Oak Ridge Today

DOE advisory board welcomes new student representatives

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Aditya Chourey and Claire Rowcliffe

Aditya Chourey of Oak Ridge High School and Claire Rowcliffe of Hardin Valley Academy, are the new student representatives to the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board for Fiscal Year 2014-15. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board welcomed two new student representatives, Aditya Chourey and Claire Rowcliffe, at its May meeting. They will serve on the board through April 2015.

ORSSAB is a federally chartered citizens’ panel that provides recommendations to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management.

“We’re very happy to welcome two new student representatives to the board,” said Dave Adler, the board’s DOE alternate deputy designated federal officer, as he introduced the students to the board. “Thank you for coming to work with us for a year. It’s great you’ll be taking the time from your high school schedules to be part of the board.” [Read more…]

Clinton to receive Municipal League award for police service

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Clinton Police Department Badge

Clinton will receive a Tennessee Municipal League award for police service during a conference in Chattanooga on Tuesday, a press release said.

The 2014 Tennessee Municipal League Achievement Award for Excellence in Police Service will be presented at 8 a.m. Tuesday during TML’s 75th Annual Conference at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga.

The award is being presented in recognition of the city’s efforts to provide a model police department to the community, the release said.

“A culture of planning, caring and excellence; it’s what takes a municipal Police Department from ordinary to outstanding,” the release said. “And the Clinton Police Department is all that. A model of efficiency and outreach, officers—several with advanced specialty degrees—strive to provide the utmost in community service and training to area schools and other agencies, while being good stewards of the community resources. An extraordinary focus on communication among the department’s command staff is reflected in the city’s reduction in crime rate.” [Read more…]

Volunteers, launch drivers needed for USRowing National Championship

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USRowing Youth National Championships Finals

The USRowing Youth National Championships Finals are pictured above in Oak Ridge in June 2013. (File photo)

USRowing is having its 2014 National Club Championship regatta in Oak Ridge from Wednesday, July 16, through Sunday, July 20.

The regatta is on Melton Hill Lake at the Oak Ridge Marina.

The Oak Ridge Rowing Association is seeking volunteers for this event, a press release said. No experience is necessary.

“This is a great way to get up close to some of the best racing in the country,” said Terry Holley, president of the Oak Ridge Rowing Association. “We are pleased that USRowing has chosen Melton Hill Lake once again as the venue for this prestigious event.” [Read more…]

Spotlight: Y-12 employees bike to work for National Bike Month

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Y-12 Employees Bike to Work

Seven Y‑12 employees biked to work from Oak Ridge on May 22 in recognition of National Bike Month. From left to right are Jay Snyder, Uvalde Mendez, Stephen Charles, Todd Mills, Susan Baker, David Mosby, and Libby Clemens. (Photo by Kathy Fahey)

 

Seven Y‑12 National Security Complex employees biked to work from Oak Ridge on May 22 in recognition of National Bike Month.

Jay Snyder coordinated the ride with LiveWise, Industrial Safety and Safeguards, Security and Emergency Services to ensure all safety rules and procedures were followed.

The group is committed to bike to work at least one day each month during the summer and fall months.

DOE’s Oak Ridge Office names safety, technical services manager

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Mildred López-Ferré

Mildred López-Ferré (DOE photo/Lynn Freeny)

Mildred López-Ferré has been named deputy assistant manager for safety and technical services at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office.

In this position, López-Ferré will be responsible for leading the development and execution of the requirements and guidelines for environment safety and health and quality assurance for ORO and for multiple DOE site offices nationwide under the purview of the department’s Office of Science Integrated Support Center.

López-Ferré will assist ORO in all aspects of the Integrated Safety Management System, or ISMS, to ensure that DOE operations provide adequate protection to employees, the general public, the environment, and DOE property, effectively and efficiently, a press release said.

López-Ferré began her career at the DOE-ORO in 1991 as a program manager in the former Environmental Restoration Division. Since that time, she has held several leadership positions at ORO, including team leader for Y-12 National Security Complex projects, and ORO federal project director responsible for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 environmental management operations. She has also served as special projects manager in the ORO Manager’s Office, and most recently special projects assistant for the assistant manager for safety and technical services within the DOE Oak Ridge Office. [Read more…]

Pet of the Day: Tobias

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Pet of the Day: Tobias

Submitted

Tobias—what a perfect name for me! It’s the Greek translation of a Hebrew name that means “the goodness of God.”

I look like I may be an American Foxhound mix, around two, and I’m super friendly! I’m ready to be your forever friend! Better hurry!

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.

Pet of the Day: Queen Neferkitty

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Pet of the Day: Queen Neferkitty

Submitted

Queen Neferkitty is a healthy senior looking for a loving forever home. She is a good girl who would prefer to be an only kitty. She has a healthy appetite, still likes some playtime, and likes attention. She does have a limit though and likes her space.

This girl was left in a box at the shelter. Please help us show her there is someone who will love her and never leave her.

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.

No change in Anderson County property tax rate, officials say

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Anderson County Commission in June 2014

The Anderson County Commission is pictured above during its Monday night meeting. (Photo by Sara Wise)

CLINTON—The property tax rate will remain unchanged in Anderson County in the fiscal year that begins July 1, officials said.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and the Budget Committee had both presented a no-tax-increase budget, and on Monday, the Anderson County Commission set the property tax rate for the 2014-2015 fiscal year.

The tax rates for the new fiscal year will stay the same as the rates for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. Property owners within the city of Clinton will pay $2.50 per $100 of assessed value on their property, Oak Ridge property owners will see a tax rate of $2.347 per $100, and property owners in Lake City, Oliver Springs, Norris and unincorporated areas of Anderson County will pay $2.529 per $100 of assessed value.

While Anderson County Commission voted to approve the tax rate resolution, the legislative body has not yet approved an operating budget for the new fiscal year, the Anderson County Mayor’s Office said in a press release. [Read more…]

Phillips named ORHS orchestra director

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Doug Phillips

Doug Phillips has been named orchestra director at Oak Ridge High School. He replaces Jennifer Van Tol, who has retired. (Submitted photo)

James “Doug” Phillips has been named orchestra director at Oak Ridge High School, Principal David Bryant said Wednesday. Phillips will replace Jennifer Van Tol, who retired at the end of the school year.

Bryant said Phillips has 12 years of experience in music instruction, with the last 11 being in a public school setting. His most recent assignment was with Shelby County Schools in Memphis, where he directed an award-winning strings music program.

Phillips earned his bachelor’s degree in music at Mississippi Valley State University and his master’s degree in music education at Jackson State University, and he is currently working on his doctorate in musical education through Boston University.

ORNL awarded $2.75 million for fuel cell research

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

DOE’s ARPA-E announces 13 new projects at New York Energy Week

New York, N.Y.—ARPA-E Acting Director Cheryl Martin has announced $33 million in funding for 13 new projects aimed at developing transformational fuel cell technologies for low-cost distributed power generation.

The funding was announced Thursday at New York Energy Week. ARPA-E is Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy in the U.S. Department of Energy.

The projects, which are funded through ARPA-E’s new Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems, or REBELS, program, are focused on improving grid stability, balancing intermittent renewable technologies, and reducing CO2 emissions using electrochemical distributed power generation systems, a press release said.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory received $2.75 million for a project titled “Nanocomposite Electrodes for a Solid Acid Fuel Cell Stack.” [Read more…]

Energy policy professor, former ORNL manager to discuss sustainable energy

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Marilyn Brown

Marilyn Brown

The 17th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series opens on Thursday, June 26, featuring Professor Marilyn Brown, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Lab in the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

The title of her June 26 lecture is “Technologies and Policies for a Sustainable Energy Future.” It’s sponsored by Friends of ORNL. The event is free of charge and will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy at 300 S. Tulane Ave. in Oak Ridge.

Before moving to Georgia Tech in 2006, Brown managed the Efficiency, Renewables, and Electric Grid Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She is also a board member of the Tennessee Valley Authority. [Read more…]

NNSA dedicates nation’s largest federal wind farm

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Pantex Wind Farm

The National Nuclear Security Administration dedicated the nation’s largest federally owned wind farm on Tuesday at the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas. The NNSA also oversees work at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. (Photos courtesy NNSA)

 

Pantex wind farm complete

Retired Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz, the new administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration, dedicated the nation’s largest federally owned wind farm Tuesday at the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas.

Klotz, who is also the U.S. Department of Energy’s under secretary for nuclear security, was joined at the ceremony by Kevin Knobloch, DOE’s chief of staff; NNSA Production Office (NPO) Manager Steven Erhart; Siemens Government Technologies President and Chief Executive Officer Judy Marksl and Texas Tech University Associate Vice Chancellor Russell Thomasson.

The mission of the NPO is to ensure the safe, secure, and cost-effective operation of the Pantex Plant and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

The NNSA said Pantex will now be powered largely by the Pantex Renewable Energy Project, or PREP, an 11.5-megawatt, five-turbine wind farm that has been under construction since August on 1,500 acres of DOE-owned land adjacent to the Pantex Plant. [Read more…]