Oak Ridge Today

Tourism in Oak Ridge, Anderson County shows increased economic impact

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The economic impact of tourism in Anderson County and Oak Ridge has increased for a second year in a row.

In September, the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development released its 2015 annual report showing that visitors to Anderson County, which includes Oak Ridge, were responsible for spending more than $119 million in the county, an increase of 2.9 percent over the previous year, a press release said. Visitor spending in Anderson County yielded nearly $3 million in local sales tax.

“Marketing efforts continue to pay off as part of an organized effort to increase tourism in Oak Ridge and Anderson County,” Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said in the press release. “Tourism is not only a way to increase our tax revenues, but the people who visit us positively add to the fabric and culture of our community—making tourism investment an all-around win.”

In its annual report, Explore Oak Ridge released data that showed Oak Ridge hotel revenue was up by 11 percent compared to the previous year (hotel revenue is a typical measure tourism’s economic effect on a city). Local tax generated from Oak Ridge hotels exceeded $585,000 in the 2015-16 fiscal year. [Read more…]

Community veterans invited to community breakfast Saturday

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Military veterans from Anderson County are once again invited to come together this weekend for a community Veterans Breakfast, a press release said.

The breakfast, hosted by Anderson County citizens and sponsored this month by Ray Varner Ford, will be held Saturday, October 8, at the Clinton Community Center. “Chow line” opens at 8:30 a.m., and there will be a brief program at 9 a.m., the press release said.

Varner will serve as master of ceremonies for the event, and the special speaker will be Commander Tommy Mariner, Senior Naval Science Instructor at Anderson County High School. Door prizes are provided this month by Ray Varner Ford. [Read more…]

Volleyball: Region 2 tournament is Tuesday at Farragut

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats swept the Anderson County Lady Mavericks in three close sets to win the District 3-AAA volleyball championship at Karns on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Region 2-AAA volleyball tournament is Tuesday evening at Farragut.

The first matches, both semifinal games, start at 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 11. Court 1 will feature Farragut, the District 4-AAA champion, and Anderson County, the District 3-AAA runner-up. Court 2 will feature Oak Ridge, the District 3-AAA champion, and Hardin Valley Academy, the District 4-AAA runner-up. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats sweep Anderson County to win District 3 volleyball championship

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats swept the Anderson County Lady Mavericks in three close sets to win the District 3-AAA volleyball championship at Karns on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:50 p.m. Oct. 6

KARNS—Oak Ridge swept Anderson County in three close sets to win the District 3-AAA volleyball championship at Karns on Wednesday.

All three sets were decided by four points or less: 25-21, 28-26, and 25-22.

“It’s really exciting to beat our biggest rival of the entire season,” said senior Alex Sherles, who played outside hitter and was named most valuable player of the tournament and will go to East Tennessee State University next fall. “This is what we worked for the entire season.

“Everything just came together,” Sherles said, citing blocking, setting, coverage, and attacking.

Oak Ridge, the top seed in the district tournament this year, lost to Anderson County in the District 3-AAA championship last year, but has won the district tournament three of the last four years, Sherles said.

Oak Ridge Coach David Kolodney said Sherles had big, timely kills on offense on Wednesday. [Read more…]

Two killed, four injured in four-vehicle crash on Clinton Highway

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A Georgia man and a Powell man who were in a vehicle that fled a traffic stop in Knox County were killed in a four-vehicle crash on Clinton Highway in Anderson County late Friday morning, authorities said. A short section of Clinton Highway was closed for about five hours between Mehaffey Road and Old Clinton Pike as the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated the fatal crash, which also injured four people. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A Georgia man and a Powell man who were in a vehicle that fled a traffic stop in Knox County were killed in a four-vehicle crash on Clinton Highway in Anderson County late Friday morning, authorities said.

Four other people were injured in the crash, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The men who died were driver Roy Simmons, 29, of Helena, Georgia, and passenger Charles Miller, 25, of Powell, Tennessee, the THP said in a fatal crash report. The two men were in a 2001 Ford TSS driven by Simmons.

The crash was reported at about 11:32 a.m. Friday on Clinton Highway near the intersection with Old Clinton Pike in Anderson County, near the Anderson-Knox county line, the THP said.

The fatal crash report said a Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputy was trying to stop the car driven by Simmons in the northbound lanes of Clinton Highway near West Beaver Creek in Knox County, but the car fled. While fleeing, the car lost control and crossed the center line while going left around a curve, the crash report said. [Read more…]

Mavericks uncork big plays, notch 8th straight Crosstown Showdown victory

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Information from WYSH Radio

Anderson County 71, Clinton 43: Stanton Martin completed 20 of 24 passes Friday night for 420 yards and seven touchdowns, while also adding 56 yards and a touchdown on the ground as the Mavericks capitalized on defensive breakdowns for several big plays on their way to an eighth straight win in the Crosstown Showdown with Clinton. The Mavericks have now won in 17 of the last 18 games.

Three different Maverick receivers caught two touchdowns each: Caleb Bethel (nine catches for 157 yards), Thyshaud Thrasher (five catches for 98 yards), and Michael Carroll, two catches for 99 yards. Everette Dews caught the seventh scoring strike.

Mason Phillips also had a strong offensive game for Anderson County as he tallied 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Mavericks racked up 604 yards of total offense. [Read more…]

Football: Cougars blank Dragons 35-0, improve to 5-0

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Information from WYSH Radio/Oak Ridge Today

Campbell County improved to a school-record 5-0 and 2-0 in Region 3-5A as they pulled away after halftime at home against Clinton on Friday. The Cougars won 35-0.

Zach Rutherford threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Logan Phillips that covered 56 and 58 yards, respectively. Patrick Strunk provided the balance for the Cougar offensive attack as he ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns.

Clinton (1-4, 1-2) was held to eight first downs and was outgained 450-183. Ahmaad “Ro” Hardin led Clinton with 90 rushing yards, and J’Quan Thomas provided the Dragons’ lone defensive highlight with an interception.

Campbell County led 14-0 at halftime but scored 21 points in the third quarter to put the game out of reach and start the clock running continuously. [Read more…]

Caleb Jackson scores twice, recovers two turnovers in Wildcats’ win at Lenoir City

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Oak Ridge senior Caleb Jackson (25) scored two touchdowns for the Wildcats on Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, and he recovered two Lenoir City turnovers during a 45-8 win over the Panthers in Lenoir City. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

LENOIR CITY—Oak Ridge senior Caleb Jackson scored two touchdowns for the Wildcats on Friday, and he recovered two Lenoir City turnovers during a 45-8 win over the Panthers.

Senior wide receiver Tee Higgins, a Clemson commitment, added three touchdowns for Oak Ridge.

The Wildcats scored on their first four drives, once after intercepting Lenoir City sophomore quarterback Gabe Williams.

Halfway through the regular season, Oak Ridge is undefeated at 5-0 overall and 3-0 in Region 3-5A.

Lenoir City fell to 1-4 and 0-2 with the loss at home on Cecil Thomas Field.

Oak Ridge plays Sevier County (1-4, 1-1 Region 1-5A) at home on Blankenship Field at 7:30 p.m. September 23. It’s Homecoming Night. [Read more…]

Show appreciation for first responders Saturday

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Police Lives Matter Rally Crowd

About 65 people attended a Police Lives Matter rally last year at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Second Annual First Responders Appreciation Day is Saturday in Oak Ridge.

There are two events: an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast in the morning to raise money for the family of Maryville Police Department Officer Kenny Moats and a ceremony in the evening to honor local first responders.

The First Responders Appreciation Day is on Saturday, September 17, at Swifty’s Atomic Bar & Grill at 119 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The fundraising pancake breakfast is from 8 a.m. to noon at Swifty’s. The donation is $10. Moats was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call in late August. [Read more…]

Father allegedly flees crash where injured son is trapped, then flees hospital nude, THP says

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Jacob Daniel Baxter

Jacob Daniel Baxter

 

An Anderson County man allegedly fled a crash where his juvenile son, who was partially ejected and injured, was trapped between a van and a barn, and the man later fled from a hospital nude, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 11:29 p.m. Saturday, September 3, on Old Lake City Highway.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said Jacob Daniel Baxter, 33, of Black Oak Road in Anderson County, was driving west in a white 1999 Dodge Caravan on Old Lake City Highway when he lost control while going round a curve. The van went off the right side of the road and stopped at a metal barn on the side of the road, according to the THP.

A 15-year-old boy, who is identified as Baxter’s son, was trapped between the van and the barn, according to arrest warrants filed by the THP in Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division I, in Clinton.

While Anderson County Rescue Squad personnel were helping to remove the trapped boy, Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Isaiah Lloyd began searching for the driver. [Read more…]

Eight injured in motorcycle, car-semi crashes on I-75 in Anderson County

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The UT Lifestar II helicopter and Lifestar IV helicopter are pictured at top right and bottom left on Interstate 75 in Anderson County on Saturday morning, Sept. 10, 2016, after one crash involving four motorcycles and another involving a semi and two other vehicles were reported. Authorities said eight people were injured in the two crashes. (Photo courtesy UT Lifestar)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:10 p.m. Sept. 11.

Six people were injured in one crash involving four motorcycles and two more were injured in a second crash involving two vehicles and a semi on Interstate 75 in Anderson County on Saturday morning, authorities said.

The two crashes occurred about 30 minutes apart in the northbound and southbound lanes of I-75 near mile marker 127, near Rocky Top (the former Lake City).

Two University of Tennessee Lifestar medical helicopters responded, and all four lanes were temporarily closed.

The first crash was reported at about 10:16 a.m, according to a Tennessee Highway Patrol preliminary crash report.

Four Harley Davidson motorcycles were traveling north in one lane of I-75 at mile marker 127 when the first motorcycle, a 2003 model driven by George Suver, 70, left the right shoulder and then swerved back into the lane, the THP said. [Read more…]

TDOT cancels proposed changes on Clinton Highway due to county opposition

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TDOT Clinton Highway Improvements Mehaffey Road July 7 2016

As proposed, a one-third mile section of Clinton Highway south of Mehaffey Road—the section of road to the right of Mehaffey Road in the map above—would have been one lane in each direction with a center turn lane. The road to the north of Mehaffey Road—the area to the left—would have been two lanes in the southbound lane, a center turn lane, and one lane in the northbound lane. The changes would have been made as part of a resurfacing project in 2017, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said in a meeting in Claxton on Thursday, July 7, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has canceled proposed changes meant to improve safety on Clinton Highway between Edgemoor Road and the Knox County line. The proposed safety improvements in Claxton have been canceled due to opposition from Anderson County, and after residents objected, including in a petition.

TDOT presented its proposal during a July 7 meeting at the Claxton Community Center. Among other changes, the project would have reduced the four-lane highway to a three-lane roadway with a passing lane in one direction, wider shoulders, and a continuous center turn lane as part of a resurfacing project scheduled for next year.

TDOT said there have been 10 fatal crashes in 10 years on that 2.6-mile section of Clinton Highway between Edgemoor Road and the Anderson County-Knox County line.

“That’s pretty high in a small section of roadway,” Nathan Vatter, TDOT regional traffic engineer, said after the July presentation. “It’s a significant number of fatalities.”

There was another meeting this month to give comments to TDOT. Anderson County Commissioner Tracy Wandell, one of two county commissioners who represent Claxton, provided notes to TDOT. Among the highlights: [Read more…]