Knoxville, TN (WOKI) An investigation is underway after two men are shot at an apartment on Sutters Mill Lane.
Knoxville Police Department officials say officers responded to the Adelade apartment complex around 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, finding a 26-year-old man who had been shot.
Around the same time, officers responded to the Sutters Mill Apartments where they found a 21-year-old man who had also been shot.
According to investigators, the two got into a fight at the Sutters Mill apartment and both fired. Three firearms were also confiscated during the investigation.
At this time, no charges have been filed in connection to the shooting.
According to investigators, the two got into a fight at the Sutters Mill apartment and both fired. (Courtesy: KPD)
Gatlinburg, TN (WOKI) The U.S. Board on Geographic Names’ Domestic Names Committee voted, unanimously, today (Wednesday) to change the name of a popular spot in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
It’s the latest development in a years-long effort to rename Clingmans Dome to Kuwohi (Coo – Woe – HE), the traditional Cherokee name for the mountain which translates to “mulberry place.”
Clingmans Dome was named after U.S. Senator Thomas Clingman, and the first name change happened in 1859.
The effort to restore the name was in part pushed by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which says the act of naming the mountain Clingmans Dome was disrespectful and racist.
Arnold Guyot, a geographer and professor, named the area after Clingman. Since then, Guyot has been accused of advocating for “scientific racism,” a point of view not uncommon at the time.
In a release issued Wednesday, the National Park Service said [it] “strongly supported the name restoration and applauds today’s decision, which also received support from local communities and governments.”
“The Great Smoky National Park team was proud to support this effort to officially restore the mountain and to recognize its importance to the Cherokee People,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “The Cherokee People have had strong connections to Kuwohi and the surrounding area, long before the land became a national park. The National Park Service looks forward to continuing to work with the Cherokee People to share their story and preserve this landscape together.”
The proposal was submitted in January of this year by EBCI Principal Chief Michell Hicks following an effort started in 2022 by Lavita Hill and Mary Crowe, both enrolled EBCI members, to restore the traditional name of the summit.
Kuwohi is one of the most popular sites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with more than 650,000 visitors per year. It is the tallest point in Tennessee and the third-highest summit east of the Mississippi River, officials with the national park said.
The effort was in part pushed by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which says the act of naming the mountain Clingmans Dome was disrespectful. (Courtesy: National Park Service)
A Hardin Valley Middle School student has been detained in connection with a bomb threat at the school which has caused an evacuation at the school earlier today.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Bomb Unit has cleared Hardin Valley Middle, and students are back in class.
The suspect will be interviewed by Juvenile Detectives and there’s no word yet if or when any charges will be filed.
A woman who ran an animal rescue out of her home in Dandridge where 68 dogs were found malnourished and neglected is charged with multiple counts of aggravated animal cruelty.
The nonprofit, “A Life 2 go 2 Rescue”, has been on the sheriff’s radar for a while.
Deputies went to the home on Argonnia Lane in Dandridge Monday after animal control went there on Friday.
Deputies say CARE, or Companion Animal Rescue and Education, also went to the home and took possession of 68 dogs.
58-year-old Paula Whitt is charged with 55 counts of aggravated animal cruelty.
Most of the dogs are expected to recover while a few will not be so fortunate.
A Knoxville man is arrested after authorities say he impersonated a security guard at the Tennessee Valley Fair.
31-year-old Luke Jones went to the Tennessee Valley Fair on September 9th and said he was working security for the event.
Jones then walked up to a sold out concert being held that night and went behind the barricades and through private doors and hallways to get backstage at the amphitheater.
Police say Jones told other staff that he was working security for the event which they determined he was lying about as well as being a security guard. He surrendered to police at his home a few days later.
Jones was charged with criminal trespass, impersonating a licensed professional and theft.
GATLINBURG, Tenn.—The Flint Gap Fire is 46 acres as of the last estimate. Although the fire is presently 0% contained, only a few areas are actively burning within the perimeter. Once firefighter access and safety in this remote and steep terrain is addressed, a full suppression strategy will be executed.
The fire did not receive as much rain over the weekend as previously predicted; however, a local weather station did show that .34 inches fell on the fire this morning.
Yesterday, the fire responded to decreasing relative humidities, 10 mph winds and afternoon direct sunlight with some increased activity and additional smoke. The fire is currently backing through fingers of available fuels with flame lengths of 1-3 feet in some areas. Fire activity is primarily in areas with pockets of pine litter and near drainages.
Fire crews continue to develop options to mitigate safety concerns in order to transport firefighters and equipment safely to the backcountry. Crews are working to improve the existing Hannah Mountain Trail to allow for more efficient access to the fire, as well as the ability to rapidly extricate firefighters for medical or fire behavior purposes.
Visitors may see firefighters and firefighting equipment in the Abrams Creek area starting this week. While the campground remains open and there is no threat to the campground or any structures, the area is being used to stage some firefighting operations. There may be impacts in the form of noise, smoke, and short traffic delays for visitors. Resources on the fire include ground crews and a Type 3 helicopter. Park management and fire staff are ordering more resources and expect two additional crews to arrive this week.
The Flint Gap Fire started on Aug. 26 by lightning, park officials said, in a remote part of the park that doesn’t generally see many visitors. (Courtesy: WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The cost of UT football tickets is rising as the sport enters the era of revenue sharing with players.
Tennessee Athletics Director Danny White said future season tickets would come with a 10% talent fee, plus a four and a half percent per-seat increase for a nearly 15 percent price hike for season tickets.
The revenue from the fee is aimed at stemming the cost of increasing talent scholarships and sharing the revenue with athletes. Season ticket renewals begin Thursday, September 19; the university is offering a 10 month payment plan to help spread out the impact of the increased cost.
The University of Tennessee campus (Courtesy: WVLT)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Police are searching for a teen suspect in connection to Friday’s shooting at the Kwik Pantry Food Mart off Asheville Highway.
KPD officials announcing Tuesday that officers and detectives are actively working to find 15-year-old Kendall Ridgeway who they say is facing multiple juvenile charges connected to the September 13 shooting, including attempted first-degree murder.
Officers responded around 7:45 p.m. Friday to the Kwik Pantry in the 4800 block of Asheville Highway and found a man who’d been shot in the leg.
Police say there was a conflict inside the store involving the victim and two male suspects when one of the suspects, later identified as Ridgeway, fired at the victim multiple times. The victim was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Anyone with information is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crimestoppers at 865-215-7165.
MEDIC Regional Blood Center’s annual competition against LifeSouth Blood Center out of Florida is underway and Medic is beating them 411 units to 287 in the first day.
All eligible donors are encouraged to donate through Friday.
Blood donors will receive a special edition t-shirt while supplies last and several coupons to area organizations.
Also, there is still a critical need for O- and O+ blood types and Medic hopes this event will help get those levels stabilized.
Knoxville Police Department detectives are pursuing strong leads on an investigation into a shooting that happened late Monday night at an apartment complex off Papermill Drive.
At around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, September 16, 2024, KPD officers responded to a reported shooting in the area of 1000 Canyon Oak Pl. Around that same time, officers were notified that a gunshot victim had arrived at the UT Medical Center emergency room. The victim, an 18-year-old male, had been shot multiple times and is in critical condition.
The investigation revealed that the victim was walking towards his apartment when multiple rounds were fired at him in an apparent targeted shooting.
