Photo
from home: Dogwood blooms - Dogwood winter. (04/15/2014)Without an
administrator since the fall of 2013, the city says it will soon be seeking to
fill
WENDER
FURNITURE is now your authorized dealer for BASSETT FURNITURE
Photo
from home: Dogwood blooms - Dogwood winter. (04/15/2014)Without an
administrator since the fall of 2013, the city says it will soon be seeking to
fill
WENDER
FURNITURE is now your authorized dealer for BASSETT FURNITURE
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CLICK to listen LIVE to 1450 WLAF CLICK to watch LIVE WLAF-TV 12
TERRY’S TIME & TEMP Line 423.566.TIME…566.8463 (a service of Terry’s Pharmacy)
Photo from home
The Cougars’ Virgil White pitched CCHS to a win on Friday over
Expect
regular back-ups on I-75
There are northbound
back-ups on your return trip to
Do you have your La Follette House print yet? Order yours at 423.907.3754.
Postponed chamber meeting set for April
30
The Campbell County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors postponed its
meeting scheduled for last Wednesday morning. Estel Jones, the
father-in-law of E.L. Morton, the chamber’s executive director, passed
away the night before the April 16 scheduled meeting. As a result,
the meeting was postponed and is rescheduled for next Wednesday, April
30 at 8:30 a.m. at the chamber office at Jacksboro. At issue is
whether or not Morton is violating chamber bylaws by being a candidate
for county mayor in the August election all the while serving as the
chamber’s director. The board was to vote on whether or not Morton
is going against those bylaws at last week’s meeting.
(04/23/2014 - 6:00 AM)
Sheriff and
police reports By Charlotte Underwood Sheriff’s
The Campbell County Sheriff’s Department made
multiple DUI and drug arrests over the past week, including arresting a
Caryville man for driving north in the south bound lane. Anthony Lawson, 40, of
Caryville was arrested on April 22, after deputies observed him
traveling the wrong way on
Anthony Lawson Lawson allegedly told
the deputy he had consumed six cans of beer at the bar. Lawson
performed poorly on a field sobriety test and was arrested.
He was charged with second offense DUI,
failure to exercise due care and violation of the open container law
after being transported to jail.
Joshua Blake Harness Joshua Blake Harness,
19, of Jacksboro was charged in an unrelated DUI arrest on April 20 near
Olvery Alvin Welden Olvery Alvin Welden, 56, of La Follette garnered a
DUI arrest after deputies observed him crossing the center line on
Highway 25W near the IGA in La Follette. After stopping Welden,
deputies noted a strong odor of alcohol. Welden admitted to drinking a
24-ounce beer and taking an Oxycontin 30 mg., according to the arrest
report. Welden could not perform a field sobriety test and was arrested.
He was charged with DUI, failure of the Tennessee Financial law and
failure to exercise due care.
Ronald Shane McGhee Ronald Shane McGhee,
46, of Caryville was also charged with driving under the influence on
April 20, after deputies pulled him over on
James Steven Violette James Steven Violette,
52, of Jacksboro, was also arrested on DUI charges after deputies
observed him “veer” off the road on April 14. After stopping Violette on
Johnathan Steakley Johnathan Michael Ryan
Steakley, 19, of La Follette was charged on theft and vandalism charges
on April 16 after he dug up cast iron pipe belonging to CSX RailRoad
near
Tara White Tara Desera White, 23, was arrested for assault
after she allegedly hit another female inmate in the face, according to
the arrest report. The other female had been bonded out and was
gathering her belongings from the cell, when she was attacked from
behind. Deputies observed injuries on the victim concurrent with her
statement and also observed injuries on White’s hand consistent that she
had punched someone in the face.
Brandon Byrge Brandon Byrge, 19,
Jonathan Tyler Duncan Jonathan Tyler Duncan,
19, of Caryville was arrested on violation of probation charges,
possession of drug paraphernalia and evading arrest on April 20.
Deputies had responded
Don Allen McDaniel Don Allen McDaniel, 67, was arrested on April 19 for
revoking his bond, according to a sheriff’s report. McDaniel has been
arrested multiple times in the past month on domestic abuse charges. The LaFollette Police Department arrested Clayton
Wendall Russell, 51, of La Follette on April 20 after officers stopped
him for not wearing a seatbelt and found 39 pills under the seat of his
vehicle. The pills are believed to be Opana. Russell was charged with
possession of drug paraphernalia after officers also located two cut
straws used to snort pills. Russell was also charged with driving on a
restricted license and transported to jail.
ZUMBA is Monday & Thursday at 6:00 & Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. Commission OKs Lifestar lease terms,
postpones audit committee decision The county commission
voted unanimously Monday night to approve a lease that will locate a
satellite Lifestar emergency medical helicopter station at the The commission’s airport committee, meeting for the
first time this year, elected David Adkins as committee chairman and
then approved a proposed lease amount of 47.5 cents per square foot to
cover the space LifeStar will require for a hanger, a fuel station and
parking. The hanger alone will bring in $1,660 a month in
rent, airport manager Bert Loupe told the committee. The proposed
rate was based on the lease rates charged at Sevier County-Gatlinburg
Airport. Since an AirTrans
official suggested that Lifestar formally
operated this area’s service out of the While commissioners wasted no time in approving the
Lifestar proposal, they spent a considerable amount of time on two other
matters without coming to decisions on either. A much longer portion of the meeting was dedicated
to discussing the establishment of a county audit committee, as mandated
by the State Comptroller’s Office. For several years the Comptroller recommended that
all county governments set up an independent audit committee to review
the work of the county’s annual audit, monitor county offices’ actions
to address deficiencies found by auditors and act as a financial
oversight committee or local government. Most counties ignored
the recommendations, which eventually became mandated under the
Financial Management Act of 2012. Since Now, however, the Comptroller has tied the
requirement for an audit committee to eligibility for various state
grants including CDBG grants for infrastructure and water lines
expansion, Mayor William Baird reported. Still, commissioners
were uncomfortable with the law defining the roll and makeup of an audit
committee. “At one point it reads that a committee can consist
of members of the county commission or the public at large, while in
another section it says that “no elected officials can sit on the
committee,” Coker confirmed. “That is a contradiction.” Finally, Alvin Evans
asked, “Do we have a time limit on how long we can talk about this?”
The commission then voted 8-4 to table the discussion until more
information can be made available and the apparent contradictions
resolved. Services from 1st Baptist Church La Follette - Easter 04/20/2014 <> Overnight gas price spike While you were sleeping,
gas prices made their largest single jump in more than a year.
This time last year, we were paying $3.13 a gallon for regular gasoline.
This morning, we are paying $3.49 a gallon. That’s up from $3.31
on Monday night. Caryville man threatens “I’m going to kill
myself in front of you” In the end, the
Campbell County Sheriff’s SWAT Team reached a peaceful resolution in
what was a tense three-hour stand-off. Just before 8:00 p.m.
Monday night is when officers, and later the SWAT Team, were called to
diffuse a domestic dispute at a home on
Dustin Michael Burnett (COURTESY OF CCSD) Burnett’s wife, Rachel, explained to officers
that she and her husband were having some marital problems and ended up
in a verbal altercation. She goes on to say that the 30-year old Burnett pulled
the handgun out of a trash can located between the house and the garage.
Mrs. Burnett adds that her husband loaded the gun and shot at her before
he put the gun to his chest saying he was going to kill himself in front
of her. The wife ran to her car and backed out of the driveway as
she called 9-1-1 while her husband fired another shot. According
to the report, members of the SWAT Team negotiated with Dustin Michael
Burnett for the better part of three-hours as he continually refused to
comply with orders to come outside. Members of the team finally
decided enough time had passed and tossed chemical gas canisters into
the house. Police say that an addled Burnett soon came to the door
for air, and that’s when the SWAT Team made a move to take him into
custody. Campbell County Sheriff Robbie K. Goins tells WLAF “that
we are pleased and thankful that we were able to bring this volatile
situation to a peaceful resolution. Our SWAT Team members proved that
their discipline and training works. I’m proud to have a dedicated team
of people who practice the expertise of restraint and intelligent
tactics. We strive in every situation to make sure our priority of
saving lives is number one on the list. Those people who choose to
disrupt the lives of others in any community will find themselves in an
incarcerated state when they make the criminal decisions like Mr.
Burnett has.” Cougars win back-to-back
Campbell Baseball nipped The Musical Theatre
classes of Billie Jo Ralston’s
Advanced Theatre Arts has combined with John Edwards’ Advanced Vocal
Music to present the full-length musical. Students from these two
classes will sing, act, and dance their way through their Senior year at
Tickets will be sold at the door only for $7 each
or 2 for $10. It is a first come, first served event. Doors
will open 1 hour prior to each performance. Lisa Leach’s Odyssey
of the Mind students will be selling concessions both prior to the show
and during the intermission. Please note: NO photography or video recordings of
either performance are permitted as a condition of copyright.
However, the actors will be available after the show to sign playbills
and take individual photos with guests. Any questions may be
directed to Billie Jo Ralston at
Billy Sanders & Jamie Miller win the FCCA Fishing Tourney Fun time at the FCCA fishing tourney The
second Friends of Campbell County Animals fishing tournament was held
under a sunny sky on Saturday. On
Lunch time crash at the hospital (DAVID GRAHAM PIX 04/21/2014 - 1:00 PM) Driver dodges pole in mid-day crash An elderly woman and her Pontiac Vibe took a wild ride today on the east side of La Follette. The call came in at 12:03 p.m. that a car was up the bank at the hospital. And it was. Police say the woman was traveling east when she lost control of her car and crossed four lanes of traffic.
According to witnesses, the car ran up the guy- wire of a wooden pole that was side-by-side with a metal pole in front of the La Follette Medical Center. It then slid off the wire and ran up the bank at the entrance to the hospital hitting a brick flower bed as a flag pole stabbed through the windshield just missing the woman’s head.
She was the only person in the car, walked away with a few scratches, and was treated at the LMC.
1,100+ attend Stanfield Church of God’s egg
hunt They stopped counting at
1,100. Even though more people still kept trickling-in to the
grounds next to Ride Royal Blue. Stinking Creek was the busiest
place in the county on Saturday as the Stanfield Church of God hosted
its annual community egg hunt. In addition to the hunt, there was
the drama of Jesus on the cross, pony rides, a petting zoo, prizes,
bounce houses, and lots of food was served up as well as. Community sunrise service a success
The weather was a tad cool, but skies were clear for Sunday’s sunrise
services. More than 250 folks attended the largest sunrise service
in
Pictures & story by Charlotte Underwood The
The Community Garden
at The garden was built by the Eight-grade Science and Garden Club, along with other students. Upwards of 50 students from the school worked on the garden, according to JMS Science Teacher Judy Parker. “It has been so great for them. When you get a child in an outside learning environment, magic happens,” Parker said.
Students also learn how to plant and grow flowers in the community garden as well. With things like zucchini, squash, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli and flowers, the garden will provide food for those who may need it at harvest-time, according to Parker. “Through the gardening process, students learn how to sew seeds, grow vegetables and flowers and save seeds to start next year’s crop,” Parker said, adding that these skills could help future generations provide for their families.
Peppers, roses and strawberries are also growing in the garden. “There is also a huge success rate when it comes to teaching children outdoors,” Parker said, explaining that even her math class students were more receptive outside. Funding for the garden was
provided by a $2,000 grant the city of
Lettuce planted by
students at the “The children worked very hard for this and we are so proud of them. It’s a hands-on approach to teaching, and the results are wonderful. It’s the best way to teach. Why say it to them, when you can have them do it,” Parker said. (04/21/2014 - 6:00 AM)
Cougar Joseph Williams homers twice in Friday's CCHS win Homers on Senior Night for Joltin’ Joe
It was a day on the diamond that will be forever
etched in the memory bank of Cougar Senior Joseph Williams. JW hit
not one but two homeruns in the same inning over the left field fence as
CCHS blanked
White tossed a six-hit, shutout, complete game win.
The arm of Sophomore Virgil
White carried
Former
CCHS Coach Wells takes over ‘Canes’ Football By Matt
Daniels, Citizen Tribune Sports Editor Three seasons
removed from his last head coaching job, Dewayne Wells is back at the
top of a prep football program. Morristown
East athletic director Morgane Watkins confirmed Friday morning the
hiring of Wells, the Hurricanes defensive coordinator the last two
seasons, as the new head coach, replacing Dwayne Hatcher who resigned on
April 2 to pursue job opportunities in Watkins said the
administration is proud to announce the hiring of Wells, adding
promoting him from his assistant coaching position will allow for a
smooth transition as spring practice begins in less than two weeks.
“We’re proud and
excited to introduce one of our own as the new head coach here at
Morristown East,” Watkins said. “Dewayne has the experience, but more
importantly he has proven himself here with the improvement on our
defense. He has head coaching experience, and we expect to have a
seamless transition with him as we move forward into spring practice.” Wells is a
1978 graduate of He coached
his alma mater for 10 seasons from 2001-10, and he led the Cougars to
their first ever playoff appearance in 2004. In all, he took Wells had been the
defensive coordinator for the Hurricanes the past two seasons, with his
unit in the 2013 season showing a vast improvement from the 2012 squad. In his first
season, the Canes were seventh in the IMAC, giving up 362.3 yards and
34.1 points per game. Last season, East had the top defense in the
district, allowing just 284.9 yards and 19.1 points per contest as the
Hurricanes improved from a 1-9 team in 2012 to a 10-2 team and a ranking
of 10th in the state this past fall. Wells has
also had head coaching experience at the collegiate level. He was the
head coach at Wells was also the
head coach and athletic director at Twiggs County High School in
Jeffersonville, Ga., for three years as wells as an assistant coach at
Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky., for eight years. Wells
received his bachelor’s degree in general business from Carson-Newman in
1982 and his master’s degree in secondary education from Wells is scheduled
to meet with the team Monday morning at 8 a.m.
Cake “and” a hug! What a day! We salute you, Frankie Bacon, on your 50th year with State Farm in La Follette and being our "good" neighbor here at WLAF. (PIX BY CAROLYN WILSON 04/18/2014) La Follette’s
Leach lands gig on Grand Ole Opry
Some folks go to their graves chasing a dream. Alex Leach has been
on the run for the past 16-years. And at age 25, the long, lanky
banjo player, who’s known what he wanted to do since age nine, steps
onto the stage of the Grand Ole Opry tonight at
Alex Leach Local optician Paul
Cordell beams when he talks about how he’s watched Alex grow up and
brags about him like he’s one of his own. And rightfully so.
It just wouldn’t seem right for a budding future legend not to have a
healthy following of folks from his hometown. A glowing Momma
Cindy is hard pressed to contain her excitement about this weekend.
She says the family has tickets, is packed up, and ready to go
Frankie Bacon celebrates 50 years at State
Farm Pictures and story by Charlotte Underwood “When something works,
then don’t fix it,” said long-time State Farm Insurance employee Frankie
Bacon. For the past 50 years, Bacon has been a fixture at the downtown
LaFollette insurance office. To thank Bacon for her many years of
service, new State Farm agent Tabatha Smith and the rest of the office
is throwing her a party on April 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The
celebration will be at the State Farm office, which is located at A local gal, Bacon began working with John R. W.
Brown shortly after he went into business and spent 47 happy years
working with him. Beloved by anyone who has had the pleasure to meet her
over the years, Bacon has always had a kind word of encouragement and a
smile for all who pass through the doors where she has worked for the
past five decades.
Frankie Bacon will
be celebrating her 50 year anniversary of working at State Farm
Insurance on April 18. The public is invited to come and celebrate with
Frankie and her family at the office on “I love working with Frankie. She is the best; she
just treats everyone like family. She is like our mama; we are blessed
to work with her every day,” said Anya Wright, who has worked with Bacon
for a little over a year. Other co-workers said they always look forward to
seeing her smiling face. “I don’t know how to
say it; it’s such a pleasure to work with her. She doesn’t act her age
at all, she is so much fun and she knows the insurance business better
than anybody. She is sharp as a tack. We just love her so much; we are
like a family here,” said Carolyn Wilson.
Long-time State Farm employee Frankie Bacon is celebrating 50 years with the company today. Bacon stands beside new State Farm Agent Tabatha Smith. The public is invited to come help Frankie celebrate at the State Farm office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “I just couldn’t imagine coming to work and her not
being here; I don’t know how I ever made it without her now that I know
her,” Smith said, adding that State Farm customers and employees were
like family. “We appreciate the last 50 years and are looking
forward to many more years with her,” Smith said, encouraging those who
know Bacon to come by and help her celebrate. For more information about the celebration, contact
Smith at State Farm at 423-562-3126.
Mother Earth Massage is located at Located at 115 Main Street in Jacksboro in the upstairs of Hazel’s, across from Wal-Mart. Massages are by appointment only and can be made by calling 423-201-7689. Mother Earth Massage offers spring specials Pictures & story by Charlotte Underwood Come relax stress and pain away with a spring
massage special at Mother Earth Massage. Or as owner and operator
MelishA Willis says, “Take time for you.” Willis is a licensed massage therapist and offers a
variety of massage, including relaxation, deep tissue, hot stone, pain
relief, pregnancy massage and more. The spring special for the month of April is a $50
relaxation massage, which is $15 off the normal price of $65. Willis also offers a multitude of package deals,
allowing the customer to get discounted prices. Willis is also currently
scheduling appointments for her Mother’s Day special, which includes
couples massages. Couples massages are when two people get massaged at
the same time.
Mother Earth Massage is owned and operated by local licensed massage therapist MelishA Willis. Appointments can be made by calling 423-201-7689. “It’s a great way for mothers and daughters or
couples to spend some time relaxing together,” Willis said. A massage makes a great present and Willis offers
gift certificates to make shopping that much easier. Mother Earth Massage has been in business since
2005 and is an active member of the Tennessee Massage Therapy
Association. Willis said she knew always wanted to help and heal people
and had the original intent to be a nurse.
“After learning more about medicine, I decided I
wanted to approach it from a more holistic perspective where you treat
the body as a whole and not a piece,” Willis said, adding that she hoped
to continue advancing her skills in holistic and Naturopathic medicine. According to Willis, massage therapy increases
circulation, relieves pain and helps with chronic pain management,
improves posture and balance, increases energy levels and increases
sports performance. “It lengthens muscles and provides a greater range
of motion and endurance,” Willis explained, adding that massage also
provided deep relaxation, could relieve the symptoms of stress and
depression and provided an “overall sense of well being.”
Mother Earth Massage in Jacksboro offers a variety of massages including pain relief therapy. Other services offered
by Mother Earth Massage include energy work and healing such as Raiki,
which is a Japanese technique for stress reduction, relaxation and
healing. Other energy work offered at Mother Earth includes
Ama Deus, which is a spiritual tool that
works to enhance and support your physical and emotional health and
Qigong, which is an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates
physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention. Sugar scrubs, cupping massages and 15 minute chair
massages are also offered. Call for pricing and package deals. Herbal
teas and crystals are also available for purchase. Located at 115 Main Street in Jacksboro, Mother
Earth Massage is in the upstairs of Hazel’s, across from Wal-Mart.
Massages are by appointment only and can be made by calling
423-201-7689.
Sheriff Robbie Goins’
litter crew has been hard at work.
Deputy Glennis Monday
straightens a load of abandoned tires that were dumped illegally in the
White Oak area. Local attorney recovering after fall Long-time attorney and
war veteran Ed Balloff is doing well, his office reports, after he took
a fall Tuesday, breaking his hip. The 94-year-old had surgery Wednesday
morning at the University of Tennessee Medical Center and is recovering
fine. The hospital is likely to keep Balloff for several days while he
recuperates.
Ed Balloff (WLAF file photo 2014) “He’s like the Energizer Bunny; he doesn’t let
anything slow him down,” Balloff’s secretary said. Undefeated CCHS Soccer at home Thursday
Tuesday’s Cougar soccer match with Catholic was cancelled.
However, there’s still a chance to catch CCHS Soccer in action this
week. Thursday at 6:00 on the Cougars home field, See the entire Russell versus La Follette lawsuit After reading the story
(further down this page) of the lawsuit of Billie Russell versus the
City of Ayers announces run for third term
Campbell County General Sessions Judge Joe Ayers has announced his
candidacy for re-election. A graduate of
Judge Joe Ayers
A strong proponent of the education of the
county’s youth, Judge Ayers has created a truancy review board,
maintained a separate docket for truancy cases and established the J.P.
Ayers Memorial Scholarship which is awarded annually to a graduating
senior from both
The son of Margaret and the late J.P. Ayers, Joe
is married to Katherine who works as the senior class guidance counselor
at UT fans apologize? Maybe to Cuonzo,
to Geno only when Hades freezes over By Charles "Boomer" Winfrey Every so often,
somebody else writes something that so closely parallels my thinking
that I just have to quote it. Such is the case with Dana O’Neil of
ESPN.com, writing about the sudden departure of UT basketball coach
Cuonzo Martin to “In the most deliciously ironic coaching carousel
ride in some time, the University of Tennessee, both fan base and
athletic department, somehow managed to get what they no longer wanted
and exactly what they deserved,” O’Neil wrote Tuesday after Martin’s
surprise move west. Amen. I ceased to be a serious Tennessee men’s
basketball fan a long time ago, not because the team disappointed me and
not because I didn’t like the coaching staff, but because I grew sick of
too many of the fans. I guess it started way
back when Let’s face it, too
many Whatever the reason, fans seem more interested in
colorful coaches that win popularity contests than they are in building
a winning program. Little Stu Aberdeen, who gained immortality among Vol
faithful when asked to assess his new team after taking over the
program, is a good example. “Well, they’re small,”
Stu was popular with
fans because of his quick wit, memorable one-liners and propensity for
getting tossed out of games by the officials. He couldn’t win an NCAA
tournament game if he armed his team with assault rifles. Wisely, he
jumped to Bruce Pearl was a
colorful coach. Fortunately for Enter Cuonzo Martin.
Not at all colorful, except for the color of his skin, which I suspect
was one strike against him in the minds of some Vol fans. He also failed
to win big right out of the starting gate as But he surprised a lot of fans and the media this
year by taking a previously under-achieving team within one missed shot,
or one questionable official’s call, of the elite eight. Meanwhile, the 30,000
or so fans who signed the online petition to “Bring back Bruce” got
their wish. Bruce Pearl came back – to The fans shouldn’t bear
all of the responsibility, however. The local media has been just as bad
through the years, lionizing colorful coaches like Athletic Director Dave
Hart, that refugee from Martin’s reward for taking the Vols from a play-in
NCAA bubble team to one of the sixteen best teams in the country? He got
a two-year extension on his expiring contract and a raise to rank him
eighth in pay among SEC coaches, below five others who didn’t make the
NCAA tournament. No wonder he took the
trip west to I remain a loyal Lady Vols fan. Some of the fans of
the men’s program could take lessons from Lady Vol fans when it comes to
treating other teams, officials and their own with respect. Well, with
the possible exception of UConn coach Geno Auriemma. Auriemma, you might
have noticed, was recently quoted as saying he would consider renewing
the UT-UConn regular season series if OK. I’ll apologize. UConn fans, I am truly sorry
that your coach is a first class horse’s rump. I’m sorry that while Pat
Summitt will go down in history as one of the people who built women’s
basketball to levels where it is truly competitive with the men’s game
in popularity, your coach might go down in history as one of the people
who destroyed it. Geno can win games and recruit great players. Give
him that. He also alienates everybody, from hard-nosed Pat Summitt to
gentle, pixie-faced Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw. He told ESPN before
the Final Four that “Everyone is p****d off when UConn wins. Let them be
p*****d off.” Yeah. Pee’d off enough that fewer fans want to
watch women’s basketball if the results are always predictable. Pee’d
off enough that when the Big East Conference began to fall apart, no
other major conference wanted UConn, which is now stuck in the American
Athletic Conference. That conference loses
In the end, I think UT
should apologize . . . to Cuonzo Martin. If anybody ever apologizes to
Geno Auriemma, I’ll buy a blue and white cap and start rooting for
While basketball has
dominated the headlines, the Tennessee General Assembly has begun
winding down in I will give the legislature credit. A trace of
sanity returned to Capitol Hill at the end of this session and the
lawmakers rejected the gunslinger bill that would have allowed anyone
except convicted felons to wear a sidearm openly wherever they want.
“Wherever” would include teachers packing into schools, deacons packing
into church, parents packing into day care centers and nurses packing
into hospitals, not to mention drunks packing into bars and I guess,
fans packing into stadiums. Of course, the proposed law would have allowed
churches, schools, stadiums and businesses to forbid the carrying of
open guns. Gee, I feel so much better knowing that. I assume one of the
places where the open carry law would not apply would be the legislative
plaza, the only place where open possession of a sidearm could possibly
benefit the public. I can’t wait to see
what awaits us next year!
The Campbell County
Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors cancelled its meeting scheduled
for this morning. Estel Jones, the father-in-law of E.L. Morton, the chamber’s
executive director, passed away last night. As a result, the
meeting was cancelled and will likely be rescheduled for next Wednesday.
At issue is whether or not Morton is violating chamber bylaws by being a
candidate for county mayor in the August election all the while serving
as the chamber’s director. The board was to vote on whether or not
Morton is going against those bylaws at this morning's meeting.
(04/16/2014 - 9:30 AM) Morton’s fate decided this morning
The board of the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce meets this morning
at 8:30 to decide the fate of E.L. Morton. At issue is whether or
not Morton is breaking bylaws of the chamber in his run for county
mayor. Morton, the Executive Director of the Campbell County Chamber of
Commerce, tells WLAF News that “I remain a candidate in the Campbell
County Mayoral race, because our message of professionalism,
accountability, listening to people, and homegrown leadership continues
to resonate with voters. I am thrilled with the open arms my
campaign is seeing countywide.” Morton delayed his response to
WLAF’s request until he, as he put it, “was on his own time.” The
deadline of noon, April 10, 2014, has come and gone for any candidate,
including Morton, to withdraw their name from the August 2014 ballot.
Wednesday is the deadline the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce Board
of Directors gave Morton to think about whether or not he wants to run
for office or continue with the chamber. At a special called
meeting on April 1 to address Morton’s plan to run for county mayor, the
main concern was if it was a violation of the chamber’s bylaws for
Morton to run the chamber by day and campaign after hours. At that
April 1 meeting, board member Mark Cain said he felt the director
running for political office would violate the bylaws. “You
running for mayor puts us at odds with our bylaws and that is a real
deep problem,” Cain said. “I think this board needs to meet again
after deadline to withdraw on April 10, and if at that point he is still
a candidate, then I will make a recommendation to this board that E.L.
be removed as executive director,” Cain said. Board member Jerri Starrett said (also at the 04/01 meeting) she saw both sides of the
argument, but felt the board had failed in the writing of the bylaws.
“I feel as a board we have failed because we did not clearly state our
bylaws. If we had made it clearer, we wouldn’t be in this
situation,” Starrett said. Over the weekend, a source close to
WLAF indicated that some of the board members may be having second
thoughts about getting into a political mess since they all work for
someone else and don’t want to jeopardize their own employment status.
WLAF listener Jerry Kidd pointed out that there is not one local
business owner on the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce Board of
Directors. However, Rob Woodson who owns Woodson Cash Stores is
represented on the board by Becky Aiken. Chamber of Commerce
President Debbie Petree explained to WLAF on Sunday evening that that
may well be the case with some of the board members not wanting to be a
part of a controversial issue. She said that what is on the agenda
for Wednesday’s meeting with regard to Morton is only one item; a vote
on whether or not it is a violation of the chamber’s bylaws for the
executive director to maintain that position and run for office at the
same time. Petree added that there will likely be discussion
following the vote. WLAF’s Charlotte Underwood provides coverage
following this morning's meeting right here. Sheriff’s department makes domestic
violence and drug arrests By Charlotte Underwood The Campbell County Sheriff’s Department made
multiple domestic violence and drug arrests over the past week,
according to reports. A domestic altercation landed a Jacksboro man in jail on April 8 after he assaulted the victim and then attempted to hide in the woods from deputies, according to the arrest report. When the deputies arrived, Shane Kelly Shoupe, 30, was seen running into the woods across from the residence where the domestic altercation took place. Shoupe was told to stop running several times, but did not comply. He was taken into custody a short time later.
Shane Kelly Shoupe After speaking with the victim, deputies learned
Shoupe had come home, gotten into a verbal argument with the victim and
then began cutting up her items with a box cutter. This soon escalated
into him punching her in the face, choking her, slamming her into the
wall and threatening her with the box cutter, according to the report.
The victim showed injuries consistent with her report to police. While
at the residence, deputies noticed several components used to
manufacture meth. Shoupe told deputies he knew what the components were
used for and said he was being paid to store them, according to the
report. Shoupe was charged with intent of process intended to
manufacture meth, evading arrest, aggravated assault by domestic
violence and a child support attachment. Another Jacksboro man was arrested on April 12, after he allegedly fired a gun into his wife’s house, according to a Campbell County Sheriff’s report. Brian D. Overton, 38, was charged with resisting arrest after he did not comply with deputies responding to the call.
Brian D. Overton Instead, Overton “ran into his residence and began
cutting the lights off”, before finally coming out, according to the
arrest report. Overton was also charged with violating an order of
protection. He was transported to the county jail. In an unrelated domestic case, Don Allen McDaniel, 67, was arrested for violating an order of protection. It is his second violation of the protection in order in two weeks, according to the arrest reports.
Don Allen McDaniel McDaniel was arrested on April 11 after he
allegedly took tax papers to the victim’s house and called the victim
numerous times. McDaniel was arrested and transported to jail.
Tommy Ray Morris On April 9, Tommy Ray Morris, 46, was arrested for
aggravated assault by domestic violence, according to the sheriff’s
department. Deputies responded to the domestic call on Easter Lane in
La Follette and spoke with the victim, who stated Morris and she got
into an argument and that he slapped her in the face, grabbed her neck
and began strangling her. Morris was taken to jail. Kimberly Dawn Davis,
34, of Pinecrest, was arrested on drug charges on April 11, after
deputies observed her run a stop sign. According to the arrest report,
deputies saw
Kimberly Dawn Davis After catching up to
Robert Luther Young,
34, was arrested on public intoxication charges, disorderly conduct,
resisting arrest and assault on a police officer on April 10 after
officers observed him staggering in the middle of the road on
Robert Luther Young When deputies stopped to check on Young, he had a strong smell of alcohol coming from his person and had blood shot eyes and slurred speech. Young refused to tell the deputy his name and became very defiant, cussing him. When the deputy began to arrest Young, he resisted, attempting to strike the deputy with his right fist and had to be taken to the ground to be arrested. A La Follette man was so drunk that he fell against the sheriff’s patrol car, breaking off the driver’s side mirror in an unrelated public intoxication arrest. Benjamin Lee Brandenburg, 36, was arrested on April 5, after deputies were dispatched to the American Legion Bar in reference to a man trying to fight other patrons at the bar.
Benjamin Lee Brandenburg When deputies arrived,
they found Caryville man arrested in La Follette on
drug charges A Caryville man was
arrested on drug charges by the La Follette Police Department on April
11th,
after officers noticed he was acting nervous during a routine traffic
stop. Donnie Jack Barnes was charged with possession of a schedule VI
controlled substance after officers found a baggie containing marijuana
in the seat where he was a passenger in a car that had been pulled over
for a traffic stop. The driver gave consent for officers to search
the vehicle. Barnes was taken to the county jail. Stanfill
arraigned in Big O's robbery case By
The man
accused of robbing Big O's at gunpoint on January 2, is scheduled to
appear in Campbell County Criminal Court in June. He had an April 14
court date set for, but that was reset for June 23. On that day,
Stanfill will either have to enter a plea or his case will be set for
jury trial, according to courthouse officials. A grand jury
indicted 32-year-old Daniel Stanfill of LaFollette for the crime on
March 14. He appeared with his lawyer Robert Jolly in court during his
arraignment and pleaded not guilty to the crime. Five days
after Stanfill was indicted for the crime, attorney Dave Dunaway,
Stanfill's stepfather, filed a lawsuit at the courthouse at Jacksboro
against Named in the
suit are the Stanfill is still
free on a 75-thousand dollar bond. Lifestar eyes new home for emergency
helicopter service in UT Medical Center’s Lifestar helicopter
service hopes to move one of its regional outposts to the AirTrans provides the helicopters and pilots
while UT provides the medical personnel. The base for Lifestar 4 has
been at the “Fog has been a serious problem there,
cutting down on our service time,” Carroll explained. “ Carroll and airport manage Bert Loupe told
commissioners that under the proposed agreement, UT would construct a
hanger to house the helicopter and on-duty personnel along with a fuel
facility to store JetA, a jet fuel needed to power the Lifestar
helicopters that is not presently available at Campbell County Airport. Lifestar would pay for construction of the
facilities and lease the land from the county. Most of the construction
cost will be covered by a federal grant. “ Under the current proposal, Lifestar will
lease the land for the hanger for 15-20 years, with the amount adjusted
every five years using the CPI index. After 20 years the county will be
deeded the hanger Carroll admitted that the move wouldn’t be
popular with everyone. “There are always going to be a few people
who won’t welcome this sort of facility. The helicopters make a lot of
noise and we often must fly at night,” he pointed out. “We looked at several
Correction:
Property Assessor Brandon Partin said that he is requesting that
the reappraisal cycle be extended from four years to five years
rather than what was reported by WLAF of him saying that he wants it
shortened from six-years to five-years. Partin
explained that under the new cycle, all property will be reviewed and
revaluated once every four years. The reason Partin
is requesting to extend the reappraisal cycle is to save his office and
the county money. Travel centers coming to the 141 Exit Caryville changes fee
structure on commercial signs & buildings; approves grants, repairs & bids Photos & story by Charlotte Underwood Caryville Mayor Chris Stanley announced two
large truck stop/travel centers would soon be breaking ground at the 141
Exit. A WilcoHess and a Travel Center of America will be locating to the
north Caryville exit, with construction hopefully starting in about a
month. Each new convenience stop will contain a variety of restaurants,
such as a Wendy’s, a Dunkin Donuts, a Stuckey’s Candy and several
others.
Mayor Chris Stanley announced that both WilcoHess and a Travel Center of America will soon be breaking ground at the 141 Exit. The addition of the businesses will increase the revenue for the town. “It’s going to be more revenue for the town,”
Mayor Stanley said. Another agenda item discusses that will
bring more revenue for Caryville was the change to the fee structure for
commercial business signs and commercial building permits. The board
voted to change the fee structure from a square-footage charge to a
sliding percentage scale based on construction cost. The sliding scale
is based on a chart designated by the state and is already in use in
Anderson and other area counties, according to the town’s new building
inspector Lisa Crumpley. Crumpley is also the main building inspector
for
Members of the Caryville Board of Mayor and Aldermen met and discussed various repairs and bids during the meeting on Monday night. Also discussed and approved was a fee structure for commercial signs and building permits. “Not only will this make it easier on me, it
could generate a substantial amount of revenue for the city,” Crumpley
said. Board member Mark Stanley asked her to give an example of the
money difference in the old method versus the new method. Crumpley said
it would be a difference of about a $100 dollar permit charge with the
old method and a $1,100 permit charge with the new method. Vice Mayor Glenn Smith, who is also on the
planning commission, recommended the board approve the change, saying it
had the planning commission’s endorsement. “It will make it easier for Lisa to figure
the costs and it will generate more funds; it’s a win-win,” Smith said.
The changes will apply to commercial only, as residential permit costs
are strictly figured on a square-foot basis.
Glenn Smith, who is on the Caryville Planning Commission as well, recommended the town change its fee structure for commercial signs and commercial building permits based on the recommendation from Caryville’s new building inspector Lisa Crumpley. Other items discussed and approved at the
meeting included the acceptance of a $13,870 bid from Roger’s Group to
pave Pop’s Road. The road is 910-feet long and runs from The board voted to pay the invoices for the
library’s LSTA 2014 Computer Grant. It is a matching grant, which
allowed the library to purchase three new computers and a laptop. The
laptop is all that remains to be purchased. The computer purchases
come at a great time, as Caryville Library’s computer usage numbers are
high, with 525 computer uses last month. The police department is also getting six
new laptops with a fully-funded GHSO grant. The board approved the
purchase and the town will be reimbursed by the grant. Also approved was a $678.00 off-road fuel
purchase for the street department, as well as a $1,690 hydraulic
cylinder purchase to repair the town’s garbage truck.
Board member Vicki Heatherly said she thought it would soon be time to purchase a new garbage truck for Caryville since the old one often needed repairs. Board member Vickie Heatherly pointed out
that the 1997 model garbage truck would have to eventually be replaced,
rather than pieced back together. The mayor and board members agreed
that it perhaps only had a couple years of life left in it. Payments for repairs to a traffic light were
approved in the amount of $625.00 and $816.49 was approved to purchase a
forward and reverse switch for the street department’s back hoe. Final business was the approval of putting
the cutting of hay at the industrial park out for bid. WLAF encourages & appreciates your comments to wlaf@1450wlaf.com Stanfield looks forward to day in court
The City of
JUDGES: Circuit
– John McAFEE Chancellor
– Elizabeth C. ASBURY Andy TILLMAN Criminal
– E. Shayne SEXTON District Attorney
– Jared EFFLER Lori PHILLIPS-JONES Public Defender
– Mark Eric BLAKELY Leif JEFFERS General Sessions
– Joe AYERS Kathy PARROTT Amanda (Mandy) SAMMONS COUNTY COMMISSION
DISTRICT ONE: M. David ADKINS N. Marie AYERS Anthony (Tony) DOSSETT Whit GOINS Paul E. HARRELL Robert (Higgy) HIGGINBOTHEM
Steve E. RUTHERFORD
COUNTY COMMISSION
DISTRICT TWO:
Scott KITTS
COUNTY COMMISSION
DISTRICT THREE: Brent ALLEN Wendell BAILEY Scott GUNTER Cliff
Lawrence (Rusty) ORICK Jason SHETTERLY Scott STANFIELD COUNTY COMMISSION
DISTRICT FOUR: Charles (Goat) BAIRD Johnny (Coach) BRUCE C.
Thomas BYRGE Ralph GRANT Roy GREEN Sue NANCE COUNTY COMMISSION
DISTRICT FIVE: Forester BAIRD Pam CARBAUGH J.L.
Carl B. DOUGLAS Alvin (Coach) EVANS Robert HICKS Ron HUTSON Terry SINGLEY Charles C. VERMILLION William BAIRD Fred COLE Jack LYNCH E.L. MORTON Marvin T. RUTHERFORD SHERIFF: Robbie K. GOINS A.O. (Pete) HATFIELD Gary PERKINS SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT
ONE: Wallace W. GOINS Rector MILLER SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT
TWO: Randy COMER Sharon Mills RIDENOUR SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT
THREE: Faye HEATHERLY Scott HILL SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT
FOUR: Clint BANE Eugene LAWSON
SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT
FIVE: Elsie Bates CRAWFORD Crystal McNealy
CREEKMORE Johnny W. CREEKMORE Ned G. SMIDDY REGISTER OF DEEDS: Beverly Stanfield HALL Dormas MILLER Danny E. WILSON Joseph G. COKER TRUSTEE: Monty BULLOCK CIRCUIT COURT CLERK: Bobby VANN Alene BAIRD
Debbie WILSON CONSTABLE DISTRICT ONE: No candidates qualified CONSTABLE DISTRICT TWO: Larry R. FORD Jimmy MYNATT CONSTABLE DISTRICT
THREE: Bill A. RUTHERFORD CONSTABLE DISTRICT
FOUR: Dewey W. MADISON Sam PHILLIPS Jim WILSON CONSTABLE DISTRICT
FIVE: Kevin Paul WEBB
STATE
REPRESENTATIVE 36TH
DISTRICT: James Virgil KIDWELL – Democrat Dennis H. POWERS – Republican Students win with science project; draw
attention from Y-12 chemists Photos and story by Charlotte Underwood Several students from
Nick Lees, Sam Finley and Zach Bostic centered their science project on engineering wind turbines and testing out different shapes and materials for turbines. Eighth-grade students
Noah Smith, Morgan Simpson and Elijah Brock were grand champions at the
competition with their project on oxidation, titled Walnuts: The Answer
to Rusting. The students competed against 60 other science
projects from 20 other counties in “This just shows our students are more than capable
of doing great things if we give them an avenue,” Parker said.
Jessi Bumgardner, Kali Pitman and Chloe Wright did their science project by testing adhesive tape, effectively determining that Gorilla Brand tape was stronger than Duct tape. Smith, Simpson and
Brock began working on the project four months before the competition.
They first made a cream out of walnut shells after discovering there was
a substance in the nut that prevented some metals from rusting. They
have even applied for a Parker said the scientists are interested because
the student’s discovery regarding walnuts preventing the oxidation has
the potential to be utilized in cancer research. “It seems plausible that if a cancer cell was
deprived of oxygen, then it would die, which relates to cellular
respiration and cellular metabolism,” Parker said, adding that testing
beyond what was available in a school laboratory would have to be done.
Ian Hall, Lucas Ballard and Neka Ward tested to see if limestone could be a natural water purification system. After filtering the water, the students tested it with the use of ph and a water analysis kit. “Will it stop oxidation? Yes. Will it
cure cancer? We don’t know, but the potential is there. We are so
blessed by this project and these children.” Other students did
well at the science fair as well. Kirsten Roberts, Claire Chambers
and Lindsay Horton received an honorable mention for their “
The Indoor Garden Project was created by Kirsten Roberts, Lindsay Horton and Claire Chambers. The project demonstrates a three story model of an indoor garden, with the bottom level using Aquapontics. Jared Bane and Jacob Lasley also garnered an
honorable mention for their project on “Insulation Houses”, which
measured temperatures in four different models of houses with different
types of insulation. Alyssa Coker and Brittany Wilson were given a
specialty award for their project on “Temperature Trends”. Using a
professional weather station at JMS, the students collected data for six
months and compared it to official data collected by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Both girls received
an award from NOAA, a lapel pin, a ribbon and $20, as well as a
certificate.
Trinity King, McKenzie Ayers and Bethany McKamey did their project on how plants respond to being watered with different liquids such as tea, milk, Sunny D, sweet tea and coffee. The purpose of the project was to determine if plants grow quicker and healthier with coffee. Two eighth-graders at
Chamber board votes to give director time
to withdraw from political race Pictures and story by Charlotte Underwood Five years after being hired as the chamber
director for the county, E.L. Morton found himself facing possible
termination this morning as The Campbell County Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors met in regards to his run for political office. After
a lengthy meeting, the board decided to give Morton time to withdraw his
name from the county mayor’s political race before putting the issue to
a vote on whether or not it violates the organization’s bylaws resulting
in a termination.
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director found himself defending his decision to run for political office during a special-called meeting of chamber board members this morning. Board president Debbie Petree said she had called
the special meeting because there had been concern by several board
members on the issue. This morning’s meeting showed a somewhat divided
board on the issue. Morton filed a petition to run last week and said he
feels it is his American right to participate in the political process,
especially if he does it on his own time. Current County Mayor William
Baird sits on the chamber board, as of a February bylaw change. Board member Jay Willoughby began the meeting by
stating that Morton was his friend and that he took no pleasure in
contrasting with his position on running for office. “No one should serve
as director of the chamber while campaigning for political office,”
County Mayor William Baird sits on the chamber board as of February when the bylaws were changed to include a permanent board member seat for the county mayor. “I do agree our
director has the right to run for political office, but not while
employed as the chamber director,” Board member Erik Wangsness, representing Jellico
Community Hospital took an opposing view saying as he saw it, the
situation would be uncomfortable for Mayor Baird and Morton, but that
there was a “big difference in right and wrong and comfortable and
uncomfortable.” “I believe E.L. could operate in an appropriate
fashion and to restrict someone from seeking office because of their job
is very difficult,” Wangsness said.
Chamber Board Member Jay Willoughby said he feels it would be a conflict of interest for the chamber director to run for political office and that the chamber had “traditionally been a non political entity.” “Stripping
personalities away, I feel it would be inappropriate for the chamber to
support a candidate and no matter how you look at it, E.L. is the face
of the chamber and despite what time of day he is campaigning, folks are
still going to associate him with the chamber,” “But not allowing him to run for office would be
inappropriate,” Wangsness said, adding that just because something was
unpleasant or caused disagreement or dissention did not mean it was
necessarily a bad thing. “The chamber, by having multiple business members
is really an organization of competing interests. If we always work
within the guidelines and try to avoid disagreements, we wouldn’t be
terribly effective,” Wangsness said. “We are not a public
office. This is a nonprofit corporation that uses public money. The
county is a big funding source for us and that money comes in from tax
payers,” County tax payer’s money accounts for $95,000 of
the organization’s $140,000 budget Morton reiterated once again that he would not be
campaigning during any of his work hours. Board member Karen Cumorich said as executive
director Morton’s job hours were 24/7 and there would be no way to cut
that off as far as campaigning went. Board member Ronda Longmire said she was very
pained about the issue.
Board Member Karen Cumorich said the executive director’s job was a 24/7 responsibility and that regardless of when he campaigned, the public would still associate Morton with the chamber and it would divide his responsibilities. “You have put us in a bad situation, and we think
you need to fix it,” Longmire said, adding that as a long-time board
member she had never been confronted with a situation such as this
before. “It’s like you have applied for another job and you
expect us to wait and see if you get that job,” Longmire said. Chamber board treasurer Kenny Baird reminded the
board that Morton had until April 10 to withdraw his name from the
political race. Petree weighed in saying she felt the executive
director’s reasonability was to the board and the board’s responsibility
was to its chamber members. Board member Jerri Starrett said she saw both sides
of the argument, but felt the board had failed in the writing of the
bylaws. “I feel as a board we have failed because we did
not clearly state our bylaws. If we had made it clearer, we wouldn’t be
in this situation,” Starrett said. Morton said he served at the pleasure of the board,
but he did not plan on dropping out of the political race, nor did he
plan to resign as chamber executive director. “You are all my
friends and I realize I have placed you in a rigor. This is a rigor for
me as well. Do you know how many stomach clenching black feelings I have
had in the past week? It’s been kind of like stepping off that airplane
in
Board treasurer Kenny Baird reminded the board that the executive director had until April 10 to withdraw his name from the political race before having to vote on the issue. Kenny Baird said he felt it was all in or none in
and that Morton could not do both. Board member Mark Cain said he felt the director
running for political office would violate the bylaws. “You running for mayor puts us at odds with our
bylaws and that is a real deep problem,” Cain said. He added that
despite Morton’s assertion that he intended to continue the political
run; perhaps he would change his mind by the next chamber board meeting. “I think this board needs to meet again after
deadline to withdraw on April 10 and if at that point he is still a
candidate, then I will make a recommendation to this board the E.L. be
removed as executive director,” Cain said. Other board members agreed
and the issue will be decided on April 16 at the next board meeting. Petree said she appreciated the interest and
commitment of all board members. “It is certainly not an easy task before us, but I
believe we as a board will come to the right solution,” Petree said. After the meeting, Morton
told WLAF that he intends to continue his political run because he sees
“no reason not to run, and it is the right thing to do.”
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