Oak Ridge Today

Governor appoints new chancellor in Anderson County

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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has appointed Wartburg attorney Jamie Brooks as chancellor for the Seventh Judicial District in Anderson County.

The vacancy was created when former Chancellor M. Nichole “Nicki” Cantrell, the county’s first female chancellor, resigned in January.

“Jamie is a highly qualified attorney who will bring significant legal experience to the Seventh Judicial District,” Lee said in a press release last week. “I appreciate his leadership and am confident he will serve Tennesseans with integrity.”

Brooks is currently a solo practitioner at Wilson and Brooks, and he has more than 37 years of varied legal expertise, including real property law, family law, wills and estates, and criminal defense, the press release said. His law firm page said he has has also practiced divorce, personal injury, elder, appellate, and real estate law.

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Two championship regattas in Oak Ridge this month

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Two championship regattas have been at the Oak Ridge Marina this month.

The first was the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championship Regatta on April 15-16.

The second is the Dogwood Junior Championship Regatta this weekend, April 22-23.

The regattas are hosted by the Oak Ridge Rowing Association.

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Council to consider water intake bypass; discuss housing, SROs, conference center, airport

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The Oak Ridge City Council in a special meeting Tuesday evening, April 18, will discuss a water intake bypass during construction of the new water plant at the Clinch River.

During the meeting, the seven-member Council will consider awarding a contract worth up to $367,4000 to Morgan Construction for materials and installation of the bypass water line at the water intake site.

The special meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. You can see the agenda here.

After the special meeting, the seven-member Council will hear a presentation of a housing study by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. There will also be a follow-up discussion of the school resource officer program, an update about the conference center plaza project, and a review of the airport project. You can see the agenda here.

Oak Ridge Housing Authority proposes home project in Scarboro

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The Oak Ridge Housing Authority is interested an affordable housing project on about 16-18 acres of city-owned land next to the Scarboro Community Center. The site is pictured above on Sunday, April 16, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Housing Authority is interested in an affordable housing project on about 16-18 acres of city-owned land next to the Scarboro Community Center. The site was expected to be developed by Habitat for Humanity more than a decade ago, but that project did not proceed for reasons that aren’t clear.

The project could help as it becomes more difficult for many people to find a place to live, either because they can’t find a home that is available or because of rising home prices and rental rates.

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Eby elected chair of state school board

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Bob Eby, left, has been elected chair of the Tennessee State Board of Education. Also pictured second from left are former chair Lillian Hartgrove, Vice Chair Darrell Cobbins, and Executive Director Sara Heyburn Morrison. (Photo courtesy Bob Eby/Tennessee State Board of Education)

Bob Eby, a former chair and vice chair of the Oak Ridge school board, has been elected chair of the Tennessee State Board of Education. He will serve a two-year term.

Eby was appointed to the state school board by former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam in April 2018. He was elected vice chair the following year. Eby represents Tennessee’s Third Congressional District, which includes Oak Ridge.

He will replace Lillian Hartgrove, who represents District 6, as chair of the 11-member board. Hartgrove has served as chair for five years.

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McNally has pacemaker surgery

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Randy McNally

Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally reported on Friday that he had pacemaker surgery and it went smoothly.

McNally had said on his official Facebook page that, before the surgery, he had experienced the symptoms of an irregular heartbeat. He checked into Vanderbilt hospital.

“Tests indicate I will likely need a pacemaker to help regulate my cardiac issues,” McNally said before the surgery. “I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers. I hope to be back at work as soon as possible.”

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Company could evaluate leaving rail in place at airport

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Image from Oak Ridge City Council agenda packet for Feb. 13, 2023.

The Brentwood company performing preliminary studies for the proposed Oak Ridge Airport could evaluate leaving a short section of railroad in place and building a runway bridge over it.

The short section of railroad has been called a potential “deal-killer” for the airport.

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Obituaries: Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2023

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Joyce Annacea Wilson Bradley, 79, of Oliver Springs, April 21, 1943-February 1, 2023. Raised in Claxton, attended Clinton High School, loved her family, piecing quilts, canning, growing flowers, fishing, and her little dog Maggie. Read her obituary here.

Kelby Scott Rice, 54, of Coalfield, July 22, 1968-January 31, 2023. Graduated from Coalfield high school, kicked off a 30-year mission as a distinguished firefighter and fire chief with the Coalfield Volunteer Fire Department, also enjoyed dirt race tracks, marksmanship, and cars. Read his obituary here.

Margaret England, 82, of Clinton, July 23, 1940-January 31, 2023. Full obituary will be available later here.

Sergeant Herman Daniel Ownby, 76, of Clinton, November 27, 1946-January 29, 2023. Born in the Glades area of Gatlinburg, well-known by many for his style of Chet Adkins guitar picking, worked in Nashville in the 1970s as a studio musician and record producer for Duel Records (he was better known as “Scatch Ownby” at the time), played behind many great musicians throughout the years. Read his obituary here.

Argie Marie Bell, 90, of Clinton, November 9, 1932-January 28, 2023. Air Force veteran who loved to travel, loyal University of Tennessee football and basketball fan. Read her obituary here.

Basketball: Wildcats beat West in rematch

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After a close district loss at West earlier this month, the Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the Rebels by 17 points, 55-38, in a rematch at home on Friday.

The loss at West earlier this month, on January 10, was the only district loss of the season for the Oak Ridge boys.

The Wildcats were led in the win over the Rebels on Friday by Grayson Strader, Ray’Quan Watson, and Kaden Brightharp, who each had 11 points, according to Prepradio.com broadcaster David Clary.

Oak Ridge is tied with Karns for best record in District 3-4A, where both teams are 7-1. However, the Wildcats have a win over the Beavers, a narrow 67-64 victory at Karns on January 13.

The two teams will meet again next week, this time at Wildcat Arena. That game will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

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Basketball: Lady Wildcats undefeated in district

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats are undefeated at 8-0 in their district, District 3-4A, and the girls have only two district games remaining in the regular season.

Oak Ridge defeated West at home on Friday, 59-12. The Lady Rebels are 0-8 in the district.

The Lady Wildcats were led Friday by Ze’Yana Stewart with 16 points and Lindsay Cleveland with 10, according to Prepradio.com broadcaster David Clary.

The Lady Wildcats’ next game is at home on Tuesday against Karns, which is second in the district with a 6-1 record. The game will start at 6 p.m. at Wildcat Arena.

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Speakers mostly support TRISO-X fuel facility at meeting

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TRISO-X has proposed a nuclear fuel fabrication facility on 110 acres at Horizon Center in west Oak Ridge. (Photo from TRISO-X environmental report to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission)

A small group of residents who spoke at a public meeting on Wednesday were mostly supportive of a proposed nuclear fuel facility in west Oak Ridge. None of the seven local speakers opposed the project, but they had some suggestions for what the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission should consider as it prepares an environmental impact statement. That was the type of input the NRC had requested.

The nuclear fuel facility would be the first manufacturing facility of its type in the United States. It has been proposed by TRISO-X, and it would be on 110 acres at Horizon Center. The coated particle uranium fuel produced there could be used in new types of nuclear reactors such as small modular reactors.

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UPF construction could cost more, take longer

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The entrance sign at Y-12 National Security Complex at Bear Creek Road and Scarboro Road is pictured above on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12 National Security Complex was supposed to be completed by 2025 for no more than $6.5 billion, but that might no longer be the case.

In the past week, federal officials said construction projects across the country, including UPF, have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain delays, inflation, labor shortages, and increased labor costs. Those factors have led to higher construction costs and longer project timelines, the federal officials said.

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