Oak Ridge Today

Youth Advisory Board planning job fair for teens

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board is planning a job fair for teenagers on Wednesday, September 12. It’s scheduled from 1:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. in the Oak Ridge High School Café.

The event will introduce students to possible job opportunities and provide them with information on resume writing and interviewing skills. The event will also serve as an excellent opportunity for vendors to meet potential employees, a press release said.

Vendors that have already signed up include: Big Ed’s Pizza, Kroger, ASAP, RecruitWise, the Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge, and the City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department. Additional vendors are expected. [Read more…]

Creswell leaving Roane Allliance

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

pat-postma-and-wade-creswell-young-professional-award-dec-9-2016-scaled

Pat Postma, left, presents the Postma Young Professional Medal to Wade Creswell, chief executive officer of Roane Alliance, during an East Tennessee Economic Council meeting on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. (DOE photo courtesy Lynn Freeny)

Note: This story was updated at 2:25 p.m.

Wade Creswell, president and chief executive officer of Roane Alliance, is leaving his position to begin work with an area business. His last day at the Alliance will be September 21.

The departure was announced Wednesday by Chris Whaley, chair of the Roane Alliance Board of Directors.

Pam May, Roane Alliance vice president, will serve as interim president and CEO until the board decides on the long-term future of the position, a press release said.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation of the great work that Wade has done in his four and a half years leading the Roane Alliance,” Whaley said in a statement sent to the Board of Directors for the Roane Alliance, Chamber of Commerce, and Industrial Development Board. “His passion, vision, and love for Roane County have fueled his tireless work for this county and region, and I sincerely appreciate all he has done.” [Read more…]

Explore Oak Ridge president resigns

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge, announced Thursday that he plans to resign from the position next month to pursue other career goals.

DeRose served as president of Explore Oak Ridge, the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, for four years, a press release said. He plans to remain in the position until September 30 to assist in the search and transition to a new president.

“I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to serve Oak Ridge as president of Explore Oak Ridge,” DeRose said in a press release. “The team at Explore Oak Ridge, the board of directors, and our partners at the City of Oak Ridge were a critical part of every success Explore Oak Ridge experienced over the past several years. I’m confident that I’ll be leaving the organization in exceptional hands. The decision to leave Explore Oak Ridge was difficult and required a lot of consideration by my family and me.” [Read more…]

AC Chamber president named TN Chamber executive of year

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives named Rick Meredith, president of the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber Executive of the Year at an annual meeting in Clarksville on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. The award was presented by Suzie Lusk, associate vice president of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Anderson County Chamber of Commerce)

The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives named Rick Meredith, president of the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber Executive of the Year at an annual meeting in Clarksville on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. The award was presented by Suzie Lusk, associate vice president of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Anderson County Chamber of Commerce)

 

Anderson County Chamber of Commerce President Rick Meredith was named Tennessee Chamber Executive of the Year this month, a press release said.

Meredith, who also serves on the Anderson County Commission, received the honor from the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives at an annual meeting held in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Thursday, August 23, the press release said. TCCE is a statewide chamber professional association that identifies the most effective chamber professional who has made a significant difference in a local Tennessee chamber, the release said. [Read more…]

Photos: Valvoline Instant Oil Change under construction

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A Valvoline Instant Oil Change is pictured above under construction near Kroger at the Westcott Center shopping center at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and North Illinois Avenue on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A Valvoline Instant Oil Change is pictured above under construction near Kroger at the Westcott Center at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and North Illinois Avenue on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A Valvoline Instant Oil Change is under construction near Kroger at the Westcott Center at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and North Illinois Avenue.

Here are two photos from the construction site on Thursday.

The Kroger shopping center itself is still relatively new, about four years old. The Valvoline Instant Oil Change is the newest addition to any of the shopping center properties around Kroger. [Read more…]

Pine Ridge building, property under contract; rest of Summit for sale for $3.5 million

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A large ridge top tract of land that features panoramic views and was once proposed as the site of a Target retail development is now for sale. The land, which is also known as The Summit, is on Pine Ridge along South Illinois Avenue between Scarboro Road/Lafayette Drive and Centrifuge Way. It's pictured above on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A large ridge top tract of land that features panoramic views and was once proposed as the site of a Target retail development is now for sale. The land, which is also known as The Summit, is on Pine Ridge along South Illinois Avenue between Scarboro Road/Lafayette Drive and Centrifuge Way. A 30,000-square-foot building on the property is pictured above on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A building that is about 30,000 square feet and was once used to store documents on Pine Ridge for the Y-12 National Security Complex is under contract and in “due diligence,” according to an executive involved in the potential sale.

Also under contract is about 15 acres on Pine Ridge, also known as The Summit, a large piece of property that offers panoramic views from a ridge top above South Illinois Avenue in south Oak Ridge.

Noah Myers, principal broker with CornerStone Realty, said he hopes there is a closing on the building and land purchase this fall.

Separate from that potential purchase, there is about 85 acres of open land on Pine Ridge that is for sale for $3.5 million. It’s a mix of office and industrial property, Myers said. Utilities are in place, including roads, electricity, water, and sewer. [Read more…]

MCLinc buys Mitchell Road facility, plans to open new lab next year

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy Akins Public Strategies

Photo courtesy Akins Public Strategies

 

MCLinc has purchased a 41,000-square-foot facility located on Mitchell Road, where it will move its new laboratory and headquarters in early 2019 after remodeling part of the building for lab use.

The building will include a new laboratory and office space, along with about 16,000 square feet of space that will be rented to other tenants.

“While our original plan was to build a new laboratory in Horizon Center, time constraints of construction of the facility made it necessary for us to look at other opportunities,” said Barry Stephenson, MCLinc president and chief executive officer. “We are committed to our employees and to the community of Oak Ridge, where we have operated for the past 20 years, and we’re excited about what the future holds as we expand our laboratory and staff.”

In addition to saving 20 current positions with the move, MCLinc forecasts adding 26 new positions during the first five years of operations in its new facility, a press release said. [Read more…]

Next City Blueprint Open House is Thursday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Photo by City of Oak Ridge

Photo by City of Oak Ridge

 

The next Oak Ridge City Blueprint Open House is Thursday. City residents and property owners are invited to participate in envisioning the future of the City Center Subarea, a press release said.

The open house is hosted by the Oak Ridge Community Development Department and Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission. It is scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 23, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. A brief presentation during the meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

The City Center Subarea involves a triangular area defined by three major street corridors: Oak Ridge Turnpike, South Illinois Avenue, and Rutgers Avenue, the press release said. [Read more…]

For sale: Pine Ridge property with panoramic views

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A large ridge top tract of land that features panoramic views and was once proposed as the site of a Target retail development is now for sale. The land, which is also known as The Summit, is on Pine Ridge along South Illinois Avenue between Scarboro Road/Lafayette Drive and Centrifuge Way. It's pictured above on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A large ridge top tract of land that features panoramic views and was once proposed as the site of a Target retail development is now for sale. The land, which is also known as The Summit, is on Pine Ridge along South Illinois Avenue between Scarboro Road/Lafayette Drive and Centrifuge Way. It’s pictured above on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A large ridge top tract of land that features panoramic views and was once proposed as the site of a Target retail development is now for sale.

It’s not clear how the property, which was cleared and graded more than a decade ago, might be used. There have been inquiries about multi-family apartments, single-family homes, and industrial uses, said Tom Tuck of TNBANK, which is based in Oak Ridge and now owns the property.

The land, which is also known as The Summit, is on Pine Ridge along South Illinois Avenue between Scarboro Road/Lafayette Drive and Centrifuge Way. It’s on the ridge top on the right side of the road as you head up the hill toward Centrifuge Way leaving Oak Ridge and driving to Knox County.

TNBANK foreclosed on the property in February. The previous owner was Revis Family LLC, according to Anderson County property records. [Read more…]

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers open, more businesses planned

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was open, as pictured above on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, at South Illinois and South Tulane avenues as part of Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was open, as pictured above on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, at South Illinois and South Tulane avenues as part of Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is open at South Illinois and South Tulane avenues, and more businesses are planned at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

So far, Main Street Oak Ridge features a dozen new businesses—including retail stores, a restaurant, and a hotel—and the relocated American Museum of Science and Energy near JCPenney, an anchor store at the northeast side of the mall.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, which opened Tuesday in a building that will include another business, was busy Tuesday afternoon, with a parking lot that was mostly full, a drive-through line that wrapped around two sides of the building, and a customer line that stretched from the counter inside to the door. The restaurant has been getting good reviews online.

Plans for the new restaurant were announced in May 2017, and construction was under way at the 1.4-acre site, which is next to the rebuilt Taco Bell restaurant on South Illinois Avenue, in January. [Read more…]

Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes & Fries opening in Oak Ridge

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes & Fries restaurant is being built in the shopping center on South Illinois Avenue where Pie Five Pizza used to be. The photo above was taken Friday evening, Aug. 10, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes & Fries restaurant is being built in the shopping center on South Illinois Avenue where Pie Five Pizza used to be. The photo above was taken Friday evening, Aug. 10, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes & Fries is opening in Oak Ridge.

The new restaurant will be located where Pie Five Pizza used to be at 443 South Illinois Avenue, near the Aldi grocery store and next to Aspen Dental and Fast Pace Urgent Care medical clinic in the Woodland neighborhood in south Oak Ridge.

Hwy 55 Burgers Shakes & Fries announced in May that it was coming to Oak Ridge. A business sign was recently installed on the front of the restaurant. A hiring sign is posted on the front window, and the company said it is interviewing potential employees next week. [Read more…]

Arts festival in Jackson Square on Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Mad Hatters Art Festival Through Looking Glass 0718 390x600

The Mad Hatter’s Arts Festival in Jackson Square on Saturday will feature arts and crafts vendors, poetry, music, food, dancers, authors, and interactive arts stations.

The free festival, the first of its kind, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s presented by Through the Looking Glass Antiques and Collectibles in Jackson Square.

A Jabberwocky Poetry Slam is scheduled at Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab and Kitchen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An open mic will start at 2 p.m. for walk-ins who didn’t sign up for the family-friendly event but want to perform.

Sixteen local songwriters will perform original acoustic music all day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the square. There will also be musicians playing cover songs at the festival, said Linda Johnston of Through the Looking Glass.

At noon, the Oak Ridge Civic Ballet dancers will perform in the square. [Read more…]