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Local News

  • New vice mayor for Rockwood?

    Rockwood city elections have been moved to coincide with the gubernatorial elections in 2014.
    In the meantime, term extensions were granted for Mayor James Watts and members of Rockwood City Council whose seats were due to be decided this past June.
    In Watts’ opinion, however, the same is not true for vice mayor, the title held by Peggy Evans.
    “Very simply, her term expires on July 1,” Watts said Friday. “I’m going to nominate someone else to serve the remaining months of that term.”

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  • Schools keep coaches, cut textbooks

    The alternative school will remain open, and academic and coaching pay supplements won’t be cut in half under a plan approved by the Roane County Board of Education on Thursday.
    “I believe this is a good answer what we’ve come up with here tonight,” Board Member Everett Massengill said.
    “It’s not what we would like, but it’s probably the best that we can come up with.” 
    The board voted to use money out of its instructional reserves to keep those things intact.

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  • Wright takes issue with $1,170 mailbag story

    Roane County Board of Education Member Danny Wright called a Roane County News story on the school system’s plan to purchase two expensive Italian leather briefcases inaccurate.

    However, he didn’t mention the requisition the school system submitted to the county purchasing department to order the bags to “replace school/courthouse mail bags” at a cost of $1,170.
    Roane County Executive Ron Woody said school officials do not commonly send over requisitions for items they have no intention to buy.

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  • Sears marks anniversary of catalog’s end

    Twenty years ago the last Sears catalog, an iconic part of American history, stopped circulation.

    The Harriman’s local store, now a Sears dealer store, was one of those original stores that the catalogs could be picked up and ordered from.
    “When I started working here part time back in 1981 we were doing catalogs. The catalog actually went out in 1993,” said Charlie Jones, who operates the store with his family.
    At one time, the store gave out large quantities of catalogs. “We gave out 500 to 1,000,” Jones said.

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  • Enrichment to hold pet drive

    During the month of July, Enrichment Federal Credit Union will host their 5th annual Dog Days of Summer Shelter Drive.
    The credit union is working with members and the community at large to collect much needed supplies for local shelters. 
    In light of recent economic events, the local shelters have been bombarded with animals that have been dropped off by families who can no longer care for their pets.  With the recent raids on puppy mills, pet horders, and private homes with multiple needy animals, the shelters are depending on help from the community.

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  • IRS tips save on charity travel

    The IRS has five tax tips  for those who travel while serving a charity.
    Individuals  must volunteer to work for a qualified organization. Ask the charity about its tax-exempt status or visit IRS.gov and use the Select Check tool to see if the group is qualified.
    Volunteers may be able to deduct unreimbursed travel expenses paid while serving as a volunteer. They can’t deduct the value of your time or services.

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  • VEC helps Midway Quarterback Club

    Volunteer Energy Cooperative’s VECustomers Share program awarded a $2,750 in grants to Roane County organizations in June. The program, founded in October of 2001, has donated more than $4.5 million to various community-service organizations.
    Local groups collecting grants in June include the Midway Middle School Beta Club which was awarded a $1,000 grant; the Midway Quarterback Club received $1,000 grant; and the Midway Youth Cheerleading Organization collected a $750 grant.

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  • OSHA warns of heat related ills in the workplace

    Tennessee OSHA wants Tennessee workers and employers to be aware of the symptoms of heat illness and heat stroke as temperatures start to rise this summer. Every year, thousands of workers are affected by exposure to heat.
    Workers exposed to hot and humid conditions are at risk of heat illness, especially those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment. Some workers might be at greater risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions.

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  • $585 ‘mailbags’ for school system?

    Roane County Schools submitted a requisition to the county earlier this month to order two leather briefcases from a website called Forzieri, which touts itself as having “the world’s most-coveted luxury  accessories.”

    The Brunelleschi Italian leather briefcases by Pratesi cost $585 each.    
    “They’ve done the research and this is a 20-year warranty on this thing,” Director of Schools Gary Aytes said. “It comes out to $29 a year.”

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  • Meth lab found in Ten Mile

    Authorities found a meth lab Wednesday evening on Harrison Lane in Ten Mile.

    “It’s a one-pot,” Roane County Sheriff’s Deputy John Mayes said of the type of lab found. “That’s kind of pretty much been the takeover here recently.”
    Kristi Lane Price and John Lindsey Hughes were arrested.
    Price is charged with aggravated child abuse and manufacturing a controlled substance. Hughes is charged with failure to appear in court.
    Mayes said it didn’t appear that Hughes had anything to do with the lab.

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