Oak Ridge Today

USEC bankruptcy filing won’t affect daily operations in Oak Ridge, company says

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Centrifuge Machine Manufacturing

In Oak Ridge, USEC workers take part in centrifuge operations, testing, and manufacturing for the American Centrifuge Project. (Photos courtesy USEC)

The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and financial restructuring plan that USEC Inc. announced last week will not affect daily operations in Oak Ridge or the American Centrifuge Project, a company spokesman said Monday.

The bankruptcy filing and financial plan are a restructuring of the balance sheet of the parent company, USEC Inc., spokesman Paul Jacobson said. He said the company is trying to strengthen its balance sheet and be a stronger sponsor of the American Centrifuge Project, a “next-generation” U.S. uranium enrichment technology. USEC Inc. is a global energy company that is a leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants.

The company currently has 304 people working on the centrifuge program in Tennessee. In Oak Ridge, workers take part in centrifuge operations, testing, and manufacturing.

“This plan for restructuring our debt and equity will have no effect on our employees, who will continue to receive paychecks and benefits in the ordinary course,” Jacobson said. “As we have communicated to our employees previously, some employees will be impacted by several ongoing initiatives that are unrelated to the restructuring.” [Read more…]

TSBDC honors Oak Ridge Today with Rising Star Award

Posted at
By 14 Comments

Oak Ridge Today Rising Star Award

Jutta Bangs, director of the local Tennessee Small Business Development Center, presents a 2013 Rising Star Award to John Huotari, co-owner and co-publisher of Oak Ridge Today.

The Tennessee Small Business Development Center at Roane State Community College has awarded the 2013 Rising Star Award to Dawn and John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today.

Each year, the Rising Star Award is given by the TSBDC network to a small business client in each of the regions served. The awards recognize the perseverance and successes of the businesses, a press release said.

Local TSBDC Director Jutta Bangs helped Dawn and John Huotari with the start-up and marketing of their online news outlet.

“We would like to thank the TSBDC and Jutta for their help and guidance in getting Oak Ridge Today started,” said John Huotari, co-owner and co-publisher of the local news website. “Their assistance was invaluable, particularly in the start-up phase. Jutta has continued to provide important advice on issues ranging from marketing to website content to hiring employees.” [Read more…]

YAB, Youth Leadership take educational trip to Nashville

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Youth Advisory Board on Nashville Trip

Members of both groups are pictured above in the State Senate Chamber with Sen. Randy McNally and Rep. John Ragan. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board and Youth Leadership Oak Ridge groups combined forces and took an educational trip to Nashville on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

While in Nashville, students attended a state committee meeting and participated in a mock Senate session led by Sen. Randy McNally and Rep. John Ragan, a press release said. The group also toured the State Capitol Building, the Tennessee State Museum, and LP Field, home of the Tennessee Titans.

For more information about the Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board, contact Matt Reedy with the Recreation and Parks Department at (865) 425-3442. For more information about the Youth Leadership Oak Ridge group, contact Greta Ownby at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at (865) 483-1321.

Letter: Chamber endorses tablets for all students, tech infrastructure improvements

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Note: This is a copy of a resolution adopted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

Whereas, the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce has a long-standing tradition of supporting education in our community as education and training are critical in the development of the workforce;

Whereas, Oak Ridge Schools is an internationally recognized system of excellence;

Whereas, the educational opportunities, rigor, and performance provided by Oak Ridge Schools have been, and continue to be, the key attraction for new residents to our community; [Read more…]

DOE awards contract to small business for mercury project at Y-12

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Y-12 Water Treatment Plant Announcement

In May 2013, state and federal officials announce a plant to treat mercury-contaminated water at the Y-12 National Security Complex. Pictured from left are Mark Whitney, Robert Martineau, Lamar Alexander, Dave Huizenga, and Stan Meiburg.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, or EM, awarded the task order to Strata-G in Knoxville on Wednesday. The company will collect data and perform characterization at Outfall 200 at Y-12.

The task order is the first project in a five-year, multi-phase contract estimated at $15 million, DOE said in a press release Friday. The contract uses a bidding process among three small businesses for various characterization projects at EM’s cleanup sites in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Gov. Haslam supports national preservation award for Alexander Inn

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Alexander Inn Groundbreaking

Local, state, and federal officials join volunteers and nonprofit and business executives for a groundbreaking ceremony at the historic Alexander Inn in November.

Gov. Bill Haslam is supporting a nomination for a national historic preservation award for a project converting the Alexander Inn in Oak Ridge into an assisted living center.

Knox Heritage and East Tennessee Preservation Alliance have nominated the hotel for the 2014 The National Trust/Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Award for Federal Partnerships in Historic Preservation.

In a Feb. 25 letter, Haslam said he supports the nomination. The letter was sent to Stephanie Meeks at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C.

The Alexander Inn was built during World War II, when Oak Ridge raced to help build the world’s first atomic weapons as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project. Guests who once stayed at the two-story hotel included Gen. Leslie Groves, Secretary of War Henry Stimson, and physicists J. Robert Oppenheimer and Enrico Fermi. [Read more…]

Dry cleaner with hole in roof has 10 days to vacate; other shops have 60 days

Posted at
By 17 Comments

Classic Cleaners

Located in a small shopping center on Tyler and Tyrone roads, Classic Cleaners was given 10 days to vacate after the city staff said it found very serious code violations and structural issues in the building, which also houses a handful of other businesses.

Note: This story was last updated at 2:40 p.m.

City officials have deemed a building housing five businesses in central Oak Ridge to be deteriorated and hazardous, and a municipal board has given a longtime dry cleaner located in the small shopping center on Tyrone Road 10 days to vacate.

Meanwhile, a few other businesses also located there—a thrift store, wig shop, and Mexican grocery—have been given 60 days to come up with a plan of action outlining what can be done to stabilize the building.

The order from the Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals does not affect the Magic Wok, but it does apply to the restaurant’s food preparation and overflow dining areas.

The partially occupied 50,000-square-feet building is at 123 and 135 E. Tyrone Road, just north of Oak Ridge Turnpike near Jackson Square. It includes Classic Cleaners, Mia’s Gift Shop and Accessories, the New 2 U Thrift Store, and Tienda Nony International Marketplace. The Magic Wok diner is detached from the building and is not affected by the order, which was unanimously approved last Thursday. [Read more…]

Thompson-Boling lights brighter, more efficient; use ORNL foam

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Thompson-Boling LED Lighting

The SuperSport installation at the University of Tennessee’s Thompson-Boling Arena. (Photo credit: LED North America)

KNOXVILLE—With the installation of LED fixtures, the Thompson-Boling Arena at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville is one of the first in the world to feature lights that are smaller, brighter, and up to 85 percent more efficient than conventional arena metal halide lights.

The technology—developed and manufactured by Oak Ridge-based LED North America at the Tech 20/20 incubator facility in Oak Ridge, incorporating an Oak Ridge National Laboratory technology, and installed by Knoxville-based Bandit Lites—is being “premiered” at the state’s research university inside the largest on-campus single-sport arena in the country.

The light-emitting diode fixtures use an ORNL-developed lightweight graphite foam that cools the LED, making them more efficient and reliable. This enables 90 400-watt LED fixtures to bathe the arena’s floor with 200 foot-candles per square foot, compared to the 130 foot-candles produced by the arena’s existing 110 1,100-watt fixtures.

LED North America’s SuperSport luminaires have the potential to revolutionize sports and entertainment venues worldwide. UT officials are looking forward to participating in this effort and to seeing the results—and the savings. [Read more…]

RSI names new president, will succeed company founder

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Paul Clay and RSI

Paul Clay has been named president of Restoration Services Inc., or RSI.

Restoration Services Inc., or RSI, has named a new president.

Paul Clay will succeed company founder and outgoing president Staci Ferguson, a press release said. Ferguson will continue as vice president of corporate relations.

RSI is a small employee-owned environmental and project management services company that has its headquarters in Oak Ridge. Its clients include the U.S. Department of Energy, Tennessee Valley Authority, and UCOR, DOE’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge.

Clay joined RSI in 2008 as director of environment, safety, health, and quality, the press release said. Before joining RSI, he worked for Jacobs Engineering Group, where he was vice president and deputy general manager for the Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC joint venture in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

ORNL Federal Credit Union appoints marketing, communications VP

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Tommy Smith

Tommy Smith

ORNL Federal Credit Union has named a vice president of brand, marketing, and communications strategy.

The new vice president, Tommy Smith, will be responsible for strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the credit union’s branding, marketing, and communications, as well as the enhancement and growth of the ORNL FCU brand, a press release said. Smith will report directly to ORNL FCU’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Melodie Godfrey.

“We are committed to delivering enhanced value to our members, which includes building an internal team of talented, experienced, and caring financial service professionals,” Godfrey said. “Tommy Smith will play a key role in ensuring that ORNL FCU continues to deliver on this promise to our members and the communities we serve.” [Read more…]

ORNL FCU donates sweepstakes winnings to Girls Inc.

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Girls Inc. with ORNL Federal Credit Union Sweepstakes Winnings

ORNL Federal Credit Union collected thousands of dollars worth of electronics and household goods during the Credit Union Magic Minute Loyalty Dash sponsored by PSCU,  and the credit union donated its winnings to Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge on Thursday, Feb. 6.

PSCU, the nation’s leading Credit Union Service Organization, or CUSO, conceived and fully sponsored the Credit Union Magic Minute Loyalty Sweepstakes as a way to give their member-owner credit unions, including ORNL FCU, the shopping thrill of a lifetime, a press release said.

ORNL FCU members were encouraged to register their contact information on their credit union’s CURewards loyalty program website, the press release said. By using their ORNL FCU credit or debit card during the sweepstakes eligibility period, members’ names were automatically entered in a series of eight weekly drawings. [Read more…]

Second and final state approval granted for Oak Ridge Mall redevelopment

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Mall Concept Plan Featured

The site plan for the redevelopment of the Oak Ridge Mall shows a multi-use, town center development with retail, office, hotel, and residential properties. (Submitted image)

The two state approvals required for the $13 million tax financing agreement for the proposed redevelopment of the Oak Ridge Mall have now been granted.

Tennessee Comptroller Justin P. Wilson notified mall redevelopment representatives of his approval in a Feb. 5 letter.

Earlier, in January, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development notified project representatives that it had approved the proposed tax increment financing, or TIF, but would not issue a separate letter.

Under Tennessee law, the comptroller and ECD both had to approve the TIF after considering whether its use is in the state’s best interest. The comptroller said it was in the Feb. 5 letter.

ECD approval was granted in a different manner. In a January e-mail, ECD General Counsel Sharon Kolb said the department had received the request for a “best interest” determination for the Oak Ridge Mall on Dec. 19. Since the department did not approve or deny the request within 30 days, it was deemed approved under the Tax Increment Financing Act, Kolb said. [Read more…]