Oak Ridge Today

Snow in Oak Ridge

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Many roads in Oak Ridge were covered by a wet, slushy snow on Sunday morning, Dec. 9, 2018, and some were slippery even when they appeared relatively clear. Pictured above is South Illinois Avenue. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Many roads in Oak Ridge were covered by a wet, slushy snow on Sunday morning, Dec. 9, 2018, and some were slippery even when they appeared relatively clear. Pictured above is South Illinois Avenue. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 1:15 p.m.

Many roads in Oak Ridge were covered by a wet, slushy snow on Sunday morning, and some were slippery even when they appeared relatively clear.

The Oak Ridge Police Department said there were slick spots coming into Oak Ridge from Solway.

Oak Ridge Today measured about 5/8 inch of snow on a sidewalk in one spot mid-morning Sunday.

Main roads such as Illinois Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike were mostly clear, with slush in some spots such as the median, while side streets remained snow-covered. [Read more…]

Basketball: Smith scores career-high 34 as Wildcats sweep Karns

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Oak Ridge senior Marcus Smith (2) scored a career-high 34 points during an 82-65 win over Karns at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge senior guard Marcus Smith (2) scored a career-high 34 points during an 82-65 win over Karns at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge senior guard Marcus Smith scored a career-high 34 points as the Wildcats and Lady Wildcats swept Karns at home on Tuesday.

Smith also had eight rebounds and five assists during the 82-65 win over the Beavers at Wildcat Arena.

“I was really proud of Marcus,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

Eleven of his points were from the free throw line, where Smith was 11-of-15.

Oak Ridge senior guard JaVonte Thomas scored 18 points for the Wildcats (6-1, 3-0 District 3-AAA) and pulled down 10 rebounds. Senior guard Joe Kesterson added 10 points, with nine of those on three-point shots. Junior guard Isaiah Johnson scored eight, and sophomore forward Jeremy Miller had six points and 10 rebounds. [Read more…]

Joe Gaddis inducted into Tennessee Football Coaches Hall of Fame

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Joe Gaddis

Joe Gaddis (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge football coach Joe Gaddis was inducted into the Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Saturday.

It was the association’s fifth Hall of Fame class, and it includes a total of seven members. Besides Gaddis, the other six Hall of Fame football members in this year’s class were Bobby Alston, Jim Heinz, Hershel Moore, Bob Polston, and Dave Rider.

The seventh member recognized by the Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame was the contributor of the year. This year’s inductee was former Chattanooga Times Free Press sports writer and Chattanooga area television personality Stump Martin.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place on Saturday, December 1, at the Life Church in Cookeville. [Read more…]

Basketball: Oak Ridge boys win at Campbell County

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JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge boys basketball team picked up their second district win of the season in a 81-67 victory at Campbell County on Friday night.

The Cougars took an early lead, but the Wildcats led 22-12 by the end of the first quarter.

Oak Ridge (5-1, 2-0 District 3-AAA) outscored Campbell County 48-29 in the next two quarters to widen the lead to 70-44.

But the Cougars (0-7, 0-2) scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, compared to 11 for the Wildcats, to narrow the final score to 81-67. [Read more…]

Guinn scores 32, but Oak Ridge loses at Campbell County

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JACKSBORO—Oak Ridge senior guard Jada Guinn scored 32 points in a 49-48 loss at Campbell County on Friday night, a district basketball game that ended with a battle of free throws.

Guinn, who has signed to play basketball at Tennessee Tech, scored more points than the top two Lady Cougars combined. She had two-thirds of the Oak Ridge offense and made a crucial three-point shot with about 30 seconds remaining.

Campbell County was led by 6-foot-2 junior post Madison Brady, who scored 20 points. That included seven points in the close fourth quarter, when Brady was 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Brady and Guinn each went to the free throw line three times in the final 38 seconds. Each made five of their six shots. It was another battle between the two teams that have finished in the top two spots in the district in each of the past three seasons. [Read more…]

Bonds sold Tuesday for Preschool, Senior Center

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

Bonds sold Tuesday morning for three construction projects: Oak Ridge Preschool, Oak Ridge Senior Center, and Scarboro Park renovations.

The bonds sold at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said.

There were six competitors. Fidelity Capital Markets had the low bid, with an interest rate of 3.613651 percent.

It’s considered a good interest rate. Anything below 4 percent is good, Watson said.

There wasn’t a large spread between the six bidders. The highest bidder had an interest rate of 3.720288. [Read more…]

Gooch, Chinn re-elected as mayor, mayor pro tem

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Warren Gooch

Warren Gooch

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch and Mayor Pro Tem Rick Chinn were re-elected to two-year terms during a special City Council meeting on Tuesday.

In Oak Ridge, the seven-member City Council selects two of its members to serve as mayor and mayor pro tem after each municipal election every two years. The mayor pro tem serves in the mayor’s absence.

Gooch was the only candidate for mayor on Tuesday. Gooch was re-elected November 6, and he is serving his second four-year term as a City Council member and third two-year term as mayor.

Chinn was also re-elected to a second four-year term City Council on November 6, and he is serving his second two-year term as mayor pro tem. [Read more…]

(For members) New DOE security contractor will take over in December

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The Joe L. Evins Federal Building is pictured above in Oak Ridge on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Joe L. Evins Federal Building is pictured above in Oak Ridge on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Joe L. Evins Federal Building is pictured above in Oak Ridge on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

After a protest was denied this month, a new security contractor will take over protecting U.S. Department of Energy sites in Oak Ridge at the end of December.

The contract could be worth close to $66 million and be in place for five years.

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or recent contributor to Oak Ridge Today. 

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Updated: Oak Ridge football season ends with quarterfinal loss to Catholic

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Oak Ridge senior Jordan Graham (8) runs during a 20-14 loss to Farragut on Blankenship Field on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018. (Photo by Barry Houchin)

Oak Ridge senior Jordan Graham (8), pictured here during the Sept. 7, 2018, game against Farragut, ran for four touchdowns during a 42-40 quarterfinal loss to Catholic on Blankenship Field on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (File photo by Barry Houchin)

 

Note This story was last updated with photos at 3 p.m. Nov. 17.

For the second year in a row, the Oak Ridge football season ended with a state quarterfinal loss to Knoxville Catholic on Blankenship Field.

Last year’s final score was 37-28 in favor of the Fighting Irish. Catholic went on to win the Class 5A state championship.

This year’s final score in Oak Ridge was closer, 42-40, but Catholic prevailed again.

The Wildcats (9-3) led by 13 points, 27-14, at halftime of the Class 5A quarterfinal on Friday. They widened their lead to 33-14 early in the third quarter when senior Jordan Graham scored his fourth rushing touchdown, his second four-TD performance in two weeks.

But after that score, the Fighting Irish (10-3) rallied with three touchdowns on three drives to take a 35-33 lead at 1:26 in the third quarter. They tacked on one more touchdown early in the fourth quarter to widen their lead to 42-33. [Read more…]

Basketball: Wildcats open season with wins at Meigs County

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats and Lady Wildcats opened the 2018-2019 season with wins in non-district games at Meigs County on Tuesday.

The boys won 72-27, and the girls won 56-38.

It was the first time the Oak Ridge and Meigs County boys teams have played against each other, according to broadcaster David Clary of Prepradio.com. The girls last met in 1994. [Read more…]

Gooch, Chinn will seek re-election as mayor, mayor pro tem

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Warren Gooch

Warren Gooch

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch will seek re-election as mayor later this month, and Mayor Pro Tem Rick Chinn wants to serve again as mayor pro tem.

The Oak Ridge City Council will elect two of their seven members as mayor and mayor pro tem at a meeting on Tuesday, November 27. The mayor and mayor pro tem, who serves in the mayor’s absence, serve two-year terms. Under the City Charter, they are chosen by Council after each municipal election every two years.

While Gooch is currently mayor, Council member Rick Chinn is now the mayor pro tem. In Oak Ridge, the daily responsibilities of running the city are delegated to a city manager, who is selected by Council. The mayor and mayor pro tem cast votes during City Council decisions, and the mayor—or mayor pro tem when the mayor is not available—leads City Council meetings, signs ordinances and resolutions, and serves as the ceremonial head of the city, among other duties.

If he is re-elected later this month, it would be Gooch’s third two-year term as mayor. It would be Chinn’s second term as mayor pro tem. [Read more…]

Updated: Graham’s four TDs help propel Wildcats to state quarterfinals

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Oak Ridge senior Jordan Graham (8) runs behind the blocking of junior Tyrell Romano (21) during a 54-28 win at Clinton on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. (File photo by Barry Houchin)

Oak Ridge senior Jordan Graham (8) runs behind the blocking of junior Tyrell Romano (21) during a 54-28 win at Clinton on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. (File photo by Barry Houchin)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:45 p.m.

The four touchdowns of senior Jordan Graham helped propel Oak Ridge to a 40-23 win in a second-round playoff game at Soddy-Daisy on Friday and a rematch with Knoxville Catholic in a quarterfinal game at home next Friday.

The Wildcats (10-2) did not score on their first possession on Friday, but then they scored on their next four drives to take a 27-3 halftime lead. Graham, who finished with 134 yards on 10 carries, had two touchdowns in that half. He added two more in the second.

Soddy-Daisy (6-5), which won a first-round matchup against Clinton last week, was more successful in the second half on Friday when senior quarterback Gavin Chambers played. They scored on two of their first three drives in the third quarter. Chambers threw for 170 yards and had two touchdown passes to narrow the margin to 40-23. The Trojans had no passing yards in the first half when senior wide receiver Spencer Gore was quarterback, according to preliminary statistics by Mark Haste.

Chambers did not start due to an injury from three weeks ago against Signal Mountain, and the Oak Ridge defense took advantage of the senior’s absence in the first half, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported. Soddy-Daisy Coach Justin Barnes told the newspaper that the Trojans, unsure of how Chambers was feeling, wanted to stick with what they’ve been doing the past few weeks because it had worked before Friday. [Read more…]