Regional News

Ex Oak Ridge Officer charged with beating suspect

OAK RIDGE, Tennessee (WDEF) - A former police officer in Oak Ridge has been charged with assaulting a suspect. The TBI was asked to look into the incident from December. They found that during an investigation, then-officer Andre James Thompson…

Walker County house fire kills 2 people

WALKER COUNTY, Ga (WDEF) - Walker County Fire and rescue responded to a report of a structure fire early Monday morning. The house located at 491 Bicentennial Trail was consumed in heavy smoke and flames when firefighters arrived. "The first arriving…

Resident complains about landfill smell

RHEA COUNTY, Tennessee- Donna Mcgainey said outside of the Rhea County Solid Waste Facility, there is usually an awful smell wafting through the neighborhood. "The debris on the road, the smell is horrendous," said Mcgainey. "Maybe we need to be…

Humane Educational Society Pet Portrait Mural Auction

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - The Humane Educational Society is finding creative ways of  enhancing their brand new facility with murals of local pets. A total of five pet portraits are planned for the entrance to the new HES building.  The murals…

Speaker proposes free Georgia ID cards for voters

ATLANTA, Georgia (WDEF) - As Georgia lawmakers consider several voting reform bills, House Speaker David Ralston is floating one idea. The Blue Ridge Republican is proposing that State ID cards should be free to all eligible Georgians. Right now, you…

Chattanooga teen missing, believed to be held captive by father

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - Daphne Westbrook disappeared from Hamilton County in October of 2019 after she spent the weekend with her father. She has now been spotted in New Mexico and Colorado.” Authorities believe Daphne Westbrook’s father, John Oliver Westbrook, has…

Dolly Parton posts her Covid vaccine photo

(WDEF) - Dolly Parton tweeted on Tuesday a photo of her getting her Covid vaccine with a clever caption. "Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine." The reference is to her donation of a million dollars to Vanderbilt to…

Tennessee expanding vaccines to 1-C category

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) - Tennessee health officials are expanding the pool of vaccines as they expect increased shipments. Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey announced the state will now include the 1-C category, adding more than a million Tennesseans to vaccine qualification.…

Latest voting fraud investigations include Trion widow

ATLANTA, Georgia (WDEF) - Georgia election officials sent their third batch of alleged voting violations to prosecutors last week, including a case against a northwest Georgia woman accused of turning in a vote by her deceased husband. Investigators say the…

Tennessee Senate OKs anti-trans athlete bill

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee’s GOP-dominant Senate has advanced legislation that would ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports. On Monday, 27 Republicans voted in favor of the measure while all six Democratic members…

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