The former vice president of environmental management at B&W Y-12 in Oak Ridge has taken a leadership job at USEC.
Robert Warther has been named deputy program manager for the American Centrifuge research, development, and demonstration, or RD&D, program, a press release said.
Anti-nuclear weapons activists Megan Rice, left, and Michael R. Walli leave U.S. District Court in Knoxville after pleading not guilty Thursday morning to three counts of trespassing, property depredation, and property destruction at the Y-12 National Security Complex. A third protester, Greg Boertje-Obed, remains jailed in Blount County.
Note: This story was last updated at 1:51 a.m. Aug. 10.
KNOXVILLE—A new felony property depredation charge and the possibility of more jail time have been added to two earlier charges filed against three anti-nuclear weapons activists arrested in July near a uranium storage building at the Y-12 National Security Complex.
The defendants—Greg Boertje-Obed, Megan Rice, and Michael R. Walli—are accused of sneaking into Y-12 before dawn July 28, cutting through three fences, and setting off alarms before spraying paint and splashing blood on the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility, where bomb-grade uranium is stored.
The new charge, contained in a three-count grand jury indictment filed Tuesday, carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years. The three activists pleaded not guilty to all three counts during a Thursday morning arraignment in U.S. District Court in Knoxville.
Three anti-nuclear weapons activists arrested July 28 in the high-security Protected Area at the Y-12 National Security Complex have been indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of trespassing, property depredation, and property destruction.
The three defendants—Greg Boertje-Obed, Megan Rice, and Michael R. Walli—are expected to be arraigned this morning in U.S. District Court in Knoxville.
After eluding authorities for the past year, an Anderson County woman has been arrested and charged in Williamson County for alleged TennCare fraud involving “doctor shopping,” a state press release said.
The Tennessee Office of Inspector General announced the arrest of Melissa Ann Adkins, 28, of Oliver Springs, on Wednesday.
ORAU President and CEO Andy Page, seated left, signs a mentor-protégé progam agreement with Elizabeth Bernstein, president and CEO of United Global Technologies. Standing, from left to right, are Sharon Jacobs, Heidi Timmerman, Rebecca Crowe and Cindy Snow, members of ORAU’s procurement and contracts administration department. (Photo by ORAU)
Oak Ridge Associated Universities and United Global Technologies recently signed an agreement for a two-year supportive relationship under a federal mentor-protégé program.
Through this relationship, ORAU serves as a business mentor to UGT, providing consultation on a variety of financial, organizational, and business management topics, a press release said
UGT is an economically disadvantaged, women-owned small business based in Charlotte, N.C., that provides information technology and engineering services. It was founded in 2002 and focuses on the needs of federal, state, and local government agencies, the press release said.
Students who have already registered for fall classes at Roane State Community College need to pay their fees by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, to avoid deletion of their class schedules, a press release said.
Students can pay their fees at www.roanestate.edu.
People concerned about the community’s children are invited to attend the Nurturing and Safe World Child Advocacy Seminar Thursday in the Roane State Community College City Room, a press release said.
Stephanie Strutner of ASAP, Lisa Givonetti of CASA, Matt Reed of Faith Baptist Church’s Reformers Unanimous, and several other organizational representatives will speak about drug and alcohol abuse and addiction as it relates to the community’s children.
There is no charge to participate, and lunch will be included, the release said.
Demolition is almost complete on most of the K-25 Building’s East Wing, and work on the North Tower, pictured in the background at left, could start in September. (Photo submitted by UCOR)
Historic preservationists lobbied for years to save the North Tower of the mile-long, U-shaped K-25 Building in west Oak Ridge, but an agreement that received a final signature on Tuesday clears the way for demolition work to begin there in late September or early October.
“It allows us to proceed with our cleanup activities … without delay,” said Mike Koentop, U.S. Department of Energy spokesman in the Oak Ridge Office.
However, officials plan to pay homage to the site, built during World War II to enrich uranium for atomic bombs, with a replica equipment building, viewing tower, and nearby history center, as well as a Web-based virtual museum and a $500,000 grant to buy and stabilize the dilapidated, historic Alexander Inn in central Oak Ridge.
Bass player Jeff Tolson, from left, guitarist and vocalist Jamey Oran, guitarist Terry “Teep” Phillips, and banjo player David West perform as the Cas Walker Ciderville Show during “National Night Out” in Oak Ridge on Tuesday.
Hundreds of residents on about 210 streets take part in the city’s crime-fighting Neighborhood Watch program, and that’s helping to cut down on illegal activity, Oak Ridge Police Officer Jeremy Upham said Tuesday.
“I think, personally, it’s making a huge impact,” said Upham, the police department’s liaison to the Neighborhood Watch program. “The neighbors are calling when they see suspicious things that don’t fit in.”
Myron Iwanski
Buzz Patrick
After losing by a wide margin in the Aug. 2 election, Anderson County Commissioner Buzz Patrick on Monday said he has no plans to run for any other elected office.
And the man who beat him, Anderson County Interim Mayor Myron Iwanski, said he is not interested in becoming Anderson County Commission chairman, a position he has held before.
Teresa C. Perry
An acting assistant manager in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office has retired after 34 years of federal service.
Teresa C. Perry was acting assistant manager for safety and technical services in the Oak Ridge Office, and she retired Aug. 1, a DOE press release said.
The three incumbent Oak Ridge City Council members—L. Charles “Charlie” Hensley, Charles J. “Chuck” Hope Jr., and Ellen Smith—have picked up qualifying petitions to run in the Nov. 6 election, and Trina Baughn, the first-time candidate defeated days ago in the Aug. 2 special election, plans to run again in November.
Also qualifying to run in November is Kelly S. Callison, who sought an appointment to City Council after former member Tom Hayes resigned in June 2011.
There are three seats available. They are the seats now held by Hensley, Hope, and Smith. Hope was appointed to the position after Hayes resigned.
Meanwhile, former Oak Ridge City Council member Leonard Abbatiello has picked up a petition to run for school board, and the two incumbents, Angi Agle and Keys Fillauer, have also picked up petitions, said Stephanie Gamble, Anderson County Election Commission deputy administrator.
She said Oak Ridge City Judge Robert A. McNees III has also qualified to run in November.
