Muroran was a relatively small fishing village in Hokkaido during the 1900s. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
This week kicked off with National Sisters Day, but very few cities can call Knoxville its sister. According to Sister Cities International, Muroran in Hokkaido, Japan is one of the cities that has that honor.
Our family bond
Based on Muroran City’s website, the sister city relationship was established on January 16, 1991 — but our sibling relationship goes back a little further.
In 1988, Mayor Victor Ashe and a representative from the Chamber of Commerce visited Muroran on the “American Train” — a US tour through Japan to promote trade. The officials liked what they saw and proposed we become sister cities.
We maintain this relationship to this day. In 2018, when an earthquake hit Muroran, Knoxville raised funds. And visitors from Muroran make frequent visits to Knoxville to see the sights.
More about Muroran
Muroran is a port city, boasting beautiful views of the sea. It also plays an important industrial role, as there are cement factories and steel mills in the city.
Knoxville Smokies vs. Biloxi Shuckers | 7 p.m. | Covenant Health Park | $19+ | It’s All-You-Can-Eat Wednesday at the ballpark with a buffet featuring pulled pork, hot dogs, baked beans, chips, popcorn, Pepsi products, and water.
WDVX presents Tennessee Shines | 7 p.m. | Bijou Theatre | Free | Tune into a night of live radio music featuring Kelsey Waldon, Handsome and the Humbles, and Redd & The Paper Flowers.
Thursday, August 7
Hot Summer Nights Concert Series | 6-7 p.m. | Blount County Public Library | Free | Cool off with live music — this week’s show features Pink Betty covering 1980s + 1990s hits.
New Harvest Farmers Market | 3-6 p.m. | New Harvest Park | Free | Browse produce, honey, meats, flowers, and other artisan goods at this market managed by Nourish Knoxville.
Friday, August 8
Cry Baby: Janis Joplin Experience | 8 p.m. | The Open Chord | $20+ | Give a piece of your heart to this tribute band honoring the rock icon.
Saturday, August 9
Southeast Crab Feast | 1 + 4 p.m. | New Harvest Park | $20 | Enjoy all-you-can eat blue crab in a family-friendly environment.
You may want to allow some extra time for your commute tomorrow, Knox County Students are heading back to school. The academic year will begin with a half day, and the Knoxville Police Department prepared for the 2025-2026 year by holding a back-to-school safety press conference.
Community
City leaders broke ground on the Burlington Fire Station and Streetscapes project — an effort to replace the community’s 88-year-old station. The $13.6 million development will also replace + enhance sidewalks on a segment of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue; construction is slated to be completed in 2026.
Transit
Knoxville is pushing forward with plans to make its streets more bikable and update the Bicycle Facilities Plan. The city has opened an online biking survey allowing locals to share feedback. The effort aims to identify areas that need improvement to address gaps in safety. (WBIR)
Travel
Ramp expansions have landed at the McGhee Tyson Airport. The new East + West Ramps will allow for more aircraft parking, helping to increase efficiency for travelers. This development is part of the ongoing Flight Plan expansion, an effort to prepare the airport for its anticipated passenger growth. (WBIR)
Ranked
Knoxville is eating good on Global Location Strategies’ list of top-performing food manufacturing cities in the US. Marble City ranked No. 9 out of the 380+ cities assessed and was considered a “preferred location” for manufacturing, meaning it can produce quality products with relatively low operation costs.
Biz
$30.3 million. That was the sale price for the Crowne Plaza Hotel, which was recently purchased by local hotelier Shailesh Patel. The new owner has not yet announced any changes to the 12-story building. (WBIR)
Traffic
What can you expect on the road as students head back to school? WBIR reporter Sam Perez lets you know how driving conditions could be impacted in East Tennessee and the signs to look out for on the road. (WBIR)
Sports
Dive into the Titans’ unofficial preseason depth chart and the surprises it revealed. Hear from the local experts on the Tennessee Titans with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Are you the one we’re looking for? We’re on the hunt for a sales-driven leader to help us land significant brand partnerships at a national scale as a Sales Executive. From a competitive benefits package to 401k matching, we’re a pretty amazing company to work for. Join our team and apply today.
Games
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Get ready to see my face more often: I will be helping to create this newsletter for the foreseeable future, and I am so excited to help you learn more about Knoxville.
Here’s a fun fact to get us started: Currently, I am in the process of watching “Mad Men” for the first time, and I just learned that Christina Henricks, who portrays Joan, was born in Knoxville.
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