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AC Health Department offering COVID-19 assessments

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The Anderson County Health Department is offering COVID-19 assessments, Mayor Terry Frank said Wednesday.

People who think they may have COVID-19 symptoms can call the health department at (865) 425-8801 and receive a consultation and talk about possible testing options in the area.

“If you are ill and experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever and cough, shortness of breath, or breathing problems), it is recommended you call either your health care provider or the health department first so they can arrange for your arrival to minimize the risk of exposing others to an illness,” Frank said.

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Courthouse using one entrance; Senior Center closed through April 24

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Anderson County Courthouse
The Anderson County Courthouse on Main Street in Clinton is pictured above. (File photo)

Only one entrance is open at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton, and the Anderson County Senior Center is closed through April 24.

The changes are part of the county’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Anderson County government is providing government services to our citizens, but doing so with necessary precautions in place to protect employees and the citizens we serve,” said a press release from the office of Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank.

“The public is strongly encouraged to call for the assistance they need instead of person-to-person visits at the Courthouse,” the press release said. “Most needs can be met electronically, via fax, or telephone. Citizens are strongly encouraged to limit their visits to the Courthouse. It is extremely important that citizens who are sick and in need of assistance should remain at home and call for assistance.”

The following changes have been made at county offices:

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AC Courthouse closed after UT Ag Extension employee tests positive for COVID-19

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The Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton is closed today (Monday, March 23) after an employee in the University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension Office tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on Sunday.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank was notified of the positive diagnosis late Sunday afternoon, a press release said.

Monday’s closure only affects the Courthouse, and it is not a full closure of county government operations. Other county government offices—for example, the Jolley Building, old DARC building (on Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge), the Animal Shelter, and the recycling center—will continue to operate with modifications in place, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and the Tennessee Department of Health, the press release said. Visit www.anderson-county.com for up to date information on operations.

The one-day closure will give Anderson County’s Buildings and Grounds team time to disinfect the building more heavily than what is already being done, the press release said.

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COVID-19 confirmed in Anderson County

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The first case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Anderson County, according to the office of Mayor Terry Frank.

The Anderson County Health Department told Frank and Steve Payne, director of the Emergency Management Agency, about the first confirmed diagnosis.

According to the Health Department, the patient has self-isolated and the Health Department is currently engaged in education and tracing the person’s contacts. The Anderson County Health Department cannot release any further information about the patient, including a more precise location within Anderson County, a press release said.

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Presidential primary is today in Tennessee

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The presidential and county primary elections are today in Tennessee.

It’s Super Tuesday, and voters in 14 states, including Tennessee, will help select the Democratic Party nominee for president. More than 1,300 delegates are at stake.

Candidates still running for president in the Democratic primary are former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

Other candidates appear on the ballot, but they have ended or suspended their campaigns. That includes candidates who have dropped out in the past few days: Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, and Tom Steyer.

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Current risk of coronavirus is low, but schools, health dept. provide info

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The immediate risk of the coronavirus in the United States is believed to be low, but Oak Ridge Schools, Anderson County Schools, and the Anderson County Health Department are providing information to help respond to the emerging public health threat.

“Oak Ridge Schools is committed to keeping our students and staff safe and are currently working to determine the appropriate steps to address the potential coronavirus outbreak,” the school system said in a message sent to staff members on Friday afternoon. “We are communicating with the Anderson County Health Department to attain the latest information and recommendations from federal, state, and local authorities.”

Oak Ridge Schools said it will use that information to create a plan to keep students and staff safe.

“Staff, students, and parents will receive information regarding a coronavirus plan should the implementation of such action become necessary,” the message said.

The school system said it will communicate with students, staff, and parents about the importance of consistently practicing these recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

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Guidebook highlights Oak Ridge’s natural assets

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Oak Ridge Natural Assets Guidebook
Image by Legacy Parks Foundation

A new guidebook highlights Oak Ridge’s natural assets.

The “Oak Ridge Natural Assets Guidebook” by Legacy Parks Foundation is a collaborative project created at the request of the City of Oak Ridge, Roane County, and Anderson County civic and business leaders, a press release said. It’s in response to recommendations from the Oak Ridge Blueprint Plan that urged the exploration of both recreational opportunities and enhancement of the area’s natural assets.

“The Guidebook is intended to be a living, working document that will serve as a philosophical and practical set of guidelines for how to maximize the area’s natural assets so that they provide a sustainable foundation to engage residents, promote wellness, attract tourism, and increase economic development,” said Carol Evans, executive director of Legacy Parks Foundation.

The Guidebook identifies natural assets and related opportunities on public land in Oak Ridge, including U.S. Department of Energy land, but it does not consider future uses of that land for mission-related or growth purposes, Evans said.

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Anderson County Democrats host chili cookoff, auction on Thursday

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The Anderson County Democratic Party will host its annual chili cookoff and live auction from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, February 20, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center Gym at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Clinton Auctioneer Bear Stephenson, of Stephenson Auction and Realty, will conduct the live auction, a fundraiser for the Democratic Party. Homemade desserts and other items will be offered during the auction.

Chili chefs will bring meat and vegetarian chili to the gathering. Attendees will vote on their favorite chili prepared by local Democrats. Chili fixings, cornbread, desserts, iced tea, and other beverages will be served. The admission charge is $5 per person.

For more information, contact Ellen Faby at [email protected].

This press release was submitted by an advertiser or subscriber to Oak Ridge Today.

U.S. Census seeking workers in Anderson County

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The U.S. Census Bureau is seeking census takers in Anderson County for this year’s census.

Larry Carignan, a recruiter for the census in Anderson County, will be at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton on two dates this month to answer questions and help anyone who might be interested in applying to work as a census taker, a press release said.

Carignan will be at the Courthouse from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4, and Thursday, February 13, to recruit potential workers for the federal census in Anderson County. He will be set up next to the Courtesy Booth on the Courthouse’s first floor near the elevators.

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AC Commission schedules public hearing on TVA request for landfill at Bull Run

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The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Bull Run Fossil Plant is pictured above in Claxton on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Anderson County Commission has scheduled a public hearing to discuss a request from the Tennessee Valley Authority to build a 60-acre landfill on the Bull Run Fossil Plant site in Claxton.

The hearing is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Tuesday, February 18, in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse at 100 North Main Street in Clinton.

The proposed new landfill is known Site J, and it has been characterized as a three-cell unit capable of holding eight to nine million cubic yards of coal combustion residuals, according to a public hearing notice.

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Blockhouse Valley Recycling Center now open 6 days per week

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The Blockhouse Valley Recycling Center, on Blockhouse Valley Road in South Clinton, has expanded the hours that it is open to the public, a press release said.

The recycling center, once open to the public only on Wednesdays and a few Saturdays each month, is now open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, the press release said.

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AC Animal Shelter has new hours

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The Anderson County Animal Shelter has new hours, a press release said. The Shelter, located at 1480 Blockhouse Valley Road in South Clinton, is now open to the public six days a week.

The new public hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

“Since the small shelter first opened in 2016, due to staffing restrictions, the facility was only open to the public for limited hours on Wednesdays,” the press release said.

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