Oak Ridge Today

Guest column: Applauds House, Senate support for Manhattan Project park

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Editor’s note: National Parks supporters last week applauded the unanimous approval by a House committee of a bill to set up a Manhattan Project National Historical Park that would include Oak Ridge. Here are statements from two supporters.

Ron Tipton, senior vice president of policy for the National Parks Conservation Association

The National Parks Conservation Association applauds the bipartisan House and Senate support for preserving of our country’s history, through the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act. Today’s announcement provides another positive step forward, as the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved the bipartisan bill introduced by Committee Chairman Doc Hastings, Congressman Ben Lujan, and Congressman Chuck Fleischmann.

These national park sites will provide unparalleled opportunities to improve public understanding of the Manhattan Project, the legacy of the United States’ splitting of the atom, and the national and global impacts associated with harnessing the atom. [Read more…]

DA: Crime down a ‘remarkable’ 10.5 percent in Anderson County

Posted at
By 5 Comments

Dave Clark

Dave Clark

The number of crimes reported in Anderson County dropped again last year, continuing a six-year trend, District Attorney General Dave Clark announced Monday.

Crime was down 10.5 percent in Anderson County in 2012, Clark said.

“That is a remarkable result in a single year,” he said. [Read more…]

Roane State has open house tonight

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Roane State Community College will host an open house for homeschool students, private school students, and their families from 6 to 8 p.m. today.

The open house will be in the City Room at the college’s Oak Ridge campus. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge brush pickup starts Monday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The city-wide brush pickup  program for Oak Ridge begins Monday, April 29. City collection efforts will follow the accompanying schedule as closely as possible. The schedule is a general guide and can vary considerably due to weather conditions and/or the amount of participation by residents.

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

Guest column: Chamber hopes to continue working with city on business development

Posted at
By 3 Comments

Throughout the years, the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce has been a valuable asset to the community, supporting local businesses and promoting new business development in our city. For more than 20 years, the city of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce have had an agreement through which the Chamber works in partnership with the city to attract new business to the community.

Appropriately, during these challenging economic times, the city is looking at all of its economic development relationships and asking itself whether or not it’s a good investment. We recognize the city’s efforts to conserve public dollars and have made a proposal to City Council for the formation of a better and less expensive partnership for the future. [Read more…]

Faith column: The Prophet of Oak Ridge

Posted at
By 4 Comments

Prophet of Oak Ridge Column

In light of the upcoming visit from a Harvard psychologist who will discuss dreams and other problem-solving phenomena which occur during states of sleep, I offer the local story about supernatural predictions which pointed directly to the development and worldwide impact of the city of Oak Ridge:

There was a prophet in Robertsville. Yes, right around the turn of the 20th Century, one farmer’s life underwent such a transformation that his community nicknamed him “The Prophet.”

It began in the late 1880s when a young man brought his new wife up the Emery Road and claimed a piece of property with a cold water spring for his new home. Over the years they built cabins and barns and planted an orchard. They had five children: one boy and four girls. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge hires former Clinton city manager as industrial, commercial recruiter

Posted at
By 6 Comments

Steve Jones

Steve Jones

Former Clinton City Manager Steve Jones has been hired by the City of Oak Ridge to provide economic development support services, with a particular emphasis on industrial and commercial recruitment.

The term of the support services agreement is April through October 2013. Jones will be paid $3,500 per month and will report to Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson.

“Steve was extremely successful as a recruiter during his 10-year tenure as city manager of Clinton,” Watson said. “With the advent of the Uranium Processing Facility project and the upswing in industrial activity in the region, the city will benefit from having a professional business developer focusing everyday on opportunities for Oak Ridge. I look forward to having Steve representing us at the regional and state levels.” [Read more…]

Guest column: State officials comment on death of Oak Ridge soldier

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Christopher Michael Ward

Christopher Michael Ward

Note: This is an edited copy of a Thursday announcement from the Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder regretfully announce the loss of Tennessee soldier Staff Sgt. Christopher Michael Ward of Oak Ridge.

Ward was fatally injured when his patrol was struck by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, which detonated on Saturday, April 6, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Staff Sergeant Ward was serving with Troop A, 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team, Fort Stewart, Ga.

The 24-year old soldier grew up in Arcadia, Fla. However, Ward moved to Tennessee with his mother, Joyce Ward, and attended Oak Ridge High School before earning his General Educational Development, or GED, diploma and enlisting in the United States Army in November 2006. [Read more…]

Motel 6 fire in Clinton causes estimated $550,000 in damages

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Clinton Motel 6 Fire

A fire at the Motel 6 in Clinton on Thursday afternoon caused an estimated $550,000 in damages, authorities said. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A Thursday afternoon fire at the Motel 6 in Clinton that apparently spread from a mulch bed outside the building to the roof and attic damaged at least 20 rooms and caused an estimated $550,000 damage, authorities said.

The two-story hotel is off state Highway 61 near Interstate 75. The fire was reported at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday. No one was injured.

The flames went up the side of the building and, driven by high winds, made it to the attic, where the fire burned through the roof, WYSH Radio in Clinton reported. Officials said at least 20 rooms were damaged by fire, and a large part of the rest of the building received smoke and water damage. [Read more…]

Farmer’s Market starts Saturday in Oak Ridge, opens new Knoxville location

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

When the farmer’s market season begins this month, there will be another location for shoppers to find locally grown produce. The East Tennessee Association for Retail Marketing, or FARM, will operate two market locations in Knoxville this year, as well as continuing the Oak Ridge market.

FARM will launch this season on Friday, April 12, at 3 p.m. at the Laurel Church of Christ at 3457 Kingston Pike, across from Cherokee Boulevard. The Oak Ridge market will open Saturday, April 13, at 8 a.m., across from historic Jackson Square. On Tuesday, April 16, the new Knoxville location will open at 3 p.m. at Ebenezer United Methodist Church at 1001 Ebenezer Road. [Read more…]

Mayor to testify to Congress: Manhattan Project park would honor most significant event of last century

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Tom Beehan

Tom Beehan

A new national historical park that could include Oak Ridge would honor the history of the Manhattan Project, the most significant event of the 20th Century, Mayor Tom Beehan will tell a U.S. House subcommittee in testimony this morning.

The Manhattan Project was a top-secret U.S. program to build the world’s first atomic weapons. The three Manhattan Project sites that could be included in the new park are Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, N.M., and Hanford, Wash.

Despite what some detractors might say, the proposed park is not about weapons, Beehan wrote in prepared testimony.

“I believe this historical park is about scientific and engineering accomplishments at a time when our country was defending itself, both during World War II and the Cold War,” he said. [Read more…]

Severe thunderstorms expected through this evening

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Severe Thunderstorms

Severe thunderstorms are expected across East Tennessee through this evening, with damaging winds and large hail possible. (Image courtesy of National Weather Service in Morristown.)

Severe thunderstorms are expected across East Tennessee through this evening, with damaging winds and large hail possible.

Localized flooding and isolated tornadoes are also possible, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The forecast for Oak Ridge calls for showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after midnight. [Read more…]