LATEST NEWS

SWEETWATER, Tenn. — The Sweetwater Police Department said a man accused of threatening mass violence at a hospital was taken into custody on Thursday. The police department said Vernon Knode is accused of calling Sweetwater Hospital and threatening to bomb the facility, as well as threatening to shoot people there. The police department said it investigated the calls and determined his location.

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Hamilton County deputies are investigating a death on Thursday. TheHamilton County Sheriff's Office says this happened at a home onThrush Hollow Lane. A suspect has been taken into custody, according to HCSO. They say there is no threat to the community. This is a developing...

One reading is down and there’s one still to go for the Athens City Council on a ban on homeless camps within the city limits. The topic was first addressed in August when Vice Mayor Larry Eaton brought up his concerns about camps in the area. He suggested the possibility of an ordinance that would outlaw those camps. “We need to put this in there for the protection of public...

RHEA COUNTY — A recently-released investigative report from the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office alleged several instances of malfeasance at the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department, including three sheriff’s department employees receiving a total of $20,000 for time not worked and improper release of inmates from the Rhea County Jail. The report was released on Wednesday and covered a time frame from January 2017 to May 2024. The report alleges that Rhea County...

According to booking reports from the Hamilton County Jail, the following people were arrested by the East Ridge Police Department from Oct. 7-10. An arrest does not mean that a person has been convicted of a crime. All persons arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — As Hurricane Milton sets it's target on Florida's Gulf Coast, communities in East Tennessee and North Carolina are still reeling from the impact of Helene. The storm claimed the lives of more than 230 people across 6 states, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

RINGGOLD, Ga. — The family of a Soddy-Daisy woman who was killed in a rare car accident says there are still unanswered questions. Despite what police reports say, the family of Autumn McClure says there are still gaps in the story of what happened to her. The Ringgold Police...

At the request of 11th Judicial District Attorney General Coty Wamp, TBI special agents are investigating the circumstances leading to a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon in Hamilton County. Preliminary information indicates members of the U.S. Marshals Service Smokey Mountain Fugitive Task Force were attempting to locate a...

SODDY-DAISY, Tenn. — A contracted bus driver from Daisy Elementary School has been suspended as Hamilton County Schools investigate an incident that left students fearing for their safety. Danielle Theil, a mother of four children who were on the bus, told us on Wednesday, "They all thought that they...

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A report on the best uses for McDonald Farm that was presented to Hamilton County commissioners Wednesday seemed to surprise some members. "I wish we had heard from you before we made this purchase. We made this purchase with the idea of finding land to put factories on," Commissioner Warren Mackey says.

BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- ScaleTrains, Community Fellowship Church, and Operation Blessing partnered together to help assist Tennesseans affected by Hurricane Helene. “We got together with Operation Blessing, we have been working with them for a while, and asked them if they would want to spot a trailer here at our warehouse, and then reached out to Community Fellowship Church for monetary donations, and then said let’s do that.It all worked out,’ said Shane Wilson, President of Scale Trains.

OOLTEWAH, Tenn. (WDEF) — A new Erlanger Primary Care Location has opened up in Ooltewah. This new Primary Care facility is located at 5953 Elementary Way, Suite 109. The new location will provide full-spectrum care for adults. Erlanger reported this facility will also house onsite lab services, EKG and...

As a frontline responder, Tim Zibelin acknowledges that it’s hard to admit when “it’s OK to not be OK.”. Zibelin, an advanced emergency medical technician with Riceville’s Volunteer Fire Department, has witnessed the destruction that Tropical Storm Helene wrought in Western North Carolina nearly two weeks ago.

OOLTEWAH, Tenn. — Hamilton County plans to conduct a safety audit to determine how to improve 2 historically dangerous roads in Ooltewah. A high school student lost his life on one of those roads at the end of September. Residents and county officials say Snow Hill Road and Hunter...

OOLTEWAH, Tenn. (WDEF)- It’s been nearly a month since a 16 year old boy died while driving on Snow Hill Road. Now, Hamilton County has announced they are looking into how to fix that and other roads in Ooltewah. Jean Rogers has lived and gone to Fairview Baptist Church...

In a significant step forward for local education, HCS EdConnect, powered by EPB, recently held a meeting with the Hamilton County School Board to share updates on its progress and future plans. Launched four years ago, HCS EdConnect has already provided no-cost internet access to over 10,000 households in Hamilton County. This program is designed to help students succeed academically especially in an age where online resources are crucial for learning.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. - It was not only a record-setting battle, it was also the first time this season the Lee University volleyball team was able to win in five sets when they turned back old NAIA rival and new Gulf South Conference member Trevecca Nazarene University 25-22, 25-15, 18-25, 23-25, 15-7 inside Walker Arena on Thursday evening. In four previous five-set affairs the frustrated Lady Flames had walked away without posting a victory.

Two notable 3D-printed projects mark milestones in the new construction technique of “printing” structures with specialized concrete. In Athens, Tennessee, Walmart hired Alquist 3D to build a 20-foot-high store expansion, one of the largest freestanding 3D-printed commercial concrete structures in the U.S. In Marfa, Texas, the world’s first 3D-printed hotel is under construction at an existing hotel and campground site.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A project to bring an inclusive playground to Heritage Park is set to get support from the Hamilton County government. The proposed 16,000 square foot playground would be designed for children with disabilities. The project was initially proposed in 2017, and had to be put on hold...

QUAD CITIES, Ill. – Watch the weigh-in from Day 1 of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regional Tournament at Pools 13-17 on the Mississippi River on Oct. 10, 2024. Sign up for a future Phoenix Bass Fishing League event. Phoenix Bass Fishing League regional tournament...