In this Knoxville Insider Issue…

🌤️ Knoxville Weather

📰 Local Nonprofit to Empower Youth with Annual Young Kings & Queens Conference

📰 Motorcyclist Killed in Collision on Parkside Drive; Speed a Possible Factor

📰 Knoxville City Council Temporarily Halts Deployment of Delivery Robots for Citywide Evaluation

👮 Three Men Detained for Stealing Phones from Walmart Using Insider Access

👮Knoxville Implements Community-Based Plan to Curb Violent Crime

🏈2023 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards: Honoring the State's Top High School Talent

Local Nonprofit to Empower Youth with Annual Young Kings & Queens Conference

A local charitable organization is set to hold its yearly event aimed at fostering positive development for the youth within the community.

This year marks the occurrence of the second Young Kings Conference and the inaugural Young Queens Conference, both scheduled for November 11, 2023, at the Change Center. The event is anticipated to be an inspiring and energizing experience for all attendees.

The program's director, Valentino Jefferson, has indicated that the event will feature separate sessions tailored to provide guidance and mentorship to teenagers and young adults, targeting those up to the age of 23.

The conference is also an opportunity for participants to win scholarships and various prizes, including a laptop. The Crain/Jefferson Enrichment Foundation notes that to be eligible for these scholarships and prizes, attendance at the conference is required. Moreover, there is no cost to register for the event.

The conference is to be held at the Change Center, located at 203 Harriet Tubman St. in East Knoxville. The doors will open at 9:30 a.m., though the event officially starts at 10 a.m., and lunch will be provided to participants.

For additional information, including how to register, interested parties can visit the foundation’s website.

Motorcyclist Killed in Collision on Parkside Drive; Speed a Possible Factor

A fatal collision involving multiple vehicles occurred on Parkside Drive in west Knoxville, resulting in one fatality on Friday.

Members from the crash reconstruction unit of the Knox County Sheriff's Office are probing into the deadly incident that took place at approximately 2:30 p.m. on November 3, at the intersection of Parkside Drive and Sherway Road. The accident involved a motorcycle and an automobile. The rider of the motorcycle was transported to Tennova Turkey Creek Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries. There have been no reports of other individuals being harmed in the incident.

According to the KCSO, excessive speed may have played a role in causing the accident.

Knoxville City Council Temporarily Halts Deployment of Delivery Robots for Citywide Evaluation

The prospect of robots handling doorstep deliveries is a tantalizing one, but the Knoxville City Council has decided to hit the pause button on this futuristic convenience. On October 31, they enacted a six-month prohibition on autonomous delivery vehicles within the city limits.

These robotic delivery services have gained a following at the University of Tennessee's campus, where they've been proven effective. However, the city council is taking a cautious approach to introducing these devices city-wide. Carter Hall, Knoxville's Director of Strategic Planning and Programs, mentioned that while the service is a good fit for the university setting, its suitability for the broader Knoxville area is not yet clear. The council intends to use the moratorium to thoroughly evaluate this question.

Safety is a top concern for city officials as they consider whether Knoxville's streets are ready for these autonomous delivery bots. The city plans to engage in consultations with municipalities that already have these services, as well as local law enforcement, business communities, and disability services to make an informed decision.

At UT, the robot fleet has been making food delivery easier and more efficient for students, allowing them to place orders through their phones and receive their meals swiftly and without human contact. These robots, equipped with an array of cameras and sensors, navigate the campus independently.

Students like Marina Rodgers, a freshman at UT, appreciate the convenience offered by these robots, especially on challenging days when walking to get food is less appealing or when leaving the library for a meal is inconvenient.

The service at UT has been operating smoothly for over a year, and the recent city-wide ban does not affect its operation on campus.

Three Men Detained for Stealing Phones from Walmart Using Insider Access

On Wednesday, law enforcement officials apprehended three individuals implicated in the theft of mobile phones from a Walmart on Chapman Highway.

The trio, identified as Kurt Johnson and Antoine McGee from Texas, along with Kilvaris Downing from Alabama, was detained following the discovery by store staff of a shortfall of 10 smartphones during a routine stock check that morning, as detailed in the document. The accused were employed by an external contractor specialized in the refurbishment of security cases for retail clients, granting them access to keys that could unlock the cases where the phones were stored.

Store personnel, upon reviewing surveillance footage, observed the three men in the act of stealing the phones. The charges brought against Johnson, McGee, and Downing are related to theft.

Knoxville Implements Community-Based Plan to Curb Violent Crime

Knoxville city leaders are tackling the persistent issue of violent crime with a Community-Based Violence Reduction Plan. Although there has been a slight decrease in homicides since 2020, officials recognize that more proactive efforts are necessary. The plan involves data collection and identifying critical intervention areas by the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, which also collaborates with local organizations to engage at-risk youth.

Police are focusing on community engagement and strategic patrolling to build trust and deter crime. Mayor Indya Kincannon has underscored that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to address underlying systemic issues like poverty. The city aims to achieve a 10% reduction in violent crimes within the next year and is particularly focusing on the 28-year-old demographic, which is most affected by these crimes.

The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform brings experience from working with other U.S. cities to its efforts in Knoxville.

2023 Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards: Honoring the State's Top High School Talent

The Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards are set to take place at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on December 5, 2023, honoring the most outstanding high school football players across nine classifications from the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. A specific award will also be given to the top kicker in the state. Semifinalists for each category have been announced, with the final three nominees to be revealed by Titans personnel on November 21. Winners are chosen by a committee of sports writers who consider performance, academics, and character.

The finalists will be invited to an awards luncheon at Nissan Stadium where the winners will be announced. The partnership with the Tennessee Titans has been instrumental in recognizing these athletes for 17 years. This year's ceremony marks the 39th year of the awards, with trophies for winners, plaques for finalists, and certificates for semifinalists. The event will be emceed by Mike Keith and live-streamed on the Titans' website.

Knox County semi-finalists are from the following high schools:

• Halls

• Powell

• Webb