Oak Ridge Today

Steve Jenkins, former finance director and deputy city manager, dies after battling cancer

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Steve Jenkins, former Oak Ridge finance director and deputy city manager, died Tuesday after battling cancer, according to his obituary. He was 67.

Jenkins grew up in Middlesboro, Kentucky, where he became a life-long University of Kentucky basketball fan. “He enjoyed nothing more than watching and attending UK games with his children and grandsons,” his obituary said.

Jenkins graduated from Clinton High School (1967) and the University of Tennessee (1971).

After beginning his career in finance at Carson Newman College, he moved his family to Oak Ridge, where he began a 26-year career at the City of Oak Ridge as finance director and deputy city manager.

After retiring from the city in 2012, Jenkins took a finance position at ETHRA in Knoxville, making many new friends who very caringly supported him through his illness, the obituary said. [Read more…]

Construction on Oak Ridge Airport could start late next year, early 2019

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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.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2 a.m.

There are additional steps and approvals required, but if all goes well, construction on the Oak Ridge Airport on the west end of town could start in late 2018 or early 2019, officials said Wednesday.

The airport could still cost an estimated $35 million to $40 million, officials said. It would be funded with a mix of federal funding, state aeronautical commission funding, and local funding from the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, or MKAA.

On Wednesday, the MKAA General Aviation Committee approved an airport layout plan during a meeting at McGhee Tyson Airport in Alcoa. The plan will now be sent to the Federal Aviation Administration for review and approval.

“It’s a very important step for us,” said Bill Marrison, president of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. [Read more…]

Community meeting next Thursday to discuss site selection for new preschool

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The new preschool could be located at Elm Grove Park in east Oak Ridge or Scarboro Park in central Oak Ridge, pictured above on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, and the city's school board expects to recommend one of the two sites on Monday, Feb. 27, a school official said Friday. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge officials will have a community meeting in Scarboro on Thursday, March 23, 2017, to discuss building the Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge City Council chose to delay the vote on a new preschool location at its regular meeting on Monday in order to allow time for more community discussion and input.

Now, a public meeting to discuss the preschool site has been set for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 23, at the Scarboro Community Center.

“The City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools have been working to choose a site for the new preschool for approximately two years,” a press release said. “The preschool would 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. Two locations were ultimately identified as possibilities: Scarboro Park and Elm Grove Park.”

Scarboro Park is across Carver Avenue from the Scarboro Community Center, which was also considered as an option at one time. The Scarboro Community Center was removed from further consideration due to the challenges of converting the center for active school uses, the press release said. Residents living near Elm Grove Park, a site on East Tennessee Avenue that once housed a school, came out in support of preserving the park. Much of the feedback received about the Scarboro Park site has been very positive and welcoming of the new preschool, the press release said. [Read more…]

Chief Deputy Lucas running for Anderson County sheriff

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Mark Lucas

Mark Lucas

 

Anderson County Chief Deputy Mark Lucas announced Tuesday that he is running for sheriff in the 2018 election.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White is retiring at the end of his third term, which ends in August 2018, a press release said.

The press release said Lucas is a veteran law enforcement officer with 39 years of experience. He began his career as a reserve deputy with Knox County in 1978. He joined the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department a year later and worked as a dispatcher and a jailer before being assigned to patrol in 1980. Lucas was promoted to patrol supervisor in 1986 and held that position until 1990. From 1990 until 1994, he worked for the Clinton Police Department, where he also served as patrol supervisor.

In 1994, Lucas was appointed chief deputy with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, and he has held that position for more than 22 years. He has the unique distinction of serving as chief deputy under three different sheriffs, the press release said.

The release said Lucas has received extensive training in many areas of law enforcement throughout his career including command-level management and supervision.

“From community policing to criminal investigations, jail management, and court security, as well as communications, incident command, and emergency management, Mark has a vast knowledge of public safety operations,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Council postpones vote on preschool site until after Scarboro meeting

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The new preschool could be located at Elm Grove Park in east Oak Ridge or Scarboro Park in central Oak Ridge, pictured above on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, and the city's school board expects to recommend one of the two sites on Monday, Feb. 27, a school official said Friday. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The new preschool could be located at Scarboro Park in central Oak Ridge, pictured above on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council has postponed a vote on selecting a site for the new Oak Ridge Preschool until after a meeting in Scarboro next week.

The Oak Ridge Board of Education unanimously selected Scarboro Park, off Carver Avenue in central Oak Ridge, as the site for the new preschool in February.

The Council was expected to vote on that site on Monday.

But after hearing from a few people who had questions about the proposed site, Council agreed in a 4-3 vote to defer its site selection until after a March 23 meeting in Scarboro. Council could now vote during a special meeting on March 27.

Besides Scarboro Park, officials had previously looked at two other options. One, Elm Grove Park in east Oak Ridge, had been identified as the preferred site after a preschool report was published in October 2015. But there has been opposition, including a petition drive, to building the new preschool there. [Read more…]

Visit the Career Coach: Moved inside the Library on Thursday

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Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

 

Need to polish your resume, complete an online job application, or find the jobs that match your skill set? The Career Coach, sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Employment Security Division, will be coming to the Oak Ridge Public Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 16, April 13, May 18, June 15, and July 20.

Come by any time during those hours and receive job assistance.

For more information on the Career Coach, check out their website at www.getonthecoach.tn.gov. This is a free service for the public, and library memberships are not required for participants.

For more information, call the Library at (865) 425-3455.

Update on Oak Ridge Airport to be given Wednesday

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Oak Ridge Airport Development Plan

The Heritage Center airport development plan is pictured above. (Cropped file image from DOE Draft Environmental Assessment in 2015)

 

A Wednesday afternoon meeting will focus on the proposed Oak Ridge Airport, and a project update will be given. The meeting will start at 4 p.m. Wednesday at McGhee Tyson Airport in Alcoa. It’s open to the public.

It’s a meeting of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority General Aviation Committee. The Committee will meet at 510 Center-Airfield Maintenance Operations Center Training Room at 2055 Airfield Service Drive at the airport in Alcoa.

Agenda items include: [Read more…]

Officials break ground on multi-sport facility at Clinton High

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Officials break ground Monday, March 13, 2017, on the $1.6 million multi-sport facility at Clinton High School. (Photo via WYSH Radio in Clinton, an Oak Ridge Today news partner)

Officials break ground Monday, March 13, 2017, on the $1.6 million multi-sport facility at Clinton High School. (Photo via WYSH Radio in Clinton, an Oak Ridge Today news partner)

 

Officials broke ground Monday on the $1.6 million multi-sport facility at Clinton High School.

WYSH Radio in Clinton has posted pictures from the ceremony, which you can see here.

Clinton Dragons Football has also posted pictures, as well as a video. You can see them here.

WYSH Radio, an Oak Ridge Today news partner, has previously reported that the multi-sport facility design calls for a complete replacement of the aging Field House with a two-story structure that has a weight training area and an artificial surface practice field that can be used by the football team, the band, cheerleaders, and the dance team. An additional open area will host the wrestling and volleyball teams. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge man wins regional award for helping wounded, disabled vets

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Photo via WYSH Radio in Clinton, an Oak Ridge Today news partner

Photo via WYSH Radio in Clinton, an Oak Ridge Today news partner

 

Information from WYSH Radio

Steve Brown of Oak Ridge has been named Tennessee Valley Region Volunteer of the Year by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, or PHWFF, for wounded and disabled veterans. The region comprises the whole state of Tennessee.

Brown is a longtime leader of Trout Unlimited in Tennessee and of the Clinch River Chapter TU, a partner organization of the Knoxville program of PHWFF since its beginning in 2012. He serves as Tennessee’s representative to the National Leadership Council of Trout Unlimited.

In nominating Brown for the honor, Steve Thompson, Knoxville program lead and deputy regional coordinator for PHWFF, wrote: “Since the inception of the Knoxville program, there have been a few critical components to the success of the program. One of those components is Steve Brown. Since October of 2012 Steve has been to almost every single outing, class, meeting or get-together and has played a pivotal role in the healing of many of our veterans. Steve has always given of himself more than most and as a veteran himself is very relatable to all of our participants. [Read more…]

5K Run, Walk on May 5 a fundraiser to help fight cancer

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The American Cancer Society has announced the first 5K Run and Walk at a Relay For Life event in Anderson County in May.

The run and walk will take place on Friday, May 5, at 8 p.m. at Melton Lake Park in Oak Ridge. People ages 12 and up are invited to participate by either walking or running to help raise money in the quest to “create a world with less cancer by helping people get well and stay well, by finding cures, and by fighting back against cancer,” a press release said.

To register for this event, go to the website runsignup.com. You may locate the event by typing in Anderson County Twilight, which will take you to the event page. Individuals may support one of the local teams participating in Relay For Life or may create a team of their own.

“This is a great way to honor or remember someone you love whose life has been touched by cancer,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Unknown suspect with knife robs Staybridge Suites

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An unknown suspect armed with a knife robbed the Staybridge Suites on South Illinois Avenue on Sunday night, authorities said.

The robbery was reported at the hotel at about 10:42 p.m. Sunday, according to an Oak Ridge Police Department summary.

The suspect took $100 from the business and placed a victim in “fear of imminent bodily harm,” the summary said.

Police have not yet made an arrest in the alleged robbery.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

ORHS Orchestra wins top national orchestra award for second straight year

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Oak Ridge High School Orchestra pictured at Universal Studios on Day 3 of Festival Disney on Saturday, March 11, 2017. (Photo courtesy ORHS Orchestra)

The Oak Ridge High School Orchestra is pictured at Universal Studios on Day 3 of Festival Disney on Saturday, March 11, 2017. (Photo courtesy ORHS Orchestra)

 

Oak Ridge High School Orchestra has won a top national orchestra award for the second year in a row, officials said.

The ORHS won Best 10-12th Grade Orchestra, Gold Orchestra Award, Outstanding Soloist, Best 9th Grade Orchestra, with Superior and Excellent Awards at the Festival Disney competition in Orlando, Florida, this past weekend, Director Doug Phillips said.

The ORHS Orchestra also won Best High School Orchestra one year ago, in a competition in New York City last March. The orchestra earned 11 total awards during that trip.

“It’s official: ORHS 10-12 orchestra back-to-back national champs!” ORHS Orchestra posted on Twitter after this year’s awards were announced in Orlando on Saturday, March 11.

Festival Disney is endorsed by the National Association for Music Education and also the Grammys, Phillips said. [Read more…]