Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge library offers two dates to enroll in Affordable Care Act

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The Oak Ridge Public Library will offer two opportunities for the public to enroll in the Affordable Care Act on Saturday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, March 8, from 2-5:30 p.m.

These events will be held in the auditorium and manned by volunteers who will provide both ACA information and ACA enrollment assistance for those interested in signing up for health insurance under the new ACA Exchanges. Individual computer stations will be available, and volunteers will be on hand to assist as needed. In addition, a Spanish-language translator will also be available.

The official website for enrollment is www.healthcare.gov; this site also contains detailed information about the ACA, and its costs and benefits. [Read more…]

Anderson County Democrats have ‘Meet the Candidates’ on Feb. 27

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The Anderson County Democratic Party will host a potluck supper and “Meet the Candidates” evening at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at 1660 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge.

County Democratic Party Chair Catherine Denenberg invites all Democrats to attend and meet candidates seeking office in this year’s elections, a press release said. The primary election date for county offices is May 6, and the general election is Aug. 7.

Those planning to attend should RSVP to Jean Hiser at 361hiser@comcast.net or (865) 272-3077.

Community Band concert on Sunday features late-20th century music

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A concert by the Oak Ridge Community Band and Wind Ensemble on Sunday afternoon will feature late-20th century music.

The concert starts at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Grove Theater. It will focus mainly on selections composed in the last half of the 20th century, a press release said.

“The audience at the Feb. 23 concert is in for a special treat with two featured performances by five talented band musicians,” the release said. “Accompanied by the band, clarinetists Deidre Ford and John Snyder will be playing a duet ‘Concertpiece No. 2’ by Felix Mendelssohn, and trumpet players Tim Ford, Jim Lux, and Tim Michaels will be performing Don Jacoby’s ‘Carnival Variations.’ The public will not want to miss hearing these outstanding performances!” [Read more…]

Environmentalists, others to challenge Fleischmann, Duncan on global warming

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Volunteers have organized two press conferences today (Thursday) to challenge Tennessee congressmen John Duncan and Chuck Fleischmann to accept and then work to stop human-caused climate change, a press release said.

The first press conference is at 11 a.m. Thursday at Duncan’s Knoxville office at the Howard H. Baker Jr. U.S. Courthouse. The second is at 2 p.m. in front of the Bull Run Fossil Plant in Claxton.

The press release said the press conferences will include prominent business people, clergy, a fossil fuel technologist, a child advocate, environmentalists, educators, and students. [Read more…]

County mayor names interim budget director

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Connie Aytes

Connie Aytes

CLINTON—Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank has named Connie Cook-Aytes as the county’s interim director of accounts and budgets.

Aytes will take the interim position effective Monday, Feb. 24, Frank said. Aytes was appointed after Budget Director Chris Phillips announced he is resigning to take a job as city recorder for Lake City.

Aytes has worked as the deputy director in the Anderson County Budget Office since May 2008. [Read more…]

Rep. Gloria Johnson to speak to Democratic Women’s Club Thursday

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Gloria Johnson

Gloria Johnson

Tennessee Rep. Gloria Johnson, a freshman legislator representing Knoxville House District 13, will report on the current legislative session in Nashville as guest speaker when the Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20.

The meeting will be held in the Club Room of the Clinton Community Center, 101 S. Hicks Street. Cost of the dinner is $10 per person. For reservations, e-mail Ann Mostoller at amostoller@msw-law.com or call Mary Matheny at (865) 483-8937.

Johnson, who is seeking re-election this year, supports empowering communities to strengthen neighborhood public schools, preparing youth to win good-paying jobs, and expanding Medicaid so every Tennessean can see a doctor if they get sick, a press release said. [Read more…]

Anderson County primary deadline Thursday at noon

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Information from WYSH Radio

The deadline to qualify as a candidate in any of the races on the ballot for Anderson County’s May 6 primaries is at noon Thursday.

Here is a look at who has qualified so far:

  • So far, only incumbent Judge Don Elledge has qualified to run for his seat as criminal and circuit judge.
  • Five people have qualified to run in the hotly-contested Juvenile Court judge primaries. Two Democrats—J. Michael Clement and David Dunkirk—are seeking the nomination, while three Republicans—Victoria Bannach, Lauren Biloski, and Brian Hunt—have qualified to seek their party’s nod to run for the seat in the August general election.
  • Brandon Fisher, the current Juvenile Court judge, had qualified to run for the Democratic nomination for chancellor, a seat coming open due to the retirement of William Lantrip, but he announced just a couple of weeks ago that he will be dropping out of the race to join a company in Pennsylvania. On the Republican side, Mike Farley and Phil Harber have qualified to appear on the May ballot. [Read more…]

Anderson County school board honors high school staffers who saved girl

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Information from WYSH Radio

During Tuesday’s Anderson County Board of Education meeting, a group of teachers, principals, and other staff members were honored for saving a student’s life.

Last month, Brittany Overton went into cardiac arrest in the school courtyard before classes began. On Tuesday, leaders honored the crew of teachers, principals, and staff members that helped bring her back to health. Overton attended the School Board meeting. [Read more…]

CASA receives national certification for work quality

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CASA of the Tennessee Heartland—which serves Anderson, Blount, and Scott counties—has been awarded certification by the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association. This certification recognizes that CASA of the Tennessee Heartland is in compliance with National CASA’s high standards for quality child advocacy.

“The National CASA quality assurance process is very rigorous and reflects our commitment to ensure every child we serve has the most powerful volunteer advocate working on their behalf,” said Michael Piraino, chief executive officer of the National CASA Association. “This certification says CASA of the Tennessee Heartland has demonstrated to us a strong capacity to provide excellent services to the abused and neglected children within their community.”

CASA of the Tennessee Heartland was started in Anderson County in 1988, has been serving Scott County for 13 years, and is entering the second year of service in Blount County. [Read more…]

Roane County hires veteran service officer

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Roane County Executive Ron Woody announced Wednesday that Brian Dunn has been hired as veteran service officer, a new position in the county.

“The veteran service officer will serve all veterans, dependents, and survivors in Roane County,” Woody said. “The officer will have an office on the third floor of the courthouse in Kingston and will be available for home visits.”

Woody said highly qualified candidates applied for the job. [Read more…]

Appeals court upholds murder verdict, life sentence

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals last week upheld the first-degree murder conviction of a man who killed his mother-in-law with a hatchet while his infant daughter was in a nearby room nearly seven years ago.

Robert Fritts was convicted in the March 2007 death of Teresa Busler, who died from multiple blows to the head from a hatchet and had a white paint-like substance sprayed on her face. Fritts and his wife—the victim’s daughter—and their infant daughter had been living at the family’s Andersonville home at the time of the murder. The baby was found unharmed in another bedroom when Busler’s husband returned home and discovered the grisly crime scene.

The case was somewhat noteworthy as prosecutors introduced evidence that Fritts was part of a group of so-called “jugalos,” or fans of rap group Insane Clown Posse. Insane Clown Posse band members often wear white, clown-style face makeup and their record label—Psychopathic Records—uses a picture of a hatchet-wielding man as its logo. In his appeal, Fritts’ attorneys argued that it was “improper for prosecutors to submit evidence of his affiliation with the rap group or suggesting that the band or its followers were a gang.” He also argued there was not sufficient evidence to establish that Busler’s murder was premeditated. [Read more…]

UT Center for Industrial Services holding nuclear industry supplier courses

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Submitted

The University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services will hold information courses for companies interested in evaluating potential business opportunities in the nuclear field and with the Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

These classes are specifically developed to address the most critical issues faced by suppliers interested in doing business with the UPF project as well as other regional nuclear energy developments, estimated to generate more than $50 billion in supplier opportunities. The sessions are ideal for chief executive officers and presidents, general managers, business development managers, quality managers, material and equipment companies, and metal fabricators.

An Advanced Business Decision Seminar will kick off the week of classes on Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at the New Hope Center in Oak Ridge. The remaining courses are: [Read more…]