Oak Ridge Today

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Norris man allegedly fights officers, grabs lieutenant’s gun; now faces charges

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Donald Berry

NORRIS—A Norris man who allegedly fought public safety officers, resisted arrest, and tried to grab a lieutenant’s gun from its holster on Thursday is facing charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest, authorities said.

Donald Howard Berry Jr., 25, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two count of resisting arrest, according to court records.

The Norris Department of Public Safety responded to a reported disturbance on Oak Road on Thursday afternoon. Berry’s stepsister told police that he was upstairs in a bedroom behaving erratically and possibly trying to harm himself, arrest warrants said.

Norris Officer Rick Roach and Lieutenant Carl White entered the home and made contact with Berry, the warrants said. But after the bedroom door was opened, Berry charged White and grabbed him around the waist, according to the warrants.

Roach tried to restrain Berry, but he resisted the officer and the lieutenant, the warrants said. [Read more…]

Led by Guinn’s 21 points, Lady Wildcats are district champs for first time since 2010

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA championship for the first time since 2010 in a 52-34 win over Campbell County at Anderson County High School on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:35 p.m.

CLINTON—Led by the 21 points of freshman Jada Guinn, the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA championship for the first time since 2010 in a 52-34 victory over Campbell County on Tuesday.

Guinn, a point guard, was named the most valuable player of the district tournament, which was played at Anderson County High School. Her game-high 21 points on Tuesday was a career high.

The Lady Wildcats (24-4) played with intensity on Tuesday, when Oak Ridge won its third game this season against the Lady Cougars, the second seed in District 3-AAA. Campbell County’s only two district losses during the regular season were to Oak Ridge.

“Coach (Paige) Green told us to come out with a lot of energy,” Guinn said after the district championship win on Tuesday. “It’ll help our defense, and our defense can help with offense.”

Of her tournament MVP award, Guinn said: “I just feel happy because I’m a freshman, and I’m just really excited.” [Read more…]

Strong winds knock down about two dozen trees near Norris

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Strong winds knocked down a few dozen trees in a small area south of Norris Dam on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

NORRIS—Strong winds knocked down a few dozen trees in a small area south of Norris Dam during the storms on Wednesday.

Meteorologist Glenn Carrin of the National Weather Service in Morristown said the vast majority of trees were down in the forecast area due to strong winds on a windy day. There was a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms, he said, and very tight pressure gradients with winds of 25 to 30 mph, and gusts over 40 mph.

The strong southwest winds could be stronger at higher elevations, Carrin said. [Read more…]

Man rescued from truck after driving into high water east of Clinton

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Emergency workers rescued a man from a truck after he drove into high water on Irwin Mill Road off Sinking Springs Road east of Clinton on Wednesday morning, Feb. 24, 2016, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 5:10 p.m.

Emergency workers rescued a man from a truck after he drove into high water on Irwin Mill Road off Sinking Springs Road east of Clinton on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The 24-year-old man drove into the water at about 11 a.m. Wednesday, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department said. The truck was partially submerged on the bridge, which was under water, authorities said. The truck became stuck.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded.

The Anderson County Rescue Squad along with the Andersonville Fire Department and Anderson County EMS did a “swift water rescue” with a boat and retrieved the driver, the Sheriff’s Department said. The man was not injured. [Read more…]

Trees down, power outages, flooding reported in Oak Ridge, Anderson County

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A tree was down on Nebraska Avenue on Wednesday morning, Feb. 24, 2016. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:15 p.m.

Officials reported that trees were down across Oak Ridge and Anderson County on Wednesday morning, there were several power outages in Oak Ridge, and flooding was reported at some spots in Anderson County.

The flooding, fallen trees, and power outages were reported after a round of storms came through Wednesday morning.

Crews from the city and county are responding. [Read more…]

Clinton woman dies after two vehicles hit her on Clinton Highway

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The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department closed off Clinton Highway between West Wolf Valley Road in Claxton and Hiway Drive in south Clinton as the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated a fatal crash between two vehicles and a pedestrian on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:40 a.m.

CLINTON—A Clinton woman walking on Clinton Highway died after two vehicles hit her Sunday evening, authorities said.

Patricia A. Rouse, 50, was walking in the right-hand southbound lane, headed toward Knoxville, when she was hit by two southbound vehicles at about 7:33 p.m. Sunday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

Rouse died at the scene, the THP said. She was apparently walking home, authorities said.

The drivers of the two vehicles were not injured, the THP said. No criminal charges or citations were issued. [Read more…]

Clinton Highway closed as THP investigates fatal crash

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The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department closed off Clinton Highway between West Wolf Valley Road and Hiway Drive in south Clinton as the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated a fatal crash on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 3:05 a.m.

CLAXTON—Clinton Highway was closed Sunday evening as the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated a fatal crash, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday between West Wolf Valley Road and Hiway Drive in south Clinton. Hiway Drive is near the end of a series of shops, businesses, and churches in south Clinton.

Note: See newer story based on a THP fatal accident report here.

The curvy section of Clinton Highway remained closed as of 11:50 p.m. Sunday. Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies were turning traffic around at East and West Wolf Valley Road in Claxton and at Hiway Drive, which connects to Blockhouse Valley Road in south Clinton. [Read more…]

Photos: Oak Ridge, Powell, Karns in District 3-AAA boys semifinals

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Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) scored 13 points and had five rebounds at halftime during a 72-46 win over Powell in a District 3-AAA semifinal at Anderson County High School on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge beat Powell 72-46 in a District 3-AAA semifinal game in Clinton on Saturday. Here are pictures from the game.

Oak Ridge senior forward Javien Johnson scored a game-high 25 points as the Wildcats, the number one seed, advanced to play Karns, the number three seed, in the district championship at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Anderson County High School. The Wildcats prevailed in both regular-season games against the Beavers, the number three seed.

Karns rolled over Central 61-33 in the other district semifinal on Saturday.

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Oak Ridge senior forward Javien Johnson (11) scored a game-high 25 points during a 72-46 win over Powell in a District 3-AAA semifinal at Anderson County High School on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

 

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Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones (3) scored nine of his 11 points in the third quarter of a 72-46 win over Powell in a District 3-AAA semifinal at Anderson County High School on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

Johnson scores 25 as Wildcats advance to district championship Tuesday against Karns

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Oak Ridge senior forward Javien Johnson (11) scored a game-high 25 points during a 72-46 win over Powell in a District 3-AAA semifinal at Anderson County High School on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 7:45 p.m.

CLINTON—Oak Ridge senior forward Javien Johnson scored a game-high 25 points in a 72-46 district tournament semifinal win over Powell on Saturday. The Wildcats advance to play Karns in the District 3-AAA championship on Tuesday.

The Wildcats (30-2) held the Panthers to six points in the first quarter and three points in the third on Saturday. But they allowed 21 points in the second.

“We quit guarding them in the second,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

But the Wildcats responded well in the second half and played better defense, Green said.

The District 3-AAA semifinal at Anderson County High School on Saturday was the third meeting this year between Oak Ridge and Powell (20-10). The Wildcats have won all three games. [Read more…]

Updated: Lady Wildcats, Campbell Co. to play for District 3-AAA championship Tuesday

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Sophomore post Mykia Dowdell (34) led the Lady Wildcats with a game-high 16 points in a 54-28 win over Anderson County in a District 3-AAA semifinal on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016. Dowdell is guarded here by Anderson County freshman Brooklin McCoy (34). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:30 a.m.

CLINTON—Oak Ridge and Campbell County will play for the District 3-AAA girls basketball championship on Tuesday.

Campbell County beat Powell 47-42 to advance to the championship in a semifinal game at Anderson County High School on Saturday, and Oak Ridge defeated Anderson County 54-28 in the other semifinal.

Oak Ridge, which was led by sophomore post Mykia Dowdell with 16 points on Saturday, won both matches with the Lady Cougars this year.

Tuesday’s final starts at 6 p.m. at Anderson County High School. [Read more…]

District 3-AAA girls: Powell gets team effort in 54-28 win over Karns

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Keelie Lusby (11) of Powell looks for a pass during a 54-28 win over Karns in the District 3-AAA tournament on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—Three starters got into early foul trouble, but the Powell Lady Panthers got strong performances from the bench to eliminate Karns 54-28 in the District 3-AAA tournament on Friday.

Powell (14-13) had 10 players scoring, compared to five for Karns.

The Lady Panthers move on to play Campbell County in a semifinal game at Anderson County High School at 3 p.m. Saturday. They also earned a spot in the Region 2 tournament with their win over Karns.

Powell was ahead by only three points, 13-10, at the end of the first quarter. But the Lady Panthers went on a 26-8 scoring run in the next two quarters to open up a large lead.
[Read more…]