Knoxville, TN (WOKI) – Election Day for the 2025 City of Knoxville Primary Election is Tuesday, August 26, 2025. To prepare for voting, the Knox County Election Commission is sharing the following news and tips:
VOTING TIME – On Tuesday, August 26, polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
SCHOOL IS IN SESSION – Please be aware that Knox County schools will be open for a full day of classes on Election Day. Voters whose assigned polling location is at a school may want to consider going to the polls after school lets out, and be cautious that during school hours, parking may be challenging.
BALLOT – Only one race will be on a voter’s ballot. There will be no question on this ballot.
NO 5TH DISTRICT – Voters in the 5th City Council District will not be eligible to vote in this election.
ABSENTEE BY MAIL VOTERS – Absentee ballots must be received by mail by the Election Commission (not hand delivered or dropped off at a polling place) by Election Day. If a voter is unable to mail their ballot and have it reach the Election Commission by Election Day, then on Election Day, they may drop off their ballot at the front counter and have postage hand-stamped by 4 pm at either:
The downtown Knoxville Post Office – 501 W. Main Street, or
The Weisgarber Post Office – 1237 E. Weisgarber Road
PROPERTY QUALIFIED VOTERS – These voters do not vote at a polling place. They vote an absentee by mail ballot.
WHERE DO I VOTE? – Election Day voters must vote at their assigned precinct. To determine your correct place to vote, visit www.knoxvotes.org.
A list of polling places open for this election is below:
Precinct 6 Green Magnet Academy 801 Lula Powell Drive
Precinct 9 Eternal Life Harvest Center 1801 Western Avenue
Precincts 10A/10S/10W Howard H. Baker Jr. Center 1640 Cumberland Avenue
Precinct 10N Fort Sanders School 501 S. 21st Street
Precinct 11 Central United Methodist 201 Third Avenue
Precinct 12 Phyllis Wheatley YWCA 124 S. Cruze Street
Precinct 13 Fair Garden School 400 Fern Street
Precinct 14 Austin-East High School 2800 MLK Jr. Avenue
Precinct 15E/15W John T. O’Connor Sr. Ctr. 611 Winona Street
Precinct 16E/16W/16X Larry Cox Senior Rec. Ctr. 3109 Ocoee Trail
KNOXVILLE, TN (story courtesy of WVLT) – Two apartment complexes in Knoxville are preparing to offer up more than: The Overlook at Beaumont and First Creek at Austin.
First Creek at Austin
First Creek at Austin is a development run in conjunction with Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation. As part of Phase III of an ongoing project at the complex, First Creek is offering 160 units with move-in dates slated for August.
The units at First Creek will include one- to four-bedroom units aimed at people with an income of up to $1,788 per month. Rental assistance will also be available for families who make up to 80% of the Area Median Income. That AMI is set at $79,520 for a family of four in Knoxville.
Beyond that, 50 units have been set aside for people 62 and older. Those units are available to people with up to 50% of the AMI, which is set at $34,750 per year for a single person. The units come with housekeeping, meal and health-related services.
“These are beautiful apartments near downtown, with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, dishwashers, washer and dryer connections, and central heat and air,” First Creek at Austin Property Manager Peter McKay said. “A lot of people are surprised that an individual making $20 an hour and working 40 hours a week would qualify for rental assistance, but a single person earning up to $41,700 a year would pay about $1,100 a month for rent at First Creek at Austin.”
The Overlook at Beaumont
The Overlook at Baumont is located in northwest Knoxville. It’s expected to open in December and is now leasing for one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The market rate sits at $1,200 for one bedroom and one bathroom, $1,450 for two bedrooms and two bathrooms and $1,700 for three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Rental assistance is also available for those making up to 60% of the AMI, set at $59,640 for a family of four in Knoxville.
“We know there is a real need for affordable apartments in Knoxville, and these properties offer quality housing options at accessible rates,” McKay said.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Countdown to kickoff is down to 9 days, and the 18th-ranked Vols are ramping up. On Wednesday, Joey Aguilar, Ethan Davis, Arion Carter and Bryson Eason met with reporters to break down the team’s progress.
“It’s just a lot of anticipation building up right now,” Carter said. “You know, just going in, game prepping and everything, just want to be able to make decisive decisions, know the offense as far as Syracuse personnel and what they like to do. They’re a really good team.”
On Sunday, Tennessee announced Aguilar as its starting quarterback. The senior signal caller was asked about the appointment during his media session.
“I was super excited,” Aguilar said. “Coming out here and being the starting quarterback for this program is nothing but excitement. That’s all I can say, I’m just super excited. If you would tell me that in 2021-22, I probably would not have believed it. I was in JUCO at that time looking at players at this level like, ‘dang, that’s crazy, I wish I was there,’ and here I am, you know? I just have to thank Jesus for giving me the opportunity to be here.”
The Volunteers kick off against Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game at noon ET on Aug. 30 in Atlanta. Tickets are on sale at AllVols.com.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Aug. 20, 2025
On his reaction to being named the starting quarterback … “I was super excited. Coming out here and being the starting quarterback for this program is nothing but excitement. That’s all I can say, I’m just super excited.”
On what he felt like won him the job… “That’s tough to say. I don’t think anything specific, I would say just because George (MacIntyre) and Jake (Merklinger) are really good athletes and good quarterbacks. It was a hard battle. It was fun though. We went out there and competed with each other but also helped each other in every way we could, so I don’t really have a specific answer for that.”
On what Coach Heupel said to the quarterbacks when he told them who the starter was going to be… “He just told us the way we competed with each other (was good). There’s two ways you can compete with somebody. You compete and just be solo and not really try to help the other person or you can compete together and work – iron sharpens iron – and work together to build whoever goes out there to be a starter. Even if it was me or somebody else, that we were working together and be as one. The way he told us how he liked how we went out there every day to support each other and going into practice not trying to be bad to the other person.”
On his assessment of how he’s performed during fall camp… “Yeah, you know it was a lot coming in with such a short amount of time but I grinded out the days. Being here in the early mornings and late nights and would just go out there and watch film, talk to the coaches and just try to get the game plans going and get the concept of the offense down. It took a while but I got it down. I was able to go out there and perform in the scrimmages and stuff like that.”
On his progress from scrimmage one to scrimmage two… “From one to two, I definitely felt more comfortable. Going out there and running it completely live was different. Running a practice is kind of different than going to a scrimmage and game-time speed, so definitely got a better grasp of it during the second week of camp. I was in there spending more time in film and trying to get all the key details of plays, certain reads and all the specifics like that.”
On if anything during camp surprised him about the offense after just going through installs over the summer… “I would say the only thing I really had to adjust to was the tempo of the offense. I was somewhat in (a similar tempo offense in) 2023, I wouldn’t say as high tempo as this but we were pretty on the ball (at Appalachian State), just not as fast, so just getting used to getting the signal and lining up and going through my progressions were the adjustments that I had to make.”
On what his thoughts would have been if he told himself a few years ago that he would be the starter at Tennessee in 2025… “If you would tell me that in 2021-22, I probably would not have believed it. I was in JUCO at that time looking at players at this level like, ‘dang, that’s crazy, I wish I was there,’ and here I am, you know? I just have to thank Jesus for giving me the opportunity to be here.”
On difficulty remaining hopeful that things would progress in his football career… “It was hard. Everything’s not easy but I just stayed faithful to Jesus. I have a tattoo on my ribs, it’s Proverbs 3:5-6, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on you own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him.’ So, that kept me going and my family just supported me, and my friends really getting me back to play JUCO and supporting me and helping me throughout that time. It was fun. I wouldn’t go back and want to change my journey at all. JUCO was an amazing time, coaches were great, people were great and my friends and family helped me a lot.”
On how the current reality compares to goals that were set in the past… “Yeah, it’s crazy because before I went JUCO I wanted to be a fireman so I was like, I might as well start. COVID happened and football was kind of done at the JUCO level. I was like, if I’m going to do that, I might as well start my career, start taking classes for that and then when football came back around, I came back into it. Just to see how my life has shifted in just a short time of people saying, ‘yo, come play just one more time, give it one more shot, so it’s kind of crazy to see.”
On how good of a firefighter he would have been… “I would’ve been the best one.”
On if this week has been different since being named starting quarterback… “It doesn’t change anything. I have to go out there and attack every day as if I’m not (the starter) because those guys are competitors as themselves so they’re coming in here to work and you never know, something could happen that those guys could go in. It happened to me at App State, so I’m going in there to compete still every day.”
On the progress with connecting with the wide receivers during fall camp… “It feels good. When I got here in the summer I was building a connection with them before they were out but it’s good to have them back and getting them back going and having all the guys healthy.”
On if his previous experiences helped him handle the situation in the spring and his move to Tennessee… “I would say my life growing up through JUCO definitely helped shape who I was. I was somewhat of a different person, probably would’ve had a different approach, not sure how I would’ve approached that situation if it happened, but I would say JUCO and just the transition to App State and adjusting to that environment helped me see things through easier.”
On dynamic with having a head coach who’s played quarterback… “It’s awesome. The whole quarterback room is great. They kind of get a different perspective through everybody. If you ask a question, you get the same answer or just a different perspective of what they see and how they see through plays and progressions. It’s kind of cool that they all pretty much play the position and can give an insight with everything.”
On sharing the news of being named the starter with his family… “It was great. It was Sunday night so I kind of shot them a text and they wanted to stay up but I was tired so I just fell asleep and caught them the next day, but it was awesome. They were super excited.”
On the process of earning the trust of his teammates… “I grew up working for everything that I got. My dad always told me to be grateful and to be humble, mom as well, so coming here, trust takes time to build. You can’t force somebody to trust you and so I’m just a nonchalant kind of guy, I’m not trying to come in here and tell everybody, ‘yeah, you got to trust me, I’m your guy.’ So, I just slowly connect with people here and there, go grab some food, hang out, just having conversations with everybody, not even just a main guy I would say, you have to build trust with every single person on your team whether they play or not. I think my biggest key with JUCO and going to App State, connecting with those type of people and a team quickly, helped me understand how to connect with different types of people.”
On the reaction from his teammates after finding out about him earning the starting job… “They were super happy and I think that they would be happy for anybody that got the job.”
On his eagerness for the first game and to showcase his ability… “I’m excited. I’m especially excited to run out of that T though. I haven’t been to a Tennessee game in my life so that’s one check mark I can make off of my list.”
On the tight end room being deep and the competition at fall camp… “It’s amazing, man. Especially when you have those guys in there that are so competitive and highly talented. It kind of feeds off each other. Miles helps me get better, DaSaahn helps Miles get better, Jack helps me get better. We all kind of piece together with one another.”
On what he’s seen from QB Joey Aguilar… “I mean, his approach, he came in and wasn’t, you know, all ‘rah, rah this is my program now’. He did it the right way, the correct way. You know, he paid his dues. He came in, he worked, he showed the work. Ultimately, he produced on the field which led him to winning that spot.”
On how the freshmen tight ends have impressed during camp… “Their size for sure. How they line up, assignment sound. I tell them all the time, they are miles ahead of where I was when I stepped in as a freshman. I came in 215, lean body basketball player. Those boys came in ready to play football size-wise day one. I’m just trying to help them know that next play, you have the size, you have it, you just have to get everything else put together. Those boys can be helpful for us this year as well.”
On confidence level for defense going into the season… “Oh, really confident. Obviously, there’s room and areas to grow in, but we’re getting better day by day and we’re taking little steps and you can see it during little increments at practice that we may have messed up on the play before or a day before, that we don’t mess up now. And the biggest thing is being a young defense and a talented defense and is not making the same mistake twice, and I feel like we’re competing and doing really good right now.”
On eagerness to play with the season opener 10 days away… “It’s just a lot of anticipation building up right now. You know, just going in, game prepping and everything, just want to be able to make decisive decisions, know the offense as far as Syracuse personnel and what they like to do. They’re a really good team. So, I just want to go in and be prepared. I’m ready to just go out and play.”
On leadership role changing and how teammates have responded… “I feel like with (Keenan Pili) going down last year and me stepping up in a big way and just being more of a vocal guy, I feel like it carried into this season. It’s not necessarily something that’s even bigger, I feel like, in an aspect as far as magnifying everything. I feel like I’m just going out there being myself, playing free and just leading my guys out there and being confident and decisive in everything I do and say.”
On assessment of defense up-front and as a whole going into the season opener… “I’m still trying to get everything together and focus on the details of things, like plays, hand placement, making sure everybody knows their job so we can go out there and execute as one, really. So, just focusing on executing and the details so we can all play as one.”
On how the young defensive linemen have handled camp… “Those guys have just been great. They’ve been a sponge, you know what I’m saying? Just listening to me and (Dominic Bailey). I feel like Dom has been doing a great job with showing the (defensive ends and defensive tackles), because he has to be diverse there with how things go. I feel like he’s taken a major step and a major role to lead a lot of young guys. I actually, you know, sometimes follow up behind him and am close with him and what he says. So, just trying to lead those guys in the right direction and let them know we’ve been through the hard part before, it’s just y’all’s turn. So, y’all gonna get through it and we got to turn back throughout the process of that.”
On how Ethan Utley has developed during training camp… “Ethan, he’s so smart, so he understands the playbook well, he gets everything. He even helps his peers out, the guys that came in with him. His athleticism, his ability to run, he is still working on the physical part and getting his hands down. But just how fluid he can move and all his movements is going to help us a lot.”
Two-time NCAA Champion Tennessee women’s basketball standout Nicky Anosike is set to be inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.
Anosike will join fellow class of 2025 inductees Adam Brock, Bryan Brown, Charles Fondren, Ken Johnson, Conchita Owenby, Dr. Jerry Punch, Frankie Randall and the late Gary Toulson. They’ll be honored on Aug. 21 at the Knoxville Convention Center in the 44th year of the event.
Tickets are available HERE, and admission includes appetizers, reception and a cash bar at 5 p.m. and chef-curated food stations at 6 p.m. The induction ceremony will start at 7 p.m. Former Tennessee basketball player Ron Slay, who is a studio analyst for the SEC Network, will be the featured speaker. Proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley.
A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Anosike played at UT from 2004-08, helping the Lady Vols capture back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 2007 and 2008 and claim an SEC regular-season title in 2007 and SEC Tournament trophies in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
The 6-foot-4 forward/center tied for the second-most games played in program history with 146 and started 133 of them for the fourth-highest total by a Lady Vol. She finished her career with 1,099 points and 914 rebounds, ranking No. 41 and No. 13, respectively, all-time at Tennessee and producing 7.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game during her four seasons.
Anosike’s 161 blocked shots rank eighth in a career by a UT woman, while her 381 free throws made stand ninth and her 586 free throw attempts check in at No. 7. Her 38 games started during the 2007-08 campaign marks the second-highest total in program history.
Following her college career, Anosike was selected at No. 16 overall in the second round of the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx. She made the 2008 WNBA All-Rookie Team and 2009 WNBA All-Star Team with that franchise before playing with the Washington Mystics in 2011 and the Los Angeles Sparks in 2012 to close out her tenure with the league.
Anosike, who served as a graduate assistant for the Lady Vols from 2018-19, resides in Knoxville with sons Cheluchi and Chiemezie. Other post-competition career pursuits have included teaching, coaching and assisting non-profits who serve youth in the community.
Blount Co, TN. (Story courtesy of WVLT) – The Blount County Sheriff’s Office has cleared an elementary principal of any wrongdoing following an investigation into his alleged actions at the school.
According to Blount County Schools Director Justin Ridge, on Aug. 15, BCSO opened an investigation into Stan Painter, the principal at Friendsville Elementary School, based on allegations regarding claimed actions at the school during the 2023-2024 school year.
On Aug. 20, the sheriff’s office said the investigation revealed that the allegations against Painter were not credible and he is therefore cleared of any wrongdoing. Investigators said the decision was based on careful reviews of surveillance footage, numerous witness interviews and records.
Blount County Schools released the following statement after the sheriff’s office cleared Painter:
“Blount County Schools has been informed that the Blount County District Attorney’s Office and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office have concluded their investigation into allegations involving Friendsville Elementary School Principal Stan Painter. Law enforcement officials have determined that the allegations were not credible, and the matter is now closed. We want to thank the Blount County Sheriff’s Office for their diligent and thorough investigation.
Mr. Painter was suspended solely in response to being notified of the external investigation, as is standard procedure by Blount County Schools. With this matter now resolved, we are pleased to welcome him back to his role as Principal of Friendsville Elementary, effective immediately.
Mr. Painter is a highly respected educator, having received multiple awards throughout his career and earning the admiration of colleagues, families, and students alike. He has been a pillar of the Friendsville community, and we are grateful for his continued leadership and service. Blount County Schools remains committed to ensuring a safe, supportive learning environment for all students and families, and we look forward to Mr. Painter’s return to the school community.”
Justin Ridge, Blount County Schools Director
While the investigation was going on, Ridge said Painter was immediately suspended and Jennifer Moore, a longtime educator of more than 30 years, served as interim principal at Friendsville Elementary.
Cosby, TN (WOKI) The Cocke County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are investigating a shooting that critically injured a man.
Sheriff CJ Ball says deputies responded to a report of a dispute between two people in the 700 block of McGaha Chapel Road in Cosby around 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning.
On the scene, deputies found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital and was reported to be in critical condition as of Tuesday evening.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Additional information was not released.
The incident happened Tuesday morning in the 700 block of McGaha Chapel Road in Cosby, according to Cocke County Sheriff CJ Ball. (Courtesy: Cocke County Sheriff’s Office)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) UPDATE 8/203:00 p.m.: A Knox County man at the center of a TBI Silver Alert this week has been found.
Officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Wednesday afternoon announcing that 84-year-old John Quirk was found safe in Texas.
A prior update from the agency stated that Quirk’s vehicle, a silver 1997 Toyota RAV4 with a Nevada tag, had been spotted Tuesday evening in Kingsbury, Texas.
UPDATE 8/20: A Knox County man at the center of a TBI Silver Alert may be traveling through Texas.
That’s the latest from officials with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in the search for 84-year-old John Quirk.
TBI says Quirk, who has a medical condition that may impair his ability to return safely without assistance, is believed to be driving a silver 1997 Toyota RAV4 with a Nevada tag. Officials say that vehicle was spotted Tuesday evening in Kingsbury, Texas.
Those with information are being asked to call the Knox County Sheriff’s Office at 865-215-2243 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a Silver Alert for a missing Knox County man.
TBI says 84-year-old John Quirk is six feet tall, 160 lbs., with gray hair and blue eyes. Officials say Quirk is believed to be driving a silver 1997 Toyota RAV4 with Nevada tag 459TXL and that he may be traveling through Alabama.
Quirk also has a medical condition that may impair his ability to return safely without assistance.
Those with information are being asked to call the Knox County Sheriff’s Office at 865-215-2243 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
Kennett Square, PA (WVLT) Genesis HealthCare, the provider who runs two retirement homes in the East Tennessee region, has filed for bankruptcy. An announcement from the company said the filing shouldn’t impact seniors at Genesis facilities.
“This process is designed to ensure that the Company can continue operating in a seamless manner, while also allowing the Company to address its legacy liabilities associated with previously divested operations,” the announcement said.
Genesis runs two facilities in East Tennessee with a combined 259 beds: Willow Ridge Center in Maynardville with 77 beds for residents and Cumberland Village in LaFollette with 182 beds.
“Our ongoing work has confirmed that, to maintain our momentum, we must address our legacy debt structure,“ the company said further. ”The goal of this filing is to emerge a stronger, healthier company poised to exceed our goals for clinical and operational excellence.”
The company also said it had secured a commitment of $30 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from lenders.
Genesis runs two facilities in East Tennessee: Willow Ridge Center in Maynardville and Cumberland Village in LaFollette. (Pexels)
Police say Robert Cooke was arrested after he threw Carmen Locket to the ground after he passed Locket’s car on a narrow road and then turned into Locket’s street on August 15th.
After arriving at a house on Mill Run Drive, Cooke approached Locket, who is elderly and has a cast on her left foot from a previous injury, screaming at her and her daughter when he went onto the property and grabbed her arm and threw her to the ground.
He is charged with felony abuse of an elderly adult.
An injured hiker is rescued from a remote area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
A flight crew with the Tennessee National Guard’s 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion responded to Snake Den Ridge Trail last night (Tues) where the man had been hiking.
He was flown to UT Medical Center in Knoxville after he was rescued and his condition has not been released.
