Oak Ridge Today



 










Second Y-12 employee tests positive for COVID-19

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above. (Photo courtesy CNS Y-12)

A second employee at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge has tested positive for COVID-19.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, the federal contractor that manages and operates the nuclear weapons production plant, said it learned of the positive test result on Friday.

The second employee is from the same work area as the first employee who tested positive, CNS said Friday night. CNS confirmed the first case on Monday.

The second employee was quarantined earlier this week and remains in isolation at home, and the affected work locations were disinfected earlier this week, CNS said Friday.

[Read more…]

Advertisement

COVID-19 cases up to 1,203 in Tenn. with six deaths

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Note: This story was last updated at 4:02 p.m.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee increased to 1,203 on Friday, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.

That’s up from 957 on Thursday, a 23 percent increase.

It’s up more than five times from 228 the previous week (Friday, March 20).

There are now four cases confirmed in Anderson County. That’s up from three on Thursday. It’s not clear if the four cases include the two that have been publicly disclosed, one at the Anderson County Courthouse and one at Y-12 National Security Complex, because it’s not clear where those two patients live or were tested.

There have been six deaths in Tennessee due to COVID-19 and 103 hospitalizations, the Tennessee Department of Health said in its afternoon list published Friday.

[Read more…]
Advertisements

Waffle House in Oak Ridge not among those closing

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Waffle House restaurant on South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge is pictured above on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Waffle House in Oak Ridge is not among the chain’s restaurants that are closing, but the Oak Ridge location is open for take-out orders only.

Some locations are closing as sales plummet as COVID-19 spreads and government officials sometimes prohibit certain activities such as dining in restaurants. Most of Waffle House’s closures are in the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions, CNN reported Wednesday.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Waffle House said that 365 restaurants would close and 1,627 would remain open.

But by Thursday, the number of closures had been revised up to 429, with 1,563 restaurants remaining open. About 22 percent of the chain’s restaurants are closing.

[Read more…]
Advertisement



Advertisement



COVID-19: 3 cases in Anderson; 53 hospitalizations, 3 deaths in Tenn.

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Note: This story was last updated at 2:55 p.m.

The Tennessee Department of Health on Wednesday reported three cases of COVID-19 in Anderson County; a total of 53 hospitalizations so far, although some patients could have been discharged; and three deaths in Tennessee from the contagious respiratory illness.

Oak Ridge Today has reported on two cases in Anderson County, one at the Anderson County Courthouse and the other at the Y-12 National Security Complex. It’s not clear where the third case is.

The total number of confirmed cases in Tennessee climbed to 784 on Wednesday. That was up from 667 on Tuesday and 615 on Monday. The total number of confirmed cases had increased eight times from 98 one week earlier, on Wednesday, March 18.

The state total may not reflect what is being reported in cities and counties and can be lower because there can be a lag between what is being reported to city and county health departments and what is reported by the state.

At least some of the increase in the state’s numbers has been attributed to more testing. But it’s not clear how much of the increase in the number of confirmed cases is due to more testing.

[Read more…]

Y-12 reducing UPF bus riders, staggering shifts

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

In this picture posted March 3, the roof is being raised at the Uranium Processing Facility Salvage and Accountability Building, and the second elevated deck is being set into place. (Photo courtesy CNS Y-12)

A federal contractor is limiting the number of employees who can ride a bus at one time to the Uranium Processing Facility construction site at the Y-12 National Security Complex and started the process of staggering shifts at the project to help keep workers separated from each other as the world tries to slow the spread of COVID-19, a contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly.

The changes at Y-12 were disclosed on Wednesday by the plant operator, Consolidated Nuclear Security, in response to questions from Oak Ridge Today after a plant employee tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

Oak Ridge Today had asked about construction workers being bused to the Uranium Processing Facility construction site from the east side of Y-12 each morning and whether the confirmation of a COVID-19 case at the 811-acre plant would affect those construction bus rides, including by possibly requiring employees to have some physical separation on the bus rides.

[Read more…]

Y-12 worker became ill before testing positive for COVID-19

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The sign at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Consolidated Nuclear Security employee who tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday left work at the Y-12 National Security Complex after becoming ill on Thursday, March 19.

In response to questions on Wednesday, CNS did not say where the employee worked at Y-12 or if they know how the worker was infected.

CNS said the employee has been isolated at home after receiving the positive COVID-19 test result, and the plant’s medical staff are coordinating with the Tennessee Department of Health.

“The employee’s work location was disinfected along with all other locations the employee is known to have visited,” CNS said. “The employee’s activities were reviewed, and everyone who is known to have come into direct contact with the employee in the two days prior to the development of symptoms is being contacted and asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines.”

[Read more…]

OR Schools will be closed through at least April 15

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

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

Oak Ridge Schools will be closed through at least April 15, Superintendent Bruce Borchers said Tuesday.

Students were scheduled to retun to school next week after a two-week spring break that ends Friday. But Tennessee Governor Bill Lee had asked all school districts to close through at least Tuesday, March 31. It’s not clear if that statewide closure will be extended.

In the meantime, Borchers said Oak Ridge Schools intends to use 10 days that it has stockpiled for snow and emergencies to extend its closure through at least Tuesday, April 14. That means the earliest that students will return is Wednesday, April 15.

[Read more…]

Y-12 confirms COVID-19 case

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Consolidated Nuclear Security on Monday confirmed a case of a person with COVID-19 at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

Information about the case was shared with employees on Monday, March 23.

“The employee is in isolation at home, and affected work areas have been sanitized,” said CNS, which manages Y-12 and another nuclear weapons production plant, the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas.

At Y-12, CNS said other employees who have been in contact with the affected employee have been asked to self-quarantine.

[Read more…]

Council declares emergency, suspends utility disconnects

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Note: This story was last updated at 3:43 p.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday declared a local emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and agreed to suspend the disconnection of utilities for non-payments for up to 90 days.

The Council also agreed to let the Oak Ridge Electric Department work with ADFAC, a nonprofit organization, to supply $100,000 worth of utility aid to help residential customers. Customers would have to demonstrate that they were either laid off or had their work hours significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The temporary utility policy applies to electricity, water, sewer, and garbage service. The city is not providing the services for free, so bills will continue to accrue even if they’re not being paid. Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said the city will work with customers to make payments once life returns to normal.

“We expect this is going to be very hard on people,” Suggs told the Oak Ridge City Council during a 90-minute special meeting at noon Monday.

In a Thursday memo, Suggs said the nationwide measures taken so far to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have dramatically affected many people in Oak Ridge.

“Hotel occupancy has plummeted to historically low levels while restaurants and entertainment venues have closed or reduced hours and services,” Suggs said. “As a result, many of these enterprises are struggling to meet their financial obligations. Many employees in these industries have been laid off or had their working hours slashed to levels where they are financially unable to meet their basic financial obligations.”

Complicating the situation: Schools have closed, meaning children are at home, sometimes by themselves, and social service agencies have closed.

Suggs said most utilities in the area have suspended disconnects for non-payment for now.

“This is done in recognition that persons who are confined at home, and especially those with children, require utilities for their continued health and welfare. This is an issue not only for the individual, but also for the community at large. The same thing can be said about the shutdown of commercial or industrial accounts. While the loss of one business is a tragedy, the loss of several accounts is a community disaster.”

[Read more…]

AC Courthouse closed after UT Ag Extension employee tests positive for COVID-19

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton is closed today (Monday, March 23) after an employee in the University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension Office tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on Sunday.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank was notified of the positive diagnosis late Sunday afternoon, a press release said.

Monday’s closure only affects the Courthouse, and it is not a full closure of county government operations. Other county government offices—for example, the Jolley Building, old DARC building (on Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge), the Animal Shelter, and the recycling center—will continue to operate with modifications in place, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and the Tennessee Department of Health, the press release said. Visit www.anderson-county.com for up to date information on operations.

The one-day closure will give Anderson County’s Buildings and Grounds team time to disinfect the building more heavily than what is already being done, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Blood drive at Civic Center today

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

MEDIC Regional Blood Center will have a blood drive today, Monday, March 23, in front of the Oak Ridge Civic Center. 

The drive is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

“While many are concerned about coronavirus or COVID-19, MEDIC wants the public to know that according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there is no known risk of transmission of COVID-19 through the blood donation process or from blood transfusions,” a press release said.

Blood centers throughout the country are experiencing a significant drop in donations, which is limiting the ability for the nation’s blood supply to be adequately replenished.

[Read more…]

With exceptions, visitors not allowed at MMC

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

With some exceptions, visitors are no longer allowed at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge.

The new visitor policy was effective at the hospital on Saturday, March 21.

Exceptions to the policy include:

  • Visiting a loved one for end-of-life care.
  • A visitor vital to the care of the patient.
  • Patients coming for surgery or testing may have one caregiver accompany them.
  • Women giving birth may have one birthing partner, doula, or caregiver.

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today