Oak Ridge Today

Archives for May 2012

Graduation Celebration is tonight, rain or shine

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Graduation Celebration

The annual all-night Graduation Celebration in Oak Ridge features games, food, and prizes. (Photo courtesy of Matt Reedy)

Even if the Oak Ridge graduation ceremony gets rained out tonight, Graduation Celebration will go on, an organizer said Thursday afternoon.

“We party tonight at 10 o’clock regardless,” said Matt Reedy, Oak Ridge recreation program supervisor.

Now in its 16th year, the annual event is open to graduating Oak Ridge High School seniors, and it starts at 10 p.m. tonight at the Oak Ridge Civic Center and ends at 6 a.m. Friday.

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Police: Roane candidate dies after shooting self at incumbent’s home

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A candidate for Roane County property assessor died today after shooting himself in the head, authorities said.

James Thomas Woods Jr., 56, was a former employee of the Roane County Property Assessor’s Office, and he reportedly shot himself at the home of the incumbent assessor, Teresa Kirkham, on Brentwood Way in Kingston.

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Severe thunderstorms expected, could affect graduation

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Strong to severe thunderstorms could move through East Tennessee this evening, according to the National Weather Service.

It’s not clear yet if the storms will affect tonight’s Oak Ridge High School graduation ceremony, which could be delayed until Friday evening if the weather is bad.

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Oak Ridge High School graduation tonight

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The graduation ceremony for the Oak Ridge High School Class of 2012 is at 7 p.m. today at Blankenship Field.

If the weather is bad, the ceremony will be postponed until 7 p.m. Friday at Blankenship Field. If the weather is still bad then, the graduation ceremony will be moved indoors to the ORHS Wildcat Arena.

Black bear spotted in north Oak Ridge

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Black Bear at Bird Feeder

A black bear eats at a bird feeder on Oglethorpe Place in Oak Ridge this week. (Submitted photos by Todd and Cheryl Thomas)

Residents in north Oak Ridge reported seeing a bear in yards on Orchard Circle and Oglethorpe Place and on Key Springs Road this week, eating at bird feeders and climbing up on backyard grills.

It’s not clear if the bear spotted in north Oak Ridge this week is the same bear that was spotted in Woodland on May 22. There were also reports of a mother and cub on the west end of Y-12 National Security Complex last week.

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Cash Mob team brings new customers to Oak Ridge businesses

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Atomic Shaved Ice

Kory Jones, left, and his father, Vern Jones, make fruit-flavored drinks for customers at Atomic Shaved Ice on Wednesday.

A store that sells shaved ice on North Illinois Avenue got a business boost Wednesday when an Oak Ridge “cash mob” stopped by to buy cold, fruit-flavored drinks.

The cash mob shopped at Atomic Shaved Ice as part of a weekly mission to promote Oak Ridge companies.

“It puts the focus on local businesses to show that they’re here and to remind people to shop the ‘moms and pops,'” organizer Kay Williamson said.

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Council approves city budget, withholds school money

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City Council and School Board

Oak Ridge Board of Education Chair Keys Fillauer, right, presents the school system's budget to City Council members Tuesday. From left are Council members Jane Miller, Charlie Hensley, and David Mosby.

The Oak Ridge City Council unanimously approved a no-tax-increase budget Tuesday that withholds about $766,000 from the school system.

The school’s money will be held in reserve until education officials transfer revenues raised under an Anderson County sales tax increase approved in 2006. That money will be used to help pay down the debt on the $66 million renovation of the Oak Ridge High School.

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Anderson County voting precincts change

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A new Bull Run voting precinct has been created in Anderson County, and the boundaries of other precincts have been moved.

Part of the Woodland District in Oak Ridge is now split between District 6 and District 8. That district now extends outside Oak Ridge into the Elza Gate and Lake Hills areas and includes voters on Highway 62.

Oliver Springs is now completely located within District 5, and Anderson County no longer is part of the 38th State House District, according to information from the Anderson County Election Commission.

The changes are part of the redistricting of state and county precincts following the 2010 census.

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American Museum of Science and Energy’s June calendar

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The American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge has many new exhibitions and tours in June. Here is the museum’s June calendar of events.

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Start-up business seminar June 27

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The Tennessee Small Business Development Center will be hosting a start-up seminar on Wednesday, June 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

The seminar discussion includes the forms of business organization, tax requirements, business licenses, business planning and financing options,including SBA loan guarantees.

Holiday Inn Express could be complete by end of June

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Holiday Inn Express

Construction work could be complete by the end of June on a five-story Holiday Inn Express on Tulsa Road.

Construction work at a five-story Holiday Inn Express on Tulsa Road could be complete by the end of June.

About 18 to 20 workers are building the hotel’s parking lot, finishing the interior, painting, and installing an elevator and furniture, among other tasks, said Russell Olmstead of building contractor DNS Builders of Sevierville.

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City could ask schools to delay ORHS debt payment changes

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Oak Ridge City and School Officials

Oak Ridge officials discuss the school system's budget in this file photo. From left are Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, School Board Chair Keys Fillauer, City Manager Mark Watson, and Schools Superintendent Tom Bailey.

Oak Ridge school officials want to keep a few hundred thousand dollars raised each year under an Anderson County sales tax increase approved in 2006.

But city officials want to continue using the money to pay down the debt on the $66 million renovation of the Oak Ridge High School.

The financial tug-of-war is expected to continue tonight as City Council members decide whether to ask education officials to wait a year to allow further negotiations between the two sides.

City officials are considering an additional step: using money that would ordinarily be distributed to the schools to instead help pay down the high school debt. About $250,000 could be at stake.

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