Oak Ridge Today

Lunch with the League features police chief on Tuesday

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James T. Akagi

James T. Akagi

The Oak Ridge League of Women Voters will host Lunch with the League on Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church on Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The speaker will be Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi.

The public is invited, and there is no cost to attend.

The lunch, which will last until about 1 p.m. Tuesday, will be in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Akagi will talk about current issues in the City of Oak Ridge and surrounding areas that are affecting police activities—including opioid usage, immigration, and school safety, a press release said. [Read more…]

Groundbreaking for Friendship Bell Peace Pavilion is Thursday

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The new Peace Pavilion for the International Friendship Bell at Alvin K. Bissell Park will feature a cantilever design. (Submitted image)

The new Peace Pavilion for the International Friendship Bell at Alvin K. Bissell Park will feature a cantilever design. (Submitted image)

 

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new International Friendship Bell Peace Pavilion will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday, September 21, at the bell’s new location in Alvin K. Bissell Park, just west of the Oak Ridge Civic Center.

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch will be master of ceremonies for the groundbreaking. The Oak Valley Baptist Church Choir will present a music program relating to the friendship and peace theme of the event. Pat Postma and Alan Tatum, co-chairs of the International Friendship Bell Citizens Advisory Committee, will take part in the ceremonies.

Major donors—including UT Battelle/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and CNS-Y-12—will participate in breaking ground for the new pavilion, a press release said.

The bell, created for Oak Ridge’s 50th birthday, is expected to bring its message of peace and friendship to the thousands of visitors expected at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, the press release said.. The new pavilion for the bell came about after city officials discovered that structural beams in the original bell house had severely deteriorated. [Read more…]

Celebration of Oak Ridge’s 75th anniversary started Friday

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ORHPA city 75th Birthday Celeb Flyer 2

A reminder: The 14-month celebration of Oak Ridge’s 75th anniversary starts today (Friday, September 15).

Today’s celebration will feature guest speaker Denise Kiernan, author of “The Girls of Atomic City” and “The Last Castle,” at 6 p.m. at the Historic Grove Theater. There will be a book signing, and Kiernan’s book will be available for sale.

Ed Westcott, the official government photographer in Oak Ridge during the top-secret Manhattan Project in World War II, will be the honored guest from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Family members Don and Emily Hunnicutt will present a slide show of Westcott photos with a question-and-answer session.

“You will never grow tired of Ed’s photographs, which tell the enormous Oak Ridge Manhattan Project story,” according to the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, which is presenting the celebration.

The celebration starts with historical displays at 2 p.m. There will be a wide variety of artifacts, posters, and displays for you to enjoy, the ORHPA said. [Read more…]

DOE: Construction could start next month at AMSE space at Main Street

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former-sears-roebuck-co-oak-ridge-jan-2-2017-web

An agreement signed Friday, Dec. 30, 2016, by the U.S. Department of Energy and City of Oak Ridge calls for the American Museum of Science and Energy missions to be relocated within about one year to 18,000 square feet of space in a two-story building that once housed a Sears Roebuck store next to JCPenney at Main Street Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Construction could start next month at the new home of the American Museum of Science and Energy at Main Street Oak Ridge, a federal official said Monday.

But much of the work will be inside the facility, and it may not be visible from outside the building, said John Shewairy, assistant manager for administration in the  U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office.

AMSE is relocating to space that will be renovated in a two-story building that once housed a Sears Roebuck store next to JCPenney at what is now Main Street Oak Ridge. That planned move is part of an agreement that was signed by the city and DOE in December. Under that agreement, the 17-acre AMSE site was to be transferred from the U.S. Department of Energy to the City of Oak Ridge.

The city is, in turn, transferring the AMSE property in two phases to TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC. That company was set up by RealtyLink, the developer of Main Street Oak Ridge at the former Oak Ridge Mall. [Read more…]

Kiwanis to tour Emory Valley Center on Tuesday

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The Oak Ridge Kiwanis Club will tour the Emory Valley Center’s new Caldwell-Thompson Building for “Maximizing Human Abilities” on Tuesday.

The tour will start at noon on Tuesday, September 12, and it will be led by Janet Wood, the EVC vice president of community engagement, a Kiwanis notice said.

The tour was arranged by Terry Peek, who is director of the EVC Early Learning Center and also the Oak Ridge Kiwanis Club’s president-elect.

Those wishing to attend the tour can meet in the building lobby at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday for the noon tour. [Read more…]

Bring a dish to share at the September PFLAG meeting

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PFLAG will hold its September on Monday, September 11, in the Fellowship Hall of First Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge. Members, friends, and newcomers will have a chance to meet and greet and catch up beginning with a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m., a press release said. The church is located at 1051 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

During the meeting, there will be time to brainstorm on current and upcoming activities. Also planned is a discussion of transgendered service members and recent tweets and events.

The PFLAG mission is to provide opportunities for dialogue about sexual orientation, gender identities, and to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity, the press release said. [Read more…]

Pastor, police chief the speakers at event on building community

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Derrick Hammond

Derrick Hammond

An Oak Ridge pastor and the police chief will be the speakers at a Monday morning discussion of building community.

The speakers are Derrick Hammond, pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church, and Oak Ridge Police Chief James Akagi.

The discussion is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Monday, September 11, in the Fellowship Hall at Grace Covenant Church at 320 Robertsville Road.

The discussion is sponsored by Women’s Interfaith Dialogue. It will focus on “Building Community in a Time of Hatred and Violence,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Two churches have Winter Warmth Distribution & Fellowship on Sept. 30

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Faith Lutheran Church of Oak Ridge

Faith Lutheran Church of Oak Ridge

 

Two churches will have the Sixth Annual Winter Warmth Distribution and Fellowship on Saturday, September 30. The public is invited.

The two churches and their ministries are Spurgeon Chapel A.M.E. Zion’s Love Thy Neighbor Outreach Ministry and Faith Lutheran Church Operation Warm Coat Ministry.

The event will be held from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday, September 30, at Faith Lutheran Church at 1300 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge, across from Starbucks Coffee.

Items that will be available while they last at no cost to the public are clothing, hats, gloves, scarves, socks, and clean, pre-owned, and new winter items for men, women, and children who are in need of coats, among other items, a press release said. [Read more…]

Dine & Donate returns Monday

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It’s hard to not “squeal” with joy when you see Razzleberry’s “Pigmobile” around town! (Submitted photo)

It’s hard to not “squeal” with joy when you see Razzleberry’s “Pigmobile” around town! (Submitted photo)

 

If it’s the second Monday of the month, it must be Dine & Donate, a special day set aside by several local restaurants to donate a portion of their sales to Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC).

Razzleberry’s, a longtime supporter, is the spotlight restaurant for September.

Summer might be winding down, but the treats at Razzleberry’s are always in season, a press release said.

“Known for their delicious and innovative homemade ice cream, eclectic menus, and international marketplace, Razzleberry’s has something for everybody,” the press release said. “The business started as an ice cream parlor in a tiny space in Jackson Square, but owners Waldek and Ilona Kaczocha soon began operating a small kitchen, offering to-go orders and having weekly lunches for high school students. In 2010, it was clear the demand for their impressive eats meant moving to a new, larger location. Fortunately, it was only a few doors down, right on the corner of Jackson Square!” [Read more…]

Boys & Girls Clubs has fundraising Reverse Raffle on Oct. 7

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The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Clinch Valley will hold its annual Reverse Raffle on Saturday, October 7, at 6:30 p.m. This year’s event will again be hosted and catered by the Oak Ridge Country Club, a press release said.

The Oak Ridge Country Club’s renovations to their pool and outdoor bar have created a great space for entertainment, the press release said.

“By having the event a little later this year, we hope to take advantage of the outdoor spaces, cooler weather, and phenomenal fall views,” said Boys & Girls Club Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Pettyjohn.

This year’s jackpot is again $10,000, the press release said. [Read more…]

ORICL has 20th anniversary celebration Thursday

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Members of an early ORICL board are, standing from left, George Jasny, Janet Evans, and Martha Hobson; sitting from left, Jeannie Cole, Reeva Abraham, Harwell Smith, and Murray Rosenthal, founder and first board president. (Submitted photo)

Members of an early ORICL board are, standing from left, George Jasny, Janet Evans, and Martha Hobson; sitting from left, Jeannie Cole, Reeva Abraham, Harwell Smith, and Murray Rosenthal, founder and first board president. (Submitted photo)

 

In recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning (ORICL), a celebration will take place on Thursday (September 7) at its home base, the Oak Ridge Branch Campus of Roane State Community College (RSCC).

Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally will read a proclamation in honor of ORICL’s 20 years of providing educational experiences for hundreds of retirees in and around Oak Ridge.

RSCC President Chris Whaley will speak on “Lifelong Learning: the Roane State Commitment to ORICL and Oak Ridge.” He will mention Tennessee Reconnects, the state-funded program that will start in fall 2018 to provide a free two-year education to willing adults in Tennessee who have no degrees. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Community Band has Labor Day concert on Monday

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Dale Pendley directs the Oak Ridge Community Band on July 4, 2017. (Submitted photo)

Dale Pendley conducts the Oak Ridge Community Band on July 4, 2017. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Community Band has its last outdoor concert of the summer at 7 p.m. Monday, Labor Day, in Alvin K. Bissell Park. There is no admission fee, and everyone is encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for outdoor seating, a press release said. To make things even “sweeter,” Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab will be in the park to provide cool refreshments, the press release said.

Along with the concert programs handed out at the tables around the performing pavilion, audience members can also pick up brochures outlining the Community Band’s 2017-2018 indoor concert season with performances scheduled from October through April. And as an extra bonus, tickets for free admission to the October 8 concert will be also be available.

Among the highlights of the Community Band’s Labor Day program will be the clarinet section’s performance of Wim Laseroms’s fast-paced “Claribelle,” the tubas and flutes in Henry Mancini’s “Baby Elephant Walk,” and the trombone section in Henry Fillmore’s “Ham Trombone.” [Read more…]