Oak Ridge Today

Letter: McNutt an involved citizen, small business owner with desire to serve District 8

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To the Editor:

I would like to ask other District 8 voters to join me in supporting Angeleque McNutt for County Commissioner.

While I certainly don’t want to discredit the other candidates who are running for this seat, and I appreciate their willingness to be involved in our county operations, I do feel that Angeleque has handled herself in a professional, informed, and non-confrontational manner since she was appointed in August 2015, and has proven herself to be a quick study on the issues affecting Anderson County, and in particular District 8.

In addition to her sworn duties as our District 8 representative, she has also demonstrated her desire for a deeper level of involvement through her participation in several committees within county government, as well as her general involvement in many community events/activities throughout Anderson County. [Read more…]

Letter: Yager has experience, education, volunteer spirit for District 8 seat

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To the Editor:

I am writing this letter in support of Phil Yager, candidate for County Commission in the Eighth District. In the past year, I have come to know Phil, and having attended the recent Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Candidates Forum and listening to Phil discuss his experience, education, and volunteer spirit, he is the best candidate to represent our district on the Anderson County Commission.

Phil and his wife have been homeowners in Oak Ridge since 2006. He has a B.S. degree in Business Administration and has had a 30-year career in the investment industry. His background in financial management will be a great asset to the County Commission. He also has experience in the areas of mediation and arbitration, having served as Director of Mediation and Arbitration for the Better Business Bureau. This position gave him experience in conflict resolution and will enhance his ability to work with other commissioners and city, county, and state official to facilitate positive opportunities for our residents. [Read more…]

Team Trump to open headquarters in Anderson County

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Team Trump will officially open the doors of a local headquarters for signs, shirts, bumper stickers, pins, and other campaign materials as part of Team Trump’s “Make America Great Again” effort, a press release said.

Working with County Trump Co-Chair Travis Hill, plans are to officially open the headquarters on August 13, the press release said.

“The support we’ve been receiving has been overwhelming,” Hill said in the release. “We don’t have enough yard signs and stickers to meet the need, and the goal is to fully stock the headquarters to allow Anderson County and surrounding county citizens to show their support for Trump.” [Read more…]

Seventeen pick up petitions for seats on Charter Commission

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Information from WYSH Radio

As of Thursday morning, 17 people had picked up qualifying petitions to run for seats on an Anderson County Charter Commission in November.

The Charter Commission will be comprised of one person from each of the eight Anderson County Commission districts, and it will be responsible for studying possible changes to the county government. Their recommendations would then be placed in front of county voters to decide in a countywide referendum that would most likely appear on a ballot in 2018. Once elected and sworn in, the Commission would have nine months to complete its work.

Some of the possible changes that could be made include slicing the number of county commissioners from 16 to nine members, establishing term limits for commissioners and the county mayor, and making the county law director position an elected office. [Read more…]

Reminder: Early voting under way in Tennessee

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Vote Here

Early voting for the August 4 state primary and county general elections is under way. Voting will continue Mondays through Saturdays and end Saturday, July 30.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett is encouraging voters to take advantage of early voting, which allows people to cast a ballot when it’s convenient for them, a press release said.

“Tennesseans broke records during the March 1 ‘SEC Primary’ by taking advantage of early voting,” Hargett said in the press release. “It will be exciting to see Tennesseans participate in the electoral process this August and November.”

The easiest way for voters to find their early voting and Election Day polling locations, view and mark sample ballots, see their elected officials, districts, and county election commission information as well as access online state and federal election results is through the GoVoteTN app. Voters can download the free app in the App Store or Google Play or visit GoVoteTN.com to view voter specific information. [Read more…]

Anderson County Democrats will watch convention July 28 at Swifty’s

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The Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club will gather at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 28, for a meeting and to watch the Democratic National Convention at Swifty’s Atomic Bar and Grill at 119 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The Anderson County Democratic Party will join the women’s club to watch the convention after a 6 p.m. ribbon cutting to open the new Democratic Party Headquarters at 136 South Illinois Avenue, across the street from Swifty’s. [Read more…]

Yager announces Senate re-election bid

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Ken Yager

Ken Yager

Information from WYSH Radio

Tennessee Senator Ken Yager, a Kingston Republican, recently announced his bid for re-election to the Tennessee Senate. Yager, unopposed in his reelection bid, is seeking his third term to the state Senate.

“It is an honor to serve,” Yager said. “I take my responsibility to serve very seriously and am guided by one—and only one—principle: Constituents come first.”

The 12th Senatorial District is one of the largest in the state geographically.

“I represent seven of the finest counties in East Tennessee and the Upper Cumberland region, and work hard to make sure each receives its fair of state funding and grants,” Yager said. “I have been proud to be able to announce millions of dollars in grants, road projects, and new funding which will improve the lives of all of our citizens.” [Read more…]

Reminder: Roane County Candidate Forum tonight in Oak Ridge

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Reminder: There will be a Roane County Candidate Forum in Oak Ridge tonight. The forum starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, in the Oak Ridge Civic Center A/B Room.

Those who have been invited to participate are candidates for property assessor, road superintendent, County Commission District 6, School Board District 5/6, Ninth Judicial District Criminal Court judge, and Part One General Sessions judge.

Residents of Roane County can vote early from July 15 to July 30 at the First Christian Church, 100 Gum Hollow Road in Oak Ridge. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. [Read more…]

Anderson County Commission candidates at forum Thursday; Roane County forum on July 19

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Voter Registration Month

The League of Women of Voters of Oak Ridge will present two forums featuring candidates on the ballots in the August 4 elections in Anderson and Roane counties. The first forum, featuring candidates for Anderson County Commission, District 8, is tonight (Thursday, July 14).

Tonight’s forum will be held at the Oak Ridge campus of Roane State Community College in Room-111. It starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 14.

Three candidates are running to fill the unexpired term of Robin Biloski, who resigned from her District 8 in Oak Ridge in August 2015. The three candidates are Myra Mansfield, Angeleque McNutt, and Phil Yager. McNutt was appointed to the seat by Anderson County Commission in August, and that appointment was to last through the county’s general election this August.

District 8 includes the Emory Valley, Hendrix Creek, and Woodland voting precincts in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Reminder: Anderson County Commission candidates at Thursday forum

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Reminder: A Thursday morning forum will feature three candidates for Anderson County Commission.

The three candidates are Myra Mansfield, Angeleque McNutt, and Phil Yager. They are running for one of two seats in District 8, which includes the Emory Valley, Hendrix Creek, and Woodland voting precincts in Oak Ridge.

The candidate forum is from 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday, July 14, at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, which is at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Gene Patterson will be the moderator. The forum is free and open to the public.

See previous story here: [Read more…]

Lee, a construction superintendent, running for Oak Ridge City Council

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Joe Lee

Joe Lee (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Joseph “Joe” Lee, a commercial construction worker who is now a field superintendent for a project at the University of Tennessee, is running for Oak Ridge City Council in the November 8 election.

Lee, an Oak Ridge native, announced his candidacy this month, and he said he has qualified to be on the ballot in November.

Lee is a 1970 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, and he attended Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. He returned to his hometown in 1987 and was employed by Downtown Management Company as construction manager during the time known as “The Mall Wars,” a press release said. He met Julie Easterday there, and they were married in 1989. They now have two daughters, Lindsay and Loren.

The press release said​ Lee has worked his entire career in the commercial construction industry as either carpenter, superintendent, or construction manager. He has worked throughout the Southeast on industrial, institutional, and commercial projects, the release said. [Read more…]

Candidate forum for Anderson County Commission District 8 to be held July 14

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Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce building is pictured above.

 

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Advocacy Committee will host a series of candidate forums during the election season this year, and the first forum, for three Anderson County Commission candidates, will be in July.

That first forum will be for candidates running in the special election for Anderson County Commission District 8. The forum will be held from 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday, July 14, in the Joyce Conference Room at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, which is at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

All three candidates for the office—Myra Mansfield, Angeleque McNutt, and Phil Yager—have indicated that they will be present for the forum, a press release said. All candidate forums are free and open to the public. [Read more…]