Oak Ridge Today

‘Dine and Donate’ returns Monday, June 13 

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El Cantarito

El Cantarito offers authentic Mexican cuisine, all-you-can-eat specials, many meals that are under $6, and a variety of margaritas, beer, and wine. (Photo by ADFAC)

 

School is out, and Father’s Day is around the corner: These are just two of the many reasons to celebrate with a Dine and Donate meal!

On Monday, June 13, several local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to support Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC, as part of Dine and Donate. Dine and Donate is a year-long event, with different restaurants participating on the second Monday of each month.

“Whether celebrating the fathers in our lives or simply beating the heat, dining out in at least one of Monday’s Dine and Donate restaurants is a fantastic way to enjoy the season,” said Cande Seay, who chairs the Dine and Donate committee.

Monday’s participating restaurants are: [Read more…]

School board has special meeting Monday to consider one-time spending approved by city

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Oak Ridge Schools School Administration Building

The Oak Ridge Board of Education will have a special meeting on Monday to consider approving $538,048 worth of one-time spending that was approved by the Oak Ridge City Council this past Monday (May 6).

If the Tennessee Department of Education agrees, the extra money, which had been requested by Oak Ridge Schools and the BOE, would not be part of the city’s annual “maintenance of effort” for the schools, a level of funding that can’t be reduced.

Most of the $538,048, or $425,000, would be used in the next fiscal year for principal and interest payments for a four-year technology lease that began in fiscal year 2016, the current fiscal year. That lease funded the purchase of convertible laptops for grade levels 5-8, supporting what is known as a 1:1 initiative and part of Access Oak Ridge.

The other $113,048 would be used for building improvements: [Read more…]

Secret City Festival offers weekend of fun, entertainment

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2015 Secret City Festival photo by Rob Welton

2015 Secret City Festival photo by Rob Welton

 

By Explore Oak Ridge

The 14th annual Secret City Festival is Friday and Saturday, and the excitement is building! Kick off your festival fun by bringing your chairs and your family, and stake out a spot in front of the Pavilion Stage. You don’t want to miss the great artists that will be performing all day on Friday and Saturday.

Arrive early to take in the opening ceremonies, then get your Friday festival started with entertainment from ACRODUNK. Showcasing their highflying, gravity defying acrobatics with “slam,” ACRODUNK performs three times on Friday and Saturday.

Jubal hits the Pavilion Stage twice Friday afternoon with their alternative folk music. Combining two voices and a guitar, Jubal creates an intricate and emotional sound.

Get your fill of Scottish bagpipes and drums from the Knoxville Pipes and Drums, who open Saturday morning’s pavilion entertainment.

The Secret City Winds and the Oak Ridge Community Band will be showcasing their talents with an array of musical selections twice on Saturday. [Read more…]

Friends of Oak Ridge Library sponsors local authors at Secret City Festival

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Oak Ridge Public Library

The Oak Ridge Public Library is pictured above.

The Friends of the Oak Ridge Public Library will participate in the Secret City Festival held at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on June 10-11 by sponsoring local writers and authors.

The authors will be in Room C of the Civic Center (next door to the Oak Ridge Historical Preservation Association) autographing and selling their books at the following times:

Friday, June 10

  • 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.—Carol Oen
  • 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.—Adele A. Roberts, Mark Griffith

[Read more…]

ORHS Class of 1986 has 30th Reunion on July 22, 23

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The Oak Ridge High School Class of 1986 will have its 30th Reunion this summer. It’s scheduled for Friday, July 22, and Saturday, July 23.

“Please come join us!” a press release said.

On Friday, the class will have hors d’oeuvres and music and plenty of time to chat at the Old Towne Inn in Oak Ridge. On Saturday, they will have dinner and dancing at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Oak Ridge. All graduates of 1986 and spouses/dates are invited and encouraged to attend, the press release said.

“We would love to see you and have a chance to visit,” the release said. [Read more…]

ORHS classes of 1974-1978 reunion in September

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The Oak Ridge High School Class of 1976 is holding their 40th reunion during the weekend of September 23-25, 2016.

The class is inviting the classes of 1974 through 1978, those who attended school with class members but may have graduated elsewhere, and our teachers and staff to join the festivities which are scheduled as follows:

  • Friday, September 23, will be an informal gathering at Blankenship Field as the Oak Ridge Wildcats host Sevier County in the Homecoming game. The tailgate party will begin at 5 p.m. near the upper gate, and then they will follow the team onto the field for recognition prior to the game, which starts at 7 p.m. Admission to the game is $7 per person.
  • The dressy casual main event on Saturday, September 24, will be held at the new Calhoun’s (formerly Riverside Grille) at 100 Melton Lake Drive. A cash bar starts at 5 p.m. and hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. Come enjoy music, dancing, and reminiscing along the waterway in this beautiful venue until 11:30 p.m., a press release said. Admission for the main event is $43.86 through August 14 and obtained by registration at orhs76reunion.com.
  • A lunch picnic gathering takes place on Sunday, September 25, at Clark Center Park (known as Carbide Park in our day) at 12:30 p.m. Bring your own lunch and family for a final informal get-together of the weekend, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Y-12 to conduct emergency management exercise on Wednesday

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Y-12-National-Security-Complex-CNS-Sign-Dec-16-2014

The sign at the Scarboro Road entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above on December 16, 2014. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Emergency response personnel from the National Nuclear Security Administration and Consolidated Nuclear Security, along with federal, state, and local emergency management personnel, will conduct an emergency management exercise June 8 in and around the Y‑12 National Security Complex.

During this exercise, people in the vicinity of Y-12 may observe personnel simulating response activities and performing environmental monitoring or sampling, but these offsite activities are part of the exercise, a press release said.

This event is part of emergency management exercises conducted on a regular basis by the U.S. Department of Energy facilities in Oak Ridge. These exercises test the ability of emergency personnel to respond quickly and effectively to emergency situations, and ensure that the public, Y-12 employees, and the environment would be protected in the event of an actual emergency at the Oak Ridge Reservation, the press release said.

Council approves budget with no tax increase, more money for schools

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Note: This story was last updated at 12:15 a.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council approved a budget on Monday that does not include a property tax rate increase, but it does include more money for schools and it anticipates increases in the trash fee and water and sewer rates.

The budget passed in a 6-1 vote in the first of two readings this month. The second and final reading is Monday, June 13.

Council rejected one motion to lower the $2.52 property tax rate by 4.4 cents and another to take away the additional $538,048 requested by Oak Ridge Schools and put it into the capital fund instead.

The budget does not increase the property tax rate for the ninth year in a row. After five-year reappraisals last year, the rate is now set at $2.52 per $100 of assessed value.

As approved on first reading Monday, the budget includes a 3 percent pay adjustment that will move municipal employees along their pay scales, helping to separate those who have worked for the city for a while from those who have just started. The school budget, which was approved by the Oak Ridge Board of Education in May, also includes 3 percent salary increases. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball Camp starts Tuesday

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Oak Ridge Basketball Camp Logo

The Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball Camp starts with a Shooting Camp on Tuesday. Basketball Camp also features a Skills Camp in July.

The Shooting Camp is June 7-8. The Skills Camp is July 11-13.

All camps are scheduled from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Learn more about the camps and registration here: Oak Ridge Basketball Camp 2016. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum Imagination Station Summer Camps begin June 6

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Submitted photo

Submitted photo

 

Children may be artists, chefs, and scientists, or learn about model railroading, build with LEGO bricks, and much more during Imagination Station Summer Camps beginning Monday, June 6, at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The Children’s Museum will offer camps weekly from June 6-July 29, giving children opportunities to learn and grow through play in a fun and safe environment. Each camp is specifically created with age-appropriate activities aligned with children’s developmental stages. Register and pay for camps online, at www.childrensmuseumofoakridge.org, by mail, or in person, at 461 West Outer Drive, Oak Ridge 37830.

Camp fees are fully refundable up until 14 days before the start date. The fee for each Monday-Friday camp is $125 for members and $135 for non-members, except where noted. A discount is available if two siblings register for camp during the same week or if a child registers for two half-day camps in the same week. [Read more…]

MORE2 meeting on June 14 for residents who want to reduce electrical use

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logo

There will be a public meeting on Tuesday, June 14, for the Make Oak Ridge Energy Efficient, or MORE2, a program meant to reduce electrical use in all-electric homes that are at least 20 years old.

The meeting is an opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about the application process for qualified, low-income Oak Ridge residents, a press release said.

The meeting is scheduled from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church, which is at 1051 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Information on other energy saving programs will also be available for those who do not qualify for the MORE2 program. MORE2 representatives will be at the meeting to help interested applicants complete applications, the press release said. [Read more…]

Methodist Wound Treatment Center celebrates 10 years of healing wounds

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Methdist Wound Treatment Center

The Methodist Wound Treatment Center is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in conjunction with Wound Care Awareness Week, which is held June 6-10. In honor of the occasions, the Methodist Wound Treatment Center will host an open house and education event where the public, caregivers, and clinicians may tour the center, learn about advanced wound care services and products, and meet the expert staff, a press release said.

The Methodist Wound Treatment Center open house will take place on Wednesday, June 8, from 3-6 p.m. The center is located at 160A West Tennessee Avenue in Oak Ridge, behind Methodist Medical Center. The event is free.

This is the third annual Wound Care Awareness Week. It is estimated that chronic wounds affect 6.7 million people in the United States and the incidence is rising, fueled by an aging population and increasing rates of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and the late effects of radiation therapy. If left untreated, chronic wounds can lead to diminished quality of life and possibly amputation of the affected limb. [Read more…]