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Clinton desegregation book wins history award

Posted at 2:36 am March 7, 2024
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A book about the desegregation of Clinton schools won the Tennessee History Book Award for 2023.

The book is “A Most Tolerant Little Town: The Explosive Beginning of School Desegregation.” It was written by Rachel Louise Martin, a historian and writer, a press release said.

The award was announced by the Tennessee Historical Commission and the Tennessee Historical Society. The award prize includes $2,000.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Front Page News, Government, History, State, Storytelling, Top Stories, Writing Tagged With: A Most Tolerant Little Town, Brown v Board, Clinton schools, desegregation, Rachel Lousie Martin, school desesgregation, Tennessee Historical Commission, Tennessee Historical Society, Tennessee History Book Award

Three students, schools selected for ORNL FCU art, mural program

Posted at 3:18 am March 5, 2024
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Three students and schools have had their art work selected for the ORNL Federal Credit Union’s Community Art and Mural Program.

Introduced in 2017, the Community Art and Mural Program was created to support initiatives that make the arts accessible to all and help our communities thrive. The 2024 mural theme was “new beginnings,” a press release said.

“Congratulations to the following students and schools,” the press release said:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, Arts, Business, Education, Entertainment, Front Page News, K-12, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Bryan Wilkerson, Community Art and Mural, Haley Campbell, Heidi Mohamed, Kathleen Hernandez, ORNL Federal Credit Union

Oak Ridge Philharmonia has free concert in March

Posted at 6:27 pm February 14, 2024
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Philharmonia will have a free concert in March, performed on two separate dates in Oak Ridge and Knoxville.

“We hope you can join us for a generous portion of fun and very enjoyable music,” a press release said.

The concerts will include:

  • Muzio Clementi, “Symphony No. 4”
  • Claude Debussy, “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun”
  • Heitor Villa-Lobos, “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4”

Here is the concert schedule:

  • Sunday, March 10, at 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge, 1101 Oak Ridge Turnpike
  • Sunday, March 17, at 4 p.m. at Cokesbury United Methodist Church, 9919 Kingston Pike, Knoxville

“As always, the concert is provided with free admission, but we certainly appreciate donations that can be given at the concert or through our wonderful website,” the press release said. “We encourage you to visit our website and read about our orchestra: https://www.oakridgephilharmonia.org/.”

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Many news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, contributors, and subscribers. This is a free story. Thank you to our advertisers, contributors, and subscribers. You can see what we cover here.


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Filed Under: Entertainment, Front Page News, Music, Top Stories Tagged With: free concert, Oak Ridge Philharmonia

Playhouse has Maskapalooza! fundraiser on March 9

Posted at 1:18 am February 8, 2024
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Playhouse will have a Maskapalooza! fundraiser on Saturday, March 9. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Playhouse will have a Maskapalooza! fundraiser on Saturday, March 9.

It’s a fan favorite, a press release said.

“Dress to impress, don a creative mask, sample delectable heavy hors d’oeuvres, take home unique auction items, and dance the night away to the tunes of DJ Luther Simmons,” the press release said.

The party starts at 6 p.m. March 9 in Calhoun’s Banquet Hall in Oak Ridge.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Theater Tagged With: fundraiser, Maskapalooza!, Oak Ridge Playhouse

Playhouse presents ‘Cemetery Club’ comedy

Posted at 2:23 am February 6, 2024
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Playhouse will present the comedy “The Cemetery Club” in seven performances from February 9-18. (Photo courtesy Eric Smith/Oak Ridge Playhouse)

The Oak Ridge Playhouse will present the comedy “The Cemetery Club” in seven performances from February 9-18.

“The story concerns three widows and longtime friends who gather each month to visit their husbands’ graves,” a press release said. “Doris wants to continue mourning her loss. Ida wonders if it’s time to move on. Lucille pretends to move on—but hasn’t. Their outlooks on life, and responses to becoming widows vary, but the drama begins in earnest when they meet the local butcher, Sam, who has recently lost his wife. It looks as if a new love is on the horizon for some, however, not everyone approves.”

The press release said “The Cemetery Club,” by Ivan Menchell, was originally produced in 1987, and it “addresses the challenges of growing older with plenty of laughs and witty banter along the way. Characters share beautiful and lively bonds (think ‘Steel Magnolias’ meets ‘The Golden Girls’) as they explore an optimistic look at renewal after loss.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Comedy, Entertainment, Front Page News, Theater, Top Stories Tagged With: comedy, Oak Ridge Playhouse, The Cemetery Club

New Year’s Eve Countdown with food trucks, bands, ball drop

Posted at 9:43 am December 31, 2023
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A New Year’s Eve countdown in Oak Ridge will feature food trucks, bands, and a ball drop.

There will also be fireworks, and the event and parking will be free, according to Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, which is presenting the countdown.

The event is scheduled from 9 p.m. Sunday, December 31, to 1 a.m. Monday, January 1, at Alvin K. Bissell Park. The park is located at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Musical performers will include Eli Fox Band and Alex and the Animals, according to an event flyer.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Holidays, Holidays, Music, Slider Tagged With: ball drop, Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve countdown, Oak Ridge

Community Band has Christmas Concert & Sing Along

Posted at 7:59 am December 10, 2023
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

You can enjoy Christmas songs and carols with the Oak Ridge Community Band this afternoon, Sunday, December 10.

The concert is scheduled to start at 3:30 pm. at the Grove Theater at 123 Randolph Road in Oak Ridge.

“This is a free, family-friendly celebration and a great time to relax, take a break from shopping, and sing your favorite carols and hear familiar Christmas music,” an announcement said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Holidays, Holidays, Music, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Christmas concert, Christmas songs, Oak Ridge Community Band

ORHS Masquers Showcase is Saturday

Posted at 10:33 pm November 10, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge High School Masquers Fall Showcase is Saturday.

The performances will start at 7 p.m. Saturday in the ORHS Performing Arts Center.

Tickets are $5 at the door or online at https://orhsmasquers.booktix.com/.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Entertainment, K-12, Music, Theater, Top Stories Tagged With: Fall Showcase, Masquers, Oak Ridge High School

Final days of ORHS WildBand fruit sale

Posted at 5:17 pm October 30, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge High School WildBand earned the top class 5A band spot September 23, 2023, at the Clinch River Classic competition.  The performance was titled “WildBand presents…METAL.” In addition to first place for the band, WildBand received first place for percussion, second place for drum majors and second place for guard. (Photo courtesy Michael Johnson)

This is your last week to order Oak Ridge High School WildBand fruit to arrive in time for the winter holidays.

It’s also your last chance to see WildBand perform its award-winning METAL halftime show during the Oak Ridge football playoff game at Blankenship Field on November 3, a press release said. “The band had strong 4A showings recently at the Walden Ridge and Foothills Classic marching competitions,” the release said. 

The award-winning band, which has a fresh fruit fundraiser, consistently earns superior ratings and top-ranking placements at regional marching band competitions, while also providing the community artistic enrichment through annual concerts and halftime shows at football games, the press release said.

It said the indoor percussion ensemble and winter guard achieve the highest scores and rankings in regional contests, and in 2022, both made it to the finals in regional WGI competitions. The indoor percussion ensemble went on to achieve a historic 10th place finals finish at the WGI World Championship in Dayton, Ohio, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Education, Entertainment, Front Page News, K-12, Music, Top Stories Tagged With: fruit sale, Michael Spirko, Oak Ridge High School Wildband, ORHS Symphonic Band

Oak Ridge Philharmonia has free concerts in November

Posted at 1:15 am October 25, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Philharmonia will have two free concert dates in November.

The two concerts will include:

  • Mozart: Overture to “Abduction from the Seraglio”
  • Saint-Saëns: Danse Bacchanale from “Samson and Delilah”
  • Rimsky-Korsakov: “Scheherazade”

“We hope you can join us for a generous portion of fun and very enjoyable music,” a press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Front Page News, Music, Top Stories Tagged With: concerts, Oak Ridge Philharmonia

Secret City Improv Festival entertains this weekend

Posted at 11:53 am October 6, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Twenty-three professional comedy groups and three local high schools will perform at the Secret City Improv Festival in Oak Ridge this weekend.

The festival is scheduled Friday, October 6, and Saturday, October 7, at the Historic Grove Theater.

It’s the third year in a row that the festival has been in Oak Ridge.

The festival consists of eight unique performances featuring 23 professional improv comedy troupes, three local high schools, and workshops and masterclasses with experienced improvisers from across America, a press release said. The Secret City Improv Festival will feature comedy improv troupes from 15 cities representing 10 states this year.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Comedy, Entertainment, Entertainment, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Oak Ridge, Secret City Improv Festival

Oak Ridge to host movie premiere of ‘Oppenheimer’

Posted at 3:12 am July 19, 2023
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

On Thursday, Oak Ridge will host a movie premiere of “Oppenheimer,” a movie about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his team of scientists who helped build the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II. Oak Ridge was part of the top-secret project to build those bombs.

The movie will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at Cinemark Theater.

“Explore Oak Ridge is thrilled to present the premiere of ‘Oppenheimer, a movie that not only entertains but also pays tribute to the remarkable history of our city and the Manhattan Project,” said Katy Watt, president of Explore Oak Ridge. “This event celebrates Oak Ridge’s contributions to science and innovation, and we are honored to showcase our community’s heritage on the silver screen. Everyone is invited to an evening filled with drinks, popcorn, and a deep sense of pride as we honor the enduring spirit of our remarkable community and the remarkable history that defines us.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, History, History, Movies, Slider Tagged With: atomic bombs, Explore Oak Ridge, Katy Watt, Manhattan Project, nuclear weapons, Robert Oppenheimer, World War II

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