Knoxville News Sentinel
BITTERSWEET PERFORMANCES
Emily Ann Roberts choked back tears after singing the final note of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” inside Dollywood’s Celebrity Theater and receiving a standing ovation for her tribute to the park’s late Dreamer-in-Chief. h “I thought that I...
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Council turns down Kerbela apartments
The Alabama-based developer behind a proposed 225-unit luxury apartment complex at the Kerbela Shriners site just south of downtown is considering its next steps after Knoxville City Council rejected the project Oct. 13 following months of debate. The...
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Show your LOVE for Dolly with our shirt that gives back
Dolly Parton tributes have taken many forms, and a new memorial shirt celebrates the LOVE she shares eternally. Knox News is proud to honor her life and legacy by sharing our front page design on a T-shirt from the day the superstar passed. The shirts...
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STATE’S ROADS NEED REVENUE
Tennessee needs $87 billion to maintain its roads and bridges and to expand their capacity through 2055 as the population grows. Decisions made by the next governor will lay the groundwork for how the state approaches the challenge. h Four candidates...
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Faizon Brandon was ‘emergency use only’
FAYETTEVILLE, AR – Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel said freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon was at the Arkansas game for “emergency use only” because of a right shoulder injury. h There’s an obvious follow-up question: How close were the...
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Knox News has you covered in any format
Elections define far more than who occupies public office. They determine what roads get improved, when schools get funded, where homes get built and how your tax dollars get spent. The same issues that drive voters to the polls are the ones Knox News...
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How four apple trees built a family legacy
What started as a carport fruit stand at the Kilpatrick family’s East Tennessee farmhouse has grown over five decades into a 62-acre tourism destination drawing visitors from across the region and beyond. The Kilpatricks kicked off the next 50 years...
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MOVING IN
The McMillans are trading a life of soaring prices in Maui for a slower, more affordable one in Maryville. The family is one of thousands that have relocated to East Tennessee in recent years, drawn by many of the same qualities that continue to fuel...
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ONE MAN, TWO CITIES
Angelo Kelly-Rosales gets in his car every morning and commutes roughly two hours southwest from Knoxville, arriving in time for practice with Chattanooga Red Wolves SC at 9:45 a.m. h The former One Knox SC player trains with his USL League One...
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LUXURY COMES TO NEYLAND
The condo-hotel rising next to Neyland Stadium will feature an exclusive level where guests can watch Tennessee football from above while cutting into an Italian steak. The building represents the final stage of the $288 million 865 Neyland project, a...
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MacIntyre makes a case for starter after Vols win
Did Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel pick the wrong quarterback again? The question came to mind after the Vols overcame a dreadful offensive start in a 24-14 victory over Auburn on Oct. 3 at Neyland Stadium. A quarterback change ignited the...
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2 men who stood against hate honored
Two personalities known for their unshakable resolve over antisemitism but vastly different in their time will be the topic of a program Oct. 20 at the East Tennessee History Center. Adolph Ochs, legendary owner of the New York Times whose journalism...
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I’m a student. Does my midterm vote matter more here or back home?
There are only a few days left before the Oct. 5 deadline to register to vote in the midterm elections, and college students have a choice whether to cast their ballots here or back home. Part of the calculation? Troy Goodale, a University of...
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Vols never employed UT student accused in Auburn case
The former Auburn athletic department employee accused of sharing confidential football recruiting information with other schools enrolled at the University of Tennessee for the fall semester and was never employed by the UT athletic department, Knox...
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More record days likely on horizon
McGhee Tyson Airport surpassed expectations on what was already projected to be a record-breaking travel day Sept. 27 after the Tennessee-Texas football game, and the record could be broken again this fall. The Knoxville airport had its busiest day in...
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Special education chief says oversight is coming
Brad Carr is breathing a sigh of relief now that Knox County Schools’ special education improvement plan has been rolled out to families. But the actual work is just getting started. h The long-awaited strategic plan is the culmination of decades of...
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Heupel’s verdict: ‘Not good enough’
Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews ran routes into the Texas secondary, turned around and saw quarterback Faizon Brandon either running for his life or lying on his back. It happened over and over as the 13th-ranked Vols (3-1, 0-1 SEC) suffered a...
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Stuck on red
it has never had an automated system to manage them. That’s about to change as the city prepares its biggest traffic technology upgrade in decades.
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By all means, Texas can keep calling itself UT
I love the debate about which school is the real UT. Any Tennessee history student knows that without 30,000 Tennesseans heading off to the Mexican-American War, Arch Manning would likely be the quarterback for the University of Mexico at...
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ROCKY TOP WILL GET ROWDY
President Donald Trump’s visit to the Texas-Tennessee game is adding another level of excitement and far more logistical considerations for fans and local leaders. Add in ESPN’s “GameDay” and celebrities who will be at Neyland Stadium and it is going...
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Work progresses on colossal I-40 repairs
A crew of over 300 workers has steadily made progress on massive repairs to Interstate 40 through the Pigeon River Gorge, with an emphasis on building something positively resilient. It took a year just to build the 40-foot-wide causeway the North...
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Saved mansion will be River & Rail’s home
Three years ago, a vacant historic mansion on Magnolia Avenue was nearly demolished. But then it was saved, and now it’s getting an artsy new purpose. h Knox News stepped inside the unique Sterchi-Audigier House – which is dusty, boarded up and without...
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ARCH NEMESIS: Get your signs ready
For the 13th time, “College GameDay” is coming to Knoxville. ESPN announced it would return to the lawn of Ayres Hall before the No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers take on the No. 1 Texas Longhorns. h Anticipation for Tennessee’s first game of conference play...
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Conner Road, I-75 projects appear to be connected
Knoxville News Sentinel | USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
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Money ball
Winning creates excitement. At Tennessee, it also generates donations. As UT Athletics continues a record-breaking fundraising streak, supporters are investing in the future of college sports programs and their facilities, raising questions about how...
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Sophia Tiedge and Anthony Nicotera
Knoxville News Sentinel | USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
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Many new condos in city end up listed on Airbnb
When Knoxville hotel rates climb, visitors often turn to Airbnb and Vrbo, and some of the city’s newer condo developments are increasingly meeting that demand with short-term rentals. While established condo buildings like Sterchi Lofts have...
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Nearly all Flock cameras removed as deadline passes
Knoxville News Sentinel USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
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A contrite Noel is ready to move on
On a clear day, you can see the outline of Mount Le Conte from the Knoxville police chief ’s fifth-floor office inside the Public Safety Complex. h Paul Noel, back from a monthlong suspension for exchanging sexually charged text messages with a...
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BIG EARS 2027 LINEUP ANNOUNCED
Big Ears Festival will return April 1-4 to downtown Knoxville with one of its most ambitious lineups ever, continuing to push boundaries without losing sight of founder Ashley Capps’ original vision: creating space in a noisy world to stop and listen...
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Why Knoxville numbers its creeks
Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email [email protected]. Have you ever wondered why Knoxville’s creeks are numbered rather than named after people or neighborhoods? First,...
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Built for this
For the first time since the opening of Covenant Health Park, postseason baseball and a nationally televised soccer match are set for downtown Knoxville. As the Smokies chase a championship in their second season at the stadium, we explore what...
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Who pulled the strings in manufactured controversy?
Like any good mystery, the suspects were legion and everyone was pointing fingers. Who posted a handful of flyers in Knoxville promoting a “Kirkaversary” event Sept. 10 on the University of Tennessee campus to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the...
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East Tennessee’s gift grew from compassion
On Sept. 11, 2001, the world changed forever. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks that rocked the country, communities across the nation looked for ways to respond to the tragedy and support one another. In East Tennessee, solidarity and healing...
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Emphasis on retention pays dividends for UT
Strong retention rates and growing demand from applicants have helped the University of Tennessee at Knoxville build its largest class yet. h Since classes began Aug. 17, UT has enrolled 41,287 students across its on-campus and online programs. The...
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‘I FEEL SO GOOD’
When Yoshitoshi “Yoshi” Momoki steps away from his bar in Tokyo, it’s only for a visit to Rocky Top. h The University of Tennessee at Knoxville alum, who has become a celebrity among Vols fans on both continents, had a full week in town participating...
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Teachers turning to tech to create lessons
At Vine Middle Magnet School, artificial intelligence is helping shape daily lessons − but students never touch the technology. h Instead, they start class with pencils and notebooks, practicing word patterns and other foundational reading and math...
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Brandon impresses in running, passing
Tennessee freshman Faizon Brandon ranked as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 recruiting class because of his passing. But he distinguished himself in his college football debut with his running in a 56-9 victory over Furman on Sept. 5 at Neyland...
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Knox County Schools TCAP results unveiled
School-level TCAP test results were released last week, and Knox County Schools has shown marked gains over last school year at many of its campuses in core subjects. “Results like these don’t happen by accident,” Superintendent Jon Rysewyk told Knox...
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City became ‘Underwear Capital of the World’ with help of plant
Knoxville News Sentinel USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
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Neyland Stadium upgrades, including sound system, will debut in Vols’ opener
Knoxville News Sentinel USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
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Mom wonders why KPD didn’t enlist help for son
Gelois Allen wants community members to remember her son Patrick Allen, who died Aug. 5 in police custody, as “a child of God” and “a human being.” As a nurse, Gelois Allen was deeply troubled by the Knoxville Police Department body camera footage...
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Teachers advocate for new way of learning
Jennifer Garrett didn’t consider herself the perfect person to build the Knox County Virtual School from the ground up. But she was ready to take on the challenge. h “I knew education was on a cusp of something,” Garrett told Knox News. “And I wanted...
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‘We had to be here’
Little girls wearing butterfly capes sang hymns and danced in the center aisle of a hillside chapel inside Dollywood during the first Sunday service after the death of the park’s namesake. It was a congregation of comfortable shoes and T-shirts...
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Enhancing college football experience
Neyland Stadium will feature a new sound system, widened concourse and Champions Corner plaza among other enhancements for Tennessee football games in the 2026 season. “Year after year, we will continue to give Vol Nation the best in-venue college...
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MORE BEARS, MORE PEOPLE
People love the Great Smoky Mountains and surrounding communities. So do the bears. How can Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park keep the two species safely separated amid the growth of tourism and development and the shrinking...
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Hard Knox Roller Derby still delivers 20 years on
There aren’t many sports that center on women aggressively slamming each other out of the way or into the ground. There’s only one that also involves a pair of quad skates. For Hard Knox Roller Derby’s Alec Cunningham, the most unique part of her...
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Dolly told her life story by giving
Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters has passed Dolly Parton every day for nearly 30 years. The bronze statue of the star with guitar in hand stands proudly outside the courthouse in Sevierville that houses his office. h Now as Waters prepares to leave...
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On ‘heavy day,’ guests remember her spirit, kindness for others
The pink sunrise above the Great Smoky Mountains was a fitting tribute just before fans poured into Dollywood on Aug. 26 to celebrate the life of the theme park’s Dreamer-in-Chief. Many arrived even before the park gates opened to be among the first...
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LO VE
The Great Smoky Mountains girl who became a worldwide icon never lost sight of her country roots. She died peacefully at 80. For full coverage of Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life, turn inside to Page 3A and to our commemorative keepsake section...
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COMMISSIONERS DEMAND ANSWERS
Knox County commissioners are demanding to know whether the county has an active and legal contract with Flock Safety after Mayor Glenn Jacobs and Law Director David Buuck said the sheriff ’s office is operating the company’s cameras without an...
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Faith guides Halls cafeteria manager
At 5:30 a.m. most days, the roads are empty. Lights are off at businesses and the occasional early riser is getting a morning run in. h Dawn Freeman, cafeteria manager at Halls High School, is already preparing food for the hundreds of students she’s...
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Gen Z, millennials walk into a Knoxville bar and unpack their drinking habits
New breweries dominated headlines in Knoxville for years. Now, cocktail bars are having their moment amid a steady stream of announcements about new concepts built around inventive drinks and curated experiences. After years of reports suggesting Gen...
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Boom creates game of musical parking spots
Circling the block for parking − and sometimes risking a ticket − has become part of visiting Downtown North, the previously industrial Knoxville neighborhood just beyond the Old City where rapid growth and limited spaces are putting pressure on...
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CELEBRATING MAJOR MILESTONES
Long before a new school opens its doors to students, it can change the neighborhood around it. Attendance lines shift. New roads and housing follow. After new schools open, their alumni come up together and celebrate milestones together. In that...
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Vintage gear never goes out of style for Tennessee fans
Daniel Perez spotted the orangeand-white Chalk Line jacket from across the arena, forcing his attention away from the Tennessee basketball game. As he made his way toward the cheering fan, he had one thought: “I need that jacket.” Perez, who has been...
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NEW DIGS?
In the next three years, the Tennessee Valley Fair might have to find a new home after being based at historic Chilhowee Park for over 100 years. But fair organizers are keeping an eye on a solution Knox County may have in mind. Knox County is seeking...
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SIMIAN SANCTUARY
It’s time to stop monkeying around. At least that’s what the Knoxville Chief Operating Officer Grant Rosenburg thinks. Rosenberg is asking city council members to approve an ordinance that limits monkeys to the same number as cats and dogs allowed in...
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Movie lover’s ‘Odyssey’ to see film worth every mile
Knoxville News Sentinel USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
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Newest, ‘most expensive ride we have ever added’
The wait is finally over, and now the waiting in line can begin! After being announced nearly a year ago and an unplanned delay, Dollywood’s NightFlight Expedition is ready to take flight. Dollywood launched its newest ride with a dedication ceremony...
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‘Now it’s just working together’
Betsy Henderson spent over a year campaigning to be Knox County mayor. When she’s sworn into office Sept. 1, her job will look different. She’ll continue to travel throughout the county, but maybe not as often. Managing a $1.1 billion budget to...
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One-way plan worries businesses, residents
City leaders could convert a key block of Union Avenue to one-way traffic, though business owners are starkly opposed to the change because they’re worried the move will deter longtime customers. h Business owners and residents say communication from...
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Superintendent says KCS on right trajectory
Knox County School students are back, and Superintendent Jon Rysewyk is ready to jump into action. h After a jam-packed summer of a book ban controversy, improved TCAP scores, funding cuts and school board elections, the district leader is looking...
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Armas bringing both athleticism and ‘rizz’
Ariel Armas sprinted to University of San Diego baseball head coach Brock Ungricht, excited to explain how the movement, pitch shape and arm action of their team’s new transfer could immediately help the Toreros win. It was at that moment in September...
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Feeling of closeness stuck with Knoxvillian
Shireen Saah remembers every teacher she had in Knox County Schools. Now, as a teacher at West Hills Elementary, she hopes to leave the same lasting impression on her second graders. h “Teaching is obviously so much more than just academics and growth...
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Where are the kids?
Knox County’s population is exploding. At the same time, Knox County Schools projects a student enrollment drop of approximately 900 students. Several local and national factors are at play. What does that mean for the teachers, staff and student body?
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KPD’s Noel punished for improper texts
Knoxville Police Department Chief Paul Noel was suspended one month without pay after an independent investigation revealed he was “inappropriately texting” a subordinate, Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon announced Aug. 6. “I’m shocked, disappointed...
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5 vital races to watch and why they matter
Voters have more choices on Aug. 6 than in any other election this year, and several stand out among the dozens of races that will be decided. h There are two separate elections happening Aug. 6: the county general elections and the state and federal...
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DOE official, Lee tout region’s nuclear growth
From left, Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Tim Walsh, Gov. Bill Lee and U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann speak about the future of East Tennessee nuclear development Aug. 4 as the annual Nuclear Opportunities Workshop kicks off at the Knoxville...
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ParTee swings for the fences
Soon, you won’t need a tee time or even good weather to play a round of golf in Knoxville. h ParTee Golf, a new indoor social entertainment venue with a full bar and food service, is scheduled to open this September at the base of the Beauford Delaney...
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‘We’re not here to flip a house and get out’
Knoxville is racing to approve luxury apartments and massive subdivisions in preparation for the city’s anticipated population growth. But where will the people who already live here buy homes? Local nonprofit Renaissance Creations has been helping...
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What Knoxville coffee shops taught me about community
Moscow, Idaho, isn’t where most people would expect to find a memorable coffee shop. But during my years living in the obscure college town of about 20,000, One World Cafe became a second home. I stopped in five days a week until I graduated from the...
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UT hires eight for ‘Next Level’ faculty
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville is redefining its research and academic status by hiring top minds across multiple disciplines. It is finding success in its first group of recruits. The university has hired eight scholars − including a...
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Surveillance deal runs decade
A van drives past a Flock video camera July 29 on Millertown Pike near East Knox County Elementary School. CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL The Knox County Sheriff’s Office already bought the Flock Safety surveillance cameras it wants to use for its new...
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