Oak Ridge Today

Methodist Medical Center ranked sixth-best in Tennessee

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Methodist Medical Center

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge has been ranked sixth-best in Tennessee by U.S. News and World Report.

All three of Covenant Health’s major hospitals—Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, Fort Sanders Regional, and Parkwest Medical Center—have been named among the best hospitals in Tennessee by U.S. News and World Report. Each is ranked in the Top 10, a press release said.

Methodist Medical Center is ranked sixth-best in the state, the release said.

It said the annual Best Hospitals ranking recognizes hospitals that excel in treating the most challenging patients. [Read more…]

Forensic tooth doctor featured at community lecture Thursday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Mike Tabor

Mike Tabor

The 16th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series continues on Thursday, July 18, and it will feature Dr. Mike Tabor, chief forensic odontologist for the Tennessee State Medical Examiner’s Office. He will discuss “Forensic Identification at Ground Zero and Other High Profile Cases.”

The event is sponsored by Friends of ORNL. It’s free of charge and will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy at 300 S. Tulane Ave. in Oak Ridge.

The lecture by Tabor starts at 6 p.m., and a reception and a book signing starts at 7 p.m. (snacks will be served). This talk should be of interest to the general public. [Read more…]

Author DiGregorio a special guest at Southern Women Expo this week

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Judy DiGregorio

Judy DiGregorio

Oak Ridge author Judy DiGregorio is one of the special guests for the first-ever Southern Women Expo to be held at the Knoxville Expo Center on Friday and Saturday, a press release said.

DiGregorio is the author of “Life Among the Lilliputians” and “Memories of a Loose Woman” from Celtic Cat Publishing. She also has a CD of humorous stories called “Jest Judy.” Her work has appeared in “The Army Times,” “The Writer,” “ByLine Magazine,” “Chicken Soup Books,” “The Oak Ridger,” and numerous other publications. [Read more…]

Pictures: Rep. Diane Black tours ORNL

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Diane Black Tours CASL

Rep. Diane Black views a 3-D visualization during a tour of the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photos by ORNL’s Jason Richards)

U.S. Rep. Diane Black, a Republican from Tennessee’s 6th District, visited Oak Ridge National Laboratory Monday afternoon.

Black received an overview of the lab’s research and development activities and toured the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, the EVEREST Visualization Lab, the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors facility, the Spallation Neutron Source, and the Carbon Fiber Technology Facility.

Here are a few pictures provided by ORNL. [Read more…]

Local legislators featured at Monday morning forum

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Randy McNally

Randy McNally

John Ragan

John Ragan

A Monday morning legislative forum in Clinton will feature Sen. Randy McNally and representatives John Ragan and Dennis Powers. They will update constituents and answer questions about recent legislation, a press release said.

The forum is sponsored by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, and it is open to the public. It is scheduled from 8 to 9 a.m. at the Clinton Community Center at 101 S. Hicks St. in Clinton.

Red Hot Horn Dawgs play at Secret City Sounds on Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Red Hot Horn Dawgs

The Red Hot Horn Dawgs will play at a Secret City Sounds concert on Friday, July 19. (Submitted photo)

Secret City Sounds continues its Summer Concert Series with The Red Hot Horn Dawgs on Friday, July 19. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Civic Center Pavilion located at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The Red Hot Horn Dawgs are a nine-piece band with a full horn section and extroverted showmen, and the group’s musical library spans the best years of American popular music, from Otis Redding and Elvis Presley to Billy Joel, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Kid Rock, and Toby Keith, a press release said. [Read more…]

CNBC: Tennessee ranks second-best in America for transportation, infrastructure

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

For the fourth year in a row, Tennessee’s transportation system ranks as one of the best in the nation, according to CNBC’s 2013 study “America’s Top States for Business.” According to the report, Tennessee ranks second-best in America in the category of “Transportation and Infrastructure,” up from fourth place in 2012.

Tennessee is also the only state topping the list that has no transportation debt. Many states across the nation carry transportation debt and must allocate a large portion of their funds to interest payments, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. [Read more…]

US, international partners remove last highly enriched uranium from Vietnam

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Vietnam HEU Removal

A worker prepares a special container carrying highly enriched uranium before loading onto a cargo plane for repatriation to Russia. (Photo courtesy NNSA)

Official in the United States, Vietnam, and Russia announced this month that they have removed 11 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, or HEU, from the Dalat Nuclear Research Institute in Dalat, Vietnam.

“With this shipment, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam became the eleventh country from which all HEU has been removed since President Obama’s 2009 announcement in Prague of an international effort to secure all vulnerable nuclear material around the world,” the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration said in a press release. “The U.S. will work with our international partners to remove the remaining HEU from another country by the end of 2013 in support of this global effort and the goals of the Nuclear Security Summits.” [Read more…]

TVA releasing dam water to reduce Tennessee River flooding

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority on Wednesday said it is working to move large volumes of water—as much as one million gallons per second in some places—along the Tennessee River system to reduce potentially damaging flooding from record rainfall.

TVA said it prepared for this event by lowering reservoir levels on the main channel of the Tennessee River beginning the last week of June, leaving some areas below normal for this time of year. [Read more…]

TBI investigates couple for voter registration fraud in Scott County

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

KNOXVILLE—The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has investigated a case of illegal voter registration fraud in Scott County, which resulted in the indictment and arrest of an Oneida couple, authorities said.

Thirty-seven-year-old Christina Botts and her husband, Carrie Botts, 29, were arrested Tuesday evening on indictments returned by the Scott County grand jury on Tuesday, the TBI said in a Wednesday press release. Christina Botts was indicted on 13 counts of illegal voter registration fraud, and Carrie Botts was indicted on one count of illegal voter registration fraud. [Read more…]

CASA celebrates 25th anniversary

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

CASA 25th Anniversary

Tennessee Sen. Randy McNally, left, and Naomi Asher, CASA executive director, during a 25th anniversary celebration in May. (Submitted photo)

CASA of the Tennessee Heartland celebrated its 25th anniversary in May by giving out cupcakes at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce and hosting an awards banquet at the Riverside Grille.

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates and has served as an advocate for more than 270 children since July 1, 2012, in Anderson, Blount, and Scott counties, a press release said.

All the volunteers were acknowledged for their hours of service, including Horace Friedman, who has served since the inaugural class in 1988. Horace received a lifetime of achievement award, the press release said. [Read more…]

Patsy Louise Saffles

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Patsy Louise Saffles, age 63, of Powell, passed away on Thursday, July 4, at her residence. Patsy loved spending time with her family, riding motorcycles, and quilting. Patsy was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Sara Miller.

She is survived by husband of 44 years, William “Tommy” Saffles of Powell; sons, Junior Saffles and wife Wendy of Powell, Jason Saffles of Powell, and Matthew Saffles of Powell; and daughters, Sissy Hurst and husband Mark of Powell, and Stephanie Saffles of Powell.

Patsy’s family will receive her friends on Saturday, July 6, from 1-2 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church in Powell, with her funeral service to follow at 2 p.m. with Rev. Ron Saffles officiating. Patsy’s interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Gideons Northwest Chapter of Knoxville. Jones Mortuary in Clinton is in charge of all arrangements.