Randy and Jenny Boyd are in England this week at the five-day Royal Ascot event. Boyd Racing bought a filly.
Randy and Jenny Boyd at The Goring. “Now that I’ve invested in the hat, we’ll have to come back,” Randy posted.
Green Sense, Randy posted, is “a proven 3-year-old Irish filly … who will race on Saturday at the Jersey Stakes.”
From the Thoroughbred Report: “Green Sense (Starman) topped the Goffs London Sale in Kensington Palace Gardens on Monday evening at £700,000 (AU$1,320,000).
Goffs offered 19 horses and sold 11.
“We’re very excited about her and looking forward to her running in the Jersey Stakes on Saturday,” Randy Boyd was quoted in Thoroughbred Report. “After that she’ll probably come back to the US and run in Saratoga and be a turf horse there. We have a trainer in mind but I’d better wait to tell him first!
“Boyd Racing’s strategy is to buy fillies who will go on to have great, successful careers and then be broodmares. Right now, we have eight fillies and two colts. Most of them are up in Saratoga, and we have two older mares with Bob Baffert, Seismic Beauty and Splendora, who won the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint last year. We also bought Vahva at Keeneland in November and she was just bred to Not This Time.
“We want to keep it small and have high-quality horses. We don’t expect to be the biggest, but we want to be the best.”
New president for Cherokee Distributing Company
Chris Monroe
Chris Monroe will become president of Cherokee Distributing Company, effective July 1, 2026, upon the retirement of Jeff Knight. He currently is director of marketing and brand development for DET Beverages LLC in Nashville.
Prior to joining DET in 2020, Monroe served as general manager for Ajax Distributing Company in Memphis. He began his career in distribution with D. Canale Beverages LLC, advancing from sales representative to account manager.
Cherokee Distributing Company was launched in Knoxville, Tennessee, in January 1958 by George W. Sampson. He started with four trucks and seven employees to deliver beer and non-alcoholic products. Now Cherokee has six locations in Tennessee: Chattanooga, Cookeville, Kingsport, Pulaski and Tullahoma in addition to the Knoxville location in Bearden.
Lauren Bowman, Cherokee Distributing vice president, called Monroe “a proven leader with a strong record of building successful teams and developing supplier relationships.”
Monroe earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Christian Brothers University in Memphis. As he transitions into his new role, Monroe will relocate to the Knoxville area along with his wife, Dana.
Jeff Knight
Jeff Knight joined Cherokee in 2003 as general manager before becoming president. During Knight’s tenure, Cherokee Distributing Company expanded its business footprint and earned dozens of distributor awards for sales performance and customer service excellence, including the 2025 Molson Coors Distributor Excellence Award and 2023 Boston Beer Company President’s Award.
VP Bowman said everyone – partners, employees and customers – are grateful for Jeff’s service and leadership. He will continue to be involved as board chair at Cherokee.
Knight said he is looking forward to the company’s continued growth.
Rendering of proposed new development
New retail and restaurant for Alcoa
PWA Properties and Turner Companies have partnered to develop a new retail center in Alcoa, Tennessee. The center will include a 2,500-square-foot restaurant with an outdoor patio. The 10,000-square-foot center is located next to Clover Ridge residential community, developed by Turner Homes.
“This project represents an investment in Alcoa’s future and its continued growth as one of East Tennessee’s most dynamic communities,” said Jay Benson, CEO of PWA Properties. “This project is a destination that will serve residents, support local businesses and strengthen the community for years to come.”
Town rallies for Juneteenth on Friday
City of Knoxville offices will be closed Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. Most Knox County offices will be closed as well.
The city’s four recycling drop‑off centers will be closed on Friday and resume normal operating hours on Saturday, June 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The city’s Solid Waste Facility, 1033 Elm St., will be closed on Friday and Saturday, June 19-20, resuming normal business hours on Monday, June 22.
All trash and recycling services will run on a regular Friday schedule.
City’s Parks and Recreation Community Centers, including the Knoxville Arts Center, will be closed June 19. Inskip and Ed Cothren outdoor pools will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find additional pool information here.
Visit KATBus.com for scheduling info on Knoxville Area Transit.
Parade and celebration at Hardy Park
The MLK Jr. Parade will form Friday at 8:30 a.m. at Chilhowee Park and step off at 10 a.m., marching to Dr. Walter Hardy Park, 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., where Juneteenth events will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Complimentary shuttle service from KAT will be available for parade walkers beginning at 8 a.m. from the Family Justice Center and Tabernacle Baptist Church to the parade lineup area at Chilhowee Park.
The Juneteenth Celebration will feature live music, performances, a local DJ, food vendors, retail vendors, informational booths, community organizations, youth engagement, family-friendly activities and the $1,000 Band and Drill Team Competition.
Last year’s celebration brought more than 2,000 attendees throughout the day and created an estimated economic impact of more than $40,000, with many food vendors selling out.
Historical Feature: U.S. Colored Troops Representation
A special historical feature of this year’s parade will include representation of the United States Colored Troops, with volunteers portraying Union soldiers connected to the First United States Colored Heavy Artillery, which was mustered in Knoxville during the Civil War.
The Commission is working with The Beck Cultural Center to bring historical elements into the parade and celebration, helping connect the MLK Jr. Parade/ March and Juneteenth Celebration to the deeper story of emancipation, Black military service, local African American history and the ongoing meaning of freedom.
Dancing Machine: On Thursday, June 18, Dancing Machine, a tribute to The Jacksons, will headline Concerts on the Square presented by First Century Bank. The city of Knoxville and Beck Cultural Exchange Center present this special Variety Thursdays performance to celebrate Juneteenth through the power of music and community. The concert is free, 7-9 p.m. on Market Square. Bring chairs and blankets for first-come, first-served seating. Learn more about Concerts on the Square here
Mabry Hazen House (1711 Dandridge Ave.) presents Juneteenth Tours as part of its New Birth of Freedom Summer series at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Friday, June 19, and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, June 20. Tours are free but capacity is limited. Info here.
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