East Tennessee Now

Frank Murphy interviews Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel, who was sworn in as Knoxville’s 27th Chief of Police on June 13, 2022. Prior to assuming command of the Knoxville Police Department, Noel was a Deputy Superintendent at the New Orleans Police Department, where he served in numerous leadership roles for over 25 years.

After hiring over 100 recruits in 2025, KPD is back to full staffing levels for the first time in over a decade. The most recent recruit class started on March 23, 2026. 

Murders matched a 10-year low in 2025. As of March 29, there have been no murders in Knoxville so far in 2026. Non-fatal shootings are down around 90 percent. 

KPD is preparing to launch a Drone as First Responder program. They be able to deploy semi-autonomous drones to provide real-time information to officers responding to calls for service. They are also planning to activate overt cameras in areas with more incidents requiring police assistance. 

More information is available about the KPD Real Time Information Center at https://knoxvilletnpolice.gov/real-time-information-center/

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Frank Murphy interviews Kelsie Crittendon, Executive Director of Sunshine Services. Its mission is to provide person-centered supports for individuals with developmental disabilities that promote independence, inclusion, and empowerment to reach their personal vision of happiness and life satisfaction. Learn more at https://sunshineservicesknox.org/

A fundraiser titled Golden Hour: An Evening to Shine Forward will be held on Friday, March 27, 2026 at Sunshine Services, 3000 N. Central Street, Knoxville from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. "Early Shine" tickets are $75 and are expected to sell out in advance. General Admission tickets, which will be sold at the door, are $100. Each ticket includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar featuring beer and wine, along with access to the full Golden Hour experience, which includes live music, a live painting and an auction.

Recently, Sunshine had to close their long-standing workshop program.  In response, they established the Sunshine Transition Fund to support the individuals who were directly impacted by the workshop closure. The goal is to make sure each person has the resources and support they need as they transition into new opportunities. 

The Golden Hour event raises money for the Transition Fund to help provide employment transition support and job coaching, transportation support, skill-building and training opportunities, technology that supports independence and employment, and individualized transition planning.

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Frank Murphy interviews Celia Gruzalski, Executive Director of Tennessee Memory Disorders Foundation and Clinic which provides its patients with evaluation and treatment for neurodegenerative dementia syndromes, including Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss and other cognitive concerns. Learn more at https://tmdf.org/

TMDF supports health initiatives and educational empowerment through advancing early detection and precise diagnosis, leading regional clinical trials for Alzheimer’s and related diseases, driving statewide public health change, empowering future healthcare professionals, strengthening caregiver support and family resources, and providing hope and reducing stigma to the greater community. 

The second annual TMDF Golf Tournament will be held Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at Egwani Farms.

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Frank Murphy interviews Tracey Torres of Appalachian Bear Rescue and Jay Proulx of The Shed Smokehouse & Juke Joint about the upcoming Rockin' for the Rescue Benefit Concert. The event will be held on Sunday March 29th, 2026 from 12 noon to 7:00 p.m. at The Shed, 1820 W Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, Tennessee. Tickets are $40 and are available at https://appalachianbearrescue.org/

The bands performing in the concert are:

• Dreams- A Fleetwood Mac Experience
• Roger Hay Band- Blues,Jazz & Rock
• Crazy on Heart- Classic Tribute to Heart
• Shady Sadie- Good Ole' Southern Rock & Country
• SuperCharger - #1 All 70's Classic Tribute
• Slippery When Wet: The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute

Local vendors will be selling a variety of items.

Appalachian Bear Rescue is a black bear rescue facility located just outside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Townsend, Tennessee. ABR is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that has been returning black bears to the wild since 1996. Each year black bears from our national parks and surrounding areas are orphaned, injured, or in need of medical care. Appalachian Bear Rescue gives them a second chance at life in the wild.

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Frank Murphy interviews M. Janice Mitchell, founder, and Dr. Ace Edewards, conductor, of the Scruffy City Orchestra. A free concert celebrating the orchestra's tenth anniversary will be performed on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 711 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville. After the concert, the audience is invited to enjoy light refreshments at a free reception with the orchestra members in the Cathedral Hall. 

Scruffy City Orchestra was founded in 2015 by a small group of musicians who wanted to create a community orchestra in Knoxville, drawing volunteer members from the greater metropolitan area. In November, 2018 SCO was invited to be part of the Cathedral Concert Series at The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville.

Scruffy City Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt community orchestra which relies on the generosity of the community for its funding. Learn more at https://www.scruffycityorchestra.com/

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Frank Murphy interviews Lindsey Shanton, executive director of  Sevier County Partners in Progress Education Foundation, and board member Robbie Fox, who is also the mayor of Sevierville. The Sevier County Partners in Progress Education Foundation is a non-profit corporation chartered by the State of Tennessee in April 2016.  The purpose of the organization is to establish a scholarship fund to be used to assist area high school students with tuition for dual enrollment classes at Walters State Community College and tuition assistance for students pursuing a four-year degree at East Tennessee State University in Sevierville. Learn more at https://seviercountypip.com/

A pancake dinner benefitting Partners in Progress will be held from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at Flapjack's Pancake Cabin, 1016 Parkway, Sevierville, TN. Tickets are available online for $6 each.

The D&S Builders Scholarship Shoot Sporting Clays Tournament benefitting Partners in Progress will be held on Friday, September 18, 2026 at Iron Mountain Sporting Clays, 410 Hardin Road, Kodak, TN. Call 865-428-2212 for details.

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Frank Murphy interviews Steve Hodges and Frank Venable about the 13th Annual Shakin' Not Stirred Gala, which will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at The Venue at Lenoir City. Steve Hodges is the founder of the KiMe Cure Neurological Disorders Fund. Frank and Lisha Venable are the event hosts. Sportscaster Mark Packer will be the emcee. Tickets and information are available at https://www.parkinson.org/sns 

Steve Hodges was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease in 2009. The KiMe Fund has been successful in raising awareness and donations to fund high risk/high reward research to find a cure for Parkinson’s. 80% of funds raised will be designated towards the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech – a partnership between the Parkinson’s Foundation and Parkinson’s UK that funds high risk, high reward research conducted by biotech companies to accelerate new treatments and ideally a cure for Parkinson’s disease; 20% of funds raised by TEAM KIME will be designated for the Parkinson’s Foundation Comprehensive Care Center at University of Tennessee Knoxville. Additional information about the KiMe Fund is available at https://www.kimecnd.org/ 

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Frank Murphy interviews Ken Martin, Artistic Director of the Clarence Brown Theatre and Head of the Theatre Department at the University of Tennessee, about the opening of the new Jenny Boyd Theatre. The first production in the new theatre is Cabaret, with performances February 11 to March 1, 2026. Upcoming productions are The Royale in the Jenny Boyd Theatre from March 25 to April 12, 2026; and You Can't Take It With You in the Clarence Brown Theatre from April 15 to May 3, 2026. Tickets and information are available at https://clarencebrowntheatre.com/

The Clarence Brown Theatre and the Jenny Boyd Theatre are located on the campus of the University of Tennessee. Each season, roughly 35,000 patrons within a 50-miles radius of Knoxville attend their productions. The theatre is fully integrated with the Department of Theatre in all aspects of mission and function. They bring professional actors and designers to the theater to work one-on-one with students. 

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Frank Murphy interviews Akima Club of Knoxville president Cindy Connor and Akima Cabaret chairperson Donna Brown about the Akima Cabaret 2026, titled "The Wizard of Hawz." In the show, a couple who hates country music goes moonshine tasting in Gatlinburg only to find themselves transported to the colorful land of Hee Haw. The Akima Cabaret is held every other year. Performances will be at the Mill and Mine on Friday, February 27, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, February 28th, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.; and Saturday, February 28th, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets and information at https://www.akimaclub.org/

The Akima grant program provides financial support to several local nonprofit agencies. Over $186,000 was given to non-profit Knoxville area agencies over the past two years through funds raised by Akima Cabaret 2024. Over the last thirty years, Akima has raised over 1.5 million dollars through Akima Cabaret all of which has gone back into the community through Akima grants. Grant applications for 2026 are due by February 28, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

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Frank Murphy interviews Shannon Herron, Marketing & Creative Director of Dogwood Arts, and Landon Shewmake Owner and COO of BlueWing Homes, about the Dogwood Arts House & Garden Show. The 48th annual House & Garden Show will be held on February 6, 7, and 8, 2026 at the Knoxville Convention Center. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors/veterans, and free for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the door. Discounted tickets can be purchased in advance at any ORNL Federal Credit Union branch.

The House and Garden Show features hundreds of vendors showcasing products and services for  home and garden; 10,000 square feet of garden displays created by local landscape designers; stage presentations by experts; and live music.

Learn more at https://www.dogwoodarts.com/houseandgardenshow

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