Oak Ridge Today

Residents, pastors celebrate ‘In God We Trust’ signs on Anderson County Courthouse

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Bates Family of Lake City TN

The Bates family of Anderson County, including County Commissioner Zach Bates, left, and father and pastor Gil Bates, second from right, and mother Kelly Bates, right, sing “This Land is Your Land” and “God Bless America” during a Tuesday ceremony for new “In God We Trust” signs at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

CLINTON—In a ceremony that featured pastors, prayers, and patriotic songs, a group of about 150 people watched Tuesday morning as the first of four signs emblazoned with the national motto “In God We Trust” was unveiled at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

Supporters celebrated the installation of the seven-foot, 180-pound sign as a victory for the majority, a chance to honor the nation’s heritage.

“Whether you agree with this or disagree with this, the democratic process took place,” said Tom Byrge, director of missions for Clinton Baptist Association. “The majority of the U.S. citizens will continue to believe, and will not be ashamed to say, ‘In God We Trust.’” [Read more…]

UPF Project Office moves into former Answer Financial building

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UPF Project Office

Employees working on the multi-billion-dollar Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex have consolidated in office space at 90 Union Valley Road across from Y-12, moving there from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Scientific and Technical Information and 1099 Commerce Park.

An office building once used by Answer Financial on Union Valley Road is now home to employees working on the multi-billion-dollar Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The UPF employees now located at 90 Union Valley Road, which is across Scarboro Road from Y-12, were previously split between offices at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Scientific and Technical Information and 1099 Commerce Park, said Bridget Correll Waller, Y-12 community and government relations manager. The new consolidated offices include space for UPF federal staff, project managers, and workers in procurement, security, quality assurance, project services and project controls, and Environment, Safety and Health, or ES&H. [Read more…]

Construction work starts on Aldi grocery

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Aldi Construction

Construction has started on an Aldi grocery store on South Illinois Avenue. Above, construction subcontractors from Bellamy Excavating of Knoxville install a storm sewer on the 1.4-acre site near the relocated, expanded Panera Bread and new Aubrey’s restaurant.

Construction work has started on an Aldi grocery store on South Illinois Avenue.

Under way for about a month, work on the 16,000-square-foot store on 1.4 acres could be finished in November, said Tony Stacy, job superintendent for the project’s general contractor, Creative Structures of Knoxville.

The project at the Woodland Town Center, where the new Aubrey’s and relocated Panera Bread opened in October, was announced in January. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools hosts August reception for new administrators

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Bob and Carol Smallridge and Bruce Borchers

New Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce, right, will be welcomed during an Aug. 5 reception along with new Assistant Superintendent Chris Marczak. Above, Borchers speaks to Carol Smallridge, left, and former Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent and Interim Superintendent Bob Smallridge, second from right. Also pictured is Borchers’ son Jack.

Oak Ridge Schools will have an Aug. 5 reception for new Superintendent Bruce Borchers and new Assistant Superintendent Chris Marczak.

The reception will be from 5-6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 5, in the School Administration Building Board Room. It will precede the 7 p.m. Oak Ridge Board of Education meeting.

Borchers was hired in April, and he started in Oak Ridge on June 18. He replaced Interim Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bob Smallridge, who is also a former superintendent. Smallridge filled in after former Superintendent Tom Bailey retired at the end of 2012. [Read more…]

Public ceremony for ‘In God We Trust’ signs this morning

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CLINTON—Four pastors, including the father of an Anderson County commissioner, are scheduled to speak during an unveiling ceremony this morning for four new “In God We Trust” signs on the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

The ceremony starts at 10 a.m., said Lynn Byrge, an Oak Ridge business owner who spearheaded the drive to install the signs inscribed with the nation’s motto. [Read more…]

After setbacks, workers start installing ‘In God We Trust’ signs at Anderson courthouse

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In God We Trust Courthouse Signs

Workers from Island Home Granite, Signs, and Monuments install the first of four black granite “In God We Trust” signs over the entrances at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

CLINTON—Several setbacks put the project behind schedule on Monday, delaying the work for several hours, but by Monday evening, workers from a Knoxville company began installing the first of four black granite signs emblazoned with the national motto “In God We Trust” over the entrances at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

Plans had called for completing the work by Monday night, but it wasn’t clear if that would be possible. Among the setbacks were rain, a traffic jam, a hydraulic hose that popped off a hydraulic lift, and a drill that ran into rebar in the rock-solid courthouse walls.

Still, those who supported the project—with the work being done by Island Home Granite, Signs, and Monuments of Knoxville—were pleased to see it was under way. [Read more…]

Roane County school board makes budget cuts

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Information from WYSH Radio

On Thursday, the Roane County School Board voted to make several deep cuts to balance its budget for this year.

The cuts became necessary earlier when the Roane County Commission rejected the school system’s request for a 14-cent property tax increase to make up a $1.5 million shortfall. The deepest cut was to funding for the purchase of new textbooks to the tune of about $1 million. [Read more…]

Anderson County schools to dismiss early on Wednesdays

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Information from WYSH Radio

When the new school year begins in the Anderson County school system on Aug. 7, parents and students alike will notice a big difference in dismissal times on Wednesdays.

Students in the county system will now be dismissed 90 minutes early on Wednesdays. School leaders say that shortening one day a week will give teachers more time to review student data and to work on Common Core training and implementation. The Common Core curriculum requires students to learn at a higher level of rigor and in a more in-depth fashion. [Read more…]

Wednesday fire at European Import Auto Parts said to be accidental

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Information from WYSH Radio

Investigators say that it appears that Wednesday’s fire that destroyed the European Import Auto Parts salvage yard on Clinton Highway was an accident, as they had initially believed. Officials said Thursday that they believe the fire started in a vehicle in the garage with a leaky gas tank, gas from which is believed to have been ignited by a stray spark. The fire spread quickly and set off several explosions before destroying the business.

One Claxton firefighter had to be taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion but was released Wednesday night. No one else was injured.

Tennessee sales tax holiday is Aug. 2-4

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This year’s sales tax holiday in Tennessee is scheduled to start at 12:01 a.m on Friday, Aug. 2, and end Sunday, Aug. 4, at 11:59 p.m.

The sales tax holiday is held every year on the first Friday in August and ends the following Sunday night. For more information, visit http://tn.gov/revenue/salestaxholiday/.

‘In God We Trust’ signs to be installed on Anderson courthouse today

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Public Hearing on In God We Trust Motto

Philip Warfield of Andersonville says county residents should be able to decide what goes on the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton during a March committee hearing on putting the national motto “In God We Trust” on the three-story building.

New granite signs engraved with the national motto “In God We Trust” are scheduled to be installed on the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton this afternoon.

The Anderson County Commission approved the signs this spring after hours of discussion and five meetings.

They will be installed above the four courthouse doors starting at about 1:30 p.m. today, the Anderson County Mayor’s Office said in a media advisory. The work will be done by employees from Island Home Granite and Signs. [Read more…]

Perma-Fix announces new VP of Nuclear Services Business Development

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Richard Macon

Richard Macon

Perma-Fix Environmental Services Inc. has announced the promotion of Richard Macon to vice president of Nuclear Services Business Development.

In this role, Macon will be responsible for pursuing opportunities, developing proposal “win themes,” and forming strategic partnerships to further company growth, a press release said. Macon will continue to cultivate relationships with Perma-Fix’s new and existing clients, including the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense, commercial nuclear industry, and Canada. [Read more…]