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July

Sunday, Jul 26th St. Elizabeth’s Gift of the Month Program St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, 110 Sugarwood Drive, offers an opportunity for the community to assist a different local organization each month in its Gift of the Month Program. This month, they are collecting school supplies for Vine Middle Magnet School. Vine sits in one the lowest income neighborhoods in Knox County and the school struggles each year to maintain state educational standards. Supplies needed include: pre-sharpened pencils, pencil top erasers, colored pencils, Crayola markers, 2-Pocket plastic folders, Clorox wipes, tissues and backpacks. Drive by the church on Sunday, July 26, between 1 and 2 p.m., to drop off school supplies to be delivered to Vine before school starts in August.
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/

September

Thursday, Sep 17th STRIVE program Pellissippi State Community College and Tennessee Small Business Development Center invite veterans, active-duty members of the military and their families to apply for the STRIVE program, which helps veteran entrepreneurs transform business ideas into successful ventures through hands-on training, mentorship and community support. STRIVE’s 2026 cohort will launch Sept. 17, and meet Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Ruth and Steve West Workforce Development Center at Pellissippi State’s Blount County campus. Find out if you’re eligible and register for STRIVE at www.pstcc.edu/veteran/strive/

Tate still living his baseball dream

Jack Tate settled into the Farragut baseball dugout at Siegel High School on Friday, May 22.  That night, Tate used his iPad to chart the final moments of Farragut’s state championship win over Houston High School. Forty-three days later, he carried the same iPad into Covenant Health Park. The pattern is a relatively new one for Tate, who returned to the Knoxville Smokies last year after more than a decade away. “I was incredibly happy they came back to Knoxville,” Tate said from his perch on Saturday, July 4. “When the construction started, I would drive down here and park at the Shell station every other Sunday, looking down to see what progress they made.” His sports career began at 13 when he served as a batboy for the Knoxville Sox — then an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox — at Bill Meyer Stadium in 1974. “The years I was the bat boy were the best years of my life,” Tate added. “I was there for every home game and would sometimes go on the road.” Tate witnessed several historic moments through 1980, observing Harold Baines’ first steps toward a Hall of Fame career and Tony La Russa’s managerial debut in the minor leagues. A 1978 Bearden graduate, Tate kept statistics for the baseball and basketball teams in high school. He took an unpaid assistant job in the Bulldogs’ dugout in 1982, beginning a career that would lead to a longtime assistant role and even a state tournament appearance as Bearden’s head coach in 2012.

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Mayor, aldermen races highlight early voting

Early voting has arrived and Farragut residents can cast their votes at Farragut Community Center, 239 Jamestowne Blvd. The early voting, which started Friday, July 17, will continue through Aug. 1. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday for two Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1; and closed Sundays. Town residents will vote for mayor — Alex Cain or Louise Povlin; North Ward 1 —Dian Hall or Joey Ruffalo and South Ward 2 — Joe LaCroix or Greg Wiberley. Also, there are seats open for Knox County seats: Republican nominee Betsy Henderson or Democrat nominee Beau Hawk; Republican Nick McBride and Democrat Stephen Hood for county trustee; Republican nominee Brent Gibson is running unopposed; and several County Commission and judge seats, among others.

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News

Planning Commission backs Goddard School expansion  Read More

Firms win national honor  Read More

Tate still living his baseball dream  Read More

University of Tennessee announces new credit-hour pathway  Read More

Mayor, aldermen races highlight early voting  Read More

Grigsby Park phase 2 advances  Read More

How Farragut changed under Williams  Read More

KCSO police reports  Read More

Lot split clears final hurdle  Read More

Presstalk

presstalk 865-671-TALK (8255) or editor@farragutpress.com  Read More

PRESSTALK RULES  Read More

Opinion

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR RULES  Read More

Business

Expansion of services, Hardin rebrands to reflect growth  Read More

Golf Envy eyes early August  Read More

business briefs  Read More

Community

Knoxville lawyer, musician does it all  Read More

Reveizes chronicle ‘journey of a lifetime’  Read More

Good Vibrations concert is a hit for CSCET  Read More

Shell shares wealth of life’s stories in new book  Read More

Sports

‘Hearts of Lions’  Read More

Dove flies ‘home’ to lead Hawks  Read More

Local gymnasts bound for Junior Olympics  Read More

Smoky Mountain Papas go gold for four straight  Read More

Catholic football to see penalties from recruiting violation  Read More

Piranhas outpace in local meet  Read More

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