Oak Ridge Today

UT students studied how to use Centennial for more than golf; hear their recommendations Tuesday

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Centennial Golf Course in east Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Centennial Golf Course in east Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

A team of graduate business students at the University of Tennessee have studied ways the city can use Centennial Golf Course for more than just golf, and the students will present their recommendations on Tuesday. The meeting is open to the public.

The graduate students are from UT’s Master of Business Administration, or MBA, program. They will present their recommendations from a recent “Innovations in Practice” project to the City of Oak Ridge at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.

There has been discussion of how to increase revenues at the golf course, including at Oak Ridge City Council meetings when the city has been asked to provide more money for the golf course.

A press release said the study of Centennial Golf Course took the group of four MBA students approximately seven weeks to complete. [Read more…]

Acting Oak Ridge site manager of Manhattan Project park to give info, ask for input Monday

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Niki Nicholas

Niki Nicholas

 

The acting site manager of the Oak Ridge unit of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present information on the park and ask for input about the project during a meeting on Monday.

Besides being acting site manager of the Oak Ridge park unit, Niki Stephanie Nicholas is also superintendent of both the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and the Obed Wild and Scenic River.

The Monday meeting is open to the public. It’s a general meeting of AAUW (American Association of University Women), and it’s scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 24, in Room 102 at First Presbyterian Church.

A soup and sandwich luncheon, catered by The Soup Kitchen, will be served at 11:30 a.m., with the program beginning at noon, a press release said. The cost for the lunch is $8. There will be cookies and iced tea and coffee also. Reservations may be made by calling Mary Uziel at (865) 483-1043. Reservations are asked for those also who plan to bring a sack lunch to ensure adequate seating for the program. [Read more…]

Secret City Wildbots alliance competing in robotics championship in Houston today

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The Secret City Wildbots are captain of an alliance—Alliance 5—competing in the First Robotics World Championships in Houston today (Saturday, April 22, 2017). (Photo by Angi Agle)

The Secret City Wildbots are captain of an alliance—Alliance 5—competing in the First Robotics World Championship in Houston today (Saturday, April 22, 2017). (Photo by Angi Agle)

 

The Secret City Wildbots are captain of an alliance—Alliance 5—competing in the First Robotics World Championship in Houston today (Saturday, April 22).

The Wildbots, Team 4265, selected Team 8 (Paly Robotics of Palo Alto, California) and Team 3624 (Hardin Valley’s RoHawkTics), with Team 3140 (Farragut Flagship) as backup.

The quarterfinals were scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. The Secret City Wildbots are scheduled for the fourth match.

Information and photo from Angi Agle.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Using DUI simulation goggles, ACHS students learn how alcohol, drugs impair driving

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The School Resource Unit of the Anderson County Sheriff's Department and Allies For Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County, or ASAP, in cooperation with Anderson County Schools, hosted a DUI Simulation Event on Friday morning, April 21, 2017 for students at Anderson County High School. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff's Department)

The School Resource Unit of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and Allies For Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County, or ASAP, in cooperation with Anderson County Schools, hosted a DUI Simulation Event on Friday morning, April 21, 2017 for students at Anderson County High School. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff’s Department)

 

The School Resource Unit of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and Allies For Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County, or ASAP, in cooperation with Anderson County Schools, hosted a DUI Simulation Event on Friday morning for students at Anderson County High School.

Using DUI simulation goggles, students were able to see first-hand the effects of driving while under the influence, or DUI. These goggles simulate different levels of blood alcohol in a person’s system, a press release said. Students drove golf carts through a driving course and participated in field sobriety tests. All of the students who were “tested” could see how alcohol and drugs can seriously impair driving and coordination, the press release said.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol, Clinton Police Department, Anderson County EMS, Anderson County Rescue Squad, Andersonville Fire Department, Clinton Fire Department, and Lifestar, along with representatives with Anderson County Schools, were on hand for this event. [Read more…]

ORAU awards two teachers with $5,000 Extreme Classroom Makeover grants

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Donna Widner and her students at Oliver Springs Middle School received a $5,000 grant as runners-up in the 2017 ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover competition. (Photo by ORAU)

Donna Widner and her students at Oliver Springs Middle School received a $5,000 grant as runners-up in the 2017 ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover competition. (Photo by ORAU)

 

Oliver Springs Middle School in Roane County and Shannondale Elementary School in Knox County have been announced as runners-up in the 2017 ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover competition during surprise classroom visits, according to a press release on Friday.

ORAU made surprise visits to the two schools and their students and teachers, and presented each with a $5,000 grant as runners-up in the competition.

April Lamb, a STEM teacher at Shannondale Elementary School in Knox County, and Donna Widner, a math teacher at Oliver Springs Middle School in Roane County, will use the grants to outfit their classrooms with new technology. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. [Read more…]

ORNL to collaborate with five small businesses to advance energy tech

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Five small companies have been selected to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to move technologies in commercial refrigeration systems, water power generation, bioenergy, and battery manufacturing closer to the marketplace.

The firms are among 38 selected to participate in the third round of DOE’s Small Business Vouchers, or SBV, pilot, a press release said. SBV helps provide access to the world-class capabilities of the DOE national labs for American small businesses and bring next-generation energy technologies to the marketplace faster, the press release said.

“Innovation drives American competitiveness and creates new jobs for a stronger economy and a brighter, cleaner future for our nation,” said Moe Khaleel, associate lab director of energy and environmental sciences at ORNL. “ORNL is helping small businesses tackle fundamental science challenges and to carry out the research needed to accelerate the delivery of solutions to the marketplace.”

DOE has connected 12 of its national labs with 76 small businesses since the first round of SBV, a Technology-to-Market program launched in September 2015, the press release said. With Friday’s announcement, 114 small businesses have been partnered with the labs enabling them to tap into the intellectual and technical resources needed to overcome critical technology challenges for their advanced energy products and gain a global competitive advantage, the release said. [Read more…]

Colorectal screenings to be the topic of April Health Night

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Charles Orton

Charles Orton

 

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States after lung cancer so keeping up with proactive screenings is important, a press release said. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that adults age 50 to 75 be screened for colorectal cancer, and that adults age 76 to 85 ask their doctor if they should be screened.

To learn more about colorectal screenings, join board-certified gastroenterologist, Charles Orton, M.D., for April’s Health Night on the Town program. Health Night will take place on Tuesday, April 25, at 7 p.m. in the Ridge Conference Room of Methodist Medical Center located at 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Free Community Meal on Friday, April 28, at Oak Ridge church

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On the final Friday of each month, the Stone Soup Ministry team at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, or ORUUC, invites its neighbors to a free community meal, a press release said.

You can join them on Friday, April 28. On the menu will be Mexican bean soup, turkey sandwiches, peach cobbler, and fresh fruit, the press release said. Dine-in or take-out will be available from 5 to 6 p.m. ORUUC is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike (close to traffic light number 2.)

“Bring your family, your neighbors, or just yourself,” coordinator Jinx Watson said. “It’s a great place to come to meet new people for fellowship and too, if you just don’t feel like cooking. Some non-perishable family friendly groceries will be available for free to anyone in need.” [Read more…]

ORAU awards $25,000 Extreme Classroom Makeover to Rutledge Middle School

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Kyle Roach and his students at Rutlege Middle School are pictured above after being announced winner of the 2017 ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover on Thursday, April 20, 2017. (Photo by ORAU)

Kyle Roach and his students at Rutlege Middle School are pictured above after being announced winner of the 2017 ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover on Thursday, April 20, 2017. (Photo by ORAU)

 

Kyle Roach, seventh-grade math teacher at Rutledge Middle School, believes that every student should be taught the necessary skills to empower them as they pursue a higher education. This vision, along with the idea that the school’s current technology is outdated, was the main theme in a video submitted for the 2017 ORAU Extreme Classroom Makeover Contest.

Roach’s goal of having the necessary tools to help empower students and excite them about math-related subjects was realized Thursday as ORAU President Andy Page presented Roach with a $25,000 technology makeover during a surprise assembly announcement. The funding is part of ORAU’s annual Extreme Classroom Makeover competition, now in its ninth year, a press release said.

In the winning video, Roach and his students made a case for purchasing laptops and computer software to update their “archaic communication devices,” better known as whiteboards. Roach explained that he would use the computer software to create interactive math manipulatives to assist students in learning difficult skills.

“Our nation’s teachers have the difficult but important task of educating the next generation STEM workforce,” Page said in the press release. “ORAU believes that through programs like the Extreme Classroom Makeover, we can help standout teachers like Mr. Roach by providing them with necessary materials to engage and excited students in the areas of science, engineering, technology, and math.” [Read more…]

Three Oak Ridge teachers named outstanding educators by Humanities Tennessee

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Benjamin Fowler and Julie Golden of Oak Ridge High School and Scot Smith of Robertsville Middle School have been named as Outstanding Educators for 2017 by Humanities Tennessee. Three of this year’s six recipients of the award are from Oak Ridge Schools. According to Humanities Tennessee, the Outstanding Educator Awards recognize teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching the humanities and who encourage the humanities to be an important part of their students’ lives. Each of the recipients, selected from a pool of nominees from across the state, receive a $2,000 fellowship to further their professional development in the humanities; their schools receive $1,500 for humanities programs and materials, a press release said. [Read more…]

An Evening Out to benefit Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County

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Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County Kids Count 5k

Photo courtesy Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County

 

Some of East Tennessee’s most exciting performing artists will share one stage in Oak Ridge in a concert to raise funds for the Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, or CACAC, a press release said.

The event attracts a cadre of talented singers, songwriters, dancers, and performers from the area, the press release said. This year, it’s scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Friday, April 28, at the Grove Theater at 123 Randolph Road in Grove Center.

Two of the area’s most talented performers will be highlighting the evening, the press release said. Kelle Jolly, “The Tennessee Ukulele Lady,” is one of East Tennessee’s most celebrated jazz musicians and a WUOT personality, the release said. Dominick White, a baritone with the Marble City Opera Company, will share his talent in the evening of fun.

Other singers, plus dance ensembles, will be performing including tango, lindy hop, and Greg Carney’s hip-hop. The emcee of the evening will be Zach Farrar who will also be handling the live auction.

“This event makes a difference in the lives of children,” said Sally Avery, president of the CACAC Board of Directors. “An evening of entertainment while supporting the kids, it is the event to be at this year!” [Read more…]

Photos: Secret City Wildbots competing in First Robotics Championship in Houston

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The Secret City Wildbots Team 4265's robot, Luna, successfully climbs at the end of the second qualifying match of the day at the First Robotics Championship in Houston on Thursday, April 20, 2017, with the drive team in background. (Photo by Angi Agle)

The Secret City Wildbots Team 4265’s robot, Luna, successfully climbs at the end of the second qualifying match of the day at the First Robotics Championship in Houston on Thursday, April 20, 2017, with the drive team in background. (Photo by Angi Agle)

 

The Secret City Wildbots Team 4265 are competing in the First Robotics Championship in Houston this week.

Qualifying matches started Thursday, and there are matches scheduled for today (Friday, April 21).

Here is a schedule sent by Angi Agle, with Team 4265 playing at the following times and with corresponding match numbers, in case the matches run off schedule: [Read more…]