Newport Plain Talk Info Guide 2022-2023

2022-23 Info Guide Advertiser Index

A Storage Place ..............................................................79

ACE Hardware ..............................................................61

Allen’s Transmission ....................................................91

Amedisys Home Health Care .......................................62

Appalachian Veterinary Hospital .................................62

Arby’s ............................................................................59

Askew Realty Group .....................................................83

Best Western .................................................................69

Bethel Baptist Church ...................................................82

Bridgeport Market & Deli .............................................31

Brock’s Open Air Market ..............................................75

Brockwell Construction Co. Inc. ...................................39

Bush’s Visitor Center ....................................................65

Calvin Ball Roofing .......................................................92

Campbell and Hooper Law ...........................................92

Carver’s Orchard & Applehouse Restaurant ................74

Celebration Chalet ........................................................73

City/County Officials ......................................... 12, 13, 19

City of Newport .............................................................20

Cocke County Auto Repair Businesses .........................99

Cocke County Monument Co. .......................................93

Cocke County Partnership .......................................52-53

Cocke County Shrine Club ............................................38

Cody’s Tree Service .......................................................60

Cosby Barber Shop .......................................................38

Cosby Real Estate ...........................................................7

Crossroads Community Church ...................................89

David Popiel — Country Living Realty .........................82

Denton’s TV & Satellite ...............................................102

Donna Jo’s Market & Subway ......................................41

Dutch Bottoms Baptist Church ....................................81

Eddie Ball Construction ................................................25

Edgemont Church of God ...............................................6

English Creek Baptist Church ......................................95

Eric Freeman/Rusty Wallace Ford ...............................59

Evans Towing ................................................................70

Foothills Furniture .......................................................73

Foothills Wash ‘N Go ....................................................88

Forbidden Caverns ....................................................... 14

Foust Screen Designs ....................................................91

Franklin Realty ..............................................................81

Fred Nailon & Sons Septic Tanks .................................38

Fruit Jar Alley ...............................................................18

Goddard Real Estate .....................................................32

Good Shepherd Catholic Church ..................................97

Goode Septic Tank Service ...........................................38

Hommel Concrete .........................................................37

Hudson & Sons Greenhouses .......................................35

Jabo’s Pharmacy ...........................................................64

Janice’s Diner ...............................................................70

Jefferson-Cocke County Utility District .................26, 44

Joe’s Sporting Goods, LLC ...........................................43

Joystick Gaming & Collectibles ....................................97

Kathy’s

Parrottsville Ruritan Club ............................................35

Pet Care Guide .............................................................101

Petals Florist and Gift Shop ..........................................80

Piney Grove Baptist Church .........................................26

Ramsey Furniture .........................................................35

Realtors .....................................................................9, 22

Resthaven Memorial Gardens ....................................103

Rocky Top Biker Stop ...................................................88

Rocky Top Pest Control ................................................34

Rusty Wallace Ford .......................................................36

Rural Medical Services, Inc. ....................................... 104

S and A Glass ................................................................30

Scenic Realty .................................................................56

Shoemaker Landscaping & Fencing, Inc ......................43

SMASH ..........................................................................43

Smoky Mtn Home Health & Hospice ............................63

Smoky Mtn Mowers ......................................................88

Southside Baptist Church .............................................60

Spicewood Cabinets ......................................................83

Stinnett Automotive Group ..........................................42

Strange’s Custom Auto, Inc. .........................................93

Strange’s Eastport Exxon .............................................57

State Farm Ins.-Eric Varner .........................................24

State Representative-Jeremy Faison ...........................30

Tan Easy ........................................................................77

Tennessee College of Applied Technology .....................8

Tennessee Mtn Music Barn ..........................................30

Tennessee State Bank ....................................................71

Town & Country Drugs .................................................87

Unity Baptist Church ....................................................66

US BanCorp Investments .............................................16

Victory Lanes (Bowling) ...............................................32

Victory Mountain Ministries ........................................44

Walters State Community College ...............................76

Westmorland Cosmetic & Family Dentistry ................66

White Pine Businesses ..................................................27

White Pine Marine ........................................................86

White Pine Eyecare .......................................................95

Wholesale Furniture Outlet ..........................................94

Wilson’s Sav-Mor Pharmacy ........................................72

Wilton Springs Hardware .............................................21

• Duane Uhls — Publisher/Editor

• Matt Winter — Assistant Editor

• Lynn Crum — Circulation Manager

• Janie Holt — Advertising Sales

• Vickie Mason — Advertising Sales

• Penny Webb — Advertising Sales

• Kevin Lumpkin — Layout & Design- Boone, NC Production

ce

INFO GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SERVICES

City of Newport .......................................10

Cocke County Government .....................14

Cocke County Legislative Body ..............18

Town of Parrottsville .............................20

Local Fire Departments .........................22

VISITING THE SMOKIES

Visiting The Smokies has been helping tourists plan activities in the eastern portion of the Smoky Mountains for 19 years. While promoting commerce near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and in its border communities, businesses in Newport, Hartford, Cosby, Hot Springs, Parrotsville and Dandridge have found this magazine to be an effective way to reach tourists and local day-trippers.

As we begin our 19th year, we are pleased to announce that we will publish a Spring, Summer and Fall edition on high gloss magazine paper stock that will provide fantastic reproduction of photos and complex graphical advertising. This is a major enhancement to the only regional magazine that is dedicated to consistent coverage of the eastern area of the Smoky Mountains.

Visiting The Smokies is distributed to welcome centers, area chambers of commerce, and advertisers in the magazine, which provides benefi cial coverage of the target group. Call your account executive today to reserve space for your advertising message in this high quality magazine.

Local Law Enforcement Agencies ......... 24

Cocke County Constables ......................26

Cocke County E-911 ...............................26

State, Federal Legislators ....................... 27

Cocke County Elections .........................32

Cocke County Road Commissioners .....36

Keep Cocke County Beautiful ................36

UT Extension Office ...............................40

Cocke County Judicial Officials .............44

Newport Housing Authority ..................46

Cocke County Veterans Services ...........46

Cocke County Convenience Centers ......46

EDUCATION

Cocke County School System ................56

Newport Grammar School .....................60

Imagination Library ..............................64

Education Foundation ...........................64

Cocke County Adult Education .............66

Tenn. College of Applied Technology ....66

Walters State Community College ........67

East Tennessee State .............................68

Carson-Newman ....................................72

Tusculum ................................................73

HEALTH CARE

Rural Medical Services ........................... 15

Smoky Mtn. Home Health & Hospice ....17

Newport Medical Center ........................76

Newport Convalescent Center ................77

Cocke County Health Department ........78

Cocke County Health Council ................80

Amedisys Home Health .........................80

Newport Health & Rehab .......................81

Wellington Manor ..................................82

COCKE COUNTY PARTNERSHIP

Cocke County Partnership .....................50

Tourism Department .............................50

Economic Development Commission ....51

Chamber of Commerce ..........................54

Cradle to Career Coalition ......................55

BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, INFRASTRUCTURE

Newport Federal Bank ...........................84

Newport Utilities ...................................85

Tennessee State Bank ............................87

US Bank .................................................90

Jefferson Cocke Co. Utility District .......90

Commercial Bank .................................. 90

Furniture Palace .....................................91

Carver’s Orchard ....................................92

Ball Metalpak .........................................93

A Word from The Newport Plain Talk Publisher

Dear Readers,

Thanks for looking at our 2022-2023 Information Guide.

The Plain Talk has published this guide for the better part of two decades to serve as a source of information for not only visitors, tourists and those looking to relocate to our beautiful community, but also those of you who have called Cocke County home for years.

Cocke County has many natural resources and blessings. We have three beautiful rivers — the Nolichucky, the Pigeon and the French Broad — along with four park systems — the Cherokee National Forest, the Appalachian Trail, the Martha Sundquist State Forest and the most visited national park in the country, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Former Cocke County Mayor Iliff McMahan Jr. used to tell everyone our blessings come in threes and fours, because of the resources that are in our backyard that serve many purposes for many people.

Cocke County offers tremendous potential and the people here that have made their

homes in our hometown are the greatest resource we have.

The people who have called Cocke County their home and made investments in our community are the lifeblood. Much blood, sweat and tears have been poured into their efforts and invest-

ments.

Whether it be establishing a new business, working for one of our established manufacturers or employers or coming here to retire, our people are our greatest asset.

Cocke County has a lot to offer and I hope this guide will be of

much use to you and your family over the coming year. Whether you’re just passing through, or you’ve been here for all your life, I believe all of this information will be of great value to you.

Also a great deal of appreciation and thanks to our adver-

tising partners and sponsors who make this Information Guide possible. Without their time and effort, this project to serve you would be next to impossible to pull o ff.

Our doors at the Newport Plain Talk are always open and just like we have since

1900, we continue to be here for the needs of the citizen’s of Cocke County.

If there’s ever anything myself or our staff can do to assist you, please let us know!

All the best,

Duane Uhls Publisher & Editor

Cocke County’s history goes back to late 1700s

When Cocke County was formally established in 1797, settlers had already carved out homes and farms here twenty years or so earlier.

Native Americans, of course, were the first human residents of the area. Proof of their residency continues to surface in the form of arrowheads and bits of pottery when springtime plowing is done.

Although it has not been proven, circumstantial evidence indicates that Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto and his party passed through here.

White trappers and hunters definitely began making their way into this wilderness by the mid-eighteenth century. By the 1770s and 1780s, more and more pioneers moved here, trickling down from the Upper Watauga community and across the mountains from North and South Carolina.

Quite naturally the earliest settlements sprouted along the three

SundayServices

MorningWorship 10:30am

EveningWorship

LastSundayoftheMonth 6:00pm

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rivers — Nolichucky, French Broad, and Pigeon — which flow through the county. With these settlers came the need for protection against the

occasional Indian attacks. Several forts, including Bell’s Station, Whitson’s, Huff’s, Wood’s, McKay’s, and Swagerty’s, were erected as safe havens for

the citizens. Today Swagerty Fort, which stands alongside Old Hwy. 321 north of Parrottsville, is the only such fort remaining.

Legend accords John Gilliland the honor of planting the first corn crop in the county “at the mouth of the Big Pigeon River.” Gilliland is also

credited with donating fifty acres of land, in what we now call Old Town, for the establishment of a county seat.

For close to a century, Old Town was the county’s hub of activity. Here were the courthouse, the jail, Peter Fine’s ferry, a hotel or two, and a few other early businesses, such as Rankin & Pulliam’s store.

Today the Gilliland-Cameron-O’Dell house is the only remaining original structure in Old Town. The other reminder of Old Town’s prominence is the Roadman Cemetery, high on the Parrottsville side of the river, which overlooks the area. Here lie such early leaders as Peter Fine, Edom Kendrick, and William Roadman.

Those hardy souls brought a deep faith in God with them when they moved into this area. In 1787, nine years before Tennessee was admitted to the Union and ten years before the formal

SEE HISTORY ON PAGE 8

HISTORY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

establishment of Cocke County, a group organized Big Pigeon Primitive Baptist Church. Its minutes mention a cessation of meetings due to “Indians being troublesome.”

Within twenty-five years several other denominations — Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian — arrived, and in 1845 Salem Lutheran Church was organized in the Parrottsville home of Michael Ottinger.

The only Revolutionary War skirmish known to have occurred in Cocke County was at the War

Ford.

Many of the early settlers came here to claim land granted to them for their service during the Revolutionary War. Over 100 such veterans are known to have received acreage.

Because of the county’s topography, large plantations and the slave labor associated with them were few here. While several families did own slaves, the average farmer owned a man and his wife, rather than the dozens of slaves we connect with the story of Scarlet O’Hara.

By the 1830s, the county’s population remained small. Efforts to bring the railroad here periodically flourished and dwindled

until after the Civil War. When hostilities erupted, Cocke Countians found their loyalties divided. Often brothers fought on different sides. Although no major battles were fought here, there were at least two skirmishes, one at Parrottsville and another at Cosby. Much suffering was inflicted on the women, children, and elderly by bands of marauding bushwhackers.

In 1865, peace arrived and prosperity slowly returned. In 1867, the railroad finally arrived and with it came a period of unprecedented growth. The tracks ran through what was called Gorman’s

Depot, today’s downtown Newport.

In the 1880s, after much controversy, the county seat was moved from Old Town to Gorman’s Depot (also called Clifton). Citizens in Parrottsville bitterly protested the move, because now they had to ford two rivers to reach the county seat. Citizens in Bridgeport lobbied heavily for the new courthouse to be built there. Formal education arrived in the form of Anderson Academy, which stood between today’s Northwest Elementary School and Old Town. As the decades passed, dozens of one- and tworoom schools sprang up

throughout the county. High school work, at one time, was offered at Parrottsville, Harmony Grove, Raven’s Branch, Moraine, Wilton Springs, Edwina, and Newport.

The twentieth century brought more change and prosperity to the region. With the establishment of two canneries, the Bush and Stokely families brought jobs and better living standards to dozens of families. The tannery’s opening in the late 1800s did the same.

Cocke Countians have always done their part to uphold Tennessee’s nickname, “The Voluteer State.” Probably the first citizens here to enlist be-

cause of war did so during the War of 1812. At least one aging Revolutionary War soldier joined up. Dozens of men and not a few women answered their country’s call during the two world wars, and did so again during Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, and now Afghanistan.

Now, in the twenty-first century, the county’s growth looks more promising than ever, as a more concerted effort to promote the county’s tourist options and to attract more industry to the area grow. Retirees continue to flock here.

Who knows what the next decades will bring?

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City of Newport Governed by Mayor and Aldermen

STAFF REPORTS

The Newport Board of Mayor and Aldermen system governs the City of Newport.

Roland Dykes, III is the current mayor of the city, having been elected in 2018.

Serving on the council as Aldermen are: Vice-Mayor Mike Pro ffi tt, Mike Hansel, Connie Ball, Steve Smith and Louanna Ottinger.

They each serve fouryear terms.

The next election will be in November 2022.

Mayor Dykes appoints all the volunteer city boards. City Council appoints the boards with paid positions, which are: the beer board, the police and fi re civil service boards, and the power board.

The aldermen govern the city, but City Administrator James Finchum performs most of the administrative duties. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen meet on the second Tuesday of each

Roland A. Dykes, III Mayor

Mike Proffitt, Vice-Mayor

Steve Smith, Alderman

Mike Hansel, Alderman

Louanna Ottinger, Alderwoman

Connie Ball, Alderman

Jeremy Shelton, City Fire Chief

James Finchum, City Administrator

Terry Hurst, City Attorney

Ben Hicks, Street & Sanitation Department Supervisor

Gary Carver, Community Development Director

Maurice Shults, Newport Police Chief

month in the chamber of the Newport City Hall building at 5:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.

The Newport City Hall is located at located at 300 E. Main St. The telephone number is (423) 623-7323. More information is also available on the city’s website at www.cityofnewport-tn.com.

The City Hall is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on holidays.

The Newport Board of Zoning Appeals and the Newport Regional Plan-

ning Commission, which are made up of the same o ffi cials, meet on the fourth Tuesday of each

month in the chamber of City Hall at 3:30 p.m.

The Newport Utilities Board of Directors meets

on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the utilities’ administration center, 170 Cope Boulevard, at

10:30 a.m.

The Newport Housing Authority board meets on the third Monday of each month at 12 noon at its main office at 440

Lennon Circle, Newport. The housing authority’s telephone number is (423) 623-1575.

Tim Dockery, Parks & Rec. Director

Brittany Vick, City Judge

Mark Robinson, Codes Official

Tina Matthews, Finance

Recorder

Newport City Hall as the sun sets on the Pigeon River in downtown Newport.

Cocke County Government provides services to all citizens

Cocke County’s government is structured in the same way as the other 94 counties in the state of Tennessee.

There is a county mayor, who stands for election every four years, who is the chief operating officer for the country and handles administrative duties. Crystal Ottinger, is the current County Mayor, having won

her second term in office during the 2018 Election Cycle. Ottinger is not seeking another term, and a new county mayor will be elected this August.

Ottinger’s office, along with other officials, including the County Finance Director, Administrator of Elections and Chancery Court Clerk and Master, is

Crystal Ottinger, County Mayor

Mark McGaha, Register of Deeds

Angie Shelton, Property Assessor

Kristy Nease, Circuit Court Clerk

Armando Fontes, Sheriff

Josh Blanchard, Admin. of Elections

Peachie Cody, Sessions Court Clerk

Heather McGaha, Finance Director

Rob Mathis, Trustee

Shalee’ McClure, County Clerk

Craig Wild, Clerk & Master

Manney Moore, Director of Schools

RuralMedicalServices

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WhenthetimecomesdeliverywilltakeplaceatthebirthingcenteratNewport MedicalCenter.RMSalsoassistspatientswithenrollmentintotheinsurance marketplace.RMSislookingforwardtoservingyourhealthcareneedsinoneof ourfacilitieslocatedinNewport,ChestnutHill,Parrottsville,CosbyandGrassy Fork.

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COUNTY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

located in the Cocke County Courthouse Annex at 360 East Main Street.

The county is divided into seven districts and each district elects two members to the County Legislative Body (CLB), which must approve all financial expenditures by the county.

The CLB meets once a month on the third Monday at 6 p.m. in the Circuit Courtroom on the second floor of the Cocke County Courthouse. The CLB has standing committees, which oversee the operations of the landfill, the sheriff’s department, the courthouse and finances. Committees

meet when needed.

The County Board of Education consists of seven members, one elected from each district. It meets on the second Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at the School System’s Central Office, which is located at 305 Hedrick Drive in Newport. The county school system is overseen by a director of schools, Manney Moore, who is appointed by the Board of Education.

The Cocke County Re-

gional Planning Commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the courthouse annex.

The county highway commission, which oversees the county road system is served by a seven member board, which comes from seven districts. The current highway superintendent is Dwayne McCallister, who is serving the final year of his four-year term.

Melissa Gossman, County Attorney Dwayne McCallister, HWY Superintendent

SmokyMountainHome HealthandHospice

Celebrates40thAnniversary1982-2022

Since1982,SmokyMountainHomeHealthandHospicehasbeenprovidingmedicalcaretothousandsofEastTennesseeresidentsintheirhome,the placewhereeveryonewantstobe.Theagencyoperatesthecorporateofficein Newport,aswellasbranchofficesinMorristown,Greeneville,Tazewell,Kingsport andKnoxville.ItemployslocalemployeesinallouterofficesandservesCocke, Claiborne,Grainger,Hamblen,Hawkins,Greene,Hancock,Jefferson,Unicoi,Washington,Sevier,Sullivanand2Knoxcounties.The2Knoxvilleofficesdelivercareto hospiceonlypatients.

ThecorporateofficeremainsinNewport,Tn.,andtheagencyactively supportscommunityeventssuchasAlzheimer’s,RelayforLife,andnumerous otheroutreachprogramsaswellasprovidesjobsforthecountiestheyserve.The agencystrivestobeatrustedandvitalpartofeachcommunityandtheir“patient first”mentalityhasguideditsmissiontoprovidecompassionateandlovingcareto residentsinthesecommunities.TammyFrancis,RN,CDEhasownedandoperated thecompanysince1982andisoneofthefewprivately-ownedhomecareand hospiceagenciesstilloperatinginEastTennessee.

Theawardwinningagencyspecializesindiseasemanagementprograms aswellasendoflifecare.Oneofthebenefitsoftheendoflifecareprogramis theextraassurancetothefamilythattheirlovedonewillbekeptpainfreeandas comfortableaspossible.Dr.KenJohnson,servesastheHospiceMedicalDirector andconsultswiththeagency’sprofessionalteamaswellasthefamilythroughout thepatientscare.Severalotherphysicianscompletetheteamthatservespatients throughouttheir13countycoveragearea.

Theagencyhaswonseveralprestigiousawardsovertheyearsandcontinuestoberecognizedasoneoftheleadingprivatelyownedhomehealthand hospiceagenciesinTennessee.TammyFrancis,RN,CDE,istheownerandadministratorandhasbeenawardedHomeCareLeaderoftheYearawardinprevious yearsbytheTennesseeAssociationofHomeCare.DEYTAAnalyticshonoredthe agencyforcontinuouslyprovidingthehighestlevelofsatisfactionthroughcare asmeasuredfromthepatient’spointofview.Theagencyhasbeenawardedthe NewportPlainTalk’sPeople’sChoiceawardsforBestPlacetoWork,BestNurse, BestHomeHealthCareandHospiceCompanybyreadersoftheNewportPlainTalk consistentlyforthelastdecade.

Medicareandotherinsurancescoverhomehealthandhospiceservices. SmokyMountainHomeHealthandHospices’professionalstaffprovidesthese servicesinyourhomeorplaceofresidence:skillednursing,homehealthaides, diabeticeducation,medicalsocialservices,physical,speechandoccupational therapies.Medicalsuppliesandequipmentcanalsobeobtained.Hospiceservices include:assessmentofspecificpainandcomfortneeds,skillednursingservices, bereavementandspiritualcounseling,medicationrelatedtotheterminalillness, medicalsuppliesandequipment,respitecare,andbereavementfollowupforup

to13monthsforthefamily.

InregardstotheMedicarehospicebenefit,studyafterstudyshowsthat hospicesavesmoneybyprovidingexpertpainandsymptomcontrol,careandsupportfordyingpatientsandtheirfamiliesathome,thereforeavoidingunnecessary andunwantedhospitalizations.Hospicecarestudieshaveshownthathospicecare decreasedtheuseofacutecare,intensivecare,andemergencyservices.Accordingtoarecentstudy,patientsthatelectthehospicebenefitthroughMedicarelive longerthanthosepatientsnotelectingthisbenefit.Earlierinterventionbyour agencycandecreasestressandimprovethequalityoflifeandalsobenefitsthe patientandfamilybyofferingmoreeffectivepainandsymptommanagement,” saidCorporatePublicRelationsManager,BarbaraMorris.Lessvisitstothehospital andphysician’soffices,preparationofadvancedirectives,andfullemotional,psychologicalandspiritualsupportarealsobenefitsofearlieradmissiontohospice care.

Somanyofourpatient’sfamiliesmentiontous“thattheywishtheyhad knownmoreaboutourhospiceservicesandhadchosenhospicecaremuchsooner”inregardstotheirlovedonedealingwithalifethreateningillness,saidMs. Morris.Ourpatientsbecomepartofourfamilyhereandfamilymembersreally appreciatebeingabletoparticipateinthecareoftheirlovedone,anddefinitely feelgoodabouttheircontributiontotheirloveone’slastdaystogether,mentioned Ms.Morris.

“Ourpalliativecareprogramconsistsofphysiciansandnursepractitioners trainedinpalliativecareandincludessocialworkersandchaplains”mentioned Ms.Morris.Thisspecializedprogrammayhelppatientswhoarestillseekingacure foraterminalillnesstransitionmoreeasilytohospicecare.

SmokyMountainHomeHealth&HospiceisanactivepartnerwiththeWe HonorVeteransprogram,whichprovidesintensivetrainingthatprepareshospice providerstorelatetoveteransandtheiruniqueneedsaswellastheneedsoftheir lovedones.Theagencyhasalsoachievedtheveryprestigious5Starstatuswith theWHVprogram.Asmembersofthisprogram,theagencyhasaccesstotraining andresourcesdesignedtoservethespecialneedsofVeterans.Thecompanyalsois avitalpartoftheOPUSPeaceandBeRememberedprograms,whichbringadded valuetotheservicestheyalreadyprovidetopatients.“VolunteersfromthecommunityoffertheirtimeandtalentsandareavitalpartofourVolunteerprogram, offeringpersonalizedassistancetopatientsaswellastheybecomeapartofour SmokyMountainfamily,”saidMs.Morris.

Tobecomeavolunteer,obtainadditionalinformation,ortofindouthow SmokyMountainHomeHealthandHospiceservicesmaybenefityouoraloved oneathome,pleasecall800-358-7844orvisitusonlineatwww.smokyhhc.com, visitourFACEBOOKpageorcontactanofficenearestyou.

Cocke County Legislative Body governs county

The Cocke County Government is structured like every other county in the state, with a County Commission governing all financial expenditures and making other legislative branch decisions.

Cocke County’s Legislative Body is comprised of 14 individuals, who come from seven districts within the county. Each district has two posts and individuals are free to serve the post of their choosing in the district.

Each of Cocke County’s 14 commissioners were elected in the August 2018 County General Election. The next election will be held in August 2022. The CLB meets each month on the third Monday at 6 p.m. in the Cocke County Circuit Courtroom.

Barry Ford 1st District — Post 1

Clay Blazer 2nd District — Post 2

Jonathan Laws 4th District — Post 1 Dan Bright 5th District — Post 1

Calvin Ball 1st District — Post 2

Norman Smith 3rd District — Post 1

Jeff Eslinger 4th District — Post 2

Casey Gilliam 5th District — Post 2

Kyle Shute 7th District — Post 1 Gary Carver 7th District — Post 2

Gayla Blazer 2nd District — Post 1

Terry Dawson 3rd District — Post 2

MeetYourCity/CountyOfficials proudtoserveourcommunities!

AsyourCity/CountyOfficials,ourdoorsarealwaysopen.Weencourageeveryonetocontactus wheneverwecanansweraquestionorbeofservice.

NewportAlderwoman

FOURTHJUDICIALDISTRICT

Itcontinuesto bemydistinct honortoserve thecitizens oftheFourth JudicialDistrict asCircuitCourt Judge.Sincemy appointment in2017,Ihaveendeavoredtohear casesfairlyandimpartially.Thankyou foryoursupport.Togethermystaff andIwillcontinuetoserveyouwith integrity.

LouannaOttinger

Itismyhonorandaprivilegetoservethecityof NewportasyourMayor.Isincerelybelievethat workingtogetherwecanaccomplishgreatthings forourcity.Thankyoufortheopportunitytodo whatIcantohelpNewportprosper.

Thankyou, Roland“Trey”Dykes,III

Angie Shelton Property Assessor

I’vespentover30yearsservingCockeCounty workinginthePropertyAssessor’soffice withtheprivilegeofholdingtheAssessor’s positionfor4ofthoseyears.Iamblessedthat thecitizensofCockeCountytrustmewith suchanhonorableposition!MystaffandIare alwaysavailabletoserveyou.

Ihopetoserveourcommunityinaway thatwillmakeyouproudthatyouvoted forme.

“Thegreatnessofacommunityismost accuratelymeasuredbythecompassionate actionsofitsmembers.”

–CorettaScottKing

louannaottinger@newporttn.org

Weareproudthatyoubelieveinusenoughtoallowustoserveinthepositionsoftrust. Thankyouforyourcontinuedsupport.

JudgeCarterScottMoore

“FIRMLYCOMMITTED TONEWPORT”

Mayor TreyDykesIII

Visit the Town of Parrottsville

The Town of Parrottsville is the only other incorporated town in Cocke County, aside from Newport.

Parrottsville is the third oldest town in the state, having been settled by John W. Parrott over two centuries ago.

The Town Hall is located at 2025 Old Parrottsville Highway, which is located next to Parrott-Larue-Myers Park. The telephone number is (423) 6239380.

A board of three aldermen governs Parrottsville, which is located about

seven miles north of Newport.

The alderman who receives the most votes in a general election is designated as the mayor.

Mayor Dewayne Daniel was elected to a four-year term in 2018. He is serving with two other aldermen, Ronnie Hommel and Thad Balch.

The city’s Web site is www.parrottsvilletn. org

Jayne Ragan is the town recorder. Jeff Greene is the town attorney. Melissia Ball serves as town judge.

The town commission

normally meets quarterly on the first Thursday of the month at Town Hall, at 6 p.m.

The city has several committees that include Parks and Recreation, Fourth of July, Heritage Days, and Christmas.

The Parrottsville Park in the center of town is a major drawing card for residents and visitors.

Parrottsville actively supports the Parrottsville Volunteer Fire Department.

Rural Medical Services operates a clinic in Parrottsville. It is located at 111 Mockingbird Avenue.

The town has a tennis court and a basketball court, which were

opened to the public in 2012.

Community orga-

nizations include the Parrottsville Ruritan Club.

Dewayne Daniel, Mayor

Jayne Ragan, Recorder

Thad Balch, Alderman

Jeff Greene, Attorney

Ronnie Hommel, Alderman Melissia Ball, Judge

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Eight fire departments protect Cocke County citizens

Atotal of eight fire departments serve the citizens of Cocke County. These are Newport, Cocke County, Centerview, Cosby, Del Rio, Grassy Fork, Long Creek, and Parrottsville.

In case of a fire, it is always best to simply call 911.

The Newport Fire Department, located at 103 C Avenue, is composed of 25 firefighters. The department has three engines, one ladder truck, and one mini-pumper. Jeremy Shelton is the fire chief. The telephone number is (423) 613-4048.

Cocke County Fire Department, located at 120 Fairground Circle, has four engines and one tanker. The telephone number is (423) 623-4444.

The Centerview Volunteer Fire Department has a pair of locations, 210 Turner Ridge Road, and 109 Fullington Way in Bybee. They have multiple brush trucks, two engines, and one tanker. The telephone number is (423) 623-9444.

Cosby Volunteer Fire Department has three locations, its main hall at 3292 Cosby Hwy., and two branch stations-one in Edwina, and the other adjacent to the Cosby Post Office. They recently constructed, in conjunction with the Newport Rescue Squad, a fourth station near the National Guard Armory. The telephone number is (423) 487-2593.

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The Del Rio Volunteer Fire Department is located at 480 Hwy. 107. The department also has a sub-station at 325 River Bend Way. The telephone number is (423) 487-2215.

Grassy Fork Volunteer Fire Department, located at 4110 Big Creek Road, can be reached at (423) 487-5222.

Long Creek Volunteer Fire Department is Cocke County’s newest department. Located at 924 Gunter Corner Road, Parrottsville, the department can be reached at (423) 625-8655.

Parrottsville Volunteer Fire Department is located at 2059 Hwy. 321. Their telephone number is (423) 6237174.

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Law enforcement agencies serve Cocke County

Cocke County has four local law enforcement agencies to protect and serve the public, including the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office, the Newport Police Department, the Parrottsville Police Department, and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP).

In case of emergency dial 911. The highway patrol can be reached by cellular telephone by dialing Star THP (847). It can also be reached by dialing 1-800-737-2682.

For non-emergencies, the sheriff’s office can be reached at (423) 6236004, the police department at (423) 623-5556, and the highway patrol at (800) 737-2682 (press “0”).

The Cocke County Sheriff is Armando Fontes.

The Sheriff’s Office is located in the Cocke County Courthouse at 111 Court Avenue. The sheriff’s detective division is located in the Courthouse Annex at 360 East Main Street. The sheriff’s office responds to all emergency calls outside the Newport city limits.

C.J. Ball is the Chief Deputy and Chuck Evans is Major of the Sheriff’s

Office. The telephone number for the Cocke County Sheriff’s Detectives Division is (423) 623-4827.

The Newport Police Department is located at 330 East Main Street. It responds to all calls within the city limits of Newport. The main office hours are Monday through Friday from

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone number to the police department is (423) 623-5556.

Maurice Shults is the Chief of the police department. Steve Hudson is Deputy Chief.

Accident and incident reports can be filed or picked up at the appropriate department building depending on whether the accident or incident occurred inside or outside the city limits. The sheriff’s office does not charge for copies of its reports requested by the public. At the police department, a copy of an accident report costs $5; incident or arrest reports are $4 each.

Maurice Shults, Newport Police Chief

Armando Fontes, Cocke County Sheriff

Steve Hudson, Newport Deputy Police Chief

C.J. Ball CCSO, Chief Deputy

Chuck Evans, Major

Cocke County Constables

Cocke County E-911 ready for emergencies

The Cocke County Emergency Communications District

E-911 office is located at 145 Mineral St. and it dispatches all emergency units in Cocke County including police, sheriff, ambulance, fire, and rescue.

The E-911 director is Nancy Hansel.

The E-911 business office also assigns all residential and business addresses and this service is provided between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number for this service is (423) 623-5978. Residential and business numbers must be obtained before applying for electric, sewer, gas, water, or phone service connections.

E-911 numbers must be prominently displayed on homes, businesses, and mailboxes, so emergency units are able

to locate the residence without loss of valuable time. A developers permit must be obtained from the Property Assessor’s Office when an individual applies for a new address. This is a state law and must be done before an address can be given.

Individuals that have moved in the last five years or are moving in the near future, should contact E-911 to make sure their address and information has been updated.

Josh Spurgeon, 1st District David Winters, 2nd District

Steven Cameron, 6th District

Nathan White, 3rd District

Andrew Clark, 5th District Carroll Crumbley, 4th District

Roger Henderson, 7th District

Nancy Hansel

State, Federal Legislators Represent Cocke County

Two legislative bodies govern the State of Tennessee—the House of Representatives and the State Senate—collectively known as the Tennessee State Legislature. Representing Cocke County as part of the state legislature are Representative Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby), who serves the 11th House District, and Senator Steve Southerland (R-Morristown), who serves the 1st Senate District.

Faison, a Cocke County resident, represents Cocke, Jefferson, and part of Greene Counties. His local address is

E-911

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Hansel said, “One of our biggest problems that we have is people who fail to put their address numbers on their driveways or homes. Our top priority is that when someone dials 911 that we reach him or her just as quickly as possible. Identifying the address could potentially be a lifeor-death issue, as emer-

1009 Country Mountain Road, Cosby, TN 37722. His Nashville address is 425 5th Avenue North, Suite 622, Cordell Hull Building, Nashville, TN 37243. He can be reached by phone in his Nashville office at 615-741-6871 and 1-800-449-8366-extension 16871. His fax number is 615-253-0225, and his e-mail address is rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov.

Southerland’s local address is 4648 Harbor Drive, Morristown, TN 37814. He represents Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, and Sevier Counties. His

SEE LEGISLATORS ON PAGE 28

gency responders answer a distress call.” Cocke County E-911 works closely with the State E-911 Board to utilize all available funding from the state.

The center phone numbers are 911 (for emergency only) and (423) 623-8777 (police dispatch), (423) 623-5556 (police department’s office), (423) 6233064 (sheriff’s dispatch), or (423) 623-6004 (sheriff’s office) for non-emergency services.

LEGISLATORS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

Nashville telephone numbers are 615-7413851 and 1-800-449-8366 – ex. 13851. His Nashville address is 425 5th Avenue North, Suite 722, Cordell Hull Building, Nashville, TN 37243. His e-mail address is sen.steve. southerland@legislature. state.tn.us.

On the national level, Cocke County is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Diana Harshbarger, a Republican and Kingsport resident. She can be reached in Washington at 202-2256356 or by fax at 202-2255714. Her mailing address in Washington is 167 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515. Locally she can be reached in Kingsport at 423-3985186. Her mailing address is 205 Revere Street Kingsport, TN 37660.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Sen. Bill Hagerty, both Republicans, serve Cocke County in Washington.

Blackburn’s Washington address is 357 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. Her Knoxville area office is located at 800 Market St., Suite 121, Knoxville, TN 37902. Her Washington telephone number is 202-224-3344. Her Tennessee number is 865-540-3781 and her Tennessee fax number is 865-540-7952.

Hagerty’s Washington Address is Russell Street Office Bldg., Suite SR-B11, Washington, DC 20002. His Washington contact number is (phone) 202-224-4944. His area office is located at 800 Market St., Suite 112, Knoxville, TN 37902. His Tennessee contact numbers are (phone) 865-545-4253 and (fax) 865-545-4252.

Gov. Bill Lee’s office is located at 1st Floor, State Capitol, Nashville, TN 37242. The telephone number is 615-741-2001.

Jeremy Faison

St. Senator Steve Southerland Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn

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Election Commission office handles Voting in Cocke County

The Cocke County Election Commission office manages all voter registration in Cocke County and all voter list maintenance; Plans and implements all elections in Cocke County; federal, state, county, and municipal; Provides election information to residents and prospective voters; Maintains candidate and referendum records, including nominating petitions and local campaign finance reports; Complies with all state law and promulgated rules regarding Elections in the State of Tennessee and monitors new legislation and updates for any changes to the law or rules.

Voter Registration, in-person and now online

The Voter Registration Deadline is thirty (30) days before each election. Register to Vote in-person, by mail, or online.

In-person and by-mail: Cocke County Election Commission Office, Courthouse Annex Room 130, 360 E. Main Street, Newport, TN 37821.

Open Monday — Friday, 8:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. Closed all federal and state holidays.

Online: CockeCountyElection.org or GoVoteTN. com.

Upcoming elections in 2022

Tuesday, May 3, 2022 –County Primary

Thursday, August 4, 2022 – State Primary and County General Election

Tuesday, November 8, 2022 – State General Election; Newport and

Parrottsville Municipal Elections

How do I know if I am registered? I have not voted in several years, am I registered? Call the election commission office at 423-6232042 or use the voter lookup tool on GoVoteTN.com. If your status is Inactive, immediately fill out and submit a voter registration application if you still live in Cocke County. Inactive status means that you are on the clock to be removed from the voter rolls pursuant to state law if we do not hear from you. If you are not registered, it takes less than 10 minutes to fill out a registration application online or in-person.

How do I update my current address with

Josh Blanchard Admin. of Elections

Stephen Stokely Election Commission

Betty Whitson Election Commission

Vaughn Moore Chairman Election Commission

Charlotte Leibrock Election Commission

Vickie Moore Election Commission

2022/2023

ELECTION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

the election commission?

Complete an updated voter registration application online at GoVoteTN. com or in-person at the election commission office.

Do I have to register to vote with the Cocke County Election Commission o ffi ce if I was registered in another county in Tennessee?

Yes. In Tennessee, voter registration does not automatically transfer from county to county when you move. You must complete and sign an updated voter registration application. When you register to vote, you will receive proof of your Cocke County voter registration in the mail. Do I have to register by party?

Voters do not choose a party when they register to vote in Tennessee. Voter must declare a party each time they appear to vote in a Primary election; you do it when you sign in to vote or fill out your absentee ballot application.

I have been convicted of a felony. Can I register to vote?

Some persons with a felony conviction may apply to have their voting rights restored. Contact the election commission office directly at 623-2042. Voting rights restoration paperwork should be completed

as soon as possible so, if approved, the individual could have time to register to vote by the deadline.

Can I vote absentee by-mail?

Many voters are eligible to vote absentee by-mail, whether due to being out of town on Election Day, age, disability, caretaker, or several other reasons. Call the election commission office or visit GoVoteTN.com for the complete list. Voters may request an absentee by-mail ballot as early as 90 days before each Election but no later than seven days before an Election. Voters must sign a request form for each election in which they want to vote absentee bymail. Exceptions apply for some active military and overseas voters. What do I need to vote in-person?

All voters must present a federal or Tennessee state government ID containing the voter’s name and photograph when voting at the polls, whether voting early or on Election Day. An example of a valid photo ID is a Tennessee Driver License. For more information on photo ID requirements, call 623-2042 or visit GoVoteTN.com. The voter registration card is not required to be shown when voting.

Does Tennessee have Early Voting?

Early Voting in-person is available to all registered Tennessee voters. Early

Voting begins 20 days before each election and ends 5 days before each election. The exception is the Presidential Preference Primary, during which early voting ends 7 days before Election Day. Early Voting location and times will be announced before each election.

Where would I vote on Election Day?

Refer to your voter registration card or proof of registration mailed to you when your voter registration application was approved. The election commission office now prints the address of the Election Day polling location on each proof of registration. You may also call the office at 623-2042 or use the voter lookup tool on GoVoteTN.com.

County Election Commission members are Vaughn Moore, Chair; Vickie Moore, Secretary; Charlotte T. Leibrock; Stephen V. Stokely; and Betty H. Whitson. The Administrator of Elections is Josh Blanchard, office staff Dawn Mousseau and Teri Spinks. Josh has served as the East Tennessee Vice-President of the Tennessee Association of County Election Officials since 2019.

The Election Commission operates with a network of over 100 dedicated Cocke County residents who serve as poll officials during each election, without whom no successful election could be possible.

KCCB

The

generate positive impact on local economies and inspire generations of environmental stewards.

Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. We work to build and sustain vibrant communities that are socially connected, environmentally healthy and economically sound.

Jerry Holt, 1st District

Chuck Smithpeters, 5th District

Randy Dyke, 3rd District

Jack Smith, 7th District

Kenny Hall, 4th District

Jeffery Dellinger 2nd District (Photo Unavailable)

Robert Grooms 6th District (Photo Unavailable)

Meka Henderson KCCB Director

Dedicatedtoservicesince1973

University of Tennesse Extension in Cocke County

Cocke County Director of the University of Tennessee (UT) Extension, Sarah Orr, is excited to turn over a new leaf.

Orr served as Extension Agent for three years before being named to the position of director in April of 2019. That is just one of the many changes that have

CLEANUP

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

Keep Cocke County Beautiful (KCCB) prides itself on hard work and dedication. Executive Director Meka Henderson, assistant executive director Gretta Carr and the Board of Directors continually work on educating the community on recycling and environmental issues.

Each year, the group coordinates the Great American Clean Up, from March 21 to June 22, when area

residents are encouraged to take PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Your Designated Environment) through a variety of events. Projects throughout the year include lake and river clean-ups, education in area classrooms, and recycling efforts.

“KCCB is dedicated to improving the county’s appearance and environment and attaining objectives for the benefit of our citizens and visitors,” Henderson said. “We are coordinating an expanded recycling effort county and city wide,

taken place at the office. One change that many may not be aware of is the change in the office’s name.

not just to improve appearance but also to control the escalating costs of waste disposal which impacts the taxes we all pay.”

KCCB continues to promotes the three R’s –Reduce, Reuse, Recycle KCCB headquarters are located upstairs in the historic Tanner building at 115 Mulberry St, Newport, TN 37821. The telephone number is 423-623-1050, our website is keepcockecobeautiful.org and on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/KeepCockeCountyBeautiful.

Sarah Orr

Stephanie Maples

Lena GeFellers Jessica Gardner

Sabrina McAbee

INFO GUIDE 2022/2023

EXTENSION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40

The official name changed from the UT Agriculture Extension Service to UT Extension. UT has now partnered with Tennessee State University to provide Extension programming. The logo now includes UT/TSU Cocke County Extension.

Terminology has also changed from the traditional. There is no longer a “county agent”. There is a County Director, an Agriculture Agent, a Family and Consumer Science Agent, and a 4-H Agent.

The County Director, who is the office administrator, can be either of these agents depending upon the county staffing plan denoted by UT.

The current staff in Cocke County consists of Orr, the County Director and Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent; Jessica Gardner, the Family & Consumer Sciences Agent; Lena GeFellers, the 4-H Youth Development Agent; Stephanie Maples, the Tennessee Nutrition and Consumer Education Program Assistant, which is funded through Federal Nutrition Grant dollars; and Sabrina McAbee, who is the Administrative Assistant.

Orr mentioned that she is happy to see the office fully staffed now and even more excited about the programming opportunities to come as COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift.

The most visual of the programs in the Extension office is 4-H. The youth component of Extension reaches hundreds of youth, providing them with citizenship and leadership development opportunities.

Programs like livestock judging and 4-H Chick Chain are just a few of the ways they provide opportunities for youth to develop life skills. The 4-H Horse program led by volunteers is a very active part of the 4-H program. This group competes and has won in various Eastern Region and State competitions.

With GeFellers now on board, the 4-H program is expanding to include Wildlife Judging, 4-H Grill Masters, Shooting Sports, and the Outdoor Recreation Project Group, just to name a few. The most exciting new 4-H program is 4-H Adventure Camp, which will be a local opportunity open to all youth in addition to the more traditional 4-H camp that is hosted each summer in Greeneville.

Adventure Camp will include many outdoor activities like rafting, horseback riding, and more! If you are interested in signing your child up for Adventure Camp or any other camps they offer, please call the Extension Office at (423)-623-7531.

The major focus of the Family and Consumer Sciences programming is parenting, nutrition and health. Classes include co-parenting courses, which are mandated for divorcing parents with minor children, healthy eating classes, and food preservation.

A commonly unknown perk of the FCS program in Newport is the testing of pressure canner gauges to ensure user safety. TNCEP programming provides nutrition education to specific clientele as well as nutrition programming to youth in county schools.

The newest FCS program involves partnering with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the creation of Storybook Trail of the Smokies, located in Cosby.

The programming in Agriculture consists of the Advanced Master Beef Program, Freezer Beef Institute, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA), Small Fruits Workshop, Tree Grafting, Home Garden Series, Private Applicator Pesticide Certification, Backyard Poultry classes, and many other educational opportunities.

The Agriculture Agent also provides Cocke County Producers, homeowners, and landowners, with up-to-date information on insect, disease, and weed control in their gardens, crops, lawns, and homes as well as planning agriculture enterprises on their property.

The Agriculture Agent assists with the counties livestock producers in applying for cost sharing though the Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program (TAEP).

Extension offers a variety of programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, and family and consumer Sciences for all citizens of Cocke County. UT Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

For more questions concerning Extension Programs in Cocke County, contact Sarah Orr at sorr6@utk.edu or (423)-623-7531.

Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. ag.tennessee.edu.

Carter Moore Circuit Court Judge — Part 1

Duane Slone Circuit Court Judge — Part 4

Jim Gass Circuit Court Judge — Part 2

Brad Davidson Sessions Juvenile Judge

Rex Henry Ogle Circuit Court Judge — Part 3

Melissia Ball Parrottsville Municipal Judge

Jimmy B. Dunn District Attorney General

Becca Lee Public Defender

Brittany Vick Newport City Judge

Telford Forgety Jr. Chancellor

Cocke County Veterans Service Office

The Cocke County Veterans Office is located in the Courthouse Annex, 360 E. Main St., Suite 141, Newport. Mike Barnes is the Cocke County Veterans Service Officer.

The office is open Mondays—Fridays from 8-4, and the telephone number is 423-623-7911.

The office will help veterans and/ or their families with compensation claims, pension claims, education, and many other things.

The office also provides information to Veterans and families on all federal and state benefits earned by Veterans in their service to their country.

Newport Housing Authority

The Newport Housing Authority has 400 units in eight apartment complexes that it rents out to eligible low-income residents. Some are family units, and others are for the elderly/disabled. Rent, which is based on income levels, includes all utilities. Maintenance is also provided free-of-charge.

The main NHA office, where applications for housing can be picked up, is located at 440 Lennon Circle. Each

Convenience

applicant must provide an original driver’s licenses, birth certificate, and Social Security card. For every child, a birth certificate and Social Security card or documentation that these have been

applied for must be provided.

The phone number for the office is (423) 623-1575.

The 400 units are located on 12 streets scattered in different locations within Newport’s city limits.

The Newport Housing Authority enforces a zero drug tolerance policy, according to Walter Cole.

Cole became the Executive Director in 2018, replacing Dr. Charlie Boggan, who retired after seven years.

centers available for garbage disposal

Cocke County maintains a system of convenience centers throughout the county for residents to dispose of their garbage and bring recyclables such as paper and plastics. These centers are fenced and supervised by county employees. The

centers are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. The centers are open on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The convenience centers accept household garbage, each center has recycling bins for paper, plastic and aluminum. Each center has recep-

tacles for used motor oil, oil filters, transmission fluid and used cooking oil.

Each citizen is allowed to bring up to 4 tires to the convenience center without being charged. Any citizen

SEE GARBAGE ON PAGE 48

Michael E. Barnes Veterans Service Officer

Walter Cole, II

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White Pine: ‘A good place to visit, a great place to play, and a

place to live!’

White Pine, a town with about 2,200 residents, is located between Newport and Morristown along Highway 25E in Jefferson County. The town is easily accessed off I-81 at Exit 4, which is inside the town limits, and Exit 8, just one mile north of town.

Mayor Fred Taylor has served as mayor since 2020. The current five council members are Ann Strom, Jarrad Stump, Tyler Marshall, Ronnie Dukes and Carolyn Voiles. The council meets the first

GARBAGE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 46

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with more than 4 tires must take them to the landfill. The fees for tires is $1.00 each for each passenger tire and $2.00 each for semi and tractor tires.

Construction debris, roofing shingles, old furniture and mattresses are allowed in the landfill. No brush or tree limbs are allowed in the landfill.

Those wishing to dispose of construction

Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 1548 Main Street.

The main office number is 865-674-2556 and the website is www. whitepineTN.com.

The White Pine Police Department is located at 1548 Main Street. The department’s non-emergency number is 865-674-7771.

The White Pine Volunteer Fire Department is located at 3208 School Street, and the phone number is 865-674-6568. The fire department’s ISO Rating is 4, which is exemplary for a volunteer

department.

The White Pine Public Library is located at 1708 Main Street. The library number is 865-674-6313.

The White Pine Regional Planning Commission meets the third Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

White Pine School, located at 3060 Roy Messer Highway, serves students Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade. The principal is William R. “Bill” Walker, and the assistant principal is Jim Hodge. The school number is 865674-2596.

debris should haul this to the landfill located in Irish Cut Community off Highway 25/70 east of Newport.

The Irish Cut Convenience Center is where the landfill is located at 1160 Old Asheville Highway and is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. The telephone number is (423) 623-6498.

These services are provided for Cocke County citizens only. Convenience Centers will accept no garbage, waste tires,

construction debris or any waste from out of county.

Convenience Centers are located at: Rankin (269 Clay Hill Road), 1470 Highway 25/70, 965 Morrell Springs Road, Cosby (3887 Cosby Highway), Wilton Springs (606 Wilton Springs Road), Raven’s Branch (2315 Old Fifteenth Road), Del Rio (2990 East Highway 25/70), Parrottsville (2061 Canary Drive), Bogard (3136 Bogard Road) and Centerview (2474 Holt Town Road).

grand

Cocke County Partnership facilitates business, economic and tourism development

The Cocke County Partnership was formed in 2005 to help create synergy for area growth and development. The Partnership is comprised of the Office of Tourist Development, the Newport/Cocke County Chamber of Commerce, the Newport/Cocke County Economic Development Commission and the Cocke County Cradle to Career Coalition (C-5).

Seeking to represent the broad and diverse perspectives of the community, through its board of directors and partnership

organizations, the CCP focuses on the improvement of economic conditions and quality of life issues facing our community. The goals are to create and market a positive image for the county and balance growth and quality of life.

“It is important for communities to have a plan for the future,” said Graham.

“For a community to be successful the citizens must have a shared vision. This vision should address the full range of local concerns: schools, jobs, industries, and small businesses, neighborhoods, and natural

resources.

“Folks may differ on how to achieve the vision, but it is important to have that vision and to work toward a consensus.”

The Partnership’s board of directors are Jason Oury/ Chairman, Zac Valentine/ Vice-Chairman, George Barton/Secretary/Treasurer, Mayor Crystal Ottinger, Mayor Roland Dykes, III, Mayor Dewayne Daniel, Thad Balch, Dolly Blazer, Michael Williford, Clint Hammonds and Dennis Gregg.

Tourism Department Markets The Adventure Side Of The Smokies

The Cocke County Partnership’s Department of Tourist Development serves as the marketing arm of the Cocke County Partnership. Tourism Director Linda Lewanski works daily to share Cocke County’s amazing story with visitors. Marketing efforts are supported by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, membership in Middle East Tennessee Tourism Council, the Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Great Smoky Mountains Regional Gre-

enway Council, Tennessee River Valley website and East Tennessee Preservation Alliance.

Lewanski has served as

past chair of METTC, and on Scenic Byways Highway 25 E Committee, as secretary for Keep Cocke County Beautiful and RID (Remove Illegal Dumpsites), Board member for East Tennessee Preservation Alliance, former board member of Leadership Cocke County, member of the Stewardship Council for the National Geographic River Valley Geo Tourism project, Public Relations Chairman for KCCB and board member of the Cherokee National Forest’s Resource Advisory Committee.

Lewanski said it is

important to be a part of a regional partnership. “Our East Tennessee Partners are special folks,” she said. “Each one of us knows the others’ assets, and we make a special effort to promote the region.”

Lewanski is a Certified Tennessee Tourism Professional and a Tourism Marketing Professional. She earned a certification as a Guest Service Professional and was named Tourism Leader of the Year in 2019 by METTC. In 2019 she was named NPT’s “Most Community Involved Person,” and in 2021 was named a

Governor’s Volunteer Star.

The State’s trail initiative is of special interest to Cocke County. “We are lucky enough to be on three trails,” she continued. “Rocky Top, White Lightning and Sunnyside. Hundreds of miles of roads are receiving some wonderful attention. In addition, Scenic Byway Highway 25E brings even more attention to our corridors.”

As a member of East Tennessee River Valley GeoTourism MapGuide project, sponsored in part by National Geographic, Lewanski sees many folks

interested in the region. “The MapGuide project has been a great opportunity to showcase our many assets and we look forward to the travelers it will generate.”

Rafting continues to boom and almost 300,000 folks went down the Pigeon River last year. And according to numbers from the 2021 season, the Pigeon River is now one of the most rafted river in America. Many of the rafting companies have added or improved opportunities at their outposts.

The staff of the Cocke County Partnership has been serving the community in economic development, tourist development and through the Chamber of Commerce. From left are Tourism Director Linda Lewanski, Partnership Director of Finance & HR Jennifer Brown, Partnership President Lucas Graham, Chamber of Commerce Director Lynn Ramsey, Cocke County Cradle to Career Collective Impact Lead Jennifer Ellison and Chamber Support Services Coordinator Susan Ball.

Linda Lewanski

Economic Development Commission works for preparedness

The Cocke County Partnership through the Newport/Cocke County EDC has a stated mission to enhance the community for all. The EDC has worked to prepare a strategic plan to help in directing its activities and to identify priorities. The county must have a plan that prepares for growth and new partnering opportunities.

The current plan has three primary goals: 1) quality job creation 2) increase new capital investment in the county and 3) to expand the overall tax base of the county.

The plan targets five sectors that play a major role in helping to achieve the goals of the EDC. They are 1) the industrial, manufacturing sector 2) the retail, commercial market 3) the tourism industry 4) the residential housing market and 5) the redevelopment of downtown Newport.

In addition to the targeted sectors, a primary focus of the EDC is to assist in the development of infrastructure within the city

TOURISM

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and county; infrastructure development that will benefit the five targeted areas as well as other development in the future.

Infrastructure includes broadband fiber, electric, natural gas, railway enhancement, roadway improvements, water, and

sewer system upgrades. The key issue is providing capacity to our existing industries and have available the items new businesses will require for growth.

Two other issues identified as extremely important for the future

The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development continues to offer a marketing grant to the department.

growth of the county are education and healthcare. Businesses look to invest for the future where they are confident they can find educated and trained workers in a place that offers quality healthcare to their families and workers. Progress has been made in

both fields; more will need to be done in this globally competitive marketplace. In the final analysis, Newport/Cocke County must be able to manage a diverse business plan to offer world class amenities to business and industry to match the world class

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A concerted effort to brand the county as the Adventure Side of the Smokies continues this year and the Partnership was awarded a grant from ARC to develop mountain bike trails near the Cherokee National Forest.

“It is my distinct pleasure to be able to share Cocke County’s stories with our visitors,” Lewanski concluded.

“Real heritage, real people, real adventure — for your next real adventure give us a holler — 423-625-9675 or visit www.yallvisitthesmokies.com”

Staff members, in addition to our President, Lucas Graham, are Jennifer Brown-Director of Finance/ HR, Tourism Director Linda Lewanski, Chamber of Com-

natural surroundings offered.

Approximately one third of the county has been set aside for recreational use; having four national/state parks and forests and three distinct river systems, there is an abundance of outdoor activities at the door step. The challenge is to mesh the two to future enhance economic opportunities to all residents.

The EDC Board of Directors are Zac Valentine/ Chairman, Jason Oury/ Vice-Chairman, George Barton/Treasurer, Clint Hammonds/Secretary, Mayor Crystal Ottinger, Mayor Roland Dykes, III, Mayor Dewayne Daniel, Thad Balch, Dolly Blazer, Michael Williford and Dennis Gregg.

Lucas Graham is the Executive Director of the Commission. Jennifer Brown is Executive Assistant. The EDC Board and Partnership staff are working to benefit the people who call Newport/ Cocke County home.

For more information call the EDC office at (423) 623-3008.

merce Director Lynn Ramsey, Chamber of Commerce Member Service Coordinator Nicole Shisler, Chamber of Commerce Support Services Coordinator Susan Ball, Cocke County Cradle to Career Collective Impact Lead Jennifer Ellison, Cocke County Cradle to Career

Food Securities Coordinator Nicole Howard and Cocke County Cradle to Career Financial Assistant Sommer White.

The Cocke County Partnership continues to serve our community—won’t you join us? For more information, call 423-623-3008.

Economic Development Director Lucas Graham

Cocke County Partnership Director of Finance & HR Jennifer Brown

Chamber of Commerce Promotes, Improves Business Climate

The Chamber of Commerce is the arm of the Cocke County Partnership that provides our local businesses and professionals a way to work together to help promote and improve the business climate in Cocke County.

The Chamber of Commerce achieves this goal in many ways. The main vehicle involves offering numerous networking opportunities through the year including the popular Chamber Member Breakfasts, a series of Lunch & Learn sessions and other educational seminars and Grand Openings/Ribbon Cuttings for new businesses.

The Chamber of Commerce encourages all members to become involved in these events in order to help promote and grow their business as well as a way to work together to make Cocke County a better place to live, work and play.

The Chamber of Commerce also believes that local business owners/ managers are the best marketing tools each business possesses; therefore, the Chamber of Commerce strives to give these individuals different avenues of promotion within the community and regionally.

Newport and Cocke

County have officially been designated as a SmartStart™ Community, through the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

The SmartStart™ Community initiative contributes to the goal of making Tennessee the easiest place to open and run a business in the nation.

This initiative supports a thriving small business and entrepreneurial environment by providing new and existing businesses with education, tools,

and resources such as the Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC).

Through the TSBDC, the Chamber of Commerce offers one-on-one business and financial planning for entrepreneurs with a representative that can directly help them with their needs. The Chamber of Commerce office also serves as an informational stop.

They offer maps, brochures, business cards and numerous tourism

related publications free of charge to citizens and visitors. Often the Chamber of Commerce is the first place that newcomers to our beautiful area stop to find out what to do and where to go.

The Chamber of Commerce staff answers hundreds of inquiries each year about Newport and Cocke County, many of which are through the website www.newportcockecountychamber.com. A plethora of information can be found on the

website also. The Chamber of Commerce began a summer concert series along the River Walk in Downtown Newport, drawing folks to the beautiful backdrop of the Pigeon River.

A series of Member Mingles was also held and the Partnership organizes the annual Newport Street Festival. A Shop Local campaign encourages buying in Cocke County and this year offered Chamber Members an opportunity to be part of a co-operative

ad for the Thanksgiving weekend.

The entire staff works very hard to guarantee the success of these events and invites the community to come out and support their efforts. Lynn Ramsey is Director, Nicole Shisler Member Services Coordinator and Susan Ball provides Support Services. The Chamber of Commerce may be reached by telephone at (423) 6237201 or via the website at www.newportcockecounty chamber.com.

Chamber of Commerce Director Lynn Ramsey

Chamber of Commerce Member Services Coordinator Nicole Shisler

Chamber of Commerce Support Services Coordinator Susan Ball

Cocke County Cradle to Career Coalition Joins Cocke County Partnership Initiative

readies children’s life skills

The Cocke County Partnership is excited to take another community

building department under its wings. Cocke County Cradle to Career Coalition (C-5) joins Economic

Development, Chamber of Commerce and Tourism as the CCP team strives to improve the quality of life for all Cocke Countians. C-5 broadly seeks to accelerate progress toward cradle-to-career outcomes for children in Cocke County through proactive, collaborative engagement of

all community stakeholders. The initiative strives to achieve this result though collective impact efforts. The vision of C-5 is that all Cocke County students will graduate from high school with the necessary skills to pursue post-secondary opportunities and to become productive citizens.

C-5 will work with all sectors of the community to improve the well-being of our county’s children, ensure that all children have an equal opportunity to a healthy, strong foundation to thrive as learners and support the children of Cocke County on their educational journeys from

birth to career.

Collective Impact Lead for the team is Jennifer Ellison, Sommer White is Financial Assistant and Nicole Howard is Food Security Coordinator. For more information, visit www.cockecountyc5. org or call Ellison at 423608-2845.

C-5 Collective Impact Lead Jennifer Ellison

C-5 Food Securities Coordinator Nicole Howard

C-5 Financial Assistant Sommer White

OneOfNewport’sMostEstablished RealEstateCompanies.

MarieWood,alife-longresidentofCockeCounty,openedthe companyin1984.Sheisoneofthemostknowledgeableandexperienced agentsinthearea.

KristieSuggsjoinedhermother’sbusinessin1992.Kristiealsoa life-longresident,said“Theclient’ssatisfactionisourtoppriority.We taketimetolistentotheirneedsanddesireswhetherbuyingorselling.”

ThisyearScenicRealtywelcomesBrianMathistotheirstaff.

ScenicRealtyhasbeenawardedTheNewportPlainTalkBestReal EstateAgencyawardmultipleyearsandappreciatesthepeoplefor trustingthemwiththeirrealestatebuyingandsellingneedsinthearea.

TheyaremembersoftheNationalAssociationofRealtors,Lakeway AssociationofRealtorsandmultiplelistingservice.Theyusemultiple onlinewebsitesforadvertisingtheirservices.ScenicRealtyoffers regularphotographsforlistingsandnowalsooffersdronephotography forlistings.

Withtheircombined65years’experienceintherealestatemarket, ScenicRealtywillbeyourbestassetinmakingasmartandeconomic realestatechoice.Theyhavebeenprovidinghomebuyersandsellers withtrustedsupportandserviceforover30yearsandwilldothesame foryou.

“Throughtheyears,wehavehadalotofreferralsfromourprevious customers.Theirpraiseletsusknowthatwearedoingagoodjob,” endedWood.

RID works to eliminate illegal dumping

RID (Remove Illegal Dumpsites) was created by a Cocke County Legislative Body (CLB) resolution with the mission “to educate the public about the impact that dumping has on a community and to eliminate illegal dumping in Cocke County by using law enforcement and commu-

nity pressure to keep these areas clean.”

RID meets the second Wednesday of each month at noon at various area restaurants. All interested parties are invited to attend.

To date RID has cleaned up numerous illegal dumpsites, an excellent effort recognized by a Keep Tennessee Beautiful and Tennessee

Department of Transportation Award of Excellence.

“This is a volunteer committee and we depend on Cocke County citizens to report any illegal activity they see,” said Committee Chairman David Veridal. Chairman Veridal was recognized as Cocke County’s State Volunteer of the Year in Nashville in 2017.

Cocke County School System strives for higher excellence

The Cocke County School System continues to strive for higher excellence, building on a continued advancement to become one of the leading school systems in Tennessee.

The Cocke County School System is under the leadership of Director of Schools Manney Moore. In his fourteenth year as

director, Moore says, “Our continuing goal to provide our children with the best educational opportunities to prepare them for productive futures remains the system’s driving force and focus.”

Composing the Cocke County School System are nine elementary schools: Bridgeport, Centerview, Cosby, Del Rio, Edgemont, Grassy Fork, Northwest,

Parrottsville, and Smoky Mountain, and two secondary schools, Cocke County High School and Cosby High School. Additionally funds provide tutoring and intervention programs for K-12, as well as family engagement activities and events.

Students at each high school have access to Career

SEE SCHOOLS ON PAGE 58

Specializing in HomeMortgage Loans

SCHOOLS

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Technical Education classes at Ben W. Hooper Vocational School (CCHS) and Raymond Large Vocational School (CHS). Additionally, the Cocke County Adult High School provides services to returning adult students who want to either complete their graduation requirements or obtain a GED.

The Cocke County Alternative Education Program includes Adult Education (GED) prep, the Adult High School, and basic literacy classes, the Graduation Alternative Program (GAP), and the Cocke County Alternative School.

All Cocke County schools meet the requirements to receive Title I funding. Utilizing ‘school-wide’ programs, funds are used to provide personnel to reduce the overall teacher-student ratios for the schools. Currently, over forty personnel are employed with Title I funding. Title I funds also provide substantial materials and equipment to support the academic programs of the schools. With an emphasis on technology, Title I funds have been utilized for wireless computer labs, iPads, and Promethean boards. Additionally, funds provide tutoring and intervention programs for K-12.

A high priority of the system is to ensure that all teachers are highly qualified and that both certified and classified staff have access to professional

development opportunities necessary to be highly effective. Including teachers and administrators, the system employs just under 400 certified personnel. Two Title I instructional coaches, one full-time and one part-time, along with one full-time Read To Be Ready instructional coach, serve the elementary schools.

The Cocke County School System enjoys positive and

beneficial partnerships with several outside entities. Save the Children provides in-school and after-school literacy programs at Bridgeport, Cosby Elementary, Edgemont, and Northwest. High school students have access to dual enrollment courses through an agreement with Walters State Community College. Save

Manney Moore, Director of Schools

Richard Coggins, 1st District

John Johnson, 5th District

Dr. Ken Johnson, 6th District

Jimmy Stokely, 7th District

Otha Rolen, 2nd District

Darla Morgan, 4th District

Rose Lovell, 3rd District

Newport Grammar School dates to 1898

For over a century, Newport Grammar School has overlooked downtown Newport from its position atop Mims Avenue. First opened in 1898, NGS has the distinction of being the oldest elementary school in Tennessee in continuous operation.

Conscious of its history and reputation, NGS proudly acknowledges it stellar past while embracing the future. It remains as one of Tennessee’s few one-school systems.

Overseen by the Newport Board of Education, NGS averages enrollment of over

675 students in grades PreK-8, while also serving additional children in NGS Little Warriors Pre-School.

Jan Brooks chairs the board. Other members are vice-chair Mickey Powers, Seth Butler, David Perryman, and Nathan Vernon.

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the Children (STC) provides in-school and after-school literacy programs at Bridgeport, Cosby Elementary, Edgemont, and Northwest. In September 2016, a new STC pilot program was implemented at Centerview, Del Rio, Grassy Fork, and Smoky Mountain. All elementary schools participate in the Second Harvest Backpack program.

ROTC program once again earned state and national honors this year. Housed at CCHS and open to students at both CCHS and CHS, the group is highly visible in the community as they perform countless hours of volunteer service. Also a highlight of the school system, both the high school band and chorus students have been recognized at multiple levels as both individuals and groups for outstanding performances.

In order to improve their instructional skills, they attend numerous professional development sessions, seminars, and other training opportunities. A low teacher-student ratio contributes to better educational

Technology remains a strength of the Cocke County School System. At least one computer lab is in each school, and Promethean Boards have been installed in the majority of classrooms.

Highly successful PreK classes are now in operation. The Family Resource Center serves as a liaison between parents, the school system, and the community.

Cocke County’s Naval Junior

Members of the Cocke County Board of Education are Rose Lovell, Richard Coggins, Otha Rolen, John Johnson, Dr. Ken Johnson, Darla Morgan, and Jimmy Stokely. The Cocke County School System’s Central Office is located at 305 Hedrick Drive, Newport, TN 37821 and can be reached by telephoning 423-6237821 or by faxing 423-625-3947. The system’s website is www. cocke.k12.tn.us.

Sandy Burchette, Dir. of Schools

Michael Short, NGS Principal

GRAMMAR

opportunities.

Research-based instruction, teacher collaboration, technology, coordinated school health, and family engagement are present areas of concentration for the school.

The school has expanded six times since its initial construction, the most recent project being the addition of a primary building for 300-plus students in grades Pre-K-2.

In addition to the traditional studies of math, science, social studies, and language arts, auxiliary classes, such as music, art, physical education, library, guidance, technology, STEM lab, special education, and gifted and

enrichment program are also offered. Two guidance counselors, a school psychologist, a full-time speech therapist, and part-time physical and occupational therapists are available.

NGS students in grades K-8 each have access to individual Chromebooks as well as two computer labs.

Kathy Ragan, RN, serves as a full-time school nurse. Additionally, the Charlotte J. Mims onsite clinic managed by Healthstar

opened in May 2021. The clinic will be open to the students, staff members, and staff member families, as well as city employees and their families.

Nutritious breakfasts and lunches are served daily in the school cafeteria. For over seven years, the school has offered universal free breakfast to all students.

All NGS staff members wear identification badges for security purposes. Video surveillance cameras operate 24 hours per day.

All doors are locked during the school day. Additional security cameras and other safety measures are in place to help maintain a safe environment for students and staff. In the event of a critical situation, a Crisis Management team stands ready. Regular fire and safety drills are conducted.

NGS students have the opportunity to enjoy clubs and organizations, including choir, the Historical Association, Green Team, Junior Beta Club, Modern

Woodmen Jr/Sr, Drama Club, 4-H Club, Hiking Club, Builders Club, band, Warrior Patrol, and Annual Staff.

After-school and summer study and enrichment sessions are provided.

Athletics continue to play an integral part in the lives of NGS students. The Newport Grammar School Warriors basketball team recorded the honor of the school’s first state championship title during the 2021 season. The team fell

just short in their repeat big in 2022. For more information about Newport Grammar School, call 423-623-3811 or visit the school’s website at www.newportgrammar.org.

Jan Brooks, Board Chair Mickey Powers, Vice-Chair Seth Butler Nathan Vernon David Perryman

Dustin Morrow, NGS Asst. Principal

Education Foundation benefits local students, honors past students

Established in 1999, the Cocke County Education Foundation is a non-profit corporation whose purpose is to benefit educational institutions and related activities.

In particular, it oversees more than 30 scholarships for local students and Cocke County’s Imagination Library program. The Foundation hosts Celebrate Our Success, a banquet at which selected alumni of Cocke County’s high schools—Cocke County, Cosby, Parrottsville, and Tanner—who have achieved high degrees of success in their chosen fields are honored.

Judge J. Kenneth Porter was the first honoree; others have been Dr.

Kenneth Olden, Rev. Benny Proffitt, Dr. Cliff Shults (deceased), Gen. Hubert Smith, Dr. Kathy Dykes-Sims, Jay Gaddis (deceased), Dr. Nathan Ford, Dr. Rob Kisabeth, Jimmy Franks, Esther Houston Vassar, Roger Butler, Rita Butler Layman, Dr. Gary Thomas, Dr. Janice Barnes

James C. McSween, Jr., Roy T. Campbell, Jr., Larry B. Blazer, Carrie Mae Dawson Caldwell, Ken Jenkins, Tippi Hampton, Freddy James, Jr., Dr. Charles Lindsey, Beth O. Freeman, Gordon Ball, and Dr. Patti Ketterman. Donations are both welcome and tax deductible. They may be mailed to the Foundation, 305 Hedrick Dr., Newport, TN 37821.

Imagination Library provides books from birth to Cocke County kids

Over 1,500 Cocke County children receive a free book every month through the Dollywood Imagination Library, a program initiated by Dolly Parton to provide additional educational opportunities to Tennessee’s children. Application forms for Imagination Library are available at Newport Medical Center, Newport Pediat-

ric Clinic, Cocke County Health Department, the office of the Cocke County Mayor, Cocke County’s Rural Medical clinics, and Cocke County’s four libraries: Cosby Community, Del Rio (Marie Ellison Memorial), Parrottsville, and Stokely Memorial. Children must reside in Cocke County. An application must be submitted. Enrollment may also be made

online at www.imaginationlibrary.com. Children from other counties may register by visiting www.governorsfoundation.org online or by calling 1 (877) 99-BOOKS. Children receive the free books from birth to age 5. The month of their fifth birthday, children receive their final book, an introduction to kindergarten. For more information, call 423-623-7821.

Adult Education offered in Cocke County

The Dr. Hobart

Ford Sr. Adult Education Center is now located at 345 Hedrick Drive and is adjacent to Wellington Place.

All classes are free, and students have two options for obtaining a high school credential.

First, adult students (at least 18 years of age) may pursue a high school diploma through the Cocke County Adult High School. The adult high school follows the

Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown serves Cocke County

Cocke County school system calendar and operating hours (Mondays-Fridays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.).

Also, other adults may prepare for a Tennessee High School Equivalency through the adult education program. This program is available for students who wish to attend classes that prepare them to pass an equivalency exam.

For more information, call the Adult High School at 423-613-0032.

Over the years hundreds of local high school graduates have chosen to attend Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Morristown, where they have received post-secondary training, which has launched them into highly lucrative job opportunities.

In addition to TCAT’s main campus in Morristown, it has an additional branch campus in Hawkins County and Instructional Service Centers in Greeneville and Tazewell.

Founded in 1963, TCAP offers 16 programs: Administrative Office Technology, Automotive Body Repair, Automotive Technology, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Certified Nursing Assistant, Computer Information Technology, Drafting and CAD Technology, Graphic Arts, Heating/ Ventilation/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technology, Industrial

W estmorland Dentistry

Electric, Industrial Maintenance, License Practical Nurse, Machine Tool Technology/CNC, Pipefitting, Practical Nursing, and Welding.

TCAT also offers special industrial training classes, either onsite at the college or offsite to meet specific industry needs.

Financial assistance is available through PELL grants, Wilder-Naifeh Technical Skills Grants, and the Veterans Administration.

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology defines its mission as “to be the premier provider for workforce development throughout our service area.”

More than 500 students are enrolled full time at TCAT and attend classes there Monday through Friday. Evening programs are also available on a part-time basis and meet Monday through Thursday.

TCAT works closely with area high school career and technical education centers, by providing high school teachers with plans of study designed to facilitate the graduate’s work.

TCAT’s job placement rates exceed the levels required by the state. The Tennessee College of Applied Technology is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), the seventh largest governing board of higher education in the United States. As such, TCAT fulfills its mission by providing high quality training that is economical and accessible to Tennessee residents, thereby contributing to the economic and community development of the region it serves.

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology can be reached by phone at 423-586-5771, or by fax at 423586-8030. TCAT’s website is www. tcatmorristown.edu.

Walters State Community College serves Cocke County

Walters State, as a premier community college, is committed to increasing educational attainment and workforce preparedness through excellence in teaching and service.

The Morristown-based community college offers post-secondary educational opportunities to many of Cocke County’s students with classes at the Morristown campus, and at the Tanner Building in Newport.

Dr. Tony Miksa currently serves at Walters State Community College President.

The college opened in 1970 and has played a major role in educating many East Tennesseans. After Walters State Community College was authorized by the 1967 General Assembly, Hamblen County was chosen by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission as a location.

The Tennessee State Board of Education then chose a campus site located on the southeastern edge of the city of Morristown, two miles from the Hamblen County Courthouse. This main campus includes 134 acres of beautiful rolling land that faces east with access roads from the Appalachian Highway. This highway is the connecting link between Interstate 75 in Kentucky and Interstates 81 and 40 into North Carolina and Virginia. The college

also occupies modern education facilities in Newport, Greeneville, Sevierville and Tazewell.

In 1969, the General Assembly authorized three more community colleges: Roane State in Harriman, Volunteer State in Gallatin, and Shelby State in Memphis. The nine community colleges and the regional universities were under jurisdiction of the State Board of Education.

Chapter 838 of the Public Acts of 1972 authorized establishment of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee, today known as the Tennessee Board of Regents system. The elements of the system include the state universities and state community colleges which had been under the State Board of Education, the Board of Regents, and the Chancellor. The new system of governance became effective on July 1, 1972.

Chattanooga State Technical Community College, the 10th community college, was added to the community college system in 1973. Since that time, the state’s technical institutes have

been upgraded to community college status and the addition of 27 colleges of applied technology has made the Tennessee Board of Regents System the sixth largest system of higher education in the nation. The Tennessee Board of Regents and the Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee System are coordinated by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

This sixth community college, Walters State Community College, was named for former U.S. Senator Herbert S. Walters who played a key role in the establishment of a community college in Morristown. In 1970 the campus of Walters State was under construction and temporary quarters were used during the first year of operation. The College Center Building was completed in the fall of 1971. It was renamed the Dr. Jack E. Campbell College Center in 2005.

The next major addition to the campus was the Career Technology Building which was completed in the winter quarter of 1975. The Career Technology Building was expanded and renovated in 1987 and the new facility was renamed the Technical Education Building. In 2001, this building was renamed the Clifford H. “Bo” Henry Center for Business and Technology.

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ETSU serves thousands across the region

East Tennessee State University is governed by its Board of Trustees. Since opening in 1911 as a two-year normal school educating teachers, ETSU has grown into a major, diversified university. It serves more than 13,000 students, many of them from the Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia region and surrounding areas. Students

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The Life Sciences Building, completed in December 1979, was essential to provide needed classrooms and faculty offices for a rapidly growing student body. This building, which was renamed the Math and Behavioral/ Social Sciences Building, was completely renovated during the 2001-02 academic year. It re-opened to students and faculty in the fall of 2002 and was renamed the Doggett Mathematics and Behavioral/Social Sciences Building in 2004. In the summer of 1979 the construction of the Humanities Complex began. The project was completed in the fall of 1980.

The Humanities Complex was renamed the Judge William H. Inman Humanities Complex in 2001. In December of 1979, the college added the Plant Operations Building to the physical facilities inventory to handle the functions of maintenance

from all 50 states and from numerous other countries also attend ETSU.

ETSU is comprised of

11 colleges and schools: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Technology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, Claudius G. Clemmer College of Education, Honors College, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, College of Nursing, Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, College of Public

SEE ETSU ON PAGE 70

and repair. In 1994 the college began construction of the Campus Development Phase II master plan which includes a new Library, Math and Science Buildings, Public Safety Center, and Administration Building.

The new Library opened in May 1997 and was named the R. Jack Fishman Library in 2004. The Natural Science Building was occupied in July 1998 and renamed the McGuffin-Jolley Natural Science Building in 2005. The college’s Great Smoky Mountains Expo Center opened in March 1996 and additional support facilities were added during 1998-99 and 2007.

Walters State has established three additional campus sites; the Sevier County Campus, the Greeneville/Greene County Campus, and the Claiborne County Campus. In 1999, the first building on the new Sevier County Campus was named Maples-Marshall Hall. Two more buildings on the Sevier County Campus, Cates-Cutshaw Hall and

the Conner-Short Center, opened in 2008. In 1995, the Greeneville/Greene County Campus moved into the former Laughlin Hospital building in the heart of downtown Greeneville. The college opened the Claiborne County Campus in 1995. The newest satellite campus in Newport was opened in August of 2020.

Walters State received accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1972 and, after completion of an effective institutional Self Study Program, received reaffirmation of accreditation in December 1976. Extensive institutional Self Studies were completed during 1985-87, 1995-97, and 2005-07. Subsequent to the successful Self Studies, Walters State received reaffirmation of accreditation in December 1987, December 1997, and June 2008. In 2022, Walters State Community College was named Community College of the Year in the state of Tennessee.

Health, School of Continuing Studies and Academic Outreach, and School of Graduate Studies.

ETSU nurtures an educational environment which respects individuality and stimulates creativity. It expands educational opportunities for all who desire and need university preparation while maintaining a setting conducive to intellectual curiosity that produces an enjoyable campus life.

The university is committed to the needs of all of its students — from those who have emerging potential for university-level coursework to the gifted. ETSU also serves the region’s citizens by providing a number of opportunities to continue lifelong learning.

ETSU has expanded to include baccalaureate degree programs in many fields and graduate programs leading to the master’s

degree, educational specialist degree, and doctorate degrees. For undergraduates, the university offers broad programming which embraces the philosophy of a liberal education for all with special programs providing a primary level of expertise in the arts and sciences disciplines and selected professional fields. Its master’s studies provide advanced and increasingly specialized preparation in academic, technical, and professional fields that meet the needs of our student population and promote regional development. Doctoral programs are available in a number of fields.

The university offers all programs and degrees during its regular day schedule; extensive evening programs and online course offerings are also provided. With a 350-acre main campus in Johnson City along with centers in Kingsport and Elizabethton, ETSU maintains a semester

enrollment of more than 13,000 students and serves 5,000-10,000 persons annually through continuing education and extended service programs.

A statewide leader in transfer articulation, ETSU shares over 280 agreements with 15 state and regional colleges and universities, allowing students to transfer credit hours easily.

Affirming a commitment to the fundamental values of higher education, ETSU presents programs of study that promote curiosity, stimulate thought, encourage reflection and the free interchange of ideas, and foster a genuine desire for learning. Undergraduate and graduate education at ETSU broaden the students’ view of the world and encourage students to participate actively in creating a responsible, ethical society.

Through scholarship, research, and creative activity, the ETSU faculty both critically review and

add to humanity’s knowledge and cultural achievements. Faculty and staff apply their knowledge and expertise in the service of the region and the world beyond. Throughout its history, ETSU has played a vital role in meeting the health care needs of the region. Programs in health education, public and environmental health, and nursing, some dating from the institution’s earliest days, have evolved into formal colleges. The expansion of ETSU’s Division of Health Sciences in the 1980s created still greater opportunities to serve the region, state, and nation through the development of a comprehensive academic health sciences center in Northeast Tennessee. The creation of the College of Pharmacy in 2005 further enhanced this aspect of the university’s mission, as did the 2007 division of the College of Public and Allied Health into the College of Public Health (the first

of its kind in Tennessee) and the College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences.

The university’s vision of education, scholarship, and service extends into the future, as outlined in “Turning Toward 2011: A Report by the Commission on the Future of ETSU.” The more than 100 faculty, staff, community leaders, alumni, and students who spent two years envisioning what ETSU might be like on the way to its centennial in 2011 described a university that continues to build alliances beyond its walls, exerting strong leadership in health care and health promotion, economic development, education, environmental concerns, crime and violence issues, and public administration. In doing so, ETSU seeks to balance the innovations of the 21st century with the need to preserve the human contact that has characterized education at ETSU since 1911.

Carson-Newman offers local higher education opportunities

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Carson-Newman University, a Christian, private, liberal arts institution, is located in Jefferson City, 25 miles east of Knoxville. Carson-Newman offers a campus of stately white-columned buildings on rolling, grassy hills close to Cherokee Lake and near the Great Smoky Mountains.

Carson-Newman has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. Carson-Newman has also been recognized by Washington Monthly as one of the top ten liberal arts colleges in the nation. The University’s reputation is born from its commitment to Christian excellence and academic rigor as manifested through 50 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, counseling, education, nursing, social justice, and theology.

In the early 1840s, a number of Baptist leaders in East Tennessee desired to offer better prepared ministers to area congregations. The East Tennessee Baptist Educational Society, which was comprised of two groups with a common

interest, applied in 1850 for a charter to establish an institution of higher learning. Afforded the use of a local church building, Mossy Creek Missionary Baptist Seminary opened to students in the fall of 1851. The Tennessee Legislature granted the school’s charter in December of that year.

As noted in their founding documents, the founders possessed a twofold intent: “to promote education in general, and among the ministry in particular.” Over time, that ideal has become the institution’s DNA of Christian service as evidenced in student volunteers as well as in the lives of alumni.

The institution produced its first graduate, Richard Scruggs, in 1855. Manifesting the ideal of “education in general,” Scruggs went on to become a physician. The following year, the second graduating class reaffirmed the school’s mission

by producing a lawyer and a minister, in that order.

The 1889 merger of men’s and women’s institutions made Carson-Newman an early entrant in coeducation in the region. Throughout its history, the institution has instilled a deep commitment to service in its students. The fruits of its labor, its alumni, have filled schoolrooms, courthouses, hospitals, boardrooms, pulpits, and mission fields the world over in spreading the lessons of Carson-Newman’s motto of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.

Servant leadership programs abound on campus. Carson-Newman’s Bonner Center annually oversees some 40,000 hours of community service by students.

Since 1984, Appalachian Outreach and its volunteers have performed hundreds of home repair projects

COURTESY CARSON-NEWMAN UNIVERSITY

Carson-Newman’s campus in the heart of Jefferson City serves many in the East Tennessee region.

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throughout the region. Each year Baptist Campus Ministries sends out more than 300 fall and spring break volunteers to serve not only across Tennessee, but also nationally and internationally. Because of such efforts, Carson-Newman was recognized in 2012, earning the Presidential Award in the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a university can receive for its involvement in community service.

Global education and broadening students’ horizons are staples of the Carson-Newman experience. Scores of international students study at Carson-Newman each year while others travel from campus to study abroad. Recent abroad experiences have included trips to Australia,

China, Costa Rica, France, Great Britain, Haiti, Ireland, Israel, Jordan and South Africa.

On October 18, 2012, Carson-Newman College’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to begin the process of changing the institution’s name to “Carson-Newman University.” The move was made to more accurately describe the institution and its offerings both at home and abroad. The name change became official on February 11, 2013.

Through the institution’s name has changed, its mission remains unwavering. Its heritage is tailor-fit to the vision of Dr. O’Brien: “C-N’s future will be built on the twin pillars of academic rigor and Christian excellence.”

Carson-Newman students learn to think, to write, to read well, and to present and enter into the give and take of argument so as to become educated citizens and worldwide servant leader.

Tusculum is oldest higher ed institute in Tennessee

Tusculum University has a combined campus and off-campus enrollment of about 1,800 students with a student faculty ratio of 15 to 1. The College believes that learning is an intimate process best supported on a personal basis between teacher and student and that no environment nurtures this process more completely than a small college community.

LOCATION: Tusculum is located east of Greeneville, Tennessee, a growing community of 15,035. The

population of Greene County, including the City of Greeneville, is around 68,335. The main campus is situated in picturesque Northeast Tennessee. The College maintains a regional center for Graduate and Professional Studies in Knoxville and a site in Morristown.

Located between Knoxville and the Tri-Cities area of Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City, Tennessee, Tusculum is easily accessible by automobile, interstate bus lines and airlines. Interstate Highway 81 is 10 miles from campus and Interstate 26

is about 25 miles from the College.

Major airlines serve each of these airports: the Tri-Cities Regional Airport (40 miles), the Knoxville McGhee-Tyson Airport (80 miles) and the Asheville, North Carolina Regional Airport (70 miles).

MEMBERSHIPS: Tusculum is an institutional member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, The Council of Independent Colleges, the National Council of

SEE TUSCULUM ON PAGE 74

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Educational Opportunities, the National Commission on Accrediting, the Commission on Christian Higher Education, the Presbyterian College Union, the Tennessee College Association and the Tennessee State Board of Education. The College is also on the approved list of the American Medical Association, the New York State Board of Regents and the American Association of University Women. Tusculum is an institutional member of the Appalachian College Association and the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association.

FACILITIES: The Tusculum campus consists of 160 acres. The College has occupied this rolling, wooded site since 1818, and the campus is a striking combination of modern structures and historic red brick buildings clustered in the shade of sheltering oaks.

At the heart of campus, the Thomas J.

Garland Library provides students with access to both print and digital materials. The library website provides twenty-four hour/seven-day access to e-books, journal articles through databases, subject guides and online reference assistance. In addition to computer stations at both Greeneville and Knoxville, the library also has laptops available to loan for in-house use on the Greeneville campus. All digital resources can be accessed from the library’s web page

Virginia Hall, originally designed by noted architect Louis Sullivan, is the central arrival point for new and prospective students on campus. The building is home to the Registrar, Admission and Financial Aid offices and the Northeast Tennessee division of the Graduate and Professional Studies Program. It also contains a computer lab, several classrooms and faculty offices.

Across the street from Virginia Hall is the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Build-

Dr. Scott Hummel assumed the presidency of Tusculum College in February 2020.

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ing, the site of many community activities.

The building contains a 700seat auditorium, used for theater productions, musical performances and College assemblies, as well as a 200-seat arena theatre.

The President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library, the oldest academic building on campus, houses the collection of the seventeenth president’s private and family papers and family artifacts. The facility also holds the original College library, which is the largest extant library dating before 1807 in the Southeast.

The newest academic facility on campus is the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math. The approx-

imately 100,000-square-foot building includes wings for biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, environmental science and nursing. The Meen Center also features cutting edge technology including spaces equipped for interactive distance learning, a large lecture hall, and lab space and research areas for both faculty and students.

The Herbert L. Shulman Center is built in a distinctive circular design. Studios and offices for the Art and Design program are located in the building as well as the Allison Art Gallery, which features exhibits of student work and guest artists throughout the year. Other academic facilities include the Charles Oliver Gray Complex.

A major hub of student activity on campus is the Niswonger Commons building, which houses a full-service post office, Students

are able to use the latest technology for their assignments in the labs in the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math, which opened in January 2017.

Tusculum’s athletic and recreation facilities are among the best among East Tennessee institutions of higher learning. Inside the Niswonger Commons are a gymnasium-swimming pool complex that incorporates the 2,000seat Pioneer Arena, a weight room/fitness center as well as the Student Activity Center housing the Recreational Sports and Campus Activities programs.

Through the generous support of business and community leader Scott M. Niswonger, an alumnus who is a member of Tusculum’s Board of Trustees, a modern athletics complex enhances campus. Named in Niswonger’s honor, it includes an

indoor sports complex, Pioneer Field and Pioneer Park. The indoor sports complex includes a fieldhouse that features an indoor practice and soccer space with a special high-quality, realistic turf.

Pioneer Field’s seating capacity is 3,500. A modern press box facility, built to blend with the architectural style of the campus’s most historic facilities, is adjacent to the field, on which Tusculum’s football, soccer and lacrosse teams play.

The baseball stadium, Pioneer Park, is used by both the Tusculum Pioneers baseball team and the Greeneville Reds professional team. The stadium has a seating capacity of 2,500 and features a covered seating area, locker facilities offices and a museum of Tusculum and local baseball memorabilia.

Residence halls include historic Haynes and Welty-Craig halls and Katherine Hall, as well as

Mastrapasqua Hall and five other buildings featuring apartment-style housing and three residence halls in the Charles Oliver Gray Complex.

More than a decade ago, Tusculum built the Knoxville Regional Center near the intersection of Pellissippi Parkway and Lovell Road to house the Graduate and Professional Studies program in that city and serve as the headquarters of the program in southeast Tennessee.

Nine buildings and the Arch are on the National Register of Historic Places and form the Historical District on campus: Doak House (1830s), Old College (1841), McCormick Hall (1887), Welty-Craig Hall (1891), Virginia Hall (1901), The Thomas J. Garland Library (1910), Haynes Hall (1914), The Arch (1917), Rankin Hall (1923) and Tredway Hall (1930).

Newport Medical Center serving Cocke County for over 50 years

Newport Medical Center (NMC) is a 74-bed facility and employs approximately 250 people. NMC also operates Newport Convalescent Center, a 56bed, long-term care facility that has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Nursing Homes in Tennessee by Consumer Reports.

Newport Medical Center opened in 1969 as Cocke County Memorial Hospital and has undergone numerous upgrades over the past 52 years, including opening of the Medical Surgical Unit and a Maternal-Infant Care Unit in 1983, a Critical Care Unit in 1991, a new

Emergency Department in 2004, and a complete Medical Surgical renovation, including all private rooms, in 2010. In March of 2019, the hospital unveiled its renovated birthing center, as well as its capability to perform breast surgeries.

Scott Williams was named CEO of Newport Medical Center in January of 2021, taking over for Matthew Littlejohn.

NMC’s services include a Hospitalist program, one which NMC continually evaluates with an ongoing emphasis on patient care. A hospitalist is a physician specialist whose office is “within the hospital.”

A hospitalist is an extension of a patient’s primary care doctor, who also has the capability of referring patients to other specialists. With this model the hospitalist can concentrate time and energy on hospital patients, in close connection with the patients’ primary physicians, who are thus freed to devote more time to the patients in their offices.

In 2010, the hospital became a “smoke free” campus, and in 2011 became a “tobacco free” campus in keeping with their dedication to providing the best

SETH BUTLER

The beautiful campus of Newport Medical Center is located along Second Street in Newport.

Newport Convalescent Center provides top-notch care for residents

The Newport Convalescent Center (NCC) is designed to provide quality resident care in a safe and homelike environment while striving for continuous quality improvement in resident care services.

NCC is a 56-bed intermediate care facility that has served the needs of area residents since 1972. It provides an interdisciplinary approach to providing comprehensive treatment for residents. As part of Newport Medical Center (NMC) and Tennova Healthcare, residents of NCC have full access to the wide range of services available at NMC, which is located adjacent to the facility.

The nursing staff is

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possible medical care to our patients.

In September 2015, the hospital introduced Speech Therapy to their Rehab Services Department. This service is available to both inpatients and outpatients and includes pediatric speech therapy capabilities.

Since October 2011, Newport Medical Center has continued its tradition of investing in the latest in technology and equipment.

In 2012 the hospital added a new digital mammog-

trained to care for individuals that need assistance with the routine of daily living, rehabilitative services, and/or clinical monitoring and treatment. They focus on each individual need of every resident.

raphy unit. In 2013 the hospital invested in new equipment and technology including new patient monitoring equipment, new laboratory analyzers, and new ultrasound and cardiac ultrasound equipment.

In 2020, NMC became one of the first hospitals in Tennessee with access to 4K-resolution imaging for their surgical unit, allowing surgeons to operate with increased confidence and precision.

Also in 2020, NMC added 3D Mammography to their service offerings, in addition to recruiting several physicians and

A registered dietitian plans menus with daily supervision provided on site. Meals are prepared at NMC. In addition to three meals-per-day, snacks are

SEE CARE ON PAGE 78

medical specialties to the community, including pulmonology, neurology, gastroenterology, gynecology, cardiology and general surgery.

Newport Medical Center also remains invested in its community holding several services and participating heavily with the different health awareness months, including Breast Cancer Awareness in October.

Newport Medical Center is located at 435 Second Street.

For more information about our services provided by NMC call (423) 6252200.

FILE PHOTO

The Newport Convalescent Center provides quality care in a safe, compassionate atmosphere. It is located at 450 College Street, adjacent to Newport Medical Center.

Cocke County Health Department serving local citizens

For over 75 years, the Cocke County Health Department has served local citizens. During this time, the public health programs have been instrumental in the elimination of polio, a reduction in child blood-related diseases, a decline in tooth decay through fluoridate water and a dental sealant program in the schools, immunizations against preventable diseases, the maintenance of good nutritional standards, and the provision of family planning services. The following services are available at the Health Department:

• Child Health-Well child checkups include physical exams, health screenings, and immunizations

• Care Coordination-This program provides referrals and resources that

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offered in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Every effort is made to meet food and beverage needs. Special diets ordered by physicians are also provided.

Pharmaceutical services are provided by the pharmacy department of NMC. Medications are individually wrapped to prevent contamination and to ensure accuracy. Pharmacist consultants check medica-

could impact pregnancy, child and maternal health outcomes. Individuals may also qualify for Children’s Special Services (CSS) which may provide reim-

bursement for medical services and assistance with co-pays, deductibles and co-insurance for children with physical disabilities from birth to 21 years of

tions for drug interactions, allergies, and duplication of therapy. The pharmacists are available to answer questions from residents and family members.

Physical therapists individualize goals for residents to improve levels of activity by restoring function, decreasing pain, and increasing strength and endurance.

Occupational therapists work to help residents regain independence in the activities of daily living.

Speech therapists are available to provide

treatment for language impairments, swallowing difficulties, cognitive dysfunction, memory problems, and articulation disorders.

Dental services are provided through a locally contracted dentist. Routine dental exams are done on an annual basis, and emergencies are treated as they arise.

A personal physician serves each resident. Hospice care is also available. Mental health services are provided under the super-

age.

• Dental-The dental clinic provides general dentistry services for children covered by TennCare from birth to age 21. Emergency

services may be provided for others on a sliding fee scale.

• Immunizations-Immunizations against polio, diphtheria, whooping

cough, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), Haemopilus (meningitis), human

vision of a licensed psychiatrist.

As part of NMC, NCC is a completely non-smoking facility for everyone. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the building or outside on any patio areas.

The social service coordinator is available to assist residents and families from the beginning. They serve as a liaison between staff, family, and the resident. Families and residents are encouraged to express concerns or problems to the

coordinator, who will communicate those concerns to the appropriate parties.

NCC provides an activity program that includes a wide range of events, offering residents entertainment, intercommunication, exercise, relaxation, and creative expression to fulfill basic psychological, social, and emotional needs.

Other activities include reminiscence therapy, religious services, Bingo, and holiday-related events. NCC also offers

pet therapy for residents. The activity director at NCC is a certified dementia trainer and provides educational opportunities to residents, staff, families and public. Volunteers from the community give their time while working with residents during activities such as music, the weekly beauty shop, Bingo nights, and religious services.For more information, please call NCC at 423-625-2195. The facility is located at 450 College Street, adjacent to NMC.

Cocke County Health Department, 430 College St., now provides better and expanded services to the hundreds of clients in the county.

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papillomavirus (HPV), and Hepatitis B, among others, are provided for children.

• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)-EBT cards to buy nutritious foods (cheese, milk, cereals, etc.) are issued to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and to children under 5 years of age who are at risk of poor growth, if they meet income guidelines. Breastfeeding classes and support are available to all new mothers.

• Baby and Me Tobacco Free-This program provides support for pregnant women who currently use tobacco products and are interested in quitting. Participants who are able to quit and stay quit receive vouchers for diapers for up to a year following delivery.

• Infectious Disease Control-All health departments provide necessary and timely information to patients, their families, and health care providers about serious infectious diseases. The health department collects and provides information on diseases in the community, investigates and monitors outbreaks, and keeps the community safe through investigation, early detection, and early intervention of diseases that can harm the public.

• Breast and Cervical

Screening-Clinical breast exams, pap smears, and mammograms are provided for those with abnormal breast exams or paps meeting program requirements. Patients are also screened for presumptive eligibility for TennCare, related paperwork is completed, and a referral made for testing or care.

• Sexually Transmitted Disease Control-The health department provides confidential testing, treatment, and partner notification for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

• Tuberculosis Control-Diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up services for patients with tuberculosis, and their contacts, are provided at the health department. Medication, when needed, is also available.

• Family Planning-Patients receive a complete physical exam and all appropriate lab tests. Patients are also taught about birth control and may be supplied with a birth control method.

• Prenatal Services-Pregnancy testing and presumptive eligibility screening for TennCare are available.

• Vital Records-Copies of death certificates are issued upon request. Certified copies of birth certificates for persons born in Tennessee with birth year 1949 or after may be requested through the health department daily for a fee of $15.

• General Environ-

mental Health-An environmental specialist is responsible for inspecting food service establishments, hotels, motels, public swimming pools, bed and breakfast establishments, child care facilities, organized camps, schools, plants, tattoo and body piercing establishments. Other duties include controlling rabies and West Nile Virus, providing education and training for public facility workers, and monitoring establishments for compliance with the Non-Smoker’s Protection Act. For more information about services provided by the Health Department or to make an appointment, call 423-623-8733. The department is open Mondays-Fridays from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

In addition to services provided in the Health Department, a Health Educator is available to work with individuals and groups to provide information on a variety of topics related to a healthy lifestyle. Special emphasis is given to tobacco, obesity, substance abuse, teen pregnancy prevention, rape prevention, and diabetes control. If you are interested in hosting a program or require more information about what subjects the Health Educator can cover, please contact the Cocke County Health Department at 423-623-8733, and ask to speak with the Health Educator.

Cocke County Health Council promotes accessibility of quality healthcare to residents

This local networking and project-oriented group was established in 1991. Our mission is to collaborate with community members and organizations to promote and improve the overall health and wellbeing of those who live and work in Cocke County.

The Cocke County Health Council consists of healthcare providers, social service workers, teachers, mental health professionals, representatives of community agencies, organizations and volunteers. The Cocke County Health Council partners with the Cocke County Health Department and other agencies in promoting a healthier Cocke County. The Health Council’s Crisis Response Committee was established in order to respond to a potential crisis in the

schools or community. It is a collaboration of mental health professionals, guidance counselors, pastors, law enforcement, health care providers and interested citizens. The Crisis Response Team connects and plans trainings to be ready to offer support and/or crisis debriefing in the event of a crisis in the schools, as well as the community.

It was initially organized after a student suicide and accidental death of a young person in the community. The Health Council meets monthly on the third Tuesday at noon. Members are notified of monthly meeting place by email and in the Newport Plain Talk. For more information about the Health Council contact Bettye Carver, the current chairperson, at 423.487.5505

Amedisys Home Health Care serving Cocke County

With over 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Amedisys understands the importance of delivering quality services to you in your home.

Working with your physician, our multidisciplinary team addresses your individual needs, provides customized services using the most advanced technology, and delivers the most efficient, patient focused health care available.

Amedisys home health services are provided by highly trained home

health care professionals dedicated to the care and comfort of our patients.

We offer a comprehensive continuum of health care services that may include:

• Skilled nursing

• Home Health Aides

• Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy

• Medical Social Workers

• Specialized programs for wound care, diabetes, rehabilitation services, cardiac care, COPD and behavioral health

Newport Health and Rehabilitation Center

In the more than three decades it has been opened, Newport Health and Rehabilitation Center has had several names. Most recently remembered as Mariner, the establishment adopted its new moniker in 2004.

The business offers several services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, IV therapy, 24-hour nursing and onsite vision, dental care and wound care. The medical director visits the facility several times each week.

Newport Health and Rehabilita-

tion Center has been voted the best in elderly care for eight years in a row and was also voted best rehab facility, according to Best of the Best.

The patients and residents enjoy many of the great activities that are directed by the activities department. The activity programs strive to improve quality of life one activity at a time. Some of the activities include coffee socials, bingo, movies and popcorn, arts and crafts, group exercise, religious services, and much more.

A fine dining program ensures that patients will eat meals to their liking. All home-style meals

are prepared onsite. Residents receive a choice meal at least once a month, anything from beans and cornbread to biscuit and gravy.

The CNAs that work there are considered resident care specialists. They take pride in creating an atmosphere of care and respect.

Newport Health and Rehabilitation Center is located at 135 Generation Dr. in Newport. When coming from Knoxville, take I-40 East towards Asheville and use Exit 432 towards Newport. Turn left at the bottom of the ramp, then turn left after BP. Call 423623-0929 for more information.

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• Specialized nursing services such as wound care, infusion therapy and psychiatric services

The following criteria determine if you may be eligible to receive home health care under your Medicare benefits:

• You must require intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy or speech therapy.

• You must currently be under a physician’s care. Your physician must order all home health services.

• You must be homebound.

You are considered homebound if you are confined to your home due to illness or injury. It is not mandatory that you are bedridden,

but leaving your residence must require a considerable taxing effort and the need for supportive devices such as a cane, wheelchair or the help of another person.

Home health care services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, workers’ compensation and private payment.

There’s no place quite like home to provide a healing, relaxing environment for a patient recovering from an illness, injury or surgical procedure.

It’s the place where family, friends and familiar surroundings make patients feel most comfortable, and recover faster.

For more information on the benefits of quality home health care, consult your physician or call Amedisys Home Health Care in Newport at 423-623-6540.

Wellington Manor: Families Caring for Families

Wellington Manor offers assisted living care for seniors. The modern senior residential community is located in beautiful Newport, Tennessee and near many attractions.

Wellington’s goal is to provide residents with the best possible care with a focus on maintaining family and social relationships. They do that by honoring the unique needs of the residents while respecting their independence.

The wonderful residents at Wellington Manor enjoy being the friends and neighbors to each other, that most have already

been for years. Wonderful dining, excursions to favorite places, activities and entertainment make it a great place to wake up, to spend the day with neighbors, and bid each other goodnights. Families in the local area depend on Wellington Manor to provide care and a lifestyle to their loved ones knowing they are safe, happy, and creating exciting new memories at home.

At Wellington Manor, you’ll feel the difference in our warm, family-focused environment of care.

The Wellington Manor team, residents and their families get to know each other personally,

Jabo’s, the Good Neighbor Pharmacy

building close relationships that foster a fullness of care that feels like home. At Wellington Manor, residents are like members of a large extended family. Visitors and residents immediately feel the warmth and care we provide.

Wellington Manor would be happy to provide families and individuals with a complimentary tour and lunch.

Come visit Wellington Manor and experience the difference for yourself. Stay for a tour where you’ll be able to see the many wonderful amenities and activities the community offers.

For more information or to schedule a tour, contact Wellington Manor at 423-613-4585.

Looking for a pharmacy that does more than just hand you a prescription in a paper bag? A pharmacist who knows you and your family members on a first-name basis? A healthcare destination where you can get personalized care from friendly people and services that are competitive with the big national chains? Look no further, Jabo’s Pharmacy is the drugstore for you!

Jabo’s Pharmacy is a Good Neighbor Pharmacy — a family of locally owned, locally loved, independent pharmacies who offer that “special dose of caring”

on a daily basis. Good Neighbor Pharmacies have ranked highest in Customer Satisfaction with Chain Drug Store Pharmacies in the J. D. Power 2021 U. S. Pharmacy Study. Their friendly and expertly trained pharmacists, and their friendly hometown staff pride themselves on making sure your pharmacy experience exceeds expectations. They have many faithful customers that they know by name as well as their families.

They totally understand that patient care is just more than filling quick prescription

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Newport Federal Bank serving customers since 1934

Now nearly 90 years old, Newport Federal Bank is the oldest locally-owned financial institution in Cocke County. Established in 1934, Newport Federal Bank is a leading mortgage lender that continues to grow and serve. It opened its new main office in 2005 at 170 West Broadway.

Over the years Newport Federal Bank evolved from its original role as a savings and loan institution to a full-service modern bank with branches, ATM’s, and internet banking through newportfederalbank.com for customers to access their accounts at any time and transfer funds to make payments or pay bills.

The bank also boasts a voice response system which answers inquiries, helps customers with transfers and provides histories. That number is 1-800-516-3476. Patrons that need to report a lost or stolen card can call 1-833-337-6075.

CEO & President Chris Triplett is happy that Newport Federal Bank continues to help hundreds of people become homeowners and/or save for their financial needs and future retirements. The bank is known for keeping its mortgages in Newport as an

advantage to its customers.

“We strive to keep our rates stable and loans affordable,” he said.

Newport Federal Bank has a full service product line.

Newport Federal Bank

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refills. They will provide you with

employees take pride in their community involvement through their volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Club, March of Dimes, Cocke County Relay for Life, Cocke County Part-

“head to toe” tailored care to help you manage your overall wellness, and deliver those prescriptions right to your car.

Another unique feature is the

nership, and Cocke County EDC.

It actively assists local schools and promotes education through its sponsorship of the Adopt-a-School program for all schools, and

old-timey fountain grill inside the store. Complete with lunch counter stools and great home cooked food, you feel right at home here at Jabo’s. Pinto

provision of supplies for teachers. It also praises teachers through its Bell Ringers feature in The Newport Plain Talk.

Newport Federal Bank continues to help its young

beans and cornbread, hot dogs, chuck-wagons, all prepared to order and delivered curbside right to your car when you call ahead.

So, old timey hometown grill

customers by encouraging enrollment in the Kitty Kat Club. Newport Federal Bank’s main office is located at 170 West Broadway with branches on Cosby Highway and in downtown Newport.

service combined with high-tech healthcare delivery-both with the attention you deserve!!

Find out more, www.jabospharmacy.com or Facebook.

Newport Utilities has served Cocke County since 1940

Newport Utilities has been serving Cocke County since 1940 as Cocke County’s supplier of electric power. NU also provides water and sewer services in the city and certain areas of the county.

NU’s administration offices are located at 170 Cope Boulevard, just off West Broadway (Hwy 25/70) at

the entrance to the Cocke County Industrial Park.

Customers are offered several Payment Options, including an outdoor Kiosk located between the Main Office & LCU which takes Cash, Debit/Credit Cards, and E-checks; Drive-Thru window service for Check and Cash customers, as well as making payments online, through the SmartHub payment app available 24/7 for

both Android and Apple, or by calling 877-779-8581.

Inside, NU Customer Service Representatives handle requests for New Services, assist with service questions and issues, take payments and answer billing questions and provide information on various programs through Newport Utilities and in partnership with TVA.

NU serves over 22,000

electric customers. A stateof-the-art computer system allows the utility to quickly respond to power outages. The modern Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in the industrial park, serves nearly 5,000 customers. Its operation has won several regional excellence awards. The Water Treatment Plant, which draws its water from

The main office of Newport Utilities is located on Cope Boulevard in Newport.

519Hwy.25E

865-674-2834

whitepinemarine.com Tuesday-Friday

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the French Broad River, provides water to over 11,000 customers and has the capacity to treat six million gallons of water per day, meeting or exceeding water quality standards.

In 2017, the NU Board approved its newest essential service: NUconnect Broadband. Planned as a seven year project, NUconnect delivers broadband internet, video and voice services over a proprietary fiber network. As of Spring, 2022, more than half of NU’s electric customers have access to this fiber-rich broadband system, including many neighborhoods that never had broadband access before. NU recently launched an advanced fixed wireless network to provide broadband service to many

neighborhoods where fiber is not yet available.

A five-member board oversees policy and operations. The 2022 Chairman is Craig Wild.

For more information, call Newport Utilities at 423-625-2800.

“Thanksagaintoall ourcustomersfor yourcontinued support.”

Craig Wild, Chairman

Dianne Stokely

Mike Hannon

Chris Edmonds

Dr. Emily Eisenhower Baxter

State Bank

“Banking

are excited to celebrate their 50th Anniversary this year.

State

Exceptional customer service and a commitment to quality has earned them the distinguished title of “Best Bank” and “Best Officer” in a recent reader’s poll conducted by the local newspaper in 2021.

Tennessee State Bank has been locally owned and operated since opening in 1972 with 15 branch locations and

Tennessee State Bank is a full-service community bank serving Sevier, Knox, Jefferson and Cocke Counties. Their Cocke County branch is located at 107 Epley Road, Newport – near the Lowe’s shopping complex.

The checking accounts at Tennessee State Bank come with a variety of no cost and convenient services such as Online Banking with Bill Pay, Mobile App Banking, Mobile Check Deposit and

e-statements. Exclusively for Tennessee State Bank checking and savings account customers, account owners may add Benefits Plus® to their existing or new account for a low monthly fee. With Benefits Plus®, customers can enroll in Ultimate IDTM, a powerful Identity Theft Solutions program and can receive travel discounts, national retailer and restaurant discounts, and more.

BANK

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 87

Tennessee State Bank credit card and debit card customers have the option to choose a beautiful card featuring the Great Smoky Mountains or a Patriotic theme as stunningly portrayed by artist, Robert A. Tino. For an annual contribution of only $10, you may elect to carry this card to show your support of local non-profit organizations.

The Smoky Mountains Cards benefit the Friends of the Smokies; an organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Patriot Cards benefit the Smoky Mountain Service Dogs; a non-profit organization that trains puppies to provide mobility assistance to our wounded veterans. One hundred percent of the contributions collected are given to the organization represented on

the card selected.

Tennessee State Bank debit card customers may choose a School Spirit debit card, featuring the colors of Cocke County High School or Cosby High School for an annual contribution of $10. One hundred percent of the contributions collected will be given to the school of choice.

For the young at heart, Tennessee State Bank has a very active

Super Partner Travel program for friends age 50 or better. Super Partner members can enjoy the savings and security of group travel with a variety of destinations. In addition to travel, the program offers seminars and luncheons at area venues.

If home improvements, a new car or a family vacation is on your mind, Tennessee State Bank has several options to finance your

dreams. Tennessee State Bank is offering Shortcut Loans. Shortcut Loans are exclusively for customers of TSB that have a checking or savings account of 6 months or more.

Shortcut Loans are unsecured consumer and business loans. These loans offer an expedited process so you can get your funds fast. These loans are based on your deposit relationship and credit

information; no additional proof of income is required.

Truitt Ottinger is Newport’s Senior Vice President, Community Lending Officer (NMLS ID# 410556.) Truitt will be happy to help you evaluate your needs to establish the loan that works best for you.

More than banking, Tennessee State Bank serves as a partner in our community. In addition to monetary support, staff members of the bank are neighbors, church members, coach children’s sports teams, and assist with many organizations dedicated to better health and care of those most vulnerable in their community.

Tennessee State Bank is open Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday until 6 p.m. The drive-thru opens conveniently at 7:30 am. You may also visit the bank’s website at www.tnstatebank.com. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

Celebrating199Years

US Bank offers assistance in all banking needs

US Bank offers hometown service with products and services of larger financial institutions.

Before becoming US Bank in 2002, Merchant Planters Bank had served Newport and Cocke County since the 1880s.

US Bank offers a variety of services, including mortgages, auto loans, checking and savings accounts, student loans, financial planning and online and mobile banking.

“We try to have the financial products and services to meet everyone’s needs,”

said a bank spokesman. “We have a financial planner and are able to offer a lot of diversified products.”

US Bank, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., is the fifth largest bank in the United States.

US Bank’s Newport branch is located at 301 E. Main St. in Newport.

Lobby hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Drive-thru hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. For more information

Jefferson-Cocke County Utility District serves thousands of customers

Jefferson-Cocke County Gas Utility serves thousands of customers

Jefferson-Cocke County Utility District (JCCUD) serves two counties with propane and natural gas and provides gas appliances and installation for more than 13,575 customers: residential, business/commercial and industrial.

about US Bank in Newport, call 423-613-1580.

The American Public Gas Association recognized JCCUD as one of only 52 public gas utilities in the US receiving the System Operational Achievement Recognition: SOAR award. It excelled in system integrity and improvement; employee safety; workforce development.

Tommy Bible General Manager

JCCUD has offices in Newport with

SEE UTILITY ON PAGE 91

Commercial Bank provides banking services to all of Newport and Cocke County

The former National Bank of Tennessee (NBT) has been an important part of Cocke County and Newport since 1958. Commercial Bank continues to be committed to its customers and the community with a goal to create positive experiences for every customer, every day.

Community banking is about location and so much more. It’s about family. Commercial Bank resides in your community, we are a part of your community. Their commitment to serve

our neighbors extends beyond the walls of the bank branches. It is displayed each day in the opportunities the bank provides, the money they give back, and the time they commit — all to help improve the lives of the people, families, and businesses that make this area great.

Commercial Bank is your neighborhood bank and is

a leading financial institution with the services, capabilities, and resources of regional and national banks. What makes Commercial Bank different? They understand that every customer has unique opportunities, challenges, and financial concerns.

Commerical Bank doesn’t expect you to fit in the same box as the next person or

business. Commercial Bank is agile and unconstrained by corporate rules and processes allowing us to deliver products and services to meet your personal needs as individuals and for businesses.

There are two bank branches located in Cocke County, one in downtown Newport at 262 East Broadway and the Bryant Town Branch, located at 774 Cosby Highway. Both branch lobby hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The drive-thru hours at the downtown branch are

8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. At the Bryant Town Branch, the bank offers services from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and operates from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Monday and Friday.

Both branches have ATM locations, and the bank has another ATM in Cocke County, located at 575 West Broadway.

Both the Bryant Town and Newport branches of Commercial bank offer a wide variety of deposit services including certificates of deposits, checking

and savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts. Customers can visit either branch for help with your banking needs.

Online banking is offered for those who also like the flexibility and convenience of banking anytime, anywhere.

Customers can connect to the “NetTeller” 24 hours a day, seven days a week and obtain information on accounts, pay bills, view account activity, view statements, and transfer funds from any Commercial Bank accounts.

FILE PHOTO

Furniture Palace: Mixing the present with the past

The Furniture Palace is located at 969 West Highway 25/70, in Newport, about a mile east of the Interstate 40 interchange. The 44,000 square foot retail furniture store boasts a large variety of household furniture for today’s customer.

Furniture Palace was initially named the Cow Palace, and was created by Hoyt Staton. The establishment was founded in the early 1950’s. Initially it was located close by to where it stands today.

The Furniture Palace provides its customers with a glimpse of local history, and is an interesting blend of today’s customer’s taste intermingled

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 90

with history’s bygone days. While browsing, the customer can study the many historical displays that abound throughout the establishment.

General Mgr. David Nelson and his wife, Karen, have spent their time, utilizing their talent and creativity to create the displays that contain a glimpse of the past. The items they have gathered together throughout the years are an interesting combination of old magazines, 1930’s Newport post cards, and a large variety of farm implements, dispersed with much more.

Among many of the unique items on display are an end-

SEE PALACE ON PAGE 92

drive-through services at Hwy. 25E, and in Jefferson City off Hwy. 11E. It has been serving customers for more than 60 years and increased its customer base from 3,801 in 1990 to more than 13,575 and still growing to serve more residents with low cost, efficient natural and propane gas.

Overseeing the $59.0 million in plant /pipeline assets is a five-member board of commissioners consisting of President Gary Hammonds, Vice-President Rusty James, and commissioners: Secretary-Treasurer Robert Overholt, Blake Briggs, and Sharon Hayes. Tommy Bible is general manager. Bible also represents JCCUD as a member of the Tennessee Gas Association Board of Directors and served 13 years on the American Public Gas Association Board of Directors.

Because of demand for its clean, efficient fuel the utility has tripled in

size since 1990. Gas line expansions include Newport, Jefferson City, Dandridge, White Pine, Parrottsville, and Baneberry.

The district has been a national award winner for its safety programs and earned national safety awards 20 times since 1993.

Residential growth in Cocke and Jefferson counties has added more gas customers, with propane service popular. The utility added to propane storage and has about 275,000 gallons. Annual propane sales average 1.7 million gallons. The stable cost of propane has helped the utility increase its customer base to over 5,200.

To serve non-route customers and campers with propane cylinders, the Newport office has a modern walk-in propane fill station behind the main office. It is open Monday-Thurs. at 7:30 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m.

All industries in Jefferson and Cocke Counties have access to natural gas sold at low markup to them.

Because JCCUD is a member of United Utilities Group, it has access to more daily natural gas volumes and pipeline capacity. Available gas has increased to the point that there have been very few recent interruptions to industrial customers and prices remain low.

Gas appliance information can be obtained from sales representative Steve Chambers. He is in the office on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The Utility has rebate programs for gas appliances. There is lower propane pricing for route system customers. Call the office for more information.

JCCUD offers on-line bill payment at jccud.com.

Office hours: Mon.-Thurs. from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fri. from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For a service representative, call 423 623-3069 in Newport or 865 475-7911 in Jefferson City. Gas Utility information is on the Internet at www.jccud.com for your convenience.

Call before you dig – call 811 .

Thousands served at Carver’s Orchard and Restaurant each year

Thousands of visitors find their way to the southern portion of Cocke County each year to visit Carver’s Orchard and Restaurant.

Nestled in the shadows of the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park,

PALACE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 91

spring buggy, without horses, and a doubleseater buggy.

Nelson said that he has collected implements and tools for years. His wife Karen collects antique hats. The store has allowed for these items to be displayed throughout the years.

It has provided many of its visitors with enjoyment as they journey throughout the store, looking for that perfect couch or coffee table. It also provides the men something to do when their wives are shopping here.

the business was established prior to the Civil War by Joseph Campbell, whose daughter Jemima married Israel Carver I.

Today Danny Ray Carver Carver, Campbell’s greatgreat-great-grandson, and his wife Irene Carver proudly watch as their daughters

Danielle and Stacy and three granddaughters Kiersten, Kylen, and Kaycen and new grandson Karsen continue to welcome thousands of visitors to Cocke County each year, especially during the fall season.

SEE CARVER’S ON PAGE 93

These old items are spread amongst the store’s merchandise. Their current merchandise includes New Classic Furniture, United Furniture, Jamison bedding, Simmons upholstery, and many other familiar names.

Furniture Palace still delivers for free. They also offer their customers in house financing as part of its long history of friendly, service to its customers.

For more information, call (423) 623-7052.

The Furniture Palace’s merchandise includes New Classic Furniture, United Furniture, Jamison bedding, Simmons upholstery, and many other familiar names.

Ball Metalpack makes metal packaging products

Ball Metalpack, located on Hwy. 92 between Newport and Dandridge (Chestnut Hill), is one of the world’s leading suppliers of rigid metal packaging products and services for the food industry.

Ball Metalpack makes threepiece welded food cans for food processors in the Southeast and Midwest. They also make twopiece aerosol cans.

Ball Metalpack produces aerosol cans, metal paint cans, general line metal cans, oblong cans and decorative tins in a variety of shapes and sizes. Features include full printing and easy-pour solutions for your brand and product needs.

The Dandridge operation began under Heekin Can in 1947 with one

soldered can line to supply cans for Bush Brothers and Company. The company has expanded over the years to eight soldered lines. The first Soudronic welder was installed in December 1980. By 1982, three welded lines were installed. A new 70,000-square-foot facility was constructed in 1989, and additional lines were added in 1989 and 1990. The Dandridge plant became part of Ball in 1993.

In 2014, they started production on the G3 line, which is the only one of its kind in North America, and produces a two piece can. In early 2019, the Dandridge plant became a part of Ball Metalpack, a joint venture between Ball and Platinum Equity.

For more information, visit www.ballmetalpack.com.

The original orchard and Carver-Campbell home were located in part of today’s GSMNP. When the Park was established, Danny Ray’s grandparents Elbert and Glennie Carver faced the dilemma of selling their family home and business and relocating elsewhere.

After Elbert’s untimely death, Glennie remained in the family home for several years and was one of the last citizens to leave the Park.

In 1940, she moved to the Liberty community.

Over the years, Carver’s Orchard has expanded its operation to include other fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh fried pies, jugs of apple cider, and delicious homemade

candies.

A few years ago, they opened Carver’s Restaurant, where guests enjoy dining in a spacious setting overlooking thousands of apple trees. The southern portion of the dining area features a window offering magnificent views of the nearby mountains.

Each guest receives succulent apple fritters, apple butter, and apple cider, all of which are made on-site. Food critics from as far away as Boston have found the restaurant

and added their praises for its cuisine.

For two years, the Carver family hosted “Under the Apple Trees,” an original play telling the story of their family’s heritage. Hundreds of people from across the United States and Europe enjoyed the performances.

Expansion of the business is currently underway with a grand opening celebration planned in the near future.

Located at 3460 Cosby Hwy., a short distance south of Cosby High School, the orchard bursts into bloom each April. By June, fruit from the earliest bearing trees is ready for eager customers, and by October, thousands of loyal customers join new lovers of apples and other produce as they swarm the hillside in search of the perfect produce for their own consumption.

Carver’s Orchard and Restaurant, located in Cosby, serves thousands of visitors each year.

Cosby Real Estate, Inc. People’s Choice Winners

Cosby Real Estate, Inc. serves not only the Cocke and Sevier county areas that make up the community known as Cosby, but all of both counties, as well as the surrounding region. Having provided real estate services since the 1980s, the professional staff is experienced in all phases of residential properties and understands that the needs of retirees might be very different from the demands of a young family. They are knowledgeable

about the opportunities that vacation rental homes offer. Then can help guide you into making an informed decision that suits both your personal and financial situations. The purchase of undeveloped land, either for private use or future development, has unique concerns, and the Cosby Real Estate staff has considerable experience with these requirements. They are willing to help guide you through the county planning commission to avoid costly mistakes. Owner/

broker Glen Beasley is dedicated to promoting both the unsurpassed beauty of the area and to helping sellers realize their full potential for their homes and lands.

They have been fortunate to have associates working with them that know the area and are committed to serving clients with integrity.

The office number for Cosby Real Estate is 423487-2705. It is located at 4871 Hooper Highway (U.S. Highway 321), in Cosby. The zip code is 37722.

Bush Brothers has produced quality products for more than 100 years

The Bush’s Visitor Center is open in Chestnut Hill. Bush Brothers & Company has produced quality products for more than 100 years.

With corporate offices is Knoxville, Bush Brothers operates two production facilities-one in Chestnut Hill and one in Augusta, Wis.

The Chestnut Hill operation is where the original plant was started by A.J. Bush in 1908. The facility employees more than 300 people.

A.J. Bush was born in 1867 in Chestnut Hill. In 1891 he married and he and wife Sallie had four boys and two girls over the next several years.

Then, in 1897, Bush started a general store that would become A.J. Bush and Co. In 1904, Bush partnered with the Stokely Brothers and established a tomato cannery in Chestnut Hill.

By 1908, he purchased the Stokely Brothers’ interest and started a partnership with his sons.

During its more than 100

years, Bush’s has seen many changes and added many new products with its state-of-the art facilities. In 2010, Bush’s had even more additions and new products.

The Bush’s Visitor Center opened in June 2010.

The center features a company museum and exhibit center, a 75-seat theater, gift shop, and delicatessen restaurant.

For more information about Bush Brothers history and products, go to the company’s Web site at www.bushbeans.com.

Lowland Credit Union serving area over 65 years

Lowland Credit Union has been committed to providing quality, professional services to all members since 1953.

Lowland Credit Union is community chartered, which enables them to serve members who live, work, worship, or attend businesses in Grainger, Jefferson, Hamblen, and Cocke counties and Greeneville City.

Lowland Credit Union is insured by the National Credit Union Administration and it is owned and controlled by a Board of Directors who are elected by the credit union members.

After starting at the American Enka plant in 1953, it now serves mem-

bers from two offices—344 West Broadway Newport, and 1216 E Main St. Morristown.

LCU has a dedicated Board of Directors who make certain that the credit union continues to serve the members’ needs. The Board also works to make sure that the credit union remains financially sound and strong. The staff, many of whom have been with the credit union for several years, have a sincere interest in helping members meet and achieve their financial goals.

The board of directors consists of Chairman Tommy Musser, Chairman Tommy Musser, Roy Arnwine, Leon Cagle, Joann Jenkins, Ronnie Moore, Todd Marshall, John T. Walker, and Brandon To-

massoni.

Lobby hours for all locations are:

Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Drive –Thru at all

o

ffices open daily at 8 a.m.

Lowland Credit Union is a full-service financial institution that offers savings, checking and many types of consumer loans including mortgages.

Other services include:

• Free online banking and bill pay along with eStatements

• VISA® Debit and Credit Cards

• Access to over 30,000 fee free ATMs And much more!

FILE PHOTO

Shown above is Lowland Credit Union’s office at 344 West Broadway in Newport. Lowland Credit Union also has offices in Morristown to assist customers in the region.

2022/2023

Costner-Maloy Funeral Home

Located at 322 East Main Street, Costner-Maloy is the oldest of Cocke County’s three funeral homes.

It opened in the early 1920s under the name Willis-Larue Company. Over

the years, as ownership changed, so did the name, until 1945 when it became Maloy Funeral Home.

Established by George Willis and Hunley Larue, it was purchased by E. Claude Balch in 1932.

In 1940 it became Maloy-

Brown Funeral Home

Established in 1930, Brown Funeral Home is located at 338 E. Main St., Newport. Having served innumerable families, many for generations, Brown Funeral Home blends traditional values with modern practices to provide exceptional care to every family.

Brown Funeral Home staff members are committed to providing courteous, compassionate service with fairness and respect.

Brown Funeral Home offers a variety of services designed to fit most any budget, ranging from traditional funerals to cremation to celebration of life services. Customers may also opt for Brown Funeral Home’s pre-arrangement plans.

Brown Funeral Home’s staff pledge themselves to provide knowledgeable assistance while you plan the most appropriate, meaningful, and economical tribute to your loved one.

Nathan D. Manning is manager. For more information, please call 423-623-3041 or email us at brownfuneralhomenewport.yahoo.com.

You may also view their website at www.brownfuneralhomenewport. com.

Suggs Funeral Home, Voyle Maloy, A.D. Suggs, and Ruby Suggs Stuart having bought it. In 1945 Maloy and his wife, Mattie Lou, purchased the other two partners’ interest and operated the business until their deaths in the 1970s.

Cleo Balch then became manager and oversaw the business until his retirement in 1991, when Donnie Costner purchased the controlling interest. Costner later became owner outright in 1994. Today the business is known as Costner-Maloy

Funeral Home.

A complete service funeral home, Costner-Maloy continues to be housed in one of downtown Newport’s oldest homes.

Over the years, additions to the original building have been made, along with some

remodeling and refurbishing projects.

Among its many attractions are several items of antique furniture and square grand pianos Costner has collected over the years. For more information, call 423-623-7311.

Manes Funeral Home, Inc.

Manes Funeral Home, Inc., 363 E. Main St., Newport, was organized Sept. 1, 1973.

It is a locally owned and privately held corporation. Christopher L. Austin serves

as president. Manes Funeral Home employs 14 full and parttime staff members, who stand ready to assist families in any way during times of loss.

Their funeral directors are

licensed to serve both Tennessee and North Carolina residents.

Manes Funeral Home is a full service provider, offering traditional funerals as well as cremation services and preneed insurance.

They offer caskets, vaults, urns, registry sets, videos, portraits, and numerous other services.

For more information, call 423-623- 6952, or visit our website at www. manesfuneralhome.com.

Travelers stopping at the Hartford Welcome Center find a beautifully designed building staffed by helpful and knowledgeable staff.

Cocke County is fortunate to have one of Tennessee fifteen welcome centers.

Located at Hartford, a short distance from the TN-NC line, the welcome center serves as an entryway into Tennessee for visitors entering the state from the east traveling on I-40.

Built by the Dept. of Transportation, the Hartford Welcome Center opened its doors on February 1, 1991, and since

then has welcome close to a million visitors yearly. During its 31 years of operation, the center has received several awards and was named Welcome Center of the Year in 2008.

Staffed by several full-time state employees, all of whom call Cocke County home, the Hartford Welcome Center’s assistants work as travel consultants and reservationists who are available year round. A dedicated staff keeps the beautifully landscaped grounds immaculately.

Tourists stopping at the center find helpful brochures for destinations including

both business and pleasure, local maps, and coupons to help make the most of their visit to Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Transportation maps and the Tennessee Vacation Guides.

A current live weather satellite system offers an upto-date weather map.

Walden Security Company staffs the center with security guards seven days a week.

A permanent Civil War exhibit was installed in 2013 to educate visitors and Tennesseans regarding the importance of Tennessee during that period of our history.

The center also has a fully

stocked vending stand operated by the Tennessee Business Enterprise.

The center is open and staffed seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year. For more information, call 423-487-3928.

County Recreation Department serves many

The Cocke County Recreation Department serves all residents of the county with recreational services and has shown steady growth in the number of local citizens who take advantage of the services.

Scott Thornton was recently named director of the department.

The department is located at 466 Learning Way, behind the Cocke County High School baseball and softball complexes. At its main office, the department hosts the two athletic fields, as well as a gymnasium used for basketball and other purposes.

The Cocke County Recre-

Scott Thornton, Director

ation Department administers most of the recreational youth basketball leagues in the county, including the two Co-Ed leagues for 4-7 year-olds, 8-9 year-olds and 10-11 year-olds. The department plays games at its home site, as well as several elementary basketball gymnasiums throughout the county.

The department also sponsors Tee-Ball, coach

pitch baseball and softball, as well as the Smoky Mountain Little League softball program.

Other locations utilized by the department include those found at elementary schools throughout Cocke

County. Among those located at Northwest are an additional recreation building, ball fields, and concession stands. The county maintains each of these, as related to use at sporting events.

There are also agreements between the county and other elementary schools for the use of gymnasiums and ball fields. The department is funded through the Cocke County Legislative Body. Its annual budget

includes salaries and utilities, plus maintenance of grounds and the department’s primary building, which includes offices, a gymnasium, and a small children’s playground to the rear of the building.

The variety of activities also includes the department entertaining HeadStart programs, birthday parties, special gatherings, and other community-oriented events.

The Cocke County Recreation Department’s main office is located at 466 Learning Way, just off Hedrick Drive in Newport, in between the high school baseball and softball fields. The telephone number is (423) 623-6769.

The Cocke County Recreation Department’s home includes offices, a large gym and concessions. A children’s playground is located in the back of the building.

Newport Parks and Recreation Department offers plenty of activities

The Newport Parks and Recreation Department

fulfills many numerous needs throughout the year for citizens of Newport and surrounding areas. The department is a part of the City of Newport’s government and is focused on the community and provides an ever-increasing valuable service.

The department continues to expand on a wide variety of activities for everyone to enjoy. The main office for the department is located at the Newport Community Center at 433 Prospect Avenue. The department’s director is Timothy Dockery.

In addition to operating and maintaining the Newport Community Center, the city department is also responsible for the maintenance of several parks and playgrounds in Newport.

The main recreational anchor for the department is the Newport City Park, which offers a number of activities and opportunities throughout the year. The Park is open year round.

The park offers the use of two pavilions, with grills available, on a reservation basis.

The park also offers a walking track, basketball courts, tennis courts, a playground and a beach volleyball court. The Park also has two athletic fields used for Little League Baseball and English Mountain Little League

Football.

The most popular feature of the City Park is the swimming pool which is open for summer months. The pool is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Private parties, on a reservation basis, are available daily.

The City Park also plays host to several special events throughout the year, including the Parks and Recreation’s annual Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween Trick or Treat at the Track, and the Hart Times Street Rod Club of Newport’s Annual Moonshine Rod Run.

The Department’s newest crown jewel facility is the Downtown Newport Riverwalk, located along the banks of the Pigeon River. The first phase of the trail was completed in the fall of 2011 and provides a scenic greenway for Newport citizens to exercise. Plans are currently underway to expand the greenway.

The multipurpose

Newport City Park is a hub of community activity, including football, baseball, tennis, the swimming pool, walking tracks, playgrounds, pavilions for picnicking, cookouts, family reunions, church get-togethers and so much more.

Tim Dockery Parks & Rec. Director

NEWPORT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 98

Newport Community Center also falls under the jurisdiction of the department. The Community Center is home to the department’s year-round aquatic facility, an Olympic-sized, heated indoor swimming pool with lockers and shower facilities.

Also at the Community Center, there is a wellness room, equipped with exercise equipment and weight machines, a racquetball court and a regulation size basketball court. The department also has other offerings at the community center, including those by certified instructors.

The department also operates the Newport Grammar School athletic complex, which features two Little League baseball fields, a playground, a walking track, and a skate park, which is opened to registered users.

Other facilities operated by the department include: Filbert Street Park, White Oak Park, Pet Milk Park, the Presbyterian Church Memorial Park, Eva Babb Sexton Memorial Park.

The Filbert Street Park has a walking trail and basketball court. The department, in conjunction with the City of Newport, is currently renovating the Bryant Town Park for use by citizens.

The White Oak Street Park has a basketball court, playground, and

picnic table.

Included at the Pet Milk Park is a playground and basketball court.

The Presbyterian Church Memorial Park is found off Highway 321. The Eva Babb Sexton Memorial Park is located off River Road (behind Food City East). The Eva Babb

Sexton Memorial Park includes historical markers, plus an assortment of flowers, trees, and picnic tables to enjoy.

Other activities offered through the department include recreational basketball and Smoky Mountain Little League baseball.

The Newport Community Center is home to the Newport Parks and Recreation Department offices. The center also houses an indoor pool, gymnasium, weight and exercise facilities, game room, and much more.

The Newport Riverwalk and Greenway is the newest jewel of the Newport Parks and Recreation Department, providing recreational space along the banks of the Pigeon River in downtown Newport.

Whitewater rafting is one of Cocke County’s biggest tourism hits

Tucked away in the mountains of Cocke County, Hartford sits along I-40 East at exit 447, serving as the next to last exit before the North Carolina state line. This small town is home to numerous whitewater rafting companies, gas stations, a post office, and unique restaurants. Settled along the Pigeon River, Hartford is a quiet town filled with outdoor enthusiasts and curious tourists.

For one who wants to be away from the hustle and bustle of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, yet still within reasonable driving distance, Fox Fire Campground and Shauan’s RV Park provide riverside campsites. The Downtown Hartford Citgo and the BP serve as the only gas stations along I-40 between Newport and Maggie Valley, NC. The Pigeon River Smokehouse, located at the BP, serves up the best-known BBQ in the area. Across the street sits The Bean Trees Café — a unique

dining experience with riverside dining and live music on Friday and Saturday nights. The Bean Trees features a vegetarian and kid friendly menu and serves specialty coffee drinks, beer, and wine.

Each whitewater rafting company utilizes the same public put-in, located at I-40 East, exit 451-Waterville. This access point is used for the upper Pigeon River trip, which consists of 12 class III rapids and three class IV rapids.

Rapids in the Southeast are rated on a class scale of I to VI, with I being slow mov-

ing flat water and VI being deemed experts only or closed for commercial and recreational use.

The public put-in lies on the North Carolina state line in Haywood County. Each rafting company uses a different put-in, most are located on the company’s property, for the lower Pigeon River trip, consisting of class I and II rapids with a mild class III at the end of the trip before taking out at the public take-out in Denton.

The whitewater rafting companies are located along Hartford Road. Each trip will

vary in length depending on which company you choose. For the majority, the upper trip is at least five miles long, and the lower trip is approximately six miles long.

For the more adventurous person or someone looking for a thrilling ride that guarantees you’ll be getting wet, the upper Pigeon River trip is perfect. Children are welcome to join the excitement as long as they follow the general rules of being at least eight-years-old or weighing 70-pounds (this is for a child who may be younger than eight but is still “big” enough to with stand the physical aspects of the trip).

A trained, CPR-certified raft guide will journey with you through rapids such as Power House, Full-of-Water, Veg-Omatic, Snap Dragon, The Lost Guide, Double Reactionary, and The Accelerator. The upper Pigeon River provides scenery and photo opportunities when you are not concentrating on the white water. For families with smaller

children or those looking for a calmer ride, the lower Pigeon River awaits. Consisting mostly of class I and II rapids, the lower allows children as young as three to enjoy the rafting experience. Be sure to bring a waterproof camera to capture memories, as this trip is more scenic, winding around the mountains and following Hartford Road downstream to Denton. Large areas of slow moving flat water provide a way to cool-off on a hot, summer day. Even if you are unable to swim, each guest is provided a PFD-personal floatation device-and a raft guide will accompany you for the duration of the trip.

For more information regarding whitewater rafting prices and trips on the Pigeon River, please contact the following companies in Hartford:

Big Bear Rafting: 3165 Big Creek Rd., Hartford, TN, 37753, (844) 799-7238

5 Rivers Adventures: 3692 Hartford Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (888) 204-8779

Big Creek Expeditions: 3671 Hartford Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (877) 642-7238

Nantahala Outdoor Center: 3485 Hartford Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (865) 210-8565

Raft Outdoor Adventures: 3635 Trail Hollow Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (866) 333-7238

Rafting in the Smokies: 3595 Hartford Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (800) 776-7238

Rapid Expeditions: 3605 Hartford Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (888) 504-7238

Rip Roaring Adventures: 3555 Wheat Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (800) 449-7238

Smoky Mountain Outdoors: 3299 Hartford Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (800) 771-7238

Wisdom Tree, LLC: 3630 Hartford Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (423) 487-4303

Wildwater Pigeon Rafting: 3555 Hartford Road, Hartford, TN, 37753, (866) 319-8870 or (423) 4873307

Area golf courses give golfers many choices

Cocke County and the surrounding region is home to some of the most majestically beautiful and challenging golf courses in the country. A number of affordable and accessible golf courses are in the Cocke County area.

Smoky Mountain Golf and Country Club is located at 1220 Golf Course Road, Newport, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Moun-

tains, and offers players a challenging round of golf with beautiful, panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Smoky is one of the oldest and best golf courses in East Tennessee.

Smoky Mountain will celebrated its 65th anniversary this year. The course is host to the local school affiliated golf teams, including the Cocke County High School team which has sent numerous golfers

to the TSSAA state tournament in recent years. The course also hosts numerous benefit and charity golf tournaments throughout the year.

The front nine is relatively open and affords the golfer with ample fairways to hit the long ball, while the back nine is somewhat narrow and requires a more delicate and controlled shot selection with control and distance rewarding above average players.

The golf course has Bermuda fairways and bent grass greens with substantial undulation. Two of the holes, numbers 10 and 17, are rated by area golfers as two of the most difficult in East Tennessee.

The club offers a pro shop, driving range, putting green, lounge and pool. Golf packages are available. Tee times are available and recommended. Soft spikes are required.

For information, contact the club

at 423-623-7321.

BANEBERRY

Baneberry Golf and Resort is located at 704 Harrison Ferry Road in Baneberry, just minutes from the Cocke County line in Jefferson County off of Highway 25E. An outstanding layout featuring gently rolling land, lakes, streams and bunkers will challenge golfers SEE

Thousands of rafters head down the Pigeon River from Waterville to Hartford every year. Tourism is the state’s second largest industry and Hartford is one of the crown jewels of Cocke County’s tourism offerings.

GOLF

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 100

of all abilities. Baneberry has twice been the home of the $75,000 Baneberry Classic that is held by the T. C. Jordan Tour (now the NGA Hooters Tour).

It is also home to its’ annual three-man scramble and two-day Tennessee Seniors’ Classic, which is also played annually.

Baneberry is an excellent vacation or weekend getaway featuring the resort, the golf course nestled on beautiful Douglas Lake with the Great Smoky Mountains as a backdrop. Originally designed and built in the early 1970s, Baneberry was incorporated as a city in 1986.

Amenities include two putting greens, a chipping green, tennis courts, a large swimming pool, a boat ramp into Douglas Lake, and a club house with a pro shop, restaurant, lounge, and a spacious deck overlooking the front nine.

Baneberry also offers two bedroom villas or large efficiency rooms. All have fully equipped kitchens. Whether two people in a room at the Inn or four in a villa, the same rate per person applies.

Angelos Tavern on the Green also provides dinners and banquets for local and regional groups, business meetings, and wedding receptions.

The course plays 6,694 yards from the blue tees and 6,126 yards from the white tees.

Baneberry is open year round, and rates vary according to season.

Call (800) 593-4348 for additional information, directions or tee times. You can also visit their web site at www.baneberrygolf. com.

DANDRIDGE

As one of the first golf courses built in the area, Dandridge Golf & Country Club has developed a reputation as an enjoyable round of golf for the beginner or the seasoned professional.

The original 18 holes, designed by Dan Maples, meanders its way through valleys, hills, and woodlands. Then, in 1991, nine more holes were added with the same characteristics or the original design, bringing the area’s first 27-hole golf complex. And if the course

itself doesn’t offer enough scenic beauty, you will often find yourself pausing to admire the views of the Great Smokey Mountains and Douglas Lake. Dandridge offers the same lush bermuda fairways and bentgrass green as its sister course (Patriot Hills).

All combinations are par-72 and measure approximately 6,100 yards from the back tees, 5,800 yards from the regular tees, and 4,900 yards from the forward tees.

Tee times are recommended daily. Dandridge is a public course.

For tee times, greens fees and other information, please call (865) 397-2655, or visit their web site at www.dandridgegolf.com.

PATRIOT HILLS

Dandridge’s Patriot Hills has been providing quality golf to the area since 1997.

At its inception, Patriot Hills was intended to be more challenging than it’s sister course (Dandridge). With a similar design, the course has proved to be as tough as you want it to be. The par 72 course measures 6,710 yards from the back tees, 6,068 yards from the regular tees, 5609 yards from the senior tees, and 4974 yards from the forward tees.

Patriot Hills is open to the public. For tee times call (865) 475-4466, or visit their web site at www.patriothillsgolf.com.

BENT CREEK GOLF RESORT

Bent Creek Golf Course, designed by threetime Masters and British Open Championship winner Gary Player, is a par 72 course that opened in 1972. The front nine hugs the valley floor while the back nine offers a challenging mountain course. A beautiful sparkling mountain stream meanders throughout the entire course making for a breathtaking contrast between water and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Southern Living Travel Guide rated Bent Creek Golf Resort one of the “Top Fifty Golf Courses in the South.”

Bent Creek Golf Village is located at 3919 East Parkway in Gatlinburg.

Bent Creek is also a full service golf facility offering a putting green, full-service golf shop, PGA staff, group and private golf lessons, golf packages along with the Creek Side Grill, Mountain Cabin Rental and Golf Course Condominiums.

For reservations, or more information, call (865) 436-2875, or visit their web site at www. bentcreekgolfcourse.com.

Newport Mayor’s Offi

423-623-7323

Newport City Hall

423-623-7323

Newport Housing Authority

423-623-1575

Newport Street Department

423-623-5246

Newport Building & Codes Inspector

423-623-7323

Newport Fire Department

423-613-4048

Newport Police Department

423-613-4048

Newport Grammar School

423-623-3811

Newport Recycling Center

423-625-3850

Cocke County Mayor’s

423-623-8791

Cocke County Circuit Court

423-623-6124

Cocke County Clerk and Master

423-623-3321

County Ag Extension

423-623-7531

Cocke County Clerk’s Office

423-623-6176

Farm Services

423-623-8646

Cocke County Fire Department

423-623-4444

Cocke County Highway Department

423-623-5102

Phone Listings

Cocke County Election Commission

423-623-2042

Cocke County Property Assessor’s

Office

423-623-7024

Cocke County Register of Deeds

423-623-7540

Cocke County School System

423-623-7821

Cocke County Sessions Court

423-623-8619

Cocke County Sheriff’s Office

423-623-6004

Cocke County Trustee’s Office

423-623-3037

Cocke County Vets Affairs Office

423-623-7911

Central Dispatch

423-623-8777

Newport Utilities

423-625-2800

Jefferson Cocke Gas Utility

423-623-3069

Cocke County Chamber of Commerce

423-623-7201

Economic Development Commission

423-623-3008

Cocke County Tourism Office 423-625-9675

Newport Community Center

423-623-7304

Newport Post Office 423-623-6136

TN Department of Human Services

423-623-1291

TN Department of Workforce Development

423-623-1108

Tennessee National Guard

423-623-1266

Parrottsville Town Hall

423-623-9380

Stokely Memorial Library

423-623-3832

Cosby Community Library

423-487-5885

Marie Ellison Memorial Library

423-487-5929

Parrottsville Community Library

423-625-8990

Safe Space

1-800-244-5968

Cocke County Health Department

423-623-8733

COCKE COUNTY CONVENIENCE CENTERS

Rankin — 269 Clayhill Road, Newport Reidtown — 1490 Highway 25/70, Newport

Morrell Springs — 965 Morrell Springs Road, Newport

Cosby — 3887 Cosby Highway, Cosby Wilton Springs — 606 Wilton Springs Road, Newport

Ravens Branch — 2315 Old 15th Street, Hartford

Del Rio — 2990 East Highway 25/70, Del Rio

Parrottsville — 2061 Canary Drive, Parrottsville

Irish Cut — 1160 Old Asheville Highway, Newport

Bogard — 3136 Bogard Road, Newport Centerview — 2474 Holt Town Road, Newport

City Convenience Center — 122 Locust Street, Newport

COCKE COUNTY POST OFFICES

Bybee Post Office

1580 Highway 160

Bybee, TN 37713

423-623-5605

Cosby Post Office

4402 Hooper Highway

Cosby, TN 37722

423-487-2421

Del Rio Post Office

3105 E. Highway 25/70

Del Rio, TN 37727

423-623-6082

Hartford Post Office

3603 Hartford Road

Hartford, TN 37753

423-487-2180

Newport Post Office

265 Cosby Highway

Newport, TN 37821

423-623-6136

Parrottsville Post Office

2053 Highway 321

Parrottsville, TN 37843

423-623-5500