Oak Ridge Today Staff - Author at Oak Ridge Today

State officials, local agencies to crack down on seat belt use, impaired driving

Posted at 1:53 pm November 9, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Kendell Poole

Traffic fatalities in Anderson County are up significantly this year, and Tennessee officials and local law enforcement agencies will announce a campaign on Monday to crack down on drivers not using seat belts or driving while impaired during the holidays.

The announcement is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, November 10, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Among those participating will be Kendell Poole, director of the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office, and members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, as well as representatives of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, and Oak Ridge, Clinton, Norris, and Rocky Top police departments.

“There have been 16 traffic fatalities in Anderson County in 2014, which represents a 77 percent increase compared to 2013,” a press release said. “This is the third highest year-to-date difference in fatalities that an individual county has seen in Tennessee. Seventy-five percent of the fatalities were unrestrained. In an effort to prevent additional fatalities and injuries, Anderson County agencies will be increasing enforcement and conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.” [Read more…]

‘Dine and Donate’ to support ADFAC on Monday

Posted at 1:33 pm November 9, 2014
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Popeye’s is a first-time Dine and Donate participating restaurant. Dedicated to providing “Louisiana Fast” food, Popeye’s menu takes a step outside the box, offering chicken and seafood prepared spicy or blackened. Side items range from freshly made biscuits and Cajun fries to red beans and rice and jambalaya. (Photo and caption by ADFAC)

“Dine and Donate,” a monthly fundraiser for Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC, is back for November—and it features 11 restaurants throughout Anderson County.

“We are very fortunate to have wonderful representation in Oak Ridge, and are very pleased that November offers a broad range of restaurants that reach all corners of the county,” said ADFAC Board Member Cande Seay, who also chairs the Dine and Donate committee. “Over half of all ADFAC clients served live in these rural areas, and we hope residents will dine out to help their less fortunate neighbors.”

On Dine and Donate Mondays (the second Monday of each month), local restaurants donate a significant portion of their daily sales to ADFAC.

Restaurants participating on Monday, November 10, are: [Read more…]

ORHS Math Bowl team finishes second in large school competition

Posted at 12:12 pm November 9, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Thirty students from Oak Ridge High School competed in the annual Pro2Serv Fermat Competition and Math Bowl on Thursday, and the school’s Math Bowl A team finished second in the large school competition, a press release said.

“Our Math Bowl teams were very competitive, with our A team narrowly losing by one point,” the release said. The A team was comprised of Albert Xue, Tina Wang, and Katherine Zhang, along with alternate Sheichen Zhang.

The B team of Vincent Jodoin, Gabe Vacaliuc, and Joe Andress, with alternate Adi Sujithkumar, also had an amazing run, but came up a match short of placing, the release said. [Read more…]

Today: ‘Say No to Drugs’ balloon release in Oak Ridge

Posted at 10:15 am November 9, 2014
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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 9, 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…]

Guided gratitude mediation offered Saturday morning

Posted at 3:56 pm November 7, 2014
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Linda D. Doyle

A guided meditation of gratitude will be hosted by the Mental Health Ministry of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church on Saturday, November 8. The meditation, which will be led by licensed clinical social worker and CONTACT volunteer Linda Doyle, will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the church fellowship hall.

The church is located at 131 West Gettysburg Avenue in Oak Ridge. The event is free and open to the public, and child care will be provided.

Doyle said in notes about the meditation that it is a type appropriate for all faiths and for the coming holiday season.

“The theme will be gratitude, keeping in mind the upcoming celebration of our country’s national holiday in November,” Doyle said in a press release. [Read more…]

Recycle electronics, other items; shred documents on Saturday

Posted at 3:38 pm November 7, 2014
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You can recycle certain electronics and other items and shred documents during a recycling event on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Saturday.

The recycling program is sponsored by Keep Anderson County Beautiful. It is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, November 8, at the Potter’s Clearance Center next to Willow Ridge Garden Center.

It’s part of the national America Recycles Day, sponsored by Keep America Beautiful.

During the local event, Scott Recycling of Knoxville will collect old computers and peripherals, cell phones, rechargeable and button batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs (no tubes), used books (not text books), and eyeglasses. For televisions, there is a charge of $20/TV and $1 per CRT computer monitor because of current expenses associated with recycling CRT screens. No TV cabinetry will be accepted. Scott Recycling from Knoxville will be recycling the electronics. [Read more…]

First Atomic City Bowl at Boys and Girls Club on Saturday

Posted at 3:24 pm November 7, 2014
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The first Atomic City Bowl will feature football games at the Boys and Girls Club on Saturday, November 8. The games will be played on the football field at 102 South Jefferson Circle.

“We would like to invite the community to come out and watch the future of Oak Ridge football,” a press release said.

Here is the schedule:

Oak Ridge U10 versus Farragut—3:15 p.m.
Oak Ridge U7 versus Fulton—4:45 p.m.

Admission is $3 for adults and $1 students.

Daughters of American Revolution chapter meets Saturday in Oak Ridge

Posted at 3:08 pm November 7, 2014
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The Clinch Bend Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will meet Saturday afternoon in Oak Ridge.

The meeting starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 8, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.

The chapter will be honoring the nation’s veterans with a guest speaker, (retired) Lieutenant Colonel Nancy Johnson, a press release said. Johnson will present “My Life as a Soldier Girl.”

Refreshments will be served. For information, call (865) 945-5605 or visit http://tndar.org/~clinchbend/.

WYSH: County officials request records from Clinton as Courthouse case crosses street

Posted at 1:54 pm November 7, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 2 Comments

Clinton City Hall (Photo courtesy City of Clinton)

Information from WYSH Radio

The controversy and conflict regarding the copying of hard drives from computers in the Anderson County Human Resources Department has spilled across the street from the County Courthouse to Clinton City Hall.

As we have reported, County Human Resources Director Cathy Best announced her resignation Monday after almost 10 years on the job and her looming departure, along with that of her second-in-command Kerri Ashley, prompted County Mayor Terry Frank to try to have their hard drives copied. Her request was made after she was informed last month that former building inspector Lisa Crumpley was planning on filing a wrongful termination lawsuit against the county, alleging that she was fired for cooperating in the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe that led to the indictment of her boss, David Crowley, on charges of inspecting buildings without the necessary certifications.

Frank wanted to copy all forensic evidence on the computers used by Best and Ashley, as they may contain information regarding Crumpley’s termination and what became of her personnel file, which went missing days after she was fired. [Read more…]

Former AC court official has new job in Rocky Top

Posted at 8:51 am November 7, 2014
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Tyler Mayes

Information from WYSH Radio

Former Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk Tyler Mayes has been named the acting city recorder in Rocky Top.

Mayes was appointed by the Anderson County Commission to serve the remainder of longtime Clerk Barry Pelizarri’s term following his retirement in 2012, but he did not win the election to retain that seat in August, losing to William Jones.

Mayes will succeed Chris Phillips, who served briefly as Rocky Top city recorder before returning to his former job as the Anderson County budget and accounts director last month. The Rocky Top City Council will vote on whether to confirm him in the job on November 20.

BBB: City Manager Treece resigns in OS

Posted at 8:41 am November 7, 2014
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Tina Treece (Photo by BBB-TV)

Information from WYSH Radio

According to our partners at BBB-TV, Oliver Springs City Manager Tina Treece has announced that she is resigning after more than two years on the job.

Treece notified city leaders of her intention to step down on Wednesday, the day after the Tuesday, November 4, election. But BBB said it wasn’t clear if the resignation was because of the election.

Treece has been in her position since early 2012, when she replaced David Bolling, who left the city for a similar job in Maine. Bolling, who is also a former Anderson County commissioner, has since returned to Tennessee as city manager in Kingston.

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