Law enforcement shows full support for the former chief

Former La Follette Chief of Police Ben Baird is honored

La Follette Police Captain Charlie Duff, Brent McNeeley of Walters Funeral Home and La Follette Chief of Police Matthew Forsyth look toward Caryville Mountain.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- WLAF’s Charlie Hutson shares photos from what was a sad, uplifting and memorable Friday morning.

Members of the La Follette Police Force from left to right are- Officer Justin Parrott, Officer Cory Laxton, Officer Tavian McCullah, Sgt. Robbie Cobb, Lt. Jami Wadle, Sgt. Michael Lawson, Chief Matthew Forsyth, Officer Jerry Campbell, Captain Charlie Duff, Officer Christian Mullins, Lt. Shane Tielman, Officer Dillon Marney, Det.-Sgt. Tim Collingsworth.
Firefighters with the La Follette Fire Department’s “A” Shift were along the processional route.
Local law enforcement was out in full force.

See the full photo gallery from WLAF’s Charlie Hutson HERE. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-05/29/2026-6AM)

Former Police Chief Baird processional makes its way through town

LAFOLLETTE, TN. (WLAF)- Former LaFollette Police Chief Ben Baird’s processional began at 11am. As it made its way to Fincastle Cemetery, 629 Old Middlesboro Highway, LaFollette a large American Flag hung over the road.

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 5/29/2026-11:15AM)

BOE holds special called meeting on Jacksboro Ele. School Gym project

‘You (GCE) don’t know how to build an industrial building’- Dail Cantrell, School Board Attorney

BOE Attorney Dail Cantrell at Thursday’s special called BOE meeting regarding the Jacksboro Elementary Gym project. Cantrell told the board that the way the contractor, GCE, was portraying the board on social media was not “fair dealing” and recommended legal action if it continued. The video board to the left of Cantrell shows a door that is hung with a noticeable space left under it, one of the construction concerns of the project which was discussed on Thursday.

By Charlotte Underwood

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- The Campbell County Board of Education met on Thursday afternoon to once again discuss the Jacksboro Elementary School Gym project and its lack of completion. The contractor GCE is saying the project is 98 percent complete, while the architect with Lewis Group says it is 80 to 85 percent complete.

Other issues brought up at the meeting include mortar that does not match on the outside of the building, gaps under doors, doorknobs left off doors and bleachers not being installed yet.

Disagreements, delays and change orders have followed the Jacksboro Gym project since it began in the summer of 2024.

 After around 40 minutes of discussion on Thursday, Board Chairman Jeffrey Miller made a motion to table the issue until GCE Construction provides formal orders regarding a prompt pay act letter the company had sent, as well as a work stoppage letter.

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Vinsant pleads guilty in 2023 wreck
This is a WLAF file photo from the afternoon of Friday, June 30, 2023, wreck in front of LaFollette Monuments on the four lane.

JACKSBORO, TN. (WLAF)- April Vinsant has pleaded guilty in a June 2023 wreck that resulted in the other driver being airlifted.

Following the accident, she was charged with vehicular assault, reckless aggravated assault, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, third offense DUI, driving while license revoked due to conviction of DUI and simple possession of a schedule VI.  

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East Central down to one lane Fri. AM for late police chief’s procession

A great outpouring of law enforcement, others expected for Chief Ben Baird’s Friday event

Former La Follette Chief of Police Ben Baird

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- You have to figure after spending decades teaching school and with La Follette Police, Ben Baird touched countless lives. Baird, who passed away Monday morning at his home, will be honored and remembered on Friday with a law enforcement led procession from Walters Funeral Home to the Fincastle Cemetery at 629 Old Middlesboro Highway.

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United Rare Earths team gathers for Thursday meeting

We have the great fortune of having a world class team of professionals’- Jeffrey Willis, CEO

United Rare Earths Media/Marketing Official Jennifer Troxel and United Rare Earths CEO Jeffrey Willis.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- Ahead of Thursday’s United Rare Earths (URE) meeting of key personnel, CEO Jeffrey Willis expressed he’s very pleased with the project as URE transitions into the next phase. The phase is more focused on getting the actual construction underway on the site at the Erschell Collins Industrial Park, off I-75 Exit 141, the Huntsville-Oneida Exit.

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Clayton Homes is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary on Saturday

You are invited to stop by for grilled food and a tour of what just might be your future home

Meet the Clayton Homes team. Left to right are Andrea McCormick, Albert McDonald, Brenda Russell, Jill Bagga, Tammy Branam, Cory McGinnis and Veronica Elmore. Clayton team member Aaron Overbay is not pictured. Clayton Homes in Jacksboro is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and kicking off summer with some hot sales, offering lot-wide savings on its vast selection of homes. Stop by Saturday for grilled food and a tour of what just might be your future home. That’s from 10am until 4pm.
Clayton Homes is located at 110 North Street next to the Jacksboro Middle School just down from Walmart.

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- Clayton Homes at Jacksboro is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and kicking off summer with some hot sales, offering lot-wide savings on its vast selection of homes.

You are invited to stop by Saturday for grilled food and a tour of what just might be your future home. That’s from 10am until 4pm.

WLAF’s Charlie Hutson shares his photo gallery HERE.

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Shanghai Resort is today’s next stop on the Chamber Marina Tour

CAMPBELL COUNTY, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- “Our next stop on our annual Chamber Marina Tour is Shanghai Resort. We will meet at the marina at 11:30am today,” said Missy Tackett, Executive Director of the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.

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Cruize-Ins continue Saturday for LA Cruizers Car Club

Saturday, May 30, 6pm, on North Tennessee Avenue is the next Cruize-In of the season

Larry Spurlock displayed his Kaiser last May’s Cruize-In.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- The LA Cruizers next Cruize-In of 2026 is this coming Saturday. Cruizers will gather along North Tennessee Avenue at 6pm.

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Next ribbon cutting is Thursday at Mortgage Investors Group

Hosted by Campbell County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- You are invited to next week’s chamber ribbon cutting ceremony with Campbell County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism member Mortgage Investors Group-Michelle Osborne.

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ORDER OF PUBLICATION

JACKSBORO, TN. (WLAF)- Porter vs. Porter

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 5/29/2026-6AM-PAID)

Matthew has Moore about what’s happening around town

Lots of activities are planned for Friday, Saturday and beyond. See details below.

By Matthew Moore

CAMPBELL COUNTY, TN (WLAF) – There’s always something fun or interesting going on in Campbell County, and you can learn about it all right here!

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The new high school opened in January 1953 on the east side of town

The original auditorium still stands along with a few portions of the original structure

By Charlie Hutson

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- Looking back 74 years, this is a picture of the construction going on for the new Lafollette High School during the summer of 1952.

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