Tennessee
More kids injured due to snow and ice, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital says
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – As the cold temperatures keep the remaining snow and ice firmly on the ground, kids and families across East Tennessee are having more time at home as they take precautions on the roads.
With schools largely being out for most of the region this week, kids have been breaking out their sleds to enjoy this winter weather.
While it’s a fun time for many, it’s proven dangerous for some who have spent this week in East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
“Where there’s a very few handful of injuries that come through the week and we see a much bigger increase on the weekend, that’s happening every day through the week now,” said ETCH spokesperson Natalia Havasy.
While there’s been a clear increase in orthopedic injuries, like broken arms from sledding and falling on the ice, Havasy said there’s an easy solution to help reduce your risk of injury.
“When you’re sledding, make sure you go feet first. Don’t go head first ever. Make sure you see where you’re going to end before you start. Make sure there’s a stopping point before you go so it’s safe,” said Havasy.
The increase in patients with broken bones and injuries has been steady, but hospital staff are also seeing a rise in kids in their waiting room experiencing symptoms consistent with dehydration.
Havasy said a sign to know whether or not your child is dehydrated is checking to see if their hair is sweaty underneath their winter hat. If it is, and it’s not moisture from the snow or rain, it might be a good idea to get some water.
“One of the common things you see if your child is getting dehydrated is their lips might look dry, and you’re thinking that is from it being cold, they’re chapped, but they could actually really use water,” said Havasy.
According to Havasy, being a little dehydrated is common when temperatures are this cold because people oftentimes aren’t thinking about it while trying to warm up.
Copyright 2024 WVLT. All rights reserved.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Tennessee lawmakers are preparing to discuss hundreds of bills as the state legislature convenes, with mental health funding emerging as a priority for two lawmakers.
State Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville, and state Sen. Becky Massey, R-Knox County, said mental health care funding will be a focus of upcoming legislative conversations.
“It’s been a big topic,” McKenzie said.
“That’s going to be very top of my mind as far as working and advocating for that,” Massey said.
Massey, who chairs the Transportation Committee, said the state needs more money for road expansion. She expressed concerns about insufficient funding for billion of dollars worth of road projects.
“People are paying less to drive on our roads and the cost of building roads are going up. So your gas tax is going down, the cost of building roads is going up,” Massey said.
McKenzie stressed the need for more public education funding following the first year of families using state dollars for private school through the voucher program.
“In Knox County, our numbers are up. Actually, in Memphis, their numbers are up, so I think some of the changes we’ve made in regard to public education and putting a few more dollars in, I think we can continue that process,” McKenzie said.
State House Speaker Cameron Sexton has said he wants to at least double the voucher program to offer it to 40,000 to 50,000 families. Both Massey and McKenzie expressed skepticism about the expansion.
“This isn’t about those kids in failing schools, this is about their friends, the rich or almost rich, that are just wanting a check from the government,” McKenzie said.
Massey cited revenue concerns about the expansion.
“I’m not getting the vibes that there is going to be enough revenue to do that because we’ve got other funding needs also,” Massey said.
Massey added the state could expand the program this year, but perhaps to 5,000 more families.
The General Assembly will reconvene next Tuesday.
Copyright 2026 WVLT. All rights reserved.
Tennessee
Deputies perform ‘life-saving measures’ after 5-year-old falls into swimming pool in Tennessee
FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Tennessee sheriff’s office is asking the community to pray for a family whose 5-year-old was hospitalized after falling into a swimming pool.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said deputies and family members were “administering life-saving measures” Thursday afternoon after pulling the child out of the water.
The child was then transferred to a hospital, where they are still being treated.
“The child was subsequently transported to the hospital, where they are currently receiving medical care‚” said a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office. “Out of respect for the family’s privacy, no further details will be released at this time.”
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
Sam Purcell felt good about the game plan for Mississippi State women’s basketball’s matchup with Tennessee.
But the Bulldogs gave up 26 points in the first quarter and trailed by seven points. It was a deficit they never recovered from in a 90-80 loss to the Lady Vols at Humphrey Coliseum on Jan. 8.
“You look at that that first quarter, I thought it was crucial. We had a great scout, a great game plan, but we didn’t talk on ball screens,” Purcell said. “Their largest quarter was that first quarter, and we’re going to watch back and go, dang it, we need to be more vocal. And you got to give them credit – top to bottom, they’re probably as good as anybody in the country with athleticism. So you can’t let those athletic kids turn the corner for wide open layups, and we did.”
Kharyssa Richardson and Madison Francis led the Bulldogs with 22 points each, but MSU didn’t have enough defense to pull off the upset.
Had Mississippi State been able to slow down Tennessee’s drivers in the first quarter, it may have been a different result. But once the Bulldogs started slowing that down, the Lady Vols were “phenomenal hitting some big-time shots,” Purcell said.
Tennessee only had the edge in points in the paint, 42-40, but it also went 10-for-27 on 3-pointers, which was an area Mississippi State couldn’t match. The Bulldogs shot 2-for-13 from deep.
MSU also couldn’t stop Tennessee freshman point guard Mia Pauldo, who scored a game-high 26 points on 8-for-12 shooting. The Bulldogs sent her to the foul line time and time again, and she went 8-for-9 on free throws.
“I thought (Pauldo) was poised, she was clutch,” Purcell said. “Obviously, that’s what you need in games like this that are gonna come down the to the wire. You need players to step up, and I thought she was the X factor for them.”
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