Happy Friday, 865!

We’re closing out the week with a fresh mix of local stories, weekend plans, and useful community updates from across East Tennessee.

Today’s edition looks at new ways to experience the Smokies, Blount County’s shift toward small-business growth, UT research earning national recognition, and a few retail and local-service updates worth knowing about.

We’ve also got outdoor inspiration from our Elkmont story, senior connection resources, Oak Ridge festival reminders, and a full list of what’s happening soon around Knoxville, Maryville, Oak Ridge, and the Smokies.

Whether you’re planning the weekend, catching up on local change, or looking for something new to explore, we’re glad you’re here.

Which long-running WBIR series, produced in Knoxville, explored the culture and stories of Southern Appalachia?

Blount County is embracing a new economic development approach, shifting focus to small businesses, local entrepreneurs, and community-driven projects.

After high-profile successes welcoming Smith & Wesson’s headquarters and an Amazon fulfillment center, local leaders say it’s time to nurture homegrown business growth and support vibrant community investments.

This evolution is especially crucial for Maryville, Alcoa, and nearby towns.

Economic vitality now depends on downtown revitalization, neighborhood activity, and expanded local services—not just landing corporate giants.

Resources, such as the Blount Partnership’s small business tools and the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, offer entrepreneurs guidance on funding, training, and planning.

With more residents arriving, there’s rising demand for restaurants, shops, childcare, and healthcare—a chance for local businesses to thrive.

The county’s future may be written in the stories of new shops, startups, and community spaces that shape daily living.

 Regas Bros Seasoning

Smokies Launch 2026 Artists-in-Residence Series

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is adding an arts-and-outdoors angle to the summer season with the launch of its 2026 Artists-in-Residence programming.

The park is welcoming six artists-in-residence from June through November, with monthly public engagement programs planned at either Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg or Oconaluftee Visitor Center on the North Carolina side of the park.

The first public program is set for Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Sugarlands Visitor Center, featuring June artist Lauren Cason. Cason is a dulcimerist, gouache painter, teacher, and creative technologist whose work connects music, visual art, storytelling, and place.

The series gives visitors a different way to experience the Smokies. Instead of focusing only on trails, overlooks, and wildlife, the Artists-in-Residence program invites people to think about how the park inspires creativity — from mountain music and painting to cultural memory, natural history, and interpretation.

For East Tennessee readers, this is a good weekend add-on if they are already heading toward Gatlinburg or the Sugarlands area. It also fits a broader Smokies story: the park is not only a place to hike and sightsee, but a landscape that continues to shape art, music, writing, and Appalachian culture.

The local takeaway is simple: this summer, visitors can experience the Smokies not just through scenery, but through the eyes and work of artists who are spending time inside the park.

“Celebrating Cosby” Summer Programs Return to the Smokies

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is bringing back “Celebrating Cosby: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” a summer program series focused on one of the quieter, less-crowded corners of the Smokies.

The programs take place at the Cosby Campground Amphitheater and highlight the Cosby area’s cultural and natural history through storytelling, dance, music, and history talks. It is a good fit for readers who love the Smokies but want something more local, intimate, and rooted in mountain community history than the busier Gatlinburg, Elkmont, or Cades Cove stops.

Cosby has long been one of the park’s more understated gateways. Instead of heavy tourist traffic, the area offers a slower Smokies experience: campground nights, trail access, mountain stories, and a strong connection to the families and communities that shaped the region before and after the national park was created.

That is what makes the series worth watching. “Celebrating Cosby” is not just another ranger program. It gives visitors a chance to hear about the people, traditions, music, and natural landscape that make this part of the Smokies distinctive.

For East Tennessee readers, it is also a reminder that the Smokies are bigger than the most photographed places. The Cosby side of the park offers a quieter way to connect with Appalachian culture, local history, and summer evenings in the mountains.

Business & Media: Spectrum News Launches New Tennessee Network

Spectrum News has launched a new statewide Tennessee news network, adding another local-news option for Spectrum TV customers.

Spectrum News Tennessee is now available to Spectrum TV customers across the state on Channel 1 and through the Spectrum News app. The network is available 24/7 and features local headlines every 15 minutes, plus hyperlocal weather forecasts every 10 minutes “on the 1s,” according to Charter Communications.

For Knoxville-area viewers, the launch matters because the network plans to have reporters embedded in key Tennessee communities, including Knoxville, Johnson City, Nashville, Jackson, and surrounding areas. Spectrum also named Corinne Piorkowski as its Knoxville-area reporter.

The new channel is available to Spectrum customers through multiple platforms, including the Spectrum News app, Xumo Stream Box, Roku, and Apple TV.

For readers, this is a useful media update rather than a must-watch alert. It gives Spectrum subscribers another Tennessee-focused source for local headlines, weather, regional issues, and community coverage — especially at a time when many residents are looking for more local news options.

Interesting Facts

Oak Ridge Watch: Cleanup Work Expands Across ORNL’s Central Campus

Zoo Knoxville has added a new summer feature designed to help visitors slow down, explore, and connect more closely with wildlife.

Cleanup work is continuing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where crews have begun preparing another aging facility for eventual demolition as part of a broader effort to remove outdated and contaminated structures from the lab’s central campus.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management says the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and contractor United Cleanup Oak Ridge are characterizing and deactivating Building 3544, a former waste treatment plant constructed in 1976. The building has exceeded its design life, and demolition is expected in 2028.

The work includes surveys, characterization, removal of hazardous and radiological materials, and preparation of systems and equipment for demolition. DOE says the project is part of ongoing work to reduce risk, modernize ORNL’s footprint, and support future research missions on the campus.

Building 3544 was formerly used to treat radiological wastewater. DOE says recent upgrades consolidated wastewater treatment at another facility, Building 3608, allowing Building 3544 to be taken out of service and added to the cleanup sequence. The broader Liquid and Gaseous Waste Operations system supports ORNL’s active cleanup and research missions, with more than 60 facilities and 27 miles of piping tied to waste collection and treatment.

This is one piece of a larger cleanup push at ORNL. DOE says crews are also preparing facilities on Isotope Row for demolition and deactivating the final hot cell of the former Radioisotope Development Laboratory, described as one of the most contaminated structures at the lab.

For Oak Ridge and Anderson County readers, the update matters because ORNL cleanup projects are tied to long-term site modernization, federal investment, specialized jobs, environmental risk reduction, and the ongoing transformation of one of East Tennessee’s most important research campuses.

UT Knoxville Professor Named 2026 Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences

Andrew Monteith, an assistant professor of microbiology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been named a 2026 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences, giving UT another national research recognition tied to human health and disease.

The Pew Scholars Program recognizes promising early-career scientists and provides four years of funding to support bold biomedical research. Monteith is one of 21 scholars named in the 2026 class.

Monteith’s research focuses on how elevated temperatures — including fever and localized “hot spots” inside the body — may affect immune response during infection and inflammation. Pew describes his project as studying how elevated temperatures enhance immune function and the elimination of infection.

For Knoxville, the recognition is more than a campus honor. Biomedical research is part of the region’s broader science economy, with UT, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, local health systems, and research partners helping build East Tennessee’s reputation for discovery and innovation.

The local takeaway: major research recognition at UT can help attract talent, support graduate students and lab teams, and strengthen Knoxville’s role as a place where health, science, and technology work is happening close to home.

What’s Happening Soon Around the 865

From Juneteenth events in Knoxville to Lavender Festival weekend in Oak Ridge, East Tennessee has a busy stretch of local events ahead. Here are six upcoming picks to keep on the calendar.

Friday, June 19 — MLK Parade and Juneteenth Celebration

Knoxville’s MLK Parade and Juneteenth Celebration takes place Friday, June 19, with the parade stepping off at 10 a.m. The event brings together schools, churches, community groups, organizations, and residents for a day centered on legacy, freedom, culture, and community.

Saturday, June 20 — Lavender Festival in Oak Ridge

The 26th annual Lavender Festival returns to Jackson Square in Oak Ridge on Saturday, June 20, from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. The free festival includes artisans, children’s activities, food, music, lavender-themed shopping, wine tasting, and garden events. Free shuttle service from Roane State Community College is one of the easiest parking options for visitors.

Saturday, June 20 — Hops & Hounds Lavender Festival After-Party

After the daytime festival wraps up, the celebration continues at Hops & Hounds in Oak Ridge. The Lavender Festival After-Party runs Saturday from 6–9 p.m. with vendors, food, lavender-themed beverages, and live music from Jasper Hollow. It is a good evening add-on for anyone spending the day in Oak Ridge.

Saturday, June 20 — Blount County Public Library HistoryFest

Blount County readers have a quieter educational option Saturday with HistoryFest programs at the Blount County Public Library in Maryville. Events include local history programming such as A History of Alcoa, making this a good pick for readers interested in Blount County heritage, family learning, or local storytelling.

Saturday, June 20 — Market Square Farmers Market

The Market Square Farmers Market continues Saturday in downtown Knoxville from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. It is a reliable weekend stop for local produce, flowers, baked goods, prepared foods, handmade items, and downtown browsing.

Wednesday, June 25 — Zoo Knoxville Summer Concert Series

Zoo Knoxville’s Summer Concert Series continues Wednesday, June 25, with Pulp Friction. The event includes evening zoo access beginning at 4 p.m., openers at 6:15 p.m., and the headliner from 7–8 p.m. Tickets are listed at $15 after 4 p.m., with free admission for zoo members.

Quick Takeaway

For community and culture, start with Juneteenth in Knoxville or HistoryFest in Maryville. For a full Saturday outing, Oak Ridge’s Lavender Festival and after-party make the strongest plan-ahead pairing. For something easy and familiar, Market Square Farmers Market and Zoo Knoxville’s summer concert series offer low-stress ways to get out locally.

Father’s Day Around the 865

Downtown option: Maker Exchange has a Father’s Day Brunch and Make Music Event on Sunday, June 21, giving families a food-and-music option downtown. This works well for readers who want something planned but not overly formal.

Outdoors with Dad: For dads who prefer fresh air, consider a simple walk at Lakeshore Park, a picnic at a local park, a Roane County lake outing, or an easy Smokies drive. Keep it low-pressure and check weather or park conditions before heading out.

Senior Connections reminder: Father’s Day is also a good time to check in on older dads, grandfathers, widowers, and caregivers. A visit, phone call, shared meal, drive, photo album, or help with a small errand can mean a lot — especially for someone who may not want a big event.

"Knoxville is a hidden gem that offers a perfect blend of outdoor adventure, cultural experiences, and Southern hospitality."

Elkmont’s story in the Great Smoky Mountains began as a bustling logging town, once the second-largest in Sevier County with over 1,500 residents working for the Little River Lumber Company and Railroad.

The railroad opened the valley, making Elkmont accessible for workers and new visitors.

Soon, Elkmont transformed into a sought-after mountain retreat, with Knoxville families building vacation cottages and the Appalachian Club and Wonderland Hotel shaping its resort legacy.

Rarely just one thing, Elkmont is a unique blend of industrial grit and leisure, its history etched into restored cottages and quiet lanes.

When the national park was established, some historic buildings were preserved—especially in Daisy Town—while others were reclaimed by nature.

Today, Elkmont invites visitors to imagine its layered past, making it one of East Tennessee’s most evocative local-history landmarks.

Road Watch: Alcoa Highway Work Stretches Further Into the Future

TDOT’s current Alcoa Highway project page lists multiple phases of the long-running improvement project between Knox and Blount counties, including work meant to improve safety, capacity, and access along the corridor that connects Knoxville, Alcoa, Maryville, McGhee Tyson Airport, UT Medical Center, and routes toward the Smokies.

One major section, Woodson Drive to Cherokee Trail, is now listed with an estimated completion of 2030. WVLT reports that timeline raised new questions from drivers after a segment of the project was extended beyond its earlier schedule.

Other phases stretch even farther out. TDOT lists the relocated Alcoa Highway phase from Tyson Boulevard to South Singleton Station as under construction with estimated completion in fall 2027, a second phase tied to that area in fiscal year 2028, and the stretch from South Singleton Station to south of Little River with construction listed for fiscal year 2037.

For drivers, the practical takeaway is simple: Alcoa Highway is not a short-term road project. It is a years-long corridor rebuild affecting commuters, airport travelers, hospital access, Blount County residents, and anyone heading between Knoxville and Maryville.

TDOT says the overall project is divided into seven sections because of its size. Three sections are complete, several are under construction or planned, and future work will continue to affect traffic patterns along the corridor.

West Town Mall Adds New Stores as June Openings Continue

West Town Mall is adding several new tenants this summer, giving Knoxville shoppers a fresh round of retail options.

WVLT reports that the mall’s June openings include Capital One Café, Garage, and Miss A, with additional brands expected to arrive later in July. The update is a straightforward retail-change story for readers who still use West Town as a regular shopping, dining, and errand stop.

The mix points to how malls continue adapting. A Capital One Café brings a banking-and-coffee concept rather than a traditional store. Garage adds a fashion option aimed at younger shoppers, while Miss A is known for affordable beauty, accessories, and lifestyle items.

For Knoxville residents, the openings are a reminder that West Town Mall remains one of the area’s major retail hubs even as shopping habits keep shifting toward online buying, smaller centers, and mixed-use districts.

The local takeaway: West Town is still evolving,

Knoxville’s Foster Grandparents Celebrate 50 Years of Helping Students

The CAC Office on Aging’s Foster Grandparent Program is celebrating 50 years in Knoxville, marking a long-running effort that connects older adults with children who benefit from extra support, encouragement, and one-on-one attention.

The program began locally in 1976 with 55 volunteers. Since then, Foster Grandparents have served in schools, classrooms, and child-focused settings where their time can make a steady difference for students who need another caring adult in their corner.

The idea is simple but powerful: older adults share their time, patience, and life experience, while students receive individual attention that can help with confidence, learning, and connection. It is a strong example of intergenerational service — seniors staying active and purposeful while young people gain extra support.

CAC says Foster Grandparents receive a small stipend, transportation, and other benefits. Interested volunteers must be 55 or older and able to serve at least 15 hours per week.

For Knoxville families, schools, and older adults, the milestone is a reminder that senior service is not only about receiving support. Many older residents are also giving back in ways that shape the next generation.

Mobile Meals Seeks Purse and Jewelry Donations for Power of the Purse

CAC Mobile Meals is collecting gently used purses, handbags, totes, and jewelry for its annual Power of the Purse fundraiser, with donations accepted through Aug. 31.

The fundraiser supports Mobile Meals, which provides meals and safety checks for homebound seniors in Knox County. That makes the donation drive a simple way for residents to clean out a closet while supporting older adults who rely on regular meal delivery and personal check-ins.

Accepted donations include gently used purses, handbags, totes, and jewelry. Drop-off locations include the CAC Ross Building, Southern Market, Chico’s at Turkey Creek, Powell Florist, Elder’s Ace Hardware in Hardin Valley, and Arosa Care for jewelry donations.

For readers who want to help but may not have time to volunteer, this is an easy community-giving option. A donated bag or piece of jewelry can help raise funds for a program that brings food, connection, and peace of mind to seniors across Knox County.

CAC Office on Aging Offers Walk-In Resource Help at Local Senior Centers

Older adults and caregivers in Knox County still have a few chances this month to get in-person help finding local senior resources.

The CAC Office on Aging’s Information & Benefits staff are holding no-appointment-needed outreach events at local senior centers. These sessions are designed to help older adults, family members, and caregivers ask questions and get connected with programs that may support daily living, transportation, food, housing, Medicare, caregiving, in-home help, and other needs.

Two remaining June stops are scheduled:

Halls Senior Center — Monday, June 22, from 10 a.m.–noon
Carter Senior Center — Wednesday, June 24, from 10 a.m.–noon

The outreach events are useful because finding senior services can be confusing, especially when families are trying to navigate multiple needs at once. A short conversation with Information & Benefits staff can help point residents toward the right agency, program, or next step.

For caregivers, this is also a good reminder that help does not have to start during a crisis. Asking questions early about transportation, meals, home safety, benefits, or support services can make planning easier for older adults and their families.

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The Heartland Series

Thanks for reading 865 Daily.

We’ll keep bringing you useful local updates from greater Knoxville and East Tennessee — from weekend events and outdoor ideas to road reminders, new openings, community news, and the small details that make life here easier to navigate. 

Have a great week, and we’ll see you in the next edition.