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The Daily Times
Fuel prices rise across Tenn., but market remains cheaper than most
The price of gas in Tennessee has jumped since February. A Monday, March 25, release from AAA — The Auto Club Group had the average price for fuel up 24 cents over last month, at $3.18 dollars per gallon. A day later, the average was $3.19. Nationally, the average cost is $3.53 a gallon. "There's still plenty of upward pressure on gas prices right now in the market, and with...
Victim of fatal Alcoa crash identified by Alcoa Police Department
The victim of a fatal crash that occurred in Alcoa on March 22 has been identified as 19-year-old Madison Hoese, by the Alcoa Police Department (APD). According to the APD release, the 16-year-old driver of the Chevrolet Silverado, who allegedly ran a red light striking Hoese's car, has been charged with criminal homicide, vehicular homicide, theft of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a fatality and underage DUI. The 16-year-old juvenile passenger has been charged with criminal homicide, theft of a motor vehicle, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a fatality.
Case of Maryville man accused of stabbing step-grandfather to death will move forward
The case against a man accused of stabbing his step-grandfather to death will move forward after a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, March 26, at the Blount County Justice Center. Bryan T. Noble, Maryville, has been accused of stabbing to death his step-grandfather, John Salveti Jr. in their home on September 19, 2023. Witnesses included Janine Salveti, John Salveti III and Detective John Givens, MPD. First to take the stand was...
Blount school board adopts 2024-25 budget with nearly $4 million shortfall
The Blount County Board of Education adopted 2024-25 budgets on Monday, March 25, that would raise starting teacher pay to $50,000, but proposed spending exceeds expected revenue by nearly $4 million. “This was a difficult budget year,” Blount County Schools Director David Murrell said during a work session to review the budgets before voting. During the called meeting that followed, the board approved its proposed general operating budget of more...
New Blount County Public Library artwork memorializes Joy Bishop
A new abstract sculpture in the lobby of the Blount County Public Library is meant as a reminder of a woman who helped build it. Made of Tennessee pink marble and based on Texas limestone, the sculpture represents Joy M. Bishop, who died in 2023 at 89; it was unveiled during a gathering at the library held Friday, March 22. It was a visual, tactile and emotional experience for the audience of dozens who were invited to view and touch the sculpture and exchange stories...
K-9s in the community: Sgt. Wickert & Thor
Sgt. Steven Wickert, Maryville Police Department (MPD) and his K-9 partner, Thor, a Belgian Malinois, have an unshakeable bond. They have worked together for approximately eight years and Wickert says Thor has exactly the right temperament for the job with a work dedication that is unmatched. Sgt. Wickert knew he wanted to be a K-9 handler early on. Just a few years into the force, he decided to go through the steps to become a handler, which was no easy feat. ...
K9 Unar to receive new protective vest
Alcoa Police Department’s (APD) K9 Unar will serve a little more safely thanks to Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., a charity who donated a bullet and stab protective vest to APD. The vest will be embroidered with, “In memory of K9 Iza, EOW 12/30/23,” said APD. According to the press release, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc is “a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States.” Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. said that “a single donation of $985 will sponsor one vest,” which are “U.S. made, custom fitted, and NIJ certified.”
Alcoa Kiwanis hosted 33rd annual Pancake Breakfast
Rainy weather did not keep people looking for pancakes and conversation away from the Alcoa Kiwanis 33rd annual Pancake Breakfast. Attendees who entered the student commons area of Alcoa High School were greeted by live music from The Cat’s Away group, second in a lineup of four music groups, including a finale by the king himself, Elvis. Once they went through the line for their pancakes and coffee, which Vienna...
Lanier Elementary hosts Music Fest
Spirits were high despite cold, windy weather at the Lanier Music Fest, held on Saturday, March 23. Food trucks and vendors lined the open field next to the school, where attendees could shop and grab a bite to eat. There were also fun fundraising activities, like a pie station where students could pie a teacher, a “jail,” and a raffle. The centerpiece of the festival was a lineup of live...
From the other side: Germans tell Alcoa High students about life before, after the Wall
For most U.S. high school students the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall is something something they read about in history books. On Friday, however, some Alcoa students had an opportunity to talk with people who were living in East Germany, formally the German Democratic Republic, at that time. The teens heard about a country where training after high school was free, but not necessarily the choice of what to study. A place where there was enough to eat, but not a wide variety. A...
Fire destroys two outbuildings on Montvale Road
A structure fire destroyed two outbuildings at 2640 Montvale Road at 5:48 p.m. Friday. According to Blount County Fire Chief Butch Campbell, crews arrived at 5:58 p.m. with five trucks and had the fire controlled at 6:33 p.m. Campbell said there were no injuries and while the two outbuildings were destroyed, the fire did not spread to the inside of the main residence, but did damage the exterior of the backside of the residence. Crews left at 7:16 p.m. and Campbell said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Alcoa Planning Commission defers vote on airport parking expansion amid confusion over plans
As McGhee Tyson Airport officials race to stay ahead of growing parking demand, the Alcoa Planning Commissioner deferred voting on a temporary expansion to help the airport buy time while constructing a parking garage Thursday, March 21. Plans for the airport’s parking Lot C, commissioners said, need more information before they can be approved. The commission pointed to discrepancies in the number of parking spaces to be added to the lot and a need for more clarity around access points. Developers will still be allowed...
A healthy run: Blount dad running marathon, campaigns to help treat sickle cell patients
Back in May, two of James Harrison’s adult children ended up in separate hospitals at the same time — prompting this proud and worried dad to wage a public awareness campaign about their disease. But he didn’t just sound the alarm about sickle cell disease and ask for well-wishes. Harrison, 54, decided to run his first half-marathon as a way to draw attention and action. “As a dad, when they...
Appalachian Bear Rescue takes in brother-sister bear cubs
Two more temporary residents have made their way to Appalachian Bear Rescue in Townsend, brought here from Kentucky. The brother and sister black bear cubs are two months old, said ABR Executive Director Dana Dodd. They have been given the names Daisy Mae and Duke. Daisy Mae weighs 3.76 pounds, and Duke, a little over 4 pounds. Dodd said despite them being neonates, they are healthy enough to not require an incubator. The two were initially taken to University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine...
Two juveniles arrested after fatal crash
Two juveniles were arrested on March 22 after allegedly causing a crash at the intersection of East Lincoln and Hall Road, killing a 19-year-old woman. The intersection was closed for hours while the Alcoa Police Department (APD) investigated the crash. According to APD, around 5:50 a.m., two juveniles driving a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado were traveling west on East Lincoln Road when they ran through a red light, hitting the passenger...
Alcoa Police Department to be featured on Cold Justice
The Alcoa Police Department (APD) is excited to announce that the department is being featured on the hit TV show, Cold Justice. The episode will air at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2024, on the Oxygen channel and will be available to stream on Hulu and YouTube. In the episode, the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) of the APD partners with host Kelly Siegler and her investigative team on a 1990 unsolved murder of an 80-year-old resident, Emmaline Croft. For tips on this investigation, please contact the APD at (865) 981-4111 and ask to speak with Lieutenant Doug Sparks or Detective Woody Hughes.
Christy Martin: Forgotten women of our ancestry
It is Women’s History Month and a time to celebrate some women that are part of Blount County history. Many endured unknown emotional and physical hardships. One is Mary Elizabeth Gardiner Burchfield. Her tale is twisty, often sad, but it is a story of a woman with courage and determination. Mary Elizabeth Gardiner was born in Glascow, Scotland in 1832. Her family immigrated to the United States in the mid-1840s due to the extreme famine in Scotland. Mary Elizabeth retained her Irish brogue, likely because...
Michigan man leads police on chase
Police say a Michigan man led them on a pursuit Wednesday, March 20. Officers were alerted to a stolen vehicle with Michigan license tags on Alcoa Highway, traveling into town. The driver, later identified as 25-year-old Daniel Joseph Hibbert, Michigan, fled from police and was located again at the intersection of Alcoa Highway and Foch Street, where police said they attempted to stop him before he fled again. According to a report, Hibbert drove the vehicle towards Foothills Mall, then looped his way back to...
Townsend officials clarify planning commission approval of hotel plan
Townsend officials clarified recent city planning commission approval of a novel hotel development during a city commission meeting Tuesday night, March 19, amid calls from residents to nullify the decision. In a room full of guests, Townsend Planning Commission Chair Michael Talley told the audience that commissioners were legally obligated to approve the plans. The proposed Ofland Great Smoky Mountains development, previously known as Yonder Great Smoky Mountains, received planning commission approval in January, ending months of debate by choosing to treat the business as...
Blount County, Blount Memorial Hospital to end disputes, lawsuits
For the first time in the 77 years since Blount Memorial Hospital was established, the terms of the relationship between the hospital and the Blount County government are clear. In a move that will settle several lawsuits and end years of dispute, the Blount County Board of Commissioners voted in favor of accepting a management agreement that outlines those ties during a meeting Thursday, March 21. Commissioners took up the...
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The Daily Times, an award-winning daily newspaper in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, has served Blount County, Tennessee, readers since 1883. The Daily Times is a family-owned newspaper based in Maryville, Tennessee, near Knoxville, providing quality news and information to the communities it serves, with an emphasis on local news in the Blount County area.
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