Oak Ridge Today

TDOT: Section of SR 116 could be closed several weeks

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State Route 116 is closed Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in north Anderson County between Indian Fork Lane and Bunch Cemetery due to a slide after heavy rains on Wednesday, Feb. 6. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Transportation)

State Route 116 is closed Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in north Anderson County between Indian Fork Lane and Bunch Cemetery due to a slide after heavy rains on Wednesday, Feb. 6. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Transportation)

 

A section of State Route 116 in Anderson County could be closed three to four weeks after a landslide last week, a state official said Monday.

The closure was announced by Mark Nagi, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

The section of SR 116 was closed Thursday morning in north Anderson County after a landslide following heavy rains on Wednesday. The hillside alongside and beneath the road gave way, and part of the road collapsed. [Read more…]

TVA to brief Council on possible closure of Bull Run Fossil Plant

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The Tennessee Valley Authority's Bull Run Fossil Plant is pictured above in Claxton on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Bull Run Fossil Plant is pictured above in Claxton on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Tennessee Valley Authority will talk to the Oak Ridge City Council on Monday about the potential closure of the Bull Run Fossil Plant in Claxton.

The informational briefing is scheduled from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, February 11, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Training Room at 200 South Tulane Avenue. [Read more…]

SR 116 closed after landslide in north Anderson County

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State Route 116 is closed Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in north Anderson County between Indian Fork Lane and Bunch Cemetery due to a slide after heavy rains on Wednesday, Feb. 6. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Transportation)

A section of State Route 116 is closed Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in north Anderson County due to a landslide after heavy rains on Wednesday, Feb. 6. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Transportation)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12 p.m. Feb. 8.

A section of State Route 116 was closed Thursday morning in north Anderson County after a landslide following heavy rains on Wednesday, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The hillside alongside and beneath the road gave way, and part of the road collapsed.

TDOT spokesperson Mark Nagi said there is no timeline for how long the road might be closed, but it will be a long-term closure.

On Friday, WYSH Radio in Clinton reported that one lane of the road was open. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge dispatch switches to encrypted radio system

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Oak Ridge dispatchers and emergency workers switched to a new radio system last week that uses encrypted communications, and access is restricted to public safety employees.

That means that people who have listened to Oak Ridge police and fire communications, among other radio transmissions, on scanners and scanner apps but aren’t public safety employees such as police officers or firefighters will no longer be able to listen. That includes reporters.

“For the safety of our officers, the Police Department does not have any plans at this time to allow access to the radio system beyond public safety employees,” City of Oak Ridge spokesperson Sarah Self said in a brief statement Tuesday, January 29.

The switch was apparently made at about 1 p.m. Monday, January 28. Oak Ridge Today has not heard Oak Ridge dispatchers on the radio since then.

Oak Ridge Today asked what steps the city will take to ensure that people continue to stay informed at least about major police and fire incidents since reporters and the public will no longer be able to listen to emergency communications. [Read more…]

Friends of Oak Ridge Library has book sale Feb. 14-17

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Oak Ridge Public Library

The Oak Ridge Public Library is pictured above.

Friends of the Oak Ridge Library will have its Winter 2018 Book Sale from February 14-17 in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium.

The sale includes print and other media, most for sale for 50 cents or $1.00.

The sale will be open Thursday, February 14, from 5-7:30 p.m. for members only ($5.00 individual and $10.00 family may be bought at the door); Friday, February 15, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Facebook promotion; Saturday, February 16, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; 1/2 price sale; Sunday, February 17, 2:30-5:30 p.m., $3.00/bag; and Silent Auction, Thursday-Saturday. [Read more…]

‘Atomic Integration,’ photo exhibit on African-American life in Manhattan Project, opens Friday

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Photo by Ed Westcott via National Park Service

Photo by Ed Westcott via National Park Service

 

In honor of Black History Month, the Oak Ridge History Museum will host “Atomic Integration,” a photography exhibition focusing on African-American life during the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a press release said.

The exhibit will open on Friday, February 8, and it will be open every Friday and Saturday during the month of February, the press release said.

The photo exhibit was developed under sponsorship by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, and Explore Oak Ridge.

The images that will be displayed in the photo exhibit illustrate the experiences and contributions of African-Americans during the Manhattan Project period during the 1940s in Oak Ridge, the press release said. [Read more…]

Community open houses on City Blueprint this week

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There is a community open house for the draft City Blueprint Plan at Oak Ridge High School this afternoon. The open house is scheduled from 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. today (Tuesday, February 5).

There is a second open house scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 7, at Grove Theater at 123 Randolph Road.

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission and the Oak Ridge Community Development Department are continuing to accept citizen feedback while finalizing the content of the City Blueprint Plan, a press release said. It’s meant to be a citywide vision and guide for future growth and development in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Mental illness & capital punishment to be discussed Tuesday

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Sarah Graham McGee

Sarah Graham McGee

 

Mental illness and capital punishment will be discussed during a lunch in Oak Ridge on Tuesday.

The speaker will be Sarah Graham McGee, statewide coordinator for the Tennessee Alliance for the Severe Mental Illness Exclusion, or TASMIE, a press release said. TASMIE is a coalition of mental health advocates and other organizations that are educating Tennesseans about their concerns with sentencing those who have severe mental illness to death, the press release said.

The program is for Lunch with the League on Tuesday, February 5. The meeting is scheduled from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Free guitar lessons start at Senior Center

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Guitar Intermediate Class

Free guitar lessons for senior citizens will begin on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, at 9 a.m. at the Oak Ridge Senior Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike. This is a picture of the 2016 intermediate guitar class. (File photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

Free guitar lessons for senior citizens will begin on Friday, February 1, at the Oak Ridge Senior Center. Lessons for beginners are scheduled for Fridays at 9 a.m. with intermediate lessons following at 10 a.m.

Classes are open to area seniors age 50 and older.All levels of guitar players are welcome. Bass guitar lessons are also included and are scheduled for 11 a.m. following the other two classes. Wendall Cook, who has many years of experience playing and teaching, conducts the lessons. [Read more…]

City put brine on roads to prepare for winter weather

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The Oak Ridge Public Works Department said snow plows are ready if needed, and crews put brine on the roads on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, in an effort to reduce impacts on driving conditions from the winter weather forecast to start overnight Monday and continuing into Tuesday morning. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department said snow plows are ready if needed, and crews put brine on the roads on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, to try to reduce the impact on driving conditions from the winter weather that is forecast to start overnight Monday and continue into Tuesday morning. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department put brine on roads on Monday to try to reduce the effect that winter weather might have on driving conditions. Snow plows are ready, and the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Fire Department are preparing by bringing in extra emergency response staff, the City of Oak Ridge said.

Snow is possible, and temperatures are expected to plunge in the Oak Ridge area on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the seven-day forecast by the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The snow is expected starting overnight Monday and continuing into Tuesday morning. The low on Wednesday night is forecast at 9 degrees Fahrenheit. [Read more…]

Manhattan Project Park staff back at work after government shutdown ends

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The partial government shutdown that started three weeks ago has affected the National Park Service in Oak Ridge. There are no National Park Service staff members or volunteers working at the Park Service desk at the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge, as pictured above on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The partial government shutdown that started Dec. 22, 2018, and ended with a temporary spending measure approved Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, affected the National Park Service in Oak Ridge. During the shutdown, there were no National Park Service staff members or volunteers working at the Park Service desk at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, as pictured above on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Federal employees of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge, are back at work after the partial government shutdown ended Friday.

The shutdown started Saturday, December 22, and it lasted 35 days. It was the longest government shutdown ever.

During the shutdown, there were no National Park Service staff members or volunteers working at the Park Service desk at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. The National Park Service did not monitor or update social media and websites during the shutdown, and it did not provide visitor services at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, including public information. Also, all park programs were canceled.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park said its staff resumed regular operations on Sunday after Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed a short-term continuing resolution that re-opened the government for three weeks. [Read more…]

Council members suggest next steps for Main Street Oak Ridge

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Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

Most of Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above in this proposed plan from Nov. 29, 2018.

 

Oak Ridge City Council members on Tuesday suggested next steps for Main Street Oak Ridge. The discussion occurred about a week after Council rejected a revised plan for the second phase of the project in a 4-3 vote, creating uncertainty about what will happen next. The Tuesday evening discussion was meant to help guide Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson in his conversations with RealtyLink, the developer.

The four City Council members who voted against the revised plan expressed a range of concerns on Tuesday that included having a main entrance, ensuring that there is a way to get into and see the center of Main Street, and making sure the project is walkable and has a comprehensive system of sidewalks. Individually or collectively, they objected to the proposed layout of the buildings as the site prepared to welcome a second wave of tenants, advocated for a public forum on the project, and mentioned the importance of mixed-use development. (Mixed-use developments can include retailers and residential and commercial units, among other possibilities.)

The three Council members who voted for the revised plan continued to stress the potential benefits of welcoming four new national retailers to Oak Ridge, pointed out that RealtyLink has spent tens of millions of dollars here, and emphasized the importance of the potential sales tax revenues. They said those revenues will be crucial to help pay off such debts as the renovation of Oak Ridge High School. That debt is expected to spike in 2022 and 2023, about the same time as the city will permanently lose its revenues from the state’s Hall income tax, Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch said.

Gooch issued a dire warning about the possibility of city inaction bringing the project to a standstill on Tuesday.

“The clock is running, and it’s going to impact us going forward,” Gooch said. “I view this as absolutely imperative to go forward. The fiscal viability of this city is at risk.”

The Council members who have raised concerns and voted against the revised plan on Monday, January 14, have stressed the importance of making sure that the city and developer pursue the best development option. They have said they want to ensure the project’s long-term success.

Here is a summary of some of the city officials’ comments from the Tuesday night non-voting work session: [Read more…]