Oak Ridge Today

USEC’s American Centrifuge program could be extended

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USEC

Part of the USEC site in south Oak Ridge is pictured above.

USEC, an international uranium fuel company that has operations in Oak Ridge, learned Wednesday that the federal government could extend its American Centrifuge research, development, and demonstration program for three months.

In a press release, USEC said the U.S. Department of Energy is prepared to extend the program for three months beyond Jan. 15, 2014, subject to Congressional appropriations.

DOE and USEC will share costs of the program on an 80 percent/20 percent basis for a total funding level of about $10 million per month, the release said. [Read more…]

Keep your holidays from going up in flames!

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State fire marshal offers tips for a safely decorated home

NASHVILLE—The winter holiday season should be a joyous time of year. However, certain types of fires and injuries associated with decorating are all too common and can put a damper on holiday celebrations.

“Nearly half of holiday decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source,” says State Fire Marshal and Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “To decrease your risk for a home fire, keep fire safety in mind as you deck the halls this season.”

Candles are widely used in homes throughout the holidays, and December is the peak month for home candle fires. The National Fire Protection Association’s statistics show that two of every five home decoration fires are started by candles.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office encourages Tennesseans to consider using flameless candles, which look and smell like real candles. However, if you do use traditional candles, keep them at least 12” away from anything that can burn, and remember to blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid using candles in the bedroom, where one-third of U.S. candle fires begin or other areas where people may fall asleep. [Read more…]

Roane State campuses will be closed Dec. 19-Jan. 1 for holidays

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All Roane State Community College campuses will be closed Thursday, Dec. 19, through Wednesday, Jan. 1, for the holidays.

The Cumberland Business Incubator, located on the Cumberland County campus, will be closed Monday, Dec. 23, through Wednesday, Jan. 1.

All campuses and locations will reopen on Thursday, Jan. 2, and spring classes will begin on Thursday, Jan. 16. [Read more…]

Terry Payne, an ORNL program manager, named Anderson County Chamber chair

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Terry Payne

Terry Payne

Terry Payne, a program manager at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been named board chairman for the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce in 2014.

Payne is a research and development, or R&D, program manager at ORNL, where he has been employed for the past 30 years, a press release said. He has managed R&D Programs in the areas of energy management, isotope separation, and environmental management.

Payne was instrumental in creating numerous partnership between ORNL and small businesses that were funded by Small Business Innovation Research, the press release said. [Read more…]

Ex-Alexander aide released into parents’ custody

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Information from WYSH Radio

The fired, now former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has been released from jail, pending his trial on child pornography charges.

On Monday, a federal judge allowed Ryan Loskarn, 35, to be released and live with his parents in Maryland while he’s awaiting trial on charges of possessing and attempting to distribute child pornography. In appealing for his release, Loskarn’s lawyers argued that he had no prior convictions or arrests. The judge ruled that Loskarn must stay inside his parents’ home and be electronically monitored. Additionally, he is prohibited from having any access to the Internet. [Read more…]

Sponsored: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Noble Metals

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Noble Metals Christmas and New Year 2013

The staff at Noble Metals wishes you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The staff at Noble Metals wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Noble Metals is on Belgrade Road in Oak Ridge, and the company pays cash to recycle your metals, including cars, jewelry, appliances, batteries, wires, pots and pans, scrap iron and steel, and silver and gold.

Pick-up service is available for commercial customers, and a drive-through scale is available to weigh loads or vehicles.

The staff at Noble Metals is involved in the community, and this year employees participated in the Feed the Need Thanksgiving Dinner at High Places Community Church.  [Read more…]

Oak Ridge auctioneer named to state auctioneers’ Hall of Fame

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Dave Fall and Tennessee Auctioneers Hall of Fame

Auctioneer Dave Fall, left, of Oak Ridge, receives a plaque recognizing him as a member of the Tennessee Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame. He received the plaque from Clinton auctioneer William “Bear” Stephenson, right. (Photo courtesy of Tennessee Auctioneers Association)

Dave Fall of Oak Ridge was recently inducted as a member of the Tennessee Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame.

Fall is the broker, lead auctioneer, senior appraiser, and owner of Dave Fall Realty and Auction in Oak Ridge.

Fall, who served as vice president of the TAA, as well as the organization’s president in 2004-2005, is also a member of the National Auctioneers Association.

Auctioneer William “Bear” Stephenson, of Clinton, presented the Hall of Fame plaque to Fall during the state organization’s recent winter convention in Nashville, a press release said. [Read more…]

Roane Alliance receives TVA sustainable community award for 
Roane County

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Roane Alliance Sustainability Award

Pictured from left are John Bradley, Tennessee Valley Authority; Danice Turpin, Tennessee Applied College of Technology; Teresa Jackson, The Roane Alliance; Leslie Henderson, The Roane Alliance; and Del Boyette, Boyette Strategic Advisors. (Submitted photo)

The Roane Alliance received a Silver Award on behalf of Roane County at a recent Tennessee Valley Authority sustainable communities luncheon.

The TVA Valley Sustainable Communities Program Recognition Luncheon was Dec. 3 in Nashville. The award ceremony honored 13 communities from across the Tennessee Valley Region.

Roane County’s trophy was presented by Heidi Smith, a general manager in TVA’s economic development program, to Leslie Henderson, president and chief executive officer of The Roane Alliance; Teresa Jackson, Roane’s sustainable officer of The Roane Alliance; and Danice Turpin, director of Tennessee Applied College of Technology, a member of the Roane Green Team. [Read more…]

Haslam appoints Kirby to Tennessee Supreme Court

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Holly M. Kirby

Holly M. Kirby

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has appointed Holly M. Kirby of Memphis to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Kirby will succeed Janice M. Holder, who is retiring June 28.

Kirby, a lifelong Tennessean, has served as a member of the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Western Section, since 1995. She was the first woman to serve on that court and has written more than 1,000 opinions on appeals from trial courts across the state.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Judge Kirby’s depth of experience to serve on the Tennessee Supreme Court,” Haslam said. “Her impressive record of service will benefit Tennesseans in this position, and I am pleased to announce her appointment.”

Kirby’s opinions have covered a range of civil law, including business and commercial litigation, employment law, tort law and family law. Prior to her appointment to the Tennessee Court of Appeals by Gov. Don Sundquist, Kirby was a partner at the Memphis law firm Burch, Porter and Johnson. [Read more…]

ORHS CDC/Special Olympics raising money through Papa Murphy’s, Food City

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Programs also helped by purchases that use Food City ValueCards

Twenty percent of purchases at Papa Murphy’s today (Tuesday) will be donated to the Oak Ridge High School’s Comprehensive Development Class and Special Olympics programs, a teacher said.

The sales must be checked out a dedicated register, and the offer cannot be combined with coupons or special offers, according to information provided by Angela Leach, ORHS CDC teacher and Special Olympics coach.

Papa Murphy’s Take ‘n’ Bake Pizza is located at 1133 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Call (865) 425-9919 for more information.

Leach also said purchases with Food City ValueCards can be used to help the CDC. Supporters can link their cards to the ORHS CDC class code at left below. [Read more…]

Legal Aid Society promotes Janet Mynatt to managing attorney in Oak Ridge

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Janet Mynatt

Janet Mynatt

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Tennessee’s largest nonprofit law firm, announced on Monday that it has promoted Janet Mynatt to managing attorney of the Oak Ridge office. Mynatt is replacing former Managing Attorney Neil McBride, who retired this month after 35 years of service.

Mynatt joined Legal Aid Society as a staff attorney at the Oak Ridge office in 2001. In 2005-06, she was awarded a John G. Brooks Consumer Law Fellowship through the National Legal Aid and Defender Association and the National Consumer Law Center. She graduated from the Tennessee Bar Association’s Leadership Law Program in 2009 and served as president of the Anderson County Bar Association in 2011.

“Janet is an outstanding attorney and natural leader—the perfect person to fill the big shoes of Neil McBride, who has managed the Oak Ridge office since 1978,” said Gary Housepian, executive director of Legal Aid Society. “She has helped many, many people in the Oak Ridge area throughout her time at Legal Aid Society and has been an active member of the community. I have no doubt that our Oak Ridge office will continue to have a significant impact in Oak Ridge and throughout the surrounding region under Janet’s leadership.” [Read more…]

Clinton industrial site one of four state certified sites

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Four additional sites are declared “shovel ready”

NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced the next four Select Tennessee Certified Sites, and a site in Clinton is among those selected.

The four newest sites are:

  • American Way Site: Lauderdale County (American Way, Ripley)
  • City of Milan Industrial Park Site: Gibson County (Denton Fly Road, Milan)
  • Clinton/I-75 Industrial Park Site 2R: Anderson County (Frank Diggs Drive, Clinton)
  • Rialto Industrial Site: Tipton Co. (US Highway 51N, Covington) [Read more…]