Today's News

By TERRI LIKENS

tlikens@roanecounty.com

An attempt to oust Roane County Constable Mark Patton from office ended in a last-minute postponement Tuesday after a scuffle between his attorney and courthouse officials.

Lawyer Chris Cawood was taken into custody at about 9 a.m. on the first-floor landing of Roane County Courthouse during a shoving incident with a court bailiff and Constable L.K. “Butch” Barding.

By TERRI LIKENS

tlikens@roanecounty.com

Forget the latest Terminator movie on the big screen this weekend.

The real spellbinder at the Midtown Drive-in is whether the operation can stay open much longer.

The audience has largely stayed away this season, so much so the owner and manager are worried about the future.

Is the problem the gloomy economy?

The spate of cool, wet weather?

By DAMON LAWRENCE

dlawrence@roanecounty.com

A public apology and $10,000.

Those are some of the things attorney Chris Cawood asked for in a letter he addressed to Roane County Sheriff Jack Stockton.

The overture stems from Cawood’s arrest at the courthouse last week.

Cawood represents Constable Mark Patton. The two men entered the courthouse shortly before 9 a.m. May 19 for Patton’s ouster trial.

By CINDY SIMPSON

csimpson@roanecounty.com

Members of the Harriman Economic Advisory Team may get a new role.

Harriman Mayor Chris Mason said he would like to see the large committee disbanded and some of its members used as a pilot Harriman Industrial Board.

Such a move might enable the city to do things it cannot currently, such as offer tax incentives and other breaks for industries interested in Harriman.

“They don’t have a purpose right now,” Mason said of HEAT members.