The Top News Stories of 2017 included People, History, Eclipse, Lawsuits and more.

While 2017 was a busy news year for Crossville, the stories that readers read the most included both good and bad news and some history too.

Crossville Eclipse Diamond Ring Effect

Photo by Jim Young

One of the biggest events to come through Crossville was the total eclipse of the sun and with several stories published on the blog leading up to the event, the subject of the eclipse was the most read topic on jimyoungreporter.blogspot.com and the most read single story from 2017 was the story about the new president of the Crossville Tennessee College of Applied Technology Cliff Wightman.

Link to story

The second most read single story was a recent one about a pedestrian, 85-year-old Vertie McNeeley being struck and killed by a semi truck on Main Street in November.  Link to story

The third most popular story was a history flashback story that incldued photos of the lost art of Joe Ed Hodges and Crossville Elementary School. Hodges was the husband of Principal Maureen Hodges and the long time art teacher at the school. Over the years Mr. Hodges had created art on the walls of the halls of the school. All the art was painted over when the building became the school administration building. Link to story

Other big stories from 2017 included protests as a white supremacy group held a meeting at the state park, the death of Crossville police dog K-9 Cain, Downtown Crossville events like Friday at the Crossroads and Rock the Block continue to be very popular.

Huge Turnout for October's 

Friday at the Crossroads.

Other stories that received a lot of readership included controversial items like the Shooting Sports Park, changes to Garrison Park and the First Amendment lawsuit filed against the city of Crossville by J. R. Blankenship and a suit filed against the city by former police chief Rod Shoap. Both men's suits also name former council member Jesse Kerley as a defendant. .

Early in 2017, the Crossville city council was interviewing candidates for city manager and fired interim manager Steve Hill after several incidents including an embarrassing series of emails and internal text messages were revealed between Marketing Director Billy Loggins and the secretary for Parks and Recreation Director Tami French. French filed complaints after the information was revealed.    

CROSSVILLE FLASHBACK: Recapping one year since interim police chief Rod Shoap's resignation

It's been one year since interim police chief Rod Shoap resigned after saying he was tired of waiting on the city to hire him as the full time chief. The original story of Shoap's resignation at the link just below remains the most read story ever posted on the Jim Young Reporter news blog

Rod Shoap Resigns. 

Former interim Crossville Police

Chief Rod Shoap

Following Shoap's resignation, Major Mark Rosser was sworn in as interim chief. After serving in that position for 6 months, the city hired back previously retired police chief David Beaty. As of June 30, exactly one year after Shoap's resignation, Rosser retired from the city and taken a position with Fairfield Glade Security.

Mark Rosser sworn in by Mayor James Mayberry

Rosser sworn in as interim chief. 

The day following Shoap's resignation, both then councilman Jesse Kerley and interim city manager Steve Hill reacted to the resignation and comments made by Mr. Shoap. Mr. Kerley stated that he wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Shoap got the city sued. Ironically, Mr. Shoap ended up suing the city and Mr. Kerley in federal court for age discrimination, libel and slander. The case remains under litigation.

Hill and Kerley comment on Shoap resignation.

Former city councilman

Jesse Kerley

Former interim city manager

Steve Hill

Kerley phone call following Shoap resignation. 

Shoap posted an open letter about his resignation on his Facebook page including a reference to texts from Councilman Jesse Kerley.  

Shoap Facebook Statement on his resignation

On July 3rd, Former city manager David Rutherford speculated that a big part of the reason he was fired was because he proposed to hire Shoap to the police chief position full time. Rutherford said his decision to try and hire Shoap as full police chief led Kerley to demand the city manager's resignation.

Rutherford speculates on why he was fired suddenly

Former city manager David Rutherford

Then in August 2016, interim city manager Steve Hill was asked in followup about the investigation that he and councilman Jesse Kerley claimed was started against Rod Shoap concerning treatment of a female police officer. Hill stated at that time that there was no investigation that he knew of and called it simply “talk.”

Steve Hill responds to question on alleged

Shoap investigation

Interim city manager Steve Hill responds to questions about "Shoap investigation." . 

Ultimately, Rod Shoap filed a law suit against the city and councilman Kerley claiming age discrimination along with slander and libel as a result of the actions and comments.  The lawsuit remains unresolved.

Shoap sues city and Kerley.

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EXCLUSIVE: Written warning to marketing director Loggins one of Hill's last acts as interim manager

Crossville marketing director Billy Loggins received a written warning placed in his personnel file two days after the Personnel Board meeting that revealed a long string of internal instant messages between Loggins and Parks and Recreation secretary Amy Hester.

The warning is signed by then interim city manager Steve Hill and Loggins and is dated Friday January 13.  Under supervisor's remarks is the notation, "Talked with Mr. Loggins about appropriate use of the city's instant messaging system."  The action may have been one of the last official acts by Hill since the next week was a holiday Monday followed by a called meeting a noon Tuesday when Hill was dismissed as interim city manager.

Crossville Marketing Director  Billy Loggins

The warning did not address the derogatory image of Crossville Mayor James Mayberry that Loggins had received in his city email from Mr. Hill in July of 2016.

Loggins Questioned about messages and emails. 

Instant messages between Loggins, Hester and Hill

Copy of the written warning from Billy Loggin's personnel file.

Amy Hester lost her job the following week after the messages came to light and she was found to have been doing work for Loggin's without the authorization of her supervisor Tammie French.  French still has a personnel complaint on file against Loggins for his actions.

French Requests Harassment Investigation

We have requested an update on the complaint.