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Kingsport announces road closures for Halloween-related events

Several streets will be closed on October 31 to accommodate two special Halloween-related events happening in downtown Kingsport.

The 18th Annual Haunted Half Marathon:

Street closures will start around 5 a.m., be in place by 7 a.m. and be lifted at the conclusion of the races. The following streets will be closed during this time:

  • Cherokee Village Drive (from Clinchfield Street to the dead end).
  • Clinchfield Street (from Press Street to Lovedale Drive).
  • Roller Street.
  • Sequoyah Drive (from W. Sullivan Street to Clinchfield Street).
  • Sullivan Street (from Lovedale Drive to W. Wanola Avenue).

Note – Holston Valley Drive can be accessed off Clinchfield Street.

Visitors coming to the Kingsport Farmers Market during race times should use Center Street to access the market. For more information about the Haunted Half Marathon event, please visit www.thegoosechase.org.

Trick or Treat on the Street:

Several streets in downtown Kingsport will be closed for this event by 7:30 a.m. Saturday (October31).

  • The 100 and 200 blocks of Broad Street.
  • Market Street from Shelby Street to Commerce Street.
  • Commerce Street from Main Street to Center Street.

The event will begin at 12 p.m. and the closure will remain in place until the conclusion of the event. For more information on Trick or Treat on the Street please visit https://bit.ly/3YvgqVs.

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Kingsport Parks and Recreation offers Kids’ Day Out Camp

Kingsport Parks and Recreation is offering a special Kids’ Day Out camp next week – November 3 – the same day as a Kingsport City Schools’ in-service day.

This one-day camp will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex (301 Louis Street) and feature a full day of fun activities, games, crafts, outdoor time and more.

The cost is $15 per child, and the camp is open for ages 6 to 12. The maximum number of registrants is 50. Participants will need to bring lunch and a snack.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/4zjZz8A. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “kids day out” in the search bar.

For information about other events, activities and programs offered by Kingsport Parks and Recreation, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

SUBJECT: Kingsport PD Investigating Stabbing (UPDATE)

SUBJECT:  Kingsport PD Investigating Stabbing (UPDATE)
DATE:  October 26, 2026

GENERAL NARRATIVE

UPDATE:

As previously released, patrol officers with the Kingsport Police Department and deputies with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 2300 block of Idle Hour Road regarding multiple people who had been stabbed on Interstate 26. Once there, officers and detectives determined that twenty-one (21) year-old Wiley Tester had stabbed twenty-two (22) year-old Jaden Manis and eighteen (18) year-old Malachi Stone. The incident had started while all three were passengers in a car on westbound Interstate 26. The driver of the vehicle, who was not assaulted, demanded Wiley exit the vehicle. Wiley exited the car and was shortly thereafter apprehended by Kingsport officers at an address on Fairview Avenue. The driver continued to an address on Idle Hour Road. Jaden and Malachi were both transported to Holston Valley Medical Center for treatment of their injuries.

INITIAL RELEASE:

On Friday, October 23, 2026, at approximately 6:30 p.m., patrol officers with the Kingsport Police Department and deputies with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 2300 block of Idle Hour Road regarding multiple people who had been stabbed on Interstate 26. Several individuals have been detained, and there is no ongoing threat to the public. Kingsport Detectives are currently investigating the incident. No further information will be released at this time.

SUSPECT INFORMATION
Name: Wiley Tester
Age: 21
Gender/Race: Male/White
Height/Weight: 5’10”/150lbs
Residency: Kingsport, TN
Charges:

  • Two (2) counts: Aggravated Assault (T.C.A. 39-13-102)

VICTIM INFORMATION
Name: Jaden Manis
Age: 22
Gender/Race: Female/White
Residency: Church Hill, TN
Injuries: Severe Lacerations

Name: Malachi Stone
Age: 18
Gender/Race: Male/White
Residency: Knoxville, TN
Injuries:  Severe Lacerations

RELEASING OFFICER

Corporal Brandon Arnold

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

Office (423) 343-9866, Fax (423) 343-9749

BrandonArnold@KingsportTN.gov

Kingsport PD Investigating Stabbing

SUBJECT: Kingsport PD Investigating Stabbing
DATE: October 23, 2026

GENERAL NARRATIVE

On Friday, October 23, 2026, at approximately 6:30 p.m., patrol officers with the Kingsport Police Department and deputies with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 2300 block of Idle Hour Road regarding multiple people who had been stabbed on Interstate 26. Several individuals have been detained, and there is no ongoing threat to the public. Kingsport Detectives are currently investigating the incident. No further information will be released at this time.

 

RELEASING OFFICER
Corporal Brandon Arnold
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit
Office (423) 343-9866, Fax (423) 343-9749
BrandonArnold@KingsportTN.gov

National Drug Take-Back Day on October 24

SUBJECT:  National Drug Take-Back Day on October 24

DATE:  October 23, 2026

GENERAL NARRATIVE

On Saturday, October 24th, 2026, from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM, the Kingsport Police Department will be participating in a community drug take-back initiative. This initiative is sponsored by the Kingsport Police Department and the Sullivan County Anti-Drug Coalition. K.P.D. will be staffing four different drop-off locations in Kingsport. They include:

  • Dobyns-Bennett High School (1 Tribe Way)
  • Food City (300 Clinchfield Street)
  • Food City (1205 North Eastman Road)
  • Food City (1911 Moreland Drive)

Between now and Saturday, October 24th, all area residents are encouraged to go through their medicine cabinets and inventory their medications. Now is the time to safely dispose of any leftover, expired, or otherwise unwanted medications. This community drug take-back event is open to the public and is a prime opportunity and the preferred method to safely dispose of any medications that are no longer needed.

The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors two National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days each year, in April and October. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days aim to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.

While the DEA does recognize these two annual days, at the Kingsport Police Department, we like to think of every day as Drug Take-Back Day. K.P.D. has been participating in drug take-back initiatives since 2010 and installed a permanent drug collection box in the lobby of the Kingsport Justice Center, located at 200 Shelby Street in Downtown Kingsport, in 2012. Our box is accessible 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year. To date, K.P.D. has been able to safely incinerate over 20,000 pounds (10 tons) of leftover, unwanted, or expired medications.

The goals of this program are to keep drugs off the street, prevent overdoses and accidental poisonings, and avoid environmental contamination. Drugs that can be accepted include prescription, over the counter (OTC), vitamins, herbals, supplements, and veterinary medications. Items that are not accepted through this program include needles or sharps, biohazard materials, and illegal drugs.

For more information on the DEA’s National Take-Back Day initiative, please visit the following link:

https://takebackday.dea.gov/

 

 

RELEASING OFFICER

Corporal Brandon Arnold

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

Office (423) 343-9866, Fax (423) 343-9749

BrandonArnold@KingsportTN.gov

KPD e-News Release: National Drug Take-Back Day on October 24th

SUBJECT:  National Drug Take-Back Day on October 24

DATE:  October 23, 2026

GENERAL NARRATIVE

On Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM, the Kingsport Police Department will be participating in a community drug take-back initiative. This initiative is sponsored by the Kingsport Police Department and the Sullivan County Anti-Drug Coalition. K.P.D. will be staffing four different drop-off locations in Kingsport. They include:

  • Dobyns-Bennett High School (1 Tribe Way)
  • Food City (300 Clinchfield Street)
  • Food City (1205 North Eastman Road)
  • Food City (1911 Moreland Drive)

Between now and Saturday, October 24th, all area residents are encouraged to go through their medicine cabinets and inventory their medications. Now is the time to safely dispose of any leftover, expired, or otherwise unwanted medications. This community drug take-back event is open to the public and is a prime opportunity and the preferred method to safely dispose of any medications that are no longer needed.

The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors two National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days each year, in April and October. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days aim to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.

While the DEA does recognize these two annual days, at the Kingsport Police Department, we like to think of every day as Drug Take-Back Day. K.P.D. has been participating in drug take-back initiatives since 2010 and installed a permanent drug collection box in the lobby of the Kingsport Justice Center, located at 200 Shelby Street in Downtown Kingsport, in 2012. Our box is accessible 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year. To date, K.P.D. has been able to safely incinerate over 20,000 pounds (10 tons) of leftover, unwanted, or expired medications.

The goals of this program are to keep drugs off the street, prevent overdoses and accidental poisonings, and avoid environmental contamination. Drugs that can be accepted include prescription, over the counter (OTC), vitamins, herbals, supplements, and veterinary medications. Items that are not accepted through this program include needles or sharps, biohazard materials, and illegal drugs.

For more information on the DEA’s National Take-Back Day initiative, please visit the following link:

https://takebackday.dea.gov/

 

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Kingsport hosting Halloween Fortnite Tournament

Grab your spookiest costume and your favorite controller and come down to the V.O. Dobbins, Sr. Complex on Halloween morning for a special one-day Halloween Fortnite Tournament.

Hosted by Kingsport Parks and Recreation, the tournament takes place on October 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the facility’s Douglass Room (301 Louis Street). The event is for children and teens ages 6 to 17. The entry fee is $10 per person.

Participants will compete on Playstation 5 and XBOX Series S systems. Participants are welcome to bring their favorite controller and dress up in their spookiest costume. Each participant will play three matches and calculate the points from those matches to crown a winner.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/4wgOL8K. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “fortnite” in the search bar.

For information about other activities, events and programs offered by Kingsport Parks and Recreation, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

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Kingsport Dogwood Park hosting Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest

Why should humans have all the fun dressing up for Halloween? Our furry friends enjoy trick-or-treating just as much as we do.

Kingsport Parks and Recreation is embracing the Halloween season by hosting a Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest at Kingsport’s Dogwood Park (800 Granby Road). The free event takes place on October 29 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Open to dogs of all shapes and sizes.

“Dress up your dog in their scariest, funniest or most creative Halloween costume and get ready for a spooktacular event at Dogwood Park,” said Program Administrator Erin Larkin.

To register, please visit https://bit.ly/4xJIBhV. 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 “howl-o-ween” in the search bar.

For information about other events, activities and programs offered by the Kingsport Parks and Recreation Department, visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org.

Bays Mountain Park offering Halloween Yoga for Kids

Bays Mountain Park is inviting families to celebrate Halloween morning with a healthy dose of movement, outdoor play and holiday fun.

 

The park has partnered with a local yoga instructor to offer Halloween Yoga for Kids at the Fox Den Playground on October 31 beginning at 10:30 a.m. The event begins with 15 minutes of kid-friendly yoga, followed by active time on the playground and will conclude with a special Halloween treat at approximately 11:15 a.m.

 

This special holiday program offers a mix of structured movement and imaginative free play, making it the perfect way to kick off Halloween festivities.

 

Children ages 3 and up are invited to participate, and younger siblings are welcome to accompany them. While the program is free to attend, space is strictly limited to 20 children to ensure a quality experience for all participants. Registration is required in advance for headcount purposes.

 

Participants are highly encouraged to embrace the holiday spirit. Children may dress in their favorite Halloween costumes, provided the outfits allow them to move freely, stretch, and play safely on the playground. Parents are required to stay close by during the entirety of the program to ensure their child’s safety.

 

While the program itself is free, standard park entrance fees apply for non-members.

 

To register, visit https://bit.ly/4ALfs8W. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “yoga” in the search bar.

 

For more information about Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium, visit baysmountain.com or call 423-229-9447.

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Learn a new language with Spanish Made Simple course

Learning a new language can be both a demanding and rewarding experience. Whether you’re aiming to advance your career or just looking to fulfill a personal challenge, mastering a foreign language provides you with a variety of advantages across all areas of life.

And now is your chance to accept the challenge. Kingsport Parks and Recreation is offering a Spanish Made Simple course later this month at the Borden Park Community Center (901 Lamont Street). The classes will be taught by Dobyns-Bennett High School Spanish teacher Elizabeth Wilkins.

Classes will be held on Mondays from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. from October 26 through November 23. Participants ages 14 and up can register and the cost is $30 for city residents and $35 for non-city residents.

The course will introduce essential vocabulary, common phrases, pronunciation and everyday communication skills to help build confidence in speaking Spanish.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/46gJe7q. You can also click on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or go to www.kingsporttn.gov and click on the “CivicRec” link, then search for “Spanish” in the search bar.

For information about other programs, activities and classes offered by Kingsport Parks and Recreation, please visit www.kingsportparksandrecreation.org or call 423-224-2489.

Link to: City of Kingsport
City of Kingsport, Tennessee