Labor Day Marks Final Major Summer Holiday Boating Weekend

September 2, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The Labor Day holiday, the final major weekend of the 2021 summer boating season, is Sept. 4-6. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency wants to emphasize the use of life jackets while boating in a safe and responsible manner.

The TWRA wants all those who visit the waterways to have an enjoyable time. However, TWRA officers will be on the watch for dangerous boating behavior, such as boating under the influence (BUI) and other reckless operation.

All children age 12 and under onboard must wear a life jacket. In addition, there must be a life jacket onboard the vessel for each person.

“TWRA wildlife officers have seen a significant increase in the use of paddlecraft the past several years,” said Betsy Woods, TWRA Boating Education coordinator. “Kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards are great ways to enjoy the water, but because they are so low profile, it’s easy to take a tumble into the water.”

Life jackets are required on paddlecraft and if a person is age 12 or younger, then the life jacket must be worn. The TWRA always encourages the use of life jackets.

To date in 2021 on Tennessee waters, there have been 17 boating-related fatalities, a decrease from the 22 from the same time last year.

September 2, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

The Josh Heupel era at Tennessee begins tonight (Thursday) and the Volunteers’ latest new head football coach will debut against Bowling Green.

This will be the second game between these teams. Tennessee routed Bowling Green 59-30 to open the 2015 season in Nashville.

WJLE and the VOL Network will bring you LIVE coverage of the game tonight starting with the pre-game shows at 5:30 p.m. and the kick-off at 7 p.m. Listen on WJLE AM 1480/FM 101.7.
Tonight (Thursday) not only marks the start of a new era of Tennessee Football but on the Vol Radio Network as well.

Former Vol and NFL quarterback Pat Ryan takes over the prestigious color analyst role this season after legendary VFL (VOL For Life) Tim Priest retired earlier this summer. Ryan, only the fourth color analyst in the Vol Network’s 72-year history, teams with play-by-play announcer Bob Kesling who is starting his 23rd year calling University of Tennessee games. Network host John Wilkerson, spotter and contributor Brent Hubbs and sideline reporter Kasey Funderburg round out the game broadcast crew. Jeff Muir serves as the network’s ace statistician.

Tonight will also mark the debut of a new Vol Network pre-game show tradition. At 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on September 2nd, a new show “Big Orange Countdown” will introduce fans to a new season of Tennessee Volunteer Football with expert insight from a host of former Volunteers. “Big Orange Countdown” succeeds “The Kickoff Call-In Show” in a move that honors past program traditions while looking ahead to the future with a modern and engaging twist. Kesling and Ryan will set the stage from Neyland Stadium before turning things over to Vol Network veterans John Wilkerson and Brent Hubbs who will be joined by former Vol wide receiver and team captain Jayson Swain (2003-06) and a rotating VFL special guest each week featuring former captain Will Overstreet (DE, 1998-2001) or Chris Brown (TE, 2004-07). For home games, Wilkerson, Hubbs, Swain and Overstreet or Brown will broadcast to a live audience at the familiar amphitheater at Gate 21 outside Neyland Stadium. Fans can ask questions on-site or submit a question via Twitter @VolNetwork #AskVolNetwork or e-mail via AskVolNetwork@gmail.com.

Following “Big Orange Countdown”, Bobby Rader takes over the duties this year for “Spotlight on the SEC” before handing things over to the game broadcast crew 15-minutes prior to kickoff. The “Big Orange Scoreboard and the Josh Heupel Show” provide complete postgame coverage. Vol Network programming is then capped each game with “The Final Scoreboard” hosted by Wilkerson, Rader and returning VFL Troy Fleming (RB, 2000-03) who will be joined this season by former Vol standout quarterback Erik Ainge (2004-07).

The Vol Network can be heard on over 60 stations across the state of Tennessee including WJLE AM 1480/FM 101.7 and the southeast, UTsports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App, SiriusXM and the Varsity App.

September 2, 2021
By: Dwayne Page

Two McMinnville residents were airlifted from the scene of a crash Wednesday night at the intersection of Jacobs Pillar and Whorton Springs Road.

Those injured were 24 year old Nathan Mathis and 41 year old Joneta Foster.

According to Trooper Bobby Johnson of the Tennessee Highway Patrol 38 year old Aaron White of Smithville was traveling east on Whorton Springs Road in a 2003 Ford Ranger as Mathis was heading north on Jacobs Pillar Road in a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. Foster was a passenger with Mathis.

“As Mr. White approached the intersection of Jacobs Pillar Road he failed to stop at the stop sign, striking Mr. Mathis’s vehicle knocking it off the right side of the roadway. Mr. White’s vehicle then struck a utility pole,” said Trooper Johnson.

White was not injured. A dog in the vehicle with Mathis and Foster was also uninjured.

White was issued citations for driving without a license, failure to obey a traffic control signal and he was placed under arrest for active warrants against him out of Smith County. Charges are pending on Mr. Mathis.