KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It was an eventful week in East Tennessee. Here's what you missed.
Story 1
"FBI: Jefferson City home, Carson-Newman dorm raided after investigation in laptop farm scheme that may have helped North Korea's weapons program"
At least one person from East Tennessee is believed to have been involved in a covert scheme to allow IT workers outside the country to infiltrate U.S. companies by setting up laptop farms, which reportedly benefitted North Korea's nuclear weapons program in some cases, according to an unsealed federal investigation.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, at least five people are charged -- including a woman from Arizona, a Ukrainian man, and three unnamed people from outside the country. Another unnamed person from Jefferson City is believed to be involved but was not named or said to be facing charges in the unsealed documents.
The scheme spanned across the globe, involving other locations in the U.S., North Korea and other countries. According to the search warrant issued by the U.S. District Court in East Tennessee, FBI agents searched a home in Jefferson City on King Street as well as a room in Burnett Hall on Carson-Newman University's campus between May 8 and May 10.
Story 2
"Human remains found behind house in West Knoxville identified 20 months later"
Another cold case has been solved with the help of advanced genetic testing, according to the office of Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. The Knoxville Police Department found human remains in a wooded area behind a house on Knott Avenue in September 2022.
An autopsy report from the Knox County Regional Forensic Center revealed that no foul play was involved in the death but no one could identify the victim. The forensic center used radiographs and dental ex-rays from missing individuals in the area but could not find results.
Working with Texas-based Othram Inc., a leader in forensic genetic genealogical (FGG) research, officials identified the victim as 34-year-old Tony A. Brown Jr. in March, according to officials.
Story 3
"Two teachers fired, principal resigns amid grade fixing investigation in Anderson County Schools"
The Anderson County Board of Education voted to fire two teachers accused of fixing test scores at a board meeting on Monday night.
Anderson County's school board voted unanimously to fire Rachel Jones and Clay Turpin for unprofessional conduct, insubordination and neglect of duty. Clinton High School Principal Dan Jenkins resigned last month.
A "charges of dismissal" document attached to Monday night's board meeting agenda said investigators noticed irregularities with the credit recovery program. It said Jones, under Jenkins' direction, changed grades in the 2022-23 school year. Turpin was involved in 2023-24 after Jones said she was done with it.
Jones told investigators she believed Jenkins asked her to change grades for students to improve the graduation rate for Clinton High School. In the 2022-23 school year, the state of Tennessee recognized Clinton High School as a reward school for high levels of performance.
When the scheme began, Jenkins asked Jones to move a student to virtual programming and that student had "somehow" completed his 5 remaining courses in 8 days, the dismissal document said.
Story 4
"Community leaders discuss future of marijuana in Tennessee after federal proposal on reclassifying as Schedule 3 drug"
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration may soon reclassify marijuana after the Associated Press reported on a proposal that still needs to be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget. That proposal would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule Three drug, instead of the current Schedule One restrictions.
Currently, marijuana is prohibited in Tennessee for medical and recreational uses. However, Delta-8 and THCa products have been introduced across the state.
"What is being debated is whether or not we should have a commercial marijuana industry," said Luke Niforatos with Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
In Tennessee hemp is legal while marijuana is not. Hemp contains less than 0.3% of THC. Several THC products on the market in the state effectively use different forms of the chemical in concentrated varieties to illicit a sensation similar to the psychoactive effects of marijuana.
Story 5
"One of the largest traffic accidents in the country's history occurred in East Tennessee"
Thirty-six miles before the Georgia state line on I-75 is the exit to Calhoun, Tennessee. Thousands of cars pass through every day, but on Dec. 11, 1990, this was the spot of, at the time, the largest multi-vehicle crash in the country’s history.
“The sound of it was like gunshots going off. This kept happening. Then you hear people screaming and people running around you. It just seemed to last forever,” said crash survivor David Blumer.
Around 9:10 a.m., a semi-truck headed southbound on I-75 slowed down as fog engulfed the area. Another semi-truck following behind did not slow down.
It hit the semi in front of it—starting a chain reaction that would end with a 99-vehicle pile-up stretching half a mile.