The City of Kingsport is pleased to announce the hiring of Jason Bellamy as its next Chief of the Kingsport Police Department. Bellamy will succeed Dale Phipps, who retires later this month after nearly 37 years with the City of Kingsport.

Bellamy will become the 16th Chief of Police for the City of Kingsport effective June 29, 2025.

“Jason has served in various leadership capacities, most recently as Deputy Police Chief, where he, along with Chief Phipps, played a key role in advancing department initiatives, fostering strong community relationships, and supporting the growth and development of our officers,” said City Manager Chris McCartt. “As chief, Jason will continue to lead with integrity and a vision for enhancing public safety, strengthening community trust, and supporting a culture of accountability and excellence within the department.”

Bellamy joined the Kingsport Police Department in 1998 and during his tenure has served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Corporal, Training Sergeant, Watch Commander, Captain of Operations, and Commander. He has also served in several specialized assignments including Honor Guard, Hostage Negotiator, and FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Officer.

Bellamy was promoted to Deputy Chief in April 2021, and currently serves as second in command, overseeing the day-to-day operation of the department.

“I’ve had the distinct pleasure of serving alongside the wonderful men and women of this department for the past 27 years and I am confident that we are equipped with some of the finest officers the profession has to offer,” Bellamy said. “I look forward to a seamless transition in leadership and I plan to continue to build upon the culture of excellence established by Chief Phipps.”

Raised in Hawkins County, Bellamy has lived in Kingsport since 2012. He and his wife Angie have been married for nearly 27 years and have two adult children. Bellamy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Education from ETSU and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the National Forensic Academy in Knoxville.

Bellamy said it is an honor and privilege to be selected as Kingsport’s next chief of police.

“I am grateful for the opportunity City Manager McCartt has afforded me, and I will work diligently to ensure that we provide the professional police services that our citizens expect and deserve,” Bellamy added.

Kingsport’s Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a special Glow Walk event this Saturday in celebration of National Trail Days.

The Glow Walk will be held from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 7 at the Indian Drive Trailhead of the Kingsport Greenbelt (located behind PetSmart). The free event is open to families of all ages. Participants are asked to bring a flashlight or lantern, and glow necklaces will be provided.

Though the event is free, Kingsport Parks and Recreation officials are asking folks to register to know approximately how many people will be showing up.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/4dY7Fcu. You can also register by clicking on the CivicRec link in the Connect Kingsport app or by going to www.kingsporttn.gov and clicking on the “CivicRec” link, then searching for “glow walk” in the search bar.

National Trails Day is an annual event held on the first Saturday in June and is sponsored by the American Hiking Society.

Each year, tens of thousands of hikers, bikers, paddlers, horseback riders, trail clubs, federal and local agencies, land trusts, and businesses come together on National Trails Day to advocate for, maintain, clean up and celebrate trails and nature.

Last year, nearly 800 events were held across the U.S., bringing people together for various recreational and volunteer opportunities. More than 7,000 trail stewards improved 558 miles of trails, contributing approximately $1.27 million in volunteer labor.

You can also share your trail experience by tagging #NationalTrailsDay and @AmericanHiking on your social media channels.

The Kingsport Public Library is inviting book lovers of all ages to attend a ribbon cutting event for its new, temporary location in the Fort Henry Mall.

The ribbon cutting will take place at 2 p.m. on June 6 at the library’s Fort Henry Mall location. The public is welcome to attend, and the library space can be reached by using the mall entrance near the former Piccadilly restaurant.

In addition to the ribbon cutting, the library will be offering activities for both kids and adults.

“For the past three weeks library staff and movers have worked hard to relocate nearly all of our materials to the mall location,” said Interim Library Manager Stephanie Griffin. “Now that the work is done, we’re excited to reopen at this new location and continue offering our services to the community while renovations are being done to our main facility.”

The Kingsport Public Library will be located in the Fort Henry Mall for at least the next 18 months while renovations are taking place at the downtown location.

The phone number for the library will remain the same (423-229-9489), as will the hours of operation (Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Closed on Sundays).

Items available at the mall location will include books, computers, copier/printer, program space, teen area, kids play area, reference services, seed library, things library and the inter-library loan and courier service.

A book return drop-off box will also be located beside the mall entrance near the former Piccadilly restaurant. The Summer Kids Club will be taking place at the mall location on Tuesdays in June from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information about the mall location and services available, please call 423-229-9489 or visit www.kingsportlibrary.org.

The City of Kingsport would like to provide clarification about an economic development fee being imposed on customers at the new Rural King at the Fort Henry Mall.

The City of Kingsport wants the community to know, this economic development fee is NOT a city-mandated fee, the funds DO NOT go to the City of Kingsport and the city played no part in instituting the fee. The decision to impose this fee falls solely on Rural King.

According to signs posted at Rural King, the business is imposing a 1% economic development fee on all purchases, with the funds from the fee going to help pay for the costs of improvements at the Rural King development.

A screenshot of the sign began circulating on social media over the weekend with many people in the community asking questions about the fee.

“We understand there may be some confusion regarding the “economic development fee” being charged at Rural King. This fee is not a part of any economic development project by the City of Kingsport, rather it is a private fee implemented at the discretion of the business,” said Kingsport Economic Development Director Steven Bower. “We have been in communication with Rural King and greatly appreciate their investment but look to them to add clarification regarding their fee.”