Knox County is About to Enter a Hiring Freeze

Knox County is About to Enter a Hiring Freeze

June 13, 2025

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knox County government is soon to enter a hiring freeze.

That news coming Thursday from CFO and Co-Chief of Staff Chris Caldwell who says the move is aimed at saving money and keeping the county from dipping into its “rainy day fund.”

“We discussed this during our budget process and decided it would be a way to reduce the amount of fund balance – or rainy-day fund – used,” Caldwell said. “It’s basically a cost-saving measure to reduce the amount of reserves needed this year.”

The county currently has 26 open positions:

  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office patrol officer
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office assistant kitchen manager
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office medical assistant
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office nurse
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office correctional officer
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office support services technician
  • Juvenile Service Center correctional officer
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office commissary assistant
  • Parent Educator
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office property officer
  • Knox County Health Department medical assistant
  • Knox County Health Department dentist
  • Knox County engineering laborer
  • Public Building Authority project manager
  • Probation case manager
  • Groundskeeper
  • Knox County Sheriff’s Office secretary
  • Knox County Health Department medical assistant
  • Accounting system technician
  • Permits technician
  • Convenience center operator
  • Health services clerk
  • Engineering and Public Works officer manager
  • Public health fitness coordinator
  • Knox County Health Department care coordinator
  • Public Building Authority telecommunications technician

According to Caldwell, the freeze is set to begin on July 1 and will stay in place until at least December; it is not expected to impact any county services.

Caldwell adds that the county is hoping to save between $500,000 and $750,000 over the six month freeze.

Knox County is soon to enter a hiring freeze. (Courtesy: WVLT)

Man Dies after Motorcycle Crash in West Knoxville

June 13, 2025

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) A motorcycle driver dies following a head-on collision Thursday in West Knoxville.

Officials with the Knoxville Police Department say the crash happened on N. Gallaher View Road between Broome Road and Walker Springs Road.
They report a truck was turning left out of an apartment complex when a motorcycle hit the truck and then struck another vehicle head on.

KPD says the motorcycle driver was transported to UT Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.

No other injuries were reported.

The crash remains under investigation.

The crash happened on N. Gallaher View Road between Broome Road and Walker Springs Road, according to KPD officials. (Courtesy: KPD)
Stolen Knoxville Food Truck Found in Nashville, Police Say

Stolen Knoxville Food Truck Found in Nashville, Police Say

June 12, 2025

Knoxville, TN (WOKI) The Knoxville Police Department has tracked down Dulcie’s Cafe’s trailer, a food truck that was reported stolen out of Knoxville earlier this week.

The business took to social media to ask for help after security cameras caught a person in a Home Depot truck rental pull up to the trailer at 701 N. Cherry Street in the early morning hours on Sunday and drive away with it.

Knoxville Police Department officials reporting Thursday that the trailer has been found and recovered in Nashville.

No word on a suspect or suspects. KPD says the investigation remains ongoing.

The business took to social media to ask for help after security cameras caught a person Home Depot truck rental pull up to the trailer at 701 N. Cherry Street and drive away with it. (Courtesy: Dulcie’s Cafe)
Vols to Visit Syracuse for 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge
Courtesy / UT Athletics

Vols to Visit Syracuse for 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge

June 12, 2025

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the second consecutive year, the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team will face Syracuse in the ACC/SEC Challenge, as announced Thursday afternoon by ESPN.

The Volunteers will travel to Syracuse, N.Y., to face the Orange at JMA Wireless Dome, with action set for Dec. 2. The game time and ESPN network designation will be announced in the future.

Tennessee owns a 5-3 all-time ledger versus Syracuse and has won each of the last four contests. This is the third year in a row the two teams will square off in non-conference action, with each outing at a different location.

Most recently, the Volunteers collected a 96-70 home win on Dec. 3, 2024, in last year’s Challenge behind a game-best 26 points from fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier. The prior season, Tennessee posted a 73-56 victory on Nov. 20, 2023, in the Allstate Maui Invitational opener in Honolulu, with fifth-year guard Dalton Knecht scoring 17 points to lead all scorers.

The first two triumphs in Tennessee’s four-game series winning streak came over two decades ago. The Volunteers notched a 66-62 home victory on Jan. 19, 2002, and eared an 83-70 road decision on Dec. 22, 2000, in the lone top-25 matchup—both were in the top 12—in series history.

Tennessee sports a 1-1 record on the road against Syracuse. It dropped a 98-65 result on Nov. 28, 1993, in its first visit there.

The Volunteers are 1-1 in the SEC/ACC Challenge, which started during the 2023-24 season. They fell at North Carolina, 100-92, on Nov. 29, 2023, in a top-20 showdown.

Tennessee is 126-101 all-time against the current ACC membership. It owns an 8-1 such record over the last four years (2021-25), including registering a perfect 4-0 figure in 2024-25. Head coach Rick Barnes is 85-77 versus the current ACC schools, including 6-10 against Syracuse.
The SEC went 14-2 in the 2024 Challenge after splitting the inaugural 2023 edition. Overall, the SEC is 21-9 in the event.

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.

2025 ACC/SEC CHALLENGE MATCHUPS
Florida at Duke (Dec. 2)
Georgia at Florida State (Dec. 2)
North Carolina at Kentucky (Dec. 2)
Miami at Ole Miss (Dec. 2)
Missouri at Notre Dame (Dec. 2)
Oklahoma at Wake Forest (Dec. 2)
Virginia Tech at South Carolina (Dec. 2)
Tennessee at Syracuse (Dec. 2)
Texas A&M at Pittsburgh (Dec. 2)
Clemson at Alabama (Dec. 3)
Louisville at Arkansas (Dec. 3)
NC State at Auburn (Dec. 3)
Mississippi State at Georgia Tech (Dec. 3)
LSU at Boston College (Dec. 3)
Virginia at Texas (Dec. 3)
SMU at Vanderbilt (Dec. 3)

Lady Vols To Play At Stanford In ACC/SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge
Courtesy / UT Athletics

Lady Vols To Play At Stanford In ACC/SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge

June 12, 2025

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The ACC/SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge returns for the 2025-26 college basketball season, and so does a classic clash between historic rivals Tennessee and Stanford.
 
The Lady Vols, ranked No. 7 in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25, will travel to face the Cardinal on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Maples Pavilion. The match-up will be one of 16 games scheduled over the course of two days featuring two of the premier conferences in women’s college basketball.
 
The contest follows previously-announced Big Orange women’s tilts for the upcoming season vs. NC State (Nov. 4 in Greensboro, N.C.) and vs. Louisville (Dec. 20 in Brooklyn, N.Y.).
 
This will mark the first occasion eight-time NCAA champion UT will meet the three-time NCAA champs since an unranked Big Orange squad fell to a No. 2 Cardinal team, 77-70, on Dec. 18, 2022. The Lady Vols, though, own a 25-14 all-time record in a series that began in 1988 and was discontinued after that 2022 meeting.
 
The 2025 ACC/SEC Women’s Basketball Challenge is slated to take place over Dec. 3-4. Games will be televised across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ACC Network and SEC Network, with specific designations to be announced later.
 
The Challenge finished the inaugural year in 2023 with a 7-7 tie between the leagues. The SEC, however, went 10-6 in the Women’s Challenge last season to bring the two-year total to 17-13. Tennessee earned one of the SEC’s triumphs in 2024, defeating a talented Florida State squad, 79-77, on Dec. 4 at Food City Center in Knoxville.
 
The Lady Vols, who are under the leadership of head coach Kim Caldwell for the second season, are coming off a 24-10 campaign that saw an exciting, fast-paced team advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 in her first campaign. That squad knocked off UConn during regular season and ended Ohio State’s perfect home court season winning streak during the NCAA Second Round, heightening anticipation on Rocky Top heading into 2025-26.
 
UT returns three of its top four scorers and rebounders, including junior guard and All-SEC Second Team/SEC All-Defensive Team performer Talaysia Cooper (16.6 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 3.2 apg., 3.1 spg.), senior forward Zee Spearman (11.7 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) and senior guard Ruby Whitehorn (11.6 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 1.7 apg.). Additionally, it welcomes back key 2024-25 contributors in junior forward Alyssa Latham (3.9 ppg., 3.7 rpg.) and redshirt sophomore guard Kaniya Boyd (4.0 ppg., 1.3 apg., 1.3 spg.).
 
Also expected to return to the court is redshirt senior guard Kaiya Wynn, who missed all of last season due to injury but averaged 4.4 ppg. and 2.6 rpg. in 2023-24 and has appeared in 94 contests for the Big Orange during her career. She is the only player on the roster to appear in a Tennessee-Stanford game, doing so in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
 
Caldwell and her staff also have recruited extremely well, adding a transfer portal class rated No. 1 by ESPN’s Charlie Creme and a high school signing group rated No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation by most analysts. The transfer class includes 6-foot-4 forward and Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Janiah Barker of UCLA (7.4 ppg., 6.0 rpg., 1.4 apg.), 5-7 guard and All-ACC Second Team selection Nya Robertson of SMU (18.5 ppg., 62 3FGs, 111 FTs) and 6-5 forward Jersey Wolfenberger of LSU (4.6 ppg., 3.4 rpg., 63% FG). The stellar prep class includes McDonald’s All-Americans Mia Pauldo, Deniya Prawl and Jaida Civil, as well as Mia’s twin sister, Mya, and Lauren Hurst, all of whom rank among ESPN’s top 60 recruits in the class of 2025.
 
Stanford, which is unranked in the aforementioned ESPN poll, finished 16-15 a year ago during Kate Paye’s first season as head coach. The Cardinal, though, hopes to bounce back quickly by landing a consensus No. 3-rated 2025 recruiting haul, featuring a trio of players ranked among the nation’s top 21 and joining Tennessee as the only schools in the class to accomplish that feat.

Deadline to Apply for New School Voucher Program in Tennessee is This Week
Robin Joffe

Deadline to Apply for New School Voucher Program in Tennessee is This Week

June 12, 2025

Story courtesy of WVLT: KNOXVILLE, TN (WVLT) – Private schools have prepared for Gov. Bill Lee’s new school voucher program with nearly 40,000 families looking to cash in on the scholarships.

This coming school year, only 20,000 students will be granted scholarships from the program. State numbers show 244 private schools have opted-in to allow families to use the scholarships at their private school.

This includes all 10 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Knoville.

“It’s been very rewarding for the schools as well as the families of course,” interim superintendent for the Diocese of Knoxville, George Valadie, said. “There was a lot of leadup to it; a lot of education to our families, a lot of education of families in our parishes.”

The schools in this part of East Tennessee include Knoxville Catholic and Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Valadie added some families are not having to switch schools to get this scholarship.

“Some of the families who have applied and received vouchers were already enrolled,” Valadie said.

Some schools are having to put students on a waitlist with so many families trying to attend certain schools. Valadie said some schools are already full.

“We had some families reach out to a school and a specific grad that they were trying to get into, we were just full. But, another family reached out, a similar family, and the grade they wanted to get into was open,” Valadie said.

Valadie said how the process works of accepting students through the voucher program is that a family will reach out to the state and notify them of the school they’re looking to send their child to. Then, it falls on school leaders to accept them.

Valadie added some students have notified school leaders of their plans to attend, but others they hear about for the first time, so they will ask the family questions about the student before giving their decision.

Regardless of any factors, Valadie believes families should have this choice.

“They might not consider us. They may consider a different private school, but at least they can find the one that works best for their student, so I think that’s what matters,” Valadie said.

The deadline to apply for the program is June 13, and the enrollment deadline is July 15.

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn Introduces Bill to End Taxpayer Funding for NPR and PBS

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn Introduces Bill to End Taxpayer Funding for NPR and PBS

June 12, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the Free Americans from Ideological Reporting (FAIR) Act to stop federal taxpayer dollars from being sent to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) after years of left-wing politically biased reporting under the guise of public broadcasting. Senator Blackburn has long pushed to ensure taxpayers are not footing the bill for biased media, and this bill would codify the executive order President Trump issued on May 1, 2025.

“For far too long, American taxpayers have been forced to foot the bill for NPR and PBS while they push left-wing propaganda,” said Senator Blackburn. “The FAIR Act would cut off taxpayer funding to these partisan outlets, ensuring the American people aren’t forced to subsidize media that disparages conservatives and does the left’s bidding.”

BACKGROUND
  • NPR and PBS have benefited from taxpayer dollars for years while showing a consistent pattern of editorial bias, left-leaning political slant, and a lack of public accountability. NPR and PBS have violated the spirit of public broadcasting by forcing American taxpayers to fund content that misrepresents and excludes conservative viewpoints.
  • Last year, Senator Blackburn called for NPR to lose its funding after it suspended an editor who exposed the outlet’s partisan bias.
  • NPR’s CEO, Katherine Maher, testified before Congress where she admitted to botching coverage of Hunter Biden’s laptop and was grilled about the bias in the organization. Maher has also made statements calling President Trump a “fascist” and a “deranged racist sociopath.” PBS has pushed radical leftist gender ideology, releasing a movie called “Real Boy,” about a transgender teen.
  • President Trump issued an executive order on May 1, 2025, preventing federal dollars from funding NPR and PBS directly through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) or indirectly through member station dues.
THE FAIR ACT

The FAIR Act would:

  • Permanently bar CPB from directly funding NPR and PBS;
  • Permanently bar CPB from indirectly funding NPR and PBS by ensuring that licensees and permittees of public radio and television stations, as well as any other recipients of CPB funds, do not use federal funds for NPR and PBS; and
  • Require the heads of all agencies to identify and terminate direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS. 

Click here https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/services/files/599EC3E1-18D7-4316-8F6A-A748C3B36111? for bill text.

Knox County Sheriff’s Office says Deputies Attempted to Pull Over a Vehicle Which Led to a Multi-County Chase and Three Arrests
TDOT Smartway camera

Knox County Sheriff’s Office says Deputies Attempted to Pull Over a Vehicle Which Led to a Multi-County Chase and Three Arrests

June 12, 2025

A multi-county police chase ends with three people arrested.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office says deputies tried to pull over a car on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard last night (Wednesday), but it didn’t stop and sped onto I-40 East leading deputies on a chase from Knox County, through Sevier County and into Jefferson County.

On I-40 East in Sevier County, Troopers with the Tennessee Highway Patrol deployed spike strips and the car stopped near Exit 407.

After a brief foot chase, three people were taken into custody.

During the chase, the sheriff’s office says the suspects threw two guns out of the car. and deputies found drugs in the car after the chase.

I-40 West was closed for an extended period of time, but has reopened.

KCSO says it was connected to the 313 Initiative.

Football TV Windows, Two Additional Game Times Announced
Courtesy / UT Athletics

Football TV Windows, Two Additional Game Times Announced

June 12, 2025

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Television windows for the 2025 Southeastern Conference football schedule, as well as additional game times were announced by ESPN Wednesday afternoon.

Two non-conference home games for Tennessee will air on SEC Network. The Volunteers host UAB on Sept. 20 at 12:45 p.m. ET and will take on New Mexico State for Homecoming on Nov. 15 at 4:15 p.m.

Five of Tennessee’s SEC games have been flexed – at Mississippi State (Sept. 27), Arkansas (Oct. 11), at Alabama (Oct. 18), Oklahoma (Nov. 1) and at Florida (Nov. 22). Flex kickoff times are slated between 3:30-4:30 p.m. or 6-8 p.m.

The Vols’ road game at Kentucky on Oct. 25 will be in the night window – between 6-8 p.m. Nov. 29 Senior Day in Neyland Stadium versus Vanderbilt is set for the afternoon window – between 3:30-4:30 p.m.

For all listed windows (early, afternoon, night, flex), the exact start time within such window(s) will be confirmed no later than six days prior. Fans and viewers looking for more information on this new era for the SEC and ESPN can visit SECNetwork.com/sec-on-abc-and-espn.

Tennessee’s first three games times were previously announced. The Vols open the season on Aug. 30 in the Aflac Kickoff Game at noon ET on ABC. Tennessee then plays back-to-back 3:30 p.m. games in Neyland Stadium – ETSU (Sept. 6) and Georgia (Sept. 13).

Tickets to the season-opener in Atlanta are on sale now at AllVols.com. Season tickets are sold out for the third consecutive year. Fans interested in purchasing future new season tickets can fill out the 2026 season ticket interest form.

2025 Tennessee Football Schedule  
all times Eastern
Aug. 30, vs. Syracuse (Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta), noon, ABC
Sept. 6, ETSU, 3:30 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+
Sept. 13, Georgia, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Sept. 20, UAB, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Sept. 27, at Mississippi State, Flex
Oct. 11, Arkansas, Flex
Oct. 18, at Alabama, Flex
Oct. 25, at Kentucky, Night
Nov. 1, Oklahoma, Flex
Nov. 15, New Mexico State, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Nov. 22, at Florida, Flex
Nov. 29, Vanderbilt, Afternoon

TV Windows
Early – noon-1 p.m. ET
Afternoon – 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET
Night – 6-8 p.m. ET
Flex – 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET or 6-8 p.m. ET 

UT Trio Garners NCBWA All-America Honors
Courtesy / UT Athletics

UT Trio Garners NCBWA All-America Honors

June 12, 2025

DALLAS – Postseason honors continue to roll in for the Tennessee baseball team as three Vols garnered All-America honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association on Wednesday afternoon.

A day after earning All-America status from Perfect Game, the trio of Liam Doyle, Andrew Fischer and Gavin Kilen was recognized by the NCBWA following outstanding junior seasons.

Doyle – who has already been named the Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Year, the NCBWA District 3 Pitcher of the Year, the SEC Pitcher of the Year and is a finalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy – has put together one of the most dominant seasons on the mound in program history.

The hard-throwing lefthander was named the NCAA Knoxville Regional Most Outstanding Player after going 1-0 and recording a save in his two appearances against Miami (OH) and Wake Forest to help lead UT to its fifth consecutive super regional appearance.

Doyle pitched nine innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits while striking out 16 batters during the Knoxville regional. The Derry, New Hampshire, native, finished his junior campaign with a 10-4 record and 3.20 ERA in 19 appearances (17 starts) and currently leads the nation with a Tennessee program record 164 strikeouts.

Joining Doyle on the NCBWA All-America first team was first baseman Andrew Fischer. The junior slugger put together one of the most complete offensive seasons in program history, leading the Vols in OPS (1.257), runs (70), home runs (25), RBIs (65), total bases (165), slugging percentage (.760), on-base percentage (.497) and walks (63). Fischer’s 63 walks tied Chase Headley’s program record from 2005 while his 25 long balls led the SEC and are the second most in a single season in UT history.

The Manasquan, New Jersey, native, was the only player in the country to reach base in every game this season, getting on in all 65 contests for the Big Orange. Fischer’s marks in homers (third), walks (fourth), slugging percentage (12th) and total bases (16th) all rank in the top 20 nationally.

Rounding out the group was Kilen, who was tabbed a third-team All-American by the NCBWA. The versatile infielder had a career year for the Vols, leading the team with a .357 batting average and four triples while splitting time between second base and shortstop.

Kilen also ranked second on the team in OPS (1.112), homers (15), total bases (141) and slugging percentage (.671) despite missing 12 games in the middle of the season with a hamstring injury.

The full NCBWA All-America Teams can be found on their website by clicking HERE while Tennessee’s complete list of postseason honors can be seen below.
 

Tennessee Baseball 2025 Postseason Honors

Levi Clark – Fr. – DH
Perfect Game Freshman All-American – 1st Team

Dean Curley – So. – INF
Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team (2B)

Liam Doyle – Jr. – LHP
Perfect Game Pitcher of the Year
NCBWA District 3 Pitcher of the Year
Golden Spikes Award Finalist
Dick Howser Trophy Finalist
NCBWA All-American – 1st Team (SP)
Perfect Game All-American – 1st Team (SP)
ABCA Southeast All-Region – 1st Team (SP)
SEC Pitcher of the Year
All-SEC – 1st Team (SP)
Knoxville Regional Most Outstanding Player
Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team (SP)

Hunter Ensley – R-Sr. – OF
ABCA Southeast All-Region – 1st Team (OF)
All-SEC – 2nd Team (OF)
SEC All-Defensive Team (OF)
SEC All-Tournament Team (OF)

Andrew Fischer – Jr. – 1B
NCBWA All-American – 1st Team (1B)
Perfect Game All-American – 1st Team (1B)
ABCA Southeast All-Region – 1st Team (1B)
All-SEC – 1st Team (1B)
Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team (1B)

Gavin Kilen – Jr. – 2B/SS
Perfect Game All-American – 1st Team (2B)
NCBWA All-American – 3rd Team (2B)
ABCA Southeast All-Region – 2nd Team (SS)
All-SEC – 1st Team (2B)

Manny Marin – Fr. – 3B
Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team (3B)

Cannon Peebles – Jr. – C
SEC All-Tournament Team (C)  

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