Oak Ridge Today

ORNL associate lab director to discuss discovery of elements 115, 117; super-heavy nuclei; ‘island of stability’

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Jim Roberto

Jim Roberto

Jim Roberto, an associate laboratory director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will discuss the discovery of elements 115 and 117, super-heavy nuclei, and the “island of stability” during a Wednesday evening talk next week.

Roberto, ORNL associate laboratory director for science and technology partnerships, will give the featured talk to the ORION astronomy club at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16. The talk will be at the Grove Theater at 123 Randolph Road in Oak Ridge.

Roberto’s talk is titled “The Discovery of Elements 115 and 117: SuperHeavy Nuclei and the ‘Island of Stability.'” Roberto will review recent progress in super-heavy element research with particular focus on the significance of element 117 and its decay products as evidence for the existence of the presumed “island of stability” for super-heavy nuclei, a press release said. [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…]

Clearance sale on clothing, toys, household items at former YWCA on Saturday

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YWCA-Sale-March-5-2016

There will be a clearance sale on clothing, toys, and household items at the former YWCA building on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Saturday.

The sale started Friday, March 4, and continues from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 5.

The former YWCA building is located at 1660 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Workshop on lawn, garden tool maintenance is Saturday

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Downtown-Hardware-UT-Arboretum-2016

A workshop on lawn and garden tool maintenance is being offered at the University of Tennessee Arboretum Auditorium in Oak Ridge on Saturday.

The workshop is sponsored by UT Arboretum Society and Downtown Hardware of Oak Ridge. It’s scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Roger Clary of Downtown Hardware and the store’s Husqvarna representative, David Waugh, are working with the UT Arboretum Society to put on the workshop, organizers said.

Door prizes will be given away along with store coupons. The UT Arboretum Society will accept donations for its program.

“Last year’s workshop was a great success!” organizers said.

Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Uppuluri receives Foreign Minister’s Award from Japanese consul-general

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Kinefuchi-Uppuluri-Coommendation-Award-March-2-2016

Japan Consulate-General Masami Kinefuchi, left, presents Shigeko Uppuluri of Oak Ridge with the Foreign Minister’s Commendation Award in a ceremony at ORAU on Wednesday, March 2, 2016. (Photo by D. Ray Smith)

 

An Oak Ridge resident who has advocated for a “sister city” relationship between Oak Ridge and Naka, Japan, and proposed the International Friendship Bell in Oak Ridge received a Foreign Minister’s Commendation Award from the consul-general of Japan on Wednesday.

The award was presented to Shigeko Uppuluri by Masami Kinefuchi, consul-general of Japan, during a ceremony at Pollard Technology Conference Center of Oak Ridge Associated Universities on Wednesday. It recognized Uppuluri’s contributions to the friendship and understanding between Oak Ridge and Japan.

Uppuluri is the first Oak Ridge resident to receive the award.

The consul-general honored Uppuluri for her dedication to the creation and maintenance of the sister city relationship between Oak Ridge and Naka, Japan, a press release said. She has advocated for and participated in exchanges between the two cities, contributing to the goodwill and understanding between Japan and Oak Ridge. [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…]

Coal Creek Miners Museum has grand opening on March 11

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Coal-Creek-Miners-Museum

The Coal Creek Miners Museum in Rocky Top will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting on March 11.

The museum tells the story of the miners that lived, worked, and died in Coal Creek, Fraterville, and Briceville, and it also tells about the historically significant events that changed the mining industry, a press release said.

The grand opening is scheduled from 2-5 p.m. March 11 at the new museum, which is at 201 South Main Street in Rocky Top (formerly known as Lake City). The ribbon-cutting with the Rocky Top Chamber of Commerce is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Here is more information from a press release:

The story starts in the late 1800s when the “free” miners fought against the convict lease system, a struggle that ultimately ended the system in the southern states. [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…]

High Places Community Church has first ‘Night of Doubt’ on March 26

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High Places Community Church

High Places Community Church is pictured above.

 

The first annual “Night of Doubt” will be hosted by High Places Community Church at the Historic Grove Theater at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 26. The coffee house-style event is an offering of space to the community for the sole purpose of creating a safe place to ask questions, express skepticism, and share doubt in a group setting.

“There will be no sermon, no rebuttals, and any attempt to answer the doubts expressed will be strictly forbidden,” according to Reverend David Allred. “This is about affirming the reality of doubt as being central to the human experience; it is not an opportunity to debate or argue.”

Allred says the idea came from a Rob Bell book the church read for a recent retreat, but also from an experience he had with a high school girl 10 years ago who openly asked in small group where God was hiding when she was sexually assaulted.

“We were talking about God’s presence and how God is with us when she erupted with powerful emotions surrounding this terrible memory,” Allred said in a press release. “It would have been highly inconsiderate of her experience to even attempt a ‘pat-answer’ about faith in that moment. The doubt, grief, and anger she felt needed a safe release. No answer would have sufficed for that kind of pain as she shared. Sometimes healing comes through just being able to let it out safely and the best ‘Christian’ response is to simply listen.” [Read more…]

TCWP volunteers will remove exotic, invasive plants from Oak Ridge Cedar Barren on March 5

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Oak Ridge Cedar Barren

Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning will remove exotic, invasive plants at the Oak Ridge Cedar Barren on Saturday, March 5.

Located next to Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, the cedar barren is a joint project of the City of Oak Ridge, State Natural Areas Division, and TCWP. One of only a few cedar barrens in East Tennessee, the area is subject to invasion by Chinese lespedeza, Japanese privet, autumn olive, mimosa, Nepal grass, multiflora rose, and woody plants that threaten the system’s prairie grasses.

“Our continuing efforts help to eliminate these invasives and other shade-producing plants that prevent the prairie grasses from getting needed sun,” TCWP said in a press release. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge egg hunt is March 19

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Oak Ridge Egg Hunt

Hundreds of children hunt about 15,000 eggs during the annual Egg Hunt at Alvin K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge on Saturday, April 12, 2014. (File photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will host the 2016 Egg Hunt at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 19.

Hundreds of children are expected to participate in this annual spring event. More than 15,000 candy and prize-filled eggs will be hidden in Bissell Park with a first-, second-, and third-place prize egg in each age group.

This event will be held rain or shine, so participants should dress for the weather, a press release said. If severe weather prevents hiding the eggs outdoors, they will be given away in the gym, and a drawing will be held for the prizes. [Read more…]

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

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CASA-Tennessee-Heartland-Barbecue-Bluegrass-Bash-0216-600x180

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…]