Government

Kenny Maples has announced his candidacy for Pigeon Forge City Commission. Maples will be seeking his first term in the May 12, 2015 election. “Ever since obtaining passion for public service from my late father, I’ve had an ambition to follow in his footsteps as a Pigeon Forge Commissioner,” Maples said. “I am fortunate to have been raised in Pigeon ...

Gov. Bill Haslam has appointed Kevin Triplett, vice president of public affairs for Bristol Motor Speedway, as the new commissioner of the Department of Tourist Development. Triplett, 49, of Bristol, Tenn., has been with Bristol Motor Speedway since 2005. He worked in various positions in NASCAR since 1992, ultimately serving as managing director of business operations, guiding the operation and ...

A Sevier County man already being held for child sex crimes now faces thirty-four additional counts of child rape. According to a release by the Sevierville Police Department, 30-year old Jonathan Ryan Lewis of Kodak has been charged with thirty-four counts of rape of a child involving a boy under the age of thirteen. The charges are the result of ...

The City of Sevierville Police Department (SPD) will be hosting several public training courses presented by the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security (TNOHS). The courses are designed for individuals, businesses, schools, organizations and other private entities. The courses will be held at the Sevierville Civic Center on Thursday, March 19, 2015 from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. There ...

Officials from the City of Pigeon Forge will give a State of the City Address at a meeting Thursday of the Pigeon Forge Hospitality Association that is open to the public. Mayor David Wear, City Manager Earlene Teaster, and Executive Director of the Department of Tourism Leon Downey will be the guest speakers for the Pigeon Forge Hospitality Association meeting ...

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is cautioning consumers to be alert to potential price gouging following February’s deadly winter ice storms that swept across Tennessee. Tennessee’s price gouging laws make it unlawful for individuals and businesses to charge unreasonable prices for essential goods and services including gasoline, food, ice, fuel, generators, lodging, storage space, and ...

If you are considering a career in law enforcement, the Sevierville Police Department has officer openings to fill. The Sevierville Police Department is currently accepting applications for Police Officer positions and the application deadline is 5 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2015. Salary and Benefits: Starting Salary: $31,716 After First Year: $35,118* Superior Benefits & Retirement Plan Individually-assigned “Take Home” Vehicle* ...

Police dogs with the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office will be safer on the job thanks to a grant of four ballistic vests from Vested Interest in K9s. Sevier County Sheriff’s Office K9s Samurai, Cross, Hekko and Dasko have been awarded bullet and stab resistant vests through a program from Vested Interest in K9s, a non-profit organization located in East Taunton, ...

WASHINGTON – President Obama’s budget request for fiscal year 2016 – the centennial year of the National Park Service – includes $3 billion for the bureau’s critical conservation, preservation, and recreation mission. The budget boosts the National Park Service’s essential programs and operational needs by $432.9 million. “In 2016, the National Park Service will celebrate its Centennial by inviting hundreds ...

The Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association announced Monday that the Board of Directors and leadership voted to support the Insure Tennessee plan proposed by Governor Bill Haslam. “Obviously, this is a complex issue of health care coverage and all the details have not been completed,” said Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association leaders in a letter to state legislators. “Many questions ...