Oak Ridge Today

State, SL Tennessee announce 1,000 new jobs in Clinton

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CLINTON—Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty, along with SL Tennessee LLC officials, announced Friday that the company will build a new 250,000 square foot building to join its two existing facilities in the Clinton/I-75 Industrial Park, a Select Tennessee Certified Site. The South Korean automotive parts manufacturer will invest $80.5 million and create 1,000 new jobs in Anderson County. Located in Clinton since 2001, this will be the company’s fifth expansion.

“I want to congratulate SL Tennessee on its latest expansion and thank the company for the 1,000 new jobs created in Clinton,” Haslam said. “SL Tennessee has been an outstanding corporate citizen in Anderson County for nearly 15 years, and we are grateful to the company for bringing us one step closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”

“Tennessee has the greatest concentration of automotive industry employment in the South and with the addition of 1,000 new jobs from today’s announcement, we continue to build on this momentum,” Hagerty said. “Upon completion of this project, SL Tennessee will more than double its workforce, making it the largest employer in Clinton and one of the largest in Anderson County. I appreciate SL Tennessee’s continued investment in our state and for providing quality jobs to our citizens.”

This is the second 1,000 plus jobs announcement in the past two weeks in the automotive sector. Last week, Volkswagen announced a $600 million investment in Tennessee and 2,000 new jobs being created in Chattanooga. [Read more…]

Haslam, SL Tennessee to make economic development announcement Friday

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Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Gov. Bill Haslam and executives from SL Tennessee will make a significant economic development announcement in Clinton on Friday, a press release said.

The ceremony starts at 10:15 a.m. Friday at SL Tennessee at 311 Frank L. Diggs Drive.

Others expected to attend include U.S. senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker; Rep. Chuck Fleischmann; Y.K. Woo, SL America president; Scott Laska, SL Tennessee business development manager; Clinton Mayor Scott Burton; Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank; and other local elected officials.

Clinton’s July 4 includes family fun, food, music, fireworks

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The city of Clinton’s annual July 4 event starts at 5 p.m. and ends with fireworks at 10 p.m. at Lakefront Park.

The city said there will be activities for the whole family, including a 68-foot Army Boot Camp Obstacle Course, bounce house, three-lane mega water slide, bungee run, home run baseball game, and module combo with water slide. All of those attractions will be available to the public at no charge. There will be free laser tag as well for those kids up for the challenge, the city said on its website.

There will be several food vendors set up in the lower Lakefront parking lot. A corn-hole tournament will start at 7 p.m., with registration beginning at 6 p.m. Trophies will be awarded for first and second place. [Read more…]

Clinton to receive Municipal League award for police service

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Clinton Police Department Badge

Clinton will receive a Tennessee Municipal League award for police service during a conference in Chattanooga on Tuesday, a press release said.

The 2014 Tennessee Municipal League Achievement Award for Excellence in Police Service will be presented at 8 a.m. Tuesday during TML’s 75th Annual Conference at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga.

The award is being presented in recognition of the city’s efforts to provide a model police department to the community, the release said.

“A culture of planning, caring and excellence; it’s what takes a municipal Police Department from ordinary to outstanding,” the release said. “And the Clinton Police Department is all that. A model of efficiency and outreach, officers—several with advanced specialty degrees—strive to provide the utmost in community service and training to area schools and other agencies, while being good stewards of the community resources. An extraordinary focus on communication among the department’s command staff is reflected in the city’s reduction in crime rate.” [Read more…]

Explore science through summer reading at Clinton library

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The 2014 Summer Reading Club at the Clinton Public Library will feature a variety of science-themed, educational, and fun programs to help fill your summer days. Children from birth through rising 12th grade are invited to join the free Reading Club that will run from June 1 to July 26.

This year, children will explore science through reading as the Clinton Public Library presents “Fizz, Boom, Read!” as its summer reading theme. Children may register for the Reading Club anytime from June 1 to July 7 at the Library or on the Library’s website at www.clintonpubliclibrary.org. At registration, children will receive a reading log to track the books they read throughout the summer. Children who reach the reading goal set for their age group can claim a special prize at the Water Science Fun Finale on July 19 at 1 p.m. or anytime during the following week. They will also be entered into a drawing for other great prizes.

Summer Reading Club programs will kick off on June 9 at 1 p.m. with Royal Magic Events. It will be an afternoon of face painting, balloon animals, and magic! Other special events for the whole family include a presentation by Mr. Bond the Science Guy on July 7 at 1 p.m. and a Lego Club for the entire family every Thursday at 4 p.m. [Read more…]

Clinton trash collection one day late during holiday week

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The weekly household trash collection in Clinton will be running one day late next week, the week of Memorial Day (May 25-31).

Clinton Council approves budget on first reading

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Information from WYSH Radio

Meeting Monday night, the Clinton City Council approved the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 on first reading. The $10.7 million budget keeps the city’s tax rate steady at 76 cents per $100 of assessed value while allowing the city to give its employees 2 percent pay raises and continue to cover 100 percent of those workers’ health and dental benefits.

The second and final reading of the budget is set for June 19.

Clinton Public Library seeking teen volunteers for summer

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The Clinton Public Library is seeking teen volunteers to assist with its Summer Reading Club.

Volunteers are needed to register children for the Reading Club, assist at programs, help prepare for story times, and more!  All teens interested in volunteering at the Library this summer must attend an informational session on Monday, May 19, at either 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. Please bring your calendar with you!

The Clinton Public Library is located at 118 S. Hicks Street in Clinton.  For more information, call the library at (865) 457-0519.

Local agencies prepare for Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Fair

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American Red Cross Logo

The Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Fair will be held Saturday, May 10, at the Clinton Community Center from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. This is an event for the entire family, and admission is free, a press release said.

Hosted by the City of Clinton, the Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Fair is presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, American Red Cross, The Clinton Baptist Association, and sponsored by Bechtel, ORAU, ORNL Federal Credit Union, and the Anderson County Mayor’s Office.  The objective is to bring together government and civic organizations, emergency management personnel, and volunteers to give families, businesses, and communities the opportunity to better prepare for all types of disasters and emergencies, the press release said. The fair will help attendees develop their family disaster plan, receive preparedness tips, and learn more about preparedness in the community. [Read more…]

Zoning case against Davis dismissed

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Information from WYSH Radio

The citation against Clinton CPA Teddy Davis over an alleged zoning violation was dismissed Tuesday in Clinton City Court.

Davis was issued a citation last summer after someone complained that he was living in a camper on his property on Seivers Boulevard. Davis said he slept in the camper only a few nights while his refinished hardwood floors dried and, to protest the citation, erected a tent in his front yard and began sleeping in a cot on the property. He also put up a sign that said the city has violated his constitutional rights, a sign he says will remain until city officials admit to the accusation.

Davis is the campaign treasurer for Phil Harber, a Clinton attorney seeking the Republican nomination for Anderson County chancellor, and he said the city did not begin targeting him until that was announced. [Read more…]

State high court declines to hear appeal in Rogers, Clinton suit

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Information from WYSH Radio

Last week, the Tennessee Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against the city of Clinton and a road-paving company, effectively ending a nearly 20-year-old legal battle.

A grassroots organization called Citizens for Safety and Clean Air made up of Norris residents formed to fight plans by the Rogers Group to reopen a rock quarry and build an asphalt plant on land in the Bethel community annexed several years ago by the city of Clinton. The group filed a lawsuit in Anderson County Chancery Court to stop those plans from going forward, alleging that the city’s rezoning of the property for heavy industrial use constituted illegal spot zoning and that the project would cause increases in heavy truck traffic and air and noise pollution.

Chancellor William Lantrip dismissed the suit, saying that zoning is essentially a legislative matter and not the domain of the courts. An appeals court agreed last fall, and last week, the state’s high court declined to hear the case, essentially clearing the way for the project to move forward.

Watch hockey, support library

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East Tennessee libraries are calling attention to local libraries and funding support with a unique multi-library event.

As libraries across the state spotlight the value of libraries with local Geek the Library campaigns, East Tennessee libraries are joining together for an exciting group event at the March 1 home game of the Knoxville Ice Bears professional hockey team. The game will be held at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, where the Knoxville Ice Bears will take on the Bloomington Thunder. The game starts at 7:30 pm. March 1.

Library supporters are invited to join in and “get their geek on” in support of public libraries in Tennessee. Local libraries participating in this event include the Clinton Public Library, Meigs County Public Library, and the Englewood Public Library, among others. They invite everyone in the community to come out and enjoy the hockey game with them while showing support for public libraries. [Read more…]