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.