Oak Ridge Today

CASA, Community Mediation host juvenile judge candidate forum Tuesday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Brian Hunt

Brian Hunt

Two nonprofit organizations are hosting a Tuesday evening forum for the two candidates for Anderson County Juvenile Court judge.

The two candidates are Republican Brian Hunt and Democrat Michael Clement.

The forum is hosted by Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Tennessee Heartland and Community Mediation Services (CMS). It will be held in the Clinton Public Library from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., a press release said.

Each candidate will have an opportunity to address the group, and several questions will be taken from the audience. The public is invited, and reservations are not necessary.

Michael Clement

Michael Clement

The Anderson County general election is Aug. 7

CASA of the Tennessee Heartland is a local nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that gives a voice in court to abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers give an independent recommendation of permanent placement to the judge based solely on the best interest of the child involved and advocate for necessary services the child may need. More information can be found at www.casatnh.org.

Community Mediation Services is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that assists and empowers individuals to engage, transform, and resolve conflicts through the use of collaborative, constructive processes, the press release said. CMS helps people get heard, get healed, and get back to their lives through four different no-cost mediation programs focusing on at-risk youth and families. Learn more at www.peacefulresolution.org.

CONTACT Care Line has pancake breakfast fundraiser on July 12

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

CONTACT Care Line will have its annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser at Lincoln’s Sports Grille in Oak Ridge on Saturday, July 12, from 8 to 10 a.m. Tickets to the event are on sal​e ​now ​for $5, and they will be available at the door on the day of the event. ​

Proceeds will directly support CONTACT’s Crisis Line and Reassurance Programs. In 2013, CONTACT fielded 18,917 critical support calls across East Tennessee, including 86 suicide-related calls. In 2014, the crisis center will launch chat- and text-based emotional support to better serve young people and others who prefer mobile communication for crisis intervention, a press release said.

For tickets or information, call (865) 312-7450​ or ​e-mail office@contactcarelinetn.org.

To learn more about CONTACT, visit the website at www.contactcarelinetn.org/, follow them on Twitter at @contact865, and like them on Facebook.

Mayor Beehan to report on recent trip to Washington, D.C.

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Tom Beehan, Madeline Rogero with Local Motors at White House Maker Faire

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, right, and Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, center, are pictured above with Local Motors at the Maker Faire at the White House in June. (Submitted photos)

 

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero recently went to Washington, D.C., to attend the Maker Faire.

During that first-ever event, President Barack Obama celebrated innovators, entrepreneurs, and tinkerers of all ages from across the country. The Maker Faire featured new and innovative projects, inventions, and designs, and technologies such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and easy-to-use design software.

Beehan will discuss his trip during a Thursday, July 10, meeting of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. That meeting starts at 7 p.m. July 10 at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road.

Tom Beehan at White House Podium

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan standing near the podium that President Barack Obama uses when he speaks.

Besides the Maker Faire, Beehan also met with elected officials and was involved in numerous interactions where he expressed the desires of the city of Oak Ridge, an ORHPA press release said.

“He also assured our nation’s leaders of our intent to continue serving our nation in the special role that Oak Ridge holds,” the release said. “His meeting with the Secretary of Energy, Dr. Ernest Moniz, was of special significance to us. He will present some of the details of that conversation.” [Read more…]

AARP driver’s safety classes offered at Oak Ridge Senior Center

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Senior Center will be offering the AARP Smart Driver Driver’s Safety Program in July and August. This program can help make drivers safer and more aware and may help lead to a discount on auto insurance premiums, a press release said.

The cost for the class is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. The July class will be held on Saturday, July 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This all-day class is open to anyone 50 and over but could be especially helpful to those seniors who are still working Monday to Friday.

The August class will be held on August 6 and 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day. To register for either class, call the Senior Center at (865)-425-3999. Space is limited so reserve your spot soon, the release said.

For more information about this and other programs and activities at the Oak Ridge Senior Center, call (865)425-3999 or visit the website at orrecparks.org.

Food Lion foundation donates $2,000 to ADFAC

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Food Lion Charitable Foundation has donated $2,000 to Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC, a press release said.

The donation comes just in time to help feed local residents this summer, the press release said. ADFAC will use the gift to provide vouchers for fresh food for local families experiencing economic hardship.

“We are thrilled to receive this contribution,” said Liz Herbes, director of ADFAC’s Social Services program. “It will provide much-needed relief from hunger for dozens of our less fortunate neighbors.”

ADFAC, an independent nonprofit agency established in 1987, exists to serve the basic needs of primarily low-income residents in Anderson and surrounding Appalachian counties. ADFAC’s goal is to help families become stable and self-sufficient through a variety of direct assistance services provided by our Social Services and Affordable Housing programs. ADFAC answers more than 6,000 requests for assistance each year. [Read more…]

Manhattan Project website launches

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Atomic Heritage Foundation Manhattan Project Website

Submitted

WASHINGTON, D.C.—With prospects for a Manhattan Project National Historical Park this year looking good, the Atomic Heritage Foundation is launching a timely new website for prospective visitors to the Manhattan Project communities at www.atomicheritage.org. The new park is expected to generate 500,000 or more tourists to Oak Ridge; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and Hanford, Washington, during the next decade. As a preview of coming attractions, visitors can take a virtual tour now and immerse themselves in the Manhattan Project online.

With colorful photographs, an interactive timeline, extensive articles on Manhattan Project history, and oral histories of hundreds of Manhattan Project veterans, the new website will be an excellent resource. One feature is the powerful new interpretive tool called “Ranger in Your Pocket.” Based on a BYOD or “Bring Your Own Device” strategy, this technology-based tool represents a fundamental shift in engaging visitors by empowering them to use their personal smartphones or tablets to create their own tour experience. The first “Ranger in Your Pocket” tour is to the historic B Reactor at Hanford. Additional tours under construction will feature Los Alamos and Oak Ridge and draw from AHF’s extensive oral history collection as well as documentary footage and photographs. [Read more…]

Guest column: B&W Y-12 improved Y-12, made a big difference in the community

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

David Bradshaw

David Bradshaw

By David Bradshaw

It has been almost 14 years since B&W Y-12 LLC took over operation of the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

Soon a new contractor will be in charge. Thanks to the work of the B&W Y-12 team and many others, they will inherit a very different and much improved facility.

One only needs to approach Y-12 to see the changes. The first thing you will see is the New Hope Center, built as a public-private partnership and located just outside the secure gates of Y-12 to make sure public access is easy. It has conference space, an outstanding auditorium, and a museum that highlights everything from Y-12’s critical role in the Manhattan Project, to the NASA “moon box” built by Y-12, to Y-12’s role in winning the Cold War. Y-12 had always been a secret place and this space built with the public in mind was a major change.

The modernization process is even more obvious inside the gate. Y-12 completed and opened the new Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility. It’s a state of the art building. The new Uranium Processing Facility will be just as impressive with design work well underway. Both facilities allow the U.S. Department of Energy to close down old buildings that date back to the Manhattan Project. With the HEUMF and UPF in place, Y-12 will be far more efficient with operations not only more secure, but centralized in one place instead of being spread out over several locations. [Read more…]

Guest column: Emory Valley Center ‘Dances the Night Away’ at Prom

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

2014 EVC Couples Dancing

Emory Valley Center couples dancing at the May 31 prom at the Elks Lodge. (Submitted photos)

The Elks Lodge in Oak Ridge hosted a prom for more than 100 Emory Valley Center clients and their staff on Saturday evening, May 31. The theme for the prom was “Dance the Night Away,” with the Elks Lodge transformed into a disco decorated in silver, black, and white for the evening.

The Oak Ridge Boat Club donated to secure Viki Ward as the DJ for the evening. Ward and her dancers kept the music going and added to the fun of the evening. Those attending also had a wide variety of food and drinks available donated by volunteers with the Elks, Food City, Food Lion, Kroger, and Walmart in Oak Ridge. The Arc of Anderson County also made a donation in support of the prom.

The ladies attending each received a wrist corsage and the men a special lapel pin, and everyone had a bag of “goodies” to take home with them. Photos were taken of attendees and put into special prom frames for everyone to have a memento of their special evening. One of the highlights of the evening was when the Prom Prince and Princess and Prom King and Queen were crowned. After they were crowned, they were spotlighted in a special dance and then invited the rest of the crowd to join them. [Read more…]

Battling cancer but planning to help build 59th home for Habitat

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Tim and Teresa Myrick Home Build

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is building a new home on Valley View Lane in Heiskell in honor of longtime volunteers Tim and Teresa Myrick, pictured at right. A family of five will live in the four-bedroom, 1,200-square-foot home. From left, they are Alexia, Amanda Cook, Edward Brown (back), Eddie (front), and Ethan.

 

HEISKELL—He’s worked on all 58 homes built by Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County during the past two decades. If his health allows, he’ll work on No. 59.

Tim Myrick, 60, is known for his community involvement, charitable contributions, and key role in the renovation of the Oak Ridge High School and modernization work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. But now he’s battling prostate cancer. His doctor said it’s the fastest-growing he’s seen. Myrick said it spread to his bones and elsewhere within three months. In December, he was given a year to live.

“I told them that’s not going to happen,” Myrick said during a Habitat for Humanity groundbreaking ceremony this month. “I told them I have too much work to do.”

Habitat is honoring Myrick and his wife Teresa by building a home in their honor on about 1.5 acres on Valley View Lane near East Wolf Valley Road in Heiskell.

“We can’t think of anyone who has worked harder for us for a longer period of time,” said Pat Fain, HFHAC board president. [Read more…]

Tickets on sale for the Free Medical Clinic’s Atomic Blast

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Submitted

Tickets are now on sale for the Atomic Blast, Oak Ridge’s one-of-a-kind fundraiser for the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, or FMCOR. The fun-filled event is set for Saturday Aug. 16, in the Parish Life Center of St. Mary’s Church located at 327 Vermont Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The evening will include dinner, dancing to live music, as well as live and silent auctions, and a Celebrity Dance Contest. Stay tuned to find out who our celebrity contestants will be! Included with wine and beer for purchase will be the new “Atomic Blast Signature Drink.” Dress is casual, but attendees are invited to get all decked in neon colors!

Tickets are $60 and can be purchased on line at www.fmcor.org. Click on the Atomic Blast tab. They are also available at the FMCOR office located at 116 East Division Road (behind Zaxby’s) in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon announces grant program for healthy living

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon

Proposals for funding up to $10,000 due by July 31

The Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon announced on Thursday that it will offer a new grant program targeted at promoting healthy living in East Tennessee.

For a decade, the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon has been the premier event of the Knoxville Track Club, a press release said. Each year, funds have been set aside for the community contribution program.

In an effort to encourage healthy living beyond race day, the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon has issued a request for proposals now through the end of July for organizations seeking funding from the program.

“For 10 years, the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon has served as East Tennessee’s premier event for runners, as well as a healthy and inspiring opportunity for individuals and families of all fitness levels,” said race director Jason Altman. “We are proud that what happens during marathon weekend will be able to further impact our community throughout the year, and we’re excited to expand that to the public in a more formal way through this grant program.” [Read more…]

Museum celebrates Independence Day with old-time ‘anvil shoot’

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Anvil Lighting

By Museum of Appalachia

NORRIS—Visitors to the Museum of Appalachia, a Smithsonian Affiliate Museum, can celebrate July 4 with the explosion of sound that pioneers heard thunder through the hills when they celebrated Independence Day.

In those days, local blacksmiths would “shoot the anvil” to celebrate the nation’s Independence, Christmas, and even Davy Crockett’s election to the U.S. Congress.

Now, shooting the 175-pound anvil, an almost lost tradition, has come to be a highlight of the Museum’s annual July 4 Celebration. Folks as far as 15 miles away have reported hearing the blast, and certainly everyone gathered for the excitement feels the earth shake under their feet.

Along with a big boom several times during the day, there will be patriotic ceremonies, a flag waving procession led by bagpiper Jesse McCrary, Longhunter camp stories, Appalachian music, and an array of historic demonstrations. [Read more…]