Customs agents enroll former TRI Customs Port Director George Faron, the first TRI-based traveler in the Global Entry program, May 22. International travelers seeking to take part in the US Customs/TSA Global Entry program can now make their applications at Tri-Cities Airport. Previously, travelers in the region had to drive for hours to make the mandatory in-person application. The closest enrollment cente ...

Grant Summers (right) receives a souvenir from Abraham McIntyre during a SORBA Summit event atop Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park last Friday. PHOTO BY DAVE ONGIE  By Dave Ongie, News Editor, The Johnson City News & Neighbor For months, the only thing that has prevented mountain bikers from swooping down one of the many trails that snake their way around Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park i ...

Technology expert Scott Koslosky used the keynote address at the Southwest Virginia Economic Forum at the University of Virginia – Wise to encourage attendees to move toward earlier adoption of technologies in an effort to bring economic growth to the region. “Humans and technology are integrating in a way we’ve never seen.” Koslosky said. “It will completely change the economy.” New connections have the ab ...

A transformation is taking place in northeast Tennessee, one that could propel the region to being recognized as the hub of hemp production for the Southeast and beyond. For many years, Merj family farmland in Sullivan County supported stocks of cattle and crops of corn and alfalfa. Now, following passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which provided for industrial hemp cultivation, the first of many Cannabis sativ ...

(L-R) Allen Borden, Bobby Rolfe, Joe Grandy, Alicia Summers, Joe Wise, Mark Shiring, Michael Wackenhut, Mitch Miller. Photo courtesy NeTREP by Scott Robertson A Germany-based electric motor and fan manufacturing company will begin operations at a temporary site in Johnson City in a few weeks before building its own plant in the Washington County Industrial Park. ebm-papst U.S. President Mark Shiring was joi ...

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Above: Bob Cantler with Gary Mabrey Bob Cantler was introduced this morning as president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce serving Johnson City, Jonesborough, Washington County, and the Chamber Foundation. He will begin his duties July 1 following Tuesday’s vote in a joint meeting of the Chamber and foundation’s boards of directors to offer the position to the Johnson City businessman. “Our search committe ...

Above: Richard Holder, NN president and CEO NN Inc. will pay 67 percent of 2019 property taxes due on its former headquarters in north Johnson City – rather than zero – after falling 107 jobs short of a tax incentive-related requirement. That will amount to approximately $113,000 and includes assessments on real estate and personal property. The company recently announced it would eliminate its remaining Jo ...

Direct economic impact and long-term workforce development promise make upcoming event a win for all involved by Scott Robertson This summer, around 1,500 of the brightest young minds in the world will congregate at the Kingsport Aquatic Center for an international robotics competition. They will have designed and built underwater remote operated vehicles (ROVs). They will have mastered the mechanics, physi ...

A worker helps raise the the new Johnson City Center sign on the former K-Mart property on Peoples Street last week. The new Johnson City Center will be anchored by Hobby Lobby, At Home and a third occupant that has yet to be named. PHOTOS BY DAVE ONGIE Chase Buchanan, manager of Batteries Plus Bulbs, expects the redevelopment of the K-Mart property to have a positive impact on all the businesses located on ...