Oak Ridge Today

Drop off household hazardous waste in Oak Ridge on Saturday, Sept. 17

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

You can drop off household hazardous waste in Oak Ridge on Saturday, September 17.

The collection will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Oak Ridge Central Services Complex at 100 Woodbury Lane, behind the Kmart shopping center.

The Household Hazardous Waste Collection is sponsored by Anderson County Solid Waste Management and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. It’s a state-sponsored event and open to any Tennessee resident. Residents of other counties are also welcome, a press release said.

Household hazardous waste is considered to be anything generated in the home that has a hazardous property. A material is considered hazardous if it is flammable, corrosive, toxic, or reactive with heat or contact with metals.

Household hazardous waste material is considered flammable, toxic, reactive, and/or corrosive, and should not be placed with regular garbage. Typical items to dispose of include cleaning fluids, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, fluorescent lamps, lithium and button batteries, aerosols, adhesives, medications, brake fluid, swimming pool chemicals, paint thinner, and used needles in sturdy containers. [Read more…]

Council wants to roughly triple proposed water rate at ORNL, Y-12

Posted at
By 3 Comments

Oak-Ridge-Water-Treatment-Plant-2009-1

The Oak Ridge Water Treatment Plant is pictured on Pine Ridge above the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

Note: This story was updated at 6:50 p.m.

Some Oak Ridge City Council members have questioned whether the federal government is paying enough for municipal water at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex, and on Monday, four of them proposed roughly tripling a potential new high-volume water rate at the two federal sites in 2017.

The new water rate would apply to water consumption over 20 million gallons per month, which would limit it to ORNL and Y-12. The two sites use a total of more than 100 million gallons of water per month.

The new rate is expected to go into effect in April 2017 only if Oak Ridge and the U.S. Department of Energy aren’t able to agree on a contract for water at ORNL and Y-12 by the end of March. Those two federal sites now pay a flat annual rate but could default to what is known as a retail rate if the contract lapses.

The city staff had proposed a new default rate of $1.08 per thousand gallons for consumption over 20 million gallons starting January 1, 2017. The following year, in 2018, the staff had proposed a $1.35 rate.

But four City Council members—Rick Chinn, Charlie Hensley, Trina Baughn, and Chuck Hope—voted to raise the $1.08 rate in 2017 to $3 per 1,000 gallons. Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Smith, and Council member Kelly Callison voted against the increase. [Read more…]

Clinton Driver Services Center closed Thursday, moved to Oak Ridge on Monday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Clinton Driver Services Center was scheduled to close at the end of the business day on Thursday, September 8, and re-open in Oak Ridge on Monday, September 12.

The move was announced by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

The new location is at 475 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

The Clinton Driver Services Center is located at 704 North Charles G. Sievers Boulevard in Clinton. It was scheduled to stop serving customers at the close of business this past Thursday. The new Oak Ridge facility was scheduled to be open for business this Monday (September 12). [Read more…]

Cleanup at Worthington Cemetery scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

volunteers-on-new-bird-observation-deck-at-worthington-cemetery2015-1

Prairie Rosinweed at Worthington Cemetery: Clean-up volunteers enjoy the bird deck at Worthington Cemetery in 2015. (Submitted photo)

 

Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and Tennessee Valley Authority will partner again to clean up in the Worthington Cemetery area, near Elza Gate Park, on Saturday, September 24.

The cleanup is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. September 24 in the Worthington Cemetery area, which is on the Melton Hill Reservoir. It is classified as an ecological study area, or ESA.

This has become an annual National Public Lands Day celebration, with a complimentary noon pizza lunch for volunteers, a press release said. There are new bird boxes and bat boxes, thanks to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the press release said.

Ann Worthington, family historian for the Worthingtons, will talk about the Worthingtons, who lived here and are buried here, along with their slaves, the press release said. [Read more…]

Letter: Motorcyclist thanks medical responders, travelers, THP Trooper Kennedy

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Note: This letter was submitted by John Such. He was part of the motorcycle group involved in one of the two crashes that injured eight people on Interstate 75 near Rocky Top on Saturday morning.

I was part of the mororcycle group yesterday involved in the crash on I-75. The semi crash happened immediately after the bikes went down. Cars traveling southbound stopped to either look and/or offer assistance to our riders down. The semi that was unable to stop crashed into traffic that had slowed down or stopped.

I can’t thank all those medical responders and travelers who offered hope, encouragement, water—anything they could to comfort all those in need. [Read more…]

Like what we’re doing? Subscribe to Oak Ridge Today

Posted at
By 2 Comments

If you appreciate what we do here at Oak Ridge Today, please consider becoming a voluntary subscriber. You don’t have to subscribe to read our stories, but your contribution will help us cover local news for you day and night, as best we can.

We currently offer three subscription levels: $5, $10, or $25 per month. We accept payments through PayPal. You can also send check payments to our P.O. box. Please visit our subscription page for information on these options.

There isn’t currently a difference between the three monthly subscription levels. It’s mostly a matter of what you can contribute or want to contribute. We believe that most of our subscribers support us because they like what we’re doing and want to see us succeed. [Read more…]

Photos: Oak Ridge High School 2016 Homecoming Court

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

oak-ridge-high-school-2016-homecoming-court-sept-12-2016

The 2016 Oak Ridge High School Homecoming Court is pictured above on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Row by row, starting at bottom left, are Leah Scudder and Ben Kelley, Kieran Blevins and Curtis Robertson, Courtney Ellison and Erik Bradford, Lindsey Riikola and Mark LeNoir, Stevie Logan and Dean Stetzel, and Harley Southmayd and Tyshawn Young. (Photo courtesy Holly Cross/Oak Ridge Schools)

 

The 2016 Homecoming Court at Oak Ridge High School has been announced. Here are photos of the Homecoming Court on Monday, courtesy of Holly Cross and Oak Ridge Schools.

The Homecoming game is on Friday, September 23, at Blankenship Field against Sevier County. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. [Read more…]

9/11 photos: ORFD, ORHS dedicate new flagpole in memory of victims of terrorist attacks

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

orfd-at-orhs-911-flagpole-sept-11-2016

We will always remember those who gave their lives to save others on September 11, 2001. (Photo and caption courtesy Martin McDonald at Oak Ridge High School memorial ceremony and flagpole dedication on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016)

 

The Oak Ridge Fire Department and the Oak Ridge High School 9/11 WTC Committee unveiled a new flagpole on Sunday and dedicated it in memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Sunday was the 15th anniversary of the attacks, which killed 2,977 people in New York City; Washington, D.C.; and outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Here are photos by Oak Ridge High School Principal Martin McDonald, shared here with his permission. [Read more…]

Council to consider water rate, sewer rate, trash fee increases

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Oak Ridge City Council 2014

The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in 2014. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:38 a.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider increases in the water and sewer rates that would go into effect in January 2017 and January 2018 during a regular meeting tonight (Monday, September 12). Council will also consider a trash fee increase that members endorsed during budget deliberations in June.

A 6 percent increase has been proposed for both water and sewer rates starting January 1, 2017. The next year, effective January 1, 2018, a 4 percent increase has been proposed for water rates and a 6 percent increase has been proposed for sewer rates.

A home that uses the minimum amount would pay an extra $2.26 per month for water and sewer starting in 2017 and an additional $2.17 per month in 2018.

A home that uses 5,000 gallons per month would pay $5.33 more per month for both water and sewer in 2017 and another $4.87 in 2018.
[Read more…]

Father allegedly flees crash where injured son is trapped, then flees hospital nude, THP says

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Jacob Daniel Baxter

Jacob Daniel Baxter

 

An Anderson County man allegedly fled a crash where his juvenile son, who was partially ejected and injured, was trapped between a van and a barn, and the man later fled from a hospital nude, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 11:29 p.m. Saturday, September 3, on Old Lake City Highway.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said Jacob Daniel Baxter, 33, of Black Oak Road in Anderson County, was driving west in a white 1999 Dodge Caravan on Old Lake City Highway when he lost control while going round a curve. The van went off the right side of the road and stopped at a metal barn on the side of the road, according to the THP.

A 15-year-old boy, who is identified as Baxter’s son, was trapped between the van and the barn, according to arrest warrants filed by the THP in Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division I, in Clinton.

While Anderson County Rescue Squad personnel were helping to remove the trapped boy, Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Isaiah Lloyd began searching for the driver. [Read more…]

Great start: Oak Ridge boys finish first in Nashville cross country meet

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

oak-ridge-boys-cross-country-team-af-bridges-invitational-nashville-sept-10-2016

The Oak Ridge boys cross country team finished first at the A.F. Bridges Cross Country Invitational in Nashville on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016. From left are Asher Chance, Reid Dukes, Christian Borden, Will Jeter, Jacob Etheridge, Jose Villegas, and Dalton Morgan. (Photo courtesy Allen Etheridge)

 

The Oak Ridge boys cross country team finished first in its first meet of the season. Oak Ridge Coach Allen Etheridge called it a great start.

Oak Ridge senior Jacob Etheridge was third in the boys 5k (5,000-meter) run, and the Wildcats had four runners in the top 10. Besides Etheridge, they were Reid Dukes (8th place), Dalton Morgan (9th), and Will Jeter (10th).

The A.F. Bridges Cross Country Invitational was in Nashville on Saturday. The Oak Ridge girls finished third. [Read more…]

Cross country: Oak Ridge girls run well, finish third in first meet of year

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

oak-ridge-girls-cross-country-team-af-bridges-invitational-nashville-sept-10-2016

The Oak Ridge girls cross country team finished third in the A.F. Bridges Cross Country Invitational in Nashville on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016. From left are Ruthie Froning, Eden Gee, Maddie Zawisza, Genevieve Schwartz, Jessie Strader, Robyn Wood, and Bailey Baldwin. (Photo courtesy Allen Etheridge)

 

The Oak Ridge girls cross country team finished third in its first meet of the year, and Coach Allen Etheridge said the girls ran well.

Oak Ridge junior Genevieve Schwartz finished seventh in the girls 5k (5,000-meter) run with a time of 21:31.13.

The A.F. Bridges Cross Country Invitational was in Nashville on Saturday. The Oak Ridge boys finished first. [Read more…]