Oak Ridge Today

Olivia Blackmon joins ORAU

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Oak Ridge, Tenn. — Olivia Blackmon, Ph.D., has joined ORAU’s Research and University Partnerships Office as a senior research advisor.

Blackmon boasts an impressive background with more than 20 years of professional experience in partnership and business operations. Before coming to ORAU, she directed a $30 million United States Agency of International Development (USAID) program for DAI, Inc., to enable the digital transformation of the Western Balkans, Black Sea Region, and South Caucasus. Through her work with organizations such as MITRE, George Mason University, George Washington University, DevTech and Thurgood Marshall College Fund, she built and managed more than $130 million in programs with multiple federal agencies such as the Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, USAID, Health and Human Services, Department of Health Services and National Institute of Standards and Technology.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled that Olivia has joined our team,” said Ken Tobin, Chief Research and University Partnerships Officer. “Her educational and professional background is exemplary, and her experience will be a major asset to the RUPO team and ORAU.”

Blackmon speaks five languages and earned a doctoral degree from George Mason University in Sociology with a concentration in Education Policy, Applied Statistics and Mixed Methods in 2015. She has served as both a Fulbright Scholar and a Fellow at Harvard University in Education. In her new position at ORAU, she will establish, execute, and lead a strategic partnerships business plan, and will lead a new center focused on promoting and strengthening regional ecosystems for next generation talent.

ORAU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, provides science, health and workforce solutions that address national priorities and serve the public interest. Through our specialized teams of experts and access to a consortium of more than 150 major Ph.D.-granting institutions, ORAU works with federal, state, local and commercial customers to provide innovative scientific and technical solutions and help advance their missions. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org.

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Two songwriters advance in state contest

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Image courtesy Explore Oak Ridge

Two songwriters from Oliver Springs and Nashville will advance in a state competition after qualifying in Oak Ridge on Wednesday.

The two songwriters who advanced were Rachel McIntyre-Smith of Oliver Springs and Sam Hatmaker of Nashville. They were selected from a field of 20 contestants in a qualifying round at Oakey’s Bar and Grill in Oak Ridge on Wednesday, February 8.

“Each competitor was judged based on their overall performance, originality, and connection to the audience,” Explore Oak Ridge said in a press release.

The songwriters played their original compositions before a panel of expert judges and an audience of supporters. The judges’ panel featured a mix of musicians and songwriters from the area representing various musical genres and expertise, including former “American Idol” finalist Janelle Arthur.

[Read more…]

Presentation: Laws & children of different sexual identities

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On Tuesday, February 7, the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge will host John Jaruzel and Anne Backus, co-chairs of Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Oak Ridge, and Nathan Higdon, CFO of Knox Pride, to discuss laws and children of different sexual identities.

This hybrid Lunch with the League event (available in person and virtually via Zoom), will be held at 12 p.m. Tuesday at the Unitarian Universalist Church Social Hall in Oak Ridge. A lunch from The Soup Kitchen will be available for purchase or bring your own lunch. Coffee and tea will be provided. If you cannot attend in person, you can use the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85481905266.

Since moving to Oak Ridge seven years ago, John Jaruzel has continued his advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community in East Tennessee, a press release said. As treasurer of the AIDS Housing Project in South Knoxville, he helps provide low-cost housing for people dealing with HIV/AIDS. He co-chairs PFLAG Oak Ridge, is on the Grants and Allocation committee of the East Tennessee Ryan White Planning Council, and volunteers with the Bearden Central Baptist Church outreach group Samaritan Ministries doing HIV prevention outreach.

[Read more…]

CNC Bootcamp returns to Oak Ridge High School this spring

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Roane State and Oak Ridge High School educators joined specialized instructors over fall break for a CNC Bootcamp at the high school. The session welcomed the youngest-ever ACE training participant, Oak Ridge student Harry Shanafield, who was 13 when the camp took place. (Photo courtesy RSCC)

A popular bootcamp is returning to Oak Ridge High School this spring thanks to a recent partnership between Roane State Community College and the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI).

Roane State announced its workforce training partnership with IACMI last year, making the college just the third location in the State of Tennessee to offer specialized no-cost machine tool training opportunities through America’s Cutting Edge (ACE), a press release said.

ACE is a joint Department of Defense and Department of Energy effort launched in 2020 to re-establish American leadership in the machine tool industry through transformative thinking, technology innovation, and workforce development, the press release said.

Roane State and Oak Ridge High School educators joined specialized instructors during fall break for a CNC Bootcamp at the high school. The session welcomed the youngest-ever ACE training participant, Oak Ridge student Harry Shanafield, who was 13 when the camp took place.

[Read more…]

Roane State Dental Clinic offering free cleanings for kids

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Submitted image

Free dental cleanings for children ages 4 to 12 are being offered through the end of March at the Roane State Dental Hygiene Clinic.

The clinic is located on the first floor of the Coffey/McNally Building on Roane State’s Oak Ridge Branch Campus, located at 701 Briarcliff Avenue.

The free procedures include teeth cleaning, all necessary dental X-rays, and a fluoride treatment, a press release said. The clinic is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, and on Fridays from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. during the spring semester.

The free cleanings for children are only offered during the months of February and March 2023. Availability is limited due to demand, so parents and caregivers are encouraged to book quickly, the press release said.

[Read more…]

UCOR announces management change

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Tom Dieter

United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC, the lead cleanup contractor at federal sites in Oak Ridge, has announced a top management change that will be effective April 1.

UCOR Chief Operating Officer Tom Dieter has announced he will retire March 31, and Kent Fortenberry has been appointed to take his place.

In a press release, UCOR said Dieter has had a 30-year career, and during that time, he has earned a national reputation, leading more than $3 billion in cleanup successes in complex nuclear enterprises in several states.

“Tom led UCOR’s transition for our 10-year, $8.3 billion Oak Ridge Reservation cleanup contract, and we’re grateful for his leadership in the company maintaining a strong safety performance in our first year,” said UCOR President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Rueter.

[Read more…]

Y-12 honored with DOE sustainability partnership award

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Pictured above are Y-12 refrigerant cylinders to be sent for reclamation. (Photo by CNS Y-12)

The Y-12 National Security Complex recently received a U.S. Department of Energy Sustainability Award for Strategic Partnerships for Sustainability.

The Y-12 team was recognized for its efforts to improve efficiency, sustainability, and resiliency of the site through partnerships with other DOE contractors and private companies, a press release said.

Through its sustainability program, Y-12 said it is reducing greenhouse gases, minimizing waste, and improving waste treatment on a large scale.

The partnership efforts for which the team was recognized include Energy Savings Performance Contract implementation, including helping to reuse refrigerant, using additive manufacturing for unique part production, and implementing wastewater treatment process improvements.

[Read more…]

Trapuzzano receives Eugene L. Joyce Achievement Award

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Tim Trapuzzano

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce presented Tim Trapuzzano with the Eugene L. Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award at its annual awards gala, An ExtraORdinary Evening, in late January.

Trapuzzano is president and chief executive officer of Omega Technical Services in Oak Ridge, located at 118 Mitchell Road in Oak Ridge.

The Eugene L. Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a nominee who has truly distinguished himself or herself and embodies the essential values of volunteerism, community service, and dedication to the economic vitality of the community, a press release said. [Read more…]

Obituaries: Jan. 23-27, 2023

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James (Jim) Michael Dagley, 74, of Clinton, January 22, 1949-January 26, 2023. Graduated from Clinton High School in 1967, served four years in the Air Force during the Vietnam War and one year in the Army Reserve, a chemical operator at Y-12 for 38 years. Read his obituary here.

Leona Flatford, 97, of Clinton, June 24, 1925-January 26, 2023. Member of Glory Way Baptist Church in Clinton, proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who enjoyed spending time with her family, especially going out to dinner. Read her obituary here.

Gary Ray Nichols, 69, of Clinton, October 10, 1953-January 25, 2023. Born in Clinton to the late Sandy Gordon and Mannie Burnette Raby Nichols, preceded in death by his wife Linda Jean Brock Nichols, survived by two brothers and sisters-in-law and three grandchildren. Read his obituary here.

Dorothy Latham Cook, 80, of Powell, October 31, 1942-January 25, 2023. Graduated from Powell High School in 1962, married her high school sweetheart Forrest Cook in 1963 and moved to their beloved farm in 1970, member of the Friendship Sunday School class at Temple Baptist Church for more than 50 years. Read her obituary here.

Joseph Leroy Sims, 83, of Clinton, April 30, 1939-January 25, 2023. Deacon of Emmanuel Baptist Church, a Christian man that loved God, his church, and his family. Read his obituary here.

Bishop James Carroll Bandy, 90, of Oak Ridge, June 4, 1932-January 25, 2023. The Bandys served Oak Ridge Church of God longer than any other pastor in the church history, and during 31 years of service, the church made significant progress. The church’s physical growth paralleled spiritual growth, with increasing the membership from 50 to 571. Read his obituary here.

Lowell Eugene Thomas, 87, November 1, 1935-January 25, 2023. Born in Bristol, Tennessee, a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy and retired from the United States Postal Service. Lowell and his wife were longtime members of Woodland Baptist Church. Read his obituary here.

Willard Dean Reynolds, 61, of Oliver Springs, passed away at his home on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. Survived by three children, six grandchildren, a brother, three sisters and two brothers-in law, and other family members and friends. Read his obituary here.

Wendy Lee Trentham, 52, of Oak Ridge, June 15, 1970-January 24, 2023. An amazing wife, mother, daughter, sister, and nana, she was known for her incredible baking, her kindness, and loving her family fiercely. Read her obituary here.

James Lee Winn, 83, of Powell, July 16, 1939-January 23, 2023. Born in Brazil, Indiana, where he will be interred in the Bee Ridge Cemetery. Read his obituary here.

Oak Ridge EM prepared for cold weather to prevent failures

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From DOE Office of Environmental Management’s “EM Update” newsletter

UCOR employees Andy Rodgers, left, and Alex Johnson install heat tracing to protect systems at the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility during the holiday 2022 cold snap in Oak Ridge. Temperatures did not reach above freezing for more than four consecutive days. (Photo courtesy UCOR/DOE EM)

UCOR employees Andy Rodgers, left, and Alex Johnson install heat tracing to protect systems at the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility during the cold snap in Oak Ridge. Temperatures did not reach above freezing for more than four consecutive days.

Much of the nation experienced an extreme cold snap over the recent holidays, and Tennessee was no exception with temperatures dipping to nearly zero degrees in Oak Ridge. Despite the bitter weather, preparations and recent upgrades helped prevent infrastructure failures during that time.

Many employees with EM cleanup contractor UCOR reported to work over the holidays to ensure issues were resolved at several essential facilities. (EM stands for environmental management.)

At the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility, advanced planning and preparation protected critical water management systems during the deep freeze over the nearly weeklong cold snap, including a 6.5-hour unplanned power outage.

[Read more…]

Free dental, vision, medical services in February

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Remote Area Medical (RAM)—a major nonprofit provider of pop-up clinics delivering free, quality dental, vision, and medical care to those in need—will have a free, two-day clinic in Oak Ridge in February.

The clinic is scheduled February 18-19 at the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The clinic is in collaboration with the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge.

All RAM services are free, and no identification is required, a press release said. Free dental, vision, and medical services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

[Read more…]

Junior Playhouse performs ‘Gingerbread: Hansel & Gretel’ in February

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The Oak Ridge Playhouse in Jackson Square is pictured above on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)



“Gingerbread: A Hansel and Gretel Story” will be performed in early February by the Oak Ridge Junior Playhouse Youth Theatre for Young Audiences.

The performance of the season-closer will be at the Oak Ridge Playhouse in Jackson Square on February 4 and 5.

“The Oak Ridge Junior Playhouse has cooked up a tantalizing morsel for young audiences to gobble up!” a press release said. “The candied scent of molasses and cinnamon, paired with the warm smell of ginger and clove can only mean one thing—gingerbread! However, this sweet and spicy temptation is anything but nice.”

It’s based on folklore by the Brothers Grimm, with a new adaptation by Playhouse Director Reggie Law. [Read more…]