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Despite censure, lawsuit, calls for resignation, Jones still running in May 1 primary

Posted at 7:57 am May 1, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Commission, which is pictured above on March 20, 2018, unanimously censured Anderson County Circuit Clerk William Jones on Feb. 20, and asked him to resign after sexual harassment allegations were reported. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Anderson County Commission, which is pictured above on March 20, 2018, unanimously censured Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk William Jones on Feb. 20, and asked him to resign after sexual harassment allegations were reported. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:40 a.m.

CLINTON—He’s been accused of inappropriate behavior that includes unwelcome sexual advances, unwanted touching, and lewd and vulgar text messages. He’s been unanimously censured and asked to resign by the Anderson County Commission. He’s been sued in federal court. And some residents have joined commissioners in asking him to resign, or at least not seek re-election.

Despite those pleas, though, Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk William Jones, who has denied many allegations and called others false, is seeking re-election in the Anderson County Republican Party primary election on Tuesday, May 1. Jones has filed counterclaims in federal court and filed a defamation lawsuit in state court.

Some of the sexual harassment allegations appear to have been forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies, including the Tennessee Attorney General, Tennessee Department of Labor, and Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts, according to records released by Anderson County. It’s not clear which outside agencies, if any, might be investigating the complaints, or whether the local district attorney general might be investigating.

Willliam T. Jones

Willliam T. Jones

Commission censures Jones, asks him to resign

The accusations against Jones, who is seeking his second four-year term, were publicly disclosed during a review of a sexual harassment complaint at an Anderson County Commission meeting on February 20.

During that meeting, Kim Jeffers-Whitaker, Anderson County’s chief deputy director of human resources and risk management, said her department had received five reports of inappropriate workplace behavior by Jones.

“The five reports create a harassing pattern,” Jeffers-Whitaker said.

She said the reports are supported by two affidavits and four sworn statements that the county’s human resources department obtained from the victims, who include four past or present employees and one citizen.

According to Jeffers-Whitaker, the alleged instances of unprofessional conduct include: [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Government, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: 14th Amendment, Anderson County Circuit Court, Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Human Resources, Angeleque McNutt, Arthur Knight, Brittany Humphrey, censure, civil rights, Curtis L. Collier, Darren V. Berg, David Stuart, defamation, Equal Protection Clause, Gail Harness, Harry Schatz, hostile work environment, Hugh Ward, inappropriate workplace behavior, Jay Yeager, Kim Jeffers-Whitaker, Linda Whitson, Marsha Livingston, NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, primary election, retaliation, Richard E. Collins, Russell Bearden, sexual harassment, sexually explicit messages, Tennessee Human Rights Act, Terry Frank, Tim Isbel, U.S. District Court, unwelcome sexual advances, William Jones

Roane Sheriff part of investigation that leads to long sentence for pill mill operator

Posted at 11:54 pm August 30, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

A Chattanooga pill mill operator was sentenced to 280 years in federal prison on Thursday, and the Roane County Sheriff’s Office was among the law enforcement agencies that participated in the investigation that led to her indictment and subsequent conviction, authorities said.

Barbara Lang, a.k.a. “Aunt Bea,” 61, of Rossville, Georgia, was sentenced by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, U.S. District Judge, said United States Attorney William C. Killian of the Eastern District of Tennessee.

After a 25-day trial that spanned almost three months, Lang was convicted of two counts of conspiring to distribute and dispense Schedule II and IV controlled substances, outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose; five counts of maintaining a premises for the purpose of distributing controlled substances; and 14 counts of structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements, a press release said.

Lang was charged along with three other people. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Police and Fire, Roane County, Top Stories, U.S. Tagged With: Aunt Bea, Barbara Lang, Charles Larmore, Chattanooga Police Department, Curtis L. Collier, Daniel R. Salter, DEA, Drug Enforcement Administration, Eastern District of Tennessee, Elite Care, Faith Blake, Gregg L. Sullivan, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service, IRS, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Jerome Sherard, Michael D. Porter, opioid pain medication, pain clinic, pill mill, pill mill operator, prescription drugs, primary care, Roane County Sheriff's Department, Roane County Sheriff’s Office, Rockwood Police Department, Sherard Clinic, Superior One, Superior One Medical Clinic, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tracy Stone, U.S. District Court, U.S. District Judge, United States Attorney, William C. Killian

Peace group wants fence removed from longtime Y-12 protest area

Posted at 1:48 pm July 13, 2013
By John Huotari 7 Comments

Y-12 Fence on Scarboro Road

The temporary fence erected at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex encloses an area, pictured above, that has been used for protests and vigils for years. An Oak Ridge organization that wants to eradicate nuclear weapons has asked a federal court to order the removal of the fence before an Aug. 6 ceremony.

Calling it an assault on their First Amendment rights, an Oak Ridge organization has again asked a federal court to order officials to remove a fence that blocks an area long used for protests, vigils, and demonstrations in front of the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, which opposes Y-12’s nuclear weapons production work, filed the preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court in Knoxville on Friday. The lawsuit, which amends a complaint filed in April, names new U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz as the sole defendant.

OREPA wants the U.S. Department of Energy to reopen a small grass field near Y-12’s main entrance at East Bear Creek and Scarboro roads before an annual Aug. 6 demonstration. If it is left in place, the temporary fence erected April 1 would cause “irreparable harm” to First Amendment rights—including the rights of free speech, peaceful assembly, and the ability to petition the government for a redress of grievances, OREPA said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, National Nuclear Security Administration, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex, Y-12 Security Breach Tagged With: complaint, Curtis L. Collier, demonstration, DOE, Ernest Moniz, First Amendment, Francis Lloyd, free speech, Hiroshima, John Eldridge, lawsuit, Little Boy, National Nuclear Security Administration, New Hope Center, NNSA, nuclear disarmament, nuclear weapons, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, OREPA, peace, peaceful assembly, protest, public forum, Ralph Hutchison, redress of grievances, Scarboro Road, security breach, Suzanne H. Bauknight, trespassing, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. District Court, vigils, William C. Killian, World War II, Y-12 National Security Complex

Y-12 fence that blocks protest area to remain up for now; judge questions lawsuit jurisdiction

Posted at 5:51 pm April 5, 2013
By John Huotari 8 Comments

Y-12 Fence on Scarboro Road

The temporary fence erected at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex encloses an area, pictured above, that has been used for protests and vigils for years. Despite a court challenge Friday, the fence will stay up for now.

KNOXVILLE—The temporary fence that blocks a traditional protest area at the Y-12 National Security Complex will stay up for now.

A group that has used the grass field and small parking lot for protests and vigils near the Y-12 entrance at Bear Creek and Scarboro roads had sought to have the fence removed before an annual spring demonstration on Saturday. Workers started erecting it on Monday.

But the arguments about the fence and its alleged violations of the protesters’ First Amendment rights took a surprise turn in U.S. District Court in Knoxville on Friday.

District Judge Curtis L. Collier quickly raised a question about whether the court has jurisdiction to address the complaint filed Wednesday by the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, its board members, and people affiliated with the nonprofit organization. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, National Nuclear Security Administration, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Curtis L. Collier, fence, First Amendment, Francis L. Lloyd Jr., John E. Eldridge, National Nuclear Security Administration, NNSA, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, OREPA, protests, Ralph Hutchison, Suzanne H. Bauknight, trespassing, U.S. Attorney, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. District Court, William C. Killian, Y-12 National Security Complex

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Classifieds

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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