Local News

Nearly a week after a shooter opened fire at a Georgia high school, school safety is top of mind across the country and in Middle Tennessee. In Donelson, one academy shared how they address safety concerns with a defense staff and bullet-resistant glass. Jeremy Hayes, Executive Director of Schools for Generation Changers Academy Without going into much detail for security reasons, he said the academy also has a defense staff of staff members including himself. Hayes said, “If someone comes in here with bad intentions, we are going to have the best opportunity to protect our students and our families”

Portland has joined a growing list of Tennessee cities that are enacting voluntary water restrictions for their residents. The city says they are nearing “emergency status” with their water supply due to the drought and low levels at their two water sources: West Forks Drake Creek and Portland City Lake. Mayor Mike Callis Ortland is currently working on a collaborative grant that would build a 23-mile water pipeline from Gallatin to Portland and deliver up to two million gallons of drinking water per day. However, funding is a concern. Long-term, Callis said Portland must find a way to retain the water that often floods their creek. For now, he considers these optional water restrictions a natural pitfall of drought.

Thousands of acres within a national forest are being searched for the man referred to as the Kentucky interstate shooter. A Kentucky State Police say the manhunt for Joseph Couch has been responsible for more than a dozen school districts shut down Monday across a wide swath of southeastern Kentucky local, state, and federal authorities searched for the gunman who opened fire on an interstate highway and wounded five people over the weekend. Officials said all of the people injured in the shooting are expected to survive.

Tropical Storm Francine is forecasted to impact Middle Tennessee. Heavy rain, gusty winds, and severe weather are all possible when it gets here. The chance for heavy rain might sound like a good thing, but according to Tennessee State Climatologist Andrew Joyner, it could cause more harm than good. He says when you have a long drought followed by a heavy rain event, a lot of that rain runs off or could cause damage to plants with weak root systems. Joiner said for the drought to completely go away we will need several more heavy rain events over the coming weeks and months.