New campus construction, degree approved for UT Knoxville
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees has approved millions of dollars in new improvements to the system’s flagship campus in Knoxville as well as a first-of-its-kind degree program in Tennessee. The campus population surpassed 40,000 people in fall 2025 and university enjoyed a...
Union representing Knoxville McKay’s employees claims closure is retaliation
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The union that represents McKay’s employees claims the Knoxville store is closure as retaliation against its employees. Communications Workers of America Local 3805 filed NLRB Form 501 with the National Labor Relations Board, which is used of accuse a private-sector employer of violating...
Knox County Sheriff’s Office Seeks Help Finding Missing 28-Year-Old Man
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -The Knox County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit is asking for the public’s help locating a missing man last seen Friday afternoon. Benjamin Hixon Rodney, 28, was last seen around noon on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. He is described as a white male, 5′9″, 140 pounds, with blue eyes and brown...
Why Knoxville’s Market Square Burger King Still Rules With 300+ Bourbons
Most burger bars pick one focus. Stock & Barrel does it all crafting brisket-blend burgers with wild toppings while pouring from one of Knoxville’s most impressive 300+ bourbon collections. This Market Square staple serves “Knoxville’s favorite burgers” alongside cocktails that turn casual dinners into bourbon...
TN Attorney General declines to defend state’s ban on religious charter schools in court
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has declined to intervene in a lawsuit challenging a state law banning religious charter schools after issuing a legal opinion that the law is likely unconstitutional.
13 Under-The-Radar Italian Restaurants In Tennessee That Locals Can’t Get Enough Of
Italian food has a way of turning an ordinary evening into something you’ll want to savor a little longer. In towns and cities throughout Tennessee, independent Italian restaurants are turning out handmade pasta, slow-simmered sauces, and perfectly baked pizzas that regulars talk about all week. Garlic bread arrives...
Dining Duo goes Mexican again!
Tequila Amigos at 4824 Harvest Mill Way in Fountain City was this week’s unexpected gem. The customary Mexican restaurant menu with pages of choices can be overwhelming, but Amigos solved the issue with well-defined categories, so if you vaguely know what you want, it is easy to find it.
Mussel restoration efforts aim to help cleanup Tennessee River
Once numbering in the billions across the Tennessee River watershed, mussel populations have sharply declined over the past century due to pollution, habitat loss and industrial activity, according to Dr. Michael McKinney, professor of earth, environmental and planetary sciences at the University of Tennessee. “There...
Ordinance giving control of Knox County juvenile center to judge passes first reading
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Knox County Commission voted 8-1 with two abstaining to give control of the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center to the Juvenile Court Judge. The county originally planned to have the Knox County Sheriff’s Office run the center starting July 1, 2026, but in January, the center’s...
Work begins to turn South Knoxville railroad into greenway
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Construction is underway on a new 3.8-mile trail that will stretch from Kerns Food Hall to Ijams Nature Center. The greenway and 1.5-mile art walk will replace railroad tracks that were owned by Gulf and Ohio Railways. Legacy Parks Foundation’s Executive Director Carol Evans said planning...
