Oak Ridge Today

Kroger Marketplace has Aug. 22 groundbreaking ceremony

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Kroger Marketplace Land Clearing

The Kroger Co. will have an Aug. 22 groundbreaking ceremony for a new Kroger Marketplace shopping center on 25 acres at Oak Ridge Turnpike and Illinois Avenue.

The Kroger Co. announced Monday that it will have a Thursday morning groundbreaking ceremony for its new Marketplace store in Oak Ridge.

Demolition and land clearing work is already under way at the 25-acre site northeast of the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Illinois Avenue, and a Kroger spokesman has said building construction at the shopping center could start in October.

The groundbreaking on Thursday, Aug. 22, will be at 10 a.m. [Read more…]

Anderson County Commission considers coal mining museum tonight

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Bank of America Lake City

Bank of America has agreed to sell this two-story brick building on Main Street in Lake City for $100,000 for a Coal Miners’ Museum and county storage space and satellite offices.

The Lake City Council on Saturday developed a plan for operating and maintaining a coal mining museum, a proposal that will be presented to the Anderson County Commission this evening, a nonprofit organization said this weekend.

The Commission will consider buying the former Bank of America building in Lake City as a home for the Coal Miners’ Museum during a meeting that starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday. [Read more…]

Razzleberry’s picked for Small Business Counts cash mob on Wednesday

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John Schroer, Tom Beehan, and Mark Watson at Razzleberry's

Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer, left, Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, center, and City Manager Mark Watson outside Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab and Kitchen in October 2012.

ORNL Federal Credit Union has picked Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab and Kitchen for its second Small Business Counts “cash mob.”

Razzleberry’s was originally a small ice cream parlor, and it is owned by Waldek and Ilona Kaczocha, who moved their business from Pompano Beach to Jackson Square in Oak Ridge more than seven years ago, a press release said.

“Since then, the little neighborhood spot has slowly grown into a full restaurant serving lunch and desserts daily (and breakfast on Saturdays), while also featuring a number of homemade international food products and unique gift items,” the release said. [Read more…]

Corker returns from Middle East, visits East Tennessee on Tuesday

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Bob Corker Meets Nouri Al-Maliki

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, left, a Tennessee Republican, meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, second from right. (Submitted photos)

After a week-long trip to the Middle East that ended Saturday, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said the recent expansion of violence there threatened the region’s security and America’s national interest.

Corker is a Tennessee Republican and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. From Aug. 10-17, he visited with U.S. and foreign officials in Turkey, Iraq, and Jordan. The trip focused on regional political and security issues important to the United States, including the violence in Egypt, the conflict in Syria, and the threat of sectarian violence and terrorism in the region, a press release said.

Corker will be in East Tennessee on Tuesday, with stops in Knoxville and Maryville. He spent the first week of the Senate’s August recess in Middle Tennessee and will be making stops throughout Tennessee this coming week. [Read more…]

Picture: It’s football time in Tennessee!

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Jefferson Middle School Eagles

The Jefferson Middle School Eagles lost 44-8 to the Rhea County Eagles on Thursday.

The Jefferson Middle School Eagles lost 44-8 to the Rhea County Eagles in their first game of the football season on Thursday.

The Oak Ridge High School Wildcats open their season on Friday, Aug. 30, at Farragut.

The Robertsville Middle School Rams play next at Christian Academy of Knoxville at 7 p.m. Thursday. [Read more…]

‘One Earth, Our Choice’ concert, rally features ORNL scientist, Al Gore show

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One Earth Our Choice

A free concert and rally in Knoxville at noon Saturday features Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientist Virginia Dale, right, and a new “Climate Reality” show by Al Gore. (Submitted image)

A free “One Earth, Our Choice” concert and rally today (Saturday) features an Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientist who will discuss Tennessee’s changing climate and a presentation of Al Gore’s new show, “The Climate Reality Project.”

The concert and rally for climate action starts at noon at SEEED at 1617 Dandridge Ave. in Knoxville, a press release said.

It’s part of a weekend of events that includes climate activist Bill McKibben speaking at Oak Ridge High School on Sunday and at Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday. Organizers called it an “attention-getting weekend for climate action.” Those involved in today’s concert and rally include Secret City Sustainability, a student-led initiative in Oak Ridge.

[Read more…]

What’s happening in Oak Ridge Aug. 16-21

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Here is a summary of events happening in Oak Ridge starting this evening, Aug. 16, and continuing through Aug. 21.

This weekly listing of events is compiled by the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau: [Read more…]

Streets being resurfaced in north Clinton

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Clinton Public Works Department has announced a street resurfacing project that is beginning in the residential areas of north Clinton.

The work will continue through mid-September and will require temporary street closures and detours. The city’s contractor, Rogers Group, has one crew performing street preparation ahead of a second crew that is applying asphalt. [Read more…]

Nuclear safety board to discuss aging Y-12 buildings, new Uranium Processing Facility

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Y-12 National Security Complex Aerial View

The federal Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will meet in Knoxville in October to discuss, among other things, the risks associated with continuing to operate old buildings involved in weapons work at the Y-12 National Security Complex, pictured above, and the progress made in the past year to incorporate safety into the design of the multi-billion dollar Uranium Processing Facility.

The federal Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will meet in Knoxville in October to discuss, among other things, the risks associated with continuing to operate old buildings involved in weapons work at the Y-12 National Security Complex—and the progress made in the past year to incorporate safety into the design of the multi-billion dollar Uranium Processing Facility.

The day-long meeting, which is open to the public, will include two sessions on Oct. 22 at the Knoxville Convention Center. [Read more…]

Blasting on hold at Kroger Marketplace construction site

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Kroger Marketplace Site Work

Blasting at the Kroger Marketplace construction site in central Oak Ridge is on hold for now. A Kroger spokesman has said there is some rock on the 25-acre site, but blasting will be the company’s last option.

The contractors for the Kroger Marketplace shopping center have notified Oak Ridge officials that blasting at the 25-acre site may not be required for now.

“The City of Oak Ridge will notify affected businesses and citizens when, and if, blasting is required,” a Friday morning press release said.

Oak Ridge had previously announced that a blast survey was performed, and no “collateral damage had been predicted,” the release said. [Read more…]

Sound Company choir has auditions Saturday

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Sound Company

Members of Sound Company, the Oak Ridge Children’s Performing Show Choir, sing in a concert during the 2012-2013 season. The choir is holding auditions starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Photo by Linda Miller Ripley)

Sound Company, the Children’s Performing Choir of Oak Ridge, will be hosting auditions for the 2013-2014 school year starting at 9 a.m. Saturday at High Places Community Church in Grove Center.

The organization is primarily seeking boys and girls in first and second grades as well as boys in grades three through twelve, a press release said. Girls in grades three through twelve are welcome to audition, but there are limited openings. [Read more…]

Soulfinger plays free Secret City Sounds concert on Friday

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Soulfinger

Funk and soul band Soulfinger will play a free show at the Oak Ridge Civic Center Pavilion on Friday. (Submitted photo)

A band that plays funk, soul, and R&B will play a free concert at the Oak Ridge Civic Center Pavilion on Friday.

It’s part of the Secret City Sounds Summer Concert Series. Friday’s show starts at 7 p.m. at the pavilion at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

A press release said Soulfinger is “spearheading a neo-classic funk and soul movement” and “bringing the ‘original’ funk and soul sound and influence back to today’s live music scene.” [Read more…]