Oak Ridge Today

Forum for Anderson County primary candidates on April 8

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The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge has an April 8 forum for candidates in the May 6 Anderson County Democratic and Republican primary elections. The forum will be held from 7-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, in the Pollard Auditorium.

Candidates facing an opponent in the primary election have been invited to make an opening statement, participate in a question-and-answer session, and finish with a closing statement. Candidates with no opponent in the primary election but facing an opponent in the general election have been invited to make a short presentation. Candidates with no opponent in either the primary election on May 6 or the general election on Aug. 7 will be introduced. After the last candidate has spoken, the audience will be invited to join the candidates for additional discussion and greetings.

The May 6 election involves 14 Anderson County officials: chancellor, circuit court clerk, county clerk, county mayor, criminal and circuit court judge, district attorney general, general sessions judge I, general sessions judge II, juvenile court judge, public defender, register of deeds, road superintendent, sheriff, and trustee. [Read more…]

Church Women United to host speaker from Healthy Start

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Susan Moore

Susan Moore

Susan Moore, program supervisor for Healthy Start of Anderson County, will discuss the program’s role in preventing child abuse during an April 4 presentation in Oak Ridge.

The program is part of the celebration of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and it’s hosted by Church Women United, a press release said.

Healthy Start of Anderson County has been deemed an elite “model program,” ensuring the medical well-being of mothers and infants and preventing child abuse. Healthy Start programs enhance child development by helping children meet physical and mental milestones that affect their readiness for school. Healthy Start also supports parents and extended families in creating a positive environment for the child within the family, the press release said. [Read more…]

Pet of the Day: Lou Lou

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Pet of the Day: Lou Lou

Submitted

I’m so sweet, you have to say my name twice to get enough of me.

I’m a dachshund mix adult girl, but still pretty young. Look into my eyes—I am searching your soul to see what I can do to make you the happiest!

I came in on March 21, so I will be available just for YOU really soon! [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Civic Ballet presents ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘Swan Lake’

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Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association

By Wendie Aurin

The Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association is inviting the community to their fairy tale world with Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty” and “Swan Lake” in April.

Professional guest artists Tory Morton and Erin-Elizabeth Morton will perform as Prince Seigfried and Odette in “Swan Lake.” Special guest Frank Murphy of Classic Hits 93.1 WNOX will portray the King in “Sleeping Beauty.”

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors. Student tickets are $10, but ORCBA is proud to once again participate in the Penny 4 the Arts program, which allows up to three students to attend for a penny each with a paid adult or senior. Tickets may be purchased at the door, at www.orcba.org, or at Flutterfly’s Consignment in the Manhattan Place Shopping Center. All productions are open seating. [Read more…]

Enjoy city parks as weather warms this spring

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department is working hard to prepare our award-winning parks and greenways for spring, officials said.

“After many days of cold weather and snow, sunshine and warmer temperatures will be drawing folks outside very soon,” a press release said. “This means more people will be utilizing our parks and greenway trails. To assure the safety of all of our visitors, it is especially important that everyone follow the posted rules.”

Please keep these rules in mind as you are out on our greenways and trails: [Read more…]

Clinton police solve more cases as crime falls

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Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough

Rick Scarbrough

The percentage of crimes solved by Clinton Police Department officers and detectives was up in 2013, while the total number of crimes was down, authorities said.

“The numbers are moving in the right direction…and that’s good news for everyone in Clinton,” CPD Chief Rick Scarbrough said.

CPD cleared nearly half of the reported crimes in 2013, according to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime statistics, a press release said. The Clinton Police Department’s percentage of crimes cleared is up about 5 percent from 2012 numbers and is higher than most other area agencies.

“That means our officers are solving more cases,” the press release said. A total of 888 substantial offenses were reported to the Clinton Police Department in 2013. That number is down from 1,116 reported in 2012.  [Read more…]

Household hazardous waste collection in Anderson on Saturday

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The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Anderson, Franklin, Lincoln and Warren counties on Saturday, March 29.

“Our household hazardous waste mobile collection service provides the people of Tennessee with a safe, environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals and other potentially hazardous waste at no cost,” Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau said. “This service travels across the state holding collection events in local communities, and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize it.”

On Saturday, March 29, any Tennessee resident may bring his or her household hazardous waste to the following locations. (Note that hours listed indicate the local time for events).

  • Anderson County—Oak Ridge Public Works Department at 100 Woodbury Lane in Oak Ridge from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The local contact for this HHW collection event is Geoff Trabalka at (865) 463-6845. [Read more…]

Creasey seeks re-election to Anderson County Commission

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Jerry Creasey

Jerry Creasey

Oak Ridge resident Jerry Creasey has announced he is seeking re-election to the District 7 seat on the Anderson County Commission. The Seventh District includes Highland View, Glenwood, and Pine Valley precincts.

Creasey has served as vice chairman and chairman of the County Commission. He has also chaired the Legislative, ADA Oversight, Computer, and the Veterans Committees. Creasey is presently chairman of the Legislative Committee, and he is serving on the ADA Oversite and Purchasing committees, as well as the Library and 911 Boards.

Creasey said his efforts and hard work on the County Commission helped establish a General Sessions Court, a second ambulance station, a Veterans Office, Trustee and County Clerk’s offices in Oak Ridge, and to bring water and sewer to many rural areas of Anderson County. [Read more…]

After recent brush fires, ORFD asks residents to be ‘firewise’

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Darryl Kerley

Darryl Kerley

The Oak Ridge Fire Department has responded to an outbreak of brush fires during the past few weeks, and on Thursday, officials asked residents to take precautions to prepare for a potential event in their area.

“Many people associate brush and wildland fires with California and ‘out West’ but that isn’t true,” ORFD Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said. “With the numerous greenbelts, natural areas, and power line clearings here in Oak Ridge, we have several areas that are prone (to) brush fires.”

Most of the recent fires have involved dried kudzu, which burns very rapidly, especially during this time of year when everything is still dry and the daytime humidity isn’t very low, a press release said. Couple the amount of kudzu, fallen pine trees, dead leaves, and undergrowth with the current weather patterns, along with the topography of most of Oak Ridge, and there is a potential for small fires to become out of control very quickly. [Read more…]

Ulster Project serves up a ‘Taste of Ireland’

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Peace Sculpture Northern Ireland

Peace sculpture on the ancient city wall of Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. (Photo by T. Burns)

The Ulster Project of East Tennessee will host “Taste of Ireland”—a “sense-sational” celebration—on Saturday, April 5, from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Family Life Center at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oak Ridge. Co-sponsored by the Knoxville and Oak Ridge chapters, the event will feature traditional Irish food and drink, live music, dance, and a silent auction.

Special musical guests, the local Irish/folk band, Shamrock Road, will entertain. Enjoy a buffet of traditional Irish favorite dishes and dessert between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Visit any of the four traditional Irish watering holes for something to accompany your meal or to quench your thirst from dancing a jig.

A “Taste of Ireland” is the perfect way to welcome spring and support the efforts to grow and sustain the peace process in Northern Ireland. The evening of food and entertainment costs $25 for adults and $20 for students (under 21) and seniors (65+). Tickets are available in Oak Ridge at Realty Center, 201 S. Tulane Ave.; at The Ferrell Shop in Historic Jackson Square; or through e-mail at ulstereasttenn@gmail.com. Tickets will also be available at the door. [Read more…]

Employment offers made at Y-12, Pantex from April 15-June 2

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Jim Haynes

Jim Haynes

The new contractor at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, will make employment offers between April 15 and June 2, the company said Tuesday.

Information about the employment offers, which must be made no later than June 2, was included in a Tuesday message to employees from Jim Haynes, president and chief executive officer of the new Y-12 and Pantex contractor, Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC.

“The CNS management team and I recognize that you are waiting for information that will affect your jobs and your lives—and that waiting can cause anxiety about staffing plans, organizational structure, members of the senior leadership team, benefits, retirement planning, work schedules, and more,” Haynes said.

Here are other key dates: [Read more…]

Demolition, construction to start soon on ORNL shipping, receiving building

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Demolition and construction are expected to start soon on a shipping and receiving building at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a press release said.

“Hickory Construction Inc. will begin demolition of an existing structure ahead of breaking ground on a LEED Gold design-built construction at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on April 1, as part of the campus-wide Site Sustainability Plan,” the press release said.

“We are always honored to work with ORNL, and the chance to build a LEED Gold structure is something we love to do,” said Chris Duncan, project manager. “Hickory not only has the ability to make quality LEED buildings, but it does so for incredible value and on time.”

The building, which will serve as a central hub for everything that ORNL ships and receives, will be a total of 26,000 square feet. Of that, 17,000 square feet is designated as a shipping/receiving warehouse with 11 loading docks, and areas for packaging, staging, and storage. The remainder of the building is designated as office space. [Read more…]