Oak Ridge Today

Baseball photos: Oak Ridge vs. Campbell County on Senior Night, II

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Wildcats-Seniors-I-Campbell-County-April-27-2016

Five seniors on the Oak Ridge Wildcats baseball team are pictured above during a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at home on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge senior Spencer Wilson tied the season record for most wins by a pitcher on Wednesday, when he picked up his eighth win in a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at home. Here are photos from the game. It was Senior Night, and the last home game of the regular season.

Wildcats-Foster-Second-Campbell-County-April-27-2016

Oak Ridge senior John Foster (17) looks for a steal to third base during a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at home on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Wildcats-Seniors-II-Campbell-County-April-27-2016

Three more seniors on the Oak Ridge Wildcats baseball team are pictured above during a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at home on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

Baseball photos: Oak Ridge vs. Campbell County on Senior Night, I

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Wildcats-Armes-First-Base-Campbell-County-April-27-2016

Oak Ridge senior Bryson Armes (30) tags out Nate Stevens (11) of Campbell County during a 12-2 rout of the Cougars at home on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge senior Spencer Wilson tied the season record for most wins by a pitcher on Wednesday, when he picked up his eighth win in a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at home. Here are photos from the game. It was Senior Night, and the last home game of the regular season.

Wildcats-Campbell-Out-Campbell-County-April-27-2016

Oak Ridge sophomore Ian Campbell (24) expresses his frustration after popping up for an out during a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at home on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The ball was caught by Cougars first baseman Jared Ray (15), who is pictured in left foreground. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Wildcats-Davis-First-Base-Campbell-County-April-27-2016

On first base, Oak Ridge senior Trey Davis (14) gets instructions from Assistant Coach Kevin Lee during a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at home on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

Wilson ties season record for pitching wins

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Wildcats-Wilson-Campbell-County-April-27-2016

Oak Ridge senior Spencer Wilson (11) tied the season record for most pitching wins, 8, during a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at home on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge senior Spencer Wilson tied the season record for most wins by a pitcher on Wednesday.

Wilson picked up his eighth win in a 12-2 rout of Campbell County at Bobby Hopkins Park in Oak Ridge.

Wilson has a chance to break the 23-year-old record in the post-season, possibly as early as Friday. The record that he tied dates back to 1993, and it was set by Joe Fellers.

“That record means a lot to me,” Wilson said Saturday.

The Wildcats had a list of records posted during the pre-season, when they were training and weight lifting, and Wilson said he could tell the record for pitching wins was an old one.

“I’m going to target that one,” he decided. [Read more…]

Today: ASAP helps ORPD, CPD take back expired, unwanted prescription drugs

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

You can dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs today in Oak Ridge and Clinton.

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Oak Ridge Police Department and Clinton Police Department. Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration are helping with the event.

It’s the 11th time in six years that an event like this has been held, a press release said.

You can bring your pills for disposal to the ORPD at 200 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge or to the Clinton Police Department at 125 West Broad Street in Clinton. The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches. The service is free and anonymous. No questions will be asked, the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge man accused of assaulting two women, one with metal rod

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Jacob Lynn Rutherford

Jacob Lynn Rutherford

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:15 a.m. April 30.

An Oak Ridge man is accused of assaulting two women in two separate incidents, and he allegedly used a metal rod in one of the beatings, authorities said. Jacob Lynn Rutherford, 21, is also accused of hitting one of the women in the head with a gun and forcing her into his vehicle at gunpoint, according to arrest warrants.

Rutherford has been charged with attempted second-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, and assault, according to the warrants, which were filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court.

The first alleged assault occurred on February 25 and the second on April 28, the warrants said. Police responded to both alleged assaults at 101 Locust Lane, where Rutherford lives.

In the first case, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Kenneth Prickett said the victim, a Powell woman, showed signs of bruising around her right eye and blood around her nose.

“(She) also showed bruising around her right wrist and swelling in her right hand,” Prickett said in an arrest warrant. [Read more…]

Driver charged in two-vehicle crash that injured three on Thursday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Clinton-Highway-Crash-April-28-2016

Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash on Clinton Highway at Mehaffey Road at about 5:27 p.m. Thursday, April 28, 2016. The vehicles included the Jeep Grand Cherokee pictured at left center and the Eagle Vision that is partially obscured behind an emergency vehicle at right. The driver of the Eagle has been charged by the THP. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLAXTON—A Knoxville man was charged with vehicular assault and driving under the influence after a two-vehicle crash injured three people on Clinton Highway on Thursday, authorities said.

Scott Gray, 26, of Knoxville, also faces eight more charges that allege additional violations: open container, simple possession of Schedule IV drugs, drug paraphernalia, due care, improper turn, failure to yield, financial responsibility, and a registration violation, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash. The DUI offense is a second offense, according to a THP preliminary crash report.

The THP responded to the crash on Clinton Highway at Mehaffey Road at 5:27 p.m. Thursday. Mehaffey Road is a short drive past Edgemoor Road headed toward Knoxville on Clinton Highway. Headed toward Knoxville, it’s near the beginning of a hilly, curvy stretch of Clinton Highway that winds into Knox County from Anderson County.

Authorities said Gray was driving north on Clinton Highway in a 1993 Eagle Vision sedan when he turned into the path of a southbound 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicle driven by Kimberly Williamson, 32, of Knoxville. [Read more…]

Soccer photos: Oak Ridge-Karns

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Wildcats-Warmbrod-Breakaway-Karns-April-21-2016

Oak Ridge senior forward Matt Warmbrod dribbles upfield during a 6-0 win over Karns at home on Thursday, April 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats, who remain undefeated in the district, had two good wins last week against Hardin Valley and Karns. They have one district game remaining; that’s against Clinton at home on Friday, April 29, which is Senior Night.

Here are pictures from the Wildcats’ 6-0 win over Karns on Thursday, April 21.

Wildcats-Vinyard-Karns-April-21-2016

Oak Ridge junior forward Austin Vinyard battles Karns during a 6-0 win over the Beavers at home on Thursday, April 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Wildcats-Rodriguez-Free-Kick-Karns-April-21-2016

Oak Ridge senior forward Jose Rodriguez (11) shoots a penalty kick during a 6-0 win over Karns on Thursday, April 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

Undefeated in district, Wildcats beat HVA, Karns; Senior Night is Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Rodriguez-Karns-Defense-April-21-2016

Oak Ridge senior forward Jose Rodriguez (11) challenges two Karns defenders during a 6-0 win for the Wildcats at home on Thursday, April 21, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats, who remain undefeated in the district, had two good wins last week against Hardin Valley and Karns. They have one district game remaining; that’s against Clinton at home on Friday, which is Senior Night.

As the regular season comes to an end, the Wildcats (10-5, 7-0 District 3-AAA) also still face Maryville and Farragut. Both games are expected to be challenging.

The Oak Ridge-Hardin Valley game on Tuesday, April 19, was very tough, Coach Jeff Trombly said. Senior goalkeeper Joel Turner went out with a concussion in the first half after being kicked in the head, and he can’t play for at least two weeks, Trombly said.

Sophomore Austyn Lincoln, the backup goalkeeper, finished that 2-0 win for the Wildcats. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Chamber opposes Hall tax changes that hurt local governments

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce building is pictured above.

 

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce acknowledges the need for tax reform in Tennessee, but the organization has opposed changing the Hall income tax in a way that would hurt local governments, an official said Thursday.

Specifically, the Oak Ridge Chamber opposes modifying or ending the Hall income tax in a way that would result in a negative financial impact to local governments, Chamber President Parker Hardy said.

The Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill Friday that would lower the Hall tax on stock and dividend income from 6 percent to 5 percent in the 2016 tax year. The tax would be reduced by 1 percent per year after that until it is eliminated by 2022.

Oak Ridge officials expect to lose between about $100,000 and $120,000 in the fiscal year that starts July 1. There is an impact on other local communities as well—including Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County—but none of them will lose as much as Oak Ridge.

The eventual repeal of the tax could cost Oak Ridge as much as $700,000 per year or more. The city collected $708,454 from the Hall tax in 2015. [Read more…]

AC public works director not guilty on all five counts

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

David Crowley

David Crowley

 

Note: This story was last updated at 5:50 p.m.

CLINTON—Anderson County Public Works Director David Crowley has been found not guilty on charges that he conducted building inspections without proper certifications.

A seven-man, five-woman jury found Crowley not guilty on all five counts after deliberating for about one hour and 45 minutes Thursday.

Crowley had been accused of violating the state’s building official certification law.

With the acquittals on Thursday, he can seek to have the charges expunged from his record, Anderson County Criminal and Circuit Court Judge Don Elledge said.

A few key questions raised in the trial had been whether five building inspections conducted by Crowley between October and December 2013, when he was not certified by the state, were within a 12-month grace period and whether they posed a danger to life, safety, health, and welfare. The question of when the grace period started depended upon whether Crowley’s interim hiring in September 2012 should be considered the starting point, or whether it should be his permanent appointment in November 2012 or his first inspection in February 2013.

The trial started Wednesday morning in Anderson County Criminal and Circuit Court, and it ended Thursday afternoon. [Read more…]

‘Liberal Redneck,’ ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ to perform in comedy show at Grove

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Comedy at Grove May 28 2016

Submitted

Fresh off 14 million views (and counting) for his Facebook rant on public restroom use by transgender people, Trae Crowder will join headliner Drew Whitney Morgan onstage for Comedy at the Grove on Saturday May 28.

Crowder, who calls Knoxville home, went “viral” recently when he posted a short video supporting transgender public restroom use and in the process turned the stereotype of the bigoted southern redneck on its ear by becoming an improbable ally to the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community, a press release said. The self-proclaimed “Liberal Redneck,” who was a cast member for an Impractical Joker spin-off for CMT and is a writer/comedian for NBC Universal’s Talent Infusion Program, likens his material to being “southern-fried intellectual humor.”

Morgan is the New York City-via-East Tennessee headliner and the 2015 winner of the Stand-Up Showdown at the Pit. He is the son of a preacher man who has traveled the world to weave together intense stories with cutting edge observations on culture, religion, and identity, the press release said. His style has been described as “decidedly southern, extremely smart, and charmingly sarcastic,” the release said. [Read more…]

Traffic alert on I-75 due to bridge repairs, construction work

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Traffic Alert

The Tennessee Department of Transportation says bridge repairs and related construction work will require temporary lane closures in Anderson County. The lane changes will be through Thursday, May 5.

Interstate 75 Northbound will be reduced to one lane between Mile Markers 122 and 123 on Thursday, April 28, from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m., and then again on Friday, April 29, from 9 p.m. through Monday, May 2, at 6 a.m.

On Thursday, May 5, I-75 Northbound will be again reduced to one lane between Mile Marker 122 and Mile Marker 123 from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m.

Please expect delays if traveling in this area.

Information from Anderson County Sheriff’s Department