Popular stories on knoxnews.com in 2011 [The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.]

Dec. 30--We reviewed our stats for knoxnews.com and looked for the most viewed news item each week in 2011. Below you will find an abstract from each story, the date it was published and a link to read it again. Enjoy!

JANUARY

Jan. 4, 2011: Toyota worker sues over firing: Kiffin accident at center of lawsuit

KNOXVILLE -- A former body shop worker at Toyota of Knoxville has filed suit against the Knoxville auto dealership, claiming he was fired and defamed for uncovering evidence in an insurance fraud cover-up benefiting former University of Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin.

Jan. 14, 2011: Knoxville Zoo worker dies after elephant pushes her into stall

KNOXVILLE -- On Friday, Stephanie James, 33, died after one of the elephants she was working with pushed her into a stall. James, who had worked at the Knoxville Zoo for two years, died as a result of internal injuries after being rushed to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Jan. 16, 2011: Executive order: Gov. Haslam throws out income disclosure rules

NASHVILLE -- Republican Gov. Bill Haslam has signed an executive order that eliminates a requirement for the governor and top aides to disclose how much they earn.

Jan. 25, 2011: Contractor praises killed Henley Bridge worker as professional, 'charming'

KNOXVILLE -- The state contractor responsible for the $24.7 millionHenley Bridge renovation project offered condolences and prayers for the family of a foreman killed at the work site this morning.

FEBRUARY

Feb. 2, 2011: Oak Ridge doctor defends cavity search in trial of man whom he paralyzed for exam

When it came to the extraordinary move to paralyze an Anderson County man to search his body for drugs, this doctor didn't hesitate.

Feb. 8, 2011: GOP lawmaker, Julia Hurley of Lenoir City, credits Hooters for success

NASHVILLE -- Newly elected Republican state Rep. Julia Hurley, 29, writes in the current issue of Hooters Magazine that her experience working in the restaurants known for waitresses' skimpy outfits led to her later success in business and politics.

Feb. 17, 2011: Cause of fatal apartment blaze elusive; shelter to open at 6 p.m.

KNOXVILLE -- Authorities said it will "be very difficult to determine the cause" of an East Knoxville apartment fire that killed one man because of the extensive damage caused by the flames.

Feb. 25, 2011: Wreck kills Bearden HS student, critically injures her sister

KNOXVILLE -- The Knoxville Police Department is investigating a two-vehicle wreck that killed one Bearden High School student and critically injured her sister.

Feb. 28, 2011: Flash floods hit Knoxville area; roads swamped, closed

KNOXVILLE -- Flash floods caught drivers in high water, trapped a number of people in a building in North Knoxville and overwhelmed numerous streets in the Knoxville area this afternoon.

MARCH

March 10, 2011: Judge Richard Baumgartner granted diversion with painkiller plea, avoids prison

KNOXVILLE -- Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner received a two-year suspended sentence and was placed on judicial diversion this morning after pleading guilty to official misconduct.

March 16, 2011: Ex-Sandia engineer talks about some of the worst things that could happen in Japan

Dr. Michael Allen, vice provost for research and dean of graduate studies at Middle Tennessee State University, spent much of his early career at Sandia National Labs studying nuclear reactor accidents of the worst kind and performing simulations to better understand how bad things happen -- including core meltdowns.

March 24, 2011: Weather Service: Tornado likely hit Blount, Loudon with top winds of 160 mph

GREENBACK -- Damage sustained during Wednesday night's storm indicates a "strong EF3" tornado likely struck the Greenback community, according to a National Weather Service representative surveying the damage this afternoon.

March 29, 2011: 'Catastrophic changes' shut down Saddlebrook

One of Knoxville's most prominent builders is closing its doors. Bob Mohney, president of Saddlebrook Homes LLC, said in a statement that he is shutting down his 24-year-old business because of the "catastrophic changes" in the real estate market over the past four years.

APRIL

April 5, 2011: Bodies of missing workers found under collapsed wall at Gatlinburg wastewater plant

GATLINBURG -- The bodies of two missing Gatlinburg wastewater plant employees were found this afternoon under the wall of a basin that collapsed, sending hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater into the Little Pigeon River, according to Gatlinburg fire officials.

April 13, 2011: Kindergarten teacher has kids oink at student who was messy

HARRIMAN -- A Roane County kindergarten teacher who reportedly told students to encircle a classmate, call him a pig and make pig noises because the boy is messy, received a one-day unpaid suspension and had a letter of reprimand placed in her file.

April 20, 2011: Party mom Leslie Janous vanishes, sought by feds in million-dollar theft case

KNOXVILLE -- The high-flying West Knoxville bookkeeper who stole millions from her employer while buying a pricey house, cars and other gifts for her partner and daughter is a federal fugitive, according to the FBI.

April 27, 2011: Former Knoxville TV anchor faces DUI charge

KNOXVILLE -- Former WVLT, Channel 8, reporter and anchor Gordon Boyd, who resigned last year after losing his composure on live television, was in front of the camera again in Knoxville, but this time it was to have his mug shot taken.

MAY

May 1, 2011: US kills Osama bin Laden

WASHINGTON -- Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces Monday, then quickly buried at sea in a stunning finale to a furtive decade on the run. Long believed to be hiding in caves, bin Laden was tracked down in a costly, custom-built hideout not far from a Pakistani military academy.

May 12, 2011: Former UT football player Aaron Douglas found dead

Former Maryville High School and University of Tennessee football standout Aaron Douglas was found dead Thursday morning in Florida at the age of 21.

According to a report from the Fernandina Beach (Fla.) Police Department, officers responded to a call of a deceased male at 8:13 a.m., a man who was later identified as Douglas. The cause of death is pending examination.

May 19, 2011: Zoo security stops EMS from reaching boy injured by camel in park

KNOXVILLE -- Medical personnel were denied entry to the Knoxville Zoo today because of a "communications issue" after a 5-year-old boy was injured by a camel, according to the zoo director.

May 26, 2011: Romantic rendezvous: Knox tortoises get visit from two Atlanta reptiles

In the world of giant tortoises, Al's a prize catch. So what if he's 130 years old and weighs 550 pounds.

"There's just nothing wrong with him," said Knoxville Zoo Assistant Curator of Herpetology Michael Ogle. "Every zoo person who has ever seen him says, 'Wow, that's the biggest tortoise I've ever seen.' " The Aldabra tortoise has lived at the zoo since 1974. He's spent the past 15 years with its other giant male, 350-pound, 90-year-old Tex. These guys need dates, and Ogle was the matchmaker.

May 31, 2011: Blogger Katie Granju files lawsuit in son's overdose death

KNOXVILLE -- A Knoxville blogger whose son died a year ago as a result of complications from a drug overdose today filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the teenager's death.

JUNE

June 9, 2011: Judge delays new trial ruling for Letalvis Cobbins, who claims jail abuse

KNOXVILLE -- Letalvis Cobbins claimed today that jailers beat him up Sunday. In a surprise move, Cobbins asked to address Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood in Knox County Criminal Court during a hearing on his bid for a new trial in the January 2007 torture slayings of Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23.

June 14, 2011: Police identify man shot in West Knoxville

KNOXVILLE -- Police this morning identified an uncooperative man who was shot after exiting a West Knoxville business. Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk identified the victim as Harold Otis Williams, 31, of Knoxville. DeBusk said Williams also uses the name Harold August Williams.

June 22, 2011: KUB chips away at mass outage; 59,000 still without power

KNOXVILLE -- More than 59,000 Knoxville Utilities Board customers remained without power this afternoon, following a storm that cut electricity to the largest number of KUB customers in the utility's history.

JULY

July 2, 2011: Officials found golfing, reconcile timecards

One top-level Knox County official changed his timecard this week to account for the hours spent playing golf, while another official golfing with him made mistakes on his timecard.

July 7, 2011: Knox deputies raid Bexhill subdivision poker game

KNOXVILLE -- Knox County Sheriff's Office deputies raided yet another allegedly illegal gambling operation Wednesday night. The latest raid targeted a poker game inside a private residence in the Bexhill subdivision in West Knox County, according to a KCSO spokeswoman Ashley Haynes.

July 11, 2011: State Rep. Hurley admits carving initials into House floor desk

KNOXVILLE -- Yes, she carved her initials in her desk on the floor of the state House, state Rep. Julia Hurley, R-Lenoir City, confirmed today.

July 20, 2011: Bear finally gets relief after 3 weeks with head in a jar

A black bear that spent three weeks roaming Cocke County with a large plastic jar stuck over its head has been released in the Cherokee National Forest 85 pounds lighter but otherwise unharmed.

July 25, 2011: Dollywood park worker calls out guest over 'marriage is so gay' T-shirt

A Knoxville same-sex couple are calling on Dollywood Splash Country to come up with more inclusive policies regarding guests after a park gatekeeper made one of them reverse a T-shirt whose message he found objectionable.

On July 9, Olivier Odom and Jennifer Tipton went to the Sevier County water park, which is beside Dollywood, with friends and the friends' 8- and 5-year-old daughters. Odom wore a T-shirt that said "Marriage is so gay" -- intended to be a statement supporting same-sex marriage.

AUGUST

Aug. 4, 2011: Satirical mints poking fun at Obama pulled from UT bookstore

Breath mints are usually refreshing, but a Knoxville legislator believes a University of Tennessee bookstore's selling of novelty candies mocking President Barack ObamaJoe Armstrong, a Democrat, visited the bookstore and told the director he found the satirical mints offensive.

Aug. 8, 2011: Knox County rapist admits trying to kill pregnant 10-year-old victim

For months, the 10-year-old girl hid her rape even as proof grew inside her womb, a prosecutor said Monday. Unbeknown to her family, the child was seven-months pregnant with her rapist's child before she finally disclosed what her attacker said he would kill her for revealing -- that a 21-year-old acquaintance had raped her in early 2010 while spending a few days at her family's home, Assistant District Attorney General Charme Knight told Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood.

Aug. 15, 2011: Bruce Pearl putting Gettysvue home up for sale

Former University of Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl is looking to sell his 10,200-square foot home in Gettysvue.

Aug. 23, 2011: Trader Joe's confirms Knoxville rumors

Trader Joe's is coming to Knoxville, the Property Scope blog reports. The California-based grocery retailer announced Tuesday that it has signed a lease for a store at 8025 Kingston Pike, in the Suburban Plaza shopping center. The store is scheduled to open in 2012.

Aug. 29, 2011: Facebook phenom Stephen A. Burroughs announces Swagfest despite threats

Knoxville attorney Stephen A. Burroughs made good on a promise when he announced plans Monday to hold a community party next week in the Sunsphere and adjacent Knoxville Convention Center.

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 5, 2011: 2 adults killed, 2 children injured in I-75 crash

LOUDON --Two Lenoir City residents were killed and two children injured Sunday night when their SUV went off Interstate 75 and struck two trees in Loudon County, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Sept. 15, 2011: Homeowner: Shooting was self-defense after finding girlfriend with other man

A West Knox County homeowner told law enforcement officers he acted in self-defense when he fatally shot a man who he discovered in bed with his girlfriend Thursday morning.

Sept. 21, 2011: 3 people interviewed in death of Henry Granju arrested on drug charges

KNOXVILLE -- Three people interviewed in the drug death of a Knoxville teen, including the daughter of a former city councilwoman, have been indicted on charges of selling drugs.

Sept. 27, 2011: Park suicide victim identified

KNOXVILLE -- Authorities have identified the man who killed himself in a West Knox County park Monday. A woman walking found the body of Curtis Wilke, 28, of Knoxville near the Cove at Concord Park around 7:30 a.m., Knox County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Martha Dooley said. He'd been shot in the head.

OCTOBER

Oct. 7, 2011: 14-year-old charged after man shot in West Knoxville

KNOXVILLE -- A 14-year-old male was charged today in connection with the early morning shooting of a 23-year-old man in West Knoxville.

Oct. 13, 2011: Knoxville police: One killed, one injured in Fort Sanders shootings

A former University of Tennessee student is dead and his roommate wounded after a shooting Thursday night in their Fort Sanders apartment near campus, authorities said.

Oct. 20, 2011: Police identify teens killed in I-40 crash

KNOXVILLE -- Two Jefferson County teenagers were killed this morning when their car crossed Interstate 40 during a pouring rain and slammed into an oncoming pickup truck. The 1:01 a.m. crash killed Jean-Luke Lane and Joshua Allen Bullington, both 18 and both of White Pine, according to Knoxville Police DepartmentDarrell DeBusk.

Oct. 28, 2011: Sheriff demotes 5 Knox deputies over traffic stop

Whatever the driver did to avoid a traffic ticket, the cameras didn't capture it. Knox County Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones says it was enough to cost five deputies their badges, guns, cruisers and police powers. The sheriff said he demoted the officers from patrol to corrections after they admitted to "improvising" a creative punishment for a 19-year-old driver stopped on suspicion of speeding Oct. 16.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 2, 2011: Alcoa PD working with high school after teacher-coach's resignation

At the request of school officials, Alcoa police are assisting in an unspecified review after the abrupt resignation of a popular history teacher and softball coach. Alcoa City Schools Director Brian Bell said he recently contacted APD for assistance with "issues pertaining to a teacher." Paul Talley, 40, resigned Thursday.

Nov. 11, 2011: Woman allegedly stabs cousin during fight over 'booty call'

ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. -- A Hawkins County woman allegedly stabbed her first cousin multiple times with a pair of scissors during a fight that occurred Tuesday night after she told him she wanted a relationship with him, and did not want to be "a booty call."

Nov. 16, 2011: Knoxville police identify man killed in Walmart

Zachary Blaine Russell had an overwhelming fear of returning to jail and being away from the toddler daughter he affectionately called "Bug." That fear, said Russell's friends, may be what dictated the actions that got him fatally shot Tuesday night by a police officer in a South Knoxville Walmart office where suspected shoplifters are held.

Nov. 26, 2011: One dead, two critically injured in I-40 crash

One motorist was killed and two others critically injured late this morning after a car veered across a median on Interstate 40 near Asheville Highway and struck another car before a tractor-trailer then hit both vehicles, Rural/Metro said.

DECEMBER

Dec. 1, 2011: Special judge grants new trials for torture-slaying defendants, cites Baumgartner's conduct

KNOXVILLE -- A special judge today granted new trials for four defendants in the 2007 torture-slaying cases, agreeing with lawyers that presiding Judge Richard Baumgartner's conduct led to fundamental structural flaws in the prosecutions.

Dec. 6, 2011: Sevier County officer's gun discharge takes out store's frozen bologna

A Sevier County Sheriff's Department officer was recently suspended after his service weapon discharged inside a convenience store and the round lodged itself into a pack of frozen bologna.

Dec. 14, 2011: Autopsy confirms pregnant woman's suspicious death as homicide

Someone must know something. Family members were certain of at least that much as they made a public plea for help in solving the murder of Brittany Caroline Eldridge, a 25-year-old pregnant woman whose body was discovered inside her Knoxville apartment Tuesday.

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