Oak Ridge Today

Clinch River Spring Antique Fair on Saturday in Clinton

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Clinch River Antique Festival

Clinch River Antique Fair (Submitted photo) 

 

The 11th Annual Clinch River Spring Antique Fair will be held on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in Historic Downtown Clinton.

The Spring Antique Fair will kick off with a party on Friday evening, May 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. in Hoskins/Lane Park on Market Street with live musical entertainment.

Back by popular demand are The Real McCoys. This trio is comprised of brothers Blake and Aaron McCoy, who play banjo and guitar, and bass player Nick Patterson.

These young men grew up in Lake City playing in church, and they have been a favorite at The Museum of Appalachia’s Fall Homecoming for the past five years, a press release said. They released their first album in 2010 and are currently working on their second one, hoping to include several songs they have written. Their true passion for bluegrass music drives them to make bluegrass appeal to everyone. Their spin on the classic “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” has made them a local favorite.

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Anderson County reappraisal shows overall 4 percent drop in total assessments

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John K. Alley Jr.

John K. Alley Jr.

By Anderson County Property Assessor’s Office

The 2015 reappraisal in Anderson County shows an overall drop in total assessments.

“In the past, values have always increased,” Anderson County Property Assessor John K. Alley Jr. said. “I promised a fair and accurate assessment for Anderson County, and I feel that is what I have delivered to the property owners.”

The primary purpose of this article is to explain the reappraisal process and set the guidelines for making an appeal, if desired.

2015 is a reappraisal year for Anderson County. [Read more…]

Anderson County budget workshops, meeting dates

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Anderson County has scheduled budget workshops and meetings for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

There will be no motions made during the budget workshops. Instead, they will include only discussion and formulation.

The workshops will be held in Room 312 in the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton at these times: [Read more…]

Student loan debt challenges, solutions to be discussed Monday

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Student loan debt challenges and solutions will be discussed during a Monday evening meeting of the Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club.

The featured speaker will be Beth Hickman, who is on the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee and a former field representative for Congressman Lincoln Davis.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. Monday, April 27, in the Clinton Community Center Club Room at 101 South Hicks Street in Clinton. There will be free pizza and soft drinks.

“Student loan debt is a huge challenge for students and the economy,” organizers said. “Student loan debt is at a record high of $1.1 trillion,” according to the New York Times, organizers said.

They said student loans are now the second-largest source of consumer debt in the country, surpassed only by home mortgages, and an average undergraduate borrower leaves college $30,000 in debt.

AC Animal Welfare Task Force meets Thursday

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The next meeting of the Anderson County Animal Welfare Task Force will be at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in Room 118A at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

AC committee to discuss review of law director’s office on May 4

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The Anderson County Legal Services Advisory Committee will discuss the review of the law director’s office during a May 4 meeting.

The committee approved the third-party review in February. It was proposed by Anderson County Commissioner Myron Iwanski and modeled after the proposal to review turnover, morale, and administrative policies in the Oak Ridge Police Department.

The review of the Anderson County law director’s office could use County Technical Assistance Service, or CTAS, at the University of Tennessee. The ORPD review could use Municipal Technical Advisory Service, or MTAS. [Read more…]

Alternatives to Incarceration meets April 29

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There will be a meeting to discuss updates to the Anderson County Alternatives to Incarceration program on Wednesday, April 29.

The meeting starts at 4 p.m. April 29 at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton in Room 118 A.

The notice was sent by Mary Ann Young, the new director of the Alternatives to Incarceration program.

State grant of $250K will help build eighth lane at Oak Ridge rowing course

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Oak Ridge Rowing Lane Announcement

Tennessee Rep. John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican, announces a $250,000 state grant for an eighth lane at the Oak Ridge rowing course on Sunday. Also pictured from left are Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, Sen. Randy McNally, Anderson County Chamber of Commerce President Rick Meredith, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Director Jon Hetrick, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau President Marc DeRose, Oak Ridge City Council member Rick Chinn, and Oak Ridge Rowing Association President Russell Byrd.

 

A $250,000 state grant announced Sunday will be used to help build an eighth lane at the Oak Ridge rowing course. And that’s expected to significantly increase the economic impact of rowing races, or regattas, officials said.

The eighth lane has been on the city’s wish list for years, and it will allow the Oak Ridge Rowing Association to compete for bigger races and international regattas and provide more on-water capacity, allowing more competitors in events like this weekend’s SIRA Regatta.

According to rough estimates, the eighth lane could cost about $350,000 total, said Oak Ridge City Council member Rick Chinn, the father of two former rowers and a rower himself. That means the City of Oak Ridge might have to contribute up to $100,000 to complete the project.

Tennessee Representative John Ragan, the Oak Ridge Republican who spearheaded the effort to get state funding, said the regional impact of the regattas in Oak Ridge is estimated at $13 million now, but it could increase to $33 million, according to a University of Tennessee study. [Read more…]

Frank, Gooch talk to Anderson County Tea Party on Tuesday

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Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Warren L. Gooch

Warren L. Gooch

The next monthly meeting of the Anderson County Tea Party will feature Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, at Clinton Church of God.

Frank and Gooch will discuss their goals for 2015 and the difficulties they see in reaching them, a press release said. [Read more…]

DA, public defender to discuss county justice system April 21

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Dave Clark

Dave Clark

Tom Marshall

Tom Marshall

League of Women Voters celebrates 69th birthday

Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark and Public Defender Tom Marshall will discuss the current status of the county’s justice system during Lunch with the League on Tuesday, April 21.

After their presentation, the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge will celebrate its 69th birthday. Everyone is invited to stay after the meeting or come at 1 p.m. to celebrate with cake and social time, a press release said.

The presentation by Clark and Marshall is scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Purchasing Department hosts inaugural Vendor Breakfast

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Purchasing Vendor Registry

Pictured from left are Anderson County Chamber of Commerce’s Norm Nelson, Anderson County Purchasing Department employees Karen Whaley, Toni Romero and Sheila Davis, Purchasing Agent Pamela Cotham, Mayor Terry Frank, and Vendor Registry’s Brian Strong. (Photo courtesy of Anderson County government)

 

CLINTON—On Tuesday, Anderson County Purchasing Agent Pamela Cotham and the Anderson County Purchasing Department hosted the inaugural Vendor Breakfast event.

Inspired by the City of Knoxville’s vendor events, the program was designed to educate local people and businesses on how to do business with Anderson County government, a press release said. Anderson County Purchasing partnered with both the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce and Vendor Registry to help spread the word, and also to answer questions. [Read more…]

2014 in Review: Accomplishments, continued improvement, but big challenges ahead 

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Chris Phillips and Terry Frank

Chris Phillips, left, director of Anderson County Accounts and Budgets, and County Mayor Terry Frank are pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

 

By Chris Phillips, director of Anderson County Accounts and Budgets, and County Mayor Terry Frank

We recently finished our Popular Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and we wanted to share a snapshot of Anderson County’s financial health. While there are many factors that go into evaluating our county’s overall ability to promote prosperity for the people of our county, our financial health as a county government has a direct impact on the lives of families who live here and the business and industry that operates here.

Noteworthy accomplishments from 2014: [Read more…]