Kyles Ford
Politics
Hawkins County emergency responders to no longer use bridge, increasing response time
HAWKINS CO., Tenn. (WJHL)—Response times for a Hawkins County volunteer fire department will increase due to members deciding not to use a bridge in their route. The Goshen Valley Volunteer Fire Department (GVVFD) decided this week to no longer travel on the Goshen Valley Road bridge, which crosses over the Holston River. This bridge is […]
Retired firefighter expresses concern over lack of sprinklers in new Isaiah 117 House
Retired firefighter Bill Killen expressed concern this week with the decision by Isaiah 117 House not to install a sprinkler system in its new facility that will serve children in Hawkins and Hancock counties. The new Isaiah 117 House is currently under construction in the Carters Valley community near Church Hill. It is expected to be completed this fall, and will serve as a safe, caring place for children to stay during the time after they are removed from their home, and before they are...
Northeast Tennessee Music Initiative aims to turn region into entertainment hotspot
BRISTOL, Tenn./Va. (WJHL) – Multiple Northeast Tennessee agencies have joined together to launch a new initiative designed to bring musicians and the entire music industry to the region to capitalize economic development. The Northeast Tennessee Music Initiative was announced at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum Thursday. The initiative is a collaboration between the Tennessee […]
UETHDA: Washington, Hawkins, Carter Co. to receive funding for food and shelter programs
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – Three counties in the area have been awarded federal funds for emergency food and shelter programs, the Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency (UETHDA) announced in a release on Thursday. These funds are distributed to high-need areas around the country and aim to expand the capacity of food and shelter programs. […]
Goshen Valley VFD will no longer cross bridge with heavy fire equipment
The Goshen Valley Volunteer fire Department issued a report Tuesday stating it will no longer cross the Goshen Valley Bridge due to all departmental fire vehicles exceeding the 10-ton weight limit. The 60-year-old bridge, which spans the Holston River just south of Church Hill, is the Goshen Valley community’s most direct connection to Highway 11W. The GVVFD’s decision to no longer cross the bridge with its heavy equipment was in...
Church Hill BMA names Chris Raines III new municipal judge
The Church Hill Board of Mayor and Alderman voted Tuesday to appoint Chris Raines III to replace Judge Amy Skelton as the town’s new Municipal Court Judge. Raines is a Hawkins native who has practiced law for 12 years in East Tennessee with the Blankenship Law Office of Kingsport. Skelton, who was appointed Hawkins County Juvenile Judge last September, is leaving her municipal judge positions in Church Hill, Rogersville and...
Which schools will dismiss early or be closed for the April 8 solar eclipse and why?
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Several school districts in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia will dismiss early or be closed on Monday, April 8 due to the solar eclipse. Some schools will be on a regular schedule while others have not decided yet if they will alter their schedules. Some districts, like Sullivan County Schools, […]
Rec League Notes: Pickleball clinic coming to Rogersville
ROGERSVILLE — If you'd like to learn more about the fastest growing sport in the world, then make plans to attend Rogersville Parks and Recreation’s free Beginner Pickleball Clinic on Saturday, March 30, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Rogersville City Park Pickleball Courts. Registration is open to the first 24 people to sign up, so register soon. Paddles will be provided to those who don’t have one. Sign up online at rogersville.recdesk.com/Community/Program. ...
Tennessee Republicans squashed free meal bills. Arby's stepped in to cover some student lunch debt
Hawkins County Schools in Tennessee received a $16,892 grant from the Arby’s Foundation to assist with student lunch debt. The foundation, which centers on combating childhood hunger, has committed $500,000 to support approximately 200 communities in which Arby’s has a restaurant. “Hawkins County Schools are humbled with the...
Mount Carmel to pursue grant for new ladder truck
Mount Carmel City Manager Emily Wood told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen last week she will seek approval at the next meeting for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for a new ladder truck. The grant would cover up to $420,000 with an $84,000 match from the city for the Fire Department to purchase the vehicle. It also requires Chief Mitch Walker and the Department to petition city residents,...
Access road to Town Knob emergency radio antennas needs repairs
Hawkins County commissioners are looking for a solution to maintaining the access road to the Town Knob emergency radio antennas, which has become almost impassible due to erosion. Legally the county highway department can’t maintain the road because it’s not a county road. Although the county owns the property from Highway 11-W to the antenna site, the county commission doesn’t want to adopt it as a county road because that would give the public access to the county’s emergency antennas. ...
Church Hill wants extra $30K to continue fire protection at Phipps Bend
The Church Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen will ask for a $30,000 increase in funding from the county to continue providing fire protection to the Phipps Bend Industrial Park. The Church Hill Fire Department has provided fire protection at Phipps Bend since 2008 in exchange for $20,000 from the county. Mayor Dennis Deal said during a special called meeting on March 14 that rising costs were taking too much...
'Beyond repair': County faces $14 million Goshen Valley bridge replacement
Hawkins County Commissioners are looking for ways to pay for an imminent Goshen Valley Road bridge replacement, as well as what can be done to preserve the bridge until funding is available A main concern is heavy tractor-trailer traffic using the 60-year-old bridge over the Holston River, which was recommended for replacement in a 2021 Tennessee Department of Transportation inspection report. A recent National Bridge Tennessee Inventory and Appraisal report...
RCS girls basketball team headed to the state capital
The Rogersville City School girls basketball team is heading to Nashville where its state championship will be celebrated by the Tennessee House of Representatives. RCS Director Edwin Jarnagin told his Board of Education Tuesday he doesn’t yet know which day the girls will be visiting the state Capital Building, but he does know it will be on a Monday. The cheerleaders will be traveling with the girls basketball team to...
How a trip to the recruiter’s office started a lifelong military career
ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)- Marine Corps veteran Cecil White was set to be drafted into the Army but decided to take matters into his own hands. “I got my letter one day from the Army saying that they were going to draft me a certain date. So, I told my wife ‘Well, I don’t think I’m […]
Lee County, Virginia Job Shortages: Challenges and Solutions
Lee County, nestled in the picturesque Appalachian Mountains of southwestern Virginia, faces a pressing issue: job shortages. As the county grapples with economic shifts, demographic changes, and workforce dynamics, understanding the root causes and potential solutions becomes crucial. In this article, we delve into the challenges faced by Lee County and explore strategies to address the shortage of employment opportunities.
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