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Monthly history trek series begins July 22
“The History Hour will be a chance to learn about local, regional or state history,” Farragut Historic Resources coordinator Kristi Vining stated in a press release. All History Hours take place from 11 a.m. to noon.
Ben Collins, Farragut High School Tennessee History teacher, will begin the series Tuesday, July 22. He will speak about lesser-known famous Tennesseans.
Wednesday, Aug. 20, Jack Neely from Knoxville History Project will give a presentation about Knoxville’s role in securing a national park.
Tuesday, Sept. 16, Wanda Sobieski from Knoxville Women’s Suffrage Coalition will talk about the women’s right to vote in Tennessee and the new women’s suffrage museum being planned for Knoxville.
Tuesday, Oct. 14, Town administrator David Smoak will discuss Town of Farragut operations.
Promotions for Pence, Sheffield to begin Town’s new fiscal year
With Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s approval of the Town of Farragut budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2025, two Town staff members recently were promoted as part of a new leadership structure for the staff.
Michelle Pence, the Town’s previous Human Resources director, was promoted to director of Administrative Services.
“I’m honored to step into the role of director of Administrative Services for the Town of Farragut,” Pence said. “Passionate about serving our community, I remain dedicated to providing exceptional service to both our staff and community with integrity, adaptability and a friendly approach.”
Her responsibilities include the following departments: Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology and Customer Service.
Chris Sheffield, the Town’s previous operations manager, was promoted to director of Public Services. His responsibilities are Community Development, Engineering, Parks and Recreation and Public Works.
“Our Community Development, Engineering, Parks and Recreation and Public Works teams are at the heart of what makes Farragut such a beautiful, close-knit place to live,” Sheffield said. “I’m truly excited — and grateful — for the chance to work alongside and lead such a dedicated and talented group of people.”
“The purpose of the new leadership structure is to streamline departmental reporting,” Town administrator David Smoak said. “The director of Administrative Services and the director of Public Services will report directly to Town administrator.
Dixie Lee biz opening projections
PureMagic Carwash announces the “soft opening” of its new Dixie Lee Junction location is Friday, July 11.
A grand opening has not been scheduled yet, according to Garrett Nix, manager of the Farragut location at 11133 Kingston Pike.
This location “I would say is probably the most like it is at our Karns location,” Nix said.
He thinks the grand opening may be roughly two weeks after the soft opening in late July, but has not received official word.
KCSO reports
• At 6 :36 p.m., Sunday, July 6, two Knox County Sheriff’s Office units responded to a Corto Lane residence in response to a possible domestic disturbance call.
Complainant/victim said he “is going through a divorce with his wife; however, she still lives in the home,” the report stated.
Victim said his father-in-law “has been coming to his home and bothering his property,” the report further stated. Victim said “when he questioned him about removing some batteries from his security cameras,” his father-in-law “sent him a string of profanity-laced text messages that he found offensive.”
Victim later submitted a screenshot of one of the text messages and a photograph of his father-in-law manipulating a security camera. Victim requested information regarding an order of protection against his in-law and a report to document the incident.
• At 9:39 a.m., Saturday, July 5, officers were dispatched to the area of Pryse Farm Boulevard in reference to a woman trying to enter people’s residences. Officers located the woman, “who appeared confused and did not know where she was,” the report stated. “She (said) she was trying to get home but could not remember where she lived.
“(She) was also very emotional during the interaction and began to cry randomly several times,” the report further stated. “Based on her altered and confused mental state, I transported her to Parkwest Medical Center for a mental -health evaluation.”
Farragut Museum seeks volunteers, offers gift shop
Farragut Museum in Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive, is seeking volunteers to serve as docents. Docents welcome guests to the museum and provide information about the exhibits. Two-person shifts are available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays.
“Volunteering at the museum is a great way to give back to the community, to better understand Farragut’s history and to get to know other like-minded citizens,” said Kristi Vining, Historic Resources coordinator for Town of Farragut.
A training manual is provided to all volunteers, and there is no required minimum number of volunteer days. To volunteer or for additional information, e-mail museum@townoffarragut.org.
Farragut Museum offers a small gift shop, with items available for purchase, including many books on local history such as “Full Speed Ahead.” “The Battle of Campbell Station,” “Not So Long Ago” and “Footprints of Appalachia.” Local author Kristen Combs’ book, “100 Things to Do in Knoxville Before Your Die,” also is available.
Local vendors from the Renaissance Farmers Market offer local favorites: Mann’s Honey, The Santiago Company candles, Sherry’s Design woodwork and Pygmy Harbor soap.
