Oak Ridge Today

Clinton man sentenced to 12 years for child pornography

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A 20-year-old Clinton man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday after he was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography, federal officials said.

Dakota Destry Weaver, 20, of Clinton, was sentenced to serve 144 months, or 12 years, by Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan, a press release said.

A forensic examination of Weaver’s computer revealed that he had collected 1,106 still images and 78 videos of child pornography, according to the press release from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney William C. Killian of the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Weaver pleaded guilty in June 2015 to federal charges stemming from an undercover investigation into trading child pornography on the Internet, the press release said. [Read more…]

Lady Wildcats have silent auction at Meet the Wildcats Night on Nov. 10

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Paige Green

Paige Green

Lady Wildcats Basketball Head Coach Paige Green and the Lady Wildcats Basketball Boosters are having a Silent Auction to raise money to support the team on Tuesday, November 10.

The Silent Auction is at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Oak Ridge High School Gymnasium. It’s Meet the Wildcats Night. The boys and girls teams will both be introduced and play an intra-squad scrimmage, a press release said.

Green is a former high school All-American and Vanderbilt standout who is coaching her first year for the Lady Wildcats. [Read more…]

Legislative Committee to discuss rules for wine in groceries

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Legislative Committee will discuss rules for wine in grocery stores during a Thursday evening meeting.

The rule making hearing has been submitted by Stacy Pratt, project coordinator for Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County.

The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, November 5, in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Updated: Missing child alert canceled; girl found safe

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Chloe Michelle Sullivan

Chloe Michelle Sullivan

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:08 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Police Department has issued a missing child alert for a two-year-old girl who was reportedly taken from her home on Tuesday morning.

Tuesday evening update from the ORPD: The missing child alert has been canceled. Chloe has been found and is safe. Thank you to everyone who assisted and shared our post!

The ORPD said Chloe Michelle Sullivan was taken from her home in Oak Ridge at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 3. Chloe is described as a two-year old female Caucasian, two feet tall and 25 pounds, with brown, shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink skirt and a white T-shirt with a square pattern on the front, a press release said.

Drake Sullivan, the child’s noncustodial birth father, is described as a Caucasian male, 20 years old, 5’8″ and 130 pounds, with brown hair and black eyes. He allegedly took Chloe, according to the release, and he is believed to be in the company of his father, Shane Sullivan, described as a Caucasian male, 39 years old, 6’01” and 215 pounds with brown hair and black eyes; and Shane Sullivan’s girlfriend, Jessica Meeks, Caucasian female, no further description available.

All four were last seen in a silver 2013 Chevrolet Sonic, TN license plate V2318T, and are believed to possibly be traveling to Slidell, Louisiana, the press release said. [Read more…]

School Board endorses recommendation for preschool at Elm Grove

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Elm Grove Park Oct. 21, 2015

Elm Grove Park in east Oak Ridge has been proposed as a site for a new preschool, and it’s considered the best potential location. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Board of Education on Monday endorsed a recommendation to build a new preschool at Elm Grove Park. A new preschool has been on the city’s wish list for years, but this particular proposal is still in the early stages.

The school board received a report from the Joint City/Schools Preschool Planning Committee on Monday and endorsed the committee’s report in a 4-0 vote. The recommendation will now be considered by the city.

There was once a school at Elm Grove Park in east Oak Ridge, and the committee’s report, presented to City Council and the BOE in a work session in October, recommended using that city-owned site, officials said.

“We think that after the factors we discussed, it was the most appropriate site,” Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers said. [Read more…]

Digital transformation: Rollout of convertible laptops starts at Robertsville

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Robertsville Middle School

Robertsville Middle School is pictured above in this file photo.

 

The digital transformation at Oak Ridge Schools starts Tuesday with the rollout of convertible laptops at Robertsville Middle School, officials said. It will continue Thursday at Jefferson Middle School.

“This is an exciting day for Oak Ridge Schools,” officials said in a press release. It marks the “first step in the digital transformation that will impact teaching and learning in our 21st century classrooms,” the release said.

“We aim to close the digital divide and ensure access to powerful technology tools for all Oak Ridge Schools students,” the press release said.

Here are some specific plans: [Read more…]

New developer plans to close on former mall on Dec. 15

Posted at
By 13 Comments

Neil Wilson of RealtyLink at Rise and Shine on Nov. 3, 2015

Neil Wilson, left, principal of RealtyLink, gives an update on the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall at an Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Rise and Shine at TNBank on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:15 a.m.

The new company leading the project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall plans to close on the property on December 15, an executive said Tuesday. It’s the first time a closing date has been announced by one of the developers associated with the project.

The new developer, RealtyLink, plans to have a minimum of seven stores open by Christmas 2016, Principal Neil Wilson said. That would include four stores adjacent to Belk and two adjacent to Walmart.

Wilson declined to name the stores but said the new mixed-use development, called Main Street Oak Ridge, could include a sporting goods store, a cosmetics retailer, one or two apparel merchants, and a 20,000-square-foot electronics shop that has signed a letter of intent. There could be a total of about 150,000 square feet of retail in those stores. There are roughly 130,000 square feet of retail at JCPenney and Belk, which will have a new facade and entrance.

Wilson said his company, which is based in Greenville, South Carolina, wants to start demolition on the enclosed spaces between the two remaining anchors, Belk and JCPenney, the day after it closes on the purchase of the roughly 60-acre property in the center of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

The Arc of Anderson County has mini-conference Nov. 14

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The-Arc-Mini-Conference-2015

Submitted photo

 

The Arc of Anderson County has its second annual min-conference on November 14.

Subjects include communication and conflict, introduction to adult services, the importance of work for your child with a disability, and dealing with stress (parents) and (youth with disabilities).

The mini-conference is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, November 14, at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Dragon rally runs out of time as CHS falls to Farragut 45-39

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

Clinton ran out of time to complete its comeback against Farragut on Friday, but the Dragons did serve notice that they will not be rolling over for anyone as the playoffs begin Friday, November 6.

Farragut outlasted the Orange and Black 45-39.

It was Senior Night at Clinton High School, and senior quarterback Tyler Thackerson turned in another “Thackersonian” performance, accounting for 616 total yards and six touchdowns. Thackerson completed 41 of his 60 pass attempts for 538 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 78 yards rushing on 22 carries and two more scores.

All four of Thackerson’s scoring passes went to J’Quan Thomas, who caught 18 passes for 271 yards. His 18 receptions tied him for third-most in a single game in Tennessee high school football history. [Read more…]

Football playoff brackets posted: Oak Ridge plays Soddy-Daisy

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Wildcats Tee Higgins and Soddy-Daisy Trojans

Oak Ridge wide receiver Tee Higgins (5), who was then a sophomore, catches a 30-yard touchdown pass over defender Christian Bell of the Soddy Daisy Trojans at 5:51 in the third quarter in the first round of the 2014 football playoffs on November 7 on Blankenship Field. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The state football playoff brackets have been posted. Oak Ridge will play Soddy-Daisy on Blankenship Field at 7 p.m. Friday, November 6.

Oak Ridge (9-1) is the number two seed in Region 3 in Class 5A, and Soddy-Daisy (7-3) is the number three seed in Region 4. The Wildcats beat the Trojans 53-28 in the first round of the 2014 playoffs after a close first half.

Here is the schedule for other Region 3-5A teams on Friday: [Read more…]

Fire destroys home on West Outer Drive

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

West Outer Drive Fire Oct. 31, 2015

A fire destroyed an unoccupied rental home on West Outer Drive early Saturday morning, authorities said. (Submitted photo)

 

A fire destroyed an unoccupied rental home on West Outer Drive early Saturday morning, authorities said.

The fire was reported at about 4:25 a.m. Saturday, October 31, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.

Flames were coming through the roof of the house when the Oak Ridge Fire Department arrived, the press release said.

The city said the home was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and the cause is still under investigation. [Read more…]

Apartment resident pulled to safety during fire, treated for smoke inhalation

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

East Tennessee Avenue Fire Oct. 28, 2015

An apartment resident on East Tennessee Avenue was pulled to safety and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation after his food caught fire on a stove on Wednesday, October 28, authorities said.

 

An apartment resident on East Tennessee Avenue was pulled to safety and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation after his food caught fire on a stove on Wednesday, October 28, authorities said.

The resident, identified as Earnest Hurd, was cooking supper when he fell asleep at approximately 10:19 p.m. Wednesday, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. People passing by saw smoke coming from the apartment and called 911 dispatchers, who then dispatched the Oak Ridge Fire Department and Oak Ridge Police Department.

ORPD was the first to arrive and saw Hurd lying on the floor of the apartment, the press release said. ORPD opened the door and pulled the occupant to safety just as ORFD arrived. [Read more…]