thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source

Madisonville man charged with prescription fraud

A Madisonville man was taken into custody by Blount County Sheriff's deputies on Saturday on a prescription fraud charge.

William Kyle Johnson, III, 38, of Madisonville, was being held at the Blount County Correctional Facility on a $2,500 bond pending a 9 a.m. Sept. 10 hearing in Blount County General Sessions Court.

Investigators with the Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force were alerted to Johnson by a Blount County pharmacy after Johnson attempted to pick up a fraudulent prescription for Hydrocodone pills, according to a sheriff's office press release.

Johnson was also charged with violation of probation granted after a felony conviction, and is being held for Monroe, McMinn and Hamblen counties on outstanding warrants.

Chancellor search at UT cost $100,000

KNOXVILLE -- The University of Tennessee's search for a new chancellor will cost more than $100,000 to pay for a search firm, candidate travel expenses and advertising in national publications.

The months long search will see its first on-campus visits this as two of the five candidates will be in Knoxville this week for interviews and public forums.

David Young, senior vice president of academic affairs at Arizona State University, arrives Monday. Jennie Hunter-Cevera, president of University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, is scheduled to arrive Tuesday.

Records obtained from the university show that the bulk of the expenses are for Parker Executive Search in Atlanta, which will get $75,000 plus expenses.

UT officials hope to have the new chancellor in place by spring 2009.

Chancellor Loren Crabtree left the position in January.

Kentucky soldier buried in hometown

WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. -- A southeastern Kentucky soldier killed in Iraq has been buried after a funeral service in his hometown.

Sgt. David K. Cooper's remains were laid to rest at Bowlin Cemetery in Jellico, Tenn., near his hometown of Williamsburg, Ky.

Cooper was killed Aug. 27 in Qadasiyah, Iraq, when his dismounted patrol unit came under small-arms fire.

Cooper, 25, was a sergeant in the Forward Support Company, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas.