Oak Ridge Today

Applewood Apartments: Case that once called for $400,000 fine has been dismissed

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The rear of the Applewood Apartments building at 186 Hillside Road is picture above on Saturday, July 1, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The rear of the Applewood Apartments building at 186 Hillside Road is picture above on Saturday, July 1, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:25 p.m.

CLINTON—A court has dismissed a case that once called for a $400,000 fine against the owner of three now-vacant Applewood Apartments buildings on Hillside Road in Oak Ridge.

Charges against the original defendant, former Applewood Apartments manager Tammy Sandlin, have been dismissed, and she is the only properly named defendant in the complaint, Anderson County Circuit Court Judge Don R. Elledge said in a dismissal order filed Wednesday, June 21.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals had issued an opinion on October 15, 2015, that vacated, or voided, the $406,520 judgement against Applewood Apartments owner Joseph J. Levitt Jr. because he had not been effectively added as a defendant in the city’s lawsuit, Elledge said.

At that time, the Court of Appeals remanded the case, or sent it back to, Anderson County Circuit Court in Clinton for further proceedings, “including the filing and serving of an amended complaint or city warrant against Mr. Levitt,” Elledge said in his order to dismiss.

The Court of Appeals decision essentially said that Levitt has to be given a chance to defend himself, Elledge said during a motion hearing in Circuit Court on Friday, June 9. A jury trial had been scheduled for March 9, 2018. The City of Oak Ridge is the plaintiff.

But no amended complaint has been filed by the city since the Court of Appeals decision almost two years ago, and Levitt has never been served with an amended complaint, Elledge said during the June 9 motion hearing. [Read more…]

DOE not responding to questions about budget, Perry’s advocacy

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Energy Secretary Rick Perry drives a 3D printed personal utility vehicle at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility on Hardin Valley Road on Monday, May 22, 2017. His passenger is Craig Blue, director of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs at ORNL. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Energy Secretary Rick Perry drives a 3D printed personal utility vehicle at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility on Hardin Valley Road on Monday, May 22, 2017. His passenger is Craig Blue, director of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs at ORNL. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The U.S. Department of Energy is not responding to questions about Energy Secretary Rick Perry’s advocacy of Oak Ridge or the fiscal year 2018 budget request.

The only question from Oak Ridge Today that DOE has answered is: Will the department have a teleconference to discuss the budget request with reporters? The answer was “no.”

DOE, which could have a funding decrease under President Donald Trump’s budget request, has not responded to any specific questions about the budget itself. Oak Ridge Today has tried about a dozen times in the past month to reach someone in the public affairs office at DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C., using emails, phone calls, and on Wednesday night, a five-part tweet to active Twitter accounts for Perry and the DOE press staff.

Oak Ridge Today has sought information from the department since Trump sent the fiscal year 2018 budget request to Congress on Tuesday, May 23. Among other things, the news website has wanted to make sure that it is correctly interpreting the preliminary budget numbers published online by DOE. (See here, here, and here for more information about the budget request.)

According to the information Oak Ridge Today has received and reviewed, some Oak Ridge programs and sites could see funding increases under the president’s budget request, while others could see decreases. The programs and sites that could benefit include the environmental management program (the cleanup work at federal sites), Oak Ridge Office, and Y-12 National Security Complex. Those that could lose funding are DOE’s Office of Scientific and Technical Information, or OSTI; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, which is managed by ORAU; and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Oak Ridge Today has sent specific questions about funding for most of these programs and sites to the public affairs office at DOE headquarters, but no spokespeople have responded, not even to acknowledge that the messages were received or to reply with a “no comment.”

Oak Ridge Today has also tried to follow up on Perry’s pledge to be a strong advocate for at least some programs in Oak Ridge. Perry made the pledge at ORNL’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility in Hardin Valley on Monday, May 22. The pledge came after he toured ORNL, the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, and Y-12. During his visit to Oak Ridge and Hardin Valley, Perry learned about the planned Uranium Processing Facility and nuclear weapons work at Y-12, the environmental management program, and advanced manufacturing, 3D printing, materials science research, and supercomputing at ORNL. [Read more…]

Clinton has fireworks, other activities on July 4

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Clinton Fourth of July Celebration 2017

Activities for Fun on the Fourth in Clinton on Tuesday, July 4, will start at 5 p.m. Fireworks will start at 10 p.m. at Lakefront Park in Clinton.

Here are the activities announced by Clinton:

  • Backyard Bouncers will have a module bounce house,
  • bungee run,
  • all stars basketball game,
  • rock climbing wall,
  • 68-foot Army boot camp obstacle course,
  • 22-foot two-lane tsunami water slide with slip-and-slide,
  • race car combo with water slide,
  • human hamster balls with track,
  • pirate bounce house, and
  • trackless train that are available for the public with no charge. (Important notice: must have wrist band to ride)

[Read more…]

Manhattan Project program in Jackson Square on Saturday

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You can join Manhattan Project National Historical Park staff for a walk through Jackson Square on Saturday, July 1, at 10 a.m.

The program is free. It will begin in the upper parking lot of Jackson Square in front of the fountain, a press release said.

“During the program, we will discuss how routine, tradition, and the comforts of home helped keep Oak Ridge residents focused on the mission and not their hardships,” the press release said. “We will walk to the Alexander Inn Guest House and the Chapel on the Hill during the program.” [Read more…]

Public invited to free tour of Melton Hill Lock on Clinch River in August

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District and Tennessee Valley Authority invite the public for a free tour of Melton Hill Lock southwest of Oak Ridge at Clinch River mile 23.1 in Lenoir City on Saturday, August 19, 2017. (Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District and Tennessee Valley Authority invite the public to a free tour of Melton Hill Lock south of Oak Ridge at Clinch River mile 23.1 in Lenoir City on Saturday, August 19, 2017. (Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

 

There will be a free tour of Melton Hill Lock on the Clinch River just south of Oak Ridge on Saturday, August 19.

The tour has been organized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District and Tennessee Valley Authority.

The Melton Hill Lock is at Melton Hill Dam on the Clinch River (Melton Hill Reservoir) at mile 23.1 in Lenoir City.

Four groups of 25 will be able to tour the facility at 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11 a.m., a press release said. Pre-registration is required for all tour guests (including minors) at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080948a4a92eaafa7-melton. The deadline to register is August 11. Personal information collected during sign-up is used for security background checks.

Tour Details and Rules [Read more…]

City to host fourth preschool meeting, the last step in conceptual design

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Design concepts for the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool at Scarboro Park, as published in May 2017. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

Design concepts for the new Oak Ridge Schools Preschool at Scarboro Park, as published in May 2017. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The City of Oak Ridge will host a fourth public forum-style meeting on the Oak Ridge Preschool on July 11. It’s the last step in the conceptual design process, a press release said.

“Once plans are affirmed by the community, architects will begin work on construction drawings,” the press release said.

The preschool will be built in Scarboro Park in central Oak Ridge.

The July 11 meeting is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Scarboro Community Center. [Read more…]

Feinstein: President’s budget request could lead to 1,600 layoffs at ORNL

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Sign

Photo by ORNL

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:20 p.m. June 28.

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday said the president’s budget request for the next fiscal year could lead to a 33 percent workforce reduction at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. About 1,600 of the lab’s roughly 4,800 employees could be laid off, the senator’s office said.

Feinstein, a Democrat from California, and other members of the Senate Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, including Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, a Republican who is chair of the subcommittee, had a budget hearing with new Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Wednesday afternoon, June 21.

Across the U.S. Department of Energy, a workforce of 29,000 employees could be reduced by 23 percent at labs such as ORNL that are managed for DOE and not for the National Nuclear Security Administration, Feinstein said. (The NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within DOE.) That would be a reduction of 6,700 employees at the non-NNSA, non-weapons labs, the senator said.

“Every non-NNSA lab would see drastic employment cuts under this proposed budget,” said Feinstein, the ranking Democratic member of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. “We must change this budget.”

The potential layoffs at DOE labs would be the result of a budget request submitted by President Donald Trump to Congress on Tuesday, May 23. But the president’s budget request has not yet been approved by Congress, and it has run into bipartisan opposition. Some legislators have declared the budget request “dead on arrival,” and others have said they won’t even review some proposed cuts such as a 30 percent funding reduction for the State Department. [Read more…]

Bridge inspection to temporarily close one lane over Norris Dam

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A routine bridge inspection will require a single lane closure on U.S. Highway 441 across Norris Dam near Norris on Wednesday, June 28. The closure should begin by 11 a.m. and be complete no later than 5 p.m., a press release said.

Law enforcement officers will be on hand to direct traffic, but motorists should expect delays, said the press release from the Tennessee Valley Authority.

“Bridge inspections are a necessary part of ensuring these pieces of vital transportation infrastructure continue to operate safely,” the press release said. “We apologize for this temporary inconvenience of visitors to Norris Dam.”

July 4 fireworks at A.K. Bissell Park

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July 4, 2012 Fireworks

The Independence Day fireworks show in Oak Ridge has been scheduled for 10 p.m. Monday, July 4, at A.K. Bissell Park. (File photo by Charles Samuels)

 

The Independence Day fireworks in Oak Ridge are scheduled to start at dark, around 9:45 p.m., at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Tuesday, July 4. The fireworks show is sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge Community Band, now in its 73rd year, will perform prior to the fireworks, a press release said. The concert is free, but donations are accepted by the band to help cover the cost of equipment and other expenses. The music is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 4.

Anyone planning to attend is advised to bring a lawn chair or blanket for outdoor seating, the press release said. A safety zone will be established by the Oak Ridge Fire Department. Please sit only in the designated areas, the press release said. [Read more…]

National Park Service in Oak Ridge to move to Children’s Museum

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National-Park-Service-Employees

Now housed at the American Museum of Science and Energy, the National Park Service will move its visitor center and offices in Oak Ridge to the Children’s Museum in October, officials said Friday, June 16, 2017. (Submitted photo)

 

The National Park Service will move its visitor center and offices in Oak Ridge to the Children’s Museum in October, officials said Friday.

The National Park Service has a visitor center and offices in Oak Ridge as part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, a three-site park that was established in November 2015 after years of advocacy.

The visitor center and offices are now located at the American Museum of Science and Energy, or AMSE, on South Tulane Avenue. But that museum is closing as part of a land transfer related to the Main Street Oak Ridge development.

“We have been so fortunate to have been based at AMSE for the first 18 months of this new national historical park,” said Kris Kirby, Manhattan Project National Historical Park superintendent. “The staff and volunteers have been outstanding partners providing space and backup support with all of our activities. We consider the entire City of Oak Ridge to be part of the park and will continue to offer programming in multiple locations throughout the area.” [Read more…]

Manhattan Project program: Secrecy, Security, Spies at Turnpike Gatehouse on June 23

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The Oak Ridge Turnpike Gatehouse is pictured above on the west end of town. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Turnpike Gatehouse is pictured above on the west end of town. (Submitted photo)

 

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present a program on Friday, June 23, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Turnpike Gatehouse. The program will give visitors some insight to what life was like in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project with all the security, the need for secrecy, and the worry of spies, a press release said.

This program is free and open to the public. Parking is limited, so please try to carpool if possible, the press release said.

The Gatehouse is located at 2900 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Visitors can access the Turnpike Gatehouse from Oak Ridge by following the Oak Ridge Turnpike west as if you are leaving town. Parking will be next to the Gatehouse on the north side of the road. [Read more…]

‘Natural Synergy’: Photography exhibit celebrating impact of naturalized citizens on Manhattan Project opens Thursday

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Maria Geoppert Mayer Born: June 28, 1906, in Kattowitz, German Empire Naturalized: March 13, 1933 Received Nobel Prize: 1963 Died: Feb. 20, 1972, San Diego, CA

Maria Geoppert Mayer
Born: June 28, 1906, in Kattowitz, German Empire
Naturalized: March 13, 1933
Received Nobel Prize: 1963
Died: Feb. 20, 1972, San Diego, CA

 

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will host “Natural Synergy,” a photography exhibition focusing on some of the Manhattan Project’s most prominent scientists who left their homeland to be become naturalized U.S. citizens. The month-long exhibit will open on Thursday, June 15, with a reception starting at 4:30 p.m. The photo exhibit is sponsored by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, and Explore Oak Ridge.

Beginning in the 1930s, there was active persecution of religious minorities and political opponents, a press release said. As a result, many leading scientists, philosophers, and academics fled to the West, the press release said. A number of the refugees later joined the Manhattan Project, and the large number of refugees and immigrants working on the Manhattan Project gave the American nuclear program an international character unusual in such a top-secret program.

The “Natural Synergy” photography exhibit opens the day before a naturalization ceremony for new United States citizens on Friday, June 16, that is hosted by the National Park Service and United States Citizenship and Immigration Service. That ceremony is open to the public and starts at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce is located at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike. For more information please call Manhattan Project National Historical Park at (865) 567-6767.