Oak Ridge Today

Council considers ORPD review proposal, ORHS stoplight, amendment for Main Street project

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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 and morale in the Oak Ridge Police Department but rejected requests for two other probes. On Monday, March 9, the Council will consider a proposal from the Municipal Technical Advisory Service to conduct the review, which will also include administrative policies. (File photo)

 

Note: This story was updated at 1:10 p.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday night will consider a proposal to use the Municipal Technical Advisory Service to review turnover, morale, and administrative policies in the Oak Ridge Police Department.

The Council will also consider a contract to install a stoplight on Oak Ridge Turnpike in front of the Oak Ridge High School.

Also on tonight’s agenda is a resolution to appoint members of a joint city-school committee that will study options for repairing, replacing, or moving the Oak Ridge Preschool.

And Council members will consider a zoning ordinance amendment that could help the Main Street Oak Ridge project, which will redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall. [Read more…]

Knoxville, Oak Ridge groups to march in Selma

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2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March

On March 8, Knoxville and Oak Ridge-based groups will march in Selma, Alabama, much like civil rights demonstrators did a half century ago. Members of various local groups will participate in the march to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March.

Planned by Organizing for Action, Northeast Tennessee (OFA-TN) and the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, the Knoxville area groups will join others from across the country—including President Barack Obama—to participate in the Bridge Crossing and Backward March. Like the historical 1965 march, the path of the commemorative march begins in Selma and crosses the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a total of six blocks. The march begins at 2:30 p.m. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Cedar Barren Cleanup near JMS is Saturday

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Larry at Oak Ridge Barrens Area

The annual spring exotic invasive plant removal at the Oak Ridge Barrens Natural Area will be Saturday, March 7.

Located next to Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, this Barren is a joint project of the City of Oak Ridge, State Natural Areas Division, and Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning. One of only a few cedar barrens in East Tennessee, the area is subject to invasion by Chinese lespedeza, Japanese privet, autumn olive, mimosa, Nepal grass, multiflora rose, and woody plants that threaten the system’s prairie grasses. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge to celebrate Arbor Day Friday

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The Environmental Quality Advisory Board and the City of Oak Ridge are sponsoring the 30th Annual Arbor Day Observance at 10 a.m. Friday, March 6, at Woodland Elementary School.

This ceremony also marks the 27th year that the City of Oak Ridge has been recognized as a Tree City USA. It will also mark the first year that the city will receive the Tree Line USA designation.

Tree City USA, a National Arbor Day Foundation program, recognizes U.S. towns and cities that develop comprehensive urban forestry programs. Tree Line USA is also a National Arbor Day Foundation program that recognizes utility providers who adopt best practices in utility line arboriculture. At the ceremony, district foresters with the Department of Forestry will present the Tree City award and flag to city representative Mayor Warren Gooch and Steve Kenworthy, chairman of the Environmental Quality Advisory Board. [Read more…]

Church Women focus on services for aging residents

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Note: This event has been canceled.

Cherie Phillips of the Anderson County Office on Aging will be the guest speaker at the Friday, March 6, meeting of Church Women United at Oak Valley Baptist Church at 194 Hampton Road in Oak Ridge.

“Whether you have retired, are contemplating retirement, or have friends and family who are retired, come find out what advice and services are available to the aging in Anderson and Knox counties,” a press release said.

The meeting is open to the public. Fellowship begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by a short meeting at noon and the program thereafter. Drop in and stay however long you can. For more information, contact Gay Marie Logsdon at (865) 483-7940.

CWU is a national interdenominational movement that brings together women of diverse races, cultures, and traditions in closer Christian fellowship, prayer, advocacy, and action for peace with justice in the world.

Closings: Oak Ridge, Roane Schools; some city, county, state offices

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Oak Ridge Schools and Roane County Schools are both closed today. So are Anderson County government offices, and the Oak Ridge Public Library and Senior Center. All other municipal offices will operate on a regular schedule.

Anderson County courts are also canceled, and daytime classes at Roane State Community College campuses, including in Oak Ridge, have been canceled. A decision on nighttime classes (those that begin after 4:30 p.m.) will be made later.

State offices are also closed because of the current weather situation in West and Middle Tennessee and forecasted winter weather moving east. [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…]

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…]

Weather: County Commission meeting, Habitat dedication canceled

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The Anderson County Commission meeting that had been rescheduled for tonight has been canceled due to the weather. It will not be rescheduled again, but will instead be combined with the regular meeting in March.

The Myrick Build Dedication that had been scheduled for Saturday has been postponed. Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County said the dedication has been postponed to March 28, with the same schedule of events.

Meanwhile, the City of Oak Ridge announced that Waste Connections will begin Wednesday’s routes today (Thursday, February 26) on main roads that are clear, and then go to secondary streets to pick up garbage and recyclables as the day progresses. [Read more…]

Anderson government closed; Y-12, Oak Ridge, UCOR, DOE, ORAU start late

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Snow in Oak Ridge on Feb. 26, 2015

Several inches of snow fell in Oak Ridge and across East Tennessee overnight. (Photo by Bruce Phillips)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:23 a.m.

Several inches of snow fell in East Tennessee overnight, and there are more closings and delays because of weather and road conditions.

The Y-12 National Security Complex is still clearing some areas at the site. Non-essential employees should delay arrival at the site until 11 a.m. UPF Offsite Offices also should delay until 11 a.m. Personnel are urged to use caution when driving and walking throughout the site and to use designated snow routes.

Anderson County government offices will be closed Thursday. The Roane County Courthouse is also closed. [Read more…]

Weather: County Trustee will accept in-person, postmarked tax payments through Monday

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Rodney Archer

Rodney Archer

Anderson County Trustee Rodney Archer understands citizens’ frustrations and concerns about being able to pay their property taxes on time, a press release said.

“With county offices being closed much of last week, and again yesterday, because of inclement weather and dangerous road conditions, it has made people nervous about being able to pay their property taxes by the February 28 deadline,” Archer said Wednesday morning. “The inclement weather that’s predicted for tonight doesn’t help that.”

The National Weather Service is predicting a 40 percent chance of snow today after 4 p.m., with increasing chances overnight, mainly between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. New snow accumulation of one to three inches is possible. A chance of snow continues through Thursday as well. [Read more…]

AC tax deadline looms, alternate plans being made

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Information from WYSH Radio

Anderson County property taxes are due on Saturday, February 28, but with the winter weather in the area, officials are making plans to allow citizens to pay those taxes without undue stress.

The Courthouse is open today (Wednesday, February 25), and County Trustee Rodney Archer’s staff is exceptionally busy as residents who have been snowbound have been paying their taxes steadily all day.

County Mayor Terry Frank said this morning on WYSH’s “Ask Your Neighbor” program that the Trustee’s office will be open—weather permitting—on Saturday in Clinton, Andersonville, and Oak Ridge so that you can pay your taxes before the deadline.

If the weather does not permit, property tax payments will be accepted as “on time” by mail as long as they are postmarked no later than Monday, March 2.

For more information, call the Trustee’s office at (865) 457-6233.