A line of severe thunderstorms moved through Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia Thursday night and Friday morning, leaving several inches of rain but causing little damage.

Forecasters said the cold front that drove those storms is expected to move out of the region later today, with drier and cooler weather moving in from the west. Some light showers could still occur Friday.

Highs are expected to be in the mid-60s for most of the region today. Saturday's weather is expected to be mostly sunny with a high of 69, while Sunday will also be mostly sunny with a high of 78.

The improved weather follows a tornado watch that was issued by the National Weather service for much of East Tennessee, including Sullivan, Hawkins and Washington counties, until 2 a.m. Friday morning. A severe thunderstorm warning was also issued for Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. It expired at 1 a.m.

No tornado activity was reported in the greater Tri-Cities region. A tornado did reportedly touch down in Monroe County, Tenn. southwest of Knoxville. Tennessee officials declared a state of emergency as a result. Damage assessment teams are expected to begin survey damage in that area today.

Forecasters had called for damaging winds between 45 and 60 mph and large hail, and although no major damage was reported, the severe weather did cause power outages for some residents in the area.

As of Friday morning, 121 Appalachian Power customers remained without electricity in Sullivan County, while 590 are still without power in Washington County, Va.

For the latest forecasts visit the National Weather Service.

ROGERSVILLE — The Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report of an apparent scam in which a Hawkins County man received calls from a person claiming to be an attorney and demanding money.

A Tarpin Valley Road resident told the HCSO he received several calls Sunday and Monday from individuals claiming to be from an attorney’s office. Responding HCSO Deputy Gary Lawson stated in his report that the callers told the man they were going to put him in jail for 30 days for failure to pay them money.

Lawson said he called back the numbers, including (505) 398-2025 and (347) 630-0529, and after identifying himself as a police officer they hung up.

The following are a variety of interesting stories you may have missed this past week on timesnews.net

Kingsport mall theater set to reopen on May 17
It’s been more than two months since Marquee Cinemas closed shop and moved out of the Kingsport Town Center. Since then, people have been asking when the theater in the mall would be re-opening.

Local dieticians: Breakfast key to a healthy weight
We’ve heard for years that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Turns out this old adage is really true and that eating a healthy, well-balanced breakfast can provide a host of health benefits, including maintaining a healthy weight.

Kingsport's city manager says state annexation moratorium could hamper development
Kingsport City Manager John Campbell is worried about the economic future of the state if an annexation moratorium is enacted, which he said would curtail a very progressive growth policy over the years.

April showers bring May cicadas
Virginians may be showered with more than rain this spring, according to the Department of Forestry, they may be inundated with the sound of cicadas that will be coming out after 17 years in hiding.

THP focuses on texting while driving, reckless driving and seat belt usage
The Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Fall Branch District will conduct a special traffic safety enforcement effort on April 16 and April 26. The enforcement will focus on texting while driving, reckless driving and seat belt usage.

KEDB extends relationship woth Frank Theatres
The Kingsport Economic Development Board voted Tuesday to extend its working relationship with a Florida-based entertainment firm planning to reopen the Kingsport Town Center's movie facilities next month and eventually build an IMAX theater on the property.

Facebook's Zuckerberg lauches political group
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other Silicon Valley leaders have formally launched a political group aimed at revamping immigration policy, boosting education and encouraging investment in scientific research.

A country song, assumptions -- and a racial outcry
Southern white men don't usually drive racial dialogue. For as long as race has riven America, they have been depicted more often as the problem than the solution.

Tony Award-winning actor Been Vareen to appear at ETSU
Tony Award-winning actor and motivational speaker Ben Vereen will speak at East Tennessee State University at 7 p.m., Friday, April 19, in the D.P. Culp University Center’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium.

Local youth to perform alongside Broadway professionals in benefit for Niswonger Children's Hospital
Sixteen local youth, along with four special guests straight from the Broadway stage, are preparing for an evening of “sensational” entertainment to benefit Niswonger Children’s Hospital.

A look back at the most viewed crime stories generated by the Times-News staff from April 5 through April 12.

1) Home reportedly so filthy Kingsport boy stuffs ears to 'keep the bugs out'

A Kingsport couple were arrested after a child was found living in their home with paper stuffed into each ear, allegedly telling an officer he did so to "keep the bugs out." Read more:

2) High-speed chase leaves two Va. troopers injured

Two Virginia State Police troopers were injured Tuesday following a high-speed chase in Scott County that reached speeds of more than 100 mph and left several police cruisers wrecked. Read more:

3) Kingsport man charged in samurai sword attack, victim in critical condition

A Kingsport man has been arrested after allegedly stabbing another individual in the stomach with a samurai sword, leaving him hospitalized in critical condition. Read more:

4) Sleeping Kingsport father charged with child neglect

A Kingsport man has been arrested after he was allegedly found passed out naked in his apartment while his children, ages 2 and 4, were wandering outside the residence unattended. Read more:

5) Wanted man allegedly hides beneath mobile home, igniting standoff with Sullivan police

A wanted man ignited a standoff with the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office late Sunday night after allegedly jumping through a "trap door" to hide from bondsmen, then refusing to come out from underneath his mobile home for responding officers. Read more:

6) Police release K9 on Bloomingdale burglary suspect

An auto burglary suspect who police found sitting in a ditch along Bloomingdale Road — allegedly refusing to follow police commands and appearing to have a handgun — was apprehended Thursday night when a K9 latched onto his leg. Read more:

7) Police say Hawkins man high on meds drove through wheat field

A Hawkins County man accused of crashing through a barbed wire fence early Monday morning and tearing up about 300 yards of wheat before his pickup died was allegedly high on medication. Read more:

8) Police: Nearly $15,000 in bath salts seized from Kingsport home

For the second time this year, a Kingsport mother and son were arrested after bath salts were allegedly seized from their home. Police estimating the latest haul’s street value at nearly $15,000. Read more:

9) Drugs, 10 guns seized from Kingsport home

The execution of a search warrant has allegedly located marijuana and records of drug transactions at a Kingsport home, where officers also seized 10 firearms due to the felony nature of the discoveries. Read more:

10) Couple accused in $7,000 beef theft say salary dispute is behind restaurant owner's claims

A Hawkins County couple, who until last week worked at a Rogersville steakhouse, told the Times-News on Tuesday they were accused of stealing beef and cash by the owner because he didn’t want to pay them $2,000 in back salary. Read more:

A Kingsport man has been arrested following an early Friday morning incident at Walmart, where he allegedly cursed employees and stole garden figurines - then hit a corner of the building with a car during his getaway.

Police report a wallet flew off the car during the hit and run, with a license found inside leading them to their suspect. Shannon L. Hawkins, 20, of 1005 Minton Place, faces numerous charges in the incident, including resisting arrest and theft.

According to records at the Kingsport Police Department, Hawkins and another individual were attempting to return items at Walmart on West Stone Drive shortly before 2 a.m. When their request was denied the pair allegedly, "became belligerent and began cursing employees."

They reportedly were told to leave by store personnel, but shortly thereafter were observed in the parking lot loading items from the garden center. When confronted by employees they allegedly jumped into a Toyota and fled, taking a stolen angel and duck yard figurines.

Hawkins was allegedly driving during the escape, with his car striking the side of the Walmart building. A police report says both the store and vehicle were damaged by the impact.

An officer who was called to the scene reports discovering a wallet that had "flew off" the suspects' car. A driver's license located inside belonged to a female, with police then responding to her address on Minton Street, also the home of Hawkins.

Hawkins was located at the home, according to police, and allegedly admitted to the theft, fleeing the scene and striking the building. He reportedly told police he had abandoned the vehicle at Holston Valley Medical Center, where officers late located the stolen lawn and garden items, valued at $29, still inside the car.

While being taken into custody Hawkins allegedly attempted to pull away from police, prompting two officers to take him to the ground. He was then transported to the city jail on charges of theft, leaving the scene of an accident, driving on a suspended license and resisting arrest.

Child pornography allegedly discovered on the computer of an Eastman Chemical Company employee has prompted the indictment and arrest of a Kingsport man.

The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office reports Roger Kelvin Fink, 49, of 413 Colonial Heights Road, was arrested Thursday night at his home. Police say he was previously indicted by a Sullivan County grand jury on the charge of sexual exploitation of a minor, a class B felony.

Fink has been released from the Sullivan County jail in Blountville after posting $50,000 bond.

Representatives of Eastman Chemical Company allegedly alerted officials to the alleged images of child pornography on Fink's computer. Police say that during Fink's Thursday arrest a search warrant was executed at his residence, with several electronic items seized from the home.

A statement from the Sheriff's Office says further details may be released as investigators proceed with their case.

On Friday afternoon Eastman Spokeswoman Betty Payne confirmed Fink is no longer employed by the company. Payne said he previously worked in procurement.

The Bloomingdale Volunteer Fire department responded to a house fire Friday afternoon at 202 Chadwell Road.

A resident called in the blaze at approximately 1:20 p.m.

Firefighters arrived to find smoke billowing from the roof, followed by flames as they made entry.

Warriors Path and Sullivan County assisted with the fire, which was brought under control in about 30 minutes.

There were no injuries. The source of the fire is under investigation.

GATE CITY — Three students were arrested at Gate City High School on drug-related charges Friday morning following an undercover investigation by local authorities.

The Scott County Sheriff’s Office and the Scott County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office confirmed Friday afternoon that all three students were charged with distribution of Schedule III drugs, distribution of Schedule IV drugs and distribution of marijuana.

Authorities declined to release the students’ names or grade levels because they are minors.

The students were taken into custody before lunch Friday by the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force for allegedly selling marijuana and pills, like Lortab and Xanax.

Scott County Commonwealth’s Attorney Marcus McClung said the arrests were the culmination of a weeks-long investigation by the multijurisdictional task force.

“This was the result of undercover investigations that we’ve had,” McClung said. “We have a new drug task force agent and we sat down and talked about what we wanted to do and the first thing we both said is we want to make the schools safer. So this is just step one.”

McClung declined to comment on the possibility of more charges being filed in the investigation, or if any drugs were found at the Gate City High School campus when the students were taken into custody.

The arrests, McClung said, served a dual purpose of increasing school safety and sending a message to other students who might be involved in drug-related activity.

“The school’s first consideration, and our first consideration, was the safety of the students.” McClung said. “That was one of the main things that we were concerned with, but on our part we also wanted to make sure everyone else knew what was going on.”

School officials declined to comment on the arrests other than to say they would cooperate with law enforcement in any way possible.

McClung also acknowledged the school system’s cooperation in carrying out the investigation.

“Where we could use them, and where they could help us, we had their cooperation,” he said. “Certainly, we couldn’t tell them everything, but every time they could help us they did.”

All three students are expected to be arraigned next week in Scott County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.

ELIZABETHTON — A 30-year-old teacher at Hampton Elementary School has been accused of being involved in an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old student.

Kelly Andrae Smith, 309 Daytona Place, was arrested by the Carter County Sheriff’s Department on Friday afternoon on charges of solicitation of a person under 18 years of age and solicitation of a minor to observe sexual conduct.

“This is a very disturbing case,” Lt. Mike Little said following the arrest.

Read the full story on the Johnson City Press website.

ELIZABETHTON — The controversy in the Elizabethton City School System between Superintendent Ed Alexander and West Side Elementary Principal Doug Mitchell escalated on Friday afternoon when Alexander sent a letter to the members of the Board of Education in which he said “I now feel I must give more detail/evidence to support my recommendation.”

Alexander listed five charges in his letter that he did not address in detail at a April 4 meeting with concerned West Side parents. He said he did not reveal those details at the time because he wanted to shield any innocent individuals, but he now felt he needed to provide the additional information.

Those details included an alleged case of harassment between Mitchell and a West Side teacher that forced her to request a transfer to another school, failure to follow instructions on the proper procedures to rate teachers, attendance problems and shifting responsibilities at staff meetings, inappropriate joking about drugs and his behavior at the April 4 meeting with parents.

Read more: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=106298#ixzz2QMDshknF

ERWIN — The finish line in Mountain States Health Alliance’s acquisition of Unicoi County Memorial Hospital is in sight, as the UCMH Board of Control voted Thursday to approve MSHA’s final definitive agreement to acquire Unicoi County’s financially struggling community hospital.

The seven-member board voted 5-1 to approve the definitive agreement. While she said she “whole-heartedly” supports the board’s decision in choosing MSHA to acquire UCMH, Erwin Mayor Doris Hensley abstained from voting Thursday as she said she has relatives who are employed by entities affiliated with MSHA. Board member Sue Jean Wilson cast the lone dissenting vote

Read more: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Business/article.php?id=105802#ixzz2QMO6pGWj

Nashville, TN – The Department of Correction is encouraging the public to be aware of an apparent scam targeting families of inmates.

Several offender family members have reported receiving phone calls from someone claiming to represent the Comptroller’s Office and offering to help secure the release of inmates from prison.

The caller instructs the family member to send two large sums of money through Western Union in order to secure the inmate’s release.

The TDOC reminds the public that the only options for a convicted felon serving a prison sentence to get released are through an expiration of sentence or a release by parole, probation or through a court order.

Payment of funds will not secure a release from prison and the Department does not ask offenders or their families to submit such payments.

The public should use caution when responding to phone calls from anyone claiming to be able to assist with early release from prison.

Anyone who receives such a phone call should contact the Department of Correction’s Office of Investigation and Compliance at (615)741.7144.

KINGSPORT — On a cold January day, Dick Fortney had parked his truck in the back alley to pick up another load after finishing his first set of deliveries.

It was three weeks until Valentine’s Day, a busy day for Rainbow’s End Floral shop, which he and his wife, Phillis, own together. The company had more than 90 orders and a lot of work ahead of them. Dick was in a back office when the unthinkable happened: He suffered a stroke.

Luckily, Phillis was with him when the stroke happened and called the paramedics quickly. The last thing on the family’s mind was work.

“When you’re in tragedy, you never think ahead to assign other people things,” said Wayne Fortney, son of Dick and Phillis. “Obstacles show up and you just handle them.”

During the family’s darkest hour, the community of Kingsport shined brightly for them.

Almost immediately, members from the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce began contacting the family to offer help. In fact, the Chamber wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“The mayor and a few of the aldermen insisted that they as a community help us pick up the slack during a busy holiday,” Wayne said. “Fifteen volunteers showed up, some we knew real well and some we didn’t know well, and they just wanted to help.”

The Chamber of Commerce wasn’t the only organization to step up and help out. The Kingsport Conventions and Visitors Bureau, the Downtown Kingsport Association and various other organizations and individuals also helped.

The Fortney family had helped out in the community before. When someone needed help or prayers, the family would step up. They had never asked for help before or had been in the position to need it, but when the time came the support for them was almost overwhelming.

“We are grateful to be in this community,” Wayne said. “No words can adequately say thank you for what this community has done for us.”

Dick and Phillis moved to Kingsport over 20 years ago. Originally from Pittsburgh, they made their way to the area because Dick sold coal mining equipment and Kingsport was the perfect central location.

Before they moved to Kingsport, Phillis had worked in a flower shop and the two had a goal to open their own floral shop within five years, but then they were transferred to a new town.

“We kept saving and planning and at the end of the five years we decided to give it a try,” Phillis said. “And this town has been very good to us. ... We didn’t know people and we decided to try it. All we could do was give our best and see what happens, and 20 years later, here we are.”

Through months of hard work and therapy, Dick is now able to stand and walk around. He is even doing some paperwork around the floral shop, although Phillis doesn’t want him overexerting himself and setting his progress back. If it was up to him, he would have been back at work yesterday.

Sometimes Dick can be seen on the sidewalk or in the street working the right side of his body, trying to regain what his body could do before the stroke.

He still has trouble. He experiences stops when speaking or his right hand will jump while writing. It can frustrate him sometimes, but he knows he has to keep working. He has come too far to give up now.

Through it all, he and his family remain grateful to the reaction of the community during their time of need.

“You know, people always come up and say, ‘I’m praying for you,’ or ‘I’m thinking about you,’” Dick said, as tears formed in his eyes. “To be on that side, it means a lot. You feel it working. It’s special, this is special.”

GATE CITY — The Scott County School Board held a joint meeting with the Board of Supervisors last week to provide an update on a performance contract project that would see new lighting and equipment installed at every county school.

Members of both boards said they felt the informational meeting was worthwhile, and integral to the success of the major undertaking.

“We informed them of our intention to move on to this next step, which involves the memorandum of understanding,” Scott County Schools Superintendent John Ferguson said. “When this started, we assured them that they would be informed of our progress, and that was the intent of this meeting that we had. We gave them an update on what we’re looking at in terms of costs with the upcoming technical audit, and it was basically for informational purposes for them.

“There was a mutual feeling that we need to get this resolved so we can move forward to the next phase of this project after the audit has been complete.”

Board of Supervisors Chairman Danny Mann said he appreciated the school system’s efforts to keep supervisors up to date on the project since the county will be ultimately responsible for backing the loans that will be needed to complete it.

“It’s mainly a school board issue,” Mann said. “They more or less just want us to look at it and be on board with it. ... They know this is a big deal for the county and they want us to know the details.”

The school board will hold a called meeting Tuesday evening to vote on a finalized memorandum of understanding (MOU) between it and ComfortSystems USA, the energy service company chosen to carry out the project.

“In terms of what we’re looking at in this MOU, we just want to get the legal aspect where it needs to be,” Ferguson said. “So, when we go from this step to the next step it will be a somewhat smoother transition because a lot of the wording from this will be in the contract itself.”

Once that memorandum has be finalized, ComfortSystems will take roughly 18 weeks to perform technical audits on all 14 county schools.

The audits will cost $.08 a square foot, which totals roughly $57,000. The initial proposal for the technical audit was $.10 per square foot, or just over $71,000.

“If we were to back out, we would be responsible for the $.08 per square foot,” Ferguson said. “But, if we continue on with this that amount will be rolled into the total cost of the project. In other words, unless we back out there’s no up-front money.”

A “back of the envelope audit” carried out by ComfortSystems earlier this year on Duffield Primary, Rye Cove Intermediate, Gate City Middle School and Gate City High School concluded it would cost approximately $1.9 million to install new lighting, windows, heating and cooling equipment and climate controls at those schools.

“That was a preliminary figure and it was looking at everything from top to bottom,” Ferguson said. “When we do get the final audit that’s when we’ll be able to pick and choose what we need.”

Ferguson said the project, which will ultimately cost several million dollars to complete, will be revenue neutral since it will be paid for by savings realized from improved energy efficiency.

“The first priority is going to be with the lighting and that is where we will be able to recoup, or save, in terms of the wattage being used,” Ferguson said. “Essentially that is what will pay off the remainder of the project, what we save in lighting.”

Although the performance contract is a large undertaking, Ferguson said he felt it was important for the future financial stability of the school system.

“Our equipment is not getting younger by any means,” Ferguson said. “The logical thing would be to invest in new equipment, rather than just keep putting money into equipment that we know is going to fail over time. In some cases, so many repairs have been done it’s not cost effective.”

In addition to saving the school system money on utilities and repairs, the improvements should also provide benefits in the classrooms, Ferguson said.

“But the main focus is our classrooms,” Ferguson said. “There will be better lighting and a more controlled climate not only for the students, but for the faculty and staff, too. We want to provide a learning environment that is going to be beneficial to both parties.”

KINGSPORT — Ride for Hope — a spring motorcycle ride complete with food, music and camaraderie set for April 20 — will help the homeless help themselves.

Ride for Hope is a 75-mile motorcycle ride in support of Hope Haven Ministries in Kingsport. The ride begins at Abernathy Thomas on Sullivan Street next to the Hope Haven facilities and ends at Providence Church, behind Food City, in Church Hill. Riders will meet at Hope Haven at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 20, to tour of the facility, enjoy breakfast and register. Commemorative T-shirts will be available. Kickstands go up at 11 a.m.

Registration is a $20 donation per bike and $10 per passenger. Registration includes the ride, breakfast, a tour of the Hope Haven facility, lunch by Braeden’s Barbecue and hot dogs, door prizes, and a concert by the Christian rock group, Face Like Flint. The ride is open to all motorcyclists.

Sponsors are Mark’s Grading and Landscaping, Nathan Vaughn–State Farm, Woodcraft, Cycle City, A-1 Expert Tree Service, Tri-State Enterprises, Carew Cuts, Pappy’s Custom T’s and Diamond Exchange.

“We wanted something that would catch everybody’s ear and eye, and that would be a lot of fun,” said event coordinator Karen Taylor. “My husband and I ride motorcycles, and we had entered a ride before. We’re hoping for 200 or more riders, the more the better. We want it to be an annual event for Hope Haven.”

Fortunately for Hope Haven Dan Gathercoal, a member of the Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA), was on hand to assist with planning the ride.

“The Christian Motorcyclist Association is a global ministry headquartered in Hatfield, Ky.,” Gathercoal said. “It started out with a father and son back in the ’70s, and it grew to almost 200,000 members across the United States. And we’re operating in about 30 countries around the world. We have a chapter here in Kingsport with over 100 people.”

Gathercoal and two other members of CMA, Jim Holcomb and Steve Raines, mapped out the route. Holcomb is road captain and Gathercoal and Raines are assistants.

“We’re going to go up into Weber City, then out towards Yuma, and then we’ll wind up in Mount Carmel,” said Gathercoal. “We’ll have a police escort through town, and then maybe we’ll have another police escort to get us across (Highway) 11-W as we go over to Church Hill. It’s going to meander around back towards Rogersville. It’s about a 93-minute ride. We’ve mapped it out by car, now we’re going to ride the route by motorcycle and make sure everything works well.”

Gathercoal has a special reason to sympathize with the needs of Hope Haven residents. “At one time in my life, I was in a position where I was one step away from being in a shelter like this myself, and I didn’t realize it.”

He became involved with Celebrate Freedom, a recovery ministry of Celebration Church in Blountville, and that led to his own ministry work with Hope Haven.

One Monday a month, men from Celebration Church visit the men of Hope Haven to advise on job opportunities and contacts, to encourage them and pray with them. Jack Skelton, Rex Mullins and Mike Spivey work with Gathercoal on Monday night visits. Gathercoal, Mullins and Spivey also provide transportation to residents of the men’s, and the women’s and children’s facilities who wish to attend Saturday night services at Celebration Church.

“God gave us the passion to ride these motorcycles,” said Gathercoal. “I believe that every good thing comes from the Lord, and I want to use it to glorify Him.”

For information about the ride, call Hope Haven Ministries at (423) 246-6012.

Early voting for Johnson City’s April 23 municipal election has now passed the halfway point, and the three voting sites have so far tallied 814 votes with five days remaining.

The number of people voting early so far is less than half that of the 2011 municipal election. And though turnout has been fairly brisk at the Washington County Health Department in Johnson City, numbers at the two “satellite” sites at the Jonesborough Courthouse and Gray Commons are noticeably sparse.

That fact raises the question of whether its worth the cost to station poll workers at perimeter sites.

Read the full story on the Johnson City Press website.

Ever since Trevor Shropshire was a young child, he was always intensely interested in pursuing a career in the military.

After starting his application more than a year ago, the Daniel Boone High School senior was accepted to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. — a dream come true for Shropshire, who had always dreamed of joining the military.

“I was just pumped. It had always been my goal and deep down I always thought I would get it but it was one of those things where you were always preparing yourself for not getting it,” he said.

Read the full story on the Johnson City Press website.

KINGSPORT — Whether or not a two-year annexation by ordinance moratorium passes in Tennessee, Sullivan County Director of Schools Jubal Yennie said city and county officials need to “have a resolve to solve” city-county school issues.

The county Board of Education will hold a work session on the 2013-14 budget 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at the central office in Blountville. Yennie said that meeting will begin to look at the immediate budget issues the system faces, starting with a heavy focus on the revenue.

“We’ll see how far we can get. I think we’ll probably start working with the revenue side,” Yennie said.

He said discussions would include the decrease in Basic Education Program funding as the system’s enrollment has declined, as well as increased expenses for retirement, although he doesn’t expect to have the specifics on that yet.

On the expenditure side, he has said potential fixes include laying off full-time instructional aides — both locally funded ones and federally funded ones whose funding is being cut by the federal budget sequestration — and possibly rehiring them part-time.

Another possibility he’s discussed includes an early retirement incentive for teachers to help thin the ranks through attrition, with those positions that were replaced generally being lower-paid younger teachers.

However, he said he doubted either of those would be discussed at the meeting, and he emphasized it is a work session at which no votes or decisions can be made. Yennie said the budget, and a rough shortfall of $3 million, is one of the key drivers in his proposal to merge North and South high schools and use the other building for a middle school in the fall of 2014.

That would mean the closing of Colonial Heights Middle and the middle school portion of Sullivan Gardens K-8 in the South zone. North Middle is a school within a school in North High, and its students would either remain there and be joined by the South zone middle-schoolers or go to a middle school at South.

Other reasons advanced for the merger and rezonings included equity in resources used at different schools and increasing program offerings for additional students. However, the county BOE decided to put off a March 28 vote on his recommendation for at least six months to allow a budget cycle, new enrollment numbers and receipt of the city’s five- to 10-year annexation plan.

That plan was to have been discussed at an April 15 meeting between the city Board of Mayor and Aldermen and city Regional Planning Commission, but city leaders Thursday said that meeting has been delayed until at least May to see the fate of annexation bills before the General Assembly, including one that would put a two-year moratorium on city-initiated annexations in Tennessee.

The city and county BOEs had been invited to the April 15 meeting.

During the two years, the Tennessee Advisory Council on Inter-Governmental Relations would do a study on annexation’s impact statewide.

Yennie said if that passes, “It will allow the county board and the city board to get back to the table and get a transition.”

However, he said that still must be done if the legislation doesn’t pass. “It (the moratorium) will not solve the long-term problem,” Yennie said. “We need to get a resolution on the issue.”

He said the “we” is mainly the county and city boards of education.

“It will require good work by the city and county BOEs, and we need to have the resolve to solve the problem,” Yennie said.

An outside 1998 study indicated the county system would see a steady decrease in student enrollment, although that has leveled off to a trickle of a few hundred students a year.

Current enrolment is about 10,600, down from more than 20,000 in the early 1980s. In comparison, operational capacity across the county system is almost 15,400.

Yennie is trying to get movement on an issue long discussed by county and city school officials. In 2010, before Yennie was hired away from Williamson County to head Sullivan schools, a joint facilities committee of both systems came up with recommendations including the city takeover and use of some county school buildings.

KINGSPORT — Bays Mountain Park is shooting for the stars this summer with a new planetarium show about the work and effort required to become an astronaut.

“Astronaut,” narrated by famed actor Ewan McGregor, is a full-dome presentation that takes the viewer deeper into the journey of becoming an astronaut and the rigors one must endure in the name of space science.

Experience a rocket launch from inside the human body, and witness in amazing detail the physical impact a variety of space activities have on the body.

The show began last week and runs through the end of July.

Adam Thanz, planetarium director at Bays Mountain Park, said the park has received numerous positive comments about the 45-minute program, noting that last week’s viewings for local schools, all of the 4 p.m. shows were sold out.

“It’s a richly animated show; a very entertaining and informative show for the entire family,” Thanz said. “It brings a tour of the night sky, the space programs, where it’s been and where it’s going and we have fun activities that illustrate the different ways we’ve gone into space.”

Produced by NSC Creative, “Astronaut” opened to a sold out audience and is part of a triple-feature from Bays Mountain, that includes a live presentation highlighting the current night sky, pointing out constellations and planets that are easily visible.

The third and final feature is a short presentation on space exploration of the past and where we are going.

“The primary is the show and then we do some other fun activities, such as looking into the different types of rockets used in the space program,” Thanz said.

“Astronaut” can be seen Tuesday through Friday at 4 p.m., and on the weekends at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets are $4 per person and can be purchased at the gift shop located in the Nature Center.

Thanz said while the summer show was not produced in-house, the next program beginning in August will be, called “Comets and Discovery,” which is nearing the end of the production process.

Annually, more than 150,000 visitors pass through Bays Mountain Park, making it one of the state of Tennessee’s Top 50 Most Visited Attractions, according to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

One of the nation’s largest city-owned parks with 3,550 acres, Bays Mountain Park features 40 miles of hiking trails, a state-of-the-art planetarium, wildlife habitats, fun exhibits, a 44-acre lake, ropes course with zip line, trails for mountain biking and much, much more.

MOUNT CARMEL — Former Mount Carmel alderman and planning commission chairman Henry Bailey was cited on five counts of animal cruelty Friday evening after one dead horse and four malnourished horses were allegedly found on his Hammond Avenue property.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Friday, Mount Carmel animal control officer Scott Abshire and MCPD Officer Kathy Painter responded to Bailey’s property at 1212 Hammond Ave. on a complaint by neighbors of a dead horse on the property.

Immediately upon their arrival, Painter and Absher were able to detect the odor of a deceased animal, and followed that smell to a horse that apparently had been dead for about a month.

They also found four additional horses, which were described as being in “terrible shape.”

Abshire told the Times-News Sunday that although the barn’s loft was stocked with hay, the four surviving horses appeared starved and had eaten all the grass off the ground. The only available water was in a trough that contained rain water from the night before.

The four also had rain rot on their coats, appeared to have worms, and their hooves were in “terrible condition.”

MCPD Chief Mike Campbell told the Times-News Sunday that Bailey, 64, indicated he’d given the responsibility of caring for the horses to a grandson who apparently had abandoned that duty a long time ago without telling Bailey.

“Henry’s grandson was supposed to be taking care of the horses, and apparently he’d lied to his grandfather,” Campbell said. “He wasn’t taking care of anything, but that’s no excuse. They’re still Henry’s horses and Henry’s responsibility. Instead of assuming everything was being taken care of, he should have double checked. It came to a horse tragically dying and four more being rescued because of the condition they were in.

“They hadn’t had any feed, no hay, nothing for — we don’t know exactly how long. We think the dead horse had been there about a month, and they had eaten up all the grass off the ground, but I don’t know exactly how long they hadn’t been fed.”

The horses were rescued by Mustang Alley in Greeneville.

Bailey reportedly agreed to donate the hay in the barn to Mustang Alley.

Aside from citing Bailey on five counts of animal cruelty, Mount Carmel also revoked all permits allowing him to keep horses, cows or chickens on his property.

Bailey is scheduled to appear in Hawkins County Sessions Court on the charges April 22.

Abshire said Bailey has been reported in the past for animal neglect as well.

“It’s happened before and the animal control officer before actually went up there and took care of the horses and brought them back,” Abshire said. “The last statement he (Bailey) gave me was pleading with me to let him keep the horses so he could get them better and try to take them to the auction to get some money.”

Bailey served on the Mount Carmel BMA 1998-2006, and was a longtime member of the planning commission, serving as chairman until earlier this year when he was replaced by newly elected mayor Larry Frost.