Oak Ridge Today

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…]

UT-Battelle will provide ORNL security starting in December

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

Photo by ORNL

 

Starting in December, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex will both manage their own security forces to protect their sites.

Y-12 has been managing its own protective force for about six years, ever since a former contractor, B&W Y-12, terminated a contract with WSI Oak Ridge after a security breach at the 811-acre plant. The current Y-12 contractor, Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, confirmed this month that it has been responsible for security and security police officers since it began managing and operating the plant in July 2014.

On Friday, UT-Battelle, which manages and operates ORNL for the U.S. Department of Energy, said it is assuming responsibility for providing protective force services at the laboratory starting December 30. That’s when a new security contractor will take over at some federal sites in Oak Ridge.

ORNL Media Relations Manager Morgan McCorkle said about 90 employees who have been providing security services at ORNL under a contract with National Strategic Protective Services LLC will transition from NSPS to UT-Battelle. [Read more…]

Winter Farmers’ Market opens Saturday

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There are more than 30 vendors each week at the Winter Farmers' Market at St. Mary's School gym in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Winter Farmers' Market)

There are more than 30 vendors each week at the Winter Farmers’ Market at St. Mary’s School gym in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Winter Farmers’ Market)

 

Anderson County’s largest market accepts SNAP, offers educational programs for children and adults

The Winter Farmers’ Market by Grow Oak Ridge opens for its third season on Saturday, December 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 323 Vermont Avenue (St. Mary’s School gym) in Oak Ridge. It is open each Saturday, December through February, except for December 29.

Opening day features hourly door prizes and a free drawing for $20 in market tokens at noon, a press release said.

This is the largest farmers’ market in Anderson County, with 44 vendors on roll, and 35 most weeks in December, according to market director Rebecca Williams.

“The gym is filled and we have a waiting list in December, and even in January and February, we will have close to 30 local producer-vendors each week,” Williams said. “All of them must make, bake, or grow what they sell within 150 miles of Oak Ridge.

“Our farmers grow all year long, so you will see produce, pasture-raised beef, pork, and tilapia, local honey, free-range eggs, and fresh flowers and plants. Plus we have artisan food vendors bringing breads and pastries, jams and jellies. Food trucks will serve coffee, brunch, and lunch. And, our crafters offer unique handmade holiday gifts such as pottery, textiles, wood made items, bath and body products, and more.” [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…]

Basketball: Wildcats, Lady Wildcats beat Halls in first district games

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats and Lady Wildcats won at Halls in their first district games of the season on Tuesday night.

The girls (2-0, 1-0 District 3-AAA) won the first game 77-49. In the second game, the boys (4-1, 1-0) defeated the Red Devils 81-34.

Oak Ridge senior guard Jada Guinn, who signed this month to play basketball at Tennessee Tech, led the Lady Wildcats with 29 points against the Lady Red Devils (1-4, 0-1).

It was the second game of the season for the girls. They won at Meigs County 56-38 in a non-district game on Tuesday, November 13. Guinn had 31 points, five assists, and four steals in that game.

The girls will play their second district game of the season at Campbell County (4-0, 1-0) on Friday. That game will start at 6 p.m. For the past three years, the Lady Wildcats and Lady Cougars have battled for the top two spots in their district, with Powell usually number three. [Read more…]

Reactor shutdown affects experiments, isotope production at HFIR

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The High Flux Isotope Reactor vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory resides in a pool of water illuminated by the blue glow of the Cherenkov radiation effect. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

The High Flux Isotope Reactor vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory resides in a pool of water illuminated by the blue glow of the Cherenkov radiation effect. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

Experiments and isotope production have been affected, but employees are still able to carry out their normal duties at the High Flux Isotope Reactor as the U.S. Department of Energy investigates a slightly elevated radiation level in HFIR’s primary cooling system.

The High Flux Isotope Reactor, which is used for research and isotope production, is at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

In a response to questions on Wednesday, ORNL Communications Director David Keim said the slightly elevated reading in the primary cooling system was well below alarm levels.

“The HFIR operators promptly responded to the reading and placed the reactor in a safe condition,” Keim said. [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…]

Updated: Man shot in leg while allegedly trying to steal trailer

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Note: This story was updated at 8:55 p.m.

A man was shot in the leg early Tuesday while attempting to steal a utility trailer and rail buggy in Anderson County, authorities said.

The shooting was reported at about 2:19 a.m. Tuesday when two men tried to steal the utility trailer and hook it up to a vehicle on Sulphur Springs Road, said Tyler Mayes, director of administrative services for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

The property owner told Deputy Randy Seay, that after hearing noises, he and his son went outside and saw a dark vehicle backed up to their utility trailer, which was loaded with a rail buggy. The property owner noticed two people, later identified as Bret Weaver, 40, and Joey Seiber, 27, trying to hook up the trailer to their vehicle, Mayes said in a media release. [Read more…]

Council to elect mayor, mayor pro tem; discuss DOE landfill

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The four Oak Ridge City Council members re-elected on November 6 will be sworn into office during a special meeting this evening (Tuesday, November 27).

Council will then choose two of its members to serve as mayor and mayor pro tem. 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.

Oak Ridge City Council member Warren Gooch, who has served two terms as mayor, has announced he will seek to be appointed to a third two-year term.

So far, no one else has publicly announced an interest in serving as mayor. [Read more…]

ORNL investigating elevated radiation in HFIR cooling system

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The High Flux Isotope Reactor vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory resides in a pool of water illuminated by the blue glow of the Cherenkov radiation effect. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

The High Flux Isotope Reactor vessel at Oak Ridge National Laboratory resides in a pool of water illuminated by the blue glow of the Cherenkov radiation effect. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is investigating an elevated radiation level in the cooling system at the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a research reactor that also produces isotopes.

Workers were bringing HFIR back online on Tuesday, November 13, after a planned outage when the elevated radiation level was detected in the cooling system, according to information provided by David Keim, ORNL communications director.

“HFIR operators decided to shut down the reactor in order to investigate and determine what happened,” Keim said. “The plant is in a safe condition.” [Read more…]

TVA asks for public input on closing Bull Run, Paradise fossil plants

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The Tennessee Valley Authority's Bull Run Fossil Plant is pictured above in Claxton on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Bull Run Fossil Plant is pictured above in Claxton on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Tennessee Valley Authority is asking for public input on a review of the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of closing the Bull Run and Paradise Fossil Plants.

Bull Run, located in Anderson County, Tennessee, is a single-generator coal-fired power plant. Paradise, near Drakesboro, Kentucky, has one coal-fired generator still operating, unit 3. Two other coal-fired units at Paradise were retired when a new natural gas plant began operation at the site in 2017.

TVA announced a review of generating assets that was focused on Bull Run and Paradise in August. The review is based on the future cost of maintenance and environmental compliance, and other factors. TVA said it must continually evaluate its fleet to ensure flexibility and financial responsibility.

Oak Ridge Today reported when the review was announced in August that the evaluation could help determine whether the plants will be needed in the future. The assessment is to focus on plants that are the least efficient, least cost-effective, and expected to have the highest future costs, TVA spokesperson Scott Brooks said. Plants that fit into that category are the Bull Run Fossil Plant, the one remaining unit (Unit 3) at the Paradise Fossil Plant in western Kentucky near Drakesboro, and combustion turbines (gas turbines), Brooks said. The assessment will look at whether TVA needs Bull Run or Paradise or combustion turbines in the future. [Read more…]

Seven ORNL researchers named 2019 INCITE award winners

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Jeremy Smith is studying the recalcitrance of biomass to enable cheaper, more efficient biofuels, and other high-value chemicals. (Image courtesy ORNL)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Jeremy Smith is studying the recalcitrance of biomass to enable cheaper, more efficient biofuels, and other high-value chemicals. (Image courtesy ORNL)

 

Seven researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been chosen by the Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment, also known as INCITE, program to lead scientific investigations that require the nation’s most powerful computers, a press release said.

INCITE awards computing time via a proposal process to researchers seeking to harness the power of DOE computing systems at the Argonne and Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facilities to solve some of the world’s greatest scientific challenges, the press release said.

Since INCITE’s inception in 2004, the ALCF and OLCF have continuously undergone significant upgrades to retain their edge in facilitating the most computationally demanding scientific projects. The ALCF’s most recent machine is Theta, an 11.69-petaflop Cray XC40 system whose 280,000-plus cores make it ideal for research at the nexus of simulation, data science, and machine learning. An even more powerful system, the exascale Aurora, is planned for deployment in 2021 and is projected to be capable of a quintillion (one billion billion) calculations per second. [Read more…]