Note: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m.
The Freels Bend Cabin, Oak Ridge’s oldest structure, was recognized with a historical sign in October.
The historical sign by the Tennessee Historical Commission said the Freels Bend Cabin, next to Melton Hill Lake east of Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge, is the only Oak Ridge home that is still standing that was built in the 1800s.
It was one of the earliest cabins built in Anderson County. It’s on the National Historic Register.
[Read more…]
ASAP of Anderson, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent substance abuse in Anderson County, has moved into a new office in Clinton that was provided by county school officials.
ASAP dedicated the new space with a ribbon-cutting and open house on October 24.
ASAP, which celebrated 10 years of prevention last year, started out in a small space at the Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, but its operations quickly grew. The organization next occupied space within District Attorney General Dave Clark’s office in Clinton, and the ASAP staff eventually landed, in 2011, on the fourth floor of the Robert Jolley Building on Main Street in Clinton. That space was provided by the Anderson County schools director at the time, Larry Foster.
In August, ASAP moved into a building not far from their original offices. The big difference? A space all their own, a press release said. A space where they can host their own coalition meetings, community trainings such as responsible alcohol sales classes and opioid overdose trainings, and host meetings for other community agencies.
[Read more…]
Bill Capshaw: 2019 Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award recipient (Submitted photo)
Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties is hosting its annual Bow Tie Gala on Saturday, November 9, at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Ridge. This year’s honoree is celebrated local artist Bill Capshaw.
The Bow Tie award was established several years ago as a tribute to local historian Bill Wilcox. Each year’s honoree has exemplified the values of community and philanthropy that Wilcox demonstrated himself, a press release said.
“The purpose of the event is to honor a cherished community leader, but also raise much-needed funds for ADFAC’s long and short-term sustainability with proceeds partially benefiting ADFAC’s Bow Tie Endowment,” the press release said.
Past recipients of the award have included Ray Smith, Tim Myrick, Cande Seay, Bear Stephenson, Tom Row, Kathy Stimpson (posthumously), and Louise Mixon. [Read more…]
The 20th annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival at Jackson Square on Saturday will offer a new challenge this year, a press release said.
The October 19 event will be held in historic Jackson Square, and it will offer the first STEAM Challenge. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
The festival will, as always, offer prizes for artists in each category, the press release said. But this year, artists in any category can win an all-ages, all-categories bonus prize as part of the STEAM challenge.
The Street Painting Festival is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge. It’s a fundraiser for Roane State Community College scholarships.
[Read more…]
The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s Fall Plant Sale will be held Saturday at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge.
The sale is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 19, at the UT Arboretum, which is at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.
“Fall is the ideal time to add plants to your landscape because of milder temperatures and more dependable rainfall,” a press release said. “In addition, the fact that plants are not putting energy into their top growth but devoting all their resources to developing a strong root system will give them a head start in the spring and a much better survival rate.”
[Read more…]ASAP of Anderson will celebrate its move to a new office building in Clinton with a building dedication ceremony on Thursday, October 24.
ASAP had been in the Robert Jolley Building on Main Street in Clinton for 10 years, a press release said.
The building dedication ceremony is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. October 24 at 131 South Charles G. Seivers Boulevard in Clinton. Everyone is invited, the press release said.
The ceremony will include coffee and light snacks, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and open house for community members to explore the new space, the press release said.
[Read more…]
The Oak Ridge Youth Advisory Board, in partnership with the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson, will host a free Movie Night in the Park event tonight (Friday, October 11).
The event will be held in Alvin K. Bissell Park beginning at 7 p.m. The movie shown will be Disney’s “The Haunted Mansion” (rated PG) from 2003 starring Eddie Murphy. Free popcorn and drinks will be available while supplies last, a press release said.
[Read more…]
Dean Russell is pictured above with Joe Kenda. (Submitted photo)
You can enjoy great food and support an important organization on Monday, October 14. That’s when several area restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC, for Dine & Donate.
Participating Dine & Donate restaurants are Dean’s, Gallo Loco, Hoskins, Burchfield’s, Mediterranean Delight, Razzleberry’s, The Soup Kitchen, and Subway locations in Clinton, Oak Ridge (at 1968 Oak Ridge Turnpike), Oliver Springs, and Rocky Top.
October’s featured Dine & Donate supporter is Dean’s Restaurant & Bakery, which is located in Oak Ridge’s historic Jackson Square.
“Dean’s has been a favorite among locals for years,” said Jamie LaRose, ADFAC development director. “However, on October 9, viewers around the world got a little ‘taste’ of the restaurant’s hospitality and menu.” [Read more…]
A unique blend of bluegrass and classical choral music and lively Appalachian storytelling will be presented on October 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church of Knoxville, 2829 Kingston Pike.
The University of Tennessee Chamber Choir and the choirs of First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge and Second Presbyterian Church of Knoxville will perform the choral music. The event is free and open to the public, but an offering will be taken to benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank, which serves both Anderson and Knox counties, a press release said.
“Come Away to the Skies: A High Lonesome Mass,” composed by Tim Sharp and Wes Ramsay, will be the main musical feature, the press release said. It combines the classical structure of the mass with bluegrass and mountain music performed by guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and voice.
[Read more…]
An aerial view of Taste of Anderson County in Jackson Square. (Submitted photo)
Taste of Anderson County will be in Jackson Square this month. It’s scheduled from 5-10 p.m. Thursday, October 17.
“The annual food festival and fundraiser for United Way of Anderson County is the perfect way to spend a fall evening, with free activities for the kids, live music, alcohol tastings, and of course, tastes from your favorite local restaurants,” a press release said.
Soup Kitchen, Burchfield’s, Sassy Pants, Volunteer Dogs, Murray’s Oak Ridge, Freddy’s, Sicilia Pizza, Aubrey’s, and Panda Express are just a few of the restaurants to choose from, the press release said.
In addition, several local breweries and distilleries will be at the event to provide tastings. Beer tastings will be provided by Fanatic Brewing; Seven Springs Farm will be offering wine tastings; Sugarlands Distilling Company will have moonshine to sample; and Postmodern Spirits will be providing tastes of some of their vodkas, gins, and whiskeys. [Read more…]
The Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association will celebrate its 20th anniversary and the receipt of an S80,000 state grant during a ceremony on Saturday.
The state grant is for the new Oak Ridge History Museum, a press release said.
The public is invited to Saturday’s ceremony. The Oak Ridge History Museum is at 102 Robertsville Road in central Oak Ridge.
[Read more…]
Frank Murphy, left, and Dr. Bill Bass will appear together at a fundraiser on Sept. 28, 2019, at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)
Dr. William “Bill” Bass, founder of the “Body Farm” at the University of Tennessee, and radio personality Frank Murphy have appeared together many times since Murphy began interviewing the renowned forensic anthropologist each time a new Jefferson Bass novel was published.
“I’ve worked on four different radio stations in Knoxville and have interviewed him on all four,” said Murphy, afternoon show host on Classic Hits 93.1 WNOX.
Bass and Murphy will appear together again on Saturday, September 28, at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge as Bass discusses the science behind the Jefferson Bass novel “Bones of Betrayal,” a collaboration between Bass and co-author Jon Jefferson. Set in Oak Ridge, the novel explores the murder of a physicist, involved in the Manhattan Project race to build the bomb, whose body is discovered in a frozen swimming pool.
Bass will speak at 7 p.m., and Murphy will emcee the benefit presentation hosted by the Children’s Museum at 461 West Outer Drive. An earlier VIP reception begins at 5:45 p.m. Food may be purchased from Lanai Food Truck and Razzleberry’s Café, and beverages, including beer, wine, water, and soda, may also be purchased. Doors open at 5:30pm. [Read more…]
