Oak Ridge Today

Tennessee Avenue reconstruction project to start Tuesday

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A road reconstruction project affecting Tennessee Avenue is scheduled to begin today (Tuesday, May 29), city officials said.

Adams and Sons Inc., working under contract for the City of Oak Ridge, will reconstruct a section of Tennessee Avenue beginning 400 feet east of its intersection with New York Avenue down to its intersection with Michigan Avenue, a press release said.

The contractor’s notice to proceed became effective Monday, May 21, and onsite activity was expected to begin after that, with construction signs placed earlier.

“The Public Works Department will use this project as an opportunity to replace the existing 1940s-era water main along Tennessee Avenue, in addition to making curb, gutter, and sidewalk repairs,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Local bands benefiting charities tonight, Saturday

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The Teno Family Band is one of the many performing groups to provide entertainment at the Turning Wheel Revue on Friday evening, May 25, 2018, at Swifty’s Atomic Bar & Grill, and Saturday evening, May 26, at the Historic Grove Theater. (Submitted photo)

The Teno Family Band is one of the many performing groups to provide entertainment at the Turning Wheel Revue on Friday evening, May 25, 2018, at Swifty’s Atomic Bar & Grill, and Saturday evening, May 26, at the Historic Grove Theater. (Submitted photo)

 

“Local musicians benefiting local charities.”

That’s the tagline for the Turning Wheel Revue, a fundraiser to be held Friday, May 25, and Saturday, May 26, in Oak Ridge.

The Friday event will be held from 7 to 11 p.m. at Swifty’s Atomic Bar & Grill (119 South Illinois Avenue), and the Saturday fundraiser will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Historic Grove Theater (123 Randolph Road).

The bands that will trigger toe-tapping on Friday evening will be The Lewis Brothers (Robbie & James), The Ryan Meeker Band, $teve, The Thrips, The Unnamed, and special guests.

Turning to the Saturday evening event, attendees will hear Jeremiah Johnson & Jackson Coleman, Joey Shackleford, Kasey Moore, Samantha Mason & Marian Vacaluic, Sarah Joyal, (Rick) Payson Lyon, The Teno Family Band, Tim & Jodi Harbin, The Young Band, Nothing Band, and special guests.

The 13 local nonprofit service organizations that will benefit from your presence are: [Read more…]

Roane State dental hygiene students continue outstanding performance on board exam

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This unblemished record by graduating members of the Roane State dental hygiene program remains intact.

For the sixth consecutive year, 100 percent of the class passed the rigorous Dental Hygiene National Board examination on their first try, said Melinda Gill, program director. The students’ scores place Roane State dental hygiene students in the top 3 percent nationally of the more than 300 accredited dental hygiene programs where dental hygiene students take the exam, Gill said.

“I’m very proud of the students’ accomplishments and their dedication to success,” said Gill, who became program director six years ago.

Students took the national exam in March. The comprehensive exam features a lengthy blend of multiple choice questions and detailed questions about dental case studies. Only 12 students are selected each year to participate in the college’s dental hygiene program, and more than 100 routinely apply, Gill said.
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Pictured with director Melinda Gill, center, are members of the Roane State Dental Hygiene class who continued the department’s perfect record on national board, for the past six years. Front row, from left: Veronica Koon, Carrie Wheeler, LaTosha Wiggington, Jessica Rickman, and Natalie Beeler. Back row, from left: Kelly Tallent, Hannah Fox, Rachel East, Gill, Katie Zielinski, Bianca Gordon and Sydney Bailey.

Flatwater Festival announces first storytelling festival in Oak Ridge

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From left are Bil Lepp, Tim Lowry, and Minton Sparks. (Photos courtesy Flatwater Tales)

From left are Bil Lepp, Tim Lowry, and Minton Sparks. (Photos courtesy Flatwater Tales)

 

Internationally acclaimed storytellers to perform, share laughter and tears, and create memories

The Flatwater Festival in Oak Ridge has announced a major addition to its 2018 schedule: The Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival, featuring three world renowned storytellers. This will be an annual event sponsored by the three Rotary Clubs in Oak Ridge, all volunteers, as part of the Flatwater Festival weekend. This is the first storytelling festival in the Oak Ridge area, a press release said.

Bil Lepp, Tim Lowry, and Minton Sparks will perform for this inaugural festival. They have achieved national and international recognition and appear regularly at festivals, including the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, the press release said.

Flatwater Tales kicks off on Friday, June 1, with a three-hour interactive writing workshop, “Create Your Own Story,” with Minton Sparks. The goal is to help participants discover their own stories from their family history and experiences, structure their stories, and share them with others. The workshop is being held in a serene woodland setting at the auditorium in the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge. No previous writing or performing experience is needed, the press release said. [Read more…]

Roane State dental hygiene students earn honors at poster competition

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May 16, 2018

Roane State dental hygiene students placed first and third in the annual 2nd District Dental Hygiene Society’s poster competition, said Melinda Gill, program director.

First-year students Alma Almanza of Lenoir City and Jennifer Cowan of Knoxville won first place among 16 competitors in the Second District competition for their entry, titled “Out of This World Ozone.”

Second-year students Natalie Beeler of Knoxville, Carrie Wheeler of Oak Ridge and Sydney Bailey of Lenoir City had a third-place finish for their poster, titled “Human Papilloma Virus, STDS and Oral Cancer.”

Both entries were in competition with dental hygiene students from Hiwassee College in Madisonville and other first- and second-year dental hygiene students from Roane State Community College.
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Caption: From left, Roane State dental hygiene student Alma Almanza and Jennifer Cowan.

Thursday night: Oak Ridge Choir seniors ‘say goodbye’ to ORHS in concert

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Come celebrate “The Greatest Show” with the Oak Ridge High School Choirs. Share “A Million Dreams” with seniors as they say goodbye to Oak Ridge High School, a press release said.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center.

Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for students.

Thursday night: Krause to discuss ‘Oak Ridge’s mercury saga’

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Submitted photo

Submitted photo

 

Carolyn Krause, a newspaper contributor and former editor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will discuss mercury in Oak Ridge at a meeting tonight (Thursday, May 17).

Krause’s talk is titled “Oak Ridge’s Mercury Saga: A History of Mercury Contamination in Oak Ridge and the Public and Scientific Response.”

The talk is hosted by the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. It is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Midtown Community Center (formerly the Wildcat Den) at 102 Robertsville Road.

“On May 17, 1983, the U.S. Department of Energy announced it had ‘lost’ or could not account for 2.4 million pounds of mercury in the Oak Ridge environment as a result of lithium production for a U.S. thermonuclear weapons program,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Reminder: Community Wellness Fair hosted by city, schools on Wednesday

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Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

 

Reminder: The City of Oak Ridge Wellness Committee and Oak Ridge Schools Coordinated School Health are teaming up to host a Community Wellness Fair. The event will be held on Wednesday, May 16, from noon to 4 p.m. in the Oak Ridge Civic Center. Admission is free and everyone is invited, a press release said.

The Civic Center is located at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Demonstrations, informational booths, and health screenings will be set up inside the gymnasium. Topics to be covered include: [Read more…]

Boys & Girls Clubs of Clinch Valley has fundraiser Wednesday

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On Wednesday, May 16, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Clinch Valley will hold their annual Great Futures event. The event raises funds for the organization’s two campuses, in Oak Ridge and Harriman.

This year’s event will highlight the achievements of the organization’s 60-year history of its Oak Ridge Club and the services and outcomes of the Clubs’ youth development programming.

“We are so grateful for the corporate and individual investments that have supported 60 years of programming in Oak Ridge and that continue to pave the way for great futures for both of our clubs,” said Jennifer Pettyjohn, the organization’s chief executive officer.

This year’s keynote address will be given by WNML Sports Talk host Will West, a press release said. [Read more…]

Registration deadline is today for Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit

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On May 29-31, more than 400 community, academic, and government leaders from the five-state region will gather at CNS Y-12’s New Hope Center for the 23rd Annual Tennessee Valley Corridor (TVC) Summit.

The Summit’s theme is: “TVC: Connecting People, Ideas, Opportunities,” and will be hosted by Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch in cooperation with Congressman Chuck Fleischmann. Registration is available at www.TennValleyCorridor.org until May 15.

The Summit will include five main sessions focused on clean energy, cyber and national security, advanced manufacturing, and education. The Summit will also celebrate the 75th anniversary of the City of Oak Ridge, the 85th anniversary of Tennessee Valley Authority, and 50th anniversary of NASA’s Apollo 8 Mission.

There will be more than 50 speakers, panelists, and presenters, ranging from university and community college presidents to entrepreneurs to top leaders of the region’s federal contractors, a press release said. Speakers for the event include: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool open Memorial Day weekend

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Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

 

The Oak Ridge Outdoor Swimming Pool will be open to the public over Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 26, through Monday, May 28, from noon to 6 p.m. each day.

This will be a soft opening over the holiday weekend, with the pool being closed for three days following Memorial Day, from Tuesday, May 29, to Thursday, May 31, a press release said. An open public swim will be held on Friday, June 1, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. The outdoor pool will then open for normal summer hours starting Saturday, June 2.

Events are planned throughout the summer, including movie nights, evening swims, swim lessons, Water Safety Day, and the end of season Puppy Pool Party, the press release said. A full calendar of events and additional details can be found online at http://orrecparks.oakridgetn.gov/. [Read more…]

See latest high-tech automation technology at Roane State’s Clinton facility on May 23

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May 15, 2018

By Bob Fowler
Roane State staff writer

Learning and technology will be at the forefront of presentations and tours on Wednesday, May 23, at Roane State Community College’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility.

That’s when a tractor-trailer named the Siemens Mobile Showcase will roll onto the campus, located off Charles Seivers Boulevard at 214 Nave St.

That 38-foot-long “demonstration-on-wheels” is “packed full of the latest and greatest high-tech automation, communications and instrumentation technology,” said Gordon Williams, mechatronics program director.

High school students from Anderson, Morgan, Roane and Loudon counties have been invited to tour the trailer displays between 9:30 and 11 a.m., and Williams said members of the public are also welcome then.

The displays will highlight how “Siemens technology can benefit a customer in the areas of designing, commissioning, monitoring and maintaining their automation equipment,” according to a news release.

Then, from 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., there’ll be an invitation-only, on-campus lunch for employees of local industries who are experts in engineering and technology.

Those 30 to 40 representatives will also be given a tour of Roane State’s Clinton campus as well as the mobile showcase. Those employees are invited to two technology-based presentations from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Siemens is a German industrial conglomerate and Europe’s largest industrial manufacturer. Brozelco of Rockford, Tenn., a supplier of Siemens products, is also helping facilitate the event.

For more information, contact Williams at (865) 354-3000 ext. 4899 or williamsg1@roanestate.edu.