Area Christmas Light Displays

Since 2007, Shadrack Water Sports in Bristol has had an annual Christmas light display that is coordinated with music. Another display in the area, Speedway in Lights will only be open for one more week. If you come on Mondays, a portion of the proceeds will go to Calvary Baptist Church's youth group in Elizabethton.

News Anchor Leaves ABC

Charles Gibson, anchor of ABC World News Tonight, has decided to leave the program after being on for 3 yrs. He has worked for ABC for 34 years. Diane Sawyer who formerly co-anchored Good Morning America with him will hake his place. George Stephanopolis who moderates This Week on ABC will take her place on Good Morning America.

Heavy Snow in the Tri-Cities

As all of you may know there was a huge snow storm over the weekend. A total of six inches fell on the first day at WKID 6, and the snow hasn’t melted a bit. The snow had many effects on people’s daily lives. Over the weekend there were over 3,000 car wrecks on the interstate highways, and it wasn’t until yesterday that the roads were clear. Lack electricity was also a big problem in the region. Appalachian Power says that over 21,000 people are without power in Southwest Virginia. Thousands more are in the dark in East Tennessee. In Carter County a substation went out and power to the area was only restored just this morning. Some people’s power may not be restored by the end of the week. Some areas also are without telephone or water due to the storm.

Black Friday

After Thanksgiving, many people will be out for the great Black Friday deals. Many stores will be opening earlier this year to take advantage of the amount of shoppers. They are having some much better deals to try to make up for a bad economy.

Elizabethton Christmas Events

Last Tuesday Elizabethton had their annual Tree Lighting. It was coincided with music by a local high school band and chorus. Elizabethton will have their annual Christmas Parade on December 5 at 6pm.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be on. It’s a tradition for many to watch. The parade airs tomorrow on both NBC and CBS beginning at 9am.

Speedway in Lights

Yesterday, Friday the 13th, began the 13th year of Speedway in Lights. The event continues to grow every year adding new light displays. They also will continue to have their Christmas Village within the Speedway. All proceeds will go to Speedway Children’s Charities.

Obama Talks on Asia

President Barack Obama is calling for deeper engagement with Asia. He has given a speech in Tokyo today about becoming partners with Asian countries. He touched on human rights and spoke about North Korea’s nuclear missile program.

Water Discovered on the Moon

Yesterday NASA announced the discovery of water on the moon. They say that there is more than just a little but about 24 gallons worth. The data is from the racket that NASA crashed into the Moon over a month ago. They are still analyzing data and hope to find more discoveries as their studies progress.

Daylight Savings Time Ends

Don’t forget that this weekend is not only Halloween but that it is the end of Daylight Savings Time. You’ll need to set your clocks back by one hour tonight.

Windows 7

Microsoft Windows 7 has arrived. The new operating system arrived on Thursday and is already a big hit. Some of the key features of the new OS are Aero Snap which maximizes windows by dragging them and the new taskbar that uses only icons instead of icons and text. The operating system comes in three main editions including Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Prices range from $120 to $300.

Rio de Janeiro Gets 2016 Olympics

Rio de Janeiro won the right to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Chicago was a candidate as well and many of its citizens were disappointed in losing the bid. The 2016 Olympics will be the first time that it has been held in South America. President Obama was disappointed but called to congratulate Brazil’s President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The next Olympics will be the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Comcast Considers Buying a Portion of NBC Universal

Comcast is considering buying up to 51% of NBC Universal. They along with General Electric, the current owner of NBC, want to create a separate company that includes NBC and some of the cable networks that Comcast owns. They would then jointly own that company. Some legal issues could come up with the FCC over having a large cable presence and owning the local NBC station in the same city, as NBC does in some areas. Other legal issues could come up.

Traco Closes

After having recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary, Traco has announced that its Johnson City plant will be closing. The windows and doors manufacturer will be moving about 200 jobs to Pittsburg.

National Parks Series on PBS

Beginning this week, PBS will be airing a six part documentary on our national parks. The program is created by Ken Burns and is titled The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. It airs for two hours each night at 8pm beginning Sunday, September 27.

The Jay Leno Show Premiers

The former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno has begun his new show, “The Jay Leno Show”. The program premiered on Sept. 14. The Jay Leno Show airs weeknights at 10pm on NBC.

Deadly Crash

After crossing the center line of a SR 67, Brenda Buchanan hit an ambulance from the Johnson County Rescue Squad. The driver, Joseph Barlow, and the patient, Alicia McCoy, died from the crash. The medic, Kevin Colson, was injured.

Economy Hits K-mart

Beginning in November, the K-marts in Johnson City and Kingsport will be making big changes. They will not be having a grocery section and won’t be open for 24 hours. As of this time K-mart does not know how many jobs will be lost.

Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival

Yesterday was the opening ceremony of the Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival. In the ceremony, each of the clan groups lit a candle on a fixture and then a bagpiper played “Amazing Grace”. They had some trouble with the candles due to rain.

President Gives Speech to Schools

President Obama gave a speech on Tuesday to America’s schoolchildren on the importance of education. The program was viewable live on our website, wkidnews.com. Here is an excerpt from the speech. “…I’ve talked about responsibility a lot. I’ve talked about teachers’ responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn. I’ve talked about parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track…and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with the Xbox. I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility…But at the end of the day…none of that will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities…” To watch the speech and read a full transcript, please visit our website at wkidnews.com, and look for “President Obama’s Speech to Schoolchildren”.

Sullivan South Football Player Dies

Sullivan South High School football player Jake Logue died during a game against Knoxville West High School last night. He was rushed to the UT Medical Center for cardiac arrest. They were unfortunately unable to revive him.

Pan Am Bomber Released

Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the only person convicted of the bombing of a Pan Am flight in 1988, was released by the Scottish government on compassionate grounds. Doctors say that he has only a few months to live. This controversial decision angered the families of the 270 victims of the bombing. It is customary in Scotland to release prisoners who are near death.

Child Injured in Hit and Run

A Sullivan County boy received a road burn and fractured ankle in a hit and run accident. 12-year- old Dylan Hicks was riding his bike home from school when he was hit from behind. Hicks said that before the driver left he said that he shouldn’t be in the road and I’m sorry buddy. Dylan described the vehicle as a baby blue pick-up truck that may have been a dually, which is one with four wheels on the back. He said it had a hood ornament and the driver was an older man with gray hair and gray facial hair. If have any information that may lead to an arrest you are asked to call the Sullivan County Sherriff’s Dept. Their number is 423-279-7500.

Vick Returns to the NFL

After serving 18 months in prison on dog fighting charges, the former NFL star Michael Vick has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. It is a controversial decision but the Eagles say that everyone deserves a second chance.

Eastman Chemical Discharge

On Wednesday morning there was an accidental discharge of chemicals at Eastman into the Holston River. It was caused by the over-pressurization of a process reactor. Over 7000 pounds of unpronounceable chemicals were leaked into the river. Only about 12 fish were reported dead, and Eastman doesn’t expect any other damages to the environment in connection with the leak.

Southwest Virginia Earthquake

An earthquake registering 2.5 on the Richter scale shook Scott County yesterday morning. The epicenter was near Nickelsville. Although it was too small to cause damages, residents could certainly feel the shaking.

Leak at Eastman

There was a leak at the Eastman Chemical Company on Tuesday. A small amount of ether leaked into the Holston River. They say that the chemical dissolved immediately but some fish died. There has been no other harm to the environment due to the leak.

Obama Speaks at Local Kroger

President Obama visited the region on Wednesday around 4pm. He held a town hall meeting at the Kroger in Bristol, VA. Kroger employees were given an opportunity to ask questions about the healthcare plan. He talked mostly about healthcare but he also talked some about the economy. The entire visit was shown live on both WCYB and WJHL.

VDOT Reduces Staff

In order to make up for a lack of revenue, the Virginia Department of Transportation will be laying off over a thousand people. VDOT is trying to reduce their staff to 7,500 by July 1st 2010.

President to Speak on Healthcare

President Obama will be visiting the Kroger in Bristol, VA on Wednesday. He will be holding a town hall style meeting for Kroger employees only. The topic will be his new healthcare plan. The meeting will air on both WCYB and WJHL.

NASA Looks for New Direction

40 years after the first moon landing, NASA is trying to decide what to do next. The space shuttle program is set to conclude next year. The Bush administration had planned a return to the moon. It is not clear whether the Obama administration will continue on that path. Other than going back to the moon, other options include: going to Mars, one of its moons, or possibly landing on an asteroid. Right now NASA is keeping all of its options open.

New Security System at Veteran's Park

A new security system has been installed at the Veterans Park in Erwin after it was vandalized two weeks ago. The new system is a set of cameras that can be seen by 911 dispatchers and by anyone online. This way the park will be watched around the clock.

Body Found in Greene County

The body of David Malone was found in a Greene County home Saturday morning. There is not much information available at this point. Police say they have a person of interest but will not disclose the name of that person. An autopsy will be performed to find out more about what happened.

Body Found in Watauga Lake

The body of Timothy Powell was found in the Watauga Lake after he went missing while fishing. Authorities had been searching for him since last Sunday. Some kayakers found him floating in the water less than a mile away from his fishing supplies. It’s not clear how Powell died, but an autopsy will be performed.

Teenager Set on Fire at Party

A 17 year old boy was set on fire at a party in Dickenson County yesterday. He said that two people poured rubbing alcohol on him and set him on fire. 21-year-old Doug Willis and another boy were charged because of the incident. Willis is in jail while the victim is being treated for second degree burns.

Sotomayor Being Reviewed for Supreme Court

Supreme Court judge nominee Sonia Sotomayor is well on her way to becoming a member of the court. Congress continues to ask her questions. She most likely will be confirmed as the Democrats have enough votes even without any Republican votes.

40th Anniversary of Apollo 11

40 years ago yesterday, was the launch of Apollo 11 to the moon. Across the country there were many events to commemorate the anniversary. Some newly restored footage was released as well.

Fun Fest 2009

Fun Fest began last weekend in Kingsport. We visited Farm Fest at the Exchange Place. They had all kinds of booths and stations to learn about old time America. Some stations included a spring house, dulcimer learning, weaving and knitting, and cucumber boats. Fun Fest is July 10 – 18.

Endeavour Failes at Fourth Launch Attempt

The space shuttle Endeavour has now attempted to lift off four times. They are carrying the last piece of a Japanese lab for the International Space Station. They plan to try again today despite the forecast for more storms in the area.

CARS

The government has a new program called the Car Allowance Rebate System. CARS is a program where the government pays you to bring your old gas guzzling car and get a new more fuel efficient car. Your old car will get no trade in value and will be scrapped. Your car must meet certain requirements to qualify. For details visit www.cars.gov. We’ll have a link at our website, wkidnews.com. Just look for Car Allowance Rebate System.

Swine Flu Vaccines to Begin in October

According to the federal government, swine flu vaccinations may begin this October. They are trying to prevent another outbreak in the fall. They are planning to give vaccine to school children first as they have gotten the hardest hit from the virus. A very slim percentage of people have gotten the swine flu, and it is no more deadly than the regular flu.

Bachman Found in Lake

The body of Alice Bachman was found yesterday afternoon in Watauga Lake. Authorities say that it is apparent that when she was putting the cover on the boat she fell in the lake and drowned.

Independence Day Celebrations

Around the region many cities were celebrating Independence Day.

In Jonesborough, they had the annual Jonesborough Days parade. Many venders were around downtown and the night was concluded with a fireworks display.

In Johnson City they celebrated the nation’s 233rd birthday with the Pepsi Independence Day Fireworks Celebration.

In Elizabethton they did not have their annual parade. The coordinator of the parade quit his role after the city removed the red, white, and blue stripes in the center of the road downtown. At this time no one has picked up the job.

FDA Vote on Acetaminophen

An FDA panel voted in favor of getting rid of prescription pain relieving drugs that combine acetaminophen with other pain killing ingredients. They did so because of recent discoveries of liver damage caused by acetaminophen. The chemical is also found in over the counter drugs.

New Details in South Carolina Governor's Affair

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford revealed new details about his affair with the person he calls his quote soul mate. He says that he is trying to fall back in love with his wife. Sanford said quote This was a whole lot more than a simple affair, this was a love story, A forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day. He also admitted to having affairs with a handful of other women during his marriage.

Senate Winner Declared

The winner was finally declared in Minnesota’s Senate race. Al Franken won over Norm Coleman by an extremely small amount. It was by only 312 votes. There were a total of almost 3 million votes in the race. Franken’s win gives the democrats control of 60 seats in the Senate. That’s enough to block Republican filibusters.

Afghanistan Troop Count to Stay the Same

According to national security adviser James L. Jones, they will not change the number of troops in Afghanistan. They instead will work on developing the economy. Jones says that the problem won’t be solved by piling on more and more troops as they have done for the past six years.

World Condemns Coup

After President Obama and much of the world condemned the overtake of Honduras’s President Manuel Zelaya by a military coup, their interim President said that he would not back down. He said that the only thing that would put Zelaya back in office would be a foreign invasion. Zelaya was sent out of the country by the military after attempting to hold a referendum to change Honduras’s constitution to give him a chance to run for president again. He now has changed his mind after being sent to exile on Sunday.

WKID 6 at 6 LIVE

In order to commemorate WKID’s 3 year anniversary, we will be airing our first LIVE broadcast. It will have only audio. The program will air Wednesday at 6pm. To listen, logon to the internet, open Windows Media Player, press Control + U, and type in the address. We will have it posted that evening on our website. If you can’t listen at that time please let us know of a time when you can. You may also order a recording of the broadcast. We will air a recorded loop from 5:55pm until 6pm while you get your media player set up. I hope you join us for that broadcast.

Carter County Crash

A crash in Carter County injured 6 teenagers. It occurred along Highway 19E near Hampton. They ran off the road into the Doe River. The driver flew out of the car and became stuck underneath it. He was not wearing a seat belt.

Nations Discuss Honduras's Overthrow

Presidents of countries from all over parts of Central and South America gathered in Nicaragua earlier today to discuss the overthrow of Honduras’s president. Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez says that he supports the people’s decision when a leader breaks the rules.

Missing Children Found on Roan Mountain

Two children that had been missing on Roan Mountain since 2pm on Wednesday were found yesterday around Noon. Authorities were glad to find them because if they had been there much longer they would have died from the cold.

South Carolina Governor Admits to Affair

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford admitted to having been with a mistress in Argentina for several days. He had told his staff that he would be hiking the Appalachian Trail for a few days. Many including some people in his own party are urging him to resign. He says that he has no plans to do so.

Supreme Court Rules on School Strip Search

The Supreme Court ruled in an 8 to 1 vote that Safford Middle School officials had acted illegally when they strip searched a 13 year old girl. They had been looking for prescription ibuprofen. The court said that it was unreasonable for them to strip search her when acting only on a tip.

Two Celebrities Die

Two celebrities have died.

The actress Farrah Fawcett died at 9:30am at the Santa Monica Hospital. She had been fighting a three year long battle with cancer before her death at the age of 62. NBC will be airing an encore presentation of Fawcett’s documentary, Farrah’s Story, tonight at 9pm, and of course your local NBC station is WCYB 5.

The pop star Michael Jackson also died yesterday. He was 50. He died around 2pm after being send to the UCLA Medical Center. It is believed that he died of cardiac arrest, but it will not be known for sure until autopsy results return sometime next week.

New Water Line in Unicoi County

A waterline is being built in Unicoi that will stretch from the Elementary School to Unicoi Road. According to Jeff Linville of the Unicoi Water Utility Board, the project is well on its way to completion. He says that they haven’t encountered any problems so far. Officials hope that the new water line will bring a hotel and restaurant to the area.

Iran Threatens Protesters

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, their most powerful security force, is threatening the protesters in Tehran. They say that if the protesting doesn’t stop, there will be a revolutionary confrontation.

Recount in Irani Election

After a partial recount Iran’s Supreme Leader says that Pres. Ahmadinejad was certainly the winner. He says that you can’t rig 11 million votes. He also said that if the protests don’t stop the protesters will be held responsible.

Sinkholes Form in Johnson County

Sinkholes continue to form along Hwy. 421 in Johnson County. We first told about the problem last week at 6. TDOT is planning to test the area to find out what the problem is. When they first arrived there were four new sinkholes that had formed.

Flag Day Events

Yesterday was Flag Day. There were a few events in the region.

At the Johnson City Housing Authority Building, Rolling Thunder hosted an event. They raised the flag and honored it and those who fought to protect it.

In Greeneville, at the Andrew Johnson Site, they showed children haw to treat the flag and fold it.

Boat Capsizes in Boone Lake

A boat capsized on Friday on Boone Lake the boater was missing and officials conducted a search for him that lasted only 24 hours. It has been confimed that the body they found around 7pm on Saturday was that of 49 yr old, David Benton. The other three people that were on the boat are doing okay. Alcohol played a role in that crash.

Allegations of Fraud in Iran Election

Iran’s supreme leader has ordered an investigation on the allegations of fraud in the recent elections. He ordered the Guardian council to study the allegations on the election between Mousavi and Pres. Ahmadinejad. The head of the council said that they will rule within 10 days if it was a healthy election after assessing appeals from Mousavi and another candidate Mohsen Rezaie.

Sinkholes on Highway 421

Sink holes have been appearing along Highway 421 in Johnson County. The most recent was filled yesterday and was 16’ deep. They believe that it is caused by poor irrigation.

WHO Says Flu Pandemic at Highest Level

The World Health Organization has raised the flu pandemic to the highest level. They are now fearing that the virus will come back in the fall as a stronger strain.

DTV Transition

Today is the day. Full-power TV stations across America will be moving to digital only broadcasting. WJHL-TV has announced that it will switch at 12:30pm. Be sure to rescan for channels tomorrow as most of the stations will move channels. WCYB will move from 28 to 5. WJHL will move from 58 to 11. WKPT will remain on 27. Visit www.dtv.gov for more information.

Festivals This Weekend

Many festivals occurred this weekend.

This weekend was the Covered Bridge Festival. They had the usual venders plus a kids’ play area. You could fish in the river for free. In the evenings they had music for all to listen to.

In Johnson City they had the Blue Plum Festival. They had all the usual venders plus a kids sector with games and prizes. They had several stages with a wide range of performers.

Finally, a lesser known festival, the Native American Culture Festival was held this weekend at Sycamore Shoals. They had venders of cultural items and had many dances, some of which the audience could join.

Paramount has Funding Issues

The Paramount Theatre in Bristol is having funding problems. If this continues they say that they may have to close. They are asking the community for help.

Guns Allowed in Bars

After Governor Bredesen vetoed a bill to allow guns in bars, it was overridden in congress. Beginning July 14 guns will be allowed in bars and restaurants, although you can’t drink while having a gun. Gov. Bredesen still stands by his decision and says that guns and alcohol in close proximity is a bad mix.

Missing Plane Found

A missing plane and dead pilot were found on Sunday. The plane that was found in Dickenson County, had left the Elizabethton Municipal Airport on Friday headed to Ashland, KY. The identity of the pilot has not been confirmed.

Jay Leno Leaves Tonight Show

Friday night was Jay Leno’s last night on the Tonight Show. Tonight Conan O’Brien will take over the program. He plans to bring most of the things from Late Night to the Tonight Show although he says he doesn’t want to just remake Late Night at an earlier time. The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien airs tonight at 11:35 on NBC.

GM Files for Bankruptcy

GM has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is part of their restructuring plan. In the end the United States government will take 60% of the company, Canada will take 12.5%, the United Auto Workers will get 17.5%, and unsecured bondholders will receive 10%. Today Pres. Obama said that many plants will be closed.

New Credit Card Law

President Obama has signed new credit card rules into law. He wanted to make clear that he is not condoning those who spend more than they have. He wants to put a stop to punishing those who pay their bills for what others do.

Shuttle Atlantis Landing Delayed

Due to stormy weather in Cape Canaveral, the shuttle Atlantis cannot return today. Even though equally bad weather is forecast for tomorrow, Mission Control decided to wait out the bad weather rather than decide to land in California. There is a slight chance than conditions could improve. Atlantis has enough supplies to stay in orbit until Monday.

Sheriff Mathes Sues County

Carter County Sheriff Chris Mathes is suing the county for over $800,000. Mathes says his reasoning is because the county commission is under funding his dept. Mathes wants to use the money for several things including: new deputies, new correctional officers, higher pay for the dept., new cars, and more.

California Wildfires

After wild fires destroy 80 homes, many Santa Barbra residents were told that they could return home. Over 30,000 people were under mandatory evacuation as the fires covered 13 square miles.

H1N1 Update

An update on the Swine Flu story that we told you last week. Officials are now calling the virus the H1N1 Flu, its scientific name because of people’s fear of eating pork which cannot give you the H1N1 virus. There are now confirmed cases in 18 countries for a total of about 800 cases. The vast majority of those cases are within North America although Spain is the hardest hit with 20 confirmed cases. Worldwide another 20 people have died from the H1N1 Flu. Now to put this into perspective, of the total world population, 129 billionths percent of people have had the H1N1 virus. In the U.S. 555 billionths percent of people have had the disease.

Beatrice Arthur Dies

The actress Beatrice Arthur died last weekend in her Los Angeles home at the age of 86. Arthur aired in several television programs including All in the Family, Maude, and The Golden Girls.

Conficker Worm Attacked

The conficker worm has finally attacked. It was originally believed that it would attack on April 1 but it did not. The virus takes over your computer and uses it to transport spam and viruses to other computers via email and other ways, even through CDs and USB drives. It also sends you an email to buy a fake anti-virus software and steals your credit card number. It is not known who is running this virus.

Possible Swine Flu Pandemic

Fears have escalated over the possibility of a Swine Flu pandemic after more cases were found in various areas of the United States. The same virus has killed 68 people in Mexico and sickened over a thousand. The increased fear occurred after it was announced that two new cases were confirmed in Kansas. In New York City eight kids had flu symptoms that have a possibility of being the swine flu. Most of the swine flu cases though still remain in Mexico.

ETSU Buyout Offer

ESTU has approved some employees for their buyout option. A little under 90 people applied for the option. Some of the benefits for the buyout include: 3 months of salary, your longevity payment, $500 for each year of service to ETSU, 6 months of health insurance and more.

Tabacco Tax Increase

The federal tax on tobacco has risen over 60¢ higher than before. The price has been steadily rising for years.

Exide Layoffs

On Wednesday the Exide plant in Bristol announced that they would be laying off 70% of their work force in May. The layoffs will all be at their Bristol plant and effect 567 people. The layoffs are because of the recession.

Man Killed by Mother

31 year old, David Crabtree was shot to death on Saturday by his mother, 70 year old Dorthea Williams. After killing Crabtree in his Kingsport home, Williams then killed herself. It is not yet known if Williams went to Crabtree’s home for the purpose of killing him. Both bodies are being sent to the Quillen College of Medicine for an autopsy.

Eastman Cuts Jobs

Eastman has announced plans to cut up to 300 jobs by May of this year to save money. This will save them an extra $100 million. Most of the job cuts will be a their Kingsport plant in the form of layoffs.

Fire in Downtown Greeneville

On Wednesday a fire broke out in downtown Greeneville. The fire completely destroyed the Chang Thai Restaurant. Firefighters closed Depot Street and a section of Summer Street during the fire that started in the back of the restaurant.

Bernie Madoff Pleads Guilty

Bernie Madoff plead guilty on Thursday to all 11 charges against him. Madoff was immediately led away in handcuffs. He could get up to 150 years when he is sentenced in June.

Radio Legend Dies at 90

A radio legend died this weekend. Paul Harvey had worked for ABC Radio for over 50 years giving his take on the news as well as his signature “The Rest of the Story” segments. He was 90.

Cabinet Nominee Withdraws

President Obama’s choice for commerce secretary, Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew from the position. He said that his reason for withdrawing was because of irresolvable conflicts in Obama’s handling of the stimulus package and the 2010 census. Gregg is now the third cabinet nominee to withdraw.

State Representative Banned from Party

Representative Kent Williams was banned from the Republican party on Monday after his betrayal of Jason Mumpower. State Republican’s didn’t ask leaders in Carter County, the area Williams represents, which makes some locals mad. Others say that it was on the state level and that he disserved it. Now Williams cannot hold an office as a Republican or run as one.

Australian Wildfires

Wildfires raging across the southeastern portion of Australia have destroyed several towns. As the fires destroyed over 850 sq. mi. of Victoria, it also killed at least 108 people. Officials say that the fire was fueled by Victoria’s worst drought in a century.

Super Bowl XLIII

In Super Bowl 43 it was very close with a score of 27 to 23. The Pittsburg Steelers were the winners.

Race Up the Empire State Bulding

Two local men ran in a race of 300 people to the to of the Empire State Building for a total of 1,500 steps. We are not sure at this time of what place they came in.

Phelps Admits to Smoking Marijuana

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps has admitted to having used Marijuana after a picture surfaced in a British Newspaper. It’s not all that uncommon though, according to the Associated Press, over 40% of people over 12 have admitted to smoking it sometime in their life.

DTV Switch Postponed

Congress has approved a delay in the DTV Switch. It will now be on June 12. Congress gave the stations an option whether to switch on June 12 or February 17.

Obama's Inauguration

Be sure to watch Barack Obama’s inauguration on Tuesday at 10am on one of the three networks.

Obama Requests Delay in DTV Transition

President-Elect Obama now is requesting a delay in the DTV Transition. Originally it was set for February 17, 2009. It hasn’t been changed yet.

Kent Williams State House Speaker

There was a shocking result to Tennessee’s vote for speaker of the House. Everyone thought Jason Mumpower would win since the Republican’s had a majority. The Democrats however nominated Kent Williams and won because of his vote for himself. Many Republican’s are mad and are talking about sent William’s out of the party.

Red Light Cameras Enter Johnson City

Red light cameras have been approved by Johnson City’s commission. After months of discussion, the commission unanimously approved an ordinance to allow installation of the cameras. Citizens will begin to see the cameras in June.

Auto Makers Bail Out

Detroit’s big three got their bailout. The government gave them a total of $17.4 billion. The carmakers vowed to rebuild their industry.