☀️ Today’s Weather
Overcast skies today with a high of 87°F and a low of 68°F — 29% chance of rain. Keep an umbrella handy just in case.
😄 Only in Johnson City
The new Goodwill on Oakland Ave opens today, which means half of Johnson City will donate a bag of stuff in the morning and come back in the afternoon to buy someone else’s bag of stuff. The circle of life, Appalachian edition.
🧠 Trivia Q&A
Question: The Gray Fossil Site was discovered surprisingly recently. What year was it found?
Answer at the bottom of today’s newsletter.
🔝 Top Stories
Connect Downtown Awards Micro-Grants to 13 Johnson City Businesses
Connect Downtown, the nonprofit advisory board for Johnson City’s Main Street program, has awarded micro-grants to 13 local downtown businesses. The grants are intended to fund storefront improvements, renovations, build-outs, events, and marketing initiatives. The program aims to strengthen the downtown core and support business growth in the district.
Know a Local Business That Should Be Here?
If you send us a business that becomes a sponsor, we’ll pay you $50 for it. No cap, no catch. Just hit reply with their name and we’ll take it from there. (We still make the final call on fit, same as any other pitch.)
Make-A-Wish East Tennessee Telethon Raises Over $32K
The Make-A-Wish East Tennessee Telethon recently concluded, raising more than $32,000 for the organization. The funds will go toward granting wishes for children in the region. Residents who missed the telethon can visit the link below for information on how to continue supporting the cause.
Four Local Schools Ranked Among Top 50 High Schools in Tennessee
Four high schools in the local area have been ranked among the top 50 high schools in the state of Tennessee. The recognition highlights academic achievement across the region’s school districts. Visit the link below to see which schools made the list.
Marsh Urgently Needs O-Positive and O-Negative Blood Donors
Following a local emergency, Marsh is in urgent need of O-positive and O-negative blood donors. These blood types are critical for emergency transfusions, and the need is immediate. Eligible donors are encouraged to reach out or visit the link below for details on how to help.
📅 Upcoming Events
Event details are pulled from public listings and can change. Please confirm dates and times on the official event page before making plans.
🎵 Lawnstock: A Day of Music in Downtown Johnson City — August 22, 2026
Saturday, August 22, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Founders Park (Great Lawn), 225 South Commerce Street, Johnson City
Downtown Johnson City’s newest music festival features a full day of live music, food trucks, local vendors, lawn games, and cold beer on the Founders Park Great Lawn. The event is free and all-ages. The confirmed lineup is: Homecookin’ (1–2 PM), Resonant Mirage (2:25–3:25 PM), Indigo Lodge (3:50–4:50 PM), Donnie & The Dry Heavers (5:15–6:15 PM), and The Gringos (6:50–8 PM). Outside alcohol is not permitted; beverages will be available for purchase on-site. Rain or shine.
More info at Visit Johnson City
🏈 ETSU Football vs. Tusculum — September 5, 2026
Saturday, September 5, 2026 | 5:30 PM
William B. Greene Jr. Stadium, Johnson City
The Buccaneers host the Tusculum Pioneers at home. The game also serves as Niswonger Children’s Hospital Day, a fundraising partnership between ETSU Athletics and Ballad Health.
🍽️ The Farmer & The Chef — August 30, 2026
Sunday, August 30, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Blackthorn Club at the Ridges, Johnson City
A signature culinary event featuring regional chefs using locally grown food, with proceeds supporting the mission to end food insecurity in Northeast Tennessee.
More info at Northeast Tennessee Food Bank
🌮 Taco Trek — September 1, 2026
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 | 6:30 PM
110 W Market St, Johnson City
A monthly Taco Trek event returns to downtown Johnson City. Visit the link below for full details.
🎤 Stand-Up Comedy Night at Off Leash Social — August 29, 2026
Saturday, August 29, 2026 | 8:00 PM
Off Leash Social, Johnson City
A stand-up comedy night is coming to Off Leash Social. Visit the link below for full details.
📜 Today in Johnson City History
Today in Johnson City History
Ninety-five years ago today in 1931, Elizabethton’s Shoun Hospital reported good news for a familiar name in these pages: Nat Hyder, seriously wounded in the altercation near Hampton earlier that month, was “definitely on the road to recovery” and expected to be discharged within days — a happy ending to a story that had worried readers just days before.
For more details, subscribe to the Today in Johnson City History newsletter by Rebecca Henderson.
🤝 Community Partners
🧠 Trivia Answer
2000, when construction crews working on a road-widening project unexpectedly uncovered the fossil-rich deposits.