Oak Ridge Today





Learn about bird courtship on Thursday

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will host a presentation next week about bird courtship and pair bonding.

The First Thursday Nature Supper Club program is titled “Love is in the Air.” It is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 3.

“Though it is only February, bird courtship has begun,” a press release said. “Male birds vie for the attention of the females in a variety of ways. We will explore what all that cooing is about!”

“You provide your own stay-at-home supper, and we provide the nature as local naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales will entertain and teach us via Zoom what counts for beauty in the avian world,” the press release said. “We will look at many species. Great horned owls are the first to start courtship rituals, while cedar waxwings typically do not begin their pair bonding until June.”

[Read more…]
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Celebration of life in April for John Rice Irwin

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John Rice Irwin, founder of the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, plays the mandolin in this photo by Linda Gunderson.

A celebration of the life of museum founder John Rice Irwin will be held in April at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris. The celebration of life is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 24.

Irwin was a cultural historian and founder of the Museum of Appalachia, among other notable achievements.

Irwin died Sunday, January 16, in Clinton. He was 91.

He was born on December 11, 1930, in Union County, Tennessee.

“While Irwin was still a toddler, his family was forced to move from their farm to make way for the flooding of Norris Lake and the construction of Norris Dam,” his obituary said. “They first settled in Robertsville (in Oak Ridge), but the Manhattan Project forced them to move yet again, this time to the Bethel Community.”

Irwin’s obituary said he was captivated by the rich cultural history of East Tennessee and its people for as long as he could remember.

“As a young boy, he would sit at the feet of his grandmother, Ibbie Jane Rice, and grandfather, Marcellus Moss ‘Sill’ Rice, and listen intently to their stories of the past,” the obituary said. “Sill took notice of his grandson’s fascination and said to him, ‘you ought to keep the old-timey things that belonged to our people and start you a little museum sometime.’ It was this advice that would ultimately inspire Irwin to create the Museum of Appalachia.”

[Read more…]
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UT Arboretum Society resumes hikes after almost two years

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will resume its Third Saturday Hike on Feb. 19 after almost two years due to COVID-19 closures. (Submitted photo)

It has been almost two years since the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society has had a Third Saturday Hike because of COVID-19 closings.

“The organization is excited to announce the resumption of the hikes beginning February 19 at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge, 901 South Illinois Avenue,” a press release said. “Enjoy over 260 acres of forest and trails in this lovely wooded setting.”

The theme for February is a newcomer’s hike, the press release said. Everyone is welcome to participate in this free guided hike. Newcomers to the area, newcomers to the UT Arboretum, and newcomers to hiking are encouraged to join as well as previous participants. The hikes have been a staple of the UT Arboretum and UT Arboretum Society for more than 13 years This is a great opportunity to “walk off” the food and festivities of the Super Bowl and the Olympics, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Roane State student helps teach famous talking bird at Zoo Knoxville

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Roane State Community College student Kinsley Cagle poses with Einstein, the Zoo Knoxville parrot that’s become a YouTube sensation with more than 24 million views. (Photo courtesy Zoo Knoxville)

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

Roane State Community College student Kinsley Cagle has a job helping teach Einstein.

That’s the moniker for the famous African grey parrot at Zoo Knoxville. Einstein is a viral superstar whose incredible antics have been viewed more than 24 million times on YouTube.

Einstein’s hilarious mimicry of noises ranging from a variety of animal sounds and calls to complete sentences is a popular attraction at the zoo’s Wild Encounters area.

“She (Einstein) can make a lot of sounds,” said Cagle, a 23-year-old Oak Ridge resident. “At times, it’s almost like having a conversation with her.”

One of Cagle’s latest training endeavors involves teaching a species of duck called hooded mergansers to voluntarily waddle into a crate for safe, secure transport.

“I was never a ‘bird person’ before this,” Cagle said, “but I like being around them.”

[Read more…]

‘Brain Food’ need increases as federal aid reduced

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Roane State Community College Brain Food volunteer Mariella Akers, left, with Sue Byrne from First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge, a sponsor for the pantry. (Photo courtesy Roane State)

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

“Brain Food,” the name of Roane State Community College’s pantry for students at the Oak Ridge Branch Campus, has seen a big increase in students taking advantage of the free service.

A reduction in federal assistance that went into effect in late September is seen as one of the reasons for the uptick, an official said.

At the Oak Ridge campus, between nine and 11 students were helped by Brain Food each week during the Spring 2021 semester, while that number jumped to 18 to 20 students in the fall.

Last year, more than 120 students were served. After tallying the reported members of each student’s household, pantry staffers estimate that a total of 373 people received assistance in 2021. Mariella Akers, Oak Ridge faculty secretary and Brain Food volunteer, added that 120 of those household members were children.

[Read more…]

Borchers to present State of Schools

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Bruce Borchers
Bruce Borchers

Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers will present his State of the Schools at Lunch with the League on Tuesday, February 1.

During the annual talks, Borchers gives an overview of what is happening in Oak Ridge Schools.

“Between the unusual events at the high school in December and groundbreaking of the state-of-the-art Ben Martin Track, Dr. Borchers will undoubtedly have much to share,” a press release said.

Lunch with the League is organized by League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

Borchers started his education career as an elementary physical education teacher in the Sioux City (Iowa) Community School District. He also worked as an interim assistant principal and guidance counselor in Iowa City, Iowa; as assistant principal and principal in Mankato, Minnesota; and as associate superintendent of secondary schools for the Anoka-Hennepin (Minnesota) School District. Prior to joining the Oak Ridge Schools, Borchers was the superintendent of the Rockwood School District from 2010 to 2013.

[Read more…]

ASAP recognizes those who help prevent substance abuse

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ASAP of Anderson has recognized people who have supported the mission to prevent and reduce substance use among youth and adults in Anderson County.

In December, Anna Hurt of Anderson County Schools, Matt Reedy of City of Oak Ridge, Teresa Seals of Oak Ridge High School, Lisa Steffensen of Roane State Community College, and the City of Rocky Top staff were recognized at a special Community Coalition meeting, a press release said.

“The COVID-19 pandemic brought a special set of challenges, and these amazing community partners continued to go above and beyond to support the work of ASAP during overwhelming times,” the press release said. “The staff at ASAP extends a sincere thank you to their 2021 Partners in Prevention and looks forward to advancing community efforts to prevent substance misuse in 2022.”

[Read more…]

Knoxville reporter to discuss redistricting

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Jesse Mayshark (Submitted photo)

Knoxville reporter Jesse Fox Mayshark will discuss redistricting during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, January 18.

The talk, sponsored by League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, will be about redistricting transparency and engagement, a press release said. The community is invited to participate in the Lunch with the League talk, which is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. January 18.

“In an effort to keep everyone safe during this time of pandemic, the gathering will again be virtual,” the press release said. “Those who desire to gain access to the meeting may do so by following the instructions provided at the close of this article.”

Here is more information from the press release:

[Read more…]

Free Zoom presentation about conservation fisheries on Jan. 25

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Submitted photo

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society and Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning have a free Zoom presentation about conservation fisheries on Tuesday, January 25.

The presentation is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., and it will feature Conservation Fisheries, Inc., a nonprofit organization preserving the Southeast’s aquatic biodiversity, a press release said. The presenter, Pat Rakes, is co-director of Conservation Fisheries.

“He will explain the role and mission of CFI as well as its history, pictures of the hatchery, field work, and fish as well as cooperators in this important effort,” the press release said.

[Read more…]

FORNL talk about electrified infrastructure on Tuesday

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Richard Raines, seen here testifying in 2017 before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on efforts to protect the electric grid and the nation’s energy providers from cybersecurity threats. (Submitted photo)

 

Richard A. Raines, director of the Electrification and Energy Infrastructures Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will talk about electrified infrastructure in the United States at noon Tuesday.

The virtual lecture will be to Friends of ORNL. Raines’ talk is titled “An Electrified U.S. Infrastructure Ecosystem: Opportunities and Challenges.”

He will address his division’s work with public and private partners to develop breakthroughs for the resilience and security of the electrical power grid, as well as to manage microgrid resources—solar power and battery energy storage—and smart home appliances to give homeowners precise control over their power supply and demand at a lower cost while ensuring reliable service, a press release said.

To view the virtual lecture, click on the talk title on the homepage of the www.fornl.org website and click on the Zoom link near the bottom of the page describing the lecture. Here is Raines’ summary of what he will talk about, according to a press release: [Read more…]

Reporter to discuss coal ash in Kingston, Anderson County

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Jamie Satterfield

Investigative reporter Jamie Satterfield will discuss the impact of the coal ash spill in Kingston and the coal ash stored in Claxton during an online meeting in January.

The presentation by Satterfield, who worked for the Knoxville News Sentinel, will be hosted by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. The Lunch with the League is scheduled from 12-1 p.m. Tuesday, January 4.

“In an effort to keep everyone safe during this time of pandemic, the gathering will again be virtual,” a press release said. “Those who desire to gain access to the meeting may do so by following the instructions provided at the close of this article.”

The press release said a retaining wall of a dyke at the Kingston coal plant failed on Monday, December 22, 2008. It became the largest coal ash spill in United States history.

[Read more…]

Dodson, Wilson, others to be honored by Oak Ridge Chamber

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The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will honor area business leaders and businesses during an awards dinner in January.

It’s the second annual An ExtraORdinary Evening Installation and Awards Dinner. It’s scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Friday, January 7, at the Oak Ridge Children’s Museum. The cocktail hour will begin at 6 p.m.

Jim Dodson and David Wilson will be presented with the Chamber’s most prestigious awards at the event, a press release said.

Dodson will be the recipient of the Eugene L. Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award, the press release said. [Read more…]

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