Carissa Simpson
Digital Producer
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Carissa is an East Tennessee native, hailing from Morristown, TN. She attended Berea College but returned home to serve her home community through journalism.
While at Berea, Carissa served as the Editor-in-Chief of the student-led publication, The Pinnacle.
Her hobbies include reading, cross-stitching, and gardening.
Education
Updated: May. 28, 2023 at 12:52 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
A former firefighter died after a rollover crash on Friday, according to the Tazewell Fire Department.
Updated: May. 25, 2023 at 5:51 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that a man on the Tennessee Most Wanted List was arrested in Houston on Thursday.
Updated: May. 5, 2023 at 8:46 AM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
All nurses will receive a free medium hot or iced coffee the entire day.
Updated: May. 2, 2023 at 4:33 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
Jana arrived at The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, on Tuesday.
Updated: May. 2, 2023 at 4:00 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
One Powerball player struck gold on Monday night.
Updated: Apr. 28, 2023 at 1:02 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson and Gray News staff
An official said the school was placed on locked down and then dismissed at 12:30 p.m.
Updated: Apr. 25, 2023 at 10:31 AM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson and Debra Worley
Two high school students in Tennessee ended prom night with a little fishing where they made a big catch.
Updated: Apr. 24, 2023 at 12:15 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson and Debra Worley
A 7-year-old zebra at Zoo Knoxville died after running into a fence on Saturday, according to the zoo’s director of marketing and communications.
Updated: Apr. 21, 2023 at 12:44 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson and Gray News staff
Haylee Morris, 23, was charged previously, but not booked, on charges relating to a large animal cruelty case that saw at least 25 animals recovered and 25 more animals reported dead.
Updated: Apr. 21, 2023 at 11:04 AM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
For the 23rd year in a row, the Spring Planting and Music Festival is coming to Oneida. The free event will feature live music, demonstrations of skills and more.
Updated: Apr. 14, 2023 at 4:36 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
A bill was signed by Governor Bill Lee on Thursday that would ban all apps that are associated with the People’s Republic of China on public college campuses.
Updated: Mar. 20, 2023 at 11:57 AM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
Head Soccer Coach Jason Austin has been suspended, according to Campbell County Schools officials.
Updated: Mar. 8, 2023 at 5:33 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Lee County Sheriff’s Department officials in Mississippi announced that three children were found safe in Campbell County after being kidnapped.
Updated: Mar. 6, 2023 at 12:03 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson and Debra Worley
Jeanne Fox said she’s lived an eventful life, including having the honor of meeting some presidents.
Updated: Feb. 27, 2023 at 10:29 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are working to estimate when the lightning bugs will begin to light up the sky.
Updated: Feb. 27, 2023 at 7:54 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
A convicted child rapist was sentenced in Claiborne County on Feb. 24, according to the 8th District Attorney General Jared Effler.
Updated: Feb. 27, 2023 at 4:16 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials had a busy year last year. In fact, 2022 was the second-busiest year ever recorded.
Updated: Feb. 16, 2023 at 11:11 AM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
A body was found in Claiborne County on Tuesday, according to a release from the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office.
Updated: Feb. 16, 2023 at 10:10 AM EST
|By Carissa Simpson and Paige Hill
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials issued a Silver Alert for a missing Claiborne County woman.
Updated: Feb. 15, 2023 at 7:29 AM EST
|By Carissa Simpson and Gray News Staff
Multiple agencies are assisting Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies in a deadly shooting at Hawkins Road in Sweetwater.
Updated: Feb. 12, 2023 at 8:05 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Claiborne County officials announced that the 911 lines in Claiborne County were back up after being down for over 24 hours due to a problem with the phone provider.
Updated: Feb. 4, 2023 at 9:40 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Campbell County Sheriff’s Office deputies are investigating a shooting at a home in White Oak on Saturday, according to a media release.
Updated: Jan. 22, 2023 at 8:36 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Was your ticket the lucky one?
Updated: Jan. 18, 2023 at 10:41 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials announced a Campbell County woman has been indicted and charged with her husband’s overdose death.
Updated: Jan. 15, 2023 at 6:03 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper lent a helping hand to an owl on Sunday.
Updated: Jan. 10, 2023 at 5:43 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Dolly Parton is getting her own Funko Pop! Funko officials announced the collaboration with the Queen of Tennessee on Tuesday.
Updated: Dec. 24, 2022 at 1:17 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
On Friday, Gatlinburg city officials released a report detailing the downtown fire on Oct. 9 that killed one person and injured another.
Updated: Dec. 16, 2022 at 8:25 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson and Jordan Gartner
Zoo Knoxville announced the passing of its southern white rhinoceros named Polly this week.
Updated: Dec. 14, 2022 at 10:42 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Sheriff Wayne Barton warned residents that packages have been stolen out of mailboxes.
Updated: Dec. 11, 2022 at 11:31 AM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
GSMNP officials offer advice on where and how to view elk safely in the park.
Updated: Nov. 26, 2022 at 8:38 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
The Gatlinburg Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade was nominated for one of USA Today’s 10 Best award.
Updated: Nov. 21, 2022 at 11:26 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus will celebrate the start of 2023 in a co-hosted show called Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party in Miami.
Updated: Nov. 6, 2022 at 10:15 PM EST
|By Carissa Simpson
The fire in Duff was reported on Wednesday, but Tennessee Forestry crews are working to control it.
Updated: Sep. 17, 2022 at 6:02 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
Around 22,061 pounds of frozen beef were recalled after a misbranded and unlabeled allergen on Saturday
Updated: Sep. 13, 2022 at 5:41 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson and Debra Worley
The Knoxville Police Department is looking for a teenage girl who has been missing for more than a week.
Updated: Sep. 11, 2022 at 12:43 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
Country music star John Michael Montgomery was injured after his bus overturned in Campbell County on Friday, according to a Tennessee Highway Patrol report.
Updated: Aug. 30, 2022 at 4:01 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
Dollywood partnered with Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful to gather and recycle the plastic of 250,000 cigarette butts.
Updated: Aug. 22, 2022 at 4:44 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
All three elephants at Zoo Knoxville will be moving to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, zoo officials announced on Monday.
Updated: Aug. 13, 2022 at 11:19 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
An Alabama family was vacationing in Gatlinburg when they received an unexpected visitor.
Updated: Aug. 7, 2022 at 4:25 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
A woman was stabbed several times in the neck, arm and chest on Friday while she was transporting a man to the hospital for a mental health emergency, LaFollette Police Department officials said.
Updated: Jul. 13, 2022 at 4:25 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson and Paige Hill
Many agencies responded to multiple water rescues as water rose at Greenbrier Campground in Gatlinburg.
Updated: Jul. 12, 2022 at 6:49 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
The Silvered-leaf langur was born on June 16 at Zoo Knoxville and just made his debut in the monkeys’ outdoor exhibit
Updated: Jul. 3, 2022 at 3:21 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson
Claiborne County Schools will continue to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students for the upcoming 2022-23 school year.
Updated: Jun. 14, 2022 at 1:09 PM EDT
|By Carissa Simpson and Emily Van de Riet
A bear that ripped into a tent and injured a mother and daughter at a campground in Tennessee has been euthanized, officials with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced in a news release.
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