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Local News

  • Fall-out over ash spill continues

    By TERRI LIKENS

    rceditor@bellsouth.net

    It’s no secret that Roane County defines itself by its waterfront.

    Although a few other counties make a similar claim, Roane County officials declare theirs has more waterfront miles than any other Tennessee county.

    Since the TVA fly-ash impoundment break on Dec. 22, that waterfront has changed — and not just near the coal-fired Kingston Fossil Plant where the break occurred.

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  • Watts Bar Belle to leave Kingston

    By JENNIFER RAYMOND

    rcraymond@bellsouth.net

    It’s official — the Watts Bar Belle is leaving its Kingston dock.

    That move was also the basis of a heated debate between two Kingston City Council members at Tuesday’s special-called meeting.

    Despite earlier claims that the move was due to the ash spill, general manager Francie Harkenrider claims poor business in general is more to blame.

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  • Cawood not censured for sex encounter

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    rclawrence@bellsouth.net

    Repulsive, inappropriate and outrageous.

    That’s how a hearing panel for the Board of Professional Responsibility described the behavior of Kingston attorney Chris Cawood.

    However, the panel concluded the behavior did not violate any rules of professional conduct.

    The Board of Professional Responsibility, which acts as a watchdog agency for the Tennessee Supreme Court, brought the action against Cawood for dealings he had with Lisa Steinmetz.

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  • Brockovich: ‘Don’t be afraid to speak up’

    By JENNIFER RAYMOND

    rcraymond@bellsouth.net

    With a team of lawyers, doctors and researchers by her side, well-known activist Erin Brockovich spoke to an audience of about 200 in Roane State Community College’s gymnasium on Friday night about the catastrophic fly ash spill at TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant on Dec. 22.

    Brockovich said she came to Roane County after receiving hundreds of e-mails from people asking her to visit.

    “I’m here on behalf of a community concerned with a tragedy,” she told the crowd.

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  • TVA relocating affected residents

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    rclawrence@bellsouth.net

    The new fishing pole Charli Michaels’ 5-year-old son got for Christmas hasn’t gotten much use.

    The fly ash spill has made young Anthony afraid to put it in the water, Michaels said. 

    “He says water’s not his favorite color,” she said.

    Her son stood beside her when she addressed TVA officials during a public hearing on the fly ash spill at the Roane County Courthouse Monday night.

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  • Property values a question after ash spill

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    dlawrence@roanecounty.com

    Property sales, not perception, will determine local property values in the future, reports Roane County Property Assessor Teresa Kirkham.

    Property values have become a concern in the wake of the Dec. 22 fly ash spill at TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant.

    Some believe the value of their property has dropped because of it.

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  • Houston juror felt all eyes were upon him

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    dlawrence@roanecounty.com

    For two weeks this past December, Robert Cushman felt like he was one of the most scrutinized people in Roane County.

    What did he do to attract the attention?

    His civic duty.

    Cushman was one of the 16 jurors who sat through Rocky Houston’s double-murder trial. He said the jury box felt like an intimidation chamber to some.       

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  • Beer board warns offending businesses

    By CINDY SIMPSON

    csimpson@roanecounty.com

    Harriman’s beer board decided on Jan. 7 to give a strong warning to all seven of the businesses which had employees recently accused of selling alcohol to minors.

    Those businesses, as noted last month, are:

    • Go Mart, 116 S. Roane St.;

    • Lee’s Food Mart, 1901 Harriman Hwy.;

    • Lee’s Food Mart, 1859 S. Roane St.;

    • Gondolier, 1822 Roane State Hwy.;

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  • Ouster suit filed against constable

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    dlawrence@roanecounty.com

    Roane County Constable Mark Patton could soon find himself out of office. An ouster suit was filed against him in Roane County Circuit Court on Tuesday.

    Patton, who was elected as constable for the 6th District in August 2006, has been accused of using his police powers to harass residents and law enforcement officers.

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  • Obama presidency inspires community

    By CINDY SIMPSON

    csimpson@roanecounty.com

    A sense of pride and hope overwhelmed the auditorium at Harriman’s Jamieson Community Center Tuesday.

    The building — once the home of a segregated Roane County school — was now filled with people celebrating the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president.

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The Roane County News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Roane County and Kingston, Tennessee, and the surrounding area.