Oak Ridge Today

ADFAC Bill Wilcox Bow Tie will honor Dodson

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Left to right, past Bow Tie awardees announcing Jim Dodson as this year’s recipient: Ray Smith, Louise Mixon, Teresa Myrick, Jim Dodson, Cande Seay, Tom Row, Tom Beehan, and Bear Stephenson. Not pictured: Bill Capshaw. (Submitted photo)

 

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ADFAC will host “The Starry Night,” their ninth annual Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Event, on Saturday, October 23, at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Ridge. This event celebrates an important volunteer in our community each year who exemplifies the values of the late Bill Wilcox. This year’s honoree is local educator and community volunteer Jim Dodson.

The cocktail-attire event will begin at 5 p.m. It will feature Elaine Graham as the emcee, and it will be a night of celebration while making every effort to host a safe and fun event to raise funds for ADFAC, a press release said.

“ADFAC and the Bow Tie Committee, chaired by Wendie Aurin, are excited about the fun opportunities this year’s event offers, including a special performance by The Missing Goats, self-described as a four-piece pub band, who entertain with Irish, Scottish, and Appalachian songs,” the press release said.

The program will also include stories shared by some of Dodson’s friends and family about his important contributions to the community and opportunities to learn more about ADFAC’s mission and work in the area, the press release said. [Read more…]

CNS contributes $100,000 in community grants to 17 nonprofits

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A Consolidated Nuclear Security Community Investment grant funded a therapist for Willow Brook Elementary School in Oak Ridge.  (Submitted photo)

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Awards recommended by Y-12 employees in 2021 focused on at-risk youth, food insecurity, mental health, and aid to frontline workers

Consolidated Nuclear Security, in partnership with East Tennessee Foundation, recently awarded 17 grants totaling $100,000 to nonprofit organizations in 10 East Tennessee counties: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Hamblen, Knox, Monroe, Roane, Scott, and Sevier.

The CNS Employee Investment Advisory Committee at Y-12 National Security Complex reviewed dozens of grant proposals this year, conducted staff interviews, and made site visits before recommending funding based on the committee’s four focus areas for the year: at-risk youth, food insecurity, mental health, and aid to frontline workers.

With the latest round of community investment grants, Consolidated Nuclear Security topped $880,000 of investment in the East Tennessee community during the last five years, a press release said.

[Read more…]

Wildcats lose to undefeated Greeneville

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Note: This story was updated at 12:30 a.m.

Oak Ridge lost 35-9 to the undefeated Greeneville football team on Friday.

The Wildcats (2-5, 2-1 Region 3-5A) made some improvements. But it wasn’t enough against the Greene Devils, who remained undefeated overall (8-0) and in Region 1-4A (4-0).

Greeneville, about 90 minutes east of Oak Ridge, scored four of their five touchdowns in the first half. Junior quarterback Brady Quillen run for three touchdowns and threw for two, according to The Greeneville Sun.

The Wildcats scored their only touchdown about halfway through the third quarter.

Oak Ridge was visiting Greeneville for the first time since 1947, according to Wildcats broadcaster David Clary, who operates Prepradio.com.

Both teams have played in recent state championship football games. Oak Ridge finished as state runner-up in Class 5A in 2020, while Greeneville won the state championship in Class 4A in 2018.

[Read more…]

Two men charged with abuse of corpse

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Carlos Bell

Two Oak Ridge men have been charged with abuse of a corpse and failure to report a death in Anderson County after a woman’s body was allegedly found covered by blankets in the back seat of a vehicle in east Roane County in February.

The charges have been filed against Carlos Lavern Bell, 44, and Michael Dewayne Partin, 56.

Oak Ridge Chamber names Life Safety Inspections small business of month

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Life Safety Inspections (LSI), located at 313 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Suite 107 A, is the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Month for October 2021. The award is sponsored by Enrichment Federal Credit Union. (Submitted photo)

 

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Life Safety Inspections is the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Month for October 2021. The award is sponsored by Enrichment Federal Credit Union.

Ask owner Chip Dooley what led him to start LSI and he’ll tell you it came to him in a dream. 13 years ago, he found himself unhappy in his job – he had even gone so far as to write a letter of resignation, but just wasn’t quite ready to submit it. He tucked it away under his desk calendar and went home. That night, he dreamed about fire extinguishers and exit signs. He began researching fire extinguisher companies in the area and could only find six. After working on a business plan, he decided the market could handle another one.

According to Chip, “The hardest thing was to bring it to my wife and say, ‘Hey! I’m quitting my job, and we’re gonna be broke.’ She didn’t bat an eye. She said, ‘That’s fine’ and I was just amazed. She’s been my champion and cheerleader ever since.” [Read more…]

ORHS teacher to discuss Harvard Case Method

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A social studies teacher at Oak Ridge High School will discuss the Harvard Law School case method and its teaching benefits during an online meeting at noon Tuesday, October 5.

Teacher Richard Alexander “Alex” Shaffer will be the speaker at the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge meeting. Shaffer has completed the training for and is teaching a course using the Harvard Case Method of teaching history, a press release said.

“The case method is proving to be effective in teaching high school students critical thinking skills, just what our future leaders will need,” the press release said.

The public is invited. The meeting is virtual in order to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. You don’t have to be a League member. For instruction on linking to the live presentation, contact lwvoakridge@gmail.com.

[Read more…]

Powell dominates Oak Ridge

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Powell dominated Oak Ridge offensively in a matchup of the top two teams in the region on Friday. 

On their way to the 38-7 win, the Panthers (6-1, 3-0 Region 3-5A) passed and ran for 387 yards total. 

The Wildcats (2-4, 2-1), meanwhile, were held to just 83 yards.

“We obviously still have a lot of work to do offensively,” Oak Ridge coach Joe Gaddis told his team after the football game. 

Oak Ridge’s one touchdown was scored on a fourth-down interception picked off in the middle of the field and returned 71 yards by junior Jayden Williams. 

Powell’s touchdowns included a two-yard run by a top national prospect, senior defensive lineman Walter Nolen, who is listed as 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds.

[Read more…]

Fall festival Saturday at Roane State

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Photo courtesy Roane State Community College

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Fall is the time for festivals, and there will be a free celebration of the season on Saturday, October 2, in front of Roane State Community College’s Oak Ridge Branch Campus.

The event, scheduled to run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, is sponsored by Roane State’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges.

The formal name for the celebration is the PTK Fall Festival & Car Show, said Roane State Associate Professor Claudia Cummings, adviser for the local PTK chapter.

[Read more…]

DOE: Feds must be fully vaccinated by Nov. 22

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The Joe L. Evins Federal Building is pictured above in Oak Ridge on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The executive order issued by President Joe Biden in September requires federal employees to be fully vaccinated by November 22, the U.S. Department of Energy said. DOE said 84 percent of the department’s federal workforce was, at the time, fully vaccinated.

To comply with the November 22 deadline, DOE’s employees must complete their vaccinations by November 8. This would apply to the first Johnson & Johnson shot, a one-shot vaccine, or the second Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech shots, both two-shot vaccines. People aren’t considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after the final dose of a vaccine.

The U.S. Department of Energy notified its staff of the vaccine requirement on Tuesday last week.

“Protecting your health and safety is our top priority,” DOE told its staff. “To help ensure this, President Biden issued an executive order requiring all federal employees to be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021. This applies to all federal employees regardless of remote, telework, or onsite reporting status, except in limited circumstances in which an employee may be exempt due to a legally required accommodation.”

[Read more…]

Drive Electric Festival

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Celebrate National Drive Electric Week with free no-strings-attached test drives of electric vehicles and enjoy an EV show.

“Come have all your driving electric questions answered if you’re looking to get an EV,” a press release said. “If you already own an EV, please come join our EV show and help us get to our goal of 100 EVs and have the biggest event in Tennessee. Come experience the fun of driving electric!”

Expected owner vehicles include Chevrolet Bolts and Volts, Energica Motorcycle, Fisker Karma, Kia Niro, Nissan LEAF, Smart for Two, Tesla Models 3, Y, S, and X, Toyota Prius Prime, Volkswagen ID4, Zero motorcycle, and more. Harper Auto Square plans to bring a Porsche Taycan, a Volkswagen ID4, and an Audi eTron, the press release said. Reeder Chevrolet is planning to bring a Chevy Bolt. The Knoxville Tesla Service Center will bring their cars. Other local dealers will bring models available in the Knoxville area.

“Don’t miss the regional debut of two Arcimoto FUVs,” the press release said.

Food trucks will be on hand, and there will be outdoor games and giveaways.

Where: Pellissippi State Community College in Hardin Valley
When: Saturday, September 25 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

For more information, see the event page at https://driveelectricweek.org/event.php?eventid=2779.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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Vaccine clinic

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Atomic Elks Lodge 1301 and Roberta Bohanon Temple 1381 are sponsoring a vaccine clinic in Scarboro on Saturday, September 25.

The clinic is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 262 Wilberforce Avenue in Oak Ridge. The vaccine is provided through a partnership with New Direction Healthcare Solutions Inc. and Winbigler Medical, an event flyer said.

Unclear how City of Oak Ridge affected by president’s vaccination mandate

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Building is pictured above on Tuesday evening, May 5, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The City of Oak Ridge does not currently require its employees or residents to be vaccinated against COVID-19 under a state law passed this year, a municipal attorney said Tuesday.

That state law, Senate Bill 187 and House Bill 13 (Public Chapter 513), bars the city from COVID-19 vaccination requirements, said Alexander J. Cramer, staff attorney in the City of Oak Ridge Legal Department.