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Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Knoxville may expand festival locations and get a better handle on traffic - here's how to have a say
Local leaders will make decisions related to summer fun this week, but let's start with some inside-baseball politics news. There's an effort from some Knoxville Democrats to encourage Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon to run for term-limited Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' seat in 2026. Democratic donor Phil Lawson and Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee member Dana Moran are promoting a petition to draft Kincannon and plan to present it to her. Moran told me she hasn't spoken to Kincannon about the petition, and a spokesperson for Kincannon told me while the mayor is flattered, she isn't pursuing the office. The effort is interesting because it's such a public effort to encourage a candidate. "I think it has a lot to do with where we all are on every level (of government)," Moran told me. "We're trying to fight extremism and work in a bipartisan way and we're trying to lead by example from the ground up." In the meantime, two Republican candidates are running for county mayor: Larsen Jay and Betsy Henderson. Local government is where you can make a difference, and The Key is a weekly guide to having a say in decisions that shape your life. In February, Knox News reported that a new K-8 school serving 1,600 students will be built on the site where Rule High School once stood west of downtown Knoxville. The school is for students in the Beaumont, Lonsdale and Mechanicsville communities. Knox County Schools will close Beaumont Magnet Academy and Maynard Elementary School and turn those buildings over to Knox County in exchange for the vacant Rule High site. The Rule High School closed in 1991. Tonight, the county will approve the property agreement with KCS. We don't know what the county will do with the Beaumont and Maynard buildings. Important date: The commission will vote on the agreement at 5 p.m. March 31. Where to go: The commission meets in the main assembly room at the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: You can sign up to speak until 4 p.m. today on the commission's website, by emailing commission@ or calling the office at 865-215-2534. Study up: The county commission agenda includes information about the deal. Click the "agendas" link on the commission's webpage at Choose the "COMMISSION" option for March 31. You can download the material for this decision, which is number 7 in the agenda. If you love festivals, this one's for you! City laws outline specific areas where festival hosts are allowed to request special event beer permits. They're limited to Market Square, the Old City, the Cumberland Avenue Corridor District and a few others. The city council this week will consider a proposal to allow festivals anywhere in the city (pending approval, of course). Organizers must go through safety requirements and and a permitting process. Important date: The council will discuss and vote on the changes at 6 p.m. April 1. Where to go: The council meets in the main assembly room at the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Contact your council member or sign up to speak at council meetings. Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the city council, make sure you sign up by 4 p.m. the day of the meeting by emailing wjohnson@ or by calling the office at 865-215-2075. Study up: The city council agenda includes information about the application. Click the "agendas" link on the city council's webpage at Choose the "HTML" option for April 1. You can download the material for this decision, which is 9A in the agenda. Opening Day for the Knoxville Smokies is April 15 in the Old City, and Kincannon will ask the council on Tuesday to approve a $75,000 contract with traffic control provider Superior Traffic Control. The contractor will provide flaggers, electronic signs and barricades for special events. "Effective traffic management is essential to ensure public safety, minimize disruptions for residents and businesses, and maintain efficient transportation flow throughout the City. Existing public resources are increasingly stretched during these high-impact events resulting in the need for additional specialized support, which this contract will provide," the resolution says. Important date: The council will discuss and vote on the changes at 6 p.m. April 1. Where to go: The council meets in the main assembly room at the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Contact your council member or sign up to speak at council meetings. Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the city council, make sure you sign up by 4 p.m. the day of the meeting by emailing wjohnson@ or by calling the office at 865-215-2075. Study up: The city council agenda includes information about the application. Click the "agendas" link on the city council's webpage at Choose the "HTML" option for April 1. You can download the material for this decision, which is 11B in the agenda. Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville may expand festival locations and get a better handle on traffic
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean drops perk from popular cruise program
Any time a cruise line makes a change to an offering, it runs the risk of upsetting some passengers. While the change may be made to provide more value for a greater number of passengers, some are bound to see it as a negative, especially if the cruise line removes something in the is the case with an update Royal Caribbean just made to the benefits offered with The Key program, an add-on cruise package that passengers can purchase to get premier access to experiences and activities during their cruise vacation. Although some passengers and the cruise line see this program update as a way to further enhance the cruise experience, others see it as a major downgrade because of what the cruise line decided to take of providing passengers who purchase The Key package with complimentary private time for the FlowRider surf simulator during their cruise, Royal Caribbean is now offering a 25% discount on select onboard sports activities. The updated benefit is similar to the existing package benefit that offers 20% off specialty dining. In an email about the change that Royal Caribbean sent to passengers who booked The Key package for upcoming sailings, the cruise line says it believes the updated benefit will provide more value and enjoyment to the cruise experience. While access to private time at the FlowRider was a plus for some passengers, it's important to note that it wasn't the main draw for most who purchase The Key package. In updating the program benefits, the cruise line aimed to offer more value to passengers who don't use the FlowRider but may want to participate in other sports activities during their perks of The Key package include priority embarkation and disembarkation, high-speed WiFi, an exclusive welcome lunch, a dedicated seating area for some shows, access to the fast lane for select onboard activities, and more. The price for The Key package varies by sailing but often costs $40-50 or more per passenger per day. If one passenger purchases The Key, each passenger age six or older assigned to the same stateroom must also purchase to Royal cruisers were quick to express their disappointment about the change in the Royal Caribbean community on Reddit. 'Honestly, I feel a little bit pissed right now, especially because of the way it is written, as if what they are offering is a better deal,' Reddit user Bcnhot wrote in a discussion about the change. 'Absolutely a downgrade,' MedicalButterscotch agreed. For those who like to catch waves on the FlowRider during their cruise, The Key program's private FlowRider benefit was attractive to get enhanced access to the attraction. To those passengers, the change offers less value. The FlowRider is included with passengers' cruise fares, but is popular, and private sessions are pricey, starting at $69 for a one-hour some passengers, it's also difficult to see the value of the new discount since the FlowRider and popular sports activities like the zip line and rock-climbing wall are included in your cruise fare. Royal Caribbean hasn't yet provided details on exactly what sports activities are eligible for The Key discount beyond private FlowRider sessions and lessons. It's possible that the discount would also apply to paid sessions for the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator. Regardless of the sports benefit, some passengers say it's hard to find value in The Key package at all. 'I've never found value in The Key. The boarding/offboarding perks are minimal. The internet is usually cheaper to buy standalone. Looks like prices stay the same and value decreases,' necrochaos wrote. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Want to learn how to have a say on new Knox County homes or community safety? Here's a way
The Key is a forward-looking weekly column on how to get involved by Knox News politics reporter Allie Feinberg. If you know of a meeting happening in the community, email Allie at The second week of the month means there aren't Knox County Commission and Knoxville City Council meetings, but lots of decisions get made in the interim. Here's what I mean: The Knoxville-Knox County board that approves big new developments will meet, plus you'll have a chance to get to know police officers in West Knoxville. Before we go into details, allow me to look backward for a minute to some of the biggest political news from last week. Knox County commissioner and former school board chair Terry Hill is pushing for ethics reform after current school board chair Betsy Henderson advocating for private school vouchers statewide. The Republican-majority Knox County school board voted against including vouchers in its 2025 legislative priorities. Hill, in a rare public rebuke of a fellow Republican (watch the video above), spoke directly to Henderson during the board's public comment. "I represent the same constituency that you do, Ms. Henderson," Hill said. "You have made the statement publicly and privately that because you were elected overwhelmingly, what you say represents your constituency. I will tell you, in fact, it does not." Also last week, former Knox County Sheriff J.J. Jones confirmed to me he's running again in 2026. Jones served as sheriff for 11 years, from 2007-2018. He was part of the mass removal known in Knox County political circles as Black Wednesday. He also implemented the county's 287(g) contract, which deputizes local law enforcement to act on behalf of ICE to detain asylum seekers or undocumented immigrants in return for training and funding. The Knox County Planning Commission will vote on a new development at the intersection of Hall Drive and Dutchtown Road near the Webb School campus in West Knox County. The land is reserved for agriculture, but developers want the commission to rezone to build 8.5 units per acre. That's pretty dense for the edges of Knox County. Planning staff members are recommending the happy medium of dwelling five units per acre. Important date: The commission will discuss and vote on developments at 1:30 p.m. March 13 in main assembly room of the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Have a comment? You can submit it online by 3 p.m. March 12 at Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the commission, sign up by 9 a.m. the day of the meeting by at Study up: You can view the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission agenda at If you're a West Knoxville resident interested in community safety, KPD West District Commander Tracy Hunter will discuss trends in the district, crime prevention tips, answer questions and address the concerns of residents. Important date: The council forum is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. March 11 at the Knoxville public works building, 3131 Morris Ave. What you can do: Have your thoughts ready and show up! There are no deadlines to sign up to speak. State Rep. Elaine Davis wants all government bodies to expand their public comment rules. Her bill comes as the Knoxville City Council is reconsidering its own rules following public comment periods that took hours as demonstrators spoke about issues that weren't on the agenda. At Knoxville City Council meetings, community members can speak about a specific agenda item when that item is discussed, and about any topic at the end of the meeting during a general public forum. In recent years, demonstrators have found a workaround. They begin by talking about the agenda item, then pivot to the topic of their choice. Important date: The Tennessee House will debate the bill at 3 p.m. ET March 10, and the Tennessee Senate's State and Local Government Committee will debate it at 11:30 a.m. ET March 11. What you can do: You can livestream the House session at and the Senate committee hearing at Study up: You also can find Davis' bill (and the state Senate's companion version) at If you're a West Knoxville resident interested in policing, KPD West District Commander Tracy Hunter will discuss ongoing crime trends in the district, crime prevention tips, answer questions and address the concerns of residents. Important date: The council forum is from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. March 11 at the city public works building, 3131 Morris Avenue. What you can do: Have your thoughts ready and show up! There's no deadlines to sign up to speak for this meeting. The Knox County Planning Commission will vote on whether to approve a new development at the intersection of Hall Drive and Dutchtown Road past Cedar Bluff. The land is currently reserved for agriculture, but developers want the commission to rezone it at 8.5 dwelling units per acre, a pretty significant jump. Knox County planning staff members are recommending the happy medium of dwelling units per acre. Important date: The commission will discuss and vote on developments at 1:30 March 13 in main assembly room of the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Have a comment? You can submit it online by 3 p.m. on March 12 at Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the commission, sign up by 9 a.m. the day of the meeting by at Study up: You can view the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission agenda at Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: New homes near Pellissippi Parkway and Knoxville police meeting | The Key
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Questions pile up about the Gay Street Bridge. Here's how to have a say
It's been a busy week! Sen. Bill Hagerty offered clarity on what the 2026 gubernatorial race may look like (he's running to stay in the Senate) and Knoxville announced cars will no longer be able to use the Gay Street Bridge. Knoxville officials hope to open the bridge to pedestrians between now and early 2026, but that's only a temporary fix. Mayor Indya Kincannon said last week city leaders will look at a long-term solution for the 7,000 vehicles that used the bridge before it closed. But while the city followed through on its promise to release information about the bridge in "early 2025," we don't know about how leaders came to the conclusion the bridge was too expensive to fix. Here are the questions we've heard from neighbors and business leaders: How expensive would it have been to fix the bridge? Will a new bridge ever be built? Who will pay for it and who will initiate that process? How long is the lifespan for the bridge with only pedestrians? What will happen once the existing bridge is closed? Knox News on Feb. 6 requested the results of a bridge evaluation that could provide some answers, but the mayor's office has not provided the document. "We do not have the final Gresham Smith recommendations," city spokesperson Eric Vreeland told Knox News in an email, adding that here will be "many details" in the Knoxville City Council agenda for its March 4 meeting. Local government is where you can make a difference, and The Key is your weekly guide to how to have your say in the decisions that shape your life. Here's what we're watching this week. Thee city council will discuss a $100,500 addition to Knoxville's contract with Gresham Smith to pay engineers to sort through fixes necessary to reopen the bridge for pedestrians. The additional payment is on top of $30,000 that was added to the contract to allow Gresham Smith to hire an advisor from Charles Blalock & Sons, a big projects construction company based in Sevierville. David Brace, Kincannon's chief of staff, told Knox News that hiring a construction specialist to "validate the constructability" of the bridge will ultimately speed up the bridge's repairs. The contract's total is $448,500, according to the Knoxville City Council's agenda. Important date: The council will discuss and vote on the addition 6 p.m. Feb. 18. What you can do: Contact your council member or sign up to speak at council meetings. This larger bridge issue will take years to resolve with lots of opportunities to weigh in. Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the city council, make sure you sign up by 4 p.m. the day of the meeting by emailing wjohnson@ or by calling the office at 865-215-2075. Study up: The city council agenda includes information about the application. Click the "agendas" link on the city council's webpage at Choose the "HTML" option for Feb. 17. You can download the material for this decision, which is "11.e" in the agenda. (If you're a frequent council-goer and you download agendas typically, they revamped the site. No more 500+ page downloads)! The city council created a task force of current and former members to determine "what needs to be modernized" about its meetings, according to council member Tommy Smith, who represents South Knoxville. The group will meet for a second time this week. A couple of issues loomed large last year, including how the city handles state laws that strip it of autonomy and how the council interacts with demonstrators at its meetings. That means there could be some talk about the First Amendment and public comment. An agenda was not available online last last week. Important date: The task force will meet at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in the small assembly room of the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Contact your council member or sign up to speak at council meetings. Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the city council, make sure you sign up by 4 p.m. the day of the meeting by emailing wjohnson@ or by calling the office at 865-215-2075. The Knox County Finance Committee will meet this week to discuss summary reports about the fiscal year for Knox County Schools, Knox County tax collections and investments and the county overall. They'll also discuss state legislation that could make a difference this year for the county's finances. Important date: The committee will meet at 2 p.m. Feb. 19 in the small assembly room of the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Sign up to speak! Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the committee, sign up at the commission's website at by emailing commission@ or calling 865-215-2534 by 4 p.m. on Feb. 18. Study up: You can find the county's budget at the county's website, under the "Government" tab. Hover over the tab and click the "departments A-F option" and select finance. Under "Current reports," click the budget option. Here are highlights of this past week's coverage of the aftermath from catastrophic flooding in East Tennessee. Knox News is committed to reporting on the recovery efforts in East Tennessee in the weeks, months and years to come. Trump administration: USDOT will try a new method to expedite I-40 repairs, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says Good news: I-40 to reopen between Tennessee and North Carolina after Helene damage Everything to know: East Tennessee floods: Everything to know, from rescues to recovery to Helene resources Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Questions pile up about Gay Street Bridge. Here's how to have a say
USA Today
10-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Jacobs backs Blackburn for governor (again) and Farragut native steps up for USAID
Jacobs backs Blackburn for governor (again) and Farragut native steps up for USAID | The Key Show Caption Hide Caption Morgan County possible tornado kills at least two Two people are dead after a possible tornado struck Morgan County, Tennessee. Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs endorsed U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn for governor in 2026. We reported it Jan. 14, and now he's solidifying his stance in a Knox News column. Blackburn hasn't announced her candidacy, but Jacobs positioned himself as her friend and ally after considering a run himself. In a column for Knox News published Feb. 9, Jacobs laid out his support. "She would be a conservative force as our governor," Jacobs wrote. If Blackburn runs and wins, her U.S. Senate seat will be open and someone will be appointed to fill it. Welcome to The Key, your weekly guide on how to have your say in the decisions that shape our community. Knox County Commissioners zero in on state legislation If you're interested in how state and local governments interact, this one's for you. The Knox County Commission's legislative affairs committee will meet this week to review legislation filed in the General Assembly and figure out which bills will affect Knox County. There's public forum for comments about the legislation. Important date: The committee will meet at 3 p.m. Feb. 10 in the commission's conference room on the 6th floor of the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Sign up to speak! Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the committee sign up on the commission's website, by emailing commission@ or by calling the commission office at 865-215-2534. Study up: Take a look at all the bills filed in the legislature ahead if time. Visit the legislation tab on where you can search by bill number or topic. Rural Metro has a new owner A group that advises Jacobs and the Knox County Commission on all things fire and rescue will meet to discuss the sale of the county's private fire service provider, Rural Metro Fire, to Brindlee Fire Services Brindlee Fire Services bought Rural Metro from Global Medical Response, but plans to retain Rural Metro's brand and workforce. The sale was completed in December. Global Medical Response is the parent company of Knox County's ambulance provider, AMR. Important date: The committee will meet at 3 p.m. Feb. 12 in the E-911 multipurpose room, 605 Bernard Ave. Calling all history buffs! University of Tennessee at Knoxville's Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs is hosting a lecture about the Tennessee Monkey Trial, which took place 100 years ago in Dayton, Tennessee. Old-time journalists blended facts and fiction, and the trial became the subject of bestselling books, Broadway plays and Hollywood movies. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward Larson will "separate history from folklore in relating the story of the Scopes trial then and thereafter," according to the university's website. Important date: The lecture is from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at the UT Student Union, 1502 Cumberland Ave. Walking the walk I mentioned a couple weeks ago I'd start shouting out people around Knoxville who are getting involved to make a difference. Last week, I connected with Taylor Williamson. Taylor was born and raised in Knoxville (shout out to Farragut High School), and since then he's been traveling the world for the federal government doing health work. Specifically, he designs programs for developing governments to deliver life-saving products including vaccines. Taylor told me his employer, U.S. Agency for International Development, monitors the spread of disease and brings that vital information back home. That is until last week, when he was furloughed. Now, he's organizing outreach for USAID Stop Work, a grassroots network of people who believe USAID has critical mission both in the United States and abroad. President Donald Trump plans to dismantle the agency, and workers are fighting back with lawsuits and communication to voters about their effort. 'When the apocalypse happens, how do you determine your role? You show up and you find something that needs to be done," he said about organizing his colleagues. Hurricane Helene spotlight Here are highlights of this past week's coverage of the aftermath from catastrophic flooding in East Tennessee. Knox News is committed to reporting on the recovery efforts in East Tennessee in the weeks, months and years to come. This week, there's new reporting from the USA TODAY Network. Helene's path: Helene was one of the deadliest storms in recent history. How it devastated the Southeast Precious memories: Watch woman reunited with late son's photos that were lost in Hurricane Helene Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email:
