Chase Bank announced in February it planned to open 500 new branches nationwide and hire 3,500 employees over the next three years, including deeper into Tennessee.

Following the expansion in the Nashville and Memphis markets and one branch near Knoxville, Chase will open five to six more branches in East Tennessee by the end of 2026. The 11242 Kingston Pike branch in Farragut opened in April and another branch at 503 Foothills Plaza in Maryville opened in May.

Now one is opening in November at 7923 Kingston Pike near Trader Joe’s and another by the end of the year at 235 S. Illinois Ave. in Oak Ridge. The branches will have full banking services and function as advice and loan centers for investors, small businesses and homeowners.

“We’ve felt so welcome by the Knoxville community. Our new branches in the area have been very successful, showing us the need for more Chase locations to meet the strong demand,” said A.D. Lavalle, Chase’s market director of banking for Knoxville.

The East Tennessee branches will have self-service centers with interior and drive-up ATMs, but no safe deposit boxes.

The hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Employees will be paid at least $20 an hour with health and retirement benefits.

Breaking: Second suspect in shooting of THP trooper arrested in Davidson County

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – One of the suspects accused in the shooting of a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper has been returned to Tennessee following his weekend arrest in Kentucky.

THP said Braze Rucker, the passenger of the Kia Forte used in the shooting of Trooper Adam Cothron was extradited back to Cookeville on Monday and taken to the Putnam County Jail.

Rucker has been booked into the jail on charges stemming from the shooting.

He was arrested Sunday morning in Princeton, Kentucky after being placed on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted list.

Rucker and an unidentified occupant of a vehicle are accused of shooting Cothron on Interstate 40 near the Willow Avenue exit (Exit 285) just before 8 p.m. Friday. He and his accomplice fled after the shooting and dumped the white Kia Forte later Friday night near Highway 109 in Gallatin.

Cothron is stable after being flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Friday night, a THP spokesperson said Saturday morning.

The THP did not say if the driver of the car who has not been publicly identified has been captured. The TBI said efforts to identify the second person are ongoing.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Tennessee’s big shopping weekend is just days away. From Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28, the state will have its annual sales tax holiday.

During the holiday, Tennesseans can save nearly 10% on qualifying clothing, school supplies and computers, according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

According to the state, shoppers can purchase clothes and school supplies tax-free if they are priced at $100 or less and buy computers tax-free if they are $1500 or less.

“Tennessee’s commitment to strong fiscal stewardship has allowed our state to cut taxes and put dollars back in the pockets of hardworking Tennesseans,” said Gov. Bill Lee. “I encourage every Tennessee family to take advantage of back-to-school savings and thank the General Assembly for partnering to provide direct financial relief for taxpayers.”

What is tax-free?

• General apparel that costs $100 or less per item, such as shirts, pants, socks, shoes, dresses, etc.
• School and art supplies with a purchase of $100 or less per item including the following:
  • Binders
  • Backpacks
  • Crayons
  • Paper
  • Pens
  • Pencils
  • Rulers
  • Art supplies
• Computers for personal use with a purchase of $1500 or less
• Laptop computers, if priced at $1500 or less, as well as tablet computers
• Prom dresses
• Scout uniforms
• Shawls and wraps
• Ski masks
• Sleepwear
• Socks, stockings, suspenders
• Textbooks
• Ties/neckwear
• Tuxedo
• Undergarments
• Underwear
• Uniforms: Athletic or non-athletic
• Vests, except for hunting or weather
• Wedding gowns: $100 or less rule applies
• Workbooks

For a full list of exempt items, click here.

What isn’t tax-free?

• Apparel that costs more than $100
• Art supplies sold together cannot be split up to stay beneath $100
• Ballet or tap shoes
• Belt buckles
• Breathing masks
• Bridal apparel, other than gowns or veils
• Briefcases
• Cell phones
• Computer Software
• Computer storage
• Cosmetics
• Electronic readers
• Emblems
• Hair notions
• Hard hats
• Hearing protectors
• Household appliances
• Items sold together, such as shoes, cannot be split up to stay beneath the $100 maximum
• Jewelry and handbags
• Maps
• Paints that are not defined as school art supplies
• Paintbrushes not used for artwork
• Patches
• Printer supplies: Printer ink, paper, supplies, etc.
• Protective and sports goggles
• Protective and sports gloves
• Reference books
• Safety glasses
• School and art supplies individually priced at more than $100
• Sewing equipment and supplies: Fabric, yarn, sewing needles
• Sports and recreational equipment
  • Roller and ice skates
  • Ski boots
  • Skin diving suits
  • Sports guards
• Storage media including flash drives and compact disks
• Tool belts
• Video game consoles
• Wallets
• Zippers

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