Oak Ridge Today

Emory Valley Center signs building contract with Hickory Construction Inc.

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Hickory Construction Inc. President Burke Pinnell, Emory Valley Center President Jennifer Enderson, and EVC Board President John Eschenberg are pictured above during a recent contract signing. (Submitted photo)

 

Emory Valley Center plans to start construction on its new building this spring, and EVC recently signed a contract with Hickory Construction Inc. of Alcoa.

Emory Valley Center launched a capital campaign for a new building six years ago. That’s when building owners discussed plans for the probable demolition of the building the organization uses for some of the services it provides to people with disabilities, a press release said.

Through the efforts of Capital Co-Chairpersons Dottie Thompson and Gene Caldwell, business, and individual donors and grant awards for the project, the campaign is at a point where construction can begin, the press release said.

Emory Valley Center President Jennifer Enderson and Burke Pinnell, Hickory Construction president, recently signed a contract “partnering to make the dream of Emory Valley Center’s new building a reality,” the release said. [Read more…]

Artists, arts supporters to be recognized during Tribute to the Arts on Tuesday

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Arts agencies will showcase their talents during a Tribute to the Arts in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, March 29, 2016, and local artists and arts supporters will be recognized. (Submitted image)

 

Arts agencies will showcase their talents during a Tribute to the Arts in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, and local artists and arts supporters will be recognized.

This is the second time that the Arts Council of Oak Ridge has offered this unique gala giving members of the community a chance to recognize local artists and arts supporters for their wonderful work promoting the arts in Anderson County, a press release said.

Tribute to the Arts is scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at the Saint Mary’s Family Life Center in Oak Ridge.

“Each of the arts agencies will be showcasing their talents, so it’s the perfect time to sample an appetizer of arts in our community,” the press release said.

The event is being co-promoted by Arts Council of Oak Ridge and the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge Sunset, with proceeds from ticket sales and a silent auction benefiting both organizations and their philanthropies. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the Arts Council of Oak office at (865) 482-4432 or contacting any representative from the eight member organizations. Those groups are Oak Ridge Art Center, Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association, Tennessee Mountain Writers, Oak Ridge Playhouse, Oak Ridge Community Orchestra, Oak Ridge Community Band, and the Music Arts School. [Read more…]

Today: Harlem Ambassadors for Habitat, former NASA chief astronomer, Smith on Three Bend

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A reminder—There are three events happening this evening: the Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Show in a benefit for Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, a former chief astronomer at NASA who is referred to as the “mother of the Hubble Telescope” discussing the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to black holes, and local historian and writer Ray Smith discussing the Three Bend Scenic and Wildlife Management Refuge Area of the Oak Ridge Reservation.

The Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Show starts at 6 p.m. today (Thursday, March 24) at Wildcat Arena at Oak Ridge High School. This show is not only entertaining, organizers said, it also brings an important message to kids: “Stay off drugs, stay in school, don’t be a bully!”

Individuals have sponsored tickets so that student-athletes in Anderson County can come to the game for free.

The “opposing” team, the Habi-bats, is made up of local coaches and other local basketball standouts.

“We hope to fill the arena and sell lots of hotdogs, all in an effort to raise money to build and repair homes in Anderson County,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Smith to discuss Three Bend Scenic and Wildlife Management Refuge Area at AFORR meeting

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Ray Smith

Ray Smith

Local historian and writer Ray Smith will discuss the Three Bend Scenic and Wildlife Management Refuge Area of the Oak Ridge Reservation during a meeting next week.

Smith will be the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of Advocates for the Oak Ridge Reservation, or AFORR, on Thursday, March 24.

There will also be a roundtable discussion about the cultural and historical values of the Solway, Freels, and Gallaher bends, a press release said.

The meeting, located in the City Room at the Roane State Community College campus in Oak Ridge, is free and open to the public. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has spring plant sale in April

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​The ​2016 University of Tennessee Arboretum Society Spring Plant Sale will be held April 15 and 16 on the grounds of the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge. The 15th is a members-only sale, but you may choose to join the Society on the spot to attend the sale on that date. (Photo courtesy UTIA)

 

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s 50th annual Spring Plant Sale will gather the best of four local nurseries in one location in Oak Ridge in April.

Beaver Creek and Riverdale Nurseries from Knoxville, Sunlight Gardens from Andersonville, and East Fork Nursery from Sevierville will be offering a large and varied selection of shrubs, trees, wildflowers, perennials, annuals, and edibles, a press release said. Brad Greenwood Designs will have unique botanically themed copper garden ornaments and steel features for the home and yard. Dano’s Hot Dogs, with an expanded menu, will again be at this event.

Back by popular demand, the Society will be offering ‘The Rising Sun” Redbud. This new Redbud displays brilliant, golden tangerine and lime-colored, heart-shaped foliage all summer and was a quick sell-out plant last year. The Society will also be offering a limited supply of another new redbud tree: “Alley Cat.” “Alley Cat” was literally discovered in an alley in Kentucky and has beautiful green and white variegated foliage that is stable and scorch-resistant, the press release said. [Read more…]

Today: Roane County Recovery Court team will discuss work at Lunch with League

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Roane County Recovery Court for drug-related offenders has now been in operation for six weeks. The drug court team, led by General Sessions Court Judge Dennis Humphrey, will discuss their work with the court in the second part of a two-part program at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday, March 15.

The first part of the program was presented on March 1. The Tuesday meeting starts at 12 p.m. March 15 in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Humphrey will be accompanied by District Attorney General Russell Johnson, Public Defender Kim Nelson, community relations for the district attorney Charlene Hipsher, Probation/Corrections Officer Chanel Finnell, Recovery Court Coordinator Ashley Freeberg, WestCare treatment staff Janeece Foust, and law enforcement liaison Lieutenant Rick Baker.

Lunch with the League is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Support ADFAC through ‘Dine and Donate’ on Monday

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Gondolier and Hoskins, both in Clinton, are two of March’s Dine and Donate restaurants. (Submitted photo)

 

On Monday, March 14, six local restaurants will donate a generous portion of their sales to support Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC.

Restaurants participating on Monday, March 14, are:

  • Gondolier in Clinton
  • Hoskins in Clinton
  • Mediterranean Delight in Oak Ridge
  • Outback Steakhouse in Oak Ridge
  • Razzleberry’s in Oak Ridge
  • Papa Murphy’s in Oak Ridge

[Read more…]

Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on April 29 helps Community Mediation Services

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Oak Ridge Country Club Golf Course

You can start your golf tournament season in April and help a nonprofit organization that helps young people and families. The 15th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, April 29, will benefit Community Mediation Services of Anderson Country.

The golf tournament will be held at the Oak Ridge Country Club. The ORCC Golf Course provides a “beautiful and challenging setting for golfers as well as allowing participants a great way to give back to the community through Community Mediation Services’ work with youths and families,” a press release said.

The tournament is a two-session, scramble format with two flights: 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. A new Chevrolet, provided by Sexton Automotive Group, will be the grand prize for the hole-in-one, the press release said. Complimentary continental breakfasts, beverage carts, and a smoked barbecue lunch, as well as prize contests for golfers, will be available. Free shirts for all golfers are included.

The early registration deadline is Friday, April 22. You can register early for $100 per player and $400 per team, and for $125 per player and $500 per team after April 22 or at the door. [Read more…]

Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Show will benefit Habitat for Humanity

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Jennifer Walker, left, branch manager of TNBank on South Illinois Avenue, hands Charlotte Bowers, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, a sponsorship check. (Submitted photo)

 

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is hosting the Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Show on Thursday, March 24, at Oak Ridge High School. This show is not only entertaining, organizers said, it also brings an important message to kids: “Stay off drugs, stay in school, don’t be a bully!”

The show starts at 6 p.m. March 24 at Wildcat Arena.

“Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is so very appreciative of the businesses that are sponsoring this event,” a press release said. They include Life Safety Inspections, ORAU, MS Technology, Thrivent Financial, SL Industries, ORNL Federal Credit Union, A-Plus Concrete, Techmer PM, TNBank, Orthopaedic Surgeons of Oak Ridge, Tracy Larabee CPA, BWSC, Stoller, LEIDOS, Krogers, and J&M’s Butcher Shop.

“A special thank you to Hampton Inn and Shailesh Patel for housing the Ambassadors!” the press release said. Many individuals have also sponsored tickets so that student-athletes in Anderson County can come to the game for free. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum hosts exhibit of Historic Norris Dam photos

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The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will host the opening of an exhibition by Harvey Towns commemorating the 80th anniversary of the completion of Norris Dam. The opening reception will be from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at the Children’s Museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive. Refreshments will be provided.

On March 4, 1936, the outlet conduit gates in Norris Dam were closed and the storage of water in the reservoir began. This exhibit displays rare and historic photographs of construction leading up to that event. Norris Dam, hydroelectric facility, was the first dam built by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

In March 2015, a cache of original panorama photographs taken by contract photographer Rell Clements to document construction of the dam was discovered at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge by Exhibit Director Margaret Allard. Because of the age and fragile condition of the photographs, an effort to digitize and reproduce modern copies was begun. [Read more…]

Relay for Life pancake breakfast benefits American Cancer Society on April 2

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American Cancer Society Relay for Life

A Relay for Life pancake breakfast on April 2 will benefit the American Cancer Society.

The breakfast is scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, April 2, at Applebee’s in Oak Ridge. Tickets are $5.

It’s hosted by Relay for Life of Oak Ridge.

For tickets or information, call or text Cathy Freels at (865) 640-5346 or Kim Monroe at (865) 438-5334. [Read more…]

Janelle Arthur to perform at Barbecue, Bluegrass Bash for CASA on Saturday

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American Idol finalist Janelle Arthur will perform at the Barbecue and Bluegrass Bash on Saturday, an annual fundraiser for CASA of the Tennessee Heartland.

Arthur, an Oliver Springs singer, was part of the first-ever all-female Top 5 on American Idol, a popular televised singing competition, in April 2013.

Besides Arthur, this year’s Barbecue and Bluegrass Bash will feature a silent auction, a live auction featuring Bear Stephenson, live bluegrass with the Ridge City Ramblers, and a delicious barbecue buffet, organizers said.

The CASA Barbecue and Bluegrass Bash raises money to help abused and neglected children in Anderson, Blount, and Scott counties. [Read more…]