Oak Ridge Today

Pictures: Rep. Diane Black tours ORNL

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Diane Black Tours CASL

Rep. Diane Black views a 3-D visualization during a tour of the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photos by ORNL’s Jason Richards)

U.S. Rep. Diane Black, a Republican from Tennessee’s 6th District, visited Oak Ridge National Laboratory Monday afternoon.

Black received an overview of the lab’s research and development activities and toured the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, the EVEREST Visualization Lab, the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors facility, the Spallation Neutron Source, and the Carbon Fiber Technology Facility.

Here are a few pictures provided by ORNL. [Read more…]

Beer Board approves short September suspension for Back 2 Brewski’s

Posted at
By 6 Comments

The Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board approved a suspension of up to two weeks for a Grove Center bar that was the scene of an April 14 fight involving two men, including one who police said was very intoxicated.

But the beer permit suspension, scheduled to start Sept. 1, could be shortened to one week if Back 2 Brewski’s meets a few requirements, including proving that employees who need training on responsibly serving alcohol complete a course by Aug. 30. [Read more…]

Anderson Commission unable to resolve salary dispute between sheriff, mayor

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Note: This story was updated at 1:45 a.m. July 16.

CLINTON—The Anderson County Commission on Monday was unable to resolve a dispute between the county mayor and the sheriff over an annual salary agreement, meaning a judge could be asked to intervene.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank has refused to sign the proposed salary agreement for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. She said it includes about $7.66 million for salaries, which is roughly $1 million more than the $6.63 million approved by commission in June as part of this year’s budget.

“I cannot do anything more than what was passed,” Frank told commissioners Monday morning. “The only way I can sign that is if you go ahead and approve that new $1 million.” [Read more…]

Local legislators featured at Monday morning forum

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Randy McNally

Randy McNally

John Ragan

John Ragan

A Monday morning legislative forum in Clinton will feature Sen. Randy McNally and representatives John Ragan and Dennis Powers. They will update constituents and answer questions about recent legislation, a press release said.

The forum is sponsored by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, and it is open to the public. It is scheduled from 8 to 9 a.m. at the Clinton Community Center at 101 S. Hicks St. in Clinton.

Longtime county employee retires after 36 years

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Brenda McKamey Retires From Anderson County

Longtime Anderson County government employee Brenda McKamey, center, is pictured above with Mayor Terry Frank, left, and Budget Director Chris Phillips. (Submitted photo)

Brenda McKamey recently retired after 36 years working for the Anderson County government.

McKamey was hired on July 7, 1977, to work as a clerk in the Anderson County Budget Office. She was scheduled to retire on July 7.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank proclaimed July 7, 2013, as Brenda McKamey Day in Anderson County. [Read more…]

Peace group wants fence removed from longtime Y-12 protest area

Posted at
By 7 Comments

Y-12 Fence on Scarboro Road

The temporary fence erected at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex encloses an area, pictured above, that has been used for protests and vigils for years. An Oak Ridge organization that wants to eradicate nuclear weapons has asked a federal court to order the removal of the fence before an Aug. 6 ceremony.

Calling it an assault on their First Amendment rights, an Oak Ridge organization has again asked a federal court to order officials to remove a fence that blocks an area long used for protests, vigils, and demonstrations in front of the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, which opposes Y-12’s nuclear weapons production work, filed the preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court in Knoxville on Friday. The lawsuit, which amends a complaint filed in April, names new U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz as the sole defendant.

OREPA wants the U.S. Department of Energy to reopen a small grass field near Y-12’s main entrance at East Bear Creek and Scarboro roads before an annual Aug. 6 demonstration. If it is left in place, the temporary fence erected April 1 would cause “irreparable harm” to First Amendment rights—including the rights of free speech, peaceful assembly, and the ability to petition the government for a redress of grievances, OREPA said. [Read more…]

CNBC: Tennessee ranks second-best in America for transportation, infrastructure

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

For the fourth year in a row, Tennessee’s transportation system ranks as one of the best in the nation, according to CNBC’s 2013 study “America’s Top States for Business.” According to the report, Tennessee ranks second-best in America in the category of “Transportation and Infrastructure,” up from fourth place in 2012.

Tennessee is also the only state topping the list that has no transportation debt. Many states across the nation carry transportation debt and must allocate a large portion of their funds to interest payments, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Transportation. [Read more…]

Johnson Gap Road railroad bridge closed

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

Anderson County Road Superintendent Gary Long announced Friday that the railroad bridge on Johnson Gap Road will be closed until further notice while railroad crews make safety-related repairs. Johnson Gap Road is between Sulphur Springs and Dutch Valley roads northeast of Oak Ridge.

Price Florist gets another 30-day reprieve from demolition, repair order

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Price Florist

A city board has declared Price Florist on Oak Ridge Turnpike a nuisance and unfit for human occupation and use, and members have given the property owner 30 days to develop a repair plan, get a demolition permit, or reach an agreement to sell it.

Price Florist on Oak Ridge Turnpike got another 30-day reprieve from a repair or demolition order.

Property owner Patricia Warren of Crossville said she is cleaning up the property and has three serious prospective buyers. Two, including a chain that sells “products that you consume,” would demolish the building, and the third would relocate an existing Oak Ridge business from the edge of town to the 0.35-acre site in the heart of the city, Warren said. [Read more…]

In unusual move, Council removes Beer Board member

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday took the unusual step of removing a member of the city’s beer board after two members said he had been disruptive and argumentative, and turned what had been smooth-running and efficient meetings into “veritable circuses.”

The disruptive behavior of Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board member Pedro Otaduy had caused at least two board members to consider resigning, which would cripple the board’s ability to act, City Manager Mark Watson said. [Read more…]

TVA releasing dam water to reduce Tennessee River flooding

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority on Wednesday said it is working to move large volumes of water—as much as one million gallons per second in some places—along the Tennessee River system to reduce potentially damaging flooding from record rainfall.

TVA said it prepared for this event by lowering reservoir levels on the main channel of the Tennessee River beginning the last week of June, leaving some areas below normal for this time of year. [Read more…]

ORCVB budget cut: No layoffs, focusing on more events, weekend stays

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Secret City Festival Kickoff 2012

The Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau is one of three organizations that present the annual Secret City Festival. ORCVB President Katy Brown is pictured above, fifth from right, at the opening ceremonies for the 2012 festival along with other state and local officials.

Its budget has been cut 25 percent, but there will be no layoffs at the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Instead, the four-person staff will focus on attracting more weekend visitors to the Secret City and bringing in more events, possibly including those that generate fees. The organization could “own more events,” ORCVB President Katy Brown said, and rely on more grassroots efforts. That could include using more social media and travel writers.

“It’s going to be a shift,” Brown said Monday after the Oak Ridge City Council approved—in a voice vote with no opposition—a new one-year $300,000 contract for the ORCVB, the city’s main tourism organization. The funding is down from $410,000 last year. [Read more…]