Community Archives - Oak Ridge Today

AMSE celebrates 70 years

Posted at 3:12 pm March 15, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Image courtesy American Museum of Science and Energy

The American Museum of Science and Energy is celebrating 70 years. As part of the celebration, there are three events scheduled next week, on March 19 and March 23, at AMSE and Oak Ridge History Museum.

It’s being called a platinum anniversary celebration of science, ingenuity, and the catalyst of the Atomic Age.

“As an anchor of the community, AMSE is proud to celebrate a city that once only existed a vision,” a press release said. “The footprint of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, will forever be etched into history as one of the foundations of the Manhattan Project. Seventy years ago, steps were taken to preserve that vision and recognize how the world was changed by the ‘Secret City.’ The museum tells the story about how and why people learned to split the atom. On March 19, 1949, the city’s gates and the nation’s first atomic energy museum, named the American Museum of Atomic Energy, were opened to the public for the first time. [Read more…]

Sham-Rock in the Square features music Friday

Posted at 12:26 pm March 15, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Sham-Rock in the Square will feature music in Jackson Square from 5-7 p.m. Friday evening, March 15, 2019. The spotlight band is the dynamic duo Ruby and Chloe. They will be in Southern Bliss Boutique. (Submitted photo)

Sham-Rock in the Square will feature music in Jackson Square on Friday evening.

The spotlight band is the dynamic duo Ruby and Chloe, a press release said.

“Can’t get any better than this—two best friends creating music together!” the press release said.

They will be at Sham-Rock in the Square from 5-7 p.m. Friday, March 15, in Southern Bliss Boutique. Ruby Amanns is currently a student at Pellissippi College, and Chloe Weaver is a senior at L&N Academy, the press release said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society will have Spring Plant Sale on April 13

Posted at 5:42 pm March 12, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

University of Tennessee Arboretum Society Spring Plant Sale (Submitted file photo)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have its next Spring Plant Sale on April 12 and 13.

The public sale will be held on Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UT Arboretum at 901 South Illinois Avenue (State Route 62) in Oak Ridge.

The Arboretum Society’s “Members Only” sale will be on Friday evening, April 12, from 5-7 p.m. Society memberships or membership renewals may be purchased at that time for this “early bird” shopping opportunity, a press release said. By joining UTAS on Friday night, people can enjoy the membership benefit of having the first pick of the beautiful selection of plants, some of which sell out that evening, the release said. Checks, cash and credit cards will be accepted.

This is the UT Arboretum Society’s 52nd Spring Plant Sale. [Read more…]

ORPHA to celebrate two history-related events

Posted at 4:29 pm March 12, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Photo by Oak Ridge History Museum

The Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association will celebrate two history-related events this month: the opening of the Oak Ridge city gates 70 years ago and the opening of a new museum, the Oak Ridge History Museum.

The celebration is scheduled for Saturday, March 23.

The new museum was established to preserve the history of the life and work of the people who made the Manhattan Project a success, a press release said. The primary purpose of the museum is to focus on the “human side” of the Manhattan Project, telling the story of the history of Oak Ridge and the people’s day-to-day lives during World War II. The Manhattan Project was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II.

The Oak Ridge History Museum exhibits feature a unique collection of authentic artifacts and displays, including historic photographs made by Ed Westcott, the famous Manhattan Project photographer in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Free income tax service offered in Oak Ridge

Posted at 4:04 pm March 12, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Center has been open in Oak Ridge since February. The VITA program is an Internal Revenue Service initiative to help taxpayers by providing trained volunteers to prepare and electronically file individual tax returns at no cost to the taxpayers, a press release said.

During the 2018 tax season, almost 2,000 returns were prepared at the Oak Ridge site, and taxpayers received more than $2,100,000 in tax refunds, the press release said. The site served taxpayers from 17 counties in Tennessee.

The VITA office is located in the Trinity Outreach Center at 320 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Kiwanis Club to hear about Freedom Riders

Posted at 9:32 am March 12, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Kiwanis Club of Oak Ridge will meet on the second Tuesday of each month, starting at noon on March 12, April 9, and May 14.

At noon on Tuesday, March 12, the Kiwanis Club meeting will include a program by Judy Gooch about the 1961 Freedom Riders. The Freedom Riders helped integrate southern buses and stations as part of the civil rights movement, and they were recognized much later for their activities, a press release said. Gooch was the Freedom Riders speaker at an event on the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on January 21. She is a former member of the Tennessee Board of Regents and is owner and principal designer at Judy Gooch Interiors.

More information will be provided later about the April 9 program by Julie Forkner about the Oak Ridge Public Library and the May 14 program by Katy Jett about Explore Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Earthquake hazard in East Tennessee: What could happen here?

Posted at 4:20 pm March 7, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Robert Hatcher

Could we have a major earthquake in East Tennessee? Do we live in an active seismic zone?

These and other questions will be addressed by Robert Hatcher, University of Tennessee distinguished scientist emeritus, in a lecture, “Living with East Tennessee Geology and Earthquakes,” in Oak Ridge in April.

The lecture is scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 11, in the University of Tennessee Arboretum Auditorium at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

Hatcher was a faculty member for 32 years in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Science Alliance Center of Excellence at the University of Tennessee, a press release said. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Vanderbilt University and his doctorate at the University of Tennessee. [Read more…]

City manager to discuss ‘State of the City’ on Tuesday

Posted at 3:40 pm February 28, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson will discuss the “State of the City” during a lunchtime meeting Tuesday, a press release said.

The annual event will be during “Lunch with the League” on Tuesday, March 5.

Watson has served as Oak Ridge city manager since August 2010. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public administration in city management from the University of Kansas, the press release said. A second-generation city manager, he served six cities in Texas, Montana, and Arizona before coming to Oak Ridge.

Watson has received numerous awards and honors, and in 2017, was recognized by the International City/County Management Association for a 40-year career in public service, the press release said. [Read more…]

Concert in March will benefit United Way

Posted at 2:12 pm February 27, 2019
By Adam Moreno Leave a Comment

A March concert that will feature nine local acts will benefit United Way of Anderson County, a press release said.

The concert, “The Outpour Vol. 2,” will be at the Grove Theatre in Oak Ridge from 6-10 p.m. March 29. Tickets are $15, and they can be purchased at the door or online through the Facebook event page, ‘The Outpour Vol. 2.”

“Grab a bite to eat in the lobby, then head into the theatre to hear The Missing Goats, Covalence, BIG DOG, and many more wonderful performers!” the press release said. [Read more…]

Community Interfaith Harmony Month wraps up with two events this week

Posted at 1:49 pm February 27, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Community Interfaith Harmony Month will be wrapping up with two special events this week, a press release said.

“Come lend your heart and hands and voice in celebration of the World Day of Prayer, Friday, March 1, 2019, at 7 p.m. in the Nave at St. Stephens Episcopal Church located at 212 North Tulane Avenue,” the press release said. “Church Women United will be hosting the worship service entitled ‘Come—Everything is Ready,’ written by women of Slovenia. It challenges all to widen their circles and invites all to follow prayer with action.”

Everyone is invited to the finale event to rejoice in celebrating community interfaith music and arts on March 5 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike, the press release said. There will be poetry, music, and dancing performed by a diversity of community groups, followed by a fellowship reception. [Read more…]

Gift of Life: Kidney transplants, donation to be discussed Monday

Posted at 12:08 am February 25, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Submitted photo

“The Gift of Life” is the topic of the Monday, February 25, luncheon and general meeting of AAUW (American Association of University Women).

The meeting will start at 11:30 a.m. Monday at First Presbyterian Church, Room 102, Activities Building.

Brent Hannah, director of of Cardiovascular and Transplant Services at the University of Tennessee, will give an overview of the transplant program begun at the University of Tennessee in 1985 by Dr. Mitch Goldman. More than 1,300 kidney transplants have been performed, a press release said. Donors for the transplants have been living donors, living related donors, directed non-related donors, and non-directed non-related living donors, as well as deceased donors, the release said.

Mary Bell, a retired cardiac nurse, will talk about her “adventure” as a kidney donor. [Read more…]

Reminder: Breakfast with Legislators is Monday

Posted at 11:44 pm February 24, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge League of Women Voters will host “Breakfast with the Legislators” on Monday, February 25. The meeting will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike. A free continental breakfast will be served, a press release said.

State senators Randy McNally and Ken Yager and representatives John Ragan and Kent Calfee have been invited to speak about the current session of the Tennessee General Assembly and respond to questions and hear opinions from the audience. The public is invited to attend, the press release said.

The popular community event offers firsthand information on upcoming legislation and House and Senate committee activities, while prompting dialogue among legislators and citizens, and providing a great networking opportunity for members of the community. [Read more…]