Oak Ridge Today

Farmers Markets to open this weekend in Knoxville, Oak Ridge

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Farmers Market

The longest continuous operating farmers markets in East Tennessee will open for the season on Friday, April 11, in Knoxville, and Saturday, April 12, in Oak Ridge. The second Knoxville market location will open on Wednesday, April 16. 

“After a long winter, it’s always a welcome sign of spring when the farmers markets open and we see the first of the spring harvest coming in,” said Steve Colvin, president of the East Tennessee Farmers Association for Retail Marketing, or FARM. “We’re hoping the final cold snaps won’t take too much of a toll on the early crops.”

FARM operates markets on Fridays from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Laurel Church of Christ, 3457 Kingston Pike at Cherokee Boulevard. On Wednesdays, the FARM Market operates at Ebenezer United Methodist Church, 1001 Ebenezer Road near Westland Avenue. The Saturday market is held from 8 a.m. until noon in the parking lot adjacent to historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Spotlight: Legal Aid Society announces new hire at Oak Ridge office

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Michelle Darsey

Michelle Darsey

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Tennessee’s largest nonprofit law firm, has welcomed Michelle Darsey to the Oak Ridge office location as receptionist.

Darsey brings more than 10 years of client service and office support experience to her new role. She has served in public interest positions through the AmeriCorps/Volunteers in Service to America, or VISTA, program as a homeless outreach specialist for United Neighborhood Health Services and as a prisoner reentry liaison for the San Diego County District Attorney’s office.

“Michelle is a service-oriented individual who is dedicated to her work and to helping others,” said Janet Mynatt, managing attorney for the Oak Ridge office of Legal Aid Society. “She previously excelled in a legal office setting and we are certain she will do the same with Legal Aid Society. We are happy to welcome her to the firm.” [Read more…]

Most Anderson commissioners seek re-election, six running in District 7 in OR

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Anderson County Courthouse

The Anderson County Courthouse on Main Street in Clinton is pictured above.

There are six candidates running for Anderson County Commission in District 7 in Oak Ridge in August, and a Democrat has joined the race for Tennessee House of Representatives in the 33rd District.

Meanwhile, an Independent, Bradley S. Rickett, has joined the race for Anderson County mayor, competing against Democrat Jim Hackworth and the winner of the May 6 Republican primary, either the incumbent, Terry Frank, or her challenger, Commissioner Zach Bates.

Fourteen of the 16 Anderson County commissioners are seeking re-election to a four-year term. But Bates, from District 4 in the Lake City area, is not. And neither is Commissioner John Shuey. Shuey is one of two commissioners in District 7, which includes the Glenwood, Highland View, and Pine Valley precincts in Oak Ridge.

District 7 is the most competitive in terms of number of candidates. In addition to the incumbent, Jerry Creasey, other candidates include Jimmy Bouchard, Michael Marsh, Denny Phillips, Kevin Rice, and Theresa Scott.

District 3—which includes Andersonville, Fairview, Glen Alpine, and Norris—has five candidates, including the two incumbents, Steve Emert and Dusty Irwin. The other three candidates are Josh Anderson, David Farmer, and Philip Warfield. [Read more…]

Letter: Chamber task force did not choose to ‘weigh in’ on traffic cameras

Posted at
By 4 Comments

Note: The following letter was written in response to an earlier letter on traffic cameras by Oak Ridge resident T.J. Garland.

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce “weighs in” on issues of importance determined by a Pro-growth Advocacy Task Force, which recommends positions to the Chamber’s member-led Board of Directors. That task force did not choose to address the traffic camera issue and instead focused on other important matters such as widening Edgemoor Road, moving copy signs, and STEM education.

The City of Oak Ridge provides no operating funds to the Chamber. Those are provided through the financial support of our members. [Read more…]

Household trash pickup starts Monday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The citywide household trash pickup program starts Monday, March 31. Household rubbish, old appliances, and minor remodeling materials will be picked up. Compressors must be removed from refrigerators and air conditioners.

City collection efforts will follow the accompanying schedule as closely as possible, a press release said. The proposed schedule is a general guide and can vary considerably from the actual schedule due to weather conditions and/or the amount of participation by residents.

The city asked residents to follow a few guidelines: [Read more…]

U.S. House candidate Wamp launches RV tour in Third District

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Weston Wamp RV

Weston Wamp, a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, has launched an RV tour of East Tennessee’s Third District. The campaign visited Oak Ridge on Friday morning.

Weston Wamp, a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, has launched an RV tour of East Tennessee’s Third District. The campaign stopped in Oak Ridge on Friday, the fifth day of the tour.

The recreational vehicle—its exterior painted with red, white, and blue campaign slogans, and blue and green mountain vistas—will serve as a rolling campaign headquarters, hotel, and billboard, Wamp said during a Friday morning stop at Roane State Community College.

“I call it our seven-ton commitment to bringing Congress home,” Wamp said. “I hope that it ends up being iconic.”

The RV will make stops at events ranging from baseball games to pancake breakfasts in cities from Athens and Sweetwater in the south to Oneida and Oliver Springs in the north. The campaign will spend three nights a week on the road, generally staying outside of the Chattanooga area, where Wamp lives. The goal is to stay in virtually every incorporated town before the Aug. 7 primary. [Read more…]

What’s happening in Oak Ridge from March 28-April 2

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Here is a summary of events happening in Oak Ridge starting Friday, March 7, and continuing through March 12.

This weekly listing of events is compiled by the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau. [Read more…]

NSPS finishes first year as DOE’s security contractor in Oak Ridge

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Joe L. Evins Federal Building

National Strategic Protective Services LLC on Monday said it has completed the first year of its protective force services contract with the U.S. Department of Energy in Oak Ridge. Among the facilities guarded by NSPS are the Joe L. Evins Federal Building, pictured above.

National Strategic Protective Services LLC on Monday said it has completed the first year of its protective force services contract with the U.S. Department of Energy in Oak Ridge.

“Congratulations to everyone at NSPS for a job well done,” NSPS President Ignacio Balderas said in a press release. “A lot of hard work went into winning and transitioning this critical infrastructure contract in early 2013. During the course of the past 12 months, we have built a solid relationship with DOE, established high morale within our employee base, fostered productive labor relations and above all, engaged proactively with the Oak Ridge community.

NSPS is a joint venture of Triple Canopy Inc. and Securiguard Inc. The company provides protective force services to the East Tennessee Technology Park, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Joe L. Evins Federal Building. NSPS replaced former longtime security contractor WSI Oak Ridge in 2013 following an unprecedented security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex in July 2012. [Read more…]

Sewer rehab work continues this week

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

More rehabilitation work of the city’s sewer collection pipes is scheduled to continue this week

The work is being done by Hurst Excavating and Morgan Contracting under contract with the City of Oak Ridge. It includes rehabilitating sewer collection pipes within city easements in yards and in roadways, a press release said.

Residents should already have received color-coded letters and door hangers (orange for Hurst Excavating and purple for Morgan Contracting) providing general information and each contractors’ contact information. [Read more…]

Letter: Council should defer new traffic light decision

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

Recently the City of Oak Ridge announced plans to employ an engineering firm to evaluate “signalized” traffic flow, with the stated purpose of ensuring optimum traffic flow, to minimize and reduce traffic-related air pollution in the central parts of the city.

This has been touted as a forward-thinking “green” initiative, proof of Oak Ridge’s commitment to a clean urban environment.

Now Oak Ridge is proposing yet another traffic signal on the Turnpike, with the vote to approve scheduled for March 24. Adding another signal on the Turnpike will likely add to the ground-level air pollution, smack-dab in the midst of ORHS and the Civic Center. [Read more…]

If elected, Wamp could become youngest member of Congress

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Weston Wamp and Verrner Anderson

Weston Wamp, right, a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, talks to Verner Anderson, who volunteered for the first campaign of Wamp’s father, Zach Wamp, in 1994.

If elected this year, Weston Wamp could become the youngest member of Congress. The Chattanooga Republican turns 27 this month.

If elected, he would return the East Tennessee seat to a member of the Wamp family. His father, Zach Wamp, held the seat for 16 years, from 1994-2010.

Wamp tried to unseat the incumbent, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, once before, in 2012. He wasn’t successful. Now, he’s trying again.

“Tennessee’s Third District deserves better representation,” Wamp said during a recent interview in Oak Ridge. “At the very least, they deserve a choice at the ballot box.”

Wamp suggested Fleischmann’s record could hurt the two-term congressman. Wamp said many federal employees and U.S. Department of Energy contractors are not pleased with Fleischmann’s performance, especially after a high-profile budget vote that led to a partial government shutdown in October. [Read more…]

Spotlight: Oak Ridge welcomes travel writer tour

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Travel Writers at ORNL Wall of Flags

Travel writers take a break at the Wall of Flags at ORNL that features flags for all home countries of current employees. Pictured left to right, front row, are Tori Cuddy, Lisa Sonne, Scott Cochran, Tricia Szulewski, and Clement Salvadori; and, second row, Nicole Elliott and Wayne Newton. (Photos courtesy ORCVB)

North American journalists experience adventure in America’s Secret City

Travel writers from across North America were in Oak Ridge on Thursday, researching interesting stories to help promote tourism to the area. With a focus on outdoor adventure and heritage tourism, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development partnered with the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with surrounding tourism organizations, to host the group.

The team of 17 journalists spent the first day of spring with local experts in heritage tourism and outdoor recreation. Each writer had the opportunity to ask many questions while experiencing both the natural beauty of Oak Ridge and the importance the city plays in scientific and technological discovery. Due to the excellent presentations given at each of the stops on the tour, all journalists left with a newfound love and appreciation for the exciting tourism opportunities Oak Ridge has to offer.

“Working with our partners in the capital and around East Tennessee helps Oak Ridge leverage our exposure in larger markets and reach out to broader audiences,” said Katy Brown, executive director of the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We rely heavily on our tourism partners in Oak Ridge as we roll out the red carpet for these visiting writers.” [Read more…]