Oak Ridge Today

Anderson County partners come together to celebrate tobacco prevention

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Choose Not to Use Tobacco

Kelli Kent, Emma Berry, Reagan Wolfe, Noah Carter, Jake Wade, Sarah Thomas, Hope Hicks, and Courtney Sharp dance as Snow White helps the seven side effects to #ChooseNotToUse tobacco products. (Submitted photo)

 

The Anderson County Health Department and community partners Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County, Anderson County Schools, Clinton City Schools, and Oak Ridge City Schools have made great strides in tobacco prevention since nearly $65,000 was awarded to Anderson County earlier this year.

At the Tobacco Initiative Reception held on Wednesday, October 22, those strides were recognized. Art Miller, director of the Anderson County Health Department, said “this is the first time tobacco settlement funds are being used to fund tobacco prevention.”

More than 40 attendees watched as the ASAP Youth Coalition demonstrated why they “Choose Not To Use” tobacco through a special presentation of a skit they wrote and produced titled “Snow White and the Seven Side Effects.” During the skit, the dangers of tobacco use—such as cigarettes being the leading cause of house fires with more than 7,600 each year in the U.S. and losing teeth after the use of chewing tobacco—were highlighted. [Read more…]

Roane State men’s basketball team works to overcome early adversity

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Roane State Men Basketball Team 2014

 

Roane State Community College men’s basketball coach Randy Nesbit appreciates his team’s effort in the preseason.

He just needs his players to stay healthy.

“The key is depth,” Nesbit said. “We had four forwards on the roster that we thought would play big roles, and three are out with injuries.”

Sophomore forward Antonio Gardner is expected back soon. Freshman forward Tayte Kitts could be back by mid-November, and sophomore forward Greg Murphy, who scored 15 points per game last season, is week to week. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Cedar Barren cleanup on Nov. 8

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Oak Ridge Cedar Barren Cleanup

The Oak Ridge Cedar Barren will undergo its annual fall cleanup at 9 a.m. Saturday, November 8.  The main cleanup activity consists of exotic invasive plant removal.

Located next to Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, the area is one of only a few cedar barrens in East Tennessee.

The barren is subject to invasion by Chinese lespedeza, leatherleaf viburnum, Chinese privet, autumn olive, mimosa, Nepal grass, multiflora rose, and woody plants. These plants, if allowed to mature, will shade out or overgrow the system’s unique prairie grasses. [Read more…]

November events in Anderson County

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Submitted by Anderson County Tourism Council

Here are upcoming events in November in Anderson County:

November Train Rides at Secret City Excursion Train

One-hour excursions with narration will take place on Saturday and Sunday, November 1 and 2.  The excursions depart at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday. During the ride, passengers will hear the story of the Manhattan Project, which was one of the most remarkable industrial achievements ever accomplished. For more information, call (865) 241-2140 or visit www.secretcityrailroad.com. [Read more…]

Chamber Seminar Series: Protect your small business from fraud

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Jason Mooney

Jason Mooney

A November 5 seminar at the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce will feature a seminar on small business and fraud.

The seminar by Jason Mooney of Regions Bank will be titled “Protect Your Small Business from Fraud.” It’s scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, November 5, at the Chamber office.

“Financial loss due to fraud is something that companies are experiencing more and more,” a press release said. “This seminar is geared to help business owners spot and mitigate the risk of potential financial loss due to fraudulent activity. This course will go over the different types of fraud that occur, as well as go over steps that can help prevent these different types of fraud from occurring. Actual fraud cases and the lessons learned will be reviewed during this informative seminar.” [Read more…]

AC Chamber Council starts discussions on educational resources, workforce needs

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Randy Boyd

Randy Boyd

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CLINTON—Leaders from business, local, and post-secondary education across Anderson County gathered at the Hollingsworth Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership on Tuesday for an Anderson County Workforce Development Training Resources Luncheon hosted by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Education and Workforce Development Council. The council plans for this to be the first of a series of in-depth county-wide discussions about how to ensure that our educational resources are focused at meeting the businesses workforce needs in Anderson County.

Randy Boyd, Governor Bill Haslam’s special adviser on higher education, spoke about Tennessee’s “Drive to 55” initiative and the five main aspects to this statewide initiative: get students ready, get them into school, get them out of school, finish what we started with adult students, and tie education directly to workforce needs.

“There are nearly a million Tennesseans that have some college credit but no degree—that’s an untapped pool of people that we can get to complete a certificate or degree,” Boyd said. [Read more…]

Czech-Slovak folk dress on exhibit at Children’s Museum Nov. 5-9

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Beaded Wedding Cap

Beaded Wedding Cap (Submitted photo)

 

“Beaded Glory,” an exhibit of Czech and Slovak folk dress and folk art portraying the artistry and skill of village people in adorning their clothing, will be on display at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge from November 5-9. An opening reception for the exhibit will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, November 6, in Imagination Gallery at the museum.

The exhibit will showcase beaded wedding headdresses, embroidered aprons and blouses, intricate dyed and appliqued leather in sheepskin vests, lace-trimmed ritual cloths, and a rare Bohemian wedding vest decorated with hundreds of carved fish scales. Dolls in folk dress will also be on display.

“A hundred years ago, your village dress told so much about you—whether you were young or old, married or single, a widow or a nursing mother, a young man going off to military service, or someone in mourning. The tremendous variety from village to village is amazing,” said Helene Baine Cincebeaux, of Rochester, New York, who is bringing the exhibit to the Children’s Museum. [Read more…]

Elks have indoor Trick-or-Treat on Halloween

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The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, Oak Ridge Lodge, located at 684 Emory Valley Road, will be hosting an indoor Trick-or-Treat on Friday, October 31, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

“The Oak Ridge Elks Lodge will be providing a safe place for children of all ages to have fun, show off their costumes, and receive candy on Halloween night,” a press release said. “Free hot chocolate and bottled water will also be given to everyone in attendance.

“Don’t forget to bring a camera and have your picture made with ‘Elroy’ the Elk.”

Testosterone levels to be discussed at Health Night on Tuesday

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Adam Shrewsberry

Adam Shrewsberry

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As men age, the body naturally produces less testosterone. In some men, the drop can be dramatic enough to cause fatigue, muscle loss, weight gain, sexual problems, and depression.

Up to one-quarter of men older than 45 may suffer from low testosterone. The condition is more likely to occur as a man grows older.

Learn more about “Low T,” its effects, and the benefits and risks of testosterone replacement therapy, as Adam Shrewsberry, MD, the newest urologist to join the medical staff at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, discusses “Testosterone: Knowing Your Number” at Health Night on the Town. [Read more…]

Sewer rehab work continues week of Oct. 27

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More rehabilitation work of the city’s sewer collection pipes is scheduled to continue this week, starting Monday, October 27.

The work is being done by Hurst Excavating and Morgan Contracting under contract with the City of Oak Ridge. It includes rehabilitating sewer collection pipes within city easements in yards and in roadways, a press release said. [Read more…]

Doctor, candidate to discuss health care with AAUW on Monday

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Mary Headrick

Mary Headrick

Mary Headrick, a doctor and congressional candidate, will discuss health care during a lunch meeting with the AAUW on Monday, October 27.

Headrick’s talk is titled “Health Care Challenges: Age, Technology, Chronic Disease Management.”

The AAUW meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. Monday in Room 102 of the First Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

ASAP has strategic planning retreat Monday

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ASAP Logo

For the past four years, Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention, or ASAP, has been funded by the Drug-Free Communities Support Program. This 10-year grant-funded program has provided training, technical assistance, and financial support for the implementation of environmental prevention strategies in Anderson County, a press release said. ASAP has just entered the final year of the first phase of the grant program.

“We have enjoyed automatic renewal of our grant for several years, but we now face competitive renewal for the second five-year term,” the press release said.

The Drug-Free Communities Grant is a highly competitive program, funding a small percentage of applicants each year. To ensure the coalition is prepared with a strong action plan, ASAP invites residents to participate in a strategic planning retreat on Monday, October 27, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Associated Universities’ main campus at 100 ORAU Way in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]