The three anti-nuclear weapons activists pictured above allegedly cut through fences and vandalized a high-security building at the Y-12 National Security Complex in July and now face federal charges of property destruction, property depredation, and injuring national defense premises. From left to right the three are Michael R. Walli, Megan Rice, and Greg Boertje-Obed. (Submitted photo)
Four of the Top 5 stories on Oak Ridge Today in 2012 were related to the July 28 security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex.
Of those four, the most viewed—and also our most viewed story of the year—was the one we wrote the day of the intrusion: Y-12 protesters enter high-security area, spray paint, splash blood. That’s when three anti-nuclear weapons activists allegedly hiked over Pine Ridge, cut through fences, and splashed human blood and spray-painted slogans on the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility, where bomb-grade uranium is stored.
Other stories related to the security breach that ended up in the Top 5 were:
- Ohio Republican introduces bill to transfer nuclear facility security to military
- Guard, union president defend security officer performance during Y-12 breach
- Federal letter says Y-12 cameras weren’t working, guards failed to react
The fifth story in our Top 5 covered the Nov. 10 earthquake in Kentucky that was felt in Oak Ridge and as far south as Atlanta:Â Kentucky earthquake shakes homes in East Tennessee.
Twelve of the Top 25 stories on Oak Ridge Today—or about half of them—were related or appeared to be related to the Y-12 security breach. They included the retirement of Darrel Kohlhorst and Bill Klemm from B&W Y-12, which manages and operates Y-12; top management changes at security contractor WSI; and a House subcommittee hearing on the unprecedented intrusion.
For more of those stories, see our special section: Y-12 Security Breach.
Here is a sampling of other stories in our Top 25 for 2012:
- Baughn asks for mayor’s travel records for past five years
- New council member asks mayor to consider resigning, mayor says no
- UPF could be enlarged, site work could begin by end of year
- Forty-one workers laid off at ETTP, former K-25 site
- DOE award could lead to small nuclear reactors in Oak Ridge
- Black bear moving through Oak Ridge
- Pickup pulled from water, one of half-dozen vehicles in Clinch River
- Kroger Marketplace to anchor shopping center at Illinois, Turnpike
- Council considers new police cars, take-home vehicles
- Statement: Y-12 protesters refused to plead guilty, opposed to nuclear weapons work
- Weigel’s, Bojangles proposed on South Illinois Avenue
Note: Oak Ridge Today began operating in 2012, so this list of top stories does not cover an entire year. The rankings used here are based on numbers provided by Google Analytics, which we added to Oak Ridge Today in early May.
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