Oak Ridge Today

Construction starts at new AMSE location

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Construction work has started at the new American Museum of Science and Energy at Main Street Oak Ridge. Interior demolition work is under way, and exterior demolition work could start Wednesday. A crew was working at the new AMSE location on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Construction work has started at the new American Museum of Science and Energy at Main Street Oak Ridge. Interior demolition work is under way, and exterior demolition work could start Wednesday. A crew was working at the new AMSE location on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Construction work has started at the new American Museum of Science and Energy at Main Street Oak Ridge. Interior demolition work is under way, and exterior demolition work could start Wednesday.

The value of the improvements is estimated at roughly $1.5 million. A building permit was issued December 29.

AMSE will be relocated from its current home on South Tulane Avenue, where it’s been since the mid-1970s, to about 18,000 square feet of renovated space at Main Street Oak Ridge. That’s the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall. The move is part of an agreement that was signed by the City of Oak Ridge and U.S. Department of Energy in December 2016.

AMSE will have about 15,000 square feet of space in the former Sears Roebuck store near JCPenney and roughly 2,700 square feet in the former Cole’s Drug Store. Inside, there will be about 7,200 square feet of exhibit space, two 800-square-foot classrooms, and a large theater with a stage, consultant Ray Evans told Oak Ridge City Council members during a December 19 work session.

Evans said construction could take 4.5 to five months. An opening date had not been set as of the December work session. [Read more…]

New session of free exercise class starts Tuesday at Senior Center

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Pierce Physical Therapy

The Oak Ridge Senior Center, in partnership with Pierce Physical Therapy, will be sponsoring a free exercise class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for anyone age 50 and over.

The program begins on Tuesday, January 9. Participants can attend either an 11 a.m. class or an 11:50 a.m. class.

The Pierce Therapy Exercise Program, or P.E.P. for short, concentrates on strength, balance, and mobility, and it incorporates therapeutic exercise, functional training, and individual exercise modifications, a press release said. [Read more…]

Small businesses can learn about government procurements in Jan. 18 conference

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Small business owners can learn about local, state, and federal government procurement opportunities during a January 18 conference in Clinton.

The conference is the East Tennessee Business Growth Conference, which is co-hosted by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce. It’s scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Thursday, January 18, at the Hollingsworth Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at 2135 North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard in Clinton.

“The purpose of the conference is to connect small business owners to local, state, and federal procurement opportunities,” a press release said. “There will also be a variety of educational workshops.” [Read more…]

ORAU seeking applications for IACMI—Composite Institute internship program

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The Institute for Advanced Composite Manufacturing Innovation, or IACMI, is currently seeking graduate and undergraduate students interested in participating in a short-term, 10-week summer program at one of IACMI’s partner sites, a press release said.

IACMI, which accelerates the adoption of advanced composites to create energy savings and new manufacturing jobs, has an interest in developing the skills of strong technical students who might one day support the workforce in both talent and leadership, the press release said. Interested applicants have the opportunity to apply for internships specializing in various composite and materials research in the following five technology areas at one of IACMI’s partner locations: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Chamber’s Christmas Parade award winners announced

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The Southern Alliance Dance Company (SADC), winner of the Director's Award, clogged a Christmas routine on the parade route. (Photo courtesy Ray Smith)

The Southern Alliance Dance Company (SADC), winner of the Director’s Award, clogged a Christmas routine on the parade route in the 2017 Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade. (Photo courtesy Ray Smith)

 

A cold, snowy night seemed a fitting way to celebrate one of Oak Ridge’s favorite tradition—the Oak Ridge Christmas Parade. Approximately 120 entries participated in the parade. This year’s parade theme was “A Toyland Christmas” and was a part of the 75th Anniversary Celebration of Oak Ridge.

Judges awarded seven awards following the parade: [Read more…]

Sheriff’s Department has holiday crime prevention tips

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Anderson County Sheriff's Department Badge

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department has offered holiday crime prevention tips.

“The busy holiday season is…upon us and many people can become victims of burglary, theft, and other crime,” a press release said. “Protecting yourself and your home from crime is the easiest way to have a safe, happy holiday season.”

To help ensure everyone has safe and fun holidays, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department would like to offer the following tips for holiday crime prevention.

Shopping:

  • Park in lighted areas at night.
  • Always lock your car.
  • Don’t try to cover items on your seats. Put shopping bags in your trunk or take your packages straight home after shopping and then go back out.
  • Don’t carry large amounts of cash with you, or else, keep it in your front pocket—not in your purse or wallet.
  • Be extra careful when carrying a purse—they are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas. If you must carry one, make sure it has a strap that can go over the shoulder and be held under the arm, making them more difficult for purse snatchers to grab.
  • Keep a record of all of your debit and credit card numbers in a safe place at home.
  • Beware of strangers approaching you. This is the time of year when thieves may try various methods to distract you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.

[Read more…]

Five receive Muddy Boot Awards

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Five people won Muddy Boot Awards this year. In the top row, from left, they are Tom Ballard, David Bradshaw, and Sue Cange. In the bottom row are David Millhorn, left, and Ken Rueter.

Five people won Muddy Boot Awards this year. In the top row, from left, they are Tom Ballard, David Bradshaw, and Sue Cange. In the bottom row are David Millhorn, left, and Ken Rueter.

 

Five people received Muddy Boot Awards this year. They include scientists, business leaders, government officials, and a man who has done a little of everything during his career, a press release said.

Here are the winners of the 2017 Muddy Boot Awards, which are from the the East Tennessee Economic Council:

  • Tom Ballard, who has had three careers—with the University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and now Pershing Yoakley and Associates, and still finds time to “spread the gospel of innovation” with his daily Teknovation.biz newsletter.
  • David Bradshaw, another multi-tasker who has worked at the Y-12 National Security Complex, Technology 2020, and most recently Pinnacle Financial Partners, and who has also served as the mayor of Oak Ridge and chairs of dozens of community causes.
  • Sue Cange, whose career with the U.S. Department of Energy saw her rise from a new employee in the environmental management program to the acting head of that same program before joining the faculty at Vanderbilt University this fall and who, in many ways over the years, enabled the reindustrialization program at the East Tennessee Technology Park site.
  • David Millhorn, senior vice president of the University of Tennessee and a leader in the revitalization of both the university system and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
  • Ken Rueter, president of URS | CH2M Oak Ridge (UCOR), a relative newcomer to East Tennessee who brings energy to everything he does, whether it be the environmental stewardship programs at ETTP or his work building hiking and biking trails while supporting the Foothills Land Conservancy and the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

“The one common trait in these five individuals,” ETEC President Jim Campbell said, “is the passion they bring in their own way to the work they do. Their dedication is infectious, and it makes everyone around them better. Clearly each person has made East Tennessee a better place to work, to play, and to thrive.” [Read more…]

Hammond, Howerton receive 2017 Postma Young Professionals Awards

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Reverend Derrick Hammond, left, and Consolidated Nuclear Security’s Senior Director of Transformation J. Travis Howerton were named the latest winners of the Herman and Pat Postma Young Professionals Award by the East Tennessee Economic Council at the annual awards celebration held Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge. (Photos courtesy East Tennessee Economic Council)

Reverend Derrick Hammond, left, and Consolidated Nuclear Security’s Senior Director of Transformation J. Travis Howerton were named the latest winners of the Herman and Pat Postma Young Professionals Award by the East Tennessee Economic Council at the annual awards celebration held Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge. (Photos courtesy ETEC)

Reverend Derrick Hammond and CNS’s senior director of transformation J. Travis Howerton were named the latest winners of the Herman and Pat Postma Young Professionals Award by the East Tennessee Economic Council at the annual awards celebration held Friday, December 8, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge.

The Postma Young Professional Medal was created by the East Tennessee Economic Council to honor the accomplishments of young professionals who have made an impact and fostered a community culture in the region. Former Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Herman Postma epitomized this spirit during his life; and his wife, Pat, continues the tradition of service today through her involvement in the Oak Ridge community, a press release said.

Pat Postma and Ted Sherry made the award presentations.

The Postma Medal, however, is about more than outstanding work, the press release said. [Read more…]

CNS Y-12 community fund announces $150,000 in grants to 16 nonprofits

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Anderson County EMS received a grant from the CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund. The grants were announced on Dec. 6, 2017. (Photo by CNS Y-12)

Anderson County EMS received a grant from the CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund. The grants were announced on Dec. 6, 2017. (Photo by CNS Y-12)

 

Sixteen nonprofit organizations in 11 East Tennessee counties received roughly $150,000 in grants from the Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC (CNS) Y-12 Community Investment Fund.

Anderson County EMS was among the grant recipients. The recipients were announced during a December 6 reception at Y-12’s New Hope Center.

Consolidated Nuclear Security manages and operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. The CNS Y-12 Community Investment Fund is managed by the East Tennessee Foundation, and it was created in 2014 by CNS. A similar fund is managed by the Amarillo Area Foundation, a press release said. [Read more…]

Council to discuss AMSE project, Y-12/UPF power lines on Tuesday

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AMSE Sign

The American Museum of Science and Energy is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. (File photo by Sara Wise)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday will discuss the project to move the American Museum of Science and Energy from its current home on South Tulane Avenue to Main Street Oak Ridge.

Oak Ridge Today reported in November that construction documents had been submitted for the new museum at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall. It’s not clear when AMSE might open at its new home at Main Street Oak Ridge, but it will continue to be at its current location, where it’s been since the mid-1970s, past the end of the year.

AMSE is relocating to space that will be renovated in a two-story building that once housed a Sears Roebuck store next to JCPenney at what is now Main Street Oak Ridge. That planned move is part of an agreement that was signed by the city and DOE in December 2016. Under that agreement, the 17-acre AMSE site was to be transferred from the U.S. Department of Energy to the City of Oak Ridge.

The city is, in turn, transferring the AMSE property in two phases to TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC. That company was set up by RealtyLink, the developer of Main Street Oak Ridge.

The southernmost 7.44 acres of the AMSE site have already been transferred to TN Oak Ridge Illinois LLC. In November, the Oak Ridge City Council unanimously approved a rezoning for that property, which could be developed with a grocery store, retail shops, and restaurants.

[Read more…]

Taco Bell could be built on current site of General Sessions Court

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A Taco Bell restaurant could be built on the property that now houses Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, at the intersection of Bus Terminal Road and Oak Ridge Turnpike. A rezoning has been requested for the 1.1-acre site by Tacala TN Corporation of Vestavia Hills, Alabama. The rezoning request will be considered by the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.

A Taco Bell restaurant could be built on the property that now houses Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, at the intersection of Bus Terminal Road and Oak Ridge Turnpike. A rezoning has been requested for the 1.1-acre site by Tacala TN Corporation of Vestavia Hills, Alabama. The rezoning request will be considered by the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.

 

A Taco Bell restaurant could be built on the property that now houses Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, at the intersection of Bus Terminal Road and Oak Ridge Turnpike.

A rezoning has been requested for the 1.1-acre site by Tacala TN Corporation of Vestavia Hills, Alabama. The rezoning would change the property from an O-2 Office District to a B-2 General Business District.

The development plan calls for a Taco Bell fast-food restaurant with a drive-through on the property, according to a rezoning request that will be considered by the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, December 14, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.

It’s not clear if the existing building, which once housed the city’s police station and later the Oak Ridge Utility District, would remain. Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, has been there since January 2009, but the court is moving to a county-owned building that once housed the Oak Ridge Senior Center on Emory Valley Road. [Read more…]

State appropriates $15 million that could be used for Oak Ridge Airport

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Image from a Billy Stair presentation on the Oak Ridge Airport project to Roane County officials at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.

Image from a Billy Stair presentation on the Oak Ridge Airport project to Roane County officials at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.

 

KINGSTON—Tennessee officials have appropriated $15 million that could be used for the proposed airport at Heritage Center, the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge.

The appropriation, which is pending approval of the Oak Ridge Airport by the Federal Aviation Administration, would be enough to cover about 33 percent to 38 percent of the current estimated project cost of $40 million to $45 million.

The appropriation was announced by Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John C. Schroer in a November 8 letter to members of the Tennessee General Assembly. Oak Ridge Today received a copy of the letter on Monday.

The $15 million that could be used for the Oak Ridge Airport is one half of a $30 million appropriation approved by the Tennessee General Assembly for the Aeronautics Economic Development Fund earlier this year, said Billy Stair, a former communications director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory who is now a consultant helping with the airport project. That half was to support the construction of new general aviation airports like the project in Oak Ridge, and Oak Ridge received all of the $15 million for general aviation airports, Stair said.

“MKAA (Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority) is the only public entity in the state with planning documents for a new airport currently under review,” Schroer said in his November letter to legislators. The $15 million will be allocated to the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, which would own and operate the Oak Ridge Airport, pending FAA approval. [Read more…]