Oak Ridge Today

First COVID-19 death reported in Anderson County

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Note: This story was updated at 11:20 a.m.

The Tennessee Department of Health on Wednesday reported the first death of a COVID-19 patient in Anderson County.

No information has been released about the patient.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of the individual who succumbed to COVID-19,” Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said. “I had sincerely hoped we would not have suffered a death in our community, and I am deeply sorry for that individual.”

COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly.

Frank said testing continues to increase, but the positive results seem to have stabilized. Anderson County held at 10 cases for seven days (March 31-April 6) and ticked up by one to 11 cases on April 7, even as testing continued to climb, Frank said.

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Forty-nine COVID-19 cases confirmed at NNSA sites

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The National Nuclear Security Administration on Wednesday said there were 49 confirmed COVID-19 cases at its sites across the country.

The sites include the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. The NNSA, which oversees work at Y-12, did not say how how many COVID-19 cases there have been among Y-12 employees. The plant is not releasing site-specific numbers of confirmed cases because of operational security concerns, the NNSA said.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, which manages and operates Y-12 for the NNSA, has also declined to say how many COVID-19 cases have been confirmed among Y-12 employees. CNS confirmed the first two cases in March and, when asked about additional cases, would only say that there were several.

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Oak Ridge adopts state ‘stay at home’ order

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Warren Gooch

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch issued an executive order Thursday afternoon that adopts the state “stay at home” executive order issued a few hours earlier by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. The order, Executive Order 23, requires Tennessee residents to stay home unless they are engaging in an activity that is considered essential.

Mayor Gooch urged Oak Ridgers to stay at home except to carry out essential activities. 

“It is time for all of us to stay home, starve the virus, save lives, and support local businesses for your essential activities,” Gooch said. “Stay positive and remember, we are in this together, and we will win this war against an invisible enemy.” 

The city’s local state of emergency ordinance implemented on March 23 regarding COVID-19 has been updated to adopt the new executive order, a press release said. The local state of emergency was declared in order to prevent the spread of, and to facilitate the containment of, the COVID-19 disease, the press release said.

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ORPD asks for public’s help to identify dead newborn found along greenway

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The Oak Ridge Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a newborn boy found dead along the Melton Lake Greenway on Thursday, March 26, 2020. The Oak Ridge Police Department has named the baby boy “Wyatt,” which means “little warrior,” the city said. On Thursday, April 2, ORPD officers and the Oak Ridge Fire Department set up a memorial in baby Wyatt’s name near the parking area on Melton Lake at Edgemoor Road. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a newborn boy found dead along the Melton Lake Greenway in March.

The newborn’s body was found Thursday, March 26, Investigators continue to ask for tips and information that could identify him.

The Oak Ridge Police Department has named the baby boy “Wyatt,” which means “little warrior,” according to a press release from the City of Oak Ridge.

On Thursday, April 2, ORPD officers and the Oak Ridge Fire Department gathered to set up a memorial in baby Wyatt’s name near the parking area on Melton Lake at Edgemoor Road, the press release said.

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COVID-19 cases pass 4,000 in Tennessee

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Graph courtesy Ken Mayes (used with permission)

Note This story was last updated at 2:05 p.m

The number of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee passed 4,000 on Tuesday.

The Tennessee Department of Health reported 4,138 cases on Tuesday afternoon, with 72 deaths and 408 hospitalizations.

The number of cases in Anderson County increased by one to 11, after being at 10 for seven days. There have been no deaths in Anderson County due to COVID-19.

Knox County, which includes Knoxville, had 143 cases and three deaths, according to the state totals on Tuesday afternoon.

COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly.

The Tennessee Department of Health reported that 466 patients have recovered from COVID-19 in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Health publishes the state case totals at 2 p.m. Central time each day.

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Y-12 begins limited operations, transitions to ‘mission critical’ operations

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The Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above. (Photo courtesy CNS Y-12)

Note: This story was updated at 11:45 a.m.

On Monday, the Y-12 National Security Complex began limited operations and transitioning to mission-critical operations. The change is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For now, all non-essential personnel will leave the 811-acre nuclear weapons production plant in Oak Ridge, and employees who can telework will continue to do so.

“Since mid-March, Y-12 has been in a preventive phase of its pandemic plan,” the site in a a response to questions on Wednesday. The response was provided by spokesperson Kathryn King of Consolidated Nuclear Security, a federal contractor that manages and operates Y-12 and another nuclear weapons production plant, the Pantex Plant northeast of Amarillo, Texas.

“With additional cases now confirmed at Y-12 and the growing number of cases in East Tennessee, the plant is transitioning to a ‘containment’ phase that ensures mission-critical operations while further protecting the Y-12 workforce and the community,” the response said. “In the containment phases, all non-essential plant personnel will leave the site until further notice. Employees who are able to telework will continue to do so.”

CNS said all Y-12 processes, systems, and facilities will be maintained in safe and secure configurations. Key mission activities related to stockpile stewardship and modernization, and key infrastructure and reestablishment of production capabilities, will continue.

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Obituary: Patricia Ann Waldschmidt

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Patricia Waldschmidt

Patricia Ann Waldschmidt, 91, was called to her heavenly home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 28, 2020.

The eldest of eight, she was born in Hays, Kansas, to John and Agnes Karlin Hoffman, both deceased.

Besides her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, George Waldschmidt, her sisters Mary Ann Ward and Juanita Dreiling and her brothers Jack and Larry Hoffman, all of Kansas.

In her forties, Pat took LPN training and immensely enjoyed nursing for several years.

In March 1980, she became a believer in Jesus Christ by faith alone. (“For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9)

Pat lived in the same county in Kansas for 81 years before moving to Tennessee in 2010.

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Clark Center Park temporarily closed

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Clark Center Park Beach
The beach at Clark Center Park is pictured in July 2014. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The U.S. Department of Energy has temporarily closed Clark Center Park in Oak Ridge.

The closure was effective Saturday, April 4. It was in response to the stay-at-home order issued by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Thursday, April 2. That statewide order was meant to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, a contagious respiratory illness that cause serious symptoms, lead to hospitalization, and sometimes result in death.

The park closure will remain in effect until further notice, DOE said.

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CNS president working from home as precaution

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Morgan Smith (Photo by CNS)

Note: This story was updated at 5:30 p.m.

Morgan Smith, president and chief executive officer of Consolidated Nuclear Security, which manages and operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, is working from home as a precaution after being notified that he was in brief contact with someone earlier in the week who self-reported symptoms that could be related to COVID-19.

The person has been tested but the results aren’t back yet, CNS spokesperson Kathryn King said in response to questions Monday.

“Morgan has no symptoms and is actively teleworking as he leads CNS in completing the mission and responding to the demands created by the global coronavirus pandemic,” King said.

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Six of 10 COVID-19 patients in Anderson County have recovered, mayor says

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Six of the 10 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Anderson County had recovered as of April 3 (Friday), Mayor Terry Frank said Sunday.

The number of cases in Anderson County has remained at 10 for six straight days.

There have been no deaths in Anderson County due to COVID-19, according to the local and state health departments.

Y-12: UPF buses now only half-filled at most, cleaned and sanitized

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In this picture posted March 3, the roof is being raised at the Uranium Processing Facility Salvage and Accountability Building, and the second elevated deck is being set into place. (Photo courtesy CNS Y-12)

The buses that carry employees to and from the Uranium Processing Facility construction project each day are filled to half of their capacity at most, and the buses are being cleaned and sanitized after each drop-off, a federal contractor said.

Oak Ridge Today asked about the buses after an employee at the Y-12 National Security Complex, where the UPF is being built, tested positive for COVID-19, a contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly.

UPF rotates multiple buses throughout the day to take workers to and from the construction site, said Consolidated Nuclear Security, the federal contractor that manages and operates Y-12 as well as the Pantex Plant northeast of Amarillo, Texas.

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UT-Battelle gets five-year extension to manage ORNL

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign
Photo by ORNL

The U.S. Department of Energy has approved a five-year extension of UT-Battelle’s contract to manage and operate Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The five-year extension took effect Wednesday, April 1, ORNL said in a response to questions.

The value of the extension wasn’t immediately available.

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