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Members of the New Panther Initiative — a Black Lives Matter group — and other supporters gathered at Covered Bridge Park in Elizabethton to protest racial inequality and injustices. Counter-protesters, many of whom wore shirts, hats and flags supporting U.S. President Donald Trump, jeered at the protesters as they entered the park, with several shouting racial slurs and obscenities at them.

Rogersville police prepared for Saturday's scheduled BLM protest

Sullivan, Kingsport and Bristol systems to release back-to-school operation plan Wednesday
Robert Kell Sullivan South’s Brody Ratliff (8) and Sullivan East’s Mason Hayworth (6) battle for the ball during their October 2019 game in Kingsport. Under the TSSAA Board of Control’s Option 2 for football season scheduling, teams might need to seek non-region games amongst their region opponents. For example, Sullivan South and Sullivan East could play twice in 2020, with only the TSSAA-designated region game counting for playoff seeding purposes.

TSSAA may turn teams loose to find football opponents
Reference Librarian Karen Castle stands behind a kiosk in the lobby of the Kingsport Public Library Monday afternoon, ready to answer any questions about the library and its policies regarding COVID-19. After being closed to the public the last four months, the library reopened on Monday, allowing folks to come through the doors and check out its latest books. The hours of operation will be limited to Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. to allow for the sanitizing of the public spaces. In addition, the number of patrons in the building will be reduced to allow for appropriate social distancing.

No mask mandates locally, yet

Dobyns-Bennett Alumni Hall of Fame inductees announced
Any county that is below the ratio of 10 new cases per 100,000 of population over a 14 day period — such as Hawkins County, is in the “Green zone”. Schools within green zone counties can open as usual, although social distancing and health precautions are recommended.

Hawkins schools opening Aug. 4 if new COVID-19 cases don't surpass threshold
Kingsport City Schools students studied and learned from home from mid-March through the end of the 2019-20 school year in May.

What went well, what did not during virtual learning in Kingsport?
Alexis Carson led the Southwest Virginia Community College volleyball team to a 7-4 finish in its first season of competition. The Flying Eagles had a 4-3 mark in Region 10 play and a third-place finish in the six-team region.

SW Virginia CC nixes fall sports because of virus
Of One Accord ministry director Sheldon Livesay told the Times News earlier this week that mechanical failures on both Lunch Box program school buses had but a financial strain on the program which is already operating on a shoestring budget. The program is feeding about 300 children per day this summer.

Lunch Box bus breakdowns deplete funds for ministry's child feeding program

Updated: This year's Bristol Rhythm & Roots has been canceled
If your church, business or organization has community announcements related to COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, please email us at news@timesnews.net.

Times News Blog: Latest on local impact of COVID-19

Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson, seated bottom, and Chief Deputy Tony Allen, standing far right, appealed to the county commission's Budget Committee Tuesday to return funding in the proposed 2020-21 county budget to cover a requested 7.5 percent across the board pay increase for his staff. The committee took no action Tuesday on Lawson's request.
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Hawkins County Commission

Hawkins budget with $752K deficit ready for review by full county commission

Hawkins County commissioners finalized the second draft of the proposed 2020-21 fiscal year budget Tuesday, which shows a $752,374 deficit, although county finance director Eric Buchanan told commissioners the reality isn't nearly as bad as that sounds.

Jul 8, 2020 at 5:27 PM
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Column

TSSAA needs to put student-athletes first

Which of the four TSSAA options for high school football is best? Actually it’s Option 5.

Jul 8, 2020 at 1:00 PM
Kingsport Carousel – Team Public Works
mlane
Public art

Kingsport seeking entries for stormwater drain art contest

The deadline to submit entries is Aug. 7 and winners will be selected by Aug. 21. The five winning artists will receive $100 and their chance to leave their artistic talents on the streets of Kingsport.

Jul 8, 2020 at 12:00 PM
The Times News has teamed up with area clergy to share "Words of Comfort" daily on the front page of our print edition and here online at TimesNews.Net. Any member of the clergy who'd like to get involved can contact Carmen Musick at cmusick@timesnews.net.
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Words of Comfort

Beyond fear, there is great beauty

Sometimes it seems this world wants us hunkered in our bunkers, living in fear of the next great cataclysm; but God has a different message for us, one given to a people who were unsure of the dangers they were surrounded by.

Jul 8, 2020 at 11:00 AM
Riley Brinn and Dannah Persinger go up for the block on Susie Chatman during Daniel Boone's practice on Tuesday.
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Sports Live

Under new guidelines, volleyball looks to rally

Even though football and girls soccer may be put on hold for a few weeks following the extension of Gov. Bill Lee’s state of emergency because of the coronavirus pandemic, volleyball marches on.

Jul 8, 2020 at 10:00 AM
Members of the New Panther Initiative — a Black Lives Matter group — and other supporters gathered at Covered Bridge Park in Elizabethton to protest racial inequality and injustices. Counter-protesters, many of whom wore shirts, hats and flags supporting U.S. President Donald Trump, jeered at the protesters as they entered the park, with several shouting racial slurs and obscenities at them.
jbobo
Rogersville Police Department

Rogersville police prepared for Saturday's scheduled BLM protest

“If everybody who comes down here is real nice, that will be fine. If they're not, they'll probably go home a whole lot unhappier then when they came here. That's about all I can tell them.” — RPD Chief Doug Nelson

Jul 8, 2020 at 9:15 AM
New Seiver Middle School Principal Kelli Seymour
rwagner
Sevier Middle School

Kelli Seymour named new Sevier Middle principal

She has been principal of Roosevelt Elementary the past three years.

Jul 8, 2020 at 8:30 AM
The 1975 Wake Forest golf team — which won the NCAA title by a record 33 shots — featured, from left: Tim Saylor, Jay Haas, Curtis Strange, David Thore, Bob Byman, Bill Argabrite and coach Jesse Haddock.
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NCAA golf

Argabrite looks back at college golf’s ‘greatest team’

Kingsport’s Bill Argabrite has never been to the Golf World Hall of Fame, but he’s in it — in a photo as a member of the 1975 Wake Forest national championship team.

Jul 8, 2020 at 12:52 AM
Sarah Alice Testerman
jbobo
Rogersville Police Department

Police say grandmother was passed out on drugs while babysitting 2-year-old

A Hawkins County woman who was supposed to be babysitting her 2-year-old granddaughter Sunday evening was charged with child neglect after she was allegedly found passed out on drugs while the toddler was roaming her apartment complex.

Jul 8, 2020 at 5:26 PM
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Opinion

Editorial: Candidates, how about some originality?

Local (or local-ish) candidates seeking federal office this year have managed, incredibly, to all sing the exact same tune and still offer no substance.

Jul 7, 2020 at 10:30 PM
Raiders pitcher Cody Pugh picked up the win Tuesday against The Boro in East Tennessee Summer Baseball League action in Elizabethton.
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Sports Live

Raiders outslug The Boro in ETSBL play

The Raiders scored 12 runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 15-10 win over The Boro in East Tennessee Summer Baseball League action Tuesday at Northeast Community Credit Union Field.

Jul 7, 2020 at 9:57 PM
hviers
Scott County

Scott treasurer addresses county’s delinquent tax rate

Owens said the dollar amount of delinquent taxes discussed in the June meeting was incorrect, adding that her department uses every available means to collect taxes.

Jul 7, 2020 at 9:00 PM
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Column

To build Main Street, local businesses and media are a perfect match

More people across the country read a weekend newspaper than watch any given Super Bowl.

Jul 7, 2020 at 7:30 PM
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COVID-19 in Tennessee

Tennessee back above 1,000 mark for daily COVID-19 cases

Tennessee hit another 1,000-plus COVID-19 case increase Tuesday, while far Southwest Virginia saw no change.

Jul 7, 2020 at 6:55 PM
kmays
Emory& Henry Athletics

E&H working to modify schedules for fall sports

Adjusted schedules for fall sports at Emory & Henry are not yet complete, but the school plans for them to be fully loaded when finalized, the college’s sports information director said Monday.

Jul 7, 2020 at 6:00 PM