Firefighters Assist School Kids On A Snowy Ride Home

The East Tennessee area was blanketed by snow, as precipitation and frigid air finally meshed. It was the event that everyone has been expecting through the month of January, however most were not expecting it when it arrived early Tuesday morning. Unusually cold temperatures, that hovered in the high teens for most of the day […]
Common Core Back Under Fire In Nashville

Proposed Legislation to terminate or pause Tennessee’s participation in Common Core, the recently instigated educational standards, was filed last week in both the House and Senate. Some House and Senate Republicans have been vocal regarding their position on, what some view as, a step toward more federal intervention in local education. Tennessee is one of […]
2014 Local Election Updates

As the petition deadline date looms on the horizon, campaigns are already heating up across the County. In contested elections for the May County Primary, Adderhold and Estes are two out of a potential field of four that have qualified for the spring race. Only incumbent Palmieri has turned in his qualifying paperwork for the […]
Industrial Development Board – Master’s Footwork Shows No Usable Property

The Jefferson County Industrial Development Board met on Friday morning, January 24, 2014 in the Jefferson County Health Department bottom floor. According to information provided by Garret Wagley, Director of Economic Development for the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and ad hoc Industrial Development Board Member, the focus of the meeting was IDB owned property […]
School Board Votes To Extend Director’s Contract

The Jefferson County School Board met for their Regular Monthly Meeting on Thursday, January 23, 2014 at the Patriot Academy. The Meeting was Called to Order by Chairman of the Board Potts. All members were present for Roll Call. Chairman Potts acknowledged the Jefferson County High School Youth Leadership members present at the meeting. School […]
Commission Approves Jefferson Memorial Foundation Board’s Recommendation

The Jefferson County Commission met for their Regular Voting Meeting on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. The Meeting was Called to Order by Commission Chairman Mills. Absent from Roll Call were Commissioners Dockery and Patterson ( Commissioners Turner and Griffith arrived late). Following a Motion from Commissioner Tucker and 2nd […]
Audit Committee Looking For Solution In The Books

The Jefferson County Audit Committee met on Tuesday, January 21, 2014, in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. The Meeting was Called to Order by Committee Chairman Mills. Absent from Roll Call was Committee Member Griffith. Minutes from the November meeting were Approved following a Motion from Committee Member Estes and 2nd from Committee Member Jett. […]
Melissa Moore Appointed District Child Support Magistrate

Melissa Moore has been appointed by Duane Slone, Presiding Judge of the Fourth Judicial District, serving Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, and Sevier Counties, as the District’s Child Support Magistrate. Ms. Moore shall be administered her oath of office on January 22nd, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. at the Sevier County Courthouse, Circuit Court, in Sevierville, Tennessee. Melissa […]
Tennessee Student to Participate in International Academic Program Studying World War II’s Normandy Invasion

Until recently, Caley Williamson didn’t know much about World War II or the Normandy Invasion (also known as D-Day) that was one of the turning points in the war. That changed after Caley, who attends Cosby High School in Cocke County, had a talk with her family. “I learned I had numerous relatives who had participated […]
Tennessee Named ‘2013 State Of The Year’ For Economic Development

Last week, Business Facilities magazine, a national economic development publication, officially named Tennessee as its ‘2013 State Of The Year’ for economic development, based on the state’s huge success over the last twelve months in recruiting new business and promoting economic development across Tennessee. Cited in the magazine’s report were the state’s top five economic […]
Citizens unite for march in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Historic Town Square in Dandridge was alive with action on Monday, as a crowd gathered to welcome a parade of marchers and participate in a program to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born on January 15, 1929, and assassinated on April 4, 1968, King became the driving force behind the […]
Republican Party Holds Mass Meeting Saturday

The Jefferson County Republican Party held an organizational meeting on Saturday, January 18, 2014 in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. Party Chairman Paula Rugel Gibson was unable to attend due to a prior family commitment so Vice Chairman Barry Fain presided over the meeting. Following a Call to Order and reading and acceptance of the […]
FSG Bank Dandridge Celebrates Next Decade In Banking

Customers doing their end of the week banking got a special treat. The FSG Bank Dandridge Branch held a ribbon cutting on Friday, January 17, 2014 to celebrate a recent facelift and new commitment of service. Branch Manager Jean Riley welcomed customers and officials to the event, which featured decorations to highlight the new, eye-catching […]
House Of Representatives Undergoes Annual Ethics Training

The House of Representatives participated in their annual ethics training this week, with the Executive Director of the Tennessee Ethics Commission, Drew Rawlins, leading the training session. All 71 House Republicans were present, completing their required two hours of training per General Assembly. The Tennessee Ethics Commission was created in a special session called by […]
Center for Disease Control Releases Hot List for 2014

The Center for Disease Control has released their list of most concerning and potentially impacting heath issues for 2014. In an effort to identify public health threats, the CDC has compiled a list of their top five concerns for the New Year. Heading the list is antibiotic resistance and drug resistant infections. According to the […]
Keeping Track in the Smokies

Friends of the Smokies has received a grant for $13,720 from Charter Communications, Inc. for support of wildlife management in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The grant provides for the purchase of 15 radio collars and 2 receivers for tracking and monitoring elk throughout the Park. Two hundred years ago elk roamed the southern Appalachian […]