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Powdered Wigs and Coonskin Caps
I found myself thinking about the inaugural nonstop flight from TRI Airport to Washington Dulles in Northern Virginia—and about my daughter-in-law being on that very first plane, returning home with photos of our nation’s capital glowing in Christmas lights. The Capitol dome was illuminated, and monuments stood lit against the winter sky. It was a…
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Church Circle: Kingsport’s Town Square
There’s just something about town squares. They are the settings of Hallmark movies and Christmas cards—the places where parades pass, lights are lit, and communities recognize themselves. They evoke warm memories of home, family, faith, and belonging. A true town square is not just a location; it is an emotional center, a shared reference point…
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Best Wishes to Our Neighbors from Rye Cove
Rye Cove, located 27 miles north of Kingsport in Duffield, Virginia, will play for the Virginia High School Football Championship this Saturday. For many in our region, home is on both sides of the state line. I hope they know their friends, family, and neighbors in Tennessee are pulling for them! “Wednesday afternoon, Collier and…
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1948: Appeal to the Great Spirit
Do you ever see a photograph that triggers a memory? Recently, I discovered that Ancestry.com has digitized many of our nation’s yearbooks. In the process, I stumbled on the 1948 Maroon & Grey—my mother’s final yearbook at Dobyns-Bennett. It offers a remarkable window into student life in that era. Twenty school years later, in 1967–68,…
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Income vs. Wealth: Understanding Kingsport’s Retiree-Driven Metrics
Public discussion about Kingsport’s economy often leans on a single familiar figure: median household income. It is simple, understandable, and widely used. Yet in Kingsport’s case, it can also be one of the most misleading indicators of our true economic condition. Many of Kingsport’s major job sectors—manufacturing, health care, finance, and professional services—offer median wages…
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Kingsport’s Quiet Surge in New Housing
A recent comparison of new-construction listings across nine Tennessee peer cities reveals a striking trend: Kingsport is undergoing one of the most rapid shifts in new-home availability anywhere in the region. While places such as Cleveland, Cookeville, Johnson City, Maryville, and Morristown currently list more total new homes, the year’s most dramatic movement belongs unmistakably…
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A Market Finding Its Sustainable Rhythm
MOVE TO KINGSPORT MONTHLY REPORT The November 2025 relocation data confirm that Kingsport has entered a new phase of steady, durable growth—one that is less explosive than the post-pandemic wave, but far more sustainable. In November 2025, Kingsport welcomed 39 new families from 18 states, averaging 2.29 new families per workday. The median home price…
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Of Time and Time Zones
The change to or from daylight saving time always throws me off. It takes a good couple of weeks to feel normal again. I’ve long wished we could settle on one consistent time year-round, but I understand it’s not as simple as it sounds. When I lived briefly in Middle Tennessee, I remember the sun…
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Holding Steady in a Changing Market
Move To Kingsport Monthly Report – October 2025 Kingsport’s draw remains both steady and far-reaching. In October 2025, the city welcomed 41 new families from 17 states, averaging 1.95 families per workday—virtually identical to the same month last year. That consistency is impressive at a time when national relocation trends have cooled significantly. What’s changed…
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Kingsport Spirit 