Oak Ridge Today

Children’s Museum hosts SciGirls Training Saturday

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The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will host a SciGirls Professional Development Training from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, March, 21, for educators interested in teaching science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM.

“SciGirls” is a PBS Kids television series that aims to change how middle school age youth think about STEM. In each episode, bright and curious girls put STEM to work. The show’s web site offers games and projects to connect students in a safe social networking environment. [Read more…]

Council to discuss postponed stoplight at ORHS, Senior Center lease extension

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Oak Ridge Turnpike and High School Stoplight

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday will discuss the proposed traffic signal on Oak Ridge Turnpike at the High School and a proposal to extend the lease on the Senior Center for five years through 2019.

Those are two of the agenda items for a Tuesday evening work session.

The City Council postponed a vote last week on a contract to install a stoplight on the Oak Ridge Turnpike in front of Oak Ridge High School. The light could eliminate the need for a crossing guard.

City officials had said the light could be installed by August 2015, but the postponement of the contract vote to the April meeting will likely delay the completion date, possibly until after school starts later this year. [Read more…]

Cypress String Quartet plays in Oak Ridge on Saturday, March 21

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Cypress String Quartet

Cypress String Quartet

 

The Cypress String Quartet will perform in Oak Ridge on Saturday, March 21. The quartet features Cecily Ward on violin, Tom Stone on violin, Ethan Filner on viola, and Jennifer Kloetzel on cello.

The quartet will play at Pollard Auditorium in a concert presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association. The program will include Beethoven’s “Quartet Op. 18 No. 3,” Bartók’s “Quartet No. 4,” and Beethoven’s “Quartet Op. 59 No. 1.”

Beethoven’s “Quartet Op. 59 No. 2” is featured on the Cypress’ newest album, “Beethoven: Middle Quartets,” released on November 11. The Cypress Quartet has steeped itself in performing Beethoven’s string quartets over the last 18 years.

“Hardly a week has passed that we haven’t been studying or performing one of Beethoven’s string quartets,” Kloetzel said in a press release. “Our first 12 years together were spent exploring, performing, and crafting our ‘take’ on the Late Quartets, and then we made the choice to move backwards in time to these robust, earthy pieces—the Middle Quartets—so rich and massive after the more spiritual Late Quartets.” [Read more…]

Lunch-4-Literacy on Tuesday raises money for literacy grants

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The 23rd Lunch-4-Literacy event will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, at the Oak Ridge High School food court.

This year’s author is Mike Tabor, author of the book “Walk of Death.” This is a riveting, spine-tingling tale of drugs, fraud, murder, and switched identities, a press release said.

Here is a short summary of the book: [Read more…]

Genetically modified food the topic of RSCC-ORICL lecture on March 26

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Tessa Burch-Smith

Tessa Burch-Smith

Golden rice is a genetically modified food that could save the eyesight and the lives of many young children in countries where plain rice is the dominant food.

Yet, in many nations it has been called a Frankenfood. Even so, Pope Francis has blessed golden rice. Why?

This question and other issues regarding genetically modified foods will be addressed in the second in a series of lectures sponsored by Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge Branch Campus, and the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning.

The lecture, which is open to the public, will be delivered at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in the Large Lecture Room (Room 107) of the Goff Health Science and Technology Building at Roane State in Oak Ridge. Refreshments will be available after the lecture. [Read more…]

Vietnam veterans to discuss services for vets March 21

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Combat veterans can face a number of mental health-related issues upon coming home. Problems such as post traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety can be debilitating and affect both veterans and their families. These can surface immediately upon a veteran’s return or even decades later.

On Saturday, March 21, Vietnam veterans Ed Junod and Freddie Owens of the Knoxville Regional Veterans Mental Health Council will discuss services available to veterans such as peer support, court treatment program assistance, recovery groups, and more. [Read more…]

Roane Environmental Review Board meeting on March 19

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The Environmental Review Board will meet on Thursday, March 19, at 6 p.m. in the first-floor Conference Room at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston.

This is a change from the regular meeting schedule. The meeting is open to the public.

Federal, contractor officials celebrate UPF site readiness work on Friday

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Frank Klotz

Frank Klotz

Federal officials and contractors will celebrate the completion of site readiness work for the multi-billion dollar Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex on Friday morning.

The UPF site readiness work includes a Bear Creek Road extension and the creation of a haul road.

“Site readiness is the first major step for UPF, a project essential for supporting our nation’s uranium mission,” a media advisory said. “Completion of this stage of the field work to prepare for building UPF signifies a move forward toward the National Nuclear Security Administration’s commitment to complete UPF and move out of the aging 9212 facility.”

The Friday morning celebration starts at 10 a.m. The media has been invited to attend. [Read more…]

Gov. Haslam, state to make ‘significant’ economic announcement in OR Friday

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Bill Haslam during Presidential Visit at Pellissippi State

Governor Bill Haslam is pictured above during a visit by President Barack Obama at Pellissippi State Community College on Friday, January 9. (File photo by Rob Welton)

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and the state will make a significant economic development announcement in Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon, officials said.

The announcement—which will also include other federal, state, and local officials—is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, March 13, at the former Theragenics Building at Horizon Center.

Details of the announcement have not been released. [Read more…]

Volunteers needed to help clean up Norris Lake

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The Norris Lake Project Team is looking for volunteers to help with the fifth biannual Five County Norris Lake Cleanup on March 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Since 2011, volunteers from the counties surrounding Norris Lake have picked up over 15 tons of trash,” said Stephanie Wells, director of the Anderson County Tourism Council. “We continue to conduct two cleanups each year because Norris Lake is not only a recreational destination for residents and visitors, it is an economic driver for all five counties and we need to protect its shorelines.”

There will be several launch points in each of the five counties and numerous locations that volunteers can help by picking up and properly disposing of in trash. [Read more…]

Roane State offers healthcare training

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Roane State Community College is offering a variety of healthcare training courses at the Clinton Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility.

  • Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT), March 24-May 21, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-4 p.m. or 6:30-9:30 p.m.—$550
  • Certified ECG Technician (CET), March 23-May 13, Mondays and Wednesdays, 1-4 p.m. or 6:30-9:30 p.m.—$400

[Read more…]

Walk for Parkinson’s research on April 25

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The Parkinson’s Disease Support Group of East Tennessee (PK Hope Is Alive) will host its fourth annual walk to raise funds for Parkinson’s Disease research on Saturday, April 25.

The walk will be held at A.K. Bissell Park at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. Registration at the Pavilion will start at 9 a.m. The walk will take place between 10 a.m. and noon.

PK Hope Is Alive has raised an average of $20,000 in each of its three previous walks. [Read more…]