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Time to let your creative energies flow and craft a chaotic paper lantern for the “Light up the Night” kickoff event for the upcoming Kingsport Arts Festival.
The Kingsport Inventor Center (118 Shelby Street) in partnership with Engage Kingsport, will be hosting a series of workshops next month for participants to create their own paper lanterns, which will then be carried through downtown Kingsport the evening of April 19.
The workshops will be held at the Inventor Center on the following dates:
- April 5 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- April 10 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- April 13 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- April 13 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
- April 16 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
To register for any of the workshops, please visit https://bit.ly/3x8PHTq. The workshops are open to people of all ages, as long as you can work with glue and a brush. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The cost of each workshop is based on the size of the lantern you make – $20 for an 8-inch lantern and $25 for a 20-inch lantern. All materials will be provided. This project is being funded through a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission.
For more information about this event, please call 423-392-8415 or visit www.artskingsport.org.
SUBJECT: KPD Investigates Shooting On Cherry Street
DATE: March 27th, 2024
CASE #: 24-004793
GENERAL NARRATIVE
On March 26, 2024, at approximately 6:58 pm, Kingsport Police Officers responded to the 1100 block of Cherry Street in reference to reported gunfire. Responding officer located Richard Arnold on the scene and saw that he had an injury to his left ear. During their investigation, Officers learned that Arnold and four other adults were at the residence when a male, later identified as Samuel Murphy, arrived at the residence, and presented a firearm. Murphy then fired the weapon, striking Arnold in his left ear. No other injuries were reported from the gun fire. Murphy fled the scene prior to officers arriving.
Officers were able to determine that it was an isolated incident, and there was no threat to the public.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Murphy, charging him with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated assault, and felony reckless endangerment.
On March 27, 2024, in the early morning hours, Kingsport Detectives developed a lead in the case and obtained a search warrant for an address in the 1300 block of Garden Drive. Due to the level of violence that was used during the incident, Kingsport SWAT was used to execute the warrant.
On March 27, 2024, at approximately 3:00 pm, Kingsport Detectives along with agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Johnson City Police Department located Murphy at a hotel in Johnson City, TN. Murphy was arrested and taken to the Kingsport City Jail, where he was booked in for attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated assault, and felony reckless endangerment.
SUSPECT INFORMATION
Name: Samuel Murphy
Age: 41
Gender/Race: Male/Black
Residency: Kingsport, TN
Charges: Attempted first degree murder, aggravated assault, felony reckless endangerment
VICTIM INFORMATION
Name: Richard Arnold
Age: 35
Gender/Race: Male/White
Residency: Kingsport, TN
Injuries: Gunshot to left ear
RELEASING OFFICER
Corporal Brandon Johnson
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit
Office (423) 229-9339, Fax (423) 343-9749
BrandonJohnson@KingsportTN.gov
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The City of Kingsport will soon initiate its annual summer paving program, where a significant amount of work will take place in Fairacres, Tellico Hills and Eastern Highlands neighborhoods (Area 17). This area is generally bound by the neighborhoods north of Watauga Street, Center Street, west of Eastman Road, and east of and including Linville Street as it intersects with Watauga Street.
As an initial effort, W&L Construction will be paving approximately 1.7 miles of streets in Tellico Hills this spring. The cost of this project is approximately $698,000. The remainder of the roads of Area 17 will either be repaved, or their concrete surface will be repaired throughout the 2024 paving season.
Kingsport allocated $3.4 million in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget for contractors and city crews to pave. Since 2017, Kingsport has allocated and/or spent $16.9 million on street resurfacing work, repaving just over 101 miles of roads.
General areas paved in these years include Colonial Heights, Lynn Garden, Upper Sevier Terrace, areas near the Tri-Cities airport, Eastern Star and the Tri-Cities Crossing and Fort Henry Drive between the John B. Dennis Highway and Fort Patrick Henry Dam.
During those same years, the Tennessee Department of Transportation has spent $12.6 million on street resurfacing work in Kingsport, repaving 22 miles of roads, including ones on Industry Drive and the John B. Dennis Highway.
For the past eight years, Kingsport has used a data-driven approach to street resurfacing. First, by ranking all city streets from 0 to 100 based on condition and then creating an annual paving plan where the lowest ranked streets are given priority.
By following this program, Kingsport has repaved on average 17 miles of streets every year since 2017.
The City of Kingsport is responsible for maintaining approximately 500 miles of streets within the city limits. The Tennessee Department of Transportation oversees the repair and paving of state highways and federal interstates within Kingsport’s borders, including Stone Drive, Fort Henry Drive, Center Street, Lynn Garden Drive and the John B. Dennis Highway.
For more information on Kingsport’s paving schedule, updated road condition maps, or to view the latest presentations, visit www.pavekingsport.com.
SUBJECT: Dravin Salyer
DATE: March 26th, 2024
CASE #: 24-004755
GENERAL NARRATIVE
KPD is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing man. On March 25th, 2024 around 8:45 PM Dravin Salyer (age 22) left his residence on Fairview Ave. in Kingsport. Mr. Salyer is believed to have sustained an injury prior to leaving his residence. He has not been seen since. His family is concerned for his welfare. Mr. Salyer has been entered into the NCIC database as a missing person. He was last seen wearing a pair of shorts with no shirt or shoes.
Mr. Salyer is a white male, height 5’11”, weight 258 lbs., brown hair, green eyes
Anyone who has any information regarding Mr. Salyer’s current whereabouts is asked to call Kingsport Central Dispatch at (423) 246-9111 or the Criminal Investigations Division at (423) 229-9429 (assigned investigator Det. Kevin Ewing)
Alternatively, if an individual who is able to provide 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 Dravin Salyer
Age 22
Gender/Race Male/White
Height/Weight 5’11”
Hair/Eyes Brown/Green
Residency Fairview Ave.
Last Known Location Fairview Ave. Kingsport
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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The City of Kingsport would like to remind residents of the options they have for getting rid of trash, old furniture and unused appliances.
Trash and Yard Waste is collected every two weeks within the city. Residents can find out which day their collection day is by going to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “My City Services” button on the homepage.
Trash picked up on this day includes a small amount (two wheelbarrow loads) of construction scraps or building materials, four tires off the rim, appliances, old furniture, mattresses and box springs, swing sets, lawn mowers, grills (without the tanks) and pool liners/covers. Yard Waste includes brush, bagged leaves and grass and limbs no longer than 6 feet.
Items not picked up on Trash and Yard Waste days includes cardboard, batteries, paint, gas tanks, dead animals, hazardous liquids/materials and contractor generated building materials and tree debris.
All garbage/household items (including cardboard) must be placed in your weekly garbage carts. If you need a second cart, please call 423-343-9860.
Kingsport residents also get 12 free dumps at the city’s demolition landfill, located at 1921 Brookside Lane. The landfill accepts anything other than household garbage. Residents will need to show a valid driver’s license or current water bill for proof of address.
A truck and a trailer are considered two dumps and no large dump trucks, or commercial vehicles can dump for free. The 12 free dumps can be utilized by residents any time during the year. For hours of operation, please visit www.kingsporttn.gov or call 423-224-2475.
Old computer items, such as monitors, keyboards and hard drives, can be taken to the Sullivan County Transfer Station, also located at 1921 Brookside Drive.
City offices will be closed on Friday, March 29 in recognition of the Good Friday holiday.
Kingsport will not be adjusting garbage or trash/yard waste routes for Good Friday (March 29). Both the garbage routes and the trash/yard waste routes will run on a normal schedule.
The city’s demolition landfill will be open to the public on March 29 from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. However, the landfill will be closed on March 30 and reopen on its normal schedule April 1.
For more information about garbage and trash/yard waste routes, please visit www.kingsporttn.gov.
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