Oak Ridge Today

Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge offers Spring Break camps

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Campers will make slime, paint rocks, and have leprechaun fun at the Children’s Museum Spring Break Camp in March 2018. (Submitted photo)

Campers will make slime, paint rocks, and have leprechaun fun at the Children’s Museum Spring Break Camp in March 2018. (Submitted photo)

 

Flower art, slime and chemistry, science and art, and St. Patrick’s Day activities will be among spring break camps offered for children in kindergarten through 5th grades at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge Monday through Friday, March 12-16.

The museum will offer morning camps from 9 a.m.-noon and afternoon sessions from 1-4 p.m. Children may register for individual sessions, a day, all mornings, all afternoons, or the entire week.

Meanwhile, the Children’s Museum will be open for visits Tuesday through Sunday during spring break. Children may imagine they are astronauts in the Mars Rocket Room, play in a farmer’s market in the Healthy Living exhibit, explore how children lived in historic Appalachia, wander through a rain forest, play in a tugboat in TVA Waterworks, and much more.

Here’s the schedule of activities for March 12-16: [Read more…]

Tonight: ORHS Band concert with 8th Grade Bands, JazzRams

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Pictured above: The Oak Ridge High School Combined Concert and Symphonic Bands. (Photo by McEachern’s Photography via Oak Ridge Schools and used with permission)

Pictured above: The Oak Ridge High School Combined Concert and Symphonic Bands. (Photo by McEachern’s Photography via Oak Ridge Schools and used with permission)

 

The Oak Ridge High School Concert and Symphonic Bands will perform Tuesday, March 6, in the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center Auditorium.

The show will open with a guest performance by the Robertsville Middle School JazzRams, under the direction of Mike Spirko, director of the ORHS Band. This group of 6th-8th graders was formed and rehearses during school in the electives period at RMS, a press release said.

Spirko will then take the stage with the ORHS Concert Band for several selections, including Richard Saucedo’s “Triumphant Fanfare,” the press release said.

The Symphonic Band’s evening program will include the classic “Shenandoah,” directed by ORHS Band Director Spence Milligan. [Read more…]

ORHS Masquers presents ‘The Music Man’ in March

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Bronson Alan as Harold Hill, Lauren McCoig as Marian Paroo, and Olivia Pinkham (behind the piano) as Mrs. Paroo in the Oak Ridge High School Masquers' production of "The Music Man" in March 2018. (Submitted photo)

Bronson Alan as Harold Hill, Lauren McCoig as Marian Paroo, and Olivia Pinkham (behind the piano) as Mrs. Paroo in the Oak Ridge High School Masquers’ production of “The Music Man” in March 2018. (Submitted photo)

 

Oak Ridge High School Masquers, the school’s drama program, will present “The Music Man,” the classic musical, in four performances in March.

The performances are scheduled for Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 3, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Performing Arts Center.

Advance tickets are $8, and they are available at the ORHS office and The Ferrell Shop. At the door, tickets will be $10 for adults and $9 for student-aged children, a press release said.

Under the direction of Dana Wham—who has directed, choreographed, or acted in numerous adult and children productions throughout the region—this year’s “The Music Man” continues the ORHS Masquers tradition of bringing excellent performances, impressive sets, amazing orchestration, and technical panache to the stage, the press release said. [Read more…]

Movie screening, discussion to raise awareness of opioid epidemic

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Flyer_Chasing the Dragon_FINAL_Feb 20th_CMS

A movie screening and discussion on Tuesday will help raise awareness of the opioid epidemic in the community, a press release said.

The documentary “Chasing the Dragon” will be shown starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, February 20, in the Clinton Middle School auditorium. The screening and discussion are scheduled until 8 p.m. Parents, teachers, schools administrators, students, and other interested community members are invited to attend, the press release said. Students in grades 7-12 may attend with an adult.

The press release said there were 256 drug-related death cases in Knox and Anderson counties in 2016, according to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center. And the number continues to increase, the press release said.

“In an effort to combat the growing epidemic of prescription drug and heroin abuse, ASAP of Anderson, in cooperation with Anderson County EMS and in coordination with community partners in Anderson County, are hosting a screening of ‘Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict,’” the release said. “The FBI and DEA have released this documentary aimed at educating students, young adults, parents, and other community members about the dangers of dependence and addiction.” [Read more…]

This evening: Author of Atomic City novel to visit AMSE for book launch event

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The cover of "The Atomic City Girls" novel by Janet Beard is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

The cover of “The Atomic City Girls” novel by Janet Beard is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

 

The author of a new novel inspired by the experiences of the Americans who fueled the World War II-era Manhattan Project will visit the American Museum of Science and Energy on Thursday, February 15. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Janet Beard, whose grandmother worked on the Manhattan Project, will give a presentation on her writing process for “The Atomic City Girls,” which was informed by many captivating oral and written histories, a press release said. Beard also will read excerpts and sign copies of her book. Copies will be on sale at the AMSE gift shop beginning February 6.

Through its fictionalized tale of 18-year-old June Walker, her romance with a young physicist, and her search for the truth about the goals of the Manhattan Project, “The Atomic City Girls” brings to life the previously untold story of thousands who moved to East Tennessee in the 1930s and 1940s to join the effort to win the war and highlights the role women played at a pivotal moment in the country’s history and Oak Ridge’s founding. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge String Quartet performs Saturday

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The Oak Ridge Civic Music Association presents the Oak Ridge String Quartet on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Civic Music Association presents the Oak Ridge String Quartet on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge String Quartet will perform on Saturday.

The concert is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 17, at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. It’s presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association.

The musicians are Karen Kartal, violin; Sarah Ringer, violin; Sara Cho, viola; and Theodore Kartal, cello. They will be performing a piece by Rachel DeVore Fogarty, “At no time was any of this untrue.” [Read more…]

International Festival at Children’s Museum to feature entertainers, food, crafts

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The Knox Accordion-AIRs, Wolfgang Schaber and Linda Warren, will be featured performers at the Children’s Museum International Festival on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Submitted photo)

The Knox Accordion-AIRs, Wolfgang Schaber and Linda Warren, will be featured performers at the Children’s Museum International Festival on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Submitted photo)

 

The Knox Accordion-AIRs will be the featured performer when the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge hosts its annual International Festival on Saturday, February 17. The lively accordion duo will join Native American dancers, Greek and Indian folk dancers, hip hop dancers, and others during the multi-cultural festival, a press release said.

The family-friendly International Festival will present entertainment, crafts, and cuisines from cultures around the world, with musical and dance entertainment on stage throughout the day and crafts for children to make and take home. The festival entertainment will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Children’s Museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge.

The Knox Accordion-AIRs are Wolfgang Schaber and Linda Warren. Schaber began studying the accordion as a child in his home country of Austria, the press release said. Warren, who describes herself as “a Tennessee girl through and through,” has been playing accordion since she was six. She enjoys squeezing country, rock ‘n roll, and Memphis blues and gospel music on her accordion. Schaber enjoys playing polkas, marches, a waltz or two, folk tunes, and classical music. [Read more…]

Free West African drum, dance performance at ORAU on Thursday

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The public is invited to see the Austin-East High School Drum and Dance Ensemble in recognition of Black History Month at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at Pollard Auditorium at ORAU. The free West African drum and dance performance is presented by the ORAU Diversity Council. (Submitted photo)

The public is invited to see the Austin-East High School Drum and Dance Ensemble in recognition of Black History Month at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at Pollard Auditorium at ORAU. The free West African drum and dance performance is presented by the ORAU Diversity Council. (Submitted photo)

 

There is a free West African drum and dance performance at ORAU in Oak Ridge on Thursday in recognition of Black History Month. The performance will feature the Austin-East High School Drum and Dance Ensemble, and the public is invited.

The performance is presented by the ORAU Diversity Council, and it’s scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, February 15, in Pollard Auditorium at 210 Badger Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Focusing on the culture of traditional West African drum and dance, Austin-East students in grades 9-12 have the opportunity to learn not only West African dance but also ballet and modern as part of their performing arts program,” a press release said. “Austin-East students have performed at many venues, including University of Tennessee sports halftime shows, Knox County Schools and other schools in surrounding counties, and the Tennessee Valley Fair, to name a few. The ensemble has been in existence since 1999.”

This press release was submitted by Amy Schwinge.

Little River Band will headline Secret City Festival concert in June

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Secret City Festival Logo Web

The Little River Band will headline the Secret City Festival concert on Friday night, June 8, organizers said Monday.

The headliner was announced during the Oak Ridge City Council meeting.

The Little River Band had multi-platinum albums in the 1970s and 1980s and chart-topping hits that included “Reminiscing,” “Cool Change,” “Lonesome Loser,” “The Night Owls,” “Take It Easy on Me,” “Help Is on Its Way,” “Happy Anniversary,” “We Two,” “Man on Your Mind,” “The Other Guy,” and “It’s a Long Way There,” according to its website. [Read more…]

Sean Finnerty to headline Comedy at the Grove on Saturday, Feb. 17

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Comedy at the Grove Sean Finnerty Large

Sean Finnerty, who grew up in Ireland, will be the special guest and headliner at Comedy at the Grove in Oak Ridge on Saturday, February 17. The show will also feature Jay Kendrick and Shane Rhyne of Knoxville.

“Your hilarious host for the evening is Kris Bell,” a press release said.

The show will start at 8 p.m. Saturday, February 17, and doors will open at 7 p.m. Concessions will be available for purchase when the doors open, the press release said. You must be 18 to enter. Admission is $10. [Read more…]

Exhibit featuring Syrian refugee artists on display at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus through Feb. 9

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An exhibit of artwork by refugees from war-ravaged Syria will be on display at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Ave., through Feb. 9. (Submitted photo)

An exhibit of artwork by refugees from war-ravaged Syria will be on display at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Ave., through Feb. 9. (Submitted photo)

 

An exhibit of artwork by refugees from war-ravaged Syria will be on display at Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Avenue, through February 9.

Roane State’s International Education Department has coordinated with St. Louis Community College to bring the traveling exhibit to Oak Ridge, a press release said. The exhibit is located in the Coffey-McNally Building next to room C-120.

Scholar Rihab Sawah from St. Louis Community College organized the traveling exhibit. Sawah began presenting on topics related to Syria and the Middle East in her early 20s, when Amnesty International invited her to speak about her father, who was a political prisoner in her homeland, the press release said. [Read more…]

Rock to Bach Music Festival on Saturday will benefit Oak Ridge Civic Music Association

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Kelle Jolly on ukelele (Submitted photo)

Kelle Jolly on ukelele (Submitted photo)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:55 p.m.

The sixth Oak Ridge Rock to Bach Music Festival, presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, will showcase talented local musicians on Saturday, February 10, at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

A feast for music lovers, Rock to Bach will feature 19 live performances from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., a press release said. The performers include bands with singers, such as the Ridge City Ramblers and Mt. LeConte Jug Band, as well as string quartets, a flute choir, a jazz band, and two klezmer bands.

Solo artists are Allen McBride on the hammer dulcimer and vocalist Kelle Jolley, one of East Tennessee’s most celebrated jazz musicians. She is the host of Knoxville’s radio show on WUOT 91.9FM, “Jazz Jam with Kelle Jolly,” an hour-long show on Friday at 8 p.m. that celebrates great local, national, and international singers of jazz, the press release said. [Read more…]