In this Knoxville Insider Issue…

🌤️ Knoxville Weather - Partly Cloudy with a High of 95

📰 Historic Gay Street Bridge Closed Indefinitely

📰 Fifty is the Magic Age for Knox County Residents

🗓️ West High School Class of 1974 - 50th Reunion

🗓️ Upcoming Events

🗓️ Make Your Voice Heard: Vote in the August 1 Primary Elections

🏡 Real Estate Section

📣 We Want to Spotlight Your Business! Apply Here

✅ Advertising Opportunities
 

Historic Gay Street Bridge Closed Indefinitely

The historic Gay Street Bridge is closed indefinitely following the discovery of a “compromised element” during a routine inspection by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). The bridge is closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic as further inspections are conducted to determine necessary repairs and the duration of the closure.

The Gay Street Bridge was built in 1898 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The recent closure marks its first major safety concern since 2004.

The University of Tennessee’s baseball national championship parade and celebration will proceed as planned today, with the staging area relocated to Hill Avenue.

Fifty is the Magic Age for Knox County Residents

Yes, 50 is the magic age when Knox County residents become a “senior”! And with that milestone comes free access to all 7 Senior Centers. The CAC Office on Aging runs the John T. O’Connor center in Downtown Knoxville and the other 6 centers are managed by Knox County. Each center has its own personality, mostly derived from its clientele.

I bet you are thinking “A Senior Center…I’m not that old!” You would be in the vast majority. But there are an incredible amount of folks in their 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s (and a few in their 90s) who regularly attend classes and events at these centers. There are a range of exercise classes, computer classes, Spanish and ASL classes, Art classes, Crafting classes, Nature walks, Billiards, Bridge, Mah Jongg, Canasta, Rummikub and puzzling, book clubs, sewing groups, fitness centers, computer labs, book lending libraries and one of the centers even has an indoor pool.

All this AND a happy social atmosphere where one can meet with friends OR meet new friends, get out of the house and do something positive and uplifting. I doubt there are many cities that offer this amount of activity for the senior community. And no, there is no socio-economic requirement for admission. You live here, you are 50+, these centers are yours to enjoy.

The centers are spaced throughout Knox County from the Western Edge to the Eastern end, North to South. You can visit www.KnoxSeniors.org or www.KnoxCounty.org/seniors/centers to see the listings and addresses as well as each of the bimonthly newsletters with their calendar of events.

Here are the six Knox County centers…

Carter Senior Center, 9040 Asheville Highway, (865) 932-2939

Corryton Senior Center, 9331 Davis Drive, (865) 688-5882

West Knox County Senior Center, 239 Jamestowne Blvd, Suite 101, (865) 288-7805

Halls Senior Center, 4405 Crippen Road, (865) 922-0416

Karns Senior Center, 8042 Oak Ridge Hwy, (865) 951-2653

South Knoxville Senior Center, 6729 Martel Lane, (865) 573-5843

-contributed by Kate Sultan

Have an event to add? Let us know! [email protected]

Community:

Cedar Bluff Library Used Book Sale: on Friday-Saturday, June 28th-29th from 1pm - 5pm, 9045 Cross Park Dr

Howard Pinkston Library Used Book Sale: on Saturday, July 13th from 10am - 5pm, 7732 Martin Mill Pike

Used Book Sale at Hi-Wire Brewing: on Thursday, July 18th - Wednesday, July 24th during business hours, 2020 Barber Street

Ask a Master Gardener: Ask plant and garden questions at the Norwood Library, 1110 Merchant Dr. on Saturday, July 20th, from 10am - noon. KCMG public calendar.

Learn How to Play the Bridge Card Game: Recurring on Tuesdays starting on July 23rd from 6pm - 8:30pm at the Knoxville Bridge Center, 7400 Deane Hill Drive. Register. Questions: contact Maggie Hughes at (865) 680-7364 or [email protected]

Classic Movie at the Tennessee Theatre:
The Lion King and The Matrix are showing on Saturday, July 27th, Star Wars - The Return of the Jedi and Thelma and Louise are showing on Saturday, August 10th, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Jurassic Park are showing on Saturday, August 24th, More Info

Farragut Library Used Book Sale: on Friday-Saturday, August 9th-10th from 10am - 5pm, 417 N Campbell Station Rd

Used Book Sale at East TN History Center: on Saturday, August 17th from 10am - 5pm during the History Hootenanny, 601 S Gay St

Game Night at Fountain City Social: happening Every Monday from 6pm-8pm at 4842 Harvest Mill Way, everyone welcome, current players range from their mid 20's up into their 60's, only requirement is a sense of humor

Food:

Market Square Farmers Market: happening Every Wednesday, now through November 20th from 10am – 1pm & Every Saturday, now through November 23rd from 9am – 1pm, More Info

New Harvest Farmers Market: happening Every Thursday, now through September 26th from 3pm - 6pm, 4775 New Harvest Lane, More Info

Music:

Hillbilly Thomists and Fiddling Leona: at the Bijou theatre on Saturday, August 3rd. Enjoy some of your bluegrass favorites as well as Feona’s fresh take on fiddling! Tickets are on sale now! Partial proceeds benefit the Chesterton Academy, a local classical model high school, More Info/Tickets

Air Supply’s The Lost in Love Experience: I'm all out of love…I'm so lost without you… - Remember that song? Come listen to this and other hits, on Thursday, October 10th! Tickets available here

Networking:

Recurring Weekly & Monthly Networking Events

Theatre:

Thespis Thinks: A romantic comedy play by Tom Eubanks, Thursday - Sunday, June 27th - 30th at St. Gregory the Great Auditorium, Knoxville Catholic High School, 9245 Fox Lonas Road NW, More Info

Veterans:

Free Veteran’s Breakfast: The United Veterans Council of East Tennessee presents 13 free breakfasts for Veterans and guests on four Saturdays, monthly, Coffee line starts at 8am, Chow line starts at 8:30am. Locations and Dates

West High School Class of 1974 - 50th Reunion

Saturday August 24th at The Foundry, 747 World's Fair Park Drive, at 6pm, For more information contact [email protected].

1st Annual Independence Day Festival in Union County

The festival will be held rain or shine under the Big Top at the Jaxx Drive Thru Arena, 874 Hickory Star Road in Maynardville on Friday, June 28th & Saturday, June 29th. Bring your lawn chairs for arena seating in front of the stage and enjoy a variety of food trucks on-site. Tickets are available at The Kitchen Design Center, by calling (865) 556-4255, online at unioncountyopry.com, and at the gate. Don’t miss out on this exciting community event celebrating Independence Day!

Knoxville Real Estate Insider

Buy Now or Wait? (Issue #003) *New Issue- 6/22/2024
Generational Trends (Issue #002)
Market Report as of April 2024 (Issue #001)

Do you have specific real estate questions you'd like answered? Submit a Question. A realtor will have an answer for you in the next issue of the Knoxville Real Estate Insider.

Are you a local realtor selling a home or property? Do you have an upcoming open house? Let us know at [email protected] or (865) 234-2421! We can include them here.

Listings

Harriman, 4,754 sq ft, 3 beds, 4 baths on 1.10 acres, lakefront, For Sale or Trade $1,099,000, call or text (865) 809-7049, David Horner Property Group

Pigeon Forge, 9 acres with a modular home, great development areas for Rental Cabins, or Glamping Tents. For Sale or Trade $399,000, call or text (865) 809-7049 - off-market listing, David Horner Property Group

Make Your Voice Heard: Vote in the August 1 Primary Elections

The primary elections for the U.S. House of Representatives, Tennessee Senate, and Tennessee House of Representatives will take place on Thursday, August 1st. Voters will choose their preferred candidates for the Republican and Democratic parties in these races, with the general election scheduled for November. Additionally, several Knox County elections will be decided through a general election on the same day.

To participate, ensure you're registered to vote by Tuesday, July 2nd. For registration details, visit sos.tn.gov/elections.

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