Oak Ridge Today

Children’s Museum to celebrate national parks at gala in December

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

childrens-museum-gala-2016

Martha Hart of Karen’s Jewelers, left, with Lee McGetrick and Mike Morris, all members of the Children’s Museum Gala Committee, display a National Park poster for the Gala, which will celebrate the National Park Service Centennial. (Submitted photo)

 

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will celebrate the 100th birthday of the National Park Service at its annual Gala Evening, a benefit for the museum on Friday, December 2.

“Tribute to the National Parks—A Centennial Celebration” will feature National Park trivia and prizes, National Park-inspired cuisine by Rosa’s Catering, music from the Oak Ridge High School Choral Ensemble, an exhibition of children’s photographs from the parks, and a surprise for Gala attendees.

The Gala will be an official National Park Service Centennial Event. In honor of that designation, the museum will offer free admission Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, inviting the public to view the “Parks-in-Focus” National Parks photography exhibit in the Imagination Gallery. Photos of area parks taken by girls from Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge will be shown in the exhibit.

Guests are invited to come dressed to represent a favorite National Park or in semi-formal attire to the Gala, to be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. December 2 at the museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Tonight: Cook to discuss his book, ‘Ignored Heroes of World War II’

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Richard Cook

Richard Cook

Oak Ridge resident Richard Cook will discuss his book, “Ignored Heroes of World War II: The Manhattan Project Workers of Oak Ridge, Tennessee,” during a meeting this evening (Thursday, November 10).

It’s a public and membership meeting of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. It’s scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road.

The book is an oral history, a press release said. Cook has lived in Oak Ridge since 2000, and his wife was born and raised in Oak Ridge. He wrote a newspaper column for The Oak Ridger from 2003-2005. He has written more than 100 columns, which have appeared in The Oak Ridger, The Knoxville News-Sentinel, and on The Tennessean website, the press release said. His book has been profiled locally on WBIR, WATE, and PBS. [Read more…]

Students from UT Pride Center to give update at PFLAG meeting today (Nov. 7)

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Students from the Pride Center at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville will share what’s happening (or no longer happening) on the UT campus at the Monday, November 7, PFLAG meeting. The community is invited, a press release said.

The meeting will be held at Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge, which is located at 101 West Madison Lane. Social time will start at 6:45 p.m. The meeting will be from 7-8 p.m. There will be time to talk with the Pride students following the meeting, the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra performs All-Mozart Concert on Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Gabe Lefkowitz

Gabe Lefkowitz (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra and Oak Ridge Chorus will perform an All-Mozart Concert on Saturday.

The concert is presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, and it will be led by Maestro Dan Allcott.

It’s scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 5, at the First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge.

The concert will feature the Oak Ridge Chorus performing Mozart’s “Coronation” Mass with the Oak Ridge Symphony, and Mozart’s “Divertimento in F major.”  The concert will also feature guest artist, Gabriel Lefkowitz, currently in his final season as concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, in a performance of Mozart’s “Violin Concerto No. 5.” [Read more…]

Celebrate Veterans Day with Oak Ridge Wind Ensemble on Sunday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Pictured above is the Oak Ridge Wind Ensemble in a previous concert at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center. (Submitted photo)

Pictured above is the Oak Ridge Wind Ensemble in a previous concert at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center. (Submitted photo)

 

Area residents and in particular area veterans are invited to attend the Oak Ridge Community Band/Wind Ensemble “Music for Our Military” concert on Sunday afternoon in Oak Ridge. The concert is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, November 6, in Combs Hall of Central Baptist Church, which is at 130 Providence Road.

The program will be a tribute to all veterans for their service to the country with music and a recognition of veterans in attendance at Sunday’s concert, a press release said. The program announcer will be Chuck Languth.

Veterans will be asked at the ticket table for their name, branch of service, and when they served, whether in peacetime or in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf conflict, Afghanistan, or in Iraq. During the concert program, there will be a recognition of these veterans and a heart-felt thank you for their service, the press release said. [Read more…]

Sound Company presents ‘Songs that Inspire Us’ on Friday, Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Sound Company Children's Choir of Oak Ridge

Sound Company Children’s Choir of Oak Ridge

 

Sound Company Children’s Choir of Oak Ridge will present “Songs that Insire Us” on Friday and Saturday.

The shows are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, November 4, and 3 p.m. Saturday, November 5. Both performances are at The Grove Theater in Oak Ridge.

The selection of music, which is chosen to inspire, will include “Corner of the Sky,” “Black or White,” “Imagine,” and “Sing” (Pentatonix). [Read more…]

Diggs family home in Oliver Springs receives 2016 East Tennessee Preservation Award

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

diggs-cox-home

The Diggs family home in Oliver Springs is one of 10 recipients of the 2016 East Tennessee Preservation Awards given out by East Tennessee Preservation Alliance, which covers 16 counties in middle East Tennessee. (Photo by East Tennessee Preservation Alliance)

 

The Diggs family home in Oliver Springs is one of 10 recipients of the 2016 East Tennessee Preservation Awards given out by East Tennessee Preservation Alliance, which covers 16 counties in middle East Tennessee.

The awards will be presented during a special reception at historic Arrow Hill in Talbott near Morristown, a press release said. The 10 award winners will be celebrated for their contributions to historic preservation.

“East Tennessee is a beautiful region that is rich with history and interesting places,” the press release said. “Each year, the East Tennessee Preservation Alliance recognizes outstanding persons, projects, and organizations working to preserve our heritage for future generations.

The release said the Diggs family home in Oliver Springs has seen some changes. Built in 1905 by Alfred H. and Scotland Diggs, the house had to be moved away from the path of a new four-lane highway. It remains in the family, and Bettina Diggs Cox recently embarked on a full renovation. The once missing porch was rebuilt, and rooms throughout have been beautifully renovated, the release said. A unique feature of the home are the four fireplace mantels salvaged from the once popular Oliver Springs Hotel. [Read more…]

Camera Club has Reception, Gallery Walk for Photographic Salon on Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Pictured above is the Best of Show digital projected image of the 2016 Salon of the Camera Club of Oak Ridge. The photo, "High Road to Town," is by Pat Postma, and it is used here for publicity purposes only. (Submitted photo)

Pictured above is the Best of Show digital projected image of the 2016 Salon of the Camera Club of Oak Ridge. The photo, “High Road to Town,” is by Pat Postma, and it is used here for publicity purposes only. (Submitted photo)

 

The Camera Club of Oak Ridge has a Reception and Gallery Walk for its 68th Photographic Salon on Friday.

One of the biggest photographic shows in East Tennessee, the Salon will be on display at the New Hope Center at Y-12 National Security Complex from October 31 to November 10, Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Reception and Gallery Walk will be held on Friday, November 4, from 7-9 p.m.

The camera club has exhibited its best images since 1948 under names that have included Oak Ridge Camera Club, Carbide Camera Club, Lockheed Martin Camera Club, and now CCOR. [Read more…]

Tree workshop dedicated to Pat Imperato to be held at UT Arboretum

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

University of Tennessee Arboretum fall scene (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

University of Tennessee Arboretum fall scene (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Pat Imperato

Pat Imperato

A tree workshop at the University of Tennessee Arboretum on Saturday, November 12, will be dedicated to Pat Imperato, a tireless champion of environmental issues, a press release said. Her advocacy was evident in her long history of contributions to the Oak Ridge Environmental Quality Advisory Board and Keep Anderson County Beautiful, the release said.

The workshop will be presented by the Oak Ridge Environmental Quality Advisory Board in partnership with the UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center. It’s scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, November 12, at the UT Arboretum Auditorium, which is at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

Imperato, 69, died in October, but she spent the last several years spearheading work on a “Tree Plan” for Oak Ridge. Imperato was also an outspoken proponent for proper stewardship of city and private lands, and she was interested in community education and outreach, the press release said. [Read more…]

Free community Thanksgiving Dinner at High Places on Nov. 24

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A free community Thanksgiving Dinner will be hosted at High Places Community Church/Grove Theater on Thursday, November 24.

The dinner is hosted again by a grassroots group of individuals, a press release said. The dinner is scheduled from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, November 24, at High Places, which is at 123 Randolph Road.

“Everyone should have someone to give thanks with on Thanksgiving!” the press release said. [Read more…]

Cedar Barren clean-up scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 5

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

September flowers at Oak Ridge Cedar Barren (Photo courtesy D. Colclasure)

September flowers at Oak Ridge Cedar Barren (Photo courtesy D. Colclasure)

 

The Oak Ridge Cedar Barren will again be the site of exotic invasive plant removal as Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning conduct its fall cleanup, its third and final cleanup of the year.

Located next to Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, the Barren is a joint project of the City of Oak Ridge, State Natural Areas Division, and TCWP. The area is one of just a few cedar barrens in East Tennessee, and it is the home to three state listed plants: prairie goldenrod, fewleaf sunflower and Torrey’s mountain mint.

The Barrens are subject to invasion by bushy lespedeza, leatherleaf viburnum, privet, autumn olive, mimosa, Nepal grass, multiflora rose, and woody plants that threaten the system¹s prairie grasses. [Read more…]

Celebrate World Community Day on Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Church Women United invites the public to celebrate World Community Day on Friday, November 4, at United Church, Chapel on the Hill, 85 Kentucky Avenue, in Oak Ridge.

The celebration, “Sharing Gifts at the Table,” brings together women from different denominations and different racial and cultural backgrounds to honor the global dimension of the Christian faith through scripture, hymns, and prayer, a press release said. [Read more…]