Oak Ridge Today

UT among best, most interesting schools; ORNL collaboration cited

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

The University of Tennessee in Knoxville has been rated one of the “best and most interesting” schools in the 2015 edition of the “Fiske Guide to Colleges,” and UT’s collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory was recognized.

KNOXVILLE—The University of Tennessee in Knoxville has been rated one of the “best and most interesting” schools in the 2015 edition of the “Fiske Guide to Colleges,” which reviews higher education institutions in the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain.

UT is one of more than 300 universities to be included in the guide, which advises prospective students about academic quality, campus setting, financial aid, housing, and extracurricular activities. The publication was released this summer.

UT is recognized for its collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which “bolsters science and technology offerings, and involves more than 400 students and faculty in majors as diverse as English and physics.” The guide also praises the university’s strong programs in communications, psychology, business, architecture, accounting, and engineering. [Read more…]

Photos: Luther Brannon House before World War II, Monday morning fire

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Owen Hackworth Home Before Manhattan Project

This home near the Elza community was built by Owen Hackworth in 1941 and soon acquired by the federal government as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. Now known as the Luther Brannon House, the home was damaged in a fire early Monday morning. It’s one of the few pre-World War II homes remaining in Oak Ridge. (Photos courtesy Don Raby)

 

Here are pre-war photos of the historic Luther Brannon House that was damaged in a fire on Oak Ridge Turnpike early Monday morning.

The single-story stone bungalow was built by Owen Hackworth in 1941 and soon acquired by the federal government as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. It’s one of the few pre-World War II homes remaining in Oak Ridge. Owner Danny Brannon has said he plans to rebuild it. [Read more…]

Sixth person arrested in Aryans Nations gang-related attempted murder

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Cynthia Ann Wright

Cynthia Ann Wright

A sixth person was arrested on Thursday after another indictment was returned in an Aryan Nations gang-related attempted murder and conspiracy case, authorities said.

Cynthia Ann Wright, 40, of Strawberry Plains, was arrested at her home in Jefferson County by sheriff’s investigators with the assistance of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said in a Tuesday morning press release. Wright is now being held in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton under a $100,000 bond.

White said investigators obtained indictments from the Anderson County Grand Jury on the six people after a lengthy investigation into the severe beating of a 31-year-old Briceville man that resulted in serious injuries. The incident occurred on Dennis Lane in Claxton in December 2013 and was from internal gang-related enforcement. All six people charged in the case are members of the Aryan Nations gang, White said. [Read more…]

Reminder: Juvenile Court judge candidate forum tonight

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There will be a candidate forum featuring the two men running for Anderson County Juvenile Court judge on Tuesday, July 8, at the Clinton Public Library from 6 to 7 p.m. The forum is being hosted by Community Mediation Services (CMS) and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Tennessee Heartland.

The candidates are Republican Brian Hunt and Democrat Michael Clement. Both men will be given the chance to address the crowd and will take a few questions from the audience during the forum.

The doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the public is encouraged to attend.

Today—July 8—is deadline to register to vote in Aug. 7 election

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Today—Tuesday, July 8—is the final day to register to vote in time to be eligible to take part in the Aug. 7 general election.

Early voting for the August election, which features countywide races and County Commission races, will be held from July 18 through August.

To find out more about voter registration, call the Anderson County Election Commission at (865) 457-6238 or visit www.acelect.com.

Oak Ridge man dies in Anderson County jail

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Information from WYSH Radio

An Oak Ridge man died Friday while in custody at the Anderson County Jail, and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death is under way.

According to an Anderson County Sheriff’s Department incident report, 34-year-old Christopher Sullivan was found unresponsive in a holding cell at around 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 4. He been arrested by Oak Ridge police about three hours earlier on charges of public intoxication, two counts of possessing a Schedule II narcotic, and on an outstanding warrant for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to the report, the jail’s detox log indicates that jailers had checked on Sullivan “several times at regular intervals” before he was found unconscious in his cell. Jailers immediately began CPR, which was continued for about 15 more minutes when Anderson County EMS paramedics responded to the jail. [Read more…]

Red Sox sign Steen, a right-handed pitcher from Oak Ridge

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BOSTON, Mass.—The Boston Red Sox have signed ninth-round selection Kevin Steen, a right-handed pitcher from Oak Ridge High School.

The Red Sox drafted Steen in June. He had committed to play baseball at the University of Tennessee, and he was the 284th pick in the three-day, 40-round MLB First-Year Player Draft in June.

Steen, who was a senior at ORHS this past year, also played basketball for the Oak Ridge Wildcats and helped lead the team to a state championship game in March for the first time since 1963. Oak Ridge finished as state Class AAA runner-up. [Read more…]

UT basketball coach Tyndall helps kick off ORNL’s United Way campaign

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Donnie Tyndall at ORNL United Way Campaign Kickoff

University of Tennessee men’s basketball coach Donnie Tyndall helps kick off the 2014 United Way campaign at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photos by Jason Richards/ORNL)

 

University of Tennessee men’s basketball coach Donnie Tyndall was at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Monday morning to help kick off the lab’s 2014 United Way campaign.

“United Way brings together resources,” Tyndall told the ORNL staff members. “They don’t just take the check. The United Way has a track record of putting programs in place to help people with life skills.”

Associate Laboratory Director for Neutron Sciences Ron Crone is leading this year’s campaign with co-chair Phil Britt, who directs the Chemistry Division.

Local radio personality Hallerin Hilton Hill, who did his morning broadcast in the Conference Center, joined the kickoff.  [Read more…]

Honors: Gipson selected to Capital One Academic All-America third team

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Autumn Gipson Christmas Invitational

Oak Ridge High School graduate and Middle Tennessee State University student Autumn Gipson, right, running next to teammate Jackline Kiprono, left, in the mile at the Christmas Invitational in Murfreesboro, Tenn. (MT Athletic Communications)

 

First Blue Raider in track and field and cross country

AUSTIN, Texas—Autumn Gipson, a senior runner at Middle Tennessee State University and former all-star athlete at Oak Ridge High School, was selected to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country third team. The College Sport Information Directors of America announced the selection in late June.

Gipson, a key contributor for MTSU in cross country and track and field, is an exercise science major that has maintained a 4.0 grade point average, the university said in a story posted on its website. She was also selected to the Conference USA Women’s Track and Field All-Academic team on May 28 and the C-USA Women’s Cross Country All-Academic team in November 2013.

“Gipson is the perfect combination of putting academics and athletics together,” said Middle Tennessee head coach Dean Hayes. “She is a good student and has done good things athletically, while making the most of her opportunity at Middle Tennessee. What she has done in the classroom and on the track will help her find success in the future.”

The Knoxville native notched two top-10 finishes in cross country, placing as high as eighth on the two-mile course at the Front Runner Invitational, the MTSU story said. During the indoor season, she tallied three individual top-15 finishes and was a member of the distance medley relay, which placed in the top seven in the five meets they competed in. The relay team captured first at the Edward S. Temple Classic and seventh at the C-USA Indoor Championships. [Read more…]

Photos: July 4 fireworks, Oak Ridge Community Band

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July 4, 2014, Fireworks in Oak Ridge

The July 4 fireworks in Oak Ridge were at Alvin K. Bissell Park. (Photos by Fred O’Hara)

 

The annual Independence Day celebration and fireworks display in Oak Ridge was Friday, July 4, at Alvin K. Bissell Park. The festivities started at 7:30 p.m. with a free concert by the Oak Ridge Community Band, and they ended with the fireworks display at 10 p.m.

It was the 70th anniversary of the Community Band’s first concert held on July 4, 1944.

Here are pictures by Fred O’Hara. [Read more…]

Iwanski announces re-election campaign for County Commission

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Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski is seeking re-election to Anderson County Commission in District 8, which includes the Woodland, Emory Valley, and Hendrix Creek precincts in Oak Ridge.

Iwanski was appointed in 2011 to serve as mayor by County Commission early in his current term on County Commission. This was a 19-month appointment until a mayor could be elected for the remaining two years of former Mayor Rex Lynch’s term.

“It was an honor to be selected by my peers on County Commission to serve as chairman of County Commission for three terms and then as mayor during a difficult time for our county government,” Iwanski said in a press release.

“We had to work together to make some tough decisions,” Iwanski said. “We put several initiatives in place that will expand our retail and industrial tax base, promote tourism, and create jobs. This included setting funds aside for industrial land and infrastructure and creating a public/private partnership to hire a retail recruiter. We also put initiatives in place that are slowing the growth in the county jail population while helping reduce the crime rate. [Read more…]

Sewer rehab work continues week of July 7

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More rehabilitation work of the city’s sewer collection pipes is scheduled to continue next week, starting July 7.

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…]