TUESDAY JULY 22

VA’S SALES TAX HOLIDAY SET FOR AUGUST 1-3

VIRGINIANS CAN PURCHASE QUALIFYING ITEMS SALES TAX-FREE FROM AUGUST 1^ST THROUGH THE 3^RD. ACCORDING TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION, ELIGIBLE ITEMS INCLUDE SCHOOL SUPPLIES, CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR, HURRICANE AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ITEMS AND MORE. ALL SCHOOL SUPPLIES THAT ARE PRICED AT 20 DOLLARS OR LESS PER ITEM ARE ELIGIBLE, AS WELL AS CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR THAT IS 100 DOLLARS OR LESS PER ITEM. PORTABLE GENERATORS 1,000 DOLLARS OR LESS, GAS POWERED CHAINSAWS  350 DOLLARS OR LESS, CHAINSAW ACCESSORIES 60 DOLLARS OR LESS, AND OTHER SPECIFIED PREPAREDNESS ITEMS 60 DOLLARS OR LESS ARE ALL ELIGIBLE.

APP BEAR RESCUE TO ACCEPT CUBS UNDER AGREEMENT WITH TWRA

AFTER FIVE MONTHS OF WORK BETWEEN THE TWRA AND APPALACHIAN BEAR RESCUE TO UPDATE FACILITIES AND POLICIES BECAUSE OF AN OUTBREAK IF ILLNESS AMONG SOME OF THE BEARS KEPT AT THE FACILITY, THE TWRA HAS SIGNED A NEW AGREEMENT WITH ABR. UNDER THE NEW AGREEMENT, ABR PLANS TO BUILD NEW ENCLOSURES AS WELL. ONCE THIS IS BUILT, ABR WILL BE ABLE TO ACCEPT UP TO 24 BEARS. THE GROUP EXPECTS TO BEGIN ACCEPTING BEAR CUBS EARLY NEXT YEAR. APPALACHIAN BEAR RESCUE IS A RESCUE THAT HAS BEEN CARING FOR ORPHANED BEAR CUBS IN THE GREAT SMOKEY MOUNTAINS SINCE 1996. THE CUBS ARE BROUGHT TO THE RESCUE BY THE TWRA AFTER THEY ARE CAPTURED, OFTEN BECAUSE THEIR MOTHER WAS EITHER INJURED OR HAD TO BE EUTHANIZED AFTER BECOMING HABITUATED TO HUMAN FOOD. THE CUBS ARE RETURNED TO THE WILD WHEN THEY ARE READY TO SURVIVE IN THEIR OWN.

JC SALVATION ARMY LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR ESSENTIAL SHELTER, SERVICE

THE JOHNSON CITY SALVATION ARMY ANNOUNCED MONDAY IT HAS LAUNCHED A MISSION ESSENTIAL CAMPAIGN TO MAINTAIN SHELTER AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THOSE IN NEED. THE CAMPAIGN RUNNING FROM JULY 21^ST THROUGH NOVEMBER 2025 AIMS TO RAISE 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS TO MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL SHELTER AND SUPPORT SERVICES. FUNDS RAISED WILL HELP SUSTAIN SEVERAL AREAS INCLUDING EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR ADULTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, A 15 BED VETERANS SHELTER, WRAPAROUND SERVICES INCLUDING INTENSIVE CARE MANAGEMENT, JOB TRAINING, ACCESS TO HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE, ASSISTANCE OBTAINING IDENTIFICATION AND BENEFITS, FOOD PANTRY OPERATIONS, AND SEASONAL WHITE FLAG SHELTER DURING EXTREME WEATHER.

TWRA IDENTIFIES VICTIM IN FATAL BOATING INCIDENT

THE TWRA HAS IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM OF A BOATING INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON NORRIS LAKE SATURDAY. 58-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER MOUNT OF COAL GROVE OHIO, DIED AFTER FALLING OVERBOARD AND BEING STRUCK BY THE VESSEL HE WAS ON. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INDICATED THAT AS THE BOAT PREPARED TO LEAVE A COVE, MOUNT-WHO WAS NOT WEARING A LIFE JACKET- MOVED TO THER EAR OF THE VESSEL, CLIMBED ONTO THE SWIM PLATFORM, AND ENTERED THE WATER, WHERE HE MADE CONTACT WITH THE PROPELLER. HIS BODY WAS RECOVERED AROUND 8 PM. THIS MARKS THE 14^TH FATAL BOATING INCIDENT IN TENNESSEE THIS YEAR.

JOHNSON CITY HOSTING USA SOFTBALL 14U & 18U GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIPS

JOHNSON CITY WILL HOST THE USA SOFTBALL GIRLS’14-UNDER AND 18-UNDER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT WINGED DEER PARK JULY 23^RD THROUGH THE 26^TH. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE FROM VISIT JOHNSON CITY, 36 TEAMS FROM 13 STATES WILL TRAVEL TO JOHNSON CITY TO COMPETE IN THE TOURNAMENT. POOL PLAY STARTS AT 9 AM WEDNESDAY AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL BRACKET PLAY BEGINS AT 8 AM ON FRIDAY. GAME PASSES ARE 50 DOLLARS FOR THE WEEK AND 15 DOLLARS PER DAY. YOUTH AND SENIOR DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE. ALL GAMES WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE SOFTBALL COMPLEX AT WINGED DEER PARK.

PART OF STATE ABORTION TRAFFICKING BAN STRUCK DOWN IN FEDERAL COURT

ONE PROVISION OF TENNESSEE LAW THAT PROHIBITS ABORTION TRAFFICKING HAS BEEN STRUCK DOWN IN FEDERAL COURT. SENIOR U.S. CIRCUIT JUDGE JULIA GIBBONS ACTING IN A DESIGNATED CAPACITY AS A U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE, SAID THE LAW INCLUDES AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL PROHIBITION ON SPEECH THAT CANNOT BE ENFORCED IN THE STATE. SPECIFICALLY, GIBBONS SAID THE RECRUITMENT PROVISION OF THE LAW PROHIBITS SPEECH ENCOURAGING LAWFUL ABORTION WHILE ALLOWING SPEECH DISCOURAGING LAWFUL ABORTION. THE STATE CLAIMED COUNSELING MINORS ABOUT ABORTION ACCESS IN OTHER STATES COUNTED AS CONTRIBUTING TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, SINCE ABORTION IS PROHIBITED IN TENNESSEE.

NEW BILL COULD LOWER APCO RATES

THE APPALACHIAN POWER RATE REDUCTION ACT WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY IN BOTH CHAMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY. IT HAS MULTIPLE STRATEGIES, ALL AIMED TOWARDS LOWERING RATES. DELEGATE ISRAEL O’QUINN SAID IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO YOUR POWER PROVIDER IS, RATES HAVE BEEN GOING UP AND ARE PROJECTED TO CONTINUE TO GO UP. ONE OF THE LARGEST PARTS OF THE BILL IS IMPLEMENTING SECURITIZATION. THIS ALLOWS APPALACHIAN POWER TO REFINANCE OVER A LONGER TIME WITH LOWER INTEREST, SAVING NEARLY TWO BILLION DOLLARS. O’QUINN SAID, IN RAW TERMS FOR AN AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, IT’S ABOUT A 13-15% REDUCTION IN THEIR UTILITY BILLS. THE BILL WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOR THE COMPANY TO LOWER RATES IN THE WINTER. THE BILL STILL NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY THE STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION.

RUSSELL CO AUTHORITIES SEARCHING FOR ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECT

AUTHORITIES IN RUSSELL COUNTY VIRGINIA ARE SEARCHING FOR A SUSPECT FOLLOWING AN ARMED ROBBERY THAT OCCURRED FRIDAY. THE RUSSELL COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAID THE ROBBERY OCCURRED AT A CONVENIENCE STORE IN THE BELFAST AREA. SHERIFF WATSON SAID THAT THE SUSPECT WAS ARMED WITH AN AXE, AND WAS WEARING A LONGSLEEVED BLUE SHIRT AND BLUE JEANS, AND A CAMOUFLAGED HAT AND A SCARF FOR A MASK OVER HIS FACE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE SUSPECT IS ASKED TO CALL, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AT 276-889-8033.

MAN FACES RAPE, ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES

A MAN FACES CHARGES AFTER THE BLUFF CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO A HOME EARLY LAST WEEK. ACCORDING TO A RELEASE FRO THE BLUFF CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO A HOME ON HILLCREST ROAD IN RESPONSE TO A SERIOUS INCIDENT. WHEN OFFICERS ARRIVED, THEY REPORTEDLY LEARNED THAT A PHYSICAL ASSAULT HAD TAKEN PLACE, ACCOMPANIED BY RAPE AND KIDNAPPING. ROBERT PIPPINS WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AT THE HOME. POLICE SAID AS AN INVESTIGATION CONTINUED, A DISTURBING PATTERN OF ANIMAL ABUSE WAS DISCOVERED. PIPPENS IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, AGGRAVATED RAPE, AND AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING, AS WELL AS 15 COUNTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY. FURTHER CHARGES ARE PENDING AS THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

MAN FACES CHARGES IN BRISTOL VA

A MAN IS FACING NUMEROUS CHARGES FOLLOWING A DRUG DISTRIBUTION INVESTIGATION BY BRISTOL VIRGINIA POLICE. DETECTIVES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND VIRGINIA STATE POLICE EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT AT A HOUSE ON ROBIN CIRCLE. THE OPERATION LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF SEVERAL ITEMS INDICATIVE OF DRUG DISTRIBUTION, INCLUDING A DIGITAL SCALE, CURRENCY AND COCAINE. AUTHORITIES ALSO FOUND A HANDGUN, MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION, BODY ARMOR, AND METH. AUSTIN BOARDWINE A CONVICTED FELON, IS PROHIBITED FROM POSSESSING FIREARMS OR AMMUNITION. BOARDWINE’S JUVENILE CHILD WAS ALSO PRESENT IN THE HOME DURING THE SEARCH. BOARDWINE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND IN THE REGIONAL JAIL IN ABINGDON.

CARTER CO SWAT TEAM TO CONDUCT TRAINING THROUGHOUT THE WEEK

THE CARTER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE POSTED THAT THE DEPARTMENT’S SWAT TEAM WILL CONDUCT TRAINING EXERCISES AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE POST SAID THAT THE LOCATIONS WILL BE PARTICULARLY IN THE HAPPY VALLEY DISTRICT, AND WILL INCLUDE LOCAL SCHOOLS. THE DEPARTMENT ASKED THE COMMUNITY NOT TO BE ALARMED IF THEY SEE A LARGE LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE AT SCHOOLS OR OTHER COMMUNITY BUILDINGS DURING THE WEEK.

KENTUCKY STATE POLICE INVESTIGATING DROWNING DEATH OF GRUNDY TEEN

KENTUCKY STATE POLICE SAY THEY’RE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF A TEENAGER WHO WENT MISSING WHILE SWIMMING NEAR THE RATLIFF HOLE RIVER ACCESS POINT IN ELKHORN KENTUCKY. STATE POLICE SAID THEY RESPONDED TO A CALL ABOUT A POSSIBLE MISSING SWIMMER ON JULY 17^TH. THE REPORT WENT ON TO SAY AUTHORITIES ARRIVED ON SCENE, AND THEY FOUND THE BODY OF 18-YEAR-OLD ZACHARY MULLINS OF GRUNDY VIRGINIA IN THE WATER. AUTHORITIES SAY MULLINS’ BODY WAS SENT TO THE KENTUCKY STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE FOR AN AUTOPSY, BUT NO FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED.