Front Page News Archives - Page 69 of 610

Winter Farmers’ Market returns indoors, with a Market-To-Go curbside option

Posted at 11:36 am December 5, 2020
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

*Free-range eggs, radishes, and broccoli are just some of the products available all season at the Winter Farmers’ Market. (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)*

The fifth season of the Winter Farmers’ Market begins indoors Saturday, December 5, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and it is focused on safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, a press release said.

The market is open Saturdays through March (closed December 26), at St. Mary’s Catholic School at 323 Vermont Avenue in Oak Ridge.

All vendors and customers must wear masks, and vendors are spread apart for social distancing, the press release said.

New this year is a 100 percent touch-free curbside pickup program called Market-to-Go. Customers can shop farmers’ market products online during the week, and pick them up curbside on Saturday mornings, the press release said.

“We have been working all year to get ready for a safe, indoor market. Not many towns our size offer a Winter Farmers’ Market, much less one with more than 30 vendors and a convenient online store,” said Rebecca Williams, director of Grow Oak Ridge, the nonprofit organization that produces the market.

[Read more…]

For members: Summit at ORNL remains second-most powerful supercomputer

Posted at 5:58 pm December 3, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Pictured above being interviewed by a CNBC television crew before a ceremony on Friday afternoon, June 8, 2018, for the then-new Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are Ginni Rometty, left, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of IBM; Rick Perry, second from right, former U.S. Department of Energy secretary; and Jensen Huang, right, founder, president, and CEO of NVIDIA. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory remains the second-fastest supercomputer in the world and the most powerful in the United States.

The Japanese supercomputer Fugaku is still number one in the world, according to a TOP500 supercomputer ranking released in November.

Wildcats play for state championship Friday

Posted at 10:00 am December 3, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the South Doyle Cherokees 14-0 on Blankenship Field this past Friday, Nov. 27, 2020, in a semifinal game to advance to the state final for the first time since 2005. (Photo by Barry Houchin, used with permission)

Oak Ridge will play for a state football championship this Friday.

The Wildcats (11-3) beat South Doyle 14-0 this past Friday in a semifinal game to advance to the state final for the first time since 2005.

Oak Ridge will now play Summit (13-1) of Spring Hill in the Blue Cross Bowl Class 5A state championship at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville at 7 p.m. Friday.

The Wildcats scored early in the first quarter against South Doyle (10-4) on Blankenship Field last Friday after a fumble recovery by Jacob Berven. Oak Ridge senior quarterback Mitchell Gibbons rolled right and threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Cole Adams, who was able to push past two South Doyle defenders and reach his right arm into the end zone near the right pylon.

[Read more…]

For members: COVID-19 cases about double, deaths almost triple in November

Posted at 6:22 pm December 2, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Compared to previous highs, the number of COVID-19 cases about doubled in Anderson County in November, and the number of deaths almost tripled. The number of hospitalizations was also the highest ever.

It was the worst month of the pandemic so far.

Children’s Museum Gala will feature moon science, moonshine

Posted at 3:05 pm December 1, 2020
By kbrookshire@bellsouth.net Leave a Comment

Molly McCanta and her University of Tennessee students are analyzing moon rock from NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972. She will discuss this moon science at the Children’s Museum Gala on Friday. (Submitted photo)

Moon science and moonshine will each be featured at the December 4 virtual Gala hosted by the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. The Gala theme, “MoonShine on the Mountain,” celebrates the region’s mountain heritage with humor, stories, and music, as well as the Museum’s own Rocket Room that encourages play in a space-like setting, a press release said.

Sugarlands Distilling Company, the Gatlinburg-based producer of award-winning moonshine and other spirits, will add its expertise and storytelling to the event, supporting the Gala in a variety of ways.

As for moon science, Molly McCanta will be a guest at the Gala, explaining how she and her University of Tennessee students are analyzing moon rock from NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The UT professor is participating in a three-year project with researchers at two other facilities as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing in 1969. [Read more…]

First snow in Oak Ridge

Posted at 10:26 am December 1, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

*A light layer of snow, measured at about one-half inch or less, is pictured above at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)*

Snow fell in Oak Ridge starting Monday afternoon and continuing Tuesday morning, leaving a thin layer of snow on grass, cars, and homes.

Oak Ridge Today measured a maximum of one-half inch of snow at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The National Weather Service in Morristown forecast that Tuesday would be mostly cloudy near Clinton, gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 38. Tuesday night could be mostly clear, with a low around 22.

[Read more…]

ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal

Posted at 11:00 am November 30, 2020
By Amy Schwinge Leave a Comment

ORAU exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in donations as part of its internal annual giving campaign that benefits the United Way and Community Shares, a press release said. Total donations during the past 10 years have totaled more than $1 million.

As part of the 2020 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign, a total of $106,373.72 was pledged, the press release said. Employees donated by payroll deduction and could earmark their donation for United Way, Community Shares, or both nonprofit organizations.

“ORAU is especially proud of our employees for stepping up during such a time of uncertainty and COVID-19 to help others in need in our communities,” said ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page. “This year, the entire campaign was conducted virtually, so our internal organizations did not have the opportunity to include fundraisers and friendly competitions to raise money like we have done in the past.” [Read more…]

Library returning to curbside service due to COVID spike

Posted at 1:35 pm November 25, 2020
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Public Library will close to the public and return to curbside pickup only after the Thanksgiving holiday due to the dramatic increase in local COVID-19 cases, a press release said.

Curbside hours are Monday through Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Starting Monday, November 30, library users can place holds on books, movies, music, and audiobooks through the library’s catalog at http://orpl.ent.sirsi.net/. Patrons will be notified when their items are ready to be picked up. Look for the reserved parking spaces in the library’s parking lot, call the number on the sign, and library staff will bring your items to your car. If you need help finding items to read, watch, or listen to, you can call (865) 425-3455 for assistance placing holds.

[Read more…]

More than 100 COVID cases reported among students, staff this school year

Posted at 12:36 pm November 25, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

This graph shows COVID-19 cases reported by school week at the high school, two middle schools, and all other schools (four elementary schools, preschool, and Secret City Academy). (Graph by Oak Ridge Today).

More than 100 COVID-19 cases have been reported among students and staff members in Oak Ridge Schools since the school year began July 29.

An Oak Ridge Today tally shows 117 total cases, while an Oak Ridge Schools dashboard shows 115.

Most of the cases, 94, have been reported among students, while 21 have been reported among staff members, according to the school system’s dashboard.

The Oak Ridge Schools dashboard, which was last updated Tuesday, showed 65 recovered cases of COVID-19 and 50 current. The school system does not report information about the outcomes of individual cases, but as of mid-November, all confirmed cases were reported to have been relatively mild.

The number of new COVID-19 cases reported by Oak Ridge Schools dropped significantly last week, but the number of new cases reported among staff members increased.

[Read more…]

Roane State’s Food Pantry On-the-Go in Campbell County next week

Posted at 6:09 pm November 24, 2020
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Roane State Community College’s new Food Pantry On-the-Go is addressing food insecurity among students during the pandemic. Following highly positive feedback from its initial effort, the mobile food pantry’s next event is set for Wednesday, December 2, at the Campbell County Campus in LaFollette.

The event will be held in Room 101 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Roane State students from any of the college’s nine campuses will have the opportunity to shop—for free—for a wide variety of non-perishable and microwavable food items. Organizers hope the event will help students and their families stock up ahead of the winter break.

The first Food Pantry On-the-Go event was held in October at the Knox County Center for Health Sciences. These mobile events are the latest effort by the college to help students who may have food insecurity issues that have only increased due to COVID-19. Even prior to the pandemic, statistics showed that at least 40 percent of college students experienced some form of food insecurity.

[Read more…]

Football photos: Oak Ridge at West in quarterfinal win

Posted at 6:16 pm November 23, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats advanced to a Class 5A football semifinal game after a 31-28 quarterfinal win at West on Friday.

Here are photos by Barry Houchin, used with permission.

[Read more…]