Jeff Mcclain

The same week that winds would again stoke up flames in the mountains of East Tennessee, lawyers were still wrangling over who is to blame for the handling of the Gatlinburg wildfires 8 years ago.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Knoxville voters will have the chance to decide on an overhaul to city elections after a vote Tuesday by city council members. The changes come in the form of two or…

The suspect charged in Loudon County murder is an Army veteran whose battle with post-traumatic stress disorder drew national attention after his return from Iraq.

Case closed as a “justifiable homicide” is how Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen describes the conclusion of her probe into the killing of Matthew Rose, the man suspected of ki…

The Tennessee Volunteers get to start 2024 with a bowl match-up against the Iowa Hawkeyes. That’s a bit of a better placement than some expected, as the big orange seemed on the edge of an aw…

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The progress button is in the “On” position in Tennessee. Unemployment is very low at 3.3 percent in October, just a few ticks higher than the record low set in August. Regularly, we’re bringing you news of a new factory coming to the area or a business expanding. Construction sites are humming. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story, especially if you’re trying to find an apartment or house in 2023. “My rent has gone up 25%. I know there’s a number of renters whose…

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — From third-grade retention to school safety, several issues have impacted students and teachers across Tennessee in 2023. Parents, schools, and lawmakers faced the ramifications of what had been a bi-partisan law when it passed, not allowing kids to move on from third to fourth grade if they didn’t score proficient on […]

By and large, East Tennessee communities are safe places. But they’re hardly free from crime. Public safety and justice are core missions of the government and how tax dollars are put to use. We’re looking back at 2023 through the lens of protecting and serving.

In 2022, nearly everything cost more, in some cases a lot more. Inflation stuck around, even as the federal reserve hiked interest rates. East Tennesseans felt the squeeze at the pump and when it w…

Bombay Palace on Parkside Drive earned a 76 from the inspector.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The number of active cases of COVID-19 in Knox County and across Tennessee is on the rise. Wednesday, the Knox County Health Department reported 780 active cases for the 7 days beginning May 15 and ending May 21. That figure represents an increase of 188 active cases from the prior 7-day period. Active cases had already been rising in the prior period with 409 active cases reported by the health department on May 5. No COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Knox County s…

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The horrifying shooting on Monday that left at least 3 children and 3 adults dead in Nashville serves as a reminder of how often killings at American schools make the headlines. East Tennessee has seen gun violence in schools around the area over the years. February 10th - Students had been dismissed early because of snow. School leaders held a meeting with 4th Grade teacher Mark Foster, telling him that his contract would not be renewed. He left then returned and shot…