Blount County Director of Schools Rob Britt passes the photographs of former directors of schools that line the wall on the way to his office. He sometimes gets the feeling that they’re watching over him.

Rob Britt takes helm of Blount County Schools

11:40 PM - Rob Britt assumed full responsibility of Blount County Schools on Wednesday. He is currently building a list of priorities and working to develop educational supports so officials can concentrate on teaching, learning and building relationships. Read more...

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Independence Day activities abundant in Blount County, East Tennessee

11:18 PM - Looking for a way to celebrate the Fourth of July? Here's a guide to activities scheduled in Blount and surrounding counties. Read more...

Prosecutors drop charges in alleged mountain rape

11:21 PM - It began as a story of a pizza delivery man's heroism. Now, prosecutors aren't sure what happened. Read more...

Foothills Fall Festival tickets go on sale July 24

11:19 PM - Tickets to the 10th annual Foothills Fall Festival will go on sale July 24, organizers announced Thursday. We have complete details. Read more...

Marines suffer first casualties in Afghan campaign

09:20 PM - U.S. Marines suffered their first casualties of a massive new military campaign Thursday as they engaged in sporadic gunbattles along 55 miles of Taliban-controlled heartland in southern Afghanistan. Read more...

Man gets life for killing nurse, daughter in Cumberland County

10:05 PM - Huston Lloyd of Kingston Springs pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and felony murder and was given two consecutive life sentences for killing a prison nurse and her daughter. Read more...

EPA allows TVA to dump coal ash into Alabama landfill

10:04 PM - The Environmental Protection Agency said it would let the Tennessee Valley Authority ship dredged material about 300 miles from the site of a huge retention pond failure in eastern Tennessee to the Arrowhead Landfill in central Alabama's Perry County. Read more...

Bredesen allows new specialty license plate bill to become law despite concerns

10:03 PM - Gov. Phil Bredesen has long complained about the proliferation of specialty tags, but he is allowing a new batch of plates to become law without his signature. Read more...

Veterans claims process for colonoscopy related HIV cimbersome

09:35 PM - Nashville lawyer Mike Sheppard describes the VA claims process as cumbersome, particularly for veterans who have tested positive for HIV and hepatitis. Read more...

6th Court finds for state's lethal injection

09:27 PM - A federal appeals court on Thursday vacated a lower court's ruling that Tennessee's lethal injection process is unconstitutional. Read more...

N. Korea fires missiles; launch toward U.S. feared

09:14 PM - SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea fired a barrage of short-range missiles off its east coast Thursday, a possible prelude to the launch of a long-range missile toward Hawaii over the July Fourth holiday. Read more...

News Briefs

In Brief: Public Meetings

09:56 PM - BUDGET COMMITTEE: will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday in Room 430 of the Blount County Courthouse. Read more...