Anthony Taylor pleased guilty for scamming the staff at Spring Hill Suites Hotel for many years in a row. In the agreement made with the authorities, the man shows how he benefited from more than 10 discounts in total amount of almost $3,000. KoTourist Exposed For Trying To Scam Pigeon Forge Hotel By Posing As U.S. Marshal An Indiana resident who scammed a Pigeon Forge hotel to get a huge discount on his stay by posing as U.S. Marshall has pleaded guilty as charged to this allegation. Court records state that the hotel manager who suspected that the man was trying to pass as someone else joined forces with the real U.S. Marshals to expose him. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman, Anthony Taylor always paid in cash for his stay and recommended the front desk clerk to thoroughly wash her hands after touching the money, as the bills were nothing but confiscated drug money he was awarded as bonus for his good work within his department. In April 2019, the hotel manager wanted to check whether Taylor was indeed an employee of the U.S. Marshal Service. When Taylor and his wide showed up to the hotel that date, two law enforcement officers were waiting for him in the hotel lobby, dressed as civilians. The law officers saw Taylor asking for a discount and claiming to be a deputy U.S. Marshal. He made the payment in cash, just like all other times he stayed at this Pigeon Forge hotel. Then, the officers approached the defendant, identified themselves and asked him why was he trying to pass as someone else. Apparently, he immediately confessed that he was only trying to benefit from the discount government officials were entitled to. At that stage, there was no point in denying the facts, so he didn’t even try to defend himself. According to Kolman, the officers than read Taylor his Miranda rights. He listened to them but he refused to sign the waiver form. The two officers also tried to talk with Taylor’s wife who was waiting for her husband in the car. Taylor asked his wife to keep silent and not answer any question. Even so, this didn’t help the couple avoid a lawsuit, since the evidence was more than obvious. Even though Taylor wasn’t arrested, later on he claimed his vehicle was illegally searched. He also claimed through his attorney of law that his rights weren’t respected and he complained about this violation. The case went to a federal grand jury. The indictment followed in August 2019. One month later, Taylor was served and struck a plea deal. As the hearing date is still to be posted, the defendant was allowed to stay free waiting for the final sentencing. Pigeon Forge local Video: Related Articles: Sevier County Is Considering Choice About Keeping Mask Mandate via Pigeon Forge Tennessee https://pigeonforgeblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/13/tourist-busted-for-posing-as-u-s-marshal-to-get-discounts-at-pigeon-forge-hotel/
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The Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains is definitely a year-round destination for good reason. Gatlinburg and neighboring Pigeon Forge are just outside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are tourist towns that are nationally renowned for offering lots of fabulous family fun. Fortunately, during the winter the huge warm-weather crowds do shrink down but the diverse number of activities that are available do not. Even better, it is easier to enjoy the busiest national park in the country. Despite the fairly low elevation of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, there are some fun wintry activities. Head on over to Pigeon Forge Snow if warm weather sledding appeals to you. This unique indoor snow play venue and snow tubing venue is kept at 70 degrees. Devote snow enthusiasts should definitely check out the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort, with its 10 slopes and a vertical drop of 600 feet, a combination roller coaster and alpine slide, 4,000-foot Ski Mountain Coaster, and 10-lane snow tubing venue. On the way up the slopes of Ober, you will ride the largest aerial tram in Eastern America, to enjoy unparalleled views of the Smokies’ vertical-mile rise. The 60,000-square-foot slopeside venue has many options available for everybody, an exhibition area and habitat called Wildlife Encounter for black bears and other animals, a big indoor ice skating rink, and crafts and shopping mall. Another interesting viewpoint over the town is Anakeesta. visitors ride a passenger truck, six-person gondola, or chairlift to climb the Anakeesta view tower, ride the zip lines or Rail Runner mountain coaster, go on a forest canopy tour across 16 suspended bridges, or enjoy numerous places to eat, shops, and outdoor play areas for children. Local attractions include impressive museum-quality exhibits, with the list lead by the Titanic. Located in Pigeon Forge, there is a huge replica of the infamous ill-fated ship. What makes this exciting and emotional attraction even more intriguing are its original artifacts. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is a surprising and first-rate experience that is located many hours from the ocean. Arrowmont offers a premium art experience. This famous school of arts and crafts features both scheduled and permanent exhibitions. Start out your day at the Log Cabin Pancake House to enjoy a complete Smokies breakfast. Another option is the Donut Friar located in the Village Shops. It opens at 5 am and offers the best baked goods in the Smokies. If you want something different from the country cooking that is found everywhere, Bullfish Grill located in Pigeon Forge offers outstanding flown-in fresh seafood and black Angus. Smoky Mountain Brewery is a busy spot that offers great microbrews and fresh-ground hearty hamburgers. Set aside time to enjoy the national park. The quietest time to enjoy the Smokies is during the winter. It is the ideal time for exploring the very popular loop drive of Cades Cove. You can have the historic sites and trails all to yourself. For a less-traveled way to take the Cades Cove loop, from Pigeon Forge start on Wears Valley Road, and then turn left on Lyon Springs road to enter the park. Or head out to Newfound Gap at the peak of the park on US 441. This high up that is frequently snow, so spark and then walk up Clingman’s Dome Road (during the winter it is gated), for a cross-country ski trip or snowy hike. On your way into the park, check out the Sugarlands Visitors Center, and then take a stroll on the inspirational Sugarlands Nature Trail. via Pigeon Forge Tennessee https://pigeonforgeblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/13/smokies-getaway-outdoors-and-indoors-there-are-plenty-of-family-fun-options-in-pigeon-forge-and-gatlinburg/ In a season finale debut on Friday that was characterized by a lot of defense play and missed opportunities, visitors Pigeon Forge took home the title after thrashing Scott High -The home team- 13-6. Pigeon Forge (Tigers) went ahead to take the Region’s 2-3A playoff title in a game that was characterized by a lot of missed chances by Scott High (Highlanders). The Highlanders ended their playoff season at 5-5. Though they were eventually defeated, the hosts were able to keep The Tigers at Bay from the title for most of the game. During the Fourth Quarter, they were able to cut the lead by The Tigers with a touchdown that brought the score on the board to 7-6. However, as the game continued, Pigeon Forge were able to score a touchdown and move ahead to 13-6. They were then able to keep the hosts from scoring again until the end of the game. The Tigers were able to claim the win mainly because of three plays they made during the season Finale playoff. For starters, late in the second quarter they made a 36-yard run. They then went ahead to make a 32-yard pass in the third quarter before finally making their winning play in the fourth quarter. HUNTSVILLE — Defense. That was the primary theme for Friday’s regular season finale between Scott High and visiting Pigeon Forge. But missed opportunities was a secondary theme, as the Tigers survived what was essentially a playoff play-in game with a 13-6 victory over the Highlanders, which earned them Region 2-3A’s fourth and final playoff berth. Scott High’s season ended at 5-5, but not without effort. The Highlanders kept Pigeon Forge on the ropes throughout the game, scoring a fourth quarter touchdown to cut the gap to 7-6 before the Tigers put a late score on the board and then held on until time expired. When the final horn sounded, Scott High was at Pigeon Forge’s 39-yard-line and driving. But the Highlanders had gotten the ball back with only 1:03 remaining in a game in which both teams had struggled to move the football. Pigeon Forge scored on two big plays: a 36-yard run late in the second quarter, and a 32-yard pass on third-and-long late in the fourth quarter. Otherwise, the Tigers struggled to move the football. Until their final drive of the game, Pigeon Forge had just 112 yards of offense and was 0 of 7 on third down. However, throughout the game, The Highlanders had plenty of opportunities to capitalize and move ahead of The Tigers throughout the game. For example, during the first quarter, the hosts had the ball inside the 5-yard line of the visitors after a 59-yard run made by William Young, a sophomore. During the first quarter, Scott High had the ball in the visitors territory three times but they were unable to capitalize on the opportunities at hand. Upto close to the end of the game, The Highlanders had every opportunity to catch up to the hosts but the defense put up by the visiting team was too strong. via Pigeon Forge Tennessee https://pigeonforgeblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/13/the-highlanders-sink-the-tigers-with-a-13-6-win-in-a-game-characterized-by-a-lot-of-defense-and-missed-opportunities/ As the month comes to a close, the list of fall festivals continues to grow. Saturday is the last day for Dollywood’s Great Pumpkin LumiNights and the Harvest Festival and the Harvest of Art taking place in Dayton, Tennessee. North Georgia Agricultural Fair organizers in Dalton have made the decision to add one day to the fair, which ends on Sunday now. This weekend also sees Halloween celebrations with community celebrations taking place in Jasper and Cleveland, Tennessee. Around the area, several trunk-or-treat candy giveaways will also be happening. On Saturday the Jasper Jack-o-Lantern Jamboree is taking place in the town square. At 4 p.m., a drive-thru Trunk or Treat Trail, which is open to golf carts, vehicles, and hayrides will be opening. Participants will be entering on Warrior Drive and then circling the Jasper Sports Complex and then exit on Turner Street. The evening will end with a small fireworks display to honor Joshua K, Jennings, the late founder of the event. The Halloween block party in Cleveland has been expanded and is now a Trick-or-Treat over two days to accommodate increased social distancing than what could be achieved over the normal one-night even around the square of the Bradley County Courthouse, according to Sharon Marr, MainStreet Cleveland’s executive director. Marr says they have 33 years of experience in being a large Halloween event. For us, it is a really fun night. Changing it was a very tough decision to make. However with a crowd of 15,000 to 18,000 individuals, many vendors, and lines of people waiting for food ad candy, we needed to find some way to make things safe due to the COVID situation. Instead of a busy Treat Street well-stocked with Mars Wrigley candy, which has a Cleveland manufacturing plant, children will be trick-or-treating on the sidewalks in front of restaurants, retailers, and businesses in four different neighborhood zones, the Old Woolen Mill, the Museum Center, First Street square, and the courthouse square. There will also be street musicians adding to the festivity. Expanding the event to two nights provides families to choose which one they want to attend. It is open on Friday from 5-8 pm and on Saturday from 3-6 pm. At http://www.mainstreetcleveland.com there is a map of all of the candy stops available. Similar events, which include LaFayette, Georgia’s Scare on the Square, Chickamauga, Georgia’s Pumpkin Fest, and Dayton, Tennessee’s PumpkinFest, have all been canceled for this year due to concerns over coronavirus. Candice Graham, MainStreet Dayton’s executive director said that officials had been hoping to hold some PUmpkinFest version before they ultimately decided to cancel the event. Usually, the event runs over two days with its multiple activities including trick-or-treating, pie-eating contests, and karaoke. Graham said that for a while things hung in the balance. Although fall is a draw still in the Great Smoky Mountains, it will be the final weekend for enjoying the Great Pumpkin LumiNights and the Harvest Festival at Dollywood. The park will be transitioning into Smoky Mountain Christmas in a week and opens on November 7. Original Article – Read Article here Related Pigeon Forge Video: via Pigeon Forge Tennessee https://pigeonforgeblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/12/trunk-or-treat-celebrations-are-among-the-fall-festivals-taking-place-in-the-chattanooga-area-this-weekend/ Officials in Sevier County are discussing whether they should keep the mask mandate going for a while longer. The one currently set in place is due to expire October 20, 2020, at midnight Friday. Governor Bill Lee empowered mayors, such as Mayor Larry Waters of Sevier County, to issue local mask mandates through executive orders which apply throughout the rest of the year. Governor Lee, thus far, has resisted the idea of a mandate being implemented statewide. WVLT News spoke to Mayor Water’s office, who said they were absolutely concerned about COVID cases rising. Having said that, they had not made a final decision on an extension of the previous mask mandate, even though state officials pointed out that general cases of COVID-19 were rising. Hospitalizations had also been rising, having recently hit an all-time high. David Wear is the mayor of Pigeon Forge. He says that even though numbers are rising, he thinks that numbers would have gone even higher had there not originally been a mandate. Mayor Wear also points out that tourism went up a lot in the last eight weeks, likely due to guests feeling much safer. He knows that guests know there is a mask mandate in place, and focus groups seem to indicate tourism is up because tourists feel safer in a space with a mask mandate. He also notes many grocery stores and restaurants are mandating masks whether there is a government mandate or not. The original mask mandate took effect in the month of July, but Mayor Waters extended that specific order for another 30 days each following month. Before making the decision each month, Mayor Waters has been in consultation with leadership from all three cities regarding what they collectively want to see going forward. Mayor Waters believes that Sevier County has handled the pandemic rather well starting back in the month of March through present day. He is particularly proud of the ‘fantastic job’ done by the hospital. Given how the pandemic is likely to linger for many more months, such decisions are going to be faced by local governments for some time to come. via Pigeon Forge Tennessee https://pigeonforgeblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/12/sevier-county-is-considering-choice-about-keeping-mask-mandate/ A male minor in Pigeon Forge has been taken to court and brought up on charges of starting a blaze that led to the destruction of a business housed in the Z Buda Mall. The minor is accused of starting the inferno which completely razed down the Just Stop Smokies joint and damaged several surrounding enterprises on October 5. Investigators from the Pigeon Forge Police Department said that there were strong links between the October 5 fire and another blaze that had occurred at a Kroger located on Wears Valley Road just two days earlier. An employee within the Z Budda Mall gave evidence to investigators that on the day in question, they were alerted to the fire by a smoking display and this is when they spotted the minor at the scene. It is while the employee was putting out the blaze using water that the minor ran away from the location. Investigators were able to trace the minor and his guardians to their Tennessee home after going through multiple statements from both arson scenes and surveillance footage from the crime scenes. In court, the minor was brought up on two charges of causing deliberate aggravated arson. Previous News StoryOn Monday afternoon, an inferno completely destroyed a business located within the Red Roof Mall in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and caused severe damages to other businesses which were in close proximity. Tony Watson – The Chief of Pigeon Forge Fire Department said that the blaze at Factory Outlet Mall on 2828 Parkway was first reported at about 2:05 p.m. According to a press release that was shared on Monday, multiple first responders from different agencies across the county showed up to help curb the spread of the blaze. At the time of the release, the fire had been contained. However, investigators had not yet determined the cause of the inferno. No individual was hurt by the inferno.According to Watson, by the time the first firefighters arrived at the scene, Just Stop Toys & Gifts – one of the businesses at the mall had already been totally been completely gutted by the fire. Chief Watson said that the fire crews at the scene of the fire worked valiantly to contain the blaze at the site of origin so that it did not spread to nearby buildings. However, by the time the fire got contained, one of the nearby buildings had already sustained heavy smoke damage while another sustained minor smoke damage. Fire crews from Sevierville and Gatlinburg came to assist their colleagues from Pigeon Forge to contain the blaze. Though the fire had already been put under control, Watson side that the crews on site were likely to work through the night identifying and putting out potential hot spots with a view of ensuring that the inferno did not start again. The Pigeon Forge Fire Department chief said that he expects that further investigations as to the cause of the blaze are expected to resume on Tuesday. Watson attributed the quick spread of the fire to the fact that the original site of the blaze had no sprinklers. Several enterprises close to the scene of the blaze lost their electricity supply during the efforts to curb the spread of the blaze. However, Chief Watson provided business owners with an assurance that they will get power restored since safety had already been restored in the area. Original Article: https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/fire-breaks-out-at-pigeon-forge-outlet-mall/51-6fde38cb-64c1-462d-aca2-a93a0e846ef9 Related Pigeon Forge Video: via Pigeon Forge Tennessee https://pigeonforgeblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/12/minor-charged-with-arson-at-a-mall-in-pigeon-forge/ At one point in time, 2020 seemed as though it was going to be a stellar year. Then March arrives and it has been going downhill since. During this time, much of the business world has come to a screeching halt. Pigeon Forge was just one location that was hitting its stride to the best year ever before COVID-19 hit us. Most years, the city will earn upwards of 1.5 billion dollars in revenue. Over the past six years that has been the general amount, the city has come to expect. However, all of that changed once the pandemic hit the nation. Starting around March 15th, the area began to slow down, and then the stay at home order was issued and the town basically closed down until further notice. With the town in lockdown mode, a number of businesses were hurt financially. A number of area restaurants including Smoky’s Pancake Cabin, Smoky Mountain Pancake House, Quaker Steak and Lube, Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin, Golden Corral, T.G.I. Fridays and Corkey’s BBQ were all hurt. Many businesses in the area shut down for 3 weeks but lost much business over the course of two months. One must understand that a number of business that were affected in the area are mom and pop shops. This is their livelihood and income, and in a matter of weeks, it was gone. when shops that rely on visitors can not come to the area or there is a shutdown in progress that keeps people from other states away it is going to hurt everyone in the area. Pigeon Forge is an area that relies on tourism, we excel at hospitality and people love coming to an area where they feel safe and comfortable. With the threat of COVID lurking around every corner, it is impossible to make anyone feel safe and comfortable. Typically during the spring season, there are families all over the town having fun and making memories. This year, the area was a ghost town with many locals not too sure about their next move. It was a rather daunting experience for many residents and shopkeepers. Area revenue was down by almost 80% compared to the year before. Thankfully, this number has been decreasing with each passing month allowing for more income to trickle in. The first couple of weeks was slow to start for many businesses, but this was good as it allowed them to get their feet on the ground and put proper preparations in place. Many new guidelines and precautions that were mandated by the state and county were implemented. This was a little more difficult at some area restaurants due to space limitations and layout. Golden Corral is one area restaurant that is still struggling with changes. The restaurant has not been able to get back to its once normal operation, however, they are working hard to make sure everyone is safe. For instance, customers must use gloves before they use a set of tongs to grab food from the buffet. They must be changed every time they come back up with a new place. Many of the area businesses saw an upward trend during the summer. As people began to see posts on social media and came to visit they felt self in the area. They saw the changes that had been implemented or heard things from family and friends and new we were back open. Changes such as street closures, mandatory masks, or even 505 operational capacity made everyone feel safe again. With these changes, revenue was down by only 35% compared to the previous year. During the month of June, it was down by 12% and in July by 9%.` This is mostly due to the fact that Pigeon Forge is a driving destination. For two-thirds of the population living east of the Mississippi, it is a day’s drive by the interstate with a number of exciting outdoor activities. One must consider the fact that just about everything in the Pigeon Forge area including the shopping is located outside. People love the open environment and feel safe. They like being outside and having the ability to move around and have a sense of normalcy. While revenue began to increase over the summer months a number of events still had to be cancelled due to safety precautions. Many of these events such as the Spring Rod Run are responsible for bringing in a number of tourists. Even for the events that continued, they were much smaller and brought a lot less business to the area. For example, the area holds a huge Halloween event at The Island, but this year it is not going to be advertised as much in hopes of keeping it smaller. Other events that tend to attract large events such as the annual tree lighting with Paula Deen have already been cancelled. Halloween will continue but just in smaller fashion. There will be trick or treating throughout the area for a limited number of hours. Sadly, so many area events have had to be cancelled for the year or cut to a smaller size. Such in case is the National Quartet Convention. What is a typically large event for the city was cut in size o keep it safer. Typically, that event will bring in as many as 10,000 visitors to the city. At the time of this writing, events such as New Year’s Eve is still up in the air. This is usually a big celebration and big revenue earner, but it may be too big for COVID standards. There are a number of events that will still go on throughout the Fall and Winter to keep visitors and residents entertained. If things stay about the same, the city should be able to have some good events. The Smoky Mountain Winter Fest is a huge crowd draw during the fall and winter. Three cities will place up to 15 million lights up. Dollywood features an astounding 6 million lights that can be toured and enjoyed from your car allowing for a safe and fun holiday experience. As revenue continues to grow to what it was last year the city is optimistic for the upcoming season. Everyone in the area is looking to return to a normal lifestyle. Considering how things are going, the city is about to where it needs to be. Life will continue to change and people will adapt and move one and learn to live with COVID. Life in our area will see a surge in popularity and revenue as the season’s continue. People come to this area to get away from the problems of the world and make good memories that will last a lifetime. Original article: Go Here Related Video: via Pigeon Forge Tennessee https://pigeonforgeblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/12/how-covid-will-change-tourism-in-pigeon-forge/ |
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Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 5,875. Situated just 5 miles (8 km) north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pigeon Forge is a tourist destination that caters primarily to Southern culture and country music fans. The city's attractions include Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country as well as numerous gift shops, outlet malls, amusement rides, and musical theaters.
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PIGEONFORGE Address: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee 37863 Blog Site: https://pigeonforgeblog.wordpress.com/ Location: Find Us Online: Box Diigo Dropbox Evernote Postach.io Instapaper Nimbus Note GetPocket Toodledo Trello Tumblr Weebly WordPress OneDrive OneNote Blogger G Drive Youtube ArchivesNo Archives Categories |