Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge: 4,000 lose power, 70 homes damaged

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Wadsworth Circle Home Tree

One of two trees that fell on a home on West Wadsworth Circle. The second tree, visible on the ground in the background, punched a hole in the roof and displaced a mother, grandmother, and two children.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:40 p.m.

Roughly 4,000 customers lost power in the Tuesday evening storm, and about 70 damaged homes will require repairs by an electrician before power can be restored, an Oak Ridge official said Wednesday morning.

Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said he doesn’t recall ever having 70 homes damaged in one storm, although the Electric Department has experienced worse storms when many utility poles were broken. But the brief, fierce Tuesday storm, which brought severe winds and driving rain, was significant in terms of its damage to homes and its far-reaching nature, from Blair Road on the west end of town to east Oak Ridge and beyond—into Clinton and Anderson County, Suggs said.

“It was pretty widespread,” Suggs said.

Janet Bowker on Plymouth Circle and Storm Debris

Janet Bowker, left, walks through debris on Plymouth Circle in front of her home, where a tree fell into her bedroom during the Tuesday evening storm. Her home is at right but not visible in this picture. There were no injuries, but Bowker does not have power now.

 

The storm, which ripped through Oak Ridge at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, left a trail of debris: scattered branches and limbs, broken trees, fallen power lines, and damaged buildings and homes. It also triggered a flood of calls to the city’s 911 call dispatch center.

About 500 customers remained without power around noon Wednesday, including the 70 damaged homes. [Read more…]

Storm damages buildings, knocks down trees, knocks out power

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Passtime Garage Storm Damage

Passtime Garage on South Main Street in Clinton was damaged by a fast-moving storm and severe winds early Tuesday evening. (Photo courtesy WYSH Radio/WGAP Radio)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:15 a.m. June 11.

There are reports of trees and power lines down throughout Anderson County, and some roads are still blocked after a fast-moving storm ripped through East Tennessee, authorities said early Tuesday evening.

There have been reports of trees that have fallen on homes, but so far no injuries have been reported.

Tractor Trailer Blown Over near Lake City

A tractor-trailer was reported to have been blown over on Lake City Highway. (Photo courtesy WYSH Radio/WGAP Radio)

The short, fierce storm whipped through Oak Ridge and Anderson County with severe winds and driving rain at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. It left a path of debris: scattered branches and limbs, broken trees, fallen power lines, and damaged buildings and homes. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department said there was a semi truck and trailer that apparently was blown over by high winds on Lake City Highway at Old Lake City Highway.

“It has now been removed and the roadway is open,” the Sheriff’s Department said early Tuesday night. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

At about 8:30 p.m., the Clinton Utilities Board reported that 6,173 customers had been affected by the storm, and 4,068 were still without power. [Read more…]

New details revealed in search warrants in missing woman case

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Nichole Burgess

Nichole Burgess

Information from WYSH Radio

Search warrants released last week have provided new information about what led investigators from Nashville to search the Anderson County home of a man who is now a person of interest in the disappearance and possible death of a Hermitage woman.

The documents indicate that a friend reported Nichole Burgess missing from her home in Hermitage on May 25 after she was unable to reach Burgess by phone or text message. The friend said Burgess’s last text message, sent on May 23, indicated she had been in an altercation with the father of Burgess’s child, 32-year-old Andersonville resident Caleb Cannon.

The friend told detectives that they had gone to Burgess’ home in Hermitage and noticed her car was parked out front and her dogs were walking around freely instead of in their crates. A neighbor said he/she saw two people carrying something out of the home’s back door on May 24.

Cannon, who has custody of his and Burgess’s 10-year-old son every other weekend, picked the boy up from school on May 23. The warrants say a friend of the boy’s said that Cannon had been at Burgess’s home earlier in the afternoon, loading two black bags into a car parked in the driveway. The friend said he asked the 10-year-old where his mom (Burgess) was, and the boy said he was pretty sure his mom was dead and that his dad had killed him. [Read more…]

Several mailboxes vandalized, suspects facing charges

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Information from WYSH Radio

Charges are pending against two juveniles and an adult for vandalizing mailboxes in Anderson County.

Over several days last week, a number of mailboxes were vandalized on East Wolf Valley Road, Davidson Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge Road, and Heiskell Road.

Residents on Thursday were able to provide deputies with a description of the suspect vehicle, which was pulled over later that night. Two juveniles and an adult were identified as the suspects in the vandalism, and charges against all three are pending. [Read more…]

Keep Anderson County Beautiful announces Earth Day collection numbers

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Keep Anderson County Beautiful Check Presentation

Pat Imperato, left, vice chair of Keep Anderson County Beautiful, presents a check for $150 to Sister Marie Blanchette and some seventh-grade students from St. Mary’s School for contributing the most number of shoes per student as part of the recent community shoe drive. (Submitted photo)

Keep Anderson County Beautiful has announced the total amount of materials collected, including electronics and shoes, during the recent 2014 Earth Day Festival in Oak Ridge.

“This is one of the best Earth Days that we have had in terms of materials collected and diverted from our landfill through recycling,” said Pam Turner, KACB president. “The community really embraced the meaning of Earth Day while enjoying a beautiful day in the outdoors playing old-fashioned neighborhood games.”

More than 36 volunteers helped to put on the event, which collected 7,531 pounds of electronics, 5,400 pounds of personal documents for shredding, 3,100 pairs of shoes, 540 pounds of books, 108 pairs of eye glasses, and 56 pounds of blankets and towels for the animal shelter. [Read more…]

Kevin Rice running for Anderson County Commission in District 7

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Kevin Rice

Kevin Rice

Kevin Rice, an Oak Ridge High School graduate, is running for Anderson County Commission in District 7, which includes the Highland View, Glenwood, and Pine Valley precincts, a press release said.

Rice has served on the Anderson County Jail Committee and now serves on the Anderson County Beer Board, the press release said. He also volunteers as a Neighborhood Watch block captain and as a district leader for the Watch Group in the Jackson Square area.

Rice is a member of the Oak Ridge Quarterback Club, Football Boosters, and Oak Ridge Boys and Girls Club Alumni. He is also a member of the Anderson County Underage Drinking Task Force.

Rice said his goal as a commissioner is to cut taxes by recruiting high-tech jobs, small businesses, hotels, and tourism.

“The potential for increased tourism in the county is abundant,” Rice said. “However, added attractions would be beneficial to the city and county in many ways. Our young people, as well as our treasured senior citizens, need a variety of activities to keep Anderson County the best choice to work and live, now and in the future.” [Read more…]

US 25 yard sale under way, passes through Anderson County

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The US 25 Yard Sale started Thursday and ends Saturday. It’s 425 miles of sales beginning in Covington, Ky., running through Anderson County and ending in Woodfin, N.C.. There are 42 communities participating along the route.

Buyers can make a complete circle through East Tennessee. In Corbin, Highway 25 splits into Highway 25W, which runs through Anderson County, and Highway 25E, which goes through Jefferson County, another participating community. They merge back together in Newport, Tenn.

If you live on US 25W in Anderson County, all you have to do to participate is set up your yard sale on your property.

If you do not live on US 25W and you would like to set up for the yard sale, you can go to the Lake City Recreation Center/Ball Field. There will be a set up fee of $10 per 10’ x 10’ space, and the covered area will be $20 per bay area. [Read more…]

Nashville police search Andersonville home in case of missing mother

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Nashville Police on Anderson County Search Warrant

 

Nichole Burgess

Nichole Burgess

Nashville detectives investigating the disappearance of Nichole Burgess were in Andersonville on Thursday to execute a search warrant at the home of Caleb J. Cannon, the father of Burgess’ 10-year-old son, authorities said.

Crime scene specialists from the Nashville Police Department’s Identification Unit were also at the home at 306 Lambdin Road assisting in the search warrant process, a press release said.

Detectives have traveled to Anderson County several times over the past week as part of the investigation. On Tuesday, a search warrant was served on Cannon for a DNA sample, the release said.

In seeking the search warrants, lead Detective Steve Jolley from the police department’s Homicide-Cold Case Unit told an Anderson County judge that based on the investigation thus far, Burgess is likely dead and that Cannon is considered a person of interest, the Nashville Police Department said in the release. [Read more…]

DA: Crime rate in Anderson County drops seven consecutive years

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Dave Clark

Dave Clark

The crime rate in Anderson County has dropped for seven consecutive years, District Attorney General Dave Clark said.

Crime in Anderson County was down by 10.1 percent in 2013, according to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation numbers, Clark said in a recent press release. Crime in the county is down by more than 37 percent in the past seven years, he said.

“There are thousands of fewer crimes in Anderson County now, as compared to 2007,” Clark said.

“This is great news for the people of Anderson County because we are safer from crime and can enjoy the benefits of having a crime rate that is below average for the state,” Clark said. “This is also great news for recruiting good industry and retail jobs to Anderson County and a variety of other benefits. [Read more…]

Reported crimes down 45 percent in Anderson County

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tbi-total-reported-crimes-2007-2013

The overall number of reported crimes in Anderson County fell 45 percent from 2007 to 2013, with the most dramatic drop during the past two years—2012 and 2013, Sheriff Paul White said in a recent press release.

Crimes against people have decreased 56.3 percent since 2007, crimes against society have fallen 42.5 percent, and crimes against property have dropped 41.1 percent, White said.

The most prevalent crimes in rural areas of the county are property crimes such as burglaries and thefts. Both have decreased significantly during the last two years, White said.

“This drop in overall crime can be directly attributed to proactive law enforcement and increased patrols of the rural areas of the county,” White said. “Added personnel in 2007 and 2008 have allowed directed patrols and enhanced investigations of property crimes. These efforts have resulted in more crimes solved and over 800 arrests for burglary and theft offenses since 2007.” [Read more…]

Guest column: Tax hike will hurt city’s ability to recruit DOE workers

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The Oak Ridge Schools are requesting a substantial property tax increase to fund items they see as essential to their future.

Yet an Oak Ridge tax hike will markedly reduce our city’s ability to recruit new U.S. Department of Energy workers. According to the latest DOE report, Anderson County is losing over $300,000 per week to Knox County in DOE payroll. That loss rate is increasing, and a tax hike would make this serious problem worse.

Unfortunately, our city has a DOE “isolation fence” around it. In most cases, new workers are sent by the DOE system directly to Knox County—mainly to Farragut. And as a result, their important housing decisions are made without talking to an Oak Ridge realtor. They never get an opportunity to find out how wonderful it is to live here.

The new Kroger store won’t affect this uneven playing field. A property tax hike (of any size) will simply make the problem worse—giving Farragut an even greater advantage over us. [Read more…]

City recommends budget with no tax increase, Council votes Monday

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Oak Ridge City Council

The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above during an August 2013 meeting. (File photo)

Note: This story was updated at 7:40 p.m. June 4.

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson on Monday recommended a budget that does not raise the property tax rate, setting up a potential conflict with school officials, who have requested a 37-cent tax increase to avoid cuts.

The Oak Ridge Board of Education already approved its budget in in two meetings last week. That budget, which was scaled back from an earlier proposal, could include an extra $3.3 million to start implementing a technology initiative known as 1:1 that would provide electronic learning devices to all students over three years, add five technology positions, and give 2 percent pay raises to staff.

But the budget is still subject to the amount appropriated to the schools by the city. Oak Ridge provides a little less than one-third of the school system’s funding.

While the schools have approved a budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, the city has not. The Oak Ridge City Council will consider the municipal budget in two separate meetings this month, one on June 9 and the second on June 16. The city budget also includes a 2 percent pay raise for employees.

It’s not clear that Oak Ridge City Council members will agree to raise taxes to accommodate the school system’s request. In his budget presentation to Council on Monday, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said Council members have endorsed keeping the tax rate unchanged for the seventh year in a row.

[Read more…]