Business

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development is making preparations to suspend unemployment benefits for claimants in the Extended Benefit program.

More than 10,000 claimants who are in the last 20 of 99 weeks available will receive their last benefit
payment the week of April 12.

The Extended Benefit program is triggered on and off by the health of Tennessee’s unemployment rate. The trigger rate is based on a “look-back” provision of three years.

The advisory board for Roane State Community College’s Advanced Materials Training and Education Center recently presented a Skilled Teacher Ambassador Resource award to Connie Jackson with Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The award was presented on behalf of the National Resource Center for Materials Technology Education (MatEd), headquartered at Edmonds Community College in Lynnwood, Wash.

Edmonds Community College provides advice and expertise to AMTEC, Roane State’s no-cost, high-tech training program for those who are unemployed or underemployed.

Tracie Graham started her now lucrative business Sophie’s Choice so she could stay home with her pride and joy and company namesake Sophie Graham Cooley.

“I was an older mom and I was looking for something to do so I could hang out with her,” Graham said. “I wanted to spend as much time with her as I could. She would play and I would just mix stuff up.”

The annual Roane County Chamber of Commerce banquet, now in its 66th year and considered by many the spring social event for Chamber members, will be on April 20 in Whitestone Country Inn, Kingston.

The banquet will begin at 6 p.m. with a wine reception and silent auction, followed by a four-course gourmét meal.

That will be followed by the presentation of this year’s prestigious business awards: the Athena Award, Business of the Year, Distinguished Service Award and the Paul Goldberg Young Professional Award.