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KPD e-News Release Kingsport Police Department investigating shooting incident

DATE:  December 30th, 2023 

CASE #: 23-025221, 23-025230

GENERAL NARRATIVE

On 12/29/2023 around 8:30 PM Kingsport Police Patrol Officers responded to an address on Harrison Ave. on the report of a vehicle that had possibly struck a pedestrian.  Upon arrival, officers located a male subject that had been involved in an altercation.  Investigation determined that the other female party was in a vehicle and had just left the scene.  Further investigation revealed the female was armed and had shot at the male.  He suffered a superficial wound.  Officers located the suspect vehicle near Bell Ridge Rd. and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.  The driver refused to stop.  Given the circumstances, officers pursued the vehicle into Weber City, Virginia at which point it came to a stop in front of Price Less Foods (Weber City).  Officers secured the vehicle and located the female driver deceased inside. The Weber City Police Dept., Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police responded to the scene.  This incident remains an open and active investigation by the Kingsport Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.  No names are being released pending notification of next of kin.  To protect the integrity of the investigation, which is still in its early stages, no further details will be released at this time. 

 

 

 

RELEASING OFFICER

Lieutenant Justin McConnell

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

Office (423) 229-9499, Fax (423) 343-9749 

JustinMcConnell@KingsportTN.gov

 

 

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“Living with Nature” – The elusive and wily coyotes

Following the eradication of wolves and mountain lions from most of the Eastern United States by the mid-20th century, coyotes have moved in and have been able to thrive in the presence of humans.

These shy and secretive predators are fairly common throughout the Volunteer State, including here in Northeast Tennessee, and can be found in almost every type of geographical area, from rural spaces to urban centers of town.

“We do have coyotes here, though they’re not something you see very often,” said Bays Mountain Park Ranger Bob Culler. “They didn’t used to be found east of the Mississippi River until about 60 or 70 years ago. Today, they’re pretty common.”

According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, coyotes are dog-like in appearance with brown to brownish-gray fur, and somewhat resemble a small German Shephard. The average coyote weighs 40 to 50 pounds with some weighing upwards of 60 to 70 pounds.

Coyotes tend to prey on small animals, such as mice, rats, rabbits and chipmunks. Coyotes very rarely attempt to take down a deer and though they have a reputation of attacking cattle, sheep and goats, Culler said many of these incidents can be attributed to dogs running loose.

“Most of the time coyotes will stick to smaller game,” Culler said. “On occasion they’ll go through your garbage, but not nearly as bad as raccoons or black bears. Coyotes tend to be shy, so they don’t come around people’s houses as much as other wildlife.”

These adaptable animals can be found living in rural, suburban and urban settings, as long as there’s a food source. Even major cities across the US have large numbers of resident coyotes living in them, including Los Angeles, Chicago and even New York City.

Coyotes are solitary by nature, tend to be more active in the evening hours and you can encounter them year-round, since they do not hibernate like bears or groundhogs. If you’re out at the right time of the night, you can hear them howl. Remember, a coyote’s howl is a higher pitch than a wolf’s.

“Coyote’s aren’t much of an issue and most people don’t even know they’re around,” Culler said. “They’re not going to eat your children or blow your house down. Really, coyotes aren’t much of a nuisance for us, just elusive and rather wily.”

For more information about coyotes in Tennessee, visit the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency website at https://bit.ly/3v5PRKf.

Kingsport’s Communications Department is conducting a multi-part series this year on “Living with Nature,” which will highlight outdoor safety and tips on how to protect you and your family from some of the animals found in our region (bears, deer, skunks, raccoons and snakes).

The “Living with Nature” press releases can be found at www.kingsporttn.gov and on the Kingsport Alerts Facebook page.

Media Report 12/29/2023

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Bays Mountain Park hosting New Year’s Yoga Hike

Bays Mountain Park is partnering with a local yoga instructor to offer residents a special New Year’s Yoga Hike to celebrate 2024!

The 70 minute event will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on January 6 at Bays Mountain Park and feature an approximate two-mile hike along a portion of the Lakeside Trail.

Trail bridges will be used to teach standing yoga poses while challenging your strength, flexibility and balance. Isometric core work will be emphasized while hiking.

The cost is $6 per person, class size is limited to 15 people and people of all levels are welcome to attend. Wear exercise clothing and bring water with a sealable lid. No mat is required.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/41tbSyZ. You can also register by clicking on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on “CivicRec,” then search for “yoga hike” in the search bar.

For information about other events, activities and programs offered by Bays Mountain Park, visit www.baysmountain.com.

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City employee thrives in different seasons of work

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stephen cline

Highlighting Heroes – Stephen Cline

Kingsport’s Landscaping Division of Public Works is responsible for all ground maintenance within the city with more than 12,000 trees and 200 landscaping beds under its purview. It’s a job with very little down time.

Hanging Christmas decorations, eliminating overgrown vegetation and removing storm damaged trees are just some of the tasks these crews do throughout the year. And each season brings different jobs for these crews, from pushing snow in the winter, to planting trees in the spring, to responding to thunderstorm damage in the summer.

One of the employees who believes he and his crew are making a difference in people’s lives is Foreman Stephen Cline.

“People think we just plant flowers, pull weeds and lay mulch, but there’s a lot more to it than that,” Cline said.

One key task Cline and his nine-member crew is responsible for is the pruning and removal of damaged or fallen trees. These trees range in size from 10 feet to 90 feet and each one presents its own challenges. The crew is on call 24 hours a day and is most active during storm events when limbs and trees have broken and fallen into the roadway, causing a hazard.

During one storm earlier this year, more than 200 trees fell in one weekend. Each one had to be cut up and transported to the landfill.

“There was a big storm that hit during the summer where two oak trees fell and blocked the roadway into and out of the hospital for the ambulances,” Cline said. “At the time it was awful out in the weather, but then you think maybe you made the difference between life and death.”

Cline, 49, hails from Kingsport, graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School and has been employed by the City of Kingsport for 13 years. He started out as a worker, then rose to crew leader and now for the past three years has served as a foreman.

Cline said he has a great group of guys he works with and can depend on all of them during challenging times.

“You can’t put what we do on a set schedule because it’s dictated by Mother Nature,” Cline said. “Once she starts warming up, things start sprouting and growing, and we have to be working. If not, we’ll get behind and never get caught up.”

Another important duty, Cline and his crew are responsible for has to do with the curb appeal of the city. Landscaping performed throughout the city and at the gateway entrances improves the overall look of Kingsport, especially when it comes to first impressions.

“Landscaping can be very gratifying,” Cline said. “When you can take areas in the city that are grown up with brush, clear it and establish grass or a flower bed…it’s very gratifying.”

Grounds/Landscaping Manager Tamra Rossi said Cline takes pride in his work and is always putting others first.

“Stephen gets the calls when there is an after-hours tree emergency. Often if it is a call that he can take care of without calling others on the crew in, he will do so,” Rossi said. “He says he wants the guys on his crew to be able to have their evenings, weekends, and holidays off.”

For more information about Kingsport’s Streets and Landscaping Division, please visit www.kingsporttn.gov.

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Kingsport Aquatic Center, YMCA hosting Family Bounce and Splash event

The Kingsport Aquatic Center and the Greater Kingsport Family YMCA are teaming up next month to host an evening of swimming, inflatable fun, games and crafts throughout both sides of the wellness facility.

The first-ever Family Bounce and Splash event will be held on January 13 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This family-friendly event will offer all of the indoor pools at the Kingsport Aquatic Center for use, along with the AquaRun inflatable, diving boards, rock wall and play pool slide.

Over on the YMCA side of the facility, participants can enjoy additional inflatables, games and crafts inside the gymnasium. During the event, participants will be allowed to access both sides of the facility, but you will need to be dry when you go to the YMCA side.

“We’re excited to partner with the YMCA for this first-time event,” said Aquatics Program Coordinator Madison Gump. “We hope you join us for a fun evening filled with plenty of swimming and games.”

Lauren Owen, Director of Membership at The Greater Kingsport Family YMCA agreed with Madison on the partnership.

“This event gives us the opportunity to highlight all of the things our wonderful facility has to offer the community,” said Owen. “We hope this event will be the first of many partnerships in the future.”

Participants must be 18 years of age. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The cost for a parent and child is $25, an additional parent is $10, and each additional child is $5. To register, please visit the YMCA website at https://bit.ly/3NBi2qS.

Media Report 12/28/2023

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Media Report 12/27/2023

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Park Education Pointers – The Winter Season

The Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department manages more than two dozen parks and playgrounds throughout the city, offering a wide range of athletic programs and recreational activities to improve the health and well-being for residents and visitors.

Kingsport’s facilities vary from small neighborhood parks to larger greenspaces to iconic destinations such as the Greenbelt, Bays Mountain Park and Allandale Mansion.

During the Winter months (December to February), the City of Kingsport wants to offer these park pointers to residents and guests when visiting our parks and facilities.

  1. Be mindful of the weather. Our pathways and trails may be slick and icy.
  2. Dress for the weather and wear layers during colder periods of the day.
  3. Overnight camping or open fires are not allowed in city parks.
  4. Always carry a cell phone in case of an emergency.
  5. Remember to always throw your trash away in our trash cans.
  6. Lock your vehicle while at our parks and do not leave valuables visible inside.
  7. Selling goods or merchandise in city parks is not allowed.
  8. Using tents, canopies, stakes or signs in city parks is not allowed.
  9. Alcohol, drugs and hunting are not allowed in city parks.

Help keep our parks clean. If you see garbage, debris, litter, vandalism, or graffiti, please report it through the Connect Kingsport app. For non-emergency issues, call the central dispatch non-emergency line at 423-246-9111. For emergency situations always call the Kingsport Police Department using 911.

For information about the various parks and facilities located within the City of Kingsport, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

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Kingsport Farmers Market to be closed for renovations

The Kingsport Farmers Market – located at 308 Clinchfield Street – will be closed to the public beginning January 1. The closure is estimated to last approximately three months and is necessary to accommodate a renovation and improvement project for the facility.

Cosma Construction will be putting a new coat of paint on the walls and ceiling of the farmers market, installing new, industrial sized fans, refinishing the floor and fixing the cracks and leaks in the ceiling.

The $313,000 project is estimated to take three months to complete and is not anticipated to affect when vendors apply to the market.

In addition, the Kingsport Carousel will be closed for the month of January during the paint stripping phase of this project. Kingsport appreciates the public’s patience during this much-needed improvement project for the farmers market.

For more information about the Kingsport Farmers Market, please visit www.kingsportfarmersmarket.org.

Link to: City of Kingsport
City of Kingsport, Tennessee