Oak Ridge Today

Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge to show ‘Dear Mr. Waldman’ on Saturday

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The Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge will have its monthly Jewish Film Series on Saturday, April 5, at 7 p.m.

Each month, the rabbi picks a different Jewish film ranging from comedy to drama, from fiction to documentary. This is a free event and refreshments are provided.

This month’s film will be “Dear Mr. Waldman” (Israel, 2006, NR, 84 minutes). Set in early 1960s Tel Aviv, this coming-of-age story centers on 10-year-old Hilik and his struggle to help heal the emotional wounds of his father, who hasn’t recovered from losing his elder son at Auschwitz. Still in denial, Moishe believes his son escaped and is now President Kennedy’s aide. To help his father move on and gain the father-son relationship he sorely needs, Hilik puts Moishe’s love to the test. [Read more…]

See, discuss documentary on poverty: Feb. 6, Roane State Oak Ridge Campus

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Poverty Documentary

Filmmakers Dan Parris, David Peterka, and Rob Lehr will discuss their documentary on extreme poverty on Feb. 6 at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus. (Photo courtesy RSCC)

Roane State Community College’s International Education Department will screen the award-winning documentary “Give a Damn?” on Thursday evening at the Oak Ridge campus.

The 90-minute film tells the story of three friends who attempt to live in poverty on $1.25 a day as they journey across three continents. The adventure turns devastating when two of them survive a deadly plane crash in Africa, and all three must fight to finish what they started.

The film was named best documentary at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, won a Visionary Award at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles, and has been an official selection for additional film festivals. [Read more…]

Free screening of ‘Chasing Ice,’ global warming discussion on Wednesday

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Chasing Ice

Volunteers will show an award-winning movie on global warming and its effects on the world’s glaciers in Oak Ridge on Wednesday evening.

The movie “Chasing Ice” was filmed by Jeff Balog, a photojournalist working for National Geographic, a press release said. It will be shown at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church.

Balog filmed the movie in the “stunningly beautiful and dangerously challenging Artic landscape, in search of the truth about global warming and its effects on the world’s glaciers,” the press release said. Released in 2012, “Chasing Ice” received the Excellence in Cinematography Award from the Sundance Film Festival.

“Ninety seven percent of scientists agree that manmade climate change is real, and is happening now,” the release said. “A majority of Americans accept the science of climate change, but many do not fully understand its impacts. Jeff Balog himself was once a skeptic, until he saw firsthand how the warming planet is losing ice, even in the planet’s most brutally cold lands.” [Read more…]

Paranormal investigator to share career experiences at Roane State

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Lorraine Warren

Lorraine Warren at the premiere of “The Conjuring” on July 15 at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles. (Photo Credit: Sue Schneier/MGP)

Paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren will give a lecture at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1, in the O’Brien Theatre at Roane State Community College in Harriman.

Warren will speak about the many hauntings that she and her late husband, Ed, investigated. The Warren’s most celebrated case involved their role as chief investigators of the haunting on Long Island, N.Y., that became the subject of a number one best-selling book and movie, “The Amityville Horror.”

Their most harrowing encounter in Harrisville, Pa., was recently depicted in the feature film “The Conjuring,” starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as the Warrens. [Read more…]

Sound Company choir has auditions Saturday

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Sound Company

Members of Sound Company, the Oak Ridge Children’s Performing Show Choir, sing in a concert during the 2012-2013 season. The choir is holding auditions starting at 9 a.m. Saturday. (Photo by Linda Miller Ripley)

Sound Company, the Children’s Performing Choir of Oak Ridge, will be hosting auditions for the 2013-2014 school year starting at 9 a.m. Saturday at High Places Community Church in Grove Center.

The organization is primarily seeking boys and girls in first and second grades as well as boys in grades three through twelve, a press release said. Girls in grades three through twelve are welcome to audition, but there are limited openings. [Read more…]

‘Do the math’ about fossil fuels, global warming, activist says

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Bill McKibben

Bill McKibben

Since April 21, environmental activist Bill McKibben’s “Do the Math” movie has been shown around the nation and world. Its message is that catastrophic climate change looms large this century if fossil fuel use is not restricted.

In Oak Ridge, the movie has been shown several times at First Presbyterian Church, which is sponsoring McKibben’s lecture on Sunday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center. The movie can be downloaded from McKibben’s grassroots organization www.350.org.

The author of two classics of environmental literature, “The End of Nature,” and “Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet,” McKibben had the movie made after 350.org’s successful “Do the Math” tour of cities last fall. “Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math,” McKibben’s article a year ago in Rolling Stone magazine, inspired the tour. [Read more…]

Nuclear goes Hollywood: New film sheds light on old debate

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Pandora's Promise Panel Discussion

Jeff Binder, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s associate lab director of nuclear science and engineering, answers an audience question during a panel discussion following a screening of “Pandora’s Promise” in Knoxville on Saturday. (Submitted photo)

By Scott Jones

About 300 people attended a showing of the new pro-nuclear film “Pandora’s Promise” and heard a panel discussion about nuclear energy on Saturday, including perspectives from Oak Ridge National Laboratory staff.

The lab worked with Regal Entertainment Group to bring the film to the Downtown West theater from July 19-25.

Few phrases carry the ideological weight of the words “nuclear power.” [Read more…]

Documentary film to feature ORHS band

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Keith McDaniel

Keith McDaniel

Submitted

Filming began this week on a documentary film that will feature the Oak Ridge High School Wildcat Band, ORHS Band Director Spence Milligan announced Monday.

The film, entitled “TRADITION: A Year in the Life of the Oak Ridge High School Wildcat Band,” is being produced by Oak Ridger and award-winning documentary filmmaker Keith McDaniel. [Read more…]

‘Pandora’s Promise’ comes to Knoxville; panel discussion planned Saturday

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“Pandora’s Promise,” a new film about environmentalists’ support of nuclear energy as a solution to global climate change, will be shown in a limited Knoxville engagement this week, starting today (Friday, July 19) and ending Thursday, a media advisory said.

A panel discussion at 8:45 p.m. Saturday will include representatives of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USEC, and the University of Tennessee. It will follow the 7 p.m. showing of the film. [Read more…]

First Presbyterian Church offers movie nights for middle-schoolers

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“Movie Nights” for Oak Ridge middle school students will be Friday, June 28, at First Presbyterian Church at the corner of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Lafayette Drive. The movie will be “Ramona and Beezus.”

Children ages 10 to 13 are invited to bring their friends to play table games, create crafts, and enjoy pizza and drinks, as well as watch the movie, from 6 to 9 p.m. during the second and fourth Friday of every month, a press release said. [Read more…]

Janelle Arthur still on ‘American Idol’

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Information from WYSH Radio

Oliver Springs native Janelle Arthur has made it to the final eight contestants on “American Idol.”

Arthur, who sang the Beatles’ “I Will” on Wednesday night, survived another round of viewer voting and will be back on the show next week.

A video of her performance on the popular television show is available on Hulu.

Things to do in Oak Ridge this weekend

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Activities in Oak Ridge this weekend include a free movie, Christmas tree lighting, and Children’s Museum gala tonight and the annual Christmas parade tomorrow.

There is also a CONTACT Helpline pancake breakfast, rides with Santa on the Secret City Excursion Train, and the Roane State Community College holiday concert in Harriman.

See the Oak Ridge Today events calendar for more information.

The calendar is updated as we receive more information.