Oak Ridge Today

ASAP Youth Coalition joins other young leaders at Teen Institute

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

ASAP Youth Coalition at Tennessee Teen Institute

Front row from left to right are Olivia Kelly, Reagan Wolfe, and Courtney Sharp.
Second row from left to right are Emma Berry, Hope Hicks, Jake Wade, and Kaylee Hunley.
Third row from left to right are Mary Tuskan, Jacob Reed, Ryan Wiggins, and Gabe Merritt.
Top row from left to right are Michael Beal, Cameron Moore, and Michael Foster. (Photo courtesy ASAP)

 

Students from Anderson County joined more than 400 youth leaders from across the state at a recent Tennessee Teen Institute. The Tennessee Teen Institute is a five-day youth leadership and prevention camp sponsored by the Jackson Area Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency.

The Anderson County Health Department and ASAP (Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention) sponsored two teams of six youth to participate in TTI, one from Anderson County High School and one from Clinton High School.

“This is the third year we have been able to sponsor youth to attend the Teen Institute, and it has shown an excellent return,” said Stephanie Strutner, ASAP executive director. “Students return energized to serve as peer leaders and make positive changes in their schools.”

This was the 27th year of the Teen Institute Program in Tennessee, a press release said. The program addresses teen issues such as bullying, violence, suicide, teen pregnancy, distracted driving, teen health, and substance abuse prevention through a five-day, peer-led prevention camp designed to provide teen participants with the skills and education necessary to develop and implement alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs in their own communities. [Read more…]

Anderson needs members for Beer Board, Civil Service, Zoning Appeals

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Submitted

The Anderson County Board of Commissioners and the Nominating Committee are looking for citizens who would like to serve on the following volunteer committees:

Anderson County Beer Board

Five members, three-year terms, ending September 2017

The Beer Board was established for the purpose of licensing, regulating and controlling the transportation, storage, sale, distribution, possession, receipt and/or manufacture of beer. [Read more…]

Aqua Power fall session starts Sept. 8

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department aquatic exercise program, Aqua Power, will start its fall session September 8.

The instructor is Janice Greenwood, who holds numerous certifications in exercise programs, a press release said. This program is geared toward participants who wish to receive a workout in the water; individuals will be encouraged to work at their own pace and participants do not have to be able to swim or get their hair wet.

Classes will be held on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 7:30-8:30 p.m. The fee is $42 for a six-week session or $5 per class. [Read more…]

Bats: Friend or foe? Find out Sept. 4

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bats are the topic of a free, interactive program on Thursday, September 4. Starting with a presentation at 7 p.m. and ending with a field demonstration with bat detectors, spotlights, and a thermal imaging camera by Melton Hill Lake, the evening will provide ample evidence that bats are friends, a press release said.

Although they sometimes suffer from a poor public image, bats are extremely beneficial animals: They are major predators of night-flying insects. Bat specialist Gerry Middleton, a biologist with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, is the presenter.

Following his 7 p.m. talk and a question and answer period, participants will adjourn to the marina on Melton Hill Lake for a field demonstration: Gerry will use his “bat detectors” (which detect echolocation calls) to help spot the nocturnal creatures as they forage for insects at dusk. He’ll also bring a spotlight and a thermal imaging camera to help participants see bats after dark. [Read more…]

ORNL scientists uncover clues to role of magnetism in iron-based superconductors

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Magnetism of Iron-based Superconductors

Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists used scanning transmission electron microscopy to measure atomic-scale magnetic behavior in several families of iron-based superconductors. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

New measurements of atomic-scale magnetic behavior in iron-based superconductors by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Vanderbilt University are challenging conventional wisdom about superconductivity and magnetism.

The study published in Advanced Materials provides experimental evidence that local magnetic fluctuations can influence the performance of iron-based superconductors, which transmit electric current without resistance at relatively high temperatures.

“In the past, everyone thought that magnetism and superconductivity could not coexist,” said ORNL’s Claudia Cantoni, the study’s first author. “The whole idea of superconductors is that they expel magnetic fields. But in reality things are more complicated.”

Superconductivity is strongly suppressed by the presence of long-range magnetism—where atoms align their magnetic moments over large volumes—but the ORNL study suggests that rapid fluctuations of local magnetic moments have a different effect. Not only does localized magnetism exist, but it is also correlated with a high critical temperature, the point at which the material becomes superconducting. [Read more…]

Camera Club accepts East Tennessee entries in annual Salon

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Umbrella Girl

“Umbrella Girl” by John Music, an image in the Color Print Urbanscape category from last year’s Salon. (Submitted photo)

One of East Tennessee’s most prestigious photography shows and competitions is under way for its 66th year.

The Camera Club of Oak Ridge is inviting all East Tennessee photographers—both amateur and professional, as well as students—to submit entries to their annual Salon, a press release said. Entries will be exhibited at the New Hope Center in Oak Ridge during November and December. A community reception and gallery walk will be held at New Hope Center on Friday evening, November 14.

Photographers may enter digital images, color prints, or black and white prints. There are 10 categories: Animals, Architecture, Botanicals, Creative Development, Creative Vision, Inanimate Objects, Landscape, People, Scenic, and Urbanscapes. [Read more…]

Sewer rehab work continues week of Aug. 25

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

More rehabilitation work of the city’s sewer collection pipes is scheduled to continue this week, starting Monday, August 25.

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.

Residents should already have received color-coded letters and door hangers (orange for Hurst Excavating and purple for Morgan Contracting) providing general information and each contractors’ contact information.

Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists are urged to use extra care and caution when traveling on the streets with sewer work areas, a press release said. Temporary road repairs will be made, and loose gravel should be expected until the patches are permanently paved. [Read more…]

Community Band has free Labor Day concert in A.K. Bissell Park

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Community Band Concert

The Oak Ridge Community Band performs at a 70th anniversary concert on Independence Day. (File photo)

The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform its annual Labor Day concert on Monday, September 1, at 7 p.m. in A.K. Bissell Park.

This is a free event, and the public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for outdoor seating, a press release said. Refreshments will be available for sale.

To help kick off the Community Band’s 2014-2015 subscription season of indoor concerts, the first 200 people attending the Labor Day Concert will be given free tickets to the band’s October 12 concert, which will be held at the Oak Ridge High School auditorium, the press release said. [Read more…]

Celebrity Scoops fundraiser to benefit SARG tonight

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

An animal rescue group has a fundraiser at Baskin-Robbins in Oak Ridge this evening.

SARG, the rescue group, will have giveaways, and local celebrities will be appearing, organizers said. A portion of the proceeds at the Celebrity Scoops for Paws and Purrs fundraiser will benefit SARG (Shelter Animals Rescue Group).

The fundraiser is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. today (Saturday, August 23) at Baskin-Robbins, which is at 104 East Tulsa Road in Oak Ridge.

See the SARG page on Facebook for a full list of those will appear.

Organizers said parking will be available in the large shopping center near the ice cream shop or across the street in the parking lot of the former Chinese restaurant.

Swearing-in for county’s elected officials to be broadcast on ACTV

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Robin Biloski

Robin Biloski

Officials elected or re-elected in Anderson County on August 7 will be sworn in on September 2, and ACTV, the county’s television station, will broadcast it for residents.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. September 2 in the Criminal Courtroom on the third floor of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

ACTV is “pleased to play a part in this special event and provide our citizens a first-hand look at this official act by their government officials,” Anderson County Commissioner Robin Biloski said in a press release.

“Our ACTV Committee wanted to provide our residents an opportunity to see actually how important the oath of office is for those who were elected in the August 2014 election,” said Biloski, chairwoman of the Anderson County TV Committee. “ACTV is always looking at new ways to educate and inform our citizens of what actually happens in government, and we thought this was an exciting way to begin our new terms of office.” [Read more…]

Health Night on the Town lecture to look at end of life

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Methodist Medical Center Entrance at Night

The main entrance to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge is pictured above at night. (Photo courtesy Covenant Health)

Death, you might say, is a fact of life. It’s something we all must face, and while it may not do to dwell on death, it can benefit all of us to understand it, accept it, and plan for it—for both ourselves and our loved ones.

That’s the goal of the Ethics Committee at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge as they present “Preparing for End of Life” at August’s Health Night on the Town lecture. The Ethics Committee is comprised of physicians and other experts from the medical field who will share their professional and personal experiences. The program will discuss the biology of death, the psycho-social aspects of death, and the practical aspects of death, such as advance directives and other legal documents.

Health Night on the Town on will take place Tuesday, August 26, at 7 p.m. in the Ridge Conference Room of Methodist Medical Center located at 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The program will be led by members of the Ethics Committee at Methodist Medical Center, which includes members of Methodist’s medical staff: family practice physician and Ethics Committee chair Jose Malagon, MD; orthopedic surgeon Randall Robbins, MD; anesthesiologist Stephanie Smith, MD; and Methodist employees: chaplain Jack Sills, clinical social worker Julie Emig, and risk manager Lisa Chadwick.

Health Night is a free medical lecture series and is open to the public. For more information about Health Night on the Town, call (865) 835-4662.

Oak Ridge Schools announces ACT results for 2013-2014 graduates

Posted at
By 12 Comments

Submitted

The ACT college entrance examination “assesses high school students’ general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work.” Students are tested in English, mathematics, reading, and science. They receive a score between one and 36 for each test and also a composite score, which averages the performance on all four subject tests.

The ACT is widely accepted as the premier college entrance examination.

Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers said: “In the Oak Ridge Schools, we believe it is crucial for our students to perform well on the ACT examination. It is one of our Seven Keys to College and Career Readiness, and we are proud of how students perform on the ACT and of our teachers who prepare them. This year is no exception.”

The 2014 Oak Ridge High Schools graduating class significantly outperformed the state and national averages on each of the subject components of the ACT examination as well as the overall composite. In fact, Oak Ridge’s 2014 graduating class achieved higher in English, mathematics, reading, and composite than any other ORHS graduating class in the past five years. In addition, the percent of ORHS’s 2014 graduates that met or exceeded all four of the ACT College Readiness Benchmark Scores was far higher than the state and nation. [Read more…]