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The Daily Times
Maryville and Alcoa advertise new regulations ahead of Independence Day 2024
As Independence Day celebrations draw closer, local law regarding fireworks remains the same as ever for many in Blount County. But for residents of Alcoa and Maryville, recent changes to the law could mean celebrations are a bit different this year. Shooting fireworks remains legal in both cities from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 3-4. Responding to over a hundred complaints about misuse and obnoxious noise during last year’s...
Gov. Bill Lee endorses Jason Emert in contested, three-person state House primary
Tennessee state House candidate Jason Emert Thursday, June 6, got some support from Gov. Bill Lee in his bid to secure the Republican Party's nomination for state House District 20. Lee endorsed Emert, one of three Blount County Republicans vying to represent the GOP in the Aug. 1 primary election for the seat in the Tennessee General Assembly. A press release from Nashville-based Parthenon Strategies quotes Lee as saying in part, “I’m honored to support Jason’s election to the Tennessee House of Representatives, and I...
Maryville High School's Mara Johnson receives National Merit Scholarship
Maryville High School senior Mara C. Johnson has received a National Merit Furman University Scholarship. The award provides between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study. Johnson is among 2,900 Merit Scholar designees chosen from more than 15,000 finalists in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. According to a news release, her probable career field is education. The Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, based not only on their academic records but also contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
Blount Pride searches for new 2024 venue
Blount Pride organizers are searching for a venue for this year’s local pride celebration since efforts to renew last year’s location fell flat. Maryville College officials have said last year’s festival cost the school tens of thousands in legal and other fees. The announcements come on the heels of Blount Pride 2023, hosted at the Clayton Center for the Arts, which spawned a flurry of legal action after Blount County District Attorney Ryan Desmond announced a willingness to prosecute drag performers under the Tennessee Adult...
Louisville School’s Out Party in the Park
Around 1,500 people flocked to the city of Louisville’s “School’s Out! Party in the Park!” event Tuesday evening, June 4, despite heavy rains through the day. The event, hosted at the park beside city hall on Louisville Road, boasted face painting, food trucks, music and a bounce house. City staff plan to host additional events through the year.
Fairview Church opening doors to early voters in October
Blount elections officials are partnering with a Maryville church to expand early voting options ahead of the November races. Trent Hall, a fellowship space owned by Fairview Church in southwestern Blount County, will serve as an early voting location from Oct. 16 through Oct. 31. By offering the hall to the Blount County Election Commission, Fairview closes a gap opened earlier this year when Foothills Mall management leased space previously used for early voting to Spirit Halloween. ...
One dead in crash on The Dragon
A man died of injuries sustained in a crash on the Dragon after waiting hours for rescue last week. According to a report from the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, Kevin Dane Robbins, 35, was recovered by first responders around 7 a.m. May 28 after crashing sometime the night before. He was taken to Blount Memorial Hospital by ambulance, but was declared dead. Crash report data lists his address as Chattanooga. Deputies reported Robbins told them at the scene that he had been drinking the night before and left home sometime between 8-10 p.m. The exact time of the crash is unknown, but deputies said they found him on U.S. 129 near Housely Drive, around the 9.5 mile marker. Robbins’ black Honda CB9 appeared to have slid over 100 feet before striking a tree and sliding down an embankment.
Puppy Preschool, Beginner Obedience,Advanced Obedience classes offered
Dog obedience classes are underway at Springbrook Park Gym, 1561 Dalton Street, in Alcoa (training room is adjacent to the gymnasium facing the pavilion). All dogs must be current on shots and proof of vaccination is required. Classes offered: Puppy Preschool - For puppies ages 8 to 14 weeks - The focus of this class is early socialization. Basic commands, grooming and housebreaking will also be covered. Classes began Monday,...
Check it out at the Blount County Public Library
Thank you, Blount County and all who participated in naming our Blount County Public Library mascot. We are pleased to introduce you all to Harper, the flying squirrel. Participants chose between the names Harper, Iris, and Reed/Reid/Read (Read). Harper was inspired by the A.K. Harper Memorial Library Building. Iris is one of the Tennessee State flowers, and well, Read is what we hope everyone loves to do. With the votes cast, the final tally was 42.8% Harper, 24.2% Iris, and 33% Read. ...
Blount Memorial Hospital rounds off 12 months of change, talks with nonprofit partners
Blount Memorial Hospital will cap 12 months of change with the close of its fiscal year on June 30. Those changes range from the dramatic to the subtle. Some of the more noteworthy shifts involve the end of a lengthy legal and political dispute between Blount Memorial and the Blount County government over hospital ownership and leadership. A year ago, in June 2023, the hospital’s board of directors voted to...
The Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont welcomes visitors at open house
The Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont welcomed visitors at its annual open house on Friday. Visitors were able to meet Tremont staff and learn about the different programming Tremont offers. The event included meet & greets with live animal ambassadors from Ijams Nature Center, live music from Jeff Barbra and Sarah Pirkle, wilderness skills lessons and stream explorations.
School Lunch Debt Donation
Owners of Southland Books, Lisa Misosky and Catherine Frye, along with a group of friends, have raised funds to donate money toward paying off school lunch debts at Rockford and Walland Elementary Schools. Misosky said she and Frye perform an act of service every other month and after the lunch debt issue was brought to their attention, they knew who they wanted their next beneficiary to be. Misosky, a 7th...
Hops in the Hills is June 22
The summer classic Hops in the Hills Craft Beer Festival is returning to Maryville Saturday, June 22. This year’s iteration of the annual festival will feature over 30 regional breweries and offer food, music and entertainment at $75 for advance tickets. Designated driver tickets are $40, and can be purchased at hopsinthehills.com. This year marks nine years of Hops in the Hills, which is part of the Summer on Broadway...
All in the family: David's Abbey Carpet & Floors opens in Maryville
A family business is expanding into Maryville. David’s Abbey Carpet & Floors has opened up shop and is ready to serve residents of Blount County. The flooring company, which has served Tennesseans for 51 years, opened in 1973. Prior to owning a flooring business, David Hayes worked as a milkman for Mayfair for 11 years,...
Tristar rowing teams look to earn national hardware
Against the sun-drenched backdrop of Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, the USRowing Youth National Championships will unfold June 6-9 as a crucible of excellence where only the most tenacious and skilled rowers earn their place. Tristar Rowing in Louisville qualified 31 athletes across seven boats to represent the team and community at nationals. It's the largest showing from Tennessee. This achievement marks another significant milestone for Tristar, only five years young. The team's performance at USRowing's SouthEast Regional Championships earlier this month was a...
Keep Blount Beautiful Townsend Community Cleanup volunteers work mountain roadsides
As weekend events swung into action in Townsend on Saturday morning a small group of volunteers filed out into the city looking to keep the region’s natural beauty untainted by garbage. The seventh Keep Blount Beautiful Townsend Community Cleanup worked to clean the streets, sidewalks and greens of litter. The cleanup, which KBB hosts in association with the Little River Watershed Association, equipped volunteers with garbage bags, trash pickers and safety vests before sending them out to search the grounds for litter. Recruits chose sections...
Four injured cubs receiving care with Appalachian Bear Rescue
melt@thedailytimes.com The arrival of 4-month-old black bear cub Jackie P at Appalachian Bear Rescue on Friday brings the resident total to 10 — with four of them having either broken bones, fractures and a concussion. ABR Executive Director Dana Dodd said they got the call about Jackie P being spotted in the middle of a road in Sevier County, after 9 p.m. on Thursday. A passing motorist noticed the tiny...
McGhee Tyson plans runway rehabilitation for 2025
A new, 3,500-space parking garage won’t be the only thing under construction at McGhee Tyson Airport next year. As airport staff work to bring parking supply in sync with demand, construction is also planned on another essential part of airport operations: a runway. The work on one of the airport’s two runways is anticipated to begin around mid-2025 and last for three to four years, airport Director of Design and Construction Eric Williamson said. The project, which is estimated to cost about $50 million, won’t...
Christy Martin: Sand of Omaha Beach tells a story
Last week some of us were working on a display at the Blount Historical Museum. We looked closely at two jars of sand from the beaches assigned to the Americans on D-Day. One is a jar of sand from Utah beach, another from Omaha beach. What is in a jar of sand some might ask? A lot it seems. We put the jars side by side and there was a marked difference in them. The Utah Beach sand was lighter, the Omaha Beach sand dark...
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The Daily Times, an award-winning daily newspaper in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, has served Blount County, Tennessee, readers since 1883. The Daily Times is a family-owned newspaper based in Maryville, Tennessee, near Knoxville, providing quality news and information to the communities it serves, with an emphasis on local news in the Blount County area.
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