Oak Ridge Today

Letter: State employees endorse Nolan in District 33 House race

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NASHVILLE —The Tennessee Employees Action Movement proudly endorses Caitlin Nolan, R-Oak Ridge, in the race for the 33rd House District.

“We are delighted to endorse Caitlin Nolan’s campaign,” TEAM Administrative Committee Chairman Bryan Merritt said. “Caitlin understands that it is our state employees who make government work and that quality services for the citizens of Tennessee depend on a motivated, effective and efficient workforce. Caitlin Nolan is a leader that state employees can trust to carry their voice to Nashville, and that is why she has our support.”

TEAM is the political action arm of the Tennessee State Employees Association. Founded in 1974, TSEA represents the rights and interests of 40,000 state employees in Tennessee and has a rich history of improving the lives of its state employee members. For further information, visit TSEA’s website at www.tseaonline.org.

Pet of the Day: Casterly

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Pet of the Day: Casterly

Submitted

I’m Casterly. If you like to watch “Game of Thrones,” you’ll recognize my name.

I am only a year old, and one of the volunteers was asked, “Is this dog really this mellow, or is he just trying to get adopted?” Haha! I am really that mellow!

I’m a Yellow Labrador mix, and I just became available. I am very smart and calm, good with children and other animals. The only thing I seem to be interested in with cats is their food. LOL. Yep, I’m a chow hound, all right!

P.S. I’m sponsored for 1/2 of the fees, because one of the volunteers wants to make sure I get a GREAT new home! [Read more…]

Pet of the Day: Baby

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Pet of the Day: Baby

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I am the sweetest thing! My name is Baby and I so need a home of my own. Can you help me?

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. It’s located at 395 Belgrade Road in east Oak Ridge. The phone number is (865) 425-3423.

See the Animal Shelter’s website here. You can also find more information on adoptable animals at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on this Facebook page.

Sewer rehab work continues week of July 28

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More rehabilitation work of the city’s sewer collection pipes is scheduled to continue this week, starting Monday, July 28.

The work is being done by Hurst Excavating and Morgan Contracting under contract with the City of Oak Ridge. It includes rehabilitating sewer collection pipes within city easements in yards and in roadways, a press release said.

Residents should already have received color-coded letters and door hangers (orange for Hurst Excavating and purple for Morgan Contracting) providing general information and each contractors’ contact information.

Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists are urged to use extra care and caution when traveling on the streets with sewer work areas, a press release said. Temporary road repairs will be made, and loose gravel should be expected until the patches are permanently paved. [Read more…]

Vinyard named chief of Payment Services Branch at DOE Oak Ridge

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Lynda M. Vinyard

Lynda M. Vinyard

Lynda M. Vinyard was recently named chief of the Payment Services Branch in the Oak Ridge Financial Service Center within the Oak Ridge Office of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Vinyard’s responsibilities include directing a staff of accountants, technicians, and support contractors in developing, administering, and planning DOE’s consolidated payment activities through the DOE payment center, which processes more than 150,000 invoices and payments totaling approximately $12B per year. She also ensures the ORO payment center maintains a prompt payment percentage rate greater than the 98 percent target set by the United States Office of Management and Budget. Her responsibilities also include overseeing the ORO payments system, travel and payroll office, and the Internal Revenue Service tax reporting requirements.

Vinyard’s DOE federal career began in 1984 when she was a student aid in the badging office in the Safeguards and Security Division for ORO. Since then, she has served in various positions within the ORO including accounts maintenance clerk, systems accountant for travel, financial systems, data and payroll branch, and most recently senior systems accountant in the Payment Services Branch. [Read more…]

Creedon confirmed as NNSA principal deputy administrator

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Madelyn R. Creedon

Madelyn R. Creedon

WASHINGTON—Madelyn Creedon was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday as the U.S. Department of Energy’s principal deputy administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

“Madelyn Creedon’s confirmation comes at a critical point for the National Nuclear Security Administration,” said Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. “She is well-prepared for her new role at the department as it follows a long career of public service in national security, including at the Department of Defense, with the Senate Armed Services Committee, and, previously, at the Department of Energy. NNSA Administrator Klotz and I thank the Senate for their attention to Madelyn’s nomination, and look forward to working with her.”

As NNSA’s principal deputy administrator, Creedon will support NNSA Administrator Frank Klotz in the management and operation of the NNSA, as well as policy matters across the DOE and NNSA enterprise in support of President Obama’s nuclear security agenda, a press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats add coach, have car wash Saturday

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats program has added Coach Tammy Dowdell-Threat to its staff, a press release said.

Dowdell-Threat was born and raised in the Oak Ridge community and is a product of the Oak Ridge school system, the release said. She is a 1989 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, where she was a three-year starter and member of the first Lady Wildcats state basketball championship team in 1988. In 1988, she was also a member of the Lady Wildcats state track championship team. Dowdell-Threat accumulated numerous awards during her career at Oak Ridge and is still listed in the record books, the release said.

She  continued her basketball career at the University of Kentucky and University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management. While at Chattanooga (1991-94), she earned first and second team All-Conference, as well as finishing in the Top 10 in several categories and was also a member of the 1,000 point club, the release said. [Read more…]

Running camp for middle school runners starts Monday at RMS

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The Oak Ridge High Cross Country staff will host a running camp for middle school runners starting on Monday, July 28, at Robertsville Middle School at 9:30 a.m.

Head Coach Allen Etheridge, with assistant coaches Sam Roberts and Ed Wright, with a total of 60 years experience, will lead the camp. Daily workouts will include a dynamic warm-up, gait and form analysis, and workout.

The camp is open to any middle school-age athlete from sixth to eighth grade. The cost is $50, and it includes a T-shirt. Contact Coach Roberts at shroberts@ortn.edu for more information.

Democratic Women host tea for Mary Headrick on Monday

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Mary Headrick

Mary Headrick

The Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club will host a tea on Monday, July 28, for Mary Headrick, the Democratic candidate for the Third Congressional District seat, and other female candidates in this year’s elections.

The tea, in support of female Democratic candidates, will be from 5-7 p.m. July 28 at Democratic Headquarters at 125 Leinart St., Suite 3, in Clinton. Tea and light refreshments will be served, a press release said.

Women are invited to come meet Headrick, have tea, and discuss issues important to the Third District, the release said. The club will also offer its support to district candidates for the female position on the Democratic Party Executive Committee: Dixie Damm and Beth Hickman. Other Democratic female candidates from the region are invited to attend.

Temptations Revue featuring Nate Evans at ORHS for Aug. 9 fundraiser

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Temptations Nate Evans Theater

The Temptations Revue featuring Nate Evans will perform at Oak Ridge High School on August 9 in a fundraiser for the proposed revitalization of Jack Armstrong Stadium and Blankenship Field.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. August 9. The Temptations Revue will perform Motown hits like “My Girl,” “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” “Get Ready,” “Just My Imagination,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “I Wish It Would Rain,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.”

The concert is presented by the Oak Ridge Quarterback Club, with all proceeds going to the revitalization effort.

You can buy tickets at www.temptationsrevueorhs.evenbrite.com.

Scarboro Reunion this weekend includes parade, Fun Day

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The Scarboro Community Alumni Association is having its second biennial reunion from July 25 to 28.

In 2012, an over-capacity crowd of some 400 elementary school students, Scarboro neighborhood residents, and Oak Ridge residents participated in the event. It is the committee’s hope that the number will double this year.

Scarboro is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Oak Ridge.

The East Tennessee community is invited to attend a Saturday, July 26, parade beginning at Grey Strang Ball Field at 9 a.m., turning left onto Benedict Avenue, turning right onto Dillard and right onto Wilberforce, ending at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Parade participants will include MAC SOSA (Brian Jones), renowned rapper; Little Miss Scarboro, Lyric Loette Fletcher; and Little Mr. Scarboro, Jayden Lamar Davis; Alpha Kappa Alpha, Xi Iota Omega Chapter; Delta Sigma Theta Alumni Chapter, Oak Ridge; representatives of the military community, coordinated by David Sims; City of Oak Ridge officials; Oak Ridge Fire Department; Oak Ridge Police Department; Buffalo Soldriers-Wilbert Minter (horse riders); Knoxville Motorcycle Club; Oak Ridge High Class of 1971, coordinated by Ruby Henderson; Mt. Zion Praise Team; Spurgeon Chapel Church; Destined Devoted Divas; political officials; African Dance Team; and more. [Read more…]

Dale Carnegie Employee Engagement Workshop Series starts Aug. 14

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Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Dale Carnegie of Tennessee to offer a six-workshop series on employee engagement. A discount is available for members of the Chamber and for those who register for all six sessions, a press release said.

The first session will be held on August 14 from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the Chamber, located at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Session one is titled “How Smart Leaders Create Engaged Employees.” Based on new, groundbreaking research you will learn the three clusters of behaviors that significantly impact engagement.

Then, within each cluster, individual actions will be broken down to help participants develop enthusiastic, empowered, confident, and inspired employees—the type of employees who care, who want to be part of a success story, and who will drive an organization to the top. Learn how to increase productivity and reduce turnover by cultivating a workforce of engaged employees. [Read more…]