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Should Lone Star Have Notified Its Employees Before Closing Abruptly?

Meth Madness

Drug Treatment Center Concerns

Part Two:  Just another gas guzzling assignment

Police “Escort” Alleged Prostitutes To Jail

Just another gas guzzling assignment

Sometimes Generic Just Won’t Cut It

A race week reminder that we can’t do it alone

Impressive students…they are out there, and they are thinking of others….

A Tornado’s Damage

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Monday, Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon in Johnson City’s Roane Centre closed abruptly, without notifying its employees.

Monday, Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon in Johnson City’s Roane Centre closed abruptly, without notifying its employees. The move caught most employees completely off guard. Some of the employees we spoke with told us Sunday night, they stayed late to clean up after management told them the owners were visiting Monday. When one employee showed up for work Monday, he says there was a sign on the door indicating the business was closed for good. He also says a month earlier, he asked the general manager about rumors he had heard that the restaurant was going to close. Former cook Joel Tester says when he asked that question, the general manager told him there was no truth to it, it was just a rumor.

A Lone Star spokesperson told us restaurants don’t ever give notice when they close. Rick Van Warner says it’s impractical to give two weeks notice.  He says that leaves the restaurant wondering if employees will show up to work during that time. He also says all 50 employees were provided separation pay and all managers were offered transfer opportunities.

What do you think?  Should restaurants give their employees a warning before they close up shop?

Posted by Nate Morabito

Despite efforts to slow down the production of methamphetamine, drug dealers and addicts are still finding ways to get their fix.

Despite efforts to slow down the production of methamphetamine, drug dealers and addicts are still finding ways to get their fix. In 2005, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen signed into law the Meth-Free Tennessee Act. It prohibited pharmacies from selling products containing psuedoephedring over the counter. It also required them to keep logs of who bought products like Sudafed and only allowed them to sell three boxes of the product to a customer every 30 days.

Although the law has made a difference, the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force says drug addicts are still getting the ingredients they need to make their meth. In fact, statewide, the agency says it has seen an increase in the number of meth labs it has found so far this year.

Find out why tonight on News Channel 11 at 5 and 6pm.

Posted by Nate Morabito

Kingsport residents are concerned about a new drug treatment center in their neighborhood.

Several months ago, residents of the West Davis Park neighborhood in Johnson City shared their frustration over the opening of Morgan Counseling on West Unaka Avenue. The business treats substance abusers and prescribes Suboxone. Under current city code, Morgan Counseling is not violating any zoning ordinances and can legally set up shop in a residential neighborhood. However, after hearing neighbors concerns about increased traffic in their community, Johnson City leaders began working on changing the city’s zoning code so future clinics like Morgan Counseling would not be able to open in residential neighborhoods.

Now, people who live in a Kingsport neighborhood are sharing a similar concern. Find out why tonight on News Channel 11 at 5pm and 6pm.

Posted by Nate Morabito

See Monday for the first entry.  Today is part two. 

Earlier this week, the Jeep got a full tank, and I started on this assignment. 

To recap, the fill up cost me 33 bucks for 8 and a half gallons of what must be gold.  That was on Monday.  Today, I have 3/4 of a tank left and traveled nearly 69 miles keeping the roads hot from Monday afternoon to Friday afternoon.

That’s probably about average for me.  I don’t live far from work, and I don’t do a lot of unnecessary running during the week.  Same old routine nearly every day.  Consistency is good, right?

I won’t be able to do all the math to see how much it cost me burning all that fuel to get around until my next fill up.  I plan to do that this evening on the way home.
But, you should now that’s important because one week very soon I have to survive a work week on a gallon of gas, yes gallon, no not tank, a gallon of gas.  You can bet I will likely be hitching rides and paying for public transportation.  So, I’ll be tallying the cost of my gas for a week and the cost of trying to find another way to get around.

So, you ask, hitching for sure? 
Here’s how I know, and here’s what I’m starting to panic about now.

The Jeep gets less than 20 miles per gallon I’m sure. (Yes, more math I need to do.) Hello?  I traveled 68.7 miles this work week from Monday at 1pm to Friday at the time of this posting. 
I mean let’s face it, the first gallon was gone from my jeep days ago.
There’s just no way to squeeze 69 miles out of a gallon of gas is there? 

Blood?  Turnip? 

That’s what I thought.

Again, if you have suggestions on how I’m going to make it, feel free to pass them along.  (I don’t think calling in sick for a week and never leaving my house is an option, by the way.)

Have a good gas guzzling weekend, everyone! 

Posted by Selena Wiles

Two escort services, “Cupid’s Comfort Zone,” and “Sexy Sweethearts,” were recruiting local females and relocating women from Florida for prostitution purposes, officers with the Johnson City Police Department said. 

Photojournalist Dana Carfuel and I are working on a very interesting story today. Overnight, Johnson City police arrested four people in connection with what they call a prostitution ring. However, they say this was by no means your average prostitution ring.  Instead of working the corner, police say three women posed as escorts. In fact, investigators say the women who worked for the internet-based “Cupid’s Comfort Zone” and “Sexy Sweethearts” escort services, were recruiting local females and relocating women from Florida for prostitution purposes.

According to “Sexy Sweethearts” website, “Sexy Sweethearts are independent escorts providing Johnson City and the Tri Cities area. Money exchanged is for time and companionship ONLY. Anything else that may or may not happen is a matter of personal choices between two or more consenting adults of legal age. Services have not been contracted for, nor is it requested to be contracted for, or compensated for in any manner for sex. We reserve the right to decline appointments for any purpose other than non sexual companionship.  Time spent togehter may include nightclubing, dinner dates, modeling, dancing, business functions, etc.”

Police say that is all a front. Tune in tonight at 5pm and 6pm to find out what police discovered when they set undercover officers up with some of the escorts.

Posted by Nate Morabito