Missing teen’s body found in Greene County

A body found in a corn field in Greene County Tuesday has been positively identified as that of a missing juvenile.

According to a release from the Greeneville Police Department, at 12:21 a.m., Tuesday, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office was called to the 300 block of Doughty’s Chapel Road for a possible body.

The body was positively identified as Danielle Owens, 16-year-old who was reported missing in January. She was last seen Dec. 12, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Due to circumstances relating to another ongoing investigation, the Greeneville Police Department was notified, along with the TBI.

The body was taken to the William L. Jenkins Forensics Center at East Tennessee State University for an autopsy. No further information was made publicly available at this time.

THP to have checkpoints in Lakeway

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducting various checkpoints during the month of February in the Lakeway Area.

The THP will have driver license roadside safety check points during the week of Feb. 12-18 on State Route 66/State Route 160 in Hamblen County, as well as State Route 375 in Grainger County.

A sobriety roadside safety check point will be held the same week on State Route 63 in Claiborne County.

Recognizing the danger presented to the public by unqualified drivers, troopers will concentrate their efforts on vehicles being operated by drivers who would violate the driver license laws of Tennessee.

Impaired driving is a serious crime that kills more than 16,000 people and injures 305,000 others every year in the U.S. Troopers will evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment. Troopers will also target those who operate a vehicle while impaired and take corrective actions for other violations observed while ensuring protection of all motorists.

The THP has found these driver license roadside safety checkpoints to be an effective means of enforcing driver license laws of Tennessee while ensuring the protection of all motorists. The THP also recognizes that sobriety checkpoints are highly visible and effective tools in the battle against impaired driving.

Memphis officer took, shared photos of bloodied Nichols

MEMPHIS (AP) — Documents released Tuesday provided a scathing account of what authorities called the “blatantly unprofessional” conduct of five officers involved in the fatal police beating of Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop last month — including new revelations about how one officer took and shared pictures of the bloodied victim.

The officer, Demetrius Haley, stood over Nichols as he lay propped against a police car and took photographs, which Haley sent to other officers and a female acquaintance, according to documents released by the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission.

“Your on-duty conduct was unjustly, blatantly unprofessional and unbecoming for a sworn public servant,” the Memphis Police Department wrote in requesting that Haley and the other officers be decertified.

Haley’s lawyer declined to comment, and lawyers for the other four officers either declined to comment or did not respond to requests from The Associated Press.

The five officers — Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Tadarrius Bean, Justin Smith and Emmitt Martin III — have all been fired and charged with second-degree murder. The new documents offer the most detailed account to date of each officer’s actions.

Another officer has also been fired and a seventh has been relieved of duty in connection with the latest police killing to prompt angry nationwide protests and an intense public conversation about how police officers treat Black residents.

As many as 13 Memphis officers could end up being disciplined, officials said Tuesday.

The newly released documents are part of a request by the Memphis Police Department that the five officers who have been charged with murder be decertified and prohibited from working in law enforcement again. Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis signed each of the five requests to decertify the officers.

Haley, who was driving an unmarked car and wore a black sweatshirt hoodie over his head, forced Nichols from his car using loud profanity, then sprayed him directly in the eyes with a chemical irritant spray, according to the statement.

“You never told the driver the purpose of the vehicle stop or that he was under arrest,” it states.

Haley did not have his body camera on when he stopped Nichols but was on a phone call with someone who overheard the encounter.

Nichols ran from the officers but was apprehended again a few blocks away. At that point, Haley kicked him in the torso as three other officers were handcuffing him. Other officers kicked Nichols in the face, punched him or struck him with a baton. According to footage captured on a utility pole camera, one of the officers appears to quickly take a photo of Nichols on his phone as flashlights are shined on him.

Chief fired after termination of 5 officers in sex scandal

LA VERGNE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee police chief has been fired following an investigation into a sex scandal that also led to five officers being terminated.

La Vergne Police Chief Burrel “Chip” Davis was fired Monday, news outlets reported, citing a statement from the city just outside Nashville.

“The third-party investigator concluded Davis was aware of the sexual misconduct within his department and never reported or disciplined any of the officers involved,” the statement said.

Five officers were fired and three others suspended last month following an investigation into the allegations. La Vergne, which is 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of Nashville, has a population of 39,000, according to the U.S. Census. Its 60-person police department now has 12 vacancies with Davis’ dismissal.

La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole began investigating the department in December after getting an anonymous complaint, according to an investigative report that WSMV-TV obtained through a records request. The investigation found that some officers who worked second shift were engaging in unreported sexual relationships, having sex on duty and on city-owned property, and committing sexual harassment by sending explicit photos and videos.

“There aren’t words to describe the disappointment and frustration felt by myself and other city leaders,” Cole said on Monday. “Officers are held to a higher standard, even more so is their chief.”

Deputy Chief Brent Hatcher will lead the agency while the city conducts a nationwide search for a new chief, the city said.

AMC to charge more for good seats in movie theaters

NEW YORK (AP) — Middle seats at many U.S. movie theaters just got more expensive.

AMC Theaters, the nation’s largest movie theater chain, on Monday unveiled a new pricing scheme in which seat location determines how much your movie ticket costs. Seats in the middle of the auditorium will cost a dollar or two more, while seats in the front row will be slightly cheaper.

AMC said the pricing plan, dubbed “Sightline,” has already been rolled out in some locations and, by the end of the year, will be in place at all domestic AMC theaters during showings after 4 p.m.

Seats classified as “standard sightline” will be at the regular price. If you want to pay less for the “value sightline” seats, you have to be a member of the chain’s subscription service, AMC Stubs.

As movie theaters have attempted to recover from the pandemic, exhibitors have increasingly looked at more variable pricing methods. That’s included charging more for sought-after movies like “The Batman” in their first week of release.

Last weekend, Paramount Pictures partnered with theater chains to offer slightly reduced ticket prices for the comedy “80 for Brady.” And last year, during a dry spell in theaters, tickets at most movie theaters were $3 for “National Cinema Day.”

But in most circumstances, movie tickets are getting more expensive, especially when factoring in large-format screens and 3D showings. The average 3D premium format ticket for the biggest box-office hit in recent years, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” was about $16.50.

New Market VFD hosts Valentines Dance Saturday

A Valentine’s Dance will be held Saturday, Feb. 11 at the New Market Volunteer Fire Department, located at 934 West Old Andrew Johnson Highway. Hours of the dance will be from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Music will be provided by the Dixie Rose Band. Prizes will be awarded for “Oldest Married Couple” and “Youngest Married Couple.” Concessions will be available. For more information, call 865-475-4064

Plemons named Sevier County Market President

SmartBank recently announced the promotion of Chris Plemons to Sevier County Market President.

Plemons, a native of Sevier County, joined SmartBank with the Sevier County Bank acquisition in 2021. He was the former Chief Lending Officer for Sevier County Bank and has been an integral part of SmartBank’s lending team in Sevier County. With over 15 years of banking experience, Plemons will be a key component in SmartBank’s continued market growth, productivity, and profitability in the Sevier County Market.