A Closer Look, Connecting the Tri-Cities

09/23/2026

Craig Charles joins Crystal Carter to discuss Crown Cuts Academy and his efforts to combine barber education with community service. Charles discusses teaching barbering as both a career and an art form while preparing students to work with people from different backgrounds. Crown Cuts provides free Community Day services for people who may otherwise be unable to afford grooming services and trains students to work patiently with clients with special needs, including individuals with autism. Charles also discusses his involvement with The Confess Project, which teaches barbers active listening, positive communication, validation, mental health awareness, and how to connect individuals with professional resources when additional help is needed. The interview also highlights incorporating community resources into barber education and a service-learning trip to Dominica where Charles and students distributed school supplies, hygiene products, and other assistance. Charles plans to continue providing students with community service and educational opportunities locally and abroad.

09/22/2026

Shannon Ball joins Crystal Carter to discuss Waiting to Hear, a nonprofit founded after Ball's daughter experienced sudden hearing loss as a young child and his family encountered limited local resources. The organization now assists families locally and across the country, including through Camp Hear, which brings together children with hearing loss and their families for activities, education, and peer support. Waiting to Hear also operates a hearing aid bank that provides hearing aids to children whose families are uninsured, underinsured, or facing significant out-of-pocket costs. Ball discusses fundraising, volunteer opportunities, and the organization's free family camps, where parents and children can connect with families who have experience with hearing aids, cochlear implants, schools, and other challenges associated with hearing loss. He explains that the program has developed into a network in which experienced families help newly diagnosed families navigate hearing loss and available resources.

09/10/2026

https://www.hvbcgroup.com/news/

Local News JUVENILE SHOT IN ELIZABETHTON News Staff September 10, 2026 0 A Shooter Is Being Sought After A Juvenile Was Shot In Elizabethton Thursday. Police Chief Jason Shaw Says The Shooting Happened On South Lynn Avenue […]

09/09/2026

Bob Feathers and Angela Ricker join Crystal Carter to discuss the United Way of Greater Kingsport's annual campaign and its work supporting 26 nonprofit partners, 31 programs, and five initiatives serving the community. The 2026 campaign has a $2.5 million fundraising goal, with donations supporting programs focused on youth opportunity, financial security, health, education, and community well-being. The discussion also covers workplace giving, Volunteer United, accountability requirements for funded nonprofit programs, and United We Read, which promotes early childhood literacy and reading skills. Feathers and Ricker explain that United Way funds specific programs designed to produce measurable community results and help individuals and families achieve greater long-term stability.

09/02/2026

The free household hazmat collection event is Saturday, September 26 from 9am to 1pm at Sullivan Central Middle School.

Sullivan Central Middle, 131 Shipley Ferry Road, Blountville
Questions - call (423) 323-6439.

08/31/2026

Dr. Teresa Tyson and Dr. Paula-Hill Collins of The Health Wagon join Crystal Carter to discuss the importance of naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, and efforts to have the opioid-reversal medication included in emergency medical kits aboard commercial aircraft. The discussion includes Dr. Collins' experience assisting with an in-flight medical emergency where naloxone was not available and efforts encouraging public input regarding federal requirements for airline emergency medical supplies.
The interview also highlights The Health Wagon's upcoming community health initiatives, including free Narcan training and distribution, the Lee County Move Mountains Medical Mission offering medical, dental and vision services, women's health events providing mammograms, Pap smears and HPV testing, and assistance for women needing follow-up care after abnormal screenings. The organization also discusses a program providing free homecoming and prom dresses to young women in need.

08/26/2026

Dr. Kelly Fishman joins Crystal Carter to discuss ways pet owners can improve their dogs' overall health beyond routine walks. Fishman explains the importance of strength-building exercise and proper hydration, particularly during hot weather, and discusses appropriate steps to cool an overheated dog and the importance of veterinary care when heat stroke is suspected. The conversation also covers affordable at-home exercise options, nutrition and feeding practices, maintaining a healthy weight, and strategies for supporting aging dogs through exercise, diet, and supplements. Fishman emphasizes beginning preventative measures before mobility problems develop to help pets maintain a better quality of life as they age.

08/24/2026

Bailey Thomason, Public Information Officer for the Sullivan County Regional Health Department, joins Crystal Carter to discuss the wide range of health services available to area residents. Thompson explains programs including immunizations, WIC nutrition assistance, Healthy Families home visits, women's health and cancer screenings, family planning, vital records, chronic disease prevention, and community health education. The conversation also highlights school-based services, resources for uninsured and underinsured residents, international travel immunizations, smoking cessation information, and the Health Department's role in connecting individuals and families with appropriate health care resources throughout Sullivan County.

08/10/2026

Jennifer Escue, CEO of the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence, joins Crystal Carter to discuss Tennessee's new domestic and sexual violence awareness specialty license plate and the effort to secure the 1,000 preorders required for production.