Oak Ridge Today

UT report to governor: Economy to see stronger growth in 2014 and 2015

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Matt Murray

Matt Murray

KNOXVILLE—After five years of sluggish recovery, the U.S. and Tennessee economies are poised for strong growth in 2014 and 2015.

Despite the slow pace of the recovery, many indicators—including an increase in consumer confidence, rallying stock market prices, and rising home prices—point to brighter growth prospects in the quarters ahead, according to the forecast in the 2014 Economic Report to the Governor of the State of Tennessee, released Friday.

The study, prepared by the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, predicts the course of the state and national economies by examining many fiscal factors and trends.

Household net worth grew by almost 10 percent in 2013, surpassing its pre-recession level for the first time. [Read more…]

Roane Alliance names new president, CEO

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Wade Creswell

Wade Creswell

KINGSTON—The Roane Alliance board on Thursday unanimously agreed to hire Roane County native Wade Creswell as their next president and chief executive officer.

Creswell, 39, was recommended to the board by its officers and the selection committee after a nationwide search that began several weeks ago, shortly after current President and CEO Leslie Henderson announced she would retire on March 28.

Creswell will come to the Alliance from his position as vice president of development and public relations for health services at Michael Dunn Center, one of Roane County’s largest employers. The Michael Dunn Center is a nonprofit agency that serves children and adults with developmental disabilities. [Read more…]

Y-12 FCU recognizes employee for rescuing woman before car caught fire

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Dustin Brackins

Dustin Brackins

Y-12 Federal Credit Union employee Dustin Brackins was recognized as Employee of the Year at a dinner on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Brackins was nominated in December 2013 for his selfless act of rescuing a woman trapped in her car, a press release said. Dustin was driving home with his family and noticed a car overturned on the roadside. He was able to help the woman to safety before her car caught fire.

“Dustin said he was thankful to be in the right place at the right time and expressed that anyone would have done the same thing,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Two orthopedic clinics to pay $1.85 million over Medicare billing allegations

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Two orthopedic clinics in East Tennessee have agreed to pay a combined $1.85 million to resolve state and federal False Claims Act allegations that they knowingly billed state and federal health care programs for reimported osteoarthritis medications, known as viscosupplements, federal authorities said.

Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics, P.C., with headquarters in Knoxville and nine locations in East Tennessee, will pay $1.3 million and Appalachian Orthopaedic Clinics, P.C., with headquarters in Kingsport and three locations in the Tri-Cities area, will pay $550,000, according to a press release from  the U.S. Attorney William C. Killian said in a press release. Killian is U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Tennessee.

The press release said viscosupplements, such as Synvisc and Orthovisc, are injections approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain in the knee. Viscosupplements are reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs at a set rate based on the average sales price of the domestic product. [Read more…]

Aubrey’s fundraiser night benefits Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge

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Girls Inc. at Aubrey's

Girls Inc. girls pictured with Katie Jenkins, Aubrey’s manager, left, are, from left to right, Carly Gelb, Riley Gelb, and Brooklyn Henderson. (Submitted photo)

Aubrey’s of Oak Ridge is hosting a fundraiser night on Monday to support Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge.

Aubrey’s is located at 481 S. Illinois Ave.

“Invite all your friends and family to dine with us at Aubrey’s, and 10 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Girls Inc.!” a press release said.

The local Girls Inc. at 1798 Oak Ridge Turnpike is part of a national nonprofit youth organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Girls Inc. provides educational programs to millions of American girls, the release said. [Read more…]

Price Florist demolished

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Price Florist Demolition

Demolition work at Price Florist began Saturday and could be completed Monday.

Workers began demolishing Price Florist on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Saturday and could finish the job on Monday.

The work at the longtime floral business in central Oak Ridge is being done by Perkins Trucking and Excavating of Knoxville.

Tony Cappiello of Capiello Real Estate said one of his family’s companies purchased the 0.43-acre property about a month ago for $216,000. He said the seller agreed to demolish the property at her expense since it had been condemned by the City of Oak Ridge.

Cappiello said the property is about as large as the Subway down the street. [Read more…]

JCPenney in Oak Ridge to stay open as 33 stores close across US

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JCPenney at Oak Ridge Mall

JCPenney at the Oak Ridge Mall will stay open as the company closes 33 stores across the United States.

The JCPenney in Oak Ridge will stay open as the retailer closes 33 underperforming stores across the United States.

The list of closures announced Wednesday includes only one Tennessee store, the JCPenney at Northgate Mall in Chattanooga.

The JCPenney in Oak Ridge is at the city’s mostly empty mall, where a $85 million redevelopment has been proposed. Crosland Southeast, the North Carolina company that has had a purchase contract on the mall since January 2013, has said the renovated 59-acre site could open in  2016 and include a mix of retail and office space, a hotel, and up to 50 multi-family residential units, as well as a few restaurants. Belk and JCPenney are expected to stay. [Read more…]

Young Professionals elect new leaders; Minor is president

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Zabrina R. Minor

Zabrina R. Minor

The executive director of an organization that helps the homeless has been elected president of the Young Professionals of Oak Ridge.

Zabrina Minor is the organization’s new president. She is also executive director of Trinity Out-Reach Center of Hope, or TORCH.

Other leaders elected during the YPOR’s January business meeting are Aaron Holbrook as vice president and Thomas Dyke as secretary/treasurer. [Read more…]

Tennessee named ‘2013 State of the Year’ for economic development

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Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Business Facilities magazine cites diverse top projects in award

NASHVILLE—Tennessee is the “2013 State of the Year,” according to Business Facilities magazine, a national economic development publication.

Tennessee’s top five economic development projects created a total of 6,900 jobs and $3.2 billion in capital investment, and they included seven expansions and three new recruitments. The magazine picked the state after evaluating the top five projects for the number of jobs created and amount of capital invested from Oct. 1, 2012, through Oct. 31, 2013.

“A lot of hard work goes into keeping Tennessee competitive, and I want to thank Business Facilities for recognizing the efforts of so many people across the state,” Gov. Bill Haslam said. “We understand that jobs are created when someone is willing to risk capital, and we will continue working to make Tennessee a great place to invest.” [Read more…]

Enrichment Federal Credit Union beats goal, donates $11K to United Way

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Enrichment Federal Credit Union Donates to United Way of Anderson County

Pictured above during a check presentation are Charles and Edwina Crowe, 2013 campaign chair family for the United Way of Anderson County; April Fugate and Ellora Drinnen, UWAC campaign co-chairs for Enrichment Federal Credit Union; and Wayne Hope, EFCU CEO. (Submitted photo)

Employees at Enrichment Federal Credit Union beat their goal and raised $11,482 for the United Way of Anderson County.

Each year, the credit union collects pledge forms and conducts several events to help raise money for the UWAC, a press release said. This year,the credit union set a goal of $9,000.

Employees just completed their month-long campaign, led by campaign co-chairs Northshore Branch Manager Ellora Drinnen and West Branch Manager April Fugate. Staff members used hamburger lunches, pancake breakfasts, chili cook-offs, and “Silly String attacks” were used to help raise money. [Read more…]

Business owner to speak to Altrusa Club on enduring value of antiques

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Angela Galen

Angela Galen

Angela Galen, owner of the Antique Market of Clinton, will be the guest speaker at the Altrusa Club luncheon meeting on Wednesday  at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge, and she will discuss how to keep antiques alive for future generations.

Galen will also play a lively round of “What in the world is it?” using some antiques she will bring along, a press release said. The audience will have the opportunity to speculate as to the intended function of the object.

Instrumental in organizing the Antique Merchants Guild of Clinton, Galen has held the office of president for a total of four years, and for the past three years has been one of the main organizers of the Clinch River Spring Antique Fair, which draws thousands of people to Anderson County each May, the release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Observer closes after nine-year run

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Oak Ridge Observer

The Oak Ridge Observer, a weekly newspaper housed on the third floor of this building at Oak Ridge Turnpike and New York Avenue, has closed.

Stan R. Mitchell, editor and publisher of the Oak Ridge Observer, announced Wednesday that the weekly newspaper will close after more than nine years in business.

In a note posted on the Observer’s website, Mitchell did not elaborate on the reason for the closure.

“We could just never get the paper where it needed to be,” he said.

“I”m going to avoid getting into all the gritty details and talking about unforeseen circumstances, but it is what it is,” Mitchell wrote on his blog. “The bottom line is this: We couldn’t keep it going any longer, and yet thankfully those circumstances coincided with the serious doubts we’ve had the past year and a half.” [Read more…]