The Environmental Review Board will meet on Thursday, March 19, at 6 p.m. in the first-floor Conference Room at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston.
This is a change from the regular meeting schedule. The meeting is open to the public.
Metal powder manufacturing company investing $313 million in Oak Ridge, adding 620 jobs
CVMR President Michael Hargett, left, and Kamran Khozan, chairman and chief executive officer, joined local, state, and federal officials on Friday to announce they’re moving company headquarters from Toronto to Oak Ridge, investing $313 million and adding 620 jobs.
Note: This story was last updated at 12 a.m.
A company that manufactures high-purity metal powders and super alloys is moving its operations to Oak Ridge from Toronto, Canada, and investing $313 million here and creating 620 jobs, officials said Friday.
CVMR, which has operations in 18 countries, will use the former Theragenics building at Horizon Center in west Oak Ridge for its headquarters and research and development. The company closed on that building, which is on 21 acres, on Friday, but executives declined to disclose the sale price.
The first employee was hired Thursday, said Kamran Khozan, chairman and chief executive officer of CVMR (USA) Incorporated.
The company could expand that 65,000-square-foot building; infrastructure that is already in place allows it to be doubled. The company could put 218 people to work right away in its new headquarters and add 402 high-paying manufacturing jobs later, a state official said.
“I can promise you that this is the start of a wave,” said Randy Boyd, the new commissioner of Tennessee Economic and Community Development. [Read more…]
Anderson government closed; Y-12, Oak Ridge, UCOR, DOE, ORAU start late
Several inches of snow fell in Oak Ridge and across East Tennessee overnight. (Photo by Bruce Phillips)
Note: This story was last updated at 9:23 a.m.
Several inches of snow fell in East Tennessee overnight, and there are more closings and delays because of weather and road conditions.
The Y-12 National Security Complex is still clearing some areas at the site. Non-essential employees should delay arrival at the site until 11 a.m. UPF Offsite Offices also should delay until 11 a.m. Personnel are urged to use caution when driving and walking throughout the site and to use designated snow routes.
Anderson County government offices will be closed Thursday. The Roane County Courthouse is also closed. [Read more…]
Roane County Commission has work session on Feb. 24
Oak Ridge Reservation Communities Alliance meets Feb. 4
The Oak Ridge Reservation Communities Alliance will meet on Wednesday, February 4, at 2 p.m. in the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, DOE-Oversight Office, at 761 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge.
The Alliance includes Terry Frank, Tim Burchett, Garland Lankford, Don Edwards, George Thacker, Warren Gooch, Amy Fitzgerald, Ron Woody, and Scott Stout.
The meeting is open to the public.
Guest column: Next six-month challenges in Roane County
Ron Woody
By Ron Woody, writing in the January 2015 “County Executive’s Newsletter to the County Commission”
“Next Six Month Challenges”
As we begin the next calendar year, we thought it would be appropriate to identify some challenges which will come before commission in the next six months. As always, the beginning of the calendar year starts the annual budget process. Commission has made many major steps over the last number of years in establishing a more formal budget development process as budget focus has been divided into operating budgets and capital budget. We are not to the point we should be yet in both funding and understanding, but much as been accomplished and that I call a success.
Now to our six-month challenges:
- More deployment of capital budget. We plan on working on this in February and March. The questions to be answered are:Â Are we setting aside enough funds for replacement of our assets? Where do these set-aside funds come from and how do we protect these funds from competing services?
- Insuring that the county has a successful reappraisal program which includes not only accurate value but an understanding of the reappraisal impact.
- Funding of operational budgets which are either strained (general government) or suffering major loses (schools).
- Educational plans of capital improvements and related funding whether consolidation of schools are considered or not.
New Fit Club will have monthly hikes on Fridays
Join the Friday Fit Club and hit the trail for a fun new experience, a press release said.
Covenant Health affiliates Methodist Medical Center and Roane Medical Center are joining together with the Anderson and Roane County Parks and Recreation Departments to create a Friday Fit Club, which will meet for monthly hikes.
If you enjoy hiking and are interested in participating in the Friday Fit Club, you are encouraged to attend a planning meeting on Friday, January 9, from 8:45-10 a.m. in the Ridge Conference Room at Methodist Medical Center, located at 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.
Light refreshments will be served, and registration is required. Call (865) 835-4662 to register by January 6.
Roane County Executive Woody to discuss county issues at Lunch With the League
Ron Woody
Roane County Executive Ron Woody will discuss what is happening in Roane County and why it is important to Oak Ridge residents during the first Lunch with the League on Tuesday, January 6. The program will start at noon in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church’s new location at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
“A significant portion of Oak Ridge is located in Roane County, and Roane County government is planning for the future,” a press release said. “Mr. Woody will give his perspective on issues facing the Roane County and an update on the state of the county. The presentation will address education, property reappraisal, business recruitment, and development of tourism and funding of public services. A question-and-answer period will follow the presentation.” [Read more…]
TVA: Kingston Ash Recovery Project follows new EPA guidelines
Photo courtesy TVA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for coal combustion products released on Friday are consistent with work the Tennessee Valley Authority has already done at the Kingston recovery project, the public utility said in a press release.
“TVA is already making substantial changes in the way we work with coal combustion products, including coal ash and gypsum, said TVA President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson. “This included committing an estimated $2 billion to convert all our coal fleet impoundments from wet to dry storage. While recognizing the significant potential for beneficial reuse of ash and other products, we agree it needs to be handled and stored safely.â€
The project area surrounding the Kingston Fossil Plant near Harriman is in the final restoration stage following the coal ash spill in December 2008. It was the largest ash spill in U.S. history. [Read more…]
TVA: Kingston Ash Recovery Project nears completion
TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Dike C reinforcement (Photos courtesy TVA)
The Tennessee Valley Authority is in the final stages of the Kingston recovery project. The public utility says it’s fulfilling a promise to restore the area surrounding the Kingston Fossil Plant near Harriman following the coal ash spill in December 2008, the largest ash spill in U.S. history.
A major milestone was reached in early December, with the completion of the cover for a 240-acre permanent ash retention landfill. The new landfill, which has been fortified with an underground earthquake-resistant wall anchored in bedrock, is covered by a flexible-membrane liner and geo-composite fabric, two feet of clay, topsoil, and grass.
“We all know this incident shouldn’t have happened,†said TVA President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson, who visited the recovery site on December 17. “But we have learned from it and we are fulfilling our commitment to making it right.â€
TVA says it’s also keeping its promise by returning the Emory River and surrounding waterways to pre-spill conditions, reforesting and adding vegetation to surrounding land, stabilizing shorelines, and adding wetlands and other wildlife habitats. TVA has opened Lakeshore Park, which features 32 acres of walking trails, fishing piers, a boat ramp, and docks. [Read more…]
Oak Ridge celebrates 200th anniversary of national anthem on Sunday
The City of Oak Ridge will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the national anthem on Sunday afternoon at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. (Submitted image)
Oak Ridge will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the national anthem on Sunday afternoon at the Oak Ridge Civic Center Amphitheater.
The Star-Spangled Banner Day celebration starts at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The Oak Ridge Civic Center complex is located at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
A short program honoring the national anthem will begin at 4:30 p.m., and the national anthem will be sung at 5:00 p.m., a press release said.
“We’d like to invite families across Tennessee to join America’s Secret City in honoring this important national anniversary,†said Jane Miller, Oak Ridge mayor pro tem. “This will be a wonderful event as we celebrate the birthday of our national anthem and pay honor to the great United States of America.â€
The event is jointly sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge, Anderson County, Roane County, the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Knoxville/Oak Ridge Staybridge Suites Hotel, and the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. Everyone is invited to this community event, the press release said. Families are welcome to bring their own chairs and blankets to sit on. [Read more…]
Roane economic development group considers distribution of public image funds
The Roane County Economic Development Foundation will meet in a special meeting at 9 a.m. Monday, September 8, at Kingston City Hall to consider the distribution of public image funds.
Participants will include Roane County Economic Development Foundation members, Tennessee Valley Authority Senior Vice President Bob Deacy, TVA Senior Vice President John Bradley, TVA Vice President Justin Maierhofer, TVA Senior Manager Leslie Nale, Roane County Executive Ron Woody, Kingston Mayor Troy Beets, Harriman Mayor Chris Mason, and Rockwood Mayor Jim Watts.
Kingston City Hall is at 900 Waterford Place in Kingston.
TVA said its support for economic development priorities in Roane County and its communities are an important part of TVA’s commitment to contribute to the area’s long-term development.
