A glance at the best and worst in the news: Generosity, bad behavior and repercussions

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Santa Train makes 67th tour of region

The Santa Train makes its annual trek through the region today, the 67th year the annual 110-mile journey has been made from Shelby, Ky., to Kingsport, Tenn. The Santa Train will deliver 15 tons of gifts, candy and toys to children along the route in Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. We remind visitors to the train to keep safety in mind along the tracks. Thousands of people turn out each year to see the train, Santa Claus and receive gifts tossed along the route.

The event is sponsored by CSX Corp., Food City and the Kingsport Tennessee Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber awards a college scholarship to a high school senior who attends school along the Santa Train route. The winner is chosen based on grade point average, extracurricular activities, financial need, work records and the recommendation of an advisor. This year’s winner is Jessica Pennington of Pound High School in Pound, Va. The scholarship is worth $5,000, or $625 a semester. To date the chamber has awarded 26 scholarships totaling $130,000.
The schedule for the train is available online at www.kingsportchamber.org. Anyone who wants to make donations for future trips, should contact the chamber at (423) 392-8800 or info@kingsportchamber.org.

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Obscene gestures to football fans

The National Football League became the No Flipping-Off League on Monday when Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams was fined $250,000 for making the obscene gesture to Buffalo Bills fans from his luxury suite, and later from the field, on Sunday. The Titans beat the Bills 41-17.
The fine was levied for “conduct detrimental to the NFL,” according to league spokesman Greg Aiello.

Adams, 86, apologized in a statement to The Associated Press, saying: “I need to apologize for my actions yesterday near the end of the game. I got caught up in the excitement of a great day, but I do realize that those types of things shouldn’t happen. I need to specifically apologize to the Bills, their fans, our fans and the NFL.”

We assume $250,000 is probably walking-around money for Adams, but we like the fact that he was disciplined for what is obviously childish and inappropriate behavior toward opposing fans.

We also admit we’ve done childish and inappropriate things we shouldn’t have done and are grateful our punishment was never this steep.

UT players charged with felony crime

University of Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin has dismissed two of three freshmen players who were charged last week in an attempted robbery outside a Knoxville convenience store.

Wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson and defensive back Mike Edwards have been permanently dismissed from the football team.
Kiffin said former starting safety Janzen Jackson’s status remains on hold. Until he gets more information, Kiffin said, Jackson will remain barred from participating in team activities.

We’re pleased to see Kiffin take a tough stance with these players because of the seriousness of the charges. Too often, athletes are judged by a different measure because they draw spectators, and dollars, to a sports program.

These young men have been accused of attempted armed robbery in Knoxville. This brings nothing but negative to the UT program and we support Kiffin for permanently dismissing them from the team.

“Their actions have no place in our program,” Kiffin said. We agree.

BTES worker electrocuted on Tuesday

Local investigators are still puzzling over how a local utility worker was electrocuted and thrown from a utility pole Tuesday morning.
Bristol Tennessee Essential Services lineman Ronald E. Norris, 34, died while working on a power line behind a home on Hickory Tree Road in Bluff City, Tenn., the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. Norris, of Bluff City, leaves behind a wife, Jennifer, and two daughters, police said.

A co-worker on a nearby utility pole told investigators that he saw a flash of light and then spotted Norris on the ground. The co-worker performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until an ambulance arrived, but to no avail.

BTES CEO Mike Browder said everyone at the Bristol, Tenn.-based utility was stunned. “He was a very good worker – conscientious and loved his family. ... He was a real class man,” Browder said. “Right now we just really feel for his family and the tragedy they’re dealing with.”

Norris’ death marked the first BTES accident in 26 years in which an injured worker could not return to work the next day, Browder said.

We extend our condolences to the Norris family, the BTES employees and all others affected by his loss.