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Alcoa Police arrest man accused of groping teen at restaurant

Submitted by WBIR Web Staff on Friday, December 6th, 5:22 pm

Alcoa Police have arrested Bruce William Ruck, 59, of Greenback, for the accused groping of a teenage girl at Panera Bread. He is charged with sexual battery.

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Alcoa Police are looking for more possible victims of a man accused of groping a teenage girl at a local restaurant.

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Plans for new Maryville to Townsend greenway revealed

Submitted by WBIR Web Staff on Thursday, December 5th, 5:52 pm

On Thursday, the plans for the new Maryville to Townsend greenway were shown to the general public. The idea is to build a 13-plus mile connector for existing greenways in Townsend and Maryville.

It's going to be expensive, at cost of over $20 million dollars, but organizers believe it will be worth it in the long run.

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Blount horse trainer indicted for animal cruelty

Submitted by WBIR Web Staff on Wednesday, December 4th, 11:28 am

(THE TENNESSEAN) A Tennessee Walking Horse trainer who has served as a show judge and on an industry group's ethics committee was indicted Monday on animal cruelty charges related to a soring case earlier this year.

Larry Joe Wheelon, a Maryville, Tenn., trainer, along with Randall Stacy Gunter, Brandon Lunsford and Blake T. Primm, are accused of applying acid to walking horses "in a depraved and sadistic manner" for "competition in horse shows," the indictment reads.

The only horse specifically named in the indictment is Jose's Happy Feet/Laura Kate.

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Alcoa's new police chief sworn in

Submitted by WBIR Web Staff on Monday, December 2nd, 2:51 pm

The city of Alcoa has a new police chief.

Chief Philip Potter was sworn in during a ceremony Monday morning. Potter started his career in Ohio, where he worked for 30 years and eventually became chief.

After that, he was the police chief in Huntersville, North Carolina, near Charlotte.

Before moving to Alcoa, Potter was already familiar with the city and the department. He assessed the department in July of 2012 for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement.

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19-year-old killed in fatal Maryville crash

Submitted by WBIR Web Staff on Monday, December 2nd, 12:34 pm

Emergency crews pronounced Brandon T. Helpingstine, 19, of Friendsville dead at the scene of the accident.

Helpingstine's Honda Accord ran off the roadway and struck a pole on Middlesettlements Road shortly after 7:15 a.m.

Police believe the crash killed him instantly.

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(WBIR) Blount County dispatchers confirmed at about 7:30 a.m. Monday that there was a serious crash in Maryville.

The accident happened at the intersection of Middlesettlements Road and Atchley Drive in Maryville near the Denso plant.

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Help out local Veterans by making holiday cards

Submitted by WBIR Web Staff on Sunday, December 1st, 3:20 pm

(WBIR) Blount County Veterans Affairs wants your help in bringing some holiday cheer this year to local Veterans.

The organization is asking as many people as possible to make holiday cards to send to veterans.

The Director of Veteran Affairs, Nathan Winebaum, said this is a great chance for people of all ages to give back and do something nice for Veterans who have done so much for us.

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