Peters
Bracic
Two employees at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge have been honored by the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Defense Programs.
The two workers, Harry Peters from the Y-12 Site Office and Kathy Bracic of B&W Y-12’s Facility Engineering Organization, have been named NNSA DP Employee of the Quarter.
Cars and trucks could become lighter and more fuel-efficient under a joint partnership announced last week that makes use of research conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The joint partnership between Ford Motor Co. and Dow Automotive Systems seeks to develop low-cost, high-volume carbon fiber composites for next-generation vehicles. It will leverage work that The Dow Chemical Company has already begun through partnerships with ORNL.
Ford wants to cut the weight of new cars and trucks by up to 750 pounds by the end of the decade. It’s a key component of the company’s strategy to improve fuel efficiency, according to an ORNL press release.
Emma Lou Bakery and Cafe will be opening for business on Friday, April 13 at 8 a.m. The business is located at 244A South Illinois Ave next to Pizza Hut.
They will initially have a limited menu, including breakfast items, pastries, cupcakes and cakes. They will be expanding the menu at a later date.
For more information, call the bakery at (865) 481-4811.
The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will have a networking event on Thursday, April 19.
Called Fiesta! Primtetime, the business-to-business expo will start at 4:30 p.m. at the New Hope Center near the front entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex.
Secret City Mini Golf is under construction at the site of a former putt-putt course on Tuskegee Drive in Oak Ridge.
Unused for years, the former putt-putt course on Tuskegee Drive could soon be resurrected as Secret City Mini Golf.
Workers have chopped down trees and removed blue rug junipers that covered part of an old 18-hole course, and they’re remodeling it, adding waterfalls, moats, and a rock garden, said John Cass, Secret City Mini Golf owner.
The remodeled 18-hole course, near the intersection of Tuskegee Drive and East Tulsa Road behind Kmart, could open within a few weeks, Cass said.
Renovated batting cages will open soon after that, said Cass, owner of CJP Construction LLC, now headquartered at the former 84 Lumber in Oak Ridge.
Two small buildings are being remodeled on the 2.5-acre property, and Cass wants to add a game room there and sell pizza and ice cream.
The longest-running farmers markets in the Knoxville area will open for the 36th consecutive year in Knoxville and Oak Ridge this weekend.
The Knoxville market will open on Friday, April 13 at 3:00 p.m. in the parking lot of the Laurel Church of Christ, which is at the corner of Kingston Pike and Cherokee Boulevard, and the Oak Ridge market will open Saturday, April 14, at 8:00 a.m. at Jackson Square.
The City Youth Advisory Board is planning a Summer Jobs and Career Fair for Teens on Wednesday, April 25, from 2-4 p.m. in the Oak Ridge High School Café. This event will introduce students to possible summer job opportunities, future careers, and to potential colleges, as well as allow vendors to meet potential employees.
The YAB has donated a Compaq laptop, a Nook Color eReader, and two $50 gas gift cards as door prizes to encourage students to attend. Vendors are also giving away additional door prizes.
There will be numerous vendors at the fair including the City of Oak Ridge, Razzleberry’s, and King College. If you wish to be a vendor, contact Matt Reedy, Recreation and Parks Program Supervisor at mreedy@cortn.org or visit the city’s website at www.orrecparks.org.
Mickey's Produce, which was located next to Oak Ridge Turnpike for years, is now located on Jefferson Avenue. The new store opened Thursday.
Mickey’s Produce has been a staple in Oak Ridge since 1986. The staff has worked very hard to bring an improved version of this year-round produce store to their new Jefferson Avenue location.
The new larger store, which opened Thursday, is clean and open and has a fresh selection of seasonal vegetables and fruits that are easy to find and purchase. The majority of produce is grown locally with Mickey’s expanding their selection soon, and the staff is accepting requests for items not found at the store.
The new store includes Hispanic products, manager Ruth Parra said Friday as she helped a steady stream of customers. She said okra is one of the top-selling items at Mickey’s.
Mickey’s Produce was formerly located on Oak Ridge Turnpike at Robertsville Road, but the store is now located at 101 Jefferson Ave. To contact their friendly staff, either drop in or call them at (865) 481-0673.
A company that provides services to the nuclear industry and is headquartered in Kennewick, Wash., plans to expand into Oak Ridge and add more than 100 jobs during the next three years.
Babcock Services Inc. intends to purchase 2.5 acres at Heritage Center in west Oak Ridge at the former K-25 site and construct a 13,300-square-foot building. The property will be used to manage, recover, and refurbish radioactively contaminated components from commercial nuclear power plants.
The estimated 114 new jobs created during the next three years could pay an average wage of $66,000 plus benefits, according to a project briefing distributed to Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board members.
BSI could invest close to $4 million in the project during the next three years.
On Monday, the IDB agreed to sponsor an application for a state FastTrack Infrastructure Grant on behalf of BSI. BSI would contribute a local match if the grant is approved.
Most of the Oak Ridge City Center, also known as the Oak Ridge Mall, has been empty for years, and now the roughly 60-acre shopping center is for sale for $10.5 million.
The mostly empty Oak Ridge City Center could have new owners within about six months, a local economic development leader said Monday.
Also known as the Oak Ridge Mall, the roughly 60-acre City Center is for sale for $10.5 million, said Parker Hardy, president and chief executive officer of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.
Sears is closing its store at the mall, meaning only two stores remain: Belk and JCPenney.
Hardy gave an update on the mall sale during an Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board meeting Monday.
He said the 500,000-square-foot mall will likely be on the market for about eight weeks, followed by a four-week due diligence period and a four-week closing period.
