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Today's News

  • House fire claims one life; two others hang in balance

    natasha@lafollettepress.com

     

    A morning house fire has claimed the life of a child as his sibling and mother continue to fight to live.

     The victim’s were in route to UT Medical Center via Life Star with lifesaving measures taking place at 11 a.m.

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  • Travel and jail are hot topics during committee meeting

    Travel budget increases and money for a jail addition were hot button topics at Monday’s budget and finance committee meeting.

    Commissioners had questions for Richard Terry, deputy finance director, when he presented budget amendments that would increase money available for travel for school system employees and board members.

     When asked for an explanation Terry said the $5,000 increase for school system employees and $3,000 for board members was requested as a result of the travel needs both inside and outside the county being greater than anticipated.

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  • House of Hope funding discussed

    A large contingency of Community Heath of East Tennessee (CHET) representatives filled the courtroom during Monday’s commission workshop in hopes of learning the fate of the $300,000 commissioners designated for the House of Hope.

    Commission Chairman David Young opened the meeting by questioning Mayor William Baird regarding the money.

    Baird explained he had met with several CHET board members regarding the funding and a number of alternatives were being considered for the domestic violence center’s new location.

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  • Siler civil suit delayed

    While it has been nearly five years since Lester and Jenny Siler filed their multimillion-dollar civil lawsuit, it is as if time has stood still for the case.

    Just as the litigation was set to begin in federal court, the trial date was postponed.

    The $38 million suit was scheduled to be heard Tuesday. However, on March 5, United State District Judge R. Allan Edgar issued an order that has postponed the proceedings.

    The most recent ruling is just one in a string of delays the case has faced on the state and federal level.

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  • King to ask for new trial

    On Monday, Terry King’s new attorney is scheduled to argue his client is in a place he never belonged- jail.

    In June 2008, King was sentenced to serve 10 years in custody of the state department of corrections for multiple narcotics related crimes. At King’s sentencing hearing his then attorney Joshua Hendrick said King was “a working man who ran afoul of drugs.” Hendrick then implored Criminal Court Judge Shayne Sexton to give his client another chance.

    “He is at a crossroads, judge,” Hendrick said.

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  • Pair arrested for restaurant robbery

    A one time Sonic employee walked away with more than her tips on Sunday night.

    Just after 10 p.m., LaFollette Police responded to the fast food restaurant in response to a robbery and theft call.

    Once there Officer Bill Owens was told by an employee that a recently terminated staff member had approached her outside the restaurant taking the wallet containing some of the day’s receipts.

    The former employee was identified as Brandy N. Brewer, 23, 506 South 13th Street.

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  • Appeals court upholds verdict in battery case

    After almost four years, Travis Burris must now begin serving two years of probation and 45 days behind bars.

    This comes after the state court of criminal appeals upheld his 2005 sexual battery conviction following a trial.

    Burris had appealed the jury’s verdict claiming there was not sufficient evidence to support he had committed the crime for his own gratification.

    However, the presiding judge, Joseph M. Tipton held a different view.

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  • LaFollette facing charges for game theft

    A LaFollette man has learned crime isn’t all fun and games.

    Last week, Andrew Charles Chapman, 18, 126 Tyson Lane, was arrested on aggravated burglary, theft over $500 and vandalism.

    The charges stem from a home invasion that occurred earlier the same day he was arrested, according to LaFollette Police Officer Dennis Chadwell’s report.

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  • Baird calls House of Hope rumors false

    The rumors were swirling last week.  But like most rumors, the one involving Mayor William Baird’s veto of the commission’s $300,000 donation to the House of Hope was fueled by a few facts mixed with a whole lot of speculation.

    In his absence last week the mayor’s office fielded a barrage of calls concerning the status of the resolution passed last month to help fund a new location for Community Health of East Tennessee’s (CHET) domestic violence center.

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  • Ramsey arrested again

    After being caught allegedly breaking into the home of a woman he transported to the hospital, a former ambulance service employee made more trouble for himself allegedly covering his tracks.

    On March 1 LaFollette Police Officer Josh Vann was called to the Campbell County EMS to investigate a burglary.  Witnesses informed Vann that former employee Garrett G. Ramsey, 40, of 411 Eagle Bluff Road, had “unlawfully entered the business.”

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