Oak Ridge Today

Clinton Christmas Parade is Saturday, Dec. 5

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bones-Seivers-Grand-Marshal-Clinton-Christmas-Parade

Charles G. “Bones” Seivers

The Clinton Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 5, and former mayor Charles G. “Bones” Seivers will be grand marshal.

Clinton’s traditional Christmas Parade of bands, floats, and many other processional entries will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, a press release said. This year’s theme is “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Businesses, churches, schools, and other marching groups are encouraged to register and participate in the parade, the press release said. There is no parade entry fee this year, but a registration form must be submitted. The deadline to register is Tuesday, December 1, at 4:30 p.m. There will be no late entries.

Seivers is a native of Clinton, and he first entered public office in 1962 when he ran for an open alderman seat. He continued to serve the citizens as an elected official for 13 years, the press release said. [Read more…]

Yager, Ramsey plan state hearing on Syrian refugees in December

Posted at
By 11 Comments

Ken Yager

Ken Yager

NASHVILLE—Two state senators are planning to conduct a joint hearing in early December to look at federal plans to bring Syrian refugees to Tennessee, a move that has become controversial after the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday.

The joint hearing has been proposed by Senate State and Local Government Committee Chairman Ken Yager, a Kingston Republican, and House State Government Committee Chairman Bob Ramsey, a Maryville Republican. They want to look at plans by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement to bring Syrian refugees to Tennessee.

Reports indicate that Tennessee will likely receive some of the 10,000 Syrian refugees for resettlement under President Barack Obama’s admissions plans, a press release said. There has been widespread disagreement, including on the presidential campaign trail, over whether the United States should accept Syrian refugees after reports emerged that one of the men involved in last Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris might have slipped into Europe with other migrants using a fake Syrian passport.

On Monday, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam asked federal officials to suspend placements in Tennessee until states can become more of a partner in the vetting process. [Read more…]

Budget plans for Secret City Festival discussed; DOE landfill raises concerns for Council

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Warren Gooch

Warren Gooch (Photo by Savanna Schubert)

By Savanna Schubert

There are no changes to the 2016 Secret City Festival, but Oak Ridge may enjoy the festival in a new season in 2017.

The first resolution on the Oak Ridge City Council agenda on Monday related to the Secret City Festival, an annual two-day festival that is the city’s biggest event each year but is in transition. It’s now in June, but it could be a fall event starting in 2017 and it could be transformed into a celebration that lasts a week or more.

“We are looking to broaden the festival into a series of concerts and festivals to last throughout the year,” City Manager Mark Watson said.

The 2016 festival will continue the tradition of nightly concerts, war re-enactments, and fun family-oriented activities for all ages. [Read more…]

Controlled burns scheduled on Oak Ridge Reservation

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office is starting a controlled burn of a small forestland area on the Oak Ridge Reservation for prescribed burning at the East Tennessee Technology Park and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Beginning Monday, November 16, weather permitting, a controlled burn was expected to take place on approximately four acres south of West Bear Creek Road near the DOE Central Training Facility southeast of ETTP.

The planned burn is being conducted as an effort to reduce the risk of wildfires and will be overseen by the State of Tennessee Division of Forestry, which maintains fire control equipment, certified burn managers, and trained personnel at the burn area with the support of the Oak Ridge Fire Department and the ORNL forester, a press release said.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Oak Ridge Christmas Parade is Saturday, Dec. 12

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Christmas Parade Train

A float at the Oak Ridge Christmas Parade is pictured above in December 2014. (Photo by D. Ray Smith)

 

The annual Christmas Parade organized by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce is Saturday, December 12. This year’s theme is “Winter Wonderland,” and it promises to provide spectators with plenty of music, lights, and beautiful floats, a press release said.

Almost 80 businesses and community organizations have already registered their entries for the parade. Sponsor of this year’s parade is The Cowperwood Company. There is no cost to participate.

The parade will start at 6 p.m. December 12, and it will begin at Corporate Center, on the corner of Lafayette and Laboratory Road. From there, the parade will travel down Lafayette to the Oak Ridge Turnpike. It will continue west on the Turnpike to Oak Ridge High School. The judge’s stand will be located in front of the Chamber. [Read more…]

DOE director’s presentation to include discussion of proposed landfill near Y-12

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Laura Wilkerson

Laura Wilkerson

A Tuesday presentation by federal official Laura Wilkerson will include information on the proposed new Environmental Management Disposal Facility, a landfill that would be on the west side of the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Laura Wilkerson is a portfolio federal project director for the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. She will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday, November 17, in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Her presentation will focus on environmental management and waste management in Oak Ridge.

Lunch with the League is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. In a press release, the League said it has a position on waste disposal that addresses full disclosure of intent and public participation in the decision-making process.

“The League position is to protect the health of the community and environment,” the press release said. [Read more…]

INCITE grants awarded to 56 research projects at ORNL, Argonne

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science has announced 56 projects aimed at accelerating discovery and innovation to address some of the world’s most challenging scientific questions. The projects will share 5.8 billion core hours on America’s two most powerful supercomputers dedicated to open science at Oak Ridge and Argonne national laboratories.

The diverse projects will advance knowledge in critical areas ranging from sustainable energy technologies to next-generation materials, a press release said.

Researchers from academia, government research facilities, and industry received computing time through the Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment, or INCITE, program. The program was created as the primary means of accessing the DOE Leadership Computing Facilities at Argonne and Oak Ridge national laboratories.

“The INCITE program drives some of the world’s most ambitious and groundbreaking computational research in science and engineering,” said James Hack, director of the National Center for Computational Sciences, home to the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, a DOE Office of Science User Facility. “The program has a very strong and diverse collection of projects in 2016, and we look forward to working with investigators to ensure they succeed with their challenging objectives.” [Read more…]

ORNL’s Titan still No. 2 as China triples Top500 supercomputers

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

 

Titan Supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The Titan supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was once ranked as the world’s most powerful supercomputer, but it has since been ranked number two. (Photo courtesy of ORNL)

 

The Titan supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory remained at number two on a list of the world’s top 500 supercomputers released Monday. China tripled the number of its systems on the semiannual Top500 list, while the number of systems in the United States fell to the lowest point since the list was created in 1993.

The Tianhe-2 supercomputer in China again maintained the number one spot on the list of the world’s most powerful supercomputers. It’s the sixth consecutive time Tianhe-2 has been the top supercomputer. The system was developed by China’s National University of Defense Technology.

Titan was once the most powerful supercomputer.

The 46th edition of the twice-yearly TOP500 list of the world’s most powerful supercomputers was released Monday. [Read more…]

Today: Celebrate veterans with Community Band concert

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak-Ridge-Community-Band-Summer-Concert-July-4-2014

The Oak Ridge Community Band performs in a summer concert on July 4, 2014. (Photo by Larry Perry)

 

The Oak Ridge Community Band/Wind Ensemble will hold a Veterans Concert on Sunday, November 15, at 3:30 p.m., at the Grove Theater Performing Arts Center.

Everyone is invited, but area veterans are particularly encouraged to attend this event which is being held in their honor, a press release said. The program will include patriotic selections, swing era music, and a special ceremony to recognize veterans who have served both in peacetime and during war time.

Directed by band leader Dale Pendley and assistant conductor Lisa Michaels, the Community Band will perform Irving Berlin’s “Songs for America” featuring “This is the Army, Mister Jones,” “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor,” “This is a Great Country,” and “God Bless America.” Other patriotic selections will include John Philip Sousa’s “Liberty Bell,” James Hosay’s “Pride of the Fleet,” and Bob Lowden’s arrangement of “Armed Forces Salute” with “Semper Paratus,” “The U.S. Air Force,” “Anchors Aweigh,” “The Caisson Song,” and “Marines Hymn.” [Read more…]

Today: 12th Annual ‘Say No to Drugs’ Balloon Release

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

12th-Annual-Say-No-To-Drugs-Balloon-Release-Flyer-2015

Submitted

Have you or someone you love ever suffered from drug abuse? Have you ever given thanks that the negative effects of drug abuse haven’t entered into your life?

If so, you are invited to join the family and friends of Clayton Smith along with the Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition for a special prayer and balloon release at 1 p.m. Sunday, November 15, at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

The event is being held to honor the recovery efforts of anyone who has suffered from drug addiction and to remember the lives of loved ones lost due to drug abuse. [Read more…]

Photo: OS band at ORNL for Veterans Day

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Oliver Springs High School Band at Oak Ridge National Laboratory Nov. 11, 2015

The Oliver Springs High School band marches down Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Central Avenue on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015. (Photo by Rachel Brooks/ORNL)

 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory observed Veterans Day on Wednesday with a parade and concert by the Oliver Springs High School Bobcat Band, among other activities.

Other activities includes a presentation of the colors by the Carson Newman University Color Guard and a keynote speech by Lieutenant General George Fisher, U.S. Army (retired).

TN House minority leader to speak to Democrats at fundraising dinner

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Craig Fitzhugh

Craig Fitzhugh

Craig Fitzhugh, Tennessee House minority leader, will speak to Anderson County Democrats at their fall fundraising dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday, November 12, at the Clinton Community Center.

Fitzhugh has represented Tennessee’s 82nd legislative district as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives since 1994, a press release said. He is the former chairman of the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee and of the Council on Pension and Insurance. Fitzhugh currently serves as House Democratic leader.

The Thursday dinner is $25 per person, and reservations are required. You can RSVP to Beth Hickman at (865) 964-0611 or Jean Hiser at (865) 272-3077, the press release said. For general information about the dinner contact Catherine Denenberg; see contact information above.

The Clinton Community Center is at 101 South Hicks Street in Clinton.