The Knoxville Fire Department is investigating an early morning house fire in East Knoxville.
Crews called to Dandridge Avenue after the resident smelled an odor and discovered a fire in a storage room.
KFD crews did contain the damage to the storage room with minimal damage to the main portion of the home.
No injuries were reported and the resident was able to stay in the home.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Communication and Information has appointed Peyton Manning a professor of practice starting in the fall 2023 term.
Manning is a nationally recognized media personality, entrepreneur, sports commentator and former professional athlete. As part of his appointment, Manning will join select classes during the academic year as a featured expert, bringing significant industry experience to the classroom and working alongside the college’s nationally recognized faculty to provide transformative learning experiences for CCI students.
“There is no other ambassador for our college and university like Peyton Manning, and we are proud to welcome him to the college’s faculty,” said Joseph Mazer, dean of the College of Communication and Information. “Peyton is a true Volunteer, and I look forward to our students gaining invaluable knowledge from him as we continue to prepare the next generation of communication and information leaders.”
Manning graduated from UT in 1997 with a degree in speech communication after leading the Vols to an SEC football championship. He went on to a storied NFL career, launched the entertainment company Omaha Productions and has remained steadfast in his dedication to the Volunteer community.
“My time as a student in the College of Communication and Information was a foundational experience during which I learned critical skills and messaging techniques that I continue to put to use almost daily,” Manning said. “I look forward to working with the college’s talented faculty and directly with students in an effort to ensure they are well prepared for their future careers.”
Bringing Industry Experience to the Classroom
Manning will partner with CCI faculty and teach a variety of topics that align with the college’s curriculum including sports reporting, video production and performance, leadership and communication, and public speaking.
In addition to successful college and professional football careers, Manning appears in numerous commercials and hosts and produces shows for ESPN+, ESPN2 and NBC. He has served as host of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” guest voiced (with his brothers Eli and Cooper) on an episode of “The Simpsons” and voiced Guapo in the 2017 movie “Ferdinand.”
In 2020, Manning launched Omaha Productions, a company that focuses on developing content that champions hard work, encourages the pursuit of passion and celebrates community. On his show “Peyton’s Places,” a documentary series about football on ESPN+, Manning visits locations connected to NFL history and interviews players, coaches and celebrities.
Manning hosted and served as executive producer of a 2021 revival of the NBC quiz show “College Bowl,” with his brother Cooper as his sidekick. That same year, he and his brother Eli began hosting an alternative broadcast of “Monday Night Football” called “ManningCast” on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
A Legacy of Giving Back to the College of Communication and Information
Manning and Haas
As a UT alumnus, Manning has made several impactful contributions to the university and college. Manning’s philanthropic support of the college hit a full-circle moment in 2018, when he donated $1 million to establish the John Haas Student Experiential Learning Endowment to honor the former director of the School of Communication Studies. Haas served as one of Manning’s professors and his academic adviser at UT. The endowment supports student trips, study abroad, internships and other opportunities for communication studies students to grow and develop outside the classroom.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when classes at UT had moved online, Manning surprised a senior CCI capstone class by dropping in to one of their classes via Zoom. He was the first of several alumni to take part in the VFL Class Crash series meant to encourage students to keep excelling in their classes.
Manning’s student support spans the university. In 1998, he established the Peyton Manning Scholarship, a competitive four-year opportunity for some of the brightest first-year UT students. Since its inception, the scholarship has benefited over 50 recipients. In addition to scholarship support, Manning provides internships through Omaha Productions to UT journalism and electronic media students, giving them hands-on experience and enhancing their knowledge within the industry.
Manning also serves as an honorary member of the college’s Board of Visitors, an alumni group that advises the college on preparing today’s students and tomorrow’s communication and information leaders. In recognition of his service to the college, Manning received the 2007 Donald G. Hileman Distinguished Alumni Award, the college’s top alumni honor.
-UT Athletics
We’re under three weeks away from the 2023 season opener for the Tennessee Volunteers football team, which opens it’s schedule vs. the Virginia Cavaliers in Nashville, September 2.
As we enter Week 3 of preseason practice, we want to know, which newcomer is exciting you most about impacting the Vols this season. Please vote below and feel free to share with others. Photo credit: Nico Iamaleava – UT Athletics
Nashville, TN (WOKI) A former Tennessee State Senator from Germantown, a Memphis suburb, has been sentenced after violating campaign finance laws and defrauding the Federal Election Commission.
Forty-four year-old Brian Kelsey will face 21 months in prison and three years of supervised probation after admitting he conspired to and did secretly funnel money from several sources, including his own Tennessee State Senate campaign committee, to his federal campaign committee.
In a release Friday, Kelsey expressed regret over his actions saying he was “sorry for letting down [his] constituents and the public.”
In court filings, Kelsey said stress and time constraints led him to accept the plea deal agreement. Kelsey cites losing his lawyer license, the death of his father, the birth of twin sons and financial issues as the stress that led him to accept the plea agreement.
“The defendants attempted to hide from voters how Kelsey raised and spent campaign money,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The integrity of our elections is essential to democracy, and voters should know how candidates raise and spend campaign dollars. The Department will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to uncover and prosecute campaign finance schemes designed to evade disclosure, and to ensure that violations of these laws carry a high cost.”
“Brian Kelsey intentionally violated federal campaign finance laws and his oath as a state senator in order to deny Tennessee voters their right to make informed decisions about his candidacy for Congress,” said U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee. “The court’s sentence today reflects the seriousness of his crimes and is a strong reminder of our commitment to root out public corruption and ensure the integrity of federal elections.”
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) is reporting results from a recent lab test confirm the presence of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Culex mosquitoes in the Milligan area of East Knoxville.
The KCHD has scheduled spraying, weather permitting, for Tuesday, August 15th from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. in the Milligan area of East Knoxville to reduce the mosquito population and the risk of WNV spreading to humans.
Health officials are asking people living in the area to stay inside during spraying and are encouraging pet owners to keep their pets inside or in the backyard. Signs will also be posted in the affected area to keep people aware of spraying.
A map of the affected area, including the specific roads to be treated, can be found below:
The KCHD anticipates spraying the following roads:
N Cherry St, Summit Ave, Turner St, Nichols Ave, Mundy St, Washington Ave, Jefferson Ave, N Harrison St, Rutherford Ave, Woodbine Ave, E Fifth Ave, N Hembree St, Milligan St, N Elmwood St, N Castle St, N Mary St, Manor Dr, N Beaman St, Ace Miller Way, Crawford Ave, Lakeside St, Kirkwood St, Hampton Ave, and Knoxville Zoo Dr.
Brew at the Zoo will be at Zoo Knoxville later this month.
The beer sampling festival will take place between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on August 25th with a Jurassic-era theme.
Brew at the Zoo will feature over 75 unique beers, ciders and spirits to enjoy and will also feature animal encounters, local food trucks and entertainment.
The festival will also be one of the last chances to experience the “Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” a special limited-time event running through Labor Day that features 22 lifelike animatronic dinosaurs throughout the zoo.
General admission tickets are $75 each and include a commemorative tasting glass along with unlimited beer, cider and spirits samples. A
limited number of “Early Bird” tickets are available for purchase at $65 each.
To purchase tickets please go to brew zoo knox dot com.
A captain with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office retires following an investigation for sexual harassment.
Captain Michael Evans was at a local restaurant with another officer in June and an employee claimed he acted inappropriately toward her. That employee told investigators that she had multiple similar encounters with Evans. She said she thought he accidentally touched her until he talked to her about it later.
A report from the Office of Professional Standards
Investigators believe three of the four allegations were proved to be true. They said he violated the following general order violations as a KCSO employee: general responsibilities, personal conduct and conduct toward the public.
The victim did not file official charges against him.
Evans’ retirement takes effect on today.
Monroe County, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: U.S. Forest Service officials say a planned closure of the Bald River Falls Bridge to repair the decades-old structure and add an observation deck has been pushed back until September 11. The closure was supposed to begin August 21, but weather delays have hampered the project from getting underway.
Once the bridge is closed, traffic will be redirected along Turkey Creek Shortcut (NFSR 35), Cherohala Skyway and North River Road (NRSR 217). Please consult the map (provided below) for a visual of the temporary traffic pattern.
The project should be done by Fall 2024.
ORIGINAL STORY: Outdoor enthusiasts and sightseers have just a couple of weeks to enjoy Bald River Falls in Monroe County as the bridge into the area is set to close for construction.
U.S. Forest Service officials Monday announced the bridge will close on August 21st for repair and for the installation of an observation deck for pedestrians.
The bridge, which was constructed in 1933, is in need of repair after decades of deterioration. Officials say the project aims to increase stability and safety.
Traffic will be redirected along Turkey Creek Shortcut (NFSR 35), Cherohala Skyway and North River Road (NRSR 217).
The project should be done by Fall 2024.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Emergency personnel were called to the scene of a single-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon in front of Frazier’s Carpet One in Northwest Knoxville.
According to WOKI producers who were on-site for a remote broadcast, the accident occurred just after 5:00 p.m. They reported that a blue crossover SUV traveling east on Western Avenue toward Interstate 640 crossed the center line onto the grass in front of the store subsequently slamming into a parked car head-on.
The impact sent both vehicles careening through the parking lot coming to rest on the curb near the intersection of Western Avenue and Hinton Road.
The driver of the SUV was being treated at the scene by emergency personnel.
This is a developing story.
Newport, TN (WOKI) A Cocke County corrections officer is arrested Wednesday after smuggling drugs into jail.
Cocke County Sheriff’s Office officials say Officer David Kirkland Jr. was arrested following an internal investigation on suspicions that contraband was making its way into the Cocke County Detention Center.
CCSO reports Kirkland colluded with two others, including an inmate, to smuggle meth, suboxone, and a cell phone inside the facility.
Kirkland has been charged with conspiracy to bring contraband into a penal facility and official misconduct. He was also immediately terminated.
