NEWPORT-Phoenix Closures president Albert Miller had high praise for Newport and Cocke County in his remarks to the Cocke County Partnership Executive Committee at their meeting Thursday at the Community Center.

"When we were looking to come here," said Miller, "we had no more professional development pitch than the one made here in Newport by Iliff McMahan, Don Hurst, and Lee Baker. The people in Newport are special."

Phoenix Closures opened its Newport operations in 2005 in the old Spring Arbor building and now employs 63 people. "All our employees are local," said Miller, who said the company operates "24/7."

"In 2004, when we visited Newport, the city was having tough times. Since then the town has done a lovely job of cleaning up. The whole tone of the town has improved," said Miller, who referred to the River Walk project as an example of these improvements.

For more details, please see the weekend edition of the Newport Plain Talk.