Knoxville News Sentinel
Scenes from 2026 Juneteenth Celebration in East Knoxville at Dr. Walter Hardy Park
- Title
- Scenes from 2026 Juneteenth Celebration in East Knoxville at Dr. Walter Hardy Park
- Runtime
- 0:59
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The 2026 Juneteenth Celebration was held at Dr. Walter Hardy Park and included food, vendors and music, as Knoxvillians honored the past and celebrated freedom.
Take a look at scenes of celebrators from the event!
See more here: bit.ly/4vhHfup
- Title
- See scenes from Knoxville's 2026 MLK Parade on Juneteenth
- Runtime
- 0:42
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- See the 2026 MLK Parade on Juneteenth, sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission of Greater Knoxville, June 19, 2026.
- Title
- Michael Jackson tribute band entertains at Juneteenth celebration
- Runtime
- 0:44
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Dancing Machine, a Jackson family tribute band, performed at Market Square on June 18, 2026, during a Juneteenth celebration hosted by the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and the City of Knoxville in Tennessee.
🎥: Saul Young/News Sentinel
- Title
- Anakeesta’s new experience shows guests a night of glowing fireflies
- Runtime
- 0:34
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- If you’ve never won the lottery to see synchronous fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains, you can now experience that magic year-round at Anakeesta.
The new Firefly Experience at Anakeesta is inspired by the synchronous fireflies and offers guests the opportunity to experience them in a new way in the Smokies.
🎥: Saul Young/News Sentinel
#Smokies #Fireflies #Anakeesta
- Title
- Anakeesta’s new experience bring guests into a night of glowing fireflies
- Runtime
- 0:34
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- It gets darker with every step that leads down into Anakeesta’s Treetop Skywalk. Sounds of creatures in the forest, mixed with enchanting music, can be heard. Tiny flashes are seen within the trees. Then, the magic begins.
Burst of light flicker throughout the forest, recreating one of the Great Smoky Mountains’ special natural spectacles.
The new Firefly Experience at Anakeesta, which opened June 11, is inspired by the famous synchronous fireflies in the Smokies.
To read more about the new experience, click the link below:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/entertainment/2026/06/16/anakeesta-debuts-firefly-nights-all-year-glass-gondolas-in-gatlinburg/90198359007/
- Title
- Tony Vitello on Tennessee baseball, return to the South as Giants manager
- Runtime
- 0:51
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Tony Vitello is back in the South, this time as an MLB manager.
The former Tennessee baseball coach is leading the San Francisco Giants against the Atlanta Braves in a three-game series from June 16-18 at Truist Park, the closest MLB ballpark to Knoxville. As the Giants took batting practice pregame, some fans filed in wearing Tennessee orange, asking Vitello for autographs and pictures.
🎥: Emmett Siegel
- Title
- Why former MLB player Tony Campana chose Knoxville for good
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- With just one home run in his MLB career, Tony Campana still gets teased by the next generation of ballplayers at Diamond Baseball-Simcox Academy in Knoxville.
"That's it?" they ask the former outfielder, as he explains how a routine ground ball against his hometown Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 5, 2011, ricocheted off the wall in foul territory for the first inside-the-park home run at Wrigley Field in nearly a decade by a Chicago Cubs player.
The jokes don't bother him these days − not when Campana sees the difference he's making in the lives of young athletes as a trainer and coach, all while building a life in Knoxville where he met his wife, bought a home and spent time as a member of the Tennessee Smokies.
Click the link below to read the full story:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/2026/06/16/from-tennessee-smokies-to-major-league-baseball-tony-campana-became-coach-chose-knoxville-for-good/90530524007/
» Subscri...
- Title
- Dalton Knecht shares how Knoxville made such a lasting impact in just one season
- Runtime
- 0:30
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Lakers guard Dalton Knecht reflects on the bond he built with the Knoxville community during his one season with Tennessee basketball.
Knecht hosted a basketball camp in Knoxville on June 13, marking what he intends to be an annual event in the city that turned a grad transfer into a household name.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Trinidad Chambliss. Arch Manning. Gunner Stockton. Who is SEC's best quarterback?
- Runtime
- 42:40
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- And with the first pick of the "SEC Football Unfiltered" quarterbacks draft ...
Yes, it's that time of the offseason. We're going head-to-head drafting SEC quarterbacks in an effort to build the best four-deep collection of QBs.
You know the top names. Trinidad Chambliss. Arch Manning. Gunner Stockton. And more.
But, who's first off the board?
On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams each draft four SEC quarterbacks as they try to outduel the other. Once a player comes off the board, the other host cannot select him.
With the first pick, Adams eyes a proven starter with playoff experience.
All of Toppmeyer's picks are returning starters in the SEC, while Adams reaches for a couple of transfers, and he twists the knife with his final pick.
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice o...
- Title
- The University of Tennessee Knoxville played a role in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Here's how.
- Runtime
- 1:46
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- FIFA and an SEC university known more for football than fútbol might not seem like a natural pairing. But the partnership between the global soccer governing body and the University of Tennessee has spanned years leading up to the 2026 World Cup.
Now their work will be showcased on the global stage.
John Sorochan, a distinguished professor of turfgrass sciences and management at UT, was working with the NFL in 2018 to prepare suitable turf as the league brought games to England when he met FIFA Senior Pitch Management Manager Alan Ferguson at a London café.
The two came together on a difficult new mission: Ensure soccer pitches are consistent across North American stadiums hosting the world's most elite soccer tournament, from open-air to domed facilities in both warm climates and cold ones.
To read more about how UTK partnered with FIFA and ensured optimal, consistent playing surfaces for the World Cup, click the link below:
...
- Title
- Chris Battle introduces the ONE FIVE Grocery planned for East Knoxville
- Runtime
- 1:33
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Chris Battle has a plan to create an oasis in the middle of a food desert in the Morningside Heights neighborhood, and he hopes you'll help.
Battle, the founder of BattleField Farm & Gardens, is on track to open the ONE FIVE Grocery Store on Sept. 15, 2027. The full-service grocery store will bring fresh fruit and veggies, as well as all the other standard supermarket offerings, to the former Dollar General discount store site at 2265 McCalla Ave.
The need is high. The poverty rate in that part of the city is 20% or higher, and there's not a full-service grocery store within two miles of the McCalla Avenue site, meeting the definition of a food desert. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- 'Analog' parenting movement pushes Knox County Schools to rethink classroom tech policies
- Runtime
- 0:43
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A movement to reassess the use of laptops in classrooms started with parents adopting an "analog" lifestyle for their kids. Administrators are listening.
Click the link below to read more:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/education/2026/06/11/how-parents-successfully-pushed-kcs-to-rethink-computers-in-classrooms/90295839007/
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice of East Tennessee, from the Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Since 1886, we’ve been reporting on what matters, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee Vols to Dolly Parton.
Stay up to date on local news in East Tennessee by following knoxnews on social media:
Twitter: @knoxnews
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knoxnews/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knoxvillephoto/...
- Title
- Morgan Wallen throws fan's cellphone during concert in viral video
- Runtime
- 0:31
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A cell phone seemed to be the problem for Morgan Wallen, prompting him to hurl one in the crowd during a recent concert stop on his “Still the Problem” tour.
In a video clip that has gone viral, the country superstar is seen grabbing a cellphone out of a security guard’s hand and throwing it across the stage during his June 5 show at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- See the damage following 'huge' fire at Cheers at Choto in Knox County
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Cheers at Choto, a popular waterfront bar and restaurant in far west Knox County, was extensively damaged in a fire that started just before 7 a.m. No one was hurt.
Rural Metro fire department crews fought the fire at the two-story hangout from the outside because it was at risk of collapsing. Eventually, firefighters went inside and extinguished hot spots. Head to knoxnews.com for more.
- Title
- Fire causes 'extensive' damage to Cheers at Choto in west Knox County.
- Runtime
- 0:35
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Cheers at Choto, a popular waterfront bar and restaurant in far west Knox County, is on fire.
Rural Metro fire department confirmed the fire this morning and asked everyone to avoid the area.
"The damage is extensive," Rural Metro spokesperson Jeff Bagwell told Knox News.
- Title
- Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport gets $10M to expand its security checkpoint
- Runtime
- 0:35
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Leaders of the busy Knoxville airport got $10 million from the federal government to expand security checkpoints.
The funding comes as part of a 2026 infrastructure law, according to a press release from McGhee Tyson Airport. The expansion project, which will add lanes to its TSA checkpoint, where lines can be long at certain times of day, is part of the airport’s Flight Plan, a broad project to meet increasing passenger demand in the years ahead.
- Title
- Knoxville Fire Department rescues person from flooded road
- Runtime
- 0:26
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A flash flood warning has expired for Knox County and northwestern Sevier County, but standing water has closed several roads.
The National Weather Service warned its radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain, which led to flash floods in Knoxville, Karns, Powell, Sevierville, McMahan and Seymour.
Firefighters had to rescue someone from Hinton and Third Creek Drive.
Click the link below to read more:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/weather/2026/06/08/flash-flood-warning-issued-for-communities-in-knox-and-sevier-counties/90464090007/
The Knoxville Police Department said only one road remains closed because of flooding:
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
» KnoxNews is the voice of East Tennessee, from the Smoky Mountains to the Cumberland Plateau. Since 1886, we’ve been reporting on what matters, f...
- Title
- One Knox kits honor Beauford Delaney, who helped shape the Harlem Renaissance
- Runtime
- 0:48
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A century after Knoxville-born artist Beauford Delaney left East Tennessee to become one of the most influential figures of the Harlem Renaissance, his artwork will take the field at Covenant Health Park.
One Knox unveiled a special historical uniform June 9 inspired by Delaney's work, partnering with the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and Regions Bank to celebrate the artist's legacy. Regions Bank is donating $10,000 to the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, while $10 of every kit sold is contributed to the restoration of the Delaney family home.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Heavy rains result in flooding at Tyson Park's 3rd Creek entrance
- Runtime
- 0:21
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Heavy rains caused flooding at the Concord St. entrance over 3rd Creek into Tyson Park on June 8 in Knoxville.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Judge says gambling addict Brendan Sorsby can play. Will LSU or Tennessee regret not signing him?
- Runtime
- 56:04
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee gave Brendan Sorsby a sniff. LSU heavily courted the Cincinnati transfer.
Sorsby chose Texas Tech, as one of the most premier transfers of the winter shopping season. Then, the floor fell out. The NCAA learned Sorsby placed thousands of bets on sports and declared him ineligible.
Now, a Texas judge has granted Sorsby an injunction that’ll block the NCAA from enforcing its gambling rules and allow Sorsby to play this season.
Will SEC teams regret missing out on Sorsby, or did they dodge a troublesome situation?
On today’s episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams weigh in on the Sorsby saga and the reverberations of the judge’s ruling.
They also debate whether LSU or Tennessee would be better served with Sorsby than their current quarterback situations.
Later in the episode, the hosts react to Athlon’s top-25 rankings. Eight SEC teams are ranked, and Toppmeyer and Adams earmark a few as being overrated, while they highlight one u...
- Title
- Why there's a path for Tennessee softball to be annual WCWS title contender like Texas
- Runtime
- 1:01
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee softball lost in the Women's College World Series semifinals for the third time in the last four years, but it's closer to Texas than it might appear in the wake of two disappointing losses.
It felt like the semifinals was finally the Lady Vols' to lose this time around – and to be clear, it was after winning two straight games to get there – but it doesn't feel all that surprising that the Longhorns turned into a machine at the right time when examining their starting lineup.
Tennessee has the potential to do the same thing in coming seasons, if the roster remains intact.
- Title
- WBIR's Heather Waliga what's next after TV news: 'I'm going to be around'
- Runtime
- 0:56
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- When Heather Waliga signed off from WBIR for the last time the morning of June 5, it marked the end of her 20-year career in TV news.
While she's stepping away from broadcast entirely, Waliga will remain in Knoxville with her family, posting on social media and engaging with her followers as she figures out what's next.
"I really still want to tell local stories," Waliga told Knox News. "I think there is a different way to do that in this next phase of my life, and I'm not really sure what that looks like at the moment, but I still plan to continue to do that."
Ahead of her final day at WBIR, Knox News sat down with Waliga to discuss her decades-long journalism career, the changes she's seen in the industry and what she may do next.
- Title
- WBIR's Heather Waliga what's next after TV news: 'I'm going to be around' | Knox News full interview
- Runtime
- 19:33
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- When Heather Waliga signs off from WBIR for the last time the morning of June 5, it will be the end of her 20-year career in TV news.
While she's stepping away from broadcast entirely, Waliga will remain in Knoxville with her family, posting on social media and engaging with her followers as she figures out what's next.
"I really still want to tell local stories," Waliga told Knox News. "I think there is a different way to do that in this next phase of my life, and I'm not really sure what that looks like at the moment, but I still plan to continue to do that."
Knox News sat down with Waliga ahead of her last day at WBIR to discuss her career at the station, the changes she's seen in broadcast news and what she plans to do next.
Read the story here: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2026/06/05/wbir-heather-waliga-whats-next-after-tv-news-im-going-to-be-around/90367490007/
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne....
- Title
- Woman raises $144K for elderly worker at Tennessee AMC theater
- Runtime
- 1:03
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Brooklyn Green posted a video of an AMC theater employee on TikTok and started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help fund the woman’s retirement. While she may not be ready to retire, strangers raised $144K.
- Title
- How do Knox County Schools ban a book?
- Runtime
- 1:27
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The ban and eventual reinstatement of "Roots" has led to a host of community questions about the book banning process in Knox County Schools and what comes next in deciding which books stay on library shelves.
Here's what we know about the KCS process.
✏️: Caitlyn Meisner
🎥: Sophie Szydlik
- Title
- Dee and Jimmy Haslam invest $130M in University of Tennessee, its largest gift ever
- Runtime
- 2:04
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville alums, life partners and business moguls Dee and Jimmy Haslam are pledging $130 million to the Haslam College of Business and the university as a whole, marking the largest investment in UT System history.
It's an investment the Haslams have been considering for years, Dee Haslam said, and it's about giving students the best experience at the state's flagship campus that's been "a part of our family's fabric." In total, Dee and Jimmy Haslam have given $195 million to UT.
- Title
- Is Dollywood's new NightFlight Expedition ride on track to open this spring?
- Runtime
- 0:36
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Dollywood has been gearing up “to take flight” this season with the park’s newest and most expensive ride, NightFlight Expedition. The immersive and innovative ride had been scheduled to open in spring, but what’s the status of the massive project now that Memorial Day is past?
- Title
- What's next for Tennessee baseball after losing in the NCAA Tournament
- Runtime
- 1:09
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- For most college baseball programs, Tennessee’s 2026 season would be considered a success.
The Vols were a No. 2 seed in an NCAA regional. They won 38 games, taking series against some of the nation’s best teams.
But the expectations at Tennessee irrevocably changed in the preceding years under Tony Vitello, and, fair or not, they remained for coach Josh Elander in his first season – even after stepping in four months before the season when Vitello was hired as manager of the San Francisco Giants.
Knox News Tennessee baseball reporter Emmett Siegel breaks down what happens next for the Vols.
#UniversityofTennessee #Tennessee #NCAA #baseball
- Title
- Kids run the show as Knoxville Children’s Theatre grows
- Runtime
- 1:31
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Knoxville Children's Theatre is grow at its new home in World's Fair Park, where young thespians put on and act in 10 productions a year. https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2026/06/01/knoxville-childrens-theatre-puts-kids-center-stage/90049307007/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=youtube
- Title
- Greg Sankey denies Big Ten superiority, says SEC is better 'by far'
- Runtime
- 47:52
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Used to be, the SEC bragged about its national championships. Rightfully so. During one 17-year span, the SEC won 13 titles.
Now, the Big Ten has won three straight national titles, and no SEC team has beaten a Big Ten opponent in a playoff game since 2022. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey denies a problem exists or that the Big Ten has pulled ahead. He says the SEC remains the best conference "by far," and he attributes the Big Ten's success to the ball bouncing "a couple of times the wrong way."
Sankey also said if the SEC was winning, nobody would ask him about losing. Well, no kidding.
Has Sankey lost the plot?
On today's episode, Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams discuss Sankey's insistence that the SEC remains the nation's best conference "by far," even as the Big Ten racks up national titles and asserts dominance of the 12-team playoff.
The hosts disagree with Sankey's assessment of the situation, but they also say the SEC's commissioner isn't singularly ...
- Title
- Texas experience tops Tennessee softball, which falls short in WCWS semifinals again
- Runtime
- 0:47
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The odds were in Tennessee softball's favor going into the Women's College World Series semifinals.
The No. 7 seed Lady Vols had to lose twice to miss their first berth in the championship series since 2013 – but when faced with the very best the reigning national champions had to offer, they did just that.
Tennessee lost 5-2 to No. 2 seed Texas in the first game at Devon Park on June 1, forcing an elimination game for a trip to the finals. When the moment was bigger than it has ever been for this young Lady Vols team, they were bested by the Longhorns, who had been there, done that before.
- Title
- Karlyn Pickens, Karen Weekly on end of Tennessee softball pitcher's career
- Runtime
- 0:41
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee softball's season is over after losing twice to Texas in the Women’s College World Series semifinals.
The No. 7 seed Lady Vols dropped the second game 4-0 to the No. 2 seed Longhorns at Devon Park on June 1.
The loss also marks the end of the Lady Vols record-breaking ace, Karlyn Pickens', college career at Tennessee. In the postgame press conference, Pickens reflected on her journey with the team and the lessons she's learned on and off the field.
Footage Copyright of NCAA
- Title
- Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly on coaching record-breaking ace Karlyn Pickens
- Runtime
- 1:07
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee softball's season is over after losing twice to Texas in the Women’s College World Series semifinals.
The No. 7 seed Lady Vols dropped the second game 4-0 to the No. 2 seed Longhorns at Devon Park on June 1. Texas had already beaten Tennessee 5-2 in the first game to force a Game 2.
In the postgame press conference, coach Karen Weekly reflected on watching Karlyn Pickens' final game as a Lady Vol and the experience she's had coaching her.
Footage Copyright of NCAA
- Title
- Tennessee softball postgame press conference | Women's College World Series semi final
- Runtime
- 17:03
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee softball's season is over after losing twice to Texas in the Women’s College World Series semifinals.
The No. 7 seed Lady Vols dropped the second game 4-0 to the No. 2 seed Longhorns at Devon Park on June 1.
Texas had already beaten Tennessee 5-2 in the first game to force a Game 2. The Longhorns advance to the WCWS finals where they’ll face No. 1 seed Alabama or No. 11 seed Texas Tech starting June 3.
It’s the second year in a row Tennessee has been eliminated in the WCWS semifinals by Texas.
Click the link below to read more:
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2026/06/01/tennessee-softball-vs-texas-score-live-updates-highlights-wcws-semifinal-game-2/90356685007/
Footage Copyright of NCAA
» Subscribe to KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2R3WbeY
» Watch more on this and other topics from KnoxNews: https://knoxne.ws/2G0E0R4
<...
- Title
- Superintendent Jon Rysewyk on returning Alex Haley's "Roots" to KCS shelves
- Runtime
- 2:28
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- In a Q&A with Knox News after the end of the 2025-2026 school year, Superintendent Jon Rysewyk discussed his decision to return Alex Haley's "Roots" to KCS shelves.
- Title
- Drama, not great softball, dominates discourse after Tennessee vs Texas Tech
- Runtime
- 1:19
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Tennessee and Texas Tech played an incredible game at the Women's College World Series, but the internet is talking about drama instead of great softball.
- Title
- Gatlinburg bear pops into cabin's kitchen window to 'join taco night'
- Runtime
- 0:30
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A bear tried to order tacos to go at the window, but it got a "Baja Blast" of water to the face instead.
In a video posted online, a family staying in a Gatlinburg rental cabin had a startling encounter with a bear through the kitchen window. Kayleigh Cruse told Storyful she initially thought the noise outside was coming from her hungry kids, not a hungry bear
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Why Tennessee football players flooded Knoxville with big day of service work
- Runtime
- 0:43
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A woman slowly pulled forward in a navy minivan, smiled at the sight of a pallet packed with red delicious apples and asked Tennessee wide receiver Braylon Staley a simple question.
“Are y’all really UT football players?” she asked.
He replied, “Yes, ma’am, we are. It’s so good to see you. Now let’s you get some apples.”
Staley, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, was among a busload of Tennessee football players who distributed food for the Second Harvest Bank at First Apostolic Church on May 29.
It was part of service day for the Vols, when players spread across Knoxville to do charity work at multiple sites. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- In the Mojave, University of Tennessee students attempt a rocket record
- Runtime
- 0:29
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Rockets are having a big year. NASA launched the Artemis II mission, sending a crew to orbit the moon. It's the 100-year anniversary of Robert H. Goddard's pioneering work in liquid-fueled rockets. And now University of Tennessee at Knoxville students are attempting to break a world record in liquid rocketry.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- TN farmer's national corn contest win means more in tough ag season
- Runtime
- 1:40
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The famous lyrics say corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top − but it does for Josh Watson, the Sweetwater farmer who placed first in the National Corn Growers Association's 2025 Yield Contest.
Watson's farm has belonged to his family since the 1890s, and it's seen plenty of challenges through the years. But it's been the source of highs as well. It wasn't just Watson who excelled in this year's contest. His son, Jabe Watson, had a national placement, too.
Their success was hard won; Tennessee's unofficial anthem is written that way for a reason. Read moe at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Tennessee Theatre welcomes public into new spaces at Chicago concert
- Runtime
- 0:30
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A newly expanded classic venue in downtown Knoxville welcomed guests into recently renovated spaces with a show by classic American rock band Chicago on May 26.
Concert-goers filled the historic Tennessee Theatre on Gay Street to hear the band famous for such hits as "Saturday in the Park" and "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," but they also had the chance to check out added spaces such as the new Everly and Osborne lounges, courtesy of a yearslong $24.6 million expansion.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Lane Kiffin: 'It’s really started to bother me.' | Exclusive interview
- Runtime
- 33:34
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Lane Kiffin spent more than a decade rebuilding his career and his image after Southern Cal fired him. By last season, his career was soaring, and his likability had reached an all-time high. He was thriving at Mississippi.
Then, he became the hottest name in the college coaching carousel. You know the rest. He left Ole Miss on the playoff’s doorstep and became the coach at rival LSU. Now, he’s a college football villain again. How’s he handling that? We’ll hear from Kiffin on that very subject during today's episode with host Blake Toppmeyer.
Two weeks ago, Toppmeyer sat down with Kiffin for an extensive interview in his office at LSU. This interview was right after the Vanity Fair piece published.
Kiffin admitted that the impact his exit had on his image has "really started to bother" him.
The scrutiny, though, has only just begin. He'll face daunting expectations in his first season at LSU.
Toppmeyer discusses with Kiffin how he plans to handle ...
- Title
- Baby bears playfully wrestling on a Sevierville porch caught on video
- Runtime
- 0:31
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The bear-y cute siblings tussled the length of the porch, rolling around like two toddlers. Startled visitors caught the moment on video.
Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Savannah Bananas turn Neyland Stadium yellow! See a-peel-ing photos
- Runtime
- 1:14
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- 101,000f fans packed Neyland Stadium on May 23 to watch the Savannah Bananas take on the Texas Tailgaters 🍌.
Bananas second baseman Jackson Olson said he never could've imagined playing in front of a crowd that large, and called Neyland Stadium "the most loud" place he'd ever played.
- Title
- Alvin Kamara scores as Banana Ball guest on a Neyland Stadium home run
- Runtime
- 0:49
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- A Vol for Life familiar with the Neyland Stadium gridiron returned to the football field to find a baseball diamond May 23, joining the Savannah Bananas in entertaining roughly 101,000 fans in Knoxville.
Coming into the game as a pinch runner – but first, a dance to “Walk It Out” by DJ Unk – five-time NFL Pro Bowl selection and former Tennessee Volunteers running back Alvin Kamara quickly scored on an inning-clinching run for the Bananas. Read more at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- Karyln Pickens tosses first pitch with Lady Vols softball
- Runtime
- 1:22
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The Tennessee Lady Vols softball team celebrated their upcoming trip to Women's College World Series as the special guests at the Bananas game.
Flame-throwing pitcher Karlyn Pickens tossed the ceremonial first pitch surrounded by her Lady Vols teammates. It was high heat that seemed to stun the umpire, who comically fell backward when the pitch reached home plate. Head to knoxnews.com for more.
- Title
- Banana Ball fans meet favorite players at Neyland Stadium
- Runtime
- 0:56
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- During Banana Ball Backstage, fans got to meet Savannah Bananas and Texas Tailgaters before their sold-out Neyland Stadium game. See what it was like on the field.
Get live updates from the May 23 event at knoxnews.com.
- Title
- What's it like to go from Broadway to Banana Ball? We asked Derek Klena.
- Runtime
- 1:26
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Savannah Bananas fans have been introduced to a new pitcher this season, Derek Klena. But theater fans may recognize him from one of his five Broadway credits over the past 14 years. Knox News video coordinator Sophie Szydlik did.
Sophie met Klena after the Banana Ball game at Covenant Health Park on May 21 to talk about his new role with the team and what it means to balance life as both an athlete and an artist.
What Klena didn’t realize during their interview was that he and Sophie had actually met before, years earlier, when she was just 15.
Click the link in our bio to see our coverage of the Savannah Bananas in Knoxville.
- Title
- Inside Banana Ball players' visit at Dolly Parton Children's Hospital
- Runtime
- 0:55
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Savannah Bananas and Texas Tailgaters partnered with Dunkin' to surprise patients at Dolly Parton Children's Hospital ahead of their sold out game at Neyland Stadium on May 23.
They colored, blew bubbles, enjoyed custom donuts and more with the players during their off day in Knoxville.
- Title
- Missed it? Knoxville’s first Savannah Bananas game in 60 seconds
- Runtime
- 1:00
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Savannah Bananas put on a show in their Knoxville debut at Covenant Health Park on May 21.
There were umpires backflipping, Banana Nanas dancing, shirtless players hitting and quite a demonstration of wacky of Banana Ball rules. Here's what you might've missed from night one of the Bananas in Knoxville. Head to knoxnews.com for more.
#SavannahBananas #Knoxville #BananaBall
