Oak Ridge Today

Video: Mayor, school officials accept ice bucket challenge

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Jefferson Middle School

Jefferson Middle School

Oak Ridge municipal and school officials accepted the ALS ice bucket challenge after cross country practice at Jefferson Middle School on Friday.

Those who accepted the challenge included Cross Country Coach Steve Reddick, Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers, Assistant Superintendent Chris Marczak, JMS Principal Phil Cox, Vice Principal Mike Haygood, and Oak Ridge Schools teachers John Smith, Jacqueline Whitaker, Chris Layton, and Scott Linn.

The ice buckets were administered by “several lucky team members” of the cross country squad, the JMS PTO said.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (known as ALS and Lou Gehrig’s Disease) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. For more information, please see the ALS Association website.

Here is a video by Heather Hartman, JMS PTO president: [Read more…]

ASAP Youth Coalition joins other young leaders at Teen Institute

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ASAP Youth Coalition at Tennessee Teen Institute

Front row from left to right are Olivia Kelly, Reagan Wolfe, and Courtney Sharp.
Second row from left to right are Emma Berry, Hope Hicks, Jake Wade, and Kaylee Hunley.
Third row from left to right are Mary Tuskan, Jacob Reed, Ryan Wiggins, and Gabe Merritt.
Top row from left to right are Michael Beal, Cameron Moore, and Michael Foster. (Photo courtesy ASAP)

 

Students from Anderson County joined more than 400 youth leaders from across the state at a recent Tennessee Teen Institute. The Tennessee Teen Institute is a five-day youth leadership and prevention camp sponsored by the Jackson Area Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency.

The Anderson County Health Department and ASAP (Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention) sponsored two teams of six youth to participate in TTI, one from Anderson County High School and one from Clinton High School.

“This is the third year we have been able to sponsor youth to attend the Teen Institute, and it has shown an excellent return,” said Stephanie Strutner, ASAP executive director. “Students return energized to serve as peer leaders and make positive changes in their schools.”

This was the 27th year of the Teen Institute Program in Tennessee, a press release said. The program addresses teen issues such as bullying, violence, suicide, teen pregnancy, distracted driving, teen health, and substance abuse prevention through a five-day, peer-led prevention camp designed to provide teen participants with the skills and education necessary to develop and implement alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs in their own communities. [Read more…]

Bats: Friend or foe? Find out Sept. 4

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Bats are the topic of a free, interactive program on Thursday, September 4. Starting with a presentation at 7 p.m. and ending with a field demonstration with bat detectors, spotlights, and a thermal imaging camera by Melton Hill Lake, the evening will provide ample evidence that bats are friends, a press release said.

Although they sometimes suffer from a poor public image, bats are extremely beneficial animals: They are major predators of night-flying insects. Bat specialist Gerry Middleton, a biologist with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, is the presenter.

Following his 7 p.m. talk and a question and answer period, participants will adjourn to the marina on Melton Hill Lake for a field demonstration: Gerry will use his “bat detectors” (which detect echolocation calls) to help spot the nocturnal creatures as they forage for insects at dusk. He’ll also bring a spotlight and a thermal imaging camera to help participants see bats after dark. [Read more…]

Camera Club accepts East Tennessee entries in annual Salon

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Umbrella Girl

“Umbrella Girl” by John Music, an image in the Color Print Urbanscape category from last year’s Salon. (Submitted photo)

One of East Tennessee’s most prestigious photography shows and competitions is under way for its 66th year.

The Camera Club of Oak Ridge is inviting all East Tennessee photographers—both amateur and professional, as well as students—to submit entries to their annual Salon, a press release said. Entries will be exhibited at the New Hope Center in Oak Ridge during November and December. A community reception and gallery walk will be held at New Hope Center on Friday evening, November 14.

Photographers may enter digital images, color prints, or black and white prints. There are 10 categories: Animals, Architecture, Botanicals, Creative Development, Creative Vision, Inanimate Objects, Landscape, People, Scenic, and Urbanscapes. [Read more…]

Photos: Lady Wildcats take ice bucket challenge

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Lady Wildcats Ice Bucket Challenge

 

The Lady Wildcats took the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge on Thursday. Here is a collection of photos from the ice bucket challenge submitted by coach David Scott.

The Lady Wildcats program then went on to challenge Coach Aaron Green and his staff and the Wildcats basketball team, Coach Allen Etheridge and his staff and the cross country team, and the Oak Ridge football team, Scott said.

Community Band has free Labor Day concert in A.K. Bissell Park

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Oak Ridge Community Band Concert

The Oak Ridge Community Band performs at a 70th anniversary concert on Independence Day. (File photo)

The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform its annual Labor Day concert on Monday, September 1, at 7 p.m. in A.K. Bissell Park.

This is a free event, and the public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for outdoor seating, a press release said. Refreshments will be available for sale.

To help kick off the Community Band’s 2014-2015 subscription season of indoor concerts, the first 200 people attending the Labor Day Concert will be given free tickets to the band’s October 12 concert, which will be held at the Oak Ridge High School auditorium, the press release said. [Read more…]

Celebrity Scoops fundraiser to benefit SARG tonight

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An animal rescue group has a fundraiser at Baskin-Robbins in Oak Ridge this evening.

SARG, the rescue group, will have giveaways, and local celebrities will be appearing, organizers said. A portion of the proceeds at the Celebrity Scoops for Paws and Purrs fundraiser will benefit SARG (Shelter Animals Rescue Group).

The fundraiser is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. today (Saturday, August 23) at Baskin-Robbins, which is at 104 East Tulsa Road in Oak Ridge.

See the SARG page on Facebook for a full list of those will appear.

Organizers said parking will be available in the large shopping center near the ice cream shop or across the street in the parking lot of the former Chinese restaurant.

Health Night on the Town lecture to look at end of life

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Methodist Medical Center Entrance at Night

The main entrance to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge is pictured above at night. (Photo courtesy Covenant Health)

Death, you might say, is a fact of life. It’s something we all must face, and while it may not do to dwell on death, it can benefit all of us to understand it, accept it, and plan for it—for both ourselves and our loved ones.

That’s the goal of the Ethics Committee at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge as they present “Preparing for End of Life” at August’s Health Night on the Town lecture. The Ethics Committee is comprised of physicians and other experts from the medical field who will share their professional and personal experiences. The program will discuss the biology of death, the psycho-social aspects of death, and the practical aspects of death, such as advance directives and other legal documents.

Health Night on the Town on will take place Tuesday, August 26, at 7 p.m. in the Ridge Conference Room of Methodist Medical Center located at 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The program will be led by members of the Ethics Committee at Methodist Medical Center, which includes members of Methodist’s medical staff: family practice physician and Ethics Committee chair Jose Malagon, MD; orthopedic surgeon Randall Robbins, MD; anesthesiologist Stephanie Smith, MD; and Methodist employees: chaplain Jack Sills, clinical social worker Julie Emig, and risk manager Lisa Chadwick.

Health Night is a free medical lecture series and is open to the public. For more information about Health Night on the Town, call (865) 835-4662.

Mayor, superintendent, others participating in JMS ice bucket challenge

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Thom Mason Ice Bucket Challenge

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Thom Mason took the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge on Wednesday afternoon. He then challenged Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Director Paul Alivisatos, and Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan to do the same. Afterward, Mason said the experience was “bracing.” (Photos by Carlos Jones)

 

ORNL Director Mason took the challenge Wednesday

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers are participating in an ice bucket challenge at Jefferson Middle School on Friday.

Members of the JMS cross country team will administer the ice buckets.

“You are no doubt aware of the social media-fed phenomenon sweeping the nation in the past couple of weeks: the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge,” coach and JMS teacher Steve Reddick said. “As of today, the challenge has raised $41 million. Many of us have received challenges from friends and foes alike, and we’ve decided to stage a Mega-Ice Bucket Challenge at 4:15 p.m. after cross country practice tomorrow (Friday).” [Read more…]

Community forum: Not in Our Town

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Valerie Hughes

Valerie Hughes

The founder and executive director of an Oak Ridge chapter of the national Not In Our Town organization will be the featured speaker at a community forum in September.

The “Not in Our Town” presentation by Valerie Holland Hughes will start at 11 a.m. Monday, September 8, at Grace Covenant Church. It’s sponsored by the Women’s Interfaith Dialogue.

Grace Covenant Church is at 320 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge.

Hughes began working to establish the Oak Ridge group just over a year ago, a press release said. Her goal has been to ensure that Oak Ridge is a community that models “safety, acceptance, and inclusion as an effective method to address hatred, bullying, and violence.”

The press release said Hughes and NIOT members in Oak Ridge traveled to Billings, Montana, birthplace of the movement 20 years ago, to attend a national gathering of NIOT chapters from June 20-24. [Read more…]

Habitat for Humanity selling building, plans to relocate

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Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County ReStore

The Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County ReStore is located in Grove Center.

 

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is selling its building in Grove Center, and officials said they want to move into a more economical facility.

“We have a 70-year-old building, and the cost to maintain the property hinders us in fulfilling the Habitat mission,” the nonprofit organization’s board of directors said in a statement. “Habitat for Humanity International recommends not owning real estate, with the exception of properties on which to build houses.”

The board said many customers have been concerned because they have seen the “For Sale” sign on the Habitat ReStore and office in Grove Center.

“We are not going out of business!” the board said. [Read more…]

NAACP has candlelight memorial service for shooting victims

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The Oak Ridge and Anderson County chapter of the NAACP will have a candlelight memorial service on Wednesday night to remember the young men and women who have died unnecessarily after being shot in American cities, a press release said.

The memorial service will start at 9 p.m. Wednesday in front of the area maintained by the Scarboro Community Neighborhood Watch at Wilberforce and Benedict avenues. It’s been organized by the NAACP Oak Ridge/Anderson County Branch #5607, and it comes less than two weeks after the death of Michael Brown, 18, an unarmed black teenager who was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, sparking daily protests and tense standoffs.

“These young men and women had the potential of becoming the finest citizens in this great country, but their lives abruptly ended by the action of a gunman,” the press release said. “The tragedy in Missouri serves as a prime example, that we the people of God need to always pray for justice and peace in this United States of America.”

“Please bring a candle,” said the press release, sent by Rose Weaver on behalf of The Rev. Walter Ghosten, president of the Oak Ridge/Anderson County NAACP Unit. “Area ministers will be present.”