Toyota Material Handling Midsouth (TMH Midsouth) is celebrating the next chapter of its longstanding presence in Knoxville with a new facility – and an investment in the community it has served for years.

During an open house on September 22, 2026, at its new location, 5100 S. National Drive, TMH Midsouth announced a partnership with My Magic Tux and Knox County Schools centered around the distribution of 500 copies of My Magic Tux: A Big Orange Story of Courage and Confidence throughout Knoxville and the surrounding region.

TMH Midsouth donated 289 books to Knox County Schools, providing a copy of My Magic Tux to every elementary school library in the district as well as every kindergarten classroom. Signed copies were shared with guests attending the open house, with the remaining books slated for donation to additional schools throughout the region.

“Knoxville has been an important part of TMH Midsouth for years, so this new facility represents an investment in a community we’re already proud to call home,” said Shawn Jones, TMH Midsouth president.

Written by J.R. Greene and Joe Shands and illustrated by Nicholas Child, My Magic Tux is the first children’s picture book published by the University of Tennessee Press. Inspired by Greene’s real-life experience as the “Big Orange Tux Guy,” the story follows Tuxie on a distinctly Tennessee journey that encourages children to find their courage, build confidence and embrace what makes them unique.

“One of the most rewarding parts of sharing the My Magic Tux story has been seeing how it connects with parents and children,” Greene said.

“My Magic Tux making its way into the hands of Knox County students and other local schools is exactly what we hoped this book could accomplish,” UT Press Director Katie Hannah said. “We are grateful to Toyota Material Handling Midsouth for helping make that possible.”

“We often say we can’t do this work alone, and I want to thank Midsouth Toyota for this generous donation,” said Dr. Jon Rysewyk, superintendent of Knox County Schools. “Rocky Top is an integral part of Tennessee history, and we appreciate this opportunity to share this story with our students. We hope it inspires a love of reading while encouraging students to believe in themselves and their potential.”

Toyota Material Handling Midsouth is a locally operated Toyota forklift dealership and material handling provider serving businesses across the Midsouth. As an authorized Toyota forklift dealer, the company’s core business is providing businesses with the equipment they need to move, store and manage materials safely and efficiently.

UT Health Sciences’ BNS program ranked No. 1 in TN

For the second year, the bachelor of science of nursing (BSN) program at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences is the most highly ranked program in Tennessee, according to the U.S. News and World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges listing.

The BSN ranks 26th among public undergraduate nursing programs in the U.S. and 36th among all such nursing programs at both private and public universities. 671 BSN programs were assessed.

The College of Nursing at UT Health Sciences offers an accelerated, 12-month BSN pathway and a traditional, four-semester BSN track. A 12-month, online RN to BSN program will begin in January, and applications are open until November 1, 2026. The college just admitted 119 new BSN students, one of the largest classes in recent years, for the fall semester.

In memoriam

Today we note three retired educators who passed away recently. If a reader knows of others, please drop us a note at news@knoxtntoday.com/.

Carolyn Crutchfield

Carolyn Diamond Crutchfield of Tazewell, Tennessee, passed away on September 13, 2026, at age 80. She worked for the Claiborne County school system for 30+ years, most of which were served as a cosmetology instructor at Claiborne County High School. After her retirement from teaching, she helped her husband and brother-in-law run the Subway restaurant in Tazewell. A pastor’s wife, she was a steady helpmeet to her husband of 47 years, the late Raymond Gene Crutchfield. The full obituary is here.

Ed Hart

Lucius E. “Ed” Hart passed away at his home in Maryville, Tennessee, on September 4, 2026, at age 82. His career in education started at Carson-Newman University where he taught computer information classes. He later was Registrar and Dean of Enrollment Services at C-N. He was director of admissions and registrar at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Dayton, Ohio, and upon retirement relocated to Maryville where he joined the faculty of Pellissippi State Community College (Blount Campus) teaching part time in the math department. A visitation will be held on Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 2-3 p.m. in the Trinity Chapel at Smith Funeral & Cremation in Maryville. A Celebration of Life will follow at 3. The full obituary is here.

Joe Hurst

David J. “Joe” Hurst of Knoxville, Tennessee, passed away on September 7, 2026, at age 61. He graduated from Rule High School in Knoxville in 1983, got his bachelor’s degree in business from Carson-Newman in 1988 and a master’s in teaching from C-N in 1996. At Carson-Newman, he played football and was on National Championship teams in 1983 and 1984. He taught at South- Doyle High School from 1994-2000, where he coached football and track. He transferred to Halls High School in 2000 where he coached football as well as track and field. The full obituary is here.