Oak Ridge Today

Consolidated Nuclear Security has more leadership changes

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Michelle Reichert

Michelle Reichert

The company that manages and operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, has announced two more leadership changes.

Effective Monday, Michelle Reichert became the deputy enterprise manager for Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS. She will report directly to CNS President and Chief Executive Officer Morgan Smith.

Todd Ailes is succeeding Reichert as the Pantex site manager.

Operating primarily out of CNS offices at Pantex, Reichert will share leadership responsibilities with Smith, focusing on communications with employees, customers, and other key stakeholders, a press release said. Reichert will also coordinate integration activities between the two sites to ensure they are aligned in the best interest of CNS and the NNSA. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge small business wins DOD chemical, biological defense contract

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Omega-Technical-Services-Logo

Omega Consultants Incorporated has been awarded a prime contract by the U.S. Army’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense, or JPEO-CBD, under the Department of Defense.

There were 17 companies selected for this Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity, or IDIQ, contract consisting of 10 small business awards and seven large business awards. The contract ceiling is $900 million throughout the period of performance.

Omega was the only Tennessee business selected as a prime contractor for this contract award. Omega is also a subcontractor for the Camber Corporation team that received a large business award. The contract award is for three years, with an option for three additional years. JPEO-CBD is the Joint Services single focal point for research, development, acquisition, fielding, and life-cycle support of chemical and biological defense equipment and medical countermeasures. [Read more…]

Rescheduled: Learn about volunteering in the Manhattan Project National Park on Tuesday

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National-Park-Service-Employees

You can learn more about volunteering for the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge, during a meeting at the Midtown Community Center from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. National Park Service employees are pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

You can learn more about volunteering for the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge, during a meeting at the Midtown Community Center on Tuesday.

The meeting was rescheduled from this past Thursday to this coming Tuesday (January 26) because of snow last week.

The information session on volunteer opportunities will be hosted by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park-Oak Ridge. It’s scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge.

The new park, which also includes Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico, was formally established on November 10, 2015, in a signing ceremony in Washington, D.C. The signing ceremony featured U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell. [Read more…]

National Weather Service: Snow, ice-covered roads through Thursday morning

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Pennsylvania-Avenue-Snow-Jan-20-2016

Pennsylvania Avenue west of New York Avenue is pictured above late Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 20, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:07 a.m.

There had been some improvement on main roads in Oak Ridge late Wednesday afternoon but many side streets remained snow-covered and slippery, and the National Weather Service said snow and ice-covered roads will remain through Thursday morning.

State Route 62 or East Tri County Boulevard in Oliver Springs was still snow-covered early Wednesday evening and was slippery, especially driving south, up the hill toward Oak Ridge.

In Oak Ridge, Illinois Avenue was in the best condition late Wednesday afternoon, and Oak Ridge Turnpike and some well-traveled side streets, including Hillside Road and a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue, still had some snow but were passable. Still, side streets were slippery. One small car needed a push from two men just to get to the curb while trying to get up a small hill on West Outer Drive near North Illinois Avenue. [Read more…]

Council to receive briefing on Manhattan Project park from Park Service on Tuesday

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Niki-Nicholas-National-Park-Service

Niki Nicholas

The Oak Ridge City Council will receive a briefing on the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park on Tuesday.

The briefing by Niki Nicholas, superintendent of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, will be during a Tuesday evening work session on January 21. It will follow a special 6 p.m. City Council meeting for boards and commissions elections in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. (See the work session agenda here. See the special meeting agenda here.)

There will also be an orientation session next week for those interested in volunteering for the new park, which includes Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico. That orientation session starts at 10 a.m. Thursday, January 21, at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road. [Read more…]

Learn about volunteering in the Manhattan Project National Park on Thursday

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National-Park-Service-Employees

You can learn more about volunteering for the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge, during a meeting at the Midtown Community Center from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016. National Park Service employees are pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

You can learn more about volunteering for the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge, during a meeting at the Midtown Community Center on Thursday.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park-Oak Ridge will host a volunteer opportunities information session starting at 10 a.m. Thursday. It’s scheduled to last until 12 p.m.

The new park, which also includes Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico, was formally established on November 10, 2015, in a signing ceremony in Washington, D.C. The signing ceremony featured U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

The Manhattan Project was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II. [Read more…]

Smith named president, CEO at Consolidated Nuclear Security, which operates Y-12, Pantex

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Morgan Smith

Morgan Smith

The chief operating officer at the company that operates Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Texas will become the president and chief executive officer on February 1.

Morgan Smith will replace Jim Haynes in the top leadership position at Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Haynes is returning to an executive position at Bechtel, a press release said. Bechtel National Inc. is part of the CNS team.

CNS said Haynes successfully led the government contractor through its first phase as a consolidated organization. CNS began managing and operating Y-12 and Pantex under a consolidated contract on July 1, 2014. Both sites are important production facilities for federal nuclear security work.

“With the majority of key consolidation activities complete, CNS moves to its next phase focused on advancing operational performance and increasing production,” Haynes said in the press release. “Morgan Smith is uniquely positioned to lead CNS at this time based on his past experience managing Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program facilities and his time at CNS. Morgan and I have mapped out the path for a successful handoff. I could not be more confident in Morgan’s abilities.” [Read more…]

OR Schools asks for state help with military program, consistency for teachers

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Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen, center, visited Oak Ridge High School on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016. Also pictured are ORHS Principal Martin McDonald, left, and Tennessee Rep. John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge Schools could use help with a military program, one of the so-called “seven keys” to college and career readiness, education officials told a state official on Thursday.

State officials can also help by “keeping teachers on the same path for more than one year,” Oak Ridge Board of Education Chair Keys Fillauer told Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen during a Thursday afternoon tour of Oak Ridge High School.

“Let’s give them (teachers) some consistency,” Fillauer said. McQueen’s path is called TNReady, Fillauer said. That’s described as a “new and improved” TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program), which students have taken since 1988.

McQueen is visiting all districts as part of a statewide tour. On Thursday, it was Oak Ridge’s turn. In addition to Oak Ridge High School, McQueen toured Glenwood Elementary School and Robertsville Middle School. [Read more…]

Opinion: AC mayor monitoring proposal for new DOE landfill

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Terry Frank

Terry Frank

I want the citizens of Anderson County to know as mayor, I have not signed a resolution brought to county commission that requests funding to “offset the financial and environmental burdens” of a proposed expansion of an existing U.S. Department of Energy disposal site, or the creation of a new cell, that for all intents and purposes, would be a twin site.

In my humble and steadfast view, there is no amount of money that could sufficiently offset environmental harm, and I would not put the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Anderson County up for negotiation on a spreadsheet to balance the books of county government.

What I can do, and have for the last three years that I have served as mayor, is closely watch the proposal as it winds its way through a very monitored and specific process. I have participated in community workshops on the subject, held private meetings with leadership and staff of DOE’s Environmental Management Team, have been on site at the current disposal cell, am attentive to all briefings at our regular governmental meetings with DOE and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. [Read more…]

D. Ray Smith could be named honorary city historian

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Bill Wilcox and Ray Smith

Bill Wilcox, right, and D. Ray Smith are pictured above. Wilcox was city historian before he died in 2013, and Smith, a friend of Wilcox’s, could be named honorary city historian during an Oak Ridge City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 14, 2015. (Submitted photo)

 

D. Ray Smith, who is known for his love of Oak Ridge history, could be named honorary city historian on Monday.

Among other activities, Smith is historian at the Y-12 National Security Complex, has been a guide on U.S. Department of Energy tour buses at federal sites in Oak Ridge, writes a weekly newspaper history column, testified before Congress on the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, and frequently photographs community events.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider naming Smith as honorary city historian during a regular meeting on Monday.

Oak Ridge City Council member Charlie Hensley drafted the proposal. He said Smith is also a leader in the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, has been a featured speaker in talks on Oak Ridge heritage, was central to creating a history center at Y-12’s New Hope Center, and serves in a support role for implementation of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. [Read more…]

Y‑12 recycles asphalt from UPF site to fix, pave rough roads

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Recycled-Asphalt

The recycled asphalt is good for fixing potholes and ruts and can be used to “pave” a gravel road. (Photo by Y-12)

 

Some 23,000 tons of asphalt removed during work this summer at the site of the proposed Uranium Processing Facility has been put to use throughout the Y-12 National Security Complex, officials said.

Potholes and gravel roads are now “paved” with the recycled asphalt that has been ground into a material called base course. Unlike gravel, the material tends to rebind into a solid form as it is packed down, thus sending it back to its former life as asphalt.

“With the tough winter we had earlier this year, we needed to fix some roads around the site,” said Y-12 Road and Grounds Manager Brian Hutson. “This material is good not only for fixing potholes and ruts, but it can be used to essentially pave a gravel road, and that makes it much easier for us to maintain it. Washouts are a big problem on some of our gravel patrol roads.” [Read more…]

Y-12 union workers ratify five-year contract with 3 percent annual wage increases

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Steve Jones

Steve Jones

Note: This story was last updated at 10:02 p.m.

Union workers at the Y-12 National Security Complex ratified a new five year-contract on Thursday that includes 3 percent annual wage increases and a $2,500 signing bonus, an official said.

The first 3 percent wage increase goes into effect on Monday, December 7.

The new contract, the first “full-blown” contract since 2004, expires on June 22, 2020, said Steve Jones, president of the Atomic Trades and Labor Council, or ATLC.

Negotiation teams from the ATLC and Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, which operates Y-12 for the National Nuclear Security Administration, had reached a tentative agreement on Monday on the new five-year labor agreement. [Read more…]