Oak Ridge Today

Updated: More closures, delays Wednesday as snow falls, temperatures drop

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Winter Weather Advisory

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:56 p.m.

Many offices and schools will remain closed on Wednesday because of the weather and road conditions, and some will open late. The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a winter weather advisory for snow on Wednesday and a wind chill watch for Wednesday night.

Schools in Oak Ridge and Clinton and Anderson and Roane counties will be closed again Wednesday. So will Roane State Community College campuses. Pellissippi State Community College will also be closed.

Anderson County Schools will be closed the rest of the week, officials said Wednesday, and the Central Office is closed as well.

Anderson County government offices and all courts will be closed Wednesday.

City of Oak Ridge offices will open at 9 a.m. City Hall in Rocky Top will close at noon Wednesday for deteriorating weather conditions. [Read more…]

Power outages affect several hundred; two cars crash into snow plows

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Lafayette Drive and Icy Roads

Lafayette Drive is pictured above on Tuesday morning at the intersection with Laboratory Road in central Oak Ridge. (Photos by Daniel Powers)

 

Several hundred customers were affected by power outages overnight but most lost power for less than an hour, and two cars crashed into city snow plows, making one of the plows unusable for now, officials said.

There were no reports of injuries in the few minor crashes that occurred overnight.

Officials continued to urge drivers to stay off roads unless absolutely necessary. Some of them remain covered in ice, and vehicles that are required to travel, such as postal vehicles and Oak Ridge Public Works trucks, are using chains or studded tires.

Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said the largest power outage was in an area around Montana Avenue and West Outer Drive at about 6 p.m. Monday. It affected about 440 people, but only lasted about 45 minutes, according to preliminary information, Suggs said. [Read more…]

Council session: DOE landfill, Preschool, K-25 History Center, ORPD review

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Oak Ridge City Council on Feb. 9, 2015

Agenda items for a Tuesday evening Oak Ridge City Council work session include a briefing on a proposed U.S. Department of Energy landfill, a proposed comment letter on the K-25 History Center at Fire Station Number Four in west Oak Ridge, and next steps on an independent review of turnover and morale in the Police Department.

 

Note: This work session has been canceled due to weather and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Agenda items for a Tuesday evening Oak Ridge City Council work session include a briefing on a proposed U.S. Department of Energy landfill, a proposed comment letter on the K-25 History Center at Fire Station Number Four in west Oak Ridge, and next steps on an independent review of turnover and morale in the Police Department.

The work session starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Multipurpose Room of the Central Services Complex.

The proposed comment letter on the K-25 History Center could also address the proposed observation structure and grounds plan. [Read more…]

Officials recommend staying off roads unless travel is essential

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Oak Ridge Roads on Feb. 16, 2015

South Illinois Avenue was a sloppy, slushy mix of snow, ice, and water early Monday evening.

 

Roads in Anderson County are ice-covered, and driving conditions are extremely hazardous, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

“We have already received reports of accidents due to slick roads,” Lucas said. “We are asking everyone to please stay at home and not to travel unless absolutely necessary.”

The roads in Oak Ridge appeared to be a sloppy, slushy mix of sleet, ice, and snow. There were reports in Anderson County and Oak Ridge of roads that were frozen or impassable. [Read more…]

OR, AC, RC schools closed Tuesday; AC Courthouse, Y-12 closed

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 p.m.

Oak Ridge and Anderson County schools will be closed on Tuesday because of the weather, officials said.

The Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton will also be closed, and the Anderson County Commission meeting has been canceled. All courts will be closed.

The Commission meeting will be rescheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, February 26. [Read more…]

Video: National Weather Service briefing on today’s winter storm

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National Weather Service Morristown

The National Weather Service in Morristown has posted a YouTube video with a briefing on today’s winter storm.

The storm is expected to dump a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the region today and tonight. Dangerous accumulations of ice and snow are expected.

A winter storm warning is in effect until 7 a.m. Tuesday. The precipitation is expected to end late this evening (Monday, February 16) or early Tuesday morning.

Another round of light snow is expected late Tuesday or Wednesday, and very cold conditions are expected later this week, with bone-chilling temperatures expected Thursday and Friday mornings.

Weather: Oak Ridge Schools, Roane State, Y-12 closed; some businesses closed, running late

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Note: This story was last updated at 2:41 p.m.

Oak Ridge Schools and Roane State Community College are closed today (Monday, February 16) due to weather, and some employers and businesses are starting late or are closed.

The Y-12 National Security Complex is closed to non-essential employees due to hazardous weather conditions.

Roane County Schools Central Office will also be closed due to the weather. This includes Technology, Transportation, and other departments.

Some schools, including Clinton’s, were already closed today because of the Presidents’ Day holiday. And some businesses and government offices were already closed because of the holiday. [Read more…]

Updated: Winter storm warning in effect; snow, sleet, freezing rain possible

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Ice Accumulation

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:32 a.m. Feb. 16.

A winter storm warning is in effect in parts of East Tennessee—including Anderson, Knox, Loudon, and Roane counties—and there could be some snow this morning, possibly mixed with sleet, forecasters said. The precipitation could change to a mix of mostly freezing rain and sleet during the day, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown. It could change back to sleet or snow before tapering off.

The NWS said snow and sleet accumulations of one to four inches are possible, and total ice accumulations of a quarter to a half inch are possible.

The winter storm warning area includes Clinton and Oak Ridge, as well as Kingston and Knoxville. It also includes Jefferson, Grainger, and Union counties, and northwest Blount and north Sevier counties. The storm warning is in effect from 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday. [Read more…]

Dangerously cold wind chills through Sunday morning; snow possible this week

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Dangerously Cold Wind Chills

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Dangerously cold wind chills could drop to between 0 and -10 degrees Fahrenheit in the Tennessee Valley tonight through Sunday morning and even lower, between -10 and -25, in the mountains, forecasters said. And there is a chance of snow near Oak Ridge this week.

Those not dressed appropriately overnight could be susceptible to hypothermia or frostbite. Exposed pipes may freeze, and the cold poses a threat to outdoor pets and livestock, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The NWS said exposed pipes should be insulated or covered, and pets and livestock should be brought in or provided shelter. Forecasters also recommended checking on the elderly or those without sufficient heat. [Read more…]

Headed to championship, Wildcats open up large 80-49 lead over Central

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Javien Johnson, Geevantay Gee, and DeAndre Gibson of Oak Ridge Wildcats

Javien Johnson (11), Geevantay Gee (12), and DeAndre Gibson (10) of Oak Ridge react to another three-pointer by sophomore Tajion Jones in the third quarter of a 80-49 win over the Central Bobcats in a district semifinal game in Knoxville on Saturday. Jones hit three three-pointers and scored 11 points in the third quarter. (Photo by Melissa Livesey)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:30 a.m. Feb. 15

KNOXVILLE—Oak Ridge opened up a large 80-49 lead over Central in the second half of a district semifinal game in Knoxville on Saturday, and the Wildcats will move on to play Karns in the district championship at Central on Tuesday.

The game had been closer at halftime, with Oak Ridge (25-2) ahead 35-27.

But the Wildcats’ defense improved in the third quarter, and Oak Ridge outscored Central 27-12. Sophomore shooting guard Tajion Jones came off the bench to knock down three three-pointers within about one minute in the third quarter to give Oak Ridge a 20-point lead at 56-36. [Read more…]

Powell beats Lady Wildcats in overtime 60-54

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Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats Caelyn Thompson and Courtney Ellison

Oak Ridge junior Caelyn Thompson (22) had seven points during a district tournament semifinal game against Powell on Saturday, and sophomore Courtney Ellison, seen here behind Thompson, led all Lady Wildcats with 17, including three three-point shots. (Photo by Luther Simmons) 

 

Note: This story was last updated at 7:08 p.m.

KNOXVILLE—The Lady Wildcats took a one-point lead on a three-point shot by Princess Bates with nine seconds left, but Powell rallied in overtime to beat Oak Ridge 60-54 in a district tournament semifinal game in Knoxville on Saturday.

The Lady Wildcats, who have qualified for the Region 2 tournament, will play for third place in a consolation game against the loser of the Saturday afternoon game between Anderson County and Halls. The consolation game starts at 6 p.m. Monday at Central High School in Knoxville.

The Lady Wildcats led 27-22 at halftime and stayed on top for much of the second half, leading by as much as seven points. They got big momentum boosts from the three three-point shots of sophomore point guard/wing Courtney Ellison, who led Oak Ridge with 17 points, and three more from freshman wing/post Jasmine Hembry, who scored 12.

Bates, a freshman wing, and Caelyn Thompson, a junior post, each had seven.

Oak Ridge hit a total of eight three-point shots, for 24 points total.

“You hate it for them,” Oak Ridge Coach David Scott said of his team’s loss in the high-pressure game, undecided until the final seconds of the four-minute overtime. “They worked so hard.” [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats advance to district semifinals; Clinton falls to Halls

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Courtney Ellison and Destiny Kassner of the Lady Wildcats

Sophomore point guard Courtney Ellison (10) dribbles up court ahead of freshman Destiny Kassner as the Lady Wildcats wallop Gibbs 64-36 in a quarterfinal district tournament game in Knoxville on Thursday. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

KNOXVILLE—The Lady Wildcats advanced to the district semifinals and guaranteed themselves at least three more playoff games in a 64-36 rout of Gibbs in a quarterfinal game on Thursday. They’ve also qualified for the Region 2 tournament.

Oak Ridge, the number three seed, will take on Powell, the number two seed, at 3 p.m. Saturday at Central High School in Knoxville.

Meanwhile, the Clinton Dragons boys’ team fell to Halls 46-32 in another quarterfinal game on Thursday. Halls, the number three seed in the District 3-AAA tournament, will take on Karns, the number two seed, at 6 p.m. Saturday.

That game will be followed by a matchup between Oak Ridge, the number one seed, and the winner of today’s elimination game between Anderson County and Central.

The game between the Mavericks and Bobcats starts at 7:30 p.m. today (Friday, February 13) at Central. [Read more…]