Oak Ridge Today

Traffic alert on I-75 due to bridge repairs, construction work

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Traffic Alert

The Tennessee Department of Transportation says bridge repairs and related construction work will require temporary lane closures in Anderson County. The lane changes will be through Thursday, May 5.

Interstate 75 Northbound will be reduced to one lane between Mile Markers 122 and 123 on Thursday, April 28, from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m., and then again on Friday, April 29, from 9 p.m. through Monday, May 2, at 6 a.m.

On Thursday, May 5, I-75 Northbound will be again reduced to one lane between Mile Marker 122 and Mile Marker 123 from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m.

Please expect delays if traveling in this area.

Information from Anderson County Sheriff’s Department

Oak Ridge mayor to give ‘State of City’ talk at Lunch with League on Tuesday

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Warren Gooch

Warren Gooch (Photo by Savanna Schubert)

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch will give his “State of the City” address at the next Lunch with the League on Tuesday, May 3. The talk is scheduled to start at noon in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Gooch was elected to the Oak Ridge City Council in November 2014 and later selected by Council members to serve as mayor.

Gooch received his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee with high honors, and he has practiced law with the Knoxville firm Kramer Rayson since completing his legal education at the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1977. [Read more…]

Reminder: Kickoff meeting for home energy-saving program is today

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The Make Oak Ridge Energy Efficient, or MORE2, program will be hosting a kickoff event for Oak Ridge residents on Tuesday, April 26, from 4-6 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Civic Center Social Room. The event is an opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about this new program for qualified, low-income residents in the community, a press release said.

Information on other energy-saving programs will also be available for those who do not qualify for the MORE2 program.

The City of Oak Ridge is kicking off the MORE2 program to perform “whole-home, deep energy retrofits” for 229 qualified residents in homes that are at least 20 years old. The project goal is to reduce electrical energy usage in all-electric homes to improve the quality of life for lower income residents and homeowners by significantly increasing the efficiency and comfort of their homes. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge could lose $500K-$700K per year under Hall tax repeal

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McNally-Ragan-Calfee-at-Breakfast-with-Legislators-April-25-2016

The reduction and repeal of the Hall income tax was among the issues discussed during a Breakfast with the Legislators on Monday, April 25, 2016. Pictured above from left are Sen. Randy McNally, Rep. John Ragan, and Rep. Kent Calfee. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 p.m.

Oak Ridge could lose $500,000-$700,000 per year in revenues if the repeal of the Hall income tax is approved, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said last week.

If Governor Bill Haslam signs a bill that the state legislature passed Friday, the tax, which was enacted in 1929, would be eliminated in the 2022 tax year. Haslam has not said whether he will the sign the bill into law or veto it.

If it becomes law, the bill could cost Oak Ridge about $119,000 in the fiscal year that starts July 1, or about 1.25 cents on the property tax rate, Mayor Warren Gooch said Saturday. The legislation would reduce the Hall income tax on stock and dividend income from 6 percent to 5 percent in the 2016 tax year.

The tax would be reduced by 1 percent per year after that until it is eliminated by 2022.

The Hall income tax generated total revenue of $303.4 million in Tennessee in fiscal year 2014-15, and $105.5 million went to cities and counties, with the rest going to the state.

On Thursday, Watson said the amount dispersed to Oak Ridge varies between about $500,000 to $700,000 per year. State data shows Oak Ridge collected about $708,000 in 2015. [Read more…]

Council could consider backyard chicken ordinance in May

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Mark-Watson-and-Kayla-Wyatt-April-19-2016

Pictured above during an Oak Ridge City Council work session on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, are Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, left, and Kayla Wyatt, an advocate for allowing a small number of hens at Oak Ridge homes. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 3:30 p.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council could consider a backyard chicken ordinance in May. If adopted, the ordinance could allow residents to have a small number of chickens, maybe up to a half-dozen hens, in places where they’re not allowed now.

Council is expected to use a Knoxville ordinance as a model. Knoxville allows domesticated chickens under an ordinance approved in 2010. An annual $25 permit is required to keep the birds, up to six chickens (hens only) are allowed, and they must be kept in a fenced enclosure at all times. They are for personal use only, and the slaughtering of chickens is prohibited.

Knoxville also requires a $50 fee for a building permit for the fenced enclosure and for a required henhouse, which must be covered and predator-resistant.

The Oak Ridge City Council could conceivably have several options in May: adopt the Knoxville ordinance without any changes, adopt a modified version of it, reject it, or defer it or send it to the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission for further review. Planning Commission can’t accept it or reject it but can recommend that Council do so.

Oak Ridge officials have considered allowing backyard chickens before. In April 2010, the Oak Ridge City Council voted 4-3 against a resolution that would have kept alive a previous proposal. Two current Council members, Charlie Hensley and Ellen Smith, voted in favor of referring the proposal to the Planning Commission, which could have then consulted with interested residents and other city boards. The rejected resolution also would have directed former Interim City Manager Gary Cinder to draft an ordinance to amend the city code. [Read more…]

Redflex proposes new handheld laser device that could be used to catch speeders, traffic violators

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Redflex-LIDAR-April-19-2016

A representative of Redflex Traffic Systems gives a brief presentation on a new laser-technology traffic detection system that includes video and can measure the speed of vehicles and the distance between vehicles. Charlie Buckels, southeast U.S. sales manager for Redflex, gave the presentation during an Oak Ridge City Council work session on Tuesday evening, April 19, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Redflex Traffic Systems, the company that once had unmanned, pole-mounted red-light and speed enforcement cameras in Oak Ridge, has a new handheld system that it says could be used to help make roads safer as the city tries to slow down speeding drivers. But the use of the devices hasn’t been approved yet, and one Oak Ridge City Council member expressed her strong opposition on Tuesday.

The new handheld LIDAR devices include a camera, and they can capture traffic violations on video. They use a laser technology to measure vehicle speeds and distances between vehicles, said Charlie Buckels, southeast U.S. sales manager for Redflex. LIDAR stands for light detection and ranging.

Buckels said the handheld devices could be used for both civil and criminal violations. In some cases, such as for speeding, police officers could use the devices and the evidence they collect to issue civil citations that could be mailed to the registered owners of violating vehicles. In those cases, officers wouldn’t have to stop the violators, Buckels said.

But in other cases—when a car is driving excessively fast or swerving, for example—police officers could pull vehicles over, Buckels said.

City officials said they have been discussing drivers traveling too fast on roadways in the city, including those coming into town on South Illinois Avenue in the morning and trying to get to work on time. Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said three City Council members have asked him to take action to combat speeding, and he’s had concerns himself about traffic on Illinois Avenue. Other roads cited by city officials Tuesday included Oak Ridge Turnpike, Robertsville Road, Melton Lake Drive, and Tennessee Avenue. [Read more…]

Animal Shelter cat, rat to appear on ‘Unlikely Animal Friends,’ a National Geographic show

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Batman and Pumpkin

Batman, a Dumbo rat, left, and Pumpkin, a FIV-positive cat, two mascots at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, will be featured on National Geographic (Nat Geo) WILD’s “Unlikely Animal Friends” airing 8 p.m. Saturday, May 21. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

A cat and a rat, both mascots at the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, will be featured on National Geographic (Nat Geo) WILD’s “Unlikely Animal Friends” airing 8 p.m. Saturday, May 21.

In September 2015, the Nat Geo WILD team spent a full day at the shelter filming, a press release said. Their focus was to show the unlikely friendship between Pumpkin, a FIV-positive cat, and Batman, a Dumbo rat. Aside from showing the friendship between the two animals, the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter hopes to educate the public on FIV-positive cats and promote adopting from local animal shelters.

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter is located on the east end of town at 395 Belgrade Road, and it currently holds a no-kill status, the press release said.

For more information about the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, visit http://animalshelter.oakridgetn.gov/ or call (865) 425-3423.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Breakfast with the Legislators scheduled Monday

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The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge will host Breakfast with the Legislators on Monday morning, April 25. The breakfast is scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center, which is at 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Senators Ken Yager and Randy McNally and representatives John Ragan and Kent Calfee have been invited to give an up-to-date as the 109th General Assembly comes to a close, a press release said.

During Breakfast with the Legislators, audience members can ask questions and give opinions. A light continental breakfast is provided at no charge. The public is encouraged to attend. [Read more…]

Running for Office Workshop offered at Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

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Bob Eby

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce is offering a workshop for anyone interested in running for local office on May 19 from 7-8 p.m. in the Joyce Conference Room at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The workshop is free and is open to the public.

Participants will learn about the process of running for office, gain helpful tips, and will have the opportunity to ask questions about what to expect.

The workshop will be conducted by Bob Eby. Eby has successfully run four campaigns over four decades and currently serves on the Oak Ridge Board of Education. He will share advice he has received from elected officials over the years as well as his own observations collected over the past 30 years. Eby will share his list of things you must do, the things to avoid, and things to consider in order to run a successful campaign. [Read more…]

County mayor’s office identifies top 10 property tax payers

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DOE generates largest county taxes; automotive moves up in rankings

From Anderson County Mayor’s Office

CLINTON—In reviewing a list of Anderson County’s largest taxpayers, one fact is apparent—the U.S. Department of Energy and a privately owned, DOE-related facility are the county’s largest source of county property taxes.

“DOE annually pays approximately $630,000 of in-lieu taxes for the property it owns in the county,” said Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank. “When you add to that, the $934,000 of property taxes generated by the private LLC that owns the New Hope Center at the CNS Y-12 National Security Complex, the combined total is by far our county’s largest source of property tax revenue.

“Ten years ago, Anderson County’s top three taxpayers were Bell South, Summit Properties, and Boeing Inc. This year, manufacturing makes the splash as Anderson County’s top taxpayer is Lawler-Wood LLC, formerly known as Oak Ridge Project LLC (at the Y-12 complex), followed by automotive giants Samlip (SL) Tennessee, and Magna.

“Other significant sources of revenue that should be considered include in-lieu of taxes for another automotive industry titan, Aisin Automotive, at approximately $1.2 million. In addition to DOE, our top ten this year reflects a substantial automotive presence.” [Read more…]

Endangered 8 includes Magnet Mills, Oliver Springs railroad depot

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Magnet Mills

Magnet Mills in downtown Clinton (Image courtesy East Tennessee Preservation Alliance)

 

A list of eight endangered historic properties that was announced on Friday includes the Oliver Springs Southern Railroad Depot and Magnet Mills, a former hosiery mill in Clinton.

The East Tennessee Endangered 8 is announced each year by the East Tennessee Preservation Alliance.

Here is more information from an ETPA press release: [Read more…]

Isbel withdraws from state rep race

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Tim Isbel

Tim Isbel

Information from WYSH Radio

Anderson County Commissioner Tim Isbel has withdrawn from the race for Tennessee House of Representatives in the 33rd District, which includes most of Anderson County. The seat is currently held by John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican.

Last week, Isbel had announced his intention to run against Ragan in the Republican primary in August. The deadline to withdraw from the ballot was noon today (Thursday, April 14), and Isbel has done so.

Isbel said that after speaking with officials at the state level and consulting with his pastor, he has decided to hold off on running for the Tennessee House for at least another two years. He said there are still “some great opportunities and tasks for the people I (currently) represent,” adding that he feels he is “best suited to help accomplish these tasks.”

WYSH will have more on this developing story on Monday on “Ask Your Neighbor,” when Isbel will join the Clinton radio station (AM 1380, FM 101.1) for an exclusive interview.