Oak Ridge Today

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

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AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION AT 103 PALLADIUM WAY, HORIZON CENTER INDUSTRIAL PARK, OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE (DOE/EA-2159)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the availability of this Draft Environmental Assessment (EA), which analyzes the potential impacts of conducting most of the Y-12 Development Organization operations in a modern offsite facility located at 103 Palladium Way in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, approximately 9.5 miles west of the Y-12 National Security Complex.

NNSA invites the public to review and submit comments on the Draft EA. Copies of the document are available for public review on the NNSA NEPA web page (https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room) and/or the DOE NEPA web page (https://www.energy.gov/nepa/public-comment-opportunities).

Public comments on the Draft EA should be submitted no later than May 7, 2021. Comments may be submitted via regular mail to the NNSA NEPA Document Manager, Attn: Development Organization Draft EA, P.O. Box 2050, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 or by email: NEPA.Comments@npo.doe.gov. Comments will not be accepted over the telephone.

Public Notice: Final environmental assessment available for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

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AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING FACILITY AT THE Y-12 NATIONAL SECURITY COMPLEX (DOE/EA-2145) AND FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the availability of this Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

The Final EA analyzes the potential impacts of constructing and operating the Lithium Processing Facility (LPF) to process and supply the lithium material and components that are needed to support the National Security Enterprise. The LPF would be located at the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) on a proposed site that is currently occupied by the Biology Complex.

Copies of the documents are available at https://www.energy.gov/nepa/doeea-2145-lithium-processing-facility-y-12-national-security-complex-oak-ridge-tennessee. Requests for additional information may be submitted via regular mail to the NNSA NEPA Document Manager, Attn: LPF EA, P.O. Box 2050, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 or by email: NEPA.Comments@npo.doe.gov.

First Presbyterian offers free meals, groceries Thursday

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First Presbyterian Church will provide a free meal and bag of groceries to food-insecure guests who drive by the church between 5:30 and 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 8.

The church’s monthly Welcome Table community meal program plans to supply each guest with a hot meal consisting of taco soup, Fritos chips, fresh fruit, and brownies or cookies. [Read more…]

Political redistricting to be discussed at Lunch with League

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Debby Gould

Political redistricting will be discussed at Lunch with the League in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, April 20.

The virtual meeting is scheduled to start at noon April 20. It is hosted by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

The featured speaker will be Debby Gould, first vice president of the League of Women Voters of Tennessee.

She will “share information on the League’s efforts to facilitate fair and equitable redistricting in our state and nation through its People Powered Fair Maps national redistricting program, which aims to create fair political maps nationwide in all 50 states and the District of Columbia,” a press release said.

[Read more…]

Death penalty to be discussed at Lunch with League

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Marshall Jensen

The death penalty in America will be discussed during a Lunch with the League meeting at noon today (Tuesday, April 6).

The virtual meeting is hosted by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. It will feature Marshall Jensen, a federal public defender for the Middle District of Tennessee. His talk is titled “‘Spaces of Sorrow Only God Can Touch’: The Death Penalty in Modern America.”

“Most people think that those on death row must be the worst of the worst,” Jensen said in a press release. “But when we examine who ends up on death row in America, what they share is they almost uniformly tend to be poor, mentally ill, intellectually disabled, or suffer from some form of organic brain damage.”

Having served as a federal public defender for the Middle District of Tennessee in the Capital Habeas Unit since January 2020, Jensen represents people sentenced to death in their final, federal appeals before execution, the press release said. Prior to this work, he served as an assistant public defender at the Knox County Public Defender’s Community Law Office, where he represented indigent individuals in Knox County criminal courts.

[Read more…]

Controlled burns in west Oak Ridge

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The Tennessee Division of Forestry and the U.S. Department of Energy will have controlled burns beginning at noon and ending at 7 p.m. Monday, April 5.

The controlled burns will continue Tuesday if necessary, the City of Oak Ridge said.

The controlled burn will be in the area of Wisconsin and Whippoorwill Drive in west Oak Ridge.

[Read more…]

ORHS educator named Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction

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Heidi Foster, an educator at Oak Ridge High School, was recently selected as a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS).

“A role model to pupils, Heidi was nominated by a student for outstanding dedication and commitment to excellence in the profession,” a press release said. “Each year, student members of NSHSS are invited to nominate the educator who has made the most significant contribution to their academic career for the Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction award. This honor recognizes exemplary educators whose passion and devotion inspire their students to grow and develop as scholars, leaders, and citizens.”

The National Society of High School Scholars seeks to advance the goals and aspirations of high-achieving students through unique learning experiences, scholarships, internships, international study, and peer networks. From attending the annual Nobel Week festivities in Stockholm, to internships with major corporations and government agencies, pre-college summer study programs, and more than $2,000,000 in exclusive scholarships awarded annually, NSHSS is continually seeking new ways to provide lifetime learning and growth opportunities for academically talented and accomplished student leaders, and the educators who support them.

[Read more…]

ADFAC Egg Spectacular next week

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ADFAC’s Egg Spectacular offers 50/50 Raffle; egg tickets on sale now, drawing at 5 p.m. April 10

Submitted

ADFAC is hosting a new “egg-citing” event on April 10 aimed to raise necessary funds for ADFAC and give an “eggs-tra” lucky winner half the net sales. The more tickets are sold, the higher the winner’s jackpot will be.

It’s no yolk—someone will win a bunch of cash by participating in the ADFAC Egg Spectacular!

Each $5 “egg” is a raffle ticket that provides one chance to win a prize or prizes. The grand prize winner will receive 50 percent of the net ticket sales while the remaining 50 percent will go towards supporting ADFAC’s mission in the community. In addition, two runners-up will receive non-cash prizes. [Read more…]

ORHS student wins first place at Tennessee Junior Science & Humanities Symposium

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Oak Ridge High School student Daniel Joy won first place at the Tennessee Junior Science and Humanities Symposium Poster Presentation Competition held virtually in March, the school system said in a press release.

The competition was March 4-5. Daniel, son of Ingrid Busch and Ken Joy, presented his poster, “Using Data Science to Explore Historical Trends and Predict Future Rates of COVID-19”. His research involved analyzing COVID-19 case rates around holidays using regression analysis. Dan worked with Chad Steed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory through the Math Thesis course at Oak Ridge High School, the press release said.

Jessica Williams, co-teacher of Math Thesis at ORHS, said: “We’re thrilled that (the University of Tennessee in Knoxville) was able to provide this opportunity to students this year. TJSHS is a unique opportunity for high school students to present their scientific research in a professional setting. We appreciate the support from our administration and the community to provide this course to our students.”

[Read more…]

Dr. Michelle Cash is Roane State Outstanding Alumni

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Michelle Cash

By Bob Fowler Roane State staff writer

“I always knew I wanted to teach,” says Dr. Michelle Cash, the winner of Roane State’s prestigious Outstanding Alumni Award for 2019. She was to be recognized on Monday, March 29, as part of the community college’s virtual TBR SOAR Award Celebration.

She serves as the RN-BSN Program Coordinator at King University’s Knoxville campus while also working as a staff nurse in Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center’s newborn nursery. She has also served as an adjunct OB clinical instructor for Roane State Community College.

Cash joins a distinguished group of Roane State alumni honored each year since 2004 for their accomplishments and their widely recognized leadership abilities.

“It’s a great honor to be selected,” the Kingston native said. “I’ve always treasured the education I received at Roane State.”

[Read more…]

ORNL names operations deputy

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Alan Icenhour has been named deputy for operations at ORNL. (Photo credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy)

Alan Icenhour has been named deputy for operations at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He will succeed Jeff Smith, who is retiring this spring after serving in the role since UT-Battelle began operating the lab in 2000, a press release said.

Icenhour joined ORNL in 1990 as an engineer, and he served most recently as associate laboratory director for the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate. He led the Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate from 2014 until the isotopes directorate was formed in October 2020. Icenhour has held a variety of other leadership positions as well as an assignment as senior technical adviser to the National Nuclear Security Administration, the press release said.

“Alan is a disciplined, thoughtful leader with broad experience at ORNL and proven success in a variety of roles,” ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia said in the press release said. “His ability to evaluate complex problems, find creative solutions, and build highly productive relationships will ensure the operational excellence necessary to support world-leading research and development.”

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ORNL names associate lab director for physical sciences

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Cynthia Jenks has been selected as associate laboratory director for Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Physical Sciences Directorate. (Photo credit: Argonne National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy)

Cynthia Jenks has been selected as associate laboratory director for the Physical Sciences Directorate at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She will start at the lab April 19, a press release said.

Jenks comes to ORNL from Argonne National Laboratory, where she has directed the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, overseeing the contributions of 17 research groups, the press release said.

Before she worked at Argonne, Jenks served in a variety of roles at Ames Laboratory, including as assistant director for scientific planning, the press release said. During her career in the national laboratory system, Jenks has developed strong relationships within DOE’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences, or BES, one of the nation’s largest sponsors of research in the physical sciences, the press release said.

The research she leads at Argonne is also supported by DOE’s offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy, and Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, the press release said.

[Read more…]