Oak Ridge Today Staff - Author at Oak Ridge Today

Public Notice: ORHA Advertisement for Bids

Posted at 2:26 pm March 25, 2019
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Sealed bids for “Roof Replacement at Knoll Lane and Wade Lane, Oak Ridge, Tennessee” will be received by the Oak Ridge Housing Authority at the Housing Authority Office, 10 Van Hicks, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, until 2:00 p.m., local time, on April 11, 2019 and then at said time publicly opened and read aloud.

A PreBid Conference will be held at the Housing Authority Community Room, 76 Honeysuckle Lane, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, at 1:00 p.m., local time, on March 28, 2019. All bidders are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting.

The Instructions to Bidders, Form of Agreement, Drawings, Specifications, Forms of Bid Bond and of Performance Bonds, and other bidding instruments may be examined at: [Read more…]

Student receives award for extinguishing kitchen fire

Posted at 1:01 pm March 22, 2019
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The City of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Fire Department, and Oak Ridge Police Department recognized a local student, Wesley Alig, a 13-year-old student at Jefferson Middle School, on Thursday for his quick actions to stop a fire from spreading inside his home last year. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The City of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Fire Department, and Oak Ridge Police Department recognized a local student on Thursday for his quick actions to stop a fire from spreading inside his home last year.

When a slow cooker in his kitchen caught fire on Halloween, Wesley Alig used skills he learned in Oak Ridge’s Junior Police Academy to successfully operate a fire extinguisher, a press release said. Wesley, a 13-year-old student at Jefferson Middle School, is a graduate of the 2018 Junior Police Academy class.

The incident happened at the Alig family’s home on Heritage Drive in Oak Ridge. Wesley told first responders he heard a popping noise coming from the slow cooker, the press release said. When he walked into the kitchen to check, he saw flames on the stovetop. [Read more…]

Women’s Interfaith to focus on protecting youth from opioid crisis

Posted at 12:43 pm March 22, 2019
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BeaThomas

Women’s Interfaith Dialogue of Oak Ridge will learn more about the opiod crisis afflicting the nation and its communities during a meeting on Monday, April 1.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Monday, April 1, at the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge, which is at 101 West Madison Lane.

Reverend Bea Thomas, an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church, will speak on “The Impact of the Opiod Epidemic upon Our Youth and How We Can Protect Them,” a press release said.

Thomas has served as pastor of four churches in the Tennessee Conference of the A.M.E. Zion Church. Since 2016, she has been involved in correctional ministry, first at the Anderson County Jail and currently at Roane County Jail, the press release said. She holds a M.A. in Evangelism and Church Planting from Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia, and is currently completing courses toward a Chaplaincy Certificate in Correctional Ministry through the Institute of Prison Ministry at Christian University GlobalNet. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has spring wildflower walk on Saturday, April 13

Posted at 12:25 pm March 22, 2019
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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet and greet followed by a spring wildflower walk at Haw Ridge Park on Saturday, May 5, 2018. Kris Light, an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer, will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, a press release said. (Submitted photo)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet and greet followed by a spring wildflower walk at Haw Ridge Park on Saturday, April 13, 2019. Kris Light, an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer, will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, a press release said. (Submitted file photo)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet-and-greet followed by a spring wildflower walk on Saturday, April 13. The event is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. at Haw Ridge Park on Edgemoor Road in Oak Ridge.

Participants are asked to meet at the parking lot, which is at the west end of the park next to the kiosk, near the Soccer Trail, a press release said. The walk is free and open to the public. Kris Light—an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer—will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, the press release said.

Participants may want to bring a camera to take pictures of the many wildflowers on the grounds. If participants have a wildflower book, Kris suggests bringing that as well, the release said. [Read more…]

ORAU promotes Lokitz to VP, general counsel

Posted at 11:56 am March 22, 2019
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Rachel Lokitz

Rachel Lokitz, interim general counsel and corporate secretary for ORAU, has been promoted to vice president and general counsel.

In her new role, Lokitz provides ORAU’s programs and internal business clients with counsel concerning legal rights, contractual obligations, compliance, and risk.

“We are excited for Rachel to take on this new role at ORAU. Her accomplished legal expertise combined with her extensive business management and teamwork skills has made Rachel a critical asset for our organization. We all congratulate her and will look forward to continue working with her in this new position,” said Andy Page, president and chief executive officer. [Read more…]

Unique partnership helps Y-12 employee Chris Borum pursue a new path

Posted at 2:00 pm March 21, 2019
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Chris Borum

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

Chris Borum, for more than 16 years a security guard at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, said it was time for a change.

As the years passed, he worried he might not be able to meet rigorous annual physical qualifications for his job at the nuclear weapons facility.

Borum, a Kingston resident, said he wanted to stay at Y-12 and eventually retire from there, “but I wanted to leave on my own terms.”

So when a job posting for a material handler was posted on the Y-12’s Intranet, he went for it. [Read more…]

Beckendorf-Edou of OR Schools selected as superintendent of Washington district

Posted at 1:52 pm March 21, 2019
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Tracey Beckendorf-Edou

Tracey Beckendorf-Edou of Oak Ridge Schools has accepted the position of superintendent of Cascade School District in Washington state, pending successful contract negotiations, starting in the 2019-2020 school year, a press release said.

Beckendorf-Edou is currently the executive director of teaching and learning for Oak Ridge Schools. She has worked for Oak Ridge Schools since the 2012-2013 school year, the press release said.

Beckendorf-Edou and her husband Kirk have been residents of Oak Ridge since 2010. Before she worked for Oak Ridge Schools, Beckendorf-Edou worked for ORAU, the press release said.

“Tracey thanks Bruce Borchers, the School Board, the entire staff of Oak Ridge Schools, and the Oak Ridge community for their support and friendship,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Atomic City Aquatic Club swimmers compete in Senior Sectional Championships

Posted at 10:24 am March 21, 2019
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Clockwise from left: Coach Andy Wagner, Emily Aycock, Sarah Walker, Rachel Aycock, Abby Aycock, Austen Reid, Harper Houk, Tais Brown, Zack Telep, and Alexander Greenhalgh (Submitted photo)

Clockwise from left: Coach Andy Wagner, Emily Aycock, Sarah Walker, Rachel Aycock, Abbey Aycock, Austen Reid, Harper Houk, Tais Brown, Zack Telep, and Alexander Greenhalgh (Submitted photo)

By Chip Fischer

Nine Atomic City Aquatic Club swimmers recently elected to compete at the 2019 Senior Sectional Championships. This is an elite meet reserved for those swimmers who make very challenging cuts during the Short Course Season—generally ages 15-18 are represented. Our swimmers did not disappoint.

Emily Aycock, 18, made finals in the 200 free and 500 free, taking sixth place in each event, and seventh place in the 1,650 free. She also competed in two other events.

Rachel Aycock, 17, made finals in the 200 fly with a seventh place finish, in the 500 free, placing 20th, and in the 100 fly, placing 29th. She also swam three other races.

Zack Telep, 16, competed in a total of seven events, placing eighth in the 100 free, 21st in the 100 fly, 25th in the 200 fly, and 27th in the 200 free. [Read more…]

Trust Company, trusts to be discussed Monday

Posted at 9:59 am March 21, 2019
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Kim Cochrane

Submitted

Kim Cochrane, vice president and trust officer at the Trust Company in Knoxville, will speak at the AAUW, Oak Ridge Branch, luncheon meeting on Monday, March 25. The meeting will be at the First Presbyterian Church, Room 102, Activities Building. Cochrane’s topic will be “Who is the Trust Company and What is a Trust?”

Cochrane works with wealth management and personal trust clients with an emphasis on special needs trust and trust administration, a press release said. She received her bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Appalachian State University and completed accounting studies at Old Dominion University. She is a certified trust and financial adviser, as well as a certified public accountant licensed in both Tennessee and South Carolina. She is a member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Knoxville Estate Planning Council, the press release said.

A luncheon of soup, sandwiches, and dessert will be catered by the Soup Kitchen at a cost of $8 and will be served at 11:30 a.m. The program will begin at noon Monday. Reservations may be made by calling Mary Uziel at (865) 483-1043. Those who choose to bring a lunch should still call to reserve seating at the meeting. [Read more…]

Manhattan Project: Ranger walk in Jackson Square area on Wednesday

Posted at 8:59 am March 21, 2019
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Submitted photo

Join a National Park Service park ranger for a ranger-led walk in the Jackson Square area on Wednesday.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present this free program at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 3. The program will begin at Jackson Square just outside the Oak Ridge Playhouse. The walk will be about one half mile, so wear comfortable walking shoes, a press release said.

The stops will include the tennis courts, the Guesthouse, and the Chapel on the Hill. There will be stories about the development and significance of each site, the press release said. [Read more…]

Funeral is Saturday for Williams, who fought to integrate CHS in 1956

Posted at 8:27 am March 21, 2019
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Alfred Williams

Alfred Williams, one of the Clinton 12 students who fought for the integration of Clinton High School in 1956, died Thursday, March 14. He was 83. His funeral is Saturday.

“On behalf of the Green McAdoo Cultural Organization, the City of Clinton, and the State of Tennessee, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Alfred Williams,” Green McAdoo Cultural Organization said in a statement. “Alfred passed away at The Waters Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility on March 14, 2019, surrounded by family. He was one of the Clinton 12 students that fought for the integration of Clinton High School in 1956, blazing a trail for all black students to achieve equal education under the law. He went on to work in the city school system and became one of the friendly faces of Clinton Elementary School and the ‘candy man’ until his retirement. He will be missed by family, friends, and all those blessed to know him.” [Read more…]

Faith & science lecture in April on archaeology of Israelite women

Posted at 7:50 am March 21, 2019
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Erin Darby

Were the women depicted in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible more than mothers of the children of Israel? Did they contribute to Israelite tribal survival by experimenting with food plants and seeds, shearing wool and weaving cloth, making pots and devising ways to cook, preserve, and store food? And what about their religious lives?

The second talk in the First Presbyterian–First United Methodist Church Faith-and-Science Lecture Series will be on “The Archaeology of Women in Ancient Israel.” The lecture will be presented by Erin Darby, associate professor of religious studies and co-director of the ‘Ayn Gharandal Archaeological Project at the University of Tennessee.

Darby will deliver her lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, in the fellowship hall of the sanctuary building of First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge at 1051 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Refreshments will be served, a press release said. [Read more…]