Oak Ridge Today

Joe Gaddis inducted into Tennessee Football Coaches Hall of Fame

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Joe Gaddis

Joe Gaddis (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge football coach Joe Gaddis was inducted into the Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Saturday.

It was the association’s fifth Hall of Fame class, and it includes a total of seven members. Besides Gaddis, the other six Hall of Fame football members in this year’s class were Bobby Alston, Jim Heinz, Hershel Moore, Bob Polston, and Dave Rider.

The seventh member recognized by the Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame was the contributor of the year. This year’s inductee was former Chattanooga Times Free Press sports writer and Chattanooga area television personality Stump Martin.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place on Saturday, December 1, at the Life Church in Cookeville. [Read more…]

Photos: Work begins on Blankenship Field

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The high school football season is over, and renovation work started at Blankenship Field in November 2018. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Schools)

The high school football season is over, and renovation work started at Blankenship Field in November 2018. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Schools)

 

The high school football season is over, and renovation work has started at Blankenship Field.

The City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools have both posted photos of the start of the work.

On Wednesday, the City of Oak Ridge said maintenance crews from Oak Ridge Schools were doing preliminary work, including removing irrigation, fencing, and sod.

“Heavy machinery will arrive with the contractors soon,” the city said in a post published on Twitter. “We can’t wait to see the finished product next year!” [Read more…]

Basketball: Oak Ridge boys win at Campbell County

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JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge boys basketball team picked up their second district win of the season in a 81-67 victory at Campbell County on Friday night.

The Cougars took an early lead, but the Wildcats led 22-12 by the end of the first quarter.

Oak Ridge (5-1, 2-0 District 3-AAA) outscored Campbell County 48-29 in the next two quarters to widen the lead to 70-44.

But the Cougars (0-7, 0-2) scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, compared to 11 for the Wildcats, to narrow the final score to 81-67. [Read more…]

More than 100 entries to participate in Oak Ridge Chamber’s Christmas Parade

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Last year's Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce's annual Christmas Parade was Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (File photo by Eli Welton)

Part of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade is pictured above on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (File photo by Eli Welton)

 

More than 100 organizations and individuals have already registered to be a part of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade to be held on Saturday, December 8. This year’s theme is “A Fantasy of Lights,” and it promises to provide spectators with plenty of music, lights, and beautiful floats, a press release said. The first official entry of the parade is always a crowd favorite: the award-winning Oak Ridge High School Marching Band.

Other entries will include skaters, adoptable animals, antique and classic vehicles, dancers, horses, and much more, the press release said. All of these entries help lead the way for the most important part of the parade: the arrival of Santa Claus in Oak Ridge. Santa will be helped along his way by the Oak Ridge Fire Department.

Sponsor of this year’s parade is The Cowperwood Company. There is no cost to participate.

The Chamber will be accepting entries online through Monday, December 3. Register by visiting the Chamber’s website at www.oakridgechamber.org. [Read more…]

Neutron production at ORNL’s SNS reaches design power level

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The Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has reached its operational power design level by running a neutron production cycle at 1.4 megawatts, the lab said Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

The Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has reached its operational power design level by running a neutron production cycle at 1.4 megawatts, the lab said Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

The Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has broken a new record by ending its first neutron production cycle in fiscal year 2019 at its design power level of 1.4 megawatts.

Higher power provides more neutrons for researchers who use the facility to study a wide range of materials, an ORNL press release said. The achievement marks a new operational milestone for neutron scattering in the United States and opens the door to studying significantly smaller materials with greater complexity, the press release said.

“The operation of SNS at 1.4 megawatts this cycle has been an outstanding achievement,” said Paul Langan, associate laboratory director for neutron sciences. “It reflects on the maturity of our facility and the high level of technical excellence of our engineering, operational, and scientific staff.”

The power increase was enabled by the combination of extensive improvements to the linear accelerator, including the recent replacement of the radio frequency quadrupole—the first accelerating structure of the accelerator’s frontend assembly, as well as improvements to the liquid mercury target. [Read more…]

CTF: 53 grams of suspected meth found in hotel room search

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Bobby M. Baucum

Bobby M. Baucum

 

About 53 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine were found during a hotel room search in Clinton in October, authorities said.

Bobby M. Baucum, 47, of Knoxville, was arrested after the search, which was led by the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force of Anderson County, according to Anderson County court and jail records. Baucum was charged with possession of schedule II drugs (methamphetamine) for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Baucum had been using a hotel room at the Red Roof Inn and Suites on Buffalo Road in Clinton, according to affidavits filed by Jonathan Wilson of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force. Officers, who had a search warrant, searched the room on October 3, the affidavits said.

The search of the hotel room found the roughly 53 grams of suspected meth and a digital scale and plastic bags, Wilson said in the affidavits. [Read more…]

(For members) NNSA modernizing weapons as U.S. nuclear stockpile shrinks

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Image from the Fiscal Year 2019 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, which was released in October 2018.

Image from the Fiscal Year 2019 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, which was released in October 2018.

 

Image from the Fiscal Year 2019 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration, which was released in October 2018.

The U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile continues to shrink and it’s gotten older, but the National Nuclear Security Administration, which has a site in Oak Ridge, has four modernization programs under way. That’s the busiest the NNSA has been since the Cold War era, Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty said in a report to Congress in October.

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, which enriched uranium for the first atomic bomb used in wartime, has been involved in the work to modernize some weapons and dismantle others as the stockpile changes.

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, includes more information about Y-12’s work on nuclear weapons and a series of nine questions and answers with Hans M. Kristensen, the director of the Nuclear Information Project at Federation of American Scientists. 

The rest of the story is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or recent contributor to Oak Ridge Today. 

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Guinn scores 32, but Oak Ridge loses at Campbell County

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JACKSBORO—Oak Ridge senior guard Jada Guinn scored 32 points in a 49-48 loss at Campbell County on Friday night, a district basketball game that ended with a battle of free throws.

Guinn, who has signed to play basketball at Tennessee Tech, scored more points than the top two Lady Cougars combined. She had two-thirds of the Oak Ridge offense and made a crucial three-point shot with about 30 seconds remaining.

Campbell County was led by 6-foot-2 junior post Madison Brady, who scored 20 points. That included seven points in the close fourth quarter, when Brady was 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Brady and Guinn each went to the free throw line three times in the final 38 seconds. Each made five of their six shots. It was another battle between the two teams that have finished in the top two spots in the district in each of the past three seasons. [Read more…]

UT-Battelle will provide ORNL security starting in December

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

Photo by ORNL

 

Starting in December, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex will both manage their own security forces to protect their sites.

Y-12 has been managing its own protective force for about six years, ever since a former contractor, B&W Y-12, terminated a contract with WSI Oak Ridge after a security breach at the 811-acre plant. The current Y-12 contractor, Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, confirmed this month that it has been responsible for security and security police officers since it began managing and operating the plant in July 2014.

On Friday, UT-Battelle, which manages and operates ORNL for the U.S. Department of Energy, said it is assuming responsibility for providing protective force services at the laboratory starting December 30. That’s when a new security contractor will take over at some federal sites in Oak Ridge.

ORNL Media Relations Manager Morgan McCorkle said about 90 employees who have been providing security services at ORNL under a contract with National Strategic Protective Services LLC will transition from NSPS to UT-Battelle. [Read more…]

Winter Farmers’ Market opens Saturday

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There are more than 30 vendors each week at the Winter Farmers' Market at St. Mary's School gym in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Winter Farmers' Market)

There are more than 30 vendors each week at the Winter Farmers’ Market at St. Mary’s School gym in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Winter Farmers’ Market)

 

Anderson County’s largest market accepts SNAP, offers educational programs for children and adults

The Winter Farmers’ Market by Grow Oak Ridge opens for its third season on Saturday, December 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 323 Vermont Avenue (St. Mary’s School gym) in Oak Ridge. It is open each Saturday, December through February, except for December 29.

Opening day features hourly door prizes and a free drawing for $20 in market tokens at noon, a press release said.

This is the largest farmers’ market in Anderson County, with 44 vendors on roll, and 35 most weeks in December, according to market director Rebecca Williams.

“The gym is filled and we have a waiting list in December, and even in January and February, we will have close to 30 local producer-vendors each week,” Williams said. “All of them must make, bake, or grow what they sell within 150 miles of Oak Ridge.

“Our farmers grow all year long, so you will see produce, pasture-raised beef, pork, and tilapia, local honey, free-range eggs, and fresh flowers and plants. Plus we have artisan food vendors bringing breads and pastries, jams and jellies. Food trucks will serve coffee, brunch, and lunch. And, our crafters offer unique handmade holiday gifts such as pottery, textiles, wood made items, bath and body products, and more.” [Read more…]

Bonds sold Tuesday for Preschool, Senior Center

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

Bonds sold Tuesday morning for three construction projects: Oak Ridge Preschool, Oak Ridge Senior Center, and Scarboro Park renovations.

The bonds sold at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said.

There were six competitors. Fidelity Capital Markets had the low bid, with an interest rate of 3.613651 percent.

It’s considered a good interest rate. Anything below 4 percent is good, Watson said.

There wasn’t a large spread between the six bidders. The highest bidder had an interest rate of 3.720288. [Read more…]

Knoxville TV stations offer unique experiences for Children’s Museum Gala Auction

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Frank Murpjy, of WNOX radio, will emcee the Children's Museum Gala Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. (Submitted photo)

Frank Murpjy, of WNOX radio, will emcee the Children’s Museum Gala Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. (Submitted photo)

Celebrate Oak Ridge’s 75th birthday at Children’s Museum Gala

Knoxville’s three local TV stations are offering opportunities to shadow a meteorologist, be a news anchor in a mock news cast, and tour a haunted mansion, as auction experiences up for bid during a Gala on Friday at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The Children’s Museum is hosting its 17th annual Gala, a museum benefit with the theme “Oak Ridge at 75: A Night of Nostalgia,” at 6 p.m. Friday at the Museum, 461 West Outer Drive.

Guests will have a chance to bid on an exclusive offer to shadow WBIR-TV Todd Howell, the station’s chief meteorologist since 1996, for a day.

At WVLT-TV, after a station tour and catered lunch with news anchors Ted Hall or Amanda Hara, or both, the winning bidder will read actual news scripts on the news set with anchors during a mock news cast that will be recorded and sent to the winner. [Read more…]