Oak Ridge Today

Forecast: Rain changing to sleet, snow; AC, Clinton schools closed

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Winter Weather Forecast March 4, 2015

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Rain could change to a wintry mix of freezing rain and sleet and then possibly snow as the temperature drops overnight and Thursday morning, forecasters said.

Anderson County Schools and Clinton City Schools will be closed Thursday, March 5.

Forecasters said rain associated with a cold front will continue over the area through tonight. Arctic air will move in behind the front while the precipitation is ongoing, plunging surface temperatures to below freezing especially over the Cumberland Plateau and southwest Virginia overnight, the National Weather Service in Morristown said. [Read more…]

City, schools offer North Boundary Trail hike on March 14

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North Boundary Hike

Oak Ridge municipal and school committees will lead a six-mile hike on the North Boundary Trail on Saturday, March 14.

The hike, which could last about three hours, will leave the North Boundary “yellow gate” (just west of Wisconsin Avenue) at 9 a.m. and follow the Quarry trail, making a right onto Hunley, a right onto North Boundary, and down the Gallaher connector.

This hike is considered moderate in difficulty due to varied elevations and length. [Read more…]

Memphis school wins DOE Tennessee Science Bowl

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DOE Science Bowl Winners 2015

Tennessee Lausanne Collegiate School of Memphis first-place winners pictured above at the Blount County campus of Pellissippi State Community College are Prashanth Raj, Ted Letsou, Tony Chen, Raghav Ranga, and Rishab Jain, with their trophy. (DOE photo/Lynn Freeny)

 

Countless hours studying math and science has paid off for some exceptionally bright students from one college preparatory academy—the Lausanne Collegiate School of Memphis—who won the Tennessee Science Bowl this past weekend. Lausanne’s Team 1 competed against 53 other high school teams on February 27-28 to place first in the annual competition.

Lausanne edged out their competition by successfully answering a host of challenging questions in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, earth and space science, and energy.

Held at Pellissippi State Community College’s Blount County Campus, the Tennessee Science Bowl is the nation’s third-largest regional competition. The regional bowl prepares students to compete nationally with other exceptional students from schools across the country. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools could make up snow days on four Wednesdays

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Oak Ridge Schools could make up two snow days by having students attend school for a full day, rather than being dismissed early, on four Wednesdays in March and April, officials said. That plan hinges on state approval of a three-day waiver that Tennessee school systems can request because a state of emergency that was declared during the winter weather in the second half of February.

Tracey Beckendorf-Edou, superintendent of teaching and learning, said Oak Ridge Schools used eight snow days this year. She said that’s the most anyone can remember the school system using. Students didn’t go to school at all on those days.

Oak Ridge had three snow days built into its schedule. Without a waiver, that would leave five snow days that have to be made up. But if Oak Ridge receives a three-day waiver from the state, that would leave a two-day deficit. [Read more…]

Council to discuss ORPD review, DOE landfill, Preschool

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Oak Ridge City Council on Feb. 9, 2015

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday, Feb. 9, agreed to a third-party review of turnover, morale, and administrative policies in the Oak Ridge Police Department. (File photo)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday could discuss a review of the Oak Ridge Police Department, hear a briefing on a proposed U.S. Department of Energy landfill west of the Y-12 National Security Complex, and discuss a new joint city-school committee that could lay the groundwork for a new preschool by the 2016-2017 school year.

The City Council will meet in a non-voting work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Multipurpose Room at the Central Services Complex on Woodbury Lane. The work session has been rescheduled from last month because of weather. [Read more…]

ORHS Orchestra, KSO present joint ‘side-by-side’ concert on March 10

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ORHS Orchestra and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

KSO Conductor Jim Fellenbaum conducts the ORHS and KSO orchestra members during a recent rehearsal in preparing for their March 10 concert. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge High School Orchestra and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will present a joint “side-by-side” concert on March 10 at 7 p.m. at the ORHS Auditorium.

The concert will feature three movements from Holst’s “St. Paul Suite,” the first movement of Mozart’s K525, movement one from Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 3,” and four movements from “Capriol Suite” by Peter Warlock. The KSO will also perform Movement Five from Grieg’s “Holberg Suite.”

Doug Phillips, ORHS Orchestra Director stated: “This joint concert allows ORHS Orchestra students to have professional musicians as their stand partner during rehearsals before the concert. The interactions are highly productive for motivating and inspiring students involved in the orchestra program.”

Education Foundation accepting applications for International Study Scholarship

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Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is accepting applications through Friday for the Dr. Adrian R. Lawler Exchange Student Scholarship, offering students attending Oak Ridge public schools or recent graduates support for participating in international study programs.

Lawler, an Oak Ridge High School graduate who was the second student in Oak Ridge to participate in an American Field Service international exchange program, established the scholarship to offer students opportunities to gain tolerance and an understanding of people from other cultures through international study programs. Lawler, a retired marine biologist who died in 2013, had designated the Education Foundation to administer the scholarship endowment.

The deadline for submitting the application is Friday, March 6, 2015. Applications are available through the Foundation’s website at www.orpsef.org under the Lawler Scholarship tab, and should be returned to the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, P.O. Box 117 MS-22, Oak Ridge, TN 37831. Applicants may also call Jessica Steed, executive director of the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, at (865) 241-3667 or e-mail her at Jessica.Steed@orau.org to request an application. [Read more…]

Reminder: ORHS Masquers present ‘Oliver’ from March 6-8

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ORHS Masquers Oliver

Pictured above are Lucas Potter as Fagin, Toby Taylor as Oliver, and Matt Harder as the Artful Dodger in the ORHS Masquers production of “Oliver.” (Submitted photo)

 

Oak Ridge High School Masquers, the school’s drama program, will present the musical “Oliver” in four performances in March.

The performances are scheduled for Friday, March 6, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 7, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, March 8, at 2 p.m., at the Oak Ridge Performing Arts Center at ORHS.

Director Dana Wham, whose first performance as a young actor was in “Oliver,” has directed, choreographed, or acted in numerous adult and children productions throughout the region, and says this year’s musical is the biggest the school has produced during her time as director. [Read more…]

Heitman wrote suicide note before death, report says

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Alexander John Heitman

Alexander John Heitman

Note: This story was last updated at 2:08 a.m. Feb. 28.

The cause of his death has been questioned for months, but information released Friday said a former Oak Ridge Schools employee found dead in Cocke County in July 2011 wrote a suicide note the day before he died.

Alex Heitman, 29, was the supervisor of business and support services for Oak Ridge Schools. Cocke County authorities said he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on July 25, 2011. The death was ruled a suicide.

But Heitman’s parents, Don and Annette Heitman, have been questioning since at least October 2013 whether their son’s death, which they call mysterious, was actually a suicide. They’ve been supported by a few residents and former residents and Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn.

On Monday, a television station in Madison, Wisconsin, broadcast a story on Heitman’s death and his parent’s quest to find answers. In that story, Don Heitman said “we just don’t have the answers to prove that it was (suicide).” In that same story, Baughn said the information collected so far “points to something much bigger than a suicide.”

But Heitman’s widow, Kristie Heitman, told the TV station that she believes her late husband committed suicide, and she found what appears to be a suicide note on his computer after he died. [Read more…]

Friday closings, delays: Anderson, Clinton, Roane, Oak Ridge

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Anderson County Schools will be closed Friday, February 27, due to the weather. The Central Office will follow the inclement weather procedure, and principals are to report to their schools.

Oak Ridge Schools will be on a one-hour delay.

Roane County Schools are closed due to snow and hazardous conditions. “Please stay safe and warm,” a statement said. [Read more…]

Thursday closings: Oak Ridge, Clinton, Anderson, Roane, Roane State

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Snow in Oak Ridge on Feb. 25, 2015

Snow in Oak Ridge on Feb. 25, 2015. Forecasters said heavy snow was expected across the region from Wednesday night through midday Thursday. (Photo by Mike Mahathy)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:02 a.m. Feb. 26.

Schools in Oak Ridge, Clinton, and Anderson and Roane counties will be closed on Thursday, February 26, because of the weather and road conditions.

The Anderson County Schools Central Office and Roane County Schools Central Office will both be closed.

Roane State Community College campuses will also be closed because of the weather.

ORAU’s Oak Ridge offices will open at noon on Thursday. Employees are urged to drive safely to the office. [Read more…]

Wednesday closings, delays: Anderson, Roane, Clinton, Oak Ridge

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Snow Sweeper at Oak Ridge High School

A tractor with sweeping equipment helps remove snow from the Oak Ridge High School parking lot on Tuesday. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Anderson County Schools will be closed Wednesday, February 25, due to the snow received overnight and this morning. The Central Office is also closed.

Clinton City Schools will be closed on Wednesday due to winter weather conditions.

Oak Ridge Schools will start two hours late on Wednesday, weather permitting and with no roads refreezing, but will dismiss at the regular dismissal time—not the typical Wednesday dismissal time. [Read more…]