Oak Ridge Today

Police raising money for Officer Winningham for medical bills, other expenses

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Winninghams

Chris Winningham is a veteran member of the Oak Ridge Police Department, but he’s currently on leave and unable to work for an undetermined amount of time due to complications with pneumonia and pleurisy, friends say.

Officer Winningham has also been diagnosed with an enlarged heart and diabetes, and doctors are concerned that he may be going into congestive heart failure, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help raise money for his family.

The diagnoses affecting Officer Winningham come on the heels of the loss of his daughter Courtney to cancer in January, the page said. [Read more…]

Man accused of waving pistol at bystanders charged with aggravated assault

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Deshon Marquece Meadow

Deshon Marquece Meadow

An Oak Ridge man accused of waving a pistol at bystanders on Utica Circle on Monday night has been charged with seven counts of aggravated assault, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Police Department responded to the Utica Circle Apartments at about 11:23 p.m. Monday, April 6, in response to a complaint of a man threatening others with a firearm, a press release said.

“Upon arrival, officers found Deshon Meadow on the premises waving a pistol at bystanders,” the City of Oak Ridge release said. [Read more…]

Four charged with aggravated robbery in alleged plot to steal rent money

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Raymond R. Gray

Raymond R. Gray

Four young Oak Ridge adults have been charged with aggravated robbery and criminal conspiracy in an alleged plot to rob a woman for rent money, authorities said.

The alleged armed robbery occurred on Highland Avenue at about midnight April 1, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Ben Higgins said in warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

The victim said three men who had their faces covered had robbed her at gunpoint and fled in a black Chevy sedan, the warrants said. The victim followed them north on Highland Avenue. [Read more…]

With help from neighbors, woman escapes home fire as attic burns

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Riverview Drive Garage Fire

An east Oak Ridge woman who uses a walker was able to escape this duplex fire on Riverview Drive on Tuesday afternoon, thanks to help from her neighbors. (Photo by Bob Nuspliger)

 

This story was last updated at 6:40 p.m.

An east Oak Ridge woman who uses a walker was able to escape from her home as her attic burned Tuesday afternoon thanks to help from her neighbors.

The woman, Barbara Osborne, was not injured, although two firefighters who were overheated were treated, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said. He said the firefighters, Captain Mike Friley and firefighter Casey Payne, were working close to the fire, near a lot of radiant heat.

Firefighters were also looking for a female cat, Honey, that belonged to the Osbornes.

The duplex they live in on Riverview Drive was destroyed, Kerley said.

The cause of the fire, which appeared to have started in the attic in the garage area of the home, wasn’t immediately known. It took between 16 and 18 firefighters about 45 minutes to extinguish the fire, which burned intensely over the garage on a windy Tuesday afternoon. [Read more…]

After anonymous tip, Oak Ridge police arrest man wanted by U.S. Marshals

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Desmond Slater

Desmond Slater

After receiving an anonymous tip, the Oak Ridge Police Department arrested a man who was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Desmond Slater was wanted for violation of his federal supervised release, a City of Oak Ridge press release said. His original charge was being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The ORPD received an anonymous tip on Slater’s whereabouts at about 6 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, the press release said. [Read more…]

Man charged with attempted first-degree murder in March 23 shooting

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Asante Devon Harris

Asante Devon Harris

Note: This story was last updated at 11:42 a.m.

A 23-year-old Oak Ridge man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder for an alleged shooting in the Scarboro neighborhood on March 23.

Asante Devon Harris allegedly used a handgun to shoot at his ex-girlfriend on South Dillard Avenue at about 9:45 a.m. Monday, March 23, according to an arrest warrant filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

The warrant said the ex-girlfriend was not hit, and the Oak Ridge Police Department said last week that no injuries were reported. [Read more…]

ORFD: Sign up for CodeRed Severe Weather Alert System

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Oak Ridge Fire Department

The Oak Ridge Fire Department is encouraging home and business owners to commit to being a leader for weather readiness by signing up on the CodeRed Severe Weather Alert System.

The system is designed to help spread the word about severe weather and make employees and members of the community better prepared, a press release said.

“Know the risks, take action, and be an example by signing up,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Firefighters train in controlled burn at home on Waddell Place

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Waddell Place Fire

Oak Ridge firefighters trained at a controlled burn at a city-owned home on Waddell Place on Friday. (Photo by Kevin Rice)

 

Oak Ridge firefighters trained in a controlled burn in a home on Waddell Place on Friday.

It’s the second house that firefighters have burned on Waddell Place this year. The first, which was burned in January, was the first that the Oak Ridge Fire Department has burned for training.

The city has one more blighted city-owned home that it could burn on Waddell Place.

The fires require state approval, and they help the city by training firefighters and burning materials that would otherwise have to be demolished and hauled away.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Council rejects ORPD investigation proposals, approves MTAS review

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Oak Ridge City Council on Feb. 9, 2015

On Friday, March 27, the Oak Ridge City Council agreed to use the Municipal Technical Advisory Service at the University of Tennessee to conduct a 30-day review of turnover, morale, and administrative policies in the Oak Ridge Police Department. (File photo)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:30 p.m. March 30.

Despite calls for an investigation, the Oak Ridge City Council on Friday approved a proposal from a University of Tennessee agency to review—rather than investigate—the Oak Ridge Police Department, focusing on turnover, morale, and administrative policies.

A series of motions by City Council member Trina Baughn, who has pushed hardest for an investigation of the ORPD and its police chief, were rejected. Among other things, Baughn’s proposals would have required all Police Department employees to spend at least 10 minutes with the investigator, regardless of whether they wanted to say anything; sought to interview all former workers who have left since May 2011, when Police Chief Jim Akagi was hired; given those interviewed a chance to participate in a “no confidence” vote against the chief; and look into Akagi’s previous history, including his prior employment with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Council also rejected a motion by Baughn to investigate the allegations included in a grievance filed by a former police officer and claims made in letters by former officers.

The 30-day review that was approved Friday was first proposed as a general concept by Oak Ridge City Council member Kelly Callison during a February meeting, with more detail added since then.

[Read more…]

Early morning fire damages duplex, possibly caused by cigarette

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Hillside Road Duplex Fire

A Hillside Road duplex was damaged by fire early Thursday morning by a fire that officials believe was caused by smoking.

 

A Hillside Road duplex was damaged by fire early Thursday morning by a fire that officials believe was caused by smoking.

The fire at 4:30 a.m. Thursday at 136 Hillside Road forced the evacuation of a father and son. Neither of the residents were injured, and firefighters were able to rescue a pet cat, a City of Oak Ridge press release said.

Fire was visible from the rear of the residence when the Oak Ridge Fire Department arrived, the press release said. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading into the adjacent residence.

[Read more…]

Council to consider reviewing, investigating ORPD in special meeting Friday

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Oak Ridge City Council on Feb. 9, 2015

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, Feb. 9, agreed to a third-party review of turnover and morale in the Oak Ridge Police Department but rejected requests for two other probes. On Friday, March 27, the Council could consider reviewing or investigating the ORPD—there has been a dispute over which term to use—placing the police chief on administrative leave, or accepting a proposal from the Municipal Technical Advisory Service to conduct a 30-day review. (File photo)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider whether to review or investigate the Oak Ridge Police Department during a special meeting on Friday, March 27. The Council will also consider whether to place the police chief on administrative leave during the investigation, if one is conducted.

City Council members Trina Baughn and Rick Chinn called for the special meeting earlier this month, and it was set for this Friday, March 27. Baughn and Chinn asked to set the parameters of an investigation and possibly select an investigator during the special meeting. They also asked to discuss and possibly vote on placing the police chief on administrative leave during the investigation.

Once it became clear that the special meeting would be called, Council members Ellen Smith and Charlie Hensley asked to consider selecting a reviewer to conduct the police review, as opposed to an investigation, approved in February. [Read more…]

ORPD responds to reports of lockdown, active shooter; no shooter found

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Oak Ridge Police Department Logo

The Oak Ridge Police Department responded to a Jackson Square office that had been locked down on Thursday morning because of reports of an active shooter, but officers could find no signs of one, a press release said.

The office lockdown was reported at about 11:10 a.m. Thursday, March 26, at the Jacobs Engineering offices on Broadway Avenue. The ORPD received several calls that the offices were locked because of an active shooter, the release said. [Read more…]