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KATS Fixed Bus Routes Temporarily Changing to On-Demand Service

Kingsport Area Transit Service (KATS) will stop all scheduled bus routes at the end of the day on Tuesday, March 24. Starting Wednesday, March 25, KATS will begin offering on demand-fixed route bus service where riders call the KATS dispatch office to request a bus.

This service change is in response to emergency coronavirus measures being taken across the country. This method of bus operation encourages only essential travel and social distancing, allowing only a maximum of 9 riders per bus.

The “on-demand fixed route service” will operate as follows:

  1. Riders will need to decide which bus stop is most convenient place for them to be picked up.
  2. Riders can call 423-224-2613 at least one hour before needing to be picked up. Give name, bus stop location, pick-up time and destination bus top.
  3. If confirmed, the rider will be given an estimated time when a KATS bus will arrive at the stop.
  4. Riders can call 423-224-2613 when ready to be picked back up at the bus stop.

Bus fare will continue to be $1.00 each way for the general public, and $0.50 each way for disabled passengers, seniors, and veterans. KATS remains committed to the community during this time should anyone need transportation to essential services within the city.

KATS Dial-A-Ride ADA paratransit services will continue to operate unchanged during this time.

For more information, please visit  kingsporttransit.org.

KPD e-News Release: Kingsport Police Department Cancels Defensive Driving Schools for Next Two Months

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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 Department Cancels Defensive Driving Schools for Next Two Months
DATE: March 23, 2020
GENERAL NARRATIVE
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, effective immediately, all Kingsport Police Department Defensive Driving Schools, to include DDC4 and Alive at 25, will be cancelled through the end of May 2020. Tentative plans are to resume classes in June 2020.

Anyone with a case pending in Kingsport City Court that is dependent upon completion of Defensive Driving School for disposition will not be penalized by this unavoidable delay.

Anyone who was scheduled to attend a K.P.D. Defensive Driving School between now and May 31, 2020 who has not already been contacted by the Court is asked to promptly contact the K.P.D. Records Division at 423-229-9427 to reschedule their class.
RELEASING OFFICER
Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

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

ThomasMPatton

City Hall and Public Facing Departments to Close Locations

Within the public facing departments, important services to the citizens of Kingsport will be altered at noon today, March 23, to take precautions with the current COVID-19 pandemic. These alterations are expected to be in place for at least the next 6-8 weeks, to protect both employees and residents.

Kingsport City Hall – Customer Service
The customer service center will close to the public at noon. Please review the changes below.

  • For customers who need new service, customer service will work with the customer to get the needed documentation through email and text. Call 423-343-9860.
  • Utility payments can be made in person at the Justice Center. Enter through the main entrance, and you will be directed to the correct window.
  • Customers have several other options available to pay their utility bills. Kingsport encourages the use of these during this time.
    • Pay online at the city website kingsporttn.gov.
    • Pay over the phone by calling 423-343-9860.
    • Drop box located outside city hall.
    • Mail to PO Box 880, Kingsport, TN 37662 or 225 W. Center Street, Kingsport, TN 37660

Improvement Building – Building, Development Services, Code Enforcement
For customers that need permits, inspections, planning and zoning or code enforcement, please follow the guidelines below. All the departments listed below can be found on the city website, kingsporttn.gov.

  • For new permits, please call 423-229-9393 or use the online permit application found here.
  • For planning and zoning, please call 423-229-9485.
  • For code enforcement, please call 423-224-2633.
  • For metro planning organization, please call 423-229-9332.
  • For public works administration, please call 423-224-2465.

Sullivan County Offices located in City Hall
The offices located in City Hall are the Sullivan County Clerk, Chancery Court and Law Court. For more information, please contact the offices directly.

  • Sullivan County Clerk: 423-224-1726
  • Chancery Court: 423-224-1790
  • Law Court: 423-224-1724

For more information, please visit www.kingsporttn.gov/covid-19-response.

City to Close Library, Aquatic Center, Community Centers

At the recommendation of the CDC and the Sullivan County Regional Health Department, the City of Kingsport will close the Kingsport Public Library and all other community centers, effective 5 p.m. on Thursday until further notice. Additionally, all rentals of city facilities are suspended until at least April 3.

This decision comes from City Manager Chris McCartt. All programs, classes and events were suspended indefinitely on Monday. At this time, all other city offices remain open.

This information is subject to change as the city continues to monitor the evolving situation surrounding COVID-19. Kingsport looks to the SCRHD and the CDC for recommendations and additional information.

Facility List

  • Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium: All park buildings—Nature Center, herpetarium, etc.—will be closed, but the park itself will remain open to the public. The Nature Center bathrooms, accessible from outside the building, will remain open.
  • Kingsport Aquatic Center: Closed until further notice.
  • Kingsport Carousel: Closing Wednesday at noon (previously released).
  • Kingsport Farmers Market: The market will delay its opening until Saturday, May 2.
  • Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts: All programs and classes are suspended.
  • Kingsport Public Library: The library will close to the public. Due dates on materials currently in possession will be extended, and late fees will not apply. Holds and donations will not be available during the closure. Visit kingsportlibrary.org for access to digital resources at any time, including e-books, audiobooks and other virtual programs.
  • Kingsport Parks and Recreation: All of Kingsport’s parks and on-site bathrooms will remain open to the public, but all programming including athletics are suspended. Lynn View Community Center and the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex will close. Ballfields, including Brickyard and Domtar Park, will also close.
  • Kingsport Senior Center: Closing Wednesday at noon (previously released)
  • Renaissance Center: Closing Wednesday at noon (previously released)

Rental Recommendations
If you have rented a city facility between now and April 3, please contact the facility. As of March 17, the CDC recommends that for the next 15 days, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events of 10 or more people; and for the next eight weeks, cancel events of 50 or more people. If anyone who has already booked a rental has questions or wishes to cancel, please reach out to the facility directly.

For up-to-date information on the city’s response to COVID-19, please visit our safety preparedness page.

Senior Center & Kingsport Carousel to Close Tomorrow

At the recommendation of the Sullivan County Regional Health Department and the most recent CDC guidelines, the City of Kingsport Senior Center and Renaissance Center will be closing at noon tomorrow (March 18) and will remain closed until further notice. The Kingsport Carousel will not open during their regular scheduled operating hours at all tomorrow and will remain closed until further notice.

Kingsport Senior Center

Starting March 18, at 12:00 p.m., the Kingsport Senior Center and Renaissance Center facility, including all branch sites, will be closed until further notice.

For those who take part in the congregate meals, individuals can find instructions on how continue receiving meals while the facility is closed on the website or can call 423-392-8400.

The Kingsport Senior Center will continue to post updates as the city receives further recommendations from the Sullivan County Health Department and the CDC.

Thank you for your understanding as we do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Please see our website (www.kingsportseniorcenter.org) or social media channels for the most up-to-date information.

For more information, please visit www.kingsportseniorcenter.org.

Kingsport Carousel

Starting March 18, the Kingsport Carousel will not open for its regular schedule operating hours. It will remain closed until further notice. The carousel will continue to post updates on its social media channels as the city receives further recommendations.

Location Change for Planning Commission Meeting

The City of Kingsport Planning Commission will meet this Thursday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Civic Auditorium.

After discussions with the chairman, the Civic Auditorium has been approved as an alternate location for meetings as it is large enough to allow adherence to the recommended social distancing measures. The Planning Commission will delay action at the meeting for at least 10 minutes to make sure everyone has time to make it to the new meeting location of the Civic Auditorium.

Please be advised to follow the CDC guidelines if choosing to attend this meeting.

KATS Altering Service Hours and Other Changes

The Kingsport Area Transit Service (KATS) is committed to the safety and well-being of our community. As the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic with the spread of the Coronavirus and the government recently declaring a national state of emergency, it is important for KATS to take every measure possible to protect passengers, staff, and the general public.

The President and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently announced new coronavirus guidelines for America, found at www.coronavirus.gov. Based on these guidelines, KATS will be implementing some operational changes starting tomorrow, March 18, 2020.

  1. KATS uses a regularly scheduled cleaning process for transit fleet and public spaces.  In an effort to provide additional vehicle sanitation, KATS will stop fixed-route service for one hour between 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm. Buses will not run during this hour so that the vehicles can receive disinfectant treatments.
  2. KATS will begin limiting the number of passengers in transit vehicles to no more than 10 at one time. To ensure riders continue to get to essential destinations, passengers can assist by following guidelines to avoid discretionary travel and practicing social distancing.

All of these difficult decisions are being made for the safety of customers, staff and the public. Depending of federal, state, and local guidance, additional service changes could be necessary.  KATS will continue to update riders and community members at KingsportTransit.org and through social media channels.

KATS wants your ride on public transit to be safe, clean and comfortable, but please do your part to slow the spread of germs. For more information on behaviors that help ensure good personal health, please visit CDC.gov.

City Suspends All Facility Programs and Classes

As of today, March 16, all city-sponsored programs, classes and events have been suspended indefinitely. This decision comes from City Manager Chris McCartt at the recommendation of the CDC and the Sullivan County Regional Health Department.

As of this statement’s release, all city facilities will remain open under normal operating hours. Any programs open to the public are suspended until further notice. Staff will attempt to reschedule any paid programs and honor tickets that have already been sold. Any customer who wishes to cancel should reach out to the respective facility.

This information is subject to change as the city continues to monitor the evolving situation surrounding COVID-19. Kingsport looks to the SCRHD and the CDC for recommendations and additional information.

Facility List

  • Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium: The park will remain open, but all programs—planetarium shows, astronomy programs, nature program, etc.—are suspended.
  • Kingsport Aquatic Center: The facility will remain open, but all swim lessons, water aerobics classes, training courses and other programs are suspended.
  • Kingsport Carousel: The carousel will follow its current operating schedule.
  • Kingsport Farmers Market: The market will delay its opening until Saturday, May 2.
  • Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts: All programs and classes are suspended.
  • Kingsport Public Library: The library will remain open, but all programs, classes and club meetings are suspended.
  • Kingsport Parks and Recreation: All of Kingsport’s parks will remain open to the public, but all programming including athletics are suspended. Open gym hours at Lynn View Community Center and the V.O. Dobbins Center are also suspended.
  • Kingsport Senior Center: All programs and classes are suspended, but the lounge and other facility spaces will remain open. The Renaissance Center’s open gym hours are also suspended.

Rental Recommendations
At this time, the city is not canceling any rentals within the above facilities, but urges citizens to follow CDC guidelines. As of March 15, the CDC recommends that for the next eight weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events of more than 50 people, according to cdc.gov. If anyone who has already booked a rental has questions or wishes to cancel, please reach out to the facility directly.

For up-to-date information on the city’s response to COVID-19, please visit kingsporttn.gov.

KPD e-News Release: Kingsport Municipal Court to be Closed for Remainder of March 2020 by Order of Tennessee Supreme Court

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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 Municipal Court to be Closed for Remainder of March 2020 by Order of Tennessee Supreme Court
DATE: March 13, 2020
GENERAL NARRATIVE
Pursuant to a notice from the Tennessee Supreme Court in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Kingsport Municipal Court will be temporarily closed for all in-person proceedings for the remainder of March 2020. All pending cases scheduled during that timeframe will be postponed. Anyone having a case set for the remainder of March 2020 has the following options:

1) Satisfy the citation by paying the fine on or before the scheduled court date,

2) Call the K.P.D. Records Division at 423-229-9427 on or before the scheduled court date to have the case reset to a later date,

3) Anyone who is unable to call may visit the K.P.D. Records Division in the Kingsport Justice Center on or before the scheduled court date to have the case reset to a later date, or

4) Anyone not paying the citation or calling to have the case reset by the court date will be contacted after that time by the court.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Anyone with questions regarding this situation may call the K.P.D. Records Division at 423-229-9427.
RELEASING OFFICER
Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

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

ThomasMPatton

Spring Wildflower Hikes at Bays Mountain Park

Put some spring in your step on a guided wildflower hike. Bays Mountain Park is hosting free wildflower hikes this March and April both at Laurel Run Park and at Bays Mountain Park.

Hikers can expect to see anywhere from 20 to 30 species of flowers in just a couple of hours on one of these naturalist led hikes. Many of the wildflowers are showy and easy to find, including redbud, dogwood, pink azalea and wild geranium.

Given the effects of elevation, the wildflowers seen on the hikes will be somewhat different at Laurel Run and Bays Mountain.

“Generally, mid-April to mid-May seems to be the time we have the largest numbers and diversity of wildflowers here on the mountain,” said Megan Krager senior naturalist at Bays Mountain Park.

The wildflower display at Laurel Run Park can be much earlier because of its lower elevation. There is often a good display of flow­ers at Laurel Run by mid-March. The combination of richer soil and more consistent moisture means that hikers can find wild­flowers at Laurel Run that do not grow well at the upper elevations of the Bays Mountain Park. These flowers include columbine, Dutchman’s breeches and trilliums.

Laurel Run
March 23, 27, & 30
April 3, 10, 17 & 24

Bays Mountain
April 6, 13 20, & 27

The wildflower hikes are free and do not require registration. Hikes at both parks will begin at 10 a.m. Hikers should meet in the main parking at Laurel Run Park for the Laurel Run hikes and at the Nature Center for the Bays Mountain hikes.

Depending on weather and what is blooming, the hikes may take up to two hours and participants may walk two to three miles. The hikes will go rain or shine, so hikers should dress for the weather.

For more information on Bays Mountain, please visit baysmountain.com or call 423-229-9447.

Link to: City of Kingsport
City of Kingsport, Tennessee