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Local News

  • Four-day school week? Rising fuel costs prompt speculation

    DAMON LAWRENCE

    rclawrence@bellsouth.net

    The school system will present a budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year that won’t require a property tax increase to fund.

    The Roane County Board of Education approved the almost $61.8 million budget Thursday night. The budget passed 9-0.

    “I’m satisfied with it,” board chairman Earl Nall said. “I wish we could have asked for more, but these are just not good times to ask for more money.”

    The county commission is the funding body for the school system.

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  • Three Roane Countians dance way to honors

    By JENNIFER RAYMONDee

    rcraymond@bellsouth.net

    Three Roane County students have something to be proud of.

    All have made impressive accomplishments through their background in dance.

    All three studied at Arts In Motion Dance Studio in Roane County.

    Abbey Austin, 18, has been with the studio since it was first opened by her mother, Jennifer, 15 years ago.

    She was accepted to college at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, where she will study musical theater.

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  • Patton lawsuit date changed to avoid conflict

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    rclawrence@bellsouth.net

    The case of former constable Mark Patton versus Roane County will not conflict with voting at the courthouse for the Aug. 7 election.

    Chancellor Billy Joe White tentatively rescheduled the case for Aug. 22 during a hearing that featured some heated exchanges between lawyers.

    Roane County Attorney Tom McFarland was seeking to have the case moved from Aug. 7 because the courthouse is closed that day because of the election.

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  • Speeding tickets down on Roane highways

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    rclawrence@bellsouth.net

    In this day of record high gas prices, drivers are really looking to save.

    One way is to drive slower.

    “It’s not a myth,” said David Clifton of David Clifton Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac in Rock-wood. “If you cut down on your speed, it will increase your gas mileage.”

    Whether drivers are doing it is not exactly clear.

    The number of speeding tickets issued by the Tennessee Highway Patrol was down over the first five months of 2008.

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  • Assessor must give up call details

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    rclawrence@bellsouth.net

    Property Assessor Teresa Kirkham said she has no problem letting her opponent view the business calls she makes on her cell phone.

    It’s the personal calls that she doesn’t want him to see.

    That’s why she is vowing to contest any agreement that says otherwise.

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  • Kingston wins annexation battle brought by Harriman

    By CINDY SIMPSON

    rccindysimpson@bellsouth.net

    A Roane County judge found in favor of Kingston in a lawsuit filed by Harriman over areasof Midtown both the municipalities hoped to annex.

    Kingston held a referendum to take in land whose property owners wanted to be part of that city, but Harriman officials filed suit to overturn the successful vote.

    At issue were parcels of property between the Hwy. 70 Clinch River bridge and the Harriman city limits.

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  • Investigation leads to six-count indictment

    By JUDY UNDERWOOD

    Morgan County News Editor

    A local man with addresses in both Morgan and Scott counties has been indicted on six counts of alleged sex crimes against children by a Morgan County Grand Jury. He also faces 20 felony indictments in Scott County on similar allegations.

    District Attorney General Russell Johnson said the charges came through a criminal investigation by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office that led into Morgan County.

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  • Board looks to trim $500,000 from budget

    By JUDY UNDERWOOD

    Morgan County News Editor

    Director of Morgan County Schools Mike Davis didn’t have a whole lot of good news for members of the Morgan County School Board during Monday night’s budget workshop.

    Davis said that as projections stand now a half million dollars needs to be cut from the 2008-09 school budget.

    Davis listed several places where cuts can be made without affecting the classroom but said even if all those items are cut there will still be almost $200,000 remaining to be trimmed.

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  • County fire plan gets mixed reviews

    By DAMON LAWRENCE

    rclawrence@bellsouth.net

    Volunteer fire departments rely heavily on donations and fund-raisers to operate.

    Some chiefs are worried the contributions could dry up if a fire tax district is created to help fund a county fire department.

    “I’m pretty sure it could,” West Roane County Chief Charlie Redwine said. “I’m no expert on that, but it could cause some people to say, ‘Well, I’m paying taxes for it now, so why should I donate?’”

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  • Kingston eyes 'minimal tax rate hike; fees

    By JENNIFER RAYMOND

    rcraymond@bellsouth.net

    As the budget process starts to wind down, residents can get a better look at what to expect for the next fiscal year, especially regarding their taxes.

    Kingston residents, as the budget stands now, can expect a 5-cent property tax rate increase.

    This will put the rate at $1.35 per $100 of assessed property. For a property valued at $75,000, the increase will be less than $13 a year.

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Copyright © 2013

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