Community News

Jonesborough’s Classic Car Cruise-In at the Chuckey Depot Museum is set to take place again on Saturday, Sept. 21

From STAFF REPORTS

Jonesborough’s Classic Car Cruise-In at the Chuckey Depot Museum is set to take place again on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. and will continue until the third Saturday of October. Don’t miss this great opportunity to view some of the rarest, vintage cars within the Northeast Tennessee region. Jump back in time by listening to ’60’s, ’70s and ’80s music while enjoying great food from a local vendor. It’s also a good chance to tour the Chuckey Depot Museum, which is currently featuring a new “Clinchfield Railroad” exhibit.

If you are the proud owner of a classic or unique car and would like to show it off, please arrive at the museum at 4:30 p.m. for check-in. It is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket, as seating for the event is limited. This is a family-friendly event that is open-to-the-public but donations are kindly accepted in order to support the Chuckey Depot Museum at Jonesborough.

The Chuckey Depot Museum at Jonesborough is located at 110 Second Avenue, Jonesborough. For more information, please call the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at (423) 753-1010.

Logan Stevenson, fourth grade, takes advantage of a handy shovel and wheel barrow to help with the planting.

By MARINA WATERS

Staff Writer

mwaters@heraldandtribune.com

There’s one towering pine tree standing next to Fall Branch School, but in a few years, two more will grow roots and stand tall alongside it.

The same could be said for the 25 students who transferred to Fall Branch School this year after West Pines Elementary in Greene County closed. In honor of those new Fall Branch students, the school planted two pine trees during a ceremony on Friday.

“We had the opportunity this year to welcome about 25 students from West Pines in Greene County,” Fall Branch Principal Mark Merriman said. “We’re a community school and we’re sad to hear that West Pines had to close, but it’s our pleasure to welcome 25 students.

“Since the beginning of the school year, we’ve made opportunities for our teachers to get to know them and for other students to welcome them. It’s been a wonderful blending of different school communities.”

To help acclimate the new students, who each took turns shoveling dirt into the holes for the new trees, Merriman said he met the new families and visited West Pines before its closure. That’s when the idea for the tree planting ceremony was born.

“One of the things I recognized when I drove out to West Pines about two months ago when I heard the unfortunate news is out front of West Pines is a whole grove of pine trees,” Merriman said. “I thought it would be really special for our students to drive by Fall Branch in 20 to 30 years and see some pine trees that they planted and remember Fall Branch fondly as a time that, even though their school closed, they started a new journey with us in Cardinal country.”

Fall Branch students gather in anticipation of the tree planting ceremony to welcome former Greene County students.

Each former West Pines student shared what they missed most from their old school with the crowd. Mentions of old friends and teachers were quietly shared into the microphone as the two trees were planted on the Fall Branch campus.

“My biggest hope is that the students understand that even though one journey ends at one school, a new one has begun and they will always have a place at Fall Branch,” Merriman said. “Like all community schools, we’re all in this together. That’s what we wanted to do with planting the pine trees today.”

Small schools such as Fall Branch share that fear of closure, but Merriman said he felt the small but mighty school at the corner of Washington County had enough support from the community and the county to keep its doors open for years to come.

“I’m very fortunate and blessed to be in a school community where we don’t really worry about closure,” Merriman said. “The Washington County Commission invested $90,000 in our beautiful new parking lot a few years ago and we’ve have a $15,000 security update. I welcomed three new teachers to the staff this year due to the influx. I don’t see any future in us closing any time soon.”

Whether a student is born and raised in Washington County or from any of the neighboring counties that are just a short drive from the school, Merriman said the school welcomes any students into the small but supportive Fall Branch community.

“One of the things the parents tell us at Fall Branch is that we’re one of the best kept secrets in Washington County,” Merriman said. “It’s a public school that feels like a private school in that most of our classes are kept at really low student to teacher ratios. We’re also in a beautiful 80-year-old building that’s been well-maintained. And we’ve had 150 years in this community, so we’re one of the most established schools in this area.”

From STAFF REPORTS

This month, the Yarn Exchange Radio Show has cooked up lots of hilarious stories about secrets — some about cooking and most about life.

On Monday, Sept. 23, beginning at 7 p.m. at the International Storytelling Center, the monthly radio show will present local stories that have been collected by local cooks, barbecue masters, chefs, grandmothers, church potlucks and neighborhood socials.

While the phrase “Cooking is Love” is a well-known adage, in this region, cooking is a competitive sport, and all means of protective charms and defenses have been put in place through the generations in order to hold onto the secret family recipes.

For this show, however, some light has been shed on these long-held secrets of community members. Hear all about the “tart of the town,” take a guess of exactly what kind of meat was used in the winning entry for the church chili cook-off, and discover why Charlotte could never quite replicate that recipe that aunt Gertrude wrote down for her.

Joining the cast this month is special musical guest Nate Harris of Boone, North Carolina. This singer-songwriter brings his original folk and country music to the stage with a sound that is grown from his home in western North Carolina.

Tickets are available by calling (423) 753-1010 or online at Jonesborough.com/tickets. This StoryTown production is sponsored in part by a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission.

From STAFF REPORTS

As a service to our citizens, the Johnson City Police Department will offer free safety awareness training 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at Memorial Park Community Center dining room, 510 Bert St., Johnson City.

This two-hour training will enhance awareness on how individuals should prepare, prevent, and react during a shooting or mass attack in business settings or other environments. JCPD officers who have received specialized training on providing instructions to civilians, business owners and their employees, and religious organizations will conduct this training.

“We are proactively partnering with the community to raise awareness on safety options in a worst case scenario. These incidents can happen anywhere and adversely impact the quality of life. We want our community to know how to react and how law enforcement would respond should an incident occur,” Chief Karl Turner said.

Topics covered will include: the history of these events, civilian response options, information about the body’s physiological response to stressful situations, what to expect from law enforcement when they respond, and what officials need from the public in order to control the situation as safe and quickly as possible.

Participants must be at least 18 to attend. Seating is limited and preregistration is required. Please register by contacting Planning and Research Manager Heather Brack at (423)434-6105 or hbrack@johnsoncitytn.org.

From STAFF REPORTS

Eighteen years ago, staff at the Herald & Tribune scrambled to cover a story they could not have even imagined. Terrorists had attacked New York’s Twin Towers, and then the Pentagon.

Far from its usual fare of community board meetings and school events, the paper’s in-process front page article that week would instead reflect the nation. But General Manager Lynn Richardson and Managing Editor Bryan Stevens knew, even at that moment, that the Sept. 11 events they were watching unfold were going to impact every small community across America. And they knew they had to report it.

“It always happened somewhere else,” Richardson wrote in an editorial in the H&T, published on Sept. 12, 2001. “We’ve watched newscasts, read articles for years, shaking our heads. Poor souls in other countries, dealing with terrorists in their backyards, attack after attack.

“But somehow it never seemed quite real.”

Now, as reported on the front page that day, this time it was real.

“At press time,” the Page 1A article stated,” the United States had suffered two horrendous terrorist attacks. Apparently, each tower in the 110-story World Trade Center was struck by planes, possibly piloted by suicide bombers.

“Just as reports on the World Trade Center began to circulate, new reports also revealed that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.”

Richardson dubbed the attacks as the start of a “frightening new era.”

“Today terrorism came to our front door,” she wrote. “It came to our nation’s largest city. It came to our nation’s capitol. Horrified, we gathered around a small television set in the office. We stood in disbelief as we watched billowing black towers of smoke rise, slowly unveiling unspeakable destruction.”

As of that day, she said, America’s children had a new kind of fear, that at any time and any place, something like this could occur.

But they would also come to witness a type of heroism that had not been seen before as well.

Today, on Sept. 11, 2019, the Herald & Tribune remembers. And says thank you.

By LISA WHALEY

Publisher

lwhaley@heraldandtribune.com

The opening of a new Jackson Theatre for downtown Jonesborough showed signs of picking up steam last week when new construction projects resulted in detoured traffic for part of Main Street.

“They have the roof completely off of the Jackson,” Town Operations Manager Craig Ford said Thursday. “They were working on getting those big bridge trusses out and setting the metal across the front wall at the same time.”

The use of the crane on Main Street was reason for the road closing in downtown last week.

The large crane on Main Street, necessary to complete the task, was the reason for the detoured traffic.

This theatre project in Jonesborough, a longtime dream of town officials and residents alike, includes the restoration and renovation of the Jackson Theatre on Main Street, as well as its expansion to include the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre and Stage Door – all to create a brand-new, state-of-the-art, Jonesborough theater complex expected to transform downtown.

And while things may not be moving at lightning speed at this stage, Town Administrator Bob Browning remains excited about the plans.

“We have a contract with GRC contracting out of Kingsport, and we’re feeling very fortunate to have them,” said Browning. The town itself is acting as the project’s main contractor, with GRC overseeing much of the structural repairs.

“GRC are a great contractor and they communicate with us really well,” Browning added.  “They have been very sensitive about having to go in and put a new structural system against the walls and begin to tie that in without knocking the walls down.”

Browning paused and grinned.

“They’re response to getting that first phase in was: ‘It went great. We didn’t knock any walls out.’”

The town is still shooting for a late 2020 opening date for the Jackson Theatre.

John M. Reed Center Chief Executive Officer Jim McComas cuts the ribbon for the center’s new Memory Care unit.

By LORELEI GOFF

Special to the H&T

The John M. Reed Center welcomed the community to an open house for its new Memory Care unit on Thursday, Aug. 22. Director Brittany Boles estimated that about 100 people attended the open house, which included a ribbon cutting, buffet style dinner with live piano music and tours of the facility.

The Memory Care unit is a secured unit that provides appropriate care for each level of dementia using the GEMS designation, a sequence of precious gems such as pearl, diamond and emerald, to create a standard of care designed for the particular needs of patients at each stage.

Freewill Baptist Ministries bought the center three years ago following the shut down of the at-that-time nursing home under previous management and reopened it nearly two years ago as an assisted living facility. There are currently 20 residents in the assisted living wings and 7 in the Memory Care wing.

Chief Executive Officer Jim McComas cut the ribbon for the new unit in front of the large stone fireplace in the Memory Care living room, flanked by Director of Assisted Living Johnnie Lyons, Director of Nursing Cassie Starnes, Chief Operating Officer Jim Robinette and Director Brittany Boles.

“I think it’s appropriate as we cut this that these two ladies are holding this

ribbon because it is due to their great work and the great staff here that this day is possible,” McComas said of Lyons and Boles. “This is a great day.”

McComas offered a prayer of dedication, giving thanks and asking a blessing on the staff and`that the facility would be a place of happiness and peace for residents and their families.

“We’re super excited to be having this event today and for the turnout we’ve had from the community” said Boles. “We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for the community support and the support of our vendors. We’re excited to offer these memory care services along with our assisted living. This is something that’s a real need in our area. We’ve seen that as we’ve talked with families.”

“The Freewill Baptist Ministries has been a part of my life since I was a little girl,” she added. “Being able to have such a large part in opening this new community within John M. Reed, it means the world to me. We’re here to help people.”

The original construction, which consisted of one wing of the present facility, opened in the early 1950s. Additions enlarged the facility during the 1970s and 1990s. Completion of a hallway in the Memory Care unit this fall will complete the total renovation of the building.

There are 13 apartments in new memory care wing. Residents can join assisted living residents in the atrium for fine dining and events and they have access to the secured and enclosed courtyard, where they are always accompanied by staff. The Memory Care dining room serves as an activity center. Sensory stations are set up around the room to stimulate residents’ memories and help engage them in conversation.

The Memory Care wing is staffed separately from assisted living, with a nurse and two aids round the clock. Assisted Living is also staffed with a nurse and two aids.

Freewill Baptist Family Ministries Director of Assisted Living Johnnie Lyons described the renovated center as a fulfillment of the mission of its namesake, John M. Reed, whom she described as a caring and dedicated man.

“John Reed gave the land and it was built by the Brethren (Church), Lyons said. “His mission was — and these are his words, not mine — that the old people of this community would have a home to go to.”

She added, “We’re trying to make it very homey and very special.”

Morgan Wallen is returning to East Tennessee to savor home and share his music.

By MARINA WATERS

Staff Writer

mwaters@heraldandtribune.com

Country star Morgan Wallen will soon have 200 shows behind him on the year. The next two years of his life are booked with shows opening for the likes of Luke Combs and Florida Georgia Line. But for Wallen, it’s never hard to fit an East Tennessee show in a busy tour schedule when it always feels like coming home.

“Sometimes we’ll have five shows a week,” Wallen told the Herald & Tribune. “This week we’ve got like nine shows in 11 days. It’s a lot but I’m enjoying it. It’s cool to see everybody across the country knowing and loving the music we put out. Anytime I get a chance to come back to home it’s special for me. Especially if I’m doing my job while I’m there. I love Tennessee. I don’t think I’ll every leave. I love to come back.”

This year, Wallen, who recently gained his second No. 1 with “Whiskey Glasses” after his first hit featuring Florida Georgia Line titled “Up Down”, will get his chance to come home to East Tennessee on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the Appalachian Fair in Gray.

For the Sneedville native, it’s not only a Tennessee mountain silhouette that will welcome him home — it’ll also be memories of growing up going to the fair with a lit up ferris wheel in the distance.

“I enjoy it. I grew up going to the fair so it’s cool for me to be in that atmosphere,” Wallen said. “I think it’s a little bit more family oriented too. I remember growing up being with my family. Those are memories that they get to have forever and I get to be a small part of that. I take it just as seriously and enjoy it just as much as any other show. Any time I get to play my music and hopefully touch somebody with it is special for me.”

Playing music is something he’s done quite a bit in his career opening for artists such as Jake Owen and Luke Bryan. In October he’ll also join Luke Combs on the fall leg of his sold-out “Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour”.

“I’m looking forward to that,” Wallen said. “I’ve never actually played a show with Luke before. He’s obviously on fire. He’s the biggest thing in country music right now so I’m super pumped to be a part of that tour. Other than that, I’ve been writing songs a little bit, I’ve been fishing a little bit if I get a chance. But that’s about all I’ve got time for.”

Wallen’s music contains hooks that are heard through radio speakers and sung at live shows across the country, but for the 26-year old singer, who sports a mullet and a routine sleeveless flannel shirt, most of the songs from his debut album, “If I Know Me,” started with thoughts of home.

“Pretty much every song has some sort of small town memory of East Tennessee in it. It’s a huge part of who I am,” Wallen said. “My family is still there. I think about that often when I’m writing songs. I try to go back to those memories growing up. It’s very important. I notice that people really do relate to that. It’s honest and it comes from my heart and I think that’s what’s most important.”

Wallen has also written songs recorded by artists such as Dustin Lynch, Kane Brown and Jason Aldean who just celebrated his most recent No. 1, “You Make It Easy”, which was co-written by Wallen and Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley from Florida Georgia Line.

“I’ll have my version and it’s awesome to hear someone else put their spin on it, especially someone like Jason Aldean,” Wallen said. “I grew up listening to Jason Aldean. I never thought I would write a song for Jason Aldean. It’s cool that he loved it that much and decided to do it. At radio it’s been really successful. It’s been really cool to see that be one of his biggest songs of his career. I’m just happy to say I had a small hand in it.”

When Wallen makes his Appalachian Fair debut, he won’t be the only hit songwriter to take the stage; the county artist will be joined by HARDY (Michael Hardy), the singer/songwriter who has penned No. 1 songs like “God’s County” by Blake Shelton, “Talk You Out Of It” by Florida Georgia Line, “I Don’t Know About You” by Chris Lane and Wallen’s first hit, “Up Down”.

“HARDY is one of my best friends and not just in music but in life,” Wallen said. “Pretty much since the day we met, we knew we were pretty kindred spirits. He inspires me everyday and I hope I do the same. There’s no one more talented than him in my opinion. Right now, I’d have a hard time saying there’s a better songwriter than him in Nashville. I’m just glad life put us together. That’s something that I felt like I needed. I’m thankful for it.”

Writing songs and putting out songs like his latest single, “Chasing You”, is a big thing to Wallen. But for the East Tennessee country singer, the crowd staring back at him while on stage is a nightly reminder of why he does what he does and its importance.

“I give (shows) everything I’ve got every night. I just want people to have a good time,” Wallen said. “I want people to leave and feel like they experienced something they couldn’t have experienced anywhere else. I just try to go out there and be myself and give it hell. I just want people to know that I appreciate them being there and also I know that I’m there to entertain them. I feel like it’s a huge responsibility. They spent their hard earned money to be there to spend that night with me. It’s a big thing for me. I take it seriously.”

A Bagel Pop-Up is returning to downtown Jonesborough.

By LORELEI GOFF

Special to the H&T

The delicious aromas of The Corner Cup will become even more enticing on Sunday, Aug. 18, when the coffee shop, known as the living room of Jonesborough, hosts a second Small Batch Bagel Pop-Up event. The event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. is the fruit of a partnership between The Corner Cup, Lazy Lady Bakery, local artisan Will Manning and Mountain Harvest Kitchen, located in Unicoi.The success of the first Bagel Pop-Up held in April spurred the upcoming event.

“The first event sold out and there was a line out the door,” said Will Manning, who owns Heartwood Forge, where he designs and produces kitchen cutlery. Manning is also married to Mountain Harvest Director Lee Manning.

“It was great to see that support.”

The partnership started when Marin Close of Lazy Lady Bakery, who Corner Cup patrons may know through the baked goods she provides for them, and Manning met through mutual friends and farmers markets.

Manning had been indulging his passion for baking bagels by experimenting with several recipes and artisan baking techniques by baking several batches a year for friends. He found himself limited to baking them in the winter because his cooler couldn’t hold them all and he had to proof, or let them rise, in the bed of his pickup truck.

That all changed when he connected with Close, an anchor client of Mountain Harvest Kitchen, and the two began using the kitchen. Manning credits Close with bringing her professional baking skills to their finished product but Close says baking bagels is Manning’s superpower and is teaching her the ropes. When the time came to share the fruit of their labor, Manning, who lives within walking distance of downtown Jonesborough, suggested the town would be the perfect backdrop to their venture. Close proposed approaching The Corner Cup and a community event was born.

“It’s a product of love and care, quality ingredients, hand rolling, lots of effort and love and trying to share it with a really great community,” said Close. “Local food is a big reason that I wanted to do this but also being a part of such a close community and being able to share something I love to do with all of them is really great, and collaborating with a friend is also fun. We’re going to keep doing it.”

What makes their bagels unique to the area is the freshness.

“It’s rare outside of New York City that one can find bagels that were baked that morning,” said Manning. “When we bring them from the kitchen, they’re still warm from the oven.”

The baking duo use locally sourced ingredients as much as possible and have some unique flavors to offer.

“We have three or four flavor combinations but by far the best is a jalapeno-sriracha combo,” said Manning. “I’ve never seen this topping combination in a bagel shop anywhere. We put jalapenos, sriracha, and sharp cheddar cheese on them before we bake them. There’s something about that burning sensation from the jalapenos and the savoriness of the melted cheese.”

They make a garden veggie and herb cream cheese with a special twist. The concoction includes a fresh taste of cucumber.

“We take cucumbers and wring the moisture out of them so just the essence of the cucumber  remains,” explained Manning. 

Plain, everything and possibly poppy seed bagels will also be available.

The Corner Cup’s owner, Deborah Kruse, is looking forward to bringing people together and promoting local business with the event.

“It’s important to us here to support local foods, local bakers and local farmers,” Kruse said.

In addition to the regular menu of beverages, The Corner Cup will be offering specialty drinks for the occasion, including real fruit smoothies.

Manning said the event couldn’t happen without the Corner Cup and Mountain Harvest Kitchen.

“This event is really a prime example of how the Mountain Harvest Kitchen its integral to the changing food scene in the Tri-Cities area,” he said.

Visitors will have the chance to sample a rainbow of flavors at this year’s Scoop Fest.

From STAFF REPORTS

Scoop Fest is returning to Tennessee’s oldest town on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 3 to 6 p.m. There will be more than 30 flavors of ice cream to sample throughout Main Street shops and eateries.

Tastings will include flavors that range from traditional to unexpectedly delicious and everything in between.

A new feature to Scoop Fest will be the Chuckey Depot Sundae Station, where festival-goers can build their own ice cream sundae in front of the Chuckey Depot Museum.

Additional family fun will be found throughout downtown Jonesborough. The little ones will have a chance to meet the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre Princesses, Judy Butterfly will be doing free face painting, Jonesborough Elementary school staff will be at the Visitors Center handing out free books and the famous Book Mobile will be in the Visitors Center parking lot.

Ticket packs are available in increments of 15 tickets for $10. Each tasting will require one ticket. It is recommended to purchase tickets online as there will be a limited amount of tickets available. Scoop Fest begins at 3 p.m. but ticket pickup will begin at 2 p.m. in front of the Courthouse.

To purchase tickets, go to jboscoopfest.com. You can also call the Visitors Center at (423) 753-1010. This event is sponsored by Blue Bell Ice Cream and Jonesborough Area Merchants and Services Association.

Mountain Dew received its mark in history with a Tennessee Historical Marker.

By CHAD FRED BAILEY

On Friday, July 17, at a 9 a.m. ceremony, one area drink received its mark in history with a Tennessee Historical Marker. “Johnson City: Home of Mountain Dew” Tennessee Historical Marker at the corner of Cherokee Street and West Walnut Street in the corner of the Tree Streets Historic District became the 58th Tennessee Historical Marker dedicated within Washington County. The Home of the Dew has been a controversial discussion for years, with Marion, Virginia and Johnson City, Tennessee both claiming the designation, yet the Tennessee Historical Commission issued the final decision with the approval of this marker.

According to the marker, Tri-City Bottling Company, owned and operated by Charles O. Gordon, became the first to bottle what would become Mountain Dew in 1954, but it would not be until 1958, when plant manager, Bill Bridgeforth developed a new citrus-lemonade flavor drink called Tri-City Lemonade, which was placed in Mountain Dew in 1960. This flavor has been used in Mountain Dew ever since. In 1961, the rights of this formula were obtained by William H. “Bill” Jones of Tip Corporation of Marion, Virginia, who sold the formula to PepsiCo in 1964.

Since this time, Mountain Dew has become the third largest soda brand sold in the United States and continues to be a favorite of many within this area, even though it is no longer locally bottled. In 2012, PepsiCo introduced a Mountain Dew called Johnson City Gold in honor of its beginnings within Johnson City. In honor of the drink’s 65th birthday, the B. Carroll Reece Museum on the East Tennessee State University campus has opened an exhibit to honor the drink. ‘The Tri-City Beverage Story’ is an exhibit opened on Monday, July 22, and will run through Monday, Sept. 30, which features artifacts from local collectors of Dr. Enuf and Mountain Dew, showcasing the history of the drinks and the bottling company which made them.

Artists will be sharing their skills.

From STAFF REPORTS

Meet faculty, tour the building and get a discount on classes on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the McKinney Center during their Fall Open House and class demonstrations.

Attendees will have the opportunity to do hands on activities such as working with clay, print making, dancing, guitar, etc. Faculty who teach at the McKinney Center will be present to demonstrate what you will learn from the classes.

There is also an early bird discount of $10 off each class you register for between now and Aug.10. After Aug.10, the McKinney Center still offers a family or multi-class discount.  The first class is regular price and each additional class is $10 off.

Scholarships are also available for students kindergarten through 12th grade. Through a simple application process, each child in the family can receive a class tuition free. The scholarship covers all supplies for the class. Scholarship recipients and their families are asked to then volunteer 10 hours during the

Kelly Wolfe

By JOHN KIENER

Associate Editor

jkiener@heraldandtribune.com

Kelly Wolfe, a local developer and a former Jonesborough Mayor, has been appointed to the Tennessee Historical Commission.  Governor Bill Lee appointed Wolfe to the 29-member board recently as an East Tennessee representative.  His five-year term will expire on Feb. 11, 2024.

Wolfe was also appointed to the East Tennessee State University Board of Trustees by Lee.

“I have always had a great interest in history,” Kelly said in explaining why he accepted the Historical Commission appointment.  “Professionally, our company has undertaken several historic preservation and renovation projects and I wanted to continue pursuing something along those lines after my service as mayor.  Mark Hicks (former County Attorney from Jonesborough) helped inspire me with his service. He was a mentor of mine and he, too, served on the Historical Commission.

“In talking with Governor Lee,” Wolfe said, “I asked that if he had an opening on the State Historical Commission, to please consider me.” The commission is an independent state agency, administratively attached to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The Historical Commission has multiple programs related to historic preservation and history. The agency is directed to preserve, interpret, and administer historic places; to encourage the inclusive study of Tennessee history for the benefit of future generations and to mark important locations, persons and events in Tennessee history. 

Other responsibilities of the commission include assisting worthy publication projects; the reviewing, commenting on and identifying projects that will potentially impact historic properties and in the process nominating those that meet National Register Standards to the National Register of Historic Places.  There is also a State Register of historic sites. 

“We meet three times a year at various locations across Tennessee,” Wolfe said.  He believes his understanding of development and construction projects plus experiences as an elected Town of Jonesborough leader give him excellent qualifications for membership on the board.  “We have been doing more (in Tennessee’s Oldest Town) longer than anyone else to preserve these older buildings and our history.  When Governor Lee visited the town he saw the McKinney Center, Farmers Market and the restoration of several homes here.”

Wolfe admits he will have challenges serving on the 29 member commission consisting of 24 members equally divided among the three grand divisions of the state in addition to five ex officio members.  The ex-official members are the Governor, the State Historian, the State Archaeologist, the Commissioner of Environment and Conservation, and the State Librarian and Archivist.

“It is hard to imagine how long this state is,” Wolfe said. “There is a lot of ground to cover.  There are three distinct regions {East, Middle and West] with both rural and urban areas. And they all three were developed during different periods of time and have unique points of interest.  What they consider old in certain parts of the state might not be that old in Jonesborough.  It’s very exciting and interesting to learn the differences. The Commission deals with anything that has been designated historic or of historic significance in the entire state.”

FIRST COMMISSION MEETING

After attending his first meeting of the Historical Commission on June 21 at Baird Chapel on the campus of Cumberland University in Lebanon, Wolfe has a greater perspective of the staff duties and the use of financial resources in the agency’s $4,827,100.00 budget.  Included in the four-page Financial Statement was an $18,912.09 appropriation to the Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia for use at the Chester Inn and $14,339.98 for support of the Tipton-Haynes Historical Association.

Capital Projects in the State Historic Sites Report included a $300,000 rehabilitation project at the Chester Inn in Jonesborough that began in August 2018 and was completed in June of this year.  The historic window reconstructions involved Spanish Cedar and restoration glass and hardware. Dan Brown, the program director, said the project “has set a new standard for the quality and detailing of all our sites windows rehabilitations.” Wolfe agreed that the work on the Chester Inn was very high quality.  The Commission also approved the Heritage Alliance Operating Budget during Fiscal Year 2019-2020 for management at the historic Chester Inn owned by the state of $45,550.

He reported that the Tipton-Haynes rehabilitation project in Johnson City with an allotment of $750,000 was scheduled for public bid in July with work beginning in August.  The project’s completion date was set for the winter of 2020. Their Fiscal Year operating budget of $68,572.73 was also approved.

A mold remediation at Rocky Mount at Piney Flats in Sullivan County has required that the six HVAC units there be replaced.  An appropriation of $125,000 will be used for the work to be completed this summer. Brown said that “Their auditorium flooring has been replaced as well as mold remediation throughout the building and on 7,000 artifacts.”  The sum of $88,526.06 for the Fiscal Year’s Budget was also approved.

A historic paint finish conversation project in the kitchen at the Sabine Hill Historic Site in Elizabethton revealed that a second phase was needed, according to the Sites Report. “The work on the second phase should begin this fall,” Brown said.

MOUNTAIN DEW

Numerous Marker Recommendations were approved at the meeting. Of local interest was a “Birthplace of Mountain Dew “marker in Knoxville. The Commission report stated: “Mountain Dew was born right here in Knoxville at 1921 East Magnolia Avenue. This is the former home of Hartman Beverage, owned and operated by Barney and Ally Hartman. Here in 1948 the brothers created and trademarked the soft drink Mountain Dew as a clear lemon-line drink.”

The Marker continues: “The first franchise for Mountain Dew was issued in 1954 to Charlie Gordon’s Tri-City Beverage of Johnson City, Tennessee.  In 1958 Tri-City Plant Manager, Bill Bridgforth, developed a new citrus-lemonade flavor for Mountain Dew, which is the taste of Mountain Dew today.

“The Tip Corporation of Marion, Virginia obtained the rights to this formula. William H. ‘Bill’ Jones of the Tip Corporation further refined the formula launching a new version of Mountain Dew in 1961.  Three years later in 1964, the Pepsi-Cola Company acquired the production rights to the Mountain Dew brand from the Tip Corporation. Pepsi expanded distribution across the nation and it became the third biggest soft drink in the U.S.” [Coca-Cola and Pepsi–Cola are the number one and two soft drinks.]

The East Tennessee Historical Society in Knoxville, which is receiving $14,415.18 from the Historical Commission in an annual publication grant, is currently sponsoring a Mountain Dew exhibit in the Rogers-Claussen Feature Gallery of the organization at the East Tennessee History Center.   The museum display includes 232 artifacts that highlight the drink’s history.  Titled “It’ll Tickle Yore Innards,” the exhibition will run through Jan. 20, 2020.

On July 19 in Johnson City, at the corner of West Walnut and Cherokee Streets, a dedication of a Tennessee State Historic Marker naming Johnson City the “Home of Mountain Dew” took place.  Fred Sauceman, Associate Professor of Appalachian Studies and Director for WETS-FM, presided at the unveiling.  Chuck Gordon and Bill Bridgeforth, Jr. uncovered the marker that was followed by with a reception at the Carroll Reece Museum on the East Tennessee State University campus. The museum staff at the reception previewed an upcoming exhibit titled “The Tri-City Beverage Story: A history of Dr. Enuf and Mountain Dew.” 

Wolfe said he was fascinated by a number of other markers approved at the meeting, including one for Dixie Lee (1909-1952) who was Harry “Bing” Crosby’s wife and the mother of their four sons.  The marker is being placed in front of the house where she was born, Wilma W. Wyatt, in Harriman.

He also learned about the Middle Tennessee site of what was called the “Tennessee Maneuvers” by 850,000 soldiers under the direction of General George S. Patton who practiced for the invasion of Sicily starting in 1941.  The Wilson County Veterans Museum had an exhibit that extensively detailed this training operation.  “A Veterans Museum would be great for Washington County,” Wolfe said.

OTHER AGENDA ITEMS

  A Tennessee Wars Commission Report was included in the June meeting.  Wolfe said he anticipates discussions and action on the movement of Confederate monuments in Tennessee will be the subject of discussions at future meetings. Between Jan. 1 and April 31, Historic Preservation Specialist Jane Coleman-Cottone visited Jonesborough to conduct a formal four-year review of the town’s participation in the Certified Local Governments program.  Elizabethton in April submitted the necessary paperwork for designation as a CLG. A Tax Credit in the sum of $1,200,000 was applied for on behalf of the former Massengil Department Store, 244 E. Main Street, in Johnson City.   

Wolfe said he hopes the fact that Tennessee lacks state tax credits for preservation grants will be corrected while he is on the Historical Commission.  “History is a matter of perspective and we need to preserve it,” he noted.  “We assume that just because we may know our Tennessee history – that everybody does.  Part of our job as [Commission members] is to continually promote and tell the story of our unique Tennessee history so that future generations will have the benefit of the knowledge that we have been given.

From STAFF REPORTS

Movies on Main will kick off Summer Sunset Saturdays in Tennessee’s Oldest Town once again as folks enjoy downtown on Saturday evenings during the summer.

The event’s return was approved at Monday night’s Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.

On select Saturdays, Movies on Main will take place in front of the Lollipop Shop beginning with the popular Candy Bingo at 8 p.m. followed by a family-friendly movie at 8:30 p.m.

“The overall intent is to offer a free, family activity for local people, but to also encourage people who might be visiting Jonesborough to make a weekend out of it and stay in town,” Jeff Gurley, owner of The Lollipop Shop, said. “The event is a cooperative effort between the Town of Jonesborough, JAMSA and The Lollipop Shop.”

This family tradition is being brought back to iconic Main Street Jonesborough creating a unique atmosphere for a fun night out with the family.

“Anywhere between 200 to 400 people have been known to show up for a screening. There could also be a few special guests during the season so be sure to bring your autograph book and camera to meet some very famous characters,” Gurley said.

While Candy Bingo and the movies are free, those attending are encouraged to bring canned food items to donate to the local food bank. It is also encouraged to bring a blanket or chair to sit on while enjoying the movie. For more information about Movies on Main, call the Lollipop Shop at (412) 913-2663.

Rogue Harbor Farm will be featured.

From STAFF REPORTS

The Jonesborough Farmers Market is open this Saturday, July 13, in Courthouse Square in downtown Jonesborough from 8 a.m. to noon.

The market this week will have a variety of seasonal produce, including an abundance of tomatoes, berries, spring greens, mushrooms, root vegetables, onions and herbs.

Market shoppers will also find flowers, locally produced meat, cheese, baked goods, roasted coffee beans, plants and a unique selection of art and craft specialties. To find out more about the vendors and products at the market, explore the market map at jonesboroughlocallygrown.org/jonesborough-farmers-market/.

Music at the Market this week is Bill and the Belles, playing old-time music and more.

Bill and the Belles have captured the freewheeling, lighthearted approach to music that has endeared them to listeners of every generation. With a spirited sound that falls somewhere between old-time country and vaudeville, the group puts its own spin on a golden era of music, specifically the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s.

Music starts at 9 a.m. and a cafe space next to the music tent makes a great spot to relax and enjoy the music and the market activity.

Unfortunately, funding for the popular walking program, Farmacy Fit, has ended. Vendors can no longer accept the orange tokens as payment.

Featured farmer of the week is Rogue Harbor Farm. Based in Madison County, North Carolina, Linda and Aubrey Raper grow organic, tasty produce at Rogue Harbor Farm nestled in Appalachia. This idyllic farm focuses on using organic inputs approved by the National Organic Program. With a focus on high quality and taste, Rogue Harbor farm travels to Jonesborough Farmers’ Market every season, bringing fresh greens, root vegetables, sweet blueberries, as well as squash, tomatoes and other tasty treats. You can find Rogue Harbor at the farmers’ market consistently, as well as their products at Boone Street Market. Come say hello to Linda and Aubrey and ask about their farm this Saturday at Courthouse Square from 8 a.m. to noon

Jonesborough Farmers Market, is a 100 percent, producer-only market where everything sold is grown or made by the vendor within 100 miles of Jonesborough.

The Town of Jonesborough is preparing for the 49th annual Jonesborough Days Festival.

By MARINA WATERS

Staff Writer

mwaters@heraldandtribune.com

Now that the calendar has switched over to July, the days are getting longer, the temperature is rising — and the expected crowd at Jonesborough Days is only getting bigger.

The Town of Jonesborough will celebrate its 49th annual festival starting Thursday, July 4, through Saturday, July 6. And though Town Event Coordinator Melinda Copp said the festival historically brings in thousands of visitors, this year is projected to bring even more.

“We typically see crowds of about 25,000 to 30,000 over the three-day weekend,” Copp said. “Honestly we’re expecting that many and maybe even more. A lot of it depends on the weather too so you just never know, but even years when we have had bad weather or rain, we still typically have a really good crowd, especially for the fireworks and the parade and the music.”

This year’s festival will feature a slew of activities such as the Fourth of July parade, a watermelon social, a Dog Days of Summer Costume Contest, kids activities, a Moon Pie eating contest and fireworks to top it all off.

As for the music, Copp said the festival will host The Breakfast Club, an ‘80s tribute band, and The Beach Nite Band, well known for their Carolina Beach Music.

“We found about three or four years ago that the tribute bands were good during Jonesborough Days because everyone knows the music and it’s just really fun to have those classic tunes,” Copp said. “So in the past few years we’ve had a Tom Petty tribute band, a Rolling Stones tribute band, the Johnny Cash tribute, so we thought it’d be kind of fun to do a sort of ‘80s theme this year.”

To stick with the ‘80s theme, the festival’s music will also include music videos on the big stage and a deejay to keep the party going.

“One of the kind of exciting things we’re doing that’s a little different is Saturday night, the last night, we’re having an ‘80s party on the main stage,” Copp said. “We’re going to be doing a really fun ‘80s DJ mix party and we’re actually going to have a digital background on the stage so we’ll be able to play a lot of music videos on the stage.

“We have DJ Robbie Britton who’s really interactive and gets the audience involved. We’re going to have a really fun evening kind of getting it set up for The Breakfast Club to go on later that night.”

With new traditions and throwback music, Jonesborough Days is about the community, Copp said. And nothing supports the feeling of community more than reconnecting with loved ones and looking back at the last 49 years of the festival.

“It’s kind of just the community’s festival and everyone just remembers Jonesborough Days from when they were little, people who are 40, 50 years old now,” Copp said. “They remember coming to Jonesborough for Jonesborough Days when they were a kid.

“In a way, Jonesborough Days is really kind of a family reunion because we have so many people that are from out of town that used to live here and they all talk about how they try to come back for Jonesborough Days. I think it’s a good time to come back, visit the area, visit family and reconnect with the community they grew up in.”

Anne Rutherford is coming to Jonesborough.

CONTRIBUTED

Jonesborough’s storyteller in residence for the week of the Fourth of July will be Anne Rutherford, a performer known for wildly entertaining tall tales, thoughtful family pieces, and unique historical stories.

Rutherford’s path to the profession was unexpected. Formerly a budget manager for the state, she made the jump to storytelling almost on a whim. The same open mindset led her to pick up the mandolin after she watched a documentary with a great soundtrack featuring the instrument.

She only realized later that she’d spent a lifetime in training to be an entertainer. “My grandpa was Irish, and when my mom’s side of the family got together, no tale was too tall to be told,” she says. “Even if it was a trip to the grocery store, somehow it became a huge adventure by the time one of my uncles or aunts would tell it.”

The larger-than-life personalities in Rutherford’s family make some of her personal tales stranger than fiction. Her hometown in rural Pennsylvania had a curious population (“half Norman Rockwell, half Stephen King”), with a small-town landscape that reminds her a little bit of Jonesborough. “I write a lot of my own stories and I think all of those oddball characters, my family included, really flavor those stories,” she says. “I just really appreciate them.”

Rutherford’s storytelling residency is part of Storytelling Live!, a seasonal program curated by the International Storytelling Center (ISC). She’ll perform at ISC’s downtown Jonesborough location from July 2 – 6, Tuesday through Saturday, with daily shows beginning at 2 p.m.

In addition to her matinee performances, on Saturday, July 6, the final day of her residency, Rutherford will offer a children’s concert at 10:30 a.m. The family show is especially designed for kids ages six through ten, but all ages are welcome. Tickets are just $5 each, and ticket holders will receive coupons for 15 percent off at The Lollipop Shop, a popular Main Street store that sells old-fashioned sweets and toys.

Reservations for all Storytelling Live! performances are highly recommended. Tickets for matinees are $12 for adults, and $11 for seniors, students, and anyone under 18. Heavily discounted season passes are still available for a limited time.

Exclusive discounts are still available to all ticketholders. Ticket stubs will earn a 10 percent discount on same-day dining at Main Street Café (lunch only), Olde Towne Pancake House, Texas Burritos & More, Krazy Krepes, Jonesborough Barrel House, the Icing on the Cake (lunch only), and the Corner Cup. Additionally, Boone Street Market is offering 10 percent off prepared meals and 5 percent off any other purchase.

The premier sponsor of Storytelling Live! is Ballad Health. Additional program funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Niswonger Foundation, Eastman Credit Union, the Mooneyhan Family Foundation, and Food City. Media sponsors include News 5-WCYB, FOX Tri-Cities, Tri-Cities CW, Johnson City Press, Kingsport Times-News, Herald & Tribune, and Cumulus Media.

Storytelling Live! is a seasonal program that runs from April to October.

The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live!, including the full 2019 line-up, or to purchase tickets and season passes, visit www.storytellingcenter.net or call (800) 952-8392. 

The Green Rumours will be the special musical guests for this month’s Yarn Exchange.

From STAFF REPORTS

This month, the Yarn Exchange Radio Show will present an episode filled with hilarious and harrowing tales, where East Tennessee intersects with the world.

From Katy’s desire to get a close-up selfie with an alligator in the Everglades, to Vietnam Naval Aviator Dave’s last harrowing flight, to a disastrous school bus break down that leads to a roadside call from the Governor, these true tales will be brought to life on stage at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 24, at the International Storytelling Center.

Tickets are $5 and available by calling (423) 753-1010 or online at jonesborough.com/tickets.

Joining the cast this month as musical guests are local acoustic favorites “The Green Rumours” who are just back from recording their latest album in Nashville.

Now in its eighth season, “Yarn Exchange Radio Show” is a monthly, scripted production, based on local stories and regional music, and performed by an inter-generational, multi-cultural cast of local actors, storytellers, and musicians, to create an audio patchwork quilt of what it means to be home in the mountains. The Yarn Exchange is open to anyone who would like to participate. If you have a story to tell or for more information, contact Jules Corriere (423) 794-6320.

Blake and Katelyn Yarbrough celebrate Katelyn’s award.

By LISA WHALEY

Publisher

lwhaley@heraldandtribune.com

For the past five years, Jonesborough’s Eureka Inn has had a secret weapon. But it’s definitely not a secret anymore.

Recently, thanks to a nomination submitted by local playwright and McKinney Center outreach director Jules Corriere, Eureka Inn owner and innkeeper Katelyn Yarbrough has been honored as the region’s latest “Rising Star,” a part of the 22nd Annual Pinnacle Awards.

“It was important for me, personally, to let Katelyn know that I see her, and what she brings to her community, and to acknowledge her,” said Corriere of the award, administered by the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association as a way to recognize local excellence. “It is important for the young women professionals in this area to know that there is an older generation of women rooting them on, and ready to support and encourage them on their journeys.”

For Katelyn, the award was both an honor and a surprise.

When she first found out Corriere was submitting her    name,  Katelyn said, “it brought me to tears. That doesn’t happen every day.”

At the awards luncheon, she remained oblivious to the recognition headed her way.

“I shot up out of my seat and was told that I levitated across the stage very fast,” said Katelyn laughing, as she recalled the moment when her name was called. “I thought everyone went to the awards luncheon. I had no idea I had won.”

Katelyn had long been front and center for many of the historic town’s activities well before Corriere decided to submit her name.

Arriving at the scene in 2014 with husband, Blake, the pair took over the running of the downtown historic inn, purchasing the property about a year ago.

Katelyn’s contributions have been many and varied, said Corriere,  from establishing the Historic Eureka as an internet presence to be reckoned with to her Eureka Bites Breakfasts and her Murder Mystery Dinners.

One of her greatest attributes, according to husband and business partner Blake, is “I can’t do” is never a part of Katelyn’s vocabulary.

“She believes that, number one, she can help anybody,” he said. “If she gives you her word that she is going to do something, she will do it.”

Their collaboration in running the inn began long before Katelyn even set foot on the property, according to Blake. He was working as innkeeper at the Eureka at that time and would come home and talk with Katelyn about the potential.

“We started a notebook,” she said. “If we were ever (running an Inn) what we would do.”

Her ideas to promote the inn and this historic town she and her husband both love are numerous. They bounce ideas off of each other and occasionally, Katelyn admits, he helps rein her in a bit. “I will run wild,” she said with a smile. “He makes me think in a different way.”

Still, she has no plans on slowing down.

“I’m always prepared for anything… I don’t shy away from the ball,” she said. “I always feel like I can be doing more.”

For now, that means finding continuing ways to make the inn an important part of the town and the region. With Blake providing his expertise in the kitchen and Katelyn promoting each new idea, they believe the sky is truly the limit.

“The juggle is real,” Katelyn said. “I try to kind of highlight specific things while the season is relevant. I don’t cast out a wide net because it oversaturates people’s mind.”

But most of all, she said. “I love our town.”

By MARINA WATERS

Staff Writer

mwaters@heraldandtribune.com

If you were to ask Carroll ReMine what he believes in, he’d be quick to tell you he believes in honoring our nation’s flag and protecting our freedoms. But he also believes in sharing some of his memories from the Vietnam War, as he did with his granddaughter’s class at West View Elementary School.

ReMine was recently in Washington D.C. with the Honor Flight, which is an organization that takes veterans to visit war memorials in our nation’s capital. On that trip, he was surprised to receive numerous letters from across the county — and many from his granddaughter, Emma Moore, and some of her classmates.

“We were coming back on the bus and the coordinator said, ‘We’re going to have mail call.’ She stood up in front of the bus and they handed every veteran a bag. Mine had 64 letters in it including these from Emma’s class. I started reading them and they just touched me. My friend sitting across the isle said, ‘You want me to get a Kleenex?’,” ReMine said with a laugh. “Those letters, they get to you.”

The letters, filled with drawings of helicopters, American flags and wishes of a happy homecoming from the trip, prompted ReMine to visit his granddaughter’s class where he shared some of his war experiences.

He also shared his Honor Flight experience with the class. For the Washington County native, the Vietnam War Memorial’s black marble offered bittersweet emotions along with the names of a few old friends etched in the stone.

“This was my first time at the Vietnam Memorial,” ReMine said. “I looked up some friends that had lost their life there and traced it over with a pencil. That meant a lot for me. Two were from Limestone and one was from Erwin.

“I sum it up like this: there was a lot of tears and a lot of cheers (on the trip). In one sense it’s real reverent like a funeral and it gives some closure.”

ReMine was drafted in 1967 and, after basic training in Fort Benning and helicopter school in Alabama, he was part of the fourth division of the U.S. Army’s aviation unit.

Dalton Maupin and Emma Moore show off the sign they made to welcome veteran Carroll ReMine.

Though it had been decades since ReMine returned from war, he recently had a homecoming crowd waiting on him at Central Church of Christ following the Honor Flight trip — which was more of a welcome than most Vietnam vets received among the political controversy that sparked demonstrators and a sometimes unkind homecoming in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.

“I had to fly through O’Hare (International Airport in Chicago) and the protestors there demonstrating, spitting. I know this one guy on our flight, he had some civilian clothes tucked away somewhere. He got into the restroom and took his Army outfit off and put his civilian clothes on.”

After finally arriving at the Tri-Cities airport and getting a ride from a friend, ReMine got home and surprised his folks, who thought it’d be a few more days before he would be back in Tennessee. But the homecoming from the Honor Flight made up for no one waiting for him at the airport, ReMine said.

“I wanted to surprise them, so there wasn’t nobody at the airport (when he arrived from war). My dad was at the neighbor’s house sitting there. I walked up the walk, the lady came to the door and she just couldn’t believe it. Dad came down through there and said, ‘My boy’s home.’ That was a good welcome home, but this thing getting back from the Honor Flight made a big difference. This the other day at the homecoming at the church, that covered that over.”

Among his wartime experiences, ReMine recalls when Bob Hope and Racquel Welch performed for the troops at the base of Dragon Mountain and when he met a soldier who had a “dope”, (also known as a Pepsi) and a Moonpie on his mind, which reminded the young Washington County soldier of home.

Carroll ReMine talks to the West View class about his experiences.

But talking about other experiences from the war isn’t quite as easy. ReMine said he didn’t talk about some of his memories from Vietnam for years, but has spoken more about it recently.

“I did not speak about my experiences in Vietnam until recent years when I went for counseling at the (veteran) center in Johnson City and enrolled in some programs at the VA, which I’m still active and involved in. It’s a great program. It helped me a bunch. Our group, we just talk it out among ourselves. What goes on there stays there.”

ReMine has spoken at West View and was asked to share his Honor Flight experience with other school groups as well. But he also makes a point to share his belief in remembering that freedom is a privilege that is often under appreciated.

“Always remember that freedom is not free,” ReMine said. “You see all those soldiers that lost their life and at the other cemeteries. Why? Because of our freedom so we can go to McDonald’s, we get in the truck and go where we want to and go to school.

“I encouraged (the West View class) to tell their folks to get out and vote. We may not like things and the way they turn out, but that’s your freedom. That’s one of the freedoms.”