Oak Ridge Today

Roane State men’s basketball coach, athletic director retiring

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Roane State Community College men’s basketball coach and athletic director Randy Nesbit is retiring from athletics but will continue to teach. (Photo by Roane State)

By Roane State Community College/Donnie Hall, Sports Information Writer

HARRIMAN—Since 1993, Randy Nesbit has been the face of athletics at Roane State Community College. As the men’s head basketball coach and athletic director, he has had his hand in virtually all things sports at the college for nearly three decades.

Last week, Nesbit announced to college administration and coaching staff that he would be stepping down from his role as head men’s basketball coach and—as soon as the position can be filled—as athletic director.

Nesbit, who is also a tenured business instructor at the college, said he will be moving to the classroom full time.

According to Nesbit, “Back in the fall, I was in a mindset that I thought I could just continue to coach in perpetuity; I could just never see an end in sight. But then,” the veteran coach added, “after the new year began, I felt like the Lord was showing me that I should step away and look at teaching full time and possible business opportunities to benefit my family that, otherwise, I wouldn’t have the time available to do.”

[Read more…]

Local attorneys remembered on memorial plaque

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Pictured above at the Memorial Plaque in the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton are, right, Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Don A. Layton and Circuit Court Clerk Rex Lynch. (Submitted photo)


Four local attorneys were added to the memorial plaque titled “In Memory of those who served Justice” at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton, a press release said. The attorneys served in multiple legal professional roles during their careers, the press release said.

Robert “Bob” Stivers had a legal career of more than 50 years. He worked with Union Carbide and Martin Marietta.

W. Clark Meredith was a partner in the firm of Joyce, Anderson, and Meredith. He later practiced with the firm of Joyce, Meredith, Flitcroft and Normand.

[Read more…]

New online farmers’ market in Jackson Square, with curbside pickup

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Market-To-Go, a new online farmers’ market in Oak Ridge, is now located in Jackson Square, with weekly curbside pickup at Dean’s Restaurant, across from the in-person farmers’ market. Local grass-fed beef, fresh and local produce, gourmet mushrooms, honey, and even edible pansies are just a few of the products featured in Market-To-Go. (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)

Market-To-Go, a new online farmers’ market in Oak Ridge, is now located in Jackson Square, with weekly curbside pickup at Dean’s Restaurant, across from the in-person farmers’ market. Local grass-fed beef, fresh and local produce, gourmet mushrooms, honey, and even edible pansies are just a few of the products featured in Market-To-Go, a press release said.

“We hope to attract new customers to try and love locally grown foods, people who may not have time to shop at a traditional farmers’ market,” said Rebecca Williams, director of Grow Oak Ridge, the nonprofit organization that produces Market-To-Go.

“Customers can also reserve local products ahead of time, or may enjoy the convenience of seeing all the products laid out in one easy platform,” said Williams. “Plus, Market-To-Go is an important source of income for our local farmers. Our farmers asked us to continue this program for the summer.”

[Read more…]

Three displaced, no injuries in house fire

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Three adults were displaced, but no one was injured in a house fire on Jonathan Place this past weekend, firefighters said.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department was called to a structure fire on the 200 block of Jonathan Place around 9:22 p.m. Friday. Crews arrived at 9:26 p.m. and found smoke coming from the residence. The fire was under control by 9:32 p.m., a press release said.

An initial investigation showed that cause of the fire was determined to be an improperly extinguished cigarette, the press release said.

ORFD, Oak Ridge Police Department, Anderson County EMS, and American Red Cross responded to the scene.

[Read more…]

Shay West promoted to ORFD B Shift captain

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Shay West

Oak Ridge Firefighter Shay West has been promoted to Station 1 B Shift captain.

West began his career with the Oak Ridge Fire Department as a firefighter/engineer in January 2014, a press release said.

He takes over for Ray Burney, who was promoted to battalion chief earlier this year.

“I’d like to thank my former battalion chief, now fire marshal, Eric Rackard for all of his guidance over the past few years,” West said in the press release.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge Community Band plans for live July 4 concert

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Community Band performs on July 4, 2019. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Community Band plans to return to a traditional live, in-person concert schedule beginning with its annual July 4 concert this summer.

The Independence Day concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. July 4, before the City of Oak Ridge fireworks display. The band will perform at A.K. Bissell Park behind the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

“Like other area musical organizations, the Community Band was unable to perform in-person concerts this past year due to the pandemic,” a press release said. “However, band members are now looking forward to entertaining the public on July 4, which is special for the band as this date marks the 77th anniversary of the band’s very first concert on July 4, 1944.” [Read more…]

Ernestine Avery, one of 85 students to integrate Oak Ridge Schools, to speak this evening

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Ernestine Avery

A presentation in Oak Ridge this evening will feature Ernestine Avery, one of the 85 African American students who integrated Oak Ridge Schools in 1955, a press release said.

Avery was one of the 85 students who had attended Scarboro schools before integrating Oak Ridge Schools in 1955.

The presentation will begin on Zoom at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 27. This will be during the monthly general meeting of the Oak Ridge-Anderson County NAACP Branch, the press release said.

[Read more…]

National Park Service asks for public comments about Manhattan Project Park

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

An undated aerial photo posted online by the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management shows the former K-25 Building, once the world’s largest building, in west Oak Ridge. The building has been demolished, but its history is being preserved, including at the new K-25 History Center.

The National Park Service is asking for public comments about the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The comments are being sought as the Park Service prepares an interpretive plan for park programming, exhibits, and media, a press release said. The goal is to capture many different experiences and perspectives.

Discussions with the public are being organized by theme and region. The discussions focused on regions concentrate on the areas around the three Manhattan Project park locations: Hanford, Washington; Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Because of COVID-19, all events will be held virtually (online), the press release said.

The public meetings are Tuesday to Thursday this week. Here is the schedule:

[Read more…]

DEA Drug Take-Back Day is Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Take-Back Day is Saturday.

As part of the event, ASAP of Anderson is partnering with police departments in Anderson County to provide the community a “safe and convenient option to properly dispose of their medicines,” a press release said. “These events help avoid accidental diversion as well as environmental concerns that some home disposal methods can cause.”

The press release said opioid overdose deaths have increased during the pandemic.

[Read more…]

Register online now for ORICL summer courses

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bill Capshaw, master potter and Oak Ridge resident, regularly teaches pottery to ORICL members who attend his classes at the Oak Ridge Art Center. (Submitted photo)

Looking for mental stimulation? Want to learn a new skill or increase your knowledge of history and science?

Online registration for in-person and online courses offered in the summer of 2021 by the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning (ORICL) will open on April 20. The classes will be given between June 7 and July 30.

You can see the courses in the online Summer 2021 Catalog and register online by visiting the ORICL website at www.roanestate.edu/oricl. If you want to receive a paper catalog, call the ORICL office at (865) 481-8222 between 9 a.m. and 12 noon Monday through Thursday. You can also register by filling out a paper form inside the catalog and mailing it to the ORICL office, Room F-111, Roane State Community College, 701 Briarcliff Ave., Oak Ridge, TN 37830. [Read more…]

Roane State to host COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Oak Ridge for students & employees

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Roane State Community College, in partnership with the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, is planning a two-part vaccination clinic at its Oak Ridge Branch Campus for Roane State students and employees, a press release said.

The first clinic is scheduled for Wednesday, April 28, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Eastern time, and it will provide the first dose of the Moderna vaccine to participants. Appointments are available for students and college employees by visiting roanestate.edu/vaccine. R numbers will be required to sign up, the press release said. Students and employees from any campus location are eligible.

The clinics will be held in a drive-through format. Participants should follow signs posted on campus, and they can stay inside their vehicles the entire time. A short waiting period after receiving the shot will be required for safety. Vehicles will park in a designated area during this time.

[Read more…]

ORAU will support COVID-19 communications for CDC Office of Minority Health & Health Equity

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Part of the ORAU campus in central Oak Ridge is pictured above on May 29, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

ORAU was recently awarded a contract by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) to provide technical communications support to the office and three COVID-19 award recipients.

ORAU will advise the development of awardee health communication plans and materials targeting limited English proficiency audiences, such as Hispanic or Asian/Pacific Islander populations, as well as help increase the communications capacity of OMHHE to respond to COVID-19 in these and other high-risk communities, a press release said. [Read more…]