Oak Ridge Today

Hammond, Howerton receive 2017 Postma Young Professionals Awards

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Reverend Derrick Hammond, left, and Consolidated Nuclear Security’s Senior Director of Transformation J. Travis Howerton were named the latest winners of the Herman and Pat Postma Young Professionals Award by the East Tennessee Economic Council at the annual awards celebration held Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge. (Photos courtesy East Tennessee Economic Council)

Reverend Derrick Hammond, left, and Consolidated Nuclear Security’s Senior Director of Transformation J. Travis Howerton were named the latest winners of the Herman and Pat Postma Young Professionals Award by the East Tennessee Economic Council at the annual awards celebration held Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge. (Photos courtesy ETEC)

Reverend Derrick Hammond and CNS’s senior director of transformation J. Travis Howerton were named the latest winners of the Herman and Pat Postma Young Professionals Award by the East Tennessee Economic Council at the annual awards celebration held Friday, December 8, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge.

The Postma Young Professional Medal was created by the East Tennessee Economic Council to honor the accomplishments of young professionals who have made an impact and fostered a community culture in the region. Former Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Herman Postma epitomized this spirit during his life; and his wife, Pat, continues the tradition of service today through her involvement in the Oak Ridge community, a press release said.

Pat Postma and Ted Sherry made the award presentations.

The Postma Medal, however, is about more than outstanding work, the press release said. [Read more…]

Tennessee Mountain Writers Conference set for April 6-8

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Carol Aebersold, keynote speaker at the awards banquet, native Oak Ridger, and author of "The Elf on the Shelf." (Submitted photo)

Carol Aebersold, native Oak Ridger, and author of “The Elf on the Shelf.” (Submitted photo)

“Write Here, Write Now” is the theme of the Tennessee Mountain Writers’ 29th Annual Conference, scheduled Thursday through Saturday, April 6-8, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge.

The conference will include writing contests, workshops, networking, manuscript evaluations, publishers, editors, book signings, a bookstore, vendors, and more, a press release said.

Native Oak Ridger Carol Aebersold will be the keynote speaker at the awards banquet, the concluding event of the conference. Aebersold is the award-winning co-author of the acclaimed book “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition,” as well as several board books.

Aebersold serves as a spokeswoman for the North Pole, traveling nationally—and sometimes internationally—in support of her books, providing kids with a direct line to Santa, the press release said. She is also a co-founder of The Elf on the Shelf’s publishing company, Creatively Classic Activities and Books (CCA and B, LLC), where she serves as owner and partner. Her book “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” has been on the best-seller lists of USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly almost yearly since its 2005 launch. [Read more…]

Technology in our everyday lives the topic at Wednesday meeting

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“Technology for our Everyday Lives” will be the topic at an Altrusa meeting on Wednesday, January 27.

Speaker Dan Thompson, chief technical correspondent for WBIR-TV in Knoxville, will look at how technology can enhance our daily lives, but also how some “unwanteds” may have crept in, a press release said.

Thompson will discuss security for our online lives, as well as some ideas on how to communicate this to children. He’ll cover social media profiles, content filtering for our homes, and how to deal with those annoying phone calls from “Microsoft” insisting that something is wrong with your computer.

As a senior analyst for 451 Research, Thompson provides insight into the multi-tenant datacenter market space. He has spent 15 years as a practitioner in the information technology (IT) industry, the last 10 of which were spent at a top managed/cloud service provider, the press release said. [Read more…]

Public invited to League’s holiday luncheon on Sunday

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Stewart Clifton

Stewart Clifton

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge has a holiday luncheon on Sunday, December 6, and the public is invited, a press release said. The luncheon is at Burchfield’s at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Ridge.

The invitation is being extended to anyone interested in learning how the LWVOR and other League chapters across the state strive to make democracy work for Tennessee residents, the press release said.

The invited guest speaker, Stewart Clifton, will discuss the League’s work in Tennessee on issues such as education, climate change, homelessness, hazardous waste, mental health, immigration, and others that affect our families and communities, the release said. [Read more…]

Tennessee Mountain Writers Conference in Oak Ridge from April 9-11

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Evelyn Coleman

Evelyn Coleman

“Not Now…I’m Writing” is the theme of the Tennessee Mountain Writers’ 27th Annual Conference, scheduled Thursday through Saturday, April 9-11, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge. The conference includes writing contests, workshops, networking, manuscript evaluations, publishers, editors, book signings, a bookstore, vendors, and more.

Evelyn Coleman will lead the Writing for Young People workshops and will be the keynote speaker at the awards banquet, the concluding event of the conference. Coleman, an Edgar-nominated, award-winning author, writes across genres from picture books to young adult and adult novels. Coleman’s latest books, “Freedom Train” and the American Girl Mysteries Series book, “Cecile’s Cameo Necklace,” have received glowing reviews. Her adult thriller, “What a Woman’s Gotta Do” (Random House), was lauded byBooklist for its “vivid details and suspense.” [Read more…]

Science fiction authors, publishers panel at DoubleTree on Tuesday

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Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop Logo

There will be a panel of science fiction authors and publishers at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge on Tuesday night.

The panel will follow the Third Tennessee Valley Interstellar Workshop being held from Sunday to Tuesday this week in conjunction with the release of the movie “Interstellar.”

“See, hear, and meet Sarah Hoyt and Dan Hoyt, Tony Daniel, Toni Weisskopf, Les Johnson, and Paul Gilster,” a press release said.

The panel is free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale, and there will be a book-signing.

Oak Ridge fire chief to pay tribute to 9/11, discuss firefighters

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Darryl Kerley

Darryl Kerley

Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley will reflect on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks 12 years ago during a Wednesday presentation.

Kerley’s talk is titled “What 9/11 Means to Me: Reflections of a First Responder,” a press release said.

“It is a day that has taken on personal meaning to me and my family for multiple reasons,” Kerley said. “I am deeply honored to talk about 9/11 and about the tremendous team of firefighters we have assembled here in Oak Ridge.” [Read more…]

Haslam to speak, Trammell to be honored at Chamber of Commerce luncheon

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Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Gov. Bill Haslam will be the featured speaker at an annual Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Tuesday, and the Eugene Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented posthumously to longtime Chamber board member and volunteer Kerry Trammell.

The Tuesday luncheon is the Chamber’s kickoff ceremony for the 2013 Program of Work. The annual event marks the beginning of the Chamber’s program year, and all Chamber member representatives are encouraged to attend, a press release said. [Read more…]

Former UT women’s athletic director at League of Women Voters holiday brunch

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Joan Cronan

Joan Cronan

Joan Cronan, University of Tennessee women’s athletic director emeritus, will be the speaker at the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge holiday brunch on Sunday, Dec. 2.

“Under the vision and direction of Cronan, the University of Tennessee Lady Vols have garnered a reputation as one of the most visible and respected programs throughout the nation,” a press release said.

Brunch reservations are due by Monday, Nov. 26. They can be made by calling Maryann Mulvenon at (865) 482-3153.

[Read more…]