Howell Man Gets National Spotlight Over Phony Tiger Sighting
January 20, 2011

A man known to Howell residents as the proprietor of Tony’s Dogs has grabbed up a bit of the national spotlight after an unusual sighting in east Tennessee. Police in McMinn County were flooded with 9-1-1 calls from motorists who reported seeing a tiger and cub on I-75. Police checked out the scene and spotted two stuffed animals watching cars go by. Drivers say they were startled by the phony tigers. Among those who spotted the Tigers was Tony Poma and his wife Beverly, who were on their way to Florida. They are the owners of Tony’s Dogs hot dog cart. Both were interviewed by a Tennessee television station (see here), and that report was then picked up by CNN, which broadcast it all day Wednesday [January 19, 2011].