FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From: Mary Ellen Miller
April 14, 2023
Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy had an opportunity to accompany US Senator Marsha Blackburn as she toured several, important regional facilities last week.
“These visits to existing industry are important,” said Grandy. “It’s not often that we get a US Senator from D.C. here.”
During Blackburn’s visit, Grandy had an opportunity to cut the ribbon on a new mental health facility at the VA Mountain Home in Johnson City, along with Senator Blackburn, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger, VA Director Dean Borsos and Johnson City Mayor Todd Fowler.
“Our VA is one of the top ranked in the country,” Grandy said. “There is a lot of buzz around mental health for veterans coming back with PTSD and this new facility will provide our veterans with improved and enhanced mental health care.”
Grandy, along with Mayors Patty Woodby of Carter County and Richard Venable of Sullivan County, accompanied Senator Blackburn on her trip to Roan Mountain to the new Drug Recovery Center. He said her visit there was a particularly positive experience. “It is a unique facility. Folks who would ordinarily be incarcerated due to substance abuse will be in a program that will help them train for jobs and become employed,” Grandy said. “It was wonderful to have her take enough interest in that part of our community.” The Drug Recovery Center is scheduled to open later this year.
Grandy also visited ETSU and Aerojet with Senator Blackburn as she toured and met with leaders from both the university and the defense contractor.
“It’s always wonderful to hear from Mayor Grandy about the various projects in Washington County and Upper East Tennessee that keep the area flourishing,” said Senator Blackburn. “We are thankful for companies like Aerojet that continue to develop new technologies to keep our military on the cutting edge, and the expansion of the new Drug Recovery Center is vitally important to helping those struggling get back on track. At ETSU, I was briefed on the impactful work of their rural health research center, which remains a top priority of mine this Congress. I look forward to hearing an update the next time I’m in the region as we maintain a critical partnership and learn how we can best serve Tennesseans,” Blackburn said.
PHOTO: Officials Tour New Drug Recovery Center: Senator Marsha Blackburn was accompanied by three area mayors on her recent tour of the new drug recovery center at Roan Mountain. Left to right: Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Carter County Mayor Patty Woodby and Sullivan County Mayor Richard Venable.