Oak Ridge Today

Third Clinton car lot hit by thieves

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Information from WYSH Radio

For the third time in a month, a Clinton auto dealership was hit by thieves over the weekend.

The first two instances occurred at Fox Toyota, where a horse trailer and a 2015 Toyota 4Runner were stolen during the past few weeks.

On Saturday, the Clinton Police Department was called to Ray Varner Ford on Seivers Boulevard on a report of a stolen SUV. When they arrived, officers were told that a black 2012 Ford Explorer valued at $28,000 had been taken from Varner’s lot sometime between March 31, when employees put new tires on it, and Saturday morning. [Read more…]

Kragenbrink named president, CEO of Tech 2020

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Kevin Kragenbrink

Kevin Kragenbrink

Kevin Kragenbrink, who has been serving as interim executive director of Tech 2020, has been named president and chief executive officer, a press release said.

Kragenbrink is the co-founder and CEO of Estrada Strategies Inc. He stepped away from his day-to-day responsibilities at the coaching and consulting organization in early November to accept the interim role at Tech 2020, the press release said. He assumed the top position following the resignation of John Morris.

Both Kragenbrink and Tech 2020 Board Chair Teri Brahams acknowledged that what was originally viewed as a role for not more than six months has evolved into a longer term relationship. [Read more…]

Benefits of bariatric surgery to be discussed Tuesday

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Mark Colquitt

Mark Colquitt

For many patients, making the decision to undergo a bariatric procedure is a process. Some are driven by health concerns, while others are seeking changes that will enhance their life experiences—playing with their children, traveling comfortably, or enjoying the great outdoors. Patients must weigh the benefits of the surgery with the lifetime changes they will need to make in order to be successful.

Learn about “The Benefits of Bariatric Surgery” as Methodist Medical Center, Fort Sanders Center for Bariatric Surgery, and bariatric surgeon Mark Colquitt, MD, partner to present this month’s Health Night on the Town. The presentation will take place Tuesday, April 28, at 7 p.m. in the Ridge Conference Room of Methodist Medical Center at 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Bariatric surgery is an operation on the stomach and/or intestines that helps patients with extreme obesity to lose weight, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland.

Health Night on the Town is a medical lecture series presented by physicians and other health professionals. Programs are held in the hospital’s Ridge Conference Room at 7 p.m. on the last Tuesday of every month except June, July, November, and December. Health Night is free and open to the public. For more information, call (865) 835-4662.

Anderson County budget workshops, meeting dates

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Anderson County has scheduled budget workshops and meetings for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

There will be no motions made during the budget workshops. Instead, they will include only discussion and formulation.

The workshops will be held in Room 312 in the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton at these times: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools hosts first community meeting on fall Intersession

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With the passing of the new Oak Ridge Schools’ balanced calendar for the 2015-16 school year, when school starts on August 3 and there are three two-week breaks every nine weeks, Intersession was introduced for students. Intersession is time, during the breaks, when students can come back to school and work with teachers on areas where they struggled with academics. Intersession is also a time when schools can introduce “enrichment,” when students can come and learn extra things that educators would like to teach to students.

Oak Ridge Schools’ first Intersession will take place October 5-9. Each of the individual schools have been working and planning on activities that they could offer to students during this week. Finalized activities will be sent home to all parents in the middle of August 2015. [Read more…]

Elementary students in Oak Ridge receive bike helmets as part of safety program

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Michael Swigert and Helmet Fitting

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Michael Swigert fits a third-grader from Linden Elementary School with a bicycle helmet. (Submitted photo)

 

Every two minutes, a child is treated in an emergency medical department for an unintentional bicycle-related injury. This year, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is working to change these statistics through partnership with the “Kohl’s Cares” Helmet Safety Program, which promotes safety events in which educational materials and bicycle helmets are provided to local school children.

Approximately 2,000 helmets are distributed through this program in the 16 counties that are serviced by East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. This year, two elementary schools from the City of Oak Ridge were chosen to partner with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and were the recipients of child bicycle helmets. On March 27, students of the third-grade class at Glenwood Elementary School received 80 helmets, and on April 22, Linden Elementary third-grade students were presented with 150 helmets.

Members of the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Fire Department assisted with the distribution of educational material and provided individualized fittings of each helmet.

ORPD seeks info on gunfire report this weekend

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Oak Ridge Police Department officers responded to a complaint of gunfire in the 200 block of South Benedict Avenue at about 10:06 p.m. Saturday, April 25, authorities said. But when they arrived, officers were unable to locate any suspects, victims, or witnesses, a press release said.

Officers canvassed the area to locate witnesses and checked on the welfare of numerous occupants of nearby dwellings; however, no personal injuries or property damages were found or reported, the press release said.

“All those interviewed claimed to have neither heard nor seen anything,” the release said. “Investigating officers located and collected several spent shell casings apparently fired from a small-caliber handgun that were laying in the street near the location of the reported gunfire.”

The release said anyone with any information regarding this incident should contact the city’s dispatch non-emergency line at (865) 425-4399.

NC principal, UT grad named ORHS principal

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Martin McDonald

Martin McDonald

Martin McDonald, of High Point, North Carolina, has agreed to become the principal of Oak Ridge High School effective July 1.

McDonald was selected following the screening of applications and interviews of selected candidates by a committee including administrators, Oak Ridge High School staff members, and both a student and parent representative from ORHS, a press release said.

He will replace the current principal, David Bryant, who is retiring. Bryant had been an assistant principal and interim principal before he was named principal in January 2014. Byrant has also been an administrator at the Alternative Program, and he began his career with Oak Ridge Schools as a special education teacher in 1985. [Read more…]

TBI report shows overall drop in crime, but murder reports up in Tenn.

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NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its 2014 Crime in Tennessee report on Monday, and it showed an overall decline in crime, but reported murders increased and arrests for driving under the influence were up slightly.

The annual study compiles data reported from each law enforcement agency in the state, providing an updated and comprehensive picture of the successes and challenges facing communities across Tennessee, a press release said.

Among the report’s findings: [Read more…]

Alpha Kappa Alpha fundraiser will benefit TORCH, Pat Summitt Foundation, KARM

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A June fundraiser will benefit three nonprofit organizations: TORCH, the Pat Summitt Foundation, and Knox Area Rescue Ministries, or KARM.

The June 13 fundraiser is sponsored by members of the Oak Ridge Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) Incorporated. The fundraiser, “Dancing with the AKAs,” will take place in the Knoxville Expo Center Ballroom on Clinton Highway.

The three nonprofits provide important services to the local communities, a press release said. TORCH, or Trinity Out-Reach Center of Hope, of Oak Ridge, provides supportive services and intensive care management to help the homeless. The Pat Summitt Foundation fights Alzheimer’s disease with a comprehensive approach. And KARM seeks to rescue the poor and provide life skills training and educational opportunities. [Read more…]

DOE Environmental Management has community budget workshop on Wednesday

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U.S. Department of Energy Logo

The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management is hosting its annual Community Budget Workshop on Wednesday, April 29.

The purpose of this year’s workshop is for interested members of the community and stakeholders to learn about our program’s top cleanup priorities, and to provide input on additional priorities that they would like OREM to consider as officials begin developing the Fiscal Year 2017 budget.

The workshop is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, in the Pollard Auditorium at 210 Badger Avenue in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Video: Check out these robots stacking totes, garbage cans, ‘noodles’

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This is a video taken by Angi Agle on Saturday, April 25, 2015, at the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship in St. Louis, Missouri.

This was the first round of the Hopper Division quarterfinals for an alliance that included the Secret City Wildbots, Team 4265 of Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Other members were Team 987, the Highrollers of Las Vegas, Nevada (team captain, #1 ranked in the division), and Team 2826, Wave Robotics of Oshkosh, Wisconsin (ranked #2 in the division). This round began at 9:51 a.m. Central time Saturday.

The first 15 seconds are the autonomous period, where the robot executes a pre-programmed routine with no human control. 2826 Wave achieves points by stacking three yellow totes in the designated area, while 987 Highrollers snag three garbage cans from the center area. While this achieves no autonomous points, the garbage cans stacked on top of gray totes multiplies the point value of the stack, so it is important to get them first—before the other alliance does so. [Read more…]