Latest news with #TransformingWestern
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
KCDC breaks ground on Phase 2 of Western Heights redevelopment project
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knoxville Community Development Corporation broke ground on Phase 2 of the Transforming Western initiative Wednesday. Phase 2 will add 52 housing units to the Western Heights community. This is in addition to 76 units added during Phase 1, which are set to be done this fall. The units in both phases are mixed-income. Judge grants Kenneth DeHart new preliminary hearing 'We're excited to create that socioeconomic diversity that has subsidized, so affordable units for someone making almost no money all the way up to market rate for this area, it's a great combination and it leads to great results on the neighborhood level,' said Ben Bentley, CEO of KCDC. Phase 2 aims to create a 'town center' for Western Heights. It will include a City of Knoxville fine arts and craft center. Bentley said the community expressed a want for more access to the arts during the public input process. Knoxville Jewish Alliance increasing security amid national rise in antisemitic incidents The Knoxville Police Department is also bringing an addition to the area. 'We have a partnership with KPD to bring a police substation to this site, they are invested in community policing and this gives them an opportunity to really build rapport with children and families in this area,' Bentley said. The phase will also include a University of Tennessee Medical health center. President and CEO of UT Medical Center Dr. Keith Gray said it's needed in this community. 'The care that we will provide will be primary care, prenatal services and will also be OBGYN services, we've studied our community and we know that in these underserved areas, infant and maternal mortality is among the highest in the state and the highest in the country,' he said. Program offering preschool classrooms open in Western Heights The goal behind the health center is to increase access to care. 'By bringing the care to the patients or the people of the community, we are able to improve their health because they are able to access it without the barriers of transportation or jobs that often times interfere with healthcare access in a remote location,' Gray said. Phase 2 is expected to be done in the fall of 2026. The entire project, which will eventually add 479 housing units, is set to be finished in 2029. It is made up of six phases. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposed cuts to HUD funding could impact thousands in Knoxville
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Trump Administration has released a budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year and it comes with steep cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. While it is ultimately up to Congress to approve or reject the proposal, the budget suggests cutting over $26 billion from rental assistance programs and eliminating a number of housing grants and programs University of Tennessee loses $37M in grant funding amid federal funding cuts 'When I heard that they're trying to cut everything that will help with housing and stuff like that, I was like, oh wow what am I going to do now?' said Knoxville resident Ayona Twitty. 'I'm saying that comes in handy, It helps out a lot.' As a single mother living out of her car, Twitty said she is currently seventh in line on a waiting list for an apartment. But she wouldn't be able to afford it without rental assistance. 'I really don't have anybody to like watch my child or anything,' she said. 'If I don't work, I won't be able to pay my bills or take care of my daughter,' She said lately the process of trying to find an affordable home has been difficult. According to the Knoxville Community Development Corporation, thousands of people will be impacted here in Knoxville the proposed budget is approved. Proposal to slash National Park Service budget by $1B would impact communities across US 'To cut funding by 40% would have a huge impact on families, on housing, on the availability of affordable housing. It's such a large cut that it's really hard to even conceive what all of the consequences, both intended and unintended, would be,' said KCDC Executive Director Ben Bentley. He said 98% of their funding comes from HUD and they help house just under 20,000 people in Knox County. 'Generally, it would affect the housing market not just in Knoxville, but all over the country,' Bentley added. This comes at a time when KCDC has a number of projects on the way, including affordable and mixed income housing units across the county. Bentley said they are working on the next phase at First Creek at Austin, and plan to break ground on the second and third phase of the Transforming Western project in the next few months. While Twitty plans to move into a different complex, she said she is hopeful she will soon have a place to call home. ▶ See more top stories on 'I'm pretty confident that I will be getting in there,' she said. 'It's just like the whole matter of trying to like find the deposit and everything and getting the lights turned on in this and that, just trying to come up with the money to get in the house.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Knox County Schools budget news: Teacher salaries and meal prices are going up
Knox County Board of Education unanimously approved its $700.5 million budget for the next fiscal year, which includes money earmarked for increases to teacher salaries and benefits. The budget has an increase of 3.1% over the current budget, with $19.7 million for teacher salary and benefit increases. The pay hikes are on top of last year's investment to bring teacher salaries in line with neighboring districts. The district's next steps for teacher salaries will be to stay current with market rates by doing annual increases on a schedule, including all eligible employees this year. Another adjustment will be made in the next budget cycle to meet the requirements of the Tennessee Teacher Paycheck Protection Act, which raised the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 for the 2026-2027 school year. KCS will reassess its overall salary rates in 2028, and will continue to do so every three to five years. "This was a pretty tight budget this year," Superintendent Jon Rysewyk said. "We do want to try to do what we can in that, but it really wasn't an oversight. It was really just us having to make some decisions to be able to keep operations the way they are." The board unanimously approved a capital improvements budget of $24.4 million and nutrition budget of $33.76 million. Next, the budgets must be approved by the Knox County Commission. During the public comment period, JLL Transport LLC owner John Llewellyn discussed pay increases for bus drivers amid rising costs. The board will reassess costs in the summer and present the information in the fall to see where the district has saved money to reallocate toward driver pay increases. The board would need to approve it then. KCS will delegate $24.4 million to capital improvements, most of which will cover air conditioning and ventilation for schools, a new gymnasium for Gresham Middle School, facility upgrades, roofing and pavement repairs. Out of the allotment, $1.8 million will be used for the first phase of planning for a new K-8 school for the Mechanicsville, Lonsdale and Beaumont area. The board already approved a $66 million for the new school to serve upwards of 1,600 students by 2028. The district wants to meet the projected increase of approximately 400 school-age kids by 2030 as part of the city of Knoxville's projections for the Transforming Western housing development. The district is in the early stages for a "South Knoxville solution," too, based on projected growth in that part of the county. The district is asking for $51.9 million to develop this plan beginning in fiscal year 2029. The district's budget for the School Nutrition Fund is estimated at $33.76 million. It will increase meal prices due to its increasing costs for labor and food. The price increase will support the 63 KCS schools that are part of Community Eligibility Provision, which provides free breakfasts and lunches for eligible schools. The increase will go in effect at other schools. Old versus new meal prices: Breakfast: $2 current, $2.25 new Elementary lunch: $2.75 current, $3.25 new Middle/high lunch: $3 current, $3.50 new Adult breakfast: $2.25-$2.50 current, $3 new Adult lunch: $3.50-$4 current, $5 new Parents may apply for free meals at Keenan Thomas reports for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: KCS budget news: Teacher salaries and meal prices are going up
