Oak Ridge Today

Tuesday: Impact of the Affordable Care Act on the Free Medical Clinic

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Tanya Vargas

Tanya Vargas

Dr. Tanya Vargas, co-medical director of the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, will discuss the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the clinic during Lunch with the League on Tuesday.

Vargas will be the guest speaker during the lunchtime meeting in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. Vargas’ presentation is scheduled to start at noon Tuesday.

The Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge was established to provide free healthcare and to promote a healthy lifestyle to low-income clients in Anderson, Morgan, and Roane counties who lack health insurance and cannot afford medical care, a press release said.

“Vargas will discuss the issues that are faced by the segment of the Tennessee population that is eligible for neither the Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies nor TennCare,” the release said. [Read more…]

Rock to Bach Music Festival on March 1 at New Hope Center

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Classic Beatles and Rock to Bach Music Festival

Fifty years ago, the Beatles, the pop and rock group from England, arrived in America to perform before screaming fans. Now, one of them, Paul McCartney, composes classical music.

Imagine the Beatles walking one way as they pass Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Haydn walking in the opposite direction.

That’s the mental image you might have if you attend Oak Ridge’s fourth Rock to Bach Music Festival on Saturday, Mar. 1.

The annual festival has a new venue this year. It will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the New Hope Center of the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Music directors have free concert Sunday at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist

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Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church Sanctuary

Local church music directors will have a chance to step outside their responsibilities of coordinating music for Sunday worship and other programs to perform in the Third Annual Music Directors Concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, pictured above.

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Local church music directors will have a chance to step outside their responsibilities of coordinating music for Sunday worship and other programs to perform in the Third Annual Music Directors Concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. The church is located at 1500 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. There is no cost to attend.

Lining up to share their musical talent with the community will be ORUUC Music Director Wendel Werner; Andrew Duncan and Jeff Kile from First Methodist in Oak Ridge; Rachel Little from Erin Presbyterian in Knoxville; Sandy Wells, who recently led the Messiah Sing-Along at ORUUC; Alan Eleazer from Maryville Methodist; and Anna Thomas from First Presbyterian in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Music Arts has faculty recital on Saturday

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Music Arts Bonnie Moon and Andy Bryenton

Cello teacher Andy Bryenton, right, is among the Music Arts faculty participating in a faculty recital on Saturday evening at Robertsville Baptist Church in Oak Ridge. Also pictured above is student Bonnie Moon, an Oak Ridge High School sophomore.

Music Arts is proud to present their faculty in a recital at 7 p.m. Saturday at Robertsville Baptist Church in Oak Ridge.

Music Arts has been offering music instruction to local children, youth, and adult music students for 30 years. The school provides private professional instruction in piano, woodwind, brass, strings, percussion, and voice, including country instruments such as guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo.

Faculty members participating in the recital will be Sam Chen (trombone), Dave Eckman (saxophone), Ardyce Lee (bassoon), Andy Bryenton (cello), Jodi Harbin (mandolin), Shannnon Hamblen (guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and bass guitar), Alex Wilson (french horn), and Rudolph Nemeth (piano).

Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.

Music Arts is at 251 Robertsville Road.

Music, dance, food, crafts at Children’s Museum International Fest on Saturday

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Children's Museum International Festival 2013

International tastes, sounds and sights will fill the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge during the International Festival from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15.

The family-friendly event features musical and dance entertainment on stage throughout the day. Participants will dine on international cuisine, children will make international crafts to take home, and all will visit booths displaying crafts and traditions from world cultures. Food will be served from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge.

Picti, a duo performing Celtic rock, will be featured performers at the International Festival. Other performers will include the klezmer band Dor L’ Dor; Good Thymes Ceilidh Scottish Fiddle Band; Chinese folk musicians Song Yu; Carib Sounds; South American musicians Cantemos; Andrew Payzant on Scottish bagpipe; and Hmong folk music and dance. Appalachian music—including David Neidig and Tom Smith, Early Bird Special, Knoxville Area Dulcimer Club, and Allen McBride on hammer dulcimer—will be in the Appalachia Heritage exhibit area of the museum, along with crafts exhibitors. [Read more…]

Wealth management adviser to discuss women, money with Altrusa Club

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Ali Swofford

Ali Swofford

An independent wealth management adviser will discuss women and money during a Wednesday meeting of the Altrusa Club of Oak Ridge.

The presentation by Aleen “Ali” Swofford is titled “Women and Money—Taking Charge of Your Financial Future.”

The meeting will take place at the Oak Ridge Utility District office conference facility at 120 S. Jefferson Circle.

“Women often face unique financial challenges that their male counterparts don’t,” Swofford said in a press release. “They have longer life expectancies, and may have less income and therefore reduced savings as they head into retirement. Women are also more likely to take a career break at some point to be a caretaker, and we tend to invest too conservatively.” [Read more…]

Former Sweet Honey in the Rock member to lead music workshop at ORUUC

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Ysaye M. Barnwell

Ysaye M. Barnwell

Ysaye M. Barnwell, a former longtime member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, an a cappella group, is returning to Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church to lead a three-night workshop series: Evolution of African-American Music from Africa to Civil Rights.

The evenings of singing and learning will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Feb. 20, 21, and 22 at ORUUC, a press release said. ORUUC is located at 1500 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Those who attend will experience singing in the African-American tradition of music from Africa to the civil rights era, the press release said. The workshop begins on Thursday, Feb. 20, with the chants of Africa and the diaspora. Spirituals and slave songs will be the focus on Friday, Feb. 21. The series will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 22, with songs of the civil rights era. [Read more…]

A Hero’s Welcome: Community thanks soldier returning from Afghanistan

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Welcome Home Sgt. Neal Martin

An estimated 150 people welcome home U.S. Army Sgt. Neal Martin, who served 10 months in Afghanistan.

It might have been the first organized welcome-home ceremony for a veteran returning home from overseas in more than two decades. Organizers hope it won’t be the last.

An impromptu, grassroots ceremony on Monday morning welcomed home U.S. Army Sgt. Neal Martin, who returned to Oak Ridge after serving for 10 months in Afghanistan.

Val Emery, a friend of Martin’s wife Julie Martin, was the chief organizer.

“Every soldier deserves a hero’s welcome,” said Emery, who described herself as a “military brat” whose grandfather was killed in Laos in 1966 and has his name inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. [Read more…]

Monday ceremony will welcome soldier returning home from Afghanistan

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Friends of a solider returning home from a 10-month tour in Afghanistan have organized a Monday morning welcome-home ceremony in Oak Ridge.

The family of U.S. Army Sgt. Neal Martin is expected to arrive in Oak Ridge at about 8 a.m. Monday.

The family is coming from Gatlinburg and plan to arrive in Oak Ridge on Pellissippi Parkway before driving down Lafayette Drive, then down New York and Vermont avenues in a newer-model Nissan Rogue with license plate number M33-23P, organizers said.

Organizer Valarie Emery said several businesses and emergency workers are participating in various ways. Among other things, she is trying to get local businesses to change their signs to welcome Martin home. She is asking those who are interested in participating in the welcome-home ceremony on Monday to meet at New York Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike, or New York and Vermont avenues, or Vermont and Venus Road. [Read more…]

Church Women United begins lunch series Friday

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Church Women United announces a new lunchtime series of presentations on the first Friday of each month in February through May 2014. The public is invited to the first CWU lunch gathering on Friday, Feb. 7, at Oak Valley Baptist Church, 194 Hampton Road in Oak Ridge.

A reception with refreshments will begin at 11:30 a.m., followed by a short meeting at noon and the program thereafter. Cindy Helton of Community Mediation Services will be the speaker. Attendees are encouraged to drop in and stay however long they can. Brown bag lunches are welcome!

CWU is a national volunteer ecumenical women’s movement that brings together women of diverse races, cultures, and traditions in closer Christian fellowship, prayer, advocacy, and action for peace with justice in the world. For more information, contact Gay Marie Logsdon at (865) 483-7940.

Boys and Girls Club has Valentines Gala on Saturday

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The Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge will be bringing its annual Valentines Gala back to Oak Ridge this year. The event will be held at St. Mary’s in Columbus Hall and the Gymnasium from 6:30-11 p.m. Saturday. The theme will be The Roaring Twenties, with an authentic time period band and Knox Vegas DJs to entertain the crowd throughout the evening.

“We’re thrilled to bring the club’s largest fundraiser back to town and offer a theme that is sure to be the highlight of the season for Oak Ridgers,” said Aaron Wells, president of the Oak Ridge Unit board of directors. Along with the music, the event will feature a live auction emceed by Bear Stephenson, silent auction, dinner, and several other fun activities, which will help to bring the Roaring Twenties theme into full effect.

This is the Boys and Girls Club’s largest fundraising event and provides a wonderful opportunity for community leaders to come out and show their support while enjoying an evening of upscale fun and dancing. Auction items will include a John Daly autographed golf bag, a trip to Keeneland for the races, and several other unique items. All proceeds from this event will go directly to the Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

See, discuss documentary on poverty: Feb. 6, Roane State Oak Ridge Campus

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Poverty Documentary

Filmmakers Dan Parris, David Peterka, and Rob Lehr will discuss their documentary on extreme poverty on Feb. 6 at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus. (Photo courtesy RSCC)

Roane State Community College’s International Education Department will screen the award-winning documentary “Give a Damn?” on Thursday evening at the Oak Ridge campus.

The 90-minute film tells the story of three friends who attempt to live in poverty on $1.25 a day as they journey across three continents. The adventure turns devastating when two of them survive a deadly plane crash in Africa, and all three must fight to finish what they started.

The film was named best documentary at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, won a Visionary Award at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles, and has been an official selection for additional film festivals. [Read more…]