From The Publisher

As 2026 comes to a close, there seems to be more on the table to deal with than at any other point in my career. That covers a fair amount of ground.

Concrete and Color

Eugenia Almeida relies on both to transform spaces

When you ask an artist about her favorite medium to work in, you expect an answer like oils or acrylics. Not “concrete.” Yet that’s Eugenia Almeida’s top choice.

Dear Dolly

Gary Wade reflects on a friendship rooted in Sevier County and the music, wit, and generosity that shaped Dolly Parton’s extraordinary legacy.

Almost everyone in these parts knows your remarkable story. Born on January 19, 1946, in a two-room home on Locust Ridge in the Sevier County mountains to Robert Lee and Avie Lee Parton, you were the fourth of a family of 12 children.

Fresh on the Table New Restaurants in Knoxville

Four new dining destinations bring hot chicken, Southern comfort, hearty breakfasts, and playful nights to the Knoxville area.

Knoxville’s dining scene has been busy this fall. Since midsummer, a historic armory has traded drills for duckpin bowling and scratch-made bar food, a renovated home has begun serving Southern comfort food from scratch, and two beloved names, one fiery and...

Raging against the machine

As artificial intelligence grows, Tennessee communities and political leaders confront the costs and compromises of expanding data centers.

Rage against the AI data center machine is driving opposition to the technological facilities locally and nationally. Concerns about electric power and water consumption, noise, and size, are motivating people’s demands that the centers be kept far from their...

Southern Renaissance Man

Zac Brown on Dolly, Buffett, and the long road back to Knoxville

The air was cool in Kennebunkport for September. I had walked out along the Atlantic with the new Zac Brown record in my headphones, playing it the way it was meant to be heard, from the first track to the last.

That Little Italian Place in Bearden

Amalfi Ristorante Italiano brings sophisticated atmosphere and elegant dining to the neighborhood, and it may soon be the place you call “ours.”

Since the demise of Naples Italian Restaurant, Bearden has yearned for a new go-to, the little Italian place you head to for a celebration or just because it’s Tuesday. In the former home of Big Fatty’s, Amalfi is more intimate, but a go-to nonetheless, and...

The Best

As Bob Pryor closes his final column, his son celebrates a lifetime of stories, laughter, and a legacy that reaches far beyond the courtroom.

He held my hand and pulled me across Church Street toward the law offices of Gilreath, Pryor & Rowland. I’d been to my father’s law office on a weekday visit with my mother, but I was so excited to go on the weekend.

The Truth Doesn't Care Whether You Like It

On fly-fishing, faith, personal responsibility, and the physician's obligation to see the whole patient.

I have spent a fair amount of time trying to fool trout. Stand beside me in a stream and you will see how much preparation can go into a very small deception.

Where Did It Go?

A friend’s death and his teenage philosophy of life raise a lasting question: What does it mean to run out of time?

I have a framed saying on my office wall that reads: “Happiness is not a matter of events. It depends on the tides of the mind.” The quote, by writer Alice Meynell, was given to me by a social worker who came to see me while questioning an engagement.

Everest The Price of Entrance

The summit is only part of the story.

I clipped my carabiner onto a thin piece of static rope. A crampon, carefully positioned, straddled the second rung of a horizontal ladder.

Everybody’s Talkin’ Bout The New Kids In Town

UT hoops, both men and women, feature rosters filled with fresh new faces.

Last season Rick Barnes’ Vols made it to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight for the third straight time, ending up 25-12 and ranked No. 12.

Reshaping Lives

When options are few, KARM steps in to help

Andrea Tate has had her troubles. Raised by a single mom who struggled with mental illness, she learned early on to rely on alcohol and relationships to cope with her problems.

The Fourth Bond

On carbon, character, and what holds a life together.

Each of us is here for our own reason. How we conduct ourselves over the course of our lives becomes the living record of what we have learned to value and how willing we are to apply it.

Amelse & Edmonds CPAs - Best of the Best Profile

Amelse & Edmonds helps business owners spend less time worrying about the books and more time building their businesses.

Running a business means making decisions all day long. Hiring another employee.

Aspire - Best of the Best Profile

On the shores of Melton Hill Lake, Aspire makes the easiest yes you’ll give all year — bring your team here.

Imagine, for a moment, the perfect place to hold a corporate meeting or a company retreat. What comes to mind?

Broadway Carpets - Best of the Best Profile

One customer at a time.

Classy Caterer - Best of the Best Profile

Exceptional food. Every detail considered.

A memorable event begins with an invitation and ends with guests glad they came. In between, someone has to get everything right.

Concord Christian School - Best of the Best Profile

Church, school and family unite to prepare students for lives of faith, leadership and service.

For more than five decades, First Baptist Concord has invested in the lives of children and families through Christian education. What began with Concord Christian Preschool in 1969 has grown into Knoxville-based Concord Christian School, a thriving...

Langford & Ringer Orthodontics - Best of the Best Profile

Personalized orthodontic care helps patients of every age find confidence in a healthy, lasting smile.

There is no age limit on a beautiful smile. At Langford & Ringer Orthodontics, personalized care, modern technology, and a welcoming, caring team of professionals help patients of all ages enjoy a smile they love.

Pickering & Allen Orthodontics - Best of the Best Profile

At Pickering & Allen Orthodontics, a familiar face returns to carry forward a tradition of personal care.

When my youngest son, Morgan, needed braces, I did what many Cityview readers do: I opened our Best of the Best issue to see whom our readers recommended. That decision introduced our family to Dr.

PrintEdge - Best of the Best Profile

At Printedge, family, experience, knowledge and craftsmanship help Knoxville businesses grow by getting their message out.

Providence Builders - Best of the Best Profile

Exceptional homes begin with people who care about every detail—and each other.

“At Providence you get a team,” says Ron Bills, president and co-owner of Providence Builders. “A team that is motivated, a team that is focused and passionate on delivering the best homes ever designed and built.” Spend time with the people behind...

The Skin Wellness Center - Best of the Best Profile

At The Skin Wellness Center, decades of medical expertise shape the art of looking your best.

A patient walks in hoping to erase a sunspot. An experienced eye recognizes something that needs medical attention.

Cityview’s 2026 Best of the Best

There is something satisfying about seeing a business you love get the recognition it deserves. Maybe it’s the restaurant where they remember your order, the contractor who kept every promise, or the person who made a difficult day easier.

A Life of Service The Acs Have Seen the World —and Made It a Better Place

From Camp David to embassies around the world, Frank and Lesley Acs built a life together through decades of service, danger, and a shared sense of duty.

For Frank and Lesley Acs, service has never been just a job. It has been a way of life, taking them around the globe through political upheaval, dangerous assignments, and extraordinary encounters with people from different cultures.

LawlerWood - Business Profile

At The Reserve at Marblegate Farm, six extraordinary lakefront homesites offer a rare combination of sweeping views, protected surroundings and room to dream.

When Joe Petre first told me about the lakefront property he was bringing to market in Blount County, he already had my attention. Having lived in Louisville, I knew this stretch of the Tennessee River well.

Kadunza - Business Profile

European auto expertise with honest advice and a personal commitment.

A Porsche in the driveway should be a pleasure. An Audi, a BMW, a Mercedes should make you look forward to the drive.

The Gift of Subtraction

Change is inevitable, what you choose to do with it makes all the difference.

For most of my life, I strongly resisted change. If I felt I’d earned something, whether actually or just emotionally, I decided it was mine, and nobody was going to tell me otherwise.

A school truancy solution?

A former chronic truant argues that accountability and personal motivation—not excuses—are the keys to getting students back in class.

I was 17, standing in front of my Florida high school dean’s desk. I waited.

Dave Landeo – A Legacy in the Key of Life

For three decades, Dave Landeo has turned Knoxville bars, weddings, and tailgates into unforgettable nights

You’ve seen him at bars, tailgates, and private events. You’ve danced and requested your favorite song, he’s played it.

Getting Right With The Gods

Ruined by Achilles’ heels at crucial moments last season, this year the Vols have Nike on their side during a tough scheduling odyssey.

Tied 38-38 with Georgia with three seconds to go, kicker Max Gilbert missed a field goal, and the Vols lost in OT. Near the end of the first half against Alabama, UT was on the 1-yard line about to pull within two points, when Joey Aguilar inexplicably threw...

Grazie Millie

From the Path of the Gods to the streets of Assisi, two weeks tracing Italy’s coast and countryside.

The idea for our Italy trip came with an invitation to a destination wedding on the Amalfi Coast, that picturesque stretch of fishing villages carved into the cliffs stacked high with villas. Six couples went in on a six-bedroom villa built into a seaside...

Lonesome Dove Western Bistro

Texas swagger, wild game, and a well-traveled chef make for a unique experience in an iconic Old City saloon.

Lonesome Dove Western Bistro occupies the renovated Patrick Sullivan’s Saloon, the red 1888 brick Victorian building with Queen Anne-style gabled roof and turret that once housed a bordello on its third floor and, occupants swear, is haunted by Clara the...

Outdoor Mishaps & Tales of Woe

Years of outdoor experience don’t prevent spectacular mistakes, but they do make for unforgettable campfire stories.

It started as a conversation over breakfast with Cityview publisher Nathan Sparks and editor Kirk Edwards. Somehow, we got into the topic of old school backpacking gear.

Peptides Part II

Promise, Hype, and a Regulatory Fog

As an orthopaedic surgeon, one question followed me from exam room to exam room: “Doc, how can I recover from this surgery or this injury faster? Is there something I can take?” For most of my career, the honest answer was “nutrition, sleep and exercise –...

Smoke Signals

Three Knoxville Barbecue Spots Serving Up Unforgettable Flavor

You smell it before you see it. In East Tennessee, smoke rises like a signal fire, thin and steady, calling you off the highway toward something worth stopping for.

Time travel

Century-old cameras. Cutting-edge tech. Knoxville's Bruce McCamish is proof that the best way forward in photography might be looking back.

Creatively, Bruce McCamish stands with both feet firmly planted in the past. But that doesn’t mean he doesn't also adapt to the future.

Where Did It Go?

A friend's death, and the philosophy of life he wrote as a teenager, has one writer asking what it really means to run out of time.

Time – is it a part of my life that I can guide, control, enjoy? Or does it (whatever it is) control me?

built on connection

“Sometimes you meet a client and within the first five minutes you just know,” says Ron Bills of Providence Builders. “You realize you’re going to have fun together.

Dogs 101 Part 3 - The Power Of Motivation

The equipment behind a well-trained dog, from the living room to the field

My setter, Sig, went on point for the first time in a stand of sedge grass so thick I nearly walked past him. He was maybe two years old, and something about the way he froze, tail up, one paw curled, told me this wasn’t an accident.

Stewards of the Land

The Nature Conservancy partners with others to protect nature and serve people

The Nature Conservancy builds bridges, literally and figuratively. The environmental nonprofit, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, works in land, water, and climate protection in more than 80 countries and all 50 states.

The Gift of Giving

What defines a life of generosity? For Tim Harris, it has never been measured in dollars, but in character, service, and the people whose lives are changed by showing up for others.

When I think about generosity, I don’t picture a check or a gala or a name on a building. I picture my dad.

Beyond Cold Bringing Elite Recovery Home

Beyond Cold co-founder Eric Salage on building American-made chillers that bring elite cold-plunge recovery into everyday homes.

For years, cold plunge therapy lived almost exclusively in professional locker rooms and high-end wellness spas — a tool reserved for elite athletes chasing every recovery edge. Beyond Cold is changing that.

Knoxville's Open Container Zone Is Here But It Is Important To Know The Risks

Understanding the Law

If you've spent any time in downtown Knoxville this summer, you've probably noticed something different about Market Square. People are walking around with drinks in hand legally.

The Unexpected Mission

How a missed pilot slot sent Dan Nigolian into 20 years of Air Force leadership

Dan Nigolian has moved 17 times, lived on three continents, deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, commanded one of the Air Force’s most elite logistics squadrons, and now runs one of the fastest-growing Closet Factory franchises in the country. Long before he...

From The Publisher

Not long ago I wrote about being sixteen, wedged into my dad’s bronze Chevy pickup with my brother and a stack of canoes, hauling across the country to a whitewater race out West. I was the kid in the back then—the one Dad tried to reach by banging a wrench...

A Profile in Three Acts Guitar Man Andy Wood

“They sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say,“Man what are you doing here?”” –Billy Joel, Piano Man

Andy Wood is a guitar prodigy. His fingers cross the fretboard with a grace and precision that makes idle noodling sound like a Carnegie Hall recital, and he is completely free of the arrogance you’d expect from one of the best in the world at anything.

Reading Between the Lines

The political rules of rhetorical engagement

When hearing, seeing, or reading political messaging, it pays to remember that politics is a word game. To play well, know the rhetorical rules of engagement.

Only More So

Seeing ourselves in the other, and what it teaches us about ourselves.

As we age, we tend to reflect on what we have experienced and what we have learned. When we do, inevitably there are a few of these experiences that stick out in our minds.

An Evening at Seasons

Trout roe to burrata, the Season’s dining room takes center stage, as Chef Jewell sets a new standard one detail at a time

For longtime Seasons chef and owner Deron Little, his go-to reference was the 933-page Escoffier Cookbook , starting with its words on page one: “Stock is everything in cooking, at least in French cooking.” For Mike Jewell, Seasons’ executive chef since...

—Knoxville— Downtown Classics

The Restaurants That Stand the Test of Time

In a city that continues to grow and reinvent itself, there is something comforting about the places that remain. Restaurants that have weathered changing trends, evolving skylines, and generations of diners become more than places to eat—they become...

A Republic If We Can Keep It

On the eve of America's 250th anniversary, a reflection on where we've been, what we've overcome, and what's still at stake

The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is something called a Semiquincentennial, an unfamiliar term to most and one which has even confused my spellcheck device. Regardless, that America has endured these many years is a remarkable...

Hunting is just the excuse

A father-son hunting trip to Argentina reveals what men are really after — the friendships that make life longer, healthier, and richer.

Many times the anticipation of the adventure exceeds the excitement of the adventure itself. That was not the case for our most recent trip to Argentina.

Comfort is Overrated

Why I Started Sweating on Purpose (and freezing on purpose, too)

My infrared sauna sits in the corner of my home gym, and for years I treated it like a piece of furniture. I would glance at it on the way past, vaguely guilty, the way you might look at an exercise bike you keep meaning to use.

AI in the Courtroom

A Knox County judge explains why AI and sovereign citizen theories are no substitute for a real lawyer in a real courtroom.

s a young man, I haven't had much occasion to set foot in a courtroom or lean on the counsel of an attorney. It simply hasn't come up.

From dream to reality

For 40 years, Dream Connection's volunteer board members have arranged special moments for more than 1,100 kids with life-threatening conditions.

What’s it take to arrange a meeting with Seth Curry? Let Beth Milam tell us.

Carrying Them Home

Jim Cundell spent 36 years bringing wounded service members back from war. Then he spent another 17 making sure 4,600 of them got the homecoming they never had.

Somewhere over the Pacific in the late 1960s, a young airman lay stacked five litters high in the belly of a C‑141. He had lost a leg.

Dogs 101 Part 3 - The Power Of Motivation

Why rewards, praise, purpose, and the desire to please matter more than force when training a dog.

When I sat down to write this article, I felt like I was listening to that old Johnny Cash song where he rattles off every town he’s ever been to. Except my list wasn’t towns, it was dogs.

Preacher in theWoods

Episcopal priest, mountain innkeeper, and spiritual storyteller — Father Dan Matthews is still inspiring at 93 years of age.

In his storied career as an Episcopal priest beginning in Monteagle in the Tennessee diocese, Daniel Paul Matthews has served at churches in Memphis (1961), Nashville (1965), St. John’s in Knoxville (1972), and Atlanta (1980).

Secret Waters

A guide to finding peace in the waters of East Tennessee.

The drive out of Oak Ridge and up onto the Cumberland Plateau has a way of slowing me down — the road climbing, the trees closing in, the world getting quieter the deeper I go. Heading down Ridge Road, I pass the Lilypad Hopyard Brewery, and it brings a small...

SUMMER BREWS

A Tour of Knoxville's Craft Breweries

I am not a beer person. Or at least, I didn’t think I was.

Come Together

Classy Caterer expands its team to offer customers the only catering team they’ll ever need

When life offers you opportunities, you take a leap of faith and jump right in. At least, that's what Trisha Kelly, of Classy Caterer, did when she was presented with the opportunity to expand her team with seasoned catering talent.

DESTINATIONS Your Corporate Retreat at Aspire

On the shores of Melton Hill Lake, Aspire makes the easiest yes you’ll give all year — bring your team here.

Imagine, for a moment, the perfect place to hold a corporate meeting or a company retreat. What comes to mind?

From dinner with your children to a minimum 32 days in jail

Most people are unaware that a DUI conviction with a child in the vehicle results in a mandatory minimum 32 or 37 days in jail if convicted.

After a long week at work, you decide to celebrate the weekend with a nice dinner out with your family. At dinner, you consume a couple alcoholic beverages, enjoy some laughs and good conversation, begin your drive home, then you look back to see your child...

Owings, Coleman & Coalson

As the firm continues to grow, including the opening of a Harriman office in June 2024 and its new location in west Knoxville, its attorneys are expanding their reach while enhancing the way they serve clients. The move to Franklin Square reflects a continued...

The Dream Team for High Net Worth Divorce.

2026 Top Attorneys: Adoption, Family Law, Divorce, Child Support, Mediation and Arbitration

When people think about divorce, they often focus on the emotional aspects of the process. And understandably so.

The Why of Marcos Garza

For the founder of The Garza Law Firm, the practice of law begins and ends in the same place: the client.

Ask Marcos Garza what drives him after all these years, and he won’t talk about verdicts, victories, or the awards on his wall. He’ll talk about people.

Till the Bell Rings

There’s no legal fight Burks & Ogle can’t take on.

The legal arena has changed these past fifty years. New laws are signed in Nashville; new precedents decided with the bang of the gavel.

Respect the Craft

Respect the Craft I was eighteen years old, driving the back roads between Highland and Cashiers, North Carolina, on assignment for BBDO — at the time the largest advertising agency in the world. My job was to scout locations for a Camel Filters photoshoot.

Fashion Statements

Polling place fashion–Dressing the Part

“That’s not right,” I thought as I entered a Knox County polling place several years ago and saw a poll worker standing in the room’s center, guiding people to the various stations of the process. On the T-shirt he wore was this statement: “Vote for Equality.”

The Groundhogs of Mt. Cammerer

What starts as a simple climb becomes a crawl through roots, mud, and the limits of good judgment.

It had been a minute since the Groundhog Ridge had come to mind. Even though I would pass through the gorge every other month, thoughts of that ascent were somewhat distant in the memory bank.

Dogs on Deck

A Guide to Knoxville’s Best Hot Dog

There are men who fall in love with food in a fine dining room, linen napkins across their laps, something French on the menu. Me?

Yesterday & Today

From Liverpool to legend, the Beatles’ rise traces genius, rivalry, heartbreak, and an enduring musical bond.

On a hot summer day in 1957, St. Peter’s Church in Liverpool, England, hosted an all-day garden party.

Knoxville Memories: Part 2

There’s no business like show business

Knoxville has long been an important training ground for nationally and internationally famous entertainers. Our little hotbed for undiscovered talent has produced an “A-Team” of stars you know well.

The Green Hills of Tanzania

We expected something splendid. What we experienced was magnificence with the volume knob removed.

We expected something splendid. What we experienced was magnificence with the volume knob removed.

The Truth About Protein

From muscle growth to longevity, a clear look at how much, when, and why it matters.

When you get a call from one of your mentors, you usually take it. This call was interesting as it was an introduction to another surgeon on the west coast who was equally interested in the health wellness space.

The Dinner Dilemma

How I Finally Stopped Overthinking What to Cook

It’s 7:15 p.m. and I can feel the drop — that end-of-day wall where every last bit of mental energy has been spent on meetings and emails, and deciding what to cook feels like being handed one more task.

Where the Land Remembers You

Some roads have a way of pulling you back.

I hadn’t driven this particular stretch in more than thirty years, but the moment I turned off the main road and felt the land begin to open — fields rolling down toward the water, the horizon spreading wider than you’d expect — something in my chest settled...

Preserving the Past

A heritage center brings Appalachian history to life while building meaningful connections across generations today.

Donna Stinnett time travels three or four times a week. She wakes early at her home in Seymour and dresses in a long dress, hiking boots, an apron, and a kerchief for her journey back in time.

Alex Gass

Fire & Salt takes home 3rd place appetizer!

For Executive Chef Alex Gass, it always seems to be a family get-together at Fire & Salt. An Oak Ridge native, Gass started cooking with his mom, aunt, and grandmother at the Kern United Methodist Church and learned to smoke meats from his Uncle Jim.

Jeff Carter & Tirra Cowan

Dancing Bear takes 1st Place overall & First Place Experience but also 1st in all three, appetizer, entree and desert!

Jeff Carter—fresh off his victory in last year’s Top Chefs competition and building on his background at Blackberry Farm, previous time at Dancing Bear, and years at Sunspot— doubled down with his Exploration of Italian Appalachia. The evening began with...

Jeff Jorgensen

Farm to Feast takes home 2nd place experience as well as 2nd place entree!

Turning off Hickory Creek Road into She Diggs Farm, you pass exotic Kunekune pigs, elegant chickens, mules, horses, and goats. Chef Jeff Jorgenson and his wife, Jessica, show you to a long table under the portico.

John Bryant

Bistro by the tracks wins 2nd place appetizer!

The elegant surroundings of the new Bistro by the Tracks, with its vintage portraits of what look to be everyone’s great grandparents, continues to inspire memorable evenings. Executive Chef John Bryant was born in Johnson City and trained at Johnson and...

Robert McDonald III

3rd place experience goes to the Marlowe!

The large picture window between the dining room and the kitchen of the Marlowe enables patrons to see how elaborate the preparation can be, especially for a Top Chefs dinner. This also plays into Executive Chef Robert McDonald III’s thespian instincts.

Top Chefs 2026...and the winner is?

A Culinary Celebration Honoring Knoxville’s Finest Food Artists

In 2007, Top Chefs was born from a simple idea: Knoxville’s culinary talent deserved a spotlight. Nearly two decades later, that idea has grown into something far greater than any of us imagined—a celebration of craft, community, and the kind of cooking that...

Travis Freundt

Lonesome Dove takes 1st place dessert and 3rd place entree!

“I found my way to the orphanage next door and asked the director if I could live with them,” he recalls. In a way, his cooking began there.

Aim High and Semper fi

John and Chrystie Shawhan give back to their adopted Knoxville community after lengthy careers in the Air Force and Marines

As eventful and meaningful as John and Chrystie Shawhan’s respective military service was—he retired from the Marines in 2014 after 21 years, she from the Air Force in 2022 after 28 years—reviewing my notes from a conversation with them at their West...

Dogs 101: Part II - The Rules of the House

Dog training insights from Mike & Jon Osteen reveal how structure, consistency, and clear rules turn chaos into calm, well-behaved companions

Years ago, a good friend of mine got a dog. He named him Damn-it.

Where Light Comes Home

The Beauford Delaney Building is Knoxville’s most inspired new address — and the story behind it is one for the ages

Stand on one of the lower-floor terraces of the Beauford Delaney Building and the game is right there. Not in the distance.

Charged with Boating Under the Influence in Knoxville? - keep

Tennessee BUI Laws, Penalties, and Defenses Explained

Can a day on Norris Lake or Fort Loudoun Lake result in a criminal conviction? In Tennessee, the answer is yes if you are charged with boating under the influence.

March April 2026 From the Publisher

The Cost of Comfortable Mediocrity

For most of my life, I believed school was the great equalizer. Work hard.

Arts – Inspired By Fire

Steel and fire forged Erich Orris’s future before he was 10 years old.

The love for the craft was embedded in his nature, and though he worked at different jobs and lived around the country, blacksmithing called to him. In 2020, he and his wife purchased property in Cosby, in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains.

Tall Paul & The Strip

Before the Strip vanished, one voice turned Monday nights into legend.

Once upon a time in Knoxville, there was a place called “The Strip.” It was a magical place where legends were made. On that strip, there was a place called “The Library.” On Monday nights, there lived a giant.

Local Politics – Public Safety or Orwellian Future?

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s…a Knoxville Police Dept. drone!

You need some years behind you, or you watch retro TV, to recognize the opening lines of the 1950s television series “Superman.” But the modern-day connection fits: the KPD is growing its use of drones as a means of first response to emergencies. Under the...

Insights – Postulations

Over the years, I have gathered a number of quotes that I tend to go back to time and time again—words that keep me thinking about who I am and how I live. Many come from the writings and presentations of Dr.

Field & Family

Wisdom from Mike & Jon Osteen

Picture this. You’re standing on a farm surrounded by dogs you don’t know, watching two men you just met move through the chaos like it’s well-timed choreography.

Outdoors – Waterfall Woman

From Grotto Falls to hidden creeks, Dana Koogler has chased the sound of water and found a path through life’s toughest terrain.

Dana Koogler jokes that she was conceived beneath a waterfall. That’s probably just one of the reasons she wades so deeply into the folds of ancient backcountry maps.

Rustic Elegance – Dining Out

In the quiet of the woods, sophistication takes its seat at the table.

Tucked into the sylvan charm of Maryville College Woods, RT Lodge’s restaurant embodies the warm, refined soul of East Tennessee dining. It is rustic yet elegant, with hospitality that feels personal from the moment you step inside.

Healthy Indulgence

A full day of balanced, flavor-forward dining proves Knoxville makes it easy to eat well without sacrificing enjoyment.

There’s something special about starting a day in Knoxville. The light settles softly over the city, Market Square begins to stir, and the Smokies linger quietly in the distance.

The Humble Hammer

Well, it took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course. – Henry Aaron

Henry Louis Aaron died on January 22nd, 2021 — two weeks short of his 87th birthday. During this man’s time on Earth, he had quietly become one of the best to ever play the game of baseball.

The Survey

A not-entirely-scientific look at what truly keeps Knoxville’s seniors up at night.

Last November Pew Research published a report on how older adults in the U. S.

Wondering the West

Finding peace and solace amongst natures greatest creations.

It was shortly after 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve when I reached for the windshield wiper lever, nudging it higher, only to realize it was already maxed out.

Biologic Breakthrough

Once confined to science fiction, biologic therapies now harness growth factors and cellular signaling to reduce inflammation, restore function, and support natural healing.

Do you remember Luke Skywalker being submerged in a Bacta tank in The Empire Strikes Back? Star Wars enthusiasts will.

Skin Wellness – Is your skin healthy and beautiful?

There’s a group of women who can help almost everybody in town—probably even you. Most of us are plagued by something we see in the mirror.

Automation is Taking Jobs. But that is only Half the Story

AI is eliminating routine work—but the real shift is who takes responsibility when automation ends.

Most conversations about artificial intelligence and job loss start the same way. They focus on what’s disappearing.

Faithful Service

For 35 years, InterFaith Health Center has kept uninsured workers healthy

Thirty years ago, the Almeida family was struggling. They had moved to the U.S.

Top Docs 2026

Every year, the world of medicine changes and evolves – new discoveries are made, new procedures are perfected, and new solutions take the stage. But these changes and evolutions don’t spring from nothing.

Built for March Tennessee – Then & Now

Why discipline—not reinvention—will decide Tennessee’s fate

There’s a particular sound inside Thompson-Boling Arena when Tennessee basketball is right. It’s not just noise—it’s emotion.

Gunning for the top

Military veteran Noah Mancuso led sailors in service before dropping anchor in Knoxville

Among the many colorful stories that dot San Diego-to-Knoxville transplant Noah Mancuso’s 26-year US Navy career, two stand out during a wide-ranging conversation from his office in Rocky Hill. And, as it turns out, both relate to big Hollywood movies.

Apex Vascular: Care That Goes Beyond Treatment.

Innovation, access, and compassion come together to preserve limbs and improve lives.

When APEX Vascular first opened its doors, its founder Dr. Chris Pollock had a clear mission; to put an end to unnecessary limb amputations.

Garza Law – The Cap Isn’t Absolute

Tennessee law sets strict limits on non-economic damages, but full compensation can sometimes be unlocked.

Imagine losing the use of your legs. Or suffering burns that change your appearance and your independence forever.

Lumière Plastic Surgery – The Next Evolution In Aesthetic Care

Physician-led center unites surgery, aesthetics, and wellness seamlessly.

Knoxville’s aesthetic landscape has evolved quickly in recent years. Into that momentum steps a new, fully integrated destination for plastic surgery, medical aesthetics, and wellness—led by Dr.

Mike Stevens Homes – To Be Remembered

Parade homes where craftsmanship, light, and memory converge.

For Mike Stevens, the Parade of Homes is not a marketing exercise. It’s a statement of identity.

The Last Deal You’ll Ever Make

Why Selling Your Business Deserves Strategy, Patience, and Precision

Business has fascinated me for as long as I can remember — not just the money, but the mechanics of it. The way management decisions ripple through an organization.

From the Publisher

From The Publisher 2026 Issue 1

After publishing our recent issue with Heath Shuler on the cover, I found myself back in Loudon County at a place affectionately known as “the farm.” It’s the training facility run by Mike Osteen, and I had come with a simple question: how well-trained was my...

Country at Heart

A local Knoxville storyteller traces home, loss, and loyalty through song.

For years, Terry Glen Adams has been a familiar byline and a trusted voice for Cityview readers—a writer who understands that good storytelling, whether on the page or in a song, comes from paying attention. This January, that voice steps fully into the...

The Last Honest Voice in the Room

A razor-smart songwriter shaped by Knoxville, history, and hard-earned survival returns home with new music—and a lifetime of stories that still cut straight to the bone.

The first time I ever saw Scott Miller, he was onstage in a Knoxville bar singing a song about big-haired girls. The lyrics were sharp, funny, and razor-edged.

The Final Quarter

After two major setbacks, Mayor Indya Kincannon enters her final term leading without momentum, but not without purpose.

A politician, such as Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon, has much in common with a football coach and a shark. Life’s good when a mayor is winning city council votes, cutting ribbons, attending national conferences, and speaking before politely applauding civic...

Well I Do or Don’t

Oops—there it goes. Or does it?

Latin Fusion On Northshore

Knoxville has quite a few truly amazing restaurants. We have restaurants that have been in Knoxville for decades, we have others that are James Beard Award winners, and we have newcomers to the restaurant scene that delight diners on a daily basis.

Turning Up The Heat

Story and Photography byMicha Haas & Ethan Smith W ant to hear the dark, sordid truth? I’ve never been a solo act in these dining guides.

Knoxvillians Around The World-Morocco

To Morocco With Love

Exploring morocco’s timeless wonders An early scene in the movie Patton takes place after the general’s 1942 landing in Morocco and defeat of the Vichy French. Standing on a reviewing stand with Sultan Mohammed V in the capital city of Rabat, Patton watches a...

Quiet intelligence

Artificial intelligence isn’t arriving with fanfare—it’s slipping into everyday life through faster systems, smarter tools, and infrastructure already being built behind the scenes.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere right now. You’ve heard the term, you’ve seen it in the news, and you’ve probably used it without realizing it.

Taliluna Dreams

There’s a moment, every time you slip off Kingston Pike and curve onto Cherokee Boulevard, when Knoxville seems to let out a long breath. Traffic thins, the trees widen overhead, and Sequoyah Hills reveals why it has been one of the city’s most beloved and...

Making Connections

Is the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club really about mountain biking? Well, that’s debatable.

From TopGun to Trout Streams

The Remarkable Journey of Dr. Trent Douglas

On a crisp Tennessee morning, with mist still hanging over the river, Trent Douglas looks far more like a fishing guide than a man who has rebuilt faces shattered by war. Ball cap, waders, fly rod in hand—he and his son are somewhere on the water fly fishing.

Glass Master

After 50 years in Knoxville, Richard Jolley reflects on a life shaped by fire, glass, and the radical choice to build an exemplary career without ever leaving home.

On a gray morning in Knoxville, the front door of an unassuming studio swings open and the temperature jumps. Inside, the air shimmers with heat.

Sam and the Sweetheart of Phi Delta Theta

In September of 1966, I enrolled at the University of Tennessee. Although fraternity life continues to get mixed reviews, going through rush had become a family tradition years before.

From the Publisher – Nov. ’25

Every year, when we publish our Best of the Best issue, I’m reminded just how much this community cares. Hundreds of thousands of votes pour in, each one representing someone taking the time to recognize the hard work, talent, and service of a local business...

Color Outside the Lines

How Mark English is Painting the City of Knoxville

Mark Carson English (he uses his middle name so as not to be confused with artist Mark English) pats the neck of the 8-foot-tall wooden giraffe he has coated in rainbow-colored dribbles and drips of acrylic paints. “It’s my self portrait,” he says.

Music – A Rare & True Talent

With grit and soul, Dave Kennedy is redefining country music’s heart and future

Dave Kennedy is the truth. He is all that was great about the country music we grew up on and all that could be great about the future of the genre.

Public Process as Fact, or Fiction

“If I ain’t up on it, I’m down on it”

Where government projects are concerned, a “public process,” in which the public gets to comment or offer suggestions on public-sector projects, can be friend or foe. Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon’s administration’s effort in August to sell Chilhowee Park...

Chasing the Ghost of Citico

In search of a lost hunter, a trek through Jeffrey’s Hell reveals not just legend, but the fragile edge of America’s last great wild places.

Story and Photography byJohn Quillen Many legends float through the Citico/ Slick Rock wilderness. Deep in the folds of this magical place are paths few have ever crossed.

The Raven Takes Flight – Dining Out Review

Jim Saunders and Jimmy Loup’s latest venture soars with history, flavor, and flair.

When last we left transplanted Texan restauranteurs Jim Saunders and Jimmy Loup, they had bought Bella on Maryville’s West Broadway Avenue, hired Chef Cory Giaquinta, and quickly scored a hit with the dining public. A few months ago, an 85-year-old building...

Knoxville Memories Part 1

When I decided to collect memories of growing up and living in Knoxville from people who have lived and worked here their entire lives, I knew I wanted to include the experiences of my 87-year-old friend, Glenn Allen. I called Glenn and told him that I wanted...

Knoxvillians Around The World-Japan

A Month in Japan, a lifetime of Lessons

From bullet trains to temple bells, one East Tennessean discovers that Japan’s greatest beauty isn’t in its landscapes—but in the kindness of its people. When I stepped off the plane in Tokyo on May 7, I was hit with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

Eating by the Clock

Fasting and time-restricted feeding aren’t just trends— they’re tools to help your body reset, reduce inflammation, and restore energy naturally.

Dietary trends change as frequently as the weather in East Tennessee. However, to consider fasting or time-restricted eating a trend is really not doing it justice.

Reloading Not Rebuilding – UT Basketball 2026

Having lost five and seven seniors, respectively, the UT women and men are stocked with answers.

Last January Lady Vols Head Coach Kim Caldwell, 36, gave birth to her and her husband Justin’s first child, Conor Scott Caldwell. Just a week later she was greeted with a standing ovation from a crowd of 12,033 when she returned to the bench in...

Holiday Helpers

Nonprofits provide cheer to their neighbors in need­—and East Tennessee steps up to help

Santa needs a lot of help to get the big Christmas job done. He needs reindeer to fly and elves to build toys.

Best of the Best 2025

Here atCityview, few things are more fascinating to us than watching as our annual Best of the Best voting unfolds. As the numbers climb—10,000 in a day, 30,000 in a day—it’s hard not to feel the pulse and energy of our community.

The Call of the Dogs – Heath Shuler’s Next Play

I ‘ve spent my fair number of years in East Tennessee. I grew up here—driving down country backroads that wind and weave through hollers and hills, roads paved the old-fashioned way with tarmac and gravel chips, the kind that bubble up with tar spots in the...

Trimmed to Perfection

Knoxville’s design pros share new ways to deck your halls—from autumn trees to oversized bows and glittery nostalgia.

Just when I thought I knew it all about Christmas decorating, I found out that new things have slipped in while I wasn’t looking! Even before I sat down with some of our local experts, I found myself wrapped up in the trends of the year: an autumn tree...

Amelese & Edmonds – Planning Over Panic

Story and photography byNathan SparksMichelle Amelse’s proactive approach to accounting and business growth Accounting isn’t known for surprises—and that’s exactly how Knoxville CPA Michelle Amelse likes it. At her firm, Amelse & Edmonds CPAs, she believes...

Barnett Roofing

A Roofer You Can Trust

IIt’s 2 a.m. when you make the call.

Benton Roofing

Building Roofs and Trust for Knoxville’s Businesses

Benton Roofing blends quality craftsmanship with enduring Christian business values and community commitment For the team at Benton Roofing, their reputation as a quality roofing company is, of course, important. But not as important as their reputation as a...

Biles Construction

Building with Purpose

Guided by precision, and partnership, Biles Construction marries design, craft, and client vision to create works of art Story and Photography byNathan Sparks When you meet Bill Biles, you get the sense he was born to build. “All I did was construction...

BMHRS – Gold-Winning Payroll & HR Solutions for Today’s Businesses

Award-winning payroll and HR experts expanding into Knoxville—BMHRS streamlines business operations with secure, seamless solutions and personalized service nationwide. This year’s Best of the Best Gold Winner in Payroll and HR Services, BMHRS, Inc., is...

Classy Caterer – Elevating Every Occasion

When Trisha Kelly retired from the financial services industry, she wasn’t ready to slow down. Hosting and entertaining had always been a passion.

Dental Images – Where Healthy Smiles Begin

Through advanced dentistry and compassionate care, Dental Images helps patients find the smiles that will last a lifetime.

A confident, healthy smile can light up a room — and at Dental Images, the mission is to help every patient feel that confidence. Led byDr.

Garza Law Firm – Navigating Tennessee DUI Laws

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charges in Tennessee are far more complicated than many realize. These cases sit at the crossroads of criminal law, constitutional rights, and scientific evidence, a combination that creates significant challenges for the...

Knoxville Wholesale Furniture – Where Luxury Lives & Everything’s In Stock

For more than three decades, Knoxville Wholesale Furniture has defined what it means to bring comfort, quality, and value home to East Tennessee. This year, the company once again swept Cityview Magazine’s Best of the Best awards—Gold in Furniture Store...

Lucas Haun – Keller Williams Signature

Welcome Home

Late afternoon light falls softly across the lawn of a stately Craftsman home on Kingston Pike, its brick glowing with the patina of a century’s care. The house stands with quiet confidence – timeless, dignified, and distinctly Knoxville.

oysk3 Architects

Building a Legacy of It’s Own

For oysk3 Architects, every project is more than a structure—it’s a collaborative process built on trust, responsiveness, and community roots. Oysk3 Architects is more than a typical design firm.

Pickering & Allen – The Thirty-Year Smile

Pickering & Allen celebrates three decades of high-quality, innovative orthodontics

What does it take to make the perfect smile? It takes an orthodontist with a scientist’s mind but an artist’s eye.

Pro Toy – Where Honesty Drives the Shop

Trusted for independent auto care in Knoxville, Pro Toy is fueled by deep experience and customer confidence

Story and Photography byNathan Sparks A Shop With Roots and a Promise Founded in 2001 by Barry and Kim Dickey, Pro Toy Automotive Service Center began as a specialist shop for Toyota and Lexus owners. Over time, it expanded to serve most makes and models...

Providence Builders – The Art of Comfortable Living

Morning light drapes across the hills of Tennessee National, catching the soft grain of timber beams and the shimmer of glass in a home that seems to have grown naturally from the land itself. Beneath the vaulted rooflines and stone accents, there’s a quiet...

Safe Splash

Taking the Plunge

SafeSplash gives East Tennessee’s youth a lifelong love for the water For some, swimming is a passion. That’s certainly the case for Davis Tarwater, who capped his 20-year-long competitive swimming career with Olympic gold in London.

Skin Wellness

Healthy Skin, Beautiful Skin

The Skin Wellness Center offers a holistic, medically-focused approach to improving the health of your skin Whether you’re talking to their doctors, their staff, or their patients, you’ll hear the same thing: there are many medispas in East Tennessee, but...

Stillwater Customs – An Unlikely Journey

From boat captain to built‑ins, Stillwater Customs crafts Knoxville’s finest woodwork

It had been a long, fruitless day. We’d tried everything, and the fish just weren’t biting.

The Painted Room – Kitchen Dreams, Family Roots

When it comes to making your kitchen look its best, Chris Hardy of The Painted Room tells it like it is—and then makes it beautiful.

Christopher Hardy and his mother, Chriss Hardy Glover launched a mother-son, joint business concept back in 2002, running out of Chriss’s garage. They had the skills, but would they be able to successfully open a small business?

From the Publisher – Sept. ’25

When I was a young boy, my grandfather Charles Garland Sparks shared with me the story of the 1938 radio broadcast ofThe War of the Worlds. Listeners who tuned in late believed the alien invasion was real, leading to widespread panic.

Falling for Water

Lynda Best lives in paradise, and it shows in the paintings she creates. A lifelong artist (“By the time I was 12 I was giving art lessons to other kids and getting paid for it!”), Best and her husband Steve live in Tellico Plains at the foot of the Cherohala...

Built to Create

Shayla McDaniel’s journey to music was built on curiosity, faith, and the power of figuring it out

“I grew up in the church, so that was my first exposure to music, specifically live music,” Shayla McDaniel says. Drawn to sound from a young age, Shayla first wanted to play drums—“they looked like so much fun”—but started with the recorder in third grade.

Referendum on the Ropes

A shaky rollout, growing opposition, and a high‑stakes November vote put Knoxville’s proposed sales tax hike on uncertain ground

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon’s sales tax referendum effort’s unfocused slog out of the gate in its early stages puts the outcome in doubt. Nevertheless, getting voters to pass a tax on themselves may be made easier given the blue tint of Knoxville’s recent...

Friend or Foe

I went to lunch this past week with a person I’ve known for more than 40 years. A successful man, who leads a multiple-staff wealth management office, he, like myself, began of his life without technology being a constant.

The Effortless Excellence of Emilia

An evening at Matt Gallaher’s Market Square rifugio lets the cuisine shine.

There are restaurants that announce themselves with fanfare—brash décor, inflated adjectives, a signature cocktail named after someone’s grandmother. Then there are places like Emilia, which arrive on tiptoe.

Down to You

When football glory meets small-town camaraderie, the stories are as good as the game

Although I am still catching on to writing a column every two months for the viewing pleasure of both of my regular readers, I do like to indulge myself with a baseball story in the spring and, in the fall, offer a tip of the hat to our orange clad Volunteer...

Fields of Flight

In the rolling hills of North Georgia, the gentleman’s hunt is more than a pursuit—it’s a tradition. At the Beretta Shooting Grounds, precision meets adventure, camaraderie meets refinement, and every moment in the field carries a spark of thrill.

There’s a certain kind of quiet you find only in the Georgia hills just before the hunt begins. The wind carries the faint scent of pine, the crunch of gravel under boots, and somewhere out of sight, the low, excited whine of bird dogs ready to work.

That Old Cape Magic

A captivating place, unspoiled by time

The mention of Cape Cod sends me into a reverie: As you cross the Sagamore Bridge spanning the Cape Cod Canal, you lower the window and smell the salt air. You notice that your shoulders are lower and checking your phone doesn’t seem that important anymore.

The Belief Effect

Science shows our expectations can shape real health outcomes—proof that belief, mindset, and even faith can change the body.

In 2013, my colleagues and I at the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network Shoulder Group published a research paper as part of a longitudinal study on rotator cuff tears. This was a multi-center trial that involved around 12 centers at that time, and...

All About the Culture

In Coach Josh Heupel’s fifth season, the Vols are banking on a productive team ethos.

On UT Media Day Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Joey Halzle described the competition among quarterbacks Joey Aguilar, Jake Merklinger, and George MacIntyre by harking back to the 2021 competition between Hendon Hooker and Joe Milton III, when...

Into the Looking Glass

There is nothing that I like more than to see Nick Saban wailing and gnashing his teeth begging at the foot of the President of the United States to preserve the caste system that earned him a net worth in excess of $80 million dollars and the Alabama...

A Home in Harmony

With sweeping views of the Tennessee River and the Smoky Mountains, custom builder Schmid and Rhodes has crafted a home for the Connors that blends modern style with warmth and family tradition.

It’s been less than a year since Carol and Mike Connor moved into their new house, but their stunningly beautiful three acres have felt like home to these native Knoxvillians from the start, when they broke ground on their sanctuary in late 2022. The...

Guardians of the Foothills

Foothills Land Conservancy celebrates 40 years of helping property owners save and enhance their land

The Foothills Land Conservancy has its roots in helping the peaceful side of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park to stay that way. Sometime in the 1970s there was a move afoot to bring a theme park, Smokyworld, to the Townsend area.

Soldier at Heart, Servant at Home

Air Force veteran Rick Kuhlman seeks to make his beloved Knoxville a better place

On a visit to Rick Kuhlman’s home a few miles west of downtown Knoxville, it quickly becomes evident that the house started as a tidy bungalow and has been gradually, lovingly expanded over the years, with several added rooms, including a sun porch, along...

The Centurion Milestones & Memories

World War II veteran Bob Luttrell reflects on nearly drowning in the Pacific and the work of art his life became

Bob Luttrell didn’t want to let his mom down. Only minutes after breakfast aboard his patrol gunboat in the Pacific Theater of World War II, an explosion rocked the vessel, and it started to list.

Garza Law Firm: Facing the System

2025 Top Attorneys in Adoption, Civil Litigation, Constitutional Law/Civil Rights, Class Action, Consumer Protection, Criminal Defense, DUI Defense, Family Law/Divorce/Child Support, Federal Court Practice, Juvenile Defense, Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home...

Providence Builders | The Art of Custom Home Building

Redefining the custom home building experience with openness, precision, and a team-driven philosophy.

In 2005, after a high-flying career in aerospace engineering and corporate leadership, Ron Bills came home—not just to Tennessee, where he and his wife Diane had long planted roots—but to the work that had always called to him: designing and building homes...

From the Publisher – July ’25

It’s just before dawn. Nobody’s up yet, but me.

Noteworthy Craft

South Knox musician uses his passion to build perfection

When it comes to Josh Hobbs’s artistic endeavors, one thing led to another. The first thing was music.

Finding His Rhythm

From small-town roots to center stage, Cruz Contreras follows the pull of music

Cruz Contreras didn’t set out to be a frontman. “I just wanted to be a piano player and take a solo now and again,” he says.

Parking It Downtown

“Politics is not worrying this country one-tenth as much as where to find a parking space.” – Will Rogers

For decades, when Knoxville city officials asked local folks to visit downtown Knoxville, what they heard in response was the sound of their own voices echoing back at them from the mostly deserted central city canyons. If someone went downtown, finding a...

Fear of Missing Out

What our discomfort in exclusion reveals about us— and how we might respond

There’s something about human nature that stirs up this mysterious “fear of missing out.” It’s a process that plays out in our minds, saying more about who we are than we often realize. Let me offer an example.

Chasing Dawn

Hard-earned sunrises from Everest to Appalachia—finding beauty where few ever look

Leaving a warm sleeping bag in the middle of the night is not my favorite part of mountaineering. I joke that we wake up before we go to sleep so as not to miss any of the extreme cold the mountain offers.

Cherry Blossom-Topped Hideaway

Seafood is my go-to,” says Fiori co-owner Jesse Vose. “Especially Maine lobster.” His great grandfather Ralph Curtis was a lobsterman in Maine and his father even facilitates the supply blueberry juice from Down East, Maine.

Summer Lunch

Whether it’s inside relaxing with a cold specialty drink or out on a patio with the warm sun beating down on you, that midday bite is the perfect break from the hustle and bustle. Dig in!

Jim Johnson

A journey shaped by grit, faith, & a belief in soulful storytelling

Born in a small steel town outside Chicago, Jim Johnson moved to Knoxville and has since built an eclectic career spanning military service, entrepreneurial ventures, video production, and a growing presence on the screen. Cityview: Jim, you actually grew up...

The Switch in Time

FDR’s plan to expand the Supreme Court collapsed after one justice unexpectedly changed his vote, preserving the Court’s size and its independence. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established a Supreme Court comprised of a Chief Justice and five associate justices.

Knoxville Memories Part 1

This is the first in a series of articles dedicated to the stories and recollections of local octogenarians about growing up and living their entire lives in our hometown. W hen I decided to collect memories of growing up and living in Knoxville from people...

Southbound

Where the roads end and the ice begins Dramatic landscapes and humbling experiences.

In the middle of the night, as our ship pitched and rolled in the Southern Atlantic Ocean, I lay awake, confident in the captain’s ability – but also considering two unappealing scenarios: that the ship couldn’t roll much farther without us being tossed from...

Eating Ourselves Sick

Ultra-processed foods may be tasty and fast, but mounting research shows they’re quietly destroying our health from the inside out.

For many people, walking down the aisle at the supermarket can be a misleading adventure. If you stick the outer edges, you likely know exactly what you’re in for.

Building Paradise

When great design meets quality construction dream homes are created. In the heart of East Tennessee, where scenic beauty meets a strong sense of community, a newly completed custom home stands as a bold expression of vision, experience, and craftsmanship.

Stealing Graceland

Real estate theft—the silent crime that’s happening right in your backyard. In an effort to steal more than 18,000 square miles of land in Arizona and New Mexico, James Addison Reavis forged hundreds of documents, surreptitiously placed them in the public...

Hope in Hard Places

Court Appointed Special Advocates walk with children through trauma, one visit, one report, one hug at a time.

When we hear about kids who’ve been abused or neglected, the first thing we think is: bad parents. “Most of us start out with a preconceived notion that people who do these things are bad,” says Amy Jackson, executive director of CASA of East Tennessee.

2025 Top Attorneys

Choosing the right attorney during a stressful time can be one of the most important decisions you make. And if you don’t know where to start, asking another attorney is often the best move.

Destination Aspire

Clinton’s Newest Destination—A Park for the People

Spanning more than 400 acres of reclaimed post-industrial land along the Clinch River, Aspire Park is a bold reimagining of what a public park can be. With 20-plus miles of trails, an epic playground, and an upscale restaurant, Aspire is a thoughtfully...

Out of the Sky & Into the Stream

Army veteran Bill Warganich has found a post-battle home in the tranquil Smokies

As Bill Warganich fluidly casts a fly line across the glistening surface of a heaven-kissed Smoky Mountain river, his face wears a contented smile and a look of serene joy. By contrast, the day in 1991 when he flew his Apache attack helicopter across a...

The Explosion of Pickleball

Courts fill and paddles fly as East Tennessee finds its new obsession

On a Tuesday night in West Knoxville, paddles clack under soft lights as doubles teams rotate on and off the courts. In an upstairs lounge, players sip local ciders and unwind.

Taking Nothing For Granted

Amanda Scott fights for her perspective on the world

Though her earlier career as a dental hygienist surely contributes to Amanda Scott’s vivid smile, the passion she feels toward her current one adds energy and enthusiasm to it. She’s been interested in art since her senior year at Farragut High School, but it...

Student of the Game

From banjo to bass, Daniel Kimbro finds peace in the process of learning

When you talk to Daniel Kimbro, one thing becomes clear pretty quickly—this guy doesn’t just play music; he lives it. “My parents were super musical folks… always listening to everything from bluegrass to classical to Van Halen,” he says of his Morristown...

All Aboard

It hasn’t whistled yet, but make no mistake—Knoxville’s next tax hike is on the tracks

Knoxville city officials are again deciding how to divide up your money to pay for things you want, may want, don’t want, or don’t even know about. It’s called the budget process, and it comes around annually at this time of year, just like spring, only more...

To Be the Patient

Caregiving takes on a new meaning when we become the ones needing care

One year ago in May, I officially retired from a calling I’ve come to realize I loved. For 53 years, I served as a clinically trained pastor: 13 years in the Department of Mental Health at Lakeshore and 40 years at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Through the Lens of Time

Unveiling the Smokies’ Hidden Stories Through Campbell’s Photographs

I‘ve mentioned Frank Harvey in the past. He is descended from Smokies royalty, claiming the bloodline of Grandpa Carlos Campbell.

Gay Street’s Double-Edged Hot Spot

The Kennedy blends the lively atmosphere of a sports bar with an upscale dining experience.

Located at the corner of Gay Street and Union Avenue, this historic building has undergone a remarkable transformation. For 34 years, through 2010, it was the elongated Arby’s.

Destination Donuts

I am ashamed to admit it: donuts have become my vice. It’s not that I’m eating them every day, but there have certainly been days when I have had a late-night craving and brought home a half-dozen of these sweet, fluffy bits of temptation.

Ferdinand & The Panama Canal

A long-awaited voyage through a vital trade waterway opens the door to the story of a diplomat

Seeing and traveling through the Panama Canal has been on my bucket list for decades. Now that my dear bride has finally given her permission for me to sort of retire from the legal profession, I developed a plan to persuade her to join me for the trip.

Brain Rot

A no-holds-barred rant about the absurdity of modern life. From fake news and artificial intelligence to survey hell, foreign call centers, and the existential dread of driving through Farragut at 5 p.m. I think it’s all giving me… Brain Rot!

I saw where “brain rot” was declared the word of the year. When I read that, I had no idea what it was, but I knew immediately that I had it.

The Mobility Factor

An exploration of how focusing on range of motion can be a game-changer for health and wellness

I was recently approached by a casual workout enthusiast and asked about Moves Method workouts. I had to be honest; I had not heard of it before.

Rowing Together, Rowing Tough

Lady Vols rowers, led by coach-of-the-year Kim Cupini, aim to repeat their trip to the podium at nationals

On a sunny April Saturday in Oak Ridge, UT’s third and fourth varsity 4s were neck and neck at the 1,000-meter mark, far ahead of a UNC boat. At 1,500 meters the 4V4 was up by three seats.

Making Connections

Knox Makers builds community with creativity

Andrew Gibbs was stuck in a desk job he did not enjoy. It was 2017, and he had recently moved to Knoxville from California.

Alex Gass | Top Chefs 2025

Chef Alex Gass started cooking with his mom, aunt, and grandmother for church. His first job was at Big Ed’s Pizza in Oak Ridge. He opened a couple of Aubrey’s for Randy Burleson, went on the road with rock bands, returned to Burleson’s Bistro by the Tracks, then cheffed for five years at Walnut Kitchen in Maryville before starting Fire & Salt.

Bartender Giana Maldonado welcomed guests with her concoction “Wishful Thinking,” made with vodka, apricot liqueur, pomegranate liqueur, lemon, honey, and sprinkled with edible redbuds. “I wanted it to be front forward, springy, and kind of tangy,” she told...

Cory Giaquinta | Top Chefs 2025

Chef Cory Giaquinta came to Bella after a year at the Dancing Bear Lodge. He comes from a big Italian family in Massachusetts. His father’s side is from Sicily. “I use a lot of my grandma’s recipes,” he says. “I add more basil, garlic, and thyme to the meatballs and make them with a combination of sausage, pork and veal.”

This year’s event series kicked off inside the warm and comforting environment of Bella in Maryville. Executive Chef Cory Giaquinta often describes his Tuscan-inspired restaurant downtown as “Italian, with a modern twist.” So, it was fitting that he welcomed...

Darin Hoagland | Top Chefs 2025

Chef Darin Hoagland’s grandparents and mother ran a hunting restaurant in California. “The kitchen, with them, was my comfort zone,” he recalls. He went to culinary school at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and cooked in several high-end kitchens before moving to Knoxville and Oliver Royale eight years ago.

Bar Manager Kirstie Durham and Bar Back Christoph Ewing started the evening off with a Spanish-style gin and tonic made with Tinkerman’s gin, juniper berries, lemon and orange wheels, thyme, rosemary, and lavender. The elegance of its presentation was wholly...

Ian Carson & Spence Bender | Top Chefs 2025

“He’s artistic and cooking is his art form,” said Chef Ian Carson’s mother, Rabbi Shoshana Carson of Heska Amuna Synagogue. “At P.F. Chang’s, the head chef took him under his wing.” Chef Spence Bender graduated from Bearden High and is an elite musician. “He’s a creative soul and always has been,” said his stepmother, Wendy Roth, “going from music to being a chef.”

Diners were greeted at the door with a welcoming Lavender Honey Spritzer in a champagne flute. Conceived by General Manager John Williams, it combined local honey, lemon simple syrup, Prospero Prosecco, and a sprig of lavender.

Jared Martin | Top Chefs 2025

Born in Athens, Tennessee, Chef Jared Martin set foot in his first commercial kitchen when he was 16, serving in an ice cream shop. Six months later he shifted to cooking food, and it seems he never stopped. Martin spent time perfecting his craft in restaurants across the region, including Kefi in the Old City, connecting with chefs along the way.

General Manager Airlia Pritchett greeted diners at the door with a welcome cocktail she had conceived and named Lavender Haze. “It combines honey-infused Empress 1908 gin with a lavender mint tea syrup and a hint of lemon juice,” she said.

Jeff Carter | Top Chefs 2025

Named this year’s Grand Champion, Chef Jeff Carter is a long-time culinary talent in East Tennessee. “I cut my teeth here (at Dancing Bear), for seven years,” he says. “This was my first job after Blackberry Farm.” He was executive chef at The Sunspot for a number of years on the Strip before he returned to Dancing Bear four years ago.

When people come out here, they’re in a better mood, seeing the mountains and feeling close to nature,” said Executive Chef Jeff Carter. “We really lean into using local ingredients, regional suppliers—honoring the ways of Appalachian people over 100 years.”...

John Bryant | Top Chefs 2025

Chef John Bryant was born in Johnson City and trained at Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina. He ran a catering business in Johnson City for eight years then joined Bistro by the Tracks two years ago. He is committed to local sourcing from farms within 150 miles of Knoxville. “When we grew up, everything came out of the garden.”

The walls of the former site of the Orangery and Kitchen 919 are decorated with vintage portraits gathered in estate sales. Most are from the 19th century; some appear even older.

Robert McDonald III | Top Chefs 2025

Born in Fountain City, Chef Robert McDonald III began cooking on his family’s outdoor grill anytime guests would come over. An actor at Central High, he had stints acting in New York and LA, then returned to Knoxville and his love of cooking. He met his wife breaking down the grill at Creamery Park Grille. McDonald joined Burleson Brands and the rest is history.

CityviewPublisher Nathan Sparks welcomed the guests at The Marlowe and introduced Chef Robert McDonald III as “a culinary legend from right here in Fountain City,” noting that the evening was about fine dining, but also “our support of the East Tennessee...

Top Chefs 2025

A Culinary Celebration: Honoring Knoxville’s Finest

In 2007, Top Chefs was born from a simple idea: Knoxville’s culinary talent deserved a spotlight. We set out to celebrate the chefs who transform ingredients into experiences, hosting events at iconic venues like L&N Station, the Women’s Basketball Hall of...

Going Once, Going Twice, Going the Distance

Bear Stephenson and Morton Massey struck up a military kinship that has endured

One morning in 1973, in the shadow of a hallowed hill, at the US Army Reserves center then situated on the UT campus, Bear Stephenson said his first hello to Morton Massey. Among other duties, Private Massey was assigned to serve as First Lieutenant...

Haming It Up

A father, a son, and the slow-cured magic behind Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams

If you’ve ever been in a kitchen when a thick-cut strip of Benton’s bacon hits the skillet, you know the sound. You know the smell.

The Joy They Carry

How one family’s love and one doctor’s support are changing lives.

On a small farm about an hour from here, mom of two Julia Erman turns on a light at 4 a.m. She says her best writing happens in the quiet hours of the morning.

Mar. ’25 – From the Publisher

Like most kids, I spent a lot of time playing baseball. There’s something magical about a ballpark—the crisp white chalk lines, the rhythmic crack of a bat meeting the ball, the shouts of teammates, and the scent of fresh-cut grass mixed with popcorn from the...

Big Ideas

Maryville’s Pinkie Mistry brings nature to life in canvas and murals

Pinkie Mistry can measure the progress of her art not only in its development but also in its size. Originally working as a graphic designer after completing that program at Pellissippi State, Pinkie designed small pieces like brochures and rack cards...

Strings of Change

Christina “Redd” Daugherty navigates a new chapter as both musician and business owner, balancing passion for what’s next and the legacy of a dear friend

In the heart of Knoxville’s music scene, one name has emerged as a beacon of resilience, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit—Christina “Redd” Daugherty. I sat down with Redd back in 2022 as she prepared for the release of her very first album,Monsters &...

Downtown Beirut No More

The renaissance of Knoxville’s Market Square and downtown

Downtown Knoxville was for years the equivalent of a literary dark and stormy night. Not necessarily stormy, but certainly dark.

Matters of the Soul

Perhaps how we connect to the world has more to do with how we connect to ourselves

Thirty years ago, I stumbled across the bookCare of the Soulby Thomas Moore. I was so captivated by what I was reading that I wanted to speak with the author.

Porter’s Creek

Off-trail in the Smokies, remembering a friend’s final bushwack to what’s next

My feet were dangling way too far from terra firma so I death-gripped a bending piece of rhododendron. The branch stretched with increasing gravity, and my toes reached for nothing as the shrub eventually succumbed.

A Hip Enclave in Happy Holler

The Marlowe’s sophisticated vibe lives up to its Raymond Chandler-esque name.

The night was as thick as a conman’s promise, and the streetlights of Knoxville’s Central Street flickered like the last gasps of a dying star. We found ourselves standing before The Marlowe, a joint at 1123 North Central Street, the kind of place where the...

In Crust We Trust

Pizza that needs no razzle-dazzle to hype up its flavor.

A lot of restaurants we cover here atCityvieware beautiful, upscale sit-down affairs. The salad fork on the far left and all that (I had to look that up, by the way).

The Rabbit is a Hero

The man who rolls up his sleeves seldom loses his shirt. – Thomas Cowan

The Museum of Appalachia, founded by the late John Rice Irwin and now one of the region’s important non-profit organizations, has recognized some of the local “heroes” who have made giant contributions to the culture of this area. Beloved Senator Howard Baker...

The Fiddle that Forged a King

From a restless young troublemaker to the “King of Country Music”

I knew many guys like him when I was growing up in North Knoxville. You know the type – small, wiry, and tough as nails.

The Heart of Romania

Journeying home for an epic visit—from Transylvania’s Carpathian Mountains to the Blue Danube

Underestimated. Beautiful.

Doctor AI

A look inside the ways our medical industry is using AI—and how things could change in the future

Those of you that know me are well aware of my love hate relationship with computers which borders on disdain. I think that the greatest advance that we could make in computers, would be making one that could take a punch.

A Triumphant Return for the Knoxville Smokies

With a new stadium with top-of-the-line facilities, East Tennessee’s Minor League team is in for a wild ride

The sun was bright over the stadium last September, as the 6,632 fans in the stands looked on. It was the atmosphere you always experience at a Smokies game.

Geared up for March Madness

Heading into tournament time, the Vols can be listless or unbeatable, sometimes both in the same game.

On February 15, the Volunteers went into the locker room at halftime, down 44-31 to Vanderbilt. Coach Rick Barnes had some words for his team, who had been listless on defense and offense, grabbing just 10 rebounds to Vandy’s 21.

New Era for One Knox

One Knoxville SC kicks off its 2025 season with a new head coach and new place to call home

One Knoxville SC is preparing for a big season. One of the most anticipated changes is the club’s move to Covenant Health Park in Old City.

Finding Her Voice

Girl Talk Inc. Shapes Knoxville’s Future Women

Sometimes, just talking helps. That’s the premise behind Girl Talk Inc., a Knoxville-based nonprofit aimed at helping Knoxville’s young females grow into their best selves.

Top Docs 2025

We approach our new year knowing that our first great undertaking will be our Top Doctors list. As you well may know, this list is our opportunity to call out the medical professionals in our community doing an exceptional job taking care of their neighbors.

Following the Chow Line

U.S. Navy veteran Jerry Brice and his family honor military service at Halls eatery

Walking in the door of The Chow Hall, a grayish one-story building at Emory and Bell roads in Hall Crossroads, feels like entering a cozy den whose walls and shelves overflow with remembrance—in this case a collection of photos, awards, and mementos honoring...

Home Run

The Dream that Built Knoxville’s New Stadium

Sitting across from Randy Boyd in his downtown Knoxville office on a brisk winter afternoon, it was impossible to ignore the excitement in his voice as he spoke about the new Covenant Health Park. This wasn’t just a stadium to him—it was a dream decades in...

A New Kind of Star

Adam Ragusea brings 2.47 million along on travel, food, and so much more

In this era of digital content creation, Knoxville’s Adam Ragusea has established his place in the world of online culinary arts by creating a brand that has been personally, professionally, and financially rewarding with some two and a half million...

Love at First Sight

A visit to the University of Tennessee led watercolorist Kate McCullough back to art

It seems buildings can make a first impression as strongly as people can. Because the first time Kate McCullough laid eyes on the Art and Architecture building on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville, she knew.

Tennessee: For Democrats, What’s Next?

The results of the election has this writer curious about the future of the Democratic Party in the Volunteer State

With a new-but-old presidential administration taking office, and Tennessee election winners beginning their new terms of office, the question is, will Democrats be able to overcome their now decades-long Volunteer State decline? Much of the political...

Learning to Learn at 86

After decades in pastoral care, I thought I had the answers. Turns out I had a lot to learn.

One year ago, in my first column withCityview, I wrote that when I know something, I know half and when I am absolutely sure I know, I know less than half (Edwin Friedman). Well, in the past year and a half, I have had a new teacher, and he is teaching me not...

Bears in the Backcountry

An anecdote about wilderness kinship

I had been trying to talk my friend, Kim, into backpacking for years. She was an avid hiker who was sufficiently fit to do the Spence Field turnaround in a day or a Leconte route via the Boulevard.

Bella Blazes with Flavor

Pasta alla ruota headlines a Tuscan-inspired menu in downtown Maryville.

We began our Tuscan journey at Bella in Maryville with one of what would be several specialty cocktails, this one the Venetian Old Fashioned, made with Old Forrester 80, turbinado sugar, bitters, Meletti Amaro, and garnished with a Luxardo cherry “This drink...

Good Eats

Getting creative with eating healthy out on the town.

I have a confession to make: I hate you, salad. And really, it’s not you, it’s me.

The Titanic & The Sultana

Two tragic endings, one forgotten story

At 2:20 a.m. on Sunday, April 14, 1912, theRMS Titanicof the White Star Line struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

Nature Boy

For a man better acquainted with sidewalks than saddles, nature has been a source of endless comedy—and bruises.

As I read the latestGarden & Gunmagazine, I am again reminded how out of touch I am with nature. I have never been around a farm, milked a cow, fed chickens, slept in a tent, spent much time in the woods, or, as often reported here, have rarely and always...

Nature’s Masterpiece: Yosemite

Standing in the presence of a creative legend’s memories

It was the summer of 1989. My mom had taken me over to a her friend’s house to visit, as she often did, as they chatted and baked, sipping black coffee.

Unlocking Gut Health

The Role of Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics in Healing and Harmony

The longer that I have practiced medicine, the more aware I have become of the importance of what we eat. I particularly noticed the gravity of this effect in relation to surgical outcomes.

New Coach. New Players. New Style.

Lady Vols Coach Kim Caldwell took five portal transfers and installed a high-octane pressing defense and up-tempo offense shooting plenty of threes

Midway through the second quarter of a December game against Florida State, the Lady Vols up 29-22, Seminole Amaya Bonner set up in the right corner and launched a three-pointer. Guarding her, redshirt sophomore Talaysia Cooper extended high into the air like...

History is More Than Just a Story

East TN Historical Society strives to preserve our past and connect us to it

Country music. Sports.

Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding

The Power of Companionship

Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding brings hope, love, and purpose to those in need through the help of the innovative programs N o, no, horses don’t belong in the house!” Lynn Petr, the executive director of the Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding...

A Conversation on Conservation

There is no greater gift we leave than to help ensure the preservation of nature and our wildlife for future generations

It was the 75th annual Tennessee Wildlife Federation meeting in Chattanooga, and I sat next to Earl Worsham in the very spot TWF had held their first meeting. As part of the evening’s festivities, Earl was about to receive the award for Conservationist of the...

Always Faithful

US Marine Chris Bryant stands ready to protect, to serve—and to help save the lives of his fellow military warriors

Chris Bryant is not one to seek the limelight, so it’s no surprise that he is most animated when talking about the impact others have made—like a woman named Nan, who came to a Fire-Team Tennessee suicide-prevention class through the Rocky Top Veterans...

Making a Name

Building a business is a skill, and a skill can be learned. Take it from them.

How often do you think about the battery in your pocket right now? And I mean really think about it – where it comes from, how it works, and what it means for the environment.

Mountains of Success

Earl and Margit Worsham share a journey of ambition, love, and resilience

Walking up to the main house atop the Norton Creek preserve, I am excited to see my friends. Earl’s warm smile and friendly chuckle are enough to brighten anyone’s day.

The Year of Art

Unlock the doors to creativity and inspiration with our curated guide to the vibrant art galleries of East Tennessee

We are blessed in East Tennessee to have an incredible amount of galleries to visit, opening our eyes to art forms of all kinds from local artists, many of which you’ve seen in our pages, to national artists whose names are recognized far and wide. If this is...

Jan. ’25 – From the Publisher

I cant say with certainty exactly when I knew that the entrepreneurial path was for me. But I can say it was fairly early in life.

Nov. ’24 – From the Publisher

You may not have met me, but if you are reading this, in a way, you know me. That you are choosing to take time to read is helping to support part of my mission in this life, and for that, I thank you.

Big Dreams

East TN’s own Milkman & The Big Band takes fans along for a growing ride

There are many modern-day musicians who trace their musical origins to the Beatles. Dino Nassios is one of them.

Learning a New Dialect

Trips abroad provide insight into how we listen and learn from one another

There is a country in South West Africa that taught me something about Knoxville, Tennessee. That country is Namibia, one of the poorest, most arid countries in the world.

Home-Baked for the Holidays

Local sugary sweets to melt your teeth and your heart, and a lot more besides

Rows upon rows of goodies – and suddenly you’re struck with the deadly question, what to choose? Not between the goods themselves, mind you – the choice between eating everything and suffering the consequences, or somehow restraining yourself.

A Love Story to Rocky Top

How our favorite Vol song got its start and found its way to our beloved team

In 1945, a 19-year-old Sicilian woman by the name of Matilda Scaduto worked as a lift elevator operator at the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When Diadorius Boudleaux Bryant, a touring musician from Georgia, happened to enter her elevator, she...

The Real McCoy

Honoring one of the best— a true and giving friend

He grew up on the south side of Chickamauga Avenue in north Knoxville. I lived on the north side at the foot of Sharp’s ridge.

Sail Away

Hoisting the sails for a week-long adventure in the British Virgin Islands

Second time’s a charm, or so the saying goes. My first trip to the British Virgin Islands wasn’t as smooth as I would have liked.

The West Highland Way

Conquering the wild: A seven-day odyssey through Scotland’s majestic West Highland Way

I lifted a creaky latch on the farm gate long enough for me and Toni to slip through. The sheep seemed disinterested in escape and who could blame them.

Sports Medicine

Prompt care for sports injuries makes all the difference

Everyone has become familiar with doctors and training staff being on the sidelines, courtside, and in the dugout for most sporting events. Fans have come to expect immediate help for our modern-day gladiators that get injured on the field of play.

The Goalposts Come Down Again!

Heroes on defense and offense deliver an epic 24-17 victory over the Crimson Tide

As it was two years ago, Alabama was vanquished in Neyland Stadium. The Volunteer Faithful, many puffing cigars, flooded the field.

Roots & Wings

Knoxville Dream Center began ‘under the bridge’ but has spread help throughout Knoxville

Every Tuesday at about 4 pm, Becky Wells arrives at Beaver Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church ready to work. Already there are other diehard volunteers and the people they’re there to help, greeting friends and catching up on the news.

We Knew We Were First

Knoxville’s Gail Wallace Davenport helped pioneer women’s Navy service on the high seas

As Gail Wallace looked out over the Panama Canal in late 1973, she was reflecting on more than just the engineering marvel of locks and canals that was enabling theUSS Sanctuaryto navigate this shortcut from the Atlantic to the Pacific. That was a sight to...

August ’24 – From the Publisher

There’s a time in my life that’s been coming to mind recently. I was 35.

Opposites Attract

Susan Verekar combines abstract elements with joyous landscapes

When COVID-19 shut down the world, some of us retreated into Netflix movies and glasses of chilled chardonnay. Susan Verekar, however, taught herself a new skill and launched a career.

Foundations

Chris Blue returns with an album to commemorate his introduction to music

You don’t typically see Chris Blue’s name on this side of the music page inCityview. However, with his first Gospel album hitting the charts, his first album back in nearly three years, this one deserved a table flip.

Dim Bulbs Prove Useful

While not a glamorous debate, local forums serve a purpose

Compared to the white-hot spotlight of presidential debates, for most voters, local election candidate debates and forums are as dim as dying flashlight bulbs. For first-time local office candidates,these debates and forums can feel like presidential debate...

Playful or Serious?

Is our anxiety pulling us away, or can we lean into it to connect?

Rabbi and family therapist Edwin Friedman once wrote, “A major criterion for judging the anxiety level of any society is the class of its capacity to be playful.” The thought here is that if I lose my ability to play and focus only on being serious, I will be...

Our History with a View

Time is running out to experience the fire towers of the Smokies

There used to be 17 fire towers in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park that were utilized prior to the 1930s by the Forest Service. I know little of their effectiveness in those days or what someone was supposed to do when they saw distant smoke prior to...

Fine Dining Returns to the Neighborhood

Bistro by the Tracks Bearden brings updated sophistication to the old Orangery building

Everyone comes in with fond memories of The Orangery,” says Bistro by the Tracks Bearden General Manager Will Oakes. “We think we’ve taken this beloved spot to its next progression.” Owned by local restauranter Randy Burleson, this new location of Bistro...

Italian Knoxvillian

There’s a lot more to Italian cuisine than pasta—but there’s also the pasta.

Growing up, a night out at a nice restaurant with the family almost always meant Italian. Perhaps it’s just that my parents found that spaghetti was a safe option when they had me and my little sister in tow, but I like to think that it was because Knoxville...

Morgan Wallen

He’s coming home! He rose to stardom just a few years ago, but the momentum hasn’t stopped!

A War Story

In 1998, television anchorman and journalist Tom Brokaw authoredThe Greatest Generation, a book profiling many of those unsung heroes of World War II. Not included among those featured was a man named Roderick W.

Regrets

I read where the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame recently inducted another class without including me. There they were, Heath Shuler, an archer, an equestrian, and another Lady Vol, but no mention of that great Bearden High School quarterback from the teams of...

Vive la France

From Paris to Annecy and Back—Enjoying the City of Light and the Venice of the Alps in one vacation

We flew from JFK Airport to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris and settled into our room at the Hilton Paris Opera, an ornate building built in 1889 to welcome visitors to the World’s Fair—the Exposition Universelle—held in Paris that year. The Hilton...

Strength for Life

Consistency is key to becoming the best healthy versions of ourselves

It’s 5 a.m. on a Wednesday morning and I am looking forward to leg day.

It’s Nico Time

With experience at all offensive positions, sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava is ready to lead.

This was the year that the NCAA ruled—decades late, by any measure— that schools could pay athletes. For decades our friends and neighbors in all their wisdom have assured us that paying big-time college athletes would end civilization as we know it, using...

Beauty in the Details

Julie DuPree designs homes with showstopping detail, proving that every space matters

I’m here to see a house, but it’s the roofline that grabs my attention. Before I can even stop the car, my eyes follow the brick detailing of tall, pointed gables soaring upward.

Parade of Homes

Three weekends in October will bring the community together to showcase and celebrate the building industry in East Tennessee

What do you get when an aerospace engineer marries the sales and marketing director of a large regional builder and developer? A very precise and stylish homebuilding duo, that’s what.

Flight Plan

Owl Ridge Raptor Center nurtures injured, displaced birds and returns them to the wild

Beak was a tiny owlet, homeless and on the ground when a dog sniffed him out. A great horned owl, he was passed along to wildlife rehabilitator Lynne McCoy and eventually to the Owl Ridge Raptor Center, operated by Lisa Thomison and her husband Chris out of...

Farewell to a Friend

Vietnam veteran Randall Leyshon found healing after a half-century of mournful memories

“Did you hear about John?” the young man asked warily, as he and several other 9th Infantry Division Army soldiers chatted with then-1st Lt. Randall Leyshon, whom they had met at Officer Candidate School (OCS) back at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Tennessee Tailwaters

Finding time for my sons on the South Holston River brings back memories of a simpler time with just as good company

We are just below the small weir dam on the South Holston River outside Bristol. Waiting for the water to come on gives me time to share some stories with my sons, Ethan and Troupe.

July ’24 – From the Publisher

Mentors of Tomorrow

Be prepared is the Boy Scout Motto. As a scout, I have tried to always be ready.

A Woman of Inspiration

Ramya Kapadia brings the traditional arts of India to a new home in Knoxville

When Ramya Kapadia took the stage this past April at the Women of Inspiration Awards, she did so with decades of work behind her. Kapadia is, among many other things, including the holder of a master’s degree in Medical Physics and Neuroscience, an...

Moving People

Chris McAdoo’s paintings evoke feelings about different times and places

Chris McAdoo believes that art has the ability to transport people to new places and new feelings. Perhaps that’s why so much of his work includes images of boats, cars, and motorcycles.

Lyrics & Melody

Terry Adams has found a way to couple his day job with his passion for playing

You might know Terry Adams by his day job in Knoxville. He’s spent the last 20 years working as a lawyer and business owner.

Perplexing Plans

Politics around puzzling planning projects and the apathy of voters

When I was Knoxville’s public affairs director, I had to attend only one Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission meeting: after 30 minutes, I concluded that mayors appointed members to this commission to punish them. It was like watching someone describe...

Learning is Confusing

How much of how we learn is based on who we are and how we grew up?

What is it about “human nature” that it seeks so emotionally to know the facts? As if having all the facts means I will have all the answers.

The Wildflowers

Finding my way through the season with wildflowers as my guide

I have a dog-eared, spiral-bound book that predates me with photographs some would consider laughable nowadays. Long since pushed aside by the Google lens and phone app outdoor crowd, this 90-page piece, entitledGreat Smoky Mountains Wildflowerswas created by...

Parisian Vacation

Lilou’s Belle Epoque vibe and French cuisine, wines, and cheeses combine for an elegant cultural sojourn

A gentle rain falls as the streetlamps cast shadows on the sidewalks and you enter the doors of Lilou, walk past the desk of the boutique Hotel Cleo, and peer inside to see walls covered with gilt-framed paintings. Is that Salvador Dali at the bar?

Summer Cocktails

Crafting the perfect drinks that will wow guests at your patio party

There’s nothing quite like the summer get together. You hand-pick your favorite dishes, set up the patio with decorations, choose the best playlist, and, of course, plan those summer cocktails.

New Eats

Even though we are only halfway through 2024, Knoxville has plenty of new restaurants that have joined the ranks. Whether you’re looking for southern barbecue or authentic ramen, there is something here for everyone.

Get Outside in East TN!

Nothing says summer quite like getting outdoors and experiencing all that our region has to offer—and that doesn’t just mean hiking and camping in the Smokies or fishing and kayaking in the Holston and Tennessee rivers. We’re talking outdoor concerts, movie...

The Great Ray

No lawyer better illustrates the transition in jury trials from dynamic oratory to diligent preparation through extensive research better than the fabled Ray Howard Jenkins, a man based in his Knoxville law firm but renown throughout Tennessee for his...

The Jury Trial

Don’t you just love our federal constitution and how our founding fathers seemingly thought of everything and had such great foresight? Their thoughts and fears of 237 years ago continue to protect us and ensure the liberties we enjoy today.

Exploring Ecuador

The mountains teach us lessons in our most vulnerable of moments

Clouds littered the valley floor of Pichincha province as we nudged recalcitrant cattle and straddled fraying fence line. My team was getting their first taste of altitude on this perfect March morning as we approached the 11,000-foot mark here on Ecuador’s...

Navigating Supplement Selection

Unveiling the Best Choices for Your Health Needs

Sitting at dinner recently, I mentioned to my wife, Tracey, that I was working on my next article forCityview. “Why are you writing another article?

Turf Talk

UT Professor John Sorochan leads the effort to develop turfgrasses for 16 World Cup venues across North America

So the first question is, how did it happen? Why did FIFA—soccer’s international governing body based in Zurich, Switzerland—put John Sorochan, a distinguished professor of turfgrass science and management at the University of Tennessee, in charge of...

Home Run

A young family builds their “forever” home

Michelle and Jon Amelse had the perfect set of talents to build a house. Michelle is a CPA with her own firm, Amelse & Edmonds CPA, and Jon is a reliability engineer, focusing on problem-solving and cost control.

Help Document Life in the Smokies

Volunteers only need walking shoes and a phone to participate in a huge documentation effort

Can you spare a day for the Great Smoky Mountains? If you can walk through the woods and use an app on your phone, you can be part of a bioblitz.

2024 Top Attorneys

W hen you’ve got a problem with your health — a heart issue or an eye problem or an ache that keeps you off your favorite hiking trail — you seek out a doctor who knows his or her stuff. There’s no point in seeing someone you don’t have confidence in.

The same goes for attorneys. When you find yourself with a legal issue — whether it be a car collision, a custody battle, a divorce, or the need to put your financial and end-of-life plans in place for your descendants — you want to work with a person who is...

Finally Home

Veterans experience a day like no other on an HonorAir Knoxville flight

Standing near the intersection of the two sloping, black-granite walls that form the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, on a sunny April afternoon, Eddie Mannis searches for words to express the essence of the scene that has unfolded throughout the...

Hunting with Warriors

Time spent in nature alongside Tennessee veterans reminds us all to slow down, be present, and appreciate all we have

It’s a little after 5:30a.m. The day is pleasant and we have settled into our ground blind.

The Truth about the Employee Retention Credit

How to Apply Before Time Runs Out

No one could have ever dreamed that a pandemic would effectively shut down many sectors of our economy. Companies big and small were devastated.

May ’24 – From the Publisher

The Value of Tenacity

I first met Deron Little when he was located in the Renaissance Center in Farragut. Deron had made quite a name for himself as head chef at Fox Den Country Club and had recently left to open his new concept, Seasons Restaurant.

Glow and Gloom

Joe Parrott’s oil paintings display his passion for light and shadow

Certainly Joe Parrott inherited artistic abilities from both sides of his family. His grandfathers were painters and designers — one of them designed the first blade sign in front of the Tennessee Theatre — and his father both ran a screen printing company...

Playing Political Chess

The fundamental strategies of a municipal face-off

I don’t play chess, but I’ve played a real-life political version in contests involving many millions of dollars—or a politician’s future. In politics, even what seems the right move can sometimes be wrong.

Follow Your Heart

Questioning our overreliance on data in the age of information overload

There is a notion floating around us each day that if I have enough information (data) about myself, the world, the planet, then I will know what to do. The notion is then that with this data I consume, I can fix myself, fix the world’s problems, and clean up...

The Rescue

I’ve had a few close calls in the mountains. But none so wild as the summer of 2013.

After a heinous spate of bad luck and weather, my climbing partner Brian Moran and I were dropping down from Camp 3 on Broad Peak in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan. It was a crap show from the get-go.

Cheap Eats

8 restaurants all $20 and under

Don’t want to cook at home, but also don’t want to break the bank dining out? We’ve got you covered.

Festival Season

As the weather warms up, it is the perfect time to get outside and explore what Rocky Top has to offer. East Tennessee has a variety of festivals coming up, whether you are looking to spend a day out with family or a night out on the town with friends.

The Bozeman Legacy

“How One Man from Happy Holler Made a Difference.”

That is the subtitle of author Debbie Patrick’s 2012 biographical tribute to C. Howard Bozeman, who played a key role in the Knox County political scene from 1948 through 1982.

Market House Memories

Good times, good music, good food, and bad smells

The lights went on before 4 a.m. that early August morning as Marcus Loudermilk prepared to drive the 150 miles from his Henagar, Alabama, farm to the Market House in the center of downtown Knoxville.

Colombia!

Re-exploring the home of my youth with my brother by my side

My brothers, Fuad and Luis, and I were born in Colombia. For years, my mother worked at the American Embassy there, but her dream was to eventually move to the United States to offer her sons a better life.

The Science of Your Diet

Every diet is unique—understanding how they work with your body is key to choosing yours

I really disdain most articles written about diet. You see them on the front pages of the various magazines at the grocery store check out lines.

Knoxville Area Sees Disc Golf Growth, Ample Courses

“Just about anyone can play disc golf,” says Brian Beauchene, owner of Pluto Sports and a longtime area advocate. The city “has a thriving disc golf scene with informal local competitions, PDGA-sanctioned events, and social gatherings; we even play Glow Disc...

Power to Spare

The 2024 Vols have resilience, solid pitching, and sluggers enough to return to the College World Series.

In a Saturday game against Georgia on Easter weekend, before a record crowd of 5,677 at the expanded Lindsey Nelson Stadium, the Vols had a chance to show their grit and toughness. They had lost 16-2 the evening before, as reliable sidewinder A.J.

Soaring to New Heights

World-class disc golfer Chris Dickerson sets the pace as the sport skyrockets in East Tennessee

On the afternoon of October 15, 2022, as a throng of football fans descended upon Neyland Stadium for that night’s Tennessee vs. Alabama SEC showdown, two of those universities’ biggest fans were duking it out in the woods near Charlotte, North Carolina, in...

Grauhaus

A mid-mod home in Knoxville’s Westmoreland neighborhood brings the outdoors in through a clean design and an abundance of windows

William Powell began designing houses when he was four—Lego houses that he would build, tear apart, and rebuild—over and over. His mother said he was always looking to find the best design.

A 3D Way to Help

Dr. Justin Daggett’s 3D-Printing is changing the way patients understand their child’s diagnoses

Yes, Dr. Daggett is holding a child’s skull.

Anything They Need

Volunteers at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital ensure children, families, and staff find home when they walk through the doors

Long before the Hematology and Oncology Clinic at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital begins buzzing for the day, you’ll find Keith Sinclair, cleaning rooms, setting up stations, and doing anything he can to help. Keith isn’t a member of the hospital staff...

Spanning Philanthropy

East Tennessee Foundation pools resources, invests wisely and serves nonprofits in 25 counties

Amy and Robert Cathey wanted to share with their three daughters the desire to give back to the Knoxville community. So they set up a fund through the East Tennessee Foundation to make that happen — year after year.

Chef Alex Gass | Fire & Salt

HIS STORY

Chef Alex Gass grew up in Oak Ridge, inspired by his mother and aunt’s cooking for their church. He started at Big Ed’s Pizza and Aubrey’s.

Chef Darin Hoagland | Oliver Royale

HIS STORY

Chef Darin Hoagland’s grandparents and mother ran a hunting restaurant in California. “The kitchen, with them, was my comfort spot,” he recalls.

Chef Deron Little | Seasons Innovative Bar & Grill

HIS STORY

Originally from Yakima, Washington, Chef Deron Little started cooking with a master chef at 15. He was a chef for hotels and country clubs, and a resident chef at Greenville Technical College in South Carolina before opening Tahoe South in downtown Greenville.

Chef Jared Martin | Fire + Smoke

HIS STORY

Chef Jared Martin set foot in his first commercial kitchen at age 16, serving in an ice cream shop. Six months later he shifted to food.

Chef John Bryant | Bistro by the Tracks

HIS STORY

Chef John Bryant trained at Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina. He ran a catering business in Johnson City for eight years then joined Bistro By the Tracks Catering two years ago.

Chef Robert McDonald III | Bistro by the Tracks, Happy Holler

HIS STORY

Chef Robert McDonald grew up in Fountain City and got into cooking after his family built a gas grill into their back deck and he started grilling burgers for friends. McDonald was an actor at Central High and had stints in New York and LA.

Chefs Lucas Trombley & Erin Parrish | Green Room

THEIR STORY

Chef Lucas Trombley, a Massachusetts native who grew up in Canada, attended Le Cordon Bleu in New Hampshire and worked under Jesse Newmister before catering for national acts on tour. He serves as Executive Chef of The Mill & Mine.

Chefs Noah Goodfriend & Chris Cummins | Point B

THEIR STORY

A Knoxville native, Chef Noah Goodfriend spent time with the Pizza Kitchen on Northshore, Downtown Grill & Brewery, and in the Earthfare kitchen before joining Point B for its opening in 2022. Chef Chris Cummins, a graduate of Pellissippi State in physics...

Top Chefs 2024

Knoxville chefs raise the bar in culinary excellence

Beginning with our first event in 2007, Top Chefs has been a way forCityviewto shine a light on some of the finest culinary talents in East Tennessee. I don’t think we had any idea just how big and beloved this event would become.

Burger Nation

20 Local Restaurants Perfect an American Classic

There is nothing in the American kitchen quite like a hamburger. Whether you’re grilling it up in your own backyard or getting yours hot from your favorite restaurant, you know you’re looking forward to biting through a warm fluffy bun down into a thick...

Coming in Loud & Clear

Centenarian WWII veteran Milton Jones energized Oak Ridge and Knoxville’s radio waves

When Milton Jones was a teen in the 1930s—no, that’s not a typo—he would catch a bus for the 12-mile daily ride from Bluegrass to Farragut High School, where he later graduated as part of the class of 1941. Enduring Depression-era challenges—“we didn’t have a...

March ’24 – From the Publisher

Losing a Legend

I first met John Pirkle when he was trying to refinance his Hit-Kicker radio station. Learning about how he had built a 100,000 watt FM station when most cars still had AM radios piqued my interest.

Dampening the Noise

Shannon Deana Johnson conveys quiet with her work

Inspired by nature, Shannon Deana Johnson aims to capture the feelings it evokes. “To me the world is a noisy place,” she says.

Perfect Pitch

A dive inside Knoxville’s own Julius Blue and the influences that brought his talents to life

Julius Blue is that kind of musician you admire. Not only because he plays five instruments, sings, directs, and scores music for film and tv, but also because he has perfect pitch.

Rise of the (AI) Political Machine

How voters will navigate an artificial intelligence-laden election cycle.

Anyone who believes the intelligence of politicians is artificial will have more reason than ever to think that is the case during the 2024 election cycle. Artificial intelligence (AI), in what might be said is the rise of the machines, has thundered into the...

Communication Conundrum

The balancing act between our rational thoughts and our intrinsic emotions is a difficult one

No one reading this needs to be told that we are living in an anxious time. Communication seems to be filled with more “noise” than messages.

The Third Men

Up steep rock faces or under the intense flow of a waterfall you’ll find the unsung heroes of East Tennessee rescues

Charlie Avery has logged many hours parked along Newfound Gap Road. He has a real, old-fashioned park service radio that crackles occasionally and wakes him from catnaps.

Irasshai

Anaba offers welcoming authentic Japanese cuisine on Northshore Drive

The moment you step inside the doors of Anaba, you’re greeted with a warm “Irasshai,” Japanese for welcome, from the team of chefs behind the sushi bar, led by General Manager Young Woo Cha, 32, who’s been with Anaba for 10 years. “I make sushi.

Date Night

Pick out a great outfit and brush up on your wine knowledge—we’re heading out for date night in East Tennessee

For first dates, third dates, or sometimes only dates, East Tennessee has a variety of eateries that will help set the mood for date night. Whether you want a quiet night out with your mate of 30 years or an intimate first date to block out the world around...

Four Leaf Peat’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Sunday, March 17, 2024 – 6:30 PM

For 20 years, Four Leaf Peat has been bringing the spirit of Ireland home to Knoxville. Chad Beauchaine (fiddle), Rick Hall (hammer dulcimer, uilleann pipes, bodhran), and Jason Herrera (bodhran, flute, whistle) have been with the band since its inception in...

The Knoxonomist

The Knoxonomist appreciates the idea that you are concerned about your husband’s health, but old Knox just doesn’t buy it. No doubt, sending him out in the sweltering spring and summer heat might strip a few unwanted pounds.

The Barber of Sevier

A tribute to the man who reminded me that we’re all just people doing our best—and the one who’s kept me looking fresh for decades

Conley Sims, born in 1908, opened a barber shop on Bruce Street in downtown Sevierville almost 100 years ago. When a shave and a haircut cost only “two bits,” my father and, later, his four sons became regular customers.

The Death of Tradition

I always thought I was a compassionate progressive. Turns out, I’m a traditionalist.

Facilitating Healing

“To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind strong and clear.” – Buddha

Not every medical professional wears a white coat. There are benefits to the white coat, certainly, but they are far from the full story when it comes to medical care.

Optimizing Health

The ever-increasing popularity of peptides calls for a review of their efficacy

As a scientist, I realize that one subject does not make a study. It’s not even a drop in the bucket.

The Trouble with Tennessee Health Insurance

Health care and health insurance in the U.S. have had their share of challenges, and Tennessee is no exception.

The Change Makers

East Tennesseans are making waves through medical missions both here and abroad

East Tennessee is full of volunteers and heroes. Some work 20 minutes away at a hyper-local nonprofit where people come to them for services.

Top Docs 2024

We approach every new year knowing that our first great undertaking will be our Top Doctors list. This list is our way of recognizing medical professionals in our community who are working tirelessly in service of that community, and recognizing the people...

Hope for the Heroes

Matt Gordon served his nation and now serves up healing for fellow veterans

A raging storm brought Matt Gordon to East Tennessee. In September 2017, Hurricane Irma unleashed her fury on the Gulf Coast of Florida near Matt’s home in Naples.

Sporting Dog Fever

No matter where you are, there is nothing like watching dogs work in the field.

Let’s take a step back in time. It’s a brisk but pleasant day in December of 2020.

January ’24 – From the Publisher

Unapologetically Authentic

Southern culture, in my opinion, is often misunderstood. That very fact has for years insulated us here in Knoxville from change.

On Board

David Einwechter builds a business with colorful woodcraft and custom designs

Tall slabs of rough-cut wood—walnut, cherry, pine, and others—stand at attention along one side of Dogwood Carpentry in Clinton. They’ll be carted off by woodworkers for their own projects.

Where Legends Stood

Lenoir City’s Ethan Vincil relishes moments on the Grand Ole Opry stage, solidifying his path in the country music industry

Lenoir City native Ethan Vincil found his voice while singing in church. By middle school, he had learned guitar and his connection to music began to click.

Who’s In Charge Around Here?

A new election law is in effect—but will it stay?

The question of “Who’s in charge around here?” in city elections—either the Knoxville city charter or Tennessee state legislature—has been settled by the latter. Unless things change.

Knowing Half

Finding the value in pausing and listening, understanding that there is always more than what meets the eye

These are words I heard from teacher and rabbi, Edwin Friedman, in Washington D.C. a number of years ago.

Campsite Mooch

Nothing tastes quite like outdoor gastronomy cooked up by friends

When it comes to backcountry eating, I tend to be described as a minimalist. In order to keep weight down on a five day hike without resupply, this is a necessary sacrifice.

Fire + Smoke

A high-end southern prime steakhouse fills a niche on Northshore Drive

Tucson, Arizona, native Mandy Glenn was new to Knoxville when she tasted Fire + Smoke’s prime tenderloin tartare small plate, Japanese kuroge wagyu New York strip, and hand cut beef tallow fries. “I was with an Australian guy who hadn’t had tallow fries in...

Comfort Food

From cozy warm dishes to melt-in-your-mouth desserts, East Tennessee’s food scene has become synonymous with comfort

When was the last time you said the word comfort and not immediately said the word food right after it? As the cold and darkness descend upon us, we take comfort in warm and hearty meals ladled out of iron pots and hot off of sizzling skillets.

Coming Up – Top Chefs 2024

8 Chefs. 8 Dinners. You’re the Judge.

Cityviewis gearing up for another exceptional Top Chefs series, this year with more treats than ever before. With 8 chefs from 8 local restaurants gracing the list, this year’s competition is sure to heat up the restaurant scene with magnificent menus...

The Knoxonomist

Well, the Knoxonomist doesn’t usually watch the avalanche of fake news put on by television networks. But in this case, the Knoxonomist was intrigued by Little Timmy’s scrap in the congressional playground.

Neyland and the Last Single Wing Tailback

After receiving an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, Robert Reese Neyland (pronounced “knee-land”) starred as an end for the Army football team from 1913-16. In his spare time, he pitched for the baseball team and won the...

A Panoramic Flashback

Stepping back in 1970s Knoxville and relishing the memories

Knoxville has experienced considerable change over the last 50 years, and I have been lucky enough to have been an eyewitness to those changes as my hometown has developed and transitioned from the “scruffy little city” to the cozy and progressive...

¡Buen Camino!

Walking in the footsteps of history

Our journey would begin in Miami, on a flight overseas to Madrid, Spain. Strapped with nothing but our packs and trekking poles, a train would take us from Madrid to León.

The Right Stuff

Rich with talent, UT’s men’s and women’s hoops teams must figure out how to jell at tournament time

Last February, the UT men beat the No. 1 team in the nation (Alabama) then suffered the heartbreaking loss of point guard Zakai Zeigler.

Pouring In

No Athlete Left Behind provides young athletes with the support they need to lead fulfilling lives

It’s 4 p.m. on a Tuesday at Triple F Elite Training in Knoxville.

40th Anniversary: Sitting with Storytellers

Join Cityview on its journey, 40 years in the making, to tell stories of home, stories that matter

As we look around the world today, it’s hard not to fall into the feeling that the bad outweighs the good. I’d like to challenge that idea, and tell you that there’s no time like the present to acknowledge all the good that’s happening.

A Legacy of Quality

On the afternoon of August 10, 1983, John Lyle watched his business burn to the ground. The warehouses that housed Dale Insulation’s entire inventory – as well as multiple other businesses – had caught fire.

Raise A Voice

Hometown Heroes: Raising a Voice gives vulnerable women in the Knoxville community a voice, paving a way forward with hope and support

It’s one thing to see struggle and pain, it’s quite another to fight against it. Knoxvillians Will and Katie Boggs fight daily for women who have faced trafficking, exploitation, substance abuse, homelessness, and domestic abuse.

Safe Passage

Partnering for solutions to help wildlife survive

A mother black bear is approaching one of the busiest highway crossings near the Great Smoky Mountains. She looks back to make sure her cubs are close by.

The Mission Goes On

Bryan Gansner, who barely survived war, helps other vets survive its aftermath

Only days after September 11, 2001, country star Alan Jackson wrote “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?” He would perform the song live to a teary-eyed audience at the CMA Awards two months later. That heartfelt lyric comes to mind during a...

The Reverend

Nashville in 1960: My father’s moment at a crossroads in history

I am holding an old clipping fromThe Tennessean. It’s dated March 31, 1960.

November ’23 – From the Publisher

Best Job in the World

About 21 years ago I was standing in a ski boat, in the dead of winter, in the rain, camera in hand, taking pictures of Eskimo Escapades. I was somewhat unhappy, to say the least.

Sweet Indulgence

Denise Stewart-Sanabria celebrates products of desire in her paintings

It’s hard to study Denise Stewart-Sanabria’s paintings and not crave a jelly doughnut. Or a fresh piece of fruit.

The Musicians

The Chillbillies are making a change in our community, both on the stage and within their day jobs

The Chillbillies’ history dates back to the 1980s. At a concert for a gospel group in 1988 that year, founding member George Massengill introduced himself to the band and shared his story, telling them that if they ever needed a piano player, he’d be...

The Most Hated Tax

Pay your debt and keep your home. Simple, right?

It’s possible for a Tennessean’s house to be sold out from under them – even if they’re paying their mortgage. The reason: property taxes, or rather, property tax non-payment.

A Final Insight: The Power of Storytelling

This page almost didn’t exist. Years ago, when I was asked to start this column by Nathan, I wasn’t sure I had the voice to tell my stories.

Ekaneetlee Trace

The search for a forgotten crossing from North Carolina to Tennessee

My relationship with Ekaneetlee runs as long as the creek. Since first reading of this secret passage from North Carolina into Tennessee, I was consumed with a desire to follow its genesis from Fontana Lake.

Barbeque & You

From Knoxville classics to smalltown favorites, East Tennessee is chuck full of opportunities to eat the best BBQ around

Barbeque is an American staple and a Knoxville favorite. While we’re not known specifically for a type of barbeque like Kansas City, North Carolina, or Memphis, we are blessed that “hogs and beeves” from around the country have found their way to East...

Festive Fantasy

The famous ETCH holiday gala has returned

After years of existing in a variety of different forms, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is bringing back its holiday gala to accompany the hospital’s ever popular community fundraiser, the Fantasy of Trees. Dubbed the Gala Among the Trees, the event...

Toys for Tots

There’s nothing like bringing a smile to a child’s face, and Knoxville’s Toys for Tots has been doing that every year for decades. Last year, the program distributed more than 45,000 toys across East Tennessee, supporting thousands of local kids in need.

Knoxville’s Best Idea

The birth of our treasured sanctuary

During the next calendar year, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, far and away the nation’s most visited of the “crown jewels,” will celebrate its 90th birthday. Most of us take for granted our Smokies because, well, during our lifetimes they have...

Meet Bodie

The puppy has arrived at the Pryor residence. The clothes and furniture are in trouble.

Against the advice of everyone who knows us, my wife and I have adopted an eight-week-old Golden Retriever puppy. We are not new to dogs, especially Golden Retrievers, but it’s been many years since we had a puppy to raise.

Hanging Tough on Defense

A hard-fought 20-13 victory over Texas A&M set the Vols up for a visit to Alabama

Defensive back Dee Williams came to UT in 2022 from Forsyth, Georgia, by way of East Central (Mississippi) Community College. In his debut last fall he returned a punt against LSU for 58 yards to set up a field goal, returned one 73 yards for a touchdown...

Light, Water, & Color

An open floor plan home in Grande Vista Bay makes every day a vacation for its homeowners

Looking out over the clear blue waters of Watts Bar from Grande Vista Bay, you could be forgiven for losing yourself in the tranquility for a minute. Far from the rest of civilization, this elegant development is a sanctuary, inviting you to sit back, relax...

Healing & Horses

Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding, or STAR, provides hundreds throughout the region with healing and hope through equine therapy

George Morgan was 16 when his parents first took him to see the horses. It was 1989, and a lifeguard at the neighborhood pool suggested his family connect with a new place in the region called the Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR), a place where...

A Mission of Service

Former Air Force leader and Vietnam veteran Jim O’Brien gives back to his adopted Knoxville community

When 591 American prisoners of war arrived back on U.S. soil from Vietnam in early 1973, Jim O’Brien was midway through his studies at the University of Notre Dame, but the chill of winter in South Bend, Indiana, stood no chance against the warmth the young...

Best of the Best 2023

Our biggest year ever. Those are exciting and weighty words.

Home for the Holidays

Nature-inspired holiday decor may be just what the doctor ordered to breathe simplicity into your home this season

Tradition. The holidays are filled with it.

The Untamed Beauty of Nature

A Knoxville Artist’s photographic journey through the wilds of South Africa

All around me, I could hear the rumbling. Twenty-one lions closed in on their fresh kill, a lone zebra, one by one tearing off their share.

September ’23 – From the Publisher

As a small business owner, my company, like most others, was adversely affected by the pandemic. Anything to help survive was welcome.

Stone, Softened

Jeanne Kidd uses sculptures to tell stories, convey emotions

Jeanne Kidd’s artistic heritage lies in Italy, where her grandfather, a marble carver, lived before coming to New York, and where her favorite artistic medium, Carrara marble, is found. She calls Israel her “soul’s home.” She spent time there as a teenager...

As True as You Can Be

Ed Snodderly’s lyrics and sound speak to our roots in East Tennessee

Growing up, Ed Snodderly spent a lot of time in the countryside of East Tennessee. His grandfather, who owned a general store in Piedmont, would become an early inspiration for his interest in music.

Parental Consent

Voices build momentum after Tennessee’s mature minor law gets a clarification from the governor

The extent of the state’s ability to decide that minors of a certain age can make their own medical decisions while keeping their parents in the dark—Tennessee’s “mature minor” law—is under renewed scrutiny. “Parents upset over Tennessee law allowing kids to...

A Constant State of Present

Nature reminds us of the importance of being in the now

Sitting on a bank on the coast of Sitka, Alaska, it’s hard not to feel like a small piece of something greater. The sweeping views are breathtaking.

A Family Feeling in Oak Ridge

Fire & Salt gives Chef Alex Gass a stage for his culinary creativity

When you walk into Chef Alex Gass’s Fire & Salt restaurant in Oak Ridge, you are immediately charmed by the staffers’ camaraderie. “It’s a family environment,” says hostess Eden Frazier, whose sister Jayley is a pastry chef.

New Eats

The year is far from over, but 2023 has brought fresh eateries for us all to indulge in

To say I’m impressed with the 2023 additions would be an understatement. From a renovated church to a multi-level brew pub, East Tennessee restaurateurs have pulled out all the stops to bring us a host of new experiences.

Festival Fever

Big Kahuna Wing Festival

September 3 | 3pm Celebrating its 10th year, dozens of teams from across the Marble City showcase their best sauces and styles at World’s Fair Park. September 16 & 17 | 4pm & 10am Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at World’s Fair Park with live music...

The Call

The State of Tennessee was in crisis. On Tuesday, January 16, 1979, the news media reported that the outgoing Governor, Democrat Ray Blanton, had the day before commuted the sentence of a convicted double murderer by the name of Roger Humphreys, the son of a...

The Old Folks at Home

Memories and gratitude would top the list in a visit with mom and dad

My family has always enjoyed spending time with senior relatives and especially parents. I can remember my father regularly driving across town with me in tow to visit his parents living in North Knoxville.

Hammock Coast

Pawley’s Island is a Destination Throwback in time to a quieter more relaxed state of mind

Just about everyone has heard of Pawleys Island. That is due mostly, I assume, to the fame of the signature hammock that adorns the back yards of many of our East Tennessee homes.

Look Amazing in Your Own Skin

“Your face is marked with lines of life, put there by love and laughter, suffering and tears. It’s beautiful.” — Lynsay Sands

Just like with everything else, anti-aging skincare and any rejuvenation treatments should focus primarily on health, with “looks” being the secondary purpose. Aging is a natural occurrence, and there is beauty in it.

The Offensive Explosion Continues

Led by rocket-armed Joe Milton III, the Volunteers will keep up the tempo.

The Vols’ capped their 10-2 return to glory in 2022 by lighting up the scoreboard in a 31-14 win over No. 7-ranked Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

Hilltop Retreat

Country and suburban styles blend together to create a family sanctuary, nestled in the hills of East Tennessee

Up on the patio of Benny and Carol’s bright hilltop home, surrounded by a plush couch and warmed by a stone fireplace, you’ll find a slice from a very unusual tree. It’s been milled flat, preserved and polished, and mounted on a metal frame as a table, but...

Sprouting Kindness

Hometown Heroes: Random Acts of Flowers brings encouragement to individuals in healthcare facilities with recycled flower arrangements

For each of us, we can all name a time we felt alone and forgotten, especially in our most vulnerable moments. In those times, we wish someone would reach out to give us encouragement and tell us everything will be alright.

Moving Heaven and Earth

Charlie Orr built roads and survived harrowing moments in Vietnam

Of all the vivid memories Charlie Orr holds from his tour of duty in Vietnam from late 1966 to early 1968—and there are many; a few will be told here, others are too gruesome to recount; take it from one whose face turned greenish-pale at the hearing of...

Obed Treasure

Stories of the riches found in the ocean deep and on the side of East Tennessee cliffs

Del Scruggs was in his twenties when he caught wind of what was going on in Florida. Whispers of buried treasure wafted up the hollers of East Tennessee in 1985 and Del was keen to get in on the action.

Swinging for the Fences

Working with a Certified PEO is a gamechanger that helps small businesses grow

Business can be a lot like baseball at times. I don’t know a single business owner that would disagree.

Understanding the Employee Retention Credit

Business owners need any and every advantage available to be able to continue to effectively compete. Finding relief in the form of government programs that offset the damage done by Covid is a gamechanger.

It was about two months ago that I met Don Lawson. I received a letter from Don regarding the ERC.

July ’23 – From the Publisher

Pushing the Envelope

Many years ago, my now friend Scott Jones placed an ad in theCityviewTop Attorney issue. We photographed him seated, flanked by Mandy Hancock and Joni Stewart.

Fired Up

Inspired by a teacher, a Knoxville potter creates wood-fired work

It was Love that brought Jordan Butzine to pottery. Wendie Love, that is.

Taking a Leap

Greylan James put his all into becoming country music’s next big thing

Born and raised in Halls, Greylan James’ vision of moving to Nashville to become a country music artist never seemed like a pipe dream. “Everybody knew somebody that had moved to Nashville to try to do the country music thing,” he says.

For the Sake of Doing Something

Additional security measures can work, but can they sometimes be too much?

Security is as security doesn’t. I wasn’t a danger to President Ronald Reagan, but based on where I was standing, the complexity of security apparatus guarding Reagan on his March 15, 1982, Nashville visit proved the validity of Starship Enterprise Chief...

Tennessee Tradition

The lessons live on for those willing to teach them

My grandfather and uncles began teaching me to hunt and fish when I was 12. Out of all of them, I can recall much of my early memories being with my Uncle Jake (Cox) who frequently took me fishing for walleye on Norris Lake.

The Meigs Line

Walking in the footsteps of a forgotten expedition

I was surfing through bottomless rhododendron patches on Blanket Mountain for miles. This stretch out of Elkmont, Tennessee, in the Smokies, was as off trail as it gets.

The Omakase Experience

Sit back and enjoy Koyo’s multi-course tasting menu

At Koyo, on Clinch Avenue just off Market Square, Executive Chef Chris Bowman wants you to experience an evening of carefully curated courses and wines. “Omakase” refers to a succession of dishes selected by the chef paired with tantalizing wines.

Lost in the View

Rooftop spaces in East Tennessee offer a unique environment to kick back, relax with a drink, and enjoy the view

To see and be seen. A view from the top is a summertime fave in East Tennessee, but with only a handful of rooms with a view, those that sit high above and look down upon us all are inviting, comfortable and welcoming for visitors and residents alike. Five...

Summer of Music

‘Tis the season for barbecues, outdoor get togethers, and music on the lawn

Here in East Tennessee, summer opens doors to all sorts of adventures, and music is no exception. Are you looking for some good old-fashioned country, or maybe something a bit jazzier?

Gideon and the Law

Each era finds an improvement in law for the benefit of mankind. —Clarence Gideon

The Book of Judges in the Old Testament tells the story of Gideon, who was chosen by God to free the people of Israel—some 1,200 years before the birth of Christ. With an army of 300, Gideon intimidates and defeats thousands of Midianite troops in a bold...

Don’t Get Caught Like a Deer in the Headlights

Laws you didn’t know you needed to know. Well, now you know.

It has come to my attention that some of our readers may be receiving bad information about the law. It’s hard to comprehend the thousands of laws that control our lives.

Fly Smart

Vacation time is here, but you might not even realize that your jet lag may be impacting your health

Migratory birds travel long distances, but do not suffer from what we humans call jet lag. Why?

The Hormone Shuffle

Offered throughout East Tennessee, hormone replacement therapies may help the endocrine system cope as the body adjusts to age—a plausible stepping stone to aging with grace

We blame and credit hormones for major life changes—and for some questionable decisions—and usually regard them with hopelessness: it’s the hormones driving us! However, studies in endocrinology and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) showed that we can control...

Double Champs

The Lady Vols softball team won both the SEC regular season and tournament titles for the first time ever and went on to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2015.

In the first inning of a Regional game against Indiana, the Hoosiers’ Taryn Kern had tagged Lady Vols star pitcher Ashley Rogers for a solo homer—only the eighth Rogers had given up all season—and a 1-0 lead. In the Lady Vols’ half of the inning, the leadoff...

Pro Soccer Has the Marble City Chanting “Ole!”

Knoxville fans can’t get enough of the newly pro One Knox SC

In a 1-0 game against the Central Valley Fuego of Fresno, California, center back Dani “the Bull” Fernandez makes a big defensive play. To the tune ofThe Addams Familytheme (with Super Scruff Kevin Carnes beating the bass drum), the fans known as the Scruffs...

A Breath of Fresh Air

A family home on Fort Loudoun Lake provides functional beauty and exceptional hosting potential

When Mark Pancratz reflects on building a home with his wife Brooke during a global pandemic, he talks about the feeling of coming home. Now he walks through their main living space to that big view of their backyard, where their three daughters and some...

Art Smart

Community School of the Arts celebrates creativity with kids

When Jamison Stalsworth was about 10 years old, he began hanging around the Community School of the Arts. His older sister participated in an art class there, and Stalsworth liked to sneak in and play with the clay.

2023 Top Attorneys

I have been actively engaging with the legal community for more than 30 years. Before taking the helm atCityview,I supervised mergers and acquisitions and brokered large commercial loans.

A Great American Century

For World War II nurse Ruth Skidmore, service and sacrifice strike a chord

“I’ve got an idea for a story,” my friend said. “Okay, shoot,” I replied.

Inspiring Youth

Hometown Heroes: Tom Daughtrey’s road to Rotarian of the Year in Bearden

For his work with teens and children, Tom Daughtrey was named 2023 Rotarian of the Year by the Rotary Club of Bearden. A club member since 2006 and a past president, Daughtrey spearheaded the effort, post-Covid, to resurrect the Interact Club, the teen...

May ’23 – From the Publisher

The Best of Times

I was standing in the large arena at STAR for the Bridles and Blue Jeans fundraiser when a blast from my past tapped me on my shoulder. Sometimes when you run into an old friend, it’s like the universe is trying to remind you of something…something youneedto...

Joy of Discovery

Lil Clinard delights in exploring through art

If Lil Clinard faces a new challenge, get out of the way. She’ll jump in with both feet.

Strings That Tell a Story

Violinist Marki Lukyniuk brings vibrant performances to East TN

Watching Marki Lukyniuk play the violin is invigorating. There’s such energy in his movements.

Peering in to the Abyss

Silicon Valley Bank’s 2023 collapse draws deep similarities to the most notable bank failure in East TN history

Insistent—even demanding—messages from reporters in Tennessee and throughout the country were growing into an ever-higher stack on my desk, all asking essentially the same questions: is Knoxville financial organization Southern Industrial Banking Corp. going...

The Darby Deer

Finding meaning…and sometimes redemption…in the details

Darby Campbell is a successful business man with multiple businesses across the country. Of note, several marinas, Lakeside Tavern, Margaritaville Hotels, and more.

Rocky Fork

A patch of heaven worth fighting for

Prior to 2015, this rough patch of hill country was like many in our region, abandoned by timber barons to all but local adventurers. Fortunately, thanks to the rescue efforts of Unicoi native David Ramsey, this tract called Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State...

Old School

Knoxville’s old school restaurants are still here for a reason and we’re stepping in to taste their legacies

If everything old is new again, then these Old School Knoxville restaurants are the trendy up-and-comers on the restaurant scene. Except, they aren’t.

Keb’ Mo’

Bringing five decades of blues to the Knoxville stage

The Tennessee Theatre | May 12th | 8 p.m. Keb’ Mo’s sound caught my attention this winter when Tennessee Theatre announced he’d be coming to the Marble City on May 12.

It Happens Every Spring

They’ll watch the game and it’ll be as if they’d dipped themselves in magic waters. — Terrence Mann

Baseball, beginning in 1876, remains to many as our national pastime. In the words of Babe Ruth, “Baseball was, is, and always will be to me the best game in the world.” Commentator and author George Will, no fan of football, famously wrote: “Baseball, it is...

Age-Defying Habits

The search for the Fountain of Youth begins at home

Getting older is a privilege, and taking care of how well we age is our choice. Although DNA and other circumstances play a role in how we age, we can make choices to impact our quality of life as we advance through life.

From the Tree Tops

A new sanctuary where couples and families can stay and play

For Amanda and Brian Jensen and their four children, building a treehouse in 2014 was a family thing. It still is—only today the number of their treehouses is seven going on 130.

Making Farm-to-Table Happen

Nourish Knoxville is committed to cultivating healthy communities

On a bright, sunny Saturday, Ryan Sowell and his almost-5-year-old daughter, Lindley, visited the Market Square Farmers’ Market on their way to the Car Show. When Sowell was a student at UT, he visited the market almost every Saturday because it was walking...

Food Frenzy

Real Good Kitchen serves up community and business acumen for local food entrepreneurs

When Angie Cook opened her food truck “Cooks on the Curb” in 2016, she wasn’t prepared for what would come. Cook got the food truck from her husband for her birthday and the pimento cheese she made was the focus of every dish.

Garden Revamp

Tips for getting started or adding to your existing green space

For gardeners, spring is our time. We start our seedlings, get them into the ground, and care for them as they grow into something that will provide us either sustenance or something beautiful to look at—or both.

Let No Name Go Unspoken

Chris Albrecht serves his fellow veterans long after the battle ended

One of Chris Albrecht’s all-time favorite quotes—more than that, a guiding maxim, a life principle, the impetus behind many of his passionately persistent endeavors across the Knoxville community—is variously attributed to the ancient Egyptians, to prolific...

Plants with a Purpose

Native species help restore habitats and support the life that relies on them

The pawpaws growing in Avi Askey’s yard help to feed the family in the house. And the Zebra Swallowtail butterfly, Tennessee’s state butterfly, relies on it for food and a place to live.

The Lifelong Volunteer

Hometown Heroes: Why Knoxville teacher Ernie Roberts spends so much time volunteering

Ernie Roberts’s list of community involvement reads like a roster of Knoxville’s nonprofits: He’s taken Key Club members from Bearden High School to volunteer at the Empty Stocking Fund since the mid-1980s, and he serves as a board member for the project. He...

Top Dog

In search of the Smoky Mountain Market hot dog

I know a weenie man, He owns a weenie stand, He sells most anything, From hot dogs on down! Someday I’ll join his life, I’ll be his weenie wife, Hot dog!

March ’23 – From The Publisher

Dangerous Things

I remember when I learned I might have an attention deficit disorder. I was shocked.

Dyeing to Create

Debbie Alley transfers nature to fabric for abstract botanical prints

Where nature and science and art collide is where Debbie Alley’s creations live. The silk scarves, linen napkins and wall art she makes begin with a walk in the woods or in her West Knoxville backyard.

Zoë Nutt

Forging a music path through passion and perseverance

Sitting down to talk with Zoë Nutt was nothing short of inspirational. Hers is a story of tenacity and perseverance, of chasing dreams no matter how out of reach they might feel.

Nearly Dead, Mistakenly

Ratings and Certificates of Need keep hospitals under the microscope of the public eye

They came really close to killing you,” said a hospital’s diagnostic treatment department chief. His eyes would have looked like sunny-side-up eggs had the irises been yellow.

Experts Required

When the chips are down, you don’t need opinions you need facts.

There is certainly no shortage of opinion in our social media fueled world. But as technology increases I wonder about the general decline of expertise.

Urban Wilderness Gateway

Hidden in Knoxville’s backcountry lies a landscape worthy of exploring

If weekend traffic is any indication, Knoxville’s investment in the Urban Wilderness Gateway Park proved a success. Build it and they will come, indeed.

[B]abylon Revisited

Point B is a little bit of Paris in Knoxville

Owner Daniel Goss likes to tell both the long and the short versions of the founding story of Point B. The condensed version starts in the dark days of the pandemic lockdown in March 2020, when Goss had to furlough the employees of the Downtown Grill &...

Mexican? Yes, I can!

From burritos and tamales to ceviche and everything in between, Knoxville’s Mexican cuisine is not to be missed.

When an ethnic food becomes a staple of American cuisine, we all benefit from the world’s flavors and cultures. East Tennessee is home to as many Mexican restaurants as any place you’ll visit between here and Ciudad Juarez.

Drew & Ellie

Drew and Ellie Holcomb Get Back to their Roots

Bijou Theatre | March 23rd, 24th, 25th | 8 p.m. Drew and Ellie Holcomb’s story as a duo span a few decades.

Taking Its Toll

Could new road options save the unending congestion in our beloved Sevier County?

Over the years, many travelers have gladly paid for the privilege of driving the toll road to Disney World in Florida. Ditto on travels through the mountains of West Virginia to places like the Snowshoe ski resort.

Healthcare Hassles

The painful process of completing a seamingly endless number of forms

As a salute to the “Top Docs” listed in this edition of Cityview, I thought I should share with you a few of my personal experiences with medical providers during the past year. As the regular readers of “Pryorities” know (and I understand there may be three...

A Punch to the Gut

Intro by Nathan Sparks

It was early fall last year that I happened upon Sara Pugh’sTikTok channel. A UK-based biochemist, Sara’s videos were engaging and informative, consistently encouraging me to consider aspects of my health that I hadn’t been considering.

Aging Gracefully

What to Expect When You’re Aging

As a kid, I thought being 40 was old. Fast forward to present time and I’m, well, old by that definition—and lucky to have that option.

March Madness

With a stunning victory over No. 1 Alabama, the Vols came together as a team.

With 7:42 to play in the first half against No. 1-ranked Alabama, UT guard Santiago Vescovi dribbled down the left side of the key facing several defenders and lofted a high-arced alley-oop lob into space, high and away from the Bama big man.

Modern Magic

A contemporary dream comes to life through clean lines and colorful accents

Sondra and Tory Wimbs talked for years about a “dream home.” They lived 33 years in a house in Memphis they bought after seeing it in a “Best of Home Show” magazine. They worked and raised their son Joshua in a house always full of music—all while filing away...

Top Docs 2023

We owe a lot to our doctors and their medical teams, which is why we’re elated each year when we get to call them out in such a robust and special way. We started the Top Docs listing back in 2002.

“Yes, And….”

CEO moves United Way beyond fundraising to help address Knoxville’s most pressing needs

A 27-foot Airstream trailer provided a cool spot for new moms to nurse their babies during a World Breastfeeding Day event hosted by the Knox County Health Department last summer. The same trailer took UT Medical Center staff to Oneida for a health clinic.

Chef Alex Gass | Fire & Salt

Fire & Salt Chef and Proprietor Alex Gass grew up in Oak Ridge, helping his aunt, mother, and grandmother feed hundreds at the Kern United Methodist Church. He also cooked with his mother’s catering business and explored the art of smoking meats with his...

Chef Darin Hoagland | Oliver Royale

Oliver Royale Executive Chef Darin Hoagland’s culinary lineage goes back to his Grandpa Joe Bettencourt, who gave up life as a Yellowstone-type cattleman to become owner and grill cook at Marty’s Inn, a hunter’s restaurant in Newman, California, near Modesto...

Chef Jason Scott | Lonesome Dove

Lonesome Dove Executive Chef Jason Scott once wrote in his personal notebook, “If you cook with passion in your heart, success will always follow.” No coincidence that he has “passion” tattooed in red on the inside of his right bicep and “success” in Kelly...

Chef Robert McDonald | Bistro by the Tracks

Bistro By the Tracks Chef Robert McDonald III grew up in Fountain City. His grandfather Bob was a TVA engineer.

Chefs Chris Cummins & Noah Goodfriend | Point B

Noah Goodfriend started bussing tables at O’ Charley’s in high school. He waited at TGI Friday’s and Mellow Mushroom, then applied at the Pizza Kitchen on Northshore.

Chefs Deron Little & Austin Altena | Seasons Innovative Bar & Grille

Chef Deron Little started Seasons Innovative Bar & Grille in 2013 and made it a perennial Top Chefs contender and winner. “He’s very traditional, very innovative, a purist,” says his protégé, Austin Altena.

Chefs Jesse Newmister & Lucas Trombley | Tako Taco

Jesse Newmister is a chef comfortable in many genres. Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, he yearned to break away from the regional fare.

Do the Hustle

Side hustles, also known as gig work or freelance work, have become increasingly popular

A side hustle is a way for people to earn extra money outside of their full-time job, and it can take many forms, such as starting a small business, renting out a room on Airbnb, or driving for a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft. Sometimes side hustles...

Surgical Precision

Sometimes all it takes is a fly rod and a quiet stretch of river to renew the spirit

It is nearly noon, and I have temporarily retired my fly rod in favor of a camera, hoping to capture the moment. I stand behind my friend Edwin watching him cast his fly line upstream into a small run, framing the shot to tell the story perfectly.

Talking with The Chancellor

Donde Plowman joined the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2019 with big plans, and nothing’s going to stand in her way of achieving them—innovative initiatives, exceptional sport teams, and unbridled growth abound.

Over the last year,Cityviewhas been following the University of Tennessee athletic teams closely as they broke records and excelled in team pursuits. We’ve watched coaches make an enormous difference in the lives of their student-athletes.

To Save a Life

U.S. Air Force Capt. Kathy Cason Johnson has made a life-saving difference to her nation

Kathy Cason Johnson grew up with a big heart and put it to work in her chosen field as a nurse, but it was a shocking tragedy that ignited an even deeper passion in her for saving lives, mending the wounded, and caring for the dying—not only in her home...

Jan ’23 – From the Publisher

I confess. I was not the best student during my school years.

Out in Open Air

Kathie Odom’s success as a plein air painter holds a life lesson for all of us. A University of Tennessee art school graduate, her career led her to creative endeavors that weren’t fine art: framing, faux finishing, decorating, and renovating spaces.

The Confession

It’s not the stories that Ioftentell that haunt me, the fun ones around the campfire celebrating the success of a good sporting trip. No, the ones that keep me up at night are those where pure instinct took over and adrenaline coursed through my veins as I...

The Big South Fork

Often seen as the Smokies’ little sibling, the Big South Fork rides like an emergency $20 bill in my wallet. As leaf peepers crowd the usual, high-altitude routes, I sneak off into this gorge to feast on colors that flow downstream with the river.

The Brass Pearl

Oysters on the half shell and signature cocktails bring NOLA to Market Square

The French poet Léon-Paul Fargue wrote, “Eating oysters is like kissing the sea on the lips.” Knoxville’s only raw bar,The Brass Pearl, opened on Market Square in early 2022 with a simple concept: oysters from various regions of the east and west coasts...

Famous Faces & Places

You know them, you love them, you can’t live without… their FOOD!

Dolly, Guy, Trevor, Blake, Paula, Drew, and Peyton all have local eateries and hangouts that have been swarmed with customers all hoping to get a peak at the celebrity faces that may be in their midst. Let’s see why they have come to east Tennessee to set up...

Back to the Honky Tonk

With thousands of fans in Knoxville, consistently exceptional shows over his career, and a 2021 album, Body Language , that we simply adore, there’s no doubt that Blake Shelton’s show in February at the Thompson-Boling Arena will be a memorable one.

Shelton’s “Back to the Honky Tonk” tour—an epic name for a country artist’s tour, if you ask us—kicks off in Nebraska in mid-February, and Knoxville is one of his early stops before he makes his way across the country through the end of March. The last time...

Remnants of a Scoundrel

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. —Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

The 1960s, so long ago, left lasting impressions for those in this country who stood witness—an entire decade on an emotional roller coaster. The election of a young president with a vision of placing mankind on the moon, an escalation of a war in Vietnam...

Defending My Life

How will you fare when you reach the final judgment?

I’ve been attending far too many funerals lately. If this keeps up, there won’t be anybody left for me to play with.

A World of Potential

With a wealth of new and returning talent, the Lady Vols aim for the Final Four.

In a November visit to the Rotary Club, Lady Vols Coach Kellie Harper noted that the excitement of the football season had reminded her of the late 90s. “Our football players are getting to experience what I experienced in the late 90s,” said Harper.

Vintage Vibe

Retro rental in Knoxville transports visitors to the Frank Lloyd Wright heyday

[flipbook id=”3″] For years, Michelle Flanigan-Hill has taken leisurely drives by the Vista Road houses in Louisville, Tennessee. These 1950s-60s mid-century modern homes are her favorite architecture era, reminding her of joyous, warm childhood visits in her...

Safety & Serenity

Horse Haven nurtures abused and neglected horses — and the people who love them

When Ashley Ford arrives for a day of work at Horse Haven, she knows she is at a place of peace. “My favorite thing is when I walk in, everyone greets me,” she says.

Burn, Baby, Burn

U.S. Army veteran Don Eklund reflects on his service amidst the flames of Vietnam

Some of the most vivid stories from the Vietnam era center on events long after the din of battle has faded. They reveal glimpses into a soldier’s character and leadership outside the context of steaming jungles, enemy attacks, and exploding mortars.

Emily Wyrick

Preparation, practice, and planning has this budding artist on the fast-track to stardom

I’ve known Emily and her family for many years now. I can recall sitting down to dinner with them about five or six years ago wondering who would be next in this incredibly talented family to make their next move in the industry.

Turkeys & Creeks

A nostalgic reflection on how commerce transformed a once-wild patch in Farragut

On an overcast spring day in 1984, a two-tone Buick Century station wagon carrying my dad, two sisters (ages 17 and 7), our two dogs, a very pregnant cat, and me (15) exited I-40 at Campbell Station Road to begin a new life in Farragut, Tennessee. We had just...

When Life Gives you Market Volatility….

Managing Your Investments in Uncertain Times

Overall, 2022 has been a tough year for global investors. Stocks have been particularly volatile, with big price swings attributable to the potential for additional interest rate hikes by the US central bank and relatively high inflation.

Work From Home

Two years into the #WFH reality, Knoxville companies report what works—and what doesn’t

There have been innumerable articles written about remote work, or #WFH as it is usually abbreviated. These range from a breathless enthusiasm about the “new normal,“to the now-famous Elon Musk memo—get back to the office or you’re fired.

From the Publisher

Much of my life has been based on split-second decisions. Looking back, I can clearly say that my best and worst decisions often occurred in a split second.

Poetry in Paint

Andrew Saftel’s work provokes thoughtful immersion into art

History. Nature.

For the Family

Josh Lovelace’s solo project creates space for families to listen together

I’ve hit the point as a parent where song requests from my one-year-old are a regular occurrence. Music is my life, but even I can admit it’s tough to listen to Baby Shark on repeat.

Relentless Resolve

I know you are going to hate to hear this,” I say to my orthopedic surgeon, “but we are going to have to postpone my hip surgery.” He is clearly unhappy to hear this, but it really doesn’t make a difference at this point; the decision has been made. You see...

Epic Exploits on Fontana Lake

An annual pilgrimage reveals a lost treasure of years past

Small waves tickled my kayak as the autumn sun warmed our chilled cores, a light breeze gently skimming Fontana Lake, just two hours south in North Carolina. Two eagles circled our small armada as we disembarked on the shore of their namesake creek.

Tuscany Comes to Maryville

Bella offers authentic Italian cuisine—and the flaming Pasta in the Wheel!

Bella occupies a building in downtown Maryville that was built in 1925 as a J.C. Penney, whose name is memorialized in a mosaic at the front door.

New Eats

East Tennessee’s latest restaurants have us lining up for a spot at the table

There are few things east Tennesseans love more than a new restaurant. And buddy, do we show up.

Christmas for the Kids

Cityview‘s Nathan Sparks, Devin Driscoll of D1 Training in Hardin Valley, and Congressman Tim Burchett will host the second annual Christmas for the Kids holiday event on December 9 featuring pictures with Santa, hot cocoa, s’mores, and holiday festivities...

The Great Experiment

The Volstead Act brought with it a host of unintended consequences, causing leaders to question whether they made the right choice.

There is Murphy’s Law, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong,” and then there is its first cousin, the Law of Unintended Consequences. The latter law might be defined as any attempt to solve a complex problem that creates unanticipated and often...

Jurors in Jest

Courtroom tales remind us that laughs can be found even in the most serious of spaces

Did you know that some of life’s most humorous moments are played out regularly on the stage of a courtroom somewhere near you? While court trials are typically serious affairs about serious subjects, they have long been the source of many comedic moments.

A New Era Dawns

The Volunteers’ last-second 52-49 victory over Alabama puts UT back in college football’s elite

You probably saw it, either in the roaring throng of 101,915 at Neyland Stadium or as part of a CBS-TV national audience that peaked at 17 million viewers. With 7:49 to go, down 49-42 to Alabama, it was do or die.

The Boyd Harvey House

With a story steeped in history, an elegant bed and breakfast in the heart of Choto offers guests a restful experience with a gourmet flair.

Family trips to my grandparents’ homes were a regular part of my upbringing. On my mother’s side, Myrtle Joy Rice was a single woman who taught high school English, practical by anyone’s standards, but she would become my best friend and mentor on our special...

A Lifeline & A Voice

Sertoma Center offers support for adults with intellectual disabilities

Eric works a full-time job keeping a loading dock clean and organized. He lives alone in the home he purchased through Habitat for Humanity.

Best of the Best 2022

Three hundred and one thousand votes says a lot, but it doesn’t say it all. Not even by a long shot.

Hosting the Holidays

Knoxville’s authorities on style and grace give their insight on how to make your home shine for your guests this season

As the season of merriment arrives, it’s one of the best times to play host to friends and family. We invited some local experts to offer insight into making this year’s holiday hosting the best yet.

Solace Amidst the Savagery

Knoxville martial-arts master Pete Mills reflects on his intense service in Vietnam

In October of 1968, Pete Mills, a US Army Private First Class, peered out on unfamiliar fields and marshes as the plane ferrying him touched down in Saigon, halfway around the world from his home in Carter, Tennessee. Having been drafted May 1 of that year...

Destination Oshkosh

Skirting Chicago on the east side, private planes often fly just over the water around 1,000-1,500 feet AGL in the VFR flyway to view the Chicago skyline. This was today’s plan.

Pay it Forward

Painter-sculptor Marga McBride believes in sharing gifts

Marga McBride sees the sublime in the simplest of images. The brilliant red seeds of a towering magnolia.

The Transformation Conundrum

Has gentrification found its way to Knoxville?

What usually goes up must instead stay the same. That’s as good a way as any to describe how some in Knoxville and around the country want to deal with “gentrification,” a subject that locally has been increasingly talked about as the value of living in...

Journey to Understanding

As of this writing, I have been on travel for more than 14 days. That might not seem like much in the grand scheme of life, but I’ve been amazed at what I’ve learned in such a short time by simply allowing myself to unplug.

Home of Giants

Visiting the mighty before they make their final—and unplanned—departure

In the 1800s, naturalist William Bartram once remarked that you could swing from limb to limb from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River without ever touching the ground. He didn’t know at the time, but were anyone to take on his challenge, they would...

The Izakaya Way

Japanese-style pub Kaizen offers an informal, peaceful atmosphere When you walk into a restaurant and see one of Knoxville’s top chefs enjoying a birthday dinner with her family, you figure you’re in for a good meal. “I would come here five nights a week if I...

Wine Down

Spout Spring Estates keeps Viticulture Thriving in East Tennessee

Anytime I step onto the grounds of a local winery, I find myself having flashback moments. Life at the winery was just a blink in my personal timeline, but it’s one I will never forget.

Dinner And…

Local eateries boast both food and fun all in the same location. Date night anyone?

Rustic, regional, and romantic. Trip Advisor ranked Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro as one of the most romantic restaurants in America in 2019.

Injustice in Tennessee

After all these Years, the Vols Deserve a Heisman Trophy Winner

Jurisprudence is simply a means to an end. Justice is what we want, and that applies to college sports.

Gridiron Glory

Vivid memories from the Vols history bring elation for the season ahead

As I sat waiting for the kickoff, I felt detached from reality. The entire stadium was in a stupor with little sound and suspended movement.

Looking Ahead to an Epic Vols Season

Sept. 1 Ball State.A Thursday evening home opener.

Turn It Up

Coach Josh Heupel and Quarterback Hendon Hooker’s up-tempo offense makes all things possible in 2022

In college football, the past is never dead. It is not even past.

A Legacy of its Own

Legacy Parks is making outdoor space accessible for all in East Tennessee

Frank Harvey is a man on a mission. If his name does not ring a bell, then you probably are not a rock climber or been on the receiving end of his prosecutorial hammer.

A Time to Recast

Air Force veteran and attorney Aaron Kimsey found friendship and freedom on the water

Some 500 miles due west of Knoxville, the teeming waters of Arkansas’ White River lure anglers from around the world to fish for trout—rainbow, brown, cutthroat, and brook—with fly rods in hand and hope in their hearts: hope not only to hook a keeper but also...

A Walk in the Woods

No matter the season, getting off the beaten path and into the wilderness will heal your soul.

We have set up our campsite, and I am helping my son Troupe with the evening’s firewood collection. We are in the Smoky Mountains for a few days of camping and fly fishing.

From the Publisher

As a young boy, I loved everything about baseball. Well, almost everything.

Clear Vision

Glassmaker sees teaching as a critical part of his craft

Johnny Glass’s name is his destiny. The Knoxville native grew up dreaming of a career on stage and screen, worked at the Bijou as a teen and even had some early appearances in films and TV shows, enough to send him to LA to pursue fame.

Expression of Joy

Brent Thompson channels his inner theater kid as he connects to jazz

Jazz has always been a love of mine. Growing up in church, the music has always been inspired by the genre, and I find myself deeply connected to the rhythms and composition.

Legal Shield

Immunity for companies leaves Tennesseans wondering who’s right

The challenge facing Tennesseans and the world about Covid-19 vaccines is what to believe, who to believe, and when to believe what we’re told about them—and if there’s anything that can be done legally if after being vaccinated something goes wrong. Given...

Practical Advice

Aligning your insurance policy to protect yourself against underinsured drivers

Most all of us drive a car or a truck, and as part of our responsibility in doing so we are required to have insurance on our vehicles. However, based on my experiences, it is likely that one in five of the cars and trucks you pass every day on the road has...

Out on the AT

Experiencing the Appalachian Trail hiking culture in Virginia

I was fine with skipping the road walk and interstate noise, but Frank Whitehead insisted that we do the extra mile across I-81 in Groseclose, Virginia. That is where we finished our last section on the Appalachian Trail a year-and-a-half ago, and his trail...

Cucina Milanese on Jackson Avenue

Osteria Stella offers a true Northern Italian dining experience

From the bustling Jackson Avenue sidewalk in the Old City, walking into the softly lit, stylishly designed interior of Osteria Stella feels like stepping into another era. It is a contrast to the bright décor of Brother Wolf, its sibling cocktail bar next...

Dining Al Fresco

Get ready for an epic summer of food and fun on Knoxville’s outdoor patios

The top three things you can do 10 months out of the year in East Tennessee are golf, ride motorcycles, and dine outside. Knoxville restaurant patios are open and thriving with diners flocking to bust out of their cocoons and dine in the sunshine.

Flying High

The Smoky Mountain Air Show Returns to East Tennessee

Four F-18 Super Hornets roar down the runway towards take-off. As they lift off the tarmac, wheels up, they move into perfect synchronization lifting skyward.

The Beginning of the End

The 1982 World’s Fair brought a celebration to East Tennessee—followed quickly by the fall of the Butcher banks

Forty years ago, Disney opened Epcot, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial was dedicated in Washington D. C.,E.

Summer Vacation

Relishing endless family moments on the coast of Florida

There we were again. The Pryor family riding along south in the family “truckster” on another Florida vacation.

The Amazin’ Vols

With swagger, guts, and fun-loving bravado to spare, the UT baseball team brings home an SEC Championship

Tennessee Volunteers pitcher Chase Burns faced a tough situation in the third inning against Auburn on April 29. Bases loaded.

Finding Their Way Home

An all-Knoxville team creates a couple’s sanctuary on Cherokee Boulevard

Thousands of people make their way year-round to the zen-like curve of Cherokee Boulevard to run, walk, bike, picnic, boat or play catch. Stately, old trees line the riverfront boulevard—the main thoroughfare through the Sequoyah Hills Neighborhood in...

Catching the Cure

East Tennessee efforts provide hope and support for those with cystic fibrosis

School mornings for Tucker Jack begin at 5:30 a.m. At 14 years old, he starts off the day with a sinus rinse and a breathing treatment that lasts about 30 minutes.

2022 Top Attorneys

Who are the Top Attorneys in Knoxville and how to choose the right one for you

I will never forget a local attorney telling me he thought the courtroom was a scary place, a place where he is unwilling to go. I couldn’t help but think about how weak his position would be in a negotiation.

Compassion in the Courtroom

Chuck Cerny’s Veterans Treatment Court vision is changing lives and destinies

It doesn’t take long when talking with Jarod Correll to surmise that he’s a Marine at heart, a tough dude, a fighter, a “black-and-white guy,” as he puts it. By virtue of his rough upbringing and military training, he doesn’t come off as one to let emotions...

Searching for Serenity

Sometimes all a person needs is a fly rod and the ocean to restore the soul

All too often, with good intentions, each of us fall into routine and mindless compliance with daily life. We get into a rut, and it seems the only difference between the rut and the grave is the dirt in our faces.

From the Publisher | Campsite Cuisine

The sense of camaraderie found from spending time with friends on a fishing trip is incredible. Make it a river trip in a canoe, and it’s even better.

Turning Heads

Tyler Jamison’s passion brings out the beauty in wood

Tyler Jamison carves and turns wood, emphasizing texture, highlighting grain. But he’s not working with just any old wood he finds.