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Kingsport Aquatic Center Celebrates Water Safety Month

Do you know how to stay safe around the water? What about how to keep your kids safe, or what to do in the event of an aquatic emergency?

May is National Water Safety Month, and the Kingsport Aquatic Center is here to teach you the tips and tricks you need to know to stay safe not just at its pools, but around any body of water you and your family visit.

“It’s so important to be familiar with basic water-safety skills, especially during summer months when people are more often in the water,” said Kari Matheney, director of the Kingsport Aquatic Center. “Learning to swim and the exposure to the water safety skills and messages that swimming lessons offer provide a lifelong foundation for drowning prevention.”

Join the KAC for International Water Safety Day on May 15, where staff will be on hand with free information and demonstrations on this vitally important topic. Visit from 4 to 7:20 p.m. for mini swim lessons, a movie on water safety and more!

International Water Safety Day schedule

  • 4-4:45 p.m. – Longfellow’s W.H.A.L.E. Tales – Legion Room
    • Movie on water safety
  • 5-5:20 p.m. – Backboarding Demo – Outdoor Leisure Pool
    • Lifeguard demo on spinal/head injuries
  • 5:30-5:50 p.m. – Mini Swim Lesson – Outdoor Leisure Pool
    • Free lesson & placement tests
  • 6-6:45 p.m. – Longfellow’s W.H.A.L.E Tales – Legion Room
    • Movie on water safety
  • 7-7:20 p.m. – Mini Swim Lesson – Indoor Warm Pool
    • Free lesson & placement tests

All year round, the Kingsport Aquatic Center is dedicated to water safety. This month, visit the KAC’s social media pages to learn some important tips about how to stay safe. Saving lives is easy if you practice water safety. This Friday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at the KAC, Vice Mayor Mike McIntire will officially declare May as Water Safety Month in Kingsport.

To learn more about the Kingsport Aquatic Center, please call 423-343-9758 or visit swimkingsport.com.

Kingsport Aquatic Center’s Outdoor Water Park opens May 13

Summer is almost here, and with it comes long afternoons of hot sun. The Kingsport Aquatic Center will be your perfect place to cool off and have some fun when the Outdoor Water Park opens on May 13 at 10:30 a.m.

The Outdoor Water Park is no neighborhood pool. A day pass or water park season pass gives you access to the 900-foot Eastman Credit Union lazy river, two waterslides, a climbing structure with water cannons and the lily pad crossing as well as all the indoor pools. Rent an outdoor cabana for the perfect shady spot for your family to relax between all that aquatic adventure.

“The Kingsport Aquatic Center is the ideal place to relax and have some splashing fun without having to fight traffic,” said Aquatic Director Kari Matheney. “We have something to do for every age in a family-friendly environment.”

The Kingsport Aquatic Center’s summer season also comes packed with programs and events. Swim lessons, lifeguard training, swim clinics and the Junior Viperfish Swim Team are great ways for swimmers of all abilities to learn and grow their water skills. When FunFest rolls around, the KAC will host a pool party, a cardboard boat race and more.

This May is Water Safety Month, and the KAC will celebrate and educate all month long, with a day full of learning on International Water Safety Day on May 15. The KAC will host the MATE International ROV Competition on June 20-22. The summer rounds out with Back-to-School Movie Night on August 3.

Don’t forget that the KAC offers more than just a pool to swim in—there’s water aerobics classes all summer long, too. The ever-popular lazy river classes and poolside yoga will start back in June as part of a full slate of water aerobics.

The Kingsport Aquatic Center would also like to take this moment to remind everyone to be mindful of safety this summer. As always, please wear shoes in the parking lot and do not let children roam the lot unaccompanied. The KAC is taking every step possible to ensure your safety during the construction of a new pool this summer, but we encourage you to practice good safety habits as well.

“With a lot of activities occurring at the facility this summer, we encourage our guests to be aware of their surroundings and be vigilant both inside and outside the waterpark areas,” said Matheney. “We have a new road at our entrance and additional vehicular traffic in the lot, so watching out for small children, wearing appropriate footwear upon entering and leaving the facility, and observing any area closures due to construction will assist us in making your visit as pleasurable as possible during our expansion process.”

Admission at the KAC is based on industry standards. Upon arrival, children will be required to take off their shoes and be measured. If the child is 48” or taller, their admission to the park is $10. If the child is less than 48”, their admission cost is $8. Seniors are $8 and children two and under are free with a paying adult. Remember, visit after 4 p.m. and receive half-price admission!

Water Park Season Passes that grant you access to all the KAC’s pools from May through September are also available, as well as monthly and annual memberships. Visit swimkingsport.com for pricing and information.

Outdoor Water Park hours beginning May 13:
            Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
            Wednesday and Saturday: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
            Sunday: noon to 6 p.m.

On Memorial and Labor Days, the entire KAC will be open 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On July 4, the entire facility will be open 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beginning August 5, the Outdoor Water Park will be open 4 to 8 p.m. during the week, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

To learn more about the Kingsport Aquatic Center or purchase your Water Park Season Pass, please visit swimkingsport.com.

It’s All in a Name: Encouraging Citizen Input

The effort to name our region continues to move forward, and the next step is to ask our citizens. It is important we hear from those who live and work in our region. They have relevant stories to add and insight to offer, which will assist North Star, the consulting firm, in developing a name recommendation that works for the region. While one opinion is simply that – an opinion – a collection of opinions can be powerful.

Please take a moment to complete the survey here. It will take about 15 minutes, and only one completed survey is allowed per IP address. The link will be available until Wednesday, May 22.

For more information on the regional naming initiative, please visit www.nameourregion.com.

Previously released on April 26: An Effort to Unite Our Region

Kingsport Farmers Market Celebrates Agriculture Literacy Week

In an effort to encourage students to learn about and develop an interest in agriculture and where their food comes from, the Kingsport Farmers Market in partnership with Kingsport City Schools, is hosting Agriculture Literacy Week May 6th – 11th.

Throughout the week, in celebration of Agriculture Literacy Week, volunteers from the City of Kingsport, Kingsport City Schools, Kingsport Public Library and Keep Kingsport Beautiful will read a book with an agriculture theme to second and third graders at Kingsport City Elementary Schools. After the reading, the book, Right This Very Minute, will be donated to each school’s library for the students to check-out and enjoy.

The Kingsport Public Library is also joining in on the celebration with their story time series. Their Preschool Storytime on May 7th and Time for Two’s Storytime on May 9th, will be centered on the agriculture theme. Both story time sessions will be from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. For more information about these offerings, please visit http://www.kingsportlibrary.org/.  

Other activities will include Kids at the Market day on Wednesday, May 8. Here the students will engage in activities at various booths provided by:  Kingsport City Schools, Dobyns-Bennett Agriculture class, Dobyns-Bennett Culinary Arts class, Sullivan County Extension, Keep Kingsport Beautiful and Kingsport Farmers Market. 

For more information on the Kingsport Farmers Market, or to sign up for our monthly newsletter, please visit kingsportfarmersmarket.org.

KPD e-News Release: K.P.D. Investigating CVS Pharmacy Robbery

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Kingsport Police Department

David Quillin, Chief of Police

200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660

http://Police.KingsportTN.gov • www.KingsportPDBlog.com

NEWS RELEASE
SUBJECT: K.P.D. Investigating CVS Pharmacy Robbery
DATE: May 5, 2019
CASE #: 19-009559
GENERAL NARRATIVE
On May 5, 2019 at approximately 6:00 AM, Kingsport Police Patrol Officers and Detectives responded to the CVS Pharmacy, located at 128 West Stone Drive in Kingsport, in reference to a robbery. Their subsequent investigation revealed the following:

An adult male suspect, believed to be white, entered the business and went directly to the pharmacy consultation window. The suspect handed the pharmacist a note which threatened physical violence and demanded specific prescription medications.

The pharmacist complied, and the suspect then exited the store and fled the scene in a white sport utility vehicle with an undisclosed type and quantity of prescription medications.

The suspect was wearing blue jeans, a red long-sleeve shirt, black shoes, a white fedora style hat, and dark-colored sunglasses.

The incident was captured by store surveillance video cameras, and photos take from that footage of both the suspect and his vehicle have been included in this release.

Anyone who recognizes him or his vehicle, or who may have any information which may help with this case, is asked to contact the K.P.D. Criminal Investigations Division at 423-229-9429 or call Kingsport Central Dispatch at 423-246-9111.

Alternatively, if an individual who is able to supply information related to this or any other case wishes not to be identified, tips can be submitted anonymously via online “Citizen Feedback” forms available at the following link:

https://www.kingsporttn.gov/city-services/police-department/contact-us

RELEASING OFFICER
Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX)

ThomasMPatton

KPD e-News Release: Kingsport Police Encourage Motorists to “Look Twice for Motorcycles”

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Kingsport Police Department

David Quillin, Chief of Police

200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660

http://Police.KingsportTN.gov • www.KingsportPDBlog.com

NEWS RELEASE
SUBJECT: Kingsport Police Encourage Motorists to “Look Twice for Motorcycles”
DATE: May 3, 2019
GENERAL NARRATIVE
The Kingsport Police Department will be partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to promote motorcycle safety during the month of May, which is nationally recognized as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Participating agencies will be providing educational information and increasing awareness in their communities about the importance of sharing the road and looking twice for motorcyclists.

Motorcyclists will be out in force as the weather gets warmer, which is why it is the perfect time to remind the community about the vulnerability of motorcycle riders. All motorists need to know how to anticipate and respond to motorcyclists to avoid crashes. According to preliminary data, there were 2,701 crashes involving motorcycles in Tennessee last year. Of those crashes, 166 were fatal.

Following are a few safe driving tips to prevent crashing with a motorcycle:

• Though a motorcycle is a small vehicle, its operator still has all the rights of the road as any other motorist.

• Allow the motorcycle the full width of a lane at all times.

• Always signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic.

• If you see a motorcycle with a turn signal on, be careful, and don’t automatically assume it is turning. Motorcycle signals are often non-cancelling. Always ensure that the motorcycle is actually turning before proceeding.

• Check all mirrors AND blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic, especially at intersections.

• Always allow ample following distance – three to four seconds – when driving behind a motorcycle. This gives riders more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

RELEASING OFFICER
Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX)

ThomasMPatton

Northeast students work with Kingsport’s IT Department

There are few things more valuable to a fresh college graduate than hands-on work experience. Recently, the City of Kingsport’s Information Technology Department partnered with Northeast State Community College to give students just that.

“You’re always going to get that question at job interviews, ‘What kind of experience do you have?’” said Tom Huskisson of the city’s IT Department. “This partnership is a great way for students to get that experience.”

At Northeast, students in the Computer and Information Sciences program have to complete a capstone course and project to earn their associate’s degree. Huskisson, who taught at Northeast from 2008 to 2017 and continues teaching as an adjunct professor while working for the city, always wanted to give students an opportunity to work on projects that were more than theoretical.

So he decided to bring the students to work with him.

Huskisson coordinated with Dr. Donna Farrell at Northeast to bring 33 of her capstone CIS students to work with Kingsport’s IT Department. From February to April, the students assisted on all kinds of projects from extracting data from police databanks to manning the IT help desk. Huskisson wanted to give the students a cross-curriculum experience, not just in their particular concentration such as networking or cyber defense. In a small department like Kingsport’s—which has six people—you wear a lot of hats.

“We’ve done work like this in lab settings,” student Tony Feathers said, “but when you go and do it hands-on, that’s very different. I would always say, ‘Man, I hope we get to do some cool stuff today.’”

Huskisson said that the students were a great help to the department, allowing them to complete tasks they might not normally be able to with their small team. It’s also important, Huskisson said, for students to get a chance to learn “soft skills.” It’s one thing to know how to fix a problem with fiber cables; it’s another skillset entirely to be able to communicate with your team and ask questions.

“One of the biggest things I’ve learned from this project,” student Steven Jones said, “is that these people that are employed are learning every single day. They admit when they don’t know everything, and that was the experience that affected me the most.”

Huskisson hopes to continue this partnership—and grow it even more. The IT Department is in early stages of developing a networking apprenticeship position in partnership with Northeast, which would be the first apprenticeship of its kind in the state of Tennessee.

Farrell’s goal with her capstone students, in this and every project, is to make her students well-rounded, competitive job applicants. She and Huskisson said their goal is to get other local organizations and companies to facilitate similar collaborations with Northeast to give students and businesses even more opportunities to grow and benefit from one another. “We have great students at Northeast,” Farrell said. “We have intelligent students with experience who can do this work.”

Bring Your Mountain Bike to Bays

Load up the mountain bikes and head to Bays Mountain Park this weekend for two back-to-back biking days.

On May 4 and 5, Bays Mountain Park and SORBA Tri-Cities bring you two exciting events perfect for bikers of any skill level looking to get out and have some fun. Whether you’re familiar with Bays Mountain’s 32 miles of biking trails or hitting them for the first time, it’s sure to be a great time.

Bike @ Bays – Saturday, May 4                    
This annual mountain biking festival begins at 10 a.m. and lasts till 3 p.m. Join SORBA for all kinds of fun, educational mountain biking activities including demos and group rides. This event also commemorates National Women’s Mountain Bike Day. Bays Mountain Brewing Company will be on site selling beverages, and Texas Roadhouse and a food truck will be on hand for your hunger needs. Free admission to event participants. For more information, visit sorba-tricities.org.

Aiyana XC Mountain Bike Race – Sunday, May 5
Sponsored by Reedy Creek Bicycles, All Trails Cycling and Achieving Balance, Aiyana XC is a cross-country mountain bike race held at Bays Mountain Park. The course is six miles—five of fast, flowy single track and one mile of gravel road. Staggered start times offer riders of all ages and skill levels a chance to race, whether you’re trying for a medal or just for fun. Please register online by visiting usacycling.org, or register on-site up to 15 minutes prior to the start of each race. Registration costs vary for each race. For more information, please click here.

To learn more about mountain biking at Bays Mountain Park or for a full schedule of race times, please visit baysmountain.com.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all citizens of the Kingsport Tennessee-Virginia area and the public at large, there will be a Public Meeting of the Kingsport Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (MTPO) Executive Board on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at 1:30 P.M. EDT in the Bob Clear Conference Room, 201 West Market Street in Kingsport, Tennessee. Copies of the agenda and supporting documentation can be found in the MTPO office in the Improvement Building, City Hall, and the Kingsport Public Library in addition to the following website: https://www.kingsporttn.gov/city-services/kmtpo. The primary items for this meeting include adoption of the Virginia FY20 Unified Planning Work Program, review and approval of the proposed cross section for State Route 36, and authorization to proceed with a new bicycle/pedestrian plan. A public hearing will also be held in order to receive comments and questions on these or other items pertaining to the Kingsport Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization. Disabled citizens wishing to attend and needing special accommodations or anyone seeking further information on the MTPO meeting should contact William A. Albright at (423) 224-2677. For persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact VDOT’s Civil Rights Division at 804-786-2085 or by mail 1401 E Broad St, Richmond, Virginia 23219. In Tennessee you may contact TDOT’s Civil Rights Office at (615) 714-3169. If you have a hearing or speech disability or use a TTD please use the FCC 711 dialing code to access a Telecommunications Relay Service to forward your comment. Kingsport MTPO ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Si usted necesita la traducción por favor entre en contacto con el MTPO en por el teléfono en 423-224-2677.

KPD e-News Release: Kingsport Police Attempting to Locate Missing Man

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Kingsport Police Department

David Quillin, Chief of Police

200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660

http://Police.KingsportTN.gov • www.KingsportPDBlog.com

NEWS RELEASE
SUBJECT: Kingsport Police Attempting to Locate Missing Man
DATE: May 1, 2019
CASE #: 19-008188
GENERAL NARRATIVE
On April 20, 2019 Joshua A. McConnell was reported as a missing person to the Kingsport Police Department by his brother. Mr. McConnell has allegedly not been seen or heard from since April 13, 2019 when he was dropped off by a friend at a convenience store near the intersection of Fort Henry Drive at North Eastman Road in Kingsport. He reportedly was supposed to meet an unidentified individual from Bristol (unknown if TN or VA) at that location.

Due to information shared with investigators regarding Mr. McConnell’s personal and medical history, there is legitimate cause to be concerned for his health and welfare. Mr. McConnell is a 22 year old white male adult. He stands approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs roughly 140 pounds. He has black hair and blue eyes. At the time of his last point of contact, he is believed to have been clothed in black baggy shorts, a black t-shirt, and black skateboard shoes. Two photographs are included in this release.

Anyone who sees him or may possibly know his current whereabouts is asked to please contact the K.P.D. Criminal Investigations Division at 423-229-9429 or call Kingsport Central Dispatch at 423-246-9111. Alternatively, if an individual who is able to supply information related to this or any other case wishes not to be identified, tips can be submitted anonymously via online “Citizen Feedback” forms available at the following link:

https://www.kingsporttn.gov/city-services/police-department/contact-us
MISSING PERSON INFORMATION
Name Joshua A. McConnell
Age 22 Years of Age
Gender/Race Male/White
Height/

Weight

 5 feet 8 inches

140 pounds
Hair/

Eyes

 Black Hair

Blue Eyes
Residency Kingsport, TN
Possible Clothing Description Black Baggy Shorts

Black T-Shirt

Black Skateboard Shoes
Last Point of Contact April 13, 2019 at intersection of Fort Henry Drive at North Eastman Road in Kingsport, TN
Possible Destination Bristol, TN or VA

RELEASING OFFICER
Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX)

ThomasMPatton

Link to: City of Kingsport
City of Kingsport, Tennessee