Oak Ridge Today

Anderson Chamber hosts business planning seminar on April 7

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Anderson County Chamber of Commerce

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center will host a free workshop for potential and existing small business owners and entrepreneurs who want a better understanding of the business planning process.

The TSBDC advises and assists entrepreneurs and small business owners in our area at no cost to them.

This free seminar will be held on Tuesday, April 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce office at 245 North Main Street, Suite 200, in Clinton. It will feature Jutta Bangs, director of the TSBDC center at Roane State Community College. [Read more…]

Garden tool sharpening workshop with UT Arboretum Society, Downtown Hardware

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University of Tennessee Arboretum Society Logo

A garden tool sharpening workshop will be offered by the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society on Saturday, March 28, at the UT Arboretum shop in Oak Ridge.

The workshop will be led by Roger Clary and Doc Ferguson of Downtown Hardware in Oak Ridge. It will focus on chainsaw, lawnmower, and garden hand tools. It’s scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. at the UT Arboretum shop, which is 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Follow directional signs from the UT Arboretum up to the shop area, where parking will be provided for the event,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Main Street Oak Ridge rezoning, master plan to be considered Thursday

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Main Street Oak Ridge Presentation

Pictured above during a Monday presentation on Main Street Oak Ridge are Crosland Southeast partner James Downs, right; Barry James, Crosland Southeast senior vice president, center; and Houston E. Daugherty, Cannon and Cannon vice president.

 

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will consider a rezoning request for Main Street Oak Ridge during a Thursday meeting.

The Planning Commission will also consider a planned unit development, or PUD, master plan for the project.

Main Street Oak Ridge is the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall, now officially known as the Oak Ridge City Center.

The Thursday meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. [Read more…]

3M gets permit to expand Clinton facility

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Food Lion Distribution Center and 3M Company Manufacturing

The 3M Company purchased the former Food Lion Distribution Center on J.D. Yarnell Industrial Parkway in the Eagle Bend Industrial Park in Clinton in December. (Photo courtesy Tim Thompson/Anderson County Economic Development Association)

 

Information from WYSH Radio

Clinton city officials confirmed Friday morning that the 3M Company, which announced late last year that it had purchased the former Food Lion Distribution Center in the Eagle Bend Industrial Park, has obtained a building permit to make roughly $18 million worth of upgrades and improvements to the facility and build a 45,000-square-foot addition.

3M, one of the world’s largest manufacturers, said that product for the oil, gas, and automotive industries will be made at the Clinton facility, but have not said exactly what they will be producing. [Read more…]

Star Farm co-owner to discuss ‘Farm to Table’ movement

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Kellye Wilson

Kellye Wilson

Kellye Wilson, co-owner of Star Farm in Anderson County, will discuss the “Farm to Table” movement and the trend toward organically grown produce during a Wednesday presentation in Oak Ridge.

Wilson will be the featured speaker at a Wednesday luncheon meeting of the Altrusa Club of Oak Ridge. That meeting on Wednesday, March 25, will be at the DoubleTree Hotel.

The title of Wilson’s presentation will be “Farm to Table: Support your Local Farmer.” [Read more…]

UT: Expertise in materials science, additive manufacturing helps draw CVMR to Tenn.

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Michael Hargett and Kamran Khoza of CVMR USA

CVMR President Michael Hargett, left, and Kamran Khozan, chairman and chief executive officer, joined local, state, and federal officials on Friday, March 13, to announce they’re moving company headquarters from Toronto to Oak Ridge, investing $313 million and adding 620 jobs.

 

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd announced last week that CVMR Corporation is relocating its global headquarters to Oak Ridge from Toronto, Canada. CVMR provides materials for additive manufacturing and announced it will create 620 jobs.

During recruitment of CVMR, University of Tennessee officials assisted the state and hosted the company at UT Knoxville to visit with engineering and chemistry faculty and learn about graduate programs, such as the Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, as well as internships and co-ops for students, a press release said. UT System officials provided information about technology transfer, the UT Research Foundation, and Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus. CVMR also learned more about the University’s role in leading the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, or IACMI, a $259 million partnership announced by President Barack Obama in January. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Farmers Market opens April 18

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East TN Farmers Association Logo

The Oak Ridge Farmers Market opens for its 39th season in Historic Jackson Square on Saturday, April 18.

The market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

The market will also be open on Wednesdays beginning May 6.

Here’s what’s new at the market this year:

  • Senior Day every Wednesday! Seniors over the age of 60 get 5 percent off their purchases at the Oak Ridge Farmers’ Market.
  • FARM Fan Club—Members receive text reminders and shopping rewards. To sign up, visit the website at www.EastTNFarmMarkets.org.
  • Kids’ Day, May 23, from 9-­11:30 a.m., with live farm animals, crafts, games, and a FARM scavenger hunt for children ages 5 to 12!

The Oak Ridge Farmers’ Market will also host live music and workshops on topics such as herb gardening and composting all summer long. [Read more…]

Bobby Osborne, Rocky Top X-press to headline Rocky Top Bluegrass Festival

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Bobby Osborne

Bobby Osborne (Submitted photo)

 

Bobby Osborne and Rocky Top X-Press will headline the inaugural Rocky Top Bluegrass Festival.

The festival is scheduled for 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 24, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at the George Templin Memorial Athletic Field located at 214 North Main Street in Rocky Top (formerly Lake City).

“Mr. Osborne contacted us because the Osborne Brothers were the first to perform and record ‘Rocky Top,’ and he wanted to be the first to perform the song in our newly named town of Rocky Top, Tennessee”, said Mike Lovely, Rocky Top mayor. “As a result of his interest, we decided to have a festival featuring some of the top groups in bluegrass.” [Read more…]

Bradshaw, Whitson to be honored at Oak Ridge Chamber Luncheon on Thursday

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David Bradshaw

David Bradshaw

Stephen Whitson

Stephen Whitson

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will honor two area businessmen—David Bradshaw and Stephen Whitson—at its annual program of work kickoff luncheon to be held on Thursday, March 19, at the Riverside Grille.

Bradshaw and Whitson will receive the Chamber’s most prestigious awards at the event, the One Voice—One Vision Luncheon, a press release said.

Bradshaw, president of the Oak Ridge branch of CapitalMark Bank and Trust, will receive the Eugene L. Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award. The award is given to a nominee who has truly distinguished himself or herself and embodies the essential values of volunteerism, community service, and dedication to the economic vitality of our community. It is the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s preeminent award given to honor the memory of the late Eugene L. Joyce. [Read more…]

Main Street Oak Ridge developers aim to close on property in June

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Main Street Oak Ridge James Downs

James Downs, Crosland Southeast partner, gave an update on the Main Street Oak Ridge project, the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall, during a Monday evening work session.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:20 p.m.

The North Carolina company that wants to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall as Main Street Oak Ridge could close on the property in June, an executive said Monday.

The mixed-use project could include retailers, restaurants, and residential units, as well as a hotel. Belk and JCPenney, the two remaining anchor stores at the mostly empty mall, would remain, said James Downs, partner in Crosland Southeast, the North Carolina company that has proposed the long-awaited redevelopment of the roughly 60-acre site.

Downs said Main Street Oak Ridge will include a total of about 325,000 square feet of retail space, or about 200,000 square feet of retail space more than what Belk and JCPenney have now. There would then be a total of about 600,000 square feet in the area. [Read more…]

Hargett, president of CVMR-USA, to speak at Oak Ridge Chamber Luncheon

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Michael Hargett and Kamran Khoza of CVMR USA

CVMR President Michael Hargett, left, and Kamran Khozan, chairman and chief executive officer, joined local, state, and federal officials on Friday to announce they’re moving company headquarters from Toronto to Oak Ridge, investing $313 million and adding 620 jobs.

 

Michael Hargett, president of CVMR-USA, which announced Friday that it’s moving from Toronto to Oak Ridge, will be the keynote speaker at an Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Thursday, March 19.

The One Voice—One Vision Luncheon will be at noon Thursday, March 19, at the Riverside Grille in Oak Ridge.

CVMR announced at a special event on Friday that the company will be locating its international headquarters in Oak Ridge. The company plans to invest $313 million and will bring 620 new jobs to the city. [Read more…]

Demolition work starts on building next to Magic Wok

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Tyrone Road Building Demolition-east-end

Demolition work has started on a commercial building on East Tyrone Road just east of the Magic Wok restaurant. Demolition work on the east end of the building is pictured above on Friday afternoon.

 

Demolition work has started on a commercial building on East Tyrone Road behind the popular Magic Wok restaurant. On Friday, an excavator had started demolishing the eastern part of the small shopping center. A demolition permit was reportedly issued this week.

In November, a city board ordered the building demolished within 30 days. The demolition order does not apply to the Magic Wok, which is in a separate diner on the western side of the building.

The building owners had previously considered preserving about 5,500 square feet in three units on the western side of the property, among a few options. But on Friday, Oak Ridge Community Development Housing Specialist Matt Widner said that portion won’t be preserved. Instead, the entire building will be demolished, Widner said. [Read more…]