The week moved quickly, but some stories deserve more than one day in the spotlight. Saturday Catch-Up brings together six KnoxTNToday stories you may have missed or may want to read again. Pour another cup of coffee and choose the stories that interest you.
KCR diver Nick Rose is always ready to say I’ll help
Nick Rose once struggled with claustrophobia. Today, he is a highly trained member of Knox County Rescue’s dive team who has spent 21 years volunteering in service to the community. The East Knox County native and Carter High School graduate also brings skills in swift-water rescue, hazardous materials response, vehicle extraction and emergency medical care.
Read the Our Town Hero profile
A silver anniversary for Smokies elk
Elk returned to Great Smoky Mountains National Park 25 years ago, and the herd has become a favorite sight in Cataloochee Valley and near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Beth Kinnane looks back at the restoration effort, her own memorable trip to see the elk and the continuing recovery of the Cataloochee area after Hurricane Helene.
Read A silver anniversary for Smokies elk
Meta glasses help blind veterans
Meta plans to provide Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to eligible blind and low-vision veterans across the country. The voice-controlled glasses can read documents, identify objects and describe nearby surroundings. More than 130,000 veterans may qualify for the technology, which is being distributed with training through veterans and vision-support organizations.
Mama Said: Count Your Blessings
The blessings that matter most often change as we grow older. Susan Espiritu reflects on family, students, friends, second chances and the people who show up during difficult seasons. Gratitude does not erase disappointment, but counting even the smallest blessings can help us recognize what remains good around us.
Take the long way to Sevierville
The quickest road is not always the most rewarding one. Close to Home, Far from Ordinary suggests leaving the interstate behind and traveling through East Knox County and Strawberry Plains toward Sevierville. As fall color begins to reach the hills, the slower route offers farms, barns, churches, mountain views and plenty of reasons to stop along the way.
Read Taking the long way to Sevierville
Typhoid Fever
Jan Loveday Dickens returns to the late 1800s through the diaries of Dr. Swancey Kennedy and the story of a child identified as Haly Stinnett. Her death from typhoid fever opens a window into contaminated water, home remedies and the fear the disease brought to families living in the Fork between the French Broad and Holston rivers.
Come back Sunday for Faith Along the Way, a quieter, faith-centered read for the weekend.
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