Oak Ridge Today

Watson to discuss State of the City on Tuesday

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson will give his perspective on issues facing the city at the next Lunch with the League on Tuesday, November 3. The program will be held at noon in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, Lunch with the League is open to the public. There is no cost to attend, and reservations are not needed. Box lunches will be available starting at 11:30 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis for $8, or you may bring your own. Coffee and tea are provided.

In August 2010, Watson was selected as the city manager of Oak Ridge after a 30-year career in local government. Prior to coming to Oak Ridge, he served as city manager of six cities in Texas, Montana, and Arizona. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public administration, a press release said. [Read more…]

ORHS Masquers presents ‘Harvey,’ a Pulitzer Prize-winning play, in November

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ORHS Masquers "Harvey"

Oak Ridge High School Masquers, the school’s drama program, will present Mary Chase’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Harvey” in three performances in November. (Photo courtesy ORHS Masquers)

 

Oak Ridge High School Masquers, the school’s drama program, will present Mary Chase’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Harvey” in three performances in November.

“Harvey” is the story of Elwood P. Dowd and his invisible, six-foot-tall rabbit named Harvey. When Elwood’s sister Veta tries to have him committed to the local mental hospital, the doctors commit Veta instead and mad-capped hilarity ensues. Come “see” the best dressed rabbit in town and a fantastic cast of student actors, a press release said.

The Masquers performances will be at the Oak Ridge Performing Arts Center (ORPAC) on:

  • Thursday, November 12, at 7 p.m.;
  • Saturday, November 14, at 7 p.m.; and
  • Sunday, November 15, at 2 p.m.

[Read more…]

Elks has Indoor Trick-or-Treat on Saturday

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Halloween Pumpkins

The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, Oak Ridge Lodge #1684, located at 684 Emory Valley Road, will be hosting an Indoor Trick-or-Treat on Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Elks Lodge #1684 is hosting this event in order to provide children of all ages with a safe, supervised, fun place to show off their costumes and receive candy on Halloween night, a press release said. Free hot chocolate and bottled water will also be given to everyone in attendance.

Don’t forget to bring a camera and have your picture taken with “Elroy” the Elk, the release said.

Dura-Line investing more than $25 million, adding 70 jobs at new manufacturing facility, R&D center

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Dura-Line, a communication and energy infrastructure manufacturer, is opening a new manufacturing facility and research and development center in Clinton, investing more than $25 million and creating 70 new jobs, state officials said Tuesday. The jobs will include engineering, research and development, and manufacturing jobs.

The announcement was made Tuesday by Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd and Dura-Line officials.

The 86,800-square-foot Clinton facility will function as a research and development, or R&D, center for new techniques for making high-density polyethylene, or HDPE, conduit products used by the telecommunications industry to house fiber optic cable. Dura-Line will conduct research and development that will help the company grow its business worldwide and will also manufacture select high-technology products at the Clinton location. [Read more…]

Kids Count 5k is Saturday in Oak Ridge

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Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County Kids Count 5k

Photo courtesy Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County

 

The 2015 Kids Count 5k!, a competitive road race to benefit the Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, is Saturday in Oak Ridge.

The Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County is a nonprofit agency, and all proceeds will be used to provide services for abused children at the center, a press release said.

The 5k course starts and ends on the far south end of the marina peninsula at 697 Melton Lake Drive in Oak Ridge.

The race starts at 8 a.m. Plan to be there earlier to pick up your packet, or if you are registering that day, the release said. Onsite registration will start at 7 a.m. and close at 7:45 a.m. Packets and registration will be available at the marina pavilion. [Read more…]

Haw Ridge Park, greenways to be closed during TWRA hunts

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City of Oak Ridge SealHaw Ridge Park and the North Boundary and Gallaher Bend greenways will be closed for hunts in the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area on several dates starting this weekend, the City of Oak Ridge said.  The closure on Haw Ridge includes the portion of Melton Lake Greenway through the park, from the lake to the parking lot on Edgemoor Road.

The hunts will take place on the following dates:

  • October 31-November 1
  • November 14-15
  • December 12-13

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge recruits for Secret City Festival board, Oak Ridge Corridor committee

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

By Oak Ridge City Manager Mark S. Watson

The City is Oak Ridge is currently recruiting members for a new committee and the inaugural Board of Directors for a forthcoming 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

At the September 14, 2015, City Council meeting, the City Council approved a series of resolutions based on recommendations of the Special Events Advisory Task Force to provide recommendations on planning, funding review, and execution of all special events managed or supported by the City. Based on previous City Council discussions on special events, the Special Events Advisory Task Force prioritized its focus on the Secret City Festival, an award-winning, two-day summer event that has been hosted in the City of Oak Ridge for nearly 14 years. The purpose of the nonprofit that is to be established is to assume the responsibility of implementing changes to the Secret City Festival/Celebration and other local events. The goal of the organization will be to become self-sustaining within five years (2020). [Read more…]

Oak Ridge personal, property tax payments due Oct. 30

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City of Oak Ridge Seal

Friday is the due date for paying real property taxes in Oak Ridge without penalty. All of this year’s property tax bills have been mailed and should have been delivered to property owners, a press release said.

Taxes go to support the operation of many city services—from street maintenance to the library. The police and fire departments, refuse removal and disposal, recreation and parks and many other city activities are all supported by the property tax, the press release said. A portion of the tax also goes to support the Oak Ridge school system.

The city staff said a relatively small number of property owners may not receive a tax notice. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge ranked third in AP high school football poll

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Football Helmet

The Oak Ridge Wildcats (8-1) are ranked third in Class 5A in this week’s Associated Press high school football poll.

Coming in at the top two spots are Independence (9-0) at number one and Hendersonville (8-1) at number 2.

Oak Ridge moved up from number seven last week.

Farragut (8-1), which beat Oak Ridge 31-14 on September 4, is number four, and Sevier County (8-2), which lost to the Wildcats 44-34 on September 24, is number six. Farragut moved up from number eight last week, and Sevier County moved up from number 10.

See the complete poll results for Class 1A to Class 6A on the Tennessean website here.

Location change: Haunted Harvest Hike starts at Oak Ridge Marina

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Haunted Harvest Hike Oct. 31, 2015

The location has changed for the Haunted Harvest Hike on Saturday, October 31. The new location is the Oak Ridge Marina Pavilion.

The Haunted Harvest Hike will start at the marina pavilion and leave promptly at 9 a.m. Saturday, organizers said. The hike is scheduled to last until about 11 a.m.

“Please feel free to get in the Halloween spirit early and come in costume,” organizers said. Costumes are encouraged but not required.

The hike includes Phase 1 of the Melton Lake Greenway. Phase 2 and 3 may be included for longer distances. This is either a 2.6-mile “out and back” walk, or if you choose 2 and 3 together, it will be 4.6 miles. The walk path has varied elevations and can accommodate bicycles and strollers.

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

Dragons set school scoring record, thump Heritage 75-43

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Clinton Dragons Football Logo

Information from WYSH Radio

The Clinton Dragons scored touchdowns on their first ten possessions and did not punt until late in the second half as they outscored heritage 75-43 Friday night. That scoring total for Clinton is the highest in school history, breaking a 45-year-old record set in 1970 in a 69-0 win over Unicoi County.

Tyler Thackerson put together one of the best nights a Tennessee high school quarterback has ever enjoyed as he accounted for 559 total yards of offense (454 passing, 105 rushing) and threw eight touchdown passes, tying him for the third highest ever thrown in a single game in the state.

Thackerson was surgical, completing 29 of 36 passes, 11 of which went to J’Quan Thomas, who turned them in to 264 yards and four touchdowns. [Read more…]

School Board retreat: Preschool, superintendent evaluation, Access Oak Ridge

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The Oak Ridge Board of Education has a retreat on Friday. Among the agenda items are a superintendent evaluation and a preschool update.

The retreat is from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday, October 30, in the School Administration Building conference room.

Other agenda items include Access Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge 2020, communications plan and Web page, capital projects, and a legal update.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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