Oak Ridge Today

Former City Council member Pat Rush dies

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Patricia "Pat" Lewis Paynter Rush

Patricia “Pat” Lewis Paynter Rush

Former Oak Ridge City Council member Patricia “Pat” Lewis Paynter Rush died Wednesday at Methodist Medical Center after a short illness. She was 82.

Rush was elected to City Council in 1987 and served for 14 years. She was also a former board member of the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association and president of the local Altrusa International organization in 1984 and 1985. She had also been a member of many organizations and boards, and was known for her service in many civic endeavors, her obituary said.

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Birthday celebration postponed for city historian Bill Wilcox

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A 90th birthday celebration that had been planned for Oak Ridge City Historian Bill Wilcox on Friday afternoon has been postponed due to the potential for bad weather.

“We will reschedule soon, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may create,” according to a statement from the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We want all of our party guests and our guest of honor to stay safe.”

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Free community meal at Grace Covenant, homeless invited

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As part of an effort to count homeless individuals and families for the Jan. 24 “Point In Time Count,” or PITC, a free community meal at Grace Covenant Church at 5 p.m. Thursday is open to community members who are homeless, a press release said.

The dinner is being organized by Trinity Outreach Center of Hope, or TORCH, a new nonprofit working to support the most economically challenged in our area and leading the Jan. 24 homeless count in Anderson County.

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Celebrating Obama’s inauguration, King’s birthday

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John Hamilton Sings with Collizjion

John Hamilton, center, sings with Knoxville band Collizjion at a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge on Monday. Also pictured, from left, are Xzavian Wrushen, Taylor Warren, Mackcell Rodgers, and Brandon Anderson.

As millions of people across the country watched the inaugural ceremony for President Barack Obama, many others celebrated the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.

Ceremonies in the past week to honor the slain civil rights leader included a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration on Monday at the Midtown Community Center.

It was sponsored by Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, and it included music, a brief presentation on King’s life and work, and remarks by Connie Martin, MMC vice president and chief support officer.

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Free community meal at Unitarian Universalist Church on Friday

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The Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church has a free community meal on Friday, and nurses from the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge have volunteered to give flu shots to those in need, a press release said.

Free coats and blankets will also be available on a first-come, first-serve basis due to a limited supply.

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Free genealogy workshop to be offered at Clinton Library

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Clinton Public Library has partnered with two members of the Pellissippi Genealogical and Historical Society to offer a four-part genealogy workshop entitled “Genealogy 101: The Basics.”

Conducted by society members Stephanie Hill and Emily Haverkamp, sessions are scheduled for four Tuesdays: Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 12, and Feb. 19, from 6-8 p.m. There is no charge for the workshop.

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Y-12: Almost 20 years of recycling makes a big difference

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Thanks to a Y-12 National Security Complex aluminum beverage can recycling program, more than 400 local organizations have received a $200 donation from the company since the program’s inception in 1994. Over the years, more than $81,600 from recycling revenue has been donated.

The most recent recipients are Tabitha’s Table, an ecumenical Oak Ridge food ministry that provides a hot meal weekly; Family Promise of Knoxville, a program for individuals facing homelessness for the first time in their lives; Sunshine Industries, a therapeutic recreation program for handicapped adults who live in Knox County; and People Promoting Animal Welfare, an organization that operates a feline/canine adoption center and spay/neuter clinic in Greenback and offers low-income families affordable sterilization of cats and dogs.

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Family Day at Civic Center Feb. 23

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will host a Family Day at the Civic Center on Feb. 23.

The new event will include games, activities, a chili cook-off, and free swim assessments for children, a press release said.

The Family Day is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. Feb. 23, and adult volunteers are needed to help with the event, the city press release said.

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Methodist Medical Center conducts assessment of local health needs

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As a member organization of Covenant Health, Methodist Medical Center’s mission is to improve the quality of life for East Tennesseans through better health. One important way to carry out that mission is to collaborate with communities to determine local health needs, and to work with local organizations to develop and implement plans for addressing those needs.

In addition, recent healthcare legislation requires that Methodist and other not-for-profit hospitals and health systems conduct community needs assessments every three years. While the process is not explicitly scripted, hospitals are encouraged to collaborate with key community stakeholders such as health departments, universities, and organizations such as United Way and local Chambers of Commerce.

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Clinton MLK Prayer Breakfast on Monday

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The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast will be held at the Green McAdoo Cultural Center and Museum in Clinton at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

The prayer service begins at 9 a.m.

The Green McAdoo Cultural Center and Museum is located at 101 School Street in Clinton.

Weekend of Irish music, culture, fun scheduled for February

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Traditional Irish Arts of Knoxville has organized a weekend of Irish music, culture, and fun in February at the Grove Theater in Oak Ridge and Boyd’s Jig and Reel in Knoxville.

It’s the 5th Annual Tune Junkie Weekend, and it will feature workshops, sessions, and a showcase concert.

The weekend kicks off on Friday, Feb. 17, with an open house and staff session at the Historic Grover Theater. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the session begins at 7 p.m., a press release said.

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Help needed for homeless count in Anderson County this month

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A local organization known as TORCH will conduct a street count of homeless people in Anderson County on Jan. 24 as part of the 2013 Point-In-Time Count coordinated by Tennessee Valley Coalition to End Homelessness.

The Point-In-Time Count is a survey of homeless people in every county across the United States. Volunteers are needed to help with the count in Anderson County, a press release said.

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