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1. What Is No-Mow Month?
2. A Year of Impact for the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment
3. The Annual Neighborhood Kickball Tournament is March 28!
4. Share Your Input on Three Parks
5. Knox Heritage Offers Community Preservation Grants
6. Knoxville Walk for Water Offers Free Admission at the Zoo
7. Health Department Offers Heart Health Series
8. Tennessee Yellow DOT Program Saves Lives
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1. What Is No-Mow Month?
No-Mow Month is an international movement to encourage people to let their grass grow during the first month of spring. Last year, we encouraged folks not to mow in May, but as we learned, that time frame was meant more for northern climates.
Here in East Tennessee, the best time to forego mowing is March 15-April 15.
No-Mow Month isn’t just a reprieve from the chore of mowing; it allows plants in your yard, like dandelions and clover, to grow long enough to flower and attract the pollinators we need to help with our fruit trees, vegetables, and flowering plants. It also attracts friendly and beneficial insects such as fireflies.
Critics of No-Mow Month say that invasives can get a chance to thrive, and it may be harder to care for your lawn.
There are some other options for your yard. You could opt for a low-mow option. Try growing a non-invasive ground cover like these:
Consider participating in No-Mow Month and possibly planting a ground cover to lessen the amount of mowing you need to do. Yes, you can mow less and still stay in the good graces of your neighbors and City Codes officers; review the City’s Codes on Natural Landscapes on the City’s website.
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2. A Year of Impact for the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment
The Office of Neighborhood Empowerment (ONE) had a significant 2025, strengthening connections between City departments and local communities while celebrating the residents who make Knoxville's neighborhoods thrive.
This past year, ONE worked closely with 79 individual neighborhoods, demonstrating an extensive reach across the city. The ONE team attended 196 collaborative meetings with City departments and partners, ensuring neighborhood voices were heard in civic decision-making. Additionally, they participated in 209 community meetings covering a wide range of topics important to residents.
The Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) meets regularly throughout the year, providing an important forum for discussing issues affecting neighborhoods and giving input on community priorities.
Beyond meetings and collaborations, ONE brought residents together through sports tournaments, a resource fair, and an awards dinner honoring the dedicated individuals who make Knoxville's neighborhoods exceptional.
Last year was jam-packed with productive meetings and hundreds of engagements with active community members deeming it another impactful year!
To learn more about ONE, please visit the City’s website, or give us a follow on Facebook!
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3. The Annual Neighborhood Kickball Tournament is March 28!
The staff at Office of Neighborhood Empowerment is thrilled to announce the date for one of the most fun events of the year: The Annual Neighborhood Kickball Tournament! It will be on Saturday, March 28, at Ridley Helton Field, 300 Jessamine St.
We’re turning the Green into a festival of friendly competition, complete with a two-foot trophy that your team will get their picture with, and bragging rights for the year.
Grab your neighbors and build a team. Teams should have between 9 and 11 players, and at least two of the players must be female. This is the perfect excuse to finally meet the new family who lives two doors down or prove that your neighborhood has the best hand-eye coordination.
Sign-ups and registration are coming soon.
Dust off your sneakers, chill the drinks, and let’s make this year’s Kickball Tournament one for the books. May the best block win!
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4. Share Your Input on Three Parks
The City’s Parks and Recreation department is working with local partners on grant funding to support these projects:
- Bicycle skills course at Holston River Park, in partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Bike Club
- Improvements at Gov. Ned McWherter Park and Suttree Landing, including improved kayak launch, restroom/pavilion, kayak storage and lockers, and riparian native plant restoration, in partnership with Tennessee RiverLine.
Are you interested? Make plans to attend one or more of these public meetings:
Holston River Park:
- Monday, March 9, 7:30-8:30 p.m., at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 4904 Asheville Hwy, in the Eastminster Fellowship Hall.
- Thursday, March 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m., at Williams Creek Golf Course, 2351 Dandridge Ave.
Governor Ned McWherter Park and Suttree Landing Park:
- Thursday, March 19, 6:30-7:30 p.m., at Williams Creek Golf Course, 2351 Dandridge Ave.
- Monday, March 23, 6-7 p.m., at Cecil Webb Community Center, 923 Baker Ave.
Meetings are open to the public, and residents who live near, utilize, and support these three parks are especially encouraged to participate.
The City of Knoxville ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services.
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5. Knox Heritage Offers Community Preservation Grants
Knox Heritage is accepting applications for Community Preservation Grants through Tuesday, March 31.
Knox Heritage will provide grants of up to $5,000 to qualifying applicants in the following categories:
- Planning, Survey, and Designation
Eligibility requirements:
- The structure, sign, or landmark needs to be at least 50 years old
- The project must conserve sound historic materials and must be sensitive to the authentic historic character of the building, site, or sign. If applicable, overlay and/or neighborhood design guidelines must be followed.
For more information, visit their website.
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6. Knoxville Walk for Water at the Zoo
The Water Mission will host its 5th annual Knoxville Walk for Water on Saturday, May 2, at 9 a.m. at the Knoxville Zoo, located at 3500 Knoxville Zoo Dr.
Participating in this event allows for free entry into the zoo following the event but registration is required.
Donations are requested to help the organization meet its goal of providing safe drinking water to 1,000 people. A $25 donation will get you a Walk t-shirt, and $50 provides one person with on-going access to safe drinking water.
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7. Health Department Offers Heart Health Series
The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) is offering a free heart health series for those wanting to make healthy lifestyle changes. The classes will take place on Thursday, March 12, and 19, from 6-7 p.m., at the KCHD Community Room, 140 Dameron Ave.
Those that are interested can register on the KCHD’s website.
Participants in the series will work with a Registered Dietitian to learn about healthy eating and exercise, weight management, goal setting, and more.
Making healthy lifestyle changes may feel overwhelming at first, but you are never too young or too old to start taking care of your heart health. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. But you can do a lot to protect your heart and stay healthy.
Heart-healthy living involves understanding your risk, making healthy choices, and taking steps to reduce your chances of getting heart disease, including coronary heart disease, the most common type. By taking preventive measures, you can lower your risk of developing heart disease that could lead to a heart attack. You can also improve your overall health and well-being.
Neighborhood organizations that participate in the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment’s Healthy Knoxville Program can count this series as programming for the nutrition and healthy food access category if neighbors attend! It’s not too late for your neighborhood to participate in this program for 2026. Please contact Hayley Howard at hho...@knoxvilletn.gov for more information.
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8. Tennessee Yellow DOT Program Saves Lives
The Tennessee Yellow DOT Program is designed to supply first responders with an individual’s medical information in the event of an emergency.
How does it work? When you request to participate, you will receive a packet that includes a decal, a folder, and an information form for you to fill out along with an instructional brochure.
This information can mean the difference between life and death immediately following a serious car crash.
How to use the Yellow DOT Program:
- Step 1- Have your photo taken and printed.
- Step 2– Place the photo on the medical information form. The photo should be clear, recent, and only of the Yellow DOT participant.
- Step 3– Complete the emergency medical form, including the participant’s name, emergency contacts, personal physician, medical conditions, surgeries, and medications.
- Step 4– Place the Yellow DOT decal on the left side of the rear-facing window. This will alert first responders to look in the glove compartment for your emergency medical information.
- Step 5– Place the medical information form with the photo attached in the Yellow DOT folder and place the folder in the glove compartment.
You can get a packet for your vehicle, and/or you can request that someone come and speak to your neighborhood organization.
To request your Yellow DOT packet and information, please complete the request form on the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s website.
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9. Knoxville Neighborhoods Calendar (click link for online calendar)
To add your neighborhood event or meeting to the Google calendar, call 865-215-3232.
Other Calendars
Additional online calendars that cover events outside the neighborhood realm include:
The City of Knoxville requires a permit to operate a short-term rental property. Details and a list of short-term rental permits are located on the City’s website here.
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