Oak Ridge Today

Cross country: Oak Ridge boys, girls finish first in Cherokee Invitational

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats boys’ cross country team finished first in the Cherokee Invitational in Knoxville on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016. (Photo by Nichole Zawisza)

 

The Oak Ridge boys’ and girls’ cross country teams finished first in the Cherokee Invitational in Knoxville on Saturday. Senior Jake Etheridge was the top overall runner in the boys’ 5k, or 5,000-meter race. Junior Genevieve Schwartz finished second overall in the girls’ race, and senior Abbey Greenhalgh was third.

The Oak Ridge boys had seven of the top 14 runners, and the girls had six of the top 13.

The first-place finish for the boys on Saturday came one week after they finished first in the Wendy’s Invitational in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Etheridge was also the top overall runner.

Oak Ridge Coach Allen Etheridge said Saturday’s race on Cherokee Boulevard in Knoxville is a hard race that was run during Fall Break, when the team is out of the normal school rhythm. The team has to run to “get its work in,” but is never “super satisfied,” Etheridge said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge plays in District 3-AAA girls’ soccer semifinal game on Tuesday

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats soccer team will play in a District 3-AAA semifinal tournament game at home on Tuesday.

Oak Ridge (10-6-1, 3-1), the number two seed, will play Central (16-0-1, 6-0), the number three seed, at Oak Ridge High School at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Central (16-0-1, 6-0) beat Gibbs 1-0 on Saturday to advance to the seminal game against Oak Ridge. Gibbs was the number six seed.

Oak Ridge and Central did not play during the regular season. [Read more…]

McMinn County gives Oak Ridge first loss, 28-24

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Note: This story was updated at 1:55 a.m

ATHENS—When the Oak Ridge Wildcats traveled to Athens on Friday night to face McMinn County, despite the Cherokees’ impressive 5-1 record, they probably were not expecting a loss.

But that’s exactly what happened, as the two teams swapped leads throughout the contest, and the Cherokees just barely escaped with the win, 28-24.

“They whipped us,” Oak Ridge head coach Joe Gaddis said. “To their credit, they whipped us. And I think they whipped us on both sides of the ball.”

McMinn County burned seven minutes and 20 seconds off the clock on their first offensive possession, with all but one of the plays designed runs, and concluded the drive with a Zane Byas touchdown carry to put the Cherokees ahead 7-0. [Read more…]

Soccer: Lady Wildcats fall to Bearden

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KNOXVILLE—It was not what Jeff Trombly was looking for.

The Oak Ridge girls soccer head coach spoke plainly about his team’s performance after an 0-4 loss to Bearden Thursday night, saying that he would grade it as an F.

“There was no effort,” Trombly said. “There was no connecting the passes. There was no spirit involved in the team at all. Worst game we’ve played all year.”

The Lady Wildcats traveled to Knoxville hoping to gain a late-season victory over the defending Lady Bulldogs.

Instead, Oak Ridge (10-6-1, 3-1 District 3-AAA) fell behind early in the contest, and struggled to gain any momentum. [Read more…]

Tourism in Oak Ridge, Anderson County shows increased economic impact

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The economic impact of tourism in Anderson County and Oak Ridge has increased for a second year in a row.

In September, the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development released its 2015 annual report showing that visitors to Anderson County, which includes Oak Ridge, were responsible for spending more than $119 million in the county, an increase of 2.9 percent over the previous year, a press release said. Visitor spending in Anderson County yielded nearly $3 million in local sales tax.

“Marketing efforts continue to pay off as part of an organized effort to increase tourism in Oak Ridge and Anderson County,” Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said in the press release. “Tourism is not only a way to increase our tax revenues, but the people who visit us positively add to the fabric and culture of our community—making tourism investment an all-around win.”

In its annual report, Explore Oak Ridge released data that showed Oak Ridge hotel revenue was up by 11 percent compared to the previous year (hotel revenue is a typical measure tourism’s economic effect on a city). Local tax generated from Oak Ridge hotels exceeded $585,000 in the 2015-16 fiscal year. [Read more…]

Before Oak Ridge: Life along the Clinch River in Anderson, Roane counties

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Historic Freels Bend Cabin: A marvelous setting for the Oct. 13, 2016, public and membership meeting of Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, in partnership with UT-Battelle. The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. to be sure the program can be completed before dark. (Photo courtesy ORHPA)

 

Aaron Astor, an associate history professor at Maryville College, will discuss life along the Clinch River in Anderson and Roane counties before Oak Ridge was built in a special meeting at the historic Freels Bend Cabin on October 13.

It’s the monthly public and membership meeting of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, a press release said. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, October 13, at the Freels Bend Cabin.

“We will meet at the parking lot at the Oak Ridge Associated Universities’ South Campus at 5 p.m., and at 5:15 p.m., we will caravan to the Freels Bend Cabin,” the press release said.

Astor’s topic is “Before Oak Ridge: Life Along the Clinch River in Anderson and Roane Counties.” [Read more…]

Children’s Halloween Party set for Oct. 27

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will host the 2016 Children’s Halloween Party on Thursday, October 27, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Civic Center. The party is primarily for preschool and elementary aged children. Older children attending with their families are welcome, a press release said.

Volunteers are needed to help run carnival games, work in the “scary room,” help with toddler activities, and assist in the craft room. All volunteers must be 16 and older unless working under the supervision of an adult, the press release said. Volunteers are given an event T-shirt and a pizza dinner at the conclusion of the event.

Activities include carnival games, inflatables, toddler game room, Halloween cartoon videos, face painting, concessions, glow room, and craft room. The “Scary Room” is a haunted castle theme and is suitable for younger children. A hayride is planned for Bissell Park, weather permitting, the release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Civic Music Association’s Chamber Series kicks off Saturday

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Fandango! (Photo courtesy ORCMA)

Fandango! (Photo courtesy ORCMA)

 

The Oak Ridge Civic Music Association opens its 2016-17 Chamber Series with Fandango! on Saturday. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 8, at the Pollard Auditorium in Oak Ridge.

“The most exciting new group on Chicago’s musical scene, Fandango! is a toe-tappingly spicy mix of Latin, Spanish, Sephardic, Balkan, and classical sounds founded by four multi-award-winning, globe-trotting virtuosi who hail from Spain, the USA, former Yugoslavia, and the UK, and who have played, separately and together, on the world’s most prestigious stages,” a press release said.

Made of two husband-and-wife virtuoso duos, Fandango! features flautist Eugenia Moliner, guitarist Denis Azabagic, violinist Desiree Ruhstrat, and cellist David Cunliffe. The quartet will perform an eclectic mix of genres, including familiar favorites by Vivaldi and Boccherini, and music by American composer Alan Thomas, Macedonian composer Miroslav Tadic, and more, the press release said.

“Audiences are sure to enjoy this festive concert,” the release said. [Read more…]

Community veterans invited to community breakfast Saturday

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Military veterans from Anderson County are once again invited to come together this weekend for a community Veterans Breakfast, a press release said.

The breakfast, hosted by Anderson County citizens and sponsored this month by Ray Varner Ford, will be held Saturday, October 8, at the Clinton Community Center. “Chow line” opens at 8:30 a.m., and there will be a brief program at 9 a.m., the press release said.

Varner will serve as master of ceremonies for the event, and the special speaker will be Commander Tommy Mariner, Senior Naval Science Instructor at Anderson County High School. Door prizes are provided this month by Ray Varner Ford. [Read more…]

Volleyball: Region 2 tournament is Tuesday at Farragut

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats swept the Anderson County Lady Mavericks in three close sets to win the District 3-AAA volleyball championship at Karns on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Region 2-AAA volleyball tournament is Tuesday evening at Farragut.

The first matches, both semifinal games, start at 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 11. Court 1 will feature Farragut, the District 4-AAA champion, and Anderson County, the District 3-AAA runner-up. Court 2 will feature Oak Ridge, the District 3-AAA champion, and Hardin Valley Academy, the District 4-AAA runner-up. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society’s Fall Plant Sale is Saturday

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s Fall Plant Sale is in Oak Ridge on Saturday.

The plant sale is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the UT Arboretum, which is at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Fall is the ideal time to add plants to the landscape,” a press release said. “To help satisfy that need, Beaver Creek Nursery, East Fork Nursery, Riverdale Nursery, Sunlight Gardens, as well as the UT Arboretum Society’s members and friends, will offer a variety of high-quality plants at this sale.”

Will Witte, the Society’s “Answer Man,” will be at the plant sale to answer all of your plant questions. Dano’s Hot Dogs will be back with his popular dogs, burgers, and lemonade, the press release said. [Read more…]

Tennessee Fall Homecoming this weekend at Museum of Appalachia

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Tennessee Fall Homecoming Musicians

File photo courtesy Museum of Appalachia

Tennessee Fall Homecoming is this weekend at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris.

The historic three-day festival is scheduled from Friday, October 7, to Sunday, October 9. It’s the 37th annual Tennessee Fall Homecoming.

It’s one of the nation’s largest, most authentic music and folk festivals, a press release said. It features more than 70 musicians performing on four outdoor stages.

“Each year, tens of thousands of music fans come to enjoy concerts spanning many genres—including bluegrass, country, gospel, and Americana music,” the press release said.

The music lineup for this year’s event includes: [Read more…]