Oak Ridge Today

Russell, scientist and environmental advocate, to be interviewed Thursday

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Liane Lee Russell

Liane Lee Russell

Scientist and environmental advocate Liane “Lee” Russell will be interviewed in a Thursday meeting of Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association.

“She will share her many and varied experiences both as a highly successful scientist and truly dedicated and equally effective environmental advocate,” a press release said.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road in the historic Wildcat Den.

“You will not want to miss this opportunity to interact with one of the most famous scientists in Oak Ridge’s history,” organizers said. [Read more…]

Parks Board will present design proposals for Friendship Bell during July 9 open house

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Advisory Board will present design proposals for the International Friendship Bell Peace Pavilion Project during an open house on Thursday, July 9.

The board will also solicit public input on the design proposals during the open house, which is scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center.

The open house will be followed by a 7 p.m. meeting of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board. The Oak Ridge Civic Center is at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

An inspection in February 2014 determined that 65-70 percent of the wooden support beams in the structure holding the bell were compromised and showed substantial deterioration.

Work to demolish the structure started in July 2014. Oak Ridge Today reported at the time that the city of Oak Ridge was working with a number of interested citizens and the Recreation and Parks Board on a campaign to replace the structure with a new permanent building.

Explore ORNL event postponed to Sept. 23-24

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Explore ORNL conference has been rescheduled until September 23-24 to coincide with a larger industrial outreach event at ORNL this fall. Explore ORNL was originally scheduled for July 14-15.

The September event will feature capabilities in building technologies, vehicle technologies, and advanced manufacturing, and will highlight new opportunities for small businesses to gain access to national laboratories, including ORNL.

Information about the September industry event will be released in the coming weeks.

Community Band concert followed by fireworks on Saturday evening

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Oak Ridge Community Band

The Oak Ridge Community Band performs during the July 4, 2014, concert. (Photo by Larry Perry)

 

The Oak Ridge Community Band will play in a free concert before the fireworks show at A.K. Bissell Park on Saturday.

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4. Fireworks start at 10 p.m.

“Because the July 4 program traditionally attracts large crowds, come early and bring lawn chairs or blankets for good seating,” organizers said in a press release.

The concert is free, although donations are welcomed to offset band expenses. Refreshments will be available for sale. [Read more…]

ORUUC has free community meal on Friday, June 26 

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The Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church is inviting everyone to a free community meal on Friday, June 26.

The Stone Soup Ministry team will serve a summer menu that will include three bean salad, pimiento cheese sandwiches, ginger snaps, and fruit. Dine-in or take-out will be available in the ORUUC Social Hall from 5 to 6 p.m. The church is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

Some nonperishable family friendly groceries will be available for free to anyone in need, a press release said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society presents Geocaching Workshop on July 28

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society is sponsoring an Introduction to Geocaching Workshop for rising fifth- through eighth-grade students on Tuesday, July 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the UT Arboretum.

The cost is $15 and is payable in advance. Advance registration is required, with a limit of 16 participants.

Students will learn the basics of using a GPS device, determining location, inputting waypoints, following a short course, hiding a cache, and finding caches hidden by others, a press release said. The Arboretum Society will provide the GPS devices for the class to use.

Janet Bigelow, a UTAS board member, will teach this workshop with help from other UTAS members. She is a semi-retired middle school teacher with 41 years of indoor and outdoor classroom experience. [Read more…]

Independence Day Fireworks Celebration at A.K. Bissell Park

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July 4, 2012 Fireworks

The Independence Day fireworks show in Oak Ridge has been scheduled for 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at A.K. Bissell Park. (Photo by Charles Samuels)

 

The fireworks display sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge will begin at 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. The display will be shot from A.K. Bissell Park.

The fireworks will be accompanied by music played live on-site by Merle 96.7 FM. Radio host Jack Ryan will be transmitting live from the park beginning at 6 p.m. and will conclude the live broadcast with a patriotic medley as the fireworks are shot.

The countdown to the fireworks begins at 9:30 p.m. Listeners can tune their radios to 96.7 Merle FM and enjoy the show.

The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform its annual Fourth of July concert at the A.K. Bissell Park Pavilion beginning at 7:30 p.m. [Read more…]

NAACP has forum on voting rights restoration on Thursday

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Tom Marshall

Tom Marshall

Have you been convicted of a crime and are now unable to vote, or having trouble getting a job?

On Thursday, the Oak Ridge/Anderson County chapter of the NAACP will present the first in a series of public forums designed to help you. The forum starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at Spurgeon Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church at 100 South Benedict Avenue in Oak Ridge.

Tom Marshall, District 7 Public Defender, will provide information on how people having served their sentence can potentially get their voting right restored and their record expunged, a press release said. Additional agencies are providing information. [Read more…]

Girls Inc. Elite Awards honors Nikki Caldwell on July 15

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Nikki Caldwell

Girls Inc. will honor Nikki Caldwell on Wednesday, July 15. Caldwell is an Oak Ridge native, former University of Tennessee basketball all star, and current women’s basketball head coach at Louisiana State University.

She is also an “elite alumni” of Girls Inc., a press release said. The awards will also honor current elite member Semaj Clark of Oak Ridge, the release said.

The inaugural Girls Inc. Elite Awards ceremony is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville. All proceeds will go directly into expanding current programming to improve program content while increasing the number of girls served, the press release said. [Read more…]

Autism specialist to make presentation in Oak Ridge on Saturday

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Phil Axtell

Phil Axtell

Dr. Phil Axtell, a Knoxville psychologist specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorders, will discuss Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome diagnoses and interventions for both children and adults on Saturday, June 20, at Grace Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge. The church is located at 131 West Gettysburg Avenue.

The presentation will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the church fellowship hall.  The event is free and open to the public, and child care will be provided.

Children are increasingly being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), including Asperger’s Syndrome according to recent research. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network reported that 1 in 68 children were identified with ASD in their study covering 8-year-olds in 11 U.S communities over the years 2000-2010, a press release said. [Read more…]

Physicians Forum: Overview of Tennessee Workers’ Compensation—2015

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Robert Snyder

Robert Snyder

A June 30 forum will focus on workers compensation reforms in Tennessee.

During the forum, Dr. Robert B. Snyder, medical director for the Division of Workers’ Compensation and Jeff Francis, assistant administrator in the Workers’ Compensation Division, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, will present a seminar titled “Overview of Tennessee Workers’ Compensation—2015.”

It’s been organized by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce and scheduled for Tuesday, June 30, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Goff Medical Sciences Building, Goff 104, at Roane State Community College at 701 Briarcliff Avenue in Oak Ridge. The forum is sponsored by Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Firefighters, business owner to lead fire safety seminar for businesses

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Josh Waldo

Josh Waldo

A business owner and firefighters from Oak Ridge and Clinton will lead a fire safety seminar for businesses in Clinton on Tuesday.

The seminar is titled “Fire Safety and Prevention in Your Workplace and Business.” It will be led by Chip Dooley, owner of Life Safety Inspections in Oak Ridge; Josh Waldo, deputy fire chief for the Oak Ridge Fire Department; and Daniel Adams, firefighter for the Clinton Fire Department.

The seminar is scheduled from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce in Clinton. It’s part of the Chamber’s summer business safety series, and it’s sponsored by Life Safety Inspections.

“The best way to practice fire safety is to make sure one doesn’t break out in the first place,” a press release said. “This means being aware of potential hazards in your business.” [Read more…]