Latest news with #WBIR
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Knoxville's First Black Anchor Edye Ellis Dies
Former WBIR anchor Edye Ellis has died. She was 81. Her cousin, Robert Collins, told the Knoxville, Tennessee NBC affiliate that everyone who met her 'should be assured she was genuine. She loved people, animals, and plants, and was just a lovely person,' he said. 'Heaven will be a better place because of her.' Edye was the station's first African-American anchor. She started working there in 1982 and was later named evening co-anchor. Former WBIR anchor Beth Haynes remembered Ellis in an Instagram post. 'We only met once, but it made a lasting impression! I was a young reporter at @wbirchannel10, eating lunch with my parents,' she wrote. 'Edye stopped by our table to say hello and compliment my work. What?!?! The 9-year-old within me squealed with joy. Thankfully, I managed to stay somewhat composed even though I was completely starstruck and overwhelmed by her compliment… the highest of praise!' 'Thank you Edye for being a trailblazer and an exceptional role model,' said Haynes. 'You inspired me and so many others. Your legacy lives on.' Her family said they will hold a memorial for Edye in April. They said funeral arrangements have not been announced yet.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Possible tornado kills at least 2 and causes widespread damage in Tennessee
At least two people were killed and three more injured when a possible tornado ripped through communities near Knoxville, Tennessee, Thursday night causing widespread damage. Morgan County Emergency Management confirmed the deaths to NBC affiliate WBIR of Knoxville early Friday. Morgan County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency said in a statement on its Facebook page that a "possible tornado" touched down at 8:27 p.m in the Deer Lodge and Sunbright areas, about 60 miles west of Knoxville. The agency said this resulted in "severe property damage, injuries, and loss of life," but provided no details on the number of casualties nor the nature of any injuries. More than 2,700 energy customers were without power as of 5:30 a.m., according to and phone and internet connections have been affected. "Local, county, and state first responders, along with emergency personnel from multiple agencies and jurisdictions, are actively engaged in search and rescue operations and assessing individual safety," the statement said. More than 100 staff are working to assist those in need, the statement added, and people are urged to avoid the affected areas. Captain Stacey Heatherly, with Tennessee Highway Patrol, said in a video on Facebook that state troopers were assisting in the search for "any people that are missing" in Morgan County and were available to respond to other parts of the state if necessary Tornado warnings were issued across east Tennessee Thursday night, as storms moved through the region. Footage shared to Tiktok showed a tornado siren and police sirens in Sevierville, east of Knoxville. NBC affiliate WBIR of Knoxville showed pictures of flash flooding in Knoxville and reported from a church in Fountain City, where a tree fell through the roof as a youth group was taking part in a Bible study in the basement. No injuries were reported. WBIR showed footage of torrential, horizontal rain and also of hailstones bigger than coins. Morgan County has set up an emergency operations center and there are additional facilities including at Wartburg Central High School. Elsewhere, a tornado was confirmed by the National Weather Service Thursday in south-central Kentucky, with wind speeds of up to 95 mph causing extensive damage in Hart County, a hour south of Louisville, although no injuries were reported. Much of the Lower 48 states have experienced some form of severe winter weather, including a widespread thick coating of ice, in the last week, with as many as 100 million people under alerts and warnings on article was originally published on
