News
At Apple Cake Tea Room for 35+ years, 92-year-old didn’t really want to retire
March 19, 2025 by Tammy Cheek
How many people start a new career in their mid 50s, then end up loving what they do so much their service lasts more than 35 years?
After almost 36 years with Apple Cake Tea Room, Dorothy Graves, 92, decided to retire last December.
“I miss you so much,” Apple Cake Tea Room owner Mary Henry told Dorothy.
“I’ve tried a little bit of everything around here,” Dorothy reflected. “I hated to have to retire because I wasn’t ready to retire, but I had a bad hip, and I had to have it taken care of.
“When you’re on your feet four hours a day, why, you have to take care of yourself,” she added. “But I just like to work.”
For Henry, Dorothy has been more than an employee. She has been a friend, confidant, therapist and even, like “I Love Lucy’s” Lucy and Ethel, fellow conspirators at times.
“Dorothy and I are like two peas in a pod,” Henry said. “We knew, pretty much, what our right arm was doing all the time.
“We would just zig and zag and do everything together. We worked very well together,” she added.
And for at least one young employee, the retiree was his “Civil War grandma.”
Dorothy’s leaving has affected Henry “very much,” the owner said, adding her three daughters are coming in to help now.
Read More
March 19, 2025 by Tammy Cheek
After a little more than a year, the Town’s Vision Plan for its Mixed-Use Town Center (downtown) was passed in a resolution in a 4-1 vote.
While Mayor Ron Williams and Aldermen Scott Meyer made the motion to approve it, Drew Burnette and Alex Cain also voted to approve the resolution. Alderman David White voted against it.
“Why are we going to vote on the Vision Plan when the thing is done; it’s finished?” White asked.
“It’s just an expression of support, if you want to do that,” Community Development director Mark Shipley answered.
“That’s what this resolution is.”
The idea was to have a vision plan started last year, when the Board decided to create a vision plan for Town Center, hiring TSW Consultants to develop that plan.
Shipley said the consultants worked with the community to “determine their desires for this area,” adding, “This outreach has involved steering committee and stakeholder meetings and four well-attended community meetings. There were also two surveys conducted with over 1,200 responses.”
Going back to last Spring, “A complete draft of the plan, which is titled, ‘Town of Farragut Mixed-Use Town Center Vision Plan (the Plan),’ was taken to the (Farragut Municipal) Planning Commission for a workshop discussion at their meeting on May 16, 2024,” Shipley said. “Some suggested modifications were made to the plan at the May Planning Commission meeting and the plan was taken back to the Planning Commission on June 20, 2024, for a recommendation to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
Read More
March 19, 2025 by Tammy Cheek
Town budget workshops continued Thursday, March 13, when Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen reviewed several of its funds before its regular meeting.
One of the funds reviewed was the Capital Investment projects fund, which are the bigger projects — more than $25,000 — the Town undertakes, which could take a year or more to finish.
During the Board’s last workshop on Feb. 27, its members asked for changes in the CIP.
“In the general government section of the budget, we had a project that we did not do this year that we need to re-budget for next year,” Town administrator David Smoak said. “That is the restroom building at the Anchor Green over on Biddle Farm. That is $300,000 projected for FY 2026 now that (the development) is getting occupied.
“This year would be a good year to put that restroom facility in (the budget),” he added. “We are also planning some events at the Anchor Green at some point during the fiscal year.”
In Parks and Recreation, “in the FY 2027, you had the McFee Park pavilion,” Smoak said. “That has been deleted for a cost savings of $535,000.
Read More
From the Town
March 19, 2025 by Wendy Smith
A new monthly column from the Town of Farragut begins this week right here.
Column writer Wendy Smith manages the Town of Farragut communications department.
She keeps the community informed about meetings, road and park projects, Town services and special events through the Town of Farragut website and in farragutpress among local print and online publications, social media and traditional media.
Farragut Parks & Rec offers something for everyone
When I joined the Town of Farragut staff in early 2017, the Parks & Rec Department was squirreled away in a second-floor corner of Town Hall. Several employees shared one space – creative and energetic people who dreamed of being able to offer more.
At the time, a variety of athletic programs and special events were held at Farragut’s four parks, but indoor programming was limited by a lack of space. Town Hall had a Community Room, but it wasn’t ideal for recreation.
This changed in early 2020 when the Town partnered with Knox County to buy the former Faith Lutheran Church to be the Farragut Community Center and West Knox Senior Center. The Parks & Rec staff gained a gymnasium, an Assembly Hall (the former sanctuary) and two classrooms to program.
Almost as soon as the Community Center doors opened, they closed due to Covid. It was a frustrating time for staff, who were chomping at the bit to provide classes and gym programs. Socially-distant activities eventually gave way to a steady stream of gym sports and exercise and craft classes.
Read More
March 19, 2025 by
• At 3:46 p.m., Thursday, March 6, a complainant called Knox County Sheriff’s Office North Precinct to file a report on a theft from a building that occurred at an assisted living center.
Complainant advised an unknown suspect took her wallet with the listed contents from her room at the assisted living center. Complainant advised she believes it was someone who has had access to her room.
• At 12:29 p.m., Wednesday, March 5, an officer spoke with the victim, who called in wanting to report a burglary of her home. She said an unknown suspect stole multiple old credit cards from her home, along with “documents” and coins. She did not know the time of the crime.
Victim said the cards are not active, but she thinks that her identity has been stolen and is now being involved in a criminal conspiracy that is being investigated by the FBI and other federal agencies, with whom she also is in contact with, the victim said.
She wanted KCSO “to do a report of her calling in just to have the documentation with local law enforcement,” the report stated. “I provided her with a report number.”
Read More
March 19, 2025 by
• Forget Me Not Race, a loop from Planet Fitness in Village Green shopping center through Village Green subdivision in Farragut, is an in-person race also with a virtual option. The goal is to raise awareness and funds to eliminate dementia, a devastating disease. Come and join by racing for a cure and fighting in memory of legendary Lady Vols Basketball head coach Pat Summitt against this fierce opponent.
Fifteenth Annual Forget Me Not 5k/10k/1-Mile Race will be held starting at 8 a.m., Saturday, April 12: 8 a.m. for 10k; 8:30 a.m. for 5k; 8:30 a.m. for Mile.
The 5k is mostly flat and the 10k contains a couple of hills, just to keep things interesting. Registration and entry fee: $30 for 5k, $40 for 10k and $25 for 1-Mile per participant.
The Forget Me Not Race benefits The Pat Summitt Clinic at The University of Tennessee Medical Center for research. (The race is hosted by volunteers, so all proceeds will be presented as a check to The Pat Summitt Foundation). Become an individual fundraiser when you register to participate in the race or create a fundraising page even if you aren’t participating in the race.
Read More
