Oak Ridge Today

Cook’s Comfort Systems donates heat, air unit to Oak Ridge Nursery School

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Cook’s Comfort Systems installs a heat and air conditioning unit at Oak Ridge Nursery School on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. From right are Lisa Shortridge, Oak Ridge Nursery School director, with her son Brennen; Jawrell Cook, owner of Cook’s Comfort Systems in Oak Ridge; lead installer Bryan Vick; and installer Louis Baillargeon with his son Lucas. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Cook’s Comfort Systems of Oak Ridge donated a heating and air-conditioning unit to Oak Ridge Nursery School, and workers installed it this month.

The donation, which included the labor of two workers, was valued at about $8,000, said Jawrell Cook, owner of Cook’s Comfort Systems on Union Valley Road in Oak Ridge.

“They need the help,” Cook said of Oak Ridge Nursery School. The pandemic has been difficult for many organizations, Cook said.

He said he had three sons attend Oak Ridge Nursery School more than 20 years ago, and one of his employees has a son at the nursery school now.

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Death penalty decision expected in January

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Sean Finnegan, one of two defendants in a series of gruesome alleged crimes in Oak Ridge in December 2019, including murder, rape, and kidnapping, is pictured above in a mugshot from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.

Note: This story was last updated at 2:15 p.m.

CLINTON—A decision could be announced in January about whether to seek the death penalty for two Oak Ridge defendants charged with three counts of first-degree murder each in the gruesome kidnapping, rape, and murder of a 36-year-old woman.

Cummings named football coach

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Scott Cummings, who led West to a Class 5A state championship in 2014, has been named head football coach at Oak Ridge High School.

Joe Gaddis announced his retirement as Oak Ridge football coach in November. He has been named interim athletic director.

Oak Ridge Schools announced the appointment of Cummings, who will replace Gaddis as football coach, on Monday.

A press release said Cummings was named head football coach at Knoxville West High School in 2002.

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Man, two dogs displaced after battery sparks fire

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An Oak Ridge man and his two dogs were displaced following a fire at their Cedar Lane home early Wednesday morning.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to the house at 2:56 a.m. Wednesday after the homeowner said a lithium battery was on fire in his living room.

Firefighters arrived on scene within three minutes of the call and found smoke and fire in the front of the residence, a press release said. Crews were able to contain the fire within 10 minutes, but there was significant smoke and heat damage throughout the home.

The man and his dogs were able to safely evacuate before the fire department arrived, the press release said. He credited his working smoke alarms for alerting him to the fire and allowing a safe exit.

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Students who posted shooting threats charged with terrorism, mass violence threats

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Oak Ridge High School was on lockdown on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, after administrators were made aware of a shooting threat posted on social media. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Police Department has charged three students with terrorism and threats of mass violence after they allegedly made school shooting threats in two separate incidents on social media on Monday and Tuesday.

The charges were filed in Anderson County Juvenile Court on Wednesday afternoon, and the court authorized the detention of the children in the Richard L. Bean Detention Facility in Knox County. The children were taken into custody Wednesday afternoon, Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark said.

All three juveniles were charged with terrorism, threat of mass violence on school property, and false report. Two of the children were allegedly involved in a shooting threat posted on Snapchat on Monday, and they were also charged with conspiracy. That threat led to a lockdown at Oak Ridge High School on Monday. The third child was allegedly involved in a separate shooting threat that was posted on Snapchat on Tuesday, and that student will face the first three charges.

Clark said the children are required to have a detention hearing quickly under Tennessee law, and that hearing could occur as soon as Thursday afternoon in Anderson County Juvenile Court.

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Student identified, charges pending in new shooting threat

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The Oak Ridge Police Department has identified the student responsible for posting a new shooting threat on Snapchat about Oak Ridge High School, and charges are pending, city and school officials said Wednesday.

“ORHS had another social media shooting threat last night,” the City of Oak Ridge said in a brief statement. “The juvenile suspect was identified overnight, and the threat was determined not viable. Charges are forthcoming. School continued as normal this morning.”

The new Snapchat threats were posted at about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, after two students were identified as being responsible for a previous threat posted Monday, according to information from Oak Ridge Schools.

“We immediately contacted the Oak Ridge Police Department and are pleased to share that they have been successful in identifying the student responsible for posting these threats,” school officials said. “We are appreciative of their expedient action and resolve of this safety concern.”

Families received a phone call about the new threats early Wednesday.

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Shooting threat was a hoax, ORHS principal says

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Oak Ridge High School was on lockdown on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, after administrators were made aware of a shooting threat posted on social media. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 6:10 p.m.

The shooting threat posted on Snapchat on Monday was a hoax, and there was never any malicious intent, Oak Ridge High School Principal Garfield Adams said in an email to families Tuesday evening.

Two students have been identified as being responsible for the threatening statement.

The City of Oak Ridge said the Oak Ridge Police Department has determined no weapons were ever involved, but charges are pending.

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Two juveniles identified in ORHS social media threat

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The Oak Ridge Police Department identified two juveniles Tuesday in connection to the shooting threat posted on social media that prompted a lockdown at Oak Ridge High School on Monday.

“Both juveniles admitted to making the threat,” the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. “Throughout the course of the investigation, it has been determined that no weapon was ever involved. Charges are forthcoming.”

The press release did not identify the juveniles or the specific threat. On Monday, the city said it was a shooting threat.

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ORPD to be at ORHS Tuesday after lockdown Monday

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The Oak Ridge Police Department will have an increased presence at Oak Ridge High School on Tuesday following a lockdown on Monday, Oak Ridge Schools said.

The lockdown came after a shooting threat on social media that school administrators learned about on Monday.

“After learning of this threat, we immediately placed ORHS on a Level 3 lockdown and contacted the Oak Ridge Police Department,” Oak Ridge Schools told families Monday evening. “The ORPD will ‘continue to investigate and keep students safe’ during this situation. As the City of Oak Ridge press release stated, we too ‘appreciate the seamless coordination and efforts between the school system, city, and ORPD as this investigation continues.'”

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ORHS students to be released at normal times

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Oak Ridge High School was on lockdown on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, after administrators were made aware of a shooting threat posted on social media. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Police Department is still investigating a shooting threat that was made on social media and led to an hours-long lockdown at Oak Ridge High School starting Monday morning.

Monday afternoon, the City of Oak Ridge said students will be released from school at their normal times, and the Oak Ridge Police Department is taking precautions to continue to investigate and keep students safe during dismissal.

“We appreciate the seamless coordination and efforts between the school system, city, and ORPD as this investigation continues,” the city said.

The lockdown was reported at about 11 a.m. Monday after administrators said they were made aware of a shooting threat posted on social media.

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Updated: ORHS on lockdown after shooting threat

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Oak Ridge High School was on lockdown late Monday morning, Dec. 6, 2021, after administrators were made aware of a shooting threat posted on social media.

This story was last updated at 2:45 p.m.

Oak Ridge High School was on lockdown late Monday morning after administrators were made aware of a shooting threat posted on social media.

“ORHS is on a level 3 lockdown due to a shooting threat on social media,” City of Oak Ridge spokesperson Lauren Gray said. “The Oak Ridge Police Department is currently on scene investigating. Level 3 lockdown is a call for increased security when a situation inside or outside the building may have an impact on school. Students return to classrooms. All outside doors and classroom doors are locked and no one is permitted to enter or exit the building.

“We will release more information as it becomes available.”

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Gov. Lee pardons Anderson County resident

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Bill Lee

An Anderson County man was among those pardoned by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Thursday.

Lee announced executive clemency decisions for 17 offenders “who have demonstrated a successful path to rehabilitation and established a new process for individuals seeking clemency for drug-free school zone convictions.” The power of executive clemency includes exonerations, pardons, and commutations, or a reduction in a person’s sentence.

Brandon Benson was the Anderson County man who was pardoned.

A copy of the pardon posted online said Benson was convicted of aggravated assault in Shelby County in January 2005 and sentenced to three years of probation. The conviction and other misdemeanor convictions were the result of behaviors related to substance abuse, the pardon said.

Lee said executive clemency was justified in the case because Benson has “turned his life around since 2012 and is committed to his recovery, his family, and his community.” Benson earned his bachelor’s degree in religion from Liberty University in 2019, and he mentors other people with substance abuse issues as a drug and alcohol counselor at HOPE of East Tennessee.

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