Five Escape Early Morning House Fire

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) -- Five people escaped a burning home early Wednesday morning.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, the fire started just after 12:30 a.m. on Tulip Tree Drive. The fire was extinguished at about 1 a.m. on Wednesday.

Two adults and three children were able to get out of the burning residence without injury.

 The Commercial Appeal reports that authorities are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

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Two Hospitalized After Stabbing in Tipton County

(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) -- Two people have been hospitalized following a stabbing incident in Tipton County on Monday night.

The double stabbing occurred at a home on Kelly Circle. Authorities said in published reports that two people were found with stab wounds, following a domestic dispute that turned violent.

The two victims were airlifted to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis in unknown condition.

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Haslam Appoints New Commissioners to Two State Agencies

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- Tennessee's Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) and the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) both have new bosses.

On Tuesday, Gov. Bill Haslam announced that Debra Payne -- who's currently the deputy commissioner of the DIDD -- has been appointed as the department's new commissioner.

While over in the DCS, current interim commissioner Jim Henry has been appointed the permanent commissioner.

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Haslam Signs Bill Lowering Food Tax to 5 Percent

(VONORE, Tenn.) -- Gov. Bill Haslam signed a bill Monday that lowered the state portion of sales tax on groceries to 5 percent, the culmination of a two-year effort.

The previous sales tax rate on groceries was 5.25 percent. That rate was set in 2012 when the General Assembly passed the bill, which was regarded as the first step in reaching the 5 percent goal.

“The sales tax on food impacts all Tennesseans, and I applaud the General Assembly for passing this important piece of legislation this year,” said Haslam at the ceremonial signing at Sloan’s Grocery in Vonore, Tenn.

The reduced tax rate does not apply to prepared foods such as a meal at a restaurant, candy, alcoholic beverages or tobacco.

The legislation goes into effect July 1.

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Union County Deputies Find 335 Pounds of Pot During Traffic Stop

(MAYNARDVILLE, Tenn.) -- What started out as a routine traffic stop quickly turned into something else entirely when Union County Sheriff’s Deputies discovered more than 300 pounds of marijuana inside the vehicle, according to The Knoxville News Sentinel.

Deputies pulled over a Nissan truck shortly before 6 a.m. Monday alongside state Highway 33 on suspicion that the driver was drunk. Upon walking up to the side of the Nissan, the officer noticed several packages in the back of the car.

With the help of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and a K-9 named Ceazor, deputies ended up finding 15 packages, containing 335 pounds of pot inside the car.

The driver, 26-year-old Martin Urrutia Olmedo, was charged with manufacturing, delivering, selling and possessing drugs. The original hunch that got him pulled over turned out to be right, as he was also charged with a DUI and driving without a license.

Olmedo is expected to appear in court Thursday.

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