WJSQ WLAR

01/15/2025

Alert. A has been issued on behalf of the Blount County Sheriff's Office for 63-year-old Terry Lowe. He was last seen late Tuesday morning and is believed to be driving a 2006 Black Mercury Milan with TN tag 961BBJT. Terry has a medical condition that may impair his ability to return home safely without assistance.

If you see Terry or the vehicle, please call the Blount County Sheriff's Office at 865-983-3620 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

01/15/2025

Fire personnel were dispatched to an accident close to 8:30 Tuesday evening at the intersection of Co Rds 460 and 459, Englewood. It appeared the driver of the vehicle hit a patch of ice and overturned. Upon the arrival fire personnel they found the occupants of the 2002 Ford Escape had left the scene of the accident. Englewood Rural Fire and McMinn Co Sheriff’s Dept both responded with Sheriff's Corporal Zac Hawkins investigating the accident. Photo by Lynn Ingram, Englewood Rural Fire Department

01/14/2025

01/10/2025

The snowplow overturned on the west side of Ashland City on Friday afternoon.

01/10/2025

Post your snow pics and maybe a little later "Handsome Dan" Fletcher will show some of them on the air.

01/09/2025

This 2008 Jeep Wrangler was traveling east on Hwy 39 @ Co Rd 567, Englewood close to the new bridge construction when it rolled after hitting a culvert about 3pm Wednesday. The driver was ejected onto the highway. Englewood Rural Fire first responders treated the patient until AMR arrived. AMR took the patient to an LZ which was set up at Englewood School by Etowah Rural Fire department where the patient was then flown by LifeStar to UT Hospital Knoxville. Also assisting was Athens Rural Fire, MCMinn County Sheriff’s Department and THP Trooper Andrew Metelits investigated the accident. Englewood Rural Fire Captain Josh Roach was in command of the scene. Photos by Lynn Ingram, Englewood Rural Fire Department

01/09/2025

Monday @8:30 am on Co Rd 468 fire personnel were Dispatched to a vehicle accident that supposedly the vehicle had overturned, however, upon arrival of fire personnel they found this 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe hanging on the embankment with no one around the vehicle. Englewood Rural Fire and Etowah Fire Departments responded along with Darrell Wright with the McMinn County Sheriff's Department, whom investigated the accident. Photo by Lynn Ingram, Englewood Rural Fire Department

01/08/2025

01/06/2025

Around midnight on Friday January 3, the Rhea County Sheriff Department Tracking K-9 Unit and Rhea County Emergency Management Drones responded to assist Athens Police Department, McMinn County Sheriff’s Department, and Tennessee Highway Patrol in locating a suspect following a foot pursuit from a traffic stop. Within minutes of K-9 Blondie starting the track, the suspect was located in the woodline between the lanes of Interstate 75. Athens Police Department took the suspect into custody and transported him to their facility for booking.

01/06/2025

Friday close to 10am on Hwy 163 Delano fire personnel were dispatched to a chicken house on fire, however, upon arrival of fire personnel it was chicken litter inside a chicken house on fire from spontaneous combustion. The fire was quickly extinguished by Claxton Fire, Etowah Rural Fire and Englewood Rural Fire with Etowah Rural Asst Fire Chief Kevin Elliott in command of the scene. Photo by Lynn Ingram, Englewood Rural Fire Department

01/04/2025

Around 11 Thursday night this mobile home located on Co Rd 560, Athens caught fire in the bedroom which quickly spread to the other parts leaving it with heavy heat and fire damage. The occupants had to be checked out for smoke inhalation. Responding agencies were Englewood Rural Fire, Athens Rural Fire, AMR and McMinn County Sheriff’s Department. Photo by Englewood Rural Fire Department

01/03/2025

Starr Regional Medical Center welcomes First Baby of 2025

Athens, Tennessee (January 3, 2025) – Starr Regional Medical Center is celebrating 2025 with the year’s first bundle of joy, Layton Rhett Akers, born to Haley Woods and Damian Akers of Spring City, Tenn. Weighing 7 pounds and 8 ounces and measuring 19 inches, Layton arrived Wednesday, Jan. 1, at 1:55 p.m.
“We are excited to welcome our baby boy to our family,” said Woods. “The doctors, nurses and staff at Starr Regional Medical Center are wonderful. I chose to have Layton and his siblings here because they take great care of us. They made this experience special.”
Starr Regional’s Center for Women & Babies is committed to providing high quality, compassionate care close to home for new and expecting parents in the region. The Center offers a complete program of prenatal and postnatal services to ensure mother and newborn get off to a healthy, joyful start.
“Our team of maternity professionals is committed to creating a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment for moms and babies,” said Laura Richesin, RN, Director of Women’s Services at Starr Regional Medical Center. “We are passionate about helping families in our community welcome their newest additions in a positive and memorable way.”
In celebration of being the first baby born in 2025 at Starr Regional Medical Center, the family was presented with gifts, including: a quilt from the Heritage Quilt Guild made by guild member Illene Bryant; gift cards from Athens Pediatrics, PLLC, and Covenant Pediatrics; a gift from the McMinn County Education Foundation; and a gift basket of infant care items from Starr Regional Medical Center.
Starr Regional’s Center for Women & Babies is located on the Athens campus at 1114 West Madison Avenue. To learn more or to schedule a tour of our facilities, please call (423) 744-3280, or visit StarrRegional.com.

01/01/2025

We would like to say thank you to all of our loyal customers who supported us in 2024! Midway Milkshake will be open and serving the “good luck” lunch tomorrow 1/1/25 Turnip greens, black eyed peas, chops and cornbread. We will have our full menu for those that do not participate in this New Years tradition! No matter what you eat or where you are the MM family wants to wish you a Happy New Year!!

12/31/2024

Stay Safe this New Year's Eve! See you Next Year!

12/30/2024

Thursday this 2021 Kia Sorento was traveling north on Hwy 411@ Co Rd 858, Etowah when it crossed the median, crossed the southbound lanes, went through a guard rail, and rolled over multiple times down an embankment into a field. The driver had to be extricated. AMR treated the driver at the scene until LifeStar landed on the scene. The patient was flown to UT Hospital Knoxville. Etowah City Fire, Etowah Rural Fire, Englewood Rural Fire, and McMinn County Sheriff's Department all responded with Etowah Rural Asst Fire Chief Kevin Elliott in command of the scene. THP Trooper Jackson Mowrer investigated the accident. Photo by Lynn Ingram, Englewood Rural Fire Department