Oak Ridge Today

Photos: National Merit Semi-finalists, Commended Scholars at ORHS

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Sitting: Abigail Greenhalgh, daughter of Dyrk and Heidi Greenhalgh; Lara Blokland, daughter of Willem and Suzanne Blokland. Standing: Logan Rumbaugh, son of David and Rebecca Bowman (Submitted photo)

National Merit Semi-finalists—Sitting: Abigail Greenhalgh, daughter of Dyrk and Heidi Greenhalgh; Lara Blokland, daughter of Willem and Suzanne Blokland. Standing: Logan Rumbaugh, son of David and Rebecca Bowman (Submitted photo)

 

Here are photos of National Merit Semi-finalists and Commended Scholars at Oak Ridge High School.

Semi-finalists scored in the top 1 percent in the state, while the Commended Scholars scored in the top 2-3 percent in their state on the PSAT test in their junior year. The PSAT is the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. [Read more…]

Atomic City Computers has ribbon-cutting at new location Friday

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Atomic City Computers will host a public ribbon-cutting event on Friday, November 4, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in conjunction with the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce. The ribbon-cutting will celebrate the store’s recent relocation to 1968 Oak Ridge Highway. (Submitted photo)

 

Atomic City Computers will host a public ribbon-cutting event on Friday, November 4, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in conjunction with the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce. The ribbon-cutting will celebrate the store’s recent relocation.

There will be free hot dogs and prize giveaways for those who drop in a business card, a press release said.

The press release said Atomic City Computers has been in business since 2010 providing computer repair for residential and business customers, as well as mobile device repair, custom built desktop systems for gaming, office, and scientific needs, and onsite repair services for businesses. [Read more…]

Free community Thanksgiving Dinner at High Places on Nov. 24

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A free community Thanksgiving Dinner will be hosted at High Places Community Church/Grove Theater on Thursday, November 24.

The dinner is hosted again by a grassroots group of individuals, a press release said. The dinner is scheduled from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, November 24, at High Places, which is at 123 Randolph Road.

“Everyone should have someone to give thanks with on Thanksgiving!” the press release said. [Read more…]

CNS presents small business awards

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Dubose National Energy Services Inc. was recently recognized as a small business of the year by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Shown in the photo are CNS Supply Chain Manager Skip Skelton, CNS Vice President and Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal DNES Vice President and General Manager Richard Rogers, DNES Senior Sales Representative Garry Snyder, CNS Subcontract Administrator Tish Camp, CNS Vice President of Mission Assurance Linda Bauer, CNS Program Manager for Socioeconomic Programs Lisa Copeland, and CNS Vice President of Operations Support Darrell Graddy. (Photo by CNS Y-12)

Dubose National Energy Services Inc. was recently recognized as a small business of the year by Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC. Shown in the photo are CNS Supply Chain Manager Skip Skelton, CNS Vice President and Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal DNES Vice President and General Manager Richard Rogers, DNES Senior Sales Representative Garry Snyder, CNS Subcontract Administrator Tish Camp, CNS Vice President of Mission Assurance Linda Bauer, CNS Program Manager for Socioeconomic Programs Lisa Copeland, and CNS Vice President of Operations Support Darrell Graddy. (Photo by CNS Y-12)

 

Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC presented small business awards on Friday, September 30, at the weekly meeting of the East Tennessee Economic Council. The companies recognized included DuBose National Energy Services Inc., GEM Technologies Inc., and Scientific Sales Inc. CNS employees Sam Easterling and Terry Lewis were also recognized as Small Business Advocates of the Year.

In his opening remarks, CNS Vice President and Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal stressed that company relies on small businesses as “part of a large tapestry that has to work together.” He summarized, “We’ve spent more than $160 million this year with more than 740 small businesses this fiscal year, including 250 Tennessee businesses, which includes 60 businesses in Anderson County.”

CNS Supply Chain Manager Skip Skelton explained that small businesses were evaluated based on their commitment to CNS’ four imperatives—safety, security, zero defects, and delivery as promised. He said, “The awards we’re giving out today reflect the four imperatives we expect our employees and our subcontractors to embrace as part of our focus on performance excellence.” [Read more…]

DA: Crime down 1 percent in Anderson County in 2015

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Dave Clark

Dave Clark

Crime was down 1 percent in Anderson County in 2015, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said Wednesday.

In a press release, Clark said crime in Anderson County and its cities has continued to drop during the last nine years. He cited Tennessee Bureau of Investigation statistics.

Clark called it good news issued on behalf of the law enforcement leaders of Anderson County.

“Crime is down in Anderson County by 43 percent over the last nine years,” Clark said. [Read more…]

ORNL tests new lubricants for ExxonMobil in marine diesel engine prototype

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory researcher Eric Nafziger works on a marine diesel engine prototype used to test new lubricants for ExxonMobil. (Photo by ORNL)

 

A unique diesel engine prototype is evaluating next-generation lubricants for the global marine industry, and the project was showcased by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and ExxonMobil during a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week.

The ribbon-cutting was on Monday, October 24, at ORNL’s National Transportation Research Center in Hardin Valley. The ribbon-cutting included ORNL lead researcher Mike Kass and Frans Horjus, global marine lubricants manager for ExxonMobil.

In a press release posted on its website, ExxonMobil announced the first firing of the new marine test engine to speed the development of next-generation marine lubricants. [Read more…]

Centrus donates precision surface plate to Roane State

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A precision surface plate donated by Centrus Energy will be used in Roane State’s planned welding program. From left are Keith Barding and Ben Jordan with Centrus Energy and Roane State dean Markus Pomper. (Photo by Roane State)

 

Centrus Energy of Oak Ridge has donated a precision surface plate for use in Roane State Community College’s planned welding certificate program.

The granite surface plate is needed for taking precise measurements. The surface plate, which is kept in a classroom at the college’s Oak Ridge campus, is valued at approximately $10,000 and weighs about 3,000 pounds.

“Centrus has assisted us in many ways as we planned our welding certificate program,” said Markus Pomper, dean of Roane State’s Mathematics and Sciences Division. “They have helped us design the curriculum and provided us with resources such as the surface plate. We are incredibly appreciative of their efforts to help us create a high-quality welding certificate program.”

Pomper said Roane State’s planned welding certificate program, pending approval, will be a one-semester program. The training is needed in Oak Ridge, Pomper said, where work on projects such as the Uranium Processing Facility requires welders with advanced skills. [Read more…]

Roane State, ORHS dual enrollment art program gives students unique experiences, opportunities

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Roane State associate professor of art and design Bryan Wilkerson teaches dual enrollment ceramics at Oak Ridge High School, partnering with ORHS teacher Gisela Schrock. Front from left are student Katie Stewart, Wilkerson, and students Olivia Hoyt and Brennan Whitson. Back, from left, are students Waverly Mullins, Josh Stanfill, Chloe Southmayd, Stevie Logan, Kaitlan Paine, Melena Haynes, Katie Roach and Mary Klages. (Photo by Roane State)

Roane State associate professor of art and design Bryan Wilkerson teaches dual enrollment ceramics at Oak Ridge High School, partnering with ORHS teacher Gisela Schrock. Front from left are student Katie Stewart, Wilkerson, and students Olivia Hoyt and Brennan Whitson. Back, from left, are students Waverly Mullins, Josh Stanfill, Chloe Southmayd, Stevie Logan, Kaitlan Paine, Melena Haynes, Katie Roach, and Mary Klages. (Photo by Roane State)

 

Artists working in ceramics must also be part scientist and part engineer, says Roane State’s Bryan Wilkerson, an associate professor of art and design on the college’s Oak Ridge campus.

Oak Ridge High School students involved in the college’s dual enrollment program in ceramics are mastering those challenges as they mold their artistic skills. They are being supervised and taught by Wilkerson and high school art teacher Gisela Schrock.

Wilkerson and Schrock launched the dual enrollment program after meeting at the Knoxville Museum of Art and becoming friends.

“Gisela and I are very different in how we approach teaching art,” Wilkerson said. “I think it’s good for students to get multiple feedback and instruction, but we also communicate so we’re on the same page.” [Read more…]

Oak Ridge High School receives funding from labor education grant

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Oak Ridge High School will receive $46,000 from a labor education grant, a press release said.

Oak Ridge Schools is one of six regional school districts that have partnered with the East Tennessee Development District, or ETDD; Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Knoxville, or TCAT-K; and eleven employer partners to be included in the most recent Tennessee Labor Education Alignment Program grant, or LEAP 2.0.

Besides Oak Ridge, the school districts include Knox, Alcoa, Blount, Anderson County, and Maryville. The 11 employers include ALCOA, Cherokee Millwright, DENSO Manufacturing, BHS Corrugated, Gerdau Steel, Interstate Mechanical, Shoffner Kalthoff, SL Tennessee, Aisin, Eagle Bend/Magna, and 3M, a press release.

The $46,000 that ORHS will receive will be used to purchase Amatrol tabletop trainers for electronic, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems. Successful students will demonstrate mastery of skills with these system components through Certified Production Technician certification. Dual enrollment courses with TCAT Knoxville will begin in the fall of 2017, the press release said. [Read more…]

U.S. Homeland Security seeks faculty, students for summer 2017 research

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is seeking faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students interested in participating in one of its 10-week programs in summer 2017, including its Summer Research Team Program for Minority Serving Institutions, and its Homeland Security—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (HS-STEM) Summer Internship Program.

The deadlines for applying for both programs occur in December 2016.

Summer Research Team Program for Minority Serving Institutions [Read more…]

Cedar Barren clean-up scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 5

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September flowers at Oak Ridge Cedar Barren (Photo courtesy D. Colclasure)

September flowers at Oak Ridge Cedar Barren (Photo courtesy D. Colclasure)

 

The Oak Ridge Cedar Barren will again be the site of exotic invasive plant removal as Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning conduct its fall cleanup, its third and final cleanup of the year.

Located next to Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, the Barren is a joint project of the City of Oak Ridge, State Natural Areas Division, and TCWP. The area is one of just a few cedar barrens in East Tennessee, and it is the home to three state listed plants: prairie goldenrod, fewleaf sunflower and Torrey’s mountain mint.

The Barrens are subject to invasion by bushy lespedeza, leatherleaf viburnum, privet, autumn olive, mimosa, Nepal grass, multiflora rose, and woody plants that threaten the system¹s prairie grasses. [Read more…]

True grit: Roane State softball player Briar Mays refuses to let cancer stand in her way

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Roane State softball player Briar Mays, left, is undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer but intends to return to the squad in the spring. She is pictured with teammate Kacee Hedrick. (Photo by Roane State)

Roane State softball player Briar Mays, left, is undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer but intends to return to the squad in the spring. She is pictured with teammate Kacee Hedrick. (Photo by Roane State)

 

Briar Mays said she started noticing it last September—her right leg and hip were hurting.

During warm-ups and workouts as a freshman member of the Roane State Community College women’s softball team, Briar said she had to use her arms to pull her legs up for some exercises.

Physical therapy was recommended and undertaken, but that didn’t help ease the pain.

Still, the 18-year-old former standout for Forrest High School’s softball team in tiny Chapel Hill, Tennessee, finished out last fall’s season for the Roane State squad, playing left field.

It was only after an MRI in January that Briar received the devastating news: she had cancer. [Read more…]