Oak Ridge Today

Cole names Stephen McNally as treasurer

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Stephen McNally

Stephen McNally and family

 

Anderson County Clerk Jeff Cole, who is running for re-election, has announced that Stephen McNally is his campaign treasurer.

“I am pleased to announce my friend, Stephen McNally as my campaign treasurer,” Cole said in a press release. “Stephen and I share the same commitment to important values including faith, family, and community.”

The press release said McNally is a lifelong resident of Anderson County and currently lives in Clinton with his wife Christina and their two children. He worships and serves as a deacon at First Baptist Church, the press release said. [Read more…]

Arowood names treasurer, donates to students in South Florida

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Leesa and Chad Arowood

Leesa and Chad Arowood

 

Anderson County clerk candidate Leesa Arowood has named her campaign treasurer and announced a $250 donation to the Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund in South Florida to show support for students and families affected by the mass shooting in February.

Arowood, a Republican who is challenging Jeff Cole, the incumbent, has named her son Chad to serve as treasurer for her campaign for Anderson County clerk, a press release said.

“Chad is working hard and doing a great job in supporting our campaign for Anderson County Clerk,” Leesa Arowood said in the press release. “I’m very proud of him and appreciate his help to win this important election.”

Her son is pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Tennessee Tech University after earning his associates degree at Roane State Community College, the press release said. He also works at Appalachian Underwriters in human resources and maintains a property and casualty insurance license and an affiliate real estate broker license. [Read more…]

Anderson County Deputy Kim Lay named SRO of the Year

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Anderson County Sheriff's Department Deputy Kim Lay has been named School Resource Officer of the Year for Anderson County Schools by The Education Foundation of Clinton City and Anderson County Schools. (Submitted photo)

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kim Lay has been named School Resource Officer of the Year for Anderson County Schools by The Education Foundation of Clinton City and Anderson County Schools. (Submitted photo)

 

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kim Lay has been named School Resource Officer of the Year for Anderson County Schools by The Education Foundation of Clinton City and Anderson County Schools.

Lay is a 16-year law enforcement veteran, and she has served as a school resource officer, or SRO, for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for the last eight years.

“She is truly a dedicated, experienced law enforcement professional,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Driver seriously injured in crash with train

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A 22-year-old driver was seriously injured in a crash with a train in Anderson County on Saturday, authorities said.

The driver has been identified as Benjamin Sharp. After the crash, he was taken by an Anderson County EMS ambulance to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville with what were reported to be life-threatening injuries. Information on his current condition wasn’t immediately available Monday afternoon.

The crash was reported at about 5:30 p.m. Saturday on Patterson Lane off Old Lake City Highway.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said Sharp was trying to cross the railroad tracks to a home off Old Lake City Highway when the 2009 Jeep Commander he was driving was hit by the train. [Read more…]

Greenways Oak Ridge to be discussed at Lunch with League on Tuesday

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Dan Robbins Birdwalk

Dan Robbins, second from right, leads an ORICL group on a birding walk along a Melton Hill Lake paved greenway. (File photo)

 

Dan Robbins, chairman of Greenways Oak Ridge, will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League on Tuesday. His presentation will focus on the history, current status, and future plans of the Greenways Oak Ridge organization, which celebrates 25 years of existence this year, a press release said.

The meeting will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Robbins, who grew up on a tobacco farm in rural eastern North Carolina, earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his doctorate in analytical chemistry from Princeton University, then spent a year at the Technical University of Norway on a Fulbright post-doctoral fellowship. [Read more…]

Roane State partners with Bellevue University, grand opening set for Tuesday

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Roane State Community College Logo

Roane State associate degree graduates and those with 60 credit hours can obtain a bachelor’s degree in 18 months under an innovative new partnership between Roane State Community College and Bellevue University.

In the program, 100 percent of associate degree credits transfer to the fully accredited, non-profit, four-year university located in Bellevue, Nebraska. Credits aren’t lost, and classes don’t have to be retaken.

A grand opening celebration for Bellevue will be held on Tuesday, April 17 from
11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Atrium at the Oak Ridge campus, which is at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. All are invited, a press release said.

Students who attend the grand opening will have the opportunity to enter to win one of two $1,000 grants. Free refreshments will be provided. [Read more…]

Former ambassador to discuss Syria at Roane State on Wednesday

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Margaret Scobey

Margaret Scobey

Former Ambassador Margaret Scobey will discuss Syria at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge on Wednesday. Her talk is titled “Syria: Challenges to U.S. and Regional Interests.”

The community lecture is sponsored jointly by ORICL (Oak Ridge Institute of Continued Learning) and Roane State. It is free and open to the public.

Scobey’s appearance will begin with a reception at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in the Visitor’s Lobby of the Coffey/McNally Building, a press release said. Following the reception, Scobey will speak in the City Room, A-111, of the same building. After her presentation, Ambassador Scobey will respond to questions from the audience.

Scobey retired as career minister from the U.S. Foreign Service following a 32-year career, the press release said. She served as U.S. ambassador to the Arab Republic of Egypt from 2008 until July of 2011. Prior to that, she served as the U.S. ambassador to Syria from late 2003 until early 2005, when she was recalled in protest to the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Her last assignment in the Foreign Service was as deputy commandant of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. [Read more…]

JMS robotics team headed to world competition

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Three robotics teams from Jefferson Middle School competed in the FIRST Lego League East Tennessee State Championship at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville on February 10. The Atomic Eagles qualified to represent Jefferson Middle School and Tennessee at the FIRST LEGO World Championships in Houston this month. (Submitted photo)

Three robotics teams from Jefferson Middle School competed in the FIRST Lego League East Tennessee State Championship at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville on February 10. The Atomic Eagles qualified to represent Jefferson Middle School and Tennessee at the FIRST LEGO World Championships in Houston this month. (Submitted photo)

 

Three robotics teams from Jefferson Middle School competed in the FIRST Lego League East Tennessee State Championship at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville on February 10. The Atomic Eagles qualified to represent Jefferson Middle School and Tennessee at the FIRST LEGO World Championships in Houston this month.

To compete in the state championship, teams must first qualify at either the Knoxville, Nashville, Tullahoma, Bristol, or Johnson City competitions. The Atomic Eagles, JMS Master Builders, and Radioactive Brix all qualified in Knoxville on December 10, 2017, at Hardin Valley Academy.

At the East Tennessee Championship, the Radioactive Brix (team # 3131), including members Johnny Clark, Abby Ellis, Christopher Gorsuch, Roxanne Farahi, Eden Hatmaker, Wesley Hixson, Henry Landau, and Colby Lawson, finished the robot challenge game with a high score of 135. The team coach is Norma Franco and the team mentor is Justin Lawson. [Read more…]

Interested in teaching career? Go to Roane State Education Department’s open houses

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The Roane State Community College Education Department will host a pair of open houses April 24 and April 26 for those interested in pursuing careers in K-12 education.

Current students, incoming freshmen, and members of the community are welcome, said Stacie Bradshaw, associate professor of education.

One event will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in Room 336 of the Goff Building on the Oak Ridge campus, 701 Briarcliff Avenue.

The second open house will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, in Room O-224 of the O’Brien Humanities Building on the Roane County Campus, 276 Patton Lane, Harriman. [Read more…]

Roane State forum on Wednesday will discuss learning, immersive technology such as virtual reality

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A HoloLens, worn here by Roane State director of EMS programs David Blevins, is one of the immersive learning technologies that will be discussed at an April 25 forum at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus. (Submitted photo)

A HoloLens, worn here by Roane State director of EMS programs David Blevins, is one of the immersive learning technologies that will be discussed at an April 25 forum at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus. (Submitted photo)

 

How immersive technology such as virtual reality can enhance learning will be the topic of Roane State Community College’s Social and Behavioral Sciences Forum on Wednesday, April 25, at the Oak Ridge campus at 701 Briarcliff Avenue.

Stephanie Shipley with Roane State’s Center for Teachings Arts and Technology will present the topic “Learning in 3D: Adding a New Dimension.” The forum will be from 3-4:30 p.m. in the City Room (A-111) of the Coffey-McNally Building.

A new generation of virtual reality headsets and software promises to revolutionize learning in the classroom, a press release said. During this presentation, participants will be introduced to concepts of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality that will include important technological and educational considerations and implications in all learning environments.

Pedagogical concepts and principles will be discussed, as well as how immersive technologies can be utilized in specific courses and disciplines, the press release said. Additionally, this presentation will include a demonstration of various immersive technologies such as VR headset apps and the Microsoft HoloLens, the release said. [Read more…]

Chamber’s Primetime event is Thursday; public invited

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Participants at the Spring 2017 Primetime Fiesta event are pictured above. This year's Fiesta will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2018, from 4-6 p.m in the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Parking lot. The event is free and open to the public. (Submitted photo)

Participants at the Spring 2017 Primetime Fiesta event are pictured above. This year’s Fiesta will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2018, from 4-6 p.m in the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Parking lot. The event is free and open to the public. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Spring Primetime networking opportunity is Thursday, and the public is invited to attend, a press release said.

More than 45 Chamber-member organizations have already reserved exhibit space for the event, which is titled “Fiesta Primetime.” Primetime will be held under the tent in the parking lot of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Primetime is one of the Chamber’s biggest networking events of the year. There is no charge to attend. Anyone—Chamber member or not—is encouraged to attend, the press release said.

Primetime will from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, April 19. [Read more…]

United Way has annual meeting on Thursday

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United Way of Anderson County has its annual meeting in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

It’s scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, April 19, in the New Hope Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

“Please join us to celebrate an incredible year…Enjoy a complimentary breakfast, friendly company, some highlights from 2017,” a press release said. “We are so excited to showcase what we’ve accomplished this past year as well as some exciting plans for 2018!”

United Way said the community helped raised enough money last year to fund 43 agencies and more than 55 programs in Anderson County and Campbell County. [Read more…]