Study: Georgia sees more deadly crashes in rural areas
ATLANTA, Ga. (WDEF) - The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) released results from a 2021 study looking into rural versus urban car crashes. More than…
Former Georgia bulldog mascot Uga X dies with 2 national championships during his term
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Former Georgia mascot Uga X, whose eight-year run included back-to-back national championships, died Tuesday. Uga X, part of the line of English bulldog mascots which began in 1955, was 2 when he began his run on…
Monroe County man sentenced to prison on child rape charges
MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) -- A Tellico Plains man recently pled guilty to six counts of raping a child. Brandon Wesley Lethco, 36, pled guilty on Monday, January 22, according to District Attorney Shari Tayloe. Brandon…
Blood Assurance suggests pause on elective surgeries
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Blood Assurance is requesting blood donations from the public due to having a very low supply. Additionally, they are asking hospitals to hold off on elective surgeries until at least Wednesday, January 24. Blood Assurance is requesting…
Georgia's governor says more clean energy will be needed to fuel electric vehicle manufacturing
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia, a capital for electric vehicle production, needs to increase its supply of electricity produced without burning fossil fuels in order to meet industries’ demand for clean energy, Gov. Brian Kemp told world business leaders Thursday. Speaking…
Plan for $400 million monkey-breeding facility in southwest Georgia draws protest
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (AP) — Some local residents and an animal-rights group are protesting plans for a monkey-breeding facility in southwest Georgia. Opponents on Tuesday urged the Bainbridge City Council to block plans by a company called Safer Human Medicine to…
Body recovered from Fall Creek Falls during -13 degrees
SPENCER, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Several rescue agencies assisted in recovering the body of a person who was lost in Fall Creek Falls State Park. The rescue mission took about 17 hours total to complete.…
TN Authorities investigating Cumberland County murder-suicide
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office began investigating a homicide in Fairfield Glade on Wednesday morning. From this incident, two people are deceased and one other is severely injured. At the time of the 911 call,…
Washington's Kalen DeBoer informs team he's leaving to replace Nick Saban at Alabama, AP source says
Washington coach Kalen DeBoer has informed the team he is leaving to replace Nick Saban at Alabama, according to a person who attended the meeting. DeBoer, 49, is a former NAIA coach who led Washington to the national championship game…
Gov. Kemp proposes pay raises in State of the State
ATLANTA (WDEF) -- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp proposed a pay raise to public employees and teachers in his State of the State Address on Thursday. Kemp said he wants to give a 4% cost of living increase to public employees.…
Firearms detected at Tennessee airports decreases in 2023
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The TSA said there was a decrease in firearm detection at Tennessee airports in 2023. Statewide, there was a 14% decrease in firearms detected in carry-on luggage from 2022. There were 313 detections of guns in…
Federal judge says Alabama can carry out nation’s 1st execution using nitrogen gas; appeal likely
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama will be allowed to put an inmate to death with nitrogen gas later this month, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, clearing the way for what would be the nation’s first execution under a new method…
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp tells business group he wants to spend $1.8 billion more on infrastructure
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told a business group on Wednesday that he'll propose $1.8 billion in additional spending on infrastructure, as well as expand health care training for dentists and physicians, showing how the state's $11 billion…
Hunter Biden makes surprise appearance on Capitol Hill as Republicans weigh contempt of Congress
Washington — Hunter Biden, President Biden's son, made an unexpected appearance at a contentious meeting of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, where Republicans are moving forward with an effort to punish him for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena. The…
Tennessee Titans fire Head Coach Mike Vrabel
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Titans have fired Head Coach Mike Vrabel, they announced on Tuesday. They plan to have a press conference…
Alabama residents can get free radon testing kit
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WDEF) -- Alabama residents can receive a free radon test kit for their home from the department of public health (ADPH). The ADPH noted that radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. It is a…
Sprawling storm wallops US with tornado reports, damage and heavy snow, closing roads and schools
A sprawling winter storm hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings that blew roofs off homes and tossed about furniture Tuesday and brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half a foot of snow,…
Tennessee rescue squads can now apply for state grant
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Tennessee has a new Rescue Squad Grant Program and applications opened on Monday. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) will be providing $3 million in grants…
Nashville man killed his wife on New Year's Day with a hammer and buried her body, police say
A Nashville man was charged with murder and other related crimes over the weekend, after he allegedly killed his wife on New Year's Day and buried her body in a neighboring county,…
Falcons fire coach Arthur Smith hours after completing 3rd straight 7-10 season
By PAUL NEWBERRY/AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — Arthur Smith, who inherited a rebuilding project in his first NFL head coaching job and failed to lift Atlanta from its playoff drought, was fired late Sunday night, hours after completing his…
Child dies in Cumberland County house fire
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) -- A child died over the weekend in a Cumberland County house fire. The sheriff's office said the fire happened around 5:30 p.m. central time on Sunday at a house on Fall Creek Road. [caption id="attachment_1526617"…
Nude man nabbed by police after 'cannonball' plunge into giant aquarium at Bass Pro Shop in Alabama
LEEDS, Alabama (AP) — A man crashed his car outside a Bass Pro Shop in Alabama, stripped down to his birthday suit and plunged into the giant aquarium inside the store, police said. The ordeal happened Thursday night in front…
Rep. Martin files bill to create tax holiday for baby products
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Tennessee Rep. Greg Martin from Hamilton County filed a bill on Thursday to create a tax holiday for some baby products. He hopes, if passed, this will ease the cost of parenthood. House Bill 1637 would…
Georgia deputy is killed when struck by a police car during a chase
LANETT, Ala. (AP) — A Georgia sheriff's deputy was fatally injured Thursday morning when he was stuck by another law enforcement vehicle during a police chase that crossed into Alabama. Deputy Sheriff Eric Minix / Coweta…