Oak Ridge Today

Election is Thursday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Anderson County general election and state and federal primary elections are Thursday.

Competitive races include the Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senate, Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives in District 33 in Anderson County, an Anderson County Commission seat in District 6 in Oak Ridge, and seats on the Anderson County School Board.

Voters can cast ballots in the county general election and either the Democratic or Republican state and federal primary election.

[Read more…]

Candidate forums this week

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

There are two forums this week in Oak Ridge featuring candidates in the Tennessee primary election and Anderson County and Roane County general elections in August.

The forums have been organized by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, and the public is invited.

Early voting begins in both counties on Friday, July 12.

The Anderson County forum is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 9. It will take place at the Oak Ridge Campus of Roane State Community College in Room 107 in the Goff Building.

[Read more…]

School staff not allowed to carry guns

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools will not allow teachers and other staff members to carry guns in buildings, Superintendent Bruce Borchers said Wednesday. Borchers made the announcement in a notice sent to school families.

His announcement came the day after the Tennessee House of Representatives passed legislation to allow some trained teachers and school staff to carry handguns. Republicans approved the bill in a 68-28 vote despite pleas from Democrats, students, and gun-reform advocates, The Tennessean reported.

“Yesterday, Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill that would allow teachers and other staff members to carry concealed handguns on school campuses should a school district decide to allow it,” Borchers said. “If Governor (Bill) Lee signs the legislation allowing concealed firearms in schools into law, Oak Ridge Schools will not allow teachers or school staff to carry firearms in our buildings. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and it is our core belief that our ongoing safety initiatives have a greater positive impact on our overall safety than arming staff would.”

[Read more…]

League has Brown Bag with legislators Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge will host a Brown Bag Lunch with the Legislators on Friday.

The session is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. Friday, April 26, in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, Senator Ken Yager, and representatives John Ragan and Monty Fritts have been invited to bring those who attend up to date on what’s happening in the Tennessee General Assembly, a press release said.

[Read more…]

Clinton desegregation book wins history award

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A book about the desegregation of Clinton schools won the Tennessee History Book Award for 2023.

The book is “A Most Tolerant Little Town: The Explosive Beginning of School Desegregation.” It was written by Rachel Louise Martin, a historian and writer, a press release said.

The award was announced by the Tennessee Historical Commission and the Tennessee Historical Society. The award prize includes $2,000.

[Read more…]

Household hazardous waste drop-off in Roane County on Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Roane County on Saturday, March 9.

Tennesseans are encouraged to bring household hazardous waste – including cleaning fluids, pesticides, swimming pool chemicals, and more – to a designated drop-off location, a press release said. A person does not need to live in the county to participate.

On Saturday, the drop-off location is:

[Read more…]

Freezing rain affects roads

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Rutgers Avenue is pictured above near Walmart early Friday morning, Jan. 19, 2024. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Freezing rain Thursday night affected roads in the region, and crashes, road closures, and icy roads were reported.

The Oak Ridge Police Department said the rain had turned most roads to ice.

“We advise that you do not travel as conditions may worsen throughout the night,” the ORPD said about 10 p.m. Thursday.

Friday morning, the department said police officers had responded to several weather-related crashes.

“The roads have had minor improvements,” the ORPD said. “However, there are still a large amount of troubled areas.”

[Read more…]

Learn about alternatives to death penalty

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

You can learn about alternatives to the death penalty during Lunch with the League on Tuesday, May 2.

Reverend Stacy Rector, executive director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, will be the guest speaker.

The meeting will take place at noon Tuesday in the Social Room of the Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. It may also be accessed on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89723362660?pwd=UkMxOVdzZExKamVwRWJxWHp0SlpjZz09

[Read more…]

DOE asks for public comment about ETTP groundwater decision

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The U.S. Department of Energy has asked for public comment about a proposed plan to reduce groundwater contamination in the main plant area of East Tennessee Technology Park, the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge.

Comments are for an interim record of decision. There will be a public meeting Tuesday evening in Oak Ridge.

“The proposed plan identifies enhanced in situ bioremediation (EISB) as DOE’s preferred alternative to remediate six specific areas of groundwater in the main plant area of the East Tennessee Technology Park,” DOE said in a public notice distributed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. “EISB is a method that involves using microorganisms to reduce contamination levels in these specific areas of groundwater. For these six areas, workers have excavated, or will excavate, the primary sources of contamination, as specified in the Record of Decision for Soil, Buried Waste, and Subsurface Structure Actions in Zone 2, East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (DOE/OR/01-2161&D2).

[Read more…]

Governor appoints new chancellor in Anderson County

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has appointed Wartburg attorney Jamie Brooks as chancellor for the Seventh Judicial District in Anderson County.

The vacancy was created when former Chancellor M. Nichole “Nicki” Cantrell, the county’s first female chancellor, resigned in January.

“Jamie is a highly qualified attorney who will bring significant legal experience to the Seventh Judicial District,” Lee said in a press release last week. “I appreciate his leadership and am confident he will serve Tennesseans with integrity.”

Brooks is currently a solo practitioner at Wilson and Brooks, and he has more than 37 years of varied legal expertise, including real property law, family law, wills and estates, and criminal defense, the press release said. His law firm page said he has has also practiced divorce, personal injury, elder, appellate, and real estate law.

[Read more…]

Breakfast with Legislators on Monday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge will host Breakfast with the Legislators on Monday, April 24.

The breakfast is scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the Social Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Senators Randy McNally and Ken Yager and representatives John Ragan and Monty Fritts have been invited to provide updates about what’s happening in the Tennessee General Assembly, which is the state legislature. Members of the audience may ask questions and give opinions, a press release said. A light continental breakfast is provided at no charge. The public is encouraged to attend.

[Read more…]

Eby elected chair of state school board

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bob Eby, left, has been elected chair of the Tennessee State Board of Education. Also pictured second from left are former chair Lillian Hartgrove, Vice Chair Darrell Cobbins, and Executive Director Sara Heyburn Morrison. (Photo courtesy Bob Eby/Tennessee State Board of Education)

Bob Eby, a former chair and vice chair of the Oak Ridge school board, has been elected chair of the Tennessee State Board of Education. He will serve a two-year term.

Eby was appointed to the state school board by former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam in April 2018. He was elected vice chair the following year. Eby represents Tennessee’s Third Congressional District, which includes Oak Ridge.

He will replace Lillian Hartgrove, who represents District 6, as chair of the 11-member board. Hartgrove has served as chair for five years.

[Read more…]