Oak Ridge Today

Community Mediation has fall training for volunteer mediators

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Community Mediation Services Banner

Community Mediation Services of Anderson County has early fall training for those interested in becoming a volunteer mediator.

“You will learn new skills while you help others,” a press release said.

“CMS’s four mediation programs make very real differences in the lives of youth and families in our community,” the release said. “Our mediators say amazing things happen at the mediation table when people arrive to discuss often difficult issues and leave with a solution they have all agreed upon.”

Training for Basic Mediation Skills is scheduled for Friday, August 21, from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday, August 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. [Read more…]

Council to consider contract for eighth rowing lane

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Oak Ridge Rowing Lane Announcement

Tennessee Rep. John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican, announces a $250,000 state grant for an eighth rowing lane at the Oak Ridge rowing course on Sunday, April 19, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider a $50,000 contract for design and survey work, among other tasks, for an eighth rowing lane at the city’s rowing course.

The eighth lane has been on the city’s wish list for years. It’s been in the Oak Ridge Capital Improvement Plan since 2005.

Officials announced a $250,000 state grant for the extra lane in April. They said it will allow the Oak Ridge Rowing Association to compete for bigger races and international regattas at the Oak Ridge Rowing Course, keep the site a top-tier rowing venue, and provide more on-water capacity, allowing more competitors in events. It’s also expected to significantly increase the economic impact of rowing races, or regattas.

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Council could consider Secret City Festival changes, including move to fall

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Secret City Festival Concert 2015

A concert crowd at the 2015 Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge. Concerts by the Marshall Tucker Band and Three Dog Night attracted the highest number of spectators in festival history. (Photo by Robert Welton)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday could consider changes to the Secret City Festival, including a possible move to the fall. The annual festival could be expanded into a celebration that could start in October and run through Veterans Day (November 11), last at least a week, and include the Secret City Festival.

It’s one of five changes recommended by the Special Events Advisory Task Force set up by City Council in February. Each Council member appointed a member of the task force, which was chaired by Council member Trina Baughn. The task force was expected to meet for six months and provide a recommendation to City Council by this month.

The City Council will need to consider an amendment to the Monday night agenda to formally include the recommended changes.

“The idea is not to limit the celebration to a single event, but to incorporate other activities over an expanded period of time that allow for greater participation by both patrons and various organizations within the community,” Baughn said in an August 5 memo to City Council. [Read more…]

Demolition permit applied for at Main Street Oak Ridge, site plan approved

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Main Street Oak Ridge Site Plan Work Session

Barry James, Crosland Southeast senior vice president, standing, explains part of the Main Street Oak Ridge site plan to the Municipal Planning Commission on Thursday, August 6, 2015. Seated from left are planning commissioners Terry Domm, Jane Shelton, Claudia Lever, and Charlie Hensley. At left in the background is Steve Arnsdorff, chief manager of Oak Ridge City Center LLC, the current owner of the property, the former Oak Ridge Mall. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:10 p.m.

The demolition permit has been applied for and the site plan approved, two crucial steps in the proposal to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall as Main Street Oak Ridge, a 60-acre site that could include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and a hotel.

Developers applied for the demolition permit last week, Oak Ridge Community Development Director Kathryn Baldwin said Thursday. It will now be reviewed by the city staff. The demolition could include the existing space between the two remaining anchors, Belk and JCPenney, although those two stores would remain.

The site plan is for the construction of the first phase “building footprints” and the infrastructure to serve them, Baldwin said. Construction drawings for the buildings themselves will come later.

The site plan for the core retail area was approved unanimously by the 10-member Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission on Thursday evening. It incorporated comments by the city staff. It does not require approval by the Oak Ridge City Council. [Read more…]

ORNL climate researcher to receive award from Geophysical Union

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Ben Preston

Ben Preston

Climate researcher Benjamin Preston of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been named to receive the American Geophysical Union’s 2015 Charles S. Falkenberg Award.

The Falkenberg Award is presented once a year “in recognition of an early- to middle-career scientist who has contributed to the quality of life, economic opportunities, and stewardship of the planet through the use of Earth science information and to the public awareness of the importance of understanding our planet,” a press release said.

Preston is a senior research scientist in ORNL’s Environmental Sciences Division and deputy director of the Climate Change Science Institute, where he conducts research on the societal impacts of climate change and the role of adaptation in reducing climate risk. [Read more…]

Synergy Solutions receives $3.7 million contract at DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of EM

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Sue Cange at DOE Oak Ridge Environmental Management

Sue Cange, manager of the DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, is pictured above after a community meeting in May on budget priorities. (DOE photo/Lynn Freeny)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management recently awarded a $3.7 million contract to Synergy Solutions Inc. for administrative support services.

Synergy Solutions is an 8(a) and small woman-owned business headquartered in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

The contract employs 11 staff members that provide administrative support services to the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. It has a one-year base period with four one-year options.

“We are very pleased to begin our partnership with Synergy Solutions,” said Sue Cange, manager of the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management. “Small businesses are an important element that helps us achieve our mission, and we are excited about the capabilities this local business offers our program.”

Tasks performed under the contract include general office administration, technical editing and writing, graphics and design support, and records management.

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

Avery, Stone to give vocal recital at First Presbyterian on Aug. 13

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Rachel Avery

Rachel Avery

Rachel Avery and Taylor Stone will perform a vocal recital on Thursday, August 13, in Oak Ridge. The recital starts at 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church on Oak Ridge Turnpike and Lafayette Drive.

Avery is a recent graduate of American University with a minor in vocal performance. She performed her senior voice recital in Washington, D.C., in March and will be presenting several numbers from that performance.

Avery will be joined by her friend and fellow Sound Company alumni Taylor Stone. Stone is a senior at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville majoring in vocal performance, and he will be presenting selections from his junior recital, also from March. [Read more…]

Property transfer for Oak Ridge airport to be discussed during info session on Aug. 19

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Oak Ridge Airport Development Plan

The Heritage Center airport development plan is pictured above. The airport site is the area pictured in yellow. The main entrance to Heritage Center off Oak Ridge Turnpike is at bottom left, in the area of the ponds. (Cropped image from DOE Draft Environmental Assessment)

 

About 170 acres of land at a federal site in west Oak Ridge could be transferred to a nonprofit organization for a new general aviation airport that would feature a 5,000-foot runway and accommodate airplanes and helicopters.

The airport would be built on the south side of Heritage Center, which is also known as East Tennessee Technology Park and the former K-25 site. The runway would be close to and run roughly parallel to Oak Ridge Turnpike/State Route 58.

A draft environmental assessment, or EA, has been prepared for the property transfer. It evaluates the potential impacts of transferring the ETTP land from the U.S. Department of Energy to the nonprofit Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. DOE and MKAA representatives will be available to discuss the proposed action during a public information session from 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 19, at the DOE Information Center. The Information Center is on the west end of the building that houses the Office of Scientific and Technical Information in east Oak Ridge.

No formal presentation is planned, and the public may stop by at any time during the session. [Read more…]

Free Medical Clinic Bash on Saturday features dance contest, auctions

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Hit Men

Performers in the Hit Men band are, from left, Mark Akers, Bob Andres, Alan Keck, Pat Andres, and Uwe Lueth. They will perform at the Free Medical Clinic Bash on Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Parish Life Center of St. Mary’s Church. (Submitted photo) 

 

Tickets are still available for the FMC Bash, the annual fundraiser for the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, which will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, August 8, in the Parish Life Center of St. Mary’s Church.

It will include a catered dinner, music by the Hit Men (a Knoxville rock and pop dance band), a Celebrity Dance Contest, silent auction (80 items), and live auction conducted by the entertaining Bear Stephenson.

Live auction items include a four-day vacation in a beach condo near St. Augustine, Florida; North Carolina barbecue dinner for 12; an Indian dinner for eight; a walnut jewelry box, hand-made earrings (sterling and mother of pearl) by Frederick Duclos; a fly-fishing package; a wine cooler; and Cajun dinner.

Couples who have entered the Celebrity Dance Contest are Sharon and Brian Annis, Naomi Asher and Jim Dodson, Tom Beehan and Kay Brookshire, David and Sandy Bradshaw, Gene Caldwell and Dottie Thompson, Keys Fillauer and Scott Hinton, Judy Gooch and Michael Shrader, and Austin Keathley and an amazing “secret” dancer. [Read more…]

Two JMS students competing in Junior Olympics this week

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Josie Fellers, Muskaan Vohra, and Zoe Marczak with Coach Sam Roberts

Zoe Marczak of Jefferson Middle School, second from right, was one of three Oak Ridge seventh-grade girls who competed in the state middle school cross country championships in Knoxville in October 2014. Zoe and her twin sister Maxine are competing in the Junior Olympics from Aug. 3-8, 2015, in Norfolk. Va. Also pictured above are Josie Fellers of Robertsville Middle School and Muskaan Vohra of Jefferson. At right is Coach Sam Roberts. (File photo by Shellie Fellers)

 

Maxine and Zoe Marczak, two students from Jefferson Middle School, are running in the Junior Olympics in Norfolk, Virginia, this week.

They are the daughters of Oak Ridge Schools Assistant Superintendent Chris Marczak and his wife Sheila. Maxine and Zoe compete in cross country and track, and they are eighth-grade students at Jefferson.

The identical twins are running the 1,500-meter and 3,000-meter runs in the Junior Olympics this week. That’s about one and two miles each.

Chris Marczak said the two ran the 1,500-meter on Tuesday morning. Maxine, or “Max,” placed 37th in the country in the 14-year-old category with a time of 5:34.24, while Zoe finished 60th with a time of 6:11.06. [Read more…]

Smith of ORFD named Roane State paramedic student of year

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Joey Smith Roane State Paramedic Student of Year

Roane State paramedic student of the year Joey Smith (center) is congratulated by Roane State President Chris Whaley (left) and Roger Brooksbank with TeamHealth Emergency Medicine. (Photo by Roane State Community College)

 

Joey Smith of the Oak Ridge Fire Department has been named Roane State Community College’s paramedic student of the year.

Roger Brooksbank with TeamHealth Emergency Medicine presented the award to Smith during Roane State’s annual Knoxville paramedic program luncheon. Students completing the paramedic program were recognized at the event, which was sponsored by TeamHealth.

Smith has been an emergency medical technician for eight years. He decided to go back to school last fall to become a paramedic. Smith said he appreciated the support he’s received from the Oak Ridge Fire Department and from his family as he has juggled work and school. [Read more…]

Methodist offers a new weapon in fight against lung cancer

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Methodist Medical Center Main Entrance

Cigarettes bring together more than 50 chemicals that are known to cause cancer. In fact, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women in the United States and worldwide.

In the U.S., lung cancer is responsible for 29 percent of cancer deaths, more than those from breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer combined. Statistically, lung cancer caused by smoking is responsible for nearly 135,000 U.S. deaths per year.

Early detection [Read more…]