Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge receives $1.2 million grant for Rails to Trails

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The former CSX railway is pictured near Jefferson Middle School in central Oak Ridge on Dec. 30, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The former CSX railway is pictured near Jefferson Middle School in central Oak Ridge on Dec. 30, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The City of Oak Ridge has received a $1.2 million grant that it can use for the proposed Rails to Trails project.

The executive board of the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization approved the grant in October, said Ellen Zavisca, senior transportation planner.

It could be used for project planning and property acquisition for the Rails to Trails project, and possibly to start construction, said Jon Hetrick, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department director.

Hetrick said the grant was awarded by TPO, but it’s actually a Tennessee Department of Transportation grant. The city is entering into a contract with TDOT for the grant, and the Oak Ridge City Council could consider accepting the grant in July.

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson briefly mentioned the $1.2 million grant during a budget presentation to City Council members on Tuesday of this week. The city would administer the $1.2 million grant but would have to follow certain TDOT requirements.

The Rails to Trails project would convert a few miles of former railway that runs through the center of Oak Ridge into a bicycle and pedestrian trail. The railway runs from Melton Lake Drive in east Oak Ridge; past Jefferson Middle School and near the Hank’s Market shopping center in central Oak Ridge; and to the Y-12 National Security Complex. [Read more…]

Manhattan Project National Historical Park to welcome new U.S. citizens in Oak Ridge in June

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National Park Service Logo

The National Park Service and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service will partner to hold a naturalization ceremony for new United States citizens on Friday, June 16. The ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. June 16 at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge. The public is invited to witness the ceremony, a press release said.

Chief United States District Judge Thomas A. Varlan will preside. Amanda North and Natasha Loyd from Oak Ridge High School will sing the national anthem. The Oak Ridge Police Department will provide the presentation of colors.

“National parks aren’t just about scenic beauty,” said Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area Superintendent Niki Stephanie Nicholas. “Rather, they also represent sites of conscience, and commemoration. These sites serve as the standard-bearers of our shared history and what it means to be American. As you contemplate what it means to be an American citizen and these places that you now own, I would ask you to also play a role in protecting them and preserving them. Get out and explore.” [Read more…]

Proposed city budget would not raise property tax rate

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

 

The budget proposed by Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson on Tuesday would not increase the property tax rate. Instead, the budget would hold the property tax rate steady at $2.52 per $100 of assessed value.

It could be the 10th year in a row without a tax rate increase. That’s if the Oak Ridge City Council approves the city manager’s proposed budget.

Watson said it’s essentially the same budget as last year, with some capital improvements and funding for an energy savings plan for lighting, heating, and cooling systems in the city and schools.

Fully funding a request from Oak Ridge Schools for 2.5 percent pay raises for teachers and staff would require the equivalent of a four-cent tax rate increase, Watson said during a special City Council meeting on Tuesday. [Read more…]

Proposal to eliminate ARC wouldn’t affect current airport funding, but could affect future funding

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Image via Billy Stair presentation at Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority General Aviation Committee meeting on Wednesday, March 15, 2017.

Image via Billy Stair presentation at Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority General Aviation Committee meeting on Wednesday, March 15, 2017.

 

The Oak Ridge Airport project has received $2 million in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission, and that money wouldn’t be affected by the president’s proposal to eliminate the independent agency in the next fiscal year, a spokesperson said.

But future funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission will depend upon what Congress decides to do with ARC and whether it continues funding the commission, said Becky Huckaby, spokesperson for the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority.

The budget request released by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, May 23, proposes to eliminate the Appalachian Regional Commission and other independent agencies, providing funding only for the orderly closure of the agencies. The request would apply to Fiscal Year 2018, which starts October 1.

ARC is one of the funding sources for the Oak Ridge Airport, which could cost an estimated $35 million to $40 million and have a mix of state and federal funding, and local funding from the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, or MKAA. Besides ARC, other direct and indirect funding sources include the U.S. Department of Energy, which would provide the land; the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA; the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission; and the Tennessee Department of Transportation. [Read more…]

Storm damage delays opening of city pool in Clinton

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Information from WYSH Radio/Oak Ridge Today

Strong storms that rolled through the area over the weekend caused widespread damage and power outages across East Tennessee.

While this area appeared to escape the brunt of the storm’s damage, there were numerous reports of trees and power lines down. In Clinton, a tree fell across the fence at the Municipal Swimming Pool at Jaycee Park, damaging the fence and dropping limbs, branches and leaves in the pool itself. A second tree crushed the gate at the park’s main entrance as well.

The pool had been scheduled to open for the summer today (Tuesday, May 30), but that opening date has been pushed back to tomorrow. City crews will spend today removing the trees and repairing the damage.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said public safety agencies were very busy during the Saturday evening storm. The Sheriff’s Department handled 37 storm-related calls Saturday evening through Sunday, mostly due to trees and power lines blocking roads, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Fountain open again in Jackson Square

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The splash pad in Jackson Square is open. Here's a picture shared by reader Anna Freeman on Saturday, May 27, 2017. Pictured is her son Eli Freeman, 15 months. (Photo by Anna Freeman)

The interactive fountain or splash pad in Jackson Square is open again. Here’s a picture shared by reader Anna Freeman on Saturday, May 27, 2017. Pictured is her son Eli Freeman, 15 months. (Photo by Anna Freeman)

 

In the past month or so, we’ve had a few inquiries from readers about the splash pad or interactive fountain in Jackson Square and when it might open.

On Saturday, reader Anna Freeman reported that it’s open, and she shared a photo with Oak Ridge Today.

On Tuesday, the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department said the fountain, which some refer to as a splash pad, had been closed so the pumps could be repaired. It’s back open now, the City of Oak Ridge said in a statement.

Anderson County’s Memorial Day ceremony is Monday morning

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Anderson County Memorial Day at Courthouse

File photo from May 2015 by John Huotari

 

Anderson County’s Ninth Annual Memorial Day ceremony starts at 10 a.m. Monday, May 29.

The event will be held rain or shine, said Leon Jaquet, director of the Anderson County Veterans Service Office.

There will be speeches from Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, retired U.S. Army Major Jason Deel, and Clinton City Council member Zach Farrar, Jaquet said.

“The program will include a 21-gun salute and wreath laying at the Veterans Memorial at the Anderson County Courthouse to pay tribute to the men and women of the U.S. military who have given their lives to protect the freedoms we all enjoy every day,” Jaquet said. “The day itself is sacred, and veterans need no reminder of the reason for it. But what about the general public, and more importantly, the next generations? Everyone is invited to attend and show their support of our military past, present, and future. [Read more…]

Norris Dam State Park Pool opens for season

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The 2017 lifeguard staff at Norris Dam State Park is pictured above. They are, from left to right, Bailey Braden, Ben Vinsant, Emily Griffith, Chris Powell, Issac Ward, Jordan Goins, Devon Reeves, Kaitlyn Meyers, and Lauren Floyd. (Submitted photo)

The 2017 lifeguard staff at Norris Dam State Park is pictured above. They are, from left to right, Bailey Braden, Ben Vinsant, Emily Griffith, Chris Powell, Issac Ward, Jordan Goins, Devon Reeves, Kaitlyn Meyers, and Lauren Floyd. (Submitted photo)

 

The Norris Dam State Park Pool opens for the season on Saturday, May 27.

Admission is $5 per person for ages 3 and older, and $3 per person for campers and cabin guests. Pool passes are available for $140 for 40 visits.

Children age 3 and younger must wear a swim diaper/swimsuit at all times in the pool area, a press release said.

More information can be found here. [Read more…]

City manager will present budget to City Council on Tuesday

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson will present the proposed budget for the next fiscal year during a special meeting on Tuesday.

The special meeting of the Oak Ridge City Council is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 30, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom at 200 South Tulane Avenue.

The details of the budget haven’t been released yet.

The Oak Ridge Board of Education has adopted a budget that will ask the Oak Ridge City Council for more money for a 2.5 percent salary increase for teachers and staff members, but it’s not clear yet if city officials will approve that request. [Read more…]

Citing federal law, readers ask whether DOE can close AMSE, move its missions

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american-museum-of-science-and-energy-front-3-jan-2-2017-web

The American Museum of Science and Energy is pictured above on South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 9:20 a.m. May 25.

Citing a section of federal law, readers have asked whether the U.S. Department of Energy can legally stop operating the American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue and move its public education and outreach missions over to renovated space at Main Street Oak Ridge.

On Wednesday, federal officials said the law does not affect the current plan. That plan includes transferring the AMSE property to the City of Oak Ridge and then to a private developer, and moving DOE’s public outreach and education missions from the museum property to Main Street Oak Ridge.

At issue is an appendix in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, which is also known as Public Law 106-554 and approved on December 21, 2000.

In that law, there are sections related to AMSE in Appendix D, Title IV, Sections 401-404 (a bit before the halfway point of the document if you’re looking for them in the PDF).

Among other things, the sections say that AMSE—The Museum—is designated as the “American Museum of Science of Energy,” and it “shall be the official museum of science and energy of the United States.”

Also, the sections say the term “Museum” means the museum operated by the Secretary of Energy and located at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. That’s where AMSE is now. [Read more…]

Community meeting on new Oak Ridge Preschool is Thursday

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Preschool Flyer Meeting 3 (May 25)

Oak Ridge City Council voted during a special-called meeting on March 27 to select the Scarboro Park site as the location for a new Oak Ridge Preschool. As part of the ongoing dialogue with the community about this future facility, city leaders will host another public forum-style meeting at the Scarboro Community Center on Thursday, May 25, from 6 to 8 p.m., a press release said.

Two previous community meetings were held at the same venue, one on March 23 and another on April 20, to discuss the preschool. Members of the community who attended those meetings were able to see preliminary concepts, ask questions, and provide input on decisions, the press release said.

The City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools have been working to choose a site for the new preschool for about two years. Once the building is complete, the preschool will relocate from the school administration building on New York Avenue. Members of a committee formed to recommend possible sites looked at city-owned properties and a multitude of factors that would impact future students, their families, and the community as a whole, the press release said. Scarboro Park, the site ultimately selected by City Council and the Oak Ridge Board of Education, is across the street from the Scarboro Community Center on Carver Avenue. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Public Works has open house Thursday

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The Oak Ridge Public Works Department and Public Works Employee Relations Committee (PwERC) have invited residents of Oak Ridge to a Public Works Community Open House and Touch-the-Truck event on Thursday, May 25.

The event will be held in recognition of Public Works Week in the City of Oak Ridge and National Public Works Week (May 21-27). The open house will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Central Services Complex, located at 100 Woodbury Lane.

The purpose is to provide an event at which the community can learn about all the different divisions that make up the Public Works Department, a press release said.

“Public Works is much more than just water and sewer services,” the press release said. “They are, in short, the people who maintain and improve the systems and services vital to the city’s health, safety and comfort. Those systems and public services include, but are not limited to, water distribution, sewer collection, water and wastewater treatment, street, sidewalk, and storm drain repair and maintenance, stormwater management, public building maintenance and management, snow removal, and city fleet maintenance.” [Read more…]