Oak Ridge Today

FBI investigating bank robbery at Home Federal Bank in Powell

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating a bank robbery reported at Home Federal Bank on East Emory Road in Powell on Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities in Anderson County received an alert after the robbery, which was reported at about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday. The suspect reportedly turned onto Heiskell Road, which runs into Anderson County.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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County officials to ask for one-year extension on expiring courthouse lease

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Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Roger Miller

First elected in August, Judge Roger Miller, left, is pictured in Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge before a bond hearing this summer. (2015 file photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today) 

 

CLINTON—Anderson County officials could ask for a one-year extension of the lease on the General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge. The current lease expires at the end of the year, on December 31.

The county has an option to renew the lease for five years from January 1, 2016, through the end of 2021, but it’s not clear if officials want to do that. There are questions about whether they want to keep a courthouse in Oak Ridge, particularly if the City of Oak Ridge is not providing financial support. But if Division II court does stay in Oak Ridge, there is a question about whether it should remain at the current location at the former Oak Ridge Utility District building on Bus Terminal Road.

Officials have limited time, about 80 days, to weigh the alternatives before the lease expires, and there are holidays in the meantime, said Anderson County Commissioner Mark Alderson, who made a motion to seek a one-year lease extension during an Operations Committee meeting on Monday. The committee unanimously approved that proposal on a voice vote. [Read more…]

No one injured, black bear chased away after three hours at ACHS

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Black Bear at Anderson County High School on Oct. 6, 2015

No one was injured, and a black bear was chased away with rubber bullets and beanbag rounds after it spent three hours at Anderson County High School, mostly eating acorns, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 8:40 a.m.

CLINTON—No one was injured, and a black bear was chased away with rubber bullets and beanbag rounds after it spent three hours at Anderson County High School, mostly eating acorns, on Tuesday.

The bear was first seen at about 3:55 p.m. Tuesday on the east side of a parking lot on the east side of the high school campus.

ACHS Assistant Principal Ben Downs, Principal Andrea Russell, and a school resource officer were involved in a student issue in the parking lot, when Downs looked over his left shoulder and saw the bear.

“There it was coming out of the woods,” Downs said. [Read more…]

Man arrested after chases, alleged carjacking, stolen truck in Anderson, Campbell

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Joshua Lee Styles

Joshua Lee Styles

A Rocky Top man who had been involved in two recent police pursuits in Anderson County, including one chase after an alleged carjacking from a family member on Friday, was arrested in Campbell County on Monday after a vehicle and foot chase involving a stolen pickup truck, authorities said.

Joshua Lee Styles, 25, of Ross Cemetery Road in Rocky Top, was arrested Monday, October 5, by Campbell County deputies after the pursuit of the stolen truck and on numerous warrants from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, ACSD Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said.

He said Styles was originally wanted for a state probation violation.

The two pursuits with Anderson County deputies had occurred during the past week. [Read more…]

Report: Man pushes sister out of car, drives off in alleged carjacking

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Anderson County Sheriff Patch

A Rocky Top man pushed and kicked his sister out of the driver’s seat of a car during an attempted traffic stop on Oliver Springs Highway on Friday, and the man drove off, tires spinning, in an alleged carjacking, leaving his sister lying on the ground about one foot from the vehicle, authorities said.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Matthew T. Forsyth said he tried to stop the Lexus four-door sedan at about 3:50 p.m. on Tri County Boulevard on Friday, October 2, because the reverse lights were activating when the vehicle was moving forward. When he caught up to the car, Forsyth said, he recognized the front seat passenger as Joshua Lee Styles, 24, who has several warrants for his arrest in Anderson County.

“When the vehicle pulled into the turning lane to turn onto Oliver Springs Highway, I pulled up to the passenger side of the vehicle and activated emergency equipment to conduct a traffic stop,” Forsyth said in an incident report. [Read more…]

Another convenience store door smashed by vehicle, this one in OS

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Lee's Food Mart and Jason Ross and Phil Brown on Oct. 4, 2015

Jason Ross, left, and Phil Brown of Allied Glass Co. in Knoxville repair a glass door smashed by a vehicle at Lee’s Food Mart in Oliver Springs early Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015. Police suspect the crash was intentional. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

OLIVER SPRINGS—Another convenience store was hit by a vehicle this weekend, this one in Oliver Springs, and police suspect it was intentional.

The crash, which was reported at about 2:08 a.m. Sunday, smashed a door at Lee’s Food Mart on East Tri County Boulevard in Oliver Springs, at the bottom of the hill coming into Oliver Springs from Oak Ridge.

That crash followed one at K&J Market at about 2 a.m. Saturday in west Oak Ridge. In that case, a small sport utility vehicle was captured on tape smashing the front door of the convenience store, but it’s not clear why, a business representative said Saturday morning.

The Oliver Springs Police Department said the alarm at Lee’s Food Mart went off after an SUV hit it early Sunday, and nothing was taken. The SUV fled toward Oliver Springs, OSPD Sergeant Kevin Armes said. [Read more…]

Fire destroys unoccupied home on Marlow Circle

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Marlow Circle Fire Oct. 2, 2015

A fire destroyed an unoccupied home on Marlow Circle on Friday night, Oct. 2, 2015. The Marlow and Oliver Springs fire departments both responded to fight the fire. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

A fire destroyed an unoccupied home on Marlow Circle on Friday night.

The fire was reported at 516 Marlow Circle at about 10 p.m. Friday.

The house was engulfed in flames when the first Marlow Fire Department units arrived, fire photographer Tom Scott said. Two Marlow Fire Department engines and a tanker responded and so did two Oliver Springs Fire Department engines and a rescue unit, which responded on a mutual aid call.

The house was close to the roadway, and at the height of the fire, the contents of a mailbox across Marlow Circle caught on fire, Scott said. [Read more…]

Man convicted of possessing heroin for sale in school zone

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Charles Randolph Johnson

Charles Randolph Johnson

A man who came to Anderson County from the Detroit area has been convicted of possessing heroin and marijuana for sale in a school zone, and he faces 25 to 40 years in prison, authorities said Wednesday.

Charles Randolph Johnson was found guilty on Friday, September 18, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said in a press release. The jury deliberated for 1.5 hours before announcing their verdict after a trial that lasted 1.5 days.

Johnson has a separate November 10 trial for actually selling the heroin, Clark said in the press release. The DA said Johnson has been charged separately for allegedly selling heroin three times on Coconut Lane near Claxton Elementary School. He also has charges pending for allegedly coercing a witness, Clark said.

The DA said the potential 25- to 40-year sentence for the Friday convictions is based on Johnson’s prior felony record and because the jury found that the crime occurred within a school zone. But the specifics of the sentence will be determined by Anderson County Criminal Court Judge Don Elledge at the November 30 sentencing hearing, Clark said. [Read more…]

Students at two schools send cards of appreciation to ACSD for 9/11

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ACSD 9/11 Cards

Students at Linden Elementary School and St. Mary’s School in Oak Ridge sent cards of appreciation to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for 9/11. (Submitted photo)

 

Students at two schools in Oak Ridge sent cards of appreciation to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for September 11, 2015, the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in New York City, Washington, D.C., and an airplane that crashed in Pennsylvania.

“Our thanks to the students of Linden Elementary and St. Mary’s School for their cards of appreciation for September 11, 2015,” ACSD Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. “We certainly appreciate them!” [Read more…]

ACSD Crime Prevention offers church safety, security seminar

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Anderson County Sheriff's Department Church and Safety Security Seminar

The Crime Prevention Unit of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is presenting a Church Safety and Security Seminar on Saturday, September 19, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at LifeHouse Church at 535 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. This free seminar is open for all churches and denominations.

The Church Safety and Security Seminar is being presented for area houses of worship to assist with emergency planning, a press release said.

“Prior preparation is essential for successful prevention and mitigation of potentially catastrophic events,” the release said. “This seminar will offer valuable information to help prepare.”

An effective plan for keeping congregations safe requires a complete team effort and coordination, the release said. It involves participation of the pastoral staff, ushers, greeters, parking lot attendants, deacons, elders, trustees, medically trained personnel, and many others. Every member of the church team should make plans to attend this seminar. [Read more…]

Woman facing charges after bringing loaded handgun to evening class at ACHS, report says

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Anderson County Sheriff Patch

A Lafollette woman reported to be suicidal is facing charges after she brought a loaded handgun to an evening class at Anderson County Career and Tech Center at Anderson County High School on Monday, authorities said.

The 36-year-old woman reportedly came to class aggravated and told the teacher of a certified nursing assistant class that “she would be better off dead,” according to an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department report.

The teacher said the woman told her she had everything in place “so she could die,” the report said. The teacher asked the woman if she had a gun in her bag, and the woman said “Yes, she had had it every night,” the report said.

A student in the class told Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Robert J. Collins that the woman said she had a gun in her bag if she needed it, and the woman had a journal stating that she wanted to die. [Read more…]

Woman reports falling asleep with cigarette in hand before Tuesday fire

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Smith Road Mattress Fire

A woman who escaped a Tuesday morning fire with her son and dog told authorities she fell asleep with a cigarette in her hand. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

Information from WYSH Radio/Oak Ridge Today/Tom Scott

A woman who escaped a Tuesday morning fire with her son and dog told authorities she fell asleep with a cigarette in her hand.

The fire was reported at about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday on Smith Road in Anderson County, east of Oliver Springs in Marlow.

The 77-year-old woman who lives at the home woke up to her hand being burned, said the incident commander, Captain Jordan Alcorn of the Oliver Springs Fire Department.

She activated a Life Alert emergency alarm and fled the home with her son and small dog, said Alcorn, who is also an Oak Ridge firefighter. [Read more…]