Oak Ridge Today

TBI: Man reportedly pointed gun at officers before they fatally shot him

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Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark, center, talks to the media after a fatal shooting involving officers on West Broad Street near the city limits of north Clinton on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019. Also pictured are Anderson County Sheriff Russell Barker, left, and Clinton Police Chief Vaughn Becker, right. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 12 p.m. Aug. 15.

CLINTON—A man who was reported to be suicidal had reportedly pointed a gun at officers before they fired their guns, fatally striking him, during a standoff with police near the city limits of north Clinton on Tuesday evening, authorities said.

On Wednesday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified the man as Jerry Orlando Weaver, 51, of Clinton.

A 911 caller had reported a suicidal man with a firearm in the 600 block of West Broad Street at about 5:40 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. The man was reported to be near the roadway with a gun, according to the TBI, which is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

The Clinton Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, and Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force responded. There were reported to be more than a dozen officers at the site. There was a standoff of about 15 to 20 minutes, said Dave Clark, district attorney general in the Seventh Judicial District in Anderson County.

When they arrived, officers made contact with the man, who was threatening to harm himself, the TBI said.

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TBI investigating officer-involved shooting in Clinton

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The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Clinton.

The shooting was reported in the 600 block of West Broad Street in Clinton, and agents are there, the TBI said.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Updated: Man identified in drowning at Bull Run Park

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Note: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. Aug. 15.

A person was pulled from the water at Bull Run Park in a possible drowning on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

The man was identified on Wednesday as Anthony Wayne Daniels, 45, of Clinton.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the park at about 8:10 a.m. Tuesday, said Tyler Mayes, ACSO director of administrative services.

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TVA creating community group for Bull Run Fossil Plant, looking for volunteers

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The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Bull Run Fossil Plant is pictured above in Claxton on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Tennessee Valley Authority is seeking volunteers as it creates a Community Action Group for the Bull Run Fossil Plant in Claxton.

The volunteers could focus on issues related to TVA’s management of the plant, an email notice said.

“TVA is committed to doing the right thing to handle the legacy of coal generation and ensuring the safety of the workforce and the communities where TVA has or had fossil plants,” the notice said. “As part of its commitment to safety and best practices to protect its workers and local residents, TVA is creating a Community Action Group for the facility (Bull Run).”

According to the notice, the core responsibilities of this volunteer group will be to:

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NNSA signs $600 million contract to build its first exascale supercomputer

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Image courtesy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

The National Nuclear Security Administration has signed a $600 million contract with Cray Inc. to build the first exascale supercomputer for the NNSA at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.

It is one of three exascale systems to be built at U.S. Department of Energy or NNSA laboratories. The other two exascale machines will be at DOE laboratories: Aurora at Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago and Frontier at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

ORNL currently has the most powerful supercomputer in the world, Summit, and LLNL has the second-fastest, Sierra. They are both petaflop systems. Summit is capable of 200 petaflops, or 200,000 trillion calculations per second.

All three of the new exascale supercomputers will be built by Cray using their Shasta architecture, Slingshot interconnect, and new system software platform, the NNSA said in a press release Tuesday.

An exascale computer will be able to solve calculations up to 50 times faster than today’s top supercomputers, exceeding a quintillion, or 1018, calculations per second. That’s a billion billion calculations per second.

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YWCA receives funding to advocate for domestic violence victims in Anderson, Roane, Loudon

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The YWCA building is pictured above on Oak Ridge Turnpike. (Submitted photo)

Note: This story was updated at 1:50 p.m.

The YWCA has received funding that will expand its victim advocacy services to families with a history of domestic violence and who work with the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services East Region in Anderson, Loudon, and Roane counties.

The award—$179,795 during a three-year period—was received by YWCA Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley.

The DCS liaison victim advocate will be co-located at the YWCA’s Oak Ridge location and the DCS East Region site in Anderson County, a press release said.

YWCA is one of only four organizations across the state to receive Victims of Crime Act funding from the Tennessee Office of Criminal Justice Programs, the press release said.

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Volunteers needed for new MyRide Oak Ridge Senior Transportation Program

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MyRide-Oak-Ridge-Training-Session
A training session for MyRide Oak Ridge Senior Transportation Program is pictured above at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The new MyRide Oak Ridge Senior Transportation Program is hosting its third Volunteer Driver Information and Training Session from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, August 17, at the Oak Ridge Senior Center.

MyRide Oak Ridge began with a “soft launch” in the spring and provided its first ride on April 12, a press release said. Through the program, volunteers will use their personal vehicles to drive seniors to doctor appointments, grocery stores, pharmacies, and other essential destinations.

The program allows seniors to keep some of their independence while still participating in social activities like going to church, playing bingo at the Senior Center, or volunteering, the press release said.

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UCOR, Pellissippi State present East Tennessee Small Business Diversity Summit on Tuesday

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Small businesses in East Tennessee are invited to attend a half-day summit on Tuesday to gather tools and tips on building a more diverse, inclusive work force, a press release said.

“Because of their mutual commitment to workforce development, UCOR and Pellissippi State Community College are offering a free program featuring speakers from global companies providing insights on diversity,” the press release said.

Pellissippi State President Anthony Wise and UCOR President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Rueter will open the event, the East Tennessee Small Business Diversity Summit. The morning’s key speaker is Pat Harris, former global chief diversity officer and vice president of community engagement for McDonald’s Corporation. Harris led the evolution of McDonald’s diversity and inclusion function and has documented that experience in her book “None of Us is As Good As All of Us: How McDonald’s Prospers by Embracing Inclusion and Diversity.” 

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Roane State students win bronze medals at SkillsUSA national competition

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Roane State Skills_usa Competition

Roane State Community College’s Cory Watson and Dylan Tipton (cybersecurity) and Kevin Spakes (programming) won bronze medals in the SkillsUSA national competition this summer. From left are Spakes, Watson, professor George Meghabghab, and Tipton. (Photo by Roane State)

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

Competing for the first time on a national stage, three Roane State Community College students won two bronze medals at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

Kevin Spakes, who graduated in May and had a full-time internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, won his honor for programming, while Cory Watson and Dylan Tipton took home the bronze for cybersecurity.

Watson also interned full-time at ORNL after his graduation in May, while Tipton is a rising sophomore at Roane State.

The 2019 National SkillsUSA conference was held in June in Louisville, Kentucky, and some 6,500 students from across the country competed. [Read more…]

Rocky Top woman allegedly started fire at home with children inside

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Sharon Lee Braden
Sharon Lee Braden

A Rocky Top woman allegedly started a fire at a home north of Clinton with an adult and two children inside in June, and she was arrested Monday, authorities said.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said Sharon Lee Braden, 48, of Rocky Top, was arrested on charges of aggravated arson, three counts of aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment. Those charges are related to a June fire at a home on Offutt Road, which is east of Lake City Highway (Highway 25/State Route 9) between Clinton and Rocky Top.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sean Flynn issued arrest warrants as a result of evidence collected during his investigation and statements made by an eyewitness, a press release said.

“The witness reported that he saw Braden start the fire, and when he approached her, she fled,” the press release said.

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Roane State’s Technology Building renamed for Sen. Ken Yager

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Roane State Community College Technology Building

The Technology Building at Roane State Community College’s main campus in Harriman has been renamed in honor of Tennessee Sen. Ken Yager. (Photo by Roane State)

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

One of the first buildings constructed on Roane State Community College’s Roane County campus has been renamed in honor of a lifelong public servant who is now a state senator.

The Tennessee Board of Regents has approved the community college’s request to rename the 41-year-old Technology Building the Ken Yager Building.

“Senator Yager has been an advocate for Roane State students for many years, as Roane County Executive, as a Roane State faculty member and dean, and now as a member of the Tennessee General Assembly,” Roane State President Chris Whaley said. [Read more…]

Kimmelman to be remembered with state proclamation, tribute on Friday

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Mira Kimmelman accepts an award from Hadassah. (Submitted photo)

Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally will present a state proclamation in honor of Mira Kimmelman on Friday, August 16. The presentation will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge.

Jinx Watson will receive the proclamation from McNally and give a tribute to Kimmelman as her longtime friend and fellow educator, a press release said.

Following the program will be a Friday night service and then a potluck meal, the press release said.

“The public is invited to attend this celebration of Mira and the community potluck following the service,” the release said. [Read more…]