KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens has earned back-to-back NFCA and SEC Pitcher of the Week honors, marking the first time in program history a Lady Vol has claimed national weekly recognition in consecutive weeks.
Pickens, a junior right-hander, dominated No. 17 Mississippi State in a series win, securing two victories while allowing just six base runners over 10 innings. She recorded 10 strikeouts and threw two complete-game shutouts to improve her season record to 15-4. She opened with a four-hit shutout (6 K, 0 BB) in game one and closed out the series with a one-hitter, fanning four and walking one. Pickens now has five shutouts on the season. Her stellar performance lowered her ERA to 0.94, the best in the SEC and fourth in the nation.
This marks Pickens’ second NFCA Pitcher of the Week award and her eighth SEC weekly honor in her decorated career.
Tennessee returns to the diamond this weekend as it takes on No. 1 Texas April 11-13 in Austin.
Two people are facing charges after they allegedly vandalized Lakeshore Park.
Knoxville Police and staff at Lakeshore Park say several people were caught on security video jumping the playground fence and spray painting inappropriate images and words on the slide and sidewalk last month.
KPD say the suspects are 20-year-old Victoria White and 19-year-old Austin Rogers, both of Loudon.
White and Rogers have both been charged with one count of vandalism and are scheduled to appear in court on June 3.
Two people are facing charges after they allegedly vandalized Lakeshore Park.
Knoxville Police and staff at Lakeshore Park say several people were caught on security video jumping the playground fence and spray painting inappropriate images and words on the slide and sidewalk last month.
KPD say the suspects are 20-year-old Victoria White and 19-year-old Austin Rogers, both of Loudon.
White and Rogers have both been charged with one count of vandalism and are scheduled to appear in court on June 3.
The Knoxville Smokies will take to the diamond inside Covenant Health Park on April 15th, marking a new era of baseball in East Tennessee.
Covenant Health Park, a joint venture by the Smokies, City of Knoxville, and Knox County, was built with the intention to bring baseball back to Knoxville and connect East Knoxville to downtown.
Yesterday (Tuesday), a crowd gathered outside the third base gate, known as Giants Landing, and watched as seven statues were unveiled as part of a ceremony honoring Black baseball in Knoxville.
The spot along Jackson Avenue where the new ballpark sits was historically a Black neighborhood.
The statues, created by master sculptor Brian Hanlon, highlight the Knoxville Giants of the Negro Southern League, the Knoxville Smokies and the first Little League program offered to Black children in Knoxville before integration.
The seven statues honor the likes of builders and players both.
Jerry Benjamin – A three-time All-Star outfielder in the Negro Leagues. Benjamin played his first season with the Knoxville Giants.
William M. Brooks – A founding executive member of the Negro Southern League, Brooks was the first Manager of the Knoxville Giants in 1920. He also taught at Austin High School and Green School.
Claude “Steel Arm” Dickey – A pitcher for the Knoxville Giants during the inaugural year in 1920, Dickey was a native of East Tennessee and known as “Pride of the South.”
Forrest “One Wing” Maddox, – Maddox was a pitcher and outfielder for the Giants in 1920. Some say he was the league’s first batting champion, despite losing his left arm to amputation when he was 10.
William Nathaniel “Nat” Rogers – A veteran outfielder, Rogers joined the Knoxville Giants in 1946, making history as the oldest active player in organized baseball at age 52.
“Big Jim” Tugerson – Top pitcher, Tugerson, while fighting racial injustice in the Deep South, played in the Mountain States League, integrating the 1953 Knoxville Smokies with an unmatched record of 29 regular season wins and an additional four playoff wins for the league championship. His brother also pitched for the Smokies.
Payne Avenue Little League – In 1951, Knoxville established its first Little League baseball team of Black children at the Payne Avenue Recreation Center on the hill next to Green School. The center was named after Richard “Uncle Dick” Payne, Knoxville’s first Black businessman.
McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy says deputies caught five burglars in the act at Sweetwater Airsoft.
Police were called to the business on County Road 275 Monday for a report of a theft in progress and found a Ford F-150 with two suspects inside, and as more deputies arrived, they found three more suspects at the corner of the property.
18 year-old Joshua Weber, 20 year-old James Whitner, 19 year-old Blake Fisher, 24 year-old Paiden Davis and a 17 year-old were taken into custody.
Guy says the stolen items were returned to the business owners as they were recovered.
Joshua Weber, 18, of Vonore
Two counts of burglary
Two counts of theft over $1,000
$56,000 bond
James Whitner, 20, of Sweetwater
Felony burglary
Theft over $2,500
$56,000 bond
Blake Fisher, 19, of Athens
Conspiracy to commit burglary
$5,000 bond
Paiden Davis, 24, of Vonore
Conspiracy to commit burglary
$10,000 bond
17-year-old juvenile
Charged separately through juvenile court
(L-R) Joshua Weber, James Whitmer, Blake Fisher, Paiden Davis(MCSO)
“It appeared that Weber and the juvenile had been to the Airsoft business at some time before and had returned the night before with Whitner, Davis and Fisher and burglarized it,” said Guy. “They returned the next night to do the same. Weber, Whitner and the juvenile broke in while Davis and Fisher waited outside in the truck. Several of the airsoft guns and other accessories had been hidden in the nearby woods, and deputies were able to locate those and others the thieves had taken to the homes of Webber and the juvenile in Monroe County. Those were later recovered from both locations with the assistance of Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies.”
Guy said the stolen items were returned to the business owners as they were recovered.
McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy says deputies caught five burglars in the act at Sweetwater Airsoft.
Police were called to the business on County Road 275 Monday for a report of a theft in progress and found a Ford F-150 with two suspects inside, and as more deputies arrived, they found three more suspects at the corner of the property.
18 year-old Joshua Weber, 20 year-old James Whitner, 19 year-old Blake Fisher, 24 year-old Paiden Davis and a 17 year-old were taken into custody.
Guy says the stolen items were returned to the business owners as they were recovered.
Joshua Weber, 18, of Vonore
Two counts of burglary
Two counts of theft over $1,000
$56,000 bond
James Whitner, 20, of Sweetwater
Felony burglary
Theft over $2,500
$56,000 bond
Blake Fisher, 19, of Athens
Conspiracy to commit burglary
$5,000 bond
Paiden Davis, 24, of Vonore
Conspiracy to commit burglary
$10,000 bond
17-year-old juvenile
Charged separately through juvenile court
(L-R) Joshua Weber, James Whitmer, Blake Fisher, Paiden Davis(MCSO)
“It appeared that Weber and the juvenile had been to the Airsoft business at some time before and had returned the night before with Whitner, Davis and Fisher and burglarized it,” said Guy. “They returned the next night to do the same. Weber, Whitner and the juvenile broke in while Davis and Fisher waited outside in the truck. Several of the airsoft guns and other accessories had been hidden in the nearby woods, and deputies were able to locate those and others the thieves had taken to the homes of Webber and the juvenile in Monroe County. Those were later recovered from both locations with the assistance of Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies.”
Guy said the stolen items were returned to the business owners as they were recovered.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) County officials are asking for community input on their East Knox County mobility study, a survey that identified 23 projects the county plans to start soon.
The county is taking information through a specialized website which includes an interactive map that outlines each transportation project the county is planning. In addition, the website has a tool that allows the you to pick the most important projects to get funded.
“To ensure that your voice is heard in shaping the future of transportation in East Knox County, we have provided two activities where you can share your feedback,” mobility team members said. “The final projects have been identified based on public and stakeholder input, safety assessments, and the Comprehensive Land Use and Transportation Plan. Your feedback will be instrumental in helping to prioritize these projects.”
The deadline to respond is April 18.
Knox County asking for input on future traffic, transportation projects. (Courtesy: WVLT / WSAW)
Monroe County, TN (WOKI) Two people are arrested after drug busts in Monroe County.
Sheriff Tommy Jones says the Narcotics Division and Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at a room in the Economy Inn in Sweetwater. There, agents found almost 5 grams of fentanyl and arrested one person.
Two days later, Jones says the Narcotics Division executed another search warrant, this one in the area of Brakebill Road in Vonore. One person was arrested after about 10 grams of fentanyl was found.
Jones says they are not releasing the names of the suspects and says finding fentanyl in both of these searches was important because it has been related to multiple drug overdoses.
Jones said finding fentanyl in both of these searches was important because it has been related to multiple drug overdoses. (Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriff’s Office)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A University of Tennessee Police Department officer is recovering from injuries sustained Tuesday morning following a crash in Knoxville.
Officials with the Tennessee Highway Patrol say the crash happened around 8:00 a.m. on Kingston Pike.
THP reports the officer was trying to turn left when another driver traveling down the road did not yield, hitting the cruiser.
A representative for UTPD says the officer’s injuries are not life-threatening.
At this time, no charges have been filed.
UT police officer involved in Knoxville crash, THP officials say. (Courtesy: WVLT / Kyle Grainger)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Two men have been indicted in connection to a shooting outside of a Knoxville bar.
It happened last October at Bucket Head Tavern on Ray Mears Boulevard. A witness says he was walking outside, heard shots and saw an SUV leave the scene. The victim, who was shot multiple times, identified Treveon Bradley and Jaden Moore as the men who attempted to rob him when he was hit by the gunfire. Bradley and Moore then took his car after he was shot.
Bradley and Moore have been indicted on the following charges:
Carjacking
Especially aggravated robbery
Attempted second-degree murder
Employing a firearm during a dangerous felony
Two counts of aggravated assault
There was an unrelated shooting in the businesses parking lot last week which injured four. The tavern has now changed its hours of operation to close at midnight.
Treveon Bradley(L) and Jaden Moore. (Courtesy: JIMS)
