Keep Knoxville Beautiful (KKB) will be hosting its annual East Knoxville Community Cleanup on Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 9 a.m. until noon.

Volunteers will leave from Caswell Park, 616 Jessamine St. KKB is expecting 400 volunteers to spread out over about 22 square miles to pick up litter from roads, parks and waterways.

Participating neighborhood associations, businesses and student organizations include Parkridge Neighborhood, Vine Middle School, Muse Knoxville, Mu Zeta, Zeta Phi Beta, and Surveying and Mapping LLC.

In partnership with Ijams Nature Center, KKB will also be hosting an invasive species removal with volunteers at Caswell Park along First Creek.

Sponsors of the East Knoxville Community Cleanup: WM, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Pete and Thomas Foundation, Surveying and Mapping, ZC Productions, Junk Galaxy, the city of Knoxville, Knox County, Keep America Beautiful, Keep Tennessee Beautiful and Nobody Trashes Tennessee.

Town of Farragut notes
  • Farragut’s annual street resurfacing started Monday, September 15, 2025. Here are the roads being resurfaced. Info: 865-966-7057.
  • New alderman: The town’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen will select a new alderman from the South Ward at its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, September 25, 2025. The seat is vacant after the sudden passing of Alderman David White. Six have applied, and the appointee will serve until August 2026, when the seat will be up for election. Livestreamed video of the meeting is available on the Agenda Portal on the town’s website.
  • Tourism spending: Visitors to Knox County spent $2,126,389,188 in 2024 – a 4.34 percent increase from 2023, according to the TN Department of Tourist Development. See snapshot here. “The dollars left behind by our guests support parks, roads and community programs while helping us provide important services without adding a town property tax,” said Hallie Reid, tourism manager.
  • Money for schools: The town of Farragut presented its annual gift to Farragut schools on September 11. Checks for $27,000 each were given to Farragut High, Farragut Middle, Farragut Intermediate and Farragut Primary schools. An additional $12,000 was given to the FHS Education Foundation.
  • Founders Park to display lights: First Utility District will suspend work in Founders Park at Campbell Station to allow town staff to prepare for Light the Park, the town’s annual holiday light display. Once work is suspended in mid-September, the park will reopen for public use and will remain open through Light the Park, which ends of January 1, 2026. Some trails will remained closed during the fall.
  • First Utility is replacing sewer pipes from Turkey Creek Road to Village Green subdivision to address aging infrastructure and to increase sewer capacity for Farragut residents and businesses. The Farragut Branch Library and the upper parking lot will remain open throughout the project.
  • McFee Phase 4: Town officials cut the ribbon on September 10. Improvements include a 127-spot permeable paver parking lot and a pavilion that serves as a trailhead for the Adaptive Mountain Bike and Hiking Trail. The parking will also serve a future dog park that is expected to open in late spring 2026.
City council candidate forum: District 4

Fountain City Town Hall and the Fountain City Business & Professional Association will sponsor a “meet and greet” for District 4 council candidates Matthew Debardelaben and Jeff Talman at 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 30, at Fountain City United Methodist Church’s choir room. Everyone is invited. District 4 includes Fountain City east of Broadway plus Gresham, Holston Hills, Fourth & Gill and Old North.

Gay Street Bridge repairs on schedule

With the Gay Street Bridge expected to reopen in less than four months to pedestrians and bicyclists, here is an update on what to expect next – and how possible long-range options for a modern new bridge are being explored. Eric Vreeland submitted this report.

Check out this video.

Short-term, after three detailed inspections pinpointed defects in the 127-year-old bridge, structural repairs to stabilize the bridge are mostly completed.

Blalock & Sons crews are continuing to make final repairs throughout this fall. The bridge remains on schedule to reopen to a limited number of pedestrians and bicyclists – but not to motorized vehicles – by December 31, 2025.

But long-term – what happens when a bridge that opened in 1898, designed to carry horses and buggies and to last for 75 years, continues to age past its 127th year? What happens when more pieces warp or break?

Mayor Indya Kincannon will ask city council today (9/16/25) to authorize application for a $1 million Federal Highway Administration grant to step up the process of studying options for a possible modern replacement bridge – one that could once again bear the weight of motorized vehicles.

If Council authorizes the grant application, and if federal funds (with a $200,000 city local match) ultimately are approved, then bridge design specialists and city staff would hammer out preliminary plans for what happens if or when the current bridge can no longer be serviced.

How many years of service are left in the existing bridge? What’s the cost-benefit analysis of a new bridge? The bridge until it closed in summer 2024 carried a relatively small number of vehicles – about 7,000 a day. Will traffic increase or decrease in the future? What size bridge would be needed?

The existing arched cantilever steel bridge is highly visible, and historic – it’s one of downtown’s centerpieces. Public input would determine residents’ preferences on aesthetics and design. But costs can vary wildly, depending on size and design elements.

Meanwhile, look for changes coming this fall to the north end of the bridge, where Gay Street and Hill Avenue intersect.

Currently, there are vehicle turn lanes that are no longer needed, since the Gay Street Bridge can no longer carry cars and trucks.

The bridge entrance will be narrowed to 16 feet, and the asphalt vehicle turn lanes will be removed by Blalock, replaced by landscaping by city crews. In effect, a small plaza will be created, beginning in October.

Notes & Quotes

Penny Kleinschmidt, State Farm agency owner, had a “best day” with snuggles from Callie Jewel in the morning and grandparents’ lunch with Crew and the school book fair. Penny says, “10 hours driving; 18-hour turnaround – but the snuggles and lunch date were priceless. Love my grandbabies to the moon and back. Blessed!!”

Michael Gill is seeking artists, performers and musicians for a community event on September 28 from 3-8 p.m. with excellent entertainment, food and fellowship. Evelyn Gill says, “Let’s support Chilhowee Park & Exposition Center for us all. Contact Michael Gill if you are interested in performing.”

Food City in Hardin Valley has been expanded and officials will host ribbon cutting ceremonies at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 17. The grand re-opening celebration, which also begins Wednesday morning, will include special pricing on select items throughout the store. Over 9,700 sq. ft. of retail space has been added to the store, bringing the total square footage to 53,600+ sq. ft. and creating 50 new area jobs. “I would like to thank our loyal customers for their understanding and patience during the construction process,” says store manager Joe Fahy. “I think our customers will agree that these exciting new services were well worth the wait.”

Hogskin History Day will be Saturday, September 27, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Narrow Ridge Earth Literacy Center, 1936 Liberty Hill Rd., Washburn, Tennessee. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. Info here.

Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina begins, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”