Tag Archives: Phyllis Nichols

Cuisine to crave! (Don’t read this if you are hungry.)

I may already have had my best meal of 2020 — and it’s only February! You can’t beat the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s annual trek to Blackberry Farm for what many think is the best fundraiser of the year. That occurred … Continue reading

Filed under: Events, Food, Music | 4 Comments

Kreis Beall’s book: bright, brave and brutally honest

I don’t know what I expected. But it wasn’t this. Kreis Beall, who founded tony Blackberry Farm with her ex-husband, Sandy Beall, back in 1976 as a six-room country inn, has taken an unflinching look back at her life in … Continue reading

Filed under: Events, Knoxville | 14 Comments

‘Job Well Done’ party honors Mayor Rogero

There sure have been a lot of fun holiday parties this year. But one of the best ones had nothing to do with the holidays at all. It was the “Job Well Done” party that Nikitia and LeRoy Thompson threw … Continue reading

Filed under: Events, Knoxville, Politics | 4 Comments

Clinton 12 honored for high school heroism

Another Urban League Equal Opportunity Awards Gala has come and gone. Yes, the music, decorations, camaraderie and dancing were fun. But, the real hit of the evening? The presence of two members of “The Clinton 12,” who received the Whitney … Continue reading

Filed under: Downtown, Events, Knoxville, Music | 2 Comments

Harper in the Hall has a nice ring to it!

It was a beautiful day in Tampa and Kellie Jolly Harper, there for a meeting, was playing phone tag with University of Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer. She knew he was calling to tell her the results of the … Continue reading

Filed under: Downtown, Events, Knoxville, UT sports | 6 Comments

‘Shoes for School’ succeeds — for 17th year!

East Knoxville’s Caswell Park was filled with about 7,000 people Saturday morning as the Knoxville Area Urban League held its 17th annual “Shoes for School” event to distribute athletic shoes and school supplies to students on the last weekend of … Continue reading

Filed under: Events, Knoxville | 6 Comments

A light goes out in Knoxville, but look for the signs

I was at a Knox County Commission meeting last week when I began receiving worried text messages and, ultimately, a phone call with the news about the incomparable Mickey Mallonee’s passing. Mickey has been a wonderful part of my and … Continue reading

Filed under: Events, Knoxville, Public Relations | 20 Comments

After 50 years, Urban League lets loose with After 7

The Knoxville Area Urban League is 50 years old this year and, to celebrate, the civil rights organization last week brought in popular R&B group After 7 for its annual awards gala. And it recognized its eight previous Whitney M. … Continue reading

Filed under: Downtown, Events, Knoxville, Music | 10 Comments

Urban League’s ‘Shoes for School’ shatters records

New shoes will be on the feet of 1,270 children when they go back to school this week, thanks to the Knoxville Area Urban League, its sponsors and 300 volunteers. That’s because the annual “Shoes for School” event was held … Continue reading

Filed under: Events, Knoxville | 10 Comments

Urban League Gala — still one of year’s best parties

Playing catch-up here! The Urban League Gala happened during a flurry of other great events toward the end of last year, and I wanted to be sure it got the attention it deserved. It’s actually called the Knoxville Area Urban … Continue reading

Filed under: Downtown, Events, Knoxville, Music | 7 Comments