Severe Weather Closes Roads and Cancels Events Across East Tennessee

Severe Weather Closes Roads and Cancels Events Across East Tennessee

September 26, 2024

UPDATE 9/27/24 (WOKI – Gatlinburg) The National Park Service continues to monitor conditions from the remnants of Hurricane Helene. While the park did not receive the forecasted peak winds overnight, the center of the tropical storm is predicted to pass over the park mid-morning today. A high wind warning remains in effect through 8 p.m. tonight. A flood watch remains in effect through this afternoon.

The park is implementing the following closures:

  • Little River Road from Elkmont to the Townsend Wye & Wear Cove Gap Road (new)
  • Lake View Drive (new)
  • All visitor centers
  • Balsam Mountain, Cataloochee, and Big Creek campgrounds
  • Newfound Gap Road/US 441
  • Cades Cove Loop Road
  • Rich Mountain Road
  • Cataloochee Valley roads including Hwy 284
  • Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga/Round Bottom/Straight Fork)
  • Heintooga Ridge Road
  • Big Creek Entrance Road
  • Greenbrier area and roads
  • Upper Tremont Road
  • The Deep Creek between Indian Creek Bridge and park boundary (closed to all water activity)

The park has received over 8 inches of rain at Newfound Gap and an additional 2-4 inches are possible. Flash flooding is possible.

Risks of flooding, high winds, downed trees, landslides and power outages remain, and visitors are encouraged to reschedule their trips. Backcountry travel is not recommended due to the unpredictability of creek crossings. The park will evaluate conditions throughout the day to determine the potential for reopening some areas as weather and safety allow. No areas are expected to reopen today. Additional updates will be on the park website https://www.nps.gov/index.htm as available.

Event canceled

The Townsend Heritage and Bluegrass Festival has been canceled. It was scheduled for today and tomorrow and this marks the first time the 30-plus-year-old festival has been completely canceled. Organizers say they are deeply disappointed to cancel this year’s event but the safety of the attendees and everyone involved comes first.

Original story: Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and surrounding areas should expect road closures and event cancellations in preparation for expected weather impacts from Hurricane Helene.

GSMNP officials say some park locations have already received 4-5 inches of rainfall since Wednesday ahead of the tropical storm event with another 4-5 inches predicted on the Tennessee-side of the park through Friday.

A number of roads are now closed both in Tennessee and on the North Carolina-side of the park:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  • Newfound Gap Road/US Highway 441 will close Thursday at 2 p.m.
  • Sugarlands, Oconaluftee and Cades Cove visitor centers will close Thursday at 3 p.m. through at least Saturday morning, weather and road conditions permitting.
  • In North Carolina, Cataloochee Road, Heintooga Ridge Road, Balsam Mountain Road (Heintooga/Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road), Balsam Mountain Campground and Cataloochee Campground are closed.
  • In Tennessee, Rich Mountain Road, Greenbrier Road, Upper Tremont Road and Sparks Lane are closed.
  • Parson Branch Road remains closed due to Flint Gap Fire impacts.

Sevier County

  • Burden Hill Road near Eastgate Road is closed due to flooding.
  • New Era Road in the area of Dave and Busters is being closed due to flooding.
  • River Divide Road and Sharp Hollow Road
  • The gates being closed are located at the Pigeon Forge city limits at the Henderson Road Bridge
  • Headrick Lead and N Clear Fork Road
  • New Era Road and Apple Valley Road
  • Old Valley Road and Waldens Creek Road
  • Flatwood Road and Pecan Lane
  • Whites School Road

In addition, all park events scheduled for Saturday, September 28 including Mountain Life Festival, Balsam Mountain Volunteer Day and Smokies Service Day are canceled.

In Townsend, impending severe weather has lead local leaders and authorities to cancel this weekend’s Townsend Heritage and Bluegrass Festival.

Coordinators with Blount Partnership, making the cancellation announcement Thursday, say they had spoken with local responders and authorities and decided to cancel the festival out of an abundance of caution.

“While we are deeply disappointed to cancel this year’s event, the safety of our attendees and everyone involved must come first,” said Blount Partnership Communications Director Jeff Muir. “With the saturated grounds and continued rainfall, we could not guarantee a safe and enjoyable environment for our festival-goers.”

The decision marks the first time the 30-plus-year-old festival has been canceled completely. The event was slated for Sept. 27 and 28.

Impending severe weather in East TN prompting road closures, event cancelations. (Pexels)
Law Enforcement Training Scheduled at Morristown-Hamblen West High School Canceled
City of Morristown Facebook

Law Enforcement Training Scheduled at Morristown-Hamblen West High School Canceled

September 26, 2024

9/26/24 Update: Event canceled due to severe weather forecast for area.

Officials with Hamblen County Schools making the announcement this (Thursday) afternoon say impending weather has caused them to cancel the training exercise involving the Morristown Police Department and the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Department previously scheduled for Friday at Morristown-Hamblen West High School.

No word yet as to whether or not that training event will be rescheduled.

Morristown, TN (WOKI) Traffic delays are expected in Morristown on Friday while the Morristown Police Department and the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Department participate in a training exercise.

MPD says the exercise, which will be held at Morristown-Hamblen West High School, will be from 7 a.m. to noon.

Students will not be in school on Friday, but there may be traffic delays in the area.

Training signs, message boards and officers will help direct traffic to minimize delays.

Several law enforcement and other response vehicles will be at the high school for the training.

National Weather Service Confirms First EF-1 Tornado in East Tennessee in September

National Weather Service Confirms First EF-1 Tornado in East Tennessee in September

September 25, 2024

Hancock County, TN (WOKI) The National Weather Service now confirming that an EF-1 tornado did, in fact, touch down Tuesday evening in Hancock County.

Officials with the National Weather Service say the twister, which occurred five-and-a-half miles east of Sneedville shortly before 6:30 p.m., goes into the record books as the first September tornado for East Tennessee.

Wednesday’s survey crew reporting that the tornado traveled just over 6 miles at 110 miles per hour and was 250 yards wide.

No injuries were reported and snapped trees were the only damage reports received.

Photo showing damage and downed trees after a reported tornado touched down in Hancock County, according to the National Weather Service. (Courtesy: WVLT)
KFD: No Injuries Reported after House Fire on Chicamauga Avenue

KFD: No Injuries Reported after House Fire on Chicamauga Avenue

September 25, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) No one was injured, but a home is a “total loss” following a house fire Wednesday afternoon in North Knoxville.

Crews responding to the home in the 300 block of Chicamauga Avenue found heavy smoke and fire coming through the roof of the residence.

Knoxville Fire Department officials say firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze within 30 minutes of arrival; however, the home suffered significant damage from fire, smoke and water and is a total loss.

KFD says one person and a dog were able to evacuate without injury.

No word yet on what caused the fire.

At the time of the fire, there was one person and one dog in the house, Knoxville Fire said. (Courtesy: KFD)
Former Student Arrested after Threat Made Against East Tennessee School

Former Student Arrested after Threat Made Against East Tennessee School

September 25, 2024

Maynardville, TN (WOKI) Union County High School was placed on a soft lockdown briefly Wednesday due to a threat to the school.

Union County Schools officials say that a former student made the threat and was arrested in Knox County.

The school was cleared of the lockdown and returned to normal operations.

Officials say the former student was being taken back to Union County to face charges.

An East Tennessee high school was on soft lockdown Wednesday as after a former student threatened the school.
Greek Fest Returns to Knoxville for its 45th Year

Greek Fest Returns to Knoxville for its 45th Year

September 25, 2024

(Story courtesy of WVLT News)

Knoxville, TN Greek Fest is back for its 45th year hosted by the historic St. George Greek Orthodox Church on Kingston Pike.

The event runs Friday, Sept. 27 through Sunday, Sept. 29. Doors open at 11 a.m. both Friday and Saturday and stay open until 10 p.m. Sunday’s hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lygia Karagiozis with the church said this year the festival is featuring new vendors and events. There will also be interactive experiences Karagiozis said will make you feel truly Greek!

“This year we’re actually going to have Greek dance lessons, so you can bust to move out on the dance floor!” Karagiozis said. “And then we also have cooking classes too. So in between our church tours and our dance shows that we have every year, people can go and either learn how to dance or go and learn how to cook a Greek dish.”

All of your favorite authentic Greek foods, desserts and beverages will be available to enjoy. Karagiozis said you’ll also find a plethora of hand-crafted goods and jewelry with a Greek flair.

Tickets are available online and at the door: $3 for day pass, $5 for a weekend pass. Kids 12 and under get in for free.

Greek Fest Knoxville (Facebook)
Knoxville Police are Investigating a Fatal, Pedestrian-Involved Crash on Asheville Highway

Knoxville Police are Investigating a Fatal, Pedestrian-Involved Crash on Asheville Highway

September 25, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A man has been charged after leaving the scene of a fatal, pedestrian-involved crash that happened during the overnight hours on Asheville Highway.

At just after 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to the 4100 block of Asheville Highway near Yankee Street, where a currently unidentified man had been struck by a vehicle while crossing the road. The pedestrian died as a result of his injuries.

The involved vehicle, which was described by a witness as a blue sedan, left the scene prior to officer arrival. Through continued investigation and with the assistance of Flock license-plate readers, a vehicle matching that description was identified. Officers responded to the registered address for the vehicle on Holston Drive and found a blue Honda Civic with front-end damage and paint color that matched the paints chips that were found at the scene of the crash.

Officers then detained Abraham Briones, age 28. After questioning Briones, he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, a class E felony, and driving without a license.

The crash remains under active investigation by KPD crash reconstruction investigators.

National Weather Service Says Radar Indicates Tornado Touch Down in Hancock County

National Weather Service Says Radar Indicates Tornado Touch Down in Hancock County

September 24, 2024

Hancock County (WOKI) The National Weather Service says radar indicates a tornado touched down in Hancock County.

They are sending a survey crew to Hancock County today (Wednesday) to assess the damage.

If it becomes a confirmed tornado, it would be the first recorded September tornado for East Tennessee.

It happened five-and-a-half miles east of Sneedville shortly before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says it touched down in the area of Highway 70 and Highway 33 with uprooted trees in the area.

The Hancock County Emergency Management Agency says there were no injuries but trees are down across the area.

Several hundred people in Hancock and Claiborne Counties were without power.

Sevier County Deputies Take Man into Custody after $45,000 Scam, Sheriff’s Office Says

Sevier County Deputies Take Man into Custody after $45,000 Scam, Sheriff’s Office Says

September 24, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man following a scam investigation.

SCSO officials reporting the arrest happened on September 19 when deputies responded to Kerr Road after hearing about an online scam. The victim told the office they had been told to withdraw $45,000 in cash and take it home, where it would be picked up.

Deputies tracked down the suspect, 47-year-old Yuanbing Zhou, taking him into custody during a traffic stop; he was charged with felony criminal conspiracy.

SCSO says it’s not uncommon for scammers to request money from victims in the form of cash or gift cards and urge you NOT to comply with such requests but to call police immediately.

“This type of scam is very similar to others we have investigated in recent months,” Sheriff Michael Hodges said. “I encourage each of you to please spread the word to your neighbors, friends, and family. If you are solicited through ANY means to pay a fine, fee, or money, for any reason, do not comply and contact your local law enforcement agency.”

Yuanbing Zhou, 47 (Courtesy: SCSO)
KPD: Officials Investigating Assault of Two Women Near UT Campus

KPD: Officials Investigating Assault of Two Women Near UT Campus

September 24, 2024

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A man is arrested and an investigation is underway after two women are allegedly assaulted Monday morning near the University of Tennessee.

Knoxville Police Department officials say officers responded to a call about an assault at Cumberland Avenue and 17th Street just before 9:00 a.m. The two victims, aged 18 and 20, say they were assaulted by a man, later identified as 43-year-old Brad Collins, in an unprovoked attack.

Police say the first victim stated that she was attempting to walk past Collins near University Liquors when he punched her in the right eye with a closed fist and choked her to the point she could not breathe, before letting go and running down the street. 

The second victim reported that she was walking on the sidewalk when Collins ran across the street towards her and also punched her in the eye with a closed fist.

Both victims were treated for their injuries.

Collins has been charged with one count of assault and one count of aggravated assault.

Brad Collins, 43 (Courtesy: KPD)

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