First group of students in new TCAT program complete CNA training
Plus: New details revealed in I-75 accident that claimed life of Scott County woman
Good Monday morning! Welcome to a brand new week. This is The Daybreaker, the first of several newsletters that will be published this week by the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) this or any of our other newsletters, please do so here. If you need to subscribe, it’s as simple as entering your email address:
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First Allied Health students complete CNA training at TCAT
HUNTSVILLE | The first group of students in Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville’s new Allied Health and Medical Assisting program have completed the requirements to become licensed Certified Nursing Aides (CNAs).
The group of students completed the fast-paced Nursing Aide portion of the program by mixing classroom, laboratory and clinical experiences. They’re now prepared to take the State of Tennessee Nurse Aide exam to become a licensed CNA. Meanwhile, they’ll continue their studies at TCAT, working towards certification as Phlebotomy Technicians, EKG Technicians, and Medical Assistants. They will complete the full course in February 2026, after six months of class.
The Allied Health program was launched earlier this year and combines several elements of the health care field that have traditionally been offered as stand-alone or supplemental programs by TCAT, including Nursing Aide, Phlebotomy and EKG Technician. Students can complete the program in whole or in part, taking only the portion they need. For example, a student who has previously been certified as a CNA and wants to become a Medical Assistant can skip the CNA portion of the program.
The group of new CNAs includes Hailey Anderson, Madison Beeler, Morgan Branscum, Destiny Day, Breana Hutchison, Sarah Jeffers, Katie Jones, Lexi King, Will King, Brittany Morrow, Katelyn Newport, and Jacey Webb.
The program’s instructor is Sue Sims, a career nurse who previously taught TCAT’s Nursing Aide program for several years. For the Fall 2025 trimester, a total of 30 students are participating in the program, including high school students who are dual-enrolled.
The Allied Health program is offered on the Huntsville campus, and the class meets four days each week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The next Allied Health class will begin Feb. 25, 2026. Prospective students who are interested in the program can begin the admissions process by applying online at tcatoneida.edu. For more information, call (423) 663-4900.
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Scott County accident victim’s vehicle broke down before crash
CARYVILLE | New details were released last week by the Tennessee Highway Patrol regarding an I-75 traffic accident that claimed the life of Anna Nelson, 69, of Scott County.
Nelson, of Pioneer, was fatally injured after her 2001 Toyota Tacoma was struck by a Freightliner Cascadia tractor-trailer rig in the northbound lanes of I-75 on Caryville Mountain on Saturday, Sept. 27. Last week, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said that Nelson’s pickup was disabled in the right-hand lane, and that she was outside the vehicle and standing in front of it, when the accident occurred during the overnight hours.
The Freightliner was driven by Viktor Pogarelov, 35, of South Carolina.
Nelson is survived by two children – Keasha Nelson, and Grover Nelson and wife Amanda — along with six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A funeral service was held Saturday at Jones & Son Funeral Home in Oneida.
TCAT names students of the month
HUNTSVILLE | Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville has named its students of the month for September 2025.
Kelly Leader, of Helenwood, is the post-secondary student of the month. She is a first-trimester student in the Practical Nursing program on the Huntsville campus.
Ava LaRue, of Sunbright, is the secondary student of the month. She is a home-schooled student dual-enrolled in the Welding program on the Huntsville campus.
New Tazewell man guilty in carjacking case
TAZEWELL, Tenn. | The office of 8th Judicial District Attorney General Jared Effler announced last week that carjacking suspect Robert Lee Harris, 66, of New Tazewell, Tenn., was found guilty by a jury in Claiborne County.
Harris was convicted following a two-day trial in Claiborne County Criminal Court. He was charged with aggravated assault, carjacking and especially aggravated kidnapping.
Following the guilty verdict, Criminal Court Judge Zachary R. Walden revoked Harris’s bond and scheduled him for sentencing on Nov. 10, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Courtney Rickert and Graham E. Wilson.
The Week Ahead
☀️ Weather: Dry weather continues for one more day, then an approaching frontal boundary will bring some rain to our area, along with slightly cooler temperatures. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot — or always available at indherald.com.
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📅 Community Calendar
Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer its walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. today and every weekday this week. Congregate meals are also available on-site at 12 p.m. each day, and are free to seniors ages 60 and over. You’re asked to call ahead, 423-663-9300. Additionally, Tai Chi will be offered at 11 a.m. today, and Bingo at 1 p.m.
Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.
Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.
Monday: Scott County Commission will meet in work session at 5 p.m. at the Scott County Office Building in Huntsville.
Monday: The Round Table will air live on the IH Sports Network at 6 p.m. Special guests include Waylon Hill, Brady Burke, Desmond Bowling, Mason Lewallen, Maddie Pike, Addison Cross, Emily Rowe, Emmalee Owens, Kyleigh Vaden, Pacey Hill, Bailey-Kate Lay and Nalani Knapples.
Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.
Tuesday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer Tai Cha at 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.
Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.
Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. For more information or requirements, call the church office at 569-8828.
Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Thursday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer Textured Ghost Craft at 1 p.m.
Thursday: The Scott County Board of Education will meet in regular session at 4:30 p.m. at the Central Office in Huntsville.
The Community Calendar is presented by Citizens Gas Utility District. CGUD’s pipelines reliably distribute natural gas to customers across the service area in Scott and Morgan counties. Visit citizensgastn.com.
Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes in Time tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!
◼️ Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
◼️ Tuesday: Echoes in Time (stories of our history)
◼️ Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
◼️ Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
◼️ Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
◼️ Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)