Oak Ridge Today

Street Painting Festival Saturday helps fund Roane State scholarships

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The Street Painting Festival in Oak Ridge today (Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020) helps fund scholarships at Roane State Community College.

The Street Painting Festival in Oak Ridge today (Saturday, October 17) helps fund scholarships at Roane State Community College.

The theme for this year’s event is “HeART For Heroes.” The festival is being held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. Chalking began at 8 a.m.

Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc. (MCLinc) of Oak Ridge recently announced it is sponsoring the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge’s Street Painting Festival at the Platinum Level. The festival was launched in 2000, and this year’s event marks the 19th consecutive year that MCLinc has been a major contributor to the effort, a press release said. MCLinc is an applied research laboratory that provides analyses and consultation services in a wide assortment of fields, including environmental chemistry, industrial hygiene, and uranium chemistry.

Festival sponsors make a tax-exempt donation to the Roane State Foundation, providing funds for scholarships for Roane State students. Sponsorship levels include Platinum, or $5,000 and up; Gold, $2,500 to $4,999; Silver, $1,000 to $2,499; Bronze, $500 to $999; small business, $250 to $499; and individual, $100 to $249.

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Oak Ridge Electric Department partners with TVA to donate another $10,000 to ADFAC

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The Oak Ridge Electric Department has partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority to award another $10,000 to Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) to help the local community during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, a press release said.

The funds will be used to help meet the essential needs of the residents of Oak Ridge, including rent, housing, and utilities, the press release said. This donation is in addition to the $10,000 that was donated to ADFAC back in April.

“These funds have been able to assist more than 160 households in Oak Ridge since March, with much needed assistance paying for utilities and rent,” said Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs. “We are very grateful for this opportunity and hope it reduces the potential for things like utility termination and eviction.”

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Adams named principal of ORHS

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Garfield Adams

Garfield Adams has been selected by a committee of teachers and administrators to serve as the new principal of Oak Ridge High School.

Adams is from Oak Ridge, and he graduated from Oak Ridge High School. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, a press release said. He then went on to receive additional degrees in educational administration and supervision, and educational leadership, at Lincoln Memorial University.

Adams was a classroom teacher for 11 years, the press release said: three years at Central High School and eight years in Oak Ridge Schools as a special education teacher and behavioral specialist.

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Oak Ridge Senior Center to re-open in phases

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Oak Ridge Senior Center exterior front 2019
The front of the new Oak Ridge Senior Center is pictured above. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The City of Oak Ridge is planning a phased re-opening of the Senior Center on November 3.

Closed since March 16 due to COVID-19, the Senior Center is a “valued community resource providing opportunities for social interaction, continuing education, and exercise for area seniors,” a press release said.

During the first phase of re-opening, the Senior Center will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. This limited schedule will allow time to clean and disinfect the building between sessions, the press release said.

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability, the following safety protocols will be in place, the press release said:

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Online classes offered for lifelong learners

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In a recent Friday lecture offered on Zoom by ORICL, Lane Warmbrod, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University with an Oak Ridge relative, spoke on “Advances in Life Sciences and their Implications for Biosecurity and Arms Control.” She mentioned untrue conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 virus. (Submitted photo)

 

For 21 different courses offered this fall by the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning (ORICL), you don’t have to get dressed and drive to Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge Branch Campus. All you have to do is open your email to the message about the class you registered for and click on the Zoom videoconferencing link. In less than two minutes, you will be admitted to the class.

On your computer screen, you will see yourself, your fellow classmates, and your instructor, who will speak, show Power Point slides., and offer you a chance to ask questions—all from the comfort and convenience of your home.

At least one of the classes—the Friday morning lecture series—will offer talks not only by local instructors but also by speakers from other cities and states. [Read more…]

Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site launches new app for a variety of resources on the go

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Oak Ridge, Tenn.—REAC/TS launched its new RadMed app, providing a wide range of resources on the medical management of radiation incidents that can be downloaded free on mobile devices and utilized while on the go.

“The REAC/TS RadMed app offers healthcare professionals, emergency responders and planners, public health professionals and health physicists easy access to essential medical information and resources when dealing with a radiation incident,” said REAC/TS Director Carol Iddins. “We created the RadMed app with our target audiences in mind to provide easy access to the resources they need.”

The REAC/TS RadMed app provides numerous resources, including an updated eGuide version of The Medical Aspects of Radiation Incidents and a platform to remain engaged, connected and informed about upcoming REAC/TS events.

Visit https://orise.orau.gov/resources/reacts/radmed-app.html to learn more about the RadMed app, and download it for free by searching for REAC/TS RadMed in the Apple and Android app stores.

About REAC/TS
REAC/TS is an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education facility managed by ORAU for the U.S. Department of Energy with the mission to strengthen the medical response to radiological and nuclear incidents. REAC/TS provides 24/7 medical support and deployment to provide emergency medical consultation for incidents involving radioactive materials and ionizing radiation worldwide. REAC/TS also conducts ongoing research into the biological effects of radiation and provides continuing medical education for healthcare providers, other professionals and students. For more information, visit https://orise.orau.gov/reacts/

About ORISE
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education is a U.S. Department of Energy asset that is dedicated to enabling critical scientific, research, and health initiatives of the department and its laboratory system by providing world-class expertise in STEM workforce development, scientific and technical reviews, and the evaluation of radiation exposure and environmental contamination. ORISE is managed by ORAU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and federal contractor, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science

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Dirtlab mountain bike park opens in Oak Ridge

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Dirtlab, a mountain bike park and pump track at Haw Ridge Park, opened Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo/Explore Oak Ridge)

The Clinch Valley Trail Alliance opened the new Dirtlab mountain bike park on Friday.

The Friday celebration included a ribbon cutting and an expression of appreciation for volunteers who worked on the project. The mountain bike park and pump track was built over the past year with volunteer effort from the community, a press release said.

Brad Spears, president of the Clinch Valley Trail Alliance, said the community, city of Oak Ridge, and the backing of local businesses helped build the park as they stretched resources as far as possible after construction began in fall 2019.

“Every feature, the kiosk, the bench, the pavilion, the pump track…was built by a volunteer,” Spears said in the press release. The undulating pump track unveiled Friday complements the existing mountain bike park at the 780-acre Haw Ridge Park. The park is off Edgemoor Road along the Clinch River in east Oak Ridge and a short drive from Knoxville.

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Drive-by campaign rally for Hammond is today

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Derrick Hammond

Friends of the Reverend Derrick Hammond, who is seeking re-election to Oak Ridge City Council, are hosting a drive-by campaign rally outdoors at Jackson Square from 1-3 p.m. today (Saturday, October 10).

Residents are invited to drive by to show their support for Hammond at the event, remaining in their cars to maintain social distance while observing health guidelines during the pandemic, a press release said. Supporters will have the opportunity to volunteer to sign post cards for Hammond, to request a yard sign, and to make a campaign contribution. Music will be provided by The Missing Goats as people drive by.

Hammond, who has served as pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church since 2014, was appointed to City Council to fill a vacancy in 2018 and elected to the seat in a special election later that year. He is heavily engaged in community activities and organizations, and he has worked tirelessly to keep the faith and nonprofit communities informed about and engaged in community conversations, especially during the pandemic, the press release said. [Read more…]

Hammond seeks re-election to City Council

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Derrick Hammond

Reverend Derrick Hammond is seeking re-election to the Oak Ridge City Council in the November 3 municipal election. Hammond, who has served as pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church since 2014, was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Oak Ridge City Council in 2018, and he was elected without opposition in a special election later that year.

Hammond has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Auburn University. He also completed the dual master’s degree program at Samford University, earning one master’s degree in divinity and another in business administration. In 2013, he received national accreditation as a certified church administrator by the National Association of Church Business Administration.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Hammond is heavily engaged in local and surrounding community affairs, a press release said. He serves as a board member of many local organizations, including the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Oak Ridge Public Schools Foundation, Emory Valley Center, United Way of Anderson County, the Methodist Medical Center Advisory Board, and Maryville College Board of Church Visitors. He is also a member of the East Tennessee Economic Council and Oak Ridge Ministerial Association, an adjunct professor at Tennessee Technological University, and a faculty member of the Kettering Foundation’s Deliberative Dialogue Institute.

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Obituaries: Hetty Louise Karels & John (Jan) Herman van Eek

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Hetty Louise Karels van Eek and John (Jan) Herman van Eek (Submitted photos)

Oak Ridge: Hetty Louise Karels van Eek, age 88; John (Jan) Herman van Eek, age 90

Best friends and soulmates, Hetty passed away on December 31, 2019, and Jan passed away on April 6, 2020. Though they were separated the last few months with lengthy illnesses, they never stopped asking about one another. They were married on May 31, 1956, in The Hague, The Netherlands, and they would have celebrated 64 years of marriage on May 31, 2020.

Hetty was born in The Hague, The Netherlands, on March 7, 1931, to Willem and Catharina Karels. Jan was born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, on January 9, 1930, to Herman and Petronella van Eek.

They grew up in The Netherlands and survived World War II. They immigrated to the United States in 1960. One of their proudest moments was becoming American citizens in 1967 and being able to both have careers. Jan retired from Y-12 and Hetty retired from EG&G Ortec, both after several years of employment.

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Mark Ervin named associate director of REAC/TS

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OAK RIDGE, Tenn.— Dr. Mark Ervin has been named associate director of the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site located in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Ervin retired in 2020 as a colonel in the U.S. Air Force where he held numerous leadership and medical positions during his 25-plus year military career, including command surgeon, chief of clinical services and chief of operational medicine.

In his new position at REAC/TS, Ervin will provide management and medical leadership, participate in all aspects of emergency response planning, and manage all professional and technical activities of radiation emergency management at REAC/TS.

“We are thrilled to have someone with Dr. Ervin’s extensive background and proven track record joining REAC/TS,” said REAC/TS Director Carol Iddins. “Both his medical and leadership experience will help REAC/TS continue to serve as a world-renowned, U.S. Department of Energy asset and a leader in emergency medical response to radiological/nuclear incidents, providing emergency response and subject matter expertise on the medical management of radiation incidents for the National Nuclear Security Administration.”

Prior to joining REAC/TS, Ervin was responsible for oversight of 43 U.S. Air Force units that modernize and innovate advanced resuscitative, surgical and critical care wartime solutions for casualty and evacuation care from the point of injury on the battlefield to the care at U.S.-based military medical centers. He also was an Air Force subject matter expert on advancing autonomous patient care, evacuation on unmanned vehicles and severe-injury surgical teams supporting special operations. As a general surgeon, Ervin provided inpatient and outpatient surgical care at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center and Brook Army Medical Center.

Ervin’s leadership and clinical experience comprise several headquarters positions in the Air Force and at U.S. European Command and Department of Defense Medical Centers, including a chief position at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where he participated in frequent flight missions in Europe and the Middle East, evacuating critically injured casualties.

He also is a founding member of the Air Force Special Operations Surgical and Critical Care Evacuation Teams and has received numerous military awards, decorations and other achievements.

Ervin holds a bachelor degree from Duke University and a doctor of medicine degree from Emory University School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency from Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

About REAC/TS
REAC/TS is an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education facility managed by ORAU for the U.S. Department of Energy with the mission to strengthen the medical response to radiological and nuclear incidents. REAC/TS provides 24/7 medical support and deployment to provide emergency medical consultation for incidents involving radioactive materials and ionizing radiation worldwide. REAC/TS also conducts ongoing research into the biological effects of radiation and provides continuing medical education for healthcare providers, other professionals and students. For more information, visit https://orise.orau.gov/reacts/

About ORISE
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education is a U.S. Department of Energy asset that is dedicated to enabling critical scientific, research, and health initiatives of the department and its laboratory system by providing world-class expertise in STEM workforce development, scientific and technical reviews, and the evaluation of radiation exposure and environmental contamination. ORISE is managed by ORAU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and federal contractor, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science
Like us on Facebook: ORISE Facebook
Follow us on Twitter: ORISE Twitter
Connect with us on LinkedIn: ORISE LinkedIn
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oriseconnect/
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UT professor to discuss impact of COVID-19 on ecology, evolution

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Nina Fefferman

A University of Tennessee professor will discuss the effects of COVID-19 on ecology and evolution during an online presentation on Tuesday.

Nina Fefferman will be the speaker at the League of Women Voters event. Fefferman is a professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Department of Mathematics at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Fefferman is the associate director of UT’s One Health Initiative, and she is a member of the Covid-19 Outbreak Response Experts (CORE-19) at UT.

The principle investigator at the Fefferman Lab at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville since 2008, Fefferman focuses on disease in the human population and how disease and disease-related behavioral ecology can affect the short-term survival and long-term evolutionary success of a population during and after a pandemic, a press release said. She has done extensive work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on pandemic preparedness and has drawn on her expertise to develop models to shape policy to keep populations safe during and after pandemics.

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