Katherine Simpson
WJHL
Johnson City, TN, United States
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Past articles by Katherine:
Kingsport girl awaits heart transplant
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Kingsport 11-year-old Filicia Mc Euen describes her experience waiting for a heart transplant in one word: “long.” She’s been hospitalized at Vanderbilt University Medical Center since August when she came in for a change to her pacemaker’s batteries. Doctors decided the Colonial Heights resident needed around-the-clock care and eventually a new […] → Read More
Elizabethton City Council approves club’s cruise-in events beginning in May
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) — During a tense meeting Thursday evening, Elizabethton city leaders approved a car club’s request to hold weekly cruise-ins downtown, but the events will begin a month later than usual this year. In a split vote, the Elizabethton City Council approved a special events request by the Carter County Car Club. After […] → Read More
Bristol, TN City Council approves further expansion Fox Meadows project
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Bristol, Tennessee City Council approved a further annexation for the Fox Meadows development Tuesday. The new land will allow builders to add two additional homes to the project, which was previously set to add 180 new homes to the city’s housing supply. “I appreciate this development bringing the housing which […] → Read More
Bristol State Liners could move to Tennessee
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — A plan is in motion to move Bristol’s Appalachian League team to Bristol, Tennessee. Bristol State Liners President and General Manager and Bristol, Tennessee City Council member Mahlon Luttrell made his pitch to fellow council members Tuesday. He wants the city to contribute to the construction of a $7 million new […] → Read More
Erwin BMA delays vote on tiny homes, campgrounds
ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Erwin Board of Mayor and Aldermen delayed votes on two proposed ordinances that would ban the construction of tiny homes and campgrounds within town limits at their meeting Monday night. Both measures came before the board at the recommendation of the Planning Commission which approved them on Feb. 22. After […] → Read More
Kingsport expects 200-900 new students by 2033
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Kingsport City Schools’ new superintendent, Dr. Chris Hampton, says the district is in a strong position and gearing up for future growth. “I will be surprised if we’re not building an elementary school between 2026 and 2033,” Hampton told News Channel 11 on Tuesday. “At least in elementary school, and maybe […] → Read More
Local educator: Rejecting federal funding would be ‘dangerous’
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Local educators expressed concern about Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s proposal to reject federal education funding at a Washington County Democratic Party-hosted forum Tuesday. “To refuse federal funding to me is dangerous,” said Indian Trail Middle School teacher and Tennessee Education Association Vice President Joe Crabtree. Crabtree said even though […] → Read More
Business owner: JC Mall closure already causing impact
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Mall at Johnson City is closed until further notice after a waterline break was reported at the building, and one local business owner said the toll it will take on her business is significant. Sari Maharani, owner of iEat by Chopstixpress, told News Channel 11 on Thursday that even […] → Read More
Kingsport BMA extends deadline for overdue water payments
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL)–Around 600 water customers in Kingsport are getting relief thanks to a decision by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The BMA voted unanimously on Tuesday to modify the city’s policies for water billing, in order to give customers more time to pay off bills. Now the customers have a year, or until […] → Read More
Third-grade English learners face potential retention
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — Around ten Kingsport students will face an extra challenge when they begin TCAP testing this spring. Tennessee’s controversial third-grade retention law will hold children learning English as a second language to the same testing standard as other students, provided that they’ve received English instruction for the past two years. Kingsport Assistant […] → Read More
Friend of second Sullivan County homicide victim speaks out
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A friend of Barry Countiss, the second victim in last week’s double shooting in Blountville, is speaking out after his death. Countiss was found dead in his home last Thursday morning when local police responded to his home for a welfare check. The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office says he was […] → Read More
County approves funding for meat processing plant
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Washington County Commission voted unanimously to grant $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for a proposed meat processing facility Monday. The vote is the latest hurdle to be cleared for a group of farmers working to increase local access to meat processing facilities. The money will be paid […] → Read More
Virginia abortion bills rejected in subcommittee
RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) — Three bills limiting abortions are unlikely to become law this year after failing in a Virginia Senate subcommittee Friday morning. Democrats on the Health Professions Subcommittee recommended the full committee kill the bills, a decision that is likely to be upheld by the full committee. Three bills failed to gain the […] → Read More
Parents sound off on 3rd grade retention law
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL)–Tri-Cities school systems are adapting to the new reality created by the third-grade retention law. Two local districts, Elizabethton and Kingsport City Schools, sp… → Read More
Local foster parents ask state to improve foster care system
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A recent state report confirms what many local foster families already knew — Tennessee’s foster system faces extreme instability. Last week, the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth reported Tennessee’s instability is the highest in the country. The State of the Child Report for 2022 found the state to have […] → Read More
Sullivan County BOE asks for changes to 3rd-grade retention law
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Sullivan County Board of Education is urging state lawmakers to put power back in local hands. The board voted 6-1 to send a resolution to the General Assembly asking lawmakers to reconsider a controversial law requiring third graders to repeat the grade if they don’t achieve proficiency in English Language […] → Read More
Jonesborough alderman: Leaders ‘heartbroken’ over water outages, committed to accelerating upgrades
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — An alderman in Tennessee’s oldest town says elected leaders are “heartbroken” at the outsized impact the bitter Christmas cold had on town water customers and hope to accelerate planned upgrades. About 80% of the town’s 13,000 water customers had their service disrupted for anywhere from four to six days after the […] → Read More
‘I heard screaming, running down the hallway’: 911 caller recalls fatal Monarch Apartments shooting
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The same day Monarch Apartments’ owners sent residents a lengthy description of planned security changes at the complex, News Channel 11 spoke with Timmothy Walker, a Monarch resident who called 911 the night Ja’Shon Yates was killed there. Walker lives a few doors down from apartment 4205, where the Jan. […] → Read More
TN, VA legislators mull marijuana policy on eve of new sessions
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A year and a half after major marijuana legislation became effective in Virginia, law enforcement and legislators on both sides of the border are confronting the consequences. Virginia decriminalized the possession of marijuana in 2021. Some lawmakers say the decision to allow individuals to grow up to four marijuana plants […] → Read More
More Washington County residents to have water Friday
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Jonesborough utility district will restore service to more areas Friday. Mayor Chuck Vest says the district will move on to the Washington College, Telford and Limestone zones tomorrow before moving north to Bowmantown. Vest told News Channel 11 that he can’t give a precise estimate as to when all 13,000 […] → Read More