Oak Ridge Today

Clinton City Schools’ assistant director accepts director’s position

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Kelly Johnson

Kelly Johnson

By Jim Harris/WYSH Radio

On Monday, the Clinton City School Board voted to offer current assistant director of schools Kelly Johnson the director’s position, succeeding Vicki Violette, who is retiring after 10 years as Clinton’s top educator.

Johnson, a Clinton native and alumna of the city school system, has accepted the offer and will negotiate a contract with the School Board and take over on July 1.

Johnson also currently serves as the three-school system’s director of curriculum and has been with the system for three years. She began teaching in 1993 in Knox County, eventually moving on to school administrative positions and eventually spending three years supervising Knox County’s 18 elementary schools. [Read more…]

Summer theater program set at Oak Ridge Playhouse

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Josh-Cormany-Lauren-McCoig-Oak-Ridge-Playhouse-Camp-2014

Students Josh Cormany of Knoxville, then 15, and Lauren McCoig of Oak Ridge, then 12, perform a scene at the 2014 Oak Ridge Junior Playhouse Theater Camp showcase.
(Photo by Suzanne McNeil)

 

By Betsy Abernathy

The Oak Ridge Junior Playhouse is preparing for its annual summer program for young people interested in theater. The Oak Ridge Junior Playhouse Theater Camp will run from June 6 through June 17, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. each weekday. The camp is open to rising third through rising 12th graders and will be held in the studios of the Dance Centre of Oak Ridge, which is at 108 East Division Road in Oak Ridge. On the last day of camp, the participants will present a workshop showcase on the Oak Ridge Playhouse stage.

Former campers, many of whom continue to be involved in theater at their schools and communities, speak highly of the summer program. Josh Cormany, 17, of Knoxville, who stage managed the recent Junior Playhouse production of “The Snow Queen,” recommends the camp to kids interested in theater.

“My favorite thing about the Playhouse Theater Camp is that you get to have fun and learn about theater in a friendly and nonjudgmental environment,” Cormany said. “The camp is so enjoyable because you can just be yourself.” [Read more…]

Former NASA astronomy, relativity chief to discuss evolution of universe, from Big Bang to black holes

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Nancy Grace Roman

Nancy Grace Roman

A former chief astronomer at NASA will discuss the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to black holes during a lecture on Thursday, March 24.

It’s the opening of the 19th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series.

It will feature Nancy Grace Roman, former chief of the NASA Astronomy and Relativity Programs in the Office of Space Science.

The free lecture is jointly sponsored by Friends of ORNL, or FORNL, and the American Association of University Women, or AAUW. It will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy, which is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. A reception will be held in the museum lobby starting at 5:30 p.m. (snacks will be served), and the lecture starts at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium. [Read more…]

Wellness Fair is March 30 at Civic Center

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Wellness-Fair-2016

A city, schools, and community wellness fair will be offered at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Wednesday, March 30.

The free wellness fair is sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools Coordinated Health Wellness Committee. The wellness fair is from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 30 at the Oak Ridge Civic Center.

Information on what will be offered is included in the image above.

Call (865) 425-3559 or 425-3414 for more information.

IIa awarded U.S. Air Force contract in United Kingdom

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Kirk-Stoye

Kirk Stoye manages Information International Associates activities at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall bases in the United Kingdom. (Submitted photo)

Information International Associates has been awarded a contract to help the U.S. Air Force at two major installations in the United Kingdom through September 2020.

Information International Associates, or IIa, will provide base level human resource system management and base enlisted specialty training management services to the U.S. Air Force at the two sites in the UK, a press release said.

This is the fourth consecutive award of this contract to IIa, the press release said. Since 2003, IIa has provided all personnel, supervision, and other resources at Royal Air Force, or RAF, bases Mildenhall and Lakenheath in Suffolk County, UK, about one hour north of London. Kirk Stoye is responsible for activities at both RAF bases.

Kelly Callison, IIa’s senior vice president of operations, manages the UK contract from IIa’s corporate headquarters in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

“Under the leadership of Kirk Stoye, our UK employees have consistently received excellent and superior ratings for their performance,” Callison said. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the USAF for another five years.” [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Breast Center earns perfect FDA score for 20th year

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Mammography-Oak-Ridge-Breast-Center

The Oak Ridge Breast Center received a perfect FDA score during a recent evaluation. This is the 20th year in a row that the Breast Center received a perfect score. (Photo by Covenant Health)

 

Once again, Oak Ridge Breast Center has earned a perfect score as the result of an annual inspection by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. It marks the 20th consecutive year the center has achieved a perfect score and follows its elite designation as a Breast Center of Excellence, a press release said.

FDA inspections are an important component in enforcement of the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992, according to breast center manager Shari Blattner. The law was passed in response to concerns that mammography didn’t meet uniformly high standards throughout the United States.

Breast cancer centers must meet stringent guidelines. Standards cover quality assurance and quality control; radiology equipment; qualifications of technicians, physicians, and medical physicists; and medical record keeping. Inspections and certifications check everything from the mammography facility to the films for final images and the image quality.

“The FDA found that Oak Ridge Breast Center is in complete compliance with national mammography quality standards, and it had no recommendations for improvements,” Blattner said. [Read more…]

Letter: Appreciates city reps listening to concerns, thankful for ‘Adopt a Shelter Pet Month’

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To the Editor:

While walking my dogs this evening, I took a minute to reflect on how appreciative I am to have representatives in Oak Ridge city government that listened to my concerns and immediately took action to correct some problems that I raised.

Several months ago, I emailed City Council, the Oak Ridge Police Department, and the city manager expressing concern about streetlights being out in Hendrix Creek, speeding cars on Hendrix Drive, and a need for sidewalks so residents can safely enjoy their neighborhood without being hit by a passing car. I was astonished to receive several emails the following day indicating that my concerns were heard and that the issues raised would be addressed.

Mayor Warren Gooch connected me with the Public Works Department who had the bulbs changed and streetlights functioning within a day or two. Councilmen Charlie Hensley and Kelly Callison and Councilwoman Trina Baughn and Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Smith responded with concern for the sidewalks and indicated that they were going to look into the issues that were expressed. [Read more…]

Controlled burns scheduled on DOE Oak Ridge Reservation

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Controlled burns of grassland areas are scheduled starting this week and continuing through April at East Tennessee Technology Park and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The controlled burns were announced by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office.

Beginning this week and continuing through April, the controlled burns will take place, weather permitting, at: [Read more…]

ORISE building earns EPA’s Energy Star certification for energy efficiency

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ORISE-EPA-Energy-Star-Certification-1

From left to right are Director of Facilities and Transportation Department Chad Becker, Facilities Management Services Manager Eddy Whitson, and Sustainability Manager Kevin Fritts display the new EPA Energy Star certification for the ORISE Facilities and Transportation Department office in background behind them. (Photo by ORAU)

 

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education’s Facilities and Transportation Department office building, managed by ORAU, has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification, which signifies that the building, located off Bethel Valley Road in Oak Ridge, performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy-efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

“We are pleased to accept the EPA’s Energy Star certification in recognition of ORISE’s energy-efficiency efforts,” said ORISE Director and ORAU President Andy Page. “Through this achievement along with our corporate office building earning the first new, gold-level LEED-certified office building in Tennessee, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs.”

The EPA works with organizations to help them save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making their buildings more energy-efficient, a press release said. [Read more…]

Sheriff’s Department helps capture two felons who escaped from Kentucky

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Escapee Pursuit

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department on Monday helped capture two felons who had escaped from Kentucky after stealing a truck and fleeing from a work detail, authorities said. (Photo by ACSD)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:38 p.m.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department on Monday helped capture two felons who had escaped from Kentucky after stealing a truck and fleeing from a work detail, authorities said.

The two escaped felons were captured Monday afternoon, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. They had allegedly stolen a truck and fled from a work detail in Whitley County, Kentucky.

Justin Jerald Jaynes

Justin Jerald Jaynes

Kentucky authorities sent out an alert, and the truck was spotted later in Campbell County, Tennessee. Jacksboro and Caryville police departments along with the Eighth Judicial Drug Task Force began a pursuit that traveled south on Interstate 75, Lucas said.

He said the two escapees exited at Rocky Top and came down Lake City Highway into Clinton. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has spring plant sale in April

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UT-Arboretum-Spring-Plant-Sale

​The ​2016 University of Tennessee Arboretum Society Spring Plant Sale will be held April 15 and 16 on the grounds of the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge. The 15th is a members-only sale, but you may choose to join the Society on the spot to attend the sale on that date. (Photo courtesy UTIA)

 

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s 50th annual Spring Plant Sale will gather the best of four local nurseries in one location in Oak Ridge in April.

Beaver Creek and Riverdale Nurseries from Knoxville, Sunlight Gardens from Andersonville, and East Fork Nursery from Sevierville will be offering a large and varied selection of shrubs, trees, wildflowers, perennials, annuals, and edibles, a press release said. Brad Greenwood Designs will have unique botanically themed copper garden ornaments and steel features for the home and yard. Dano’s Hot Dogs, with an expanded menu, will again be at this event.

Back by popular demand, the Society will be offering ‘The Rising Sun” Redbud. This new Redbud displays brilliant, golden tangerine and lime-colored, heart-shaped foliage all summer and was a quick sell-out plant last year. The Society will also be offering a limited supply of another new redbud tree: “Alley Cat.” “Alley Cat” was literally discovered in an alley in Kentucky and has beautiful green and white variegated foliage that is stable and scorch-resistant, the press release said. [Read more…]

Today: Roane County Recovery Court team will discuss work at Lunch with League

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Roane-County-Drug-Court-Team

Roane County Recovery Court for drug-related offenders has now been in operation for six weeks. The drug court team, led by General Sessions Court Judge Dennis Humphrey, will discuss their work with the court in the second part of a two-part program at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday, March 15.

The first part of the program was presented on March 1. The Tuesday meeting starts at 12 p.m. March 15 in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Humphrey will be accompanied by District Attorney General Russell Johnson, Public Defender Kim Nelson, community relations for the district attorney Charlene Hipsher, Probation/Corrections Officer Chanel Finnell, Recovery Court Coordinator Ashley Freeberg, WestCare treatment staff Janeece Foust, and law enforcement liaison Lieutenant Rick Baker.

Lunch with the League is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]