Oak Ridge Today

Myricks to be honored for ‘lifetime of commitment’ on April 29

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Tim Myrick and Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity

Tim Myrick, back row second from left, is pictured taking a lunch break during a build with college students who come during spring break every year to participate in Habitat builds. (Photos by Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County)

He’s helped build every one of the 58 homes built by Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County since it started in 1992 and served on the board. He helped plan and oversee renovations at the Oak Ridge High School, been a member of the Red Cross Disaster Relief team, and along with his wife, grown thousands of Christmas trees that were donated to the American Cancer Society and Holiday Bureau for fundraising.

In recognition of their work, Tim and Teresa Myrick will be honored this month for their “lifetime of commitment to the people of Oak Ridge and Anderson County.” The reception will be hosted by Habitat for Humanity, and it is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, at the New Hope Center at Y-12 National Security Complex. [Read more…]

Sister City group has April 25 dinner for middle school exchanges with Japan

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Oak Ridge Naka-shi Middle School Exchange

Participants in the Oak Ridge/ Naka-shi, Japan 2013 Middle school exchange, frolic in the ocean on the Japanese coast. (Submitted photos)

The Sister City Support Organization, in cooperation with the City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools, has sponsored the visit of middle school students to our sister city of Naka-shi, Japan, for 22 years.

In support of the 2014 Middle School exchange, the Sister City Support Organization is hosting a spaghetti supper on Friday, April 25. The supper will be held at the First United Methodist Church from 5:30-8 p.m. Student exchange participants and SCSO board members will don Japanese “happy coats” and kimonos to serve the main course and an array of delicious homemade desserts. [Read more…]

ARC Anderson County to have anti-bullying seminar May 1

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There will be a free anti-bullying seminar at the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. May 1. This presentation is open to the public, but it will focus on those with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Speakers will be Frank Meeuwis, Scott Finney, and Will Mc Millan from The Arc Tennessee in Nashville. The Arc Anderson County is an advocacy organization that helps those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

Teachers who attend will receive a certificate for in-service hours.

To attend, please call (865) 481-0550 by April 18 to register as seating is limited.

EnergySolutions contributes $50K to Habitat over five years

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When building houses for those in need, Habitat for Humanity seeks volunteers, supplies, and monetary donations. In an effort to help the organization achieve its goals, EnergySolutions contributed $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County over a period of five years to support housing developments in both Oak Ridge and Clinton, and the company also assisted the organization with transporting much-needed supplies to the community.

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is an ecumenical ministry founded in 1992 that builds simple, decent, and affordable houses with participating families, and works with diverse individuals, organizations, and faith communities to serve others. Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County accepts monetary donations, as well as ink cartridges, cell phones, aluminum cans, and even vehicles to recycle, and the Habitat ReStore accepts gently used household items, furniture, appliances, and even building materials to resell. [Read more…]

United Way raises $1.17 million, about 90 percent of ‘bold’ goal

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Greta Ownby and Edwena Crowe

UWAC Board President, Greta Ownby, left, announces Edwena Crowe, right, as Volunteer of the Year. (Submitted photos)

The campaign was complicated by the partial government shutdown in October, but the United Way of Anderson County raised close to $1.2 million this year, or about 90 percent of its goal.

The results were announced at an annual meeting and campaign announcement at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge on Thursday.

The campaign goal, which was described as “bold,” had been $1.3 million. The total amount raised was $1,172,742. The United Way said this will allow for stable funding for its agency programs.

“Unfortunately, we will not be able to increase funding to our community partners,” UWAC Executive Director Rick Morrow said. “Last year’s total resulted in a reduction of $200,000 to the funding pool, and this year’s total will only allow for continued funding at that level.” [Read more…]

’80s rocker Eddie Money to play Secret City Festival in June

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Eddie Money

Eddie Money

Eddie Money, a 1980s rock star, will play at the Secret City Festival in June, organizers said Thursday.

Money will be the Friday night headliner. Organizers announced earlier this month that Kix Brooks will headline the Saturday night show.

This year’s festival, the 12th annual celebration, will be June 13-14.

Money’s Top 40 hits include “Take Me Home Tonight,” “Baby Hold On,” and “Two Tickets to Paradise.” He has sold more than 28 million records and plays a “blue-collar brand of rock ‘n’ roll,” a press release said.

The Friday, June 13, show starts at 7 p.m. Local rock band Jada Blade will be the opening act. [Read more…]

Meet mayor, sheriff candidates at AARP today

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aarp-sheriff-mayor-candidates-0414-300x250

The local AARP chapter has organized an event today that will allow voters to meet candidates for Anderson County mayor and sheriff.

It starts at 1 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Senior Center. Those who attend are encouraged to bring a snack.

Candidates for mayor include the incumbent, Terry Frank, a Republican first elected in August 2012; her GOP opponent, Commissioner Zach Bates; and Democrat Jim Hackworth, a former state representative. [Read more…]

ORNL’s Payne to serve as AC chair for Children’s Hospital campaign

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Terry Payne

Terry L. Payne

Each year, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital gets more than 148,000 visits from tens of thousands of children across 16 counties in Tennessee. In 2013, more than 7,300 children from Anderson County sought treatment at the hospital.

On Tuesday, officials announced that Terry L. Payne of Oak Ridge National Laboratory has volunteered to be the Anderson County campaign chair as Children’s Hospital, which plans to expand, seeks support to better serve the region’s children.

“I am pleased and honored to do my part in helping Children’s Hospital’s expansion project,” Payne said in a press release. “At some point while each was growing up, my son and two daughters received care from the wonderful Children’s Hospital staff. We are so fortunate to have a stand-alone hospital in our community that is dedicated to the well-being of our children’s health. I know that Anderson County will be proud to do their part.” [Read more…]

Earth Day to feature free activities, events for healthy living, environmental education

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IJAMS Earth Day 2009

The IJAMS Nature Center booth is pictured above during Earth Day 2009. (File photo)

The seventh annual Earth Day festival will feature free activities and events that promote healthy living and environmental education, and encourage individuals to create and contribute to a sustainable community, a press release said.

The festival is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26 at Alvin K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge.

It’s hosted by Keep Anderson County Beautiful.

There will be a Trashformations art exhibit created by local area students made from recycled/found materials. There will also be outdoor games and races for children, a bike rodeo for kids, healthy food vendors, exhibitors showcasing educational booths, and neighborhood games such as hopscotch, bocce, croquet, flying discs, ladder ball, and a special reduce, reuse, recycle game. There will also be a special area for pre-school children. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge’s Rotary clubs to host dragon boat races May 31

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Penny Behling Dragon Boat Steerer

The three Rotary clubs of Oak Ridge are combining forces to launch the inaugural Oak Ridge Dragon Boat Festival, to be held Saturday, May 31, at the Oak Ridge Marina and Pavilion in Melton Lake Park.

“The purpose of the festival is to provide a venue for dragon boat races, offer food and musical entertainment and raise funds for nonprofit service organizations in the community,” said Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, president of the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge.

The boat-racing event will celebrate Oak Ridge’s waterfront and signature rowing venue. The other two clubs are the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary and Oak Ridge Sunset Rotary clubs.

A dragon boat is a long, low boat adorned with a snarling dragonhead at the boat’s front end, as in the Chinese tradition. Dragon boat races have become popular events in many U.S. cities, ranging in size from Philadelphia to Knoxville.

This all-day Dragon Boat Festival race will be an entertaining competition among teams of 20 persons each—18 paddlers, a caller, and a steerer. The teams will come from community employers and organizations, some of which are signing up to become corporate sponsors of the event. [Read more…]

‘Dine and Donate,’ an ADFAC fundraiser, returns on Monday

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Subway

Five area Subway locations will be participating in the April Dine and Donate event. It’s easy to “eat fresh” and support ADFAC at both Clinton locations, along with the stores in Lake City, Oliver Springs, and one Oak Ridge store (at Four Oaks Center on the west end of town). (Submitted photo)

Five local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales on Monday to support Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC.

Officially launched this past October, “Dine and Donate” is a year-long event, with different restaurants participating on the second Monday of each month.

“We have truly enjoyed watching Dine and Donate grow over the last seven months,” said ADFAC Board Member Cande Seay, who also chairs the Dine and Donate committee. “It has been wonderful to see so many families and individuals enjoying meals to support ADFAC’s work in the community!”

Restaurants participating on Monday, April 14 are: [Read more…]

Physics professor to give sun-Earth astronomy talk at Grove on Wednesday

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High Places Community Church

The Grove Theater at High Places Community Church is pictured above.

An adjunct physics professor in east Tennessee will give a basic astronomy talk in Oak Ridge on Wednesday that focuses on “Selected Topics on the Sun-Earth Connection.”

John C. Mannone will give his talk to the ORION astronomy club at the Grove Theater at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

“Emphasis will be placed on the role of magnetic fields in the formation of our sun, the nature of sunspots, and their role in solar and terrestrial weather,” a press release said. [Read more…]