Official Quarterly Publication of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce • 34 S. Main St. • Crossville, TN 38555 • 931-484-8444 • Fax 931-484-7511 • Apr 2008 • Volume 26 • Number 2

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Progress is a Moving Target — I want to talk to each of you today about “progress”. George Bernard Shaw once wrote that “progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” That willingness to embrace change is a good thing because it is all around us. And it is necessary — because it represents the first step toward a future that will no doubt involve many steps toward the progress we seek. Consider this: when most of us were entering the workforce — there were no I-pods, no You Tube, and no text messaging on our phones. It was a time when Bill Gates, who had dropped out of Harvard, was building a little company called Microsoft but not many people were paying attention to it. Another guy named Steve Jobs was making headlines selling the very first computer for the home. Just a few years ago cell phones wouldn’t fit in your pocket because they were the size and weight of a masonry brick… and our cars had 8-track tape players, the latest technology. Henry Steel Commanger (A history professor at Amhurst) once wrote “change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change. Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them” Obviously, you have already seen a great many changes in your life-

time - changes in the way we communicate with each other, changes in the way we transact our business, and general changes in the way we live our respective lives. The reason why our nation is so technologically advanced and why our nation continues to set the pace globally in business and cultural development is because as a society we are the agents of progress because we embrace change and reject the status quo. It is true that Progress sometimes defines the person . . . but I think that it is also true that sometimes the person defines what Progress will be . . . and what it will mean in their particular age and time much like it has for Bill Gates, for Steve Jobs, and today’s community leaders. The key to being successful in business and living a fulfilled life is to never stop scaling mountains – to always be moving upward – to “progress” forward, and never be satisfied with the last single vantage point. There is always something farther. Will Rodgers may have said it best, “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there!” “Change” the vantage point. “Progress” to the next highest mountain. “Discover” a higher vantage point, one where the view is unobstructed and the vision is life altering. In doing so, you will be defining progress for your business, for your future, and for your community. I would like to say Congratulations to our 2008 Leadership Cumberland Class and to our Chamber members who constantly work to bring positive changes to our community. Note: A special thanks to board member Steve Rains for contributing to this message.

Orange Carpet Tour On March 31 Governor Bredesen met with representatives from Cumcommunities will present an economic development project presentation berland, Morgan, and Roane counties in order to participate in a Memoto the site selection consultant and will receive suggestion and feedback randum of Understanding for participation in the Orange Carpet tour regarding the presentation. which presents a unique opportunity for a selected few rural communities The participating communities will work with ECD regional jobs to simulate an economic development project presentation and receive development specialists and regional community development specialists valuable feedback from experienced site selection consultants. The to implement action items identified by the site selection consultant durMemorandum of Understanding sets forth the mutual assurances between ing the Orange Carpet Tour. The participating communities will submit to the State of Tennessee, Department of Economic & Community DevelopECD quarterly reports regarding progress in implementation of action items ment and Cumberland, identified during the Morgan and Roane Orange Carpet Tour. Counties. The State, Members of the through the Department Economic Developof Economic and Comment Board with the munity Development, Crossville-Cumberwill secure the services land Chamber of Comof an experienced site merce will utilize this selection consultant for unique opportunity to the purpose of conductimprove their data and ing an Orange Carpet visual presentation as Tour in the region conit relates to available sisting of the participatbuildings and sites in ing communities. Crossville and CumThe participating Board Chair Janice Hamby and Vice-Chair of the Economic Development Board join officials berland County.

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Official Quarterly Publication of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce

TOURISM, CONVENTION, & VISITORS BUREAU Pepe Perron, Vice Chair

24/7 visitor information kiosk funded CROSSVILLE, TN — Rural Development Area Director Joe Woody today  joined local leaders at the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce to announce a grant of $12,500 to complete funding for a self-service visitor information kiosk to direct visitors to local businesses and attractions. Chamber Board Chairperson Janice Hamby said, “The funding for the Visitor Information Kiosk will help nurture our reputation as a friendly, convenient place to visit and broadens the local tax base by supporting a range of businesses and attractions visitors might otherwise miss.” Crossville and Cumberland County currently ranks number one in the Upper Cumberland region for spending by travelers. “This project would not be possible without the funding from Rural Development and the assistance of Progressive Savings Bank and our other community partners,” said Hamby. The Rural Business Enterprise Grant of $12,500 will supplement $8,700 provided by the Chamber to fund construction of a gazebo to house the kiosk outside the Chamber offices. The kiosk will provide informa-

tion on area businesses, attractions and events outside of the Chamber’s normal business hours. Rural Development’s rural business enterprise grant program provides assistance to public or not-forprofit entities to support community economic development programs that assist small businesses in developing local business infrastructure, providing job training, conducting feasibility studies and providing technical assistance to businesses and community leaders. Others participating in the event included Crossville Mayor J.H. Graham, Cumberland County Mayor Brock Hill, Jerry Young representing the Tennessee Technology Center, Chamber President and CEO Beth Alexander and RD Specialist Jimmy Allen. Progressive Savings Bank is an important partner in this project. Without their funding assistance this project would not be possible. Progressive is aware of the need to have information available to visitors outside the regular work week hours. Steve Rains, CEO, Progressive Savings Bank, commended the Master Gardeners for their commitment to the project.

Four Cumberland County LOCATIONS chosen for inclusion in regional Nature Viewing Trail On February 25, 2008 at the Alliance for the Cumberlands Third Annual Conference, Katherine Medlock announced that four Cumberland County sites will be added to the Cumberland Plateau Nature Viewing Trail. The sites include; Black Mountain (photo shown), Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, Cumberland Mountain State Park, and the Obed River Park Arboretum. Katherine Medlock expressed her appreciation to Beth Alexander and the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce stating, “The day was a great success. We couldn’t have done it without your support.” Over seventy-five sites within 25 counties of the Cumberland Plateau Region were nominated for inclusion in this project and only 48 were selected. Fermata Inc, a nature tourism consulting group was retained to help evaluate sites for inclusion in the trail. Fermata provides expertise in developing and marketing similar trails all over the US including the North Alabama Birding Trail. Fermata’s assessors subjected each nominated site to a rigorous set of assessment criteria. Sites were judged based upon 23 characteristics including aesthetics, appeal, significance, safety and presence of cultural and historic assets. Black Mountain, (photo shown) located in Crab Orchard off of Exit 329 from I-40. This beautiful mountain boasts some of Cumberland County’s most breathtaking views. The elevation on Black Mountain ranges from 800-2,800 feet and most of the Black Mountain area is open to the public for hiking, bicycling, jeep and ATV riding and exploration. Black Mountain has also been added to the Cumberland Trail which is over 380 miles in length. The Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, which consists of 79,900 acres, is the largest tract of land managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Visitors as well as locals take advantage of the beautiful natural scenery, flowing creek streams and a variety of wildlife that the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area houses.

Cumberland Mountain State Park has a total of 1,720 acres and hosts many activities for families throughout the year such as swimming, hiking, camping and more. With the scenic beauty of the Cumberland Mountain State Park, visitors and locals enjoy each distinct season at the park. The heart of the Cumberland Trail is located in the Cumberland Mountain State Park. The Obed River Park Arboretum is a Class I Arboretum and is featured along the course of the paved Obed River Trail adjacent to the

34 South Main Street • Crossville, TN 38555 • 931-484-8444 • Fax 931-484-7511 Obed River. The paved trail is great for walkers, runners, skating and bicycling. The trail features two bridges, two historical markers, views of the scenic Obed River, and many plant varieties, trees and wildflowers. Obed River Arboretum also has many native species of trees that have identification markers and a butterfly garden during the summer months. The trail has ADA accessible entrance as well as restroom and picnic facilities. During daylight hours, the park is open year round. Inclusion in the Cumberland Plateau Nature Viewing Trail will promote visitation to Crossville and Cumberland County and increase awareness of the unique resources available on the Cumberland Plateau. Cumberland County Convention and Visitors Bureau Chair, Pepe Perron, says “Working together to market the whole region of the Cumberland Plateau just makes good sense. It will be good for our sites and good for Cumberland County.” The Alliance for the Cumberlands, a non-profit coalition of over 50 member groups dedicated to the ecological and economic sustain-

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ability of the Cumberland Plateau region, began the effort to create a self-guided tour of the best nature viewing sites almost a year ago. With funding from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation RTP Education Fund, the Alliance was able to hire Fermata and begin the process of designing the trail. Executive Director, Katherine Medlock sums up the announcement by saying “We are excited that the project is moving along because we feel that it will be beneficial for the whole region, creating a model for eco and heritage tourism.” The unveiling of the included sites was made during the Conference featuring numerous speakers and presentations including a joint keynote address from TDEC Commissioner Jim Fyke and Tennessee’s Department of Economic and Community Development Community Development Administrator, Dan Hawk. The focus of the conference was on the beneficial relationship between natural resource conservation and economic development.

Live South Trade Show Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Beth Alexander attended the RPI Media Real Estate Show in Chicago, Illinois on January 25-27 as a pilot community with the Retire Tennessee program. The three-day conference brought together exhibitors from across the nation and conference attendees looking to relocate. The show led to more than 850 leads. The Crossville-Cumberland County area currently ranks fourth in a recent listing from an article in the American City Business Journal, of the top 100 places to retire nationwide, proving to be the right relocation area for a large portion of retiring Americans. The American Association of Retirement Communities recently presented the Crossville-Cumberland County area with AARC‘s Seal of Approval at their national conference held in October, 2007. The conference offered information, resources, and professional development opportunities for economic developers, land developers, and those involved in retirement communities. The information obtained at this conference will be used to help obtain contacts at the RPI Media Real Estate Show. The Greater Chicago show has a history of attendees looking for information on Tennessee, mountain areas, and golfing. As the Golf Capital of Tennessee located high atop the Cumberland Plateau, Crossville and Cumberland County easily has it all.

Left to Right: Edmund Roberts from Marshall County, Beth Alexander from Cumberland County, Rachel Baker from Hardin County, and Retire Tennessee Director Ramay Winchester.

Crossville recognized as “Tax Heaven” Crossville was recently recognized as being a “Tax Heaven” in the latest edition of Where to Retire Magazine. In a special section titled, “Tax Heavens & Hells,” Crossville was mentioned among some of the United States most popular retirement destinations. According to research by Mary La Abbott, retirement developer, retirees are looking to save money after retirement and tax-friendly towns are becoming the ultimate decision maker to a potential retiree.

Crossville was also named one of the best 100 retirement communities in the January/February 2007 edition of Where to Retire Magazine. Crossville-Cumberland County was recently featured in the February/March edition of Retirement Lifestyles Magazine in conjunction with the Retire Tennessee Program.

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Official Quarterly Publication of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce

Chamber wins CBJ Ovation Award The Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce was recently named best Tourism Related Economic Development organization by the Cumberland Business Journal. The award, known as the Ovation Award, was one of three given in that category. The Ovation Awards were developed by the Cumberland Business Journal staff to recognize outstanding businesses, professionals, industries, nonprofits, agencies and individuals in the 15 counties that make up the Upper Cumberland region. The Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce was noted for supporting local industries and businesses while also promoting the community as a popular destination for tourists and potential retirees. The Cumberland Business Journal also recognized Cumberland County for receiving the AARC Seal of Approval in 2007. Cumberland County continues to be ranked number 1 in the Upper Cumberland with $92.57 million in tourism related expenditures.

‘Golf Capital of Tennessee’ By Carey Hoffman | Enquirer Contributor

You are to the north, having been stunned operators, with the largest being the Wyndham by a long winter capped by heavy snow and Resort at Fairfield Glade. On property are five rain in March, looking toward an upcoming golf courses to choose from. day when you can envision yourself with a far Stonehenge is the most highly regarded and better golf game than the one you last saw in the only one that is fully open to public play. The Cincinnati.Com October or November. other four - Dorchester, Druid Hills and HeathMeanwhile, far to the south, the air is erhurst Brae and Heatherhurst Crag - are semiwarming, the grass is greening, blossoms are emerging and your private, with members getting first preference on tee times. Stoneinner-golfing fire is about to be ignited by the convening of the henge opened in 1985, designed by Joe Lee, one of the Southeast’s Masters championship - in short, the annual promise of spring golf most prominent course architects. It was ranked as Tennessee’s best is in the air. public-access course soon after opening, and retains consideration as In the coming weeks, those two forces could ideally cross paths one of the better venues for golf in the state today. in Crossville, Tenn. The self-proclaimed “Golf Capital of TennesWhen it came time to name the course, it’s obvious when you see” is well-suited for an early dalliance for those with a love affair see it why the word “stone” needed to be in there somewhere. It’s with the game. Located about a 300-mile, five-hour drive from Cin- the most defining feature of the land. Like much of the area around cinnati, its climate allows the average March high temperature to Crossville, the rock underneath emerges from the soil with regularreach the 60-degree mark. By early April, it should be full-bloom, ity. Sometimes, the sandstone surfaces are just smooth and flat, but at all around. other points, it comes in the form of shelves and elevated formations. A small town on the Cumberland Plateau of about 10,500 These occasions are what really give Stonehenge its character. residents, Crossville sports an abundance of 11 golf courses, acThe first nine is pastoral in feel, and will be quite enjoyable on counting for nearly 500,000 rounds of golf played per year. Golf is its own over the next month as the local dogwoods, Bradford pears clearly the biggest game in town. The vibe in the area is less intense and forsythia come into bloom. But it’s when you reach No. 8 - a than typical golfing hot spots. Crossville and the nearby Fairfield 524-yard uphill par-5 visually defined by the exposed rock coming Glade resort have a significant number of retirees, and less nightlife out of the ground off the tee - that you start to realize the potential than an alternative choice like Myrtle Beach. of the course. Barbecue joints are the most prolific restaurants in the area, Elevation changes become more pronounced on the second although there’s also a pleasantly surprising fine dining option in nine, leading to Stonehenge’s denouement, No. 14 and 15. The the Halcyon Days restaurant, which has the added plus of being first is a par-3 that drops more than 100 feet into trees and, for located side-by-side with the Stonehaus Winery. added peril, a rocky creek, that envelop the green 161 yards The degree of difficulty on most of Crossville’s courses is not away. In the background sits the 201-acre Lake Dartmoor. If overwhelming, meaning golfers of disparate ability levels - such as you tame 14, next it’s up the face of an adjacent outcropping most couples - can comfortably play side-by-side. to an elevated tee for No. 15, where you must find fairway The two headline courses in Crossville’s collection are Stone- before the par-5 doglegs hard right back up the hill to a hidden green. Simply put, if you haven’t found the accuracy controls henge and the Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain. Fairfield Glade is a large development of houses and condos in your game by this part of the course, you’ll be counting by northeast of Crossville that has nearly 5,000 permanent residents. twos rather than ones as you add up your score - a miss anyVisitors can stay in time-share properties available through several where through this stretch probably results in a penalty stroke.

THE

ENQUIRER

34 South Main Street • Crossville, TN 38555 • 931-484-8444 • Fax 931-484-7511 Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain, by contrast, has plenty of open space. The Bear Trace name comes from a project commissioned by the Tennessee State Parks to have Jack Nicklaus’ design company build a series of high-quality layouts across the state. There are currently five courses in the group, with the Cumberland Mountain site the first to have opened for play, back in 1998. The first nine is fairly straightforward. The routing gradually turns into wooded surroundings, with No. 7 and 8 being considered the “cosignature holes” for the course. Seven is a 393-yard par-4 that plays into a green fronted by limestone shelving and a creek. It’s followed by a tricky 139-yard par-3 where the creek is still in play and the narrow green sets up at a difficult angle from the tee.

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Increased elevation changes and a bit more of a scenic feel mark the second nine. The three finishing holes are, in the estimation of course assistant pro Scott Overly, the toughest finishing stretch on the plateau. No. 16 is a long par-3 with two water hazards to negotiate, along with another angular green that looks like a tiny target from the green. It is followed by a 407-yard par-4 culminating in a triple-tiered green that slopes heavily from back to front, and then a 450-yard par-4 back into the prevailing southwesterly wind. Other courses in the area offer a variety of styles and difficultylevels to choose from. Among the options are Lake Tansi Village, Deer Creek and a Ron Garl-designed loop called River Run, where the Obed River comes into play on 11 holes.

AGRI-TOURISM COMMITTEE — Charles Daugherty, Chair

Century Farm, Friends of Farming announced Over 100 people attended the annual Farm Festival Luncheon hosted by the Agri-Tourism Committee of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. The event, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau and Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, is held each year at the Community Complex to recognize Century Farms and Friends of Farming in Cumberland County. Lacy Upchurch, featured guest speaker, focused on issues facing the importance of farming and agriCharles Daugherty — Shaston Agee Nan Stevens — Wendell Wison culture and encouraged all who attended not to take their food supply for granted. Upchurch stated, “The greatest long-term challenge to farmers today is the general public. If they don’t have an appreciation for what we do, then they are more likely to follow radical ideas.” Upchurch encouraged the audience to be thankful for the agricultural resources, programs and farm families in and around Cumberland County. The 2008 Century Farm award was given to the Greenberry Wilson Farm. The Century Farm award, introduced in 1975, goes to farms that have been in the same family for 100 years or more. The Greenberry Sheldon Simmons — Charles Daugherty — Lowell Simmons Wilson farm, located in the Burke Community, is one of two in CumberThe next Friend of Farming award was presented to land County that is at least 200 years old and the home itself is the oldest Lowell and Sheldon Simmons. The Simmons brothers in Cumberland County dating back to 1797. Charles Daugherty, Chair, have been farming since they were children. In 1970, they Agri-Tourism Committee, presented the award to Shaston Agee, daughand their late brother Powell began a farming partnership ter of Lindell Agee who currently owns the Greenberry Wilson Farm. at the current location. Starting with 50 cows, the SimGregg Upchurch, UT Agricultural Extension Agent, introduced this mons farms now milks over 430 cows. Gregg Upchurch year’s recipients of the Friends of Farming awards. Upchurch stated that stated, “This amount of milking produces over 18,852 the award is given to those who have dedicated their life to agriculture pounds of milk each year which is enough to provide 19.5 and farming. gallons of milk per person in Cumberland County.” Other The first Friend of Farming award was presented to Nan Stevens. than farming, the Simmons brothers serve on boards and Mr. Upchurch stated that Nan Stevens has dedicated her life to farming committees in an effort to support the dairy industry and by working at the Farm Service Agency since 1957 and becoming the their community. county executive director in 1980. Stevens, who retired in 1990, has conCharles Daugherty ended the luncheon by thanking the tinued to be dedicated to the farming industry and in 2005, she received sponsors, the speaker, the caterer and all of those involved the Farm Bureau Outstanding Service Award. On hand with Nan Stevens with making the event a success. was her nephew and County Commissioner, Wendell Wilson.

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Official Quarterly Publication of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce

Cumberland County represented at 2008 Agri-Tourism Conference Two hundred farm operators attended the Tennessee Agritourism Conference, which was held recently at Paris Landing State Park. Agritourism is a business that combines elements and characteristics of Tennessee agriculture and tourism providing an experience for visitors that increases farm income. Most agritourism farms provide entertainment for all ages so the farm visit is a family event. Agritourism history can be traced back to the late 1800’s when city families visited farming relatives in an attempt to escape from the city’s summer heat. Visiting the country became even more popular with the widespread use of automobiles in the 1920’s. Rural recreation gained interest in the 1930’s and 1940’s by folks seeking an escape from the stresses of the Great Depression and World War II. Demands for rural recreation led to widespread interest in horseback riding, farm petting zoos and farm nostalgia during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Farm vacations and commercial farm tours were popularized in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Agritourism became an official Tennessee government promoted industry in 2003 when Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens and Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker began joint education activities for agritourism operators. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began economic grants to help agritourism operators in 2005. Cumberland County has a number of agritourism farms that provide outdoor experiences for tourists and residents. Four of the farm operations are described below. Autumn Acres Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is the best known operation because of its location on I-40 near the Plateau Road exit. It is open every fall and features twelve acres of corn mazes. Four mazes provide visitors with a choice of short and easy, or long and complex. A petting zoo, straw crawl and playground are available for younger children. Everyone enjoys the corn cannon and pumpkin slingshot. Most visitors find plenty of activities to keep them busy for hours. A concession stand serving hot dogs, nachos, drinks and many other snacks is available. Call 931-707-0103 to schedule a personal visit or to schedule a group or class outing. Information is also available on the web at autumnacres.net. Wildwood Stables provides trail rides in the shadow of Crab Orchard Mountain, or wagon rides for those who had rather not be on a horse. A beautiful gazebo located beneath the largest sycamore tree in Cumberland County provides a relaxing spot to watch a Tennessee sunset. Hamburgers, hotdogs, drinks and other food are available at the gift shop. A large campfire provides the perfect place to end a visit while roasting marshmallows. Wildwood Stables are located between Crab Orchard and Fairfield Glade and can accommodate singles or large groups. Additional information is available at wildwoodtrails.com or by calling 931-484-3733. Arcy Acres Christmas Tree Farm and Nursery, located in the Vandever Community is a great place to take the family to pick

out a Christmas tree or wreath. Visitors can pick out and cut their own tree, purchase a pre-cut tree or select a ball and burlap tree or container tree to plant after Christmas. Container trees and ball and burlap are also available year round for landscaping. The conifer selection includes White and Scotch Pines, Colorado Blue, White and Norway Spruce, and Canaan Fir. Additional varieties are growing and will be available soon. Other items available in the gift shop include wreaths, goose clothing, olive wood ornaments, Disney DVD s, collectible Santa’s and tree stands. Arcy Acres is also a Jackson Perkins Rose Retailer and will have a variety of prize-winning roses available in the spring. Additional information is available at arcyacres.com or by calling 931-788-0455. Cumberland Mountain Lodge and Conference Center is a restored farm residence, which provides a restful restorative isolation with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The lodge provides overnight accommodations for up to six adults. Larger groups can be accommodated for daytime use of the lodge for retreats, conferences, receptions or weddings. The lodge is located within a 700-acre cattle ranch teeming with wildlife. Miles of hiking trails cross beautiful rock bottom streams that are great for fishing along with two well-stocked ponds. The lodge has been meticulously restored and decorated. All modern amenities are available. Meals prepared by a former Air Force One chef are available. Additional information is available at cumberlandmountainlodge.com or by calling 931-456-6193. Agritourism is a growing industry in Cumberland County. As the Golf Capitol of Tennessee, our county attracts large numbers of golf tourists. Agritourism provides activities that are not available in metropolitan areas. Cumberland County has the visitors, farmland and entrepreneurs to make the area the Agritourism Capital of Tennessee.

Left to Right—Bo & Stephanie Woods with Autumn Acres, Dr. John Looney with Cumberland Mountain Lodge, Cyndie & Art Landrigan with Arcy Acres Christmas Tree Farm & Nursery and Linda & Charles Daugherty representing the Chamber of Commerce

34 South Main Street • Crossville, TN 38555 • 931-484-8444 • Fax 931-484-7511

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— Salute To —

Cumberland Mountain Lodge Dr. John Looney has stayed true to his agricultural roots. The grandson of West Tennessee dairy farmers and the son of an International Harvester farm equipment dealer has sought to preserve the farm way of life at Cumberland Mountain Farm and Lodge. “We take farm life for granted, but people come out and they have so many questions about how you work with cattle or prepare pastures. Sometimes they want to look at the cattle, and we’ll take them out. We’ll let them build fences. It’s participatory agritourism,” Looney said. Looney’s grandparents sent 10 children to college from their dairy farm. Most attended the University of Tennessee, and Looney’s uncle, C.E. Evans Looney, came to Cumberland County as the Agricultural Extension Agent. Looney’s father went to Texas A&M University and worked for International Harvester company. Looney grew up in Texas, before attending medical school.  Looney and his wife, Susan, bought Cumberland Mountain Farm, a 700-acre farm in southern Cumberland County, 20 years ago. His cousin, Tom Looney, helped him locate the property when Dr. Looney was preparing to move to North Carolina and work at Duke University, where he is a professor of psychiatry. The farm currently has a renowned cattle operation. Looney is a Certified Master Beef Producer, participating in a commercial cattle producation with Tom Looney Farms, of Crossville, and producing a Chiangus hybrid breed. The farm also has about two-thirds of the land in timber. Looney said selective harvesting of that crop may begin this year. Wildlife is another farm product.“Instead of hunting, we mostly offer wildlife observation and photography,” Looney said. “We’ve done a lot of things to enhance wildlife through the way we manage the property.” When the Looneys purchased the farm, it included a house built in the 1950s.  “All this stone was quarried on the farm, and all the wood on the walls, every vertical space has this panelling that, I think, is seven varieties of hardwood that was milled on this farm,” Looney said. In 2005, the house received a massive update. “From the exterior, it was pretty plain,” Susan Looney said. “It had a very flat roof. We took the roof off and raised the ceilings. We took the wall out between the living room and the dining room, opening it up and making a great room.” A wrap-around deck provides a wonderful space to sit out and observe the farm animals, or just enjoy the panoramic view with Hinch Mountain rising in the background. In keeping with their Texas roots, the house is furnished in the Mission and Arts and Crafts style, with a southwest flavor.  The kitchen was expanded with a half-bath and utility room, and a business center was also installed, along with a power-point ready television and wireless technology. Looney spends about 10 to 12 days a month in Crossville, working with Cumberland Mountain Mental Health Center to provide psychiatric services to children and working on the farm. Susan spends about week at the farm every month or so. Their son, Matt Looney, a Cumberland County resident and contractor, looks after the farm on a dayto-day basis.

But when they are at home in Cumberland County, the couple works on the landscaping plan they designed for the farm. One element, a black fence along the road frontage, up the drive and in front of the house, will begin being installed soon. Since the Looneys spend the majority of their time in North Carolina, they decided the house was too pretty to leave empty. “We made it into a place where people could stay, or have business meetings or weddings or things like that,” Looney said. “When this agritourism idea got started, we thought about having people here we could teach how a farm operates.” Agritourism combines tourism with Tennessee’s rich agricultural history. The field is seeing a growing impact on Tennessee’s economy. In a 2003 survey of agritourism enterprises in the state, the Center for Profitable Agriculture found about 3.5 million visitors took part in agritourism, with customers spending an average of $400 per visit at agritourism enterprises. Examples of agritourism include Century Farms, corn-maze, farmers’ markets, farm tours, on-farm retail markets, on-farm vacation, farm festivals and fairs, petting zoos, on-farm feefishing, horseback riding, onfarm bed and breakfasts, pickyou-own farms and wineries. While the lodge has been in operation for more than a year, it is becoming quite popular thanks to the beauty, privacy and multiple activities the location offers. Staying at the lodge provides an opportunity to learn how farms operate. “We can teach them as much as they want to know,” Looney said.  There are also miles of hiking trails throughout the farm’s 700 acres, providing ample opportunity for wildlife observation, studying native flora and just relaxing with Mother Nature. A mushroom walk, where guests could learn about the different varieties of edible mushrooms, is also being considered. The house can accommodate three couples comfortably. In addition, the lodge offers an outdoor grilling area, catering services, a fully-equipped kitchen, locally made food products, two large fireplaces and unlimited wood and stocked ponds for fishing. Guests can also bring their horses for trail riding. “Girls getaways, for high school reunions or things like that, have been very popular,” Looney said. The Looneys are very concerned about keeping the farm as it is.  “This whole farm is now in a conservation easement,” Looney said. “We have worked with the federal government and a land trust to commit to preserving this property the way it is, forever. It will never be developed.” A conservation easement is a voluntary contract between a landowner and a land trust, government agency or another qualified organization in which the owner places permanent restrictions on future uses of some or all of his property to protect scenic, wildlife, or agricultural resources. Looney said he believed it was the first land trust conservation easement of private property in Cumberland County. The agreement was made with the Foothills Conservancy of East Tennesse. The farm joins with the UT Agriculutural Experiment Station’s Grassland Unit at the back, providing another buffer against development. Those interested in learning more about conservation easements may contact Looney at [email protected].

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Official Quarterly Publication of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT DIVISION Dorine Hatler, Vice Chair

NEW RIBBON CUTTINGS

Ashford Homes Del Proffitt Sharon Gerzema • 37 Park Lane Crossville, TN 38571 • 513-895-1800

Wooden Acorn Larry & Lori Kessie • 96 North Main Street Crossville, TN 38555 • 787-1919

Progressive Savings Bank Angela Pennington • 4929 Peavine Road, Suite 108 Fairfield Glade, TN 38571 • 484-7724

CHAMBER WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS

James Perry greets Jim Feldhaus MR. CLEANHAUS 31 Burchett Drive Crossville, TN 38572

788-6007 or 529-0018

Dorine Hatler greets Keeli Mjaatveit & “Wetwood Dalton” BIG SOUTH FORK OPRY 665 Hayes Road Crossville, TN 38555 931-510-2960

Terri Curran greets Crystal Welch FLETCHER HOUSE P. O. Box 168 Pleasant Hill, TN 38578 277-3523

34 South Main Street • Crossville, TN 38555 • 931-484-8444 • Fax 931-484-7511

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CHAMBER WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS — continued

Janice Hamby greets New director Don Sadler and Jerry Young TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY CENTER Crossville, TN 38555 484-7502

Randy Graham greets Charles M. Hiatt. Ph.D. THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY 4800 West 57th Street Sioux Falls, SD 57108-5038 605-362-3385 Janice Hamby greets Darrell Smith LAND VENTURE GROUP THE BLUFFS AT CUMBERLAND COVE Craig Roy 16362 Hwy. 70 North Monterey, TN 38574 931-839-6500

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS One of the most frequently mentioned benefits of membership in the Chamber is networking, so on a quarterly basis, the Chamber sponsors a reception – funded and hosted by members for members (and prospective members) to get to know each other in a relaxed and comfortable environment.  If you haven’t made a habit of attending, you’re missing out on one of the best used of your membership investment.  It’s not all about making a sale or even meeting potential customers.  Although that is important, networking also presents the opportunity to learn about issues facing other business leaders.  So come, not only with business cards and flyers on your business, but have questions ready. The March 27 program was sponsored by: CHA Self Help Housing Program Deer Run RV Resort Dickey’s Barbecue Pit First Bank Frontier Communications Don Hinch & Associates Mid-State Construction Please be sure to express your appreciation to these individuals for making this reception possible.

Jerry Harris greets Stefen McDonald PILOT TRAVEL CENTERS, LLC 2449 Genesis Road Crossville, TN 38571 787-1901 Dr. Janet Brooker, Principal STONE MEMORIAL HIGH Janet Brooker 2800 Cook Road Crossville, TN 38571 484-5767

PAGE 10

Official Quarterly Publication of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce

COMMUNITY Development Division Jane Powers, Vice-Chair

FOURTEEN named to Leadership Cumberland Class of 2008 Pat Kerley Tennessee Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development

Margo Brown Art Circle Public Library

The mission of Leadership Cumberland is to assist emerging and existing leaders in fully comprehending the complexities of leadership in the community by providing an understanding of the community’s organization and methods of change. To this end, fourteen candidates have been named to the Leadership Cumberland Class of 2008. The varied class members are each uniquely qualified for this task. Using all of Cumberland County (as well as a visit to the State Capitol) as an interactive classroom, participants are informed about the inner workings of and the issues affecting government, business, education, health care, the environment, and those organizations that make the community unique. Through seminars, workshops, tours, research and presentations from those who know, the class gets a personal, hands-on look at how the city and county work as a corporate entity. The Leadership Cumberland program is sponsored by and administered under the auspices of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. Terri Curran is the program coordinator. Once the class participants complete their Leadership Cumberland program they are challenged to take their experiences forward and apply them to their daily lives with the goal of effectuating positive changes and growth in our community.

Brian K. McLaughlin Vol First Telecommunications Services

Jason L. Sitton Mortgage Investors Group

Tammy Thacker Third Tennessee Realty & Associates

Aaron Dale Elmore Farm Bureau Insurance

Danny Gibbs Roane State Community College

Kristin MORRIS Kids On The Rise

Tommy Lee Fairfield Glade Community Club

Patrick Shane Erickson Cumberland Co. Bank

Pam Hofmann Third Tennessee Realty & Associates

Melissa Grant Third Tennessee Realty & Associates

Donna Parker Crossville Housing Authority

Daniel L. Hassler, II Progressive Savings Bank

34 South Main Street • Crossville, TN 38555 • 931-484-8444 • Fax 931-484-7511

PAGE 11

19th Annual Legislative Breakfast Legislative Affairs Committee member Laney Colvard presented questions to State Legislators Eric Swafford and Charlotte Burks along with Fourth District U.S. Congressman Lincoln Davis who were the featured speakers at the 19th Annual Legislative Breakfast co-sponsored by the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce and Progressive Savings Bank on February 4, 2008 at the CHA Center. Over eighty community representatives attended the meeting. During the program, the legislators addressed a number of issues facing the local community, the state of Tennessee and the country. Local concerns addressed included the status of several road projects by the Tennessee Department of Transportation, including the long-awaited Lantana Road widening. State Representative Eric Swafford started out by thanking Congressman Davis for his help in securing funding to help pay for the Lantana project. Swafford explained that the right-of-way process for the Lantana Road improvement is well under way and all the studies have been done. He said the next step is the purchase of the needed land. Swafford also said that plans for the Peavine Road bridge across I-40 was moving forward as well. State Senator Charlotte Burks said she had recently been told that the bid would be let on the bridge project in March of this year so the project was moving forward quickly. Burks added that work on both 127 N and 127 S were also progressing, but as is often the case, the projects take longer than officials or the public would like to get finished. According to Burks, TDOT officials also told her that construction could start on the Lantana Road project in the late 2009 or early 2010. Both Swafford and Burks said they felt the state was in excellent financial shape, even though the revenues for the current year were lower then originally estimated.

Both state lawmakers discussed proposals for the use of excess lottery funds. Since there are only certain uses for the money based on the original lottery referendum. Burks said she agreed with Bredesen’s proposal to allow students that make a lower GPA to maintain their scholarship funding. While Swafford said he was concerned about the number of students losing scholarships, he felt that “access does not equal success.” Swafford explained that he would like to see the excess funds used to help communities construct new buildings for more capacity, something that he felt could help the Cumberland County school system. Congressman Davis addressed questions concerning the national debt and concerns about the economy. He said, “We have to change the way we do business.” Davis said that at the rate the U.S. was going, they could easily end up being asked to defend Taiwan from China using money borrowed from China and equipment purchased from China. Davis said part of the change was a need for those in Washington who “put America first and party second.” Davis said the socalled “Blue Dog” caucus he belongs to is of the opinion that with the current deficit, there were only two choices, “cut spending or revenue enhancements.” “The United States has borrowed more money in the last decade,” according to Davis, “than in the history of the country. How to fix the problem?” Davis asked rhetorically. “If I knew that, there would be no questions who would be elected president this fall, I would?” Davis quipped. Legislative Affairs Committee members are: Laney Colvard, Robert Grimsley, Gary Greene, Jane Powers, Steve Rains, Janice Hamby and Beth Alexander.

Chamber Committee Member Laney Colvard; Progressive Savings Bank Community President Karen Cole; Chamber Vice Chair-Community Development Division Jane Powers; U. S. Congressman Lincoln Davis; Tennessee State Representative Eric Swafford; and Tennessee State Senator Charlotte Burks

• PAGE 12

Official Quarterly Publication of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD Randy Graham, Vice-Chair

— Salute To Industry —

FLOWERS BAKERY

Flowers Bakery of Crossville has been filling the air with scents of pecan spins, cupcakes and other treats for decades. The business began in 1963 as Mountain Farms Bakery, owned by Cumberland County resident Howard Mercer. In 1980, Flowers Foods, based in Thomasville, GA, bought the bakery and expanded operations. Today, the company provides employment opportunity for about 400 people with an annual payroll of about $14.5 million. During much of the year, the bakery operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Crossville was an attractive choice for the company that operates five snack cake bakeries and 31 bread and bun bakeries in 11 states, stretching from Texas to Florida and north to West Virginia. “It’s centrally located among Flowers’ four other snack cake bakeries, making it easy to coordinate shipping and transporting logistics,” said Frank Shipley, bakery president. “It’s a good point to collect product and ship it nationally.” The other snack plants are in Cleveland, TN, London, KY, Winston-Salem, NC, and Atlanta, GA. Crossville’s central location is why Flowers chose to locate its snack distribution center there in 2006. From the 260,000-square-foot distribution center, snacks produced in Crossville and Flowers’ other snack cake bakeries are shipped to customers across the country and into Canada twice a week. That translates to about 200 tractor trailer loads of products each week. But the people of this area are a driving force behind the bakery’s continued success. “Flowers Food has been pleased with the performance of the Crossville bakery, and I think you’ll see continued growth in our operation,” Shipley said. “And that is to the credit of our workforce.” People like working there, as well. Shipley noted there were several relatives working together at the facility, and some families had several generations working there. People drive from surrounding counties to work at the facility. A number of the local management team are native to the area, and were promoted from within the organization. Many have been at the bakery for decades. Randall Farley has worked at the Crossville bakery for 27 years. “It’s one of the better paying jobs for factory work in this area,” Farley said. “And I know I’ll always have a job because people have to eat.” Michael Taylor agreed. “I like the people and I like the work,” the 19-year employee said. “And it’s a yearround job.” Shipley said, “We appreciate our employees and the work they do every day. They are one of the keys to our continuing success.” Shipley noted that to keep good employees, companies like Flowers need to offer good wages and benefits. “To get and retain good people, you need to provide these things,” Shipley said. “We also strive to offer a positive working environment and training programs to help employees meet their professional goals.” The Crossville bakery is a subsidiary of Flowers Foods, which is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FLO. Shipley said employees were encouraged to become owners of Flowers Foods either through the company’s 401K plan or personal investment through a broker. Tasty Treats Most snack cakes produced at the Crossville bakery are sold under the Mrs. Freshley’s brand, which is sold nationally through warehouse distributors. The next top brand is Blue Bird, which is sold regionally to supermarkets and other retail stores through Flowers’ direct-store-delivery system. The bakery also produces some items that are sold under different brands, including private label. Each week, the Crossville bakery will produce about 1.5 million pounds of snack cakes. They will use about 400,000 pounds of flour, 300,000 pounds of sugar and 300,000 pounds of liquid sweetener. “We make our cakes just as you would at home, using the same type of ingredients. We just do it on a much larger scale,” Shipley said. The baking is done in the 265,000-square-foot facility on Main St. in

Crossville, occupying about seven acres. Since 1980, Flowers has invested $50 million in expanding the bakery and adding new equipment.  Most recently, the bakery added robotic loaders, packers, and a robotic palletizing system to increase efficiency. The new robotic equipment gives the bakery the flexibility to run several different carton sizes and cake pack patterns at the same time. “We run cupcakes and creme cakes on it,” Shipley said. “I believe it’s one of the largest cupcake lines in the country. It’s highly automated, stretching about 724 feet from start to finish. It produces about 46,000 cupcakes an hour.” Quality is important to Flowers. “Our customers demand a quality product and so do the consumers who chose our snack cakes every day in the grocery store,” Shipley said. “We take the quality of our products very seriously.” Each production line has quality check points. At the end of the line, all packaged snacks pass through a metal detector. If metal is detected, production stops so quality control personnel can investigate. Samples are pulled off the production lines every hour. The quality control team monitors these samples to ensure that quality is maintained through the shelf-life of the product. Daily taste tests are also held, where management and staff sample and score products, ranking taste, quality and appearance. Operators check products on the line every 10 minutes. New products are also developed at Crossville. Working with Flowers’ research and development staff in Thomasville, the Crossville team helps develop products to meet changing market needs — such as the growing demand for portion-control snacks. The bakery now makes 100-calorie snacks that help meet this market demand. “The food business is a competitive business,” Shipley said. “People have a lot of options when they want to treat themselves to a snack. Quality, price, availability and variety are all a part what consumers take into consideration. We are continually looking for new product ideas.” And remember their primary snack brand, Mrs. Freshley’s.  “No matter where you see Mrs. Freshley’s in this country, if it is one of the snacks we bake, it will have been made right here in Crossville,” Shipley said. “Take a few minutes and thank the store for carrying that brand because it brings jobs to our community.” Community Involvement As Shipley noted, a company has to take care of its employees if it plans to recruit and retain good workers. Flowers offers educational reimbursement for employees trying to further their education, and children of employees are eligible to participate in a scholarship program. Flowers also wants to help their local community. “We get a lot of requests from various charities for product donations,” Shipley said. “In most cases, we do what we can to help. We’ve assisted everyone from school carnivals to organizations that feed the homeless.” The Crossville bakery sponsors sports teams at the Cumberland County Youth Center and  supports the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and the Cumberland County United Fund. The employees recently completed an Angel Tree project for area foster children. “We encourage everyone to be involved in the community,” Shipley said. “We try to support groups our employees are involved with.” Shipley noted being a good steward of the environment was also important to Flowers and their customers. Many customers wanted reduced packaging material, to save resources. The bakery also recycles materials as often as possible. The bakery works with the city of Crossville to aid in wastewater treatment. The bakery, one of the largest industrial water users in the city, pretreats the wastewater to a predefined level before releasing it into the city’s wastewater system. This program helps the city provide increased wastewater treatment capacity. For more information about Flowers Foods, see the company’s Web site, www.flowersindustries.com.

34 South Main Street • Crossville, TN 38555 • 931-484-8444 • Fax 931-484-7511

PAGE 13

Spirit Broadband Supports Chamber of Commerce by Donating Computer In a partnership to help the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce keep up with the ever changing technology, Spirit Broadband provided the funding for the purchase of a new computer system to be used by Chamber staff. Spirit Broadband is a full service cable TV, Internet, High Definition and soon to be VoIP Telephone Company serving Cumberland County. Chamber Chair Janice Hamby explained that the new computer is necessary in order to be able to compete with other communities for tourism visitors as well as new jobs. The computer system allows the Chamber staff to quickly answer requests for information coming in from the Chamber’s websites. Spirit Broadband President Vince King announced his company was recently selected to provide high-speed Internet service to four Cumberland County schools and connect to the Board of Education for their Internet and data needs. “This is a great honor to be chosen and fulfill this need while only being in business 4 months,” said King. Spirit Cable TV offers 189 popular channels including news, sports, premium movie, music, digital. Pay-per-view and more. In addition, Spirit is the only High Speed Internet provider in the County for residential and businesses at the most competitive and lowest prices. King also expressed his pride in the results of a recent survey of 600 county residents in which Spirit was found to be the most responsive to problems, friendly and helpful and had the most accurate billing.

L to R: Randy Graham, Vice Chair, Economic Development Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce; Vince King, President, Spirit Broadband; and Janice Hamby, Chair, CrossvilleCumberland County Chamber of Commerce.

A veteran of over 38 years in the cable TV business, King said he loves speaking with his customers and can be reached at 887-368-2115 extension 15. Anyone with questions about Spirit Broadband or needing technical assistance can get answers 24 hours a day 7 days a week at 887-368-2110.

RETAIL TRADE DIVISION Charlotte Medley, Vice Chair ing re Bloom A s g n i v Sa nd I n All Arou

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Take a Vaca From High P tion rices. Shop Cross ville!

Beginning on APRIL 25 at 12:01 a.m. and Ending on APRIL 27 at 11:59 p.m.

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LAND E-CUMBER MERCE CROSSVILL OF COM CHAMBERet • Crossville, TN 38555 n Stre 4 34 S. Mai 931-484-844

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PAGE 14

Official Quarterly Publication of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce

BUSINESS BAROMETER

for Crossville and Cumberland County Population Census Cumberland County City of Crossville Building Permits City of Crossville - New Homes Lake Tansi - New Homes Fairfield Glade - New Homes

1990

2000

34,736 46,802 10,433 special census June 2006 2002 60 62 109

2003 89 62 118

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

48,058

48,604

49,391

50,084

51,346

2004 152 65 105

2005 105 77 193

2006 179 68 250

2007 147 85 129

2008 9 (Mar) 13 (Mar) 25 (Mar)

Other Indicators

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Electric Meters Employment Unemployment Unemployment Rate

27,506 20,840 1,310 5.9%

28,240 21,140 1,430 6.3%

28,905 20,620 1,264 4.9%

29,577 20,470 1,380 6.3%

30,540 21,320 1,230 5.4%

31,341 21,050 1,460 6.5%

31,435 (Mar) 20,590 (Feb) 1,810 (Feb) 8.1%

Local Option Sales Tax MAY 2007

JUNE 2007

JULY 2007 AUGUST 2007 SEPTEMBER 2007

County/City Name Net Collections Net Collections Net Collections Net Collections Net Collections Cumberland County Crossville Pleasant Hill Crab Orchard

$ 252,804.18 $ 1,099,061.39 $ 9,053.87 $ 15,703.24

$ 244,123.50 $ 1,322,514.37 $ 5,247.65 $ 19,430.88

$ 279,986.10 $ 1,302,852.19 $ 4,530.00 $ 20,340.21

$ 226,607.00 $ 1,151,673.53 $ 4,331.13 $ 17,788.12

$ 239,662.05 $ 1,202,470.52 $ 4,239.73 $ 28,918.62

Local Option Sales Tax OCTOBER 2007 NOVEMBER 2007 DECEMBER 2007

JANUARY 2008

FEBRUARY 2008

County/City Name Net Collections Net Collections Net Collections Net Collections Net Collections Cumberland County Crossville Pleasant Hill Crab Orchard

$ 241,679.73 $ 1,242,135.44 $ 5,266.89 $ 22,063.03

Board of Directors: Charles Daugherty Randy Graham Janice Hamby Jerry Harris Dorine Hatler

$ 242,680.20 $ 1,130,340.69 $ 4,494.67 $ 17,182.45

Tonya Hinch Roy Howard Charlotte Medley Mike Metts Pepe Perron James Perry Jane Powers

$ 189,465.00 $ 1,146,993.50 $ 4,993.70 $ 19,114.30

$ 205,971.62 $ 1,384,109.42 $ 3,513.13 $ 13,453.53

Steve Rains William C. Schmich, Jr. Bill Startup Ben Sweeney Ex Officio: David Gibson Mike Turner (Interim City Mgr.)

Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce 34 South Main Street Crossville, TN 38555

$ 157.614.23 $ 992,316.16 $ 3,625.09 $ 8,571.01

Chamber Staff: Beth Alexander Jeanny Davenport Gail Langen Ambassadors: Terri Curran Linda Daugherty

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Crossville, TN Permit No. 38