Oak Ridge Today

Lunch with League: Global warming at a local level

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Melissa Allen-Dumas

A research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Tuesday will discuss the expected impacts of climate change on extreme weather and cities.

Melissa Allen-Dumas is a research scientist in the Computational Sciences and Engineering Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Her talk at Lunch with the League is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Those who attend can bring a lunch or purchase a boxed lunch. Coffee and tea will be served. The presentation will begin at noon, a press release said.

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Household hazardous waste collection is Saturday

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The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Anderson, Cheatham, and Wilson counties on Saturday, October 7.

“Tennesseans are encouraged to bring household hazardous waste—including cleaning fluids, pesticides, swimming pool chemicals, and more—to a designated drop-off location,” a press release said. “A person does not need to live in the county to participate.”

The drop-off locations are:

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Man killed in Andover Circle shooting

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A 21-year-old Maryville man died in a shooting on Andover Circle early Monday.

The man has been identified as Gavin West. He had a gunshot wound when officers arrived just after midnight Monday, and he died from his injuries, a press release said.

Detectives with the Oak Ridge Police Department responded and began investigating the homicide. West’s body was taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center for an autopsy, the press release said.

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Household trash pickup under way

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Oak Ridge’s citywide household trash pickup program began Monday, October 2.

During the annual pickup, household garbage, old appliances, and minor remodeling materials will be picked up. City collection efforts will follow the accompanying schedule as closely as possible, a press release said.

“Residents have always been very cooperative, and we ask for their continued cooperation this year by following a few guidelines,” the press release said. “Residents should place all materials near, but not beyond, the curb. Keep materials off sidewalks and out of parking areas and gutters. Please bag as many items as possible to prevent items from being scattered in prohibited areas.

“There is a limit of one truckload of material per residence. A truckload is defined as one pickup truck or approximately 3 feet high by 4 feet wide by 8 feet long, approximately 100 cubic feet maximum.”

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ORPD investigating fatal crash on South Illinois

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The Oak Ridge Police Department is investigating a fatal crash on South Illinois Avenue that happened shortly before midnight Friday.

In a press release, the City of Oak Ridge said a vehicle traveling south on South Illinois at Scarboro Road left the road at about 11:22 p.m., hit two utility poles and a tree, and then rolled down an embankment south of the intersection.

The vehicle’s driver, Luis Enrique Gomez Trinidad, 36 of Clinton, died in the crash, the city said. No one else was in the vehicle.

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County sees increase in infant deaths due to unsafe sleeping practices

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Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan (center), chief medical examiner for Knox and Anderson Counties, speaks about a concerning increase in infant mortality rates in Anderson County on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, as (from left) County Mayor Terry Frank, Regional Forensic Center Chief Administrative Officer Chris Thomas, Anderson County EMS Deputy Director of Education Bobbi Jo Henderson, and EMS Director Nathan Sweet look on. (Photo courtesy Anderson County government)

Anderson County Emergency Medical Services, County Mayor Terry Frank, and the chief medical examiner for both Knox and Anderson Counties are all urging the community—particularly parents and grandparents of children younger than 12 months old—to practice proper “safe sleeping.”

The caution from local officials comes as a result of a rising trend of infant mortality rates in Anderson County, a press release said. The Knox County Regional Forensic Center tracks information related to deaths in 21 counties.

“Since 2019, we have done 185 autopsies on infants under one year (of age). One hundred of those infants died as a result of unsafe sleep environments,” said Dr. Darinka Mileusnic-Polchan, chief medical examiner, during a press conference held Wednesday morning at Anderson County EMS headquarters in Clinton.

In Anderson County, data shows that 14 infant deaths have been recorded since 2019 with 10 of those deaths having been attributed to unsafe sleep practices.

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ASAP of Anderson welcomes new executive director

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Shayla Wilson

ASAP of Anderson hired Shayla Wilson as executive director this summer. The organization’s mission is to prevent and reduce substance misuse among youth and adults in Anderson County.

Wilson is a Clinton native and a graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a major in kinesiology, a press release said. She continued her education at Lincoln Memorial University obtaining both a master’s degree in education and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership. She comes from a career in coordinated school health at both the district and state level and statewide non-profit work, the press release said. Some people may formerly know her as Shayla Sanderson.

“Anderson County holds a special place in my heart,” Wilson said. “This county truly helped shape me into the person I am today. I can without a doubt say that the many individuals I grew up with, went to church with, and served in volunteerism alongside poured into me from a very young age. I was able to serve the county in my teens through the Fairest of the Fair and got involved in organizations that set me up for success. My favorite thing would have to be the people, the community, and the rich history that is held here. It is special to be able to step away, allow myself to grow, and walk back into a small town feeling just as welcomed as when I was 17.”

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Briceville Fire Department celebrates new station

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Briceville residents turned out Tuesday evening, Sept. 19, 2023, at Briceville Volunteer Fire Department’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new fire station, located at 1916 Briceville Highway. (Photo credit: Christopher Brewster Photography)

The Briceville Volunteer Fire Department celebrated its new fire station with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday. The ceremony included local residents and federal, state, and county officials, a press release said.

The path to building the new fire station started years ago, the press release said. In 2019, officials with the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development announced a grant to the Briceville VFD for $80,700 and a loan of $74,200, along with a county match of $30,000 to “make the dream of a new station a reality.”

But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the project hit a number of snags, the press release said. Market disruptions affected bidders; supply chain issues created cost increases and forced reworking of the project; and there was a need to close a funding gap as prices increased.

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Anderson County government offices closed Monday, Tuesday

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Anderson County government offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday, July 3-4, to observe Independence Day.

The offices will re-open at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, July 5, a press release said.

The Anderson County Commission sets the schedule for observed county holidays each year. A full list of the 2023 county holidays can be found online at https://andersoncountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/County-Holidays-2023.pdf.

Fireworks show, music on July 4

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A file photo of the annual fireworks show in Alvin K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge on Thursday, July 4, 2019. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

Oak Ridge’s annual fireworks show is scheduled to being at dark Tuesday, around 9:45 p.m. on Independence Day, July 4. There will be music before the show.

The celebration, which is sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge, will be at Alvin K. Bissell Park in central Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform prior to the fireworks. The concert is free, but donations are accepted by the band to help cover the cost of equipment and other expenses, a press release said. The music is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m.

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USA Cycling Time Trial National Championships on Thursday

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Oak Ridge Traffic Impacts

Oak Ridge will host its fifth annual USA Cycling Individual Time Trial National Championships on Thursday, June 22. Elite cyclists nationwide will converge on the city, showcasing their skill and determination as they compete for the championship title, a press release said.

“Partnering with Visit Knoxville, the City of Oak Ridge and Explore Oak Ridge are proud to welcome back this prestigious championship,” the press release said. “The closed-loop course along Melton Lake Drive promises heart-pounding action and an unforgettable experience for spectators and media alike.”

“The nation’s top cyclists (will) go head-to-head, pushing their limits to claim victory,” the press release said.

The races, which are scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and about 5 p.m., will affect traffic in parts of east Oak Ridge near the Clinch River starting at 7 a.m. Thursday.

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Oak Ridgers celebrate library renovations

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Oak Ridge Public Library Director Julie Forkner, right, talks to a standing-room-only crowd about renovations to the library’s East Wing on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A standing-room-only crowd attended the grand re-opening celebration of renovations to the East Wing of the Oak Ridge Public Library on Tuesday.

The renovations include a brand-new Children’s Room and bathrooms that meet Americans with Disability Act standards.

The projects were made possible through a combination of funding from the City of Oak Ridge, a Support Grant to Local Governments, and the Friends of Oak Ridge Public Library administering a bequest (a personal property gift) on behalf of Jerry Kinnamon.

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