Oak Ridge Today

City to consider giving $30,000 per year to General Sessions Court

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Anderson-County-General-Sessions-Court-Interior-Oak-Ridge-Nov-19-2015

The 18-month lease on the Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, on Bus Terminal Road in Oak Ridge expires in June, and Anderson County commissioners are taking steps to move the court to a county-owned building on Emory Valley Road. The interior of the courthouse on Bus Terminal Road is pictured above. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider approving $30,000 in funding per year for five years for the Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge.

The money would be used for court operations and capital costs. Council will consider the funding during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, April 10, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.

Anderson County commissioners have cited the expected Oak Ridge contribution in their discussions of keeping the court in Oak Ridge and moving it from a private building on Bus Terminal Road to a county-owed building on Emory Valley Road.

The City of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge City Council have supported having the General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge since its start on February 1, 1993, City Manager Mark Watson said in an April 4 memo to Council members. [Read more…]

TSBDC hosts free export seminar

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Small Business Development Center at Roane State Community College is hosting a free workshop for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to learn more about succeeding in the global marketplace.

The free workshop covers export financing options (Ex-Im Bank), logistics and freight forwarding, compliance, legal issues, and information about export assistance available, a press release said.

If you are just exploring exporting, or have done international business in the past, this workshop is for you, the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge receives $2 million wastewater loan

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The City of Oak Ridge has received a $2 million state wastewater loan, officials said Friday.

The loan is for the city’s Infiltration and Inflow Correction project. It will be used to rehabilitate approximately 30,000 linear feet of sewer line, a state press release said. The project will be funded with a 20-year, $1,860,000 loan with an interest rate of 1.89 percent and $140,000 in principal forgiveness that will not have to be repaid, Tennessee officials said.

The loan was announced Friday by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau. They said that three communities have been approved to receive more than $9.3 million in low-interest loans for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.

“The State Revolving Fund Loan Program helps citizens enjoy a better quality of life by assisting communities with current and future infrastructure needs for improved environmental health,” Haslam said.

Tennessee’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program has awarded more than $1.7 billion in low-interest loans since its inception in 1987, the press release said. Tennessee’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan Program has awarded more than $296.2 million in low-interest loans since its inception in 1996. [Read more…]

Georgia judge to speak at Roane State forum on April 12

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Michael C. Clark

Michael C. Clark

Judge Michael C. Clark of Gwinnett County, Georgia, will discuss his career as a family court judge in the Atlanta area for the spring 2017 Roane State Social and Behavioral Science Forum.

The forum will be at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. It’s scheduled from 12:30-2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12, in the City Room (A111).

Clark, born and raised in Macon, Georgia, served for more than 21 years as Superior Court Judge in Gwinnett County. He became a member of the bar in 1980, worked briefly as a law clerk for a Superior Court Judge in Floyd County (Rome), as an assistant district attorney in Gwinnett County, and as a private lawyer before being elected to the bench in 1992. He was re-elected five times.

Before being elected to the bench, Clark had a reputation as an excellent trial and appellate lawyer, a press release said. In March 2014, he stepped down to return to the private practice of law. As a trial judge, he presided over approximately 150 jury trials and handled about 30,000 cases. [Read more…]

Roane BOE backs off school consolidation plan

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

Meeting in a special session Thursday night in the auditorium of Roane County High School in Kingston, the Roane County School Board voted to scrap its controversial plan to consolidate the county’s five high schools into one 2,200-student “mega-school.”

Earlier this year, the School Board voted to move forward with a plan to combine Harriman, Midway, Oliver Springs, Rockwood, and Roane County (commonly called Kingston) high schools and passed it along to the County Commission for consideration. The proposal, however, parked an immediate backlash, as many parents—especially those from the Midway and Oliver Springs school zones—voiced concerns, specifically about the increased travel time for students to and from school. [Read more…]

Retired Oak Ridge school teacher, historian to discuss pre-Oak Ridge women

Posted at
By 1 Comment

The 1920's brought significant progress for women. (Submitted photo)

The 1920s brought significant progress for women, a press release said. (Submitted photo/ORHPA)

 

A retired Oak Ridge school teacher and historian will discuss the women who lived in this part of East Tennessee before Oak Ridge was built during World War II.

Eugene Pickel will also pay tribute to retired Oak Ridge teacher Catherine Ledgerwood during his talk to the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association on Thursday.

“Women are more equal today than ever in history,” Pickel said in a press release. “I thought I would describe women generally as they were in our area—Kingston, Clinton, Oliver Springs—before Oak Ridge was created. Then I thought I would go to Catherine Ledgerwood—the most creative change agent I have ever known. Her impact on young people was, and still is, remarkable!”

Oak Ridge was built during World War II as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project, a federal project to make the world’s first atomic weapons. The Manhattan Project production site that became Oak Ridge displaced century-old family farms and small crossroads communities: Scarborough, Wheat, Robertsville, and Elza. (Some have historical markers.)

The Thursday night ORHPA meeting starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 13, at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Manhattan Project program: Celebrate National Junior Ranger Day at AMSE on April 15

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

MAPR JR RANGER

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park encourages families to visit the park this week as part of National Park Week.

“Kids of all ages are invited to come learn how to explore, learn, and protect your national park on April 15, and become an official Junior Ranger,” a National Park Service press release said.

Visit https://www.nps.gov/mapr/oakridge.htm for a preview of the planned activities.

All participants will receive Junior Ranger badges or patches and a certificate upon completion of the program, the press release said. Junior Ranger activity guides may be obtained at the park visitor desk located in the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.

“The program is designed for kids ages 8 to 12 years old, but is available to anyone young at heart,” the press release said. “Come out to explore, learn, and protect your national park.” [Read more…]

Author to discuss the Civil War, how it affected Morgan County

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Aaron Astor

Aaron Astor

 

Author Aaron Astor of Maryville College will discuss the Civil War and how it affected Morgan County in Wartburg on April 15.

The program, which includes a discussion and book signing, is hosted by Obed Wild and Scenic River. It’s scheduled from 1-2 p.m. Saturday, April 15.

Astor is the author of the book “The Civil War along Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau,” and he will be on hand to sign copies of his book following the program, a press release said. [Read more…]

Cybersecurity brown bag lunch on Monday: ‘Cyber Hygiene for Individuals and Small Businesses’

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Cyber and Information Security Consortium, or CISC, and the University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy have partnered to hold monthly brown bag lunches to hear talks on key topics regarding cybersecurity, a press release said.

The next lunch will take place next week in the UT Outreach Center in Oak Ridge, and it will be on the subject of cyber hygiene.

Topic: “Cyber Hygiene for Individuals and Small Businesses”

Speaker: Scott Partelow, managing consultant for enterprise solutions at Sword and Shield Enterprise Security [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Environmental Management has community budget workshop on Wednesday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

OREM Community Budget Workshop 2017

The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management has a community budget workshop on Wednesday.

The annual workshop is scheduled from 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, in the U.S. Department of Energy Building 2714-G at 235 Laboratory Road in Oak Ridge.

Topics include the federal budget process, near-term priorities and plans, a question-and-answer session with the audience, and how to build on Oak Ridge’s recent cleanup successes.

Y-12: Quick-acting officer helps save a life

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Y-12 Fire Department paramedics and security police officer who gave Freida Williford, front, lifesaving CPR visited her and her husband at the Harriman Care and Rehabilitation Center. From left behind her are, Justin Blackstock, Joe Perian, Keith Williford, Rick Dettmering, Brad Holt, and Loyd Williams. (Photo by Y-12)

The Y-12 Fire Department paramedics and security police officer who gave Freida Williford, front, lifesaving CPR visited her and her husband at the Harriman Care and Rehabilitation Center. From left behind her are Justin Blackstock, Joe Perian, Keith Williford, Rick Dettmering, Brad Holt, and Loyd Williams. (Photo by Y-12)

 

By Y-12 National Security Complex

Radiation control technician Freida Williford and two coworkers had been working in the Y-12 Protected Area and were headed to lunch one day in a van. She remembers feeling strange—dizzy, with a severe headache.

No, she didn’t need to go to medical, she told her coworker; it would pass. That was the last memory she had before waking up in the hospital.

As she later learned, the time during her memory gap included lifesaving steps taken by Y‑12 employees and medical professionals that gave Williford a second chance at life.

What happened in between—lifesaving steps taken by Y‑12 employees and medical professionals—gave Williford a second chance at life. [Read more…]

Sears’ future won’t affect Sears Hometown Store in Oak Ridge

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Sears Hometown Store on Fairbanks Road in Oak Ridge had a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 17, 2017. (Photo by Kay Brookshire)

Sears Hometown Store on Fairbanks Road in Oak Ridge had a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, March 17, 2017. (Photo by Kay Brookshire)

 

With the recent news surrounding Sears Holdings Corporation, the Sears Hometown Store in Oak Ridge said Wednesday that it wants to assure local residents “they are going strong and will continue providing the community access to the brands they love and need.”

Sears Hometown locations operate under Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc., which separated from Sears Holdings Corporation in October 2012 and is a completely separate, publicly-traded company, a press release said.

“With this, news reports from Sears Holdings Corporation about its performance or store closings are in no way a reflection of the health of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores or the Oak Ridge Sears Hometown Store,” the press release said. “Plus, unlike most retail concepts, Sears Hometown Stores combine the value, selection, and services associated with larger retail stores but are owned and operated by a member of the local community.”

The Oak Ridge store is locally owned and operated. [Read more…]