The runaway bunny in Sevierville has been captured and rescued. When last seen he was on the way to Dr. Ratliff's office for a check up and headed to a new home.

The Fort Sanders Sevier Senior Center, in partnership with UT Extension Office, is hosting “Senior Survivor, The Game of Life.” 

Participants will be given a “Life Style” Scenario, and will have to make financial choices at twelve different stations.  This activity has been developed by the Senior Center Staff locally and is the first of its kind in Tennessee.

This event will be held February 25, from 1:15 to 2:15 at the Senior Center.

Any questions, please contact Linda Hyder at 453-3695 or lyder@utk.edu, or Lisa Yarber, Director of Senior Center, at 453-8080 extension 100.

We first thought this bunny might be an advance spy for the Easter Bunny. But we think she/he is a Runaway Bunny. As you can see from the photo below she/he is very used to people.

She/he is located at 635 Wall St. in downtown Sevierville. Please call 428-5711 for more information if this is your bunny or you would like to rescue the bunny.

It's been a while since I have been to Food Lion. I rarely cross the intersection needed to get there, but I can see why people who live on that side of town like Food Lion. It is very clean and I like the layout. I was not too impressed with the produce though, which is expensiver for the quality. Again, I found California strawberries. I just can't see buying them when FL has superior ones. I must say though that Krogers had Florida strawberries this week.

I found all the brands I shop for in this store-just not as many varieties of each. I actually liked not having to scour endless rows of soups and baked beans. Am I the only person who gets tired of too many insignificant varieties of products? The prices on some products are very low. I use Cary's sugarless syrup to flavor many foods, including hot tea and oatmeal. It is on sale this week for $2.69 narly $1.00 less than Kroger. Food City only carries the small bottle and charges too much for it.

After food products I headed to household neccessities which got my attention right away with a great price on Cascade action packs. They do save using too much dishwashing powder.

In the future when I'm on my way to CoOp early on Saturday morning, I plan to stop at Food Lion. Maybe it's the smaller square footage, or maybe it was the friendly employees that made me feel like I was shopping in a small town store. Maybe my cashier who just borrowed a value card from the man behind me in line when mine wouldn't work all contributed to a good visit. I'm just one shopper, but I like Food Lion.

Two juveniles are in the custody of the Sevier County Sheriff's Office being pulled over driving the truck they allegedly stole from an outdoor attraction.

The pair of 14-year-olds, who's names have been withheld by the Sheriff's Office, allegedly stole a 1998 Ford truck from the parking lot of Smokey Mountain Ziplines on Mill Creek Road on the evening of February 11.

According to Sevier County Sheriff Ron Seals, Pigeon Forge Police stopped a truck matching the stolen vehicle's description Wednesday on Wears Valley Road, which caused two of the three passengers to flee the vehicle on foot. After a short foot chase, officers apprehended the two without incident.

Pigeon Forge Police officers contacted Sevier County Sheriff's Office detectives after determining the vehicle was the same truck reported Friday night.

The Sheriff's Office has charged both juveniles who fled the stolen vehicle each with a count of theft over $10,000, and the PFPD has charged the teenagers with additional charges for fleeing from an officer.

The third passenger in the stolen truck was determined to not have been involved with the theft of the vehicle, and was released without charges.

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A motor vechile accident has been reported with injury near 409 Wichert Way and Gist Creek Road. The Sevier County Volunteer Fire Department and the Sevier County Rescue Squad are responding.

UPDATE: 3:25 p.m.- Accident was a single car roll over and the driver, who is a Sevier County Volunteer Fireman, was transported to the University of Tennessee Hospital. The driver was reported to be in stable condition.
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Robin Cogdill holds the rarely found logbook for the King Family Library's new geocaching site.

There is a high-tech game of hide and seek going on every second at the King Family Library.

Last week the library became one of the newest geocaching locations in Sevier County.

“It's a really interesting thing to have at our library,” said Robin Cogdill, assistant director at the library.

Geocaching uses Global Positioning Systems on smart phones and other devices to hide and seek caches of secret treasures hidden in some 1 million locations around the world, and there already hundreds that can be hunted in Sevier County at the website http://www.geocaching.com .

The caches themselves are typically, but definitely not always, waterproof containers hidden in such a way that only someone using a GPS device and geocaching's website or smart phone application can find them. They often contain a logbook as well, which geocachers use to leave notes to each other, and mark down their unique geocaching handle.

The items inside the caches vary greatly. Cachers find poems, fake pirate coins, and all manner of small items that someone has placed in caches. Some of them can even be tracked through the www.geocaching.com so cachers can see how far their treasures have roamed.

Sometimes the GPS coordinates will take you exactly where you need to go, and other times the coordinates are only the beginning of the hunt.

“A lot of people come into the hallway, look around, and then leave,” said Cogdill.

She warns that those cachers are still very, very cold and should spend more time looking and hunting in the library. The secret to finding this cache, Cogdill said, is thinking about how you find a specific book in the library.  

So far, three geocachers have found the King Family Library site. 

Smokin' Ed's BBQ opened a new location at 732 Dolly Parton Parkway  last week. Owned by Kristine Domsic and Steve and Lisa Helton, Smokin' Ed's is a new family eatery that specializes in Ed Kilgour's own special bar-b-que.

For more information, please call 365-1565 or visit their facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Smokin-Eds-BBQ-Pigeon-Forge-Tennessee/139323892767235

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A brush fire has been reported at 2362 Douglas Dam Road.

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 A possible apartment fire has been reported to Sevierville Fire Department. The location is 240 Riverwalk Drive near Robert Henderson Road.

A possible fire has been reported at RiverWalk Apartments at 240 Riverwalk Drive. Sevierville Fire Department is responding. Please use caution driving in this area.

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The Sevierville Parks & Recreation Department is attempting to gauge community interest in offering a tennis program, which could include an adult tennis league, free children’s clinics, establishing a community tennis association and other tennis opportunities. All activities would take place at City Park in Sevierville. Any feedback or interest in such a league would be greatly appreciated.

A community meeting has been scheduled for 6:00PM on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at the Sevierville Civic Center Council Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to receive input from the community regarding interest in establishing a tennis program; all interested citizens are asked to attend.\

Questions or comments may be directed to Athletic Supervisor Patrick Oxley at 453-5441 or 453-6616. Persons unable to attend the meeting may call Patrick or send their comments to poxley@seviervilletn.org.

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Sevierville Police are looking for a suspect in connection with a Sunday night hotel robbery

Officials say the Clarion Inn at 1990 Winfield Dunn Parkway was robbed at 2:30 a.m., Sunday by an unidentified man that fled into the early morning.

“A hotel employee said that a man approached her, proceeded behind the service counter and demanded money,” SPD Officer Adam Akers said in a police report.

“The suspect then left the hotel through the front door with an undisclosed amount of money.”

The suspect was described as a black male, approximately 5'6”- 5'10” in height and weighing 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is requested to contact SPD Detective Tim Coulter at 865-453-5507.  

A fire has been reported at 319 Prince Street in Sevierville. WIll update later.

UPDATE: 1:30 p.m.,  Upon site visit it appears that there is no activity.
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All Sevier County Schools will be starting 2 hours late on Friday, February 11, 2011 due to some roads still having patches of ice. Please drive careful.

This photo was taken this morning at 7:30 a.m., The photo below was taken from the same position at 5:30 p.m.. Ten hours difference. Things change fast in Sevier County.

A structure fire has been reported at 778 Porterfield Gap Rd. in Seymour. Seymour Volunteer Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE:   Seymour Fire Department has requested help from both Sevierville and Northview Fire Departments for tankers and man power.

UPDATE: 7:45 p.m. Seymour Fire Chief, Chuck Godfrey, reports that the structure was an old farm house that tax records indicate was built around the turn of the 20th century. The home was completely comsumed and on the ground. Records reflect that one person was living in the home that was owned by a Mr. Rice. No one was injured in the blaze and Sevierville and Northview departments assisted. 
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The February story time theme for the Sevier County Public Library System is “Be a Good Reader @ the SCPLS!”Visit any branch of the Sevier County Public Library System in February to hear new stories and enjoy crafts and games for preschool children and their caregivers. During the week of February 21 - 25, the King Family, Seymour Branch, and Kodak Branch Libraries will present preschool story time on the following days: 

Seymour Branch Library, 137 W. Macon Lane, Monday, February 21 – Be a Good Reader at the SCPLS! Celebrate President’s Day and Dental Health Month with Mr. Spence during story time in Seymour at 11:00 a.m. The color for the month is pink, shape is a heart, and the number is 6. For more information, please call Spence Perry at 573-0728.

King Family Library, 408 High Street, Sevierville. Wednesday, February 23 at 10:30 a.m. Be a Good Reader @ the SCPLS: Smile! It’s Dental Health Month! Enjoy stories about caring for your teeth during story time. For more information, call Vickie Kelly at 365-1423. Story time at the King Family Library will change days from Wednesday to Thursday of each week beginning Thursday, March 3.

Kodak Branch Library, 319 W. Dumplin Valley Road, Friday, February 25 at 11:00 a.m.  Be a Good Reader at the SCPLS: It’s Black History Month! Enjoy stories about Martin Luther King, Jr. during story time with Ms. Kelly. For more information, call Kelly Hamilton at 933-0078.