Images Roane County, TN: 2009

AMERICA’S TECHNOLOGY CROSSROADSRegion is a haven for high-tech companies

STRUMMIN’ ON THE OLD BANJOBluegrass roots run deep

738 Miles of ShorelineLakes and rivers offer instant appeal

Video of Rocky Top General

Store

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ROANE COUNTY, TENNESSEE

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ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

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SENIOR EDITOR REBECCA DENTON

COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS

ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES,

SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY

ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW

STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JOE MORRIS,

JESSICA MOZO, ANITA WADHWANI

DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW

SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS,

TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER,

IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS

WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH

ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS

MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT

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CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

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C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

Images Roane County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through The Roane Alliance and its member businesses.

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1209 N. Kentucky St. • Kingston, TN 37763Phone: (865) 376-2093 • Fax: (865) 376-4978

www.roanealliance.org

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Images gives readers a taste of what makes Roane County tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

Craving some cuisine with character? Roane County is home to a range of one-of-a-kind restaurants. Get a taste of local fl avor in our food section.

Take a peek at the old-fashioned Rocky Top General Store in Harriman. Watch this and other quick videos in the Interactive section.

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All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINEON THE COVER Photo by Brian McCordSunset at Watts Bar Lake in Kingston

DEPARTMENTS

2 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Roane County’s culture

12 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne Roane County

26 Sports & Recreation

27 Health & Wellness

30 Image Gallery

33 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know

CONTENTS

FEATURES

4 738 MILES OF SHORELINELakefront homes and a laid-back lifestyle give Roane County instant appeal.

8 ALL IN GOOD TASTELocal restaurant offerings range from four-course meals to lakeside burgers.

12 STRUMMIN’ ON THE OLD BANJOMountain music and bluegrass roots run deep in Roane County.

24 SMALL BUT MIGHTYMidway High School earns national ranking on “Best High Schools” list.

29 THE PRINCESS WILL REIGN AGAINThe historic Harriman theater is in the midst of a long-awaited revival.

ROANE COUNTY BUSINESS 16 America’s Technology Crossroads

They could go anywhere, but Oak Ridge National Laboratory and high-tech companies choose Roane County.

20 Biz Briefs

22 Chamber Report

23 Economic Profi le

2009 EDITION | VOLUME 1

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ROANE COUNTY, TENNESSEE

ROANE COUNT Y IMAGESROANECO.COM 1

Automatic FunClassic cars of all makes and models rumble

into historic downtown Harriman the second

Saturday of each month from April through

August for the Cruisin’ car show.

In nearby Rockwood, the Thunder Road

Festival is a fast-growing event in April that

celebrates the city’s past as a stop on the

notorious Thunder Road – a route used by

bootleggers. Festival activities include a classic

car show, live entertainment, craft booths, food

vendors and more.

Reel AdventuresWatts Bar Lake is one of the South’s largest, and its waters are full of black bass, largemouth bass,

smallmouth bass, spotted bass, black crappie, white crappie – and plenty of fishing boats. You will find a

variety of fishing tournaments on Watts Bar Lake nearly year-round, including the Annual Fishing Rodeo

for kids at Roane County Park and the Bassmaster Weekend series professional/amateur fishing

tournament in Rockwood, both held in August, just to name a few.

A Toast to HistoryKnown as “the town that temperance built,” Harriman

was established by Frederick Gates, a former Methodist

minister and Chattanooga Land Co. representative.

The town was his dream of a utopia for Prohibitionists,

and, in 1890, he sold 575 lots in 10 hours. Some of the

original homes built after the Great Land Sale can still

be seen in the Cornstalk Heights Historical District. More

than 100 structures are listed on the National Register

of Historic Places. Visitors can tour many historic homes,

along with churches and public buildings, each

December during The Christmas Tour of Homes,

sponsored by The Cornstalk Heights Historic

Community Organization.

2 IMAGESROANECO.COM ROANE COUNT Y

Fast Facts Roane County has

more Ph.D.s per mile than any other area in the country.

The Roane County Courthouse is one of only seven remaining antebellum courthouses in the state.

Roane County is within a day’s drive of 75 percent of the country’s population.

On Sept. 21, 1807, Kingston was Tennessee’s state capital for one day.

Golfers can choose from five golf courses – three nine-hole courses and two 18-hole courses – in Roane County.

POPULATION (2007 ESTIMATE)Kingston: 5,524, Rockwood: 5,559

Harriman: 6,668, Oak Ridge: 27,514

Oliver Springs: 3,312

Roane County: 53,399

LOCATIONLocated in the Tennessee River Valley

between the Cumberland Plateau and

the Smoky Mountains, Roane County

is 30 miles west of Knoxville and 80

miles northeast of Chattanooga.

BEGINNINGSRoane County began with the

establishment of Fort Southwest Point

in 1797, but it was officially founded

in 1801 with Kingston as the county

seat. The county was named to honor

Archibald Roane, the second governor

of Tennessee.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONRoane County Chamber of Commerce,

a partner of The Roane Alliance

1209 N. Kentucky St.

Kingston, TN 37763

Phone: (865) 376-5572

Fax: (865) 376-4978


Roane County At A Glance

Roane County

Just Add WaterThe Kingston waterfront

is always a big draw, but it’s

especially bustling during the

Fourth of July festival. Folks flock

to the city park, which is right on

the waterfront, for the Smokin’

the Water celebration. This fun-

filled event is a local family

tradition that includes

a parade, drag boat and raft

races, children’s activities,

live entertainment, a Miss

Firecracker pageant, classic

car shows and more – all

culminating with a spectacular

fireworks display over Watts

Bar Lake.

Ready and WaitingLooking for industrial space? With six industrial parks – each

offering something a little different – Roane County has a place to fit

most any company’s need. A record $2 million in industrial property

was sold in 2007, and the influx continues.

Industrial parks include the Roane Regional Business and

Technology Park, the Heritage Center, the Horizon Center, Science

and Technology Park, the Roane County Industrial Park, and Plateau

Partnership Park. For more details about each site, visit

www.roanealliance.org/industrial/.

What’s Online eTake a virtual tour of Roane County at imagesroaneco.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

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Watts Bar L.

Harriman

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Rockwood Kingston

Oak Ridge

Oliver Springs


Almanac



ROANE COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE LIVING IT UP ON THE LAKES

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W hat makes Roane County a premier place to live?

To get an idea, just head for the water. “Roane County is blessed with more lake

miles than any other area in east Tennessee and enjoys 738 shoreline miles on beautiful Watts Bar Lake,” says Pam May, manager of tourism and marketing for The Roane Alliance. “Watersports are very popular here – knee boarding, wake boarding, tubing and jet skiing. Boating is nearly a year-round activity with the mild temperatures in east Tennessee, and you can always find a houseboat or cruiser tied up in a quiet cove spending a relaxing weekend surrounded by water.”

One of the South’s largest lakes, Watts Bar Lake covers 39,000 acres. The waterway’s principal tributaries – the Clinch River, Tennessee River and Emory River – all run through Roane County.

Easy access to so many bodies of water makes Roane County a scenic place to live, and it also provides an exciting quality of life that draws newcomers from around the world.

“One of my recent clients who bought lakefront property here was moving from China,” says Kathy May-Martin, man-aging real estate broker with Coldwell Banker. “People come from all walks of life. There are younger folks who can work from their computers anywhere, and there are retirees who come for the mild weather. People are attracted to the water,

STORY BY JESSICA MOZO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

Yachts and other boats can be seen year-round on the water. Right: Residents stroll along Watts Bar Lake. Previous page: Scenic views add to the county’s appeal.

the close proximity to Interstate 40 and Interstate 75, and the fact there’s no state income tax.”

Roane County is known around the nation for its world-class bass, crappie, catfish and striper fishing, and it’s home to many bass fishing tournaments and events where the water takes center stage.

Smokin’ the Water is Kingston’s annual Fourth of July fes-tival, which includes a spectacular fireworks show over Watts Bar Lake along with drag boat races, raft races, live music and plenty of food. The Half Moon Music Festival in Blue Springs Cove in Ten Mile is also held in July.

“The Half Moon Music Festival showcases area talent and offers a delicious blend of music, food, fun and relaxation on the water,” May says. “Camping is another favorite activity, and you’ll find several campgrounds along the water, including the upscale Caney Creek RV Resort. There are also numerous islands and remote locations where you can arrive by boat, pitch a tent and enjoy a starry night on the edge of the water.”

For those who just can’t get enough of the water, several high-end, multimillion-dollar residential developments allow residents to live right on its edge. In fact, the county is in the midst of a residential boom, thanks to the scenic allure of the water.

Ladd Landing is an 800-acre waterfront development with condominiums and single-family homes in Kingston, while Grande Vista Bay outside of Rockwood is a gated community with more than 500 luxury residential units along 10 miles of lakefront.

“Grande Vista Bay has some of the most beautiful lakefront property you’ll find anywhere,” May-Martin says. “There’s also the Rarity Ridge Community – in the Oak Ridge part of Roane County – which is like a town within a town.”

With mostly mild temperatures during the winter, the acres of water – a huge tourism draw that pumps millions into the economy each year – offer year-round beauty and activity.

“People like that our lake only f luctuates five feet from summer to winter – it doesn’t go dry like other lakes,” May-Martin says. “We’ve really got the best of both worlds, with the mountains and the water.”

“Roane County is blessed

with more lake miles than any

other area in east Tennessee.”




R oane County has no shortage of locally owned restaurants offering food and ambiance that can’t be found anywhere else.

With its national reputation for excellence, Whitestone Country Inn outside of Kingston draws folks from miles around to its serene retreat on Watts Bar Lake. The AAA Four-Diamond bed-and-breakfast has been featured on HGTV and in Southern Living magazine, and America’s Historical Inns voted it among the most romantic inns in America. The peaceful place is renowned for its top-notch bed-and-breakfast and fairytale weddings, but it’s also a destination for anyone looking for an artfully prepared Southern meal in awe-inspiring surroundings.

“Our dining room has a really spectacular view of the lake and the mountains, and we serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week,” says Paul Cowell, owner of Whitestone Country Inn. “We specialize in Southern regional cooking fused with a northern Italian flair.”

Dinner is typically four courses, and guests can choose

LOCAL OFFERINGS RANGE FROM FOUR-COURSE MEALS TO LAKESIDE BURGERSTaste

All in

STORY BY JESSICA MOZOPHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

Whitestone Country Inn has a national reputation for excellence. Left: Decadent desserts finish off the meals.

Good


from a variety of entrees. The menu changes daily and might include an appetizer of fresh pineapple wrapped in crisp applewood-smoked bacon and caramelized brown sugar along with coconut crusted tilapia, garlic mashed potatoes, a vegetable medley and fresh-baked rolls. Not to mention the inn’s famous Whitestone Delight Pie, a cold white cream pie made with toasted coconut, pecans, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, chocolate and caramel.

“We’ve sold thousands of cookbooks for that pie alone,” Cowell says with a chuckle. “Local doctors are prescribing it for people with low cholesterol. I have to have it on the menu every night, or I’ll get mobbed.”

Open since 1997, Whitestone was a lifelong dream Cowell planned for 34 years before he made it a reality.

“I love entertaining people and letting them escape from the world – we’re on a dead-end road in a wildlife refuge,” he says. “We’re famous for Southern hospitality. We try to make people feel like they’re at their mother’s house, where all your needs are met.”

For a less formal dining experience, residents can check out The Crow’s Nest – a casual spot perched on Watts Bar Lake’s Blue Springs Marina in Ten Mile.

“We’re known for our hamburgers – Black Angus, triple thick, huge burgers – but we also do a lot of high-end specials, like seared ahi tuna, lobster claws, 100 percent prime Black Angus steak, stuffed tilapia and Chilean seabass,” says Will Simmerly, a manager at The Crow’s Nest. “We’re also known for our dollar beer drafts on Sundays.”

Open Friday through Sunday, The Crow’s Nest is a favorite with boaters and those who enjoy a laid-back, casual com-munity atmosphere.

“The level of service we offer is really unique on the lake,” says Simmerly, who, along with managing partner J. Woolsey, ran corporate chain restaurants for 35 years before coming to The Crow’s Nest. “It’s great to run an independent restaurant, because you can incorporate your own tastes, and you don’t have to follow a corporate game plan.”

Desserts at The Crow’s Nest include a molten chocolate lava cake, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake and a one-pound – yes, a full pound – chocolate cake.

“It’s pretty impressive,” Simmerly says. “It’s enough cake to split between three people.”

And that’s just a sampling of the tastes Roane County restaurants have to offer. Mama Mia’s Restaurant & Pizzeria in Kingston specializes in hand-tossed pizzas. Captain Tom’s Barbecue in Oliver Springs is known for its “real down-home, hickory-smoked, knuckle-sucking, finger-licking, slap yo’ mama barbecue.”

And Gibson Girls Southern Goodies Café in Kingston bakes up tasteful Southern treats such as apricot nectar cake, raspberry chocolate brownies and strawberry pound cake.

Whitestone Country Inn in Kingston hosts wedding parties and other special events, and its dining room

offers spectacular views of Watts Bar Lake.



Take note: Bluegrass and mountain music are an important part of life in Roane County. In fact, it seems that great

live music is being played somewhere almost every night.One of the most popular venues to enjoy toe-tapping

rhythms is the Bradbury Club in east Roane County, which stages live performances every Tuesday from 6-10 p.m. The well-known club on Buttermilk Road also hosts bluegrass concerts on the third Saturday of every month.

The Tuesday and Saturday concerts allow individual musi-cians and bands to perform for 30 minutes before the next act takes the stage. Admission is only $2, and the Bradbury Club also has a mini-museum on site that allows people to view unusual and old instruments from the early days of bluegrass.

Roane County is also home to Yonder Hollow in Rockwood, which showcases a weekly Old Timey Music Show that takes the stage every Friday night throughout the entire year. Musicians that hail from all over the world have played on the

renowned Yonder Hollow stage, with performances beginning at 6:30 p.m. each Friday.

“If you want to hear some true bluegrass and mountain music dating back to the early days, this is the place to hear it,” says Betty Barrett, co-owner of Yonder Hollow Productions with her husband, Nick. “Our building has seating for 200, plus every concert on Friday night is broadcast live on (WYHM) 580-AM. That particular local radio station here in town is affectionately nicknamed The Holler.”

Some of the well-known bluegrass groups that have per-formed at Yonder Hollow in recent times include Brandywine, Clay Hollow, J-Team and WindRock Mountain.

“Most of our concerts feature local and regional musicians, but it is certainly true that bluegrass artists from around the world have also performed here,” Barrett says. “Yonder Hollow is known to bluegrass fans both near and far, and we are proud to host this wonderful weekly show here in Roane County.”

Looking for Live Bluegrass?BRADBURY CLUB, YONDER HOLLOW OFFER WEEKLY SHOWS AND JAM SESSIONS

The Bradbury Club in Kingston hosts bluegrass jam sessions and performances each Tuesday night from 6-10.


A Throwback to Simpler Times

This is the 21st century, isn’t it?Customers arriving in the

parking lot at Rocky Top General Store in Harriman might have to remind themselves of that, since the quaint and rustic store looks like a throwback to simpler times. Not many places have 50-pound bags of rabbit food stacked six feet high on the front porch, along with authentic Radio Flyer wagons that are available to purchase.

But Rocky Top General Store spe-cializes in these types of odd and sometimes nostalgic items, along with much more. Owner David Webb and his wife, Mildred, have lived in Harriman all their lives, and the Webbs help keep simplicity and friendliness a top priority by offering every visitor a fresh bag of popcorn prior to browsing through the interesting store.

And interesting is an appropriate word. For example, books for sale on site feature titles such as Eggs and Chickens, How to Build a Smokehouse and Red Turkey Liniment, which apparently is an ideal remedy for easing the soreness and pain experienced by show horses and show dogs. The store also has a wide variety of old period furniture and func-tional appliances, plus giftware such as ceramic dolls and intricate birdhouses.

Farm equipment and poultry supplies can be found here, including chicken wire, poultry feed, cages, traps, leg bands, vaccines and medications. Shoppers can also find canvas work clothes, wood-burning stoves and cast-iron cookware.

There’s even an old-fashioned soda pop machine that sells bottled Coca-

Colas. Rocky Top General Store remains an enigma even in 2009, serving as a general store and a museum – all in the same setting.

The Rocky Top General Store spon-sors the Tennessee “Polk Salad” Festival

& Pageant, held the second Saturday in May each year in Harriman. In addition to crowning a Miss Polk Salad, the festival features live music, children’s activities, baking contests, an art contest, a sack race, baseball throw and more.

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Rocky Top General Store is an authentic, family-owned and -operated country store that carries a range of goods, from farm supplies to gifts.

What’s Online eGet a peek at the Rocky Top General Store in our quick video. Visit imagesroaneco.com.


Portfolio


Revisit the Past

Soldiers won’t be fighting there, even though an entire military fort is being built on its grounds once again.

Fort Southwest Point is the only fort in Tennessee that has been reconstructed on its original foundation. The spacious, multi-building fort prospered from 1797 until 1811, when it finally closed down. Today it is owned, operated and maintained as a historic landmark and tourism destination by the city of Kingston.

During its heyday, the fort was home to as many as 625 Tennessee soldiers who protected the northeast corner of the Volunteer State. Archeological digs that were con-ducted in 1974 by the University of Tennessee revealed that six buildings existed as part of Fort Southwest Point, but subsequent digs in 1984 and 1996 showed that the number of total buildings was actually 13.

The digs also unearthed several soldier artifacts dating back to the late 18th century and early 19th century. Those collectibles included uniforms, guns, bullets, books and toiletry items, and many are now on display.

Expo Center Draws Growing Crowds

This is no bull: A wide variety of livestock events are scheduled every

year at the Henry/Stafford East Tennessee Agricultural Exposition Center.

The center is located at Roane State Community College in Harriman, and its events attract people from as far away as California and Canada or as close as Knoxville, which is only 30 miles away on Interstate 40. The Expo Center’s top amenity for showcasing its programs is a 72,000-square-foot main arena building that houses a large indoor show ring complete with holding area, roping chutes and cattle pens.

There’s also a covered outdoor arena that includes a 300-stall barn situated near a lighted outdoor warm-up pen. Officials at the Expo Center say they can host just about any livestock or agricultural-related event and often host multiple shows simultaneously.

The center opened in 1990 and is named for Jim Henry and Benny Stafford, two Tennessee General

Assembly members from the Roane County area who were instrumental in getting the project funded and built. Today, the center hosts an average of 65 annual events that encompass 150 days, with those events generating approx-imately $4.5 million in revenue each year for the economy of Roane County and the surrounding region.

Officials also want to continue expanding the overall facility, and future plans include installing addi-tional seating to accommodate 1,700 more people, and adding walkways to connect all buildings to the main stall barn. Other plans include constructing additional meeting rooms to accom-modate large functions, and adding another covered pavilion to house more horse stalls when needed.

Officials of the Expo Center estimate that its ultimate completion will enable the agricultural complex to host new and larger shows, possibly boosting the number of event days to more than

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The 72,000-square-foot main arena includes an indoor show ring.

Fort Southwest Point is the only colonial-era fort in Tennessee reconstructed on its original location.

200 per year. That expansion also will increase financial benefits by an esti-mated $1 million-$1.5 million each year.

As for the fort’s future, the city of Kingston plans to rebuild all 13 of the original structures. So far the completed sections of the rebuilt fort include a barracks, a blockhouse, kitchen building and 250 feet of palisade walls. City officials say one of the goals for the fort is to provide scheduled tours on weekdays and organize several weekend events, including the Colonial Christmas Candlelight tour in December.

Fort Southwest Point is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. There is no admission charge, although donations are welcome to aid in the continued building reconstruction projects.

What’s Online eTake a tour of Fort Southwest Point in our quick video. Visit imagesroaneco.com.


Portfolio


Why Don’t You Take a Hike?

Opportunities for hiking and walking in Roane County are abundant,

with a variety of trails that can range from flat and scenic to hilly and ultra-challenging. One of the most popular hiking venues in this part of Tennessee is Bacon Ridge Trail, which spans 3.4 miles and offers maps that point out potential wildlife viewing spots along the way.

Those wildlife sightings can include small reptiles and mammals, like lizards and raccoons, as well as various species of birds. It is certainly not out of the ordinary to spot a red hawk, bright red cardinal or purple martin during an afternoon of hiking along Bacon Ridge.

At Roane County Park, the 1.5-mile trail not only accommodates walkers and joggers, but bicyclists, birdwatchers and inline skaters. The park has options for swimming, canoeing, fishing and boating, and there is also a small children’s playground.

Kingston’s City Park, on Watts Bar Lake and Highway 70, offers two children’s playgrounds, tennis courts, sand volleyball, a basketball court, boat ramps, docks and more. Nearby is the Betty Brown Memorial Walking Trail, a scenic greenway that winds for more than three miles along the lakefront.

Paved bike trails at Ladd Landing – an 800-acre waterfront development in Kingston – lead to nature preserves throughout the residential community. Rarity Ridge also has scenic walking and biking trails that wind throughout 100 acres of parks and woodlands.

Spectacular views can be seen from atop Mount Roosevelt near Rockwood. Parking is available, and some nature trails are open for hiking or mountain biking, except during hunting season.

All public trails throughout Roane County are open year-round during daylight hours, and admission is free.

Roane County Park offers a 1.5-mile track, fishing, canoeing, meeting facilities, a playground and more.


www.caneycreekinn.com

A High-TeBusiness


OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY, ENTREPRENEURS THRIVE IN ‘TECHNOLOGY CROSSROADS’

N estled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in east Tennessee, Roane County is known for its

natural beauty, temperate climate and small-town charm.

But don’t let the laid-back setting fool you.

Roane County has earned the nick-name “America’s Technology Crossroads” for good reason. Home to Oak Ridge National Laboratory – the nation’s largest federal research and development center – Roane County also boasts the nation’s largest neutron science project, the fastest computer in the world, numerous technology business parks and an entrepreneurial-friendly climate that has drawn some of the country’s top high-tech talent to launch their own enterprises here.

“Oak Ridge National Laboratory is one big piece of the fabric that has made this area such a desirable location for high-tech efforts,” says Mike Bradley, com-munications manager for the national laboratory. “We can count more than

80 startup companies in the area alone that sprang from Oak Ridge National Laboratory-developed technologies.”

ORNL’s willingness to spin technol-ogies out into the private sector is a major advantage for the region, says Leslie Henderson, president and CEO of The Roane Alliance.

“There are few areas of the country that can offer anything even close to that for high-tech companies,” she says.

ORNL was established by the federal government in 1942 as part of the Manhattan Project. In the decades since, the laboratory has attracted top talent from around the globe to work on projects ranging from green power to high-performance computing.

It has also attracted a host of private, startup companies to serve as contrac-tors to the lab or to develop technological innovations of their own.

Drs. Sam and Carol Weaver are prime examples of the innovative high-tech entrepreneurs that are investing in Roane County. In 2007, the couple bought a building and more than 40

STORY BY ANITA WADHWANIPHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

Members of ORNL’s Computational Sciences and Energy Division developed LandScan, a high-resolution population distribution model of the world.

ch Haven


Mike Ryon works in ORNL’s Environmental Sciences Division. Right: Sara Jawdy and Xinye Zhang take measurements on hybrid poplar plants, which have potential as bioenergy crops.

acres at the Roane Regional Business and Technology Park in which to house the corporate headquarters for their companies’ operations.

Their companies include Red Diamond Ceramics, manufacturer of advanced composite ceramic product to be used in ceramic armor; Cool Energy Inc., a Tennessee corporation (doing research in Colorado) that has developed solar energy part prototypes; and Proton Power, a startup company developing a way to make hydrogen on demand from cellulose for production of clean energy.

Dr. Sam Weaver has started, grown and sold several companies over the last 40 years that have created nearly 500 jobs in the Oak Ridge-Knoxville area. The Weaver-owned startup companies at Roane Regional represent an initial private investment of $2.75 million, and he plans to invest an estimated $14 million more over the next five years, creating more than 450 new jobs.

“We’re ideally suited from a workforce standpoint and a location standpoint,” Dr. Sam Weaver says. “We’re close to Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the

University of Tennesee, and we’re just a few miles from the intersection of I-40 and I-75.”

Sidle up to the counter in one of the area’s coffee shops and you’re likely to rub elbows with nuclear physicists, com-puter engineers, high-tech entrepreneurs, local high school teachers or patrol officers on their breaks.

The presence of such a diverse and highly educated workforce has trans-formed the character of the community.

“We attract top people,” Bradley says. “And people who come here are woven


Business

into the fabric of this community and want to make a difference.”

While the area prides itself on its picturesque, rural character, its proximity to nearby Knoxville and Chattanooga mean big-city amenities – as well as the larger business and financial sectors that come with them – are never far away.

“Since we are located where I-40 and I-75 intersect, Roane County not only has an ideal location and setting, but it also offers top-notch intellectual capital, as its largest employer is the Oak Ridge National Lab,” Henderson says.

And the high-tech sector has devoted resources to improving the community. UT-Battelle, a partnership between the University of Tennessee and a private company, now manages Oak Ridge National Laboratories. Since April 2000, UT-Battelle has donated more than $500,000 to local schools for science labs, teacher bonuses, educational gifts and more.

Laboratory staff and workers in private industry volunteer in local schools and civic organizations and contribute to a thriving, science-focused education com-

munity unusual in a rural area of this size, Bradley says.

A partnership of business interests has coalesced behind Innovation Valley, a coalition of groups that is promoting economic development in the region.

ORNL anchors Innovation Valley, and the lab continues to grow. The recent national stimulus bill included $71.2 million for a new chemical and materials sciences building at ORNL.

In late April 2009, ORNL announced about $40 million for two new Department of Energy Frontier Research Centers.


Biz Briefs

TOHO TENAX AMERICABiz: Supplies high-carbon fiber to industrial, automotive, aerospace and sporting goods makersBuzz: Toho Tenax America in Rockwood is a subsidiary of Japan-based chemical giant Teijin, and it’s the second-largest carbon fiber manufacturer in the United States. Carbon fiber replaces high-strength steel, aluminum, titanium or glass fibers in applications where reduced weight and greater rigidity are needed, such as in giant industrial wind turbines.www.tohotenaxamerica.com

A SAMPLING OF BUSINESSES – LARGE AND SMALL – THAT HELP DEFINE ROANE COUNTY’S STRONG AND WELL-BALANCED ECONOMIC CLIMATE

ScorecardBUSINESS AT

A GLANCE

$494,343Retail sales ($1,000)

$22,268Retail sales

per household

$9,293Retail sales

per capita

Source: The Roane Alliance

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Business

PEGASUS TECHNOLOGIES INC.Biz: Designs and develops new wireless designs, circuits and systemsBuzz: Pegasus Technologies Inc. in Roane Regional Business and Technology Park is an independent manufacturing and development firm offering complete RF modules. The company is also a consulting company specializing in providing innovative engineering solutions for wireless, RF and spread-spectrum needs.www.pegasustech.com

Laura’s Liquor &

Wine Store

Roane County’s largest wine selection

Voted best liquor store nine years in a row!

1034 S. Roane St.Harriman, TN 37748

(865) 882-8285

Mon.-Thurs. 9 a.m.-10 p.m.Fri-Sat. 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

KIMBLE CHASE LIFE SCIENCE AND RESEARCH PRODUCTSBiz: A global resource for scientific laboratory glasswareBuzz: One of Roane County’s largest industrial employers, Kimble Chase manufactures scientific glass products and produces nearly 80 percent of the disposable test tubes used in the world today.www.kimble-kontes.com

GLITTERVILLE STUDIOSBiz: Produces designs for holiday decorations and tablewareBuzz: Owned by Stephen Brown, a costume designer by trade, Glitterville design studio in Rockwood produces designs for thousands of holiday decorations. The colorful studio has been featured in Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens and other national media.www.glitterville.com

GARY BAKER ELECTRICAL INC.Biz: Provides electrical services for a wide range of usesBuzz: Owned and operated by Gary Baker, the Harriman-based company provides a diverse array of electrical services – from lighting and sound for music concerts to burglar alarms and high-tech computer systems for industry. Located at 207 Ruritan Road, the company is licensed, bonded and insured.(865) 882-2025


B y consolidating multiple services under one umbrella organization, The Roane Alliance is able to tackle everything from tourism to industrial recruitment –

and do it on a grand scale.The Alliance, which was formed in 2000, consists of the

Roane County Industrial Development Board, the Roane County Chamber of Commerce, the Roane County Visitors Bureau and the Community Foundation of Roane County. As a public/private partnership, it works to coordinate the various activities of its member entities to ensure that all parties are on the same page going forward. Judging by some very large recent successes, it is accomplishing that mission.

“We consider it much more efficient to have everything under one roof, so we can all do work for one or more of the partners at any given time, depending on where the heaviest workload is,” says Leslie Henderson, president and chief executive officer. “We might be doing something for the chamber of commerce one week, and then we’re all focused on a tourism project the next – and then doing some industrial recruitment. We’re all generalists here.”

The last couple of years have seen those forces marshaled to work primarily on the economic development and industrial recruiting fronts.

“We had been a sleepy little secret before, in that we were known for our lakes and wonderful waterfront property, as well as a low cost of living, but we pushed hard to make ourselves more visible,” Henderson says. “In 2007 we posted a record year, closing on eight industrial projects in 10 months. We needed to do that, we were able to do that, and we still

have a lot of industrial property available. So we’re going to keep pushing.”

Alliance staffers learned quickly that landing one major company often leads to more nibbles from other industries. That’s been the case with Crete Carrier Corp., which is locating its new, $8.4 million maintenance facility on the former Atomic Speedway site.

“When they made their announcement, our phones started ringing,” Henderson says. “And then we got to share with more people that we have nine interchanges off I-40. That’s the name of the game.”

Being nimble in such situations – and simultaneously promoting the county’s largest employer, Oak Ridge National Laboratory – has worked well for the Alliance.

“We use our location and our workforce the most in recruiting,” Henderson says. “Because of ORNL, we have more Ph.D.s per square mile than anywhere else in the country, and then there’s the tech support that those people require. We have a very interesting and unique workforce, because we also have more traditional, blue-collar workers in our other industries.”

Factor in Roane State Community College, the nearby University of Tennessee and other educational centers that can double as workforce-training centers, and you’ve got even more to brag about.

“We have a pretty convincing argument all the way around,” Henderson says. “There are a lot of things here that make us a competitor even in a very competitive market.”

– Joe Morris

Uniting Around a Shared Goal

Roane Alliance staff, clockwise from left: Tami Wright, Allen Lutz, Pam May,

Paulette Ray, Wanda Pinkerton, Teresa Jackson, Leslie Henderson B

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ROANE ALLIANCE TAKES A TEAM APPROACH TO TOURISM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT


Business | Chamber Report

BUSINESS CLIMATEAs home to the internationally known Oak Ridge National

Laboratory, as well as being in close proximity to Interstate 40,

I-75 and other major transportation thoroughfares, Roane County

succeeds in attracting regional and national companies to its

industrial parks and other commercial developments.

ROANE COUNTY

TAXES

2.5%County Sales Tax

7.0%State Sales Tax

RETAIL DEVELOPMENT

Roane County is experiencing

significant growth, much of it

coming from baby boomers.

This population is responding

to the explosion of higher-end

residential development

being built in Roane County.

Many of these developments

front the scenic Watts Bar

Lake. Some of the

developments include:

*Rarity Ridge, a sprawling

1,400-acre development with

2,800 residential units, priced

from $130,000 to $500,000

*Ladd Landing, an 800-acre

waterfront development for

600 corporate and community

condominiums (starting at

$175,000), along with 400

residential units (starting at

$300,000)

*Grande Vista Bay, a

multimillion-dollar gated

community with 500-plus,

high-end residential units

along 10 miles of lakefront,

accessed off Exit 350 from

Pine Ridge Road to U.S. 70

*A new $500 million premiere

golf course/luxury residential

development with some 1,700

residential units on the Roane/

Loudon County line

TRANSPORTATION

McGhee Tyson Airport

www.tys.org

Rockwood Municipal Airport

(865) 354-3023

INDUSTRIAL SITES

With six convenient and

afford able industrial parks,

Roane County has a site that’s

perfect for your current and

future business needs.

www.roanealliance.org/

industrial/

ECONOMIC RESOURCES

Roane Alliance

1209 N. Kentucky St.

Kingston, TN 37763

(865) 376-2093


GOVERNMENT OFFICES

Roane County Courthouse

200 E. Race St.

Kingston, TN 37763

(865) 376-5578

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MAJOR EMPLOYERS

Company No. of Employees

UT Batelle (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) 4,200

Roane County Government 1,629(including Roane County Schools)

Bechtel Jacobs – Heritage Center 1,200

Wackenhut 902

Kimble Chase 464

Roane Medical Center 400

Walmart 325

TVA Steam Plant 310

EnergySolutions 275

The H.T. Hackney Co. 238


Business | Economic Profile


Many Roane County residents are graduates of Midway High School, which has been around

since 1947. Which just might explain the school’s strong community support.

“There’s a lot of history,” says Scott Mason, principal of Midway High School. “Some of our students’ parents and grandparents have gone here, so the com-munity feels a certain sense of ownership in the school – as it should.”

That support has helped Midway get some national recognition.

The school recently earned a bronze medal designation on U.S. News and World Report’s 2009 list of America’s Best High Schools. Mason attributes the ranking to several factors, including the school’s small size – a student population of just 286 – a dedicated faculty and a supportive community. Additionally, 80 percent of the faculty has a master’s degree or higher, and the administration is always on the lookout for ways to improve and expand its offerings.

For instance, in 2008 Midway added new classes to its curriculum, including multimedia, creative writing, physics, health sciences, criminal justice and networking. Part of the Roane County Schools system, Midway also has access to neighboring Hamilton County’s Virtual School, a program that allows students to take some classes through the Internet.

“We also have the dual-enrollment program with Roane State Community College,” Mason says. This allows students to earn college credit by taking college classes concurrently with their last two years of high school.

“This year we have 11 students taking college-level classes,” he says. “Another option is the co-op program, where sen-iors can leave school to go to work for half a day and earn high school credit.”

Many Midway students take advantage of the school’s career technical education offerings, such as agriculture, business and technology, marketing, and family and consumer science. And many make

use of Tennessee’s HOPE Scholarship to help them go on to college.

“The whole purpose is to give students career options,” Mason says.

Sports are big at Midway, too, despite the small student body. Athletes can take part in football, baseball, softball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls golf, and girls soccer.

But Midway isn’t the only school that’s f lourishing in the region. The entire Roane County Schools system enjoys an excellent reputation. Director of Schools Dr. Toni H. McGriff has been on the job for four years now and has brought system-wide improvements to the district.

“Under the guidance of our new superintendent, the schools have done exceptionally well – especially in the elementary schools with reading,” Mason says. “Test scores have also improved. In east Tennessee, we’re ranked in the top four school systems based on our test scores.”

– Carol Cowan

School Is Small but MightyMIDWAY HIGH SCHOOL EARNS NATIONAL RANKING ON ‘BEST HIGH SCHOOLS’ LIST

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Midway High School science teacher Shawn Hirt uses an interactive whiteboard to brief his class before an exam.


Education

Higher Education Options

Higher education is within

easy reach of Roane

County residents.

Roane State Community

College has nine locations

across east Tennessee, and its

flagship Roane County campus

is on Patton Lane in Harriman.

Roane State’s two-year

academic transfer program

offers general education

courses in humanities,

mathematics, natural sciences

and social sciences.

The college has articulation

agreements with many

universities throughout the state

– including nearby UT Knoxville

– to make transferring to a four-

year institution an easy,

seamless transition. Programs

at Roane State include business

management, office

administration, accounting,

criminal justice, early childhood

education, general technology,

paralegal studies and health

sciences programs such as

dental hygiene, nursing,

emergency medical technology

(EMT) and more. The college

also offers athletics (baseball,

softball and basketball) and

theater and music programs.

A number of non-credit,

continuing-education courses

also are available.

Visit www.roanestate.edu

for more information.

Also in Harriman, the

Tennessee Technology Center

offers eight full-time technology

programs in addition to

customized workforce training

for area industries.

Visit www.ttcharriman.edu

for more information.


www.eap.gov/radon

The Mike “Brillo” Miller Sportspark in Rockwood has put Roane County on the regional and national map for youth sports.

The sportspark’s four softball fields, one baseball diamond and one regula tion soccer field have become gathering spots for local and regional teams and national tournaments.

The sportsplex opened in the mid-1990s to help grow local sporting opportunities and bring in some national sports and tourism business as well, says Tom Pierce, director of the Rockwood Recreation Board.

“When Mayor Miller came up with the idea, everybody got on board, and it just went ahead full blast,” says Pierce, who has been with the city for 23 years and took the helm of the Rockwood Recreation Board in February 2009. “It was very successful immediately, and we’ve been busy out there ever since.”

One of the facility’s biggest boosters is Dr. Dave “Doc” Roberts, who has worked through the years to bring multiple youth baseball tournaments to the city, including National Youth Baseball’s “14U Elite Battle of the South,” a series of tournaments for youth baseball teams.

Along with Roberts’ efforts to land the tournament series,

the NYB also has high praise for Rockwood itself, saying in a testimonial that the city’s recreation officials “work from day-light to almost daylight preparing and maintaining the fields.”

“One year, games started at 8 a.m., and due to numerous rain delays, the last game that day (actually, the next day) ended at 3:30 a.m.,” the testimonial continues. “Just four hours later, the fields were playable for the new day. No matter what field you get, you can be sure it will be ready for the intense competition of the Battle.”

That kind of praise is due to Robin Wampler, Pierce’s predecessor, and Pierce says he hopes to continue building on the quality for which the city’s facilities have become known.

“He and the staff have worked hard on these tournaments, and now we’re going to work to keep it all going,” Pierce says. “It seems like there’s always somebody playing at one of the fields, or in the community center. And we’re going to make sure that both of the facilities remain ready for use and in good condition.”

The city’s other sports center is the Rockwood Community Center, open since the mid-1970s. This popular spot includes a full gymnasium, outdoor swimming pool and community meeting rooms. – Joe Morris

Sportspark Is a Grand SlamROCKWOOD FACILITY HOSTS NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL TOURNAMENTS

Mike “Brillo” Miller Sportspark in Rockwood has attracted national sports and tourism business.

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Sports & Recreation

Once a small community hos-pital, the Harriman-based Roane Medical Center has

grown into a full-service health-care facility offering a full range of diagnostic and treatment services.

Now the hospital is firming up plans to build a new $55 million medical center that will replace the current facility within the next five years, says hospital spokeswoman Nancy Harrison.

That’s good news for residents, who have been used to receiving top-notch care from their local hospital for decades.

Roane Medical Center was established in 1938. Seventy years later, the 150-bed hospital has acquired spe cialized medi-cal and diagnostic services, including an MRI and CAT scanning equipment.

In 2008, the hospital joined in partnership with Covenant Health, a Knoxville-based, community-owned health system that provides compre-hensive health services in six acute-care hospitals and a number of primary care clinics throughout East Tennessee.

The partnership enables the first major construction project at the hos-pital in decades. Plans call for a brand-new facility and phased-out use of the existing building, Harrison says.

The partnership also gives Roane County residents access to a larger network of primary-care and specialty physicians included in the Covenant Health network.

While the new facility will include state-of-the-art medical care, Roane County Medical Center remains, as it always has, committed to its community roots. The hospital and its leaders have

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Harriman-based Roane Medical Center, established in 1938, is a full-service, 150-bed medical center. A new, $55 million facility is in the planning stages.

long participated in community activities and in private-public partnerships, such as The Roane Alliance, that promote community development.

In addition to inpatient care, the Roane Medical Center provides a 24-hour Emergency Department renovated in the 1990s, heart and lung services, reha-bilitation programs, a geriatric mental health program, industrial medicine,

same-day surgery, transportation services and a women’s center.

The hospital also offers The Wellness Center – a fitness facility that provides instruction and guidance in a wide variety of fitness services, including a weight room, resistance training, cardio-vascular machines, specialty classes and weight reduction through exercise.

– Anita Wadhwani

Medical Center Moves ForwardNEW $55 MILLION FACILITY WILL REPLACE CURRENT BUILDING WITHIN FIVE YEARS


Health & Wellness

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A Harriman theater with a storied past is taking on new life as a regional arts and education center that is revitalizing downtown while creating a community

resource that serves seven surrounding counties. The Princess Harriman Theatre first opened in 1926.

Destroyed by fire an unlucky 13 years later, the Princess was rebuilt by Paramount Studios in the glamorous Art Deco design it still bears today.

Then, in 1999, the theater closed after its manager retired. It has stood empty in downtown Harriman ever since.

Now a regional effort – including the education, arts and business communities – is working to raise the curtain again on the once-glittering night-out destination.

“We think for any community, the key to its survival and growth is community involvement and education,” says Gary Baker, a local businessman who is helping spearhead reno-vation of the theater. “It’s not just about the building; it’s about revitalizing downtown through the education and the arts, and involving a whole seven-county region.”

The plans are ambitious. Not only will the 900-seat theater get a facelift, but there also will be a conference center, space for community-access television studios, an FM radio station and a regional conference center.

A partnership that includes the Princess Theatre backers, Roane State Community College, the Roane County Schools,

the city of Harriman, the Tennessee Technology Center and individual citizens aims to raise $1.9 million for the project through the Princess Theatre Foundation.

Baker purchased the building along with Muse Watson, notorious for his “bad guy” portrayals in Hollywood films such as I Know What You Did Last Summer and TV shows such as “NCIS” and “Prison Break.”

While fundraising is ongoing as the theater awaits retro-fitting and remodeling, Baker says the Princess Theater is already alive once more. The foundation is hosting arts education presentations in local classrooms, and Baker is busy working on grants.

Residents have posted memories of the theater on a blog the foundation set up to report on its progress.

“My fondest memories are of being at the Princess watching great old ’50s and ’60s movies,” one poster says. “I remember the popcorn smell of the theater and the sticky/tacky touch of the floor between the seats and the little squishy sounds it made when you walked over it. I remember the low hum of teenage voices, just under the movie sounds, whispering in the ears of their dates or remarks made out loud meant to make an impression on some pretty girl.”

Baker says his mission is to create similar memories for the next generation of Princess theatergoers.

– Anita Wadhwani

The Princess Will Reign AgainREGIONAL COMMUNITY EFFORT WORKS TO RESTORE BELOVED HARRIMAN THEATER

A seven-county effort is in the works to restore and revitalize the 900-seat Princess Theater in downtown Harriman.

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Arts & Culture

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Image Gallery


Blue Springs Marina in Ten Mile


PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

Sunset on Watts Bar Lake


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City of Rockwoodwww.rockwoodtn.org

Laura‘s Liquor & Wine Store

Quality Inn & Rodeway Inn www.caneycreekinn.com

©2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.

questions answers

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r . o r g

ROANE COUNTY

CLIMATE OVERVIEW

Nestled between the foothills

of the Great Smoky Mountains

and the Cumberland Plateau,

Roane County enjoys

temperate weather much of

the year. The gardening and

growing season is lengthy

here due to the climate and

the variety of annual and

perennial plants and flowers

that thrive in the area.

25 FJanuary Low Temperature

45 FJanuary High Temperature

64 FJuly Low Temperature

EDUCATIONAL OVERVIEW

Roane County benefits from

a quality public county school

system. The area’s students

consistently score well on

state and federal tests, and

they reap the benefits

of having the University of

Tennessee, the Oak Ridge

National Laboratory and

many postgraduate-degreed

professionals in the region.

AVERAGE HOME PRICE

$165,935

MEDICAL SERVICES OVERVIEW

Roane County is served by several major medical centers in nearby Knox County, as well as its own Roane Medical Center and several emergency and outpatient facilities.

ARTS AND CULTURE

Arts and Culturewww.roanetourism.com/events/

Roane State CommunityCollege Theatre276 Patton LaneHarriman, TN 37748(865) 354-3000 ext. 4536www.rscc.cc.tn.us

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SNAPSHOTWith part of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

within its boundaries – and close proximity to the University of

Tennessee’s flagship campus in Knoxville – Roane County has more

Ph.D.s per capita than any other city in the United States. The county

is known for its diverse workforce and excellent quality of life.

Community Profile



www.cancer.org

Ad Index C4 CITY OF ROCKWOOD

21 LAURA’S LIQUOR &

WINE STORE

15 QUALITY INN &

RODEWAY INN

www.rockwoodtn.org

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Images Roane County, TN: 2009