Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' Weekly Update

It’s Friday. Time for another weekly update.

We had two big public announcements this week. First, the contracts have been signed and everything has been finalized to move Knox County Schools administrative offices and the University of Tennessee System offices into the TVA East Tower.

Thanks to everyone for their hard work to make the move a reality. I’d especially like to thank Congressman Tim Burchett who started this ball rolling when he was Knox County Mayor. In addition to saving taxpayer dollars, this move create some great synergy among Knox County Schools, the University of Tennessee, and TVA, benefitting both our education system and our economic development efforts.

Second, Knox County is committing $452,000 to clear Beaver Creek and construct a number of new kayak in-puts on the creek, and making Beaver Creek the home of the Knox County Water Trail.

Once completed, the Knox County Water Trail will span 44 miles, from Halls to Hardin Valley, and passing through Powell, Karns, and Solway, giving us one of the best water trails in the Southeast. In addition to great outdoor recreation, this project will help with our flood control efforts in north Knox County and improve water quality on Beaver Creek. Learn more at KnoxCountyWaterTrail.com.

Thanks to our great partners on this project, Legacy Parks and the Beaver Creek Kayak Club. Big thanks to Commissioner Larsen Jay and thanks in advance to Visit Knoxville for promoting the Knox County Water Trail to visitors and tourists.

If you were travelling on Norris Freeway Thursday afternoon, you might have seen me and Commissioner Justin Biggs mowing and weed eating the median. Usually, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office uses inmates to cut the grass there, but, with COVID-19, no one had been taking care of the it, so Engineering & Public Works had to make arrangements. Thanks to KMF3 Lawn & Landscaping, one of our mowing contractors, for allowing Commissioner Biggs and me to help out.

Don’t forget, Read City USA might have completed our journey around the world 20 times in 2020, but that doesn’t mean we’re stopping. Please visit ReadCityUSA.com to learn how you can help Knox County become the best-read community in the country.

Finally, it’s pumpkin spice time. Both Starbucks and Dunkin, the franchise formerly known as Dunkin Donuts, have rolled out their fall menus, including the pumpkin spice latte options. Now I'm not a coffee person, so I'm not sure if its latte or latte, but anyway there is a pumpkins spice version of that, and did you know that pumpkin spice latte even has its own acronym, PSL? Ha, that sounds like some government program.

Let’s hope not, the last thing we want is government involved in latte flavors.

Until next Friday, I hope everyone has a great week.