAS THE LAST LIVING MEMBER OF A LEGENDARY COACHING FOURSOME IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE THAT INCLUDED BUCK VAN HUSS, CHARLIE BAYLESS AND BOBBY SNYDER.
APPALACHIAN POWER RATE INCREASE
APPALACHIAN POWER CUSTOMERS IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA WILL SEE A RATE INCREASE STARTING JANUARY 29TH. THE 10-PERCENT HIKE WILL ADD ABOUT $16-DOLLARS A MONTH TO THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER’S BILL. THE VIRGINIA STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION APPROVED THE INCREASE WITH A-E-P SAYING THE HIKE WAS BECAUSE OF HIGHER MATERIAL AND LABOR COSTS.
TWO ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES
TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES AFTER A TRAFFIC STOP. SULLIVAN COUNTY DEPUTIES STOPPED A VEHICLE ON INTERSTATE 26 FOR A LICENSE PLATE AND REGISTRATION VIOLATION. A SEARCH FOUND XANAX, FENTANYL, METH, OXYCODONE AND OVER $17-HUNDRED DOLLARS CASH. CHAD BLEVINS AND MELINDA BOOKER—BOTH OF KINGSPORT—FACE NUMEROUS CHARGES. STREET VALUE OF THE DRUGS IS OVER $38-HUNDRED DOLLARS.
