Oak Ridge Today

Planet Fitness could open July 30

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Planet Fitness is building a gym in Oak Ridge in part of the former Kmart store on South Illinois Avenue. Construction is pictured above on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Planet Fitness gym in Oak Ridge is tentatively scheduled to open July 30, the company said Wednesday.

“The 27,000-square-foot Oak Ridge club will offer state-of-the-art cardio machines and strength equipment, 30-Minute Express Circuit, fully equipped locker rooms with day lockers and showers, and numerous flat screen televisions,” according to a response to questions provided by Josh Gerber, vice president of marketing for PF Growth Partners LLC in Timonium, Maryland. “The club will also have a signature Black Card Spa area that will feature HydroMassage beds, massage chairs, tanning beds, a Total Body Enhancement booth and more.”

The club will be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the company said. People can begin signing up online starting June 10, Planet Fitness said.

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DosBros Fresh Mexican Grill opening in Oak Ridge

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DosBros Fresh Mexican Grill is opening a restaurant in a shopping center on South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge. The shopping center is pictured above on Thursday, May 22, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

DosBros Fresh Mexican Grill is opening a restaurant in Oak Ridge.

The restaurant could open in August, the company said in a response to a customer question on its Facebook page.

It appears that the restaurant will be located where the former Chipotle Mexican Grill was on South Illinois Avenue, according to a photo posted by DosBros Fresh Mexican Grill. That is in a shopping center next to Great Clips, Fast Pace Urgent Medical Care, Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries, and Aspen Dental.

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Planet Fitness building gym in Oak Ridge

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Planet Fitness is building a gym in Oak Ridge in part of the former Kmart store on South Illinois Avenue. Construction is pictured above on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: We have posted a second story here with more information about the new gym, which is tentatively scheduled to open July 30.

Planet Fitness is building a gym in Oak Ridge.

The new gym will be in part of the former Kmart store on South Illinois Avenue.

The new gym has been announced on the company’s website, which says the Oak Ridge fitness club is coming soon.

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NRC still reviewing early site permit for Clinch River Nuclear Site

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Clinch-River-Site-Bear-Creek-Road-Entrance-March-27-2016
The small nuclear reactors that could be built along the Clinch River could provide enough electricity to power several cities the size of Oak Ridge. The Bear Creek Road entrance to the Clinch River Site, where the reactors could be built by the Tennessee Valley Authority, is pictured above on Sunday, March 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still reviewing a permit application for a site in west Oak Ridge where two or more small modular nuclear reactors could be built.

The application for the early site permit for the Clinch River Nuclear Site was submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority on May 12, 2016. The application was supplemented by a revision on January 18, 2019, the NRC said in a notice published in the Federal Register on Friday.

The 935-acre Clinch River Nuclear Site is located in the Roane County portion of Oak Ridge along the Clinch River.

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For members: With no increase, AC schools budget could have $1.4 million in cuts

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Without a tax rate increase or other new revenues, the Anderson County Schools budget could include more than $1.4 million in cuts, compared to last year, school officials said during an Anderson County Board of Education meeting on Thursday, May 16, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

CLINTON—Without a tax rate increase or other new revenues, the Anderson County Schools budget could include more than $1.4 million in cuts, compared to last year, school officials said Thursday.

There are already $650,000 in cuts included in the budget, according to information presented by Tim Parrott, director of Anderson County Schools, during an Anderson County Board of Education meeting on Thursday. That budget, which the school board approved last month, would have required about $820,000 in new revenue, said Scott Gillenwaters, chair of the school board’s Budget Committee.

Without a tax rate increase or other new revenues, the Anderson County Schools budget could include more than $1.4 million in cuts, compared to last year, school officials said during an Anderson County Board of Education meeting on Thursday, May 16, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

CLINTON—Without a tax rate increase or other new revenues, the Anderson County Schools budget could include more than $1.4 million in cuts, compared to last year, school officials said Thursday.

The cuts could include reductions in elementary school, middle school, and high school positions, and Central Office, technology, custodial, and maintenance staff; cuts to materials and supplies, and band equipment at the high schools; not finishing the gymnasium at Grand Oaks Elementary School; cutting a full-time nurse, high school coaching supplements, and a school resource officer vehicle; and reductions to transportation safety, special education assistants, and City of Rocky Top field maintenance, among a long list of potential cuts.

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Oak Ridge soccer season ends at Farragut

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Oak Ridge lost 3-0 at Farragut in a Region 2-AAA semifinal soccer game on Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Pictured above making a save is Oak Ridge goalkeeper Bryson Brown (1). Also pictured is Demarcus Wright (12) of Oak Ridge and Zach Lowe (6) of Farragut. (Photo credit: Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com)

FARRAGUT—Farragut senior Wes Jeter scored a hat trick—three goals—as the Admirals eliminated Oak Ridge from the soccer playoffs in a 3-0 regional semifinal shutout on Tuesday.

It was the second year in a row that the Wildcats’ season ended in a Region 2-AAA semifinal loss at Farragut, although last year’s score was closer, 3-2.

Jeter scored his first goal in the first half on Tuesday. He scored his next two goals about three minutes apart halfway through the second half. Jeter scored the second goal as he curled into the middle of the field from the left side and drilled a line drive shot past diving Oak Ridge goalkeeper Bryson Brown. Farragut scored its last goal after passing the ball from left to right near the net and then back out front to Jeter, a senior forward, who kicked in another low shot.

The Admirals have been described as a senior-laden team, while the Wildcats have had a lot of young players this year. Four to five freshman started most of the year, with some sophomores sprinkled in.

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Soccer: Wildcats finish second in district, play in region semifinal today

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Oak Ridge played Karns in the District 3-AAA boys soccer championship at Karns on Thursday, May 9, 2019. Pictured above at center is Oak Ridge’s Nathan Kidder (9). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 4:10 p.m.

KARNS—Oak Ridge and Karns met for the second year in a row in the District 3-AAA championship, and the Beavers won for the second year in a row.

Last year is the first time that anyone can remember Karns winning the district soccer championship. That game was played at Oak Ridge, and Karns won 3-2.

This year’s game was played at Karns on Thursday, and the Beavers shut out Oak Ridge 3-0.

Senior striker Edson Castro, who scored the game-winner for Karns last year, scored the first two goals for the Beavers on Thursday. Castro, the leading scorer for Karns, also assisted in the third and final goal.

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Highly enriched uranium from UK brought to Y-12 for secure storage

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The Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above. (Photo courtesy CNS Y-12)

Note: This story was updated at 9:15 a.m.

Almost 700 kilograms of highly enriched uranium has been moved from the United Kingdom to the United States, and the material is being securely stored at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge for now, federal officials said.

The National Nuclear Security Administration said this month that the highly enriched uranium, or HEU, will be down-blended later into low enriched uranium for use as nuclear reactor fuel.

“The material was returned to Y-12 for secure storage awaiting future disposition,” the NNSA said in a statement provided Friday by Steven Wyatt of the NNSA Production Office in Oak Ridge.

Wyatt said Y-12 supported the removal effort, which was announced by the NNSA on May 3, through technical oversight and guidance of the processing and packaging of material.

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Council approves revised Main Street plan

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The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, May 13, 2019, will consider the revised plan for Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

Note: This story was updated at 11:20 a.m. May 14.

After rejecting an earlier version, the Oak Ridge City Council voted 6-1 on Monday to approve the latest version of the revised plan for Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The vote during a regular meeting in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom on Monday was the first of two readings, or votes. The second vote could take place during a special meeting on Tuesday, May 21.

The approval on Monday occurred four months after Council rejected an earlier version of the plan in a 3-4 vote in January. Since then, a new revised plan has been submitted to the city, and there have been additional discussions between city officials and RealtyLink, the South Carolina developer. In April, the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission recommended 7-1 that the new plan, which is similar to the earlier plan, be approved with some conditions.

The revised plan is being considered as RealtyLink prepares to welcome a second wave of tenants to the site, which is in central Oak Ridge. It would be the second phase of the project, and it could include 90,000 square feet of new retail buildings, an open space near the Belk store, and new sidewalks and crosswalks. It could also include a bus drop-off area near the relocated American Museum of Science and Energy.

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Council to consider revised Main Street plan

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The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, May 13, 2019, will consider the revised plan for Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider the revised plan for Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

An earlier version of the revised plan was rejected by Council in a 3-4 vote in January. But since then, a new revised plan has been submitted to the city. In April, the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission recommended 7-1 that the new plan, which is similar to the earlier plan, be approved with some conditions.

The revised plan is being considered as RealtyLink, the South Carolina developer, prepares to welcome a second wave of tenants to the site, which is in central Oak Ridge. It would be the second phase of the project, and it could include 90,000 square feet of new retail buildings, an open space near the Belk store, and new sidewalks and crosswalks. It could also include a bus drop-off area near the relocated American Museum of Science and Energy.

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DOE: New $600 million supercomputer at ORNL will be world’s most powerful

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Pictured above from left during an announcement for the Frontier supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, are Energy Secretary Rick Perry; ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia; Peter Ungaro, Cray president and chief executive officer; and Lisa Su, AMD president and CEO. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 3 p.m. May 21.

The U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday announced a contract with Cray Inc. to build the Frontier supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It is expected to be the world’s most powerful supercomputer when it debuts in 2021.

The contract with Cray is valued at more than $600 million for the system and technology development, a press release said.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry was at ORNL on Tuesday morning to make the announcement.

“This is a big deal,” Perry said. “Frontier’s record-breaking performance will ensure our country’s ability to lead the world in science that improves the lives and economic prosperity of all Americans and the entire world. Frontier will accelerate innovation in AI (artificial intelligence) by giving American researchers world-class data and computing resources to ensure the next great inventions are made in the United States.”

Besides the supercomputing announcement on Tuesday, Perry also delivered the keynote speech at InnovationXLab: Advanced Manufacturing Summit at ORNL.

Frontier is expected to perform at greater than 1.5 exaflops. It will be able to solve calculations up to 50 times faster than today’s top supercomputers, exceeding a quintillion, or 1018, calculations per second, the press release said. That’s a billion billion calculations per second.

Oak Ridge Today has previously reported that Frontier would be built at ORNL. But the contract with Cray and its value and the specific performance estimate of more than 1.5 exaflops are all new announcements. The contract award includes technology development funding, a center of excellence, several early-delivery systems, the main Frontier system, and multi-year systems support. The Frontier system is expected to be delivered in 2021, and acceptance is expected in 2022. 

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For members: Drug case involved thousands of pills, overseas apprehension, possible deportation

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Moshin Agha

CLINTON—A drug case that started with an online search for Xanax ended with a police search that found more than 10,000 pills in an Anderson County home, an overseas apprehension, three plea deals, and a possible deportation.

The third and final plea deal was entered during a hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton late Friday morning. The defendant, who had been brought to the United States after being detained at an airport in Dubai in July, wants to be deported, his attorney said.

CLINTON—A drug case that started with an online search for Xanax ended with a police search that found more than 10,000 pills in an Anderson County home, an overseas apprehension, three plea deals, and a possible deportation.

The third and final plea deal was entered during a hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton late Friday morning. The defendant, who had been brought to the United States after being detained at an airport in Dubai in July, wants to be deported, his attorney said.

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or recent contributor to Oak Ridge Today.  Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here. Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here: Basic

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If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to: Oak Ridge Today P.O. Box 6064 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 Note: Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. Some are considered premium content. This story is premium content. Premium content can include in-depth, investigative, and exclusive stories.