Oak Ridge Today

Updated: Thursday closings—schools, Y-12, Roane State, AC Courthouse

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Oak Ridge Turnpike and Bus Terminal Road Snow on Feb. 18, 2015

Schools and many offices remained closed Thursday after a icy winter storm on Monday followed by this snow on Wednesday morning.

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:21 a.m. Feb. 19.

The temperature the next few days is expected to be brutally cold, and schools and some government offices and contractors have announced they’ll be closed Thursday, or for the rest of the week, because of the weather and road conditions.

Schools in Oak Ridge, Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County will all be closed Thursday. Roane State Community College will also be closed.

Schools in Clinton and Anderson and Roane counties will also be closed Friday. The Central Office in Anderson County will be closed for the rest of the week, and the Central Office in Roane County will not report Thursday. [Read more…]

Updated: More closures, delays Wednesday as snow falls, temperatures drop

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Winter Weather Advisory

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:56 p.m.

Many offices and schools will remain closed on Wednesday because of the weather and road conditions, and some will open late. The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a winter weather advisory for snow on Wednesday and a wind chill watch for Wednesday night.

Schools in Oak Ridge and Clinton and Anderson and Roane counties will be closed again Wednesday. So will Roane State Community College campuses. Pellissippi State Community College will also be closed.

Anderson County Schools will be closed the rest of the week, officials said Wednesday, and the Central Office is closed as well.

Anderson County government offices and all courts will be closed Wednesday.

City of Oak Ridge offices will open at 9 a.m. City Hall in Rocky Top will close at noon Wednesday for deteriorating weather conditions. [Read more…]

Officials recommend staying off roads unless travel is essential

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Oak Ridge Roads on Feb. 16, 2015

South Illinois Avenue was a sloppy, slushy mix of snow, ice, and water early Monday evening.

 

Roads in Anderson County are ice-covered, and driving conditions are extremely hazardous, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

“We have already received reports of accidents due to slick roads,” Lucas said. “We are asking everyone to please stay at home and not to travel unless absolutely necessary.”

The roads in Oak Ridge appeared to be a sloppy, slushy mix of sleet, ice, and snow. There were reports in Anderson County and Oak Ridge of roads that were frozen or impassable. [Read more…]

OR, AC, RC schools closed Tuesday; AC Courthouse, Y-12 closed

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 p.m.

Oak Ridge and Anderson County schools will be closed on Tuesday because of the weather, officials said.

The Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton will also be closed, and the Anderson County Commission meeting has been canceled. All courts will be closed.

The Commission meeting will be rescheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, February 26. [Read more…]

Updated: Winter storm warning in effect; snow, sleet, freezing rain possible

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Ice Accumulation

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:32 a.m. Feb. 16.

A winter storm warning is in effect in parts of East Tennessee—including Anderson, Knox, Loudon, and Roane counties—and there could be some snow this morning, possibly mixed with sleet, forecasters said. The precipitation could change to a mix of mostly freezing rain and sleet during the day, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown. It could change back to sleet or snow before tapering off.

The NWS said snow and sleet accumulations of one to four inches are possible, and total ice accumulations of a quarter to a half inch are possible.

The winter storm warning area includes Clinton and Oak Ridge, as well as Kingston and Knoxville. It also includes Jefferson, Grainger, and Union counties, and northwest Blount and north Sevier counties. The storm warning is in effect from 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday. [Read more…]

Dangerously cold wind chills through Sunday morning; snow possible this week

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Dangerously Cold Wind Chills

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Dangerously cold wind chills could drop to between 0 and -10 degrees Fahrenheit in the Tennessee Valley tonight through Sunday morning and even lower, between -10 and -25, in the mountains, forecasters said. And there is a chance of snow near Oak Ridge this week.

Those not dressed appropriately overnight could be susceptible to hypothermia or frostbite. Exposed pipes may freeze, and the cold poses a threat to outdoor pets and livestock, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The NWS said exposed pipes should be insulated or covered, and pets and livestock should be brought in or provided shelter. Forecasters also recommended checking on the elderly or those without sufficient heat. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats advance to district semifinals; Clinton falls to Halls

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Courtney Ellison and Destiny Kassner of the Lady Wildcats

Sophomore point guard Courtney Ellison (10) dribbles up court ahead of freshman Destiny Kassner as the Lady Wildcats wallop Gibbs 64-36 in a quarterfinal district tournament game in Knoxville on Thursday. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

KNOXVILLE—The Lady Wildcats advanced to the district semifinals and guaranteed themselves at least three more playoff games in a 64-36 rout of Gibbs in a quarterfinal game on Thursday. They’ve also qualified for the Region 2 tournament.

Oak Ridge, the number three seed, will take on Powell, the number two seed, at 3 p.m. Saturday at Central High School in Knoxville.

Meanwhile, the Clinton Dragons boys’ team fell to Halls 46-32 in another quarterfinal game on Thursday. Halls, the number three seed in the District 3-AAA tournament, will take on Karns, the number two seed, at 6 p.m. Saturday.

That game will be followed by a matchup between Oak Ridge, the number one seed, and the winner of today’s elimination game between Anderson County and Central.

The game between the Mavericks and Bobcats starts at 7:30 p.m. today (Friday, February 13) at Central. [Read more…]

Fleischmann and Luján to lead House Nuclear Cleanup Caucus

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Chuck Fleischmann, Mark Whitney, and Ben Ray Lujan

From left to right are Chairman Chuck Fleischmann, Acting Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management Mark Whitney, and Co-Chairman Ben Ray Luján. (Submitted photo)

Chairman Chuck Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican, and Co-Chairman Ben Ray Luján, a New Mexico Democrat, announced on Thursday that they will serve as co-chairs of the House Nuclear Cleanup Caucus, which held its first meeting of the 114th Congress to discuss the importance of raising awareness of environmental management issues.

Fifty years of government nuclear weapons development stemming from the Manhattan Project during World War II has affected communities across the nation and resulted in the need for environmental cleanup at numerous sites, a press release said.

“Our nation has a tremendous nuclear history, and with that has come an important nuclear cleanup mission,” said Fleischmann, who represents the city of Oak Ridge. “I am excited today to host the first meeting of the 114th Congress’ Nuclear Cleanup Caucus with co-chair Lujan and members from across the country who have districts that are impacted.  I also want to thank Acting Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management Mark Whitney for taking part in this meeting. This Caucus will serve to promote the awareness of our nuclear legacy and build a stronger coalition to fight for the needs of our cleanup missions, and I am eager to get to work.” [Read more…]

What’s happening in Oak Ridge from Feb. 12-18

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Here is a summary of events happening in Oak Ridge from Thursday, February 12, and continuing through February 18.

This weekly listing of events is compiled by the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau:

[Read more…]

Former officers ask for investigation, hearing of officers’ concerns

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Oak Ridge City Council November 2014

Four former Oak Ridge police officers have asked the City Council to investigate some of the concerns recently raised about the Police Department and its chief, or to hear the concerns of officers. The City Council will consider what to do next during its regular meeting on Monday. Pictured above from right in November 2014 are Kelly Callison, Charlie Hensley, Rick Chinn, Mayor Warren Gooch, Chuck Hope, Trina Baughn, and Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Smith. (File photo)

 

Four former Oak Ridge police officers have asked the City Council to investigate some of the concerns recently raised about the Police Department and its chief, or to hear the concerns of officers.

The officers were responding to recent news reports about the police department and concerns raised about its turnover rate, as well as alleged policy violations included in a mid-January grievance filed by former Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Christopher Bayless. A few also cited letters written to the media by former Police Chief David Beams and former Lieutenant Jack Mansfield.

The officers expressed a range of concerns that include the alleged policy violations by Police Chief Jim Akagi and a Blount County order of protection in effect from April 2012 to June 2013, questions about the turnover rate and the chief’s leadership, and decisions about promotions, spending, and weapons. [Read more…]

First Oak Ridge Schools on the Run 5k scheduled for March

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

The first Oak Ridge Schools on the Run 5K is scheduled for March 21, organizers said.

“Come join the schools, city, and community of Oak Ridge in their first annual 5k,” the Oak Ridge Track Club said in a notice posted on its website. “The race will be held at the beautiful Melton Lake Park!”

The standard registration is $25. It’s $20 for school and municipal employees, and $10 for students. [Read more…]

Free Community Shred Day at ORNL FCU on Saturday

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ORNL Federal Credit Union will team up again with Cintas Document Management Company for a Community Shred Day on Saturday, February 7, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Millertown Pike and Oak Ridge Main branches of ORNL FCU, a press release said.

ORNL Federal Credit Union members, as well as the public, are invited to bring any unwanted documents, especially ones containing personal information, to one of the Community Shred Day locations and have them safely and securely destroyed at no charge. A maximum of four boxes/bags per person will be accepted.

ORNL FCU’s Millertown Pike Branch is located at 5409 Millertown Pike in Knoxville. The Oak Ridge Main Branch is located at 221 South Rutgers Avenue. [Read more…]