Oak Ridge Today

Meth, conspiracy charges dismissed after warrantless search

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William Michael Renfro
William Michael Renfro

Citing a warrantless search, an Anderson County judge has dismissed drug and conspiracy charges in a case where police allegedly found 45.1 grams of methamphetamine in a backpack in an Oak Ridge motel room in May.

“I hate to dismiss serious charges,” said Roger Miller, judge of the Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge. But, he added, “I don’t think the proof would hold up.”

Suggesting that a search warrant should have been obtained, Miller said he is accessible and signs many search warrants.

The two people charged in the case had been William Michael Renfro, 18, of Oak Ridge, and Carlie Alise Wisman, 22, also of Oak Ridge.

Renfro had been charged with manufacturing, selling, delivering, or possessing a schedule II controlled substance (the 45.1 grams of meth), a Class A felony; criminal conspiracy, a Class B felony; manufacturing, selling, delivering, or possessing a schedule IV controlled substance (9.5 grams of marijuana), a Class D felony; and possession of a firearm (a Ruger Security Six .357 revolver with six rounds) during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony, a Class D felony.

All four of those charges were dismissed after a preliminary hearing for Renfro in Anderson County General Sessions Court on Thursday, December 12. During a preliminary hearing, a judge can hear from witnesses, victims, and police officers, and determine whether there is probable cause to send the charges to the Anderson County Grand Jury.

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New federal designation means more law enforcement funding, full-time ATF agent

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Anderson-County-High-Intensity-Drug-Trafficking-Area-Press-Conference-Dec-17-2019
A new federal designation for Anderson County will mean more federal funding for the county’s drug and violent crime task force and a full-time agent from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark said Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A new federal designation for Anderson County will mean more federal funding for the county’s drug and violent crime task force and a full-time agent from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Anderson County is now a high-intensity drug trafficking area, or HIDTA. That designation came from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. It occurred in September and will go into effect January 1.

As part of a two-part announcement this month, law enforcement officials said the White House also selected the county’s task force, the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force, as an Appalachia HIDTA, or AHIDTA. It’s the only locally led drug task force in Tennessee, according to Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark. The county’s Crime Task Force, or CTF, is led by Director Simon Byrne.

“No other drug task force in Tennessee has been awarded an AHIDTA grant,” Clark said. “I am very proud of our leadership team for thinking outside of the box and in looking for smart ways to make our communities safer as well as be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. We are more excited than we can convey, but in short believe that this development has the potential to be transformative as to what we are able to do in Anderson County to protect and serve our communities.”

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TVA, law enforcement investigating suspicious package on Norris Dam

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Norris Dam is pictured above on Monday, Feb. 12, 2018. (Photo by Tennessee Valley Authority)

Tennessee Valley Authority Police and local law enforcement officers are investigating a suspicious package found on Norris Dam on Thursday.

TVA Police responded to Norris Dam to investigate the suspicious package at about 3 p.m. Thursday. When they arrived, officers found an abandoned package on top of the dam.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the highway was closed, and mutual aid was requested from the Knox County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad,” TVA said in a statement. “The bomb squad responded and determined that the package was not a threat to the dam nor the public. The highway crossing the dam was then reopened (9 p.m.). TVA Police and local law enforcement agencies will continue to follow up on this matter.”

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NRC will issue early site permit for TVA Clinch River site

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TVA Clinch River Site
The Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge is pictured above. The road running from bottom to top on the right (east) side of the Clinch River connects to Bear Creek Road in southwest Oak Ridge. Highway 58 is off to the top left of the photo and the Heritage Center is to the north. (Photo courtesy TVA)

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced Tuesday that it will issue an early site permit to the Tennessee Valley Authority for the Clinch River site in west Oak Ridge, where small modular nuclear reactors could eventually be built.

The early site permit closes several site-related issues, including many related to environmental impacts, for small modular reactors at the site, the NRC said in a press release Tuesday.

The Commission authorized the agency’s Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation to issue the permit following a hearing on August 14. The Commission found the staff’s review of TVA’s application to be adequate to make the necessary regulatory safety and environmental findings, the press release said.

The early site permit, which will be valid for up to 20 years, is expected to be issued in the next few days.

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For members: DOE investigating fuel element performance after elevated radiation found at HFIR

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The High Flux Isotope Reactor is pictured above at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

The U.S. Department of Energy is investigating fuel element performance in the High Flux Isotope Reactor, which is used for research and isotope production at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, after elevated radiation levels were found in the cooling system last year, possibly due to a pinhole leak.

The investigation of potential noncompliances with DOE nuclear safety program requirements was announced this month by the DOE Office of Enterprise Assessments’ Office of Enforcement. The office notified UT-Battelle LLC, ORNL’s managing and operating contractor, and BWXT Nuclear Operations Group Inc. of Lynchburg, Virginia, on December 5. BWXT manufactured components that were involved.

High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The High Flux Isotope Reactor is pictured above at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

The U.S. Department of Energy is investigating fuel element performance in the High Flux Isotope Reactor, which is used for research and isotope production at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, after elevated radiation levels were found in the cooling system last year, possibly due to a pinhole leak.

The investigation of potential noncompliances with DOE nuclear safety program requirements was announced this month by the DOE Office of Enterprise Assessments’ Office of Enforcement. The office notified UT-Battelle LLC, ORNL’s managing and operating contractor, and BWXT Nuclear Operations Group Inc. of Lynchburg, Virginia, on December 5. BWXT manufactured components that were involved.

ORNL has said the slightly elevated reading in the primary cooling system was well below alarm levels, and there was no impact to the public, the environment, or workers, and the reactor was not damaged or compromised.

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DQ Grill & Chill opens in Oak Ridge

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DQ Grill and Chill has opened a restaurant in Oak Ridge. The restaurant opened Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019, at the intersection of South Rutgers Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

DQ Grill and Chill has opened a restaurant in Oak Ridge.

The restaurant opened Tuesday, December 3. It is at the intersection of South Rutgers Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike, where a Taco Bell restaurant used to be. The opening of the DQ Grill and Chill last week was announced by American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ), franchisor of the DQ brand.

A grand opening celebration for the new restaurant is expected in late January 2020.

The new DQ Grill and Chill includes about 75 staff members, ranging from crew members to managers, a press release said. The restaurant and the drive-through will be open daily. 

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Oak Ridge Schools delayed two hours

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Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

Oak Ridge Schools are delayed two hours Wednesday.

Snow fell in East Tennessee starting Tuesday afternoon, and the National Weather Service in Morristown warned of possible ice on roads in some spots on Wednesday morning due to sub-freezing temperatures combined with snow, ice, and residual moisture on roads.

Anderson County Schools are closed Wednesday due to the weather and road conditions.

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Karen’s Jewelers has open house Thursday

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Karen’s Jewelers has an open house today (Thursday, December 5) from 4 to 7:30 p.m.

During the open house, Karen’s Jewelers said you can see all the newest jewelry fashions and enjoy some special treats.

Karen’s Jewelers is located at 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. You can call the store at (865) 483-6717. You can visit the website at www.karensjewelers.com.

Christmas Tree Lighting is Friday in Oak Ridge

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The Christmas Tree is pictured in a previous year in Alvin K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department has updated plans for the annual Community Christmas Tree Lighting scheduled for Friday, December 6. The event will now begin at 6 p.m. in Alvin K. Bissell Park. That is 30 minutes earlier than previously announced.

The order of events has also been updated so that the tree lighting kicks off the event in the Secret City Commemorative Walk area on the east side of the Oak Ridge Public Library parking lot. At the conclusion of the tree lighting, participants will proceed to the outdoor pavilion stage located behind the Oak Ridge Civic Center for holiday music and refreshments. 

The entire program will take place outside in the park (weather permitting). Guests are encouraged to dress appropriately. In the event of rain, the music program will take place in the Civic Center’s Shep Lauter Room (gymnasium), a press release said.

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Woman charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing man

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Stephanie Shinlever
Stephanie Shinlever

An Oak Ridge woman was charged with attempted murder after she allegedly stabbed a man in his abdomen, tricep, and thigh on Utica Circle early Friday morning, according to Anderson County court records.

Stephanie Shinlever, 23, was initially charged with attempted criminal homicide and tampering with evidence on Friday. But the attempted criminal homicide charge was amended to attempted first-degree murder on Tuesday, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge Police Department responded to a reported assault at a Utica Circle apartment at about 2:12 a.m. Friday. When they arrived, they were led to a unit where the victim, Skylar Patterson, was laying on a couch, bleeding profusely from his abdomen, the affidavits said.

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Clinch Avenue needs repairs near bridge after heavy rains

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Clinton Police Department Clinch Avenue Road Separation Nov 25 2019
Clinch Avenue in Clinton will require repairs after heavy rains on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, caused the road bed to fail in the northbound lanes just north of the Lewallen Bridge, according to the Clinton Police Department. (Photo courtesy CPD)

Clinch Avenue in Clinton will require repairs after heavy rains on Saturday caused the road bed to fail in the northbound lanes just north of the Lewallen Bridge, according to the Clinton Police Department.

The bridge is not affected, but the traffic lanes on Clinch Avenue (State Route 9) near South Charles G. Seivers Boulevard (State Route 61).

The Tennessee Department of Transportation currently has traffic restricted to one lane traveling in each direction, the CPD said Monday.

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Man taken to hospital after shooting in Andersonville

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A man was taken to a hospital after a shooting in Andersonville on Monday morning, authorities said.

The shooting was reported at about 10:08 a.m. Monday on Defoe Road in Andersonville.

A man had gunshot wounds on his leg, said Tyler Mayes, director of administrative services for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.

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