Images Dickson County, TN: 2007-08

2007-08 | IMAGESDICKSON.COM | VIDEO TOUR ONLINE TM

OF DICKSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE

Farming for Love More Than Money Part-time growers tend tracts spanning 10-15 acres

FRONT AND CENTER Location makes county a regional business hub

MORE AAAHH Big-city transplants relish relaxing change of pace

SPONSORED BY THE DICKSON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

City of Dickson Offering Small Town Values and Outstanding Opportunities

CITY DEPARTMENTS

Don L. Weiss Jr., Mayor

cityofdickson.com Building Inspector/ Enforcement Officer Cemetery City Administrator Fire Department Mayor’s Office Municipal Court Parks & Recreation Police (Emergency 911) Police Department Public Works Recorder Business Licenses/ Tax Collector Senior Citizens Ctr. Treasurer Maintenance Dept.

441-9505 446-0147 441-9570 446-0390 441-9508 446-9249 446-1721 446-8041 441-9590 441-9506 441-9508 441-9503 446-9350 441-9504 441-9526

Council Members: Richard Arnold, Vice Mayor James Monsue Mike Legg R. Scott England Robert Blue Bob Rial Marvin Corlew Jimmy Jennings Tom H. Waychoff, City Administrator Jerry V. Smith, City Attorney J. Reese Holley, City Judge

ACTION! ADVENTURE! “IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY LAPTOP!”

“ DICKSON COUNTY LIKE IT’S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”

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SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT ANY RESEMBLANCE TO PLACES, EVENTS OR QUALITY OF LIFE IN DICKSON COUNTY IS PURELY INTENTIONAL!

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2007 EDITION | VOLUME 7 TM

OF DICKSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE

22 CO NTE NT S

DICKSON COUNTY BUSINESS 30 Biz Briefs

F E AT U R E S 10

32 Chamber Report

FARMING FOR LOVE MORE THAN MONEY

33 Economic Profile

Full-time farm operations are dwindling, but a love for farming remains strong.

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FRONT AND CENTER The county has become a regional hub for the western portion of Middle Tennessee.

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MORE AAAHH Newcomers want a laid-back lifestyle, and homebuyers want bang for their buck.

36 IS THERE A NURSE IN THE HOUSE? Graduates of Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson’s licensed practical nursing program are in demand.

D E PA R TM E NT S 6 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Dickson County culture

22 Image Gallery 24 Portfolio: people, places and events that define Dickson County

38 Arts & Culture 40 Health & Wellness 43 Sports & Recreation ON THE COVER Staff Photo The Renaissance Center in Dickson

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44 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

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Ramada 2420 Hwy. 46 S. Dickson, TN 37055

Proud to support the Dickson County community

ONLINE CONTENTS More lists, links and tips for newcomers

Turn your dreams into reality!

IMAGESDICKSON.COM

MOVING PICTURES Take a video tour of Dickson County at imagesdickson.com.

GET SMART ABOUT LOCAL SCHOOLS Find listings and links to schools, colleges and universities.

SEE HOW THE GARDENS GROW Get the dirt on growing seasons, soils and common challenges.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE MORTGAGE Fixed Rates Conventional Mortgages FHA & VA 1st Time Buyers Program

WHAT DO THE LOCALS EAT? Discover what makes cuisine in this region so deliciously different.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME Search for a new home, plus get moving tips and more at www.realtor.com.

A B O U T TH I S M AGA Z I N E Images of Dickson County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Dickson County Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Dickson County tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts .

“Find the good – and praise it.”

MORTGAGES ... that’s our specialty!

PROMPT, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 210 Skyline Cir. Dickson, TN 37055 (615) 446-6755 midtnmtg@bellsouth.net www.middletennesseemortgage.com

– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

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Almanac

Wait Until Dark A little bit of Broadway has been present in Dickson since 1950.

The Broadway Drive-In airs single-feature movies during the warm-weather months at its outdoor site on U.S. Highway 70 East, one mile west of Montgomery Bell State Park. The solo screen shows one movie every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the box office opening at 7 p.m. and the film aired at dusk.

Admission is $4 for ages 12 and up, $2 for children 4-11, and children 3 and under are admitted free.

Coup de Grass GreyStone Golf Club is way above par, and that’s a good thing.

The 18-hole course that opened in 1998 was designed

by PGA Tour pro Mark McCumber, and it has been pegged as one of Middle Tennessee’s finest daily-fee golf courses.

Since it opened, GreyStone has hosted more major state and professional qualifying tournaments than any other Tennessee golf course.

Those tournaments include PGA Tour qualifying events, the Men’s and Women’s Tennessee State Opens, and oneday qualifying for the annual BellSouth Senior PGA Tour event in Tennessee.

Historic Treasure The Collier House has been around since 1830, but the stately historic building on the square in Charlotte is enjoying new life as a banquet hall.

About two years ago, the city spent close to $200,000 renovating the charming old home. The 1,600-square-foot house includes a kitchen, a library, a large meeting room, a sitting room and two handicappedaccessible bathrooms.

The house has become a popular spot for wedding receptions, reunions, baby showers, bridal showers, dinners and birthday parties.

“It really adds to the community, and it reflects the historical nature of the square,” says Charlotte Mayor Bill Davis.

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At the Center of It All

Paging All Kids

School is in session six days a week at The Renaissance Center.

A variety of adult educational programs are offered to the public Monday through Saturday at the high-tech center that opened in 1999. Programs include several offerings in the center’s visual arts department, which offers artist workshops and gallery exhibitions.

Other departments include music, dance, theater and computers.

Imagine getting a new hardcover book in the mail every month for five years – for free.

That’s what Tennessee’s Imagination Library provides to all Dickson County children from birth to age 5, at no cost to families regardless of income. Dolly Parton created Imagination Library in 1996 for the children in her hometown of Sevierville, Tenn., and today nearly 165,000 Tennessee children are signed up to receive a free book every month.

Those books include classics such as The Little Engine That Could, Spot Goes to the Farm, Snowy Day, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten.

Dickson County | At A Glance POPULATION Dickson County: 52,549, Dickson: 19,274 White Bluff: 2,929, Burns: 1,406 Charlotte: 1,651, Vanleer: 454, Slayden: 227

BEGINNINGS Dickson County was formally established in 1803 and named for Dr. William Dickson, a Nashville physician who served as Tennessee Speaker of the House of Representatives (1799-1801) and then as a U.S. Congressman (1801-1807).

LOCATION Dickson County is in Middle Tennessee, 30 miles west of Nashville and 30 miles south of Clarksville.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Dickson County Chamber of Commerce 119 Hwy. 70 East, Dickson, TN 37055 (615) 446-2349, Fax: (615) 441-3112 www.dicksoncountychamber.com

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The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Natchez Memorial Park.

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The physicians at The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Natchez Medical Park are pleased to offer their patients promising new medical and radiation treatments and technologies.

These treatments are available without traveling into the city.

For more information or for a physician referral, call TriStar Medline at (615) 342-1919 or visit us at www.TriStarHealth.com.

Almanac

Watch Where You Step

Fast Facts Q More than 750,000 people each year visit Montgomery Bell State Park, which is home to 116 campsites, an 18-hole golf course, a 120room inn, hiking trails, playgrounds, three lakes and more.

It’s a stampede – every June at the Dickson Stampede Days Rodeo.

Some of the country’s top cowboys and cowgirls ride into Dickson County to compete for as much as $20,000 in prize money. Sanctioned by the International Pro Rodeo Association and staged at the Dickson County Fairgrounds, the two-day rodeo attracts more than 2,500 people each night.

Prize-money events include bareback riding, steer wrestling, tie down roping, saddle bronco riding, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding.

Q Dickson County was ranked in the top 30 of The Progressive Farmer magazine’s Southeast list of Best Places to Live in Rural Tennessee for 2007.

Q The county boasts 19 century farms that have been owned by the same families for at least 100 years.

Q The Dickson County Courthouse in Charlotte is the oldest courthouse still in use in Tennessee.

Creative Tours Begin Here WAITING ON PHOTOS

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Some tours end with people in handcuffs, and others feature guests attending a mock wedding ceremony.

The Dickson County Chamber of Commerce schedules Mystery Tours throughout the year, with busloads of visitors taking part in unusual mystery scenarios that they must solve. The chamber also organizes Grandparents Tours, where any grandparent can bring up to two grandchildren – ages 4 and above – on a daylong bus outing.

“Grandparents and the kids visit a rodeo farm and Old Spencer’s Mill, and the day ends with the children enjoying a relaxing inner tube ride on a small creek – with the proud grandparents watching,” says Rhonda Adams, tourism director for the Dickson County Chamber of Commerce.

Q The Dickson County Livestock Center moves nearly 30,000 head of cattle each year, with auctions every Tuesday that sell 500-600 bulls, cows and heifers.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Dickson County, visit imagesdickson.com.

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Still a

GROWING

Farms such as this one on Buddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Road are still found throughout Dickson County.

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BUSINESS AGRICULTURE REMAINS DEEPLY ROOTED IN DICKSON COUNTY

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN MCCORD

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Like many area farmers, Mike Henry has a full-time job away from the farm, but he also raises goats and beef cattle on 200 acres in Dickson County.

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ennessee Farm Bureau agent Mike Henry says Dickson County used to have hundreds of full-time farmers who managed five to 10 acres of land.

Today, the number of full-time farmers has dwindled, but the remaining farmers oversee large plots of land that sprawl across 10-50 acres.

“This is the movement that agriculture has gone in, but farming is still popular here,” Henry says. “For example, it wasn’t that long ago that Dickson County had 20 dairy farms going. Now there are only three dairy farms in the county, but they are big operations.”

Although big farms are getting scarcer and scarcer, Dickson County still has many part-time and weekend farmers. Henry says that although these people enjoy farming, it isn’t their main source of income.

“A lot of landowners are cutting up their farms to sell most of their acreage to subdivision and commercial developers, because the price of land here is going up and up these days,” he says. “But these landowners are keeping a few acres to continue running small I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

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farms. The love of farming is still in the hearts of many Dickson County residents. It’s just that farming is mostly done as a sideline by people who work other full-time jobs.”

Such is the case with Henry himself.

The longtime Dickson County resident owns 200 acres of farmland, but his primary income is not from farming.

“Much of my land is timber, and I raise goats and beef cattle, but my primary income comes from being a full-time Tennessee Farm Bureau agent,” he says. “I’m just lucky to have been in agri-business all my life, because that’s where my heart is.”

Jewell Loggins has also been fortunate. His family is one of 19 in

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Dickson County that own century farms – farms that have been in the same families for more than 100 years.

“My grandfather bought our farm in the Burns area in 1898. I was born on the farm, and I still live on the farm,” Loggins says. “I worked for 42 years in management with Tennsco Corp., so farming was not my main source of income. But I’ve always loved it as a sideline.”

Today, Loggins grows hay, corn, squash, tomatoes and cucumbers on a somewhat large scale at his 45acre farm.

“It’s true that as the older people are passing away, their kids are selling the land because the prices are so lucrative

– especially on the south side of Dickson County adjacent to the interstate,” he says. “But plenty of small farms are still around, with many folks raising cattle, a few crops or simply having pleasure horses on their property.”

Mike Henry says farms will always be a part of Dickson County, just not on the grand scale that they once were.

“We have a fantastic Dickson County Farmers’ Market here, and the chamber oversees an ag committee that organizes a daylong farm tour visit each year for 200 people who are interested in agriculture,” Henry says. “The passion for farming still exists in Dickson County – just on a smaller scale than years past.”

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Left: Harvested corn at Jewell Logginsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 45-acre farm Below: Logginsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; farm has been in his family for more than 100 years. Right: A tractor prepares hay for baling.

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Growing Up,

Growing Out

CENTRAL LOCATION IS A KEY ATTRACTION FOR BUSINESS

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN MCCORD

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ickson County has become a regional hub for the western portion of Middle Tennessee, with residents from surrounding Cheatham, Hickman, Humphreys, Montgomery and Houston counties making trips here to shop, dine or catch a movie.

Increasingly, they also come here for jobs and the quality health-care facilities that Dickson County offers.

“Horizon Medical Center in Dickson is the largest hospital serving this region, and its new Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Natchez Medical Center just opened in January 2007,” says David Hamilton, president and CEO of the Dickson County Chamber of Commerce. “Horizon Medical also purchased 60 acres adjoining the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center for the potential of constructing another regional hospital in the future.”

The county is also a regional hub for industrial development, both for manufacturing companies and the overall workforce. Four manufacturers are among Dickson County’s five largest employers – Tennsco Corp., Nemak Tennessee (formerly Teksid Aluminum), Shiloh Industries and Quebecor Printing Corp.

“More than 50 percent of the people who work in our industries live outside of Dickson County, so we are a big job provider for our neighboring communities,” Hamilton says.

“We have been fortunate over the last three years to have additional companies come here such as Bridgestone APM, MetriCan Stamping Corp. and Bavarian Polymers, plus there have been major expansions at Tennessee Quality Foods, Shiloh Industries and others.”

Hamilton also points out that a spacious Dickson County

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Horizon Medical Center is the largest serving this region.

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With six plants, Tennsco is one of Dickson Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top employers. The company offers a wide variety of filing and storage systems, steel office furniture, industrial and institutional shelving, lockers and shop equipment.

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Dickson County offers easy access to Interstate 40.

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Industrial Park is home to several “international residents,” with three Canadian companies, two Japanese companies and one each from Germany and Mexico.

“A key asset is our location. We are located on Interstate 40 and only 30 minutes from Nashville and its major airport there,” he says. “Dickson County also has the Tennessee Technology Center that is available to help train our workforce.

We are a pro-business community with a great work ethic. In fact, many local plant managers have told me that Dickson County industries are the most productive they have ever been involved with.”

The steadily growing economy has fostered an expanding residential community in Dickson County.

“A growing population means that more retail businesses are looking to serve that population,” Hamilton says. “Right now, our Wal-Mart Supercenter ranks near the top in sales volume for all Wal-Marts throughout Tennessee.”

Phil Hall, a local businessman and developer in Dickson, has just completed the second phase of Hallcrest Plaza that featured the addition of Office Depot, Peebles, Quizno’s and Great Clips to the complex. The first phase brought national tenants to Dickson such as Goody’s, Blockbuster and Hibbett Sports.

“For 2007, we started a development called Crestview Park along Highway 46 that will feature 40 acres of office buildings and 14 acres for retail space,” Thornton says. “People are discovering Dickson County more and more. It has fine schools, shopping opportunities, good industry, entertainment options and a great quality of life. If a young couple asked me today for advice on a nice place to live and raise a family, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell them about Dickson County.”

Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson offers training in cosmetology, automotive technology and much more.

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A Change of

Pace

DICKSON OFFERS A RELAXED LIFESTYLE AND A RANGE OF HOME OPTIONS

Homes such as this one in the Buck Hollow subdivision offer plenty of value for a reasonable price.

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STORY BY NANCY HUMPHREY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN MCCORD

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fter years of commuting to work in Washington, D.C., fighting traffic and crowds and living a hurried lifestyle, Jeanna Koivula and her family decided enough was enough. They moved from Maryland to Dickson County, Tenn., in search of a pace of living that’s more their style.

“We wanted a smaller community with better family values,” says Koivula, who grew up in McEwen, Tenn. She and her husband, Mark, and their two young children bought a new home in Rock Church Estates, not far from the Broadway Drive-In theater and Montgomery Bell State Park. The subdivision feels like it’s in the country, but it’s close enough to the city of Dickson for grocery shopping and dining out.

“We have a very close neighborhood,” Koivula says. “One day, my husband was outside sowing grass, and I looked out and all the men in the neighborhood were out there helping him. We have a great street. It’s so quiet. My children can walk to the neighbor’s house, and I don’t have to worry.”

Koivula says that the contrast between small-town life in Dickson and Washington, D.C., where she worked, is startling.

“In D.C. everybody was out for himself,” she says. “Maryland wasn’t quite that bad. But when we moved here, we noticed that everything goes at a slower pace. You can sit back and relax.

We’ve really slowed down since we moved back here. We want to be able to stop and enjoy raising our kids.”

Jon Stevens, managing broker for the Crye-Leike Realtors Dickson office, says his company has seen growth in home sales – particularly on the east side of Dickson County.

“But there’s a boom all over to a great extent,” he says. “Newspapers say there is a real-estate slump. Dickson and Middle Tennessee have bucked that trend. The numbers are crazy. We’re having great success here.”

Many of Crye-Leike’s customers work in nearby Williamson and Davidson counties, but they want to live DICKSON COUNT Y

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Views of open fields and grazing horses add to the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relaxing, small-town feel.

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in Dickson County.

“We’re still a small-town community,” Stevens says. “The prices here are more reasonable. Frankly, you can get more home for your money here.”

As areas right outside Nashville begin to experience rapid growth, people want to build their houses in lesspopulated places, he says.

Donnie Thiel, Dickson County’s director of zoning, says most of the new single-family homes are being built in the southeast quadrant of the county, south of Highway 70 and east of Highway 46.

The overall size of the homes is increasing, he says. Of the approximately 200 permits his office issues each year, a recent one was for an 8,645square-foot home in the Charlotte area.

“Dickson County has a low crime rate and an excellent school system,” he says. “When people come here to look around, they see a beautiful place to live that they’d like to call home.”

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A strong regional economy has spurred residential growth in the county.

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Image Gallery

A barn on Jewell Logginsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; farm

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN MCCORD

Sculptures by Eric Lankford at Holland Park

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Portfolio

STAFF PHOTO

Country singer Craig Morgan enjoys the small-town feel of this growing county.

Living Local and Loving It COUNTRY ARTIST CRAIG MORGAN CELEBRATES HIS DICKSON ROOTS

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ith a string of hit songs under his belt, life is good for country singer Craig Morgan. The Dickson County native celebrated the Gold Record certification of his third album, My Kind of Livin’, in February 2007, which included No. 1 singles “That’s What I Love About Sunday” and “Redneck Yacht Club.” “That’s What I Love About Sunday” spent five weeks at No. 1 and was the most played song on country radio in 2005.

While most successful country artists pack their bags and move to Nashville, this hometown boy has his feet firmly planted in Dickson County. He lives on a dirt road with his wife and four kids, and there are a lot of things he loves about his hometown.

“It’s 60 miles from Music Row,” Morgan says with a laugh. “And the people there are absolutely amazing.

It’s a huge, growing community, but you still have that small-town feel.”

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steadfast road warriors, Morgan admits he doesn’t spend that much time at home. He’s made more than 160 appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and plays more than 200 live shows a year.

In 2007, Morgan hit the road with Trace Adkins for his “Dangerous Man” tour. He has also toured with Keith Urban, Brad Paisley and LeAnn Rimes.

When he is home, Morgan tries to spend quality time with his family.

“I ride my tractor, work on the farm and ride dirt bikes with my kids,” he says. “My wife and I have started spending more ‘us time’ together. When I’m home, my wife and I will drop the boys off at school. Then we go have lunch at one of Dickson’s little meatand-threes.”

One of his favorite Dickson eateries is The Front Porch on Center Avenue.

“They’ll fax you their menu the day before if you ask them to. So you can look at the day’s menu and decide if you want to go there. If you like the menu,

you call them and say, ‘I’m coming in,’ and they’ll have it ready,” Morgan says.

“That’s awesome – I love it.”

Morgan is also a fan of the Bear’s Den, a cigar bar with wireless Internet in downtown Dickson.

“If my wife has an appointment or something, I go in there and get online and smoke a cigar. It’s a cool place,” he says. “And we have three specialty coffee shops in Dickson – that’s huge.”

In fall 2006, Morgan released his fourth studio album, Little Bit of Life, and the lead single and title track quickly climbed into the top 10 on the country charts. The second single from the album, “Tough,” was released in March 2007.

“I’m where I want to be (in my career), but I still have lots to achieve,” Morgan says. “At the same time, if it all ended today, I would be content. But I want to have a lot more success; I want to have platinum records. But I’m very grateful for where I am in my career.”

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family’s farm for a few years after he married, but all roads led him back to the country.

“I worked construction and drove a truck for awhile, but my heart was here on the farm,” he recalls.

Simpkins returned and purchased his mother and father’s 61 acres.

He uses that land today (along with 1,000 acres of leased land) to run his 300-head cattle and calf operation.

Simpkins also grows 25 acres of DFC tobacco and manages a custom hay operation.

His wife, Dee, and daughters, Jennifer and Jamie, also pitch in on the farm.

“A family farm means everybody participates, and it’s real rewarding to see your family out there with you when you need them,” Simpkins says. “With agriculture, you’ve got to want to do it. It’s not rewarding as far as pay goes, but the reward is the freedom out here every day. I don’t have to drive 50 miles to work; I walk out my back door.”

BRIAN M C CORD

ou could say Randy Simpkins has farming in his blood. The Dickson County native lives and works on the same land his mother and father farmed – land that’s been in his family close to 100 years.

“It’s the same original farmhouse, too,” Simpkins says proudly. “My philosophy is to fix what’s here, not to tear down. Because when you tear down, you take away the very heart of the farm and the people who lived there.”

With a farming heritage that strong, it’s not surprising Simpkins was named Farmer of the Year by the Dickson County Chamber of Commerce’s agriculture committee in 2006. He received the award at the annual agriculture banquet in November.

“They showed pictures of me working on the farm that my daughters took.

I was overwhelmed,” Simpkins says.

“I was really grateful to be recognized, because agriculture declines every year, and more and more farms are being sold.”

Simpkins moved away from his

The chamber of commerce named Randy Simpkins Farmer of the Year.

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Portfolio

One Fabulous County Fair

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ickson County residents think they have a pretty great county fair – and the rest of Tennessee agrees.

“Right now, we’re ranked 10th in the state,” says Edgar Meek, who has served as president of the Dickson County Fair board for the past 13 years.

Attracting nearly 50,000 people every year, the Dickson County Fair features everything from a carnival and demolition derbies to agriculture shows and beauty pageants. It also has one of the biggest poultry shows in Tennessee.

“One of the things that makes our fair special is our facilities. You come in on blacktop, the carnival is on blacktop, and there are no wires to trip over because they’re all underground,” Meek says. “You can roll a stroller everywhere without getting off the pavement, and people appreciate that.”

Charlotte City of

The livestock and animal competitions are also handled differently than at most fairs.

“When you win first place, you get your blue ribbon, and we pay you that day in cash,” Meek says. “Lots of fairs are mailing out checks at the end of the fair, and that’s not what it’s about. Kids bring their animals and win a couple hundred dollars, and you’ll see parents say, ‘Here’s $50 to spend, and the rest is for college.’ That makes me bubble over with pride.”

Making memories is part of what the fair is all about. Meek remembers when he was a child and his father showed cattle at the fair.

“I’ve been going to the Dickson County Fair 75 years,” he says. “It’s very much a tradition here. I see families there with men who were little boys like I was, and now they’re grandpas.”

A Great Place to Work, Play & Raise a Family.

DICKSON COUNTY’S SEAT OF GOVERNMENT SINCE 1804 Charlotte Mayor & City Officials: Bill Davis, Mayor Gene Miller, Vice Mayor Willie Speight, Council Member Sherry Thiel, Council Member Sherry Kilgore, Council Member Tim Reynolds, Council Member Donnie Allen, Council Member Bonnie Duke, City Clerk Jennifer Blackwell, Deputy Clerk Dennis Geisler, Fire Chief Patricia Walsh, Asst. Fire Chief

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f you happen to be in Dickson during the annual Relay for Life in June, chances are you’ll run into Emma Hall.

This Dickson County native is a breast cancer survivor who dedicates her time and energy to helping other people with cancer.

“I was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer in October 1996, and I had chemo treatment and then tamoxifen for five years,” Hall says. “As with most causes, when we have a personal connection, the fight for a cure and increasing awareness becomes our pursuit and passion.”

Hall serves as survivor coordinator for Dickson’s Relay for Life, an annual tradition in Dickson since 2003. She helps organize a reception for survivors prior to the relay with goodie bags of small gifts donated from area businesses, drawings for door prizes and registration for survivors with their months or years since diagnosis.

“Then we recognize with a survivor medallion each survivor who walks the first lap around the track to officially begin the relay. Survivors feel supported,” Hall says. “(Relay for Life) is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity, and it’s the largest community fundraiser in the world. It offers everyone in the community the opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer.”

Hall is also involved with the Cancer Crusade of Dickson, an annual cancer benefit in April that has been going for more than 40 years. Donated items are auctioned on local radio station WDKN 1260.

“Businesses and individuals are generous and enthusiastic and have made this an event that is anticipated,” Hall says.

Those participants share a common goal – that one day there will be a cure for cancer.

BRIAN M C CORD

Leading the Fight I

West Lake Villas Town Homes One Level Town Homes In The Heart of Dickson Priced from the $170s Convenient location next door to Luther Lake walking track, Kroger’s Shopping Center, Bank of Dickson, Discovery Elementary School, Health Care Services and multiple dining and shopping choices within walking distance.

Dickson County resident and breast cancer survivor Emma Hall helps coordinate fundraisers for breast cancer research.

DICKSON COUNT Y

See our Web site: www.WestLakeVillasDickson.com Developed by West Lake Villas, LLC • (615) 446-3088

I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

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Portfolio

He Took the High Road eed Evans remembers how the school bus used to sail right past him when he was a child just because he is black.

He also recalls the time he tried to get a taxi, and the driver refused to pick him up.

Experiences like those prompted Evans, a retired educator, to take a stand in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

“I went in the military in 1953, and I realized I wasn’t able to go in this restaurant or that, but I could be shot at,” says Evans, 74. “It was, ‘I can’t eat here or there,’ and ‘I have to ride on the back seat of the bus.’ Those things start to get under your skin.”

When he was in his 20s, Evans and his friends began staging sit-ins at the former Davidson’s Café on College Street in Dickson. They did the same at restaurants in downtown Nashville.

“All the restaurants in downtown Dickson were whites only,” Evans recalls.

“Thankfully, we never had any violence.

The police would come to Davidson’s Café and ask us to leave, and we’d walk out peacefully. Finally people here realized what had been wrong too long, and in 1964, we integrated schools.”

Evans began his teaching career at the all-black Hampton High School.

When schools were integrated, he was transferred to Dickson County High School, where he taught health and driver’s education and served as head baseball coach and assistant football and basketball coach. In 1974, he was transferred to Dickson Junior High School as assistant principal, and he became principal a year and a half later.

Evans retired in 1998.

“I always felt God was in charge.

Sometimes the blessing is there, you just have to wait for it,” he says. “We’re all God’s people, and there’s something good in every person. It’s just a matter of finding it.”

– Stories by Jessica Mozo

Reed Evans was principal of Dickson Junior High for more than 20 years.

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BRIAN M C CORD

R

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605 E. Walnut St. • Dickson, TN 37055 (615) 441-2830 • (800) 903-8247 www.gdga.com

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BRIAN M C CORD

Business | Biz Briefs

The Hickerson Hotel in Charlotte is home to a restaurant, photography studio, and a bookstore and coffee bar.

RETAIL RENAISSANCE AT HICKERSON HOTEL For a building that’s more than 150 years old, the Hickerson Hotel in Charlotte is a pretty happening place.

Perhaps best known for the Hickerson Hotel Eatery, the historic building also is home to Jim Baldwin Photography and the newly opened Book Lounge and Coffee Bar. “It’s a pretty big house, so there’s always a lot going on,” says Lita Speight, who owns the Eatery along with her sister, Sissy Baldwin. “And it’s an old house, so even though the previous owners had done a lot of work on it, there’s always something to do.”

Since March 2007 the restaurant has gone to an events-only format, opening for luncheons, club meetings, weddings, reunions, rehearsal dinners and other large occasions.

“We’re taking groups of 20 or more,” Speight says. “We wanted to make that change, to have something that wasn’t as constant, and something where we knew how many people to plan for.”

With some of the space sitting idle, Finee Miller saw an opportunity. After 30

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years of working with her husband at Gene’s Paint & Body Shop around the corner, she decided to make a longtime dream come true and open her own bookstore.

“I had been collecting books for years with this in mind, and I had about 3,000,” Miller says. “People I knew were bringing me boxes of books at a time, so I opened with a very large inventory.”

In addition to used books, Miller is preparing to carry new material and operate a full-scale ordering service for items she doesn’t have in stock.

She’s also operating a coffee and tea bar, with desserts, sandwich spreads and other treats that she gets from Hickerson Hotel Eatery.

“I have couches, bistro tables, a place where people can come and find a quiet corner to read and have a snack,” she says. “The building, the atmosphere here, this is just exactly what I always had in mind.”

SERVICE IS FIRST AT FUSSELL’S Need sock garters? Don’t despair.

Those and other hard-to-find menswear

items can be found at Fussell’s Shop, where locals have been going for quality menswear since Norman Fussell opened the doors in 1936.

Now run by Fussell’s daughter, Anne Bass, the store specializes not only in a wide range of clothing for both men and women, but in those things that larger, “big box” stores don’t keep in stock.

“Cufflinks, tie pins, tie bars, support hose, diabetic socks, every sock known to man, we’ve got it here,” says Phil Jones, buyer and sales clerk, who’s been with the store since 1971. “You can’t find those things everywhere. We also carry big and tall. A lot of folks who are looking for a big shirt and can’t find it wind up coming in here, and we’ve got exactly what they’re looking for.”

Quality and selection have kept Fussell’s going long after many other small stores closed their doors, but its chief reason for success is customer service, Jones says.

“Everybody who comes in here gets asked if they need help, and if you’re in a chain store you can’t find anybody to wait on you,” he says. “We carry quality lines, and we offer free alterations. Ever DICKSON COUNT Y

since Mr. Fussell started, service has been the No. 1 thing.”

IT’S A BUN DEAL Ten years ago, Cordia Harrington opened the doors to the Tennessee Bun Co. Like her dough, its fortunes have been rising ever since.

With 250 employees and high-speed bun lines that bake more than 1,000 buns per minute, the company’s operations have quickly expanded into markets in and around Tennessee – and as far away as Puerto Rico, where the company now supplies buns to 141 McDonald’s restaurants. Another recently acquired client is O’Charley’s restaurants, and Harrington – also known as “The Bun Lady ” – says more domestic and international expansion is in the works.

“We have a lot of things in the works, including building a new plant and also buying one,” she says. “We’re full here, so we’re looking to grow, and I’m so thankful for that.”

Harrington is quick to give credit to her employees for the company’s success.

“Many of the original employees are still with us – that’s the kind of great people we have,” she says. “We’re celebrating our 10th anniversary, and having a carnival for them. We’ve got bonuses for everybody and some longevity thanks for those who have been around the whole 10 years.”

FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE It’s a good trek from Dickson to the White House, but it’s a route Jim Marvin knows pretty well.

For the last 10 years, artist and designer Marvin, who owns Jim Marvin Enterprises in Dickson, has made the journey to the president’s home every holiday season to help out with the décor. It’s just one of many highprofile clients he can name over a 30-year career with his company.

The Jim Marvin Collection has items from Europe, Asia, India and Japan, and Marvin’s services are in constant demand from decorators and other clients worldwide.

That said, Dickson is his home and – after buying and renovating a block– long building chock full of warehouse space several years back – that’s not DICKSON COUNT Y

going to change.

“Jim and his family are from here, their family is here, and they’ve made this their base of operations,” says Terry Fry, creative director. “We’re in a pretty good setting. We market all over the country and the world from here. It’s an international business. The bulk of what Jim does is with retail stores in the United States, but he’s always got projects going overseas and everywhere.”

The company keeps showrooms in Dallas and Atlanta year-round, and it sets up a base of operations in New York once a year for the industry’s large trade shows. It also has a self-service store on Highway 46 for retail buyers only.

“We have all kinds of interesting things, interesting product categories,” Fry says. “It’s fun to help them get their stores together.”

ALL IN THE FAMILY Since 1974, Jackie Hogin has seen a lot of new buildings go up in and around Dickson. In fact, he built a lot of them.

Hogin owns J&H Construction, a company he started after years of working in west Tennessee. He wanted to open his own shop and return home to Dickson, so he did both.

“I just came back here and started building houses,” Hogin says. “I did residential from 1974 to 1984, then changed over to commercial and have been doing that ever since.”

Specializing in pre-engineered steel construction, J&H can put up most any kind of commercial business. Recent projects have included buildings for Quizno’s Subs, Office Depot, Crye-Leike Realty and Peebles Department Store.

Hogin normally keeps around 10 people on staff, adding to that number when needed. Two staff members are being groomed to take over the business someday, but don’t look for a name change anytime soon. They’re Hogin’s twin sons, Randy and Greg, who finished up business studies at the University of Tennessee in 1999 and came on board to work with their father.

Looking back, Hogin says that coming back here from west Tennessee was a pretty good move.

“Dickson’s been a really good place to do business,” Hogin says. “I seldom have to go out of town to do anything.”

– Joe Morris

John M. Green, REALTORS was established in 1960 by John M. Green, Jr. Our company is independently owned and family oriented. We specialize in residential, new homes, farms, development, commercial and investment properties.

We have two ofÀces to better serve our clientele. Both ofÀces are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and are coupled with proven techniques, experience and hard-working agents.

Mr. Green was chosen the ethics spokesperson for the NAR (National Association of REALTORS) and ads featuring Mr. Green were shown nationally on cable and network television since 2003.

Mr. Green also taught licensing classes at Columbia State and Middle Tennessee State University. This knowledge, experience and dedication is passed on to our agents.

Our company’s motto has been “REAL SERVICE IN REAL ESTATE” since 1960. All the agents working here are very proud to be a part of such a strong legacy. Stop by today and see for yourselves why we should be your REALTORS for life.

1824 Hwy. 46 S. Dickson, TN (615) 446-7007 Fax: (615) 446-6065 www.realserviceinrealestate.com

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Business | Chamber Report

They’re Learning the Ropes LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TEACHES RESIDENTS ABOUT COUNTY ISSUES AND SERVICES

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beginning,” Reynolds says, “so on the ropes course, I made myself fall off the platform. It’s a little over 5 feet high, and you fall off backward into the arms of your fellow students – somewhat terrifying! I knew if I did that, I could push myself to do what was required to direct LDC.” Other participants have also gained important insights from the ropes course. John Gunn went through the program in 2002-03.

“The teambuilding process of the ropes course helped me to better identify what my strengths and weaknesses are as a leader,” Gunn says.

LDC gave him an overview of how things work in the county and how local government interacts with state government, and Gunn put his knowledge to use in a big way. He ran for and was elected to serve as District 2 County Commissioner.

Throughout each LDC term, participants study local government, health

issues, social services, history, education and more. Each class meeting is really an all-day event where students are on the go. They might pile on a bus and head to the state capitol, visit the jail, meet with the board of education or tour county historical sites.

Banks, medical centers, schools, law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations and other institutions have all sent representatives to LDC. According to Pat Reynolds, such diversity is a key component of the program.

Effects ripple throughout the community as participants bring information and awareness back into the workplace and voting booth.

Despite her scary moment on the ropes course, Reynolds says directing LDC is one of her favorite parts of the job. The program accepts 20 to 25 applicants per year. Visit www. dicksoncountychamber.com for more information.

– Carol Cowan

BRIAN M C CORD

nce a month for nine months each year, a diverse group of Dickson County residents comes together for a singular purpose – to gain first-hand knowledge of issues that hit close to home, including how county government works, what happens at the local water treatment plant and how the board of education gets things done. Leadership Dickson County makes it happen.

“It’s a program of study that allows individuals to learn more about the county – and hopefully put that knowledge to use,” Director Pat Reynolds says.

Two years ago, Reynolds – then information specialist and bookkeeper at the Dickson County Chamber of Commerce – earned a promotion that included heading up Leadership Dickson County. She hadn’t taken the course, so she went through it along with the other participants.

Each term begins with a ropes course.

“I was extremely nervous at the

From left, chamber staffers Pat Reynolds, Jennie Wagner, David Hamilton, Rhonda Adams and Dana Ramsey

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DICKSON COUNT Y

Business | Economic Profile

DICKSON COUNTY BUSINESS CLIMATE An eagerness to learn, a willingness to work and a high level of productivity characterize the local labor force.

MAJOR MANUFACTURING EMPLOYERS Company

Product or Service

Employees

Industrial shelving

586

Alum cylinder heads/casting

482

Shiloh Industries

Metal stamping

388

Odomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tennessee Pride

Sausage and biscuits

388

Offset/rotogravure printing

330

Flexible packaging/ sensitized labels

220

Residential doors

181

Ebbtide Corp.

Fiberglass boats

150

Nashville Wire Products Inc.

Wire parts for HVAC/wire shelving

150

Porcelain Industries

Porcelain coatings

150

Martin-Brower Co.

Distribution center

150

Bridgestone APM

Foam seats

131

Crossville Ceramics

Ceramic tile

100

Lumber sales & exports

85

Barbecue grills

64

Tennsco Co. Nemak Tennessee

TRANSPORTATION Airports Dickson County Municipal Airport, 446-5962 Nashville International Airport 275-1675 Highways Interstate 40 passes through southern Dickson County as it travels from east to west across the state of Tennessee.

U.S. 70 and Highways 46, 47, 48, 49, 96, 100, 235 and 250 Rail CSX Railroad (877) ShipCSX South Central Tennessee Railroad (931) 729-4227

Quebecor Printing Inc. Interstate Packaging Masonite

Middle Tennessee Lumber Co. Fiesta Gas Grills

TAX STRUCTURE

State Sales tax, 7%

First Federal Bank

Property taxes City rate per $100 valuation $.90

Income tax, none

PrimeTrust

Personal, 6% on interest and dividends

TriStar Bank

Ratio of Assessment City residential, 25%

Corporate (excise) 6% on net earnings

Traditions Bank

County residential, 25%

Franchise tax, $.25 per $100 of capital properties

INCENTIVES

Unemployment tax, new employers 2.7% of first $7,000

No state tax on wages

City industrial, 40% County industrial, 40% City personal (equipment) 30% County personal (equipment) 30%

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

(Inventory tax) raw materials only

Bank of Dickson

Sales tax County, 2.75%

First Farmers & Merchants Bank

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First Bank

US Bank National Association

Regions Bank

No inventory tax on finished goods or goods-in-process No sales tax on qualified industrial machinery and distribution/warehouse equipment An excise tax credit A jobs tax credit

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Business | Economic Profile OCCUPATIONS

INDUSTRY Category Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining

Employees

Percentage

380

1.8%

Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services

1,093

5.3%

Construction

2,581

12.5%

Educational, health and social services

3,435

16.6%

Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing

&

! &

$

# $ ! %

1,126

5.4%

528

6.0%

4,006

19.4%

827

4.0%

Management, professional and related, 4,746

1,241

6.0%

925

4.5%

Production, transportation and material moving, 4,279

Retail trade

2,580

12.5%

Transportation and warehousing, and utilities

1,098

5.3%

844

4.1%

Information Manufacturing Other services (except public administration) Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services Public administration

Wholesale trade

Sales and office, 5,394

Construcion, action and maintenance, 3,225 Service, 2,856 Farming, fishing, and forestry, 164

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DICKSON COUNT Y

DRIVE TIME TO OTHER CITIES Nashville, Tenn.

30 mins.

Memphis, Tenn.

2.5 hrs

St. Louis, Mo.

5 hrs.

Atlanta, Ga.

4 hrs.

Louisville, Ky.

3 hrs.

LABOR FORCE COUNTY ESTIMATE (2005 ANNUAL AVERAGE) Labor Force Civilian labor force, 22,800

OPEN HOMES 24 Hours/7 Days a Week

Dickson

ERA.com

An easy way to see ALL real estate listings in the Middle Tennessee area.

Employment, 21,690 Unemployment, 1,100 Unemployment rate, 4.9% Available Labor Estimated available, 1,000 High school graduates (2006) 473 Manufacturing in Area Number of units, 55

REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS (615) 446-8999

Annual average employment 3,636

FOR MORE INFORMATION Dickson County Chamber of Commerce 119 Highway 70 E. Dickson, TN 37055-2080 Toll-free: (877) 718-4967 Phone: (615) 446-2349 Fax: (615) 441-3112 www.dicksoncountychamber.com

Sources: www.census.gov, www.dicksoncountychamber.com

DICKSON COUNT Y

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35

Education

Is There a Nurse in the House?

ONE-YEAR TECHNOLOGY CENTER PROGRAM PROVIDES HANDS-ON MEDICAL TRAINING

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ursing shortage? That’s not the case at Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson.

The school has been offering a one-year practical nursing program since 1965, with the curriculum certified by the Tennessee Board of Nursing.

These days, a total of 39 students are enrolled each year in the program at the Dickson campus.

“We have many more than 39 students apply to enroll in the program, but we just don’t have the room to accommodate everyone,” says Laura Travis, health careers coordinator at Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson.

“The goal for enrolled students is to study hard and become a licensed

Nursing instructor Stephanie Murphy works with students at the Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson.

Painting the Town’s Past Now that’s a big canvas.

Fifth-grade students at Charlotte Elementary School painted a large mural in 2006 on an exterior wall of the GreenSprings Office Center on Spring Street in Charlotte. The mural, entitled “Charlotte Through the Years,” features several images of Charlotte from days gone by up until today.

The mural was the idea of GreenSprings Office Center owner Vince Smolucha, who contacted the elementary school to see if students would be interested in the art project.

“Our school’s art teacher at the time, Gwen Daniel, and I applied for a Community Arts Development Grant to fund the endeavor,” says Malissa Johnson, principal of Charlotte Elementary School. “The funding came through, so we talked to several local historians in Charlotte to make sure the mural would be accurate.”

Johnson says Charlotte art gallery owner H.R. Lovell was hired to oversee the project.

“The students actually painted the mural as they worked side by side with H.R. and our Miss Gwen,” Johnson says. “For example, one student might have

painted a butterfly, and another might have painted the bricks featured on one of the historic homes in the mural. All fifth graders at Charlotte Elementary had a hand in the project, from the priming to the painting to the cleanup.”

Johnson says students learned about color and painting techniques from Lovell, then got to work.

“H.R. would take a group of students to paint for a couple of hours, then another group of students would relieve them,” she says. “The Home Depot and Behr Paints donated a lot of the materials, and Charlotte now has a beautiful mural of its history that everyone can be proud of.”

– Kevin Litwin

Murals at the GreenSprings Office Center on Spring Street in Charlotte were painted by elementary students.

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CALL YOUR LOCAL

practical nurse, or LPN, after their year of study. We’re the only school in this part of Tennessee to offer the LPN program.”

Students spend the first three months of the one-year curriculum in the classroom, then split time between the classroom and clinical settings from the fourth month through graduation.

“After the initial three months, students will spend three days a week in clinical situations and the other two days in the classroom,” Travis says. “In the clinical situations, they might work in a nursing home, hospital, day clinic, a doctor’s office or with the health department. They see a wide variety of medical facilities so that they have a good idea of where they’ll want to work once they graduate.”

Upon completion of the program, graduates must pass a national nursing licensure exam and then apply to the state of Tennessee for their actual LPN license.

“About 97 to 98 percent of our students who have taken the national exam have passed it, which is an impressive statistic,” Travis says. “Many of our LPN graduates then continue their studies at other colleges in order to become registered nurses. Our Tennessee Technology Center students are motivated in the nursing profession, and some of the most dedicated nurses throughout the entire country today are our former grads.”

Besides the practical nursing program, Tennessee Technology Center also offers programs in fields such as automotive technology, business systems, computers, cosmetology, heavy equipment mechanics, machine tooling and surgical technology. To further assist its students, the school provides an evening curriculum with several classes scheduled from 6-9 p.m.

“Our center benefits the citizens, businesses and industries of Dickson County as well as the surrounding area and beyond,” Travis says. “We train thousands of people each year in a variety of fields. We are good at what we do.”

– Kevin Litwin DICKSON COUNT Y

JON & ELISHA STEVENS Broker, ABR, REALTORS®

View all area listings at stevensteam.crye-leike.com.

office: (615) 446-8840 cell: (615) 519-9179 fax: (615) 446-2662 1904 Hwy. 46 S. • Dickson, TN 37055

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Arts & Culture

Live Music, Dancing and Tall Tales THE GRAND OLD HATCHERY PROMISES DOWN-HOME FUN FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES

M

“There’s hoe-down music, singing, banjos, fiddles, cloggers and buck dancers. We have a small dance floor in front of the stage. It’s uninterrupted entertainment,” Smith says.

There are usually about 75 to 100 people in the weekly audience, but The Hatchery can seat 275, so there’s always room for more, he says. Admission is $3 for seniors 65 and older; $4 for people 15-64; $1 for youth 7-14; and children 6 and under are admitted free.

If you can’t be there, but would like to see and hear the music, no problem. The complete show is videotaped and available for $10.

The Grand Old Hatchery, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in May 2007, is also home to the Liar’s Contest, a free event presented by the Dickson Rotary Club and held on the Friday night before Old Timer’s Day. Smith was the first grand champion winner of the Liar’s Contest, a competition for those who tell tall tales.

He wrote the story – about a talking cow named Betsy – and told the tale equipped with a stool, cordless microphone and additional props. He won $250 for his efforts.

“The stories that are told at the contest are just hilarious,” Smith says. “It’s really fun.”

– Nancy Humphrey

BRIAN M C CORD

usic lovers of any age are bound to have fun at the Grand Old Hatchery country music performances every Saturday night in downtown Dickson. You can hit the dance floor or kick back and listen. Either way, it’s a toe-tappin’ good time.

Vance Smith’s Grand Old Hatchery Music Show begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, and the doors open at 5. The music continues until 9:30 or a little later, depending on the performers, says Smith, who purchased the vacated Hatchery building in 1997.

Prior to being a venue for Saturday evening musical performances, the building was used for many years for hatching baby chicks, which were shipped all over the world.

The Hatchery also was equipped with a thrashing machine and sold feed and seed.

The Grand Old Hatchery has a house band comprised of a fiddle, banjo, bass, electric guitars, drums, and occasionally steel guitar and keyboards. Although it’s mostly country music, the band and singers also perform bluegrass, gospel and southern rock, often with guest performers – sometimes more than a dozen a night. Many well-known country music performers have been on the guest performer list at The Hatchery, including John Rich of Big & Rich, Craig Morgan and Johnny Lee.

The Grand Old Hatchery Band performs at the 20th anniversary of Vance Smith’s Grand Old Hatchery Music Show.

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DICKSON COUNT Y

K and B Jamboree ‘Feels Like Family’

Y

ou never know what you’re going to hear on stage at the K and B Jamboree every Saturday night at the White Bluff Community Center.

Country, blues, bluegrass, gospel, holiday-themed music, comedy skits – it’s all fair game.

Kenneth and Brenda (K and B) Atkins started the Jamboree in 1998 in Dickson. When the Dickson location sold, they moved to White Bluff and have garnered quite a following at the show, held every Saturday night at 7. Kenneth, a retired district attorney, and Brenda, a retired Bank of Dickson employee, are in the amateur band – Kenneth on rhythm guitar and Brenda on harmonica. Audience members regularly participate in the show.

“We break up around 10, or whenever we get around to it,” she says. “People who come here feel comfortable and free. There’s just a good feeling. People leave smiling every Saturday night.”

Admission is $3, and the crowd averages about 50, but it often swells to around 80 on good nights, she says. Audience members routinely come from as far away as Mt. Juliet and Dover. The doorkeeper, Mary Whitaker, 0a retired secretary, uses her best judgment about charging admission, Atkins says.

“We let her use her heart and her feelings. If someone can’t afford it, she never charges.”

But there are rules: no drinking or smoking.

“We have a mixture of people and ages,” she says. “Everybody feels like family.”

– Nancy Humphrey

DICKSON COUNT Y

(615) 441-4188 | (615) 441-9987 fax www.wadc.us

Same name, Same

owner, same location and same phone number

605 E. COLLEGE ST. • DICKSON, TN WWW.CHARLESWOODARD.COM

since 1979!

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39

Health & Wellness

Services All Under One Roof DESIGN OF NEW SARAH CANNON CANCER CENTER EMPHASIZES CONVENIENCE

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cancer diagnosis and treatment, Weaver says. In fact, the network has grown to become the largest community based, privately funded diagnostic and treatment center in the country.

The Dickson center is one of 16 affiliates in Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky named after Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, otherwise known as Minnie Pearl, a breast cancer

survivor and champion of the cause.

Cannon, who is one of country music’s most recognized stars and one of America’s top cultural icons, gave her name to the cancer centers in 1991.

Although she died five years later at the age of 83, her name lives on forever in her contributions to cancer research and education.

– Megan Moriarty

BRIAN M C CORD

I

n its first year of operation, the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center in Dickson is already becoming a destination for regional cancer treatment.

The new facility, located within the 66-acre Natchez Medical Park Complex on Highway 46 South in Dickson, was built with patients’ convenience in mind.

“We have imaging, radiation oncology and medical oncology all under one roof,” says Betty Weaver, Horizon Medical Center’s director of marketing.

“In most other centers you have to go to different offices for different services. In Dickson, it’s so convenient because it’s all done right there.”

The short travel distance to and from the facility also greatly benefits patients and their families.

The $16.7 million, 23,000-squarefoot facility, completed in January 2007, includes the Natchez Imaging Center, physician offices for Tennessee Oncology and a resource center for the Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation.

Based on current numbers, center officials expect to treat 200 cancer patients in 2007 alone, Weaver says.

“Our patient volume has exceeded our projections,” she says. “This supports our belief that the services offered at the cancer and imaging center were definitely needed in the community.”

John Marshall, chief executive officer of Horizon Medical Center, says more than 1.3 million people nationwide are diagnosed with cancer each year – and studies indicate about 300 new patients are diagnosed in Dickson, Hickman, Montgomery, Houston and Stewart counties each year.

“Most patients receive treatments five days a week for five weeks, so this location is a great benefit to this community and surrounding areas,” Marshall says. “It provides radiation and medical oncology treatment and diagnostic imaging. Almost two-thirds of cancer patients benefit from radiation therapy treatments.”

Through the work of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center network of over 540 oncologists in 25 states, more patients are benefiting from life-saving

Patient volume at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center has exceeded projections.

DICKSON COUNT Y

Convenience Is Key for New Office

“Who says the road to happiness has to be four lanes?”

D

ickson Medical Associates is looking forward to making things even easier for its patients with the addition of a new office building, slated to be complete in April 2008.

Plans for the 50,000-squarefoot medical building – to be located on Highway 46 near Horizon Medical Center – include a pharmacy, physical therapy area, medical equipment providers, laboratory and imaging services, office space for 14 physicians and at least one food court.

“Once patients get there, we’re hoping to enable them to not have to go anywhere else if they choose not to,” says Group Administrator Bill Legier.

A smaller building, about 4,000-square-feet, will also be constructed and will house offices for two physicians.

Legier says most of the physicians’ offices are currently housed in the nearby hospital.

“They would like to provide medical office space that is more convenient to patients,” he says, adding that between hospital business, the emergency room, employees and patients, parking can be hard to come by.

“This will enable us to provide more convenient parking and better access for our patients,” Legier says.

The Dickson Medical Associates’ Business Operations and Support Services will relocate from the hospital into the new facility upon completion.

“The patients’ conveniences will be optimized,” Legier says, “and that has been our goal from the first day we started the project.”

– Megan Moriarty

DICKSON COUNT Y

At Farm Credit Services of Mid-America, we understand the joys and the realities of part-time farming and country living. And when reality calls for financing a new home, new equipment, land, operating loans, crop insurance or life insurance, call us. We offer competitive rates, fast decisions and a face-to-face relationship that makes you feel like a person, not an account number.

What’s your dream? How do you get there?

Dianne Neblett • Tim Petty • Josh Davis 710 Henslee Dr. • Dickson, TN 37055 (615) 446-5133 • Toll-free: (800) 227-7414 • www.e-farmcredit.com

I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

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East Hills Bed & Breakfast Inn Looking for the best person for the job?

We bring the best together … the best employees, the best jobs and the best candidates.

Let PMI’s staffing experts help you save time and money in your talent search!

HOSTS: JOHN & ANITA LUTHER Located on Highway 70 East at 100 East Hills Terrace, Dickson, TN 37055 (615) 441-9428 • (866) 613-3414 Fax: (615) 446-2181 • E-mail: jaluther@comcast.net

714 E. College St. Dickson, TN 37055 (615) 446-0072 www.workpmi.com

www.easthillsbb.com Serving Dickson for 28 Years with Experience, Quality & Integrity

UNITED MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL Commercial • Industrial HVAC – Refrigeration • Mechanical Operations

(615) 446-9369

A HUMAN RESOURCES & PROCESS MANAGEMENT COMPANY Staffing, Human Resources Outsourcing & Manufacturing Process Outsourcing HOLLAND EMPLOYMENT 216 E. College St., Bldg. D, Ste. 3 • Dickson, TN 37055 (615) 441-1117 • dicksontn@hollandgroup.com THE HOLLAND GROUP (800) 840-8356 • www.hollandgroup.com

A Spiritual Retreat for Living Sober ...“One Day at a Time”

“Second generation jewelers for a lifetime of experience”

“Discover How to Recover” Discovery Place is not a treatment center.

It is a spiritual retreat for men who need help in order to recover from addiction to alcohol or other drugs.

1635 Spencer Mill Rd. • P.O. Box 130 Burns, TN 37029 • (615) 740-8600 (888) 749-8600 DISCOV ERY PL ACE . I N FO

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I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

Jewelry/Watch Repair Diamonds Fine Jewelry

The Quality You Expect The Personal Service You Deserve

Gifts Computerized Engraving Laser Welding Colonial Village • Hwy. 70 E. • Dickson • (615) 446-5358

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BRIAN M C CORD

Sports & Recreation

Brad Ragan, Tammy Fain and Bobby Fain fish from the new wheelchair-accessible, steel-and-concrete pier on City Lake.

Fishing for Adventure NEW PIER, CAMPS AND CONCERTS OFFER A MIX OF SUMMERTIME FUN

T

he idea originated at a Dickson Parks and Recreation staff brainstorming session. A staff member suggested that people with physical disabilities needed a wheelchair-accessible place to fish in Dickson.

The result: City Lake’s new steel-and-concrete fishing pier, with an iron railing and easy access to the water. The concrete gangplank is 8 feet wide and 20 feet long, widening to 12 feet wide by 40 feet long in the area meant for fishing.

“The rail makes it so that someone in a wheelchair doesn’t have to worry about falling into the lake,” says Jeff Lewis, director of the Dickson Parks and Recreation Department.

“We’re also building a sidewalk running from the parking lot to the fishing pier, making it easier to get to the water’s edge.”

The pier was funded with a $45,000 grant from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The remainder of the $63,000 endeavor will be paid for by the City of Dickson.

Building fishing piers is just one of Dickson Parks and Recreation’s many projects. The department sponsors a summer weeklong watersports camp at City Lake, where

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young people can learn how to ski. They can also participate in kneeboarding (skiing on your knees), canoeing, fishing, swimming and learning about boat and water safety. The camp accepts 40 children ages 8-14, and they are divided into four teams of 10. They finish the camp with a T-shirt, a group photograph and a cookout.

“We get a lot of kids who might not ever have the opportunity to ski or learn how to ski,” Lewis says. “It gets them focused on something else and pulls them away from drugs, alcohol and vandalism.”

The city departments of public works, city codes and parks and recreation all work together on the camp.

Two weeklong summer camps are also offered at Buckner Park with a focus on healthy living and fire and drug prevention, with games and swimming thrown in.

Adults benefit from the events, too. Free evening concerts featuring local talent take place the third Friday night of each month, May-October, from 6 to 9 p.m. in Holland Park.

– Nancy Humphrey I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

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Community Profile

DICKSON COUNTY SNAPSHOT For quiet getaways or activity-filled excursions, Dickson County is the place to be. Locals and visitors enjoy shopping in the historic district on Main Street in Dickson, relaxing at Montgomery Bell State Park, or strolling along Charlotte’s tree-lined historic square.

POPULATION (2007 ESTIMATE) Dickson County, 52,549

CLIMATE

Dickson Family Medical Group 446-8527 Dickson Medical Associates, P.C. 446-5121

Average annual temperature, 57.6 F

Hein Family Medicine 441-4944

Average January temperature, 37.2 F

Horizon Medical Center 446-0446

Average July temperature, 76.6 F Annual average precipitation, 54 inches Mean length of freeze-free period (days), 180-220

MEDICAL FACILITIES

HOUSE VALUES Dollar Value $50,000 to $99,999

No.

%

3,604 45.5

Ray Medical, 740-7322

$100,000 to $149,999

2,419

30.6

White Bluff Family Health Care Center, 797-3646

$150,000 to $199,999

760

9.6

$200,000 to $299,000

385

4.9

$300,000 to $499,999

72

0.9

GOLF Dickson County Country Club 446-2879

Adkisson Medical, 740-7322

Frank G. Clement Golf Course 797-2578

The Center for Corporate Health, 446-5979

GreyStone Golf Club 446-0044

Charlotte is the county seat, but Dickson is the county’s largest city.

Median value $96,200

UTILITIES Cable Comcast, 244-5900 Electricity Dickson Electric System 446-9051 Gas Greater Dickson Gas Authority, 441-2830

THIS SECTION IS SPONSORED BY

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Phone AT&T (888) 757-6500

Vanleer Elementary School (K-5), 740-5760

Freedom Communications 229-2123

White Bluff Elementary School (K-5), 797-3971

Water/Sewer Sylvia-Tennessee City-Pond Utility District, 446-8888

Middle Schools Charlotte Middle School (6-8) 740-6060

Vanleer Water Works, 763-2823

Dickson Middle School (6-8) 446-2273

Water Authority of Dickson County, 441-4188

NUMBERS TO KNOW Administrator of Elections 789-6021 County Assessor of Property 789-7015 County Clerk 789-5093 County Mayor 789-7003 Director of Schools 446-7571 Sheriff 789-4130 Trustee 789-7006 Register of Deeds 789-5123

William James Middle School (6-8), 797-3201 High Schools Creek Wood High School (9-12), 740-6000 Dickson County High School (9-12), 446-9003 Alternative Schools New Directions Academy (K-12), 740-6070 Dickson County Adult High School, 446-2114 Technology Schools Dickson Technology Center 441-6220 Private United Christian Academy 446-0322

Road Engineer 446-2638

ATTRACTIONS

UT Extension Dickson County 446-2788

Bowl-O-Rena 446-2331 Go bowling!

EDUCATION Dickson County School System 446-7571 Elementary Schools Centennial Elementary School (K-5), 446-0355 Charlotte Elementary School (K-5), 740-5803 Dickson Elementary School (K-5), 740-5837 Oakmont Elementary School (K-5), 446-2435 Stuart-Burns Elementary School (K-5), 446-2791 The Discovery School (K-5) 441-4163

The area code for Dickson County is 615.

Broadway Drive-In Theatre 446-2786 This drive-in movie theater runs current releases that everyone can enjoy.

Downtown Dickson 446-4988 Go antique shopping downtown. The strip of shops also includes unique gifts, arts and crafts, jewelry, furniture, hobby supplies, books, galleries and more.

Drouillard House and Conference Center 789-3874 Built in 1868 and restored in 1997, the beautiful mansion is only open to the public a few days a year.

Miss Mable’s Tea Room 441-6658 Miss Mable’s is a retreat, a nostalgic spot for daydreaming and enjoying the enduring tradition of tea.

The shop has a beautiful assortment of gifts and more than 50 blends of tea.

Montgomery Bell State Park 866) 836-6757 Come golf, swim, fish, hike and play. Enjoy the campgrounds, paddleboats, trails, ball fields and game room.

Muzart 789-6655 Located on the historic Charlotte square, this is the home gallery of H.R. Lovell, Tennessee’s artist in residence from 2001-03.

Old Spencer Mill 412-5169 The 1800s double-stone gristmill offers tours, camping, interpreters and demonstrations.

Renaissance Center 740-5600 A state-of-the-art facility featuring an art gallery, bookstore, dinner theater, laser-light shows, Senior Day and science theater.

Seven Flags 446-7979 Fun for the whole family.

Activities include go-cart racing, miniature golf, Lazer Tag, indoor playground, video arcade and snack bar.

Thunder Alley 446-2557 Thunder Alley is fun for the whole family. The facility features cosmic bowling, video games and more.

Vance Smith’s Grand Old Hatchery 797-3204 Music lovers, this is the place for you. A house band and guest performers put on a show for kids of all ages.

I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

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TM

New Life Lodge

A Member of CRC Health Group

TENNESSEE DRUG & ALCOHOL TREATMENT CENTER

Treating Mind, Body & Spirit

OF DICKSON COUNT Y SENIOR EDITOR REBECCA DENTON COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SUSAN CHAPPELL, KIM MADLOM, ANITA WADHWANI STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN, JESSICA MOZO DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA KING, KRISTY WISE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS NANCY HUMPHREY, MEGAN MORIARTY, JOE MORRIS ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER TODD POTTER AD PROJECT MANAGER JAREK SWEKOSKY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR SARA SARTIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS WES ALDRIDGE, ANTONY BOSHIER, MICHAEL W. BUNCH, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN M CCORD PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY

WHEN ADDICTION IS THE PROBLEM, NEW LIFE LODGE IS THE SOLUTION. Helping individuals and their families for over 20 years Tennessee’s premier substance abuse treatment center Individualized care and treatment Renowned addictionologist on staff Treating the physical, emotional and spiritual Extensive alumni network 12-step recovery principles Adult and adolescent detox, residential, outpatient, aftercare Family and drug education programs Confidential assessment Multi-disciplinary team approach to treatment Safe, serene wooded surroundings

(866) 836-8125 • www.newlifelodge.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, BRITTANY SCHLEICHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER JESSICA BRAGONIER GRAPHIC DESIGN CANDICE HULSEY, LINDA MOREIRAS, DEREK MURRAY, AMY NELSON WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER ALISON HUNTER COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC COORDINATOR JILL WYATT AD TRAFFIC SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART EXECUTIVE EDITOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS, JACKIE YATES RECRUITING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR NICOLE WILLIAMS CLIENT & SALES SERVICES MANAGER/ CUSTOM MAGAZINES PATTI CORNELIUS

Images of Dickson County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Dickson County Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Dickson County Chamber of Commerce 119 Hwy. 70 East • Dickson, TN 37065 (615) 446-2349 • Fax: (615) 441-3112 contactus@dicksoncountychamber.com www.dicksoncountychamber.com VISIT IMAGES OF DICKSON ONLINE AT IMAGESDICKSON.COM ©Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc., 361 Mallory Station Road, Ste. 102, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

Member

Magazine Publishers of America

Custom Publishing Council Member Member Dickson County Chamber of Commerce

46

I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

DICKSON COUNT Y

Community Profile ANNUAL EVENTS

Sept. 8

SLAYDEN COMMUNITY HOMECOMING

May May 1-3

OLD TIMERS’ DAY FESTIVAL

June DICKSON COUNTY SPRING FLING D.C. INVITATIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT June 7

OLD TIME FIDDLERS CONTEST

October Oct. 13

CUMBERLAND FURNACE FALL FESTIVAL

November

Visit Our Advertisers A-1 Signs www.a-1signs.com Bank of Dickson www.bankofdickson.com Charles Woodard & Associates www.charleswoodard.com City of Charlotte City of Dickson www.cityofdickson.com Clay McKinney Web Development www.claymckinney.com

Nov. 3-4

CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY Nov. 25

DOWNTOWN DICKSON CHRISTMAS PARADE

June 13

December

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY WALK

Crye-Leike Dickson Electric System www.dicksonelectric.com Discovery Place www.discoveryplace.info East Hills Bed & Breakfast www.easthillsbb.com ERA Real Estate Professionals www.dicksonera.com

June 20-21

Dec. 7

STAMPEDE DAYS RODEO

Farm Credit Services www.e-farmcredit.com

CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET

First Bank www.firstbankonline.com

July July 4

SLAYDEN FIREWORKS SHOW

Dec. 8

WHITE BLUFF ELECTRIC CHRISTMAS PARADE

First Farmers & Merchants Bank www.fandmbank.com First Federal Bank General Insurance Underwriters Governor’s Books From Birth Foundation www.governorsfoundation.org Greater Dickson Gas Authority www.gdga.com Horizon Medical Center www.horizonmedicalcenter.com John M. Green Realtors www.diyeargan.com Middle Tennessee Mortgage www.middletennesseemortgage.com New Life Lodge www.newlifelodge.com Personnel Management, Inc. www.workpmi.com Ramada Silver Spoon Fine Pastries & Catering Tennsco www.tennsco.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION

August Aug. 25

CHARLOTTE FESTIVAL

September

Dickson County Chamber of Commerce 119 Highway 70 E. Dickson, TN 37055-2080 Toll-free: (877) 718-4967 Phone: (615) 446-2349 Fax: (615) 441-3112 www.dicksoncountychamber.com

The Holland Group www.hollandgroup.com Tennessee State Parks www.tnstateparks.com Tenessee Technology Center of Dickson www.ttcdickson.edu Touch of Class Jewelers TriStar Bank www.tristarbank.com United Mechanical & Electrical

Sept. 1

ANTIQUE AUTO SHOW Sept. 3-9

DICKSON COUNTY FAIR

The area code for Dickson County is 615.

Sources: www.census.gov, www.dicksoncountychamber.com, www.tennesseelife.com/dickson

Water Authority of Dickson County www.wadc.us West Lake Villas, LLC

I M AG E S D I C K S O N . C O M

47

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Celebrating 70+ Years of Service to Dickson County

1936-2007 DICKSON 611 East College Street 446-2822 601 Highway 46 South 446-9091 200 Henslee Drive 446-9092 BURNS 2310 Highway 96 446-4444 WHITE BLUFF 4363 Highway 70 East 797-2334 CHARLOTTE Two Court Square 789-4103 VANLEER 4701 Highway 49 West 763-0500

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Our branches offer superior service for you 11-hours-a-day.

Our 800 ATMs at no charge through our surcharge-free network www.tristarbank.com (615) 446-7100