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Monroe County Schools Food Distribution Monroe County Schools will hold summer food distribution on the following Fridays: June 28, July 12, 19 and 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sequoyah High School, located at 3128 Highway 411 in Madisonville. This is a drive-thru style food distribution. Students do not have to present to receive food. Children under the age of 18 can receive this distribution. The child does not have to be enrolled in the Monroe County School System to be eligible. There...
Man says he knew he was wanted, so he ran
A man in a BMW couldn’t evade police completely after he was spotted speeding June 15. Madisonville Police Officer Richard Kennedy said it was just after 9 p.m. when he saw a silver BMW traveling down Highway 411 at a high rate of speed and he turned around to follow it. Kennedy said the BMW turned onto Pedigo Road and he turned on his lights and siren and the car...
Man arrested after allegedly setting up meeting with what he thought was a teenage girl
A Knoxville man came to Sweetwater with what appeared to be an intention to meet a teenage girl, but walked into a motel room with a Monroe County Sheriff’s deputy. Sheriff’s Detective Jason Fillyaw said his office and the Sweetwater Police Department had been running a sting operation out of the Quality Inn in Sweetwater and Detective Samantha Long had been posing as a 16-year-old on an app called Skip the Games. ...
Woman says she's being followed, driver of truck doesn't know who she is
A woman claimed she was being followed, but ended up being arrested for making unnecessary calls to the 911 system. Madisonville Police Officer Richard Kennedy said he was sent to the Wendy’s on Old Englewood Road to meet with a woman who said someone was following her and was told she’d also made the same call to Sweetwater Police while in that area. When he got to the restaurant, Kennedy...
Camera footage from all over Madisonville gets man arrested
A man is facing several charges after cameras reportedly caught him taking nearly $20,000 worth of items out of a storage building June 6. Madisonville Police Detective David Kilby said he went to a storage building at Storage Wise on New Highway 68 and talked to a man who said he hadn’t been to the storage building in about a month, but when he did check on it, he found it had been broken into. ...
Man doesn't like being passed, allegedly pulls gun in response
A man who allegedly pulled a gun on a car load of people said when they passed him, he wasn’t having it June 17. Vonore Police Officer Brandon Watkins said he talked to four people who said they were driving down the road around 6 p.m. when a man in a Chevrolet Silverado pulled a gun on them and they all said they thought he was going to start shooting. ...
Man allegedly shoots girlfriend, sits on bed to wait for law enforcement
A Philadelphia area man has been identified and is facing an attempted murder charge after he allegedly shot his girlfriend June 15. Monroe County Sheriff’s Det. Conway Mason said deputies went to a home on Reed Springs Road and found a woman in the house with a large wound to her chest area. She said her boyfriend, Michael Earl Dowling, had been the one who had shot her. Mason said...
Sweetwater hires Bowden as girls’ basketball coach
There will be a new face courtside for the Sweetwater Lady Wildcats, but it is one that everyone in town will recognize. Robin Bowden has been tabbed the next girls’ basketball coach at Sweetwater, the school announced on its Facebook page. “Coach Bowden’s passion for these girls is what sticks out when you talk about this job. She wants to pour into those girls and to build relationships with them,”...
Three Wildcats named to TBCA All-State Team
Three Sweetwater players have been named to the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association (TBCA) Class 2A All-State Team. Seniors Kai Correll, Tucker Lorenz and Blaine Watson represent the 32-win Wildcats on the roster. “That goes back to a lot of hard work. They dedicated themselves to baseball. They missed a lot of part of their high school — they had to sacrifice dances and events,” Sweetwater coach Travis Watson said. “A lot of time, they were in the weight room, the cage hitting or taking ground...
Sweetwater competes, grows into second 7-on-7 of summer
Sweetwater grew into its second 7-on-7 of the summer. Traveling to McMinn County High School and competing with five programs, the Wildcats showed growth from their first 7-on-7 after settling into the competition. The Wildcats made strides in route running with a number of receivers that can compete while also improving in their offensive reads out of the quarterback and covering defensive zones. ...
Tellico takes the field for five-way 7-on-7
Bobby White was proud of what he saw from his team in a five-way 7-on-7 on June 18. Tellico Plains traveled to McMinn County High School to compete with the hosts, Meigs County, Rhea County, Sweetwater and Walker Valley. “We showed a competitive spirit and I was proud of the guys for the way they worked and the way they competed,” Tellico coach Bobby White said. ...
New mural celebrating Sweetwater history completed
After a week of painting through rainstorms, Whitney Herrington completed Sweetwater’s latest mural, “Honey Bee Haven,” a collaborative project between the artist, the City of Sweetwater and DMA-events, a public art nonprofit. This approach, however, was different than past mural projects as it incorporated the city’s Junior Main Street Board in the process. The Junior Main Street Board happened by accident, explained Sarah Davies, English teacher and softball coach at...
Cora Veal Center to hold community concert Friday night
Cora Veal Senior Center is gearing up for the Mulehead Express Band that is planned to perform at the center this Friday. According to Cora Veal Senior Center Director Erma Freeman, this will be Mulehead Express Band’s second performance at the center. “We are always excited over any band that comes and this band was well received last time they were here,” Freeman said. “Everyone comes out and really enjoys...
All-County: Eleven names highlight area baseball in 2024
Editor’s Note: The All-County team is chosen with stats provided to The Advocate & Democrat as well as experiences in coverage and coaches recommendations In a new season that saw new districts be built, Sweetwater found its way back to the Class 2A state tournament while Sequoyah and Tellico were tasked with competing in difficult District 3-2A and District 5-3A. Kai Correll was essential to Sweetwater’s success in all phases,...
Man arrested, investigation continues into Philadelphia shooting
A woman was shot and a man taken into custody as Monroe County Sheriff’s Department deputies continue to investigate a weekend incident. According to Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones, on Saturday afternoon deputies responded to Seedtick Road in Philadelphia in reference to a shooting. When they arrived, they found a woman with a gunshot wound and she was transported to a local hospital with “serious” injuries. ...
S.A.F.E. P.A.T.H. program kicks off in Monroe County
Various organizations gathered in front of Access Medical Care Monroe County to kick off the S.A.F.E. P.A.T.H. program on Friday. According to April Fledge with S.A.F.E. P.A.T.H. Marketing, S.A.F.E. P.A.T.H. stands for Speedy Approach for Everyone, Pushing Ahead Towards Health. “We are a grant funded program that raises awareness of living a healthier lifestyle in the community,” Fledge said. “It is a special grant designed to help people in a...
Tellico’s Cole Kirkland signs with Roane State
Four years ago, Cole Kirkland stepped on the baseball field in Tellico hoping to find something to fill his time. A couple of years later he found himself getting more serious about the sport. Two more years pass and Kirkland has found a future in the sport — continuing his education and athletic career with Roane State Community College. ...
TDCI shares tips on investing in cryptocurrency
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) Division of Securities is highlighting the importance of learning the red flags that might indicate elder financial abuse or fraud when it comes to investing unregulated products such as cryptocurrency and any “virtual” investments. “Our Department is committed to helping protect the dignity and financial independence of Tennessee’s elder population,” said TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. “Any Tennessee senior, loved one, or caregiver who has questions when it comes to their investments or insurance policies should...
Just Us to headline Friday's Sounds of Summer concert
Friendly City Festivals has announced that the second concert in the 2024 Sounds of Summer series will feature local bluegrass favorite Just Us on Friday, June 21. The concert will be held at Market Park Pavilion, located at 106 South Jackson Street in Downtown Athens, starting at 7 p.m. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets. Food trucks for the evening will be Kona Ice, The Traveling Lunchbox and Chick-fil-A. ...
Cleveland State awarded reaffirmation of accreditation
CLEVELAND — Cleveland State Community College was awarded a 10-year reaffirmation of its institutional accreditation at the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees meeting on June 13. “Reaffirmation of our accreditation is a reflection of Cleveland State’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence and student success,” said Dr. Andy White, Cleveland State President. “We are working together to improve every element of our mission to effectively serve our students and our communities.” ...
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