Morristown mayor issues apology for ‘Hispanics’ terminology in COVID-19 Facebook post

Morristown Mayor Gary Chesney issued an apology Thursday for terminology he used in addressing rising COVID-19 numbers in the city and Hamblen County.

Chesney wrote one of the reasons cases were rising was because of Hispanics living in larger numbers in the same house. The mayor apologized to that specific segment of the population, saying his intent was to inform, not offend or inflame.

Hamblen County has been identified as one of the state’s coronavirus hot spots by health officials. A total of 263 cases have been diagnosed in the locality and Chesney is encouraging residents to follow CDC guidelines to protect children who start school on July 31st.

(PHOTO: City of Morristown, TN)