Oak Ridge Today

Whitey Hitchcock announces re-election bid for county commission

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Harry "Whitey" Hitchcock

Harry “Whitey” Hitchcock

Harry “Whitey” Hitchcock has announced he is seeking re-election to the Anderson County Commission, representing District 6 in Oak Ridge, which includes the City Hall, Robertsville, and West Hills voting precincts, a press release said.

“It has been my honor, privilege, and joy to get to know and represent the very diverse citizens of District 6, a task I take seriously,” Hitchcock said in the press release. “When first elected in 2006, I pledged to

  1. help reduce crime,
  2. bring tax dollars back to Oak Ridge, and
  3. help re-new an effective working relationship between the city and the county. I feel that this has been largely accomplished, yet there is more work to do with a city-county partnership: housing, jobs, and retail development.”

Hitchcock said crime is everyone’s concern, and its cost cannot be overestimated. [Read more…]

DOE-NNSA, Tennessee to take part in regional exercise near I-40, Pellissippi

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The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration’s Radiological Assistance Program, or RAP, and Tennessee’s Offices of Emergency Management and Division of Radiological Health will participate in a Regional CAPSTONE exercise with activities to be conducted by Field Monitoring Teams in the public sector on Thursday, June 5.

During the environmental field monitoring and sampling activities, approximately 20 response personnel using radiation detection instrumentation and taking samples (soil, water, vegetation, etc.), may be visible by the public in the vicinity of neighborhoods and businesses north of Interstate I-40 and the Pellissippi interchange. The exercise scope is designed to focus on conducting contamination monitoring activities with the intent for the state and DOE/NNSA RAP Field Monitoring Teams to work together to improve the nation’s preparedness in responding to incidents involving the release of radiological materials, a press release said.

Guest column: Oak Ridge Chamber endorses schools’ funding request

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Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce is pictured above.

Note: This is a copy of a May 30 letter sent to Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and members of City Council.

Mayor Beehan and members of Council:

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce has a long-standing tradition of supporting education in our community.

Education is critical in the development of the workforce and is the foundation for a community’s economic vitality.

Our Oak Ridge Schools is an internationally recognized system of excellence and is known for being a leader in new, innovative programs. These educational opportunities, rigor, and performance provided by Oak Ridge Schools have been, and continue to be, the key attraction for new residents to our community. [Read more…]

U.S. judge denies request to stop Lake City’s name change to Rocky Top

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Tim Isbel at Hearing on Lake City Name Change to Rocky Top

Tim Isbel, president of the Rocky Top Marketing and Manufacturing Co., at a federal court hearing in May on Lake City’s proposed name change to Rocky Top.

A federal judge on Wednesday denied for now a request to stop Lake City from changing its name to Rocky Top.

The preliminary injunction had been requested by House of Bryant Publications LLC, the Gatlinburg publisher of “Rocky Top,” a well-known bluegrass song closely identified with the University of Tennessee and its Volunteers athletics program.

The Lake City Council could reconsider the name change as early as June. The council endorsed the name change in November, and it was approved by the Tennessee General Assembly this year in a bill that has already been signed by Gov. Bill Haslam. Anderson County Commissioner Tim Isbel has said Lake City could become Rocky Top on July 3 under the new state law.

Isbel is president of Rocky Top Tennessee Marketing and Manufacturing Co. That company has proposed a development that could be worth up to $450 million over six years and include an indoor and outdoor water park, coal miners theater, children’s museum, train rides, restaurant, and a candy company on some 300 acres near two exits off Interstate 75. Officials have said it could bring 200 new jobs to Lake City and generate another $6 million in sales tax per year. But the project hinges on the name change. [Read more…]

Assistant public defender dies in single-car crash in Ohio

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Glenn Arden Shinaberry

Glenn Arden Shinaberry

Anderson County Assistant Public Defender Glenn A. Shinaberry, 29, died in a single-vehicle crash in Dayton, Ohio, early Sunday morning.

Shinaberry, a Knoxville resident, had been an assistant public defender in Anderson County since 2012.

WHIO-TV in Dayton said Shinaberry was a passenger in a Ford Mustang that hit a pole on a curve in front of the University of Dayton Arena at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday. The driver, who was not immediately identified, was taken to a Dayton-area hospital in critical condition, the television station said. [Read more…]

ORCVB could become city department as hotel tax collections fall

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Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Welcome Center at the Midtown Community Center on Robertsville Road is pictured above.

 

It’s now a city contractor, but the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau could become a municipal department, possibly starting this fall, under a proposal now being considered by city officials.

Set up in 1981, the ORCVB is the city’s tourism organization. Among other things, it helps present the annual Secret City Festival; promotes rowing, travel, and events; and operates a visitors center at Midtown Community Center on Robertsville Road. The contract with the city is its only contract.

The bureau is funded by hotel and motel tax collections. But those collections have fallen for the past four years, from roughly $550,000 in Fiscal Year 2009 to about $490,000 in FY 2013. During a Tuesday work session, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said there have been reductions in reductions in government travel and daily expense, or per diem, reimbursements.

As the hotel and motel tax collections have fallen, so has the value of the ORCVB’s contract with the city, from $404,208 a few years ago to $314,100 now. The percentage the bureau has earned from the hotel tax revenues has also been reduced during the past three years, from 80 percent a few years ago to 65.4 percent today. [Read more…]

Hackworth has meet-and-greet today

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Jim Hackworth

Jim Hackworth

Jim Hackworth, a Democrat running for Anderson County mayor, is having a meet-and-greet at 5:30 p.m. today (Thursday) at the Holiday Inn Express near the Clinton/Norris exit off Interstate 75.

The hotel is at 111 Hillvale Road in Clinton.

Call (865) 603-4225 for more information.

Pet drive, adoption fair at Animal Shelter on Saturday

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Oak Ridge Animal Shelter

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

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Shizzy’s Doggy Haven in partnership with the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter are sponsoring a pet drive and adoption fair on Saturday. All donations from the event will go directly to the animal shelter.

Spring has sprung and that means the shelter is full of puppies, kittens, adult dogs, and cats that are looking for their new home. Drop by for some puppy love and a chance to adopt your new best friend! We will also have lots of silent auction items available including a grill donated by Home Depot.

We have amazing door prizes available from local sponsors and all you need to do to enter is bring an item the shelter desperately needs to continue to run efficiently. The shelter’s needs are blankets, towels, dog beds, crates and cages, cat carriers, dish soap, (he) laundry soap, cleaning supplies, dog food (wet and dry), puppy and kitten food, cat litter, newspapers, toys, stuffed animals, collars, leashes, and most of all YOU! [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…]

Oak Ridge Public Library celebrates 70 years, offers Amnesty Week

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Oak Ridge Public Library

The Oak Ridge Public Library is pictured above.

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To thank our community for 70 wonderful years, we are inviting our patrons to enjoy our week-long birthday party by offering Amnesty Week, exciting public programming, a library staff cookbook give-away, and cake!

When you return an overdue item—either in person or in the book drop—between Tuesday, May 27, and Saturday, May 31, enjoy fine forgiveness on those items.

Not sure if you have any overdue items? Need more information about amnesty rules? Come by the main desk with your library card.

During our regular 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning preschool storytime, we will offer a topic of “Classic Tales.” This program will highlight bestsellers through the years and some titles that have been in our collection since the 1940s.

On Thursday, May 29, we will begin giving away copies of our 2014 Library Staff Cookbook and serving our birthday cake at 1 p.m. in the Library Auditorium. Come in, get a slice of cake, and stay for the adult programs we are offering afterward. [Read more…]

Sewer rehab work continues this week

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More rehabilitation work of the city’s sewer collection pipes is scheduled to continue this week.

The work is being done by Hurst Excavating and Morgan Contracting under contract with the City of Oak Ridge. It includes rehabilitating sewer collection pipes within city easements in yards and in roadways, a press release said.

Residents should already have received color-coded letters and door hangers (orange for Hurst Excavating and purple for Morgan Contracting) providing general information and each contractors’ contact information. [Read more…]

Council to discuss Friendship Bell repairs, National Park designation

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Oak Ridge City Council

The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above during an August 2013 meeting. (File photo)

The Oak Ridge City Council will discuss possible repairs to the structure housing the International Friendship Bell at Alvin K. Bissell Park as well as a potential National Park Service designation during a non-voting work session this evening (Tuesday evening).

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at the Central Services Complex on Woodbury Lane.

See the agenda here.

More information will be added as it becomes available.