Oak Ridge Today

Rueter named to Tennessee Chamber board

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Ken Rueter

The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry has appointed Kenneth J. Rueter, who leads a federal cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, to its Board of Directors for a three-year term.

Rueter is president and chief executive officer of United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR). UCOR is the U.S. Department of Energy’s prime contractor for environmental cleanup on the Oak Ridge Reservation. It is a partnership of Amentum, Jacobs, and Honeywell.

The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the state’s oldest and most prominent statewide business trade association, impacting public policy on behalf of business and manufacturing for more than a century, a press release said.

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Nine Lakes Winemaker’s Market is Saturday, precautions in place

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Bottles of Tennessee wine not found in stores will be for sale at the Nine Lakes Winemaker’s Market at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020. (Photo courtesy Nine Lakes Wine Festival)

The fourth annual Nine Lakes Wine Festival has been converted to a safer, spread out, open-air “Winemaker’s Market” on Saturday, September 12, a press release said. The festival is scheduled from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge.

“All of our winemakers will be wearing masks, and we ask that the public does, too,” said event director Rebecca Williams. “They will be spread out in the park, with at least 10 feet between vendor tents, and we may have to limit ticket sales to allow for social distancing.”

The event will not offer wine samples to taste this year.

“The state will not allow it, and we agree it would not be a safe thing to do,” Williams said. “Instead, we’re offering a unique shopping event, sort of like a farmer’s market for wine. Tennessee wines are not generally sold in stores, so you really have to come to an event or drive out to a winery to find them.”

Thirteen local wineries will be represented at the event. General admission tickets are $10, and they benefit United Way of Anderson County. They include a wine tote and tasting glass to take home, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Governor: 15 percent of state’s workforce files unemployment claims

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On Friday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said 15 percent of Tennessee’s workforce had filed unemployment claims as of last week.

More than 400,000 people are without a job, Lee said during a press conference announcing new guidelines for restaurants and retailers that could open in most of the state’s counties this week.

Lee said $870 million in revenue was lost in March alone across some of Tennessee’s largest industries such as hospitality.

With employers and employees struggling, there could a $5 billion decrease in the state’s gross domestic product for 2020, the governor said.

The service industry has been hit especially hard, he said.

[Read more…]

Anderson County ‘visioning’ workshop is next week

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Gary Human

Gary Human

 

Submitted

Anderson County has a rich history, from coal mining to pearling, and the rise from agricultural infancy to become a world-leading technological powerhouse.

But what about Anderson County’s future? What is your vision—as a citizen, business leader, or elected official—for Anderson County?

Come share your ideas at a “Visioning Workshop” from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 20, in the Club Room at the Clinton Community Center, 101 Hicks Street. Sandwiches will be provided during the event, which was originally scheduled to be at the Anderson Courthouse, a press release said. [Read more…]

Career coach at Oak Ridge Library once a month from March-July

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Need to polish your resume, complete an online job application, or find the jobs that match your skill set?

The Career Coach, sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Employment Security Division, will be coming to the Oak Ridge Public Library parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 16, April 13, May 18, June 15, and July 20. Come by any time during those hours and receive job assistance.

For more information on the Career Coach, check out the website at www.getonthecoach.tn.gov. This is a free service for the public, and library memberships are not required for participants. For more information, call the Library at (865) 425-3455.

This press release was submitted by Virginia Bayne.

TVC Summit to focus on entrepreneurism in five-state region

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Howard Baker at Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit in 1995

Former Tennessee Senator Howard Baker addresses the first Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit held in Oak Ridge in 1995. (Submitted photo)

 

The registration deadline is quickly approaching for the annual Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit, which will make its first visit to Cookeville on June 1-2. The Summit, themed “Where Entrepreneurs and Technology Meet,” will be held on the campus of Tennessee Tech University , and it is hosted by TTU President Phil Oldham in cooperation with Tennessee Congressman Diane Black.

Leaders from throughout the region will be at the event to focus attention on the vital role entrepreneurs provide in turning the brain power and technologies from the region’s universities and federal programs into new business start-ups and the expansion of existing businesses.

Main speakers scheduled for the event include: [Read more…]

Dura-Line investing more than $25 million, adding 70 jobs at new manufacturing facility, R&D center

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Dura-Line, a communication and energy infrastructure manufacturer, is opening a new manufacturing facility and research and development center in Clinton, investing more than $25 million and creating 70 new jobs, state officials said Tuesday. The jobs will include engineering, research and development, and manufacturing jobs.

The announcement was made Tuesday by Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd and Dura-Line officials.

The 86,800-square-foot Clinton facility will function as a research and development, or R&D, center for new techniques for making high-density polyethylene, or HDPE, conduit products used by the telecommunications industry to house fiber optic cable. Dura-Line will conduct research and development that will help the company grow its business worldwide and will also manufacture select high-technology products at the Clinton location. [Read more…]

Tennessee again named economic development ‘State of the Year’

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Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Tennessee first state to win award in back-to-back years

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam announced Monday that Business Facilities, a leading national publication focused on site selection and economic development, has named Tennessee its 2014 State of the Year for a second consecutive year.

Tennessee becomes the first state in the award’s history to win back-to-back honors for economic development efforts and the first state to win the designation three times, winning in 2014, 2013, and 2009, a press release said.

“It is an honor to be the first state to receive this recognition two years in a row,” Haslam said. “We have a great story to tell in Tennessee. Businesses continue to make the decision to locate, expand and grow here, and we are grateful for those strong partnerships. We will continue doing all we can to make sure we offer an attractive business climate and skilled workforce to be the number one location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.” [Read more…]

Sen. McNally receives Champion of Commerce award from state, city chambers

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Randy McNally

Randy McNally

The Tennessee and Oak Ridge chambers of commerce have awarded the Champion of Commerce award to Senator Randy McNally, a press release said.

It said the award is presented locally in coordination with the Tennessee Chamber and local chambers of commerce.

“The prestigious award recognizes individuals that exemplify outstanding achievement promoting business and free enterprise during the 2013–2014 108th General Assembly,” the release said. [Read more…]

3M will invest $135 million, create 100 jobs at Clinton manufacturing facility

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Food Lion Distribution Center and 3M Company Manufacturing

The 3M Company purchased the former Food Lion Distribution Center on J.D. Yarnell Industrial Parkway in the Eagle Bend Industrial Park in Clinton on Friday. 3M paid roughly $14.4 million for the 772,00-square-foot building on 160 acres, and the company will use it to make products for the oil, gas, and automotive industries. (Photo courtesy Tim Thompson/Anderson County Economic Development Association)

 

Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Note: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 8.

NASHVILLE—The 3M Company has purchased the former Food Lion distribution center in the Eagle Bend Industrial Park in Clinton and will use it to manufacture products for the oil, gas, and automotive industries. The company is expected to invest $135 million and create 100 new jobs in Anderson County.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty joined 3M Company officials in Nashville to announce the company’s investment on Friday afternoon.

3M purchased the 772,000-square-foot building on 160 acres on J.D. Yarnell Parkway in the Eagle Bend Industrial Park for roughly $14.4 million. The sale closed on Friday, said Tim Thompson, president of the Anderson County Economic Development Association. [Read more…]

UT report: State economy looking more robust as year end approaches

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Matt Murray

Matt Murray

KNOXVILLE—More jobs. An unemployment rate that’s trending down. Increasing personal income.

Thanks to these gains, there is a positive ring to this fall’s Tennessee Business and Economic Outlook report prepared by the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

“Tennessee’s economic outlook is very similar to the national outlook, with moderate to strong growth expected for the second half of the year and a continuation of growth through 2015,” said Matt Murray, associate director of CBER, who directed the report.

Job growth [Read more…]

ThreeStar status awarded to 85 counties, including Anderson, Roane

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Bill Hagerty

Bill Hagerty

Submitted

93 out of 95 counties meet audit committee requirement

NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development on Thursday announced that 85 out of 95 counties, including Anderson and Roane, have been awarded ThreeStar status. In addition, since the ThreeStar community development program began requiring eligible communities to create and maintain a County Audit Committee in January 2013, the number of counties with Audit Committees has increased substantially. As of March 2013, there were 32 audit committees around the state; as of July 2014, there are 93.

“The ThreeStar program is a vital component to our state’s overall level of success, providing counties with a proven roadmap for continued economic and community strength, which in turn helps Tennessee win new investment and jobs,” Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. “Tennessee has been recognized as the number one state in the nation for economic development, and these audit committees support Governor Haslam’s overarching goal of making Tennessee the most efficiently run state on every level. I congratulate all of our ThreeStar counties and those communities who are taking the initiative to create Audit Committees and work toward achieving fiscal strength and efficient government.”

The Audit Committees are designed to help each county improve their financial management and reporting practices, and help ensure the implementation of good internal controls to prevent or detect fraud, a step towards achieving fiscal strength and efficient government. [Read more…]