More than 3,500 acres of federal land could be transferred to the state of Tennessee, including Clark Center Park and Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement.
The land could be transferred under an agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The two organizations signed an Agreement in Principle on Wednesday, December 15, that “lays the groundwork to transfer more than 3,500 acres of scenic East Tennessee land to the state,” a press release said.
During the last half of this year, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee unveiled the state’s new standard license plate, a press release said. The design of the new license plate was chosen by Tennesseans through a statewide vote.
“In our 225th year of statehood, we invited Tennesseans to cast their vote and help select the state’s next license plate,” Lee said. “I’m proud to announce the winning design that will represent our unique grand divisions and take its place in Tennessee history.”
More than 300,000 Tennessee residents cast a vote, with 42% voting for the winning design, the press release said.
Per the Tennessee statute, the license plate is redesigned every eight years if funds are approved in the General Assembly’s annual budget. This statute requires that either “Tennessee,” “Volunteer State,” and “TNvacation.com” be displayed on the plate, along with the county name and the expiration decals. This statute also allows Tennesseans to choose “In God We Trust” as a plate option.
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Note: This story was updated at 9:45 a.m. Dec. 30 to correct that the NNSA has purchased the LeMond building.
The National Nuclear Security Administration has purchased a building in west Oak Ridge that has been the site of two major industrial announcements, one by CVMR and the other by LeMond Composites. Both projects had promised at least $125 million in investments and hundreds of jobs, but neither has proceeded as expected.
Susan Hubbard, an acclaimed scientific leader and researcher, has been named deputy for science and technology at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Her appointment will be effective March 1.
“Dr. Hubbard brings skilled and passionate leadership that will enable world-leading impact across our portfolio,” ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia said in a press release. “She is a true champion of the DOE mission, the national laboratory system, and our responsibility to leverage powerful user facilities and multidisciplinary teams in the national interest.”
Hubbard joins ORNL from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where she most recently served as associate laboratory director of Berkeley Lab’s Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, leading efforts to find solutions to sustainably meet the water, energy, critical mineral, environmental quality, and food needs of a growing population, the press release said. In addition to her current role, she is a senior scientist at Berkeley Lab and a full professor adjunct in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the University of California at Berkeley.
“It is a profound honor and privilege to be named as the deputy for science and technology at ORNL,” Hubbard said. “ORNL has a stunning breadth, depth, and history of transformational fundamental science discoveries, technological advances, and innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges facing our nation. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help shape the lab’s future and its contributions to the DOE mission.”
[Read more…]Oak Ridge has been selected to host a qualifying round in February for Tennessee Songwriters Week, and applications are now open for the competition.
It’s the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development’s fourth annual Tennessee Songwriters Week. The Knoxville area’s qualifying round will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 9, at Oakey’s Sports Bar in Oak Ridge.
“The Tennessee Department of Tourism Development created this week to celebrate the foundation of the craft for which Tennessee is known: music,” a press release said. “Oak Ridge was among 30 locations statewide selected as a qualifying round host.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development as we host a 2022 Tennesseee Songwriter’s Week qualifying round at our signature Oakey’s Sports Bar,” said Katy Watt, president of Explore Oak Ridge. “Positioned perfectly in a valley along Knoxville’s trending city scene and the Great Smoky Mountains, Oak Ridge is the ideal destination for a musical experience unlike any other.”
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The average number of COVID-19 cases per day rose quickly in early December in Anderson County, and the number has been generally slowly falling since December 7.
It’s not clear if the abrupt rise in early December was related to family gatherings during the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving was about 1.5 weeks before the early December peak of 28.7 new cases per day on December 7.
By Sunday, the seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in Anderson County had fallen to 22.4 per day, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Health.
The average number of cases has averaged in the 20s so far in December. That’s up from an average in the teens starting in late October but still far below the peak of an average 89.6 new cases per day on September 11. That peak was the height of the summertime delta surge in Anderson County.
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The Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival in Oak Ridge in June will feature three renowned storytellers: Sheila Arnold, Bil Lepp, and Kim Weitkamp. The festival is scheduled from June 2-4, and “early bird” tickets are now on sale. This fifth annual event will be in person with four shows at the Historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge, and it will include the story of the Oak Ridge 85.
Early bird tickets can be purchased online at Eventbrite or the Ferrell Shop (cash or check only) in Oak Ridge. “This is a great Christmas gift for all ages,” a press release said.
The two-day storytelling event on Friday and Saturday will feature Arnold, Lepp and Weitkamp, “who are known to audiences nationwide for their wit, wisdom, and abilities to make audiences laugh, cry, and reminisce,” the press release said.
On Thursday, June 2, Lepp will lead a workshop.
Arnold will highlight the Friday night performance by telling the story of the Oak Ridge 85, the 85 brave young people who were the first to desegregate a school district in the South, the press release said.
“Few people know of this 1955 milestone event that took place in Oak Ridge,” the press release said. “Sheila will honor the Oak Ridge 85 by telling some of their stories.”
[Read more…]Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in Jackson Square from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, December 18, and members of the Oak Ridge Choral Society will lead people in Christmas carols at 4 p.m.
The celebration is being sponsored by the merchants of Jackson Square.
“Come join us as we gather around the tree,” a press release said.
“Giving and receiving are an important part of the holiday season and our ‘Lights of Hope Tree Decorating Contest’ is currently going on until December 30,” the press release said. “There are seven trees secured to lamp posts around the Square. Each tree was decorated by a nonprofit in our area. You cast votes by donating dollars. Each vote is worth one dollar.”
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The City of Oak Ridge had its first employee art contest benefitting Project Safe, a program administered by Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC), this fall, and the winners and donation totals are in, a press release said.
The theme for the inaugural art contest, which ran from October 4 through November 17, 2021, was “City of Oak Ridge Facilities, Services, or People.”
Employees were invited to create artwork within this theme and then the work was placed on display for voting.
Employees could make $1 donations to Project Safe to cast a vote for their favorite pieces. Project Safe helps those in our community who need assistance with utility bills, the press release said.
[Read more…]The Oak Ridge Public Library is supporting an initiative to select and name a poet laureate for the City of Oak Ridge.
The Oak Ridge Poet Laureate Committee is seeking a poet of excellence, who has lived in Oak Ridge for at least one year and is inspired to represent the city and all it strives to be, a press release said.
“Anyone can nominate someone they believe is best fit for the role and self-nominations are accepted as long as they can continue to live in the city throughout the appointment,” the press release said. “They must have significant publication history including books (excluding self-published and vanity presses), and in a variety of journals, and/or media. They must have received recognition in the field and have demonstrated literary excellence.”
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Cook’s Comfort Systems of Oak Ridge donated a heating and air-conditioning unit to Oak Ridge Nursery School, and workers installed it this month.
The donation, which included the labor of two workers, was valued at about $8,000, said Jawrell Cook, owner of Cook’s Comfort Systems on Union Valley Road in Oak Ridge.
“They need the help,” Cook said of Oak Ridge Nursery School. The pandemic has been difficult for many organizations, Cook said.
He said he had three sons attend Oak Ridge Nursery School more than 20 years ago, and one of his employees has a son at the nursery school now.
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Josh Hunt, University of Tennessee music intern, with the Oak Ridge High School Band trumpets rehearsing for a Holiday Concert on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. (Submitted photo)
The Oak Ridge High School Band will have a Holiday Concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 16, in the ORHS Performing Arts Center.
“Come enjoy an hour of music with the Percussion Ensemble, JazzKats, and Concert Band students as each group showcases their talent,” a press release said. “Fan favorite, ‘Sleigh Ride,’ by Leroy Anderson is a must hear!” [Read more…]
