Grow Oak Ridge is sponsoring a “farm to table” dinner from 6-9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Fire & Salt, 792 Briarcliff Ave., Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Tickets are $150 for dinner, wine & spirits pairings throughout the evening and a 20% gratuity. ($110 without alcohol). Seating is at a long table with multiple courses. Learn more and get your ticket here.
Chef Alex Gass opened Fire & Salt in 2022 in Oak Ridge, his hometown. He says, “Food Is Joy!” and specializes in locally sourced seasonal ingredients. As the restaurant has grown, Billy Krebs was added as executive chef.
I must confess that I had not heard of this restaurant. Just got over to Aspire for lunch recently. But I checked the menu and put it on my must-do list.
Chef Gass says food has always been a big part of his life. Whether it was smoking meats with his Uncle Jim or cooking for church dinners with his aunt and grandmother, he enjoyed food.
“Food has become a way to honor those that I have lost, be creative and connect with people. With the support of my wife, Jessica, and our kids Trinity and Jasper I have created a place to do just that every day. To me, food is joy. I am honored to be able to share this with my guests as the founding chef of Fire & Salt.”
News from West Hills
Betsy Henderson (R) and Beau Hawk (D), candidates for Knox County Mayor, will participate in “Conversation with the Candidates” sponsored by the West Hills Community Association today (7-14-26) from 7-8 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene on Vanosdale Road across from West Hills Elementary School.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and light refreshments will be served. The objective is to provide a civil discussion of issues facing county government and the citizens of Knox County, including West Hills. Other neighborhoods are also invited to attend.
The format will be informal and conversational. Lee Hume (president of WHCA) or another board member will moderate the conversation.
National Night Out celebration will be Tuesday, August 4, 2026, on Sheffield Drive near West Hills Elementary School.
Julie Blaylock joins board of United Way
Chrystal Armstrong Brown and Julie Blaylock
Julie Blaylock, president/ CEO, Farragut West Knox Chamber, has joined the board of directors for United Way of Greater Knoxville. The announcement came from Chrystal Armstrong Brown, president and CEO of United Way.
“For years, Julie has worked to strengthen connections between businesses, nonprofits and community leaders across our region,” said Armstrong Brown.
“Her commitment to service and collaboration makes her a natural fit for United Way, an organization that has spent more than 100 years bringing people together to address local needs and strengthen communities across East Tennessee.”
Notes & Quotes
The Knoxville Area Urban League’s largest community event – Shoes for School on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Covenant Health Park – will be bigger than ever and in a new location. Talk with a representative about how the event supports local students and involves a lot of community groups or donate here.
Cades Cove is vehicle free on Wednesdays – sunrise to sunset. Well, technically, you can ride your bike around the 11.1-mile loop. Just watch out for bears.
Outdoor Knoxville has a couple hundred upcoming events. Here.
Karns Community Fair will be Saturday, July 18, at Karns High School, 2710 Byington Solway Rd., Knoxville. Carnival Midway – 10-5 p.m. with Pendleton’s playground, rides, slides, games and classic carnival foods; Inside Vendors – 10-4 p.m. Info here.
Thursday, Aug. 9, is Election Day in Knox County. It’s the general election for county offices – mayor, trustee, sheriff, register of deeds, at-large county commissioners and some district commissioners and school board members. The Republican and Democratic state and federal primaries will also occur – pick one to select nominees for the November general election. Town of Farragut will be electing a new mayor and two members of the board of aldermen.
Early voting starts Friday, July 17, and ends Saturday, August 1. Info here.
Notes & Quotes
Quote: Nothing is more satisfying than to write a good sentence. It is no fun to write lumpishly, dully, in prose the reader must plod through like wet sand. But it is a pleasure to achieve, if one can, a clear running prose that is simple yet full of surprises. This does not just happen. It requires skill, hard work, a good ear and continued practice. – Barbara Tuchman, historian
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Sandra Clark is a daily contributor to KnoxTNToday, where she writes the Let’s Talk series, including Let’s Talk -Law, Let’s Talk – Neighbors, Let’s Talk – Schools, and Let’s Talk – Outdoors.
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