Oak Ridge Today

DOE award could lead to small nuclear reactors in Oak Ridge

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Note: This story was updated at 8:12 p.m.

Four small nuclear reactors could be built on the Clinch River in west Oak Ridge in about a decade under a federal award announced Tuesday.

In its announcement, the U.S. Department of Energy said it will invest up to half of the total cost of the project to design, license, and help commercialize the new small modular reactors, or SMRs. The investment will come through a five-year cost-sharing agreement.

The project will be led by The Babcock & Wilcox Co, which is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., and has a business unit that oversees the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. The company’s partners on the SMR project are Bechtel and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

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Voices of the Manhattan Project website launched Friday

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The Atomic Heritage Foundation and the Los Alamos Historical Society launched a new website Friday titled “Voices of the Manhattan Project.”

“This is the first step in creating a national repository or directory for oral history collections of Manhattan Project veterans and their families,” the Atomic Heritage Foundation said. “With the Congress considering legislation to establish a Manhattan Project National Historical Park, this website, with its first-hand accounts of this top-secret project, will be an important resource for scholars, students and members of the public.”

Oak Ridge played a key role in the Manhattan Project, a top-secret program to build the world’s first nuclear weapons during World War II, and the website includes interviews with several people who worked in Oak Ridge during the war.

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Oak Ridge leaf pickup starts Monday

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The citywide leaf pickup program begins Monday, Nov. 19. The schedule is printed below.

Oak Ridge officials said workers will try to follow the schedule as closely as possible, but it is a general guide and pickup dates can vary considerably from the real schedule due to the amount of leaves and weather.

Here a few guidelines for the leaf pickup program:

  • Residents should place their leaves near, but not beyond, the curb. Leaves are not to be placed in the street due to possible clogging of storm drains and posing a traffic hazard. Hazards can be removed by the city at the resident’s cost.
  • Leaves should be free of tree branches and twigs as these can cause the leaf vacuums to clog. Because of their impact on production, leaf piles found to contain these items will not be picked up.
  • All leaves must be placed outside fenced areas. Leaves in plastic bags will also be picked up at the curb during the scheduled program.
  • Only leaves will be collected during this fall’s program. Residents are reminded that the leaf pickup program typically begins the Monday before Thanksgiving each year, while the citywide household trash and brush pickup programs are held during April and May.

For more information, contact Waste Connections of Tennessee at (865) 482-3656.

The leaf pickup schedule can also be found on the city’s website at www.oakridgetn.gov.

 

First Week

  • Monday, Nov. 19—Valparaiso Road, East Vanderbilt Drive, West Vanderbilt Drive, Villanova Road, Virginia Road, Scarboro community, Burnham Woods subdivision, Groves Park Commons
  • Tuesday, Nov. 20—Manhattan Avenue from Rutgers Avenue to Manchester Road, Morris Lane, Nasson Lane, Northwestern Avenue from Manhattan Avenue to South Purdue Avenue, Paine Lane, Paris Lane, Park Lane, Pembroke Road, Phillips Lane, Potomac Circle, Pratt Lane, Princeton Avenue, South Purdue Avenue, Queens Road, Quincy Avenue
  • Wednesday, Nov. 21—West Gettysburg Avenue, Marshall Circle, Nevada Circle, Newberry Circle, Niagara Lane, Northwestern Avenue from Manhattan Avenue to North Purdue Avenue, Parsons Road, Piedmont Road, North Purdue Avenue from Manhattan Avenue to Manhattan Avenue
  • Thursday, Nov. 22—Holiday
  • Friday, Nov. 23—Goucher Circle, Manhattan Avenue from North Purdue Avenue to Manchester Road, Manchester Road, Marietta Circle, Marquette Road, Maryville Circle, North Purdue Avenue from Manhattan Avenue to Marquette Road, Willow Place, Liberty Court, Graham Place

 

Second Week

  • Monday, Nov. 26—Hendrix Creek subdivision, Eastridge Drive, English Court, Esquire Court, Wolf Creek subdivision
  • Tuesday, Nov. 27—Briarcliff subdivision
  • Wednesday, Nov. 28—Emory Valley subdivision east of Caldwell Drive, Amanda Drive, Amanda Place, Adelphi Road, Albion Road, Albright Road, Antioch Drive, Artesia Drive, Asbury Lane, Bay Path Drive, Beechwood Court, Belle Creek Drive, Blue Mountain Court, Bridgewater Lane, Stonebridge Way, Rivers Run subdivision, Park Mead Drive, Center Park Lane, Marywater Lane, Marywood Court, Riverview Drive, Rivers Court, Palisades Parkway, Presidential Drive, Patriot Lane, Pinnacle Way
  • Thursday, Nov. 29—Emory Valley subdivision including west of Caldwell Drive, Emory Heights
  • Friday, Nov. 30—East Drive from Endicott Lane to Athens Road, Eastburn Lane, Eaton Lane, Edgehill Lane, Edison Lane, Elliott Circle, Emerson Circle, Emerson Place

 

Third Week

  • Monday, Dec. 3—East Drive from Outer Drive to Endicott Lane, Enfield Lane, Englewood Lane, Essex Lane, Euclid Circle, Euclid Place, Evans Lane, Everest Circle, Reel Heights & Tanglewood Subdivision
  • Tuesday, Dec. 4—North Alabama Road, South Alabama Road, Albany Road, Alder Lane, Alger Road, Alhambra Road, Amherst Lane, Andover Circle, West Arrowwood Road, East Arrowwood Road, Ashland Lane, Atlanta Road, Arizona Road, Arkansas Avenue, Aspen Lane, Athens Road, Audubon Road
  • Wednesday, Dec. 5—California Avenue, Cahill Lane, Carlisle Lane, Cedar Lane, Cedar Road, Chatham Lane, Clarion Road, Outer Drive from East Drive to Delaware Avenue, Oak Lane, Ogden Lane, Ogden Circle, Oglethorpe Place
  • Thursday, Dec. 6—East Tennessee Avenue from California Avenue to Georgia Avenue, Tabor Road, Tacoma Road, North Tampa Lane, South Tampa Lane, Taylor Road, Temple Road, Thayer Lane, Thelma Road, Thornton Road, Tilden Road, Townsend Road, Tomlinson Road, Trevose Lane
  • Friday, Dec. 7—Outer Drive from Florida Avenue to Delaware Avenue, Ogontz Lane, Olean Lane, Olmstead Lane, Olney Lane, Dallas Lane, East Dalton Road, West Dalton Road, East Damascus Road, West Damascus Road, Darwin Lane, Darwin Road, Decatur Road, Delaware Avenue, Delmar Circle, Devon Lane, Dewey Road, Disston Road, Ditman Lane, Dixie Lane

 

Fourth Week 

  • Monday, Dec. 10—Florida Avenue, East Fairview Road, West Fairview Road, East Farragut Road, West Farragut Road, East Faunce Lane, West Faunce Road, East Fernhill Lane, West Fernhill Road, Firestone Road, East Forest Road, West Forest Lane, Fulton Lane, Tyson Road, Turner Road, Tucker Road
  • Tuesday, Dec. 11—Outer Drive from Florida Avenue to Michigan Avenue, Oneida Lane, Ontario Lane, Orange Lane, Kentucky Avenue, Kelvin Lane, Kenwyn Road, Keystone Lane, Kimball Lane, Kingsley Road, Kingfisher Lane, Georgia Avenue, East Geneva Lane, West Geneva Lane, Glendale Lane, Gorgas Lane, Gordon Road
  • Wednesday, Dec. 12—Orchard Circle, Orchard Lane, Orkney Road, Michigan Avenue, Moylan Lane, Milton Lane, Mayfair Lane, Meadow Road, Mead Lane, Maple Lane, Marion Road, East Malta Road, Malvern Road, West Malta Road, East Maiden Lane, West Maiden Lane, West Magnolia Lane, East Magnolia Lane, West Madison Lane, East Madison Road
  • Thursday, Dec. 13—New York Avenue, Norwood Lane, Norris Lane, Norman Lane, Nolan Road, Nixon Road, East Newkirk Lane, West Newkirk Lane, East Newcomb Road, West Newcomb Road, Nesper Road, Tennessee Avenue from New York Avenue to Georgia Avenue, Utah Avenue, Uvalde Lane, Upsal Road, Ulysses Lane, Umbria Lane, Ulena Lane, Underwood Road, Norton Road
  • Friday, Dec. 14—Pennsylvania Avenue from New York Avenue to Providence Road, Vermont Avenue, Valetta Lane, West Vance Road, Vassar Road, Venus Road, Verbena Road, Vernon Road, Victoria Road, Viking Road, Vienna Road, Viola Road, Vista Road, Pacific Road, Packer Road, Palmetto Lane, Paoli Lane, Palmer Road, East Pasadena Road, Panama Road, Pallas Road, Parma Road, Parker Road, North Tulane Avenue, West Pasadena Lane

 

Fifth Week

  • Monday, Dec. 17—Outer Drive from Pennsylvania Avenue to Michigan Avenue, Oxford Road, Osage Road, Providence Road, Pennsylvania Avenue from Providence Road to Outer Drive, Pleasant Road, Plymouth Circle, Pomona Road, West Price Lane, East Price Road, Powell Road, Porter Road, Union Road, Pocono Lane, Pine Lane, East Pawley Lane, West Pawley Road, East Passmore Lane, West Passmore Road, Pearl Road, Pelham Road, Peach Road, Poplar Road, Pickwick Lane
  • Tuesday, Dec. 18—West Outer Drive from North Illinois Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue, Warwick Lane, Ivy Lane, Warrior Circle, Warrior Lane, Waltham Lane, Waltham Place, Walsh Lane, Walpole Lane, Walnut Lane, Wadsworth Circle, Wadsworth Place, Wakeman Lane, Wakefield Road, Wainwright Road, North Walker Lane, South Walker Lane, Wabash Lane, Waddell Circle, Waddell Place, Wade Lane, Wedgewood Road, Westlook Circle, Westoverlook Drive, Westlook Drive
  • Wednesday, Dec. 19—Robertsville Road from Oak Ridge Turnpike to North Illinois Avenue, Raleigh Road, Robin Lane, Iris Circle, Inca Circle, Ivanhoe Road, Hillside Road, North Hickory Lane, South Hickory Lane, Hickory Place, Henley Road, Henley Place, Henderson Lane, Highland Avenue, East Holston Lane, West Holston Lane, Howard Lane, Hollywood Circle, Hoyt Lane, Hamilton Circle, Hunter Circle, Hunter Place, East Hutchinson Circle, West Hutchinson Circle, Hutchinson Place, Hubbell Place
  • Thursday, Dec. 20—West Outer Drive from Louisiana Avenue to North Illinois Avenue, Wellington Circle, Wayside Road, Wayne Place, Wayne Road, Washburn Circle, North Illinois Avenue, Iroquois Road, Ithaca Lane, West Irving Lane, East Irving Lane, Iona Circle, Independence Lane, Indian Place, Indian Lane, Robertsville Road from North Illinois Avenue to Jefferson Avenue, Royce Circle
  • Friday, Dec. 21—Lasalle Road, Locust Lane, Livingston Road, Loyola Lane, Revere Circle, Regent Circle, Jefferson Avenue, Jonathan Place, Jonathan Lane, East Judd Lane, West Judd Lane, Johnson Road, Jarrett Lane, Jasper Lane, Jay Lane, Jersey Lane, Jellico Lane, Lawton Road, Lancaster Road, South Lansing Road, North Lincoln Circle, East Lincoln Road, South Jefferson Circle, North Jefferson Circle, Latimer Road, Jefferson Court

 

Sixth Week

  • Monday, Dec. 24—Holiday
  • Tuesday, Dec. 25—Holiday
  • Wednesday, Dec. 26—West Outer Drive from Morningside Drive to Louisiana Avenue, Robertsville Road from Jefferson Avenue to Mississippi Avenue, Salem Road, Scott Lane, Sanford Lane, South Seneca Road, North Seneca Road, Sequoia Lane, Sheridan Circle, Sheridan Place, Stanton Lane, Seymour Lane, Lindale Lane, Lind Place, Lynwood Lane, West Lincoln Road, Louisiana Avenue, Lawrence Lane, Lewis Lane, Lehigh Lane
  • Thursday, Dec. 27—Windham Road, Windhaven Lane, Moore Lane, Montclair Road, Montreal Lane, Monaco Lane, Middlebury Road, Morgan Road, Morningside Drive, Mississippi Avenue
  • Friday, Dec. 28—Robertsville Road from East Melbourne Road to Mississippi Avenue, Bradley Avenue, West Bryn Mawr Circle, East Bryn Mawr Circle, Beverly Circle, Butler Road, Byron Lane, Bermuda Road, Briar Road, Bunker Lane, Rand Circle, Wiltshire Estates

 

Seventh Week

  • Monday, Dec. 31—Montana Avenue, West Melbourne Road, Mockingbird Lane, Maltese Lane, Mallard Lane, Meadowlark Lane, Macaw Lane, Maywood Road, Macon Lane, East Melbourne Road, Monticello Road, Moss Road, Miramar Circle, Mohawk Road, Jackson Crossing
  • Tuesday, Jan. 1—Holiday
  • Wednesday, Jan. 2—West Outer Drive from Nebraska Avenue to Morningside Drive, Walton Lane, Wendover Circle, Wilderness Lane, Woodridge Lane, Willow Lane
  • Thursday, Jan. 3—Nebraska Avenue, Newridge Road, Newell Lane, Normandy Road, Norway Lane, Newton Lane, Newcrest Lane, Naples Lane, Newhaven Road, Netherland Road, Newark Lane, Neville Lane, Newcastle Lane, Newport Drive, Newhope Lane, Nathan Lane, New Bedford Lane, Nantucket Way
  • Friday, Jan. 4—West Outer Drive from Nebraska Avenue to dead end, Wimberly Lane, Windgate Road, Westwind Drive, Windsong Lane, Oklahoma Avenue, Westover Drive, Wildwood Drive, Mason Lane

 

Eighth Week

  • Monday, Jan. 7—Rarity Ridge, West Southwood Lane, East Southwood Lane, Sweetgum Lane, Shagbark Lane, Country Club Estates, Greenview, Whippoorwill Drive, Westview Lane, Weldon Lane, Wesley Lane, Winston Lane, William Lane, Wildcat Lane, Winchester Circle, Wisconsin Avenue

German World War II veteran speaks at Roane State today

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A German veteran of World War II will speak today at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus and at the main campus in Harriman.

Gerhard Hennes will speak in the City Room at the Oak Ridge campus at 12:30 p.m. He will lecture at 4:30 p.m. at the Roane County campus in room O-202 in the O’Brien Humanities Building. Each event is free and open to the public.

The lectures are presented by the Roane State-Bethel University 2+2 education program.

Hennes served as an officer in the German signal corps and fought in the Polish invasion, the Battle of France, and in the North Africa campaign.

In North Africa, Hennes was stationed at the Army headquarters of Erwin Rommel and worked with the famed Panzer leader personally.

He surrendered with the Afrika Korps in 1943 and then spent the rest of the war in 16 POW camps, including more than a year in Crossville.

After the war, he was deported to Germany in 1945, but immigrated back to the U.S. in 1953 and became a citizen in 1958.

At 90 years old, he resides in Fredericksburg, Va., and has written four books, including two on his wartime experiences.

For more information, contact Roane State history professor Casey Cobb at cobbcc@roanestate.edu or (865) 481-2000, ext. 2205.

Guest column: Residents encouraged to serve on city boards, applications due Friday

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By Oak Ridge City Manager Mark S. Watson and City Clerk Diana R. Stanley

It might sound like a cliché, but it certainly applies in Oak Ridge these days—exciting things are happening in our town!

The new Kroger Marketplace and the new Weigel’s development will impact economic growth through our Planning Commission. The added beauty and recreation opportunities with the construction of the new Melton Lake Water Pavilion are a major accomplishment of our Recreation and Parks Board. Let’s also not forget about the historic Alexander Inn, which is getting a new lease on life due in part to the work of the Industrial Development Board.

The city’s ongoing pursuance of a Manhattan Project National Park designation and the utilization of the Not in Our City campaign to address neighborhood improvements are also big projects for many other city boards. Make no mistake about it; exciting things are happening in Oak Ridge.

Our city board and commission members play an important part in not only the above projects being achieved, but also in many more. Board members volunteer their time, experience, and expertise to help guide projects, foster ideas, as well as interact with citizens and local businesses to help our community grow, and we would like to thank them publicly for their service.

The city’s boards and commissions oversee a variety of issues to fit the different public interests of our residents. For example, the Trade Licensing Board sets standards and procedures for the qualification, examination, and licensing of electrical, plumbing, and mechanical contractors; the Parks Board advises City Council and city staff on the recreation and parks needs of the city, while the Traffic Safety Advisory Board reviews traffic safety issues and gives advice to the city on other matters concerning traffic flow and speeds within the community.

We all want Oak Ridge to be the best it can be and our best resource for achieving it is the people of our community. We would like to urge residents to be a part of the “Something Big” by applying for membership on a city board or commission.

Oak Ridge residents interested in membership are asked to complete an online 2012 Boards and Commissions Application at http://tiny.cc/12boardsapp. Paper copies can be obtained in the City Clerk’s Office). Applicants may also submit cover letter or resumes in addition to the application. The deadline for all materials is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16. Interested individuals may view the 2012 Election Notice by visiting the City Clerk’s departmental website for a list of the boards seeking members, terms of office, and special qualifications.

Margaret Mead once wrote “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world: Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Positive changes are happening in Oak Ridge, so come and join your City Council in helping Oak Ridge achieve excellence in the years to come.

Oak Ridge mayor, mayor pro tem seek re-appointment

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The city’s mayor and vice mayor are both seeking to be re-appointed to two-year terms when the new City Council meets on Dec. 10.

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller have both written to their fellow City Council members, asking to be re-appointed. (Beehan’s letter is here, and Miller’s is here.)

The mayor and mayor pro tem are not elected by voters in Oak Ridge. Instead, they are appointed by the seven-member council after each regular municipal election.

A new council was elected Nov. 6. One on the incumbents, Ellen Smith, lost in her re-election run, and two other incumbents, Charlie Hensley and Chuck Hope, were re-elected. They will be joined by new council member Trina Baughn.

The mayor leads council meetings, serves as the ceremonial head of the city, and signs ordinances, resolutions, bonds, and contracts, among other things. The mayor votes at council meetings but has no veto power.

The mayor pro tem fills in for the mayor when the mayor is absent or disabled.

Beehan has been mayor since July 2007. Before that, he was mayor pro tem for six years.

Miller has been mayor pro tem since July 2007.

Beehan has been a council member since 2001, and Miller has served since 2003.

The other two council members are Anne Garcia Garland and David Mosby. Council members serve staggered four-year terms, so three are elected in one municipal election, and then, two years later, four more are elected.

The Dec. 10 council meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.

City starts search for Jackson Square design firm this week

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TDOT Commissioner John Schroer Tours Jackson Square

Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer, left, tours Jackson Square on Monday with Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, center, and City Manager Mark Watson.

The search for a company to help transform historic Jackson Square with the help of an $800,000 grant could start this week, Oak Ridge officials said Monday.

The city plans to release a request for proposals, or RFP, for consulting engineers this week, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said. The winning firm will help design and configure the new square, and meet with the public. Picking a company could take three to four weeks, Watson said.

A separate company will be selected to do an environmental review of historic buildings at Jackson Square, Oak Ridge’s original town center.

The redevelopment of the square will use a roughly $800,000 state award of federal highway money to improve the parking lot on Broadway Avenue, build and repair sidewalks, add trees and pedestrian lighting, and make the square an “attractive, landscaped plaza and parking area.”

Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer toured the square on Monday afternoon with TDOT and local officials, but he declined to put a timeline on the project, which requires a local funding match of $200,000.

Watson said it would take at least 18 months to get to the construction bidding stage.

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Oak Ridge deer hunt canceled

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A deer hunt in Oak Ridge has been canceled as a result of the fallout from the July 28 security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton.

On Thursday, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said it was informed by the U.S. Department of Energy that the hunt scheduled for Oct. 20 and 21 on the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area was canceled while security on the Oak Ridge Reservation is reviewed, WYSH said.

TWRA said it will notify the affected hunters by mail and that it will refund any fees that have already been paid for the hunt. Similar Oak Ridge hunts set for November and December remain scheduled, WYSH said.

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U.S. Labor Secretary Solis to tour Roane State on Wednesday

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U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis will tour the Oak Ridge campus of Roane State Community College on Wednesday to highlight federal investments in health care job training.

The tour comes about two weeks after the U.S. Department of Labor announced that a consortium led by Roane State had received a $12.5 million grant to offer more training for health care careers and help students finish their degrees. The Sept. 19 announcement included a total of 54 grants helping nearly 300 schools across the country.

The Wednesday tour starts at 11 a.m., and it will be followed by remarks by Solis and a press conference.

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TBR names Whaley as Roane State president

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Chris Whaley

Chris Whaley

The Tennessee Board of Regents on Monday unanimously appointed Chris Whaley as the next president of Roane State Community College.

The college has its main campus in Harriman and several branch campuses, including one in Oak Ridge.

Whaley will start the new job on Nov. 1, a TBR press release said. He will replace Gary Goff, who is retiring Oct. 31 after leading Roane State for seven years.

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Oak Ridge celebrates 70th birthday

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Oak Ridge 70th Birthday

Local historians, officials, volunteers, and former Manhattan Project workers celebrate Oak Ridge’s 70th birthday on Wednesday. (Photo by D. Ray Smith)

Residents, officials, and historic preservationists celebrated Oak Ridge’s birthday on Wednesday with cake, historical displays, speeches, a preservation award, and a special free showing of “Fat Man and Little Boy.”

The celebration at Jackson Square marked the 70th anniversary of the day that Gen. Leslie Groves selected Oak Ridge as the first Manhattan Project site. The Manhattan Project was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II.

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Oak Ridge celebrates 70th birthday at Jackson Square this afternoon

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Oak Ridge will celebrate its 70th birthday today with historic displays and talks in Jackson Square, special games and activities, a preservation award, and a special free showing of “Fat Man and Little Boy.”

Gen. Leslie R. Groves selected the area that is now Oak Ridge—it was then 90 square miles of East Tennessee farmland—as the first site for Manhattan Project facilities on Sept. 19, 1942. The Manhattan Project was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II.

The 70th birthday festivities kick off at 3 p.m. today in Jackson Square.

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