Oak Ridge Today

UCOR general counsel featured at MLK celebration with Alpha Kappa Alpha

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Raeburn Josey

Raeburn Josey

The Oak Ridge Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will hold its 26th annual program to celebrate the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the Y-12 New Hope Center on Scarboro Road in Oak Ridge.

The program, “The Community Speaks,” begins at 9:45 a.m. in the NHC Auditorium. UCOR General Counsel Raeburn Josey will present the keynote address entitled “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—2014.”

At UCOR, Josey provides legal and management services on behalf of URS and its affiliates. He holds degrees from Georgia State University and Georgia State College of Law, and has bar licenses in several states. UCOR is the federal government’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge.  [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Today adds Pets section

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Oak Ridge Today has added a Pets section on our home page, and we are working with the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter to feature adoptable pets through a Pet of the Day feature. We posted the first featured pet today (Sunday).

Thank you to the Animal Shelter and its volunteers for suggesting this feature.

We have also periodically received requests to add a section on Oak Ridge Today for lost and found pets. We’re working on that feature with the Animal Shelter and will let you know when it’s ready.

Living Water Christian Fellowship moves, has guest speaker Sunday

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Tony Slay, Amy and Rachel

Living Water Christian Fellowship of Oak Ridge has moved. Their new location is the Iris Room at ORAU’s Pollard Conference Center.

J. Tony Slay of Jacksboro, Tenn., will be their guest speaker this Sunday, Jan. 19. His daughters Amy and Rachel will lead worship.

Slay is founder and chief executive officer of Ministry International Inc. and of Ministry International Institute. MII is a helps and resource ministry for ministers of Jesus Christ from every background. Slay is bishop to more than 350 ministers in the United States, and he has trained and equipped thousands of ministers around the world, a press release said. [Read more…]

Knoxville Council member featured at MLK breakfast Monday

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Daniel T. Brown

Daniel T. Brown

A Martin Luther King Fellowship Breakfast on Monday morning will feature Knoxville City Council member Daniel T. Brown.

It’s the 26th annual breakfast, and it’s sponsored by the Atomic City Sportsmen Club. The program starts at 8 a.m. Monday at the East Tennessee Family Services Building at 1660 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Brown is a Knoxville native and a graduate of Austin High School. He graduated from Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in history. He is a Vietnam veteran and received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, a press release said. Brown retired from the U.S. Postal Service. [Read more…]

Oliver Springs Town Council appoints new member

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Information from Dudley Evans/BBB-TV

The Oliver Springs Town Council on Thursday night voted 5-0 to appoint Don Shillings to serve out the remaining two-plus years of former Alderman James Brummitt’s term.

Brummitt resigned two weeks ago from the alderman’s position, saying he wanted to devote more time to family and his other political seat as as Roane County commissioner, where he also serves as chairman. Shillings was one of two names brought before the Council during the meeting. He was present and, immediately after the vote, was sworn in and took his seat.

No stranger to politics, Shillings served two terms on the Oliver Springs Town Council in the past, one a four-year term and the other a two-year term. He thanked his fellow council members and the mayor for their support, and he said he looks forward to serving the citizens again in Ward 6.

Borchers to discuss Oak Ridge Schools at Lunch with League

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Bruce Borchers

Bruce Borchers

Superintendent Bruce Borchers will discuss Oak Ridge Schools at Lunch with the League on Tuesday.

The meeting starts at noon Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 1500 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Borchers will focus on the theme “Building on Excellence: Where we were, where we are, and where we are going.” He will highlight achievement data, changing demographics, and initiatives that will help Oak Ridge students be successful in the 21st Century, a press release said. [Read more…]

House spending bill avoids government shutdown, provides fiscal certainty, Fleischmann says

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U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann

Chuck Fleischmann

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill funding the federal government for 2014, avoiding government shutdowns for the rest of the fiscal year and providing some fiscal certainty for the weak economic recovery, Congressman Chuck Fleischmann’s office said in a statement Wednesday.

“For too long Congress has jumped from crisis to crisis, and that is neither good for the economy nor the American people,” said Fleischmann, a Tennessee Republican whose district includes Oak Ridge. “The bill, which passed the House today with bipartisan support, provides zero new funding for Obamacare, protects all current pro-life policies, and provides real fiscal oversight. This bill was a compromise and is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction and holds the line on spending priorities.”

The vote for the $1.1 trillion spending bill, which will fund the government through October, was 359-67, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats opposed in the Republican-led House. The legislation now goes to the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, and it is expected to pass it easily this week. [Read more…]

Assistant DA running for juvenile court judge

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Victoria "Vickie" Bannach

Victoria “Vickie” Bannach

Assistant District Attorney General Victoria “Vickie” Bannach is running as a Republican candidate for Anderson County Juvenile Court judge.

“As a parent and prosecuting attorney, she has seen first-hand the importance of stable families, strong values, good education, and discipline in raising healthy, well-adjusted children, and maintaining a safe community,” a press release said.

Bannach is one of five potential candidates for Anderson County Juvenile Court judge. The current juvenile court judge, Brandon Fisher, a Clinton Democrat, is running for Anderson County chancellor.

In the press release, Bannach said she will ensure that the children and families of Anderson County are treated with compassion, and reunification, fairness, and equality will be considered in juvenile court cases. At the same time, the best interests of the children will be protected, she said.

“The residents of Anderson County deserve no less,” Bannach said. [Read more…]

Breaking: ACSD ends standoff on Batley Road

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Information from WYSH Radio

Anderson County Sheriff’s deputies were involved in a standoff with a suspect in an assault and shooting on Batley Road on Wednesday morning.

A male suspect identified as 50-year-old Gregory Denton barricaded himself inside a home after allegedly firing shots at a man and a woman in a dispute that began at around 3 a.m. Both people made it out safely.

According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Denton ignored several attempts at communication and did not surrender until SWAT members used non-lethal rounds to blow out the windows in preparation for deploying tear gas. The tear gas was never used as the exploding windows apparently convinced Denton to surrender. [Read more…]

Anderson County homeless counted Jan. 28, training on Thursday

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An annual 24-hour count of the homeless in Anderson County is scheduled for Jan. 28, and the first of two hour-long training sessions is Thursday morning.

The Point in Time Count is organized by TORCH, and the count is used by Congress to determine funding for the area.

Those who volunteer for the PIT count must attend a one-hour training session that will teach them how to fill out the homelessness survey and provide input on where homeless families might be located.

Thursday’s training session is from 10-11 a.m. at the TORCH office, which is at 320 Robertsville Road, Suite 5, in Oak Ridge. There is a second training session from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23. Volunteers will be signing up for a three-hour volunteer time slot at the training sessions. [Read more…]

Young Professionals elect new leaders; Minor is president

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Zabrina R. Minor

Zabrina R. Minor

The executive director of an organization that helps the homeless has been elected president of the Young Professionals of Oak Ridge.

Zabrina Minor is the organization’s new president. She is also executive director of Trinity Out-Reach Center of Hope, or TORCH.

Other leaders elected during the YPOR’s January business meeting are Aaron Holbrook as vice president and Thomas Dyke as secretary/treasurer. [Read more…]

Tennessee named ‘2013 State of the Year’ for economic development

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Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Business Facilities magazine cites diverse top projects in award

NASHVILLE—Tennessee is the “2013 State of the Year,” according to Business Facilities magazine, a national economic development publication.

Tennessee’s top five economic development projects created a total of 6,900 jobs and $3.2 billion in capital investment, and they included seven expansions and three new recruitments. The magazine picked the state after evaluating the top five projects for the number of jobs created and amount of capital invested from Oct. 1, 2012, through Oct. 31, 2013.

“A lot of hard work goes into keeping Tennessee competitive, and I want to thank Business Facilities for recognizing the efforts of so many people across the state,” Gov. Bill Haslam said. “We understand that jobs are created when someone is willing to risk capital, and we will continue working to make Tennessee a great place to invest.” [Read more…]