John Huotari - Author at Oak Ridge Today

Missing Oak Ridge man found safe by neighbor after search

Posted at 1:20 pm February 14, 2018
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A missing 77-year-old man was found safe Tuesday night after a roughly 2.5-hour search by Oak Ridge and Anderson County authorities, and neighbors.

The man was reported missing just before 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Rivers Run neighborhood in east Oak Ridge.

The man’s family became concerned when he did not return home from his daily walk by dusk, the Oak Ridge Police Department said in a press release. They were unable to find the man during a search of his normal route to Haw Ridge Park, so they called the Oak Ridge Police Department for help.

A team from the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to search the surrounding area, the press release said. Crews also called in a scent-tracking dog and handler from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department to aid in the search. [Read more…]

Eby will serve on state school board, leaving Oak Ridge board

Posted at 9:49 am February 13, 2018
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Bob Eby

Robert “Bob” S. Eby, vice chair of the Oak Ridge Board of Education, is resigning March 31 because Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is appointing him to serve on the Tennessee State Board of Education effective April 1. Eby will represent Tennessee’s Third Congressional District, which includes Oak Ridge, on the state school board, according to his resignation letter.

“This is quite an honor, and I look forward to utilizing all I have learned while serving on the Oak Ridge Board off and on over the past 33 years to serve the governor and the State of Tennessee in the best manner that I can,” Eby said in the February 7 resignation letter, which was written to Oak Ridge Board of Education Chair Keys Fillauer but also copied to other school board members and Superintendent Bruce Borchers.

Eby said Tennessee state law does not allow him to serve on the state school board while also serving as a city, county, state, or elected federal official. Members of the Oak Ridge Board of Education are elected to their positions.

“Therefore, to accept this appointment requires me to resign from my Oak Ridge Board of Education position,” Eby said. “I humbly request the Board (the Oak Ridge Board of Education) to formally accept this resignation.” [Read more…]

Little River Band will headline Secret City Festival concert in June

Posted at 8:01 pm February 12, 2018
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The Little River Band will headline the Secret City Festival concert on Friday night, June 8, organizers said Monday.

The headliner was announced during the Oak Ridge City Council meeting.

The Little River Band had multi-platinum albums in the 1970s and 1980s and chart-topping hits that included “Reminiscing,” “Cool Change,” “Lonesome Loser,” “The Night Owls,” “Take It Easy on Me,” “Help Is on Its Way,” “Happy Anniversary,” “We Two,” “Man on Your Mind,” “The Other Guy,” and “It’s a Long Way There,” according to its website. [Read more…]

Trump administration requests more money for DOE, NNSA

Posted at 12:56 pm February 12, 2018
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The sign at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 2:50 p.m.

The Trump administration has requested more money for the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration than it did last year, but the impact could vary at Oak Ridge’s major federal sites.

The NNSA, a semi-autonomous agency within DOE, would get a big increase of $2.2 billion, compared to spending levels enacted in fiscal year 2017. The boost would raise NNSA funding to $15.1 billion. The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is an NNSA site.

The NNSA proposal is more than $1 billion higher than the $13.9 billion requested by the Trump administration in fiscal year 2018, which was up $1.4 billion over the fiscal year 2016 spending level ($12.5 billion).

Oak Ridge Today reported last year that Y-12’s funding would have been up 25 percent under President Donald Trump’s budget request for the current fiscal year, if Congress had approved the proposed spending levels. [Read more…]

Rescuers respond to three calls of drivers trapped in high waters

Posted at 11:49 pm February 11, 2018
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A car is stuck in flood water on Mountain Road in Anderson County on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff’s Department)

Rescuers in Anderson County have responded to three calls of drivers trapped in high waters, authorities said Sunday.

There were no injuries reported, but the cars remained in the flooded areas, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department said.

One of those rescue calls was on Airport Road just east of Oliver Springs. In that case, a man who called 911 at the Oliver Springs Police Department at about 9 p.m. Saturday was able to escape on his own through flood water reported to be chest-deep.

The other two rescue calls were on Mountain Road and Pumpkin Hollow Road in east Anderson County, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy. [Read more…]

Man escapes from vehicle in flood water on Airport Road

Posted at 5:05 pm February 11, 2018
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A man escaped from a vehicle in flood water on Airport Road on the east side of Oliver Springs on Saturday night, Feb. 10, 2018, authorities said. The vehicle, reported to be a Jeep, was submerged under flood water at one time, but its top was visible early Sunday afternoon. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

OLIVER SPRINGS—A man escaped from a vehicle in flood water on Airport Road on the east side of Oliver Springs on Saturday night, authorities said.

The vehicle, reported to be a Jeep, was submerged under flood water at one time, but its top was visible early Sunday afternoon.

The man called 911 at the Oliver Springs Police Department at about 9 p.m. Saturday, and the Oliver Springs Police Department responded. Members of the Oliver Springs Fire Department also responded.

But the man was able to escape on his own through flood water reported to be chest-deep, authorities said. [Read more…]

Flooding closes several roads, Arrowhead Park in Oliver Springs

Posted at 9:41 am February 11, 2018
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Flooding has closed several roads in Oliver Springs and Arrowhead Park. The closures were announced Sunday morning, Feb. 11, 2018, by the Oliver Springs Police Department. (Photo courtesy Oliver Springs Police Department)

Flooding has closed several roads in Oliver Springs and Arrowhead Park. The closures were announced Sunday morning by the Oliver Springs Police Department.

“Please use caution while driving in Oliver Springs,” the Oliver Springs Police Department said. “Several secondary roads are closed such as Airport Road, Midway Drive, Strutt Street, and Bennett Road. Other roads have debris and standing water, so please be careful.”

There was heavy rain on Saturday, and more than two inches of rain were expected in the area between Saturday afternoon and Sunday night, with more rain possible this week, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

In Oak Ridge, the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Jefferson Circle is closed due to flooding. [Read more…]

High water reported, part of Airport Road closed as more rain expected

Posted at 11:33 pm February 10, 2018
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Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

OLIVER SPRINGS—High water was reported in parts of Anderson County and a short section of Airport Road on the east side of Oliver Springs was closed as rain continued to fall Saturday night.

More than two inches of rain was expected in the area between Saturday afternoon and Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

“Please use caution while traveling and allow extra time,” the National Weather Service said. “Remember, never drive through a flooded roadway. Turn around, don’t drown!”

There were reports that a vehicle had driven into the water flowing over Airport Road, but there were no immediate reports of injuries and it wasn’t clear if a rescue had been required. Airport Road floods regularly during heavy rains, and people sometimes try to drive through it and then get stuck. [Read more…]

Two hit in arms during Claxton shooting

Posted at 1:10 pm February 10, 2018
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Jacob Lynn Rutherford

CLAXTON—Two men were hit in the arms during the shooting in Claxton on Saturday evening, January 13, and the Oak Ridge man charged with attempted murder in the case also shot at a woman but missed, according to court records.

The shooting at the home at the intersection of Clinton Highway and Lonesome Dove Road allegedly occurred “during some type of altercation” in a bedroom, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton.

Jacob Lynn Rutherford, 23, of Oak Ridge, has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of reckless endangerment in the shooting.

The affidavits, which summarize the alleged facts of the case and are attached to arrest warrants, said Rutherford pulled a handgun from his waistband during the altercation, pointed it at Nathan Phillips, 36, and fired. Phillips had two gunshot wounds to his left upper arm, the affidavits said. [Read more…]

Senior Board has public progress meeting on Oak Ridge Senior Center on Thursday

Posted at 9:32 am February 10, 2018
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The Oak Ridge Senior Advisory Board will hold a progress meeting on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center regarding the new Oak Ridge Senior Center. The proposed design at Alvin K. Bissell Park is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Senior Advisory Board will have a progress meeting on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center regarding the new Oak Ridge Senior Center. The proposed design at Alvin K. Bissell Park, just west of the Civic Center, is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Senior Advisory Board will have a progress meeting on Thursday, February 15, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center regarding the new Oak Ridge Senior Center.

The Board will meet with representatives of Studio Four Design, the Knoxville-based architecture and design firm selected for the project, to review progress and plans for the new center, a press release said. Board members and all other interested residents are encouraged to attend.

Anyone with questions prior to the meeting should contact Oak Ridge Recreation Manager Linda McGhee at lmcghee@oakridgetn.gov or (865) 425-3999.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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Trump nominates ORNL national security leader to DOE nuclear nonproliferation job

Posted at 1:53 pm February 9, 2018
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Brent Park

President Donald J. Trump on Thursday nominated a national security leader at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to a nuclear nonproliferation job in the U.S. Department of Energy.

Brent K. Park is currently an associate laboratory director at ORNL, where he is responsible for national security programs.

Trump nominated him to be deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation in the Department of Energy. [Read more…]

Denenberg appointed to vacant AC Commission seat; EMS vote deferred

Posted at 12:15 pm February 9, 2018
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Information from WYSH Radio

Meeting Thursday in a special-called session, the Anderson County Commission unanimously voted to appoint Catherine Denenberg of Oak Ridge to serve the remainder of an unexpired term on the Commission.

Denenberg was the only person to apply for the appointment, and no other nominations were made from the floor or by commissioners. The vote to appoint her to serve the remainder of Harry “Whitey” Hitchcock’s term representing Oak Ridge’s District 6 was unanimous. Denenberg has already qualified to run for that seat in the August general election. [Read more…]

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