Tennessee news in brief

County jail overcrowded again after expansion

CLINTON (AP) — Less than two years after an expansion, officials say the Anderson County Jail is overcrowded again.

Chief jailer Avery Johnson said in memo Tuesday to county officials that the situation is making for a “potentially volatile” work environment.

The 168-bed jail expanded capacity to 226 inmates in 2007, but there was an average of 258 prisoners there last month and current population sits at 270.

Johnson said an increased arrest rate and a surge in defendants jailed for pending misdemeanor charges is boosting the population.

Johnson wants the county to consider an alternative to jail for those facing misdemeanors.

———

Information from: The Knoxville News Sentinel, http://www.knoxnews.com

———

Tenn. airports get $17.5 M in recovery funds

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — Four Tennessee airports will get a total of $17.5 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for construction and renovations.

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation announced the allocations Wednesday through the Federal Aviation Administration and a discretionary block grant to the state.

The Nashville International Airport will get $5 million for apron rehabilitation. The McGhee Tyson Airport, which serves Knoxville, will get $5 million for taxiway rehabilitation. And Lovell Field in Chattanooga will get $3 million for apron construction.

Also the Greeneville-Greene County Municipal Airport will receive $4.5 million in a grant administered by Tennessee to fund the first phase of runway rehabilitation.

———

More teens to be

interviewed in porn case

NASHVILLE (AP) — Police in Nashville say they have identified more teenagers who spent time at the home of a teacher who is charged with secretly videotaping juveniles having sex.

Police spokesman Don Aaron said investigators will interview the youngsters.

The Tennessean quoted Fraternal Order of Police President Robert Weaver saying suspect Louis Jay Levine and his father, Morris Levine, visited a youth camp operated by the group, giving comic books to campers and sexually explicit magazines to officers who worked as counselors.

Police said Louis Levine, who is 52, was arrested Tuesday on a federal warrant charging him with producing child pornography.

Levine taught in Murfreesboro and was also a substitute teacher in Nashville schools.

Morris Levine died in 2001.

 

  ———

Information from: The Tennessean, http://www.tennessean.com



Published in The Messenger 4.9.09

Print