Oak Ridge Today

Updated: Gunshot victim, 19, in stable condition at UT Medical Center

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A 19-year-old Oak Ridge man was dropped off at Methodist Medical Center with a gunshot wound Friday night, Feb. 26, 2016, and flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville by a UT Lifestar medical helicopter, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 3:25 p.m. Feb. 29.

The 19-year-old Oak Ridge man flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with a gunshot wound on Friday night is in stable condition, the hospital said Monday afternoon.

Elijah Malik McDowell was driven to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge around 8:20 p.m. Friday because of injuries to his thigh, groin, and abdomen, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. He was dropped off at the hospital by a friend who left before police arrived, authorities said.

He was airlifted to the UT Medical Center in Knoxville about an hour later by a UT Lifestar helicopter, the ORPD said. [Read more…]

Close to 2,000 bowlers competing in state tournament in Oak Ridge, Knoxville

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A state bowling tournament is bringing a few thousand people to Oak Ridge and Knoxville for two weekends in February and one weekend in March. Above, teams bowl in the Tennessee State USBC Bowling Association 69th Annual Handicap Tournament at the Oak Ridge Bowling Center on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A state bowling tournament is bringing close to 2,000 bowlers to Oak Ridge and Knoxville for the last two weekends in February and the first weekend in March.

It’s the Tennessee State USBC Bowling Association 69th Annual Handicap Tournament.

The team events are at Oak Ridge Bowling Center on South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge, and the singles and doubles events are at Strike and Spare on Western Avenue in Knoxville.

Officials estimated there are between 1,400 and 1,800 bowlers participating. Add in local bowlers on sub lists, and the total is probably close to 2,000, they said. Plus, many bowlers bring others with them, including family members, and they’re staying in area hotels, eating at local restaurants, and taking children to see tourist attractions like the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge and American Museum of Science and Energy.

“This is phenomenal for Oak Ridge,” said Craig Porter, general manager at the Oak Ridge Bowling Center. It also helps Knoxville, he said. [Read more…]

Rock slide closes I-75 in both directions in Campbell Co.; detours could last weeks

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A rock slide closed the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Campbell County on Friday, and state officials said motorists should be prepared to use detours and alternate routes for weeks. (Photo courtesy Mark Nagi/TDOT)

 

A rock slide closed the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Campbell County on Friday, and state officials said motorists should be prepared to use detours and alternate routes for weeks.

The rock slide initially closed just the northbound lanes. But on Friday night, the Tennessee Department of Transportation said the interstate was closed in both directions.

There are detours at Mile Marker 160 on I-75 South and at Mile Marker 134 on I-75 North. [Read more…]

Photos: Secret City Wildbots at FIRST Robotics Competition in Myrtle Beach

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The Secret City Wildbots are competing in the Palmetto Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this weekend, Feb 26-28, 2016. (Photo by Angi Agle)

 

The Secret City Wildbots are competing in the Palmetto Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this weekend. Here are pictures by Angi Agle.

The competition is an intense three-day event showcasing robots developed and operated by dozens of high school teams from all over the world. (See the Palmetto Regional website here for more information.)

You can watch the competition online here: http://www.htcinc.net/portal/streams/robotics/.

The Wildbots competed Friday. They will also compete at 9:31 a.m. and 11:19 a.m. Saturday to qualify for the elimination rounds Saturday afternoon. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats advance to Region 2-AAA semifinal behind 21 points of Dowdell

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats advanced to the Region 2-AAA semifinal behind the 21 points of sophomore Mykia Dowdell (34) and a 58-32 win over Heritage at Wildcat Arena on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:30 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats advanced to the Region 2-AAA semifinal behind the game-high 21 points of sophomore Mykia Dowdell and a 58-32 win over Heritage at Wildcat Arena on Friday.

It’s the second time this week a Lady Wildcat has scored 21 points in a playoff game. On Tuesday, it was freshman Jada Guinn, in the District 3-AAA championship. On Friday, it was Dowdell in a Region 2-AAA elimination quarterfinal.

It’s the first time the Lady Wildcats (25-4) have advanced to the regional semifinals since 2010, according to broadcaster David Clary. [Read more…]

Higgins scores 20, Johnson named MVP as Wildcats win district championship

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats won the District 3-AAA championship in an 88-62 victory over Karns on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

CLINTON—Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins scored a game-high 20 points and senior Javien Johnson was named MVP as the Wildcats won the District 3-AAA championship in an 88-62 victory over Karns on Tuesday.

Coach Aaron Green said the Wildcats (31-2) had 13 offensive rebounds in just the first half. Junior E.J. Bush had a career-high 14 rebounds through both halves. Higgins had 12, including nine at the half, and Johnson pulled down eight.

“Rebounding was phenomenal,” Green said. “I thought we played really well, especially on defense in the first half.”

Johnson and junior Tajion Jones each scored 18 points for Oak Ridge. Bush added 10. Jones scored 13 of his 18 points in the third quarter.

Johnson, who has been playing with more intensity recently, said he knew he was capable of being named the most valuable player of the District 3-AAA tournament, which was played at Anderson County High School. [Read more…]

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I-75 North in Campbell County closed due to rock slide

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The northbound lanes of Interstate 75 are closed in Campbell County due to a rock slide, state officials said Friday afternoon.

Northbound traffic is being diverted at Exit 134 to US 25W and then back to I-75 North at Exit 160 in Jellico, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Traffic between mile markers 134 and 141 is using Exit 141.

Southbound traffic is not affected.

If you are headed north on I-75 and need updates, you can follow TDOT spokesman Mark Nagi on Twitter. Nagi said he will be providing updates throughout the night.

Norris man allegedly fights officers, grabs lieutenant’s gun; now faces charges

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Donald Berry

NORRIS—A Norris man who allegedly fought public safety officers, resisted arrest, and tried to grab a lieutenant’s gun from its holster on Thursday is facing charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest, authorities said.

Donald Howard Berry Jr., 25, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and two count of resisting arrest, according to court records.

The Norris Department of Public Safety responded to a reported disturbance on Oak Road on Thursday afternoon. Berry’s stepsister told police that he was upstairs in a bedroom behaving erratically and possibly trying to harm himself, arrest warrants said.

Norris Officer Rick Roach and Lieutenant Carl White entered the home and made contact with Berry, the warrants said. But after the bedroom door was opened, Berry charged White and grabbed him around the waist, according to the warrants.

Roach tried to restrain Berry, but he resisted the officer and the lieutenant, the warrants said. [Read more…]

Led by Guinn’s 21 points, Lady Wildcats are district champs for first time since 2010

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The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA championship for the first time since 2010 in a 52-34 win over Campbell County at Anderson County High School on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:35 p.m.

CLINTON—Led by the 21 points of freshman Jada Guinn, the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA championship for the first time since 2010 in a 52-34 victory over Campbell County on Tuesday.

Guinn, a point guard, was named the most valuable player of the district tournament, which was played at Anderson County High School. Her game-high 21 points on Tuesday was a career high.

The Lady Wildcats (24-4) played with intensity on Tuesday, when Oak Ridge won its third game this season against the Lady Cougars, the second seed in District 3-AAA. Campbell County’s only two district losses during the regular season were to Oak Ridge.

“Coach (Paige) Green told us to come out with a lot of energy,” Guinn said after the district championship win on Tuesday. “It’ll help our defense, and our defense can help with offense.”

Of her tournament MVP award, Guinn said: “I just feel happy because I’m a freshman, and I’m just really excited.” [Read more…]

Strong winds knock down about two dozen trees near Norris

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Strong winds knocked down a few dozen trees in a small area south of Norris Dam on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

NORRIS—Strong winds knocked down a few dozen trees in a small area south of Norris Dam during the storms on Wednesday.

Meteorologist Glenn Carrin of the National Weather Service in Morristown said the vast majority of trees were down in the forecast area due to strong winds on a windy day. There was a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms, he said, and very tight pressure gradients with winds of 25 to 30 mph, and gusts over 40 mph.

The strong southwest winds could be stronger at higher elevations, Carrin said. [Read more…]

No injuries reported, but cat dies in Norris fire that might have started at laptop

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No injuries were reported but a cat died after a kitchen fire in a Norris home last Friday, authorities said. (Photo courtesy Norris Fire Department/Chief Danny Humphrey)

 

NORRIS—No injuries were reported but a cat died after a kitchen fire in a Norris home last Friday, authorities said. The cause of the fire isn’t known, but authorities said it might have started at a laptop in the kitchen.

The fire was reported at 169 Garden Road at 9:48 a.m. Friday, February 19.

Norris Fire Department firefighters saw heavy smoke when they arrived, according to an incident report. The fire was in the kitchen and had not spread to other areas of the home, the report said. Firefighters were able to extinguish it. [Read more…]