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July

Friday, Jul 24th MEDIC Regional Blood Center offers Dollywood tickets MEDIC Regional Blood Center is teaming up with Dollywood to provide a special incentive for donors from Monday, July 20, through Friday, July 24. All donors with a successful donation will receive a ticket to Dollywood. Donations during this event week are by appointment only. Due to the popularity of the promotion, MEDIC cannot accommodate walk-in donors. Donors can call 865-524-3074 to schedule their appointment, visit medicblood.org/donate or download the new MEDIC donor app to search for a drive closest to them and schedule their appointment.
Tuesday, Jul 28th Paralyzed Veterans of America launched its annual in-store checkout campaign with long-time partner Food City. NASCAR legend Kyle Petty joined his dad, seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty, to support the campaign. This year’s in-store donation drive will run at all Food City locations from July 1 to 28. Customers can select $1, $3, or $5 donations, donate the amount of their choice, or round up their order total to the next dollar amount as they checkout. Customers who are shopping online can also donate. To learn more about the Food City/PVA partnership and this month’s activation, visit foodcity.com.
Friday, Jul 31st Where’s Waldo? scavenger hunt The Where’s Waldo? scavenger hunt has returned to Downtown Knoxville for the ninth annual event through July 31. This year’s hunt features more than 40 participating businesses, including restaurants, shops, museums and galleries. Window graphics at participating locations mark each stop, where searchers can pick up a Waldo Passport and begin their search. For a list of participating merchants, visit downtownknoxville.org/waldo. Inside each business, participants look for Waldo hidden somewhere on display. Once he’s spotted, players can ask for a stamp of their passport and continue the search at the next stop. Participants who collect 20 or more stamps are eligible to enter prize drawings featuring gift cards and other rewards. The first 750 spotters also can claim a “Found Waldo Knox” sticker at Union Ave Books, the host location of the Where’s Waldo? scavenger hunt.
Friday, Jul 31st “Newts in Knoxville” Another scavenger hunt everyone can take part in is “Newts in Knoxville,” a permanent downtown installation created by the Downtown Knoxville Alliance. This self-guided adventure features 12 bronze Eastern newt sculptures hidden throughout downtown. Participants can pick up a free passport with clues at the Knoxville Visitors Center, Mast General Store or online at knoxnewts.com. The experience is designed to be completed in under an hour and offers a lighthearted way to explore downtown while learning about local wildlife.
Friday, Jul 31st American Red Cross seeking donors American Red Cross is asking donors of all blood types to make an appointment to give blood, platelets or plasma. As a thank-you, all who come to give through July 31 will receive a Fandango movie ticket by email (up to $15 ticket price and fees). Additional details can be found at RedCrossBlood.org/July

August

Saturday, Aug 8th Shoes for School event The Knoxville Area Urban League (KAUL) is seeking support from sponsors, vendors and volunteers for this year’s Shoes for School event. The event will be held Saturday, August 8, from 9 a.m. to noon at Covenant Health Park. Sponsors and volunteers can register now at givebutter.com/2026-shoes-for-school-oswjdl.
Monday, Aug 10th Knox County Schools National School Lunch Program Knox County Schools announces its policy for free and reduced-price meals for children served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. The 2026-27 school year begins on Aug. 10, and families unable to pay for breakfast and lunch meals at school – or do not attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school – now can apply for free and reduced-price meals. Families can apply for meals through the LINQ Connect portal at https://linqconnect.com/main. Paper applications are also available.
Saturday, Aug 15th Emory Valley Center Dragon Boat Race Registration is now open for the 2026 Emory Valley Center Dragon Boat Race on Saturday, August 15, at Melton Lake in Oak Ridge. Each team will race in authentic dragon boats with 10 paddlers and 1 drummer. No experience is necessary, and practice sessions will be available before race day. For more information, contact Aaron.Price@evcmail.org. Register at www.emoryvalleycenter.org/dragon-boat-race-2026/

Decision 2026: The fight for Farragut

Four candidates seeking seats on the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen answered questions during a candidate forum hosted by Tennessee Strategies at the Farragut Community Center on Monday evening, July 13. Among the questions was one asking mayoral candidate Louise Povlin about her background and why she is qualified to serve as mayor. Povlin said she has lived in Farragut for 18 years, where she raised her children, volunteered in Knox County Schools and opened a small business in town in 2012. An engineer, she said the late Mayor Ralph McGill asked her to serve on the Farragut Municipal Planning Commission. She later was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in 2015, elected to the seat in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 before reaching term limits in 2024. "I can run for one term as mayor, and I'm absolutely fine with that," Povlin said. "If you want a mayor who is educated and knowledgeable and will stand with you in a neighborhood meeting and answer your questions, and if she doesn't have the answers, know who she needs to go to, that's who I am." Asked whether the town should contribute more to public education, Povlin said Farragut already supports its schools.

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Forum no-shows cite concerns

While four candidates seeking Farragut Board of Aldermen seats attended a candidate forum hosted by Tennessee Strategies at the Farragut Community Center on Monday evening, July 13, two candidates were absent. Alex Cain, who is running for mayor, and Greg Wiberley, who is seeking the South Ward Seat 2 position, chose not to attend. On Tuesday morning, both shared their reasons. "The way this event unfolded in planning, communication and execution has raised serious concerns about whether it was being transparent in its own motivations," Cain stated in an email. "First, the forum promoted itself as open, fair and balanced. Yet all emails from the forum organizers failed to identify any individuals or planners." On July 10, event organizer Mike Arms, Tennessee Strategies senior partner, left a voicemail for the farragutpress regarding the forum. "My company is going to serve as the moderator and facilitator of the event," Arms said. "So I just wanted you to be aware of it. We have got questions coming in from the [Farragut Business Alliance/Shop Farragut], but we filled in some other questions and are going to try to make this a very civil event and impartial and focusing purely on the issues and eliminate any non-counter effective issues."

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News

Decision 2026: The fight for Farragut  Read More

Forum no-shows cite concerns  Read More

Farragut mayoral candidates share views in Q&A: Cain  Read More

Farragut mayoral candidates share views in Q&A: Povlin  Read More

Profile: Alex Cain (Candidate for Mayor of Farragut)  Read More

Profile: Dian Hall (Candidate for Farragut Alderman, Ward 1)  Read More

Profile: Louise Povlin (Candidate for Mayor of Farragut)  Read More

Profile: Joey Ruffalo (Candidate for Farragut Alderman, Ward 1)  Read More

Profile: Greg Wiberley (Candidate for Farragut Alderman, Ward 2)  Read More

from the Town  Read More

Opinion

Letters to the editor  Read More

Community

Fireworks, fabled history honor America 250  Read More

Reveiz chronicles ‘adventure of a lifetime’  Read More

Farragut Museum program shares ‘Spirit of America’  Read More

Rotary Club changes guard  Read More

Sports

The right move  Read More

Local athletes shine on All-State teams  Read More

Lady Ads earn All-State honors  Read More

Area athletes honored for championship seasons  Read More

Admirals lax standouts earn All-State honors  Read More

Fox Den ladies hit the course  Read More

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