There is much to do and many activities for center-city residents who live in the pockets of like-minded disconnected East Tennesseans in Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Maryville, and the Johnson City, Morristown areas. All are within an hours drive of Knoxville. The East Tennessee Enlightener is excited to share family activities, adult events, and more happenings…
Ngina Blair, 48 of Knoxville, Tennessee departed this life on September 19, 2025. She was born March 16, 1977 to Wanda Sue Blair and Jerome Nance in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was educated in the Knox County School system. Ngina Blair, 48 of Knoxville, Tennessee departed this life on September 19, 2025. She was born March…
The East Tennessee Design Center’s 2022 Community Collaborative Charrette wrapped up this week. Submissions for the redesigning at the corner of MLK, Jr and Ben Hur Avenues (the James Davis Harvest Center at 5 Points) have been submitted by four architecture design firms and will be released later this year. Here is a preview of…
The public is invited to the re-opening of Claude Walker Ball Park at 2945 Wilson Avenue, in East Knoxville. The celebration will be 6:30 pm, Thursday, May 19th at the park and will include free dinner, music and prizes. Off-street parking will be available and also at the nearby E.V. Davidson Community Center, 3124 Wilson…
KNOXVILLE, TN (May 11, 2022) – Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) officially cut the ribbon on May 11 on the first phase of the mixed-income housing at First Creek at Austin. First Creek at Austin (formerly KCDC Austin Homes subsidized housing) is the city’s first mixed-income, affordable housing community. Business, community leaders, stakeholders and…
KNOXVILLE Tenn. (April 2022) – Melody Dalili has been writing poems for years, but she didn’t begin reciting them publicly until a spoken-word performance last August. Since then, the Farragut High School junior has gotten several opportunities to perform her work, and this month her literary journey led to a groundbreaking honor – recognition as…
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (May 2022) – Walking across the graduation stage is a tremendous milestone for KCS students, but they also need to be prepared for what comes next. On May 4, Knox County Schools celebrated the district’s designation as a Ford Next Generation Learning Community, an important step in the ongoing effort to transform the…
OAK RIDGE, TENN. (May 10, 2022) – Spurgeon Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church is celebrating the 1st year of its Pastor Rev. Erica N. Haigler on May 15th. All are welcome to attend the celebration at the church at 100 S. Benedict Avenue in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Rev. Haigler made history in June 2021,…
MAYOR KINCANNON ANNOUNCES PAUL NOEL AS CITY’S NEXT POLICE CHIEF Today, Mayor Indya Kincannon introduced Paul Noel as Knoxville’s next Chief of Police. Noel is a 25-year-plus police veteran and currently serves as Deputy Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department. “This is the most important hire I will make for the people of…
Knowledge beyond the classroom. A study group on the controversial content of “The 1619 Project” by Nikole Hannah-Jones a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. The Bottom is hosting a series of study groups to explore the effects of slavery and its aftermath on American policy and culture. The Bottom Bookstore, 2340 Magnolia Avenue, in East Knoxville, is…
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (April 1, 2022) -The African American Equity Restoration Task Force is marking notable progress since its inaugural meeting in September 2021. In that time, the Task Force has: Received a $30,000 grant from the National League of Cities Received approval from City Council to hire a grant writer Named Tanisha Fitzgerald-Baker as Task…
A University of Tennessee English Learning Institute (ELI) Alumna’s Journey from Bangkok to Gay Street UT Center for Global Engagement KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (March 2022) – Nestled between the bright lights of the Tennessee Theatre and the Regal Riviera downtown is a cozy restaurant that some call home: Fai Thai Kitchen or ร้านฝ้ายไทย. At Fai Thai,…
CAPTION: (C) Mayor Glenn Jacobs interviewed Nikki Armbrust owner of Petal Pushers Floral Design at 9719 Kingston Pike for the Small Business Series. Custom floral bouquets, unique cash and carry gifts and holiday items available in-store. One-day delivery is available. (Holiday and custom orders should be placed a few days in advance.) KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs interviewed Nikki…
Knoxville Utilities Board Procurement team recognized one of its small, minority vendors in an effort to encourage and support the participation of more. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (April 2022) – Accurate Contracting Services Inc. has been in operation since 2011 and is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) company. Accurate is owned and operated by Reggie…
NATIONWIDE (April 7, 2022) – On February 25, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the 116th Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Because of her diverse and broad public service, Judge Jackson has a unique appreciation of how critical it is for the justice system to be fair…
Please join the ZOOM conversation at 7 pm, Tuesday, April 5, to learn more about this important amendment. The Right to Work Amendment to our state’s constitution will be on the November 8th ballot across Tennessee and the country. All are invited to listen in and then ask questions to clarify the true meaning of…
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (April 2022) – For your enjoyment, while viewing visual arts at the Emporium during First Friday, music will be provided by Keyboardist Taber Gable, a hometown musician with an international reputation. Gable attended the Joy of Music School and performed with the Knoxville Jazz Youth Orchestra before matriculating to the Hart School of…
Groups and community members come together to propel TVA into a just, equitable, and fossil-fuel-free energy future by 2030. Caption 1: Tennessee was ‘ground zero’ for coal ash pollution which was magnified by the TVA Kingston, Tennessee coal ash spill. TENNESSEE — Fossil fuels are more expensive every day. TVA could be a leader…
“The Copper Queen” opera will be the Marble City Opera’s last performance of the 2021-2022 season. All productions are written by an American composer, sung in English, and explored the experiences of different marginalized communities. “The Copper Queen” is one of those. Knoxville’s own Marble City Opera will present the first live-on-stage performance of The…
EAST TENNESSEE (March 2022) – Have you met Lisa Moon? If you have received onsite healthcare from the Cherokee Mobile Unit, then you probably have. Lisa is the Movile Services director and has an integral role on the Cherokee Mobile Clinic team. “Working at Cherokee enables me to meet patients and take healthcare services where…
100Knoxville Applications Closing Soon Deadline: Sunday, March 27th at 11:59 PM 5 Companies. 5 Mentors. 5 Weeks. $5,000 100Knoxville is inviting Black entrepreneurs who run firms in the Knoxville area to apply to be one of 5 companies in one of our upcoming cohorts. Each company is matched with an all-star team of mentors who bring business…
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (March 9, 2022) – UScellular has announced the three winners of its Seventh Annual Black History Month Art Contest that was held in conjunction with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley in recognition of influential Black icons in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Public voting for the finalists’…
By Kelvin Ray Boyd KNOXVILLE, Tenn. March 18, 2022) – Iconic stand-up comedian and actor Jimmie “JJ” Walker is bringing some much-needed comic relief to East Tennessee with 2 shows at The Bird & The Book at 1509 East Broadway in Maryville this Friday, March 25, and Saturday, March 26. Showtimes are 7:30 to 11:30…
Billy G. Tindell, Sr, 88 years old passed away at home on Friday, March 11, 2022 Mr. Tindell was a dedicated leader with the ability to reach across the aisle for the greater good. Mr. Tindell served on the Knox County Commission. He served briefly as Knox County Clerk, and was a president of the…
A conversation on the legacy of Brown v. Board of Education and the continuing impact on Black students and teachers to this day. NATIONWIDE (March 15, 2022) – Who do we become when we see ourselves in the leaders around us? This is the question at the heart of After 1954, a new podcast from Lemonada…