Oak Ridge Today Staff - Author at Oak Ridge Today

Boys & Girls Club selling Christmas trees, handmade wreaths

Posted at 9:13 am November 29, 2017
By Jennifer Pettyjohn Leave a Comment

More than 300 trees of different varieties and sizes, and handmade wreaths, from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, were scheduled to arrive at the Boys & Girls Club on November 17, and sales were scheduled to begin November 24. (Submitted photo)

For generations, families have visited the Boys & Girls Club of Oak Ridge for their Christmas tree. More than 300 trees of different varieties and sizes, and handmade wreaths, from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, were scheduled to arrive at the Club on November 17, and sales were scheduled to begin November 24. The lot is assembled and staffed by community volunteers and all proceeds benefit the Oak Ridge Club, a press release said.

“Make plans today for a fresh, fragrant tree for your home,” the press release said. “Volunteers will give the trees a trunk cut, wrapping, and load them for you!” [Read more…]

Presentation on opioid drug epidemic Wednesday evening at RMS

Posted at 8:56 am November 29, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

There will be a presentation on the opioid drug epidemic this evening at Robertsville Middle School.

The presentation is hosted by the offices of Safe Schools and Coordinated School Health. They are inviting the Oak Ridge community and friends of Oak Ridge Schools to the presentation, which is this evening (Wednesday, November 29) in the Robertsville Middle School Auditorium.

The evening will include a screening of the film “Chasing the Dragon,” a press release said. Following the film, the group will engage in a panel discussion with former Drug Enforcement Administration agent Neil Morgenstern as well as representatives from Oak Ridge Police Department, Oak Ridge Fire Department, Ridgeview Behavioral Health, and ASAP of Anderson County.

The doors will open at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday to provide those who attend an opportunity to visit with area mental health, drug prevention, treatment, and recovery agencies. The program will start promptly at 6 p.m. [Read more…]

Pierce Physical Therapy a donation center for Toys for Tots

Posted at 1:46 am November 29, 2017
By RAYMOND PIERCE Leave a Comment

Pierce Physical Therapy in Oak Ridge is a local Toys for Tots donation center.

You can drop off a new unwrapped toy at Pierce Physical Therapy at 661 A Emory Valley Road Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Friday, December 1.

This press release was submitted by Raymond Pierce.

Football: Gaddis named Coach of the Year in Region 3-5A

Posted at 11:54 am November 27, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Oak Ridge Coach Joe Gaddis celebrates his 300th football coaching win after the Wildcats beat Clinton 42-6 on Blankenship Field on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Information from WYSH Radio

The All-Region 3-5A Football Team has been announced, and among those honored from Oak Ridge are Joe Gaddis, Jeff Miner, Johnny Stewart, Kai’Reese Pendergrass, and Isaac Quick.

Gaddis was named Coach of the Year, Miner was named Defensive Assistant of the Year, and Stewart was named Co-player of the Year. Pendergrass was named Defensive Back, and Quick was named Punter.

Oak Ridge players named to the First Team were Adarius Cox, Caleb Martin, T.J. Johnson, Cobe Angel, Jack Borchers, Ramar Hawkins, Jeremy Mitchell, Jacob Adams, Adarius Simpson, and Jaycen McGhee.

Sam McFarland of Oak Ridge was named to the Academic Team.

Here is the complete list of those who were honored: [Read more…]

Sheriff’s Department investigating homicide

Posted at 10:45 am November 27, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a shooting northeast of Oliver Springs on Sunday afternoon.

The shooting was reported before 5 p.m. Sunday on Back Half Moon Road in the Frost Bottom community, a press release said. When they arrived, deputies found that Buford Glenn Phillips, 62, had been shot and killed.

Sheriff’s investigators along with agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation were called to the scene and are currently investigating the circumstances of the shooting, the press release said.

“As this is an ongoing investigation, no additional information can be released at this time,” the release said.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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Reservations due today for League of Women Voters’ Holiday Luncheon

Posted at 6:03 am November 27, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Ram Uppuluri

Reservations are due today for the League of Women Voters’ Holiday Luncheon on Sunday, December 3.

Ram Uppuluri will return to his hometown of Oak Ridge to be the guest speaker at the Holiday Luncheon, which will be Sunday, December 3, at the DoubleTree Hotel. Social time will begin at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, with an available cash bar and lunch at 1 p.m. The community is invited to attend, a press release said.

The title of his presentation will be “In Search of Identity in the Age of Trump: My Adventures in Politics in Tennessee and Washington, D.C., from the 1980s to Today.”

Uppuluri is a senior policy advisor and communicator with more than 30 years of experience in the U.S. government, local governments, and the nonprofit sector, the press release said. He has developed innovative policy solutions, forged consensus among stakeholders, and led advocacy efforts in a variety of areas including the environment, energy, and education. He has a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University. He graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1979. [Read more…]

See the 2017-2018 basketball schedule here

Posted at 3:10 pm November 24, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Here is the 2017-2018 basketball schedule for Oak Ridge High School.

OAK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
*2017-2018 VARSITY BASKETBALL SCHEDULE*
www.oakridgebasketball.net

Opponent	Date	Day	Place	Teams
John Greer State Farm Classic	Nov. 24-25	Fri-Sat	Lebanon, TN	BV, GV
Clinton	Nov. 28	Tuesday	Away	BJV, GV, BV
Powell	Dec. 1	Friday	Away	BJV, GV, BV
Karns	Dec. 5	Tuesday	Home	BJV, GV, BV
Chick-Fil-A East/West Classic	Dec. 8-9	Fri-Sat	Bradley HS	BV, GV
Anderson County	Dec. 12	Tuesday	Home	BJV, GV, BV
Cleveland Classic	Dec. 15-16	Fri-Sat	Cleveland HS	BV, GV
Greeneville Classic	Dec. 27-30	Wed-Sat	Greeneville, TN	GV-TBA
Next Level Hoops Fest	Dec. 27-29	Wed-Fri	CPA	BV-TBA
Knox Central	Jan. 5	Friday	Home	GJV, GV, BV
Halls	Jan. 9	Tuesday	Home	BJV, GV, BV
Clinton	Jan. 12	Friday	Home	GJV, GV, BV
Powell	Jan. 16	Tuesday	Home	GJV, GV, BV
Karns	Jan. 19	Friday	Away	GJV, GV, BV
Blackman	Jan. 20	Saturday	Home	BV, GV
Knox Central	Jan. 23	Tuesday	Away	BJV, GV, BV
Anderson County	Jan. 26	Friday	Away	GJV, GV, BV
Campbell County	Jan. 30	Tuesday	Home	BJV, GV, BV
Halls	Feb. 2	Friday	Away	GJV, GV, BV
Campbell County	Feb. 8	Thursday	Away	GJV, GV, BV
Fulton	Feb. 10	Saturday	Home	BJV, GV, BV

	Game start times: JV-4:30, GV-6, BV-7:30
	*Blackman girls-3 EST, boys-4:30 EST*

	District tournament 1st & 2nd rounds: Feb. 12-15, 2018 at Halls
	District tournament semifinals & finals: Feb. 17-20, 2018 at Halls
	Region tournament 1st round: Feb. 23-24, 2018
	Region tournament semifinals: Feb. 26-27, 2018
	Region championship: Feb. 28 (girls), March 1 (boys)
	Girls sub-state: March 3, 2018
	Boys sub-state: March 5, 2018
	Girls state tournament: March 7-10, 2018
	Boys state tournament: March 14-17, 2018

	School colors: Cardinal & gray
	Nickname: Wildcats
	Athletic Director: Mike Mullins
	Principal: Martin McDonald

New Oak Ridge EM manager Jay Mullis outlines cleanup vision

Posted at 11:41 am November 24, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Jay Mullis

Note: This story was published in the November 21 edition of “EM Update” by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management. EM Update recently spoke with Jay Mullis, the new manager of the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM), about his vision and priorities for the EM program in Oak Ridge.

What are your main priorities going forward as the new manager of OREM?

Overall, I want to ensure our program maintains the momentum we’ve achieved during the past several years. First, it is important for us to continue pushing forward to complete cleanup at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP, also known as the former K-25 site) by 2020. This will facilitate the transfer of the site back to the community so it can be transformed into a vibrant industrial park capable of generating jobs and economic growth for the region. It will also allow our program to shift its focus and resources toward cleanup at two important, active DOE sites: the Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Before we finish our cleanup mission at ETTP, we must also fulfill our historic preservation commitments to preserve and celebrate the many achievements that occurred there during the Manhattan Project and Cold War.

Secondly, it is very important that we begin laying the foundation for our next big challenges at Y-12 and ORNL. That began on November 20, when we broke ground on the new Mercury Treatment Facility at Y-12. This critical piece of infrastructure will provide an important control measure for mercury and opens the door for us to clean and remove mercury contaminated facilities and soils. Additionally, it is crucial to construct another onsite disposal facility that will provide the space necessary for the waste generated by completing cleanup at Y-12 and ORNL.

Finally, we will continue our focus on eliminating Oak Ridge’s waste inventory. We are making progress packaging and disposing transuranic waste from ORNL with the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant again accepting shipments. We are working to eliminate the remaining portion of the uranium-233 inventory from ORNL to improve safety and significantly reduce security costs. [Read more…]

Community volunteer Tom Row receives mayoral proclamation

Posted at 11:11 am November 24, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge resident Thomas Row, center, who has been a volunteer with more than 40 nonprofit and professional organizations throughout his life, was honored with a mayoral proclamation at the City Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. Also pictured are City Council members Jim Dodson, right, and Hans Vogel. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

Oak Ridge resident Thomas Row, who has been a volunteer with more than 40 nonprofit and professional organizations throughout his life, was honored with a mayoral proclamation at the City Council meeting this month.

The proclamation recognized Row’s distinguished service and contributions to the community, the City of Oak Ridge said in its November 2017 newsletter.

Several of the more than 40 nonprofit and professional organizations where Row has been a volunteer have had a significant impact on Oak Ridge and Anderson County, the city said. [Read more…]

Christmas Tree Lighting is Friday, Dec. 1, in A.K. Bissell Park

Posted at 12:18 pm November 23, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Christmas tree is pictured above in Alvin K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge in 2013. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Woman’s Club and the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will sponsor the annual Christmas tree lighting and reception on Friday, December 1, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Participants should gather at the Secret City Commemorative Walk on the east side of the Oak Ridge Library parking lot for a brief ceremony, a press release said.

Following the tree lighting, a reception will be held in the Civic Center gymnasium. Participants will enjoy seasonal music and refreshments provided by the Oak Ridge Woman’s Club Civic Affairs Committee, the press release said.

Questions can be directed to the Civic Center front desk at (865) 425-3450. For additional information on events and programs organized by the Recreation and Parks Department, visit www.orrecparks.org.

Oak Ridge donates fire engine to Briceville

Posted at 9:32 pm November 22, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The City of Oak Ridge donated a fire engine to the Briceville Volunteer Fire Department on Nov. 6, 2017, as they awaited delivery of a new fire truck. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

This story and photos are from the City of Oak Ridge newsletter in November 2017.

The City of Oak Ridge donated a fire engine to the Briceville Volunteer Fire Department earlier this month as they awaited delivery of a new fire truck.

Oak Ridge Fire Department’s new engine was purchased using a stipend from Anderson County as part of a mutual aid program.

ORFD Chief Darryl Kerley and some of his firefighters walked Briceville VFD Chief Jamie Brewster through important details about the truck before they turned it over to the new owner. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Community Thanksgiving Dinner is Thursday at High Places

Posted at 1:37 pm November 22, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Everyone is invited to a community Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 23, in Grove Center in Oak Ridge.

“Everyone should have someone to give thanks with on Thanksgiving!” a press release said.

The Thanksgiving Dinner is scheduled from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at High Places Community Church/Grove Theater at 123 Randolph Road in Oak Ridge.

“The emphasis of the event is community, with a goal of providing people the opportunity to dine with others on Thanksgiving,” the press release said. “As in the past, a grassroots group of individuals is coordinating this effort to be hosted by High Places Community Church/Grove Theater. As such, volunteers, food and financial donations are needed.” [Read more…]

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