News
September 2, 2026 by Jake Nichols
At 8:54 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, an 11-0 vote drew cheers in the latest Knox County Commission meeting.
The vote followed an ordinance proposed by Commissioner Larsen Jay requesting that all Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras in Knox County be taken down in the next 30 days.
A pair of amendments added that all data from those cameras be destroyed, except what pertains to active investigations.
“I applaud the work of the County Commission in passing an emergency ordinance to order the takedown of Flock cameras,” new Knox County mayor Betsy Henderson said in a statement released Monday. “I will always support law enforcement and the work they do to protect the place we call home, but that work must be carried out in ways that respect individuals' constitutional rights.”
“We have been elected to represent the people of Knox County, and they have clearly spoken out against the use of Flock cameras in their communities,” she added. “I appreciate Commissioner Adam Thompson’s leadership on this issue, as well as Commissioner Larsen Jay’s efforts to ensure citizens' voices are heard and their rights are respected.”
This saga will be one newly-elected Sheriff Brent Gibson will encounter, as this amendment is not “written in stone,” as Jay pointed out.
Read More
September 2, 2026 by Jake Nichols
Family. Focus. Future.
Those three words were on the minds of Mayor Alex Cain and Aldermen Joey Ruffalo and Greg Wiberley last Thursday, Aug. 27, inside Farragut Town Hall.
All three were inducted into the Town of Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen, having been elected earlier this month.
For Cain, a former North Ward alderman, it was a return to the same desk — but with a new feel as the newly elected mayor.
This time, bittersweet emotions brought tears as he took his mayoral oath.
“My father passed away a year-and-a-half ago,” Cain said. “He was there two years ago when I was sworn in as alderman. Having my mother here today, using my dad’s Bible and having my friend Tim Burchett standing there — it really meant a lot.
“(Burchett’s) first comment to me was, ‘Your dad is very proud of you today.’ So that’s where it came from. But at the same time, it’s a big responsibility, and now I have the burden of 25,000 people on my back, and I want to do what’s right for each and every one of them.”
That weight will not be his alone to carry, as Cain emphasized the impact of Ruffalo, Wiberley and fellow Alderman Drew Burnette, as well as the alderman yet to be named.
Read More
September 2, 2026 by Tammy Cheek
A state grant is helping fund improvements aimed at improving water quality in North Fork Turkey Creek.
“The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has given the Town a grant, along with Knox County and the City of Knoxville, to improve water quality in the Turkey Creek watershed,” Town administrator David Smoak announced during the Thursday, Aug. 13, Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.
The project in Founders Park is “retrofitting a detention pond by replacing approximately 50 feet of corrugated metal pipe and the inlet structures that are part of that,” Smoak said. “This work will result in lower downstream velocities, improved total suspended solids removal and E. coli reduction in the North Fork of Turkey Creek.”
Smoak said the work should take about two weeks to complete.
“So you’ll have a few parking spaces in the library that we won’t be able to use for just a little bit,” he added.
"The Tennessee Department of Agriculture awarded a $205,500 Section 319(h) grant to Knox County, the Town of Farragut and the City of Knoxville to support water quality improvements within the Turkey Creek watershed, Town director of administrative services," Michelle Pence said. The grant began July 1, 2024, and is being managed by Knox County.
Read More
September 2, 2026 by Jake Nichols
Last Thursday, Aug. 27, a new era began for the Town of Farragut with Mayor Alex Cain and Aldermen Joey Ruffalo and Greg Wiberley overseeing their first meeting.
Alderman Drew Burnette was unable to attend due to a work conflict.
Business commenced with fiscal year reports from Derek Wright with the Town’s Parks and Athletics Council, Keith Alley representing the Board of Zoning Appeals and Jeff Devlin with the Farragut Municipal Planning Commission.
Wiberley was appointed to the Town’s Planning Commission as a board representative, and Cain and Wiberley voted for Ruffalo to maintain his position on the Tourism and Visitor Advisory Committee, this time as a BOMA representative.
The board followed by adopting amended public participation guidelines for its meetings.
Ruffalo read Resolution R-26-15, which moves the citizens forum portion to the first part of the meeting, directly after the mayor’s report, “so that public comment is heard earlier in the proceedings.”
The resolution will take effect at the next Board meeting, as the citizens forum agenda will “supersede any prior agenda,” Ruffalo said.
Read More
September 2, 2026 by Jake Nichols
SEVIERVILLE — Flower bouquets piled up along a brick walkway near Sevierville’s Dolly Parton statue, accompanied by butterfly balloons and notes reading three words: “Fly high, Dolly!”
Parton’s iconic voice swirled in the breeze, carried from a Bluetooth speaker toward the fans and mountains she loved.
That was the scene outside the Sevier County courthouse last Tuesday, Aug. 25, as
Parton’s death at age 80 made headlines just hours prior. People flocked to the statue to pay their respects to the icon, but in the days since, several other notable tributes have emerged, too.
Last weekend, 12 Regal movie theaters across the area displayed screenings of two Parton movies.
Regal donated all proceeds from those weekend screenings to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which delivers free books to children across the world every week until the age of 5.
The Tennessee football team also announced it will honor Parton with special helmet stickers, which will debut in the opener against Furman Saturday, Sept. 5.
Read More
September 2, 2026 by Jake Nichols
MARYVILLE — A box stacked with full peanut butter jars welcomed guests into the Second Harvest Food Bank facility early Thursday morning, Aug. 27.
The creamy (or crunchy) goodness was donated as one part of an even larger event, as people filed in for Second Harvest’s 5th annual Hunger Action Month kickoff event and networking breakfast.
“This is our fifth annual Hunger Action Month kickoff,” said Kristi Rule, the chief development officer for Second Harvest. “Five years ago, we worked with the Farragut Chamber, and Vicki Williams was really the driving force. She and some other community sponsors decided this was a great opportunity to raise awareness, bring the community together and learn more about our mission and what we’re doing.”
Hunger Action Month runs Sept. 1-30, as Second Harvest and Feeding America lead the month-long campaign to raise awareness and fight local food insecurity.
Read More
September 2, 2026 by Jake Nichols
Every year, U.S. News & World Report releases its rankings for Best High Schools across the United States.
But there are lists for individual states, too, and several area schools made the cut with one near the top.
(Note: these rankings are just traditional public, charter and magnet schools — private schools do not weigh into this list.)
Out of 496 schools and 132 districts in the Volunteer State, Farragut High School came in at a no. 18 ranking.
The Admirals boast a 96% graduation rate, which is the second-best in the Knoxville area behind L&N STEM Academy. FHS also features a 46.0 college readiness ranking and includes a total enrollment of 2,073 students, according to the report.
Read More
September 2, 2026 by
In last week’s Camino journal from Carlos Reveiz, we listed the photos as “submitted” when they were captured by Carlos and his group. We thank Carlos for his time and regret the error.
