Maryville Housing Authority to Increase Low-Income Housing Opportunities in 2026
Maryville Housing Development Corporation announced it will break ground this month on a $3 million, 11-unit housing complex near the Blount County Health Department on McNabb Place. The development will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. The project is part of a broader effort to improve existing properties and expand affordable housing options […]
GSMP Survives Proposed Funding Cuts
The National Park System remained open and funded thanks to federal appropriations approved Jan. 23, despite a partial government shutdown in early February. The Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act ensured $2.88 billion in funding for the country’s national parks through the end of FY2026 – a figure mostly steady with […]
Zoning Ordinance Changes Streamline Permit Processes and References, Control Density
A new version of Louisville’s zoning ordinances approved Jan. 13 will increase clarity for developers, according to city staff. The new document collects amendments to its outdated predecessor and consolidates the regulatory framework to streamline permitting and reference. Business owners, Louisville Building and Codes Official Barry Otinger said, can now expect “clarification of what the […]
Townsend Eyes Permit Change to Reduce Event Uncertainty, Streamline Approvals
Townsend staff said a proposed ordinance would shift special event permit approvals from a public vote by the Townsend Commission to an administrative review by city staff, a change officials say is intended to streamline the process without increasing the number of events. Under the new framework, applications would be reviewed administratively by the city […]
New Businesses | January 2026
December 2025 0 January 2026 0 YTD 0 Source: Blount County Clerk’s Office Minimal License = $3,000 – $99,999 Gross Receipts Regular License = $100,000+ Gross Receipts Alcoa (9) A Team Carpentry Remodeling LLC | 1796 Dalton St., Alcoa, TN 37701 | Austin A Ayers | Regular DJD Trucking LLC | 135 Andy Carr […]
Blount County School Board Approves Restroom Updates, Security Vestibule Construction
Restrooms in the Heritage High School commons area will be updated, and security vestibules will be constructed at seven county schools after the Blount County Board of Education approved funding for the projects. Planning for a new elementary school in Walland, however, was put on hold at the Feb. 5 meeting to allow board members […]
2026 Tennessee vacation guide released
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development released the 2026 Vacation Guide heavily focused on Dolly Parton’s impact on the state’s tourism industry. The 150-page magazine, produced by Franklin-based Journal Communications, Inc., is distributed to an estimated 500,000 visitors annually and helps boost local tourism by serving as a how-to travel guide for visitors, said TDTD […]
Rush Hemp Farms Moving Operations to NC
Rush Hemp Farms owner Ryan Rush said his business will relocate some of its operations to North Carolina this year. The move is a response to passage of House Bill 1376 and Senate Bill 1413 which became law January 1. The law bans the sale of products with high levels of THCa, THCp, and other […]
Cadform 3D prepares to open manufacturing location in Greenback
Greenback business owners William and April Lewellyn purchased the building at 6700 Morganton Rd. near the caution light where they are making improvements in preparation to move three dimensional printing operations for CADform 3D. “The majority of what we manufacture are industrial parts that companies cannot find on the market anymore,” April said. For example, […]
Wildflower Garden Center Preparing to Open Location in Rockford
Crews began working to open the Wildflower Garden Center on Old Knoxville Highway where Innovative Garden Center was located before moving to the Midland Plaza. “We’re going to open just after Spring because obviously the building has been sitting there for so long and nothing is really up to code,” said owner Amber Houser. While […]
Founder of Van Metre School of Dance, Appalachia Ballet Dies at 86
Cheryl Van Metre, founder of the Van Metre School of Dance and the Appalachian Ballet Company passed away January 9. She was born in Maryville, Nov. 23, 1940, and pursued training in performance and instruction with the Chicago Ballet, the National Ballet of Mexico, England’s Royal Ballet Company, and the Kirov Ballet in the former […]
Local Schools Beat Statewide Average Scores in Report
Blount County school districts outperformed the statewide average in the latest Tennessee Department of Education School Report Card, released in late January. But the scores are calculated using a formula that requires context to fully understand, said Maryville City Schools Director Mike Winstead. The results also carry economic implications for Blount County, said Jessica Belitz, […]
Five Giant Retail Stores, One Fast Growing County
If everything goes according to plan, Blount County will soon have a Costco Wholesale, three Walmart Supercenters and a BJ’s Wholesale Club — five big-box retailers, or a 66% increase from 2025. That growth has left many Blount County residents wondering why national retailers are showing such strong interest in the area. Blount County, along […]
