Oak Ridge Today

Watson one of four finalists for Texas job; decision possible in late January

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson is one of four finalists for a similar job in one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, and officials there could hire someone near the end of January, an official said Monday.

Jon Branson, one of two assistant city managers in Pearland, Texas, said the City Council is tentatively scheduled to conduct some final interviews on or around Jan. 25, and officials hope to have a decision shortly afterward.

Pearland’s current city manager, Bill Eisen, is retiring at the end of the month after 12 years. Branson will be the interim city manager starting Jan. 1, and he will serve until the Pearland City Council hires a new city manager. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge announces election results for boards, commissions, Land Bank

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Oak Ridge has announced the results of the Dec. 16 special meeting to elect members of boards and commissions and a board of directors for a new Oak Ridge Land Bank.

Here are the results:

ELECTIONS—EXISTING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS [Read more…]

Signs installed for Top Secret Trail that stops in Oak Ridge

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Top Secret Trail Signs

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has recently installed signs for a new “top secret” 465-mile, self-guided driving trail that stops in Oak Ridge.

The brown signs were erected to direct visitors and curious local travelers along this important tourism route, a state press release said. They lead travelers to picturesque views in the Upper Cumberland and the “inside scoop on the state’s biggest secret.”

The Top Secret trail has 111 stops within Knox, Anderson, Campbell, Overton, Fentress, Morgan, Scott, Clay, Roane, and Pickett counties, giving visitors extensive history, culture, music, and cuisine experiences. The trail is part of the 16 Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways, an initiative by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, connecting Tennessee’s 95 counties to encourage guests to travel “off the beaten path” and to explore treasures of the state.

“Start the trip off at the site of the 1982 World’s Fair at World’s Fair Park, home to the world-famous Sunsphere, one of the only two remaining original fair structures,” the press release said. “Travel through the Upper Cumberland region, where guests can find out why Oak Ridge is considered Tennessee’s ‘secret city,’ the smallest library in the United States in Coalfield, and Tanners Café, Sundries & Antiques, housed in a 1906 bank that still has the original vault. Learn the history and culture of the region by stopping off at Old Union Meeting House, which is one of the oldest in the country and the Museum of Scott County, the only one of its kind created and curated by high school students. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge city manager being considered for job in Texas

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson is being considered for a job in Texas, three council members confirmed Thursday evening.

Watson is a finalist for a city manager position, and a decision could be made in January, Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan said.

The mayor said he hopes Watson, who started here in August 2010, stays in Oak Ridge.

“Mark Watson has been an outstanding city manager,” Beehan said. “He was a great hire.” [Read more…]

String of beer permit hearings ends with no action against three restaurants

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Lincoln's Sports Grille

The city’s beer board took no action against Lincoln’s Sports Grille on Monday, the board’s third show cause hearing of the year for the restaurant and bar on South Illinois Avenue.

The city’s beer board ended an unusual string of hearings for local restaurants and bars this year by taking no action in its last two meetings. Most of the hearings were called after establishments sold beer to a minor during a state sting in March, but a few were related to bar fights.

The final show cause hearing, held Monday, was called after a Nov. 2 fight at Lincoln’s Sports Grille on South Illinois Avenue. The fight started after a highly intoxicated North Carolina man who had refused to pay his bar bill “came after” a male acquaintance who volunteered to cover his tab, the restaurant manager and police officers said.

The previous two show cause hearings in November were for Aubrey’s and Ruby Tuesday, which both sold beer to a minor during a March 18 compliance check by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The two restaurants were among seven establishments cited for selling alcohol to a minor after that sting. The other five were Applebee’s, Hacienda DeGollado, Hidalgo, Lincoln’s, and Moose Lodge No. 1316. [Read more…]

City officials clash over Secret City Festival spending costs

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Rick Springfield at Secret City Festival

The Rick Springfield concert at the Secret City Festival in June was the largest ever for the annual festival, an organizer said.

Debate over the costs of the Secret City Festival—and whether the city can afford a $160,000 “party” every year—was briefly renewed again on Monday.

The sometimes-rancorous debate came up as the Oak Ridge City Council considered whether to approve two resolutions laying the financial foundation for the June 2014 festival.

Early in the debate, Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn moved to reallocate the Secret City Festival money and use it instead for a school resource officer in each middle school, or two SROs total.

But Council member Charlie Hensley said Baughn was essentially asking the city to take money it would collect from festival sponsors and use it instead for SROs.

“I think that’s fraudulent,” Hensley said. [Read more…]

Council agrees to buy car wash to build sewer system tank

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Mullins Car Wash

The Oak Ridge City Council has approved the purchase of Mullins Performance Car Wash in south Oak Ridge to allow the city to build a sewer system holding tank.

A car wash in south Oak Ridge could soon be replaced by a sewer system holding tank.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday voted 5-1 to buy the car wash, owned by businessman Terry Mulllins, for $125,000.

The land is at the southern gateway to Oak Ridge, near the intersection of Scarboro Road and South Illinois Avenue. The city agreed to buy the property so workers can place the proposed tank, officially called an equalization basin, farther away from the busy intersection and make it less visible. The intersection is used by thousands of drivers every day, including workers at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The tank is one of three equalization basins that the city plans to build in order to comply with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency order that requires Oak Ridge to repair all sewer system overflows by September 2015. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge’s first dog park now open

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PetSafe Big Turtle Park Dog Park

The city’s first dog park is now open at Big Turtle Park in west Oak Ridge. Officials and pet owners celebrated with a ribbon-cutting on Monday.

The city’s first dog park is now open at Big Turtle Park in west Oak Ridge. Officials and pet owners celebrated with a ribbon-cutting on Monday.

The dog park has been planned for five years. It was made possible by a $100,000 donation by Radio Systems Corp.

The PetSafe Dog Park features include separate fenced areas for small dogs and large dogs, benches, water fountains, and a shade structure.

Community members and their dogs joined city officials and representatives from Radio Systems Corp. and PetSafe at a dedication ceremony on Monday morning to mark completion of the new park.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Temporary road closures on Georgia, Delaware avenues for sewer work

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The Oak Ridge gravity wastewater collection system will be under construction during the week of Dec. 9. Georgia Avenue and Delaware Avenue will be closed for the duration of the work. Hurst Excavating will be working under contract with the city to complete rehabilitation work.

Georgia Avenue between Tennessee Avenue and Outer Drive will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 10, to through traffic to allow the contractor to replace an existing sanitary sewer main line located at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Gorgus Lane. The closure is expected to take two days. Local traffic may access residences in the area. Kentucky Avenue to the east of Georgia Avenue or Florida Avenue located to the east may be used as detours.

Delaware Avenue will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 10, for approximately eight hours. A gravity sewer line will be repaired located on Delaware Avenue at its intersection with Dixie Lane. Local traffic may access their residences; however, California Avenue is recommended as a detour for through traffic. The schedule is subject to change in case of bad weather. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge officials warn of utility billing scam

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Oak Ridge officials on Wednesday warned of a utility bill scam happening in the area.

In the scam, a customer receives a call from a person claiming to be from the utility calling about missed payments, a press release said. The caller threatens to cut off utilities unless payment is made immediately.

In some cases, the caller will accept a credit card number, bank routing and account number, or other payment information on the phone, while in others an accomplice will appear at the customer’s door to collect the payment. [Read more…]

Dog park ribbon cutting is Monday

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Oak Ridge Dog Park Entrance

The city will have a ribbon-cutting for the new dog park at Big Turtle Park in west Oak Ridge on Monday. Above, the park is pictured under construction in October.

The city will have a ribbon-cutting for the new dog park at Big Turtle Park in west Oak Ridge on Monday.

The ribbon-cutting is at 11:30 a.m. Monday.

Construction has been under way since this summer at the city’s first dog park, which is being built with help from a $100,000 donation from Radio Systems Corp. through Legacy Parks.

The park is roughly one acre, and it includes one fenced-in field for small dogs and another for all dogs, said Jon Hetrick, Oak Ridge Parks Division supervisor. [Read more…]

Youth Board buys Christmas gifts through Mission of Hope

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Youth Advisory Board and Mission of Hope

Pictured above from left to right are Abby Douglas, Lara de Almedia, Ellie Brown, Wes Robinson, Koren Foglesanger, Jared Galloway, Candace Pang, Shichen Zhang, Ricky Goyette, Peter Magill, Laura Skipper, Shelby Chambers, Curtis Rookard, Lauren Collier, Megan Peters, Caroline Bradshaw, Lewis Wang, Ashley Riedy, Shane Harris, and Esten Dunn. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board members recently agreed to spend time and money Christmas shopping at Kmart for area children through Mission of Hope.

The board raises funds at events throughout the year to make this possible and spent $1,639.78 on gifts, a press release said.

The YAB would like to encourage other student groups and families to consider holiday projects that help those in need, while also reminding everyone to shop in Oak Ridge this holiday season, the press release said.

For more information about the Youth Advisory Board, visit www.orrecparks.com or contact Matt Reedy at (865) 425-3442.