Oak Ridge Today

Clinch River Fall Antiques Festival continues Saturday

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The Clinch River Fall Antiques Festival, which started Friday, continues Saturday in historic downtown Clinton. It’s hosted by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce.

The Friday events included food vendors, entertainment, and a “Cruze-In” for muscle cars on Market Street sponsored by Fox Toyota, and the antique shops, specialty shops, and eateries were open late. There was also a reverse raffle for the Education Foundation for Clinton City and Anderson County Schools.

On Saturday, October 8, more than 90 antique dealers and artisans will line the streets in the historic district for an old-time street festival. It’s scheduled from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

“Dealers from throughout the Southeast will gather to provide shoppers and visitors a great selection of antiques and collectibles,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Before Oak Ridge: Life along the Clinch River in Anderson, Roane counties

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historic-freels-band-cabin

Historic Freels Bend Cabin: A marvelous setting for the Oct. 13, 2016, public and membership meeting of Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, in partnership with UT-Battelle. The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. to be sure the program can be completed before dark. (Photo courtesy ORHPA)

 

Aaron Astor, an associate history professor at Maryville College, will discuss life along the Clinch River in Anderson and Roane counties before Oak Ridge was built in a special meeting at the historic Freels Bend Cabin on October 13.

It’s the monthly public and membership meeting of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, a press release said. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, October 13, at the Freels Bend Cabin.

“We will meet at the parking lot at the Oak Ridge Associated Universities’ South Campus at 5 p.m., and at 5:15 p.m., we will caravan to the Freels Bend Cabin,” the press release said.

Astor’s topic is “Before Oak Ridge: Life Along the Clinch River in Anderson and Roane Counties.” [Read more…]

Children’s Halloween Party set for Oct. 27

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will host the 2016 Children’s Halloween Party on Thursday, October 27, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Civic Center. The party is primarily for preschool and elementary aged children. Older children attending with their families are welcome, a press release said.

Volunteers are needed to help run carnival games, work in the “scary room,” help with toddler activities, and assist in the craft room. All volunteers must be 16 and older unless working under the supervision of an adult, the press release said. Volunteers are given an event T-shirt and a pizza dinner at the conclusion of the event.

Activities include carnival games, inflatables, toddler game room, Halloween cartoon videos, face painting, concessions, glow room, and craft room. The “Scary Room” is a haunted castle theme and is suitable for younger children. A hayride is planned for Bissell Park, weather permitting, the release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Civic Music Association’s Chamber Series kicks off Saturday

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Fandango! (Photo courtesy ORCMA)

Fandango! (Photo courtesy ORCMA)

 

The Oak Ridge Civic Music Association opens its 2016-17 Chamber Series with Fandango! on Saturday. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 8, at the Pollard Auditorium in Oak Ridge.

“The most exciting new group on Chicago’s musical scene, Fandango! is a toe-tappingly spicy mix of Latin, Spanish, Sephardic, Balkan, and classical sounds founded by four multi-award-winning, globe-trotting virtuosi who hail from Spain, the USA, former Yugoslavia, and the UK, and who have played, separately and together, on the world’s most prestigious stages,” a press release said.

Made of two husband-and-wife virtuoso duos, Fandango! features flautist Eugenia Moliner, guitarist Denis Azabagic, violinist Desiree Ruhstrat, and cellist David Cunliffe. The quartet will perform an eclectic mix of genres, including familiar favorites by Vivaldi and Boccherini, and music by American composer Alan Thomas, Macedonian composer Miroslav Tadic, and more, the press release said.

“Audiences are sure to enjoy this festive concert,” the release said. [Read more…]

Community veterans invited to community breakfast Saturday

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Military veterans from Anderson County are once again invited to come together this weekend for a community Veterans Breakfast, a press release said.

The breakfast, hosted by Anderson County citizens and sponsored this month by Ray Varner Ford, will be held Saturday, October 8, at the Clinton Community Center. “Chow line” opens at 8:30 a.m., and there will be a brief program at 9 a.m., the press release said.

Varner will serve as master of ceremonies for the event, and the special speaker will be Commander Tommy Mariner, Senior Naval Science Instructor at Anderson County High School. Door prizes are provided this month by Ray Varner Ford. [Read more…]

Headrick to discuss individual, collective climate solutions at ORUUC

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Climate activist Mary Headrick, a doctor, will discuss the importance of both collective actions and “next steps” attendees can take can take to effectively reduce the carbon footprint on Thursday, October 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. The program is free and open to the public. The church is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

“Our nation has heard reports of quadrupled extreme weather disasters, rising sea levels, rising global temperatures, and disruption of water, food, and animal cycles due to a man-made climate crisis,” Headrick said in a press release. She will show attendees how to calculate their own carbon dioxide, or CO2, tonnage with and without both big “bang for the buck” changes and small changes, too. She suggests things as knowing your utility bill’s kilowatt-hours (kWh) and your gallons of gas per tankful (each gallon becomes 20 pounds of CO2). [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society’s Fall Plant Sale is Saturday

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s Fall Plant Sale is in Oak Ridge on Saturday.

The plant sale is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the UT Arboretum, which is at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Fall is the ideal time to add plants to the landscape,” a press release said. “To help satisfy that need, Beaver Creek Nursery, East Fork Nursery, Riverdale Nursery, Sunlight Gardens, as well as the UT Arboretum Society’s members and friends, will offer a variety of high-quality plants at this sale.”

Will Witte, the Society’s “Answer Man,” will be at the plant sale to answer all of your plant questions. Dano’s Hot Dogs will be back with his popular dogs, burgers, and lemonade, the press release said. [Read more…]

Tennessee Fall Homecoming this weekend at Museum of Appalachia

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Tennessee Fall Homecoming Musicians

File photo courtesy Museum of Appalachia

Tennessee Fall Homecoming is this weekend at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris.

The historic three-day festival is scheduled from Friday, October 7, to Sunday, October 9. It’s the 37th annual Tennessee Fall Homecoming.

It’s one of the nation’s largest, most authentic music and folk festivals, a press release said. It features more than 70 musicians performing on four outdoor stages.

“Each year, tens of thousands of music fans come to enjoy concerts spanning many genres—including bluegrass, country, gospel, and Americana music,” the press release said.

The music lineup for this year’s event includes: [Read more…]

ADFAC to honor Stephenson, Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award winner, on Oct. 25

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From left, past Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award recipients Ray Smith and Cande Seay share the great news with Bear Stephenson, the 2016 Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Awardee. (Submitted photo)

From left, past Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award recipients Ray Smith and Cande Seay share the great news with Bear Stephenson, the 2016 Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Awardee. (Submitted photo)

 

William “Bear” Stephenson has been unanimously chosen as the 2016 winner of ADFAC’s Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award.

Stephenson is a dedicated volunteer and advocate, a press release said He was chosen as the Bow Tie Award winner earlier this year. He will be recognized this month by ADFAC, or Aid To Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties Inc., at the Fourth Annual Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Celebration and Fundraiser.

Previous winners of the prestigious award have been Ray Smith, the late Tim Myrick, and Cande Seay.

The celebratory fundraising event will be from 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, October 25, at St. Mary’s Parish Life Center in Oak Ridge.

“Our community will come together to honor Stephenson, and we hope family, friends, past coworkers, and the many businesses and nonprofit organizations he has been involved with through the years will join us,” the press release said. “The dynamic and entertaining Elaine Graham will serve as the evening’s emcee while the music will be provided by the Mt. LeConte Jug Band.” [Read more…]

ORUUC Stone Soup Free CommUUnity Meal celebrates six years today

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Submitted

The community is invited to join in the celebration of the sixth birthday of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church Stone Soup Free CommUUnity Meal on Friday, September 30.

Volunteers will serve a homemade meal of Southern style cornbread and pinto beans with, of course, birthday cake for dessert! Dine in or take out will be available from 5 to 6 p.m. ORUUC is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

“While many of our guests are our food insecure neighbors, we want to start our seventh year making sure that we emphasize that the community meal is open to anyone who would like to come,” said program coordinator Jinx Watson. “There are a lot of connections that are made, not only among the guests, but also among the guests and the team. We enjoy dining with them and love the opportunity to celebrate someone’s birthday, hear news about their families, and build friendships. For some, attending is as much about the welcoming atmosphere as it is about the meal. We miss folks if they don’t come and are concerned about how they are doing.” [Read more…]

ORAU exceeds $100,000 in annual giving campaign for ninth year in row

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The 2016 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign Chair Don Hanlon, pictured right, Co-Chair Mae Mosley, pictured left, and ORAU President and CEO Andy Page reveal ORAU’s combined giving total of $108,827.16. (Photo by ORAU)

 

For the ninth year in a row, ORAU has broken the $100,000 mark in donations as part of its annual giving campaign for the United Way and Community Shares.

During a concluding ceremony on September 28 in the ORAU Pollard Technology Conference Center, ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page announced the 2016 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign total donation amount: $108,827.16. As part of the total donation, ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities) and its employees pledged $78,362 to the United Way and $30,465.16 to Community Shares. [Read more…]

Come watch artists chalk the walks Saturday

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2014ouitanorthcutt

This chalk painting by Ouita Northcutt received the People’s Choice Award and first prize in the professional category at the 2014 Street Painting Festival. Last year’s festival was rained out. This year’s festival is Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

 

The 16th annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival is drawing near—it will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (rain day on Sunday) at the Oak Ridge Campus of Roane State Community College.

Dozens of artists will be brushing up on their skills as they transform concrete sidewalk squares into colorful chalk paintings. The public is invited to this free festival organized by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge in conjunction with Roane State.

While would-be Rembrandts are chalking the walks, young children will enjoy free activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the Kid Zone.

Music will be provided by Roane State music groups. [Read more…]