Safety is top of mind for most parents when sending their children off to school, including college.
Research dot com has released its top 50 safest college towns in America and one Tennessee city is on the list.
Maryville is nestled at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. It has a population of more than 30,000 but is known for its small-town atmosphere.
Knoxville Police is asking for help to identify the woman suspected of stabbing a man near a church on Kingston Pike.
The stabbing happened yesterday (Thursday) near the Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. Police say the woman demanded the keys to the man’s truck then stabbed him and ran from the scene.
The victim was treated at the UT Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries. Anyone with information is asked to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165 or online. Tipsters can remain anonymous and be eligible to receive a cash reward.
COLUMBIA, Tenn. – Sophia Nugent homered twice and drove in a career-high six RBIs to lead No. 7 Tennessee to an 8-0 run-rule victory over Eastern Kentucky Tuesday night at Ridley Sports Complex in Columbia, Tennessee.
The win improves Tennessee to 26-4 on the season as they took on EKU in the annual Midstate Classic. More than 3,500 fans filled the stands, with many cheering on local stars Saviya Morgan, Laura Mealer, Ryan Brown, and Aubrey Barnhart, all of whom hail from the Midstate.
The Lady Vols extended their win streak to six games and recorded their 17th run-rule victory of the season.
Nugent provided the offensive punch as she went 2-for-2, scoring twice, and hitting two home runs. She put Tennessee on the board with a two-run shot in the second inning, then blew the game wide open with a grand slam in the third.
Brown, a native of nearby Thompson’s Station, sealed the run-rule victory with an RBI single in the fourth.
IN THE CIRCLE Karlyn Pickens (10-3) was dominant in the circle, tossing four innings of one-hit ball with three walks and seven strikeouts. Her performance lowered her ERA to 0.73 on the season. After Tuesday’s outing, Pickens has gone 71 innings without allowing back-to-back hits.
Freshman Erin Nuwer closed out the game with a scoreless fifth inning, recording two strikeouts.
NOTABLE PERFORMERS Senior McKenna Gibson extended her reached-base streak to 28 games, dating to the end of the 2024 season.
DUE UP Tennessee will return home to Knoxville for a three-game series against Arkansas, March 22-24. The series will run Saturday through Monday, with all games airing on SEC Network.
University of Tennessee Police say a student is charged after vandalizing dozens of cars.
UTPD says 29-year-old Skye Scialabba vandalized more than 40 vehicles on campus and several others off-campus according to the Knoxville Police Department. Authorities say the tires were slashed.
The student was taken into custody yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon on campus for felony vandalism in connection with slashing vehicle’s tires around campus.
JOHNSON COUNTY – An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Medicaid Fraud Control Division and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office has resulted in the arrest of the owner of an assisted living facility.
In June 2024, after receiving a referral from Adult Protective Services, TBI special agents began investigating allegations involving Wendy Henley, the owner of Sunset Gardens Assisted Living Facility in Mountain City. During the course of the investigation, agents learned that Henley used a patient’s insurance benefits card to purchase items for the facility. In July, when TBI agents and Adult Protective Services visited the facility to speak with Henley, they discovered that seventeen residents, including two hospice patients, had been left in the care of two juveniles who were notauthorized to provide direct patient care. Agents requested an immediate response from the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission and evacuated the facility, transferring the residents to other local facilities to assure their safety and continued care.
Today, the Johnson County Grand Jury returned indictments, charging Wendy Henley (DOB: 7/28/77) with two counts of Identity Theft, two counts of Financial Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult, Possession of Schedule II Drugs, two counts of Possession of Schedule IV Drugs, Possession of Schedule V Drugs, two counts of Child Endangerment, and Reckless Endangerment. Today, she was arrested and booked into the Johnson County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
NOTE: The TBI’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $10,782,912 for federal Fiscal Year 2024-2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $3,594,302 for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, is funded by the State of Tennessee.
The Tennessee Valley Authority says Norris Dam helped prevent millions in damage during recent flooding.
According to TVA, more than $89 million in flood damages were averted on the Clinch River downstream of the dam in Clinton.
TVA says the dam was able to manage several heavy rain events, including storing over 20 feet of water in Norris Lake to reduce downstream flood impacts.
TVA says if it wasn’t for Norris Dam, the Clinch River would have reached almost 18 feet above normal.
The heavy rain paired with strong winds resulted in nearly 25,000 households losing power on February 16th.
The flooding turned tragic in Eastern Kentucky, with 24 people dying from the floods.
Boyd Sports has partnered with the City of Knoxville and Knox County to develop a comprehensive parking plan for Knoxville Smokies games and other event days at Covenant Health Park, downtown Knoxville’s new publicly owned sports and entertainment stadium.
The collaborative parking plan features more than 1,500 dedicated parking spaces to serve Covenant Health Park, including 1,100 for the general public and 400 for staff, vendors and season ticketholders. There will be a free shuttle from designated parking garages provided by Knoxville Area Transit (KAT), offering visitors a five-minute ride to and from Covenant Health Park.
“Our teams have been working diligently to leverage the wonderful assets of downtown Knoxville and provide fans and visitors with convenient and affordable parking options,” Boyd Sports CEO Doug Kirchhofer said. “Thanks to the partnership of the City of Knoxville, KAT and others, we’re working to simplify the downtown gameday experience, offering free shuttles to and from Covenant Health Park from 1,100 spaces dedicated for event parking and from nearby garages. Reserved parking in the dedicated spaces will be offered for $5 in advance on the Smokies website.”
Located at 500 East Jackson Avenue, Covenant Health Park is situated just east of the Old City, connecting downtown and East Knoxville. It serves as the new home of Knoxville Smokies baseball and One Knoxville SC soccer teams and will serve as a venue for a variety of concerts and entertainment, private gatherings and other community events.
Urban planning models recommend one parking space for every 2.5 attendees at an event. With a capacity of roughly 7,000, a sellout event at Covenant Health Park would necessitate 2,800 parking spaces. Between the 1,500 dedicated parking spaces for Covenant Health Park and the nearly 7,400 additional available parking options surrounding the facility, there are nearly 9,000 area spaces identified.
“Knoxville is no stranger to welcoming big crowds downtown,” City of Knoxville Chief Operating Officer Grant Rosenberg said. “Just as we host thousands for UT football, Big Ears Music Festival, the Bassmasters Tournament and more, we will be able to accommodate those coming to Covenant Health Park – while preserving space for downtown workers and other visitors.
“In addition to infrastructure improvements, the City has been happy to work with all stadium partners to identify designated parking spaces and free shuttle services to streamline getting around downtown on game days.”
Visitors to Covenant Health Park are encouraged to take advantage of the following parking options:
§ Summer Place Garage will have 450 reserved, dedicated parking spaces available for a flat, prepaid $5 fee.
§ Free shuttle service running every 10 minutes
§ 0.7-mile walk
§ Langley Garage will have 650 reserved, dedicated parking spaces available for a flat, prepaid $5 fee.
§ Free shuttle service running every 10 minutes
§ 0.7-mile walk
§ In addition, there are nearly 7,400 affordable or free parking spaces, within about eight-tenths of a mile or closer to the stadium, at publicly owned garages, surface lots and on-street facilities. Parking at standard rates is available within a 10- to 20-minute walk from:
§ Market Square Garage (free shuttle service running every 10 minutes)
§ Locust Street Garage (free shuttle service running every 10 minutes)
§ State Street Garage
§ Jackson Avenue Lot
§ Dwight Kessel Parking Garage
§ On-street parking spots
§ And via free parking at the West Magnolia Avenue Parking Lots
§ Old City South Lot B, which is located directly across the street from Covenant Health Park, will have 70 reserved ADA-accessible spaces. These are free of charge for vehicles with valid disability license plates, placards and/or decals.
§ Of note, all publicly owned parking garages and lots also have free ADA-accessible spaces, and all stadium shuttle buses are ADA-accessible.
§ Designated drop-off/pick-up points will be available for ADA guests along Willow Avenue, at the southwest corner of the stadium, and for rideshare customers along Florida Avenue at the east side of the stadium.
§ Bicycle and micro-mobility scooter parking will be available in Old City South Lot A.
Additional parking for Covenant Health Park employees and Knoxville Smokies permit-parking will be available in Old City South Lot A, the Old City North Lot and the Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum Parking Garage. Use of these spots will not be open to the general public but will help alleviate use of existing parking spots frequented by downtown workers, visitors and others.
Boyd Sports and the Knoxville Smokies will continue to roll out details for Covenant Health Park visitors via its website at http://www.smokiesbaseball.com and social media. This will include driving directions, parking information and more.
In addition, the City of Knoxville, Visit Knoxville and Downtown Knoxville Alliance also provide insight for downtown visitors, including parking and transportation information, on their respective websites and social media channels.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Dozens of NFL personnel will descend upon the Anderson Training Center on Tuesday as Tennessee football holds its annual Pro Day leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft.
Linebacker Keenan Pili continues to work his way back from his season-ending knee injury last fall and has been meeting with teams. All six of Tennessee’s NFL Combine participants — McCoy, Norman-Lott, Pearce, Sampson, Simmons, Thornton Jr. — will be on hand Tuesday.
Pro Day comes one day after the Vols conducted their second practice of the spring, a two-hour helmets and shorts workout on Monday. Defensive coordinator Tim Banks, a 2024 Broyles Award finalist, is seeking to reload a unit that allowed only 16.1 points per game last fall. Much of that success derived from a ferocious and deep defensive front that returns several contributors led by Joshua Josephs, Jaxson Moi, Bryson Eason, Dominic Bailey and Tyre West.
“I think it’s a work in progress but in a good way,” Banks said. “Those guys were really productive for us and some guys who have played some football. I think these young guys will be fine. (Daevin Hobbs) has played a lot of football over the last couple of years. We’re super excited about his growth and development. Jaxson Moi, (Bryson Eason), those guys have played some football. They’ve worked during winter conditioning on leadership, working on their leadership skills.”
Banks enters his fifth season with the program and signed a new contract earlier this year.
“Being here, Tennessee is obviously a special place,” he said. “It’s a special place for me and my wife. You know that my faith is everything to me, and so I feel extremely blessed to be here. I knew things would work out the way they needed to work out, so I am excited to work with this new group.”
Tennessee will put on shoulder pads for the first time this spring Wednesday before going full pads Friday prior to spring break.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | March 10, 2025 Defensive Coordinator Tim Banks
On his thoughts of this defensive group and how they can develop this spring… “That’s a great question. It’s always the same every year. The fundamentals, who we are as a defense, the things we take a lot of pride in, how we run to the ball, the physicality in which we want to practice with, and how smart we want to be from snap to whistle. We are just really working on our core identity right now. We have a lot of new faces out there, and you can’t take anything for granted. We are just starting from the bottom up. Everybody is starting from scratch. We are just building and laying the foundation.”
On how Boo Carter has handled playing both sides of the ball and how a full season of playing defense helped him… “I think it’s been fine. Boo understands he is a defensive back for us. The goal every year is to be the last man standing, so we are trying to do anything we can to give everybody an opportunity to continue to grow. His role on offense will be dictated by Coach (Josh Heupel), and at this point, he seems to be handling it really well.”
On how the secondary group has grown… “It’s a lot of young faces out there right now. For us, I think the thing that’s exciting is we feel like they look like what we want them to look like. We have a lot of length back there, and we have a lot of guys that can run. They are still learning to play at this level, but we are excited for them. We think every year, we are continuing to move the needle and deal with a type of secondary that can stand the test of time. Obviously between (Jermod McCoy), (Rickey Gibson III) and guys like that, we think that they will be great ambassadors and role models for these young guys.”
On the linebacker room… “I think the first thing for me is that (Jeremiah Telander) has been awesome, just being a leader. He played a lot of football for us last year, and you can see his confidence that has grown. He’s really working with the younger guys. It’s a little bit by-committee right now, but that’s a good thing. We think that snaps are very valuable that they’re getting right now, and it will only pay dividends for us in the future.”
On the process of self-scouting and reflecting on last season… “It’s a little bit of both. Obviously, you always try to figure out how you can play better in some of the games that you weren’t quite as successful in. And then with the things you did well, why did you do them well? We’re trying to learn and grow. That’s what the cut-ups are for. As we get used to our new personnel, we’re defining right now what it is they do well, some of their strengths and weaknesses and how we can make them better within the framework of our defense. All of that information is really based on what we saw coming out of last season and how we can get better.”
On how the defensive front is evolving after a plethora of departures this offseason… “I think it’s a work in progress but in a good way. Those guys were really productive for us and some guys who have played some football. I think these young guys will be fine. (Daevin Hobbs) has played a lot of football over the last couple of years. We’re super excited about his growth and development. Jaxson Moi, (Bryson Eason), those guys have played some football. They’ve worked during winter conditioning on leadership, working on their leadership skills. I think we’re going to see some dividends being paid as we get further and further into camp.”
On having an experienced cornerback in Rickey Gibson III… “It’s awesome. Rickey has done a really good job here over the last two years. Having him out there has been awesome for him, and obviously awesome for some of the younger guys. We have Andre Turrentine who’s back and has played some football for us. (Jakobe Thomas) was a newcomer last year that played a lot of football for us. We feel like we have some guys that have played who are able to blend in with some of these younger guys, so that hopefully when we’re done with spring ball, we’ve taken another step on that back end.”
On Kaleb Beasley’s role this spring… “I think it starts with just being a good athlete. I think it speaks to how we try to recruit. We want to recruit defensive backs — guys that have flexibility, that can bounce inside-to-outside or outside-to-inside. Beasley fits that mold. He is a smart kid, a team-first guy. We are eager, just finding him a spot that he can continue to grow. He’s working at it. I don’t know that we have solidified any spot exactly where he’ll play, but I can say that for a lot of guys on the back end. We are just kind of working through it to figure out the best combination and make sure we have all the guys in the right spots.”
On what makes Levorn Harbin and Alan Williams the best fit for the defensive staff… “I’ll start with Coach Chop (Levorn Harbin); he has been a valuable asset for us since he has gotten here. I know he gets a lot of accolades because of his recruiting, and rightfully so, but he does just as good a job with developing and working with the front. He has kind of been an unsung hero around here for a long time, so I’m super excited he’s finally getting his just due. As far as Alan goes, I’ve known Alan for a while, but I never had the luxury of working with him. We are always trying to move the needle. Like I said earlier, nobody is happy except one team at the end of the year. So anything that we can do to help us become better players, better coaches, that’s what we’re striving to do. Bringing Alan in has really been awesome. Wealth of experience that you alluded to. As he gets to know us, he is getting to know the system, but he’s already helped us in so many ways, just with some insight and seeing things from a different lens. It’s already helping and paying dividends for us.”
On recruiting freshman cornerback Tre Poteat… “With Tre Poteat, he fits the mold that we are looking for. He’s a coach’s kid, so we knew he would have a great foundation in terms of learning and understanding what it looks like to be a collegiate defensive back. He hasn’t disappointed. He’s a smart kid. He’s a hard worker. He looks different than a lot of freshmen; there are obviously boatloads of things that he will continue to grow with. At the end of the day, those are the type of guys we want to recruit. Guys who see it and have a chance to be special as they continue to get older.”
On continuing his career at Tennessee… “Being here, Tennessee is obviously a special place. A special place for me and my wife. You guys know me. You know that my faith is everything to me, and so I feel extremely blessed to be here. Uncertainty? I don’t know. I knew things would work out the way they needed to work out, so I am excited to work with this new group. I am excited to work with our staff and some of the additions we have had. It’s been a blessing for me, and I am super excited to be here.”
On how accurate spring practice indicators are for a player’s potential… “I don’t know that you ever know until the kid is truly in the heat of the battle. It’s our job to try and simulate that as best we can. You have stages. You do the fourth quarter, the old school mat drills to try to put them in some mental anguish if you can. But at the end of the day, you have to go out and play football. We are in the first stages of that, no pads are on. There is not a lot of noise, crowd noise. The environment is pretty sterile. They still have to pass that test, then obviously you get to the scrimmages. How do they react during the scrimmages when things are going well versus when things go bad? And then, you finally get the chance to play in a place like Neyland. Now how do they respond? I just think it is a staircase for every guy. Some guys go from the first step to the last step quicker than others. I think history will tell you that if you stay to course, those guys that are able to handle the first stage to the second stage, there is a good chance that they will be able to handle the third.”
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Two members of the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team, Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler, made the cut for the John R. Wooden Award Top 15 National Ballot.
The Volunteers are the only team with two selections, as named by the Los Angeles Athletic Club. They are joined by three other SEC competitors—Auburn’s Johni Broome, Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr., and Alabama’s Mark Sears—to give the league a third of the names on the ballot.
Selected by a panel of national college basketball experts, the list comprises 15 student-athletes who are candidates for the Wooden Award All-American Team and the Wooden Award Player of the Year.
Previously, Lanier was included on both the Midseason Top 25 Watch List and the Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List. Zeigler, meanwhile, was on the initial list, did not make the trim to 20 and then got added back in for the top 15 list. He is one of three players—the other are Houston’s L.J. Cryer and Wisconsin’s John Tonje—on the national ballot who were not featured in the top 20.
Lanier sits top-10 in Division I in both made 3-pointers and made 3-pointers per game (3.39), both of which rank top-four on Tennessee’s single-season leaderboard. He is third in the SEC in 3-point percentage and made field goals (197), plus fifth in points per game. The Nashville, Tenn., native has recorded double-digit points in 29 of 31 contests, eclipsing 20 in 12 of them.
A native of Long Island, N.Y., Zeigler ranks fifth nationally in assists per game, while his 224 total assists are three shy of the Tennessee single-season record and seven away of a top-10 spot on the SEC’s single-season list.
The John R. Wooden Award is presented annually to the most outstanding player in collegiate basketball. Established in 1976 by John Wooden and the Wooden Award National Steering Committee, the award evaluates candidates not only on their skills in passing, shooting, dribbling, defending and rebounding, but also on their overall contributions to their teams. All players on the ballot have been certified by their respective universities as meeting or exceeding the qualifications set forth by Coach Wooden when the award was established. These qualifications include:
– Candidates must be full-time students at an accredited NCAA college or university. – Candidates must be making progress toward graduation and maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 since enrolling. – Candidates must contribute significantly to their team’s success. – Candidates must excel in both offensive and defensive aspects of the game. – Candidates must be evaluated based on their performance over the entire season. – Candidates must demonstrate strength of character, both on and off the court.
Voting will take place from March 10 to March 24, with voters considering a player’s entire season, including the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Wooden Award All-American Team will then be announced during the week of the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, while finalists for trophy Wooden Award will be revealed April 1 on ESPN.
Lanier, Zeigler and No. 8/6 Tennessee (25-6, 12-6 SEC) are back in action Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals against a to-be-determined team, live on ESPN from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
WOODEN AWARD TOP 15 NATIONAL BALLOT Johni Broome, Auburn Walter Clayton Jr., Florida L.J. Cryer, Houston Hunter Dickinson, Kansas Eric Dixon, Villanova Cooper Flagg, Duke P.J. Haggerty, Memphis Dylan Harper, Rutgers Kam Jones, Marquette Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton Chaz Lanier, Tennessee Mark Sears, Alabama Braden Smith, Purdue John Tonje, Wisconsin Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
The Tennessee House passes a bill that would place limits on buying junk food using SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
It’s not the first time the U.S. program that helps low-income families pay for food has faced threats limiting what qualifies for purchases. Other attempts to cut candy and snacks from SNAP have failed in the past.
The Tennessee Healthy SNAP Act would require the Tennessee Department of Human Services to request a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture allowing the state to end benefits for candy and soft drinks.
Some opponents say limiting what people can buy with SNAP is an attack on the autonomy of low-income Americans.
A USDA report put ranked “sweetened beverages” and “prepared desserts” as the second- and fifth-most purchased types of items by SNAP recipients, who receive, on average, $187 per month — or about $6 per day — from the program. That being said, those same foods ranked at number five and number six for non-SNAP households.
TN.gov relative information about the bill: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, relative to the food stamp program. Department of Human Resources – As introduced SB1154 and HB1236, enacts the “Tennessee Health SNAP Act,” which requires the department to submit a request for a waiver from the United States department of agriculture’s food and nutrition service to seek authorization to prohibit the use of SNAP benefits for the purchase of candy and soft drinks. – Amends TCA Title 71.
HB1236 passed Monday – Ayes 69, Nays 23
The definitions of “candy” and “soft drinks” would follow federal government guidelines. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with the stated purpose of ensuring SNAP benefits are used to improve food security and nutrition.
