Jennifer Johnsey
ChocolateFest is celebrating 10 years January 30-31, 2026, with a move to a new venue and a new experience for chocolate lovers. “We will offer curated tastings that are family friendly during the day and 21-and-up-only in the evenings with adult beverage pairings and live music from Absinthe Allstars,” said organizer Jennifer Johnsey. “Our new venue will be at The Standard in Knoxville’s Old City. Tasting tickets are on sale here.
Ballard tells Knoxville’s story at national summit
Kim Ballard
Kim Ballard, chief operating officer for the Knox area YMCA, presented at the National ALICE Summit in Miami on January 6, 2016.
“(We told) the YMCA of East Tennessee and the United Way of Greater Knoxville’s story of impact and innovation for our East Tennessee ALICE population,” Ballard posted. “The ALICE movement is not just an initiative – it’s data-driven, action-oriented force for change.”
The National ALICE Summit was hosted by United Way of Northern New Jersey and held at the legendary Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and represents the growing number of families who are unable to afford the basics of housing, food, child care, health care, technology and transportation. These workers often struggle to keep their own households from financial ruin, while keeping our local economies running.
Ambition propels new RN
Lynn Slaven
Lynn Slaven has joined UT Medical Center as a registered nurse after working for 21 years in long-term care and skilled nursing as an Army medic, then a CNA and then an LPN. “Each step shaped the nurse and leader I am today: steady under pressure, compassionate, detail-oriented and deeply committed to delivering high-quality, resident-centered care,” Slaven posted. “And now I have the resources to get my bachelor’s in nursing.”
Leadership passes at Teknovation
Tom Ballard and Katelyn Biefeldt
Tom Ballard has retired as founding editor of Teknovation, a publication of PYA, and he will be replaced by his former assistant, Katelyn Biefeldt. The announcement came from Marty Brown, company CEO.
“Katelyn, who has worked alongside Tom and has played a critical role in Teknovation’s growth and evolution over the years, brings a deep understanding of our innovation ecosystem, great experience in photojournalism, and a genuine commitment to telling the stories that matter most to East Tennessee’s entrepreneurial community,” said Brown.
Notes & Quotes
Knox Planning has started revising the 2026 One Year Plan with meetings scheduled online:
The meetings will begin with a presentation explaining the basis and function of the One Year Plan, followed by an explanation of the proposed change, and then open discussion. Details here. Direct questions to Jessie Hillman at 856-215-3082, jessie.hillman@knoxplanning.org
Victor Ashe, Knoxville mayor (1988-2003) and U.S. ambassador to Poland (2004-09), will speak on Poland’s role in the world today along with the Holocaust from noon-2 p.m. Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the Arnstien Jewish Community Center. RSVP by January 16, 5 p.m. to reserve lunch for $10 to Nora Sweat at 865-690-6343 ext. 8 or by email at nsweat@jewishknoxville.org/.
Cancelled: The event with author Jacqueline Friedland, scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2026, at Union Ave Books, has been cancelled because of the low number of RSVPs. The Knoxville Jewish Alliance was event sponsor.
Nick McBride, candidate for Knox County Trustee, is hosting a campaign kickoff reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, January 15, 2026, at Rothchild’s, 8807 Kingston Pike, Knoxville. All are invited. Donations accepted.
Quote: “Aaron Rodgers, 42, probably has a year of college eligibility left. That’s where Heupel could go.” – Sandra Clark, upon watching the Steelers/ Texans wildcard game.
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