Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge teen competes for Boys and Girls Club state honor

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Jazmyne Maddox

Jazmyne Maddox

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Jazmyne Maddox, a freshman at Oak Ridge High School, was named “Youth of the Year” for the Boys and Girls Club. The highest honor a member can receive, this title recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community, and Boys and Girls Club, as well as personal challenges and obstacles to overcome. She was selected to compete against other members for the Tennessee “Youth of the Year” title.

As the “Youth of the Year” for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Clinch Valley, Maddox is among hundreds of local youth across the country recognized by Boys and Girls Clubs of America for their sound character, leadership skills, and willingness to give back to the community. Jazmyne represented her club in Nashville in March. [Read more…]

Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on April 26

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The 12th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, April 26, continues a long tradition that combines a great day of golf with active commitment to youth and families. The Tournament supports Community Mediation Services’ work with youths and families and honors the legacy of “Big Ed” Neusel, founder of Big Ed’s Pizza, and his belief in giving to others while seeking recognition from no one.

The Oak Ridge Country Club provides a beautiful and challenging venue for the Big Ed’s Memorial Tournament. The early registration deadline is April 15 with late registration available. Registration forms are available by calling (865) 483-6888 or e-mailing info@cms-tn.org. [Read more…]

Planned for years, new railroad museum will not be built at Heritage Center

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Southern Appalachia Railway Museum Building

A plan for the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum that had been proposed at Heritage Center, the former K-25 site. (Submitted image)

Note: This story was updated at 10:13 a.m.

A railroad museum that has been planned for years at Heritage Center, the former K-25 site, will not be built due to budget constraints, officials said Monday.

The lowest qualified bid for the 3,315-square-foot facility came in at nearly $1 million, or about 26 percent more than expected, a press release said.

The Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee’s Heritage Center LLC and the Southern Appalachian Railway Museum determined this week that the cost was too high, the press release said. [Read more…]

Youth Aliyah concert on Sunday

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Lora Doherty

Lora Doherty

The 2013 Ralph Einstein Hadassah’s Youth Aliyah concert will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. This is an annual event that features performances by young area musicians.

This year’s program includes 11 performers ranging in age from eight to 17 who won an audition in March. Among the judges were Dan Alcott, music director of the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and Martha Anderson, principal clarinetist with the Oak Ridge Symphony and Oak Ridge Schools music teacher.

Two students were also selected to perform with the Oak Ridge Symphony in the Annual Family Concert. These students are Jenna Walters, 14, of Knoxville, on viola, who studies with Hillary Herndon, and Meghan Mayes, 17, of Seymour, who is a voice student of Marjorie Stephens. [Read more…]

Workers, volunteers celebrate animal shelter renovations

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter Lobby

Workers and volunteers celebrate renovations at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter during an open house Monday.

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter has a new exam room and a renovated surgery room.

It also has new paint, hospital-grade flooring, and a more inviting lobby area with a lower front desk and an animal adoption room.

The renovations, which included cleaning and electrical work, started in January. Except for the flooring, the work was done by the Oak Ridge municipal staff.

City workers and animal rescue volunteers celebrated with an open house Monday. They said the shelter seems more pleasant and inviting now, and the animals seem less stressed. [Read more…]

Grammy winner to perform at Princess Theatre, lecture at Roane State

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Bill Miller

Three-time Grammy award-winner Bill Miller will lecture in Oak Ridge on Thursday and play in Harriman on Friday. (Submitted photo)

Three-time Grammy award-winner Bill Miller will perform Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Princess Theatre in downtown Harriman.

Presented by Roane State Community College’s Arts and Lectures Committee, Miller plays rock, country, and folk music blended with Native American flutes and drums. His hits include “Reservation Road,” “My People,” and “Trail of Freedom,” and he has performed with artists such as Tori Amos, Eddie Vedder, the BoDeans, Richie Havens, and Arlo Guthrie.

A highly regarded lecturer on cultural awareness and race relations, Miller will also speak about addiction in the Native American community at the college’s Oak Ridge campus and at the Roane County campus in Harriman. [Read more…]

Community Mediation helps reduce reliance on confinement in juvenile crimes

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Recent reports by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth highlight Tennessee’s success as the best in the nation in reducing reliance on confinement as a response to juvenile crime, a press release said.

Community Mediation Centers throughout Tennessee have been a quiet part of this, the release said. The first program in the state, Community Mediation Services of Anderson County, has for 27 years been working with juveniles and families to help them find their own solutions to their issues through mediation. [Read more…]

Reader pic: Breakfast Rotary donates to Emory Valley Center

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Breakfast Rotary Donates to Emory Valley Center

The Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club makes a donation to the Emory Valley Center Capital Campaign. Pictured from left to right are Pete Peterson, ORBRC president; Rotarian Gene Caldwell and Dottie Thompson, campaign co-chairs; and Rotarian Dub Shults. (Submitted photo)

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The Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club recently made a donation to the Emory Valley Center Capital Campaign.

The capital campaign is raising money to help replace an Emory Valley Center building on Emory Valley Road. The center is raising money to replace the 55-year-old building, which will be demolished.

The Emory Valley Center serves intellectually and developmentally disabled children and adults in East Tennessee.

Gene Caldwell and Dottie Thompson are co-chairing the capital campaign. Anyone wishing to donate may do so by mailing a contribution to P.O. Box 5328, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, or by going online to www.emoryvalleycenter.com.

Reader pic: Anderson Mayor speaks to Breakfast Rotary

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Terry Frank at Breakfast Rotary

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank speaks to the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club. (Submitted photo)

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Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank recently spoke to the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club.

The mayor shared some of her personal views and opinions on Anderson County and the challenges facing county leaders, such as housing, drugs, taxation, and an overcrowded jail. Frank said many of these challenges are similar for other communities across the state and country.

She also spoke about some of the positive aspects of Anderson County. Among those: being a diverse community in terms of people, terrain, history, and assets—from the small historical town of Oliver Springs to the manufacturing companies in Clinton, and a focus on the future with science and technology in Oak Ridge.

Manhattan Project book starts with Y-12 photo, ends on NY Times best seller list

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Denise Kiernan

Author Denise Kiernan signs copies of “The Girls of Atomic City” after a lecture at the American Museum of Science and Energy. (Photo by D. Ray Smith)

A book project that started with a famous photo of women enriching uranium at the Y-12 National Security Complex during World War II has ended up on the New York Times best seller list.

It’s also led to appearances on major television shows for Denise Kiernan, author of “The Girls of Atomic City—The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II.” She’s recently been a guest on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “Morning Joe” on MSNBC, and PBS NewsHour.

Released March 5, “The Girls of Atomic City” remained at No. 33 on the hard cover nonfiction list on Sunday night.

“I’ve been thrilled with the response,” Kiernan said during a recent lecture and book-signing at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge. “The country is just fascinated with your town and your stories.” [Read more…]

Guest column: Kudos to Kiernan and her book, ‘Girls of the Atomic City’

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This month, national author Denise Kiernan gave a wonderful talk at the American Museum of Science and Energy. Ms. Kiernan was in town to discuss her new book, “Girls of the Atomic City—The Untold Story of Women Who Helped Win World War II.”

The book made the New York Times best seller list.

Ms. Kiernan’s book chronicles the fascinating stories of the many women who came to Oak Ridge between 1943 and 1945 during the Manhattan Project. It’s great to see these pioneers recognized for their important contributions. [Read more…]

City historian to discuss last eight days of World War II

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Bill Wilcox and Clifton Truman Daniel

Oak Ridge City Historian Bill Wilcox, left, with Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of President Harry S. Truman, who made the decision to use atomic bombs on Japan at the end of World War II. Wilcox helped Daniel with background information for his new book on the decision to use the bombs. (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge City Historian Bill Wilcox will discuss the last eight days of World War II during a presentation next week.

It starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11, at the Wildcat Den at the Midtown Community Center.

“Most Oak Ridgers know the story of Oak Ridge’s founding in 1942 as part of the Manhattan Project and about how the uranium 235 for the world’s first atomic bomb used in warfare, ‘Little Boy,’ helped end World War II,” said a press release from the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. “Helped is correct. The two atomic bombs really did help, but even after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there was no agreement in Japan’s ruling circle on surrender.” [Read more…]