Tag: news
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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: The Family-Friendly City Hiding in Plain Sight
Every year, national magazines unveil another list of “The Best Cities for Young Families.” The latest lineup from House Beautiful features Queen Creek, Arizona; Bozeman, Montana; Littleton, New Hampshire; Plano, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Carmel, Indiana; Greenville, South Carolina; and Cary, North Carolina. They’re all described as affordable, family-friendly communities with good schools, growing economies, and…
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Kingsport Is Older—But Its Newcomers Are Changing That
Kingsport has long been considered one of Tennessee’s older cities, and the top-line numbers still say so. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 population estimates, the city’s median age sits in the mid-40s—several years higher than the statewide median age of about 39 and well above many of Tennessee’s faster-growing suburban markets. Yet if…
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We Always Rise to the Occasion During Difficult Times
Have you ever thought about the difference between a city and a community? A city is a legally defined, structured entity with the authority to enforce laws. It operates under a charter, with elected officials and public services focused on managing resources and the well-being of its residents. A city has taxing authority. And if…
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Kingsport-Bristol: Quietly Leading Tennessee’s Economy
The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) released its July 2025 report with a statistic that turned heads across the state. Kingsport-Bristol posted the highest retail sales tax growth in Tennessee at 3.57%, while Memphis, by contrast, recorded the largest decline at -2.76%. Overall, sales tax collections were down -0.1% statewide month-over-month, but up…
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Kingsport: Playing the Long Game
We often hyper-fixate on Kingsport’s ranking in Tennessee’s growth, but miss the context of cities that are closer than our state capital. When I first began my career, Sullivan was the fifth most populous county, but now it’s tenth, replaced by counties adjoining Nashville. But Nashville, like Austin and Charlotte, is a national phenomenon. It’s…
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Appalachian Poverty: Bad Data, Good Intentions
Recently, we published an article titled “Safer by Design, Not by Statistics” that shows why Tennessee’s crime rate isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison with other places—and how it’s often misused to suggest we’re less safe than we really are. You can read it at KingsportSpirit.com. Another misleading statistic is the poverty rate. Appalachia is “poorer” than…
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The Gentle Giant Behind Kingsport’s Transformation
Terry Cunningham was recently honored for his lifetime of partnership as Executive Director of the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority. I was asked to share my thoughts. Terry Cunningham is one of the best human beings I know. He’s a gentle giant who has worked mostly in the background to effect positive outcomes for our…
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Safer by Design, Not by Statistics
First in a Series When you search for crime rates in Tennessee, the numbers can seem surprising. Cities like Kingsport often appear “less safe” on paper than they feel in real life. But here’s the truth: Tennessee has been holding itself to a higher standard of honesty for decades, which makes the numbers look inflated…
Kingsport Spirit 