News
Ruffalo, Wiberley win seats
August 12, 2026 by Tammy Cheek
Unofficial election results from a close race ending Thursday, Aug. 6, determined the winner of the Farragut mayor’s race with current North Ward 1 Alderman Alex Cain amassing the most, 3,099 — or 50.53% – votes.
This compares to his opponent, former Vice Mayor Louise Povlin, who received 3,034 — or 49.47%.
Meanwhile, Joey Ruffalo won as alderman for the North Ward 1 seat, and Greg Wiberley won as alderman for the South Ward 2.
Knox County Election Commission is scheduled tentatively to meet Thursday, Aug. 20, to certify the results. The Town’s newly elected officials are scheduled to be sworn in formally before the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 27.
“I don’t think it’s 100 percent set in yet, but I look at the last three to four months [and] it was an uphill battle from the beginning, an uphill challenge, but we had the outcome we wanted last night,” Cain said about winning. “It’s obviously a lot closer than you always want,” he said. You want to have a good cushion, but it feels good.”
Throughout the campaign process, he observed, “You’ve got to get out and go talk to people. This is not the community where you can win with social media.
“You’ve got to knock on doors; you’ve got to shake hands, just communicate with people,” Cain said. “That’s been the basis of my campaign from the beginning.”
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August 12, 2026 by Jake Nichols
In the 2026 election cycle, three shakeups occurred within local offices.
For the two newly-elected Farragut aldermen, their first full entrances into the political arena resulted in a pair of knockout blows — making each man one-for-one in his political endeavors.
Incoming North Ward 1 alderman Joey Ruffalo dipped a toe into the pool when he entered the 2024 race for the same position. But family obligations pulled him out before the deadline, meaning this win — by a a slim margin of 51.58 percent to opponent Dian Hall’s 48.42 percent — follows his first fully-completed run through the election cycle.
“It was a close race,” Ruffalo said on
Friday, Aug. 7, after his victory had gone final. “My opponent, Dian, it was great to get to know her in this process. She’s a fantastic person, and I hope she stays involved with the Town. For us, we ran a great campaign, both very civil. And she even came to bat a few times when people posted things that weren’t true, calling me and telling me she told them to take it down.”
In the South Ward 2 race, Greg Wiberley won by a similarly small margin over Joe LaCroix, earning 1,516 votes for 51.79 percent to LaCroix’s 1,411 votes for a total of 48.21 percent.
“When voting was going on, Joe LaCroix and I met on Thursday, and he was gracious enough to thank me for running a clean campaign,” Wiberley said.
Each winner’s background brought plenty of lessons throughout the campaign.
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August 12, 2026 by Jake Nichols
On Thursday, Aug. 6, numerous voters stepped into the sunshine at Farragut High School.
Each person had just cast a ballot for the 2026 Knox County Primary Election, and they wore the new stickers to prove it.
While the previous Tennessee sticker included the red and blue state outline and a tri-star, this design features American and Tennessee state flags with fireworks to honor America’s 250th anniversary.
The commemorative design was unveiled on Wednesday, July 15, by Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett.
“The 'I Voted' sticker is more than a keepsake — it is a badge of honor that proudly shows friends, family and neighbors that you participated in one of our nation's most cherished traditions: voting,” Hargett stated in a release. “This year's special edition is especially meaningful as it commemorates America 250, celebrating 250 years of our nation's history while reminding us
that the right to vote remains one of the greatest privileges of American citizenship."
The sticker certainly is special for those reasons, but it strikes an even deeper chord for Alexis and Darlene Prowell.
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August 12, 2026 by Jake Nichols
Next weekend, a beloved end-of-summer tradition will bring plenty of barking and splashing to the Village Green parking lot.
Dog Daze, presented by First Century Bank and the Town of Farragut, will take place Friday, Aug. 21, to Sunday, Aug. 23, in the parking lot stretching from Planet Fitness to Hallmark.
The event is put on by Shop Farragut/Farragut Business Alliance (FBA), which prepares well in advance each year.
“I think it’s going to be one of the biggest Dog Daze we have ever had,” Shop Farragut/FBA executive director Ashley Lynch said.
Currently, the list of vendors and sponsors exceeds 50.
Since Lynch was named the executive director in April 2026, she has learned the ropes in a hurry while preparing for the big weekend.
“It’s a definite learning curve, but it’s okay,” she said. “I’ve done events here at the Pinnacle for years, so that helps me adjust, adapt and punt for whatever is needed. It’s taken a couple months to get my feet wet, but I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on it right now.”
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