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AND THE WINwwNERS ARE AND THE WINwwNERS ARE . . .. . .

Published in Jonesborough, TN Since 1869 www.heraldandtribune.com

In This Issue:Editorial

.................... 4A

Genealogy .................... 5A

Sports .................... 6A

Roots .................... 1B

Religion .................... 2B

Games .................... 3B

Kid Scoop .................... 6B

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Volume 153, Number 3 75 cents Week of JANAUARY 19, 2022

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After fi ve years spent helping preserve Jonesborough’s history, Joe Spiker is turning the page, getting ready to share his love of the past at Walters State Community College.

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PHOTOS CONTRIBUTEDThe new solar farm is named after local farmer Ralph Martin.

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Grandy announces decision to seek re-election in 2022

HISTORY’S WORKERSDocent prepares for new chapter

By SERINA MARSHALLStaff Writer

smarshall@heraldandtribune.com

For the past fi ve years, if you walked into the Chester Inn Muse-

um, one of the fi rst faces you would see is Joe Spiker, the docent for the museum. How-ever, as of this month, Spiker is leaving behind his own past at the inn to venture into the future of a new opportunity teaching history at Walters State Community College in Morristown.

“I started at the inn in Au-gust of 2016 and I started here because I went to school for history,” Spiker said. “I would just routinely check local and national history sites, and I found the job posting here at the inn. It was old and had been up for a while, so I just cold emailed and was like ‘Hey, is this a thing? Is this still open?’ And it was. Sheer luck brought me here.”

Spiker said that history has always intrigued him, ever since he was a kid.

“I grew up in Jonesbor-ough, so history was always around,” he said.

Spiker started at the muse-um as the head docent, which is a person who acts as a guide in a museum, in which he said his areas of responsi-bility included exhibits for the museum, programming and tours.

“I’ve worked on a lot of fun things,” Spiker said. “The fi rst big project that I started when I got here was the History Happy Hour program, which we launched my fi rst year here and it’s been going ever since. It’s really awesome.”

Just like many other venues, when the pandemic hit, the museum had to adapt and overcome, and that’s when video programming began through the Chester Inn

and Heritage Alliance. One such way of teaching virtual history was through a drama called, “The Victorians,” in which Spiker and other mem-bers of the inn would dress in period pieces and perform history by way of silent movie perspective.

“It was a whim. Anne G’Fellers-Mason, who is the executive director of the Her-itage Alliance, is just amaz-ing,” Spiker said. “I came up with this idea like, hey what if we do this series showing how people would socially distance in the 1800s and do it like a silent fi lm. And Anne

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

Spiker was instrumental in adding a touch of reality with a silent movie perspective for the Heritage Alliance’s virtual

history lessons in “The Victorians.”

BrightRidge flips switch on new solar farmFrom STAFF REPORTS

BrightRidge, Silicon Ranch, and the Tennessee Valley Authority fl ipped the switch Thursday, Jan. 13, on the new Martin Solar Farm in western Washing-ton County, inaugurating clean energy generation from the second solar farm constructed in the BrightRidge service area.

The 9-megawatt facility is named in honor of the late Ralph Martin, an area farmer who served many years on the board of directors of BrightRidge. About 100 acres of property for the solar farm were purchased from the Martin estate.

“BrightRidge, Silicon Ranch and TVA continue to lead the region in solar gen-eration and innovation, while proving projects like this can be done in harmo-

ny with the community,” BrightRidge CEO Jeff Dykes said. “These strong partnerships provide clean energy at scale to our customers without the upkeep, cost and stress of managing privately-owned solar panels. At the same time, along with world-beating broadband service, we know access to clean energy is an increasingly critical component of economic growth in our region.”

Early planning is underway for a potential third solar farm in the Pin-ey Flats area, which would join the 5-megawatt Telford Solar Farm and the Martin Solar Farm as BrightRidge continues to expand its partnership with Silicon Ranch.

“With another successful communi-

Aiken appointed deputy commissioner for state Department of Agriculture

From STAFF REPORTSA farmer known for

dedication to and leadership within the agricultural com-munity, Jeff Aiken has been appointed Deputy Commis-sioner for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

Agriculture Commission-er Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. made the announcement today. Beginning Mar. 1, Aiken will oversee many of the day-to-day operations for the department and assist in directing staff, support-ing programs and services, and collaborating on policy development.

This appointment follows the retirement of Deputy Commissioner Tom Wom-ack, who worked for the

Department of Agriculture and the citizens of Tennessee for more than 35 years.

“Jeff comes to this role with a wealth of experience

Jeff Aiken

By SERINA MARSHALLStaff Writer

smarshall@heraldandtribune.comMayor Joe Grandy is seek-

ing a second term. At a press conference held

at the Maker’s Market in Jonesborough Tuesday morn-ing, Grandy, joined by his wife Lucinda, Carter County Mayor Patty Woodby and Sullivan County Mayor Richard Ven-able, announced his intent to run for a second term for the offi ce of Mayor of Washington County.

“Some people promise things just to get elected, and once they are in offi ce, they do something else, or even the opposite of what they said they would do,” Grandy said. “I’ve done what I said I would do, plain and simple. That’s still my approach, and that’s why I’m seeking a second term.”

Grandy also made it a point to spend some time discussing the

Mayor Joe Grandy

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