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Deadline to Apply for New School Voucher Program in Tennessee is This Week

Posted on June 12, 2025

Story courtesy of WVLT: KNOXVILLE, TN (WVLT) – Private schools have prepared for Gov. Bill Lee’s new school voucher program with nearly 40,000 families looking to cash in on the scholarships.

This coming school year, only 20,000 students will be granted scholarships from the program. State numbers show 244 private schools have opted-in to allow families to use the scholarships at their private school.

This includes all 10 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Knoville.

“It’s been very rewarding for the schools as well as the families of course,” interim superintendent for the Diocese of Knoxville, George Valadie, said. “There was a lot of leadup to it; a lot of education to our families, a lot of education of families in our parishes.”

The schools in this part of East Tennessee include Knoxville Catholic and Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Valadie added some families are not having to switch schools to get this scholarship.

“Some of the families who have applied and received vouchers were already enrolled,” Valadie said.

Some schools are having to put students on a waitlist with so many families trying to attend certain schools. Valadie said some schools are already full.

“We had some families reach out to a school and a specific grad that they were trying to get into, we were just full. But, another family reached out, a similar family, and the grade they wanted to get into was open,” Valadie said.

Valadie said how the process works of accepting students through the voucher program is that a family will reach out to the state and notify them of the school they’re looking to send their child to. Then, it falls on school leaders to accept them.

Valadie added some students have notified school leaders of their plans to attend, but others they hear about for the first time, so they will ask the family questions about the student before giving their decision.

Regardless of any factors, Valadie believes families should have this choice.

“They might not consider us. They may consider a different private school, but at least they can find the one that works best for their student, so I think that’s what matters,” Valadie said.

The deadline to apply for the program is June 13, and the enrollment deadline is July 15.

Courtesy / UT Athletics

Football TV Windows, Two Additional Game Times Announced

Posted on June 12, 2025

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Television windows for the 2025 Southeastern Conference football schedule, as well as additional game times were announced by ESPN Wednesday afternoon.

Two non-conference home games for Tennessee will air on SEC Network. The Volunteers host UAB on Sept. 20 at 12:45 p.m. ET and will take on New Mexico State for Homecoming on Nov. 15 at 4:15 p.m.

Five of Tennessee’s SEC games have been flexed – at Mississippi State (Sept. 27), Arkansas (Oct. 11), at Alabama (Oct. 18), Oklahoma (Nov. 1) and at Florida (Nov. 22). Flex kickoff times are slated between 3:30-4:30 p.m. or 6-8 p.m.

The Vols’ road game at Kentucky on Oct. 25 will be in the night window – between 6-8 p.m. Nov. 29 Senior Day in Neyland Stadium versus Vanderbilt is set for the afternoon window – between 3:30-4:30 p.m.

For all listed windows (early, afternoon, night, flex), the exact start time within such window(s) will be confirmed no later than six days prior. Fans and viewers looking for more information on this new era for the SEC and ESPN can visit SECNetwork.com/sec-on-abc-and-espn.

Tennessee’s first three games times were previously announced. The Vols open the season on Aug. 30 in the Aflac Kickoff Game at noon ET on ABC. Tennessee then plays back-to-back 3:30 p.m. games in Neyland Stadium – ETSU (Sept. 6) and Georgia (Sept. 13).

Tickets to the season-opener in Atlanta are on sale now at AllVols.com. Season tickets are sold out for the third consecutive year. Fans interested in purchasing future new season tickets can fill out the 2026 season ticket interest form.

2025 Tennessee Football Schedule
all times Eastern
Aug. 30, vs. Syracuse (Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta), noon, ABC
Sept. 6, ETSU, 3:30 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+
Sept. 13, Georgia, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Sept. 20, UAB, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Sept. 27, at Mississippi State, Flex
Oct. 11, Arkansas, Flex
Oct. 18, at Alabama, Flex
Oct. 25, at Kentucky, Night
Nov. 1, Oklahoma, Flex
Nov. 15, New Mexico State, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Nov. 22, at Florida, Flex
Nov. 29, Vanderbilt, Afternoon

TV Windows
Early – noon-1 p.m. ET
Afternoon – 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET
Night – 6-8 p.m. ET
Flex – 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET or 6-8 p.m. ET

Visit Knoxville

Knoxville’s Mayor Breaks Down What a Proposed Sales Tax Increase Will Support

Posted on June 10, 2025

Ahead of a first vote by the Knoxville City Council on Mayor Indya Kincannon’s proposed sales tax increase, Kincannon released a breakdown of what that added money will support.

The proposal is for a half-percent increase to the Local Option Sales Tax. This tax allows local municipalities, like cities, to charge their own sales tax on top of the 7% that Tennessee already charges statewide. Currently, this tax in Knoxville is 2.25%, and the increase would put the city’s rate at 2.75%.

Kincannon said that this would put Knoxville on par with several surrounding counties, including Anderson, Blount, Grainger, Jefferson and Sevier counties.

If the increase is passed, the added money will go towards the Five-Year Neighborhood Investment Plan, which a spokesperson with the City of Knoxville said will ensure projects within that plan will happen in five years.

According to Kincannon, the plan prioritizes several infrastructure needs, including the following:

Sidewalks within one-mile of schools (Parental Responsibility Zones, or PRZ), impacting neighborhoods surrounding nearly half the schools in the city
Repairs to existing greenways, facilities and parks
Increasing road paving
1,000 affordable housing units

The following are some of the infrastructure upgrades included in the plan across Knoxville’s six districts:

District 1
- Sidewalks
  - Young High Pike near Hedgeapple Lane – PRZ South-Doyle Middle School
  - Woodlawn Pike near Moody Avenue – PRZ Dogwood Elementary School
  - W. Martin Mill Pike near Chapman Highway
  - W. Martin Mill Pike near W. Moody Avenue
  - Chapman Highway near E. Young High Pike
  - Chapman Highway near Childress Street
- Parks
  - Charter Doyle Park – playground equipment and dog park renovations
  - Ijams Nature Center Park – infrastructure improvements
  - Gary Underwood Park – renovations including basketball goal and playground equipment
  - Mary Vestal Park – renovations including playground equipment
  - Scottish Pike Park – renovations including playground equipment
- Greenways
  - Sam Duff Greenway – resurface walking track
- Facilities
  - South Knoxville Community Center – renovations
  - River Bluff Wildlife Area – improvements to parking, trails and overlook
District 2
- Sidewalks
  - Buckingham Drive near Vanosdale Road – PRZ West Hills Elementary School
  - Cortland Drive near Sheffield Drive – PRZ West Hills Elementary School
  - Westwood Road near Herron Drive – PRZ Bearden Elementary School
  - Middlebrook Pike near W. Hills Road – PRZ Bearden Middle School
- Parks
  - West Hills Tennis Center – pickle ball improvements including new bathrooms and new courts
  - Safety City – renovations including parking and playground equipment
- Greenways
  - Third Creek Greenway – improvements and repairs
  - Jean Teague Greenway – improvements and repairs
  - Papermill Bluff / Weisgarber Greenways – improvements and repairs
  - Middlebrook Greenway to Jean Teague Greenway – new section – Third Creek connection
- Facilities
  - Deane Hill Community Center – renovations
District 3
- Sidewalks
  - Francis Road near Bearden View Lane – PRZ Bearden Middle School
  - Glenn Avenue near Fillmore Avenue– PRZ West View Elementary School
- Parks
  - Victor Ashe Park – multi-purpose field improvements
  - Westview Park – renovations including playground equipment
- Greenways
  - Northwest Greenway – new section connector toward Middlebrook Pike
  - Pleasant Ridge Greenway – new section from I-640 to Wilson Road
  - Pleasant Ridge Greenway – new section from Wilson Road to Western Avenue
- Facilities
  - Cumberland Estates Community Center – renovations
District 4
- Sidewalks
  - Buffat Mill Road near Teeple Street – PRZ Belle Morris Elementary School
  - Barton Street near Washington Pike – PRZ Belle Morris Elementary School
  - Cecil Avenue near Eighth Avenue – PRZ Fulton High School
  - Garden Drive near Jacksboro Pike – PRZ Central High School
  - Garden Drive near Rosebay Road – PRZ Fountain City Elementary, Gresham Middle, and Central High Schools
  - Jacksboro Pike from school entrance to Essary Drive – PRZ Central High School
  - Valley View Drive near Whittle Springs Road – PRZ Whittle Springs Middle School
  - Tazewell Pike and Beverly Road intersection improvements – PRZ Shannondale Elementary School
  - Millertown Pike near Loves Creek Road
  - Sanders Drive near Tazewell Pike
- Parks
  - Whittle Springs Golf Course – renovations including parking lot and facility upgrades
  - Edgewood Park – renovations including fencing and playground equipment
  - First Creek Park – renovations including playground equipment
- Greenways
  - First Creek Greenway – new section from Mineral Springs to Edgewood Park
- Facilities
  - Fire Hall #15 (Jacksboro Pike) renovations
District 5
- Sidewalks
  - Bruhin Road near Dutch Valley Drive – PRZ Inskip Elementary School
  - Central Avenue Pike near E. Inskip Drive – PRZ Inskip Elementary School
  - E. Columbia Avenue near Harvey Street – PRZ Christenberry Elementary School
  - Harvey Street near Churchwell Avenue – PRZ Christenberry Elementary School
  - Huron Street near Oglewood Avenue – PRZ Christenberry Elementary School
  - Henegar Street near Shamrock Avenue – PRZ Christenberry Elementary School
- Parks
  - Sam E. Hill School – renovate into a community center including a basketball court
  - Lonsdale Park – renovations including a pavilion
  - Inskip Park – renovations including playground equipment
  - Adair Park – renovations including playground equipment
- Greenways
  - Adair / Sue Clancy Greenway – new section toward downtown
- Facilities
  - Inskip Pool – renovations to the facility, pool and grounds
District 6
- Sidewalks
  - Boyds Bridge Pike near Brooks Avenue – PRZ Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy
  - Boyds Bridge Pike near Border Street – PRZ Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy
  - College Street near Jourolman Avenue – PRZ Beaumont Magnet Academy
  - S. Castle Street near Wilson Avenue – PRZ Austin-East Magnet High School
  - Wilson Avenue near S. Hermbree Street – PRZ Austin-East Magnet High School
- Parks
  - Holston River Park – renovations including playground equipment
  - Chilhowee Park – infrastructure
- Greenways
  - East Knox Greenway – new section toward Knoxville Botanical Gardens
  - Lower First Creek Greenway – new section connecting Caswell Park
- Facilities
  - Dr. E.V. Davidson Community Center – renovations

Knoxville City Council is set to meet for a first vote on Tuesday. A second vote will then follow on June 24, and if both of those votes are in favor of raising the sales tax, the item will go on the Nov. 4 election ballot, allowing residents to decide whether or not their sales tax will increase.

Story courtesy of our news partner WVLT

TBI

The Reward has Risen for Information Leading to a Missing Middle Tennessee Teen, New Photos Released

Posted on June 5, 2025

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has put out a new missing person flyer out for Sebastian Rodgers.

He’s the teen who vanished more than a year ago in Sumner County, in Middle Tennessee.

TBI say the missing 15-year-old has autism. He was last seen at his Hendersonville home in February of 2024.

A $50,000 reward is being offered for any information on where Sebastian’s whereabouts.

Hamblen County Jail Set to Open this Summer

Posted on June 3, 2025

Morristown, TN (WOKI) Hamblen County is getting ready to open their new jail this summer.

At the current Hamblen County Jail, Sheriff Chad Mullins says they’ve dealt with overcrowding issues for years.

At times, they’ll have as many as 400 inmates at a building that only holds about 250 beds so fighting happens every day with six to eight people in a cell.

The new jail next door will be much larger with at least 600 beds, with two-man cells.

The jail, which cost $100 million dollars to build, was supposed to be ready last October but they had some issues and delays with construction.

Now, officials say, the jail is expected to open this August.

The Sheriff says they need 30 new people and the Hamblen County Commission passed a first reading last week that would give sheriff’s office employees and jail staff a 10% raise, bringing their hourly pay to around $20 an hour.

That raise is not final and will have to pass a second reading later this month.

*The new jail costs $100,000,000 and will create much needed space for inmates and staff*. (*Courtesy*: *WVLT*)

Loudon County Tornado Injures Five People, National Weather Service Says

Posted on May 30, 2025

Philadelphia, TN (WOKI) UPDATE: The National Weather Service confirming that a tornado touched down Friday morning in Loudon County.

NWS officials say the storm, which blew through the Philadelphia area near Holt Road at Stockton Valley Road, involved an EF-0 tornado, two miles long and 200 yards wide.

Officials report five people were injured during the storm; there is no word on the extent of their injuries.

Monroe County Emergency Management says five structures have been damaged and no fatalities have been reported.

A tornado warning was issued this morning for Loudon and Blount Counties.

ORIGINAL STORY: A tornado warning for Loudon and Blount County issued around 9 a.m. Friday morning has expired.

The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office is monitoring reports of a possible tornado touchdown in the Philadelphia area near Holt Road at Stockton Valley Road.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, four people were taken to the hospital for evaluation. There’s no word on the extent of their injuries.

The sheriff’s office asking people to avoid the area, as multiple trees and power lines are down.

Monroe County Emergency Management says five structures have been damaged and no fatalities have been reported.

*Storm injures people, damages buildings in Loudon County, sheriff’s office says*. (*Courtesy*: *LCSO*)

Discover the Smokies with New Summer and Fall Public Programs

Posted on May 30, 2025

GATLINBURG, TN — Join us this summer and fall for a series of exciting, family-friendly programs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, starting June 7. Visitors are invited to take a hike with a ranger, learn about mountain life, meet some of the creatures that call the Smokies’ home, trek into the dark and much more.

The full schedule of programs, with details about locations, topics and how to arrive prepared can be found on the park’s online event calendar and will be published in the summer edition of the Smokies Guide newspaper.

Additionally, one day each month, American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and students from the University of Tennessee and Maryville College will collaborate with park staff to present programs. Funding for these programs was provided by the National Park Foundation.

ASL-interpreted programs will include:

Saturday, June 28: Portraits from the Past (9 a.m. at John Oliver parking area in Cades Cove); Drop-In History (10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Cable Mill Historic Area).
Sunday, July 20: Kuwohi Guided Hike (9 a.m. at Kuwohi parking area); Mingus Mill program (2 p.m. at Mingus Mill).
Sunday, August 17: Walker Sisters Hike (11 a.m. at Little Greenbrier School); Stream Splashers (2 p.m. at Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area).
Friday, September 12: Bear Aware Drop In (1-3 p.m. at Cades Cove Orientation Shelter); Cove After Dark Walk (8 p.m. at the Cades Cove Orientation Shelter).
Tuesday, October 7: History of Daisytown (11 a.m. at Jakes Creek parking area); Hiking 101 (1 p.m. at Little River Trailhead).
Friday, November 7: Down on the Farm drop-in (10 a.m.-noon at the Mountain Farm Museum, Oconaluftee); Wild About the Smokies (3 p.m. at Oconaluftee Visitor Center).

Programs are family-friendly and are open to all park visitors. Visitors are welcome to participate on as many days as they choose and may opt to attend one or both programs on each day. No reservations are required.

Knoxville City Council Passes Over $477 Million Budget Prioritizing Public Safety and Affordable Housing

Posted on May 28, 2025

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (story courtesy of WVLT) – The Knoxville City Council met Tuesday night and passed a $477.3 million budget proposed by Mayor Indya Kincannon.

The 2025-26 budget prioritizes public safety, core city services and affordable housing, including allocating the following:

$101.2 million – Fund police officers and firefighters
$8.2 million – Affordable housing
$7 million – Makeover of World’s Fair Park Amphitheater
$1 million – Prevent homelessness and aid those experiencing housing insecurity

Additionally, the city’s property tax rate remains unchanged at $2.1556 per $100 of assessed value.

The budget did not included a proposed half-cent sales tax increase. The first reading for that will come next month. City council will host a workshop to discuss it more on Thursday.

City council also authorized Mayor Kincannon to enter into an agreement with Blue Line Solutions to expand the use of traffic-enforcement cameras to reduce speeding in school zones. Cameras will be enforced at 41 public schools in addition to up to 30 cameras to monitor drivers running red lights and two cameras used to enforce noise violations.

A redevelopment plan for Magnolia Avenue and Chilhowee Park was also adopted, focusing on commercial properties between the Magnolia Avenue Warehouse District and Burlington. It encourages multi-story mixed-use development, restoration and reuse of historic structures and safer connections to schools, parks and public spaces.

Mayor Kincannon was also authorized to enter into an agreement with UT’s Social Work Office of Research and Public Service to conduct a comprehensive assessment of how and why violence is down in the Project TLC zones (East Knoxville, Montgomery Village and Western Heights) after receiving focused attention from City departments and community social service providers.

NCAA Division I Knoxville Regional Bracket

Posted on May 26, 2025

McGhee Tyson Airport Adding Direct Flights to Memphis, Key West

Posted on May 21, 2025

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Visiting Memphis or Key West, Florida from Knoxville just got easy!

Officials with McGhee Tyson Airport announcing Wednesday that nonstop service to Memphis and Key West is slated to begin in the fall.

Allegiant Airlines will be taking passengers to the two new stops. According to the airline’s website, a ticket to Memphis sits at around $63 and a ticket to Key West hovers around $66.

Flights to Memphis begin September 4 and flights to Key West start October 3.