KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It was an eventful week in East Tennessee. Here's what you missed.
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"Here are some of the laws going into effect July 1 in Tennessee"
The Tennessee Legislature adjourned in April, bringing an end to a legislative session that included debates on topics like abortion care, gender-affirming care, guns, universal school vouchers and plenty more.
While some of the bills immediately went into effect after becoming law, others included a delay in when they would take effect. Usually, these kinds of delays are meant to give organizations and state departments time to adjust to the new law.
Around 200 new laws are set to take effect July 1 this year, covering a wide variety of topics.
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"Here's how much Tony Vitello will get paid if the Vols win the College World Series"
Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello was guaranteed to get a nice bonus in his paycheck after the Vols punched their ticket to the College World Series. If Tennessee wins it all, he'll earn even more.
The coach's $350,000 base salary, while impressive, is not the star here. The real star is his cut of the broadcast deals and various endorsements UT gets – those really pump up his take-home pay.
At a minimum, Vitello earns $1.15 million in supplemental pay each year from big endorsements. On top of that, he gets another 75% cut from any revenue UT receives over $100,000 for bat and equipment endorsements.
Once the Vols punched their ticket to Omaha, Vitello was guaranteed a bonus of 32% of his $350,000 base pay, meaning he will get paid at least another $112,000 this season.
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"Autopsy results released for Mizzou student, Riley Strain, who went missing in Nashville in early March"
A medical examiner has released the autopsy report for Missouri student Riley Strain, who went missing and was later found dead after being kicked out of a Nashville bar on March 8.
According to a report from WSMV4 Nashville, the report concluded Strain died as a result of drowning and intoxication. His manner of death was deemed an accident.
The report said Strain had a blood alcohol content of .228, nearly three times the legal limit to drive.
Strain's body was found in the Cumberland River on March 22 approximately eight miles from downtown Nashville near 61st Avenue. According to Metro Nashville Police, workers who were on the river discovered his body. Police said he was wearing the same clothes he was last seen in.
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"Parents drown in Florida beach rip current while on vacation with 6 children"
A Pennsylvania couple drowned in a rip current while vacationing with their six children at a Florida beach Thursday.
According to the Martin County Sheriff's Office, 51-year-old Brian Warter and 48-year-old Erica Wishard, along with their six "mostly teenage" children, were having a beach day on Hutchinson Island when the tragedy occurred.
Officials said the family was swimming in the ocean when Warter, Wishard and two of the kids got swept into a rip current. The teens were able to break the current and attempt to help their parents, but had to swim to shore because it got too dangerous, the sheriff's office said.
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"Former Tennessee pitcher Hunter Daniel wins $1 million while cheering on Vols in Omaha"
Former Tennessee pitcher and Bearden alum Hunter Daniel had a lot more to celebrate than just a Tennessee baseball victory in Omaha on Sunday night.
"The word I keep using is 'electric,'" Daniel said.
Daniel watched in a famous Omaha bar, Rocco's, as Bryson DeChambeau won the 2024 U.S. Open less than an hour before the Vols' matchup against North Carolina. He had entered in a DraftKings fantasy golf challenge the Wednesday before making the trip to the College World Series and finished atop the leaderboard for a $1 million cash prize.
"Half the bar at that point knew what was going on," Daniel said. "Every shot, everybody was with us."
