Oak Ridge Today

AC school board to interview Parrott for schools director

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Information from WYSH Radio

Anderson County Schools will have a special-called meeting on Monday, February 29, to interview Tim Parrott, a current employees, for the director of schools position.

If hired, Parrott would replace Larry Foster, who is retiring. Parrott currently works in the Anderson County Schools Central Office as director of career and special education, and he has spent decades in the county school system.

The February 29 meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Anderson County Schools board room.

The Anderson County Board of Education recently voted to suspend the interview process in its search for the next schools director and to begin working with Parrott on a new contract to succeed Foster.

Only one other applicant applied for the post, and members of a special search committee indicated that Parrott’s resume clearly stood out in comparison.

Oak Ridge High School prom is April 30, schools accepting ‘gently used’ dresses

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The Oak Ridge High School Prom will be on April 30.

If you have a gently used prom dress that you would like to donate, you can drop if off with Brianna Ottinger in the School Counseling Office.

“Your generosity will help our students!” Ottinger said.

Oak Ridge Schools have 5k run to ‘stomp out’ tobacco on March 5

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Oak Ridge Schools have a 5k run to “stomp out” tobacco on March 5 at Melton Lake Park.

All Oak Ridge students can register for free. See the flyer included below for more information. You can also register online here.

“This is a great opportunity for our kids!” organizers said.

The race starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 5, at Melton Lake Park. It will benefit the Oak Ridge Schools—Coordinated School Health Program. [Read more…]

Tonight: Oak Ridge String Quartet plays chamber music concert

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Oak Ridge String Quartet (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge String Quartet will play in a chamber music concert on Saturday evening, February 20.

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Pollard Auditorium.

“This highly accomplished group of professional musicians and members of the Knoxville and Oak Ridge Symphony will play music by Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Grieg,” organizers said. “Come and enjoy some absolutely gorgeous music and help support classical music in Oak Ridge.”

For more information, check the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association website.

Janelle Arthur to perform at Barbecue, Bluegrass Bash for CASA on Saturday

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American Idol finalist Janelle Arthur will perform at the Barbecue and Bluegrass Bash on Saturday, an annual fundraiser for CASA of the Tennessee Heartland.

Arthur, an Oliver Springs singer, was part of the first-ever all-female Top 5 on American Idol, a popular televised singing competition, in April 2013.

Besides Arthur, this year’s Barbecue and Bluegrass Bash will feature a silent auction, a live auction featuring Bear Stephenson, live bluegrass with the Ridge City Ramblers, and a delicious barbecue buffet, organizers said.

The CASA Barbecue and Bluegrass Bash raises money to help abused and neglected children in Anderson, Blount, and Scott counties. [Read more…]

District 3-AAA tournament: Mavericks, Lady Mavs advance; Lady Dragons done

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Information from WYSH Radio

Day one of the District 3-AAA basketball tournament at Anderson County is in the books, and both the Mavericks and Lady Mavs survived and advanced on Tuesday.

The Lady Mavs got things started by rolling over Clinton 55-26 behind an 11-0 second-quarter scoring run and a 20-point, 14-rebound performance from Brooklin McCoy. Senior Klarissa Roberts also reached double figures for AC, scoring 13 points. Clinton shot only 17 percent from the field as their season ended despite nine points and eight rebounds from Kelley Wandell in her final game in Orange and Black.

Next up for the Lady Mavs will be a 6 p.m. Thursday game with Halls, which easily dispatched Central 47-17. [Read more…]

Next breakfast with legislators is Monday; community invited

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This year’s next Breakfast with the Legislators is Monday.

It’s organized by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, and it’s scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Monday, February 22, in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center, which is located at 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Senators Ken Yager and Randy McNally and representatives John Ragan and Kent Calfee have been invited to give updates on what’s happening in the Tennessee General Assembly during the breakfast. Members of the audience can ask questions and give opinions. A light continental breakfast is provided at no charge. The public is encouraged to attend. [Read more…]

Anderson County Democratic Party to select convention delegates on March 5

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The Anderson County Democratic Party will help select Tennessee’s delegates to the Democratic Presidential Convention during a March 5 meeting in Oak Ridge.

The Democratic Party County Delegate Convention will be in the Oak Ridge Civic Center Social Room on Saturday, March 5, a press release said. The doors will open at 11:45 a.m. and close promptly at 1 p.m. EST.  No one will be admitted after the doors are closed. Those who are in the room and in the process of registering will be allowed to finish. The gavel will fall and the convention will convene at precisely 1:05 p.m. EST, as directed by the Tennessee Democratic Party, the press release said.

The event is open to all registered voters in the county, supporters of the Democratic Party, and those who agree to support the nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2016 Presidential election, the release said. The Party welcomes all to attend who wish to participate in selecting Tennessee’s delegates to the Democratic Presidential Convention.

Information about becoming a Democratic National Committee (DNC) delegate and the rules governing the DNC Delegate Selection Process may be obtained from tndp.org, or from the Tennessee Democratic Party, 1900 Church Street, Suite 203, Nashville, TN 37203, telephone, (615) 327-9779.

ORPD accepting applications for Citizens Police Academy

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Oak Ridge Police Department Cars

The Oak Ridge Police Department is accepting applications for the next Citizens Police Academy, which will begin on Thursday, March 17, and run through May 19.

The Citizens Police Academy allows residents to learn how the Oak Ridge Police Department is organized and how it functions. It also gives an improved understanding of the challenges in serving and protecting the community, a press release said.

“The goal of the Citizens Police Academy is to create well-informed citizens who have an enhanced understanding of the Police Department and how it serves the City of Oak Ridge,” the press release said.

The academy requires a 10-week commitment from participants, and it will be held one night a week, on Thursdays beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. [Read more…]

Opinion: County mayor objects to financial management change; schedules public forum

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Terry-Frank-Jan-29-2016

Terry Frank

The financial story of Anderson County in the last three years has been one of stability and progress. For the first time since 2006, Anderson County was removed from high-risk audit status in 2013, and placed on low-risk status. That held for 2013, 2014, and 2015.

As we closed out the books on 2015, our Accounts and Budgets and Schools cheered zero audit findings in our Comprehensive Annual Financial Report by the State of Tennessee’s Division of Local Government Audit.

Through partnership of our Budget Committee and County Commission, we saw three consecutive years of growth in fund balance, improved cash flow position, and a commitment to raising the bar on dipping into the fund balance by requiring a supermajority approval (12 of 16 members.) In 2013, we raised the supermajority requirement to $3.5 million, in 2014 to $4 million, and in 2015 to $4.5 million.

We kept new debt to a minimum, and for two consecutive years also modified existing debt agreements to save taxpayer money over the life of the bonds without extending the maturity dates of the debt. [Read more…]

Lunch today: ORNL Climate Change Science Institute, impact of climate on society

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Melissa-Allen

Melissa R. Allen, post-doctoral research associate, Computational Science and Engineering Division at ORNL (Submitted photo)

Joseph Kennedy and Melissa Allen of Oak Ridge National Laboratory will discus the lab’s Climate Change Science Institute and the impact of climate on society during a lunchtime meeting today (Tuesday, February 16).

Kennedy and Allen will be the guest speakers at the Lunch with the League. Kennedy is a postdoctoral research associate and computational glaciologist at the Institute. Allen is a post-doctoral research associate in the Computational Science and Engineering Division. 

Presented by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, the program will be held at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday in  the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The public is invited, and no reservations are necessary. Lunches are provided on a first-come basis for $8 or you may bring your own. Coffee and tea are provided.

Also at the meeting, there will be a formal announcement and details of an ORNL CCSI and a League partnership on climate change issues, a press release said. League member Chris Iversen, who leads the climate change action group for the LWVOR, has been working extensively with ORNL to develop this partnership. ORNL is already working with the city of Knoxville on similar partnership. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools closed due to weather

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Oak Ridge Schools will be closed today (Monday, February 15) due to the weather.

The schools had earlier planned to open two hours late.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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