Legacy Parks Foundation will join city officials and members of the Claussen family to launch the new SoKno Rail Trail & Art Walk at 1 p.m. Friday, February 27, 2026. Meet at Kern’s Food Hall, 2201 Kern’s Rising Way, Knoxville. The project is a collaboration among Gulf & Ohio Railways, the city of Knoxville and Legacy Parks Foundation to transform the 3.8-mile rail corridor stretching from Chapman Highway to Ijams Nature Center into a soft-surface multi-use trail that includes a 1.5-mile Art Walk, blending outdoor recreation with public art.

Carol Evans, executive director of Legacy Parks, is expected to announce the completion of the first stage of progress – the removal of the rail tracks – and unveil the trail’s first public art installation.

Funding sources include $10,000 from the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon and $2,500 from First Horizon Bank (2019); in addition, a $1 million grant (2024) from the Lawson Family Foundation will fund the art in the portion of the art walk between Kerns Food Hall and the Island Home Park Neighborhood.

As South Knoxville has grown in recent years, it has taken on an identity of its own as residents moved in and businesses opened along the rail line. The outdoorsy and eclectic community has welcomed six breweries, three restaurants, a new waterfront park with river access and many other businesses. Many buildings have integrated art and graffiti on their buildings.

Leaders set for North Knoxville Business & Professional Association

Tyler Pavlis

Tyler Pavlis, Northwestern Mutual Insurance, Knoxville is the 2025-26 president of the North Knoxville Business & Professional Association. Other officers are: Andrew Jaco, Broadway Carpets, president-elect; Natalie Kurylo, Heliotropic Heating, secretary; and Nathan Myers, Axiom Wealth Management, treasurer

Members of the group’s board of directors are:

  • Brandon Burton, ORNL Federal Credit Union
  • Kody Foust, Besco
  • Rachel Huston, Community Schools
  • Kendedrick Jones, Fulton High School
  • Kayla Klein, Salvation Army
  • Eric Palmer, YOKE
  • Denarius Ross, Wesley House
  • Paige Travis, City of Knoxville
  • Chase Womble, First Horizon.

The business club centers on business districts on Broadway and North Central, roughly supporting Fulton High School and its associated feeder schools. Meetings are held on the second Friday of each month, alternating among members. Free breakfast at 7:45 a.m. with the program from 8-9 a.m. The club sponsors a quarterly “lunch mob” when members eat together at a local restaurant.

There is a membership directory available to other members – roughly 120 individuals or businesses. Communications are via Instagram, Facebook and X (Twitter). An email is sent to advise the upcoming meeting place and speaker. The website is here.

Knoxville Jewish Alliance elects officers

Judith Rosenberg

Judith Rosenberg was elected to a second 1-year term at the annual meeting of the Knoxville Jewish Alliance in late December.

  • Scott B. Hahn is president-elect
  • Karen Ferency is VP of Jewish Community Services (a two-year term) and
  • Kimberly Hedrick is secretary (also a two-year term).
Ellie Moore is downtown coordinator; starts March 16

Ellie Moore

Ellie Moore will join Mayor Indya Kincannon’s staff as the city’s downtown coordinator. She will report to Grant Rosenberg, the city’s chief operating officer.

Moore brings 13 years of experience coordinating programming downtown, activating public spaces to support economic vitality, and navigating policy and planning decisions that shape Knoxville’s center city.

“Ellie’s experience working alongside downtown merchants makes her a familiar and trusted face,” Kincannon said. ”She is the ideal candidate to help continue the positive momentum downtown.”

Moore is currently chief operating officer of Nourish Knoxville, the nonprofit organization that operates the Market Square Farmers Market and other markets, as well as publishes the East Tennessee Food Guide. Her first day with the city will be March 16, 2026.

Notes & Quotes

Knox County Commission met Wednesday, February 25, 2026. Commission Agenda February 2026

The City of Oak Ridge is updating and consolidating its fees. Info at oakridgetn.gov/fees as the effective date approaches.

Quote: Oregon became the first state to levy a gasoline tax on February 25, 1919. The state highway commission had launched a “Get Oregon Out of the Mud!” campaign to build better highways, but the problem was that only the people who drove horseless carriages really needed the paved roads. A Republican state legislator named Loyal Graham hit upon a way to make the people who used the roads foot the bill: a gas tax amounting to a penny a gallon (about 12 cents in today’s money). Within 10 years, all 48 states and the District of Columbia were levying gasoline taxes. – Garrison Keillor

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