Cole Sullivan
@cole_sull
Followers
3,320
Following
771
Media
1,414
Statuses
10,376
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
QSMP
• 112206 Tweets
Memorial Day
• 96766 Tweets
سلمان
• 82069 Tweets
THE WAY I LOVED YOU
• 48441 Tweets
#Smackdown
• 39488 Tweets
Militão
• 36516 Tweets
SUPERNOVA STEPS ON THE CHARTS
• 34560 Tweets
Karoline
• 33560 Tweets
GLAY
• 30251 Tweets
$CAT
• 19171 Tweets
Tigre
• 11136 Tweets
Breaking news:
Knoxville’s Planned Parenthood clinic is on fire.
2K
2K
8K
Breaking news:
A Gibbs High School graduate is among the military members killed in yesterday's attack at the Kabul, Afghanistan airport, his family tells
@WBIR
Ryan Knauss, age 23, loved to laugh, help his wife in her garden and build DIY projects, most recently a greenhouse.
152
899
5K
'We were just blissfully happy'
Alena Knauss, whose husband Ryan was one of the servicemembers killed at the Kabul airport, says she has no regrets—and Ryan wouldn't either.
"For him, it's the ultimate honor he could give back to his country," she said.
23
187
1K
Asst. Chief Brent Seymour says arson investigators will be inside as soon as it is safe.
They will work to find where the fire started, but he says it’s going to be hard because the whole building is “completely destroyed.”
19
105
1K
An Assistant Fire Chief tells me the first phone call came in at 6:40.
When firefighters arrived, the fire was through the roof.
There was so much fire, they decided not send firefighters inside, but fight it from the outside of the structure.
No injuries reported.
15
83
877
The fire appears mostly out right now.
Firefighters are starting to walk around the side of the building, working to determine whether it’s safe for investigators to go inside.
24
66
680
We can all agree the proposals for Tennessee’s new license plate are all terrible…right?
67
17
422
INBOX:
No surprise here, Pal’s Sudden Service will announce a partnership with
@fulkerson_john
on Monday.
Frenchie fries, tea—the only thing that would make this more delicious is a location in Knoxville🍟🥤
7
49
319
When these parents found out their kids had COVID, they took matters into their own hands.
Knox County schools has no mask rule, no social distancing protocols and no contact tracing this year.
So they stood with signs in the carpool line to warn other families to get tested.
15
71
280
BREAKING NEWS:
Knox County now under a “safer at home” order.
All non-essential businesses must close at Midnight tonight.
@wbir
12
133
276
Breaking news:
More East Tennessee hospitals are mandating vaccines for employees, as required by a federal mandate.
A joint statement from Covenant Health, UT Medical Center, Sweetwater Hospital and East TN Children's Hospital says all staff must be have a shot by Dec. 5.
12
54
249
@wbir
JUST IN from
@RepTimBurchett
: "Ryan gave his life outside that airport helping people he didn’t know get to safety. This is what true heroism looks like and Ryan’s sacrifice will never be forgotten. The Knauss family is my prayers."
@timburchett
1
24
245
@wbir
The family says they found out around 7:30 this morning.
Just heartbreaking news.
Here's our article, we will update with more information as we receive it.
6
45
218
BREAKING: the jury has found A. J. Johnson and Michael Williams NOT GUILTY on all counts.
8
131
189
As Suncor banked these high profits, it broke Colorado pollution rules over and over and over again.
The refinery in Commerce City has violated its permit nearly 100 times since the start of the year — sometimes with pollution levels so high residents are told to stay indoors.
18
101
201
GOOD NEWS
New projections today show a much flatter curve here in Tennessee compared to last week.
We're diving into why this is, but I wanted to share the hope fast.
@wbir
5
40
183
🚨🚨
Breaking news:
All Knox County benchmarks are now red, including hospital capacity.
Only 8 ICU beds are available in East Tennessee--that's 97.2% ICU capacity.
Overall hospital capacity is at 93.2%.
#WBIR
22
93
167
Breaking:
Knoxville’s Central High School will move to virtual learning next week, an email from the principal says.
It’s the first Knox County School to move virtual this year, a week after the district saw a record-shattering number of COVID cases.
6
48
160
Well the word’s officially out.
I’m so excited to move to Dallas this month and join the team at
@wfaa
! I’ll be reporting across North Texas and, with any luck, wearing out a pair of cowboy boots.
20
3
166
NEW:
Nearly 9,000 students did not show up to Knox County Schools today.
The district says 14% of students—about 1 in 7—were absent.
It comes as the number of reported active COVID-19 cases in the district jumps to another record high.
9
52
147
WORST IN THE NATION
Tennessee now has the worst current outbreak in the country, the CDC says.
It’s not even close. We’ve surpassed Oklahoma and now report *double* the national average of new people infected. See for yourself:
#wbir
19
92
138
Me, a local news anchor who has to stay until the game is over.
NBC’s halftime show trying to keep us interested during a rain delay
3
24
408
3
4
139
Good news in the COVID-19 fight:
In Knox Co., hospitalizations halved overnight. Now 16 people are hospitalized with the virus, down from 33 yesterday. The
#WBIR
data team reports that’s the lowest since July 3.
Also in the past 48 hours, recoveries outpaced active cases again.
7
29
139
NEW from me/
@9NEWS
:
The largest casino heist in Colorado history was an inside job, investigators believe.
An arrest affidavit said a cashier at Monarch Casino in Black Hawk loaded $500k into a box, put rags on top of the cash, then drove off in a gold minivan.
13
31
133
🧵I'd like to take a moment to clear up some confusion/misinformation about a COVID death statistic from the CDC.
It's been cited by many in my mentions and leaders like
@GlennJacobsTN
and
@timburchett
.
The claim: Only 6% of deaths from COVID in the US were from COVID alone.
9
51
134
Some personal news:
I'm trading the Smokies for the Rockies!
After four wonderful years in Knoxville, I can't wait to join friends and fantastic future coworkers
@9NEWS
, the NBC station in Denver, Colo. Joining this incredible team in such an awesome city is a dream come true!
17
2
140
"Stop killing us"
Sarah Noonen stood alone outside the Colorado State Capitol today with that silent plea after the shooting at Club Q.
"I just wanted to do SOMETHING," Noonen said. "We’re just people trying to exist."
8
15
122
Just in:
Knox Co. Mayor Glen Jacobs' office just sent a press release announcing the county's mask mandate will end tonight.
Except....it's not clear he has the authority to lift the public health order. Our team is reaching out to the county's health director who can lift it.
14
15
124
HONORING A HERO
These are images from Staff Sergeant Ryan Knauss’ funeral today at Arlington National Cemetery, released by the Army.
Knauss, 23, was the last soldier to die in the War in Afghanistan. He graduated from Gibbs HS and lived with his wife Alena near Ft. Bragg, NC
2
14
120
Breaking news:
The SEC will fine Tennessee $250,000 as punishment for fans throwing trash on the field during the game this weekend.
UT must also use video to identify/ban the people involved.
The SEC is not suspending alcohol sales, but reserves right to do so.
5
30
114
BREAKING
Knox Co. will close all bars effective immediately as the health department learns of 4 new cases in the county.
@wbir
9
36
110
SHOT OF HOPE
You can hear the cheers as the first box of COVID-19 vaccine arrives at UT Medical Center.
The folks here have worked so hard for so long. Today hope arrives.
We expect the first healthcare workers here to get shots early this afternoon.
#WBIR
0
16
106
Ahead of tomorrow’s Board of Health vote on pandemic regulations, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs is appearing as Kane at a WWE event (apparently live in Florida) tonight.
#WBIR
78
675
5K
16
33
106
BREAKING:
New information from the TBI says the bullet that hit KPD officer's leg during Monday's shooting at Austin East was NOT fired from the student's gun, indicating he was likely hit by "friendly fire" during the incident.
TBI says student's gun went off in the struggle
6
44
101
LATEST:
-KFD says no obvious signs of arson at this time
-ATF/TBI investigators assisting bc of politicization around Planned Parenthood
-Fire apparently started in middle of building & spread
-Location closed since 12/7/21 for renovations
-
@PPFA
: “huge loss for community.”
16
14
92
BREAKING NEWS:
Knox County has its first case of the Coronavirus, the state health dept. says.
It was only a matter of time, I suppose.
@wbir
6
42
96
Breaking news:
The Knoxville Fire Department says its investigators and the ATF have determined the fire at Planned Parenthood last week was arson.
No suspects have been identified. The department says there is a reward of $10,000 for any information about who set it.
11
60
95
Sobering words from the Chief Medical Officer at UT Medical Center:
“This is the worst we’ve seen during the pandemic and I agree it’s going to become worse no matter what we do.”
He urges everyone to follow COVID-19 guidelines to stop the terrible from going into 2021
#WBIR
3
39
87
A snippet of my conversation with the Hamblen Co. Schools Superintendent this morning.
The county is planning a graduation with 1,200 people tomorrow. It also has record high new cases; 1 in 5 tested are positive.
He doesn't seem too pleased with my line of questioning.
18
25
91
Would it be so bad if Instagram and Facebook never came back?
10
4
90
The folks at
@KnoxCoHealthTN
have worked tirelessly for months now trying to keep us safe and healthy. They’ve done so under extraordinarily stressful circumstances and with public backlash.
So nice to see this small note of recognition and appreciation downtown today.
#wbir
0
9
43
4
19
91
Just in:
Knoxville Police have identified the KPD school resource officer who was shot in the leg at Austin-East High School yesterday.
KPD says he’s recovering from surgery.
Here’s his service photo and a photo from his time as an SRO at another Knox Co. school
3
12
86
Sad news:
@WBIR
has learned that Ed Wescott, the only person allowed to photograph Oak Ridge during the Manhattan project, has died. He was 97.
His photos captured incredible moments of WW2 as America mobilized to build an atomic bomb.
0
26
88
Tonight on
@WBIR
We have rare access inside an East Tennessee hospital in crisis.
The ER is full of COVID-19 patients who should be in the ICU, but there aren't any beds for them there. Nurses are working double shifts. Supplies are on backorder. The hospital is "overwhelmed."
11
35
84
Ryan and his fellow service members represent the best of America--patriots willing to give up their lives in defense of our great nation. We can never thank them enough. Crystal and I extend our hearts to the Knauss family and the Gibbs community.
8
25
355
1
5
79
Breaking news from me,
@jnbeatlefan
&
@Madison4Blevins
:
Two
#Vols
football players face misdemeanor charges including drug possession after a traffic stop early Saturday morning near campus, UTPD records show.
33
29
78
You gotta admire the dedication:
A gentleman from Michigan saw a story of mine, looked me up, called the newsroom, left a message, and returned my call—all just to cuss me out.
My haters > your haters.
10
0
79
Someone attacked this clinic in January 2021, shooting a shotgun through the door on the 48th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling.
Authorities tell us they do not have any updates in their investigation into who is responsible.
10
16
71
PSA tomorrow is:
-Free slurpee day at 7/11.
-Amazon Prime day.
-Free Chick-fil-a day.
Deep breaths, folks.
0
42
75
The police chief says the two staff members shot were deans — school administrators at East High School.
The student was on a “safety plan” that required him to be searched away from other students each day. He had not had a gun before, the chief said. Today, a handgun was found
7
25
77
Breaking: The Park County sheriff confirms deputies have found the suspect vehicle on a rural road in the mountains of Park Co. near Bailey.
There is a large police presence here and a shelter in place alert issued.
4
26
74
ONLY 5 ICU BEDS LEFT
COVID-19 cases are having an impact on East Tennessee hospitals.
Right now, the Knox Co. Health Dept. reports only 5 available ICU beds across the East Tennessee region.
Hospitals say almost all their COVID patients are unvaccinated.
More to come
@wbir
.
3
46
72
Just how bad is the COVID situation in Knox County Schools?
Reviewed the numbers. In Jan 2020 before COVID, the district closed for illness.
The day before that closure, student absence was 8.4%. Staff absences numbered 595, per KCS.
On Friday, 15.7% kids & 661 staff were out.
9
40
67
Just violently yelled “SANJAY!��� at my journalism professor when she mispronounced
@drsanjaygupta
's name. No regrets.
3
11
68
Nearly 10 thousand students didn’t show up for class in Knox County today.
The district reports 15.7% of students were absent, up from 14% yesterday.
New:
Knox County Schools reports 807 students are sick with COVID-19 right now.
That's more than four times more sick kids than when the week began.
Still awaiting absentee numbers from today.
7
24
47
11
35
64
The line to get in to this
#ClubQ
vigil was so long, it stretched out the door, around the block and back again.
So many people standing in solidarity against hate.
Picture from
@cole_sull
of the vigil for Club Q victims at Tracks nightclub in Denver. Room was overflowing.
@9NEWS
🏳️🌈
0
1
16
3
4
59
Knox County is now in the coronavirus red zone, according to a new White House report, Mayor Indya Kincannon says.
#wbir
14
26
65
Let’s be very clear: what this woman was trying to do was commit a felony, break into the seat of American democracy and disrupt the peaceful transition of power.
Law enforcement prevented her from doing so.
1
2
65
77 MISSING
Putnam county officials have released the names of 77 people still missing from overnight tornadoes in Cookeville.
Here are their names. Please share.
If you are on the list, officials ask that you call 931-646-4636 so they know you are okay.
@wbir
1
121
59
Some personal news:
I’m beyond excited to say my lifelong dream of being a TV news reporter is coming true! Starting this summer, I’ll be reporting alongside the great team at
@wbir
! I cannot wait to get started.
11
1
62
Breaking:
Starting Monday, TEACHERS and people 65+ will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations in almost all Tennessee counties.
Knox Co. has said it will follow the state guidance, suggesting it will move to 65+ and 1B Monday as well.
#wbir
6
16
63
THANKSGIVING SURGE ARRIVES
Alright folks, we must talk about this weekend.
The good: 1st vax shipments on their way
The bad:
@KnoxCoHealthTN
director tests positive for COVID-19
The ugly: The number of our neighbors sick, suffering and dying is worse than ever.
#wbir
4
17
57
Some good news:
State emergency managers say they will NOT need the Knoxville Expo Center to be a field hospital.
New models take into account our social distancing and project we may not need any bed space beyond local hospital capacity.
(Via
@WBIR
)
2
13
60
NEW:
This is Joyce Whaley, whose church says she was one of three employees stabbed to death at the Pilot gas station on Strawberry Plains Pike today.
Her pastor says she loved the Lady Vols and will be remembered as "one of the most caring people I’ve ever met.” (Via
@WBIR
)
5
14
55
Turns out I…uh…spoke too soon.
Tennessee Poison Control says it’s received 12 calls about Ivermectin exposure in the past seven days…compared to 13 calls about the animal dewormer in the previous three months.
Nearly all the recent calls are from people trying to treat COVID
Good news: Tennesseans are apparently too smart to try this insane COVID-19 “treatment.”
The state poison control center says it’s recieved 13 calls about this in the past three months—and not all were COVID related.
(Yeah…I asked…)
3
5
15
4
20
57
I don't know how to convey just how bad this is.
-Knox Co. reports more COVID-19 cases than 3 states + DC
-More new cases in past 2 days than all of June.
-Nov. is second deadliest month so far in county—and it's only 11/16.
Via
#WBIR
data team
The Knox County Health Department is reporting 343 new cases of COVID-19 today, another record high.
The previous record was 271, set yesterday. The 7-day and 14-day averages are continuing to climb.
#WBIR
2
8
14
7
47
58
If you’re seeing all the news about the new omicron variant and thinking “Gosh, I’m really sick of this whole COVID thing,” I’ve got some good news for you:
Vaccines are safe, effective, free and available!
Get your shot (and your booster!) now:
0
9
55
MAJOR MILESTONE
The Knox Co. Health Dept. reports more people have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine than have tested positive for the virus in Knox Co.
That's great news!
#WBIR
1
5
54
The number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two days alone in TN, would more than fill Thompson-Boling Arena.
According to the CDC, TN now has the 2nd worst number of new cases in the country (7-day average, population adjusted).
#WBIR
4
18
54
Good news/bad news from the WBIR COVID data team.
The good: the more Tennesseans got their first dose of the vaccine yesterday than any day since May 26 (trend⬆️ 41%/7days)
The bad: Active cases statewide are the highest they’ve been since Feb 14. (Trend⬆️ 62%/7 days)
6
22
54
My reaction when the producers agree to run my 8-minute story to start the newscast
7
0
55
Breaking news:
The Knox County Health Dept. says it has confirmed a case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Knox County.
2
19
53
Imagine the excitement when this early Christmas present arrived!
@KnoxCoHealthTN
has received its first doses of COVID-19 vaccine. It'll begin vaccinating folks this afternoon in accordance with the state's priority plan (not general public yet).
More
#WBIR
.com
3
8
51
Hugh Newsom: “I can go to my grave now knowing I fought a good fight.” He says, tearing up.
#boydtrial
7
6
52
Everything is not OK
A quick glance at today's COVID-19 hospitalization numbers in
#Tennessee
:
3,501 patients (RECORD)
968 in the ICU (RECORD)
667 on ventilators (RECORD)
79 kids (TIED FOR RECORD)
4
18
29
5
22
52
TV news translations:
“In case you missed it” — this news is days old
“Now to the forecast and there are changes headed our way, right Jim?” — Anchor has no earthly idea what the weather is/will be
“More info on our website” — this is boring/confusing af so you’re on your own
8
2
53
Knoxville's mayor weighs in on the Governor's address and action (or lack thereof, depending who you ask) this evening
#WBIR
Winston Churchill would have issued a statewide mask mandate. In July. Very disappointed that even with so many Tennesseans *dying*
@GovBillLee
won’t unite the state to fight this pandemic.
92
166
1K
4
8
51
"WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS"
A stark warning from Tennessee's health commissioner just now.
She says a post Christmas or New Years surge similar to what we're seeing post-Thanksgiving, "will break our hospitals."
#WBIR
3
19
51
I hope our healthcare workers get ticker tape parades in every American city when this is all over.
They deserve it.
2
2
50
Haven’t made it to Gatlinburg to the SkyBridge yet? Daredevil and all around cool story reporter (how do I get this job??)
@GadiNBC
takes us there tonight at 6:30 on
@WBIR
Add this to your travel bucket list: the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America!
Now open to the public, the SkyBridge measures 680 feet across Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains.
@GadiNBC
takes us there tonight on
@NBCNightlyNews
.
127
347
1K
3
13
49
UT opting to sell beer for the first time in Neyland stadium for the game against the Mormons is.....really something.
#vols
3
9
49
UT Medical Center reports a huge jump in patients battling COVID-19.
Today, a record 168 people are hospitalized with the virus. The previous peak in the fall was 140 inpatients, the hospital said.
5
28
50
Good vaccine news from TN:
-16,500 given 1st dose already.
-First boxes of Moderna arrived today, has already been given to some frontline workers
-An unexpected shipment of 40,000 pfizer doses should arrive as early as tomorrow
-Nursing homes will begin to get shots Mon.
#WBIR
1
8
48
The first vaccines are on their way!
#wbir
Here it is.
In a year filled with such darkness, finally — some light.
96
684
4K
0
2
44
New:
Knox County Schools reports 807 students are sick with COVID-19 right now.
That's more than four times more sick kids than when the week began.
Still awaiting absentee numbers from today.
7
24
47
A record COVID-19 day in Tennessee—the bad kind of record.
*Record East TN hospitalizations
*Record Knox Co. active cases (1 in 85 sick right now)
*Record TN new cases (13k new)
*Record TN active cases (1 in 75 sick right now)
*Record TN hospitalizations, ICU and ventilators
6
22
49
UT economist to Knox Co. Board of Health:
“Even Goldman Sachs says masks are good for GDP right now.”
The idea holds masks work➡️if ppl don’t wear them case counts will go up➡️if case counts go up, ppl won’t go out to spend.
The board hasn’t heard this argument before.
#wbir
5
13
46
Look. If nothing else, this is teaching us all the Greek alphabet
4
3
47
Breaking:
Masks now required inside all city buildings in Knoxville. This includes the Sunsphere and inside areas of the zoo
Today, I signed an executive order mandating masks be worn inside all City-owned buildings. This follows a week of significant increases in the number of new COVID-19 cases in Knox County.
31
33
238
6
13
48
Flags across Tennessee will be lowered to honor late Justice Ginsburg today
#WBIR
In honor of the life and longstanding public service of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, flags over the Tennessee State Capitol and State office buildings will be lowered to half-staff.
23
86
746
0
4
44
We now know more about Thomas James, the second person police say helped stop the
#ClubQ
attacker.
The Navy says he is an enlisted sailor -- an Information Systems Technician 2nd Class, to be exact.
He's from W. Va, joined up in 2011, and was hurt in the attack he helped stop.
3
7
42
Just in:
Knox County will allow people 55+ and more essential workers to sign up for COVID-19 vaccines starting Monday at 8:30am.
The move comes as the county surpasses 600 COVID-19 related deaths reported.
3
20
47