Oak Ridge Today

Ballroom dance lessons start at Senior Center on Thursday

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Senior Center Ballroom Dancing

Ballroom dancing lessons start at the Oak Ridge Senior Center on Thursday. (Submitted photo)

Anyone 50 and older is invited to ballroom dancing lessons at the Oak Ridge Senior Center starting Thursday, a press release said.

“Ballroom dancing is not only a wonderful social skill to have but also a great fun way to exercise for all ages,” the press release said.

Lessons will be on Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for beginner levels and 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for intermediate levels. The lessons will begin Oct. 3 and will be led by Richard Pierce. The cost is a $5 donation per lesson, and no contracts or commitments are required.

New executive director, board members at Girls Inc.

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Girls Inc.

Pictured above are Girls Inc. Board President Terry Domm, Ternica Raley, Executive Director Rhoni Basden, Judy Gooch, and Board Secretary Melissa McMahan. (Submitted photo)

Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge has a new executive director and five new board members.

Rhoni Basden is the new executive director. She succeeds Carol Mullane, who retired after seven successful years, a press release said.

New board members include Ternecia Raley, Judy Gooch, Melissa McMahan, David Mosby, and Hugh Ward. [Read more…]

Street Painting Festival: Come watch artists chalk the walks

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Pink Roses

A “Pink Roses” drawing at an earlier Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival. (Submitted photo)

The 14th annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival is drawing near—it will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (rain day on Sunday) at the Oak Ridge Campus of Roane State Community College.

Dozens of artists will be brushing up on their skills as they transform concrete sidewalk squares into colorful chalk paintings. The public is invited to this free festival organized by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge to provide scholarships for Roane State students.

While would-be Rembrandts are chalking the walks, young children will enjoy free activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the Kid Zone. [Read more…]

ORNL physicist to discuss sensors, detection technologies

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Bruce Warmack

Bruce Warmack

A physicist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will discuss sensors and detection technologies, such as those used in smoke alarms, at a Friends of ORNL meeting on Tuesday.

The talk by Bruce Warmack of the ORNL Measurement Science and Systems Engineering Division is titled “Making machines sense our world.”

The meeting is open to the public, and it starts at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the University of Tennessee Resource Center at 1201 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Something for everyone at this year’s Clinch River Antiques Festival

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Clinch River Antiques Festival

The Clinch River Antiques Festival in 2012 is pictured above. (Photo by Carl Warner)

The 13th Annual Clinch River Antiques Festival kicks off on Friday evening, Oct. 11, from 6–9 p.m. in Historic Downtown Clinton with shops open late, food vendors, carriage rides, and live entertainment.

The entertainment starts Friday evening in Hoskins Lane Park on Market Street with The Real McCoys, a bluegrass band that grew up playing music together in Lake City. It’s hosted by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Anderson County Class of 2014. The show is from 6:30-8:30 p.m. [Read more…]

Crossroads Ministry director to discuss helping young, at-risk single mothers

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The director of Crossroads Ministry will discuss how the agency helps young, at-risk single mothers from Anderson and surrounding counties during a Friday morning presentation.

Cora Rhew, founder and executive director of Crossroads Ministry, will explain how her agency helps the mothers face the challenges of mothering while learning to set goals, make good decisions, and develop job skills, a press release said. Rhew will share news about the progress of transitional housing for at-risk single mothers, the release said. She will also talk about the court-ordered training that her agency provides to single parents, both men and women, in the greater Anderson County area. [Read more…]

AARP Senior Driver’s Safety Program on Wednesday, Thursday

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The AARP Senior Driver’s Safety Program is being offered at the Oak Ridge Senior Center on Wednesday and Thursday.

The eight-hour class will be held in two sessions from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day, and it is open to drivers in Oak Ridge and the area who are 50 and older. You do not have to be a member of AARP to attend. [Read more…]

Literacy grant applications now available from Altrusa, Breakfast Rotary

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Applications are now available for about $17,000 worth of literacy grants awarded by Altrusa International of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club.

The grants are used to help improve literacy in Oak Ridge and Anderson and Roane counties, and they will be awarded to selected recipients. Applications and award criteria may be found on the Altrusa International website or Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club website. Hard copies are also available at the Oak Ridge Public Library.

Applications must be submitted by Nov. 1.

[Read more…]

Namoli Brennet in concert at Unitarian Universalist Church

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Namoli Brennet

Namoli Brennet

Submitted

Dubbed “one of the best folk-rock artists in the country,” transgender artist Namoli Brennet will be in concert at 7 p.m. Friday at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church.

The church is located at 1500 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Tickets are $12 or $10 for students and may be purchased at the door or online at www.oruuc.org/events/. [Read more…]

UT-Battelle builds second home for ADFAC

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ADFAC UT-Battelle Home

Annie Cacheiro, right, executive director of Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, and Thom Mason, director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, speak at a dedication for a home built by volunteers on Jay Lane.

Volunteers from UT-Battelle have completed their second home in two years for ADFAC, a nonprofit agency that helps low-income residents.

Officials and volunteers celebrated last week with a ceremony at the new single-story, two-bedroom home on Jay Lane.

“It’s a blessing,” said Emily Mitchell, 24, the new homeowner. “I know I couldn’t do it on my own.”

Mitchell, who has a two-year-old daughter, now lives on Van Hicks Place. She is the family self-sufficiency coordinator for the Oak Ridge Housing Authority. [Read more…]

United Way Golf Tournament needs your support

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United Way Golf Tournament Winners

Winners of the 2012 United Way Golf Tournament pictured above are Doug Guinn, Keith Newport, Tom White, and Jody Waddell. (Submitted photo)

The United Way of Anderson County will host its annual golf tournament on Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Oak Ridge Country Club.

“Proceeds from this tournament directly support UWAC’s 34 partner agencies,” said David Wilson, tournament chairman. “Every sponsorship and every team registration is so important and so appreciated.”

This year, the tournament will feature two divisions. The Pro Division will offer platinum, gold, and silver sponsors a local club pro to play as their fourth in a modified scramble. The Champions Division will have four players with a team handicap. Prizes will be awarded to the top two teams in each division. [Read more…]

Professor to discuss embryos; ‘troubled ground’ between science, society

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Jane Maienschein

Jane Maienschein

The 16th Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series on Thursday, Oct. 3, will feature Professor Jane Maienschein, director of the Center for Biology and Society at Arizona State University.

She will give a talk titled “Embryos Under the Microscope: Negotiating Contested Ground Between Science and Society.”

The event is sponsored by Friends of ORNL. It is free of charge and will be held at the American Museum of Science and Energy at 300 S. Tulane Ave. in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]