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The Advocate & Democrat
Graduation dates for local high schools announced
Monroe County Schools officials are currently preparing for their upcoming graduation ceremonies. Kicking off the list, the first high school to host its graduation ceremony will be Sweetwater High School on May 9 at 7 p.m. on the school’s football field. The next will be Sequoyah High School, which is scheduled for May 10 at 7 p.m. on the school’s football field. Tellico Plains High School will round out the ceremonies, hosting their graduation ceremony on May 11 at 9:30 a.m. in the school gym. ...
Monroe election commission announces slate of qualified candidates
The qualified candidate list has been set for the upcoming August election. The Monroe County Election Commission recently released their list of qualified candidates second election cycle of the year. The election will feature state and federal primaries and county general elections. For Republican State Executive Committeeman — District 2, three candidates qualified for the Aug. 1 ballot: Brandon M. Leitch, Bill Russeell and Darrell L. Tipton. ...
Joines walkoff leads Tellico to comeback win over Sweetwater
Tellico Plains needed to make something happen in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday. The Lady Bears trailed rival Sweetwater by two runs in a District 3-2A contest before freshman Addison Joines completed the comeback. With the top of the lineup up, Tellico made the noise. After being held steady by Sweetwater’s defense for six frames, the hosts combined for five hits in the seventh inning, with the crowing...
Monroe on the Go!
Celebration of the Flag Flags are on sale for the Tellico Plains Kiwanis Club's Celebration of the Flag display. Flags can be dedicated to service members, a veteran or a loved one. Each flag will have a plaque on it with the name of the honoree, as well as the person’s name who purchased the flag. Flags are 3-feet by 5-feet. The flags are $25 each and can be purchased...
Gentry designated as Certified Chamber Executive
The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce recently announced the designation of the state’s first Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Certified Chamber Executives. Brandy Gentry, CEO of the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, was among the select seven individuals in the state to receive this designation, acknowledging her commitment to excellence and leadership within the chamber industry. The certification process involved rigorous evaluation criteria, including years of experience and dedicated service to the chamber industry, as well as recognition through awards and other accolades. The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce congratulates Gentry on this achievement, marking her as one of the elite chamber executives in Tennessee.
Marble City Opera bringing performance to Vonore
Marble City Opera will present two site-specific performances of “Il Tabarro” by renowned composer Giacomo Puccini on Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23. The Saturday, June 22, performance will be at the Port of Tellico, located at 280 Tellico Port Road in Vonore. The Sunday, June 23, performance will be at Melton Lake Park, located at 697 Melton Lake Drive in Oak Ridge. Both performances will begin at 7...
General Sessions for 4/23/24
William Joshua Allen, 44, Washington Pike, Sweetwater, DUI 2nd offense, aggravated assault, possession of meth, resisting arrest, reckless driving, three traffic violations, possession of drug paraphernalia, implied consent violation, reset for 7/2. Pachia Alexis Arnwine, 33, County Road 322, Sweetwater, possession of Fentanyl for resale, possession of drug paraphernalia, reset for 5/14. Jose Fernando Avila, 19, Limestone Drive, Sweetwater, nine counts forgery, theft under $1,000, identification theft, reset for 7/2. ...
Man begs mother for help, ends up in jail
A man tried to avoid arrest by pleading with his mother for help, but he still ended up going to jail April 19. Madisonville Police Officer Travis Gunter said he was sent to the Ball Play Road Apartments on a complaint of people yelling and causing a disturbance. Gunter said he went to the back door of the apartment while another officer attempted to get somebody to the front door...
Man arrested year and a half after setting fire, cutting tire
It took a year and a half, but a man has been arrested after he allegedly assaulted a man in 2022 and tried to set a fire near a rabbit habitat. On Nov. 26, 2022, Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy Coby Webb said he was sent to Moat Sewell Road where somebody was reportedly making threats over money. Webb said he talked to a man who said the night before Phillip...
Man gives up after trailer gets stuck in road
A man apparently tried to steal a trailer April 17, but gave up and left it sitting in the middle of the road. Monroe County Sheriff’s Detective Doug Mills said James Douglas Franklin had gone to a home on Community Drive and hooked up a trailer belonging to another man and started driving away with it. Mills said the trailer had chains holding the wheels in place, but Franklin still...
Enraged over drug test, man hits sister with lamp
Two men were arrested after a fight broke out when one of them was asked about taking a drug test April 20. Madisonville Police Sgt. Chris Wilburn said around 8 p.m. he was sent to a house on Dogwood Lane about a domestic dispute, but before he arrived, he was told the complainant was running down Isbill Road while being chased by a man in a pickup truck. Wilburn said...
Couple arrested, juvenile son admits to smoking marijuana
A husband and wife were arrested April 23 after alleged drugs were found in their home and their juvenile son admitted to police he used marijuana. Madisonville Police Detective Thomas Spradlin said he and other officers served a search warrant at a house on McConkey Street and found Bobby Ray Moore Jr. standing beside a bed in a bedroom. Spradlin said he told Moore what was going on, read him...
Sweetwater closes regular season with quality win over Pigeon Forge
Sweetwater baseball got what it hoped it would get in the regular season finale. In a rematch of last season’s Class 2A Sectional, the host Wildcats held Pigeon Forge to three hits in a 7-0 win Friday. Pushing five runs across in the bottom of the sixth, Sweetwater (24-6) found success from veteran bats like Kai Correll and Blaine Watson. ...
Tellico Plains surges past Lady Chargers for crucial district win
After a couple of trips through the lineup, Tellico Plains got the timing down. The Lady Bears totaled three hits through the first two rotations before exploding in the later innings of a 7-3 District 3-2A win at McMinn Central on Thursday. Taylor Rose led the Lady Bears (9-5; 4-3) with three hits while five different batters notched five RBIs in the win. ...
Tellico young players contributed to team’s fifth win of year
Heath Ware has been patiently waiting for the moment his younger players show they have been learning this season. That process showed Thursday with the Bears’ (5-15) six-inning 11-1 win over Copper Basin. Returning home for the series finale, Tellico completed a season sweep of the Cougars behind five runs in the bottom of the sixth to end the night early. ...
Sequoyah offense explodes, catapulted Lady Chiefs to second-place finish
Allen Roberts hoped for a showcase of his offense ahead of the postseason. He got more than just that. The Lady Chiefs combined for 20 hits with three home runs and two players with five RBIs each in an 18-10 District 3-2A win over South-Doyle in Madisonville. BriAsya Bowman and Alicia Kimble notched five RBIs each, followed by three from Tynleigh Ray and two from Shae Ahlstrom. Kaleigh Atchley, TeAsya...
Morgan, Campbell update various Sweetwater projects
Sweetwater officials recently gave an update on various projects throughout the city. Sweetwater City Planner Jon Campbell provided an update on the possibility of adding a Kentucky Fried Chicken to Sweetwater. “I did speak with some KFC representatives and they did assure me that they are still committed to the project,” Campbell said. “January of 2025 is now the target date for them to begin on KFC.” ...
Hargett recognizes local schools for voter registration
Tennessee Secretary of the State Tre Hargett visited all three high schools in Monroe County last Friday to present each school with the Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award. The Anne Dallas Dudley Gold Level Award was presented to each school for registering 100% of their eligible students who are 18 years old to vote. “I think it is important to recognize when people do good things,” Hargett said. “We...
McMinn Central scores 11 runs in one inning to best Tellico Plains
McMinn Central exploded for 11 runs off seven walks, four hits and two errors in the bottom of the second inning to blast Tellico Plains 12-1 in a five-inning District 3-2A contest on Monday. The Bears (4-14; 1-8) held Central to no runs and one hit after the catastrophic half-inning turned what was a one-run deficit into a 12-0 challenge. “We just made some errors and, with their pitching and...
TDCI shares steps for a safer home this spring
NASHVILLE — With spring in bloom, many Tennesseans are undertaking traditional spring cleaning and yard work around their homes. The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) reminds residents to take simple, preventative steps in order to create a safer home. Homeowners should use the season as a chance to review and update their insurance policies in the event of severe weather. “By taking easy steps, Tennesseans can prevent an...
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The Advocate & Democrat serves Sweetwater, Madisonville and surrounding areas of East Tennessee.
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