BrightRidge CEO Jeff Dykes discussed the creation of solar power options for BrightRidge customers in the August issue of The Business Journal, saying, “We’re working on some solar options for the two school systems and the large university on our system. We’re very close to having that put together.” Now it’s together. BrightRidge announced Tuesday it is partnering with Silicon Ranch to build a new 9 MW so ...

Above: Kayla Carter holds a trophy presented to organizers of the Meet the Mountains Festival. The Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association has announced the 2020 winners of the Pinnacle Awards. Festival or Event of the Year honors went to the Meet the Mountains Festival promoted by the Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership and Tell It To Me: The Johnson City Sessions 90th Anniversary Celebration ...

Unprecedented challenges, but surprisingly strong fall enrollment projections After spring break 2020, almost every college and university in America switched from on-campus delivery of classes to online coursework. Students were, in most cases, allowed to watch recordings of individual class meetings if they were unable to attend “in person” via Zoom or other online platform, creating “asynchronous learnin ...

On April 28, the mayors of Bristol, Elizabethton, Johnson City, Kingsport and all of Carter, Sullivan and Washington counties in Tennessee published a joint letter asking citizens to assist in a “responsible reopening of business in their communities. The text follows: April 28, 2020  Citizens of Bristol, Elizabethton, Johnson City, Kingsport and all of Carter, Sullivan and Washington counties:   As our cit ...

Pictured Above, CEO of Ballad Health Alan Levine By Dave Ongie At a time when public health officials are urging people to stay apart, Alan Levine claimed during his Tuesday media briefing that medical professionals at Ballad Health are finding out they are indeed “better together” as they address the COVID-19 outbreak in our region. “I cannot imagine what it would be like right now if we were still Mountai ...

Pictured Above Mark Cox By Scott Robertson Eastman’s approach to the Coronavirus is to be overprepared but to respond proportionately to whatever arises, said Mark Cox, senior vice president, chief manufacturing, supply chain and engineering officer. Cox is heading up Eastman’s task force responding to Coronavirus concerns. Cox spoke with bjournal.com recently about the company’s response to the crisis in t ...

Executive Director Gene Cossey (center) reports on the proposed memorandum of understanding between the airport, Northeast State Community College and the Tennessee Board of Regents. PHOTOS BY SCOTT ROBERTSON Northeast State Community College and Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) are back in the workforce development business together. A project in which the college and airport will work together to create a space f ...

Cody Boring Cody Boring has been named executive director of the Rocky Mount Historical Association. The association’s Board of Trustees, which sets the direction for Rocky Mount State Historic Site, chose Boring after a national search. He oversees the scenic 37-acre site, its multiple historic structures, a museum and the popular Cotswold sheep, as well as a dedicated team of staff members and volunteers. ...

Beth Harwell (left), Brian Noland U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, the senior senator from Tennessee, announced Tuesday that East Tennessee State University President Dr. Brian Noland will be nominated by President Donald Trump to serve on the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors. President Trump said Tuesday morning he would nominate Noland and former Tennessee State House Speaker Beth Harwell, accor ...

Heath Guinn LaunchTN, the public-private partnership designed to assist entrepreneurs and start-up businesses in the Volunteer State is back in business in Northeast Tennessee. LaunchTN is partnering with Kingsport-based Sync.Space with the goal of creating an accelerator/incubator program in Northeast Tennessee. A confluence of events, including the election of a governor whose administration places an emp ...