The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats eliminated the Clinton Lady Dragon 51-37 in the first round of the District 3 basketball tournament at Powell on Tuesday.
The Clinton girls fell behind early and could not dig themselves out of the hole.
The Lady Wildcats (8-20, 6-10 in District 3) extended their win streak over the Lady Dragons (4-20, 3-13) to 54.
Oak Ridge will next play Anderson County (15-11, 12-3) at 6 p.m. Thursday in Powell.
Chris Phillips
CLINTON—Chris Phillips, Anderson County accounts and budget director, has resigned his position effective Feb. 21 to take a job as city recorder in Lake City.
“As many people know, Lake City is my hometown,” Phillips said in a press release. “They have struggled for the last few years in keeping someone qualified in the city recorder’s position.”
Phillips said the state mandates that each municipality must have a certified municipal finance officer on staff, and his designation as a certified government financial manager satisfies this requirement.
“Lake City is embarking on an historical time with the change to become Rocky Top,” Phillips said. “The leaders of Lake City have reached out to me, and I felt compelled to contribute in the areas (in which) I have considerable skill, education, certification, and experience.” [Read more…]
Images courtesy of National Weather Service in Morristown.
A major winter storm hitting the Southeast on Tuesday and Wednesday could dump three to five inches in the Tennessee Valley and southern Cumberland Plateau, and six to nine inches in the mountains, the National Weather Service in Morristown said.
Accumulations in Anderson and Roane counties could range between one and five inches from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning. Knoxville and Knox County are expected to get between three and five inches.
The forecast near Oak Ridge calls for a 20 percent chance of snow as early as Tuesday night, with a low of 26 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wednesday’s forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of snow all day, with a high of 36 and a low of 27. The chance of snow falls to 20 percent on Thursday, with a high of 43.
A local winter storm watch is in effect from 10 a.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday. [Read more…]
A standing-room-only crowd assembles to watch the Lake City Council vote 4-0 in November to recommend the town’s name be changed to Rocky Top.
Legislation that could clear the way for Lake City to be rechristened Rocky Top cleared its first hurdle on Tuesday as it was approved by the Tennessee House of Representatives’ Local Government Committee in Nashville.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Ragan of Oak Ridge, is a private act requested by Lake City officials as the first step toward developing Lake City and its two exits off I-75 into a tourist destination.
Developers say that without the name change, the project—which could include a theater, a restaurant, and other amenities—cannot move forward. [Read more…]
(Photo courtesy of Anderson County government)
John Vickery, Anderson County’s director of fleet services, and building maintenance team member Jeff McCracken, worked outside in the cold Wednesday afternoon to clear the sidewalks and the area surrounding the Courthouse in Clinton in preparation for the opening of business on Thursday morning.
A Wednesday morning fire on Cedar Hills Drive in Anderson County heavily damaged a home, RV, and camping trailer.
The fire was reported at about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday at 210 Cedar Hills Drive. It apparently started in the attic, according to an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department report. The cause was not known, but it was not believed to be an arson, the report said.
A witness who lives nearby reported seeing flames coming out of the attic. [Read more…]
Many Anderson County back roads are still covered with ice and snow, so the school system will be closed again Friday, officials said.
The closure is for the safety of the students, the Anderson County school system said in a statement. The schools closed early Tuesday and have been closed since as snow, ice, and cold temperatures wreaked havoc across the Southeast, particularly in Atlanta.
Many other school systems in East Tennessee, including Oak Ridge, also closed early on Tuesday when it started snowing and remained closed on Wednesday. Oak Ridge students returned to classes on Thursday, although there was a two-hour delay. [Read more…]
Tyler Mayes
Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk Tyler Mayes has been selected to serve on the Tennessee Court Clerk’s Association’s legislative committee, a press release said.
Mayes will represent East Tennessee on the committee that will see many new pieces of legislation that will have a direct impact on the court system in Tennessee. The committee plays a large role in communicating with state representatives and state senators from across the state about court related legislation, the release said.
“It is an honor to represent Anderson County and court clerks from across the state on this important committee,” Mayes said. “I look forward to working with my fellow colleagues as we work on important issues affecting our court system and the citizens of Anderson County.”
Lauren Biloski
The Committee to Elect Lauren Biloski for Anderson County Juvenile Judge is planning two public events in Oak Ridge and Clinton to allow voters to meet her, a press release said.
The Oak Ridge event is Thursday, Jan. 30, at Centennial Village Apartments on Edgemoor Road from 4-6:30 p.m., and the Clinton event will be at the Clinton Community Center from 4-6:30 p.m. on Feb. 4.
“Please join Lauren and her committee to discuss relevant issues on that important position for Anderson County,” a press release said. [Read more…]
Scott Smith, left, a mechanic with the Anderson County Motor Pool Department, has earned a new certification. He is pictured with County Mayor Terry Frank. (Photo courtesy of Anderson County government)
Submitted
Scott Smith, a mechanic in the Anderson County Government Motor Pool Department, has recently earned the Emergency Vehicle Technician certification from the EVT Certification Commission Inc.
The new Emergency Vehicle Technician certification allows Smith to maintain, inspect and test Anderson County’s ambulances and their heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems. The certification also allows Anderson County Motor Pool to conduct state vehicle inspections on county ambulances.
Smith, who has worked in the Motor Pool Department for three years, said he plans to continue pursuing other certification opportunities through the EVT Certification Commission. “It’s great to be able to do this,” he said. [Read more…]
Anderson County Commissioner Zach Bates, pictured at center with his wife Whitney, announces he is running for Anderson County mayor in the Republican primary in May.
CLINTON—Anderson County Commissioner Zach Bates on Tuesday announced he is running for Anderson County mayor in the Republican primary in May.
Bates, 25, will oppose Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, 45, who was elected to a two-year term in August 2012, completing the unexpired term of former mayor Rex Lynch, who resigned in January 2011.
The oldest of 19 children, Bates was 21 when he was elected to the Anderson County Commission in 2010. He represents District 4, which includes Lake City and Briceville. County officials said he is the youngest mayoral candidate they can recall.
His challenge to Frank might have appeared unexpected. The two have at times appeared to be politically aligned, including, for example, on the citizen-led initiative to install “In God We Trust” signs on the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton in July 2013. [Read more…]
The Anderson County Republican Party will meet at 6:30 p.m. today (Tuesday), and those who attend will have a chance to meet the party’s primary candidates.
The meeting is at the Staybridge Suites at 420 S. Illinois Ave in Oak Ridge. The Staybridge Suites are located behind Outback Steakhouse, near the Kroger store.
“It should be an informative meeting,” said Aaron Wells, chairman of the Anderson County Republican Party. “It’s an opportunity to meet the candidates who are running in this year’s Republican primary, as well as talk about the important issues affecting Anderson County.” [Read more…]
