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FHS Flagship 3140 suffers devastating loss

Team is asking for community support

December 10, 2025 by Tammy Cheek

Farragut High School’s Flagship 3140 Robotics team suffered from a devastating equipment loss the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 26, when its two sheds, which contained all its supplies, burned to the ground.

As such, the team is asking for community support of its fundraiser to “replace our supplies before January’s build season begins and our lost storage sheds,” said Holly Barrett, the team’s co-coach.

“The fire resulted in an estimated $15,000 worth of robot-building materials, tools and supplies being destroyed,” robotics mentor Renae Feathers stated in a press release. “Many of them [were] newly purchased for the upcoming FIRST Robotics Competition build season that begins Saturday, Jan. 10.

“The sheds housed key materials essential for students to design and construct their annual competition robot,” she stated. “Lost items include aluminum extrusion, polycarbonate sheets, plywood for bumpers, gussets, fasteners, 80/20 framing and other structural components used heavily during the six-week build season.

“Storage shelves and organizational systems were also destroyed in the fire,” Feathers added.

“This is the most critical point of our year,” Barretts said. “Our students have been preparing for months, and losing this inventory right before build season severely impacts their ability to prototype, build and compete.

“We’re asking the community to help us rebuild so the students don’t lose their season,” she added.

To recover from the loss and replenish essential materials, Flagship Robotics has launched a fundraising campaign with a goal of $15,000.

Helping alleviate the need

Food Insecurity, Part 3 of 3

December 10, 2025 by Tammy Cheek

To help alleviate the food insecurities, Second Harvest and local food pantries are providing such services as drive-through distribution days and other similar events.

“Second Harvest would like to thank Stand Out for Good Inc. for supporting this holiday food distribution and PYA Waltman Capital for its continued assistance as well,” said Marvin Figgins with Second Harvest.

Another organization reaching out to help is United Way of Greater Knoxville, which is proceeding with the distribution of $200,000 for food distribution and assistance services.

Wednesday, “Nov. 12, Knoxville City Council unanimously approved Mayor Indya Kincannon’s emergency ordinance to help support food assistance programs in the Knoxville area, allocating $100,000 from the city’s unassigned fund balance to address critical food shortages in Knoxville,” a press release stated. “In turn, UWGK agreed to match funds, resulting in a total of $200,000 to support food assistance services.

Currently, “Second Harvest distributes about 436,000 meals a week across East

Tennessee,” Second Harvest senior marketing and creative strategist Jon Rice said. In fiscal year 2025, “we distributed more than 27 million pounds of food (or

22.7 million meals) through our 18-county service area. That works out to about 1.9 million meals per month, or 436,538 per week.

Town celebrates the season

December 10, 2025 by Tammy Cheek

Santa, games, crafts and a movie topped off some of the fun families enjoyed at Celebrate the Season, a Town of Farragut event occurring in Farragut Community Center, 239 Jamestown Blvd., Thursday, Dec. 4.

About 250 to 300 attended the holiday event, said Rachel Malone, Town recreation and event manager.

“This will be the 32nd year for Celebrate the Season, which has always been a sweet event for families,” said Wendy Smith, Town communications manager. “But, it has evolved over the years, so it’s fun to remember what it was like before it moved from Town Hall to the Farragut Community Center.

“Part of the fun was coming into the rotunda and seeing the decorations,” Smith said “In addition to the big tree, there were garlands along the railing on the second floor, and the Farragut Middle School chorus typically performed from the second floor, filling the rotunda with carols.

“There was other entertainment in the Board Room, and I especially remember the Farragut High School madrigal singers, who performed at Celebrate the Season for several years,” she recalled. “The Bearden United Methodist Church Children’s Bell Choir was also a staple.

“At the community center, we have more space to spread out,” Smith said. “The kids really enjoy watching a movie and eating popcorn in the Assembly Hall; and this year, we tried out a hot chocolate bar, which would have been too messy for Town Hall.

FHS trade program making a difference for veterans

December 10, 2025 by Staff Report

Students in the residential commercial construction classes at Farragut High School are not only learning a trade, they are also making an impact in the community. They are doing their part to provide shelter for homeless area veterans.

Three classes have been working since August, building a 248-square foot “tiny home” — one of two to be completed by school year’s end — just outside the bay door of their CTE building classroom. The houses are for “Operation Hero’s Hill,” which will offer 20 tiny homes for veterans in an as-yet-unannounced Knox County locale.

“We have had 78 students put hands on the current house,” noted construction teacher Richie Patton, who has been guiding students through the process.

“The students are getting hands-on experience with sheet rock, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, H-VAC and masonry,” he added. “They also have the benefit of being mentored by local companies who are experts in their field.

“They are getting real world experience, learning the basic trades and building relationships with local contractors,” Patton said. “We have even had students become apprentices through these relationships.”

Seniors Jane Davanzo and Sam Souther, who both plan to pursue construction degrees in college, serve as teaching assistants for the classes and are two of only five females working on the project.

“This project has helped me so much [to prepare me] for college,” Souther said. “I want to go into residential construction, and it has been really helpful.”

KCSO police reports

December 10, 2025 by

• A Knoxville woman reported her Old Navy credit card was used fraudulently at a Farragut Walgreens for more than $500 in merchandise, according to a Knox County Sheriff’s Office report. The woman told deputies on Nov. 30 that her card was used for a $511.68 purchase at the Campbell Station Road location before she could lock the card or alert her bank.

The incident is linked to an earlier report in which her wallet, containing the same card, was stolen. The case was classified as misdemeanor credit or debit card fraud.

• Knox County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a reported theft and forgery involving a check stolen from the Farragut Post Office mailbox at Municipal Center Drive. On Nov. 21, the complainant’s bank contacted her about a suspicious $4,200 check, which had its payee altered. The woman confirmed the check was not valid, and the bank voided the transaction before any funds were lost. The complainant told deputies she had mailed multiple checks from the location in August and could not provide the original payee, amount or check number.

• A man is accused of fraudulently obtaining pain medication by impersonating a doctor and faking a medical condition. On Nov. 28, EMS transported the suspect to Turkey Creek Medical Center in Farragut, allegedly under the direction of a caller posing as “Doctor Stevens.” The caller claimed suspect required admission for pain management ahead of a surgery scheduled for the following Monday.

During the process, staff discovered there was no such doctor and no scheduled surgery. When questioned, the suspect admitted the story was false and asked to leave. He left the premises before the fraud was confirmed. The complainant, an ER charge nurse, said they later learned the suspect had attempted the same deception at other hospitals in the area.