CNN/Money Magazine has compiled their list of best small cities for families. Franklin is the only Tennessee small city to make the list, number 45. To be included in this list, a city must have a population between 50,000 and 300,000.

Maryville is too small to be considered. Here is how Maryville compares to the top 10 best places to live. Alcoa is way too small and no comparison is included for our tiny town.

In 2007, Money Magazine looked for the best towns in America and compared towns with a population of 7,500 to 50,000. Bartlett was the only Tennessee town to make the top 100, at number 95. Here's how Alcoa and Maryville compare to the 2007 best towns in America. Alcoa shows good job growth and a higher than average racial diversity index. Maryville shows a lower than average commute time and a higher than average percentage of the population that walk or bike to work.

H/T's to Kleinheider and Jack Lail.

The upcoming Pellissippi Place on the Oak Ridge Corridor has not been in the news much lately. The plans are in the works and the project is growing. If it is development they want, then development they will have. As citizens of this beautiful area, it is to our benefit to track the development to ensure it is held to a higher standard than most every other past developement project in Blount County.

The Pellissippi Place Riverwalk

As you can see, the plans show the attractive aspects of the R&D park.

Master Plan 1 calls for a riverwalk (think San Antonio, TX), a square with a fountain, residential, retail, and commercial development. Open space, trails, and walkways are included. There is also a reference to office space over the parkway (as in Pellissippi), which of course is not there and has not been approved.

Check out Master Plan 2 and the Land Use Districts.

Years ago, when the City of Alcoa was originally designed by/for the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), one of their guidelines was to have one acre of green space for every 100 citizens. "It was this vision which gave birth to Springbrook Park..." I don't know if we can expect this vision in the 21st Century. What I do know is we can insist new developement be designed with a vision of green space, trees, walkability, and aesthetics. It has been obvious that when money runs low, this vision is the first to be eliminated. As citizens of this beautiful area we should not let that happen. If they cannot afford the entire vision, they should not be allowed to proceed with any portion of the project.

One other thing, let's hope there are no plans to bring in industry like this at the East Tennessee Technology Park to Blount County.

At KnoxViews...

Re. the previous event item, The Bank of Maryville was a Blount Co. institution for nearly 100 years. It was founded, I believe, in 1885, and was acquired by First Tennessee in 1983. (If anyone knows of a detailed history, please send it my way!)

I worked there sometime in the late 1970s as a computer operator, and again in the early 1980s as the Systems Programmer (the guy who kept their mainframe computer operating systems up and running).

From a technology standpoint, the Bank of Maryville was pretty innovative for a small town community bank. Among other things, they had the first ATM in Blount Co., and maybe in East Tennessee. They also had an automated "voice response" system that tellers could dial on the phone to get account balances and other info, and area auto dealers could call in and get loan payoff amounts. This was all in the late 1970s before anyone had heard of the internet, online banking etc.

They had their own in-house developed computerized banking system, which was practically unheard of for a community bank in those days. It featured a consolidated, online "customer information system" that let bank employees view everything about a customer and all their accounts on one screen, which was also unheard of in terms of a customer service tool at a community bank back then.

The Bank of Maryville also had a sophisticated check processing system for a bank their size. The ability to clear checks quickly and reduce "float" saves and makes banks a bunch of money. (That, combined with their state-of-the-art data center in Alcoa -- only minutes from the airport -- was no doubt part of the attraction for First Tennessee, who eventually set up their regional check processing center there.)

One of my last projects there was helping convert all that to a sophisticated mainframe computer system, similar to what mega-banks like First Tennessee run today.

Former Bank of Maryville employees Shirley Rupert and Susan Johnson contacted me to let everyone know about an upcoming reunion for all Bank of Maryville employees. Susan writes:

The reunion is Saturday, October 4th, 2008 at Pearson Spring Pavilion, Montvale Station Road, Maryville.

It is "Pot Luck" around noon, bring a lawn chair. We need help in contacting all employees, so if you know of someone, please let them know, even if you think they may have already heard about it! We don't want to miss anyone with the invitation.

The organizers are Sara Adams, Dorothy Beaver, Shirlynn Stewart, Janet Hicks, Susan (Young) Johnson, Joan Templin and Shirley (Garner) Rupert.

If you want to help out, contact me and I will forward contact info for the organizers.

Looking for a drive-in more authentic than Sonic and a burger better than Five Guys and ice cream better than Marble Slab with prices none of those other places can beat?

Check out Amburn's Hum-Dinger Drive-in at 1540 East Broadway Ave. in Maryville (near the Five Points Roundabout).

An institution since 1957, Hum-Dinger has probably the best burgers and shakes you will find in Blount Co. The onion rings are proper, too, with a light batter and actual rings of onion (unlike those frozen, chopped onion fakes they serve at some places). Best chocolate malt I've had in a while, too. Highly recommended, but not on a regular basis if you are watching your cholesterol.

More photos after the jump...

Maryville Daily Times, quoting Cunningham:

"I hope they're better at this than they have been at phone service."

[..]

"I'm skeptical. Their whole history is to create a monopoly," he said.

Still waiting for DSL in my neighborhood. Five years and counting...

MDT has a breaking news item that says Sea Ray employees will be furloughed for the month of July.

Uh, that breaking news is almost two weeks old. Today's breaking news about Sea Ray is much worse.

In related breaking news, Alcoa is not making a hostile takeover bid for Alcan.

Blount Today:

In mid-July his latest endeavor will be unveiled when the doors to The Market open on High Street at Washington Street. The building will house four separate specialty businesses Mizell compares to an indoor Farmers’ Market.

“What we’re trying to achieve is a high quality, service-oriented market similar to a Farmers’ Market that is open six days a week, 12 months a year,” he said.

According to the article, local store operators will provide meats, fresh produce, dry goods, gourmet deli items, fresh seafood, and more. I'm getting hungry just reading about it. Can't wait for the grand opening.

Chattanooga Times Free Press:

The Chattanooga firm of Kinsey, Probasco, Hays has agreed to purchase a former Alcoa Inc. aluminum plant near Alcoa, Tenn., and redevelop the site into a downtown for the city.

"In the next six to nine months we should be in a position to begin development," said Jon Kinsey, former Chattanooga mayor and president of Kinsey, Probasco, Hays. "It is right at the entrance to the Knoxville airport and it is surrounded by two significant highways, so we feel it is an opportunity to really do something world class for that area and provide a new downtown for the city of Alcoa, which does not have one presently."

[..]

Mr. Kinsey said he expects the property will become a mixed-use facility and hold residential, commercial and office space.

The company has been involved in a couple of controversial Knoxville developments, including Market Square and the Candy Factory condos, although both are generally considered successes now.

The Maryville Daily Times files this report on the fire at their building yesterday. There is an arson investigation underway.

Our Maryville Daily Times arrived as expected this morning, actually a little earlier than usual.

The Maryville Daily Times website reports that there has been a fire at their offices. No other details at this time. Hope everyone is OK and the paper can go out tomorrow as scheduled.

FLASH UPDATE: Just returned from the scene. According to Maya Brown and Chris Reynolds in the Advertising department, the fire started out back in some wooden pallets, possibly from a cigarette. The fire blew in some windows into the HR department offices where it spread. There is extensive smoke and water damage, and fire damage to some offices.

Publisher Max Croster was taken to Blount Memorial for smoke inhalation and one other employee was treated at the scene. The paper has a contingency plan to use computers at a nearby church to put tomorrow's paper together and send it to a newspaper in Sevierville to have it printed.

Origin of fire believed to be wooden pallets in this area behind the building.

UPDATE: Chris Reynolds and Maya Brown from the Maryville Daily Times Advertising Department were evacuated when the fire broke out. They describe what happened:

The tradition continues and is growing.

Arts, entertainment, food in downtown Maryville.

Live music later in the evening at Tomato Head.

Maps of participating businesses are available at Fine Arts Blount ArtSpace Gallery, 301 Church St. E, in downtown Maryville (865-982-0898).

Check it out!

Daily Times reports that Newell Rubbermaid is cutting 200 Blount Co. jobs. WBIR reports that police cars were stationed outside the plant as workers were called to a company meeting for the announcement. According to news reports, employees were told to take the day off.

UPDATE: KNS has reaction from Mayor Cunningham.

UPDATE: Here's the Daily Times full report. Questions: Rep. Overbey is quoted as saying the IDB recruited Rubbermaid. Wonder what incentives they got from local and state government?

Also, there are several remarks about notice. Companies are required to give employees, local government, and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development 60 days advance notice about layoffs:

WARN offers protection to workers, their families and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of plant closings, mass layoffs and/or sale of a business. This notice must be provided to affected employees or their representatives (e.g., a labor union); to the state Dislocated Worker Unit; and to the appropriate unit of local government. (See Public Law 100-379, Sec.3.)

The article says layoffs will be complete by September, so I guess that is 60 days. But it appears the first termination could not occur before June 10th in order to comply with the 60 days notice requirement. I wonder if they have filed the appropriate notices, and who did they file them with in the County?

The House conservation subcommittee voted against a ban on mountaintop removal mining.

Tom Humphrey files this report on the House subcommittee vote. Voting against the bill were William Baird, R-Jacksboro; George Fraley, D-Winchester; Joe McCord, R-Maryville; Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains; and John Tidwell, D-New Johnsonville.

Sen. Tommy Kilby, chair of the the Senate environment and conservation committee, has rejected Sen. Raymond Finney's call for a hearing and a vote. More on the Senate action here.

Feds open Alcoa bribery probe

Federal prosecutors have launched an investigation into allegations that Alcoa Inc. and affiliates bribed officials in the Persian Gulf country of Bahrain to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in overpayments.

The U.S. Justice Department asked a judge to halt a federal civil lawsuit against the Pittsburgh-based company that accused Alcoa of bribing the officials through secretive shell companies in Asia and Europe.

[..]

Alcoa conducted a review, he said, but found no evidence of wrongdoing and planned to vigorously defend itself.

The Bahrain government was seeking more than $1 billion in damages in the lawsuit blocked by the DOJ.

So when Nike came calling, offering incentive money if the school would buy their new uniforms, shoes and equipment from Nike, it was an easy decision for the coach.
...
He won't say how much extra stuff the incentive money will buy, only that it will make a difference.

They learn so young how important it is to be influenced by corporate America. Is it any wonder most of our young players have such attitude when they move on to the next phase of their lives?

Ruby Tuesday working to avoid loan defaults

Ruby Tuesday Inc.'s lenders have agreed to give the restaurant chain until next month to amend its loan agreements to avoid default, the company said Wednesday.

"With the completion of our remodeling initiative, our repositioning investments and expenditures, and the temporary suspension of new restaurant openings, our focus is firmly on sales and profits with all excess cash flow being used to reduce debt levels. This should allow us to strengthen our financial position over the coming quarters and then focus on our strategy of returning excess capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases," Beall added.

The company, which has 944 company-owned, domestic and international franchised restaurants, warned in January of a possible default on its debt obligations. At the time, Beall described to investment analysts the continuing industry slump and economic downturn, comparing it to a "perfect storm."

It's always sad when a good company goes public and has to focus on "repositioning investments and expenditures" and "reducing debt levels" using "excess cash flow" and "strengthening their financial position" and "returning excess capital to shareholders" instead of just making a good product, food in this case, and providing good service to their customers.

That's what Joe Gallagher says. Commenting on the Children's home controversy, Joe says: "Pure and simple, the developers want the property for commercial use. The Mayor and Chamber (also Economic Development Board), as servants to the developers and bankers -- not the public -- are maneuvering to acquire the property."

He is also critical of the recent sale of the Highway Department property near Hamilton Crossing to the EDB for $3 million, who will in turn sell it to a Knoxville developer. Joe says "I wonder if $3-million is even close to the fair purchase price the County should receive. I believe the property should have been appraised by an independent firm with no ties to Blount County."

We stopped by the local convenience store to get a Krispy Kreme donut and they were all out. Went to another nearby store that usually has them, and no luck there either.

I was starting to wonder where a fellow is supposed to get a donut around here, when the Mrs. suddenly remembered:

RICHY KREME!

Maryville Daily Times: New regional development program launched

The Blount County Chamber of Commerce and five other regional economic development agencies have formed Innovation Valley Inc. to encourage successful regional development and bring more businesses to East Tennessee.

Memphis Business Journal: First Tennessee to downsize Maryville center:

First Tennessee Bank is cutting 28 jobs at its operations center in Maryville, Tenn., according to the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

According to the article, layoffs will begin Feb. 15th. First Tennessee will be closing the operations center and moving into a smaller space.

The Look Rock Bakery and Pizzeria just opened today in the space formerly occupied by the Atlanta Bread Company in Alcoa at 133 Associates Blvd, which is near the SunTrust Bank and the Alcoa Municipal Building.

They don't have a website yet, but they were kind enough to fax a menu which I have attached. The breakfast and lunch menu is similar to the Atlanta Bread offerings but with more variety, and bonus, they have some great sounding pizzas. And beer!

Alcoa agrees to sell packaging and consumer businesses

Alcoa today announced it has agreed to sell its packaging and consumer businesses to New Zealand’s Rank Group Limited for $2.7 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter 2008.

The divisions include:

• Closure Systems International, plastic and aluminum packaging for beverage, food and personal care customers

• Consumer Products, Reynolds Wrap branded and private label foil

• Flexible Packaging, specialized packaging for pharmaceutical, food & beverage, tobacco and industrial markets

• Reynolds Food Packaging, stock and custom products for the foodservice, supermarket, food processor and agricultural markets

Alcoa says "these packaging businesses have approximately 10,000 employees in 22 countries around the world." The sale is seen as a move by Alcoa to focus on its core business.

According to the press release, Alcoa will continue to operate its flat-rolled aluminum sheet division here in Alcoa, TN. Alcoa's rolled sheet division is a leading provider of aluminum for beverage cans and employs about 1800 workers in the area. Alcoa recently announced a $22 million expansion of its recycling operations here.

(Ed. note: We checked the date of the press release and the source, and this is legit.)

Josh Flory at the KNS says GreenBank announced more non-performing loans and their shares were hammered:

Shares of Green Bankshares, the parent company of GreenBank, plunged Thursday after the company revised its fourth quarter earnings estimate and withdrew full-year 2008 guidance because of "credit quality concerns related to the deterioration in residential real estate loans primarily located in its urban markets."

It's gone from their website, but the big, bold, top of the front page headline in today's Maryville Daily Times says "ALCOA makes hostile bid for Alcan".

The problem is, the article is a slice and dice of a May, 2007 Alcoa press release.

According to an Alcoa spokesperson today, "This is old news from back in May. Alcan was already bought by Rio Tinto, and that happened months ago."

Memo to the MDT: If you aren't going to check your facts, at least check the dates on press releases you transcribe onto the front page.

UPDATE: Looks like this is an exact reprint of a May 2007 AP report.

UPDATE: The correction in Thursday's paper: "Correction: The Daily Times inadvertently published a dated Associated Press story in Wednesday's newspaper about ALCOA. While the information was correct at the time the story was originally issued, Rio Tinto has since purchased Alcan. We apologize for the error."

Alcoa Aluminum is expanding their aluminum can recycling operations here. The new $22 million facility will expand recycling capacity by 50%. According to Alcoa, recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to make new cans. They expect to recycle more than 14 billion cans this year. The new expansion will be completed sometime in the next 12 to 18 months.

In related news, Alcoa is introducing a new fuel efficient locomotive, "Big Orange", for transporting ingot. According to Alcoa, the new train has 25% more horsepower, uses 35% less fuel, and cuts down on 85% of air pollutants. A second train will arrive in 2008.

I guess this is old news. After all, Vulcan's giant hole off Court St. in Maryville severed Duncan Branch creek over 10 years ago now. It is still sad to me, though, and to those who grew up in the area and played in the creek as children.

Duncan Branch was a spring-fed creek that is found on maps that date back over 100 years. It flowed year-round with clear, clean water. Then Vulcan expanded the quarry right over the stream bed, and now the creek flows into the hole.

The picture below was taken during Vulcan's open house on 9/11/07 (complete with free BBQ). The quality isn't very good; the light was fading and it was taken through the tinted windows of a moving bus. Still, if you look carefully you can make out the little waterfall (see circle, and close-up view). That's what's left of Duncan Branch, flowing into the hole.

Keep in mind that this picture was taken during one of the worst droughts in recorded history. A few years ago I questioned a quarry representative on the lack of water in the creek, and his response was "Sometimes springs dry up." Right.

Unfortunately, TDEC has been of no help (which is really no wonder, since the state mining regulations were written by mining consultants). Their position is that they can only regulate water pollution. The complete elimination of water apparently is not their concern.

Vulcan uses the water that flows into the quarry for their own purposes, for processing rock and dust control. If there is any excess, they pump it into what used to be Duncan Branch creek.

I'm afraid rock quarries don't make very good neighbors. Some free BBQ every few years does not compensate for the blasting, constant truck traffic, clouds of dust, incessant noise, hideous eyesores, and destruction of the environment.

It's only anecdotal evidence, but Blount County seems to be benefiting from biker tourism.

We were over at the new Ruby Tuesday on Alcoa Highway this past Friday evening. We were sitting at the bar with three couples who had flown in from California (Monterey area) to go ride in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the "Dragon" on US129.

They seemed like really nice folks. We chatted a bit with one guy, and he said they flew in, were staying at a local motel (they walked to Ruby Tuesday), and were renting motorcycles locally.

I mentioned that I hoped they were renting bikes with stock pipes and mufflers. He said he hoped so too (he rides a BMW, which is probably quieter than my car). He noted that Harleys were the only kind of motorcycles they could rent locally, and he was a little surprised by that.

Maybe there's a business opportunity there for Honda and/or other dealers?

I told them about the stepped up enforcement, and suggested they should be careful because there are lots of crazies up there.

Anyway, they seemed like responsible folks who should be welcomed, along with their tourist dollars. It would be good if we could attract more bikers like these. Maybe the local bike shops could help promote more of that and less of this.