Oak Ridge Today

Children’s Museum awarded $137,108 grant by museum institute

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Healthy Living Exhibit

 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded $137,108 to the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge this month.

The museum will use the grant funds to develop its new Kids in Action! Healthy Living Exhibit and programs. Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will plan, develop, and construct “Kids in Action,” a healthy living exhibit and accompanying educational programs to support healthy nutrition, healthy activity, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, and community wellness, a press release said. [Read more…]

Saturday: Household hazardous waste drop-off, prescription drug take-back

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There is a prescription drug take-back in Oak Ridge through 2 p.m. today (Saturday, September 27). There is also a collection of household hazardous waste, and it also ends at 2 p.m.

The prescription drug take-back is at the Oak Ridge Police Department at 200 South Tulane Avenue. The ORPD is doing this in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County.

“The Oak Ridge Police Department will give the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs,” a press release said. “The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.” [Read more…]

UU Church’s last community meal at current location

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Stone Soup Community Meal

From left to right, volunteers Jinx Watson, Beatrice Holt, Todd Sherline, and daughter Poppy prepare for guests at an earlier ORUUC Stone Soup Free Community Meal. The next meal will be served tonight Friday, September 26. Everyone is welcome. (File photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church will celebrate four years of the Stone Soup free community meal tonight (Friday, September 26).

It’s the last community meal at the church’s current location at Oak Ridge Turnpike and Robertsville Road. The church is moving to a new home on Oak Ridge Turnpike north of the Joe L. Evins Federal Building.

“Everyone is welcome to come to the fourth birthday celebration,” a press release said.

Dine-in or takeout will be available from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Social Hall of the church located at 1500 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. Diners will be served homemade beanie weenie soup, pimiento cheese sandwiches, classic coleslaw, and chocolate cake. [Read more…]

Clinton Homecoming highlighted by Wall of Fame inductions

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Clinton High School Header

 

Information from WYSH Radio

Tonight (Friday, September 26) is Homecoming at Clinton High School, and among the festivities taking place this evening will be the induction of four new members into the school’s Wall of Fame.

Thomas Underwood graduated from CHS in the late ’30s after playing football and later served in World War II, where he was shot down during combat and earned a Purple Heart, among other medals, for his service. Underwood also served in the Korean conflict before retiring as a lieutenant colonel. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum offers Day of Play

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Kids Go Green! Environmental Center and Gardens

Photo courtesy Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge

 

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will join in Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play with children’s activities throughout the afternoon Wednesday, September 24. Children may join in the following activities:

  • Scavenger Hunts in the Kids Go Green! Environmental Center & Garden, 3-3:30 p.m., for ages 6-10.
  • Pumpkin Relay, 3-3:15 p.m. for ages 3-5, and 4-4:15 p.m. for ages 5-8.
  • Parachute Game, 3:30-3:50 p.m. for ages 3-5, and 4:20-4:40 p.m. for ages 5-8.

While visiting exhibits, children may count the scarecrows and report back to the front desk how many they found. [Read more…]

CASA’s Evening with the Arts to help abused, neglected children

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An October fundraiser will feature food and music, and it will benefit the work of CASA of the Tennessee Heartland, which works with abused and neglected children.

It’s CASA’s fifth annual Evening with the Arts, and it’s scheduled from 7-10 p.m. Friday, October 10, in a beautiful lighted tent at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge, a press release said. Tickets include wine and New Orleans-style food.

“Enjoy listening and hitting the dance floor with an amazing NOLA jazz quartet,” the press release said.

A silent auction will feature local art pieces, including a Bill Capshaw raku vase, locally created jewelry, and unique photography pieces. [Read more…]

Company manager renovating Alexander Inn to talk to Altrusa on Wednesday

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Alexander Inn in September 2014

Construction work on the historic Alexander Inn, which is being converted from a hotel to an assisted living center, could be complete later this year.

 

Submitted

Rick Dover, general manager of Family Pride Corporation, will be the guest speaker for the Altrusa International meeting on Wednesday, September 24. Dover, an ardent historic preservationist, has acquired and revamped numerous properties in the Knox County, including an abandoned 1930s hospital and a handful of buildings in downtown Loudon, a press release said.

The Alexander Inn of Oak Ridge, which is “near and dear” to many of us, is presently being renovated. It is scheduled to open this year, as the Alexander Inn Guest House. Dover will share his story of the long, involved process of obtaining and renovating the property, keeping in mind the historical value and creating a desirable and pleasant senior living community. This is a story you won’t want to miss! [Read more…]

League, AAUW have registration events on Voter Registration Day

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The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge and the American Association of University Women, Oak Ridge Branch, will host National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, September 23.

“This major registration event will help people to register to vote or update their voter registration if they have moved or changed names,” a press release said.

The registration will be held at Oak Ridge High School, Clinton High School, and Anderson County High School during lunch periods. Roane State Community College registration will be held on both September 23 and 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration at this site will be open to the public.

“Voter registration is the front door to voting in U.S. elections,” the press release said. “Research has shown that the majority of eligible voters who register, turn out to vote. Oak Ridgers and Tennesseans have much at stake this year with our many community elections and with the proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution.” [Read more…]

RMS one of three new STEM Scouts Labs in East Tennessee

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Robertsville Middle School

Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge is one of three additional schools in East Tennessee that have opened STEM Scouts labs.

Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge is one of three other schools in East Tennessee that have opened STEM Scouts Labs. The other two new participants are Karns Middle School and Stanford Eisenberg Knoxville Jewish Day School.

That brings the total number of STEM Scouts Labs in the area to seven, a press release said. Oak Ridge High School and Clayton-­Bradley STEM Academy already have STEM Scouts Labs.

STEM Scouts is a co-­ed after-­school program by the Boy Scouts of America that uses hands-­on learning to show youth from elementary through high school how to apply STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) in their everyday lives and encourages them to develop those experiences into a future career, the press release said. The program uses the Scout Oath and Scout Law as its cornerstone.

“We are very happy to see STEM Scouts growing, “ said April McMillan, national co-director of STEM programs for the Boy Scouts of America. “We are the first in the nation to test this program, so we are pleased to see it taking off like this. We’ve had very positive feedback from students, teachers, and parents. We hope to open several more labs before the end of the year.” [Read more…]

Presidential museum, heritage tourism experts to be featured in AMSE meetings

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Alan Lowe

Alan Lowe

The director of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas will be featured in a community meeting in October on the future of the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.

During that Thursday, October 9 meeting, Alan Lowe will discuss the process of developing and managing facilities that function as both research libraries and historical museum attractions, a press release said.

The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is located inside the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In his role as director, Lowe oversees millions of presidential records as well as exhibits related to the important issues and events of the Bush Administration, a press release said. [Read more…]

Guest column: Community officials make advances in preventing underage drinking

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By Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County

The Anderson County Underage Drinking Task Force is completing its first year of existence, one which proved to be quite productive.

The Task Force kicked off last September when it assembled key stakeholders from beer boards, law enforcement agencies, government officials, and businesses across different jurisdictions in Anderson County to identify barriers to compliance with underage drinking laws, with a focus on developing local solutions. Over the last year, the Task Force has worked to review alcohol policies of all jurisdictions in Anderson County.

As part of the review process, the Task Force identified a need for consistency throughout the county on alcohol regulations. Through collaborative dialogue, members discovered that many business owners have locations in two or even three different municipalities, each regulated by different rules. [Read more…]

Today: Mutt Strutt, Treasure Hunt, Taste of Oak Ridge, Mark O’Connor concert

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There is a lot happening in Oak Ridge Today.

The events include a treasure hunt at the Oak Ridge outdoor pool on Providence Road from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., a Mutt Strutt at PetSafe Dog Park (at Big Turtle Park) from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Taste of Oak Ridge from 4-10 p.m. at the new Oak Ridge Universalist Church on Oak Ridge Turnpike, and a concert featuring Mark O’Connor and the Oak Ridge Symphony at 7:30 p.m. at Oak Ridge High School.

There’s also a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m. at Applebee’s for ORHS Cross Country Boosters, a Community Mediation Services garage sale from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Eagle building on Oak Ridge Turnpike, and Tennessee Promise signup event for high school seniors from 10 a.m-2 p.m. at the Roane State Community College campus in Oak Ridge.

Please see the events calendar on Oak Ridge Today for more information.