Oak Ridge Today

Kids in the Creek outing on Emory River on Saturday, June 25

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Photo courtesy Tiffany Foster

Photo courtesy Tiffany Foster

 

Looking for a fun and educational summertime activity for the kids? On June 25, a Kids in the Creek outing will be held at Reister Access on the Emory River. The event will start at 10 a.m. with a welcome and safety talk, followed by two breakout sessions on fish and insects, and will conclude between noon and 12:30 p.m.

The event is free and open to all kids who are rising third-graders or older. Children must be accompanied by adults at all times; no unaccompanied minors will be permitted, a press release said.

Adults must be prepared to sign liability waivers on behalf of children. Participants should be prepared to get wet, and should wear shoes that are river-ready. Snacks are advisable, along with dry clothes, sunscreen, and bug spray. [Read more…]

Letter: Community Mediation appreciates support, enthusiasm at Big Ed’s Golf Tournament

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To Oak Ridge Today:

Community Mediation Services of Anderson County deeply appreciates the support and enthusiasm of golfers, sponsors, volunteers, and the Oak Ridge Country Club at the 15th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament.

Thanks to you, at-risk youth and families in Anderson County continue to have a way to peacefully resolve difficult issues with solutions they themselves determine. The golf tournament also honors Big Ed Neusel and David Neusel and their legacy of giving much to others while seeking recognition from none.

We look forward to seeing you in 2017 on the last Friday in April at the 16th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament. [Read more…]

City Clerk’s Office accepting applications for four city boards

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The Oak Ridge City Clerk’s office is currently accepting applications to fill vacancies on four city boards.

The Anderson County Economic Development Association (ACEDA) and the Convention and Visitors’ Bureau (CVB) have one vacancy each. The Environmental Quality Advisory Board (EQUAB) has three vacancies, one of which is for a high school representative. The Traffic Safety Advisory Board (TSAB) has one vacancy for a high school representative.

The terms of offices are as follows:

 City Board Term of Office
ACEDA Balance of an unexpired term ending on December 31, 2017
CVB Balance of an unexpired term ending on December 31, 2018
EQAB Balance of an unexpired term ending on December 31, 2016, and an unexpired term ending on December 31, 2018. The term for the high school representative is a one-year term commencing at the time of appointment
TSAB One-year term commencing at time of appointment

[Read more…]

Roane County Emergency Services has new emergency notification program

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Roane County Office of Emergency Services Logo

The Roane County Office of Emergency Services has a new community emergency notification program. It will help authorities contact individual community members in the case of a community emergency such as severe weather, active shooter, or other event.

“We are requesting that everyone visit the Hyper-Reach website and input your preferred means of communication, including email and text alerts,” a press release said. “The purpose of this sign-up page is that 911 data only includes landline numbers.”

Cell phones, emails, and special needs technology, like TDD for the hearing-impaired, are not included in the regular Accu-Reach data unless the individual involved signs up for messages from these other-than-landline sources. There is an easy sign-up form specific for every user. It’s simple and only takes a minute. [Read more…]

Drug Awareness Day at Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool on Saturday

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2016 Drug Awareness Day

The Oak Ridge Chapter of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks will be hosting the fourth annual Drug Awareness Day at the Oak Ridge Municipal Pool located at 172 Providence Road, on Saturday, June 18.

Drug Awareness demonstrations will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. inside the pool area. Hundreds of prizes will be given away to those participating in a drug awareness activity. Some of the prizes include T-shirts, coloring books, swim noodles, beach balls, and Frisbees.

This event is a partnership with Anderson County Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department, Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition, and the Tennessee Meth and Pharmaceutical Task Force. [Read more…]

Small business center offers workshops in June, July, August

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The Tennessee Small Business Development Center is offering workshops in June, July, and August.

Here is a schedule of workshops:

Topic: Small business start-up

  • Date: Friday, June 24
  • Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Location: Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

This workshop discusses all steps in starting up a new business, to include legal forms of business and financing options.

There is no fee to attend, but registration is required. To sign up, call TSBDC at (865) 483-2668 or email jbangs@tsbdc.org.

Topic: Search Engine Optimization for websites—introduction

[Read more…]

Anderson Co. budget: Special meeting scheduled June 23

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A special meeting of the Anderson County Commission has been scheduled for June 23 for budget-related discussions.

During the meeting, department heads, residents, and elected and appointed officials can talk to the commission about the proposed budget that has been recommended by the Anderson County Budget Committee and presented by Mayor Terry Frank.

Also, there could be discussion, amendments, and adoption of the budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1, including any resolutions required or related to the budget and/or tax rate, a meeting notice said. [Read more…]

Roane Co. budget: Public hearing, work session on June 27

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Roane County officials will have a public hearing and work session on June 27 for the budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

The public hearing starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 27, in the Qualls Commission Room in the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston.

The Roane County Budget Committee will meet immediately after the public hearing, also in the Qualls Commission Room. [Read more…]

Norris Council rejects tax hike

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Norris City Council has reversed course on a property tax rate increase.

Last month, the Norris City Council voted on first reading to adopt a budget that included a seven-cent property tax rate increase to address possible needs in the future.

But last week, during a public hearing, dozens of Norris taxpayers spoke out against the increase. Council members apparently listened, as Monday, they voted to keep the property tax rate at its current level. [Read more…]

Thursday: Manhattan Project Park presents ‘The Mysterious World of Lightning Bugs’

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National Park Service

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present a program on “The Mysterious World of Lightning Bugs” on Thursday evening at the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge.

The program is scheduled from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the UT Arboretum, which is at 901 South Illinois Avenue.

“We will discuss the lifecycle of the firefly, what makes them glow, different species within the area, how to identify them by their flashes, and how they have been used in the past for military uses and current scientific research,” a press release said. “As the sun begins to set, we will move outside (weather permitting) and attempt to catch and observe fireflies. All fireflies will be released at the end of the evening.  If you bring a flashlight, please keep it turned off during the program or use a red light.  White light has been known to cause fireflies to stop flashing.” [Read more…]

Area lawmakers announce $72,190 in arts grants in Anderson County

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Tennessee lawmakers announced this month that six arts grants worth a total of $73,010 have been awarded to five organizations in Anderson County.

The grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission include two awards with a combined total of $18,600 for the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge in the categories of Arts Education-Community Learning and Partnership Support.

Other grants include $23,110 to the Oak Ridge Community Playhouse in the category of Partnership Support, $16,900 to the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association in the category of Partnership Support, $11,620 to the Oak Ridge Community Art Center in the category of Partnership Support, and $2,780 to the Tennessee Mountain Writers in the category of Art Project Support. [Read more…]

TVC honors Earl Gohl, Wayne Cropp for commitment to region

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Earl Gohl

Earl Gohl (Submitted photo)

 

Two long-time supporters of the Tennessee Valley Corridor were presented the organization’s top award at the TVC’s National Summit held June 1-2 on the campus of Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Federal Co-Chair Earl Gohl and Chattanooga attorney J. Wayne Cropp were honored with the Corridor Champion Award in recognition of their leadership to enhance the TVC’s national visibility, high-tech economic development, and collaborative efforts within the five-state region, a press release said.

“Wayne Cropp chaired the TVC first two Summits in 1995 and 1996 in Oak Ridge and Chattanooga and has been an active leader since,” said Board Chair Steve Cope from Tullahoma. “He has been a true champion for our region’s efforts to promote its federal missions and to leverage those investments for high tech economic development. [Read more…]