Lifestyle

Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomed over eleven million visitors in 2016. Throughout the year, the park encouraged people to experience the park in honor of the National Park Service Centennial. In 2016, a record 11,312,785 people visited the national park, a 5.6% increase over 2015. In addition, over 2,200 people joined Superintendent Cassius Cash by completing the Smokies Centennial ...

For more than twenty years, Smoky Mountain Children’s Home has been presenting its prestigious Eagle Award annually to deserving recipients. The award is presented in recognition and appreciation for outstanding services rendered to their children and youth. This year’s crowning moment was a highlight at the annual Christmas banquet of the Home for Children where, not one but two couples ...

The wildfires destroyed homes, personal belongings and businesses. But they also burned people’s vehicles, making it difficult for them to get to their jobs. A local man saw a need and spearheaded an effort to give donated vehicles to wildfire victims. Michael Reifsnider is an electrician by trade, but a compassionate person at all times. He saw the loss of ...

Mt. Ton of Fun Playground at City Park is closing in January as work begins on a new inclusive playground. The City of Sevierville Department of Parks and Recreation announced that Mt. Ton of Fun Playground would close Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017 and remain closed until until the inclusive playground is completed. The city partnered with Project Sevier to build ...

Planting drought tolerant trees in your landscape may prevent tree loss after periods of low rainfall in the years to come. A tree strives to be in equilibrium with its environment. Any time the tree is not in equilibrium, the tree is stressed and must spend extra energy to survive. Drought leads to decreased rates of diameter and height growth, ...

The giving spirit is visible on the roads across Tennessee and North Carolina this holiday season with Friends of the Smokies license plates. Sales of specialty plates in Tennessee and North Carolina play an essential role in raising funds for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This year, the specialty plates generated nearly $815,000. Since its launch in 1999, the program ...

Target partnered with Sevier County Law Enforcement Agencies to provide dozens of deserving children with a Christmas Shop With a Cop experience they will likely never forget. The Target store located at 5405 Washington Pike in Knoxville recently reached out to the Sevierville Police Department, asking what they could do to help Sevier County children who have been affected by ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials will lift the campfire ban on Friday, Dec. 23, 2016. Campfires and open grills have been banned in the backcountry since Nov. 1 and throughout the park and frontcountry areas since Nov.15. Beginning Friday, visitors can have campfires and use grills at established frontcountry and backcountry campsites and picnic areas. Recent rains, along with ...

The City of Sevierville Department of Parks and Recreation is now accepting registration and entry fees for the 2017 Co-Ed Volleyball League. Registration packets are available at the Community Center front desk or online at www.seviervilleparksandrec.com on the athletics page. The $125 team entry fee is due by January 12, 2017. An organizational meeting for anyone interested in playing will ...

As a realtor, I’m often approached at social functions, basketball games, or church picnics by friends and friends of friends seeking professional advice about buying real estate or listing a home for sale. The question usually begins something like this, “If I were to sell my house – not saying I am going to sell my house – but just for ...