COVID-19: 2/17/2022 Update
I hope each of you are staying safe while getting out and enjoying the world. This week we’ve got lots of encouraging news. I’m still banking on a great spring and summer. I’m hoping live music...
Tennessee and Knox County COVID-19 Numbers by Month (Through 1/22)
As a reminder, I started these charts quite a while back after a reader suggested that looking so intensely at daily numbers sometimes obscured the larger view. And it is the larger view I’m presenting here,...
Open Letter to the Knox County School Board
A recent letter posted on Facebook caught my attention. Addressed to the Knox County School Board, it offers a path forward with objective markers for when students should mask and when they have less need to...
Testing for Noise-Monitoring Camera Begins
As I mentioned in November, the city has acknowledged increased noise complaints in the downtown area. While cities are noisy places out the gate, there seems to be a more recent increase in cars with no...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (2/13-2/22/22)
The rules are the same – if you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me (Alan Sims – you’ll have to friend me) and it will be included. I need enough lead...
Cigar Lounge and Specialty Bourbon Bar Coming to the Old City
Brooke and Dan Phillips, along with business partner Justin Mangelsdorf, have taken a lease at 119 South Central Street, the original location of Oli Bea, with the intention of opening a cigar lounge and specialty bourbon...
COVID-19: 2/10/2022 Update
Welcome to the weekly update. Reporting on COVID-19 and understanding current risk levels continues to be dicey. While we’re beginning to see improvement in new cases — particularly nationally — and some indications of improvements on...
The Knox County Health Department Announces “Safe Bar” Initiative
Working in a bar is no easy job. While most patrons come, have a good time, and safely make it home, other patrons offer challenges. Beyond the obvious concern regarding over-imbibing and potentially driving, there is...
Good People Moving About and Getting Recognized
Probably the best thing about this job, for me, is getting to know so many great, creative, energetic, smart people. Many of them are young. I feel honored to get to get to know them on...
Downtown Knoxville Ten Day Planner (2/6-2/15/2022)
The rules are the same – if you want your event included, please make a Facebook event, invite me (Alan Sims – you’ll have to friend me) and it will be included. I need enough lead...