Tennessee Athletics Earns Record Breaking
Tennessee Athletics earns almost a quarter-billion dollars in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year.
It’s a new record for the athletics department. The Vols brought in just over $234 million dollars beating last year’s total of $202 million.
This year, ticket sales brought in almost $47 million. That’s almost 8 million dollars from the year before. Another money source on the rise: fan contributions. The university reported a 233% increase in contributions from 2021. This year’s total was almost $73 million.
John Henderson Selected To 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
IRVING, Texas – Two-time first-team All-American John Henderson, one of the most dominant defensive lineman in Tennessee history, has been selected to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.
Henderson, a Nashville native, was one of 18 first-team All-America players and four standout coaches who comprise the 2025 class. The class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Henderson becomes the 27th Vol to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and the third in the last five years. Eric Berry was Tennessee’s most recent inductee in 2023. Of the 27 inductees, 23 were enshrined as players and four as coaches. The 23 players represent the second-most among SEC programs and the seventh-most nationally.
A two-time consensus first team All-American (2000, 2001), Henderson claimed the 2000 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation while finishing as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player the same year. A two-time first team All-SEC selection from 2000-01, Henderson was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy again in 2001.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer, Henderson guided Tennessee to the 2001 SEC East title and an overall record of 28-9 during his career. The Volunteers made three consecutive bowls with appearances in the 2000 Fiesta and 2001 Cotton and a win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where he earned outstanding defensive player honors. His impact was instrumental in Tennessee finishing inside the Top 10 in 1999 and reaching No. 4 in the final polls in 2001.
Henderson played a pivotal role in 2000 on a defense that set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed (817). His 12 sacks in 2000 rank fourth all-time for a single season in program history, while his 21 tackles for loss that year ranked third. Over his career, he amassed 162 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups, ranking among the program’s all-time greats.
Selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville, Henderson played for the Jaguars from 2002-09 and the Raiders from 2010-11, earning two Pro Bowl selections and second team All-Pro honors in 2006.
The former Pearl-Cohn High School standout was inducted into the State of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Henderson founded the Luvthekidz Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled children, in honor of his late daughter, Talia, who passed away after battling cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
The 2025 inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Montee Ball, Wisconsin RB (2009-12)
Larry Blakeney, Troy Coach (1991-2014)
Gregg Carr, Auburn LB (1981-84)
Blake Elliott, Saint John’s (Minn.) WR (2000-03)
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota C (2002-05)
Terry Hanratty, Notre Dame QB (1966-68)
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB (2005-08)
John Henderson, Tennessee DT (1999-2001)
Michael Huff, Texas DB (2002-05)
Jim Kleinsasser, North Dakota TE (1995-98)
Larry Korver, Northwestern College Coach (1967-94)
Alex Mack, California OL (2005-08)
Terrence Metcalf, Ole Miss OL (1997, 1999-2001)
Urban Meyer, BGSU/Utah/Florida/Ohio State Head Coach (2001-18)
Haloti Ngata, Oregon DT (2002, 2004-05)
Nick Saban, Toledo/Michigan State/LSU/Alabama Head Coach (1990, 1995-2023)
Steve Slaton, West Virginia RB (2005-07)
Darrin Smith, Miami LB (1989-92)
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern DL (1989-92)
Dennis Thurman, USC DB (1974-77)
Michael Vick, Virginia Tech QB (1999-2000)
Ryan Yarborough, Wyoming WR (1990-93)
Tennessee All-Time College Football Hall of Famers (year inducted)
Doug Atkins, T (1985)
Eric Berry, DB (2023)
George Cafego, QB (1969)
Steve DeLong, G (1993)
Doug Dickey, Coach (2003)
Bobby Dodd, QB (1959; elected as a coach at Georgia Tech in 1993)
Nathan Dougherty, T (1967)
Frank Emanuel, LB (2004)
Beattie Feathers, B (1955)
Phillip Fulmer, Coach (2012)
John Henderson, DT (2025)
Herman Hickman, G (1959)
Bob Johnson, C (1989)
Chip Kell, G (2006)
Steve Kiner, LB (1999)
Hank Lauricella, TB (1981)
Johnny Majors, TB (1987)
Peyton Manning, QB (2017)
Gene McEver, HB (1954)
John Michels, G (1996)
Ed Molinski, G (1990)
Robert R. Neyland, Coach (1956)
Bob Suffridge, G (1961)
Reggie White, DT (2002)
Al Wilson, LB (2021)
Bowden Wyatt, E (1972)
Bowden Wyatt, Coach (1997)
UT’s Spear Chosen For WBCA’s “So You Want To Be A Coach” Class
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has announced its class for the 22nd “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, and Tennessee’s Jewel Spear is among those selected to participate.
Each student-athlete will take part in the two-day workshop on April 3 and 4 during the WBCA Convention at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa.
The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball.
“The WBCA community of coaches each year invests in young, aspiring coaches through the ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ program,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “We have high expectations for these graduating student-athletes and the future contributions they will make to the game of women’s basketball.”
Spear, a fifth-year guard from The Colony, Texas, is in her second season with the Lady Vol program, averaging 13.2 ppg. and hitting 110 three-pointers over 47 games played from 2023 to present. The 5-foot-10 long-distance ace was named to the 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award Preseason Watch List.
In 14 games this season, Spear is putting up 13.4 ppg., including 19.8 ppg. in SEC play to rank No. 8 among all league players. Through four conference games, she is 18 of 31 from beyond the arc to rank No. 1 in threes made and in percentage at 58.1. She is second in the SEC in treys made per contest at 2.93 in all games this season.
Spear has scored in double figures nine times in 2024-25, including five of the past six games. She has hit for 20+ in three SEC games thus far, carding a season-high 20 points at Texas A&M (7-11 FG, 6-8 3FG) and raising the bar vs. Oklahoma with 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-11 3FG), tallying 11 points in the fourth quarter vs. the Sooners to nearly help her team pull off the upset. She followed that with 25 points vs. LSU, nailing seven of 11 field goal attempts, including five of seven from beyond the arc.
In her last game, Spear reached 2,000 career points (2,005) and increased her rebound total to 484, needing 16 to reach the 500-board mark. The 69 threes that Spear hit last season at Tennessee tied for 10th in school history, and her 185 attempts tied for eighth.
Spear was a member of the 2023-24 SEC Academic Honor Roll and the 2024-25 VOLeaders Academy cohort. She also participated in the Tennessee-Rwanda Leadership Experience, traveling to the African nation in the summer of 2024, and was in Dallas in July 2024 as a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Women’s Basketball Leadership Council.
Beloved Zoo Knoxville Gorilla Dies at 47 Years Old
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zoo Knoxville is mourning after losing a Western lowland gorilla.
Officials Wednesday announcing the death of Kowali; the beloved gorilla passed away at the age of 47.
Kowali had been at Zoo Knoxville since 2013 and was a mother of four. She was born on January 9, 1978 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
“We performed an ultrasound and heart echocardiogram which revealed signs of heart failure,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing, UTCVM clinical associate professor and specialist in zoological medicine. “We can manage her condition with medication, but the heart disease we found is irreversible.”
Zoo Knoxville CEO and President Bill Street said Kowali played an important part in gorilla conservation.
“Kowali’s life helped raise awareness about the urgent threats facing western lowland gorillas,” Street said. “She was deeply cherished by our staff, and her passing fills us with both sorrow and immense gratitude for the privilege of spending the last 11 years with her.”
There are now five Western lowland gorillas at the zoo.
Tennessee Lifts Water Contact Advisory Months after Helene Flooding
Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) lifted an advisory Wednesday that asked people to avoid touching water affected by Hurricane Helene’s flooding.
The advisory was issued on October 2, just days after the storm hit. It asked people to avoid waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds. Officials say the advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution, not tied to any specific water quality data.
“We want to reassure Tennesseans of the water quality in the region,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “TDEC issued the water contact advisory out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the health and safety of our citizens. We are pleased that we can lift this contact advisory today.”
The decision to lift the advisory comes after the state analyzed some water from the region and found that water quality had returned to pre-Helene conditions. Results of the water sample analysis can be found here.
Governor Bill Lee Calls a Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is calling a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on January 27th to pass the Education Freedom Act and disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene.
The session will also address illegal immigration public safety measures to ensure Tennessee stands ready to support the Trump Administration.
In 2024, Lee’s first push for his program failed during the legislative session due to concern over money being taken from the public school systems.
Knoxville Firefighters Suing City, Claiming to be Misplaced on Salary Scale
(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Several Knoxville firefighters are suing the city, claiming they’re being underpaid under the city’s employee payment plan.
Attorney Richard Collins filed the lawsuit on Jan. 13 on behalf of Kevin Faddis, Shawn Langley, Stephen Mitchell, Gregory Phillips, Robert Pollard and Christopher Smith. It’s a lawsuit that focuses on the city’s payment step plan, a 2022 effort passed by the city council along with a 6% raise to bring employee salaries up to market value.
In the suit, Collins claimed that all of Knoxville firefighters with more than five years of experience were placed on the wrong “step” in the city’s plan.
“When the City implemented the Pay Step Plan in July 2022, it placed firefighters who had served in their current rank for five or more years at an arbitrary lower step, effectively locking those firefighters into lower pay grades within the step plan,” the lawsuit said.
Collins said that the payment plan was understood to contain 25 steps, with each “corresponding to years of service‚” meaning someone who has fought fires with the city for five years would receive the salary of a “step five” firefighter. That isn’t confirmed, however.
The filing said the firefighters tried to file a grievance with the city. In that complaint, they asked to be reassigned to the “correct” step and asked for the formula that decides where they land. That request was denied, Collins said, because city rules say payment is not “grievable.”
WVLT News has asked the city for documentation outlining the entire pay plan, including how employees were placed into their steps.
If true, Collins said, and the city did place more experienced firefighters at too-low of tiers, it could be considered age discrimination by the city. This, because the more experienced firefighters are generally older.
According to the suit, all the plaintiffs are 49 years old or older and each has at least 25 or more years with the department. On top of the firefighters filing the lawsuit, Collins provided a sample of 12 more he claimed were placed on the wrong “step,” each aged between 48 and 67.
“The City’s misclassification disproportionately (if not entirely) affects older firefighters,” Collins said and “creates a disparate impact on older workers given the years of service and experience within the department required to reach such ranks.”
It’s especially interesting that Faddis is named in the lawsuit. Throughout the course of 2022, he was heavily involved in the implementation of the payment plan. WVLT News reached out to Collins about this, and he provided a statement over email:
“My clients do not challenge the compensation plan as enacted by the Knoxville City Council,” he said. “Instead, my clients seek to redress the City’s failure to execute the plan according to its terms, the City’s own representations, and the expectations of those involved in the development and ultimate approval of the plan.”
That statement came in response to one by the city. Collins said that comment “missed the mark.”
Our compensation overhaul was done after extensive input and consultation with all of our employee reps, that included the Knoxville Fire Department. The 6% salary increase along with the step plan, was designed to bring our employees up to market standards and to address compression.
Please keep in mind, we worked with a national consultant on our compensation plan. Their skill and expertise guided our salary adjustments, and the final plan was ultimately approved both by our employee reps and City Council. – City of Knoxville
YWCA’s 29th Annual Diversity Day and Race Against Racism- 1/18
Join the YWCA for the 29th Annual YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Diversity Day and Race Against
Racism on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Phyllis Wheatley Center! This event is more than just a celebration; it’s a powerful movement toward unity and inclusivity, bringing together people from all walks of life to honor diversity and foster meaningful conversations about inclusivity.
Event Schedule:
The day kicks off with the Race Against Racism:
- 5K Run: 9:00 a.m.
- 1-Mile Walk: 9:15 a.m.
- Kids Fun Run: 9:30 a.m.
Following the races, enjoy Diversity Day activities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., featuring community booths, cultural
performances, and an inspiring keynote speaker.
Keynote Speaker:
We are honored to welcome Delphia L. Howze, a nationally recognized Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) expert and author
of Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are. Delphia brings over 20 years of experience in Human Resources
and D&I, equipping organizations with strategies to build inclusive environments.
Event Highlights: - Community Resource Booths: Engage with local nonprofits such as Second Harvest, Positively Living, Metro Drug
Coalition, Helping Mamas, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Planned Parenthood, Knoxville PARC,
Turn Up Knox, Two Bikes, Kim Health Center, and Centro Hispano. - Special Performances: Enjoy dynamic cultural presentations by Drums Up Guns Down and the Appalachian
Equality Chorus, celebrating unity through music and movement. - Breakfast Treats & Entertainment: Arrive early for refreshments and pre-race activities to energize your
morning. Breakfast is provided by Real Good Kitchen
Registration Details - Registration is open now for the 5K, 1-Mile Walk, and Kids Fun Run:
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/YWCAKnoxvilleRaceAgainstRacism - Online registration closes at 8:30 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available until 8:45 a.m.
- All participants receive a long-sleeve, 50/50 blend event shirt with their registration.
Rain, snow, or shine, Diversity Day and the Race Against Racism will proceed! Proceeds from the event benefit YWCA
Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, supporting essential programs at the Phyllis Wheatley Center that empower students
to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Where: YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, TN
For more information and to register, visit www.ywcaknox.com or contact Director of Communications and Events,
Lorena Meza Hubbard at 865.523.6126 or [email protected]
Together, let’s stand strong against racism, celebrate diversity, and build a more inclusive society.
About YWCA Knoxville
Since 1899, YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley has been a leading force in community change. With a mission to
eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, YWCA offers transitional
housing and supportive services to women who would otherwise be homeless; advocacy, outreach, support groups,
counseling and prevention services for victims of domestic violence; youth and family development services; and afterschool programming.
Today, YWCA serves more than 11,300 women, children and families through a variety of high-quality programs at three
sites in downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Oak Ridge; and provides services across a six-county service area (Knox,
Anderson, Roane, Loudon, Blount and Sevier). Annual events that help to grow, expand and sustain the YWCA’s mission
include the Tribute to Women in September, Diversity Day/Race Against Racism in January, Stand Against Racism in
April, and Keys of Hope Luncheon in May.
FEMA Trailers Moving into East Tennessee Counties Affected by Hurricane Helene
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving trailers into areas of East Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene.
The storm moved through the area in September of last year, prompting thousands in the eastern third of the state to begin a recovery process that has seen plenty of ups and downs.
FEMA says those in several Tennessee counties including Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington can expect trailers to begin arriving this week.
Those trailers are manufactured housing units that come ready for survivors to occupy. The agency addressed the months-long process in getting the units ready, saying it involves ordering, installing and permitting each trailer.
In the months since the disaster, several organizations have donated campers and temporary housing options to individuals.
Blount County Animal Shelter Needs Help After Taking In Multiple Rescue Animals Left in Freezing Conditions
The Blount County Animal Shelter is having problems with space after six people were charged after nearly three dozen animals were rescued from harmful freezing conditions last week.
12 dogs and 13 cats rescued after responders say several dogs were tied up or in cages outside while it was 25 degrees. The six were charged with several counts of animal cruelty and in addition to dogs and cats, the shelter also took in ferrets, rats and ducks. The state also seized two horses from the property.
Ronald Crow, Director of the Shelter, says “We’re going to have these animals, these 35, for a long time,” said Ronald Crow, the shelter’s director. “We can’t adopt these animals out. They’re part of a criminal case, so we’re in charge of their care and custody.”
Crow said the shelter has capacity for 50 kennels in the back for large dogs. He said the rescue put them significantly over that number, adding that several animals are double or triple housed just to accommodate them. The dogs and cats also had to be housed in their own area as a precaution in case they have an illness.
To help combat the space issue, Crow said the shelter has reached out to its transport partners, rescues and foster teams to help make room. He also said adoption rates have been reduced.
“We’ve moved [adoption rates] down to $50 for all dogs and $20 for cats just in an effort to move some of these animals out and give us room for this influx,” Crow said.
Crow says the easiest way to help the shelter is to foster or adopt an animal.
Tennessee Athletics Earns Record Breaking
Tennessee Athletics earns almost a quarter-billion dollars in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year.
It’s a new record for the athletics department. The Vols brought in just over $234 million dollars beating last year’s total of $202 million.
This year, ticket sales brought in almost $47 million. That’s almost 8 million dollars from the year before. Another money source on the rise: fan contributions. The university reported a 233% increase in contributions from 2021. This year’s total was almost $73 million.
John Henderson Selected To 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
IRVING, Texas – Two-time first-team All-American John Henderson, one of the most dominant defensive lineman in Tennessee history, has been selected to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.
Henderson, a Nashville native, was one of 18 first-team All-America players and four standout coaches who comprise the 2025 class. The class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Henderson becomes the 27th Vol to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and the third in the last five years. Eric Berry was Tennessee’s most recent inductee in 2023. Of the 27 inductees, 23 were enshrined as players and four as coaches. The 23 players represent the second-most among SEC programs and the seventh-most nationally.
A two-time consensus first team All-American (2000, 2001), Henderson claimed the 2000 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation while finishing as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player the same year. A two-time first team All-SEC selection from 2000-01, Henderson was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy again in 2001.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer, Henderson guided Tennessee to the 2001 SEC East title and an overall record of 28-9 during his career. The Volunteers made three consecutive bowls with appearances in the 2000 Fiesta and 2001 Cotton and a win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where he earned outstanding defensive player honors. His impact was instrumental in Tennessee finishing inside the Top 10 in 1999 and reaching No. 4 in the final polls in 2001.
Henderson played a pivotal role in 2000 on a defense that set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed (817). His 12 sacks in 2000 rank fourth all-time for a single season in program history, while his 21 tackles for loss that year ranked third. Over his career, he amassed 162 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups, ranking among the program’s all-time greats.
Selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville, Henderson played for the Jaguars from 2002-09 and the Raiders from 2010-11, earning two Pro Bowl selections and second team All-Pro honors in 2006.
The former Pearl-Cohn High School standout was inducted into the State of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Henderson founded the Luvthekidz Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled children, in honor of his late daughter, Talia, who passed away after battling cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
The 2025 inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Montee Ball, Wisconsin RB (2009-12)
Larry Blakeney, Troy Coach (1991-2014)
Gregg Carr, Auburn LB (1981-84)
Blake Elliott, Saint John’s (Minn.) WR (2000-03)
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota C (2002-05)
Terry Hanratty, Notre Dame QB (1966-68)
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB (2005-08)
John Henderson, Tennessee DT (1999-2001)
Michael Huff, Texas DB (2002-05)
Jim Kleinsasser, North Dakota TE (1995-98)
Larry Korver, Northwestern College Coach (1967-94)
Alex Mack, California OL (2005-08)
Terrence Metcalf, Ole Miss OL (1997, 1999-2001)
Urban Meyer, BGSU/Utah/Florida/Ohio State Head Coach (2001-18)
Haloti Ngata, Oregon DT (2002, 2004-05)
Nick Saban, Toledo/Michigan State/LSU/Alabama Head Coach (1990, 1995-2023)
Steve Slaton, West Virginia RB (2005-07)
Darrin Smith, Miami LB (1989-92)
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern DL (1989-92)
Dennis Thurman, USC DB (1974-77)
Michael Vick, Virginia Tech QB (1999-2000)
Ryan Yarborough, Wyoming WR (1990-93)
Tennessee All-Time College Football Hall of Famers (year inducted)
Doug Atkins, T (1985)
Eric Berry, DB (2023)
George Cafego, QB (1969)
Steve DeLong, G (1993)
Doug Dickey, Coach (2003)
Bobby Dodd, QB (1959; elected as a coach at Georgia Tech in 1993)
Nathan Dougherty, T (1967)
Frank Emanuel, LB (2004)
Beattie Feathers, B (1955)
Phillip Fulmer, Coach (2012)
John Henderson, DT (2025)
Herman Hickman, G (1959)
Bob Johnson, C (1989)
Chip Kell, G (2006)
Steve Kiner, LB (1999)
Hank Lauricella, TB (1981)
Johnny Majors, TB (1987)
Peyton Manning, QB (2017)
Gene McEver, HB (1954)
John Michels, G (1996)
Ed Molinski, G (1990)
Robert R. Neyland, Coach (1956)
Bob Suffridge, G (1961)
Reggie White, DT (2002)
Al Wilson, LB (2021)
Bowden Wyatt, E (1972)
Bowden Wyatt, Coach (1997)
UT’s Spear Chosen For WBCA’s “So You Want To Be A Coach” Class
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has announced its class for the 22nd “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, and Tennessee’s Jewel Spear is among those selected to participate.
Each student-athlete will take part in the two-day workshop on April 3 and 4 during the WBCA Convention at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa.
The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball.
“The WBCA community of coaches each year invests in young, aspiring coaches through the ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ program,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “We have high expectations for these graduating student-athletes and the future contributions they will make to the game of women’s basketball.”
Spear, a fifth-year guard from The Colony, Texas, is in her second season with the Lady Vol program, averaging 13.2 ppg. and hitting 110 three-pointers over 47 games played from 2023 to present. The 5-foot-10 long-distance ace was named to the 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award Preseason Watch List.
In 14 games this season, Spear is putting up 13.4 ppg., including 19.8 ppg. in SEC play to rank No. 8 among all league players. Through four conference games, she is 18 of 31 from beyond the arc to rank No. 1 in threes made and in percentage at 58.1. She is second in the SEC in treys made per contest at 2.93 in all games this season.
Spear has scored in double figures nine times in 2024-25, including five of the past six games. She has hit for 20+ in three SEC games thus far, carding a season-high 20 points at Texas A&M (7-11 FG, 6-8 3FG) and raising the bar vs. Oklahoma with 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-11 3FG), tallying 11 points in the fourth quarter vs. the Sooners to nearly help her team pull off the upset. She followed that with 25 points vs. LSU, nailing seven of 11 field goal attempts, including five of seven from beyond the arc.
In her last game, Spear reached 2,000 career points (2,005) and increased her rebound total to 484, needing 16 to reach the 500-board mark. The 69 threes that Spear hit last season at Tennessee tied for 10th in school history, and her 185 attempts tied for eighth.
Spear was a member of the 2023-24 SEC Academic Honor Roll and the 2024-25 VOLeaders Academy cohort. She also participated in the Tennessee-Rwanda Leadership Experience, traveling to the African nation in the summer of 2024, and was in Dallas in July 2024 as a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Women’s Basketball Leadership Council.
Beloved Zoo Knoxville Gorilla Dies at 47 Years Old
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zoo Knoxville is mourning after losing a Western lowland gorilla.
Officials Wednesday announcing the death of Kowali; the beloved gorilla passed away at the age of 47.
Kowali had been at Zoo Knoxville since 2013 and was a mother of four. She was born on January 9, 1978 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
“We performed an ultrasound and heart echocardiogram which revealed signs of heart failure,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing, UTCVM clinical associate professor and specialist in zoological medicine. “We can manage her condition with medication, but the heart disease we found is irreversible.”
Zoo Knoxville CEO and President Bill Street said Kowali played an important part in gorilla conservation.
“Kowali’s life helped raise awareness about the urgent threats facing western lowland gorillas,” Street said. “She was deeply cherished by our staff, and her passing fills us with both sorrow and immense gratitude for the privilege of spending the last 11 years with her.”
There are now five Western lowland gorillas at the zoo.
Tennessee Lifts Water Contact Advisory Months after Helene Flooding
Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) lifted an advisory Wednesday that asked people to avoid touching water affected by Hurricane Helene’s flooding.
The advisory was issued on October 2, just days after the storm hit. It asked people to avoid waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds. Officials say the advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution, not tied to any specific water quality data.
“We want to reassure Tennesseans of the water quality in the region,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “TDEC issued the water contact advisory out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the health and safety of our citizens. We are pleased that we can lift this contact advisory today.”
The decision to lift the advisory comes after the state analyzed some water from the region and found that water quality had returned to pre-Helene conditions. Results of the water sample analysis can be found here.
Governor Bill Lee Calls a Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is calling a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on January 27th to pass the Education Freedom Act and disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene.
The session will also address illegal immigration public safety measures to ensure Tennessee stands ready to support the Trump Administration.
In 2024, Lee’s first push for his program failed during the legislative session due to concern over money being taken from the public school systems.
Knoxville Firefighters Suing City, Claiming to be Misplaced on Salary Scale
(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Several Knoxville firefighters are suing the city, claiming they’re being underpaid under the city’s employee payment plan.
Attorney Richard Collins filed the lawsuit on Jan. 13 on behalf of Kevin Faddis, Shawn Langley, Stephen Mitchell, Gregory Phillips, Robert Pollard and Christopher Smith. It’s a lawsuit that focuses on the city’s payment step plan, a 2022 effort passed by the city council along with a 6% raise to bring employee salaries up to market value.
In the suit, Collins claimed that all of Knoxville firefighters with more than five years of experience were placed on the wrong “step” in the city’s plan.
“When the City implemented the Pay Step Plan in July 2022, it placed firefighters who had served in their current rank for five or more years at an arbitrary lower step, effectively locking those firefighters into lower pay grades within the step plan,” the lawsuit said.
Collins said that the payment plan was understood to contain 25 steps, with each “corresponding to years of service‚” meaning someone who has fought fires with the city for five years would receive the salary of a “step five” firefighter. That isn’t confirmed, however.
The filing said the firefighters tried to file a grievance with the city. In that complaint, they asked to be reassigned to the “correct” step and asked for the formula that decides where they land. That request was denied, Collins said, because city rules say payment is not “grievable.”
WVLT News has asked the city for documentation outlining the entire pay plan, including how employees were placed into their steps.
If true, Collins said, and the city did place more experienced firefighters at too-low of tiers, it could be considered age discrimination by the city. This, because the more experienced firefighters are generally older.
According to the suit, all the plaintiffs are 49 years old or older and each has at least 25 or more years with the department. On top of the firefighters filing the lawsuit, Collins provided a sample of 12 more he claimed were placed on the wrong “step,” each aged between 48 and 67.
“The City’s misclassification disproportionately (if not entirely) affects older firefighters,” Collins said and “creates a disparate impact on older workers given the years of service and experience within the department required to reach such ranks.”
It’s especially interesting that Faddis is named in the lawsuit. Throughout the course of 2022, he was heavily involved in the implementation of the payment plan. WVLT News reached out to Collins about this, and he provided a statement over email:
“My clients do not challenge the compensation plan as enacted by the Knoxville City Council,” he said. “Instead, my clients seek to redress the City’s failure to execute the plan according to its terms, the City’s own representations, and the expectations of those involved in the development and ultimate approval of the plan.”
That statement came in response to one by the city. Collins said that comment “missed the mark.”
Our compensation overhaul was done after extensive input and consultation with all of our employee reps, that included the Knoxville Fire Department. The 6% salary increase along with the step plan, was designed to bring our employees up to market standards and to address compression.
Please keep in mind, we worked with a national consultant on our compensation plan. Their skill and expertise guided our salary adjustments, and the final plan was ultimately approved both by our employee reps and City Council. – City of Knoxville
YWCA’s 29th Annual Diversity Day and Race Against Racism- 1/18
Join the YWCA for the 29th Annual YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Diversity Day and Race Against
Racism on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Phyllis Wheatley Center! This event is more than just a celebration; it’s a powerful movement toward unity and inclusivity, bringing together people from all walks of life to honor diversity and foster meaningful conversations about inclusivity.
Event Schedule:
The day kicks off with the Race Against Racism:
- 5K Run: 9:00 a.m.
- 1-Mile Walk: 9:15 a.m.
- Kids Fun Run: 9:30 a.m.
Following the races, enjoy Diversity Day activities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., featuring community booths, cultural
performances, and an inspiring keynote speaker.
Keynote Speaker:
We are honored to welcome Delphia L. Howze, a nationally recognized Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) expert and author
of Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are. Delphia brings over 20 years of experience in Human Resources
and D&I, equipping organizations with strategies to build inclusive environments.
Event Highlights: - Community Resource Booths: Engage with local nonprofits such as Second Harvest, Positively Living, Metro Drug
Coalition, Helping Mamas, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Planned Parenthood, Knoxville PARC,
Turn Up Knox, Two Bikes, Kim Health Center, and Centro Hispano. - Special Performances: Enjoy dynamic cultural presentations by Drums Up Guns Down and the Appalachian
Equality Chorus, celebrating unity through music and movement. - Breakfast Treats & Entertainment: Arrive early for refreshments and pre-race activities to energize your
morning. Breakfast is provided by Real Good Kitchen
Registration Details - Registration is open now for the 5K, 1-Mile Walk, and Kids Fun Run:
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/YWCAKnoxvilleRaceAgainstRacism - Online registration closes at 8:30 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available until 8:45 a.m.
- All participants receive a long-sleeve, 50/50 blend event shirt with their registration.
Rain, snow, or shine, Diversity Day and the Race Against Racism will proceed! Proceeds from the event benefit YWCA
Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, supporting essential programs at the Phyllis Wheatley Center that empower students
to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Where: YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, TN
For more information and to register, visit www.ywcaknox.com or contact Director of Communications and Events,
Lorena Meza Hubbard at 865.523.6126 or [email protected]
Together, let’s stand strong against racism, celebrate diversity, and build a more inclusive society.
About YWCA Knoxville
Since 1899, YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley has been a leading force in community change. With a mission to
eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, YWCA offers transitional
housing and supportive services to women who would otherwise be homeless; advocacy, outreach, support groups,
counseling and prevention services for victims of domestic violence; youth and family development services; and afterschool programming.
Today, YWCA serves more than 11,300 women, children and families through a variety of high-quality programs at three
sites in downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Oak Ridge; and provides services across a six-county service area (Knox,
Anderson, Roane, Loudon, Blount and Sevier). Annual events that help to grow, expand and sustain the YWCA’s mission
include the Tribute to Women in September, Diversity Day/Race Against Racism in January, Stand Against Racism in
April, and Keys of Hope Luncheon in May.
FEMA Trailers Moving into East Tennessee Counties Affected by Hurricane Helene
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving trailers into areas of East Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene.
The storm moved through the area in September of last year, prompting thousands in the eastern third of the state to begin a recovery process that has seen plenty of ups and downs.
FEMA says those in several Tennessee counties including Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington can expect trailers to begin arriving this week.
Those trailers are manufactured housing units that come ready for survivors to occupy. The agency addressed the months-long process in getting the units ready, saying it involves ordering, installing and permitting each trailer.
In the months since the disaster, several organizations have donated campers and temporary housing options to individuals.
Blount County Animal Shelter Needs Help After Taking In Multiple Rescue Animals Left in Freezing Conditions
The Blount County Animal Shelter is having problems with space after six people were charged after nearly three dozen animals were rescued from harmful freezing conditions last week.
12 dogs and 13 cats rescued after responders say several dogs were tied up or in cages outside while it was 25 degrees. The six were charged with several counts of animal cruelty and in addition to dogs and cats, the shelter also took in ferrets, rats and ducks. The state also seized two horses from the property.
Ronald Crow, Director of the Shelter, says “We’re going to have these animals, these 35, for a long time,” said Ronald Crow, the shelter’s director. “We can’t adopt these animals out. They’re part of a criminal case, so we’re in charge of their care and custody.”
Crow said the shelter has capacity for 50 kennels in the back for large dogs. He said the rescue put them significantly over that number, adding that several animals are double or triple housed just to accommodate them. The dogs and cats also had to be housed in their own area as a precaution in case they have an illness.
To help combat the space issue, Crow said the shelter has reached out to its transport partners, rescues and foster teams to help make room. He also said adoption rates have been reduced.
“We’ve moved [adoption rates] down to $50 for all dogs and $20 for cats just in an effort to move some of these animals out and give us room for this influx,” Crow said.
Crow says the easiest way to help the shelter is to foster or adopt an animal.
Tennessee Athletics Earns Record Breaking
Tennessee Athletics earns almost a quarter-billion dollars in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year.
It’s a new record for the athletics department. The Vols brought in just over $234 million dollars beating last year’s total of $202 million.
This year, ticket sales brought in almost $47 million. That’s almost 8 million dollars from the year before. Another money source on the rise: fan contributions. The university reported a 233% increase in contributions from 2021. This year’s total was almost $73 million.
John Henderson Selected To 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
IRVING, Texas – Two-time first-team All-American John Henderson, one of the most dominant defensive lineman in Tennessee history, has been selected to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.
Henderson, a Nashville native, was one of 18 first-team All-America players and four standout coaches who comprise the 2025 class. The class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Henderson becomes the 27th Vol to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and the third in the last five years. Eric Berry was Tennessee’s most recent inductee in 2023. Of the 27 inductees, 23 were enshrined as players and four as coaches. The 23 players represent the second-most among SEC programs and the seventh-most nationally.
A two-time consensus first team All-American (2000, 2001), Henderson claimed the 2000 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation while finishing as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player the same year. A two-time first team All-SEC selection from 2000-01, Henderson was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy again in 2001.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer, Henderson guided Tennessee to the 2001 SEC East title and an overall record of 28-9 during his career. The Volunteers made three consecutive bowls with appearances in the 2000 Fiesta and 2001 Cotton and a win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where he earned outstanding defensive player honors. His impact was instrumental in Tennessee finishing inside the Top 10 in 1999 and reaching No. 4 in the final polls in 2001.
Henderson played a pivotal role in 2000 on a defense that set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed (817). His 12 sacks in 2000 rank fourth all-time for a single season in program history, while his 21 tackles for loss that year ranked third. Over his career, he amassed 162 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups, ranking among the program’s all-time greats.
Selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville, Henderson played for the Jaguars from 2002-09 and the Raiders from 2010-11, earning two Pro Bowl selections and second team All-Pro honors in 2006.
The former Pearl-Cohn High School standout was inducted into the State of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Henderson founded the Luvthekidz Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled children, in honor of his late daughter, Talia, who passed away after battling cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
The 2025 inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Montee Ball, Wisconsin RB (2009-12)
Larry Blakeney, Troy Coach (1991-2014)
Gregg Carr, Auburn LB (1981-84)
Blake Elliott, Saint John’s (Minn.) WR (2000-03)
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota C (2002-05)
Terry Hanratty, Notre Dame QB (1966-68)
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB (2005-08)
John Henderson, Tennessee DT (1999-2001)
Michael Huff, Texas DB (2002-05)
Jim Kleinsasser, North Dakota TE (1995-98)
Larry Korver, Northwestern College Coach (1967-94)
Alex Mack, California OL (2005-08)
Terrence Metcalf, Ole Miss OL (1997, 1999-2001)
Urban Meyer, BGSU/Utah/Florida/Ohio State Head Coach (2001-18)
Haloti Ngata, Oregon DT (2002, 2004-05)
Nick Saban, Toledo/Michigan State/LSU/Alabama Head Coach (1990, 1995-2023)
Steve Slaton, West Virginia RB (2005-07)
Darrin Smith, Miami LB (1989-92)
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern DL (1989-92)
Dennis Thurman, USC DB (1974-77)
Michael Vick, Virginia Tech QB (1999-2000)
Ryan Yarborough, Wyoming WR (1990-93)
Tennessee All-Time College Football Hall of Famers (year inducted)
Doug Atkins, T (1985)
Eric Berry, DB (2023)
George Cafego, QB (1969)
Steve DeLong, G (1993)
Doug Dickey, Coach (2003)
Bobby Dodd, QB (1959; elected as a coach at Georgia Tech in 1993)
Nathan Dougherty, T (1967)
Frank Emanuel, LB (2004)
Beattie Feathers, B (1955)
Phillip Fulmer, Coach (2012)
John Henderson, DT (2025)
Herman Hickman, G (1959)
Bob Johnson, C (1989)
Chip Kell, G (2006)
Steve Kiner, LB (1999)
Hank Lauricella, TB (1981)
Johnny Majors, TB (1987)
Peyton Manning, QB (2017)
Gene McEver, HB (1954)
John Michels, G (1996)
Ed Molinski, G (1990)
Robert R. Neyland, Coach (1956)
Bob Suffridge, G (1961)
Reggie White, DT (2002)
Al Wilson, LB (2021)
Bowden Wyatt, E (1972)
Bowden Wyatt, Coach (1997)
UT’s Spear Chosen For WBCA’s “So You Want To Be A Coach” Class
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has announced its class for the 22nd “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, and Tennessee’s Jewel Spear is among those selected to participate.
Each student-athlete will take part in the two-day workshop on April 3 and 4 during the WBCA Convention at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa.
The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball.
“The WBCA community of coaches each year invests in young, aspiring coaches through the ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ program,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “We have high expectations for these graduating student-athletes and the future contributions they will make to the game of women’s basketball.”
Spear, a fifth-year guard from The Colony, Texas, is in her second season with the Lady Vol program, averaging 13.2 ppg. and hitting 110 three-pointers over 47 games played from 2023 to present. The 5-foot-10 long-distance ace was named to the 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award Preseason Watch List.
In 14 games this season, Spear is putting up 13.4 ppg., including 19.8 ppg. in SEC play to rank No. 8 among all league players. Through four conference games, she is 18 of 31 from beyond the arc to rank No. 1 in threes made and in percentage at 58.1. She is second in the SEC in treys made per contest at 2.93 in all games this season.
Spear has scored in double figures nine times in 2024-25, including five of the past six games. She has hit for 20+ in three SEC games thus far, carding a season-high 20 points at Texas A&M (7-11 FG, 6-8 3FG) and raising the bar vs. Oklahoma with 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-11 3FG), tallying 11 points in the fourth quarter vs. the Sooners to nearly help her team pull off the upset. She followed that with 25 points vs. LSU, nailing seven of 11 field goal attempts, including five of seven from beyond the arc.
In her last game, Spear reached 2,000 career points (2,005) and increased her rebound total to 484, needing 16 to reach the 500-board mark. The 69 threes that Spear hit last season at Tennessee tied for 10th in school history, and her 185 attempts tied for eighth.
Spear was a member of the 2023-24 SEC Academic Honor Roll and the 2024-25 VOLeaders Academy cohort. She also participated in the Tennessee-Rwanda Leadership Experience, traveling to the African nation in the summer of 2024, and was in Dallas in July 2024 as a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Women’s Basketball Leadership Council.
Beloved Zoo Knoxville Gorilla Dies at 47 Years Old
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zoo Knoxville is mourning after losing a Western lowland gorilla.
Officials Wednesday announcing the death of Kowali; the beloved gorilla passed away at the age of 47.
Kowali had been at Zoo Knoxville since 2013 and was a mother of four. She was born on January 9, 1978 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
“We performed an ultrasound and heart echocardiogram which revealed signs of heart failure,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing, UTCVM clinical associate professor and specialist in zoological medicine. “We can manage her condition with medication, but the heart disease we found is irreversible.”
Zoo Knoxville CEO and President Bill Street said Kowali played an important part in gorilla conservation.
“Kowali’s life helped raise awareness about the urgent threats facing western lowland gorillas,” Street said. “She was deeply cherished by our staff, and her passing fills us with both sorrow and immense gratitude for the privilege of spending the last 11 years with her.”
There are now five Western lowland gorillas at the zoo.
Tennessee Lifts Water Contact Advisory Months after Helene Flooding
Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) lifted an advisory Wednesday that asked people to avoid touching water affected by Hurricane Helene’s flooding.
The advisory was issued on October 2, just days after the storm hit. It asked people to avoid waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds. Officials say the advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution, not tied to any specific water quality data.
“We want to reassure Tennesseans of the water quality in the region,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “TDEC issued the water contact advisory out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the health and safety of our citizens. We are pleased that we can lift this contact advisory today.”
The decision to lift the advisory comes after the state analyzed some water from the region and found that water quality had returned to pre-Helene conditions. Results of the water sample analysis can be found here.
Governor Bill Lee Calls a Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is calling a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on January 27th to pass the Education Freedom Act and disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene.
The session will also address illegal immigration public safety measures to ensure Tennessee stands ready to support the Trump Administration.
In 2024, Lee’s first push for his program failed during the legislative session due to concern over money being taken from the public school systems.
Knoxville Firefighters Suing City, Claiming to be Misplaced on Salary Scale
(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Several Knoxville firefighters are suing the city, claiming they’re being underpaid under the city’s employee payment plan.
Attorney Richard Collins filed the lawsuit on Jan. 13 on behalf of Kevin Faddis, Shawn Langley, Stephen Mitchell, Gregory Phillips, Robert Pollard and Christopher Smith. It’s a lawsuit that focuses on the city’s payment step plan, a 2022 effort passed by the city council along with a 6% raise to bring employee salaries up to market value.
In the suit, Collins claimed that all of Knoxville firefighters with more than five years of experience were placed on the wrong “step” in the city’s plan.
“When the City implemented the Pay Step Plan in July 2022, it placed firefighters who had served in their current rank for five or more years at an arbitrary lower step, effectively locking those firefighters into lower pay grades within the step plan,” the lawsuit said.
Collins said that the payment plan was understood to contain 25 steps, with each “corresponding to years of service‚” meaning someone who has fought fires with the city for five years would receive the salary of a “step five” firefighter. That isn’t confirmed, however.
The filing said the firefighters tried to file a grievance with the city. In that complaint, they asked to be reassigned to the “correct” step and asked for the formula that decides where they land. That request was denied, Collins said, because city rules say payment is not “grievable.”
WVLT News has asked the city for documentation outlining the entire pay plan, including how employees were placed into their steps.
If true, Collins said, and the city did place more experienced firefighters at too-low of tiers, it could be considered age discrimination by the city. This, because the more experienced firefighters are generally older.
According to the suit, all the plaintiffs are 49 years old or older and each has at least 25 or more years with the department. On top of the firefighters filing the lawsuit, Collins provided a sample of 12 more he claimed were placed on the wrong “step,” each aged between 48 and 67.
“The City’s misclassification disproportionately (if not entirely) affects older firefighters,” Collins said and “creates a disparate impact on older workers given the years of service and experience within the department required to reach such ranks.”
It’s especially interesting that Faddis is named in the lawsuit. Throughout the course of 2022, he was heavily involved in the implementation of the payment plan. WVLT News reached out to Collins about this, and he provided a statement over email:
“My clients do not challenge the compensation plan as enacted by the Knoxville City Council,” he said. “Instead, my clients seek to redress the City’s failure to execute the plan according to its terms, the City’s own representations, and the expectations of those involved in the development and ultimate approval of the plan.”
That statement came in response to one by the city. Collins said that comment “missed the mark.”
Our compensation overhaul was done after extensive input and consultation with all of our employee reps, that included the Knoxville Fire Department. The 6% salary increase along with the step plan, was designed to bring our employees up to market standards and to address compression.
Please keep in mind, we worked with a national consultant on our compensation plan. Their skill and expertise guided our salary adjustments, and the final plan was ultimately approved both by our employee reps and City Council. – City of Knoxville
YWCA’s 29th Annual Diversity Day and Race Against Racism- 1/18
Join the YWCA for the 29th Annual YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Diversity Day and Race Against
Racism on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Phyllis Wheatley Center! This event is more than just a celebration; it’s a powerful movement toward unity and inclusivity, bringing together people from all walks of life to honor diversity and foster meaningful conversations about inclusivity.
Event Schedule:
The day kicks off with the Race Against Racism:
- 5K Run: 9:00 a.m.
- 1-Mile Walk: 9:15 a.m.
- Kids Fun Run: 9:30 a.m.
Following the races, enjoy Diversity Day activities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., featuring community booths, cultural
performances, and an inspiring keynote speaker.
Keynote Speaker:
We are honored to welcome Delphia L. Howze, a nationally recognized Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) expert and author
of Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are. Delphia brings over 20 years of experience in Human Resources
and D&I, equipping organizations with strategies to build inclusive environments.
Event Highlights: - Community Resource Booths: Engage with local nonprofits such as Second Harvest, Positively Living, Metro Drug
Coalition, Helping Mamas, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Planned Parenthood, Knoxville PARC,
Turn Up Knox, Two Bikes, Kim Health Center, and Centro Hispano. - Special Performances: Enjoy dynamic cultural presentations by Drums Up Guns Down and the Appalachian
Equality Chorus, celebrating unity through music and movement. - Breakfast Treats & Entertainment: Arrive early for refreshments and pre-race activities to energize your
morning. Breakfast is provided by Real Good Kitchen
Registration Details - Registration is open now for the 5K, 1-Mile Walk, and Kids Fun Run:
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/YWCAKnoxvilleRaceAgainstRacism - Online registration closes at 8:30 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available until 8:45 a.m.
- All participants receive a long-sleeve, 50/50 blend event shirt with their registration.
Rain, snow, or shine, Diversity Day and the Race Against Racism will proceed! Proceeds from the event benefit YWCA
Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, supporting essential programs at the Phyllis Wheatley Center that empower students
to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Where: YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, TN
For more information and to register, visit www.ywcaknox.com or contact Director of Communications and Events,
Lorena Meza Hubbard at 865.523.6126 or [email protected]
Together, let’s stand strong against racism, celebrate diversity, and build a more inclusive society.
About YWCA Knoxville
Since 1899, YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley has been a leading force in community change. With a mission to
eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, YWCA offers transitional
housing and supportive services to women who would otherwise be homeless; advocacy, outreach, support groups,
counseling and prevention services for victims of domestic violence; youth and family development services; and afterschool programming.
Today, YWCA serves more than 11,300 women, children and families through a variety of high-quality programs at three
sites in downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Oak Ridge; and provides services across a six-county service area (Knox,
Anderson, Roane, Loudon, Blount and Sevier). Annual events that help to grow, expand and sustain the YWCA’s mission
include the Tribute to Women in September, Diversity Day/Race Against Racism in January, Stand Against Racism in
April, and Keys of Hope Luncheon in May.
FEMA Trailers Moving into East Tennessee Counties Affected by Hurricane Helene
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving trailers into areas of East Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene.
The storm moved through the area in September of last year, prompting thousands in the eastern third of the state to begin a recovery process that has seen plenty of ups and downs.
FEMA says those in several Tennessee counties including Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington can expect trailers to begin arriving this week.
Those trailers are manufactured housing units that come ready for survivors to occupy. The agency addressed the months-long process in getting the units ready, saying it involves ordering, installing and permitting each trailer.
In the months since the disaster, several organizations have donated campers and temporary housing options to individuals.
Blount County Animal Shelter Needs Help After Taking In Multiple Rescue Animals Left in Freezing Conditions
The Blount County Animal Shelter is having problems with space after six people were charged after nearly three dozen animals were rescued from harmful freezing conditions last week.
12 dogs and 13 cats rescued after responders say several dogs were tied up or in cages outside while it was 25 degrees. The six were charged with several counts of animal cruelty and in addition to dogs and cats, the shelter also took in ferrets, rats and ducks. The state also seized two horses from the property.
Ronald Crow, Director of the Shelter, says “We’re going to have these animals, these 35, for a long time,” said Ronald Crow, the shelter’s director. “We can’t adopt these animals out. They’re part of a criminal case, so we’re in charge of their care and custody.”
Crow said the shelter has capacity for 50 kennels in the back for large dogs. He said the rescue put them significantly over that number, adding that several animals are double or triple housed just to accommodate them. The dogs and cats also had to be housed in their own area as a precaution in case they have an illness.
To help combat the space issue, Crow said the shelter has reached out to its transport partners, rescues and foster teams to help make room. He also said adoption rates have been reduced.
“We’ve moved [adoption rates] down to $50 for all dogs and $20 for cats just in an effort to move some of these animals out and give us room for this influx,” Crow said.
Crow says the easiest way to help the shelter is to foster or adopt an animal.
Tennessee Athletics Earns Record Breaking
Tennessee Athletics earns almost a quarter-billion dollars in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year.
It’s a new record for the athletics department. The Vols brought in just over $234 million dollars beating last year’s total of $202 million.
This year, ticket sales brought in almost $47 million. That’s almost 8 million dollars from the year before. Another money source on the rise: fan contributions. The university reported a 233% increase in contributions from 2021. This year’s total was almost $73 million.
John Henderson Selected To 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
IRVING, Texas – Two-time first-team All-American John Henderson, one of the most dominant defensive lineman in Tennessee history, has been selected to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.
Henderson, a Nashville native, was one of 18 first-team All-America players and four standout coaches who comprise the 2025 class. The class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Henderson becomes the 27th Vol to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and the third in the last five years. Eric Berry was Tennessee’s most recent inductee in 2023. Of the 27 inductees, 23 were enshrined as players and four as coaches. The 23 players represent the second-most among SEC programs and the seventh-most nationally.
A two-time consensus first team All-American (2000, 2001), Henderson claimed the 2000 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation while finishing as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player the same year. A two-time first team All-SEC selection from 2000-01, Henderson was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy again in 2001.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer, Henderson guided Tennessee to the 2001 SEC East title and an overall record of 28-9 during his career. The Volunteers made three consecutive bowls with appearances in the 2000 Fiesta and 2001 Cotton and a win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where he earned outstanding defensive player honors. His impact was instrumental in Tennessee finishing inside the Top 10 in 1999 and reaching No. 4 in the final polls in 2001.
Henderson played a pivotal role in 2000 on a defense that set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed (817). His 12 sacks in 2000 rank fourth all-time for a single season in program history, while his 21 tackles for loss that year ranked third. Over his career, he amassed 162 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups, ranking among the program’s all-time greats.
Selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville, Henderson played for the Jaguars from 2002-09 and the Raiders from 2010-11, earning two Pro Bowl selections and second team All-Pro honors in 2006.
The former Pearl-Cohn High School standout was inducted into the State of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Henderson founded the Luvthekidz Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled children, in honor of his late daughter, Talia, who passed away after battling cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
The 2025 inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Montee Ball, Wisconsin RB (2009-12)
Larry Blakeney, Troy Coach (1991-2014)
Gregg Carr, Auburn LB (1981-84)
Blake Elliott, Saint John’s (Minn.) WR (2000-03)
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota C (2002-05)
Terry Hanratty, Notre Dame QB (1966-68)
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB (2005-08)
John Henderson, Tennessee DT (1999-2001)
Michael Huff, Texas DB (2002-05)
Jim Kleinsasser, North Dakota TE (1995-98)
Larry Korver, Northwestern College Coach (1967-94)
Alex Mack, California OL (2005-08)
Terrence Metcalf, Ole Miss OL (1997, 1999-2001)
Urban Meyer, BGSU/Utah/Florida/Ohio State Head Coach (2001-18)
Haloti Ngata, Oregon DT (2002, 2004-05)
Nick Saban, Toledo/Michigan State/LSU/Alabama Head Coach (1990, 1995-2023)
Steve Slaton, West Virginia RB (2005-07)
Darrin Smith, Miami LB (1989-92)
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern DL (1989-92)
Dennis Thurman, USC DB (1974-77)
Michael Vick, Virginia Tech QB (1999-2000)
Ryan Yarborough, Wyoming WR (1990-93)
Tennessee All-Time College Football Hall of Famers (year inducted)
Doug Atkins, T (1985)
Eric Berry, DB (2023)
George Cafego, QB (1969)
Steve DeLong, G (1993)
Doug Dickey, Coach (2003)
Bobby Dodd, QB (1959; elected as a coach at Georgia Tech in 1993)
Nathan Dougherty, T (1967)
Frank Emanuel, LB (2004)
Beattie Feathers, B (1955)
Phillip Fulmer, Coach (2012)
John Henderson, DT (2025)
Herman Hickman, G (1959)
Bob Johnson, C (1989)
Chip Kell, G (2006)
Steve Kiner, LB (1999)
Hank Lauricella, TB (1981)
Johnny Majors, TB (1987)
Peyton Manning, QB (2017)
Gene McEver, HB (1954)
John Michels, G (1996)
Ed Molinski, G (1990)
Robert R. Neyland, Coach (1956)
Bob Suffridge, G (1961)
Reggie White, DT (2002)
Al Wilson, LB (2021)
Bowden Wyatt, E (1972)
Bowden Wyatt, Coach (1997)
UT’s Spear Chosen For WBCA’s “So You Want To Be A Coach” Class
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has announced its class for the 22nd “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, and Tennessee’s Jewel Spear is among those selected to participate.
Each student-athlete will take part in the two-day workshop on April 3 and 4 during the WBCA Convention at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa.
The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball.
“The WBCA community of coaches each year invests in young, aspiring coaches through the ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ program,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “We have high expectations for these graduating student-athletes and the future contributions they will make to the game of women’s basketball.”
Spear, a fifth-year guard from The Colony, Texas, is in her second season with the Lady Vol program, averaging 13.2 ppg. and hitting 110 three-pointers over 47 games played from 2023 to present. The 5-foot-10 long-distance ace was named to the 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award Preseason Watch List.
In 14 games this season, Spear is putting up 13.4 ppg., including 19.8 ppg. in SEC play to rank No. 8 among all league players. Through four conference games, she is 18 of 31 from beyond the arc to rank No. 1 in threes made and in percentage at 58.1. She is second in the SEC in treys made per contest at 2.93 in all games this season.
Spear has scored in double figures nine times in 2024-25, including five of the past six games. She has hit for 20+ in three SEC games thus far, carding a season-high 20 points at Texas A&M (7-11 FG, 6-8 3FG) and raising the bar vs. Oklahoma with 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-11 3FG), tallying 11 points in the fourth quarter vs. the Sooners to nearly help her team pull off the upset. She followed that with 25 points vs. LSU, nailing seven of 11 field goal attempts, including five of seven from beyond the arc.
In her last game, Spear reached 2,000 career points (2,005) and increased her rebound total to 484, needing 16 to reach the 500-board mark. The 69 threes that Spear hit last season at Tennessee tied for 10th in school history, and her 185 attempts tied for eighth.
Spear was a member of the 2023-24 SEC Academic Honor Roll and the 2024-25 VOLeaders Academy cohort. She also participated in the Tennessee-Rwanda Leadership Experience, traveling to the African nation in the summer of 2024, and was in Dallas in July 2024 as a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Women’s Basketball Leadership Council.
Beloved Zoo Knoxville Gorilla Dies at 47 Years Old
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zoo Knoxville is mourning after losing a Western lowland gorilla.
Officials Wednesday announcing the death of Kowali; the beloved gorilla passed away at the age of 47.
Kowali had been at Zoo Knoxville since 2013 and was a mother of four. She was born on January 9, 1978 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
“We performed an ultrasound and heart echocardiogram which revealed signs of heart failure,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing, UTCVM clinical associate professor and specialist in zoological medicine. “We can manage her condition with medication, but the heart disease we found is irreversible.”
Zoo Knoxville CEO and President Bill Street said Kowali played an important part in gorilla conservation.
“Kowali’s life helped raise awareness about the urgent threats facing western lowland gorillas,” Street said. “She was deeply cherished by our staff, and her passing fills us with both sorrow and immense gratitude for the privilege of spending the last 11 years with her.”
There are now five Western lowland gorillas at the zoo.
Tennessee Lifts Water Contact Advisory Months after Helene Flooding
Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) lifted an advisory Wednesday that asked people to avoid touching water affected by Hurricane Helene’s flooding.
The advisory was issued on October 2, just days after the storm hit. It asked people to avoid waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds. Officials say the advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution, not tied to any specific water quality data.
“We want to reassure Tennesseans of the water quality in the region,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “TDEC issued the water contact advisory out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the health and safety of our citizens. We are pleased that we can lift this contact advisory today.”
The decision to lift the advisory comes after the state analyzed some water from the region and found that water quality had returned to pre-Helene conditions. Results of the water sample analysis can be found here.
Governor Bill Lee Calls a Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is calling a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on January 27th to pass the Education Freedom Act and disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene.
The session will also address illegal immigration public safety measures to ensure Tennessee stands ready to support the Trump Administration.
In 2024, Lee’s first push for his program failed during the legislative session due to concern over money being taken from the public school systems.
Knoxville Firefighters Suing City, Claiming to be Misplaced on Salary Scale
(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Several Knoxville firefighters are suing the city, claiming they’re being underpaid under the city’s employee payment plan.
Attorney Richard Collins filed the lawsuit on Jan. 13 on behalf of Kevin Faddis, Shawn Langley, Stephen Mitchell, Gregory Phillips, Robert Pollard and Christopher Smith. It’s a lawsuit that focuses on the city’s payment step plan, a 2022 effort passed by the city council along with a 6% raise to bring employee salaries up to market value.
In the suit, Collins claimed that all of Knoxville firefighters with more than five years of experience were placed on the wrong “step” in the city’s plan.
“When the City implemented the Pay Step Plan in July 2022, it placed firefighters who had served in their current rank for five or more years at an arbitrary lower step, effectively locking those firefighters into lower pay grades within the step plan,” the lawsuit said.
Collins said that the payment plan was understood to contain 25 steps, with each “corresponding to years of service‚” meaning someone who has fought fires with the city for five years would receive the salary of a “step five” firefighter. That isn’t confirmed, however.
The filing said the firefighters tried to file a grievance with the city. In that complaint, they asked to be reassigned to the “correct” step and asked for the formula that decides where they land. That request was denied, Collins said, because city rules say payment is not “grievable.”
WVLT News has asked the city for documentation outlining the entire pay plan, including how employees were placed into their steps.
If true, Collins said, and the city did place more experienced firefighters at too-low of tiers, it could be considered age discrimination by the city. This, because the more experienced firefighters are generally older.
According to the suit, all the plaintiffs are 49 years old or older and each has at least 25 or more years with the department. On top of the firefighters filing the lawsuit, Collins provided a sample of 12 more he claimed were placed on the wrong “step,” each aged between 48 and 67.
“The City’s misclassification disproportionately (if not entirely) affects older firefighters,” Collins said and “creates a disparate impact on older workers given the years of service and experience within the department required to reach such ranks.”
It’s especially interesting that Faddis is named in the lawsuit. Throughout the course of 2022, he was heavily involved in the implementation of the payment plan. WVLT News reached out to Collins about this, and he provided a statement over email:
“My clients do not challenge the compensation plan as enacted by the Knoxville City Council,” he said. “Instead, my clients seek to redress the City’s failure to execute the plan according to its terms, the City’s own representations, and the expectations of those involved in the development and ultimate approval of the plan.”
That statement came in response to one by the city. Collins said that comment “missed the mark.”
Our compensation overhaul was done after extensive input and consultation with all of our employee reps, that included the Knoxville Fire Department. The 6% salary increase along with the step plan, was designed to bring our employees up to market standards and to address compression.
Please keep in mind, we worked with a national consultant on our compensation plan. Their skill and expertise guided our salary adjustments, and the final plan was ultimately approved both by our employee reps and City Council. – City of Knoxville
YWCA’s 29th Annual Diversity Day and Race Against Racism- 1/18
Join the YWCA for the 29th Annual YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Diversity Day and Race Against
Racism on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Phyllis Wheatley Center! This event is more than just a celebration; it’s a powerful movement toward unity and inclusivity, bringing together people from all walks of life to honor diversity and foster meaningful conversations about inclusivity.
Event Schedule:
The day kicks off with the Race Against Racism:
- 5K Run: 9:00 a.m.
- 1-Mile Walk: 9:15 a.m.
- Kids Fun Run: 9:30 a.m.
Following the races, enjoy Diversity Day activities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., featuring community booths, cultural
performances, and an inspiring keynote speaker.
Keynote Speaker:
We are honored to welcome Delphia L. Howze, a nationally recognized Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) expert and author
of Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are. Delphia brings over 20 years of experience in Human Resources
and D&I, equipping organizations with strategies to build inclusive environments.
Event Highlights: - Community Resource Booths: Engage with local nonprofits such as Second Harvest, Positively Living, Metro Drug
Coalition, Helping Mamas, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Planned Parenthood, Knoxville PARC,
Turn Up Knox, Two Bikes, Kim Health Center, and Centro Hispano. - Special Performances: Enjoy dynamic cultural presentations by Drums Up Guns Down and the Appalachian
Equality Chorus, celebrating unity through music and movement. - Breakfast Treats & Entertainment: Arrive early for refreshments and pre-race activities to energize your
morning. Breakfast is provided by Real Good Kitchen
Registration Details - Registration is open now for the 5K, 1-Mile Walk, and Kids Fun Run:
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/YWCAKnoxvilleRaceAgainstRacism - Online registration closes at 8:30 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available until 8:45 a.m.
- All participants receive a long-sleeve, 50/50 blend event shirt with their registration.
Rain, snow, or shine, Diversity Day and the Race Against Racism will proceed! Proceeds from the event benefit YWCA
Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, supporting essential programs at the Phyllis Wheatley Center that empower students
to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Where: YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, TN
For more information and to register, visit www.ywcaknox.com or contact Director of Communications and Events,
Lorena Meza Hubbard at 865.523.6126 or [email protected]
Together, let’s stand strong against racism, celebrate diversity, and build a more inclusive society.
About YWCA Knoxville
Since 1899, YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley has been a leading force in community change. With a mission to
eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, YWCA offers transitional
housing and supportive services to women who would otherwise be homeless; advocacy, outreach, support groups,
counseling and prevention services for victims of domestic violence; youth and family development services; and afterschool programming.
Today, YWCA serves more than 11,300 women, children and families through a variety of high-quality programs at three
sites in downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Oak Ridge; and provides services across a six-county service area (Knox,
Anderson, Roane, Loudon, Blount and Sevier). Annual events that help to grow, expand and sustain the YWCA’s mission
include the Tribute to Women in September, Diversity Day/Race Against Racism in January, Stand Against Racism in
April, and Keys of Hope Luncheon in May.
FEMA Trailers Moving into East Tennessee Counties Affected by Hurricane Helene
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving trailers into areas of East Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene.
The storm moved through the area in September of last year, prompting thousands in the eastern third of the state to begin a recovery process that has seen plenty of ups and downs.
FEMA says those in several Tennessee counties including Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington can expect trailers to begin arriving this week.
Those trailers are manufactured housing units that come ready for survivors to occupy. The agency addressed the months-long process in getting the units ready, saying it involves ordering, installing and permitting each trailer.
In the months since the disaster, several organizations have donated campers and temporary housing options to individuals.
Blount County Animal Shelter Needs Help After Taking In Multiple Rescue Animals Left in Freezing Conditions
The Blount County Animal Shelter is having problems with space after six people were charged after nearly three dozen animals were rescued from harmful freezing conditions last week.
12 dogs and 13 cats rescued after responders say several dogs were tied up or in cages outside while it was 25 degrees. The six were charged with several counts of animal cruelty and in addition to dogs and cats, the shelter also took in ferrets, rats and ducks. The state also seized two horses from the property.
Ronald Crow, Director of the Shelter, says “We’re going to have these animals, these 35, for a long time,” said Ronald Crow, the shelter’s director. “We can’t adopt these animals out. They’re part of a criminal case, so we’re in charge of their care and custody.”
Crow said the shelter has capacity for 50 kennels in the back for large dogs. He said the rescue put them significantly over that number, adding that several animals are double or triple housed just to accommodate them. The dogs and cats also had to be housed in their own area as a precaution in case they have an illness.
To help combat the space issue, Crow said the shelter has reached out to its transport partners, rescues and foster teams to help make room. He also said adoption rates have been reduced.
“We’ve moved [adoption rates] down to $50 for all dogs and $20 for cats just in an effort to move some of these animals out and give us room for this influx,” Crow said.
Crow says the easiest way to help the shelter is to foster or adopt an animal.
Tennessee Athletics Earns Record Breaking
Tennessee Athletics earns almost a quarter-billion dollars in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year.
It’s a new record for the athletics department. The Vols brought in just over $234 million dollars beating last year’s total of $202 million.
This year, ticket sales brought in almost $47 million. That’s almost 8 million dollars from the year before. Another money source on the rise: fan contributions. The university reported a 233% increase in contributions from 2021. This year’s total was almost $73 million.
John Henderson Selected To 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
IRVING, Texas – Two-time first-team All-American John Henderson, one of the most dominant defensive lineman in Tennessee history, has been selected to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.
Henderson, a Nashville native, was one of 18 first-team All-America players and four standout coaches who comprise the 2025 class. The class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Henderson becomes the 27th Vol to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and the third in the last five years. Eric Berry was Tennessee’s most recent inductee in 2023. Of the 27 inductees, 23 were enshrined as players and four as coaches. The 23 players represent the second-most among SEC programs and the seventh-most nationally.
A two-time consensus first team All-American (2000, 2001), Henderson claimed the 2000 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation while finishing as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player the same year. A two-time first team All-SEC selection from 2000-01, Henderson was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy again in 2001.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer, Henderson guided Tennessee to the 2001 SEC East title and an overall record of 28-9 during his career. The Volunteers made three consecutive bowls with appearances in the 2000 Fiesta and 2001 Cotton and a win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where he earned outstanding defensive player honors. His impact was instrumental in Tennessee finishing inside the Top 10 in 1999 and reaching No. 4 in the final polls in 2001.
Henderson played a pivotal role in 2000 on a defense that set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed (817). His 12 sacks in 2000 rank fourth all-time for a single season in program history, while his 21 tackles for loss that year ranked third. Over his career, he amassed 162 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups, ranking among the program’s all-time greats.
Selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville, Henderson played for the Jaguars from 2002-09 and the Raiders from 2010-11, earning two Pro Bowl selections and second team All-Pro honors in 2006.
The former Pearl-Cohn High School standout was inducted into the State of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Henderson founded the Luvthekidz Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled children, in honor of his late daughter, Talia, who passed away after battling cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
The 2025 inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Montee Ball, Wisconsin RB (2009-12)
Larry Blakeney, Troy Coach (1991-2014)
Gregg Carr, Auburn LB (1981-84)
Blake Elliott, Saint John’s (Minn.) WR (2000-03)
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota C (2002-05)
Terry Hanratty, Notre Dame QB (1966-68)
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB (2005-08)
John Henderson, Tennessee DT (1999-2001)
Michael Huff, Texas DB (2002-05)
Jim Kleinsasser, North Dakota TE (1995-98)
Larry Korver, Northwestern College Coach (1967-94)
Alex Mack, California OL (2005-08)
Terrence Metcalf, Ole Miss OL (1997, 1999-2001)
Urban Meyer, BGSU/Utah/Florida/Ohio State Head Coach (2001-18)
Haloti Ngata, Oregon DT (2002, 2004-05)
Nick Saban, Toledo/Michigan State/LSU/Alabama Head Coach (1990, 1995-2023)
Steve Slaton, West Virginia RB (2005-07)
Darrin Smith, Miami LB (1989-92)
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern DL (1989-92)
Dennis Thurman, USC DB (1974-77)
Michael Vick, Virginia Tech QB (1999-2000)
Ryan Yarborough, Wyoming WR (1990-93)
Tennessee All-Time College Football Hall of Famers (year inducted)
Doug Atkins, T (1985)
Eric Berry, DB (2023)
George Cafego, QB (1969)
Steve DeLong, G (1993)
Doug Dickey, Coach (2003)
Bobby Dodd, QB (1959; elected as a coach at Georgia Tech in 1993)
Nathan Dougherty, T (1967)
Frank Emanuel, LB (2004)
Beattie Feathers, B (1955)
Phillip Fulmer, Coach (2012)
John Henderson, DT (2025)
Herman Hickman, G (1959)
Bob Johnson, C (1989)
Chip Kell, G (2006)
Steve Kiner, LB (1999)
Hank Lauricella, TB (1981)
Johnny Majors, TB (1987)
Peyton Manning, QB (2017)
Gene McEver, HB (1954)
John Michels, G (1996)
Ed Molinski, G (1990)
Robert R. Neyland, Coach (1956)
Bob Suffridge, G (1961)
Reggie White, DT (2002)
Al Wilson, LB (2021)
Bowden Wyatt, E (1972)
Bowden Wyatt, Coach (1997)
UT’s Spear Chosen For WBCA’s “So You Want To Be A Coach” Class
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has announced its class for the 22nd “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, and Tennessee’s Jewel Spear is among those selected to participate.
Each student-athlete will take part in the two-day workshop on April 3 and 4 during the WBCA Convention at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa.
The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball.
“The WBCA community of coaches each year invests in young, aspiring coaches through the ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ program,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “We have high expectations for these graduating student-athletes and the future contributions they will make to the game of women’s basketball.”
Spear, a fifth-year guard from The Colony, Texas, is in her second season with the Lady Vol program, averaging 13.2 ppg. and hitting 110 three-pointers over 47 games played from 2023 to present. The 5-foot-10 long-distance ace was named to the 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award Preseason Watch List.
In 14 games this season, Spear is putting up 13.4 ppg., including 19.8 ppg. in SEC play to rank No. 8 among all league players. Through four conference games, she is 18 of 31 from beyond the arc to rank No. 1 in threes made and in percentage at 58.1. She is second in the SEC in treys made per contest at 2.93 in all games this season.
Spear has scored in double figures nine times in 2024-25, including five of the past six games. She has hit for 20+ in three SEC games thus far, carding a season-high 20 points at Texas A&M (7-11 FG, 6-8 3FG) and raising the bar vs. Oklahoma with 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-11 3FG), tallying 11 points in the fourth quarter vs. the Sooners to nearly help her team pull off the upset. She followed that with 25 points vs. LSU, nailing seven of 11 field goal attempts, including five of seven from beyond the arc.
In her last game, Spear reached 2,000 career points (2,005) and increased her rebound total to 484, needing 16 to reach the 500-board mark. The 69 threes that Spear hit last season at Tennessee tied for 10th in school history, and her 185 attempts tied for eighth.
Spear was a member of the 2023-24 SEC Academic Honor Roll and the 2024-25 VOLeaders Academy cohort. She also participated in the Tennessee-Rwanda Leadership Experience, traveling to the African nation in the summer of 2024, and was in Dallas in July 2024 as a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Women’s Basketball Leadership Council.
Beloved Zoo Knoxville Gorilla Dies at 47 Years Old
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zoo Knoxville is mourning after losing a Western lowland gorilla.
Officials Wednesday announcing the death of Kowali; the beloved gorilla passed away at the age of 47.
Kowali had been at Zoo Knoxville since 2013 and was a mother of four. She was born on January 9, 1978 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
“We performed an ultrasound and heart echocardiogram which revealed signs of heart failure,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing, UTCVM clinical associate professor and specialist in zoological medicine. “We can manage her condition with medication, but the heart disease we found is irreversible.”
Zoo Knoxville CEO and President Bill Street said Kowali played an important part in gorilla conservation.
“Kowali’s life helped raise awareness about the urgent threats facing western lowland gorillas,” Street said. “She was deeply cherished by our staff, and her passing fills us with both sorrow and immense gratitude for the privilege of spending the last 11 years with her.”
There are now five Western lowland gorillas at the zoo.
Tennessee Lifts Water Contact Advisory Months after Helene Flooding
Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) lifted an advisory Wednesday that asked people to avoid touching water affected by Hurricane Helene’s flooding.
The advisory was issued on October 2, just days after the storm hit. It asked people to avoid waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds. Officials say the advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution, not tied to any specific water quality data.
“We want to reassure Tennesseans of the water quality in the region,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “TDEC issued the water contact advisory out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the health and safety of our citizens. We are pleased that we can lift this contact advisory today.”
The decision to lift the advisory comes after the state analyzed some water from the region and found that water quality had returned to pre-Helene conditions. Results of the water sample analysis can be found here.
Governor Bill Lee Calls a Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is calling a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on January 27th to pass the Education Freedom Act and disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene.
The session will also address illegal immigration public safety measures to ensure Tennessee stands ready to support the Trump Administration.
In 2024, Lee’s first push for his program failed during the legislative session due to concern over money being taken from the public school systems.
Knoxville Firefighters Suing City, Claiming to be Misplaced on Salary Scale
(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Several Knoxville firefighters are suing the city, claiming they’re being underpaid under the city’s employee payment plan.
Attorney Richard Collins filed the lawsuit on Jan. 13 on behalf of Kevin Faddis, Shawn Langley, Stephen Mitchell, Gregory Phillips, Robert Pollard and Christopher Smith. It’s a lawsuit that focuses on the city’s payment step plan, a 2022 effort passed by the city council along with a 6% raise to bring employee salaries up to market value.
In the suit, Collins claimed that all of Knoxville firefighters with more than five years of experience were placed on the wrong “step” in the city’s plan.
“When the City implemented the Pay Step Plan in July 2022, it placed firefighters who had served in their current rank for five or more years at an arbitrary lower step, effectively locking those firefighters into lower pay grades within the step plan,” the lawsuit said.
Collins said that the payment plan was understood to contain 25 steps, with each “corresponding to years of service‚” meaning someone who has fought fires with the city for five years would receive the salary of a “step five” firefighter. That isn’t confirmed, however.
The filing said the firefighters tried to file a grievance with the city. In that complaint, they asked to be reassigned to the “correct” step and asked for the formula that decides where they land. That request was denied, Collins said, because city rules say payment is not “grievable.”
WVLT News has asked the city for documentation outlining the entire pay plan, including how employees were placed into their steps.
If true, Collins said, and the city did place more experienced firefighters at too-low of tiers, it could be considered age discrimination by the city. This, because the more experienced firefighters are generally older.
According to the suit, all the plaintiffs are 49 years old or older and each has at least 25 or more years with the department. On top of the firefighters filing the lawsuit, Collins provided a sample of 12 more he claimed were placed on the wrong “step,” each aged between 48 and 67.
“The City’s misclassification disproportionately (if not entirely) affects older firefighters,” Collins said and “creates a disparate impact on older workers given the years of service and experience within the department required to reach such ranks.”
It’s especially interesting that Faddis is named in the lawsuit. Throughout the course of 2022, he was heavily involved in the implementation of the payment plan. WVLT News reached out to Collins about this, and he provided a statement over email:
“My clients do not challenge the compensation plan as enacted by the Knoxville City Council,” he said. “Instead, my clients seek to redress the City’s failure to execute the plan according to its terms, the City’s own representations, and the expectations of those involved in the development and ultimate approval of the plan.”
That statement came in response to one by the city. Collins said that comment “missed the mark.”
Our compensation overhaul was done after extensive input and consultation with all of our employee reps, that included the Knoxville Fire Department. The 6% salary increase along with the step plan, was designed to bring our employees up to market standards and to address compression.
Please keep in mind, we worked with a national consultant on our compensation plan. Their skill and expertise guided our salary adjustments, and the final plan was ultimately approved both by our employee reps and City Council. – City of Knoxville
YWCA’s 29th Annual Diversity Day and Race Against Racism- 1/18
Join the YWCA for the 29th Annual YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Diversity Day and Race Against
Racism on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Phyllis Wheatley Center! This event is more than just a celebration; it’s a powerful movement toward unity and inclusivity, bringing together people from all walks of life to honor diversity and foster meaningful conversations about inclusivity.
Event Schedule:
The day kicks off with the Race Against Racism:
- 5K Run: 9:00 a.m.
- 1-Mile Walk: 9:15 a.m.
- Kids Fun Run: 9:30 a.m.
Following the races, enjoy Diversity Day activities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., featuring community booths, cultural
performances, and an inspiring keynote speaker.
Keynote Speaker:
We are honored to welcome Delphia L. Howze, a nationally recognized Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) expert and author
of Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are. Delphia brings over 20 years of experience in Human Resources
and D&I, equipping organizations with strategies to build inclusive environments.
Event Highlights: - Community Resource Booths: Engage with local nonprofits such as Second Harvest, Positively Living, Metro Drug
Coalition, Helping Mamas, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Planned Parenthood, Knoxville PARC,
Turn Up Knox, Two Bikes, Kim Health Center, and Centro Hispano. - Special Performances: Enjoy dynamic cultural presentations by Drums Up Guns Down and the Appalachian
Equality Chorus, celebrating unity through music and movement. - Breakfast Treats & Entertainment: Arrive early for refreshments and pre-race activities to energize your
morning. Breakfast is provided by Real Good Kitchen
Registration Details - Registration is open now for the 5K, 1-Mile Walk, and Kids Fun Run:
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/YWCAKnoxvilleRaceAgainstRacism - Online registration closes at 8:30 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available until 8:45 a.m.
- All participants receive a long-sleeve, 50/50 blend event shirt with their registration.
Rain, snow, or shine, Diversity Day and the Race Against Racism will proceed! Proceeds from the event benefit YWCA
Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, supporting essential programs at the Phyllis Wheatley Center that empower students
to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Where: YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, TN
For more information and to register, visit www.ywcaknox.com or contact Director of Communications and Events,
Lorena Meza Hubbard at 865.523.6126 or [email protected]
Together, let’s stand strong against racism, celebrate diversity, and build a more inclusive society.
About YWCA Knoxville
Since 1899, YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley has been a leading force in community change. With a mission to
eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, YWCA offers transitional
housing and supportive services to women who would otherwise be homeless; advocacy, outreach, support groups,
counseling and prevention services for victims of domestic violence; youth and family development services; and afterschool programming.
Today, YWCA serves more than 11,300 women, children and families through a variety of high-quality programs at three
sites in downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Oak Ridge; and provides services across a six-county service area (Knox,
Anderson, Roane, Loudon, Blount and Sevier). Annual events that help to grow, expand and sustain the YWCA’s mission
include the Tribute to Women in September, Diversity Day/Race Against Racism in January, Stand Against Racism in
April, and Keys of Hope Luncheon in May.
FEMA Trailers Moving into East Tennessee Counties Affected by Hurricane Helene
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving trailers into areas of East Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene.
The storm moved through the area in September of last year, prompting thousands in the eastern third of the state to begin a recovery process that has seen plenty of ups and downs.
FEMA says those in several Tennessee counties including Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington can expect trailers to begin arriving this week.
Those trailers are manufactured housing units that come ready for survivors to occupy. The agency addressed the months-long process in getting the units ready, saying it involves ordering, installing and permitting each trailer.
In the months since the disaster, several organizations have donated campers and temporary housing options to individuals.
Blount County Animal Shelter Needs Help After Taking In Multiple Rescue Animals Left in Freezing Conditions
The Blount County Animal Shelter is having problems with space after six people were charged after nearly three dozen animals were rescued from harmful freezing conditions last week.
12 dogs and 13 cats rescued after responders say several dogs were tied up or in cages outside while it was 25 degrees. The six were charged with several counts of animal cruelty and in addition to dogs and cats, the shelter also took in ferrets, rats and ducks. The state also seized two horses from the property.
Ronald Crow, Director of the Shelter, says “We’re going to have these animals, these 35, for a long time,” said Ronald Crow, the shelter’s director. “We can’t adopt these animals out. They’re part of a criminal case, so we’re in charge of their care and custody.”
Crow said the shelter has capacity for 50 kennels in the back for large dogs. He said the rescue put them significantly over that number, adding that several animals are double or triple housed just to accommodate them. The dogs and cats also had to be housed in their own area as a precaution in case they have an illness.
To help combat the space issue, Crow said the shelter has reached out to its transport partners, rescues and foster teams to help make room. He also said adoption rates have been reduced.
“We’ve moved [adoption rates] down to $50 for all dogs and $20 for cats just in an effort to move some of these animals out and give us room for this influx,” Crow said.
Crow says the easiest way to help the shelter is to foster or adopt an animal.
Tennessee Athletics Earns Record Breaking
Tennessee Athletics earns almost a quarter-billion dollars in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year.
It’s a new record for the athletics department. The Vols brought in just over $234 million dollars beating last year’s total of $202 million.
This year, ticket sales brought in almost $47 million. That’s almost 8 million dollars from the year before. Another money source on the rise: fan contributions. The university reported a 233% increase in contributions from 2021. This year’s total was almost $73 million.
John Henderson Selected To 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
IRVING, Texas – Two-time first-team All-American John Henderson, one of the most dominant defensive lineman in Tennessee history, has been selected to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.
Henderson, a Nashville native, was one of 18 first-team All-America players and four standout coaches who comprise the 2025 class. The class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Henderson becomes the 27th Vol to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and the third in the last five years. Eric Berry was Tennessee’s most recent inductee in 2023. Of the 27 inductees, 23 were enshrined as players and four as coaches. The 23 players represent the second-most among SEC programs and the seventh-most nationally.
A two-time consensus first team All-American (2000, 2001), Henderson claimed the 2000 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation while finishing as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player the same year. A two-time first team All-SEC selection from 2000-01, Henderson was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy again in 2001.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer, Henderson guided Tennessee to the 2001 SEC East title and an overall record of 28-9 during his career. The Volunteers made three consecutive bowls with appearances in the 2000 Fiesta and 2001 Cotton and a win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where he earned outstanding defensive player honors. His impact was instrumental in Tennessee finishing inside the Top 10 in 1999 and reaching No. 4 in the final polls in 2001.
Henderson played a pivotal role in 2000 on a defense that set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed (817). His 12 sacks in 2000 rank fourth all-time for a single season in program history, while his 21 tackles for loss that year ranked third. Over his career, he amassed 162 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups, ranking among the program’s all-time greats.
Selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville, Henderson played for the Jaguars from 2002-09 and the Raiders from 2010-11, earning two Pro Bowl selections and second team All-Pro honors in 2006.
The former Pearl-Cohn High School standout was inducted into the State of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Henderson founded the Luvthekidz Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled children, in honor of his late daughter, Talia, who passed away after battling cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
The 2025 inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Montee Ball, Wisconsin RB (2009-12)
Larry Blakeney, Troy Coach (1991-2014)
Gregg Carr, Auburn LB (1981-84)
Blake Elliott, Saint John’s (Minn.) WR (2000-03)
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota C (2002-05)
Terry Hanratty, Notre Dame QB (1966-68)
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB (2005-08)
John Henderson, Tennessee DT (1999-2001)
Michael Huff, Texas DB (2002-05)
Jim Kleinsasser, North Dakota TE (1995-98)
Larry Korver, Northwestern College Coach (1967-94)
Alex Mack, California OL (2005-08)
Terrence Metcalf, Ole Miss OL (1997, 1999-2001)
Urban Meyer, BGSU/Utah/Florida/Ohio State Head Coach (2001-18)
Haloti Ngata, Oregon DT (2002, 2004-05)
Nick Saban, Toledo/Michigan State/LSU/Alabama Head Coach (1990, 1995-2023)
Steve Slaton, West Virginia RB (2005-07)
Darrin Smith, Miami LB (1989-92)
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern DL (1989-92)
Dennis Thurman, USC DB (1974-77)
Michael Vick, Virginia Tech QB (1999-2000)
Ryan Yarborough, Wyoming WR (1990-93)
Tennessee All-Time College Football Hall of Famers (year inducted)
Doug Atkins, T (1985)
Eric Berry, DB (2023)
George Cafego, QB (1969)
Steve DeLong, G (1993)
Doug Dickey, Coach (2003)
Bobby Dodd, QB (1959; elected as a coach at Georgia Tech in 1993)
Nathan Dougherty, T (1967)
Frank Emanuel, LB (2004)
Beattie Feathers, B (1955)
Phillip Fulmer, Coach (2012)
John Henderson, DT (2025)
Herman Hickman, G (1959)
Bob Johnson, C (1989)
Chip Kell, G (2006)
Steve Kiner, LB (1999)
Hank Lauricella, TB (1981)
Johnny Majors, TB (1987)
Peyton Manning, QB (2017)
Gene McEver, HB (1954)
John Michels, G (1996)
Ed Molinski, G (1990)
Robert R. Neyland, Coach (1956)
Bob Suffridge, G (1961)
Reggie White, DT (2002)
Al Wilson, LB (2021)
Bowden Wyatt, E (1972)
Bowden Wyatt, Coach (1997)
UT’s Spear Chosen For WBCA’s “So You Want To Be A Coach” Class
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has announced its class for the 22nd “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, and Tennessee’s Jewel Spear is among those selected to participate.
Each student-athlete will take part in the two-day workshop on April 3 and 4 during the WBCA Convention at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa.
The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball.
“The WBCA community of coaches each year invests in young, aspiring coaches through the ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ program,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “We have high expectations for these graduating student-athletes and the future contributions they will make to the game of women’s basketball.”
Spear, a fifth-year guard from The Colony, Texas, is in her second season with the Lady Vol program, averaging 13.2 ppg. and hitting 110 three-pointers over 47 games played from 2023 to present. The 5-foot-10 long-distance ace was named to the 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award Preseason Watch List.
In 14 games this season, Spear is putting up 13.4 ppg., including 19.8 ppg. in SEC play to rank No. 8 among all league players. Through four conference games, she is 18 of 31 from beyond the arc to rank No. 1 in threes made and in percentage at 58.1. She is second in the SEC in treys made per contest at 2.93 in all games this season.
Spear has scored in double figures nine times in 2024-25, including five of the past six games. She has hit for 20+ in three SEC games thus far, carding a season-high 20 points at Texas A&M (7-11 FG, 6-8 3FG) and raising the bar vs. Oklahoma with 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-11 3FG), tallying 11 points in the fourth quarter vs. the Sooners to nearly help her team pull off the upset. She followed that with 25 points vs. LSU, nailing seven of 11 field goal attempts, including five of seven from beyond the arc.
In her last game, Spear reached 2,000 career points (2,005) and increased her rebound total to 484, needing 16 to reach the 500-board mark. The 69 threes that Spear hit last season at Tennessee tied for 10th in school history, and her 185 attempts tied for eighth.
Spear was a member of the 2023-24 SEC Academic Honor Roll and the 2024-25 VOLeaders Academy cohort. She also participated in the Tennessee-Rwanda Leadership Experience, traveling to the African nation in the summer of 2024, and was in Dallas in July 2024 as a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Women’s Basketball Leadership Council.
Beloved Zoo Knoxville Gorilla Dies at 47 Years Old
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zoo Knoxville is mourning after losing a Western lowland gorilla.
Officials Wednesday announcing the death of Kowali; the beloved gorilla passed away at the age of 47.
Kowali had been at Zoo Knoxville since 2013 and was a mother of four. She was born on January 9, 1978 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
“We performed an ultrasound and heart echocardiogram which revealed signs of heart failure,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing, UTCVM clinical associate professor and specialist in zoological medicine. “We can manage her condition with medication, but the heart disease we found is irreversible.”
Zoo Knoxville CEO and President Bill Street said Kowali played an important part in gorilla conservation.
“Kowali’s life helped raise awareness about the urgent threats facing western lowland gorillas,” Street said. “She was deeply cherished by our staff, and her passing fills us with both sorrow and immense gratitude for the privilege of spending the last 11 years with her.”
There are now five Western lowland gorillas at the zoo.
Tennessee Lifts Water Contact Advisory Months after Helene Flooding
Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) lifted an advisory Wednesday that asked people to avoid touching water affected by Hurricane Helene’s flooding.
The advisory was issued on October 2, just days after the storm hit. It asked people to avoid waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds. Officials say the advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution, not tied to any specific water quality data.
“We want to reassure Tennesseans of the water quality in the region,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “TDEC issued the water contact advisory out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the health and safety of our citizens. We are pleased that we can lift this contact advisory today.”
The decision to lift the advisory comes after the state analyzed some water from the region and found that water quality had returned to pre-Helene conditions. Results of the water sample analysis can be found here.
Governor Bill Lee Calls a Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is calling a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on January 27th to pass the Education Freedom Act and disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene.
The session will also address illegal immigration public safety measures to ensure Tennessee stands ready to support the Trump Administration.
In 2024, Lee’s first push for his program failed during the legislative session due to concern over money being taken from the public school systems.
Knoxville Firefighters Suing City, Claiming to be Misplaced on Salary Scale
(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Several Knoxville firefighters are suing the city, claiming they’re being underpaid under the city’s employee payment plan.
Attorney Richard Collins filed the lawsuit on Jan. 13 on behalf of Kevin Faddis, Shawn Langley, Stephen Mitchell, Gregory Phillips, Robert Pollard and Christopher Smith. It’s a lawsuit that focuses on the city’s payment step plan, a 2022 effort passed by the city council along with a 6% raise to bring employee salaries up to market value.
In the suit, Collins claimed that all of Knoxville firefighters with more than five years of experience were placed on the wrong “step” in the city’s plan.
“When the City implemented the Pay Step Plan in July 2022, it placed firefighters who had served in their current rank for five or more years at an arbitrary lower step, effectively locking those firefighters into lower pay grades within the step plan,” the lawsuit said.
Collins said that the payment plan was understood to contain 25 steps, with each “corresponding to years of service‚” meaning someone who has fought fires with the city for five years would receive the salary of a “step five” firefighter. That isn’t confirmed, however.
The filing said the firefighters tried to file a grievance with the city. In that complaint, they asked to be reassigned to the “correct” step and asked for the formula that decides where they land. That request was denied, Collins said, because city rules say payment is not “grievable.”
WVLT News has asked the city for documentation outlining the entire pay plan, including how employees were placed into their steps.
If true, Collins said, and the city did place more experienced firefighters at too-low of tiers, it could be considered age discrimination by the city. This, because the more experienced firefighters are generally older.
According to the suit, all the plaintiffs are 49 years old or older and each has at least 25 or more years with the department. On top of the firefighters filing the lawsuit, Collins provided a sample of 12 more he claimed were placed on the wrong “step,” each aged between 48 and 67.
“The City’s misclassification disproportionately (if not entirely) affects older firefighters,” Collins said and “creates a disparate impact on older workers given the years of service and experience within the department required to reach such ranks.”
It’s especially interesting that Faddis is named in the lawsuit. Throughout the course of 2022, he was heavily involved in the implementation of the payment plan. WVLT News reached out to Collins about this, and he provided a statement over email:
“My clients do not challenge the compensation plan as enacted by the Knoxville City Council,” he said. “Instead, my clients seek to redress the City’s failure to execute the plan according to its terms, the City’s own representations, and the expectations of those involved in the development and ultimate approval of the plan.”
That statement came in response to one by the city. Collins said that comment “missed the mark.”
Our compensation overhaul was done after extensive input and consultation with all of our employee reps, that included the Knoxville Fire Department. The 6% salary increase along with the step plan, was designed to bring our employees up to market standards and to address compression.
Please keep in mind, we worked with a national consultant on our compensation plan. Their skill and expertise guided our salary adjustments, and the final plan was ultimately approved both by our employee reps and City Council. – City of Knoxville
YWCA’s 29th Annual Diversity Day and Race Against Racism- 1/18
Join the YWCA for the 29th Annual YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Diversity Day and Race Against
Racism on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Phyllis Wheatley Center! This event is more than just a celebration; it’s a powerful movement toward unity and inclusivity, bringing together people from all walks of life to honor diversity and foster meaningful conversations about inclusivity.
Event Schedule:
The day kicks off with the Race Against Racism:
- 5K Run: 9:00 a.m.
- 1-Mile Walk: 9:15 a.m.
- Kids Fun Run: 9:30 a.m.
Following the races, enjoy Diversity Day activities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., featuring community booths, cultural
performances, and an inspiring keynote speaker.
Keynote Speaker:
We are honored to welcome Delphia L. Howze, a nationally recognized Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) expert and author
of Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are. Delphia brings over 20 years of experience in Human Resources
and D&I, equipping organizations with strategies to build inclusive environments.
Event Highlights: - Community Resource Booths: Engage with local nonprofits such as Second Harvest, Positively Living, Metro Drug
Coalition, Helping Mamas, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Planned Parenthood, Knoxville PARC,
Turn Up Knox, Two Bikes, Kim Health Center, and Centro Hispano. - Special Performances: Enjoy dynamic cultural presentations by Drums Up Guns Down and the Appalachian
Equality Chorus, celebrating unity through music and movement. - Breakfast Treats & Entertainment: Arrive early for refreshments and pre-race activities to energize your
morning. Breakfast is provided by Real Good Kitchen
Registration Details - Registration is open now for the 5K, 1-Mile Walk, and Kids Fun Run:
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/YWCAKnoxvilleRaceAgainstRacism - Online registration closes at 8:30 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available until 8:45 a.m.
- All participants receive a long-sleeve, 50/50 blend event shirt with their registration.
Rain, snow, or shine, Diversity Day and the Race Against Racism will proceed! Proceeds from the event benefit YWCA
Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, supporting essential programs at the Phyllis Wheatley Center that empower students
to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Where: YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, TN
For more information and to register, visit www.ywcaknox.com or contact Director of Communications and Events,
Lorena Meza Hubbard at 865.523.6126 or [email protected]
Together, let’s stand strong against racism, celebrate diversity, and build a more inclusive society.
About YWCA Knoxville
Since 1899, YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley has been a leading force in community change. With a mission to
eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, YWCA offers transitional
housing and supportive services to women who would otherwise be homeless; advocacy, outreach, support groups,
counseling and prevention services for victims of domestic violence; youth and family development services; and afterschool programming.
Today, YWCA serves more than 11,300 women, children and families through a variety of high-quality programs at three
sites in downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Oak Ridge; and provides services across a six-county service area (Knox,
Anderson, Roane, Loudon, Blount and Sevier). Annual events that help to grow, expand and sustain the YWCA’s mission
include the Tribute to Women in September, Diversity Day/Race Against Racism in January, Stand Against Racism in
April, and Keys of Hope Luncheon in May.
FEMA Trailers Moving into East Tennessee Counties Affected by Hurricane Helene
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving trailers into areas of East Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene.
The storm moved through the area in September of last year, prompting thousands in the eastern third of the state to begin a recovery process that has seen plenty of ups and downs.
FEMA says those in several Tennessee counties including Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington can expect trailers to begin arriving this week.
Those trailers are manufactured housing units that come ready for survivors to occupy. The agency addressed the months-long process in getting the units ready, saying it involves ordering, installing and permitting each trailer.
In the months since the disaster, several organizations have donated campers and temporary housing options to individuals.
Blount County Animal Shelter Needs Help After Taking In Multiple Rescue Animals Left in Freezing Conditions
The Blount County Animal Shelter is having problems with space after six people were charged after nearly three dozen animals were rescued from harmful freezing conditions last week.
12 dogs and 13 cats rescued after responders say several dogs were tied up or in cages outside while it was 25 degrees. The six were charged with several counts of animal cruelty and in addition to dogs and cats, the shelter also took in ferrets, rats and ducks. The state also seized two horses from the property.
Ronald Crow, Director of the Shelter, says “We’re going to have these animals, these 35, for a long time,” said Ronald Crow, the shelter’s director. “We can’t adopt these animals out. They’re part of a criminal case, so we’re in charge of their care and custody.”
Crow said the shelter has capacity for 50 kennels in the back for large dogs. He said the rescue put them significantly over that number, adding that several animals are double or triple housed just to accommodate them. The dogs and cats also had to be housed in their own area as a precaution in case they have an illness.
To help combat the space issue, Crow said the shelter has reached out to its transport partners, rescues and foster teams to help make room. He also said adoption rates have been reduced.
“We’ve moved [adoption rates] down to $50 for all dogs and $20 for cats just in an effort to move some of these animals out and give us room for this influx,” Crow said.
Crow says the easiest way to help the shelter is to foster or adopt an animal.
Tennessee Athletics Earns Record Breaking
Tennessee Athletics earns almost a quarter-billion dollars in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year.
It’s a new record for the athletics department. The Vols brought in just over $234 million dollars beating last year’s total of $202 million.
This year, ticket sales brought in almost $47 million. That’s almost 8 million dollars from the year before. Another money source on the rise: fan contributions. The university reported a 233% increase in contributions from 2021. This year’s total was almost $73 million.
John Henderson Selected To 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
IRVING, Texas – Two-time first-team All-American John Henderson, one of the most dominant defensive lineman in Tennessee history, has been selected to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon.
Henderson, a Nashville native, was one of 18 first-team All-America players and four standout coaches who comprise the 2025 class. The class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Henderson becomes the 27th Vol to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and the third in the last five years. Eric Berry was Tennessee’s most recent inductee in 2023. Of the 27 inductees, 23 were enshrined as players and four as coaches. The 23 players represent the second-most among SEC programs and the seventh-most nationally.
A two-time consensus first team All-American (2000, 2001), Henderson claimed the 2000 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation while finishing as a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s best defensive player the same year. A two-time first team All-SEC selection from 2000-01, Henderson was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He was a finalist for the Outland Trophy again in 2001.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Phillip Fulmer, Henderson guided Tennessee to the 2001 SEC East title and an overall record of 28-9 during his career. The Volunteers made three consecutive bowls with appearances in the 2000 Fiesta and 2001 Cotton and a win in the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where he earned outstanding defensive player honors. His impact was instrumental in Tennessee finishing inside the Top 10 in 1999 and reaching No. 4 in the final polls in 2001.
Henderson played a pivotal role in 2000 on a defense that set a school record for the fewest rushing yards allowed (817). His 12 sacks in 2000 rank fourth all-time for a single season in program history, while his 21 tackles for loss that year ranked third. Over his career, he amassed 162 tackles, 38.5 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and seven pass breakups, ranking among the program’s all-time greats.
Selected with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by Jacksonville, Henderson played for the Jaguars from 2002-09 and the Raiders from 2010-11, earning two Pro Bowl selections and second team All-Pro honors in 2006.
The former Pearl-Cohn High School standout was inducted into the State of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024. An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Henderson founded the Luvthekidz Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for disabled children, in honor of his late daughter, Talia, who passed away after battling cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
The 2025 inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Montee Ball, Wisconsin RB (2009-12)
Larry Blakeney, Troy Coach (1991-2014)
Gregg Carr, Auburn LB (1981-84)
Blake Elliott, Saint John’s (Minn.) WR (2000-03)
Greg Eslinger, Minnesota C (2002-05)
Terry Hanratty, Notre Dame QB (1966-68)
Graham Harrell, Texas Tech QB (2005-08)
John Henderson, Tennessee DT (1999-2001)
Michael Huff, Texas DB (2002-05)
Jim Kleinsasser, North Dakota TE (1995-98)
Larry Korver, Northwestern College Coach (1967-94)
Alex Mack, California OL (2005-08)
Terrence Metcalf, Ole Miss OL (1997, 1999-2001)
Urban Meyer, BGSU/Utah/Florida/Ohio State Head Coach (2001-18)
Haloti Ngata, Oregon DT (2002, 2004-05)
Nick Saban, Toledo/Michigan State/LSU/Alabama Head Coach (1990, 1995-2023)
Steve Slaton, West Virginia RB (2005-07)
Darrin Smith, Miami LB (1989-92)
Michael Strahan, Texas Southern DL (1989-92)
Dennis Thurman, USC DB (1974-77)
Michael Vick, Virginia Tech QB (1999-2000)
Ryan Yarborough, Wyoming WR (1990-93)
Tennessee All-Time College Football Hall of Famers (year inducted)
Doug Atkins, T (1985)
Eric Berry, DB (2023)
George Cafego, QB (1969)
Steve DeLong, G (1993)
Doug Dickey, Coach (2003)
Bobby Dodd, QB (1959; elected as a coach at Georgia Tech in 1993)
Nathan Dougherty, T (1967)
Frank Emanuel, LB (2004)
Beattie Feathers, B (1955)
Phillip Fulmer, Coach (2012)
John Henderson, DT (2025)
Herman Hickman, G (1959)
Bob Johnson, C (1989)
Chip Kell, G (2006)
Steve Kiner, LB (1999)
Hank Lauricella, TB (1981)
Johnny Majors, TB (1987)
Peyton Manning, QB (2017)
Gene McEver, HB (1954)
John Michels, G (1996)
Ed Molinski, G (1990)
Robert R. Neyland, Coach (1956)
Bob Suffridge, G (1961)
Reggie White, DT (2002)
Al Wilson, LB (2021)
Bowden Wyatt, E (1972)
Bowden Wyatt, Coach (1997)
UT’s Spear Chosen For WBCA’s “So You Want To Be A Coach” Class
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association has announced its class for the 22nd “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, and Tennessee’s Jewel Spear is among those selected to participate.
Each student-athlete will take part in the two-day workshop on April 3 and 4 during the WBCA Convention at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa.
The “So” program increases the understanding and application of skills necessary to secure coaching positions in women’s basketball, increases the understanding and awareness of competencies necessary for success in coaching, introduces female basketball players to coaches and administrators, and raises awareness of the existing talent pool of female basketball players who have a passion and interest in coaching the game of women’s basketball.
“The WBCA community of coaches each year invests in young, aspiring coaches through the ‘So You Want To Be A Coach’ program,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “We have high expectations for these graduating student-athletes and the future contributions they will make to the game of women’s basketball.”
Spear, a fifth-year guard from The Colony, Texas, is in her second season with the Lady Vol program, averaging 13.2 ppg. and hitting 110 three-pointers over 47 games played from 2023 to present. The 5-foot-10 long-distance ace was named to the 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award Preseason Watch List.
In 14 games this season, Spear is putting up 13.4 ppg., including 19.8 ppg. in SEC play to rank No. 8 among all league players. Through four conference games, she is 18 of 31 from beyond the arc to rank No. 1 in threes made and in percentage at 58.1. She is second in the SEC in treys made per contest at 2.93 in all games this season.
Spear has scored in double figures nine times in 2024-25, including five of the past six games. She has hit for 20+ in three SEC games thus far, carding a season-high 20 points at Texas A&M (7-11 FG, 6-8 3FG) and raising the bar vs. Oklahoma with 28 points (11-17 FG, 6-11 3FG), tallying 11 points in the fourth quarter vs. the Sooners to nearly help her team pull off the upset. She followed that with 25 points vs. LSU, nailing seven of 11 field goal attempts, including five of seven from beyond the arc.
In her last game, Spear reached 2,000 career points (2,005) and increased her rebound total to 484, needing 16 to reach the 500-board mark. The 69 threes that Spear hit last season at Tennessee tied for 10th in school history, and her 185 attempts tied for eighth.
Spear was a member of the 2023-24 SEC Academic Honor Roll and the 2024-25 VOLeaders Academy cohort. She also participated in the Tennessee-Rwanda Leadership Experience, traveling to the African nation in the summer of 2024, and was in Dallas in July 2024 as a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Women’s Basketball Leadership Council.
Beloved Zoo Knoxville Gorilla Dies at 47 Years Old
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Zoo Knoxville is mourning after losing a Western lowland gorilla.
Officials Wednesday announcing the death of Kowali; the beloved gorilla passed away at the age of 47.
Kowali had been at Zoo Knoxville since 2013 and was a mother of four. She was born on January 9, 1978 at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
“We performed an ultrasound and heart echocardiogram which revealed signs of heart failure,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing, UTCVM clinical associate professor and specialist in zoological medicine. “We can manage her condition with medication, but the heart disease we found is irreversible.”
Zoo Knoxville CEO and President Bill Street said Kowali played an important part in gorilla conservation.
“Kowali’s life helped raise awareness about the urgent threats facing western lowland gorillas,” Street said. “She was deeply cherished by our staff, and her passing fills us with both sorrow and immense gratitude for the privilege of spending the last 11 years with her.”
There are now five Western lowland gorillas at the zoo.
Tennessee Lifts Water Contact Advisory Months after Helene Flooding
Nashville, TN (WOKI) The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) lifted an advisory Wednesday that asked people to avoid touching water affected by Hurricane Helene’s flooding.
The advisory was issued on October 2, just days after the storm hit. It asked people to avoid waters in the Nolichucky, French Broad, Pigeon, Doe, and Watauga River watersheds. Officials say the advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution, not tied to any specific water quality data.
“We want to reassure Tennesseans of the water quality in the region,” TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. “TDEC issued the water contact advisory out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of the health and safety of our citizens. We are pleased that we can lift this contact advisory today.”
The decision to lift the advisory comes after the state analyzed some water from the region and found that water quality had returned to pre-Helene conditions. Results of the water sample analysis can be found here.
Governor Bill Lee Calls a Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is calling a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on January 27th to pass the Education Freedom Act and disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Helene.
The session will also address illegal immigration public safety measures to ensure Tennessee stands ready to support the Trump Administration.
In 2024, Lee’s first push for his program failed during the legislative session due to concern over money being taken from the public school systems.
Knoxville Firefighters Suing City, Claiming to be Misplaced on Salary Scale
(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Several Knoxville firefighters are suing the city, claiming they’re being underpaid under the city’s employee payment plan.
Attorney Richard Collins filed the lawsuit on Jan. 13 on behalf of Kevin Faddis, Shawn Langley, Stephen Mitchell, Gregory Phillips, Robert Pollard and Christopher Smith. It’s a lawsuit that focuses on the city’s payment step plan, a 2022 effort passed by the city council along with a 6% raise to bring employee salaries up to market value.
In the suit, Collins claimed that all of Knoxville firefighters with more than five years of experience were placed on the wrong “step” in the city’s plan.
“When the City implemented the Pay Step Plan in July 2022, it placed firefighters who had served in their current rank for five or more years at an arbitrary lower step, effectively locking those firefighters into lower pay grades within the step plan,” the lawsuit said.
Collins said that the payment plan was understood to contain 25 steps, with each “corresponding to years of service‚” meaning someone who has fought fires with the city for five years would receive the salary of a “step five” firefighter. That isn’t confirmed, however.
The filing said the firefighters tried to file a grievance with the city. In that complaint, they asked to be reassigned to the “correct” step and asked for the formula that decides where they land. That request was denied, Collins said, because city rules say payment is not “grievable.”
WVLT News has asked the city for documentation outlining the entire pay plan, including how employees were placed into their steps.
If true, Collins said, and the city did place more experienced firefighters at too-low of tiers, it could be considered age discrimination by the city. This, because the more experienced firefighters are generally older.
According to the suit, all the plaintiffs are 49 years old or older and each has at least 25 or more years with the department. On top of the firefighters filing the lawsuit, Collins provided a sample of 12 more he claimed were placed on the wrong “step,” each aged between 48 and 67.
“The City’s misclassification disproportionately (if not entirely) affects older firefighters,” Collins said and “creates a disparate impact on older workers given the years of service and experience within the department required to reach such ranks.”
It’s especially interesting that Faddis is named in the lawsuit. Throughout the course of 2022, he was heavily involved in the implementation of the payment plan. WVLT News reached out to Collins about this, and he provided a statement over email:
“My clients do not challenge the compensation plan as enacted by the Knoxville City Council,” he said. “Instead, my clients seek to redress the City’s failure to execute the plan according to its terms, the City’s own representations, and the expectations of those involved in the development and ultimate approval of the plan.”
That statement came in response to one by the city. Collins said that comment “missed the mark.”
Our compensation overhaul was done after extensive input and consultation with all of our employee reps, that included the Knoxville Fire Department. The 6% salary increase along with the step plan, was designed to bring our employees up to market standards and to address compression.
Please keep in mind, we worked with a national consultant on our compensation plan. Their skill and expertise guided our salary adjustments, and the final plan was ultimately approved both by our employee reps and City Council. – City of Knoxville
YWCA’s 29th Annual Diversity Day and Race Against Racism- 1/18
Join the YWCA for the 29th Annual YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Diversity Day and Race Against
Racism on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Phyllis Wheatley Center! This event is more than just a celebration; it’s a powerful movement toward unity and inclusivity, bringing together people from all walks of life to honor diversity and foster meaningful conversations about inclusivity.
Event Schedule:
The day kicks off with the Race Against Racism:
- 5K Run: 9:00 a.m.
- 1-Mile Walk: 9:15 a.m.
- Kids Fun Run: 9:30 a.m.
Following the races, enjoy Diversity Day activities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., featuring community booths, cultural
performances, and an inspiring keynote speaker.
Keynote Speaker:
We are honored to welcome Delphia L. Howze, a nationally recognized Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) expert and author
of Including You! Leading Inclusion From Where You Are. Delphia brings over 20 years of experience in Human Resources
and D&I, equipping organizations with strategies to build inclusive environments.
Event Highlights: - Community Resource Booths: Engage with local nonprofits such as Second Harvest, Positively Living, Metro Drug
Coalition, Helping Mamas, Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Planned Parenthood, Knoxville PARC,
Turn Up Knox, Two Bikes, Kim Health Center, and Centro Hispano. - Special Performances: Enjoy dynamic cultural presentations by Drums Up Guns Down and the Appalachian
Equality Chorus, celebrating unity through music and movement. - Breakfast Treats & Entertainment: Arrive early for refreshments and pre-race activities to energize your
morning. Breakfast is provided by Real Good Kitchen
Registration Details - Registration is open now for the 5K, 1-Mile Walk, and Kids Fun Run:
https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/YWCAKnoxvilleRaceAgainstRacism - Online registration closes at 8:30 a.m. on race day, with in-person registration available until 8:45 a.m.
- All participants receive a long-sleeve, 50/50 blend event shirt with their registration.
Rain, snow, or shine, Diversity Day and the Race Against Racism will proceed! Proceeds from the event benefit YWCA
Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, supporting essential programs at the Phyllis Wheatley Center that empower students
to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025
Where: YWCA Phyllis Wheatley Center, 124 S. Cruze Street, Knoxville, TN
For more information and to register, visit www.ywcaknox.com or contact Director of Communications and Events,
Lorena Meza Hubbard at 865.523.6126 or [email protected]
Together, let’s stand strong against racism, celebrate diversity, and build a more inclusive society.
About YWCA Knoxville
Since 1899, YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley has been a leading force in community change. With a mission to
eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, YWCA offers transitional
housing and supportive services to women who would otherwise be homeless; advocacy, outreach, support groups,
counseling and prevention services for victims of domestic violence; youth and family development services; and afterschool programming.
Today, YWCA serves more than 11,300 women, children and families through a variety of high-quality programs at three
sites in downtown Knoxville, East Knoxville and Oak Ridge; and provides services across a six-county service area (Knox,
Anderson, Roane, Loudon, Blount and Sevier). Annual events that help to grow, expand and sustain the YWCA’s mission
include the Tribute to Women in September, Diversity Day/Race Against Racism in January, Stand Against Racism in
April, and Keys of Hope Luncheon in May.
FEMA Trailers Moving into East Tennessee Counties Affected by Hurricane Helene
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is moving trailers into areas of East Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene.
The storm moved through the area in September of last year, prompting thousands in the eastern third of the state to begin a recovery process that has seen plenty of ups and downs.
FEMA says those in several Tennessee counties including Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington can expect trailers to begin arriving this week.
Those trailers are manufactured housing units that come ready for survivors to occupy. The agency addressed the months-long process in getting the units ready, saying it involves ordering, installing and permitting each trailer.
In the months since the disaster, several organizations have donated campers and temporary housing options to individuals.
Blount County Animal Shelter Needs Help After Taking In Multiple Rescue Animals Left in Freezing Conditions
The Blount County Animal Shelter is having problems with space after six people were charged after nearly three dozen animals were rescued from harmful freezing conditions last week.
12 dogs and 13 cats rescued after responders say several dogs were tied up or in cages outside while it was 25 degrees. The six were charged with several counts of animal cruelty and in addition to dogs and cats, the shelter also took in ferrets, rats and ducks. The state also seized two horses from the property.
Ronald Crow, Director of the Shelter, says “We’re going to have these animals, these 35, for a long time,” said Ronald Crow, the shelter’s director. “We can’t adopt these animals out. They’re part of a criminal case, so we’re in charge of their care and custody.”
Crow said the shelter has capacity for 50 kennels in the back for large dogs. He said the rescue put them significantly over that number, adding that several animals are double or triple housed just to accommodate them. The dogs and cats also had to be housed in their own area as a precaution in case they have an illness.
To help combat the space issue, Crow said the shelter has reached out to its transport partners, rescues and foster teams to help make room. He also said adoption rates have been reduced.
“We’ve moved [adoption rates] down to $50 for all dogs and $20 for cats just in an effort to move some of these animals out and give us room for this influx,” Crow said.
Crow says the easiest way to help the shelter is to foster or adopt an animal.
