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Breakfast with Legislators on Feb. 28

Posted at 10:21 am February 21, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The first Breakfast with the Legislators this year is scheduled for Monday morning, February 28.

The breakfast will be virtual, and it scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. It has been organized by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Government, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Breakfast with the Legislators, John Ragan, Ken Yager, Kent Calfee, League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, Randy McNally

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Workers devise strategies to clean up high-risk contaminated lab at ORNL

Posted at 3:05 pm February 17, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Workers lower detection equipment through an opening in the roof of the East Cell Bank at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to capture readings inside the facility. (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management/UCOR)

Innovation has been required as federal cleanup crews work to deactivate and demolish the final portion of the former Radioisotope Development Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The structure is known as the East Cell Bank, and it is on the U.S. Department of Energy’s list of high-risk excess contaminated facilities, said a press release from DOE Office of Environmental Management. The East Cell Bank is located in the heart of ORNL, near ongoing research missions.

Workers with cleanup contractor UCOR characterized the final cell to identify potential radiological and hazardous contamination, the press release said. They conducted the work in stages under a six-story protective structure erected to ensure nearby facilities and ongoing research missions at ORNL aren’t impacted by the cleanup.

The crews began by taking surveys and readings from an opening at the front of the structure, the release said. They used long-reach tools and a specialized radiation detector. The detector overlays a radiation-intensity color map on a picture of the environment and identifies gamma-ray emitting nuclides and their locations.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: deactivation, demolition, DOE, East Cell Bank, federal cleanup, high-risk contaminated facilities, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Office of Environmental Management, ORNL, Radioisotope Development Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR

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Obituary: Trenda Lynn Howard

Posted at 2:30 pm February 17, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Obituaries Leave a Comment

Trenda Lynn Howard

Trenda Lynn Howard, age 79, went to be with the Lord on Saturday February 12, 2022.

She was of the Baptist faith and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star #390.

Trenda was formerly employed by Oak Ridge Schools as a cafeteria worker.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, James William Howard, Jr.; mother, Myrl Catherine Edwards; father, Isaac Henderson Tackett, Jr.; grandson, Joseph William Howard Tunkel; sisters, Beverly Lee Mitchell and Andra Long; brother, Timothy Tackett; brother-in-law, Donald Wayne Gullett; and nephew, Earl Russ Long.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Obituaries Tagged With: obituary, Trenda Lynn Howard

Willow Ridge Garden Center named small business of month

Posted at 2:07 pm February 17, 2022
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce recently presented Willow Ridge Garden Center with its Small Business of the Month designation for February 2022. Pictured are Christine Michaels, Greg Steele, Kelley O’Dell, Scott Russell, Chris Johnson, April Fugate, Lora Barker, Florenda Howard, and Norm Nelson. (Submitted photo)

 

Willow Ridge Garden Center has been named the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Month for February 2022.

The award is sponsored by Enrichment Federal Credit Union.

Willow Ridge Garden Center is located at 97 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

“When the weather is bleak, wet, dreary, and cold, it may not seem like the time to visit Willow Ridge Garden Center,” a press release said. “But, according to garden center retail manager Greg Steele—or ‘Greg the Friendly Garden Guy’ to followers of the Willow Ridge Facebook page—it’s always planting season. ‘We are here year round and you can plant year round. There is not a time when you can not plant, so you can always get your hands dirty—it’s good for you!'” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Enrichment Federal Credit Union, Greg Steele, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Small Business of the Month, Willow Ridge Garden Center

Former AC school employees charged with theft

Posted at 1:54 pm February 17, 2022
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Two former Anderson County Schools employees have been charged with stealing more than $10,000 in a two-year period between January 2018 and January 2020.

Heather Dawn Heatherly, 44, of Jacksboro, and Stephanie Leann Jenkins, 43, of Powell, were indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury on a single felony count of theft or more than $10,000 but less than $60,000 on February 1.

“The investigation was initiated by a complaint from a merchant that was concerned about the types of purchases being made with a government account,” said Dave Clark, Seventh Judicial District attorney general in Anderson County. “The Anderson County Schools promptly reported the matter to the Sheriff’s Department and suspended the employees.”

The lengthy investigation that followed included the ACSO, Anderson County Schools, Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, and the District Attorney General’s Office.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Courts, Courts, Education, Front Page News, K-12, Slider Tagged With: Anderson County Schools, Dave Clark, Heather Dawn Heatherly, Russell Barker, Stephanie Leann Jenkins, theft, Tim Parrott

Oak Ridge, others cheering for Higgins in Super Bowl

Posted at 11:19 am February 13, 2022
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak-Ridge-Higgins-TD-Catch-Clinton-Thomas-Aug-18-2016-Web-Cropped
Oak Ridge wide receiver Tee Higgins (5), who was then a senior, catches a 17-yard pass from junior quarterback Johnny Stewart before falling backward into the end zone for a touchdown near the left pylon, putting the Wildcats ahead of the Clinton Dragons 42-7 with 2:57 left in the first half at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Higgins is defended here on his second TD catch by Clinton senior J’Quan Thomas (5). (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

People in East Tennessee and others across the country will be cheering for former Oak Ridge Wildcat Tee Higgins in the Super Bowl this evening (Sunday, February 13), and another former Wildcat, Zach Witherspoon, will be on the sidelines.

Higgins is a standout wide receiver who played for Oak Ridge and Clemson University, and he is playing in his second season for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals (10-7-0) play the Los Angeles Rams (12-5-0) at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The game will be broadcast on NBC at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Coverage of Super Bowl 2022 will air live on NBC and Peacock starting at 12 p.m. Eastern.

The Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime on January 30, with a game-winning 31-yard field goal by rookie kicker Evan McPherson. You can watch highlights of that game here and here, and read a scoring summary here.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Front Page News, High School, Pro, Slider, Sports, Sports Tagged With: AFC Championship, basketball, Cincinnati Bengals, Clemson University, David Clary, football, Los Angeles Rams, Oak Ridge, Super Bowl, Tee Higgins, Wildcat, Zach Witherspoon

Controlled burns scheduled on Oak Ridge Reservation

Posted at 3:17 pm February 12, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Controlled burns are scheduled on the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation. (Submitted photo)

Controlled burns are scheduled on the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation.

“The public should expect to see some smoke from this activity,” a press release said. “However, smoke in this and other areas in the region could also be the result of prescribed burns currently being undertaken by other federal and state agencies.”

DOE will be starting a series of controlled burns of grassland areas on the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation on the Three Bend Area off Pump House and Bull Bluff Roads, and other managed grassland areas off Bethel Valley Road and off Highway 58, the press release said.

Beginning this week and continuing through mid-April 2021 as weather permits, controlled burns will take place at:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge Reservation, Police and Fire, Tennessee, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: controlled burns, DOE, Oak Ridge Reservation, planned burns, U.S. Department of Energy

Passenger dies after THP pursuit

Posted at 3:05 pm February 12, 2022
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The passenger has died after a two-vehicle crash during a police pursuit in Anderson County on Sunday, January 30.

It’s the second death after the police chase and fatal crash near the intersection of Mountain Road and Highway 441 at about 2 p.m. that Sunday. The driver, Elijah Morley of Dandridge, died after the crash.

On Wednesday, Dave Clark, Seventh Judicial District attorney general, said Morley’s passenger, Dustin Dienst of Morristown, died Tuesday night. He had been hospitalized since the crash.

A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper, Austin Dean, was also injured in the crash. Clark said earlier that Dean was treated and released from a hospital.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Police and Fire, Tennessee Tagged With: Anderson County, Austin Dean, crash, Dave Clark, Dustin Dienst, Elijah Morley, fatal crash, Tennessee Highway Patrol, THP

ORHS student a U.S. Presidential Scholars candidate

Posted at 2:46 pm February 12, 2022
By US Department of Education Leave a Comment

Sidney Ozcan

 

By U.S. Department of Education

Sidney Ozcan, a graduating senior at Oak Ridge High School, has been named one of 5,000 candidates in the 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The candidates were selected from nearly 3.6 million students expected to graduate from U.S. high schools in the year 2022.

Inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character, and involvement in community and school activities. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: Oak Ridge High School, ORHS, Sidney Ozcan, U.S. Presidential Scholars Program

Anderson Senior Center to host mobile mammography unit Thursday

Posted at 2:38 pm February 12, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Mobile mammography screenings will be available at the Anderson County Senior Center on Thursday.

The mobile mammography unit is from the University of Tennessee Medical Center. The senior center is at 96 Mariner Point Drive in Clinton, and the screenings will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, February 17.

Appointments are required, and they can be scheduled by calling the UT Breast Health Outreach Program at (865) 839-7416 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Health Tagged With: Anderson County Senior Center, mammography screening, mobile mammography, University of Tennessee Medical Center, UT Breast Health Outreach Program

Four qualifiers win at songwriters competition

Posted at 2:26 pm February 12, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Locals, visitors, and music industry leaders came together for a lively celebration and songwriting competition for East Tennessee songsmiths at Tennessee Songwriters Week’s qualifying round in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. (Submitted photo)

Locals, visitors, and music industry leaders met for a celebration and songwriting competition for East Tennessee songsmiths at Tennessee Songwriters Week’s qualifying round in Oak Ridge on Wednesday.

“A slew of songwriters provided one of the most engaging and exciting songwriting competitions to date,” a press release said.

The competition was at Oakey’s Sports Bar in Oak Ridge. Each competitor was judged based on their overall performance, originality, and connection to the audience, the press release said. Out of the 20 applicants, only four were part of the winners from Oak Ridge’s qualifying round to advance to the next round at the Bijou Theater in Knoxville.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Front Page News, Music Tagged With: Corey Clifton, Explore Oak Ridge, Hazi Thomas, Katy Watt, Oak Ridge, qualifying round, Shandy Glover, songwriting competition, Tennessee Songwriters Week, Travis Tench

JMS FIRST Lego League hosts Atomic City Invitational

Posted at 12:51 pm February 12, 2022
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Jefferson Middle School FIRST Lego League teams hosted the 8th annual Atomic City Invitational on Jan. 15, 2022. Area teams were invited to come participate in the FIRST Lego League Cargo Connect challenge and alliance challenge, sumo bots, and Lego Great Ball Contraption. Fifteen area teams entered 45 robots into the events. (Photo by Janie Shanafield, Jefferson Middle School)

By Janie Shanafield, Jefferson Middle School

Jefferson Middle School FIRST Lego League teams hosted the 8th annual Atomic City Invitational on January 15. Area teams were invited to participate in the FIRST Lego League Cargo Connect challenge and alliance challenge, sumo bots, and Lego Great Ball Contraption. Fifteen area teams entered 45 robots into the events.

The winners were as follows:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12, Science, Top Stories Tagged With: Atomic City Invitational, FIRST LEGO League, Jefferson Middle School

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