August 29, 2026
John Gullion
Making the grade
Board gives Bunch an ‘A’ grade
Public safety leaders express disappointment at budget changes
Public safety is a difficult thing to budget for — here is a tension between providing the best service possible for voters and finding the revenue to make it possible and the Hamblen County Commission is trying to find the right balance but the recent budget committee meeting exposed growing concerns that staffing shortages, employee turnover and funding pressures are affecting agencies ranging from the Sheriff’s Office and E-911 to volunteer fire departments.
The Suite Life
TownePlace Suites by Mariott hosts Chamber ribbon cutting
Sarah M (Sarie Jane) Hopkins Smith
Sarah M (Sarie Jane) Hopkins Smith age 89 passed away peacefully at home on June 9, 2026, with her daughters by her side. She was saved at the age of 16 at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church and was a Charter Member of Sartain Springs Missionary Baptist Church.
James William “Jim” Shaver
James William “Jim” Shaver was born October 21, 1942, in Jefferson City, TN, to the late Clyde L. V. “Tater” Shaver and Mary Margaret (Ryan) Shaver, the oldest of four children.
Today In History
Today In History
James “Jim” Quackenbush
James “Jim” Quackenbush, 81 of Whitesburg, passed away on June 10, 2026 at his residence.
Henry Samsel
Henry Paul Samsel, age 67, of Morristown and Whitesburg passed away Monday, June 9, 2026.
Bible Thought
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
TSSAA approves plan to implement basketball shot clock
The TSSAA Board of Control on Tuesday signaled a new era for high school hoops, approving a phased implementation of a basketball shot clock and a move toward RPI-based seeding for the Division I state tournament. The decisions highlight a busy summer session that also saw the board finalize classification procedures and mandate new training requirements for coaches across the state.