Bianca Marais
WJHL
Johnson City, TN, United States
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Past articles by Bianca:
Kingsport Senior Center combatting isolation with digital literacy
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Kingsport Senior Center was awarded a digital literacy grant combating isolation in older Americans. The Senior Trust Consortium divided $3 million dollars into grants for 28 senior centers across the nation. Kingsport Senior Center Manager Shirley Buchanan explained that pandemic isolation for seniors became deadly for some, but the reality […] → Read More
Boy starts fundraiser to help best friend pay for new house
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) – A local 10-year-old boy ran a lemonade stand to raise funds for a unique cause. After Grayson Fink heard his best friend, Ariana, had to move, he wanted to help. the reason – Ariana’s mom is a single mother of four kids who all have some sort of disability. Grayson’s mom, […] → Read More
Leaders at odds on how to allocate Baby Doe settlement funds
(WJHL) – Greene County leadership may not be ready to commit to a proposed $21 million drug treatment facility to be paid for with Baby Doe opioid lawsuit settlement funds. The facility would be located in Carter County and cover that nine-county area in Northeast Tennessee, making up the areas included as plaintiffs alongside Baby […] → Read More
Flags are up, Fun Fest prep in full swing
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – Street banners were installed up and down Center Street, marking the beginning of Fun Fest season in Kingsport. The nine-day event officially kicks off Friday, but organizers told News Channel 11 that there are plenty of pre-festival activities to keep them busy. “There’s some free events of course going on for […] → Read More
Tenn. Deputy Ag Commissioner visits Kingsport Farmers Market
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – Rain did not stop the Tennesse Deputy Agriculture Commissioner from touring the Kingsport Farmers Market Saturday morning and speaking with local producers. Like any Saturday morning between April and October, the Kingsport Farmer’s Market was bustling with people buying and selling local produce and goods, and even the rain didn’t stop […] → Read More
Small businesses gear up for customer influx as casino opens
BRISTOL (Tenn./Va.) – The feeling of excitement is palpable as one walks down State Street. Small businesses prepare for the largest influx of customers since before the pandemic. Every kind of small local business stands to benefit from the additional feet on the street following the grand opening of the Bristol Casino slated for Friday […] → Read More
SCSO hosts community roundtable for local support agencies
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Friday hosted its first community roundtable to bridge the gap between support agencies and those in need. Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Liaison Deborah Mullins told News Channel 11 that she began reaching out to non-profit organizations months ago to unify the different groups. Thus, […] → Read More
Fun Fest Store officially open, organizers gear up for 41st anniversary
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Fun Fest Store officially opened Friday to kick off preparations for the nine-day event in July. Organizers told News Channel 11 that the store opening means Fun Fest has basically already started. They hope to draw out the festival beyond just the nine days by creating more hype than in […] → Read More
Parents react to abuse allegations against Kingsport special ed teacher
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – Imagine scrolling through your social media feed or flipping through the television channels only to land upon a news story regarding “possible child abuse” allegations with the photo of a teacher who looks eerily familiar to you. And then it dawns on you that the person in the photo was your […] → Read More
Parents given 2 weeks to relocate students after Sullivan Co STEM school closure
In a letter and voicemail to parents this week, the principal of Sullivan County’s only science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) school confirmed the academy would close. Parents were given until July 1 to enroll their kids elsewhere. → Read More
Downtown loan program aims to help small businesses in Kingsport
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – A new loan program launched in downtown Kingsport aims to keep the Model City from becoming a ghost town by helping small businesses grow. “We do have vacancies in downtown Kingsport but those are at a steady clip being filled,” said Downtown Kingsport Association’s Robin Cleary. “We have probably the most […] → Read More
The Great Resignation: How COVID changed where we work
KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) – The novel coronavirus pandemic changed so many aspects of our lives, and for some people, it changed how and where they work. This is one side of the so-called Great Resignation. The term “great resignation” started floating around throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and looking at statistics, more people are quitting than […] → Read More
Weber City police officers fight for hazard duty pay, better health insurance
WEBER CITY, Va. (WJHL) – The Town of Weber City could lose its four-man police department unless the Town Council agrees to do two things: provide hazardous duty supplemental pay and better health insurance. However, it’s not that simple. Any employer who opts for the hazard pay must do an actuarial study that shows what […] → Read More
Sullivan Co. school board approves CTE apprenticeship programs
SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Students in Sullivan County will now have the opportunity to benefit from industrial workplace learning programs following a school board vote Monday. The boar… → Read More
Attorneys meet before Megan Boswell motions hearing Monday
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) – As the trial for the woman charged with murdering her 15-month-old daughter draws nearer, the cogs of the legal system continue to click. Megan Boswell’s defense attorney Thursday met with the district attorney as well as the judge in the case to discuss the agenda for her court appearance on Monday. […] → Read More
Weber City VFD hosts flea market in biggest fundraiser ever
WEBER CITY, Va. (WJHL) – Most volunteer fire departments across the region host annual fundraisers to keep the doors open, as state and local funding only takes them so far. The Weber City Volunteer Fire Department in May unveiled its new fire station along US Highway 23 – the main vein that runs through the […] → Read More
New clients, new jobs — ACT adding 350 jobs in Kingsport, 300 in Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — Advanced Call Center Technologies (ACT) will add 650 total jobs to its Tri-Cities workforce and fill an empty call center as the company opens new “inbound contact centers” in Kingsport and Bristol. “These are new projects serving new clients of ACT,” NETWORKS-Sullivan County CEO Clay Walker told News Channel 11 Monday. […] → Read More
Washington County, Va. Confederate statues re-dedicated at new park
ABINGDON, Va. (WJHL) – Two Confederate statues in Washington County, Virginia are the start of a new veterans memorial park. At a Friday dedication, organizers told News Channel 11 that the June 3 date was significant because the statues had originally been dedicated 140 years prior on the same date. “Our great ancestors dedicated this […] → Read More
Father of killed Emory & Henry student files multi-million dollar lawsuit
The lawsuit claims the college’s negligence surrounding Greek life activities at the school led to Gracie Dimit’s death. → Read More
Former Kingsport City Hall refurbished as creative business incubator
Kingsport’s former city hall has a new purpose – retaining and attracting local creatives and helping them develop creative businesses. → Read More