Roses and Thorns: Good and bad from around the region

Roses and Thorns is a feature of the Six Rivers Media Editorial Board. A "rose" is a tip of the cap to acknowledge above-and-beyond efforts. A "thorn" is a poke in the eye to someone responsible for failures or unnecessary heartache. ROSE: To all of our fallen heroes — in the military as well as in law enforcement — as we head into the Memorial Day weekend and every day throughout the year. ROSE: To Ballad Health, which began construction this month to expand the emergency department at Johnson City Medical Center. The $72 million project will add 13,000 square feet to the department, largely to meet the needs of trauma patients. THORN: To gas prices, which according to the latest AAA report averaged $4.21 in Tennessee — 51 cents more expensive than one month ago and $1.44 more expensive than one year ago. ROSE: To new Eagle Scouts Emmet Chandler, Nahum Tadesse and Cayleb Brady and aspiring Eagle Scout Sam Wojtas, for the work they have each done to serve their communities. ROSE: To a partnership between Kingsport City Schools and Northeast State Community College that allows students to earn college credits, and in many cases a full associate degree, while still in high school. ROSE: To Lisa Noakes, who is bringing a Culver's restaurant to Johnson City. The family-oriented restaurant chain is known for its ButterBurgers, frozen custard and cheese curds. THORN: To passage of a new state law that redefines lawful hemp and is pushing jobs out of Tennessee. Greenbean Ventures LLC, the parent company for Gold Spectrum CBD, said it is preparing to move operations and roughly $750,000 in annual payroll to North Carolina. Greenbean's 121 employees will be laid off effective July 13, affecting businesses in Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, Jonesborough, Elizabethton, Greeneville and Gatlinburg. ROSE: To organizers of this year's Walk for Wellness Health Expo, which served 325 individual attendees and 100 children. More than 40 community organizations including Friends in Need, Appalachian Miles for Smiles and the Sullivan County Health Council provided services and distributed more than 150 pounds of products. ROSE: To the Northeast Tennessee Regional Recovery Center, which has increased its capacity to house women participating in its year-long residential facility. Now a maximum of 18 women can participate in the residential recovery program at any one time. ROSE: To members of the MeadowView Task Force, who recently completed an assessment of the facility for the city as Kingsport looks at ways to best utilize the conference center in the future. ROSE: To extended debate by Carter County commissioners over the master plan for a Tweetsie Trail Extension from Hatcher Lane to Hampton. Though approved by the commission by a narrow margin, there has been much concern expressed about the safety of the plan to route bicycle and pedestrian traffic on the side of heavily traveled and fast-moving vehicles on U.S. Highway 19E/321. Mayor Patty Woodby has noted that the master plan "is a visionary document" and the Tennessee Department of Transportation could come up with a better plan for part of the route in the future.