As the year comes to an end and our first year of publishing Crossville News First wraps up reaching 1,363,338 viewers since our launch in January, here are the top ten most-read stories for the year according to our Google Analytic Statistics.  This is not a subjective list of the top news of the year but rather the stories that Crossville News First readers clicked on the most from your PC’s, laptops, tablets and smart phones.

Not surprisingly, nine of the top ten are local stories from Cumberland and surrounding counties. The most read story however, was not local but drew a great deal of interest among readers due to the danger a tick posed to Tennesseean’s during the summer.  The ‘Lone Star’ tick story alone received over 200,000 clicks – the most viewed by far of any other  story.     Here are the top ten most read stories from Crossville News First for 2014.

 

10 – NINETEEN  INDICTED IN STING OPERATION INCLUDING CROSSVILLE POLICE OFFICER (5-23-14)

Nineteen people, including a city worker and a police officer in Crossville, were indicted after a 14-month drug investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
TBI Special Agents began the case in 2013 after receiving information about large quantities of methamphetamine in the Upper Cumberland region. Investigators worked on the case and obtained grand jury indictments Thursday for 19 people, 15 of whom were arrested Friday on a variety of charges.  UPDATE:  Cases are still going through the judicial processes of obtaining defense attorneys, scheduling court appearances ect.

 

9 – ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION OF 12 YEAR OLD IN CROSSVILLE (12-4-14)

An attempted abduction was reported to Crossville police.  A 12 year boy explained that as he was going into the rear entrance of Farmer’s Co-Op on Elmore Road, a four door sedan pulled up next to him and a tall slender white man opened the rear door, held out a handful of money and told the boy to come get it. The boy refused and continued on into the building with the man persisting to get the boy to come to the car.  The young boy told police there was a black man driving the vehicle and possible another person in the car. Investigation is underway.

 

8 – CUMBERLAND CO SHERIFF’S DEPT. LOOKING FOR MISSING ADULT TAKEN AGAINST HER WILL (10-3-14)

The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a woman who they say was unwillingly taken by a man around 9:00 p.m. Thursday. Investigators say 44-year-old Douglas Davis took 21-year-old Layla Aperans from a home. Davis is accused of also stealing a 1998 Toyota Camry with the license plate L1738T.   UPDATE: 21 year old Layla Aperans was allegedly abducted from her home Thursday night. According to Sheriff Casey Cox, she was found safe at a Pilot Truck Stop off I-65 in Elizabethtown, Kentucky Saturday. She has been returned to her family. Her suspected kidnapper, 44-year-old Douglas Davis was arrested without incident and is being held in a Hardin County KY jail

 

7 – JAMESTOWN SHOCKED OVER MURDER OF ELDERLY MAN – PERSON OF INTEREST HOSPITALIZED IN CROSSVILLE (11-25-14)

Crime tape still surrounds Clay Sherrill’s home on Mark Twain Avenue in Jamestown. He was 88 years old – and the TBI says someone killed him.Freeman said Sherrill bought the house about a year ago and was fixing it up with his son. When his wife died about a month ago, she said Sherrill’s son and girlfriend moved in. Freeman said he was a good person who loved to work outside.  UPDATE:  38 year old Brandi Adams is being held on one million dollars bond, charged with the murder of Sherrill.

 

6 – MISSING HERMITAGE WOMAN ORIGINALLY FROM CROSSVILLE, FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED (5-30-14)

A woman who has been missing from her Hermitage Tennessee home since May 23 is originally from Crossville. She is 36 year old Nicole (Nikki) Burgess, a 1996 graduate from CCHS.When authorities searched Burgess’ home in the 900 block of Oak Vale Drive, they found her usually tidy house messy. Her car was also there with a purse inside.According to officials, Burgess’ two dogs had been alone in the house for days.Family and friends said she would not have left her pets for an extended period of time without proper care.   Burgess is the single mother of a ten-year-old son. He was staying with his father at the time of the disappearance.  UPDATE:  As of Dec 22nd, Nikki still has not been found and no one has been charged.  Her ex-boyfriend has been named as a person of interest.

 

5 – CANNIBALIZED MURDER VICTIM FROM PIKEVILLE TENNESSEE (6-10-14)

The victim killed in a bizarre murder and cannibalism case has been identified.
Police called it one of the most gruesome murder scenes they’ve ever seen. Gregory Scott Hale, age 37, has been accused of killing a woman he met from Bledsoe County.
The victim has been identified as 37-year-old Lisa Marie Hyder. She’d been staying with some friends near Manchester.
The incident happened at 750 Pete Sain Road, which is east of Manchester. Investigators said Hale lived with his parents, but most of the evidence was collected in the garage or behind the home.
Authorities said Hale confessed to murdering Hyder on Friday. He apparently picked her up in town and brought her back to his house — the same day he met her.
According to investigators, Hale told them he dismembered her body and even ate part of it.

4 – ALERT: PRISONER ON THE LOOSE IN SOUTH CUMBERLAND COUNTY (6-3-14)

Cumberland county Deputies are on the hunt for a prisoner who escaped from Sequatchie County deputies who were transporting the prisoner from Oak Ridge to Sequatchie County.  The prisoner is male, wearing a red shirt and black shorts and has a fu manchu type beard and mustache.  The prisoner got lose after the deputies stopped at the Mountain View Market on 127 South at Highway 28.  Residents are being advised to be on alert for  the prisoner, who was being transported on meth charges.  Sheriff Butch Burgess told us that the prisoner may be attempting to steal a vehicle while on the run.  UPDATE:  The prisoner was captured at 8:30 in the Lake Tansi area that same day)

 

3 – LOCAL ENTERTAINER MARLEY WYATT PASSES (12-1-14)

Crossville is in shock this morning learning the news of the death of an amazing local singer. 29-year-old Marley Wyatt has passed away this morning.  Cause of death has not been determined officially other than it appears to be of natural causes.  Marley was a great talent who had been singing for years at area attractions such as the county fair, Homestead Apple Festival and the Cumberland Jamboree just to name a few. Marley indeed was a world class vocalist and a great friend to many. Marley also worked for the City of Crossville Housing Authority and loved making  jewelry.  UPDATE: Marley’s death was determined to be from natural causes.

 

2 – CUMBERLAND COUNTY TEACHER CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER (6-21-14)

Many Cumberland Countians are in shock over the alleged murder of  30 year old Louis Tammaro Jr. Friday morning by revered Martin Elementary school teacher Stephanie Cole.  All the details have not been released yet, but the case has the appearance of a domestic dispute getting out of hand.  Deputies were called to the Cole residence on Ackia Drive in Lake Tansi at 4:45 Friday morning, caller said they heard shots fired next door. When the law arrived they discovered the body of Tammaro in the back yard of the residence.   Tammaro had apparently died from a gunshot to his head fired from behind.  36 year old Cole, a special education teacher, and Tammaro had been in a relationship and lived together for the past several years but had recently split up.  Friends of Tammaro indicated he had come back to the Cole residence to pick up some personal belongings.    Stephanie Cole was taken into custody at the residence then taken to Cumberland Medical Center for treatment of an undisclosed nature and released back into custody and taken to the Justice Center for processing.   UPDATE: Cole is still in custody awaiting trial

 

1 – EXPERTS WARN OF FATAL AND RARE TICK VIRUS IN TENNESSEE (5-29-14)

Health experts are warning the public about a relatively new tick-borne illness that has now claimed the life of an Oklahoma resident. The disease, called the Heartland Virus, was first discovered in 2009.  There have been nine known cases of the illness in only three states, including Tennessee and Missouri.  A Tennessean died from the disease last year.

The virus is believed to be spread by the Lone Star tick.“It’s a very aggressive biter, so if you have a tick on you, most likely it will be a Lone Star tick.  It’s fairly recognizable and has a white dot on its back,” explained Dr. Abelardo Moncayo, with the Tennessee  Department of Health’s Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness.According to Dr. Moncayo, symptoms of the Heartland Virus include a high fever, low platelet count, low white blood cell count, fatigue, lack of energy and no appetite.  “We’re trying to make physicians aware, when they see patients with certain symptoms and have had tick exposure, to consider the Heartland Virus,” said Dr. Moncayo.  The disease is a virus and transmission can occur very quickly.   It’s important for people to check for ticks after spending time outdoors.  Ticks live in wooded areas and high grass most often, but can also be found in backyards and on pets.  Dr. Moncayo recommends removing ticks as soon as you notice them by using tweezers.  There is currently no vaccine for the Heartland Virus. There is also no commercial test to diagnosis the virus, but there is a test available through a CDC study.   According to health experts, all of the patients diagnosed with the virus have been white males, older than 50 who typically spend a lot of time outside.