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Traffic moves along the newly completed section of Birds Creek Road. A rock-catching fence runs along the road on the hill side.
Birds Creek work ending
BIRDS CREEK — It may have come five months later than its original completion date and decades after it was first proposed, but the effort to improve Birds Creek Road was right on time as far as lo...
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More variety added to BBQ & Bluegrass
SEVIERVILLE — The Eighth Annual Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass Festival will add a little rock and roll to the mix. For the first time, the event will feature a third stage sponsored by the Hard Rock ...
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School board updates Internet safety policy
SEVIERVILLE — The Sevier County Board of Education approved an amendment to School Board Policy 519 “Network and Internet Use” during its recent meeting, updating an existing policy to include Inte...
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Sevier County Deputy Kyle Cutshaw salutes the memorial after laying the wreath during the ceremony.
Day set aside to honor police officers
SEVIERVILLE — People don’t often think to say “thank you” to law enforcement officers, but Tuesday marked a day set aside to at least remember those who where disabled or lost their lives while ser...
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Work on new signal starts soon
PIGEON FORGE — The engineer overseeing the effort to put in a new traffic signal at the intersection of the Parkway and Music Road says work on the project should begin — finally — before the end o...
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Tennessee Department of Transportation Chief of Environment and Planning Toks Omishakin, Commissioner of Tourist Development Susan Whitaker and Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner unveil the official sign for Rocky Top Trail—part of the Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways Program—on Tuesday afternoon at Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler in Gatlinburg. The 282-mile trail begins at the Gatlinburg/Great Smoky Mountains National Park Welcome Center and runs through seven counties in the Smoky Mountains area.
Rocky Top Trail highlights area attractions
GATLINBURG — State tourism and transportation officials, as well as local leaders, officially launched the state’s 14th driving tour under the Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways Program — Rocky T...
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Sarina Thompson feels the pain of kneeling on rock salt as a punishment during the interactive display stations detailing the day-to-day lives of a restavek, a child slave in Haiti.
Slave for a day: Students learn what life is like for children forced into slavery
SEVIERVILLE — While other children were going about their normal everyday school activities last week, eighth-grade students at Sevierville Middle School were experiencing what it was like to live ...
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Reece Ripatti died Friday, May 11, 2012, at the age of 89.
Ripatti remembered for ‘generous heart’
SEVIERVILLE — Sevier County was left to mourn the passing of another of its great philanthropists and living legends over the weekend as news of the Friday death of Reese Ripatti spread. Those who...
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Students who attended McCookeville School, located off of the Spur between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, gathered for an annual reunion on Saturday afternoon. Family and friends reminisced about all the good times they had at the school, over a pot-luck meal.
Stories of childhood shared at reunion
SEVIERVILLE — For the last 23 years, on the second Saturday in May, students who attended the former McCookeville School have gathered at a reunion to reminisce about their schooldays and upbringin...
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PF may condemn land for road
PIGEON FORGE — The city manager may be given the go-ahead for what's being called a "friendly condemnation" that would be the first step toward building a road from the Parkway to the city's Teaste...
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Crews piece together panels as the steel structure goes up at the Pigeon Forge events center.
Events center construction continues savings
PIGEON FORGE — Not only is construction of the city's events center on time and on budget, but for the second month in a row the effort has produced a cost savings. That's the account the Pigeon F...
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Internet policy amendment on school board agenda
SEVIERVILLE — The Sevier County Board of Education will consider approval of an amendment to School Board Policy 519 "Network and Internet Use" when it meets today. Because the Federal Communicati...
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Many portray rod runs as positive, not negative, for area
PIGEON FORGE — Though a committee proposed by city officials would focus on addressing the negatives of Pigeon Forge’s numerous rod runs, plenty of folks are certain the benefits far outweigh those...
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Wheels of fortune? Developers race on wheel getting heated
PIGEON FORGE — There’s a race on two wheels coming to Pigeon Forge, but this isn’t like the Tour de France. It’s much more competitive than that. A pair of powerful development groups are in somet...
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Hopes, concerns ride on big wheels
MYRTLE BEACH — The Holiday Inn at the Pavilion, the hotel where Pigeon Forge leaders stayed on their recent visit to Myrtle Beach, climbs 10 stories above the powder white sands of the beach just b...
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Wheel opinions mixed in Myrtle Beach
MYRTLE BEACH — Late in the afternoon when the shadows grow long on the Grand Strand, the one cast by the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel arches over on the powdery white sand of the Atlantic coast, tinting i...
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<b>These eighth-graders received top honors at the Sevier County Academic Field Day. From left: Science, Gabe Hatcher, Seymour Middle; Social Studies, Irfan Ibrahim, Sevierville Middle; Language Arts, Hannah Rauhuff, Sevierville Middle; and Math, Katie Whaley, New Center School.</b>
Local students shine during Academic Field Day
GATLINBURG — Pi Beta Phi's gymnasium was filled with nearly 250 seventh- and eighth-graders this week during the 46th annual Sevier County Academic Field Day. The students, as well as teachers, pa...
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Dolly Parton makes a surprise appearance at the Dixie Stampede and sings to the audience. She ll appear in her annual Homecoming Parade at 6 p.m. today in Pigeon Forge.
Surprise Visit: Parton marks 25th anniversary of Dixie Stampede
PIGEON FORGE — Guests at Thursday evening's Dixie Stampede show had no idea what was waiting for them inside, as they flashed their tickets to staff members and smiled for photographers before ente...
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Woman charged in Arkansas kidnapping case
KODAK — A woman found in the same local hotel as an Arkansas fugitive is also facing charges related to the incident there and to drugs found in her possession here. Sevierville police arrested Ja...
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SCEDC works on 21st Century presence
SEVIERVILLE — The Sevier County Economic Development Council is turning increasingly to technology as it works to promote the area as a destination not just for corporations, but for tourists, as w...
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A pelican rests on a lake level marker during a light rain storm Wednesday. TVA is a half foot behind on raising the lake level.
Lake levels low but rising
DOUGLAS LAKE — Though the area has gotten more than its normal share of precipitation so far this year, officials with the Tennessee Valley Authority say their efforts to fill the reservoir is behi...
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Chief and Holly’s mom Minnie doesn’t let her babies far out of her sight. The cubs, born on Jan. 31 at Ober Gatlinburg, are the facility’s first infants since 1996
Two cubs debuted at Ober Gatlinburg
GATLINBURG — For the first time since the late 1990s, there are baby black bears at Ober Gatlinburg’s Wildlife Encounter. The two cubs made their public debut on Tuesday afternoon, at a special pr...
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English Mountain neighbors fighting development plan
SEVIERVILLE — Sometimes even the most impassioned and overwhelming plea can come to naught when no viable way to respond to it can be found. It remains to be seen if that will be the case for the ...
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City considers creating sports council
SEVIERVILLE — The Board of Mayor and Aldermen decided Tuesday that a committee to look into recruiting sports events to the city is an idea worth looking into. The idea of a “sports council” first...
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Hospitality associations recognize culinary arts program
SEVIERVILLE — Sevier County Career Technical’s culinary arts program has been getting awards, and recently some local groups rewarded it with some money, too. Teacher Sissy Ivey took the class to ...
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Crafty idea: “Off the Wall” art sale a first for Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation
PIGEON FORGE — Officials with the Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation hosted their first “Off the Wall” fine art and crafts sale over the weekend, raising funds to benefit health care programs and serv...
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Club's Health Rock program earns accolades
PIGEON FORGE — Though the Boys and Girls Club of the Smoky Mountains has only implemented the Health Rocks program within the last few years — partnering with 4-H to present the curriculum — the Pi...
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Sellars' condition 'worst it's ever been'
Former Assistant District Attorney John Sellars' condition took a turn for the worse over the weekend and the outlook is now said to be "the worst it's ever been." Sellars has now developed pneumo...
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Plan draws concern
SEVIERVILLE — Some residents of the English Hills Subdivision are set to bring worries about what one of their neighbors might be up to before the Sevier County Planning Commission when the group m...
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Myrtle Beach has had its issues with motorcycle rallies
MYRTLE BEACH — For years there was a natural rhythm to summer here. It started with one of the biggest weekends annually at Memorial Day, got another boom at Independence Day and went out huge at L...
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This draft rendering shows what the park in Pigeon Forge could look like. It was prepared by Ripken Design, the group that helps develop the complexes. Its director of projects said he expects the construction would take advantage of the natural contours on the Teaster Lane site to make the complex visually interesting. Submitted
Ripken Experience: 'All in on Pigeon Forge'
MYRTLE BEACH — The officials with Ripken Baseball say they’re “all in on Pigeon Forge” and would even like to be up and running by 2014, though it remains to be seen if everything can be ready by t...
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<b>The new therapy services outpatient clinic at LeConte Medical Center offers patients a variety of services, using new equipment to provide the best possible care. The facility officially opened in mid-March, but an open house was held on Tuesday evening to show off the clinic to the community. Photo by Rachel Osborn</b>
Hospital unveils new outpatient therapy clinic
SEVIERVILLE — Members of the LeConte Medical Center team recently showed off their new therapy services outpatient clinic, highlighting the facility's new equipment, expanded treatment options and ...
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Woman accused of assault: Allegedly attempted to take sick mother's medication
SEVIERVILLE — A Knoxville woman is facing domestic assault charges after she allegedly attacked her niece while trying to take medicine from her ailing mother. Patricia Jean Jones, 42, of Knoxvill...
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Man facing charges in home invasion
SEVIERVILLE — A Kodak man who allegedly robbed the mother of his ex-girlfriend last year is now behind bars. Ryan Avins, 23, of 3008 Katy Drive, allegedly entered the home on Dec. 12. The victim i...
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Mobile clinic helps dozens of pets
SEVIERVILLE — In advance of Be Kind to Animals Week, the Sevier County Humane Society gave residents a chance Monday to have their pets spayed or neutered at a lower cost than normal. The Prevent ...
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Review of census numbers on agenda
SEVIERVILLE — People curious about the city’s results in the latest census, and what it could mean as the planning commission moves ahead with regulating growth, could get some answers at a worksho...
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BBB warns about roofing scams
GATLINBURG — Vice Mayor Jerry Hays says it didn’t take long for roving roofing contractors to descend on Gatlinburg after a severe storm roared through the area last week and dumped hail the size o...
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Ribfest food doesn't go to waste
GATLINBURG — Though the cancellation of the city's annual Ribfest, Wings and BBQ event left hungry festival-goers disappointed, some good came out of the sad situation. A strong storm traveled thr...
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Couple robbed of car in park: Pair believed to have been targeted
NATIONAL PARK — Rangers and special agents from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are investigating what appears to be the first alleged carjacking in the park’s long history. Officials at th...
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The Sevierville Community Center pool has a PAL, portable aquatic lift, chair to help with access to the pool. A mandate requiring all lodging properites install lifts so that their swimming area are accessible to everyone deadlines this month, with those not meeting it possibly facing thousands if fines.
Disabilities mandate makes big splash: Businesses seeking time on pool lift law
Imagine coming on a Smoky Mountain vacation, booking a room at an expensive resort with plans for the whole family to enjoy the water park it’s so proud of, but arriving to find some of those in yo...
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