Daily editionFriday, January 9th, 2026
Good morning, Johnson City.
The Daily Johnson City Team
Here’s your local news at a glance for Friday, the 9th of January.
Community
On Thursday, volunteer pilots from New Jersey flew into Tri-Cities Airport to give 12 dogs and 5 cats from the Washington County-Johnson City Animal Shelter a freedom ride to new shelters (an effort supported by Wag Hotels).
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Education
Hampton High School welcomed students back in classrooms on Wednesday— marking the first phase of reopening after Hurricane Helene damaged the campus.
Classes had been held at Keensburg Elementary for over a year, and next steps will focus on beautifying the school.
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Public schools have begun required firearm safety instruction (using separate videos for kindergarten to second grade, third to fifth grade, and sixth to twelfth grade students) as mandated by a state law.
Each district chooses how to implement the apolitical program that excludes live ammunition.
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Government
Homeowners affected by Helene may get USDA home repair grants at an FTDD meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Johnson County Long Term Recovery Group (Mountain City) where staff will explain eligibility and process.
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Health
State of Franklin Healthcare Associates issued a statement following multiple closures in the region and said it will send letters and call patients to keep them informed (it follows legal notification requirements).
The agency noted that future practice locations for departing providers remain unknown.
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Sports
Elizabethton native Jason Witten, known for 17 NFL seasons and two Texas state championships as a coach, is finalizing a deal to lead college tight ends at Oklahoma — his son is expected to be a top recruit next season.
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