Knoxville News Sentinel
Trio of candidates turn to developers for cash
Three Knox County candidates who railed against overdevelopment in their successful Republican primary campaigns have accepted donations for the Aug. 6 general election from developers, campaign finance records show. The candidates’ vilification of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘A GREAT ADDITION’
Knoxville’s budding stadium district has attracted a developer from Pennsylvania who has major plans for the area. A seven-story luxury apartment complex just east of the Old City is scheduled to break ground by the end of the year after the project...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
School board, commission fight over scarce funding
When Knox County commissioners approved a surprise cut to the Knox County Schools budget, they ignited a long-smoldering conflict over how to pay for county operations and schools. The money for both comes from the same place – taxpayers – and starts...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FACT & FICTION
Scott West had plenty of time to write. h The years he spent in federal prison became the foundation for a novel he revised and reshaped over two decades, culminating in its July 16 release – the 20th anniversary of the Market Square bust that made the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FBI help possible in teen’s death
The offices of U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett and U.S. Sens. Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn agreed to forward material from the Knox County Sheriff ’s Office’s botched investigations of a teenager’s death to the FBI, Knox News has learned. Getting the FBI...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘It feels like freedom’
Last year, Abby Ham and Heather Waliga began cultivating an idea for a new type of personality-driven marketing firm using their cultural cachet, their credibility and their connections across East Tennessee. It’s called We Know People Media, and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Let’s do this again
On Aug. 6, voters will select the winners of county races that will shape our local government for years to come. For today’s Voter’s Guide, we interviewed Knox County candidates on the major issues so you can understand their stances before...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
I-40 bridge renamed for President Trump
East Tennessee is now home to the President Donald J. Trump Bridge. Tennessee and federal leaders joined Trump family members July 9 to unveil the renamed Interstate 40 bridge over the French Broad River in Dandridge, and leaders took the opportunity...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Resident developer runs into skeptical neighbors
An affordable housing development proposal for Strawberry Plains Pike is facing backlash from neighbors who are worried that their already rapidly changing neighborhood can’t sustain increased school enrollment or additional traffic. Joe Davis, a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Underdog Ayers is one of pro baseball’s hottest hitters
Knoxville Smokies catcher Owen Ayers, one of the fastest-rising prospects in the Chicago Cubs organization, is reminded every day of one simple phrase: “Little keys open big doors.” Tim Hill II would quiz his players on quotes included on practice...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘It’s just a real step backwards’
Tennessee’s new hemp regulations went into effect July 1, forcing Knoxville businesses to remove products from their shelves and some to close altogether. Tennessee House Bill 1376 — now Public Chapter 526 — changed a lot within the hemp industry,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PATRIOTS RISING
JOHN SEVIER AND THE OVERMOUNTAIN MEN The British surrender at Yorktown was set in motion in East Tennessee when John Sevier and the Overmountain Men marched to South Carolina and crushed the Loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Celebrating America’s birthday after July 4th
EStatesven after the last note of “Stars and Stripes Forever” has been played, and the final Fourth of July fireworks have faded from the sky, celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United of America continue. h Beyond the traditional – albeit...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
AMERICA: WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU
A “merica’s 250th anniversary is a natural time of reflection to honor the past, and it’s the perfect cue to look forward as we determine our shared future. The powerful words and revolutionary spirit behind the Declaration of Independence give us hope...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Judge: It’s ‘unrealistic’ to link all KCSO cases
One after another, the men in court for one of the largest law enforcement indictments in Tennessee history appeared before Senior Judge Don R. Ash to plead not guilty. The July 1 arraignment brought together the men charged in the Knox County Sheriff...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
3-year fast degrees wanted to meet workforce demand
The University of Tennessee System will begin exploring and implementing three-year, 90-credit-hour degree programs across the system’s five campuses, presenting an alternative route for students to earn a diploma in Tennessee. The central idea is to...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Designs tailored to every occasion
It began with a Google search: “Fourth of July.” h That’s often where a Knoxville Smokies specialty jersey starts. Creative services manager Lindsay Miller started with a blank search bar months before the Smokies would take the field in their...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Budget nears $4B amid wave of growth
The University of Tennessee System’s budget request for fiscal year 2026-27 is just $3 million shy of $4 billion amid an unprecedented wave of growth for its flagship Knoxville campus. It would be the largest operating budget in UT System history if...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Legacy.
The death of legendary basketball coach Pat Summitt on June 28, 2016, hit Lady Vols players, fans and the world of women’s basketball hard. Ten years after that wrenching loss, Summitt’s legacy lives on for those who worked with her - and for all...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Hawk says he was ‘young and dumb’
Beau Hawk, the Democratic nominee for Knox County mayor, marched in Caracas in support of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in 2020, Knox News has learned. Hawk posed for photographs with other demonstrators and is quoted in an article by the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HAPPY HOLLER IS CHANGING
Happy Holler hasn’t lived up to its cheerful name this week, with Club XYZ announcing it will close after 22 years amid a trend of cycling businesses and new growth in the north Knoxville neighborhood. The abrupt news of Club XYZ’s eviction and “LAST...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Dolly Parton opens themed Travel Stop
Out on the street, the traffic was jumpin’ as travelers made their way to Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop on opening day. h Even Dolly Parton made a surprise appearance June 24 to cut the ribbon on the new Cornersville destination for trucks and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Knoxville gay venue Club XYZ to close
Unpaid rent, stemming from years of disputes between landlord and tenant, has culminated with Club XYZ announcing it will close on the final week of Pride Month after 22 years in Happy Holler. Club XYZ’s “LAST DANCE” − scheduled for Saturday, June 27...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SMOKIES WIN FIRST-HALF TITLE, SECURE PLAYOFF SPOT
The Smokies’ first-half title win calls for a shower of champagne – and light beer, too – inside the Covenant Health Park clubhouse on June 20. With a playoff spot secured, the Smokies plan to focus more on development in the season’s second half.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Why are Grainger County tomatoes so special?
Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email [email protected]. Steve Longmire knows his tomatoes are good. Great, even. The Grainger County farmer has no shame in bragging that...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Groan-worthy, dad approved
My boss assigned me the ‘Best Dad Jokes’ design. So in a love letter to all the dads – young and old – for Father’s Day, this super corny front page is for you.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Juneteenth events honor past, celebrate freedom
Knoxvillians celebrated Juneteenth with joyous hearts under clear skies at the annual MLK Jr. Parade/March and Juneteenth Celebration. The events were organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission. The parade began at Chilhowee...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘We believe in each other’
If there’s ever a time to root for what happens on the diamond at Covenant Health Park, it’s now. The Smokies enter the weekend with an opportunity to capture the Southern League North first-half title, an accomplishment that would guarantee a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NFL players want turf grown for World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup turf, developed by a University of Tennessee at Knoxville research team, has revived a debate in the National Football League among players who have been advocating for a natural grass mandate at NFL stadiums. FIFA tasked UT...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Anakeesta adds magic of fireflies year-round
It gets darker with every step that leads down into Anakeesta’s Treetop Skywalk. Sounds of creatures in the forest mixed with enchanting music can be heard. Tiny flashes are seen within the trees. h Then, the magic begins. h Bursts of light flicker...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Ex-Smokies star in Knoxville for good
With just one home run in his MLB career, Tony Campana still gets teased by the next generation of ballplayers at Diamond Baseball-Simcox Academy in Knoxville. “That’s it?” they ask the former outfielder, as he explains how a routine ground ball...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘A little too risky to go with a high-rise’?
Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email [email protected]. Buildings, apartments and other new developments have popped up steadily in Knoxville in recent years. But if you’ve...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
From cows to cars
Weigel’s began as a family dairy business that innovated its way into the ubiquitous local convenience store chain serving up fuel for cars and customers on corners around Knoxville and beyond. Ninety-five years into Weigel’s history, here’s where...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘We’re the renegades and the rebels of the fans’
Atop a folding table in Row 2 of Section 118 at Covenant Health Park sits Lil’ Smoky. h Each time One Knox scores a goal at home, blue smoke billows from the Scruffs’ supporter section. The machine behind the magic is a symbolic creation. A plain PVC...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A GREAT NEED
Chris Battle has a plan to create an oasis in the middle of a food desert in the Morningside Heights neighborhood, and he hopes you’ll help. Battle, the founder of BattleField Farm & Gardens, is on track to open the ONE FIVE Grocery Store on Sept. 15,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Beloved soul food spot right at home in stadium
The new location for Jackie Griffin’s restaurant, in a prime spot at Covenant Health Park, has been the dream since long before the downtown stadium became a reality. Jackie’s Dream is moving from Woodland Avenue to Jackson Avenue. Her brand-new spot...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘It matters who governs’
It’s 8:30 a.m. on a Thursday. Senators enter Tennessee’s Senate Chamber through massive oak doors. They take their seats at 33 desks, nestled between columns of chocolate marble. A buzzer calls stragglers to the chamber. Staff whisper on the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New Deal, Next Era
began as a New Deal experiment to bring electricity to a rural, impoverished region in the 1930s. Nearly a century later, TVA has grown into the nation’s largest public power provider – a sprawling utility whose reach extends far beyond
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A decade in Knoxville began with a refugee’s journey
Khan Sikarng remembers feeling hungry. She wasn’t old enough to speak when her mother, Phet, placed the 1-year-old on her back to cross the Mekong River and escape Laos toward the end of the Vietnam War. Phet aimed to reunite with her husband and find...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Haslams’ $130M gift is biggest ever for UT
University of Tennessee at Knoxville alums, life partners and business moguls Dee and Jimmy Haslam are pledging $130 million to the Haslam College of Business and the university as a whole, marking the largest investment in UT System history. It’s an...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
UT fans can beam with pride over fields
FIFA and an SEC university known more for football than fútbol might not seem like a natural pairing. But the partnership between the global soccer governing body and the University of Tennessee has spanned years leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Now...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Baseball ‘lifer’ Harris returns to his roots
Ty’Relle Harris didn’t expect a phone call from Australia. h Matt Cavill, general manager of the Aussie Drop Bears, an international touring baseball team, needed pitchers for a June 2023 series against the Savannah Bananas at Historic Grayson Stadium....
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Even Pickens can’t rescue UT from back-to-back losses to Longhorns
OKLAHOMA CITY – Tennessee softball’s season ended after the Lady Vols lost twice on the same day to Texas in the Women’s College World Series semifinals. The No. 7 seed Lady Vols dropped the second game 4-0 to the No. 2 seed Longhorns at Devon Park on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KCS chief looking toward the future
School’s out and summer’s in for Knox County Schools students, but the work is never done for Superintendent Jon Rysewyk. h Rysewyk, after a marathon end to the school year attending 19 graduations, is looking ahead to ways Knox County Schools will...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PREY
To prevent cover-ups of clergy sexual abuse, the Catholic Church in America banned settlement deals that silence victims. But the Diocese of Knoxville has used such agreements in at least two cases since the rule went into effect, a violation of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
How Banana Ball fit into Smokies stadium
A sold-out Covenant Health Park holds just a fraction of the fans the Savannah Bananas typically play in front of. Convincing the wildly popular team to play in Knoxville’s new stadium took a year and a half of conversations, thousands of contacts,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ROCKET RECORD
Rockets are having a big year. NASA launched the Artemis II mission, sending a crew to orbit the moon. It’s the 100-year anniversary of Robert H. Goddard’s pioneering work in liquid-fueled rockets. And now University of Tennessee at Knoxville students...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Emma Clarke is enjoying the ride
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sage Mardjetko had barely gotten through the handshake line before Emma Clarke scooped her into a hug, screaming as she celebrated Tennessee softball sweeping Georgia in the super regional. Clarke’s 6-foot-1 frame enveloped Mardjetko as...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
No mention of coal as leaders discuss future
“Beautiful, clean coal,” a passion of President Donald Trump’s, was out of focus during the first meeting under new leadership for the Tennessee Valley Authority’s governing board. h TVA is a federal organization and the nation’s largest public...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
To include covered stage, firepits, V-O-L-S letters
With students away for the summer, a construction project to build a modern plaza is happening alongside one of the busiest buildings on the University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus. The open area in front of the eastern side of the Student Union...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘We’ve never faced anything like this’
Engineers and construction crews expect Interstate 40 to reopen in fall 2028 and they’re literally moving earth to make it happen. North Carolina Department of Transportation crews and contractors are using rocks from nearby National Forest Service...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
It’s easy to get news on your schedule
Every day, our newsroom publishes dozens of stories, photos and photo galleries, and videos. The constant stream of local information appears in print, on our website and across multiple social media platforms. Still, it can be hard sometimes to find...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Bananas bring bunch of fun
Before the Savannah Bananas take over Neyland Stadium in front of 100,000 fans May 23, Knox News watched the viral team bring a scaled-down version of their high-energy show to Covenant Health Park on May 21 − and learned a lot about the Banana Ball...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Sheriff candidate wants new vote ‘Hypocrisy is ripe’
A fiery group text message exchange between top members of the Knox County Republican Party obtained by Knox News shows deep divisions following the primary elections. The exchange was initiated by county party chair Martin Daniel, who threatened the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Location that’s puzzled readers is ‘borrow pit’
Curiosity often starts with two words, one question: “What’s that?” If you see new construction or anything funky around town, send an email to [email protected]. We’ll work to get you an answer and might even share our findings with Knox News...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘Slap in the face’
Following the decision to ban the globally renowned book “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” by Alex Haley in Knox County Schools last week, family and friends of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Tennessee resident have called the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Who’s in charge at sheriff ’s office?
The extensive state investigation that led to the indictment of 10 current and former employees of the Knox County Sheriff ’s Office created a leadership vacuum at the top of the agency when it ensnared two of the agency’s leaders: Chief David Amburn...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
This wacky squad has gone viral
After only about 10 years of being a team, the Savannah Bananas are set to bring more than 100,000 fans to Neyland Stadium as part of a 45-state, 75stadium, 190-game tour. The wacky squad with even wackier rules will first take over Knoxville Smokies...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Book explores Jan. 6, Obama and Trump
Ahead of the release of his new memoir, Knox News spent time with Lamar Alexander at his Walland home office where the former senator showed off his collection of historic memorabilia, meaningful artwork and family photos from over the years. The...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
KCS school board pushes for reversal of ‘Roots’ ban
When the Rev. John Butler takes a stroll in Morningside Park, he always stops at the Alex Haley statue. He brings family and friends there when he visits, detailing the “Roots” author’s legacy in Knoxville. h He visited the statue once again on May 15,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BADGES, BUSTED
In one of the largest law enforcement corruption crackdowns by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in state history, at least 11 people connected to the Knox County Sheriff ’s Office have been indicted, including former Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
City’s welcome mat receives upgrade
The gateway to Gay Street and exploring the city is now a “curious” green, and anyone interested in what makes Knoxville special is invited inside to shop around, grab a seat and stay awhile. h Roughly a decade had passed since Visit Knoxville − the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
UT proposes increase to tuition, other fees
Attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville could be more expensive next fall after Chancellor Donde Plowman’s Advisory Board on May 12 approved an increase to tuition and fees. The $968 increase for out-of-state tuition and the increase in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
More than 100,000 expected at Neyland
The Savannah Bananas’ sold-out game scheduled for May 23 at Neyland Stadium is projected to draw more than 100,000 fans, just shy of a record-breaking attendance for the barnstorming ball club. Another SEC college town can claim the largest crowd...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
New era begins with focus on rural care
Tennessee’s only independent children’s hospital has entered a new era after nearly 90 years of providing care. Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital has a new name and a substantial donation thanks to Dolly Parton, but hospital leaders say the mission...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A mother’s gift
As any new or experienced parent knows all too well, keeping a newborn fed is key to having a healthy, happy baby. But some infants need extra help, and some mothers are more than happy to provide
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TVA waterways cope with severe drought conditions
Drought conditions have made for lower water levels across the Tennessee Valley Authority’s waterways, but utility officials say rivers and reservoirs are safe for boating and swimming as Memorial Day weekend approaches. TVA manages 49 dams and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Redistricting sparks rage
Alarms wailed and shouts of “Don’t do this! Don’t do this!” sent House and Senate chambers into chaos as Tennessee Republicans took final votes on a new congressional map that fractures the voting power of Black Memphians and carves up the state’s last...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GOP mayor nominee Henderson went all in on anti-tax pledge
The biggest takeaway from the May 5 election? Primary voters did what primary voters do. They selected candidates who are more partisan than the typical voter. It was a classic example of how the American primary election system works. Primaries are...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘A PHENOMENON’ IN KNOXVILLE
The world stood still when Michael Jordan walked away from basketball at the peak of his career in 1993, and almost no one saw what came next: a roster spot with a minor league baseball team and multiple games played in Knoxville. h Jordan was facing...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Final chapter closes on beloved bookstore
Daniel Smith, left, and Nathan Webster are the final customers at McKay’s on the Knoxville store’s last day of business May 3. McKay’s still has shops in Chattanooga, Nashville and North Carolina. Apair of used music manuals helped close the book on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Rainforest is closer than you may think
Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email knowyourknox@knoxnews .com. Have you ever heard the longstanding rumor that Knoxville is in a rainforest? Well, it’s not – but the city’s just a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Decisions that matter for the future
I’ve got 31,000 reasons for you to vote if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t care much about elections, especially local ones. Thirty-one thousand is the number of new people projected to move to Knox County by 2034, the year term limits kick in...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
These restaurants added to fun at 1982 World’s Fair
You’ve probably heard people noshed on Petro’s Chili & Chips at the 1982 World’s Fair, but do you recall Strohaus? What about the Sunsphere Hardee’s? When 11 million visitors came to East Tennessee 44 years ago, the Scruffy City gave them a taste of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lone Tree Pass to get an Italian steakhouse
Construction has nearly wrapped at the corner of Gay Street and Summit Hill Drive, where the Lone Tree Pass development is adding milliondollar condos, a coffee shop and an Italian steakhouse in downtown Knoxville. The $30 million project from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)