Oak Ridge Today

Crisis intervention training helps save life in Rocky Top

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Twenty law enforcement personnel graduated from Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training on March 10, 2017. The graduates represented Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, Rocky Top Police Department, Anderson County Corrections Office, and Blount Memorial Security. (Submitted photo)

Twenty law enforcement personnel graduated from Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training on March 10, 2017. The graduates represented Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, Rocky Top Police Department, Anderson County Corrections Office, and Blount Memorial Security. (Submitted photo)

 

Twenty law enforcement personnel graduated from Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training on March 10. The graduates represented Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, Rocky Top Police Department, Anderson County Corrections Office, and Blount Memorial Security.

CIT is an innovative first-responder model of police-based crisis intervention with community, health care, and advocacy partnerships. CIT provides 40 hours of specialized training for problem solving and de-escalating crisis situations with individuals who have a mental illness. Studies show it also improves the safety of patrol officers, consumers, family members, and citizens within the community, a press release said.

“Thanks to the partnership between the Oak Ridge City Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Ridgeview Behavioral Health, NAMI Oak Ridge, the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, and other community health advocates, our community has better equipped itself with first responders who have an effective set of communication and problem solving skills,” Oak Ridge Police Department Chief James Akagi said in his opening remarks.

So far, the East Tennessee Crisis Intervention Team has trained more than 180 law enforcement personnel, the press release said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has Spring Wildflower Walk on Sunday

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Kris Light (Submitted photo)

Kris Light (Submitted photo)

 

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a spring wildflower walk on Sunday, April 9.

The walk is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Haw Ridge Park on Edgemoor Road in Oak Ridge. The parking lot is at the west end of the park. 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, a press release said.

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

Reminder: Community Wellness Fair is today

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Reminder: The Community Wellness Fair is today.

The Wellness Fair is hosted by the City of Oak Ridge Wellness Committee and Oak Ridge Schools Coordinated School Health. It’s scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. today (Wednesday, April 5) in the Oak Ridge Civic Center. Admission is free and everyone is invited.

A variety of health screenings will be offered. Topics to be covered include: [Read more…]

FBI investigates Kingston Pike bank robbery, describes suspect

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The FBI is investigating a bank robbery at the U.S. Bank at 8845 Kingston Pike in Knoxville at about 5 p.m. April 4, 2017. (Photo: FBI)

The FBI is investigating a bank robbery at the U.S. Bank at 8845 Kingston Pike in Knoxville at about 5 p.m. April 4, 2017. (Photo: FBI)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating a bank robbery reported at a U.S. Bank on Kingston Pike in Knoxville on Tuesday afternoon.

The robbery was reported at the U.S. Bank at 8845 Kingston Pike at about 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The FBI reported that a white man entered the bank and demanded money with a note.

“After obtaining an undisclosed amount of money from the bank, the robber fled in a white, four-door sedan,” the FBI said.

The robber is described as a white male with gray hair down to his collar, and he is estimated to be about 6’0” and weigh about 250 pounds. He could be between 45-55 years old, and he was wearing a gray hooded sweat shirt, dark-colored sweat pants, white sneakers, glasses, and a dark-colored knit cap, the FBI said. [Read more…]

Education Foundation to award more than $90,000 in grants in April 26 ceremony

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A photo from a grant award last year for a 3D printer for Robertsville Middle School. (Submitted photo)

A photo from a grant award last year for a 3D printer for Robertsville Middle School. (Submitted photo)

 

In the final year of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation will award more than $90,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 26, a press release said.

Shirley Raines, president emeritus of the University of Memphis, will be the featured speaker, the press release said. She will give a talk titled, “Dreamers, Thinkers, Doers.”

The grants ceremony is open to the public, and it will be held in the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria beginning at 4 p.m. April 26.

Demonstrations and displays of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation will be given after the formal ceremony, the press release said. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of Oak Ridge Utility District.

The 2017 grant recipients are as follows: [Read more…]

ORISE unveils new website, provides one location for resources such as STEM internships, fellowships

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A screenshot of the new ORISE website.

A screenshot of the new ORISE website.

 

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, or ORISE, has unveiled its new website, providing one location for a wide range of resources, a press release said.

The new ORISE website offers a portal for students and graduates looking for STEM internships, fellowships, and other professional development opportunities; information on scientific peer review; medical consultation for radiation incidents through the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site, or REAC/TS; worker health studies; environmental and radiological assessments; lab services; and much more ORISE information, the press release said. (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.)

“A great deal of user research was performed before work on the actual website began, including conducting focus groups with people who the website is designed to target,” said ORISE Director Jim Vosburg. “We used this research to design the website for ease of navigation and to match the design and content with what our target audience wants and needs.”

The website navigation is primarily based on users identifying themselves, such as students and graduates, educators, scientists, health and environmental professionals, so they can quickly navigate to the areas they want to visit, the press release said.

Top-level navigation also features ORISE capability areas and assets, which allows users to more precisely locate the content that interests them, the press release said. [Read more…]

Anderson County Commission allocates $10,000 to Friendship Bell fund drive

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Anderson County Commissioners present a $10,000 check for the new Peace Pavilion to house the International Friendship Bell to Shigeko Uppuluri, left, and Pat Postma, right. Commissioners are Theresa Scott and Steve Emert, Commission chair, front; and in back from left, Jerry Creasey, Myron Iwanski, Phil Yager, Whitey Hitchcock, and Steve Mead. (Submitted photo)

Anderson County Commissioners present a $10,000 check for the new Peace Pavilion to house the International Friendship Bell to Shigeko Uppuluri, left, and Pat Postma, right. Commissioners are Theresa Scott and Steve Emert, Commission chair, front center; and in back from left, Jerry Creasey, Myron Iwanski, Phil Yager, Whitey Hitchcock, and Steve Mead. (Submitted photo)

 

Several Anderson County Commissioners recently gathered at the International Friendship Bell in Oak Ridge to present a $10,000 check for the new Peace Pavilion that will become the Bell’s new home in Bissell Park.

The Commission voted unanimously earlier this year to allocate $10,000 to help replace the pavilion housing the Bell after structural beams in the original pavilion deteriorated and the structure had to be demolished in 2014.

“We have to preserve the Bell,” said County Commission Chair Steve Emert. “It is important for tourism, for history, and especially for its message of friendship.”

“The Bell will be a key part of the story that the Manhattan Project National Historical Park is going to tell. This benefits the whole county, not just Oak Ridge,” added County Commissioner Myron Iwanski. [Read more…]

Sister City Support Organization, Oak Ridge Schools select middle school exchange delegation

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The Sister City Support Organization in cooperation with Oak Ridge Schools has selected the 2017 delegation for the middle school exchange with Oak Ridge's sister city, Naka-shi, Japan. Delegates for the 2017 exchange are front, from left to right, Jordan Oxendine, Aidan Seay, Henri Scott, Mateo Cacheiro, Thomas Schultz, and Savanna Maddux; and back, RMS Chaperone Julie Kinder-McMillan, Bert Everitt, Alex Dahl, Alex Shanafield, Allison Myers, and JMS Chaperone Kristina Casalenuovo. (Submitted photo)

The Sister City Support Organization in cooperation with Oak Ridge Schools has selected the 2017 delegation for the middle school exchange with Oak Ridge’s sister city, Naka-shi, Japan. Delegates for the 2017 exchange are front, from left to right, Jordan Oxendine, Aidan Seay, Henri Scott, Mateo Cacheiro, Thomas Schultz, and Savanna Maddux; and back, RMS Chaperone Julie Kinder-McMillan, Bert Everitt, Alex Dahl, Alex Shanafield, Allison Myers, and JMS Chaperone Kristina Casalenuovo. (Submitted photo)

 

The Sister City Support Organization in cooperation with Oak Ridge Schools has selected the 2017 delegation for the middle school exchange with Oak Ridge’s sister city, Naka-shi, Japan.

The 10 rising eighth-grade students, representing both Robertsville and Jefferson middle schools, will be accompanied by two teacher chaperones. The group will travel to Japan in July and welcome the Naka students to Oak Ridge in August. This is the 26th year of the U.S.-Japanese exchange.

This press release and photo were submitted by Jerry Luckmann.

County veterans invited to community breakfast on Saturday

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CLINTON—Military veterans from Anderson County are once again invited to come together this weekend for a community Veterans Breakfast, a press release said.

The breakfast, hosted by Anderson County citizens, is sponsored this month by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12051 of Oak Ridge. The breakfast will be held this Saturday, April 8, at the Clinton Community Center. “Chow line” opens at 8:30 a.m., and there will be a brief program at 9 a.m.

All of the Veterans Breakfasts recognize and honor local veterans and their families for their service to the United States, the press release said. [Read more…]

Military Appreciation Night at Clinton-Oak Ridge baseball game on April 18

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Military Appreciation Night

The Clinton High School Baseball Booster Club has a Military Appreciation Night at the Clinton-Oak Ridge baseball game on Tuesday, April 18.

The junior varsity game starts at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, at the Clinton Fairgrounds.

Vernon’s Burnins will be served at 5:30 p.m. for veterans and active military, an event flyer said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Civic Ballet to present ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘The Firebird’ on Saturday

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The Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association will present “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Firebird” on Saturday, April 8, at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center. (Photo by ORCBA)

The Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association will present “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Firebird” on Saturday, April 8, at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center. (Photo by ORCBA)

 

The Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association will present “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Firebird” on Saturday.

You will also have a chance to meet “Belle” and her royal friends at the Princess Tea Party on Saturday.

Both events are at Oak Ridge High School. The Princess Tea Party is Saturday morning, April 8, and the shows are Saturday afternoon and evening.

“Beauty and the Beast,” is the classic tale of an arrogant prince who is turned into a hideous Beast until he learns to love and be loved in return, a press release said. Directed and choreographed by Sharon Nicklow-Cousins and Sarah Jett, the talented dancers of the Civic Ballet bring to life Belle, the Beast, and their castle servants.

“The whole family will enjoy the ballet as our gifted dancers enter the world of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’” said Christy Rickman, ORCBA president. [Read more…]

Roane State’s Anderson County Middle College students excited about graduation day

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Roane State Middle College students, from left, Miranda Vanover, Braelee Givens, and Emily Pooler will graduate from Roane State Community College before they graduate from high school. (Photo by Roane State)

Roane State Middle College students, from left, Miranda Vanover, Braelee Givens, and Emily Pooler will graduate from Roane State Community College before they graduate from high school. (Photo by Roane State)

 

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

A group of bright high achievers from Anderson County will be wearing commencement’s traditional caps and gowns twice this spring.

Members of the first graduating class of Middle College students from Anderson County will receive associate degrees from Roane State Community College on May 6.

Then, they’ll be graduating from their respective high schools later that month.

Middle College is a two-year Roane State program where area high school sophomores with qualifying grades and test scores are invited as juniors to attend college in the mornings and return to their high schools in the afternoon.

Middle College gives participants a huge leg up in terms of college credits, and they’ll start the rest of their collegiate careers with two years of higher education classes under their belts. [Read more…]