Remember...red means stop in Farragut!

We're all aware that red light cameras have become a normal part of the roadways around Knoxville...and, now, they have also come to the Town of Farragut. Cameras are now in place at the following intersections: Smith Road and Kingston Pike, Campbell Station Road and Kingston Pike, and Concord Road and Kingston Pike. A fourth camera at the intersection of Grigsby Chapel and Campbell Station Roads will be added when the Campbell Station Road construction is completed next year.

In the words of Ben Harkins, Photo Enforcement Program Manager, "This system is trying to get people to pay attention to their driving and to obey the law. Remember, red means stop."

Until Nov. 16, all citations will simply be a warning; however, beginning Nov. 17, each citation issued will require a $50 fine.

The Town encourages citizens to please use caution and stop at all red lights! Please feel free to contact Ben Harkins at bharkins@townoffarragut.org or 966-7057 with any questions or concerns.

Freaky Friday Fright Nite - An Event Not to be Missed!

Each year, the Town of Farragut staff receive great joy from seeing the hundreds of families who flock to Mayor Bob Leonard Park the Friday before Halloween to enjoy the annual "Freaky Friday Fright Nite" event. This event is one of our most beloved and one we take great pride in providing for the community.

Please mark your calendars for Oct. 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. and bring your children all dressed up to enjoy trick-or-treating around the walk trail at the park, cookie decorating, games with prizes and refreshments. It's an evening not to be missed!

In addition, this event provides not only fun for your children but also the opportunity to learn what it means to give back to their local community. For the 9th year, we will be supporting the Knoxville Ronald McDonald House with donations of household goods. Please find the complete list of needed items at www.townoffarragut.org and watch the look on your child's face as they hand your donation to the director of the House, Sue Beverly, that evening.

If you would like additional information about this wonderful event, please contact Anne LaGrow at anne.lagrow@townoffarragut.org or 966-7057 or visit www.townoffarragut.org

Chelsey Riemann
Public Relations Coordinator

Farragut Businesses Offered Free Holiday Advertising Opportunity

The Town of Farragut will offer the fourth annual "Buy in Farragut" Campaign during the upcoming holiday season! In a tough economy, this campaign offers valuable FREE advertising and publicity for businesses within Town limits during the busiest shopping season of the year.

And it couldn't be easier for your business to become a part of the campaign! Simply visit www.townoffarragut.org to access all the necessary information and forms to register. The deadline to register is Monday, Nov. 2.

You may be asking, "What will I get from this campaign?" Here you go:

• Extensive advertising in the Town's local media (print & radio), government cable channel (Charter & TDS), website (www.townoffarragut.org) and social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and Town Hall blog)
• Weekly specials and coupons featured on the Town's website for four weeks
• High quality, glossy posters to display at your business
• Informational flyers handed out at all Town sponsored events leading up to and during the campaign
• Extra special event permit offered to each business (in addition to the four permits allowed per business during the year)

And, again, this is all completely FREE to you as a Farragut business!

The goals of this campaign are two-fold: to promote and encourage patronage of Farragut businesses and to generate additional sales tax dollars which fund roads, parks and other capital improvement projects within the Town.

Have questions or need more information? Please contact Sue Stuhl (sue.stuhl@townoffarragut.org) or Arleen Higginbotham (arleen.higginbotham@townoffarragut.org) at 966-7057. And don't forget the deadline to register your business is Nov. 2!

Chelsey Riemann
Public Relations Coordinator

Let's Make Farragut Beautiful This Holiday Season

There's no denying the holiday season is one of the best - and most beautiful - times of the year. We all look forward to decorating our homes with trees, garland and lights...and we enjoy the decorations in stores and around our city all season long.

In an effort to truly make our Town as festive as possible, the Farragut Beautification Committee is inviting our local businesses to participate in the annual "Light Up Farragut" program, designed to compliment and expand on the Town's seasonal banners and the "Celebrate the Season" event.

There are many ways to participate in this event - and most can be achieved without breaking the budget! The options include a roof top tree of lights; a tree of lights in front of the business; a roof or store front outlined in lights; or an interior lighted tree that is visible from the street.

We're asking businesses to display these lights beginning Saturday, Nov. 21 through Thursday, Dec. 31 - dates that coincide with the annual "Buy in Farragut" campaign, which encourages holiday patronage within Town limits. The Town's official kick-off to the holidays will be the "Celebrate the Season" event on Thursday, Dec. 3 at the Farragut Town Hall.

If your business is interested in participating, you can contact Chelsey Riemann (chelsey.riemann@townoffarragut.org) or Sue Stuhl (sue.stuhl@townoffarragut.org) by email or at 966-7057 for more information.

Together, let's make Farragut beautiful this holiday season!

Alternate Routes Suggested for Kingston Pike

Are you a parent or citizen having trouble getting through the Kingston Pike traffic in front of the two entrances (Lendon Welch Way and West End Avenue) to Farragut Intermediate, Middle and High Schools?

The Town is offering two suggested alternatives to "beat" the traffic congestion along the Pike:

• For those driving east on Kingston Pike or turning left onto Kingston Pike from Campbell Station Road – Remain in the right lane on Kingston Pike until you have passed Lendon Welch Way (formerly Stadium Drive). Then merge into the left lane to access the left turn lane onto West End Avenue. West End Avenue is currently the least congested entrance to Farragut High School.
  
• For quicker access to West End Avenue and to avoid congestion in front of school entrances – Continue traveling south on Campbell Station Road (across Kingston Pike) or turn right on S. Campbell Station Road from Kingston Pike. Continue traveling south to reach the intersection with Concord Road; turn left onto Concord Road. Continue straight to the traffic signal with Kingston Pike; stay straight to access West End Avenue or turn right to access Kingston Pike.

We send a special thanks to all of our citizens for helping make these traffic transitions due to the Campbell Station Road Widening Project as smooth as possible. Please feel free to call 966-7057 with any questions or concerns and visit our website - www.townoffarragut.org - for more information.

Chelsey Riemann
Public Relations Coordinator

"Free" is key word at Covenant Health Check

During a time when health care costs keep rising, citizens are looking for ways to still get the care they need and deserve while at the same time saving as much money as possible. The Town of Farragut and Covenant Health are offering a valuable opportunity to accomplish both of these goals at the upcoming Covenant Health Check, scheduled for Friday, Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Farragut Town Hall.

Don't miss a myriad of free - yes, free - health screenings! You can find out your bone density, check your heart health with an EKG and make sure your vision is on target. You will also find many informational booths set up throughout the Town Hall with information on topics ranging from allergies, stroke and smoking cessation.

Another service provided by Covenant Health is optional blood tests for a fee between $15 and $20 each. Visit http://www.townoffarragut.org/news/show/150 to get a list of all the tests offered.

Again, please don't pass up this opportunity to check on your health and talk to medical professionals - for FREE! We hope to see you on Sept. 4.

Chelsey Riemann
Public Relations Coordinator

Highway Patrol and Sheriff to Help Alleviate Farragut School Traffic

The Town of Farragut and Knox County Schools would like to extend their appreciation to the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Knox County Sheriff for providing traffic control assistance at Farragut schools beginning next Monday, Aug. 17.

This assistance from law enforcement will be critical as parents and students become accustomed to new traffic patterns and access to their schools. These organizations are joining forces and asking parents, student drivers and citizens alike to please be patient during the 2009-2010 school year and allow plenty of extra time to reach your destinations, especially if utilizing Campbell Station Road or Kingston Pike around the entrances to the schools.

We encourage you to visit www.townoffarragut.org for more specific traffic information, including the Farragut Primary School mandatory traffic plan for dropping off and picking up students.

As always, please call 966-7057 with any questions or concerns.

Chelsey Riemann
Public Relations Coordinator

Farragut Businesses - Don't Miss a Free Advertising Opportunity!

Farragut businesses, non-profit organizations and community groups are encouraged to register to be a part of the Town's annual Freaky Friday Fright Nite event on Oct. 30, 2009. There is no charge to be part of this great event - one of the largest family events in our area! Simply access a registration form at www.townoffarragut.org and return it by the priority deadline of Friday, Sept. 4 to secure your spot.

Your only investment will be providing giveaways for the children who "trick or treat" along the walk trail, whether candy or items with your organization's logo! The registration form will fill you in on all the specifics.

Please don't let this opportunity pass by to share your organization's name and mission with our community! Contact Anne LaGrow at 966-7057 or anne.lagrow@townoffarragut.org with any questions.

Campbell Station Road Lane Changes

Just a quick post to ask Farragut citizens to please be aware of lane changes on Campbell Station Road from I-40 to Kingston Pike due to construction. Please use caution while driving!

Farragut Primary Traffic Plan Announced

Knox County Schools has designed a new traffic plan for Farragut Primary School, effective for the 2009-10 school year, in an effort to help alleviate traffic congestion during the Campbell Station Road Widening Project.

This is a required traffic plan for those parents dropping off students at the primary school...the Town and Knox County Schools are urging parents (and all citizens) to be aware of this new traffic plan and to please abide by it as we attempt to make this construction process as painless as possible.

Click here for more information and to view the map: http://www.townoffarragut.org/news/show/144.

Time to Take the Bus!

As the Campbell Station Road Widening Project fast approaches, the Town of Farragut and Knox County Schools are encouraging parents and residents to be aware of changes that will occur during the construction process in order to help us alleviate traffic congestion.

Following are two very important updates affecting Farragut schools:

• The Campbell Station Road entrance to Farragut High School will be closed the week of July 20, 2009, through March 2010. Access to Farragut Intermediate, Middle and High Schools will be available from West End Avenue and Lendon Welch Way (formerly Stadium Drive) off Kingston Pike.
• Parents - please consider using bus transportation this school year! Traffic is expected to become very congested at all four Farragut schools when school begins Aug. 17. Knox County Schools is asking Farragut parents to consider using bus transportation for their students to eliminate extra car traffic. For more information on the bus routes to Farragut schools, please visit www.knoxschools.org.

To further help with traffic congestion, the Town is asking all residents who do not have a student at a Farragut school to consider an alternate route to I-40 or Parkside Drive (Watt Road, Lovell Road or Grigsby Chapel Road). With your help, we can strive to make this construction process as painless as possible!

Chelsey Riemann
Public Relations Coordinator

Campbell Station Road Widening Project To Begin in July

In an effort to alleviate as many traffic complications as possible, the Town of Farragut will be continually updating its citizens over the next 12 to 15 months regarding the Campbell Station Road Widening Project, set to begin this month.

This Tennessee Department of Transportation project will transform Campbell Station Road from the current three-lane section to a five-lane section, complete with a four-foot bike lane, curb and gutter, and a five-foot sidewalk on each side. The end result will be a much more efficient road to handle the ever-growing traffic needs in the Town.

Residents need to be aware that, during the duration of this project, the greenways and sidewalks along Campbell Station Road will be closed from Jamestowne Boulevard to Grigsby Chapel Road. During construction, Campbell Station Road will become two lanes from Jamestowne Boulevard to Old Colony Parkway (center turn lane eliminated) and three lanes from Old Colony to Parkside Drive (one lane in each direction with a center turn lane).

We will post another update soon regarding the traffic changes for all four Farragut schools. The Town encourages citizens who normally utilize Campbell Station Road to access Parkside Drive and Interstate 40 to begin considering alternate routes, such as Grigsby Chapel Road or Lovell Road.

Stay tuned to our blog and www.townoffarragut.org - and follow us via our Facebook page (Town of Farragut) and Twitter (townoffarragut) - to stay informed of the latest construction updates.

Chelsey Riemann
Public Relations Coordinator

Town Hall Blog Debuts

Welcome to the Town Hall Blog!

The Town of Farragut staff plans to use this blog as a forum to educate and inform our citizens on all things Farragut - whether road construction projects affecting the daily commute, local stormwater initiatives, issues relating to our parks and greenways, seasonal safety advice from our Codes Department and more.

I encourage you to visit the Town Hall Blog often to find out what is happening in your Town!

Chelsey Riemann
Public Relations Coordinator