Oak Ridge Today

Hospitality Houses at MMC win 2016 Historic Preservation Award

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Hospitality Houses

One of the Hospitality Houses is pictured above. (Submitted photo from March 2015)

 

The Hospitality Houses at Methodist Medical Center have won the 2016 Historic Preservation Award, the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association announced Friday.

The award is presented by the ORHPA each year on Oak Ridge’s birthday, September 19. That’s the day in 1942 that General Leslie Groves selected this area as the first site in support of the top-secret Manhattan Project, a federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II.

The Hospitality Houses are managed by Kim Maes of Methodist Medical Center, a press release said. These houses are original Oak Ridge E-2 duplexes located at 210 and 216 West Tennessee Avenue. [Read more…]

Mansfield focuses on reading, math, support for all students in school board race

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Myra Mansfield is pictured above with her granddaughters Kyrstin and Kennedy. (Submitted photo)

Myra Mansfield has focused on reading and math proficiency and support for all students in her campaign for Oak Ridge Board of Education.

“Every child in our schools should achieve proficiency in reading and math,” Mansfield said in a press release announcing her campaign.

Mansfield is one of three candidates to qualify to run for one of two school board seats in the November 8 election. The other two candidates are the two incumbents, Angi Agle and Keys Fillauer.

In the press release, Mansfield said she is running because she believes that all children, regardless of their background, are capable of achieving greatness.

“I was compelled by what I read in the local newspapers,” Mansfield said. “Students are underachieving from all backgrounds across the city and that demands our attention.”

Mansfield said she is the daughter of K-25 retiree Stanley Finch and Oak Ridge National Laboratory retiree Shirley Garrison (Finch) Frykman. She said she is a lifelong Oak Ridger and proud product of Woodland Elementary, Jefferson Middle, and Oak Ridge High schools. She has degrees in accounting, business management, and a master’s degree focused in counseling, the press release said. Her daughters Esther and Elizabeth are graduates of MTSU and son Jonathan is a student at Roane State Community College. [Read more…]

Former county commissioner running for Charter Commission, supports term limits

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Dusty Irwin

Dusty Irwin

Former Anderson County Commissioner Dusty Irwin is running for one of eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission, and he said he supports term limits.

Irwin is running for a seat in District 3, which includes the Andersonville, Norris, Fairview, and Glen Alpine precincts.

In a press release, Irwin said he was an active part of the petition effort to give citizens the opportunity to have term limits through charter—or Home Rule—government.

“I am committed to giving the voters an opportunity to vote on term limits for two consecutive terms for county commissioners and the office of mayor,” Irwin said in the release. “I feel strongly about citizen service on county committees, open and transparent meetings, and ensuring citizens have a right to speak at all meetings.” [Read more…]

Roane State to host events to help displaced ITT Tech students

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Roane State Community College is reaching out to students affected by the recent closure of ITT Technical Institute.

Roane State will host an information session for former ITT students from 3:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20, at the college’s Oak Ridge campus, which is at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. The meeting will be in the advising area inside the Coffey-McNally Building.

Former ITT Tech students are also invited to an Open House on Monday, September 26, at the college’s Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility, which is at 214 Nave Street in Clinton. The event will last from 5-8 p.m. and include demonstrations of equipment used to train students in mechatronics.

Roane State admissions and financial aid staff will be available at the events to answer questions. [Read more…]

Bargains galore at Church Rummage Sale on Friday, Saturday

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Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church will have its popular semi-annual rummage sale on Friday, September 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, September 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., a press release said. Bargain hunters have come to rely on the low prices for much-needed or desired items, the release said.

ORUUC is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Proceeds raised will help to support various ministries of the church, the press release said.

Shop the sale and find very low prices for linens, kitchenware, small appliances, furniture, home décor items, DVDs, CDs, books, baby items, toys, tools, athletic equipment, garden equipment, low cost computers, TVs, and other electronic devices, the press release said.

For many shoppers, the sale is highly anticipated for renewing and refurbishing the wardrobe for the entire family, the release said. Clothing, shoes, and accessories will be available. [Read more…]

Street Painting Festival on Oct. 1 seeks artists, sponsors

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2014 Owl Chalk Painting

A winning chalk painting at the 14th annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival, held in October 2014 at the Oak Ridge Branch Campus of Roane State Community College. (Submitted photo)

 

Do you enjoy drawing upon your artistic skills as you sketch a face, animal, or colorful scene? Then you might like “painting” pictures in chalk on a sidewalk.

You are invited to sign up as an artist for the 16th annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival. The festival showcases the talents of artists of all ages and provides a fun time for the community.

This popular event will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, October 1, on the sidewalks of the Oak Ridge Branch Campus of Roane State Community College. (The rain day will be Sunday.) Artists may start their chalk paintings on Friday afternoon, September 30.

The art must be completed at 4 p.m. Saturday, October 1, so it can be judged before 6 p.m., when artist awards will be announced. If you win a first prize or the People’s Choice Award, you will receive a $50 cash award as well as recognition.

The festival is organized and hosted by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge. Its purpose is to raise funds for scholarships for students at Roane State Community College. [Read more…]

Golf tourney on Sept. 23 to support Scarboro community garden

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The Rotary Club of Oak Ridge is hosting a Golf Classic tournament at Centennial Golf Course on Friday, September 23, to raise money to build a community garden in the Scarboro community in Oak Ridge. (Photo via Rotary Club of Oak Ridge on Facebook)

 

The Rotary Club of Oak Ridge is hosting a Golf Classic tournament on Friday, September 23, to raise money to build a community garden in the Scarboro community in Oak Ridge.

The Rotary Golf Classic will have a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, September 23, at the Centennial Golf Course off Edgemoor Road.

Here’s the rest of the schedule:

  • Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.
  • A putting contest will be held at 12:30 p.m.
  • Awards will be announced at 6 p.m.

[Read more…]

Social media the topic of ORICL fall kickoff at Roane State in Oak Ridge

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Joe Jarret

Joe Jarret (Submitted photo)

 

An expert on legal issues associated with social media will kick off a lecture series sponsored by Roane State Community College and the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning, or ORICL.

Joe Jarret’s lecture, titled “Social Media: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” will begin at 3:15 p.m. Thursday, September 15, in the City Room of the Coffey-McNally Building on the Oak Ridge Branch Campus of Roane State Community College. It’s free, and the public is invited. Refreshments will be available in the lobby after Jarret’s talk.

The event in Room A-111 also launches the fall series of courses offered by ORICL, a nonprofit organization that provides a wide variety of classes for area residents who love learning. Those classes start in mid-September, and registration can still be taken during the September 15 event. [Read more…]

Roane crash leads to alleged carjacking

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Information from WYSH Radio

Authorities in Roane County spent part of Tuesday searching for a man suspected of carjacking another motorist after crashing his own car earlier in the day.

Authorities responded to the scene of a one-vehicle crash on Old Harriman Highway shortly after 7:45 a.m. Tuesday and found the two passengers—Randall Rhodey of Clinton and David Russo of Oak Ridge—suffering from injuries. They were taken to Methodist Medical Center for treatment of those injuries. The driver of the car, however, was not immediately located as he had already fled the area by the time officers arrived. [Read more…]

Fandango!, a Chicago group, to perform in Oak Ridge on Oct. 8

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Fandango!—a musical group from Chicago that plays a mix of Latin, Spanish, Sephardic, Balkan, and classical sounds—will perform in Oak Ridge on Saturday, October 8, 2016. (Submitted photo)

 

Fandango!—a musical group from Chicago that plays a mix of Latin, Spanish, Sephardic, Balkan, and classical sounds—will perform in Oak Ridge on Saturday, October 8.

The concert will start at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 8, at the Pollard Auditorium. It’s presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association.

A press release said Fandango! is an exciting new group from Chicago. It was 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,” the 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 press release said. [Read more…]

Register for Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball Fall League by Saturday

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The registration deadline is Saturday, September 17, for the Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball Fall League, which is available to boys and girls in first through sixth grade.

The league evaluation days are at Oak Ridge High School from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, September 14, and 8:30-10 a.m. Saturday, September 17.

The cost is $70 per pre-registered player. Practice starts the week of October 17. Games will be on Saturdays and will be played in the Oak Ridge High School Arena and in the B gym. [Read more…]

Three seniors at ORHS, one at ACHS named National Merit semifinalists

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Three seniors at Oak Ridge High School and one at Anderson County High School have been named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship program. The students have a chance to continue competing from some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered next spring.

The semifinalists at Oak Ridge High School are Lara S. Blokland, Abigail Greenhalgh, and Logan B. Rumbaugh.

The semifinalist at Anderson County High School is Robert J. Spurling.

There are other students from 10 Knoxville-area high school who were also named semifinalists, including from Farragut High School, Grace Christian Academy, Hardin Valley Academy, and Bearden High School, Knoxville Catholic, and Webb. [Read more…]