Sevier News Messenger

03/01/2025

11/16/2023

10/11/2023

SEVIER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT OFFERING FREE FLU SHOTS STARTING

NOVEMBER 1st FOR FIGHT FLU ’23

SEVIERVILLE, TN. – The Sevier County Health Department will participate in the statewide Fight Flu ’23 effort on November 1st, 2023, and provide free flu shots to all Tennesseans who are eligible, six months of age and older.
‘’We want to protect as many people as we can in our communities from the flu,” Director Emma Davis, PhD, MPH, CPH said. “Getting an annual flu shot is the best way to protect
yourself and everyone around you.”
Sevier County Health Department will provide free flu shots on November 1st, 2023, from 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. at the Sevier County Health Department (719 Middle Creek Rd.).
There will also be an additional location on November 1st:
LOCATION: Northview Optimist Building
ADDRESS: 329 W Dumplin Valley Rd, Kodak, Tennessee 37764
HOURS: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
An appointment is not needed to receive a free flu vaccine at the Sevier County Health Department’s Fight Flu ’23 event.
The flu vaccine will remain free to anyone eligible to receive it at all local health departments across the state throughout flu season.
The flu vaccine is safe and effective and can protect individuals against the most common types of flu, and the virus’s worst symptoms and outcomes.
The flu virus is very contagious. Pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and people with certain medical conditions are at the highest risk of severe complications from the flu.
Annually, more than 7.5 million illnesses, 400,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths could be prevented in the U.S. if more people chose to get the flu vaccine.
To prevent spreading the flu virus to others, follow precautions such as proper hygiene and handwashing, covering your coughs or sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, and staying home if you are sick.
For more information about the flu virus and Fight Flu ‘23, visit tn.gov/health/fightflu. For information about getting a free flu shot, contact the Sevier County Health Department at (865) 453-1032

07/20/2023

Two Persons Arrested on Animal Cruelty Charges
Sevierville Police Department officers arrested two persons on animal cruelty charges on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. After receiving a complaint, officers went to the East Casey Drive residence and discovered numerous canines inside a mobile home in abhorrent conditions.
57-year old Norman Miller was charged with felony animal cruelty, and 61-year old Angela R. Miller was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty. Both persons reportedly lived at the home.
The floor inside the mobile home was covered in f***s and urine from the canines. Most if not all of the canines appeared to have mange and fleas. The Sevierville Fire Department responded and provided PPE gear to officers who needed to enter the structure to retrieve the canines.
Due to the large number of canines present, SPD officers requested assistance from Sevier County Sheriff’s Office animal control deputies. A total of fourteen canines were transported by SCSO deputies to the Sevier Animal Care Center https://www.facebook.com/Sevieranimalcarecenter . Several additional canines remained at large after attempts to capture them were unsuccessful. Officers will continue attempts to capture the remaining canines.
The City of Sevierville Codes Enforcement Department responded and has started condemnation proceedings on the home.
SPD thanks SCSO for their much needed assistance in this incident.
All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

07/13/2023

Masters student at East Tennessee State University in the Appalachian Studies and Sociology programs is currently working on a study looking at veteran social structures and adaptation that focuses on veterans in East Tennessee. He is wanting to make sure that samples for the surveys are representative of the veteran population in East Tennessee but do not yet have any responses from veterans in Sevier County. www.etsu.edu/vetstudy

There are two parts to the study. One is a survey that can anonymously be completed online. The other is a live interview that will become part of a veteran archive at the Archives of Appalachia after the project is finished. Unlike prior projects, he is not documenting war stories. He is looking at the lived experiences of veterans in East Tennessee. These interviews are important because they will allow veterans across Appalachia to hear the experiences of other veterans after service exit.

05/26/2023

UPDATE: Arrest Made
May 25, 2023
At approximately 11:58 PM on May 24, 2023, Pigeon Forge Police Department officers responded to a shooting at Americana Inn. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim. The victim, 15-year-old juvenile, was transported to LeConte Medical Center where he later died as a result of his injuries.

May 25, 2023 @ 4:15 PM
Based on follow up investigation. We have charged Andrew C. Ortiz, of Sevierville, with First Degree Murder. Ortiz is currently at the Sevier County Jail. The investigation is on-going.

05/10/2023

Sevier County Sheriff's Department Detectives arrested and charged William Nails with Attempted First-Degree Murder and Timothy Galvin with Accessory to Attempted First Degree Murder.

11/05/2022

From Sevier Emergency Management: Sevier County Fire Departments are currently working to contain a Brush Fire near Cocke County within the Rocky Flats Rd area. Emergency personnel are asking citizens to refrain from any open debris/trash burning at this time, and to extinguish any active piles which are being burned. There is weather moving in with increased winds which could spread the smallest of a fire.
Fireviewer shows that Rocky Flats fire at 60ac and 0% contained as of 11/05/22 13:28.

Public incidents viewer

08/26/2022

Pima County, Arizona Constables Office Constable Deborah Martinez-Garibay, a 5-month veteran of the department, was shot and killed yesterday, August 25, along with an apartment manager and neighbor by a subject who was to be evicted.

Constable Martinez-Garibay was also a veteran of the US Army and started a local chapter of PGA HOPE, an organization that works with veterans.

Please keep Constable Martinez-Garibay, her family, and the Pima County Constables Office and their staff in your thoughts and prayers.

07/14/2022

Drinking Water Warning Issued-Boil Drinking Water Until Further Notice-Sevierville and Portions of Sevier County

The City is also asking that residents, businesses and visitors conserve water whenever possible until the system is fully operational.

DRINKING WATER WARNING

The City of Sevierville Water system lost pressure in the distribution system. The following notice applies to all Sevierville Water System customers. This notice also applies to Sevier County Water System customers in the following areas: Sims Road, Flat Creek, Allensville, Lane Hollow, Thomas Cross Road, Boyds Creek, and Jayell Road.

BOIL YOUR WATER FOR THREE MINUTES BEFORE USING

The City of Sevierville Water system lost system water pressure, mainly at higher elevations, due to an interruption in treatment plant operations on Wednesday, July 12, 2022. This loss of pressure in the distribution system may cause backpressure, backsiphonage, or a net movement of water from outside the pipe to the inside through cracks, breaks, or joints in the distribution system that are common in all water systems. Such a system failure carries with it a high potential that f***l contamination or other disease-causing organisms could enter the distribution system. These conditions may pose an imminent and substantial health endangerment to persons served by the system.

What should I do?

DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a rolling boil for at least (3) three minutes, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. ALL STORED WATER, DRINK OR ICE MADE RECENTLY FROM THIS SUPPLY SHALL BE DISCARDED.

Inadequately treated water may contain disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly and people with severely compromised immune systems.

The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

What happened? What is being done?

The severe storms and flash flooding on July 12 carried significant debris to the water treatment plant intake. The debris caused blockage of intake filters and disrupted plant operation capabilities. Employees have been working diligently to clean the intake filters and restore water service and system pressures.

We will inform you when you no longer need to boil your water. For more information, please contact Sevierville Water Systems during normal business hours M-F 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at 865-453-5522, or visit www.seviervilletn.org.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

Water System ID #: 0000617
Date distributed: Thursday, July 14, 2022