Oak Ridge Today

Canceled: Atomic Dash Splash 5K & Family Fun Run

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department has been forced to cancel a fundraising event and 5K family fun run planned for Saturday, March 31, due to low registration numbers.

Aquatics staff made the decision on Monday, March 19, and began notifying all those who had registered or expressed interest in the event, a press release said.

“We apologize for any inconvenience the cancellation may cause and hope to host a similar event in the future,” the press release said.

Please contact aquatics manager Vonda Wooten for additional information at (865) 425-3441 or by email at vwooten@oakridgetn.gov.

Researcher to discuss mussels in the Clinch River on Thursday, March 22

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Tennessee Citizens for Wildnerness Planning

Longtime mussel researcher Steve Ahlstedt will present a program on mussels in the Clinch River on Thursday, March 22. The program will start at 7 p.m. in the Oak Ridge Civic Center Social Room.

Ahlstedt, a native New Yorker who came south to work for the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1974, began his career as an aquatic biologist, specializing in aquatic insects. Over several years, he developed an interest in freshwater mussels and soon became the principal malacologist for the agency, a press release said. He conducted surveys on many of the streams in the Tennessee River Watershed and was instrumental in initiating a transplanting program for imperiled mussel species.

Steve worked for many years at TVA before transferring to the United States Geological Survey, where he finished his government career.

He still works in the freshwater mussel field, contracting his services over a large area of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and Ohio, and is active in mussel restoration projects. His passion has always been the Clinch and Powell Rivers. Steve is recognized as one of the foremost mussel experts in the Tennessee Valley Region and beyond, the press release said.

Atomic City swimmers compete in regional, Southeastern championships

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Pictured above from left to right are Logan Hall, Abigail King, Tais Brown, Mason Fischer, and Coach Andy Wagner as they prepare for upcoming swims. (Submitted photo)

Pictured above from left to right are Logan Hall, Abigail King, Tais Brown, Mason Fischer, and Coach Andy Wagner as they prepare for upcoming swims. (Submitted photo)

 

By Chip Fischer

Atomic City Aquatic Club swimmers recently began their short course championship season, competing in two important swim meets. The first was the 2018 Southeastern Region Championships, which is a last opportunity to make cuts for the 2018 Southeastern Championships. An elite contingent of team swimmers recently attended that meet. The swimmers performed well at both meets and made ACAC proud.

At the regional championships, 40 swimmers competed. Landon Hall (8) made Southeasterns in five events and bonus in one, winning five races. Logan Hall (11) made Southeasterns in five races and won three. Aydan Skelton (10) made Southeasterns in six events and bonus cuts in four, winning one and coming in second in four. Stephen Zhukov (11) made Southeasterns in seven events, bonus in two, and won one and took second in four.

Other swimmers at Regionals also excelled. Abigail King (13) and Mason Fischer (13) made a Southeastern cut in the 1650 Free. Esther Gallmeier (17) achieved Southeasterns in the 100 and 200 Breast. Katharina Gallmeier (17) made a Southeastern in the 200 Breast and bonus in the 100 Breast. Paul Greene (14) made Southeasterns in the 100 Breast and bonus in the 200 Breast. Alexander Greenhalgh (17) made Southeasterns in the 100 Breast, which he also won. Creed Loy (13) made Southeasterns in the 200 Breast. Sidney Ozcan (13) made two bonus cuts. Savannah Miniard (12) made one bonus cut. Andrew Chou (11) made a bonus cut. [Read more…]

Atomic Dash Splash 5K & Family Fun Run on March 31

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Image by City of Oak Ridge

Image by City of Oak Ridge

 

The aquatic staff of the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will be hosting a fundraising event and 5K family fun run on Saturday, March 31, beginning at 9 a.m. in Melton Lake Park.

Guests are asked to wear their best luau or pool attire and join us for a morning filled with music, food, bounce houses, raffle drawings, and a 5K and 1-mile walk/run, a press release said.

“Bring the family and enjoy a day at the park while helping raise money for the new outdoor pool slide,” the press release said. Registration for the event is now open online at http://bit.ly/AtomicDashSplash. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has Father-Daughter Hike this month

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s monthly hike for February will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue. (Photo courtesy University of Tennessee Arboretum Society)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s monthly hike for February will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue. (Photo courtesy University of Tennessee Arboretum Society)

 

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s monthly hike for February will be held Saturday, February 17, at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue. The hike is scheduled to start at 9 a.m.

In 2018, the UT Arboretum Society is offering a monthly hike on the third Saturday of each month. For the ninth year, the Arboretum is showcasing the February hike as the Father-Daughter Hike, but everyone, regardless of age, is welcome on this hike, a press release said.

“We encourage grandfathers to bring their granddaughters, uncles to bring their nieces, older brothers to bring their young sisters, etc.,” the press release said. “This is a great winter occasion to spend some quality time outdoors and to learn about the UT Arboretum’s trails. We’re all tired of the cold weather, so why not come out an enjoy some exercise?”

This is a short trail hike (one to 1.5 hours), the press release said. [Read more…]

Centennial Golf Course names new general manager

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Mike Callender (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Mike Callender (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The City of Oak Ridge has completed its management transition at Centennial Golf Course and has announced the new general manager: Mike Callender.

Callender has 18 years of experience in the golf industry, a City of Oak Ridge press release said. He is a certified Class A PGA Professional with 10 years as a head professional and is certified in golf operations, the release said.

“I am very excited to make Centennial Golf Course the place to go in East Tennessee, not just for golf, but also for business meetings, casual outings, and eventually dining,” Callender said.

“Our goal is to establish Centennial as one of the premier public golf courses in the region, and the addition of Mike Callender to the team as general manager will help us get there,” Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said. “With his leadership and the ongoing reinvestment by the city, we are now poised to provide a quality experience for all golfers in the greater Knoxville region.” [Read more…]

Owner/director of Pierce Physical Therapy giving talks to seniors; first talk today on winter exercise

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Ray Pierce, owner and director of Pierce Physical Therapy, in conjunction with the Oak Ridge Senior Center, will be giving informative talks for seniors throughout the year of 2018. A talk will be given every third Thursday of the month.

The first talk will be on Thursday, January 25, at 10:30 a.m. The title of the talk is “The Importance of Winter Exercise.”

For more information, please call the Oak Ridge Senior Center at (865) 425-3999.

New session of free exercise class starts Tuesday at Senior Center

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Pierce Physical Therapy

The Oak Ridge Senior Center, in partnership with Pierce Physical Therapy, will be sponsoring a free exercise class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for anyone age 50 and over.

The program begins on Tuesday, January 9. Participants can attend either an 11 a.m. class or an 11:50 a.m. class.

The Pierce Therapy Exercise Program, or P.E.P. for short, concentrates on strength, balance, and mobility, and it incorporates therapeutic exercise, functional training, and individual exercise modifications, a press release said. [Read more…]

Wildlife nature walk at Freels Bend on Saturday, Jan. 20

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A wildlife management nature walk is scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, January 20, in the Freels Bend area in south Oak Ridge.

“Have you ever seen a deer foraging in a field or heard a field sparrow calling in the distance and wondered what could be done to help these species of wildlife?” a press release said. “Join wildlife experts from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.”

The wildlife management nature walk in the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area is scheduled from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, January 20. Discussions during the tour, which is rescheduled from a rained-out date in October, will include game species, species of concern, and how to manage for them in fields and forests, the press release said. [Read more…]

Photo: Oak Ridge Track Club starts 2018 with chilly run at Haw Ridge

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Braving single-digit wind chills, members of the Oak Ridge Track Club and friends prepare for an hour-long trail run at Haw Ridge to start 2018 off on New Year's morning. (Submitted photo)

Braving single-digit wind chills, members of the Oak Ridge Track Club and friends prepare for an hour-long trail run at Haw Ridge to start off 2018 on New Year’s morning. (Submitted photo)

 

Braving single-digit wind chills, members of the Oak Ridge Track Club and friends had an hour-long trail run at Haw Ridge to start off 2018 on New Year’s morning.

UT Arboretum Society has New Year’s Walk on Jan. 1

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society has its Fourth Annual New Year's Walk at the UT Arboretum at 901 S. Illinois Ave. in Oak Ridge on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (Photo by UT Arboretum Society)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society has its Fourth Annual New Year’s Walk at the UT Arboretum at 901 S. Illinois Ave. in Oak Ridge on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (Photo by UT Arboretum Society)

 

If you are overloaded on football, food, and festivities, the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society is offering a great alternative: The Fourth Annual New Year’s Walk at the UT Arboretum on Monday, January 1, 2018.

The arboretum is at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Start out the year on the ‘right foot’ by joining the walk that begins at 9:30 a.m. at the UT Arboretum Auditorium, where you will be greeted by fellow hikers and offered coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks,” a press release said. “At 10 a.m. the group will leave for a guided walk that will last about 45 minutes. The hike will follow a forest trail and will visit the Elmore Holly Collection, giving participants the opportunity to see the hollies still covered with berries.

“This is an easy walk on the trails and is suitable for all ages. The Arboretum Society encourages everyone to come out to enjoy an outdoor respite before heading home to watch the bowl games on TV.”

This is a free program offered by the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society. [Read more…]

Greg LeMond, three-time Tour de France winner, to speak at fundraiser Tuesday

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lemond-composites-greg-lemond-2-oct-12-2016-web

Greg LeMond, three-time Tour de France champion, celebrated the announcement of LeMond Composites, a new company he co-founded, during a ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 12, 2016, at Heritage Center in west Oak Ridge. The company is expected to make composite bicycles and carbon fiber, and invest $125 million and create 242 new jobs. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Greg LeMond, the only American to win the Tour de France, will speak about “The Adventure of My Life—from the Tour de France to Carbon Fiber” on Tuesday in a fundraiser for Oak Ridge Playhouse and 1in6.org, a press release said.

The talk is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 12, at Oak Ridge Playhouse in historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. It’s presented by UT-Battelle.

Event tickets (and pre-event reception tickets) are available at www.orplayhouse.com. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be used to support both Oak Ridge Playhouse and 1in6.org, the press release said.

LeMond won the Junior American Road Race in 1977, made the Olympic team in 1980 (but America boycotted), and continued to rise in the ranks of international cyclers, ultimately winning the Tour de France three times, the press release said. His first win in 1986 was followed by a near-fatal hunting accident, requiring months of recuperation. This comeback climaxed when LeMond won his second Tour de France in 1989 by a mere eight seconds, the press release said. After being invited to the White House by Ronald Reagan and named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 1989, LeMond won his third Tour de France in 1990. LeMond retired from professional racing in 1994; two years after his retirement, he was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame. [Read more…]