Steve Marion

School Board switched gears Monday by seeking to apply $10.9 million to energy and roofing projects on existing facilities – a move that could significantly limit their fund balance contribution to a potential Jefferson Elementary project. Last month, County Commission approved the Board’s request to earmark another $2 million for a JES project, bringing the total available from the school […]

It was the best 100 miles he’s ever driven. Jeff Underwood had no idea the day would be a good one when he woke at 1 a.m. and decided to start his trek home to Jefferson County from Russellville, Arkansas. He just knew he wanted to get started home early. Underwood is a project manager for Mahle. He travels to […]

County Planners want more information from all parties before they consider a subdivision request involving two proposed residences initially constructed as “sheds.” During last month’s meeting, eight citizens lined up to complain about the development at 2251 Jim Henry Road by Grace Contractors, LLC, which includes two 3,300-square-foot structures. Representatives of Grace had initially told the county building department the […]

A short-term rental industry that seemingly sprang up overnight has state and local officials playing catch-up. Do a quick search on one of the major online booking sites, and you’ll see over a thousand options for overnight accommodations in the Dandridge area alone. Currently, there are no county guidelines to protect customers or the property owners who live near the […]

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and other state, federal, and local agencies will host an open house Monday about efforts that have begun to clean up and restore Douglas Lake after the influx of debris from Hurricane Helene. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has closed the Shady Grove boat launch as a staging area for equipment, and operations will begin soon […]

In a close vote, Dandridge Planners agreed Monday to recommend that rock-crushing operations be allowed in the M-1 (industrial) zone. The move, requested by business owner Jimmy Singh, who wants to locate an aggregate crushing and sales lot on Pine Drive in the Jefferson County Industrial Park, will go before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at its December 10 […]

Forty-one candidates took up the challenge. Only nine of them became “Smoke Divers.” Among the handful of firefighters who emerged from the grueling 60-hour advanced course in Dalton, Georgia, last Friday was Josh Sinard, Deputy Chief at the White Pine Volunteer Fire Department and also full-time battalion chief at Sevierville Fire Department. “I like a challenge,” said Sinard, who started […]

The Town of Dandridge has a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for a new library, thanks to a recently-approved $2 million state grant. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen meets next Tuesday to hear a proposal for the new facility. In July, the group agreed to consider funding up to $800,000 for the project if the grant application was successful. […]

For Marissa Gilliam-King, work as the new Jefferson County Veterans Service Officer isn’t all that different from her Tennessee Army National Guard experience as a line medic. “In the Guard I put band-ads on boo-boos,” she quipped. “Here I shuffle paperwork. With both I’m just trying to help somebody out and make life a little better for them. That’s my […]

During a 37-year career in medicine, Dr. John Zirkle educated his patients about the dangers of smoking. At the clinic in Jefferson City, he kept a little display on his desk that showed a section of lung tissue damaged by years of cigarettes – for patients who needed extra encouragement to kick the habit. Dr. Zirkle is well-versed on all […]