Acting on a tip submitted through East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers, members of the Knoxville Police Department’s Community Engagement Response Team took wanted Michael Thomas into custody on Thursday evening.
Thomas, 18, was wanted for attempted first-degree murder stemming from a drive-by shooting that wounded a 41-year-old man in the 3700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue on October 13, 2024. Thomas was identified as the suspect from that shooting following exhaustive investigative efforts led by the KPD Homicide Unit.
Thomas was located on Thursday evening at a home on Lilac Avenue. He attempted to run from officers, discarding a backpack in the process, but was quickly apprehended.
Officers found a large amount of narcotics in the bag that Thomas tossed away, including almost 70 grams of cocaine and over six grams of crack cocaine. Officers also recovered drug paraphernalia and over $800 in cash from suspected drug transactions.
In addition to the outstanding attempted murder warrant, Thomas was also charged with multiple drug offenses and evading arrest.
Jefferson County, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly crash Wednesday in Jefferson County that involved a motorcycle.
Troopers were called to the crash on U.S. Highway 25/70 near Betty Lou Drive just after 3:00 p.m. and found that the driver of a 2005 Kawsaki motorcycle had attempted to pass a car on the highway when it hit a car traveling in the opposite direction head-on, causing the car behind the motorcycle to crash as well.
THP officials say the driver of the motorcycle, 35-year-old Jeremy Arangio, was killed and two others were taken to a local hospital with injuries.
THP reports Arangio was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
THP said that three vehicles were involved in the crash. (Courtesy: THP)
Gatlinburg, TN (WOKI) Parts of Cataloochee Valley, the hardest-hit area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, are set to reopen, months after Hurricane Helene’s storms.
Helene brought damage and death to many parts of East Tennessee, including the national park.
Park officials say portions of the valley will reopen Friday, April 4 at noon for the first time since September of 2024.
According to the park, the following work has been done to reopen the valley:
Re-graveled sections of Cataloochee Entrance Road, Cataloochee Creek Road, parking areas near Palmer House and Cataloochee Group Camp Road.
Completed emergency stabilization of Hiram Caldwell Barn.
Addressed many downed and hazard trees around roads, campgrounds and buildings throughout the valley.
Assessed trail conditions across 60 miles of trails and completed some trail restoration.
Addressed significant erosion around Caldwell Barn and restrooms and Beech Grove School.
In addition, the park says the following roads are set to reopen:
Cataloochee Entrance Road up to Beech Grove School.
Cataloochee Creek Road to the Old Cataloochee Entrance Road Bridge
Old Highway 284. Visitors will be able to drive Cataloochee Valley Entrance Road up to Beech Grove School.
Regarding trail conditions, the park says most trails in Cataloochee Valley are open, but hikers should exercise extra caution as there are still downed trees, rutted or damaged sections of trail, exposed tree root balls, and landslides. Hikers should also plan for stream crossings on trails—most foot logs in Cataloochee Valley were lost during Hurricane Helene and have not been replaced. Several Cataloochee trails are closed to horses due to unstable trail surfaces and tree debris.
As for camping and picnic areas, officials say the campground, group campground, and horse camp in Cataloochee are all currently closed. The park will open additional campgrounds if operational capacity allows.
Although parts of the valley are reopening, park officials warn visitors to be extra cautious as there are still plenty of downed trees and other hazards in the area.
Helene brought damage and death to many parts of East Tennessee, including the national park. (Courtesy:GSMNP)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A Knoxville man is facing charges after pulling a gun on drivers Tuesday during dismissal for students at Cedar Bluff Middle School.
According to charging documents, the incident happened around 3:30 p.m. when 24-year-old Isaiah Renfroe became upset at a woman pulling out of the school.
Police say Renfroe got so upset that he pulled a handgun out of his backpack and pointed it at the car, waving it around.
Renfroe also reportedly threatened another driver with the gun before leaving the area; he was found nearby in possession of the gun and nine grams of marijuana on his person.
He was charged with aggravated assault, possession and reckless endangerment. The report claimed he put “the students of cedar bluff middle school in imminent danger.”
The incident happened around 3:30 p.m., police said, when 24-year-old Isaiah Renfroe became upset at a woman pulling out of the school. (Courtesy: Knoxville Police Department)
Nashville, TN (WOKI) President Trump Thursday approved Governor Bill Lee’s request for an Emergency Declaration after severe weather rocked portions of the Volunteer State Wednesday.
The approval directs FEMA to provide disaster assistance for Tennesseans after many areas were affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding Wednesday with the potential for more of the same into the weekend.
The assistance will be provided to all 95 Tennessee counties.
“Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, under the public assistance program, will be provided at 75% federal funding.”
A State of Emergency remains in effect for Tennessee; all Tennesseans are encouraged to be prepared for severe weather through Saturday afternoon.
The assistance will be provided to all 95 Tennessee counties. (Courtesy: WVLT / WSMV)
Officials confirm at least three people have died in severe storms that moved through the Volunteer State.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) first confirmed one weather-related death in McNairy County, then confirmed another in Obion County.
One death reported in McNairy County The third weather-related fatality was reported in Fayette County after a tornado struck a home in the Moscow area.
Storms are still moving through the Midstate and other parts of West Tennessee.
The National Weather Service said multiple tornadoes moved through the Selmer area of McNairy County.
Governor Bill Lee issues a State of Emergency as severe storms are expected the next few days in parts of the state. This storm system is expected to hit the West and Middle Tennessee parts of the state and are expected to last through Saturday.
The State Emergency Operations Center in Nashville remains activated at a Level 3 – State of Emergency status to support local response and requests amid severe weather and heavy rainfall, and to continue Tropical Storm Helene recovery.
Governor Bill Lee requested an Emergency Declaration for Tennessee on April 2, 2025. The request includes federal assistance in the form of FEMA Public Assistance Category A (Debris Removal), Category B (Emergency Protective Measures), and Direct Federal Assistance.
The National Weather Service continues to issue Tornado Warnings and Flash Flood Warnings in West and Middle Tennessee. We encourage Tennesseans to continue to monitor weather conditions and follow guidance from local officials.
Emergency Services Coordinators (ESCs) representing state departments and partner agencies are monitoring the situation and standing by to aid local jurisdictions.
Many roadways have been impacted by debris in West Tennessee. Before going out, visit TDOT’s SmartWay website.
CURRENT SITUATION
Several rounds of significant severe weather impacted West and Middle Tennessee April 2-3, 2025. At this time, West and Middle Tennessee continue to experience severe weather with several counties reporting impacts. Major damage has been reported in Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy counties.
TEMA personnel have deployed at the request of counties and are coordinating with local officials to support response efforts. There are several reports of downed trees on roadways. Please check the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) SmartWay website for closures or other impacts.
Severe weather is expected to resume this afternoon (April 3) and will continue through the night for the western and middle regions. In addition, rainfall totals through Sunday are forecast to be up to 15 inches for much of West Tennessee, with some areas possibly receiving more.
POWER OUTAGES & UTILITIES
As of 4 a.m. CDT, there were more than 15,400 power outages reported across the state. That number includes more than 6,200 reported outages in Shelby County, 2,500 in Montgomery County, and 1,600 in Robertson County.
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed two weather-related fatalities.
One in McNairy County
One in Obion County
TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL (THP)
THP is providing assistance with law enforcement responsibilities.
A THP Strike Team deployed to McNairy County to support local officials.
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (TDOT)
Crews are working to clear reported debris on several roadways in West Tennessee.
Please give TDOT and highway department vehicles space to operate.
Several roads may have debris or flooding impacts. Check road conditions on TDOT’s Smartway map.
PROTECTIVE ACTIONS/KEY MESSAGES
Do not enter damaged buildings or hazardous locations.
Do not drive through flooded roadways and walkways.
If there is a Flood or Flash Flood Warning issued, move to higher ground immediately.
Have multiple ways to receive alerts. Test your weather radio to make sure it is functioning properly.
If your house or property sustained damage, and it is safe to do so, take pictures before cleanup efforts and contact your insurance company. Complaint line for insurance: (615) 741-2218 or 1-800-342-4029.
Memphis: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 8am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 8am and 3pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 3pm. Some of the storms could be severe. High near 75. East northeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Jackson: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly between 2pm and 4pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 75. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.
Nashville: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 3pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Some of the storms could be severe and produce heavy rainfall. High near 76. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Knoxville: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before noon, then a slight chance of showers after 5pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Chattanooga: Partly sunny, with a high near 88. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released its findings from an investigation into Impact Plastics, Inc., a Unicoi County business that saw multiple employees die in flooding from Helene.
TOSHA says the management at Impact Plastics gave employees sufficient time to leave the facility safely and that the deaths of employees were not work-related.
According to the report, after flash flood warnings were issued for Unicoi County on September 27th, employees were told to move their cars to higher ground at 10 a.m. By 10:39 a.m., the facility lost power, and by 10:51 a.m., employees were reportedly told they could leave.
Just after noon, TOSHA says the last known evacuees left and flooding rapidly intensified, resulting in cars floating away. By almost 2 p.m., the semi-truck and trailer hit a tree, resulting in the large spools of pipe to be dislodged and people clinging to them as they were swept away.
Six of those people were rescued about a half-mile downstream, while six others, five Impact Plastics employees and an independent contractor, died.
In the days that followed, TOSHA went to the work site and found that there was no evidence that employees were threatened with termination or forced to work beyond a safe evacuation point.
As a result, TOSHA did not recommend any citations against Impact Plastics but did recommend taking steps to minimize the possibility of a similar event happening. These include a site-specific severe weather emergency plan, training employees and management to recognize potential hazards of severe weather and to provide weather emergency training.
TAMPA, Fla. – Tennessee women’s basketball standout Jewel Spear has been chosen to participate in the 2025 Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game.
Spear will join other seniors from across the country on Saturday in a nationally-televised contest on ESPN2. The game will be held at 3 p.m. ET at Hillsborough Community College-Mabry Campus in Tampa.
The Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game will provide 20 of the country’s brightest stars one final opportunity to represent their programs and be recognized against the backdrop of the sport’s championship weekend. Intersport, an award-winning Chicago-based agency that first launched a national women’s college basketball all-star event alongside the WBCA 25 years ago, will host the event.
Tickets for the Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the event’s website at www.womenscollegeallstar.com.
A 5-foot-10 guard from The Colony, Texas, Spear ranked second for Tennessee this season at 12.5 points per game, shooting 40.9 percent from the field, 37.9 beyond the arc and 87.7 from the free-throw line. She paced the Lady Vols with 77 three-pointers, a number that tied for fifth-most in a season in program history.
Her play helped Tennessee post a 24-10 overall record, climb as high as 11th in the national polls and card four wins over ranked teams this season, including an 80-76 victory over No. 5 UConn with 16,215 looking on at Food City Center. Spear also helped UT advance to the NCAA Sweet 16, where the Lady Vols saw their campaign end with a loss to NCAA Final Four team Texas.
The fifth-year player posted six scoring performances of 20 or more points in her final season on Rocky Top, including season-best 28-point scoring efforts vs. Oklahoma on Jan. 5 and Ole Miss on Feb. 16. Her single-season free throw percentage (87.7) stands eighth in UT history, and her career percentage of 85.9 ranks No. 2 all-time. Additionally, she went 11-for-11 vs. Alabama and 10-for-10 vs. Samford at the charity stripe, tying for the fifth- and seventh-best 100-percent, single-game free-throw performances in program history.
Spear will suit up for either Team Lieberman or Team Miller, which will be coached by Naismith Hall of Famers and basketball legends Nancy Lieberman and Cheryl Miller, respectively. The complete rosters for Team Lieberman and Team Miller will be announced the week of the event, while individual player commitments will be announced on a rolling basis in the coming days.
In addition to the event’s title partner, Eli Lilly and Company, national brands have committed to the Lilly Women’s College All-Star Game, enhancing the player and fan experience. Herbalife, State Farm, Skechers, Under Armour and E*TRADE will be featured throughout the event.
Follow the event and get the latest updates on roster news and other details by visiting the event website at www.womenscollegeallstar.com or by following @IntersportHoops on Instagram and X.
As previously announced, Spear also will be in Tampa for the WBCA’s “So You Want To Be A Coach” workshop on April 3 and 4. The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball.
About Intersport Intersport is an award-winning agency that fills the empty space between marketing campaigns and consumers—helping brands make more meaningful connections. Its industry-leading team offers expert insights in content marketing, experiential marketing, hospitality, partnership consulting and platform development. The Chicago-based agency also owns and operates events across the professional and collegiate sports landscape, including basketball, football, golf, pickleball and volleyball. Intersport has been headquartered in Chicago since its inception in 1985 and has an additional office in Detroit. Learn more at www.intersport.global and on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).
KNOXVILLE – Work continues on the State Route 67/91 (Broad Street) bridge in Elizabethton, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The due date for this project has been adjusted from the end of May to early July.
East Tennessee is unique in its geological features, which can cause the modification of road and bridge construction timelines. In recent weeks, a geotechnical investigation discovered that installing micro-piles would be more complicated than initially expected due to the complexity of the cobble rock underneath the bridge, which is up to 18 feet in depth.
This discovery also complicates the diversion and dewatering process laid out in the contractor’s plan.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is dedicated to preserving this historic bridge that was built in 1929. In the next few months, the contractor will perform the following activities:
Divert the water around the footers
Dewater the area around the footers
Drill micro-piles through the 18 feet of cobble rock and into solid rock
Jack the bridge
Pour new footers following stabilization
Motorists are advised to use extreme caution in this area as workers will be present.
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated interstates and state routes in East Tennessee. Of the 49 sections of state/local routes initially closed due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, 44 of those have now reopened.
