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Halloween will be Monday, October 31, and neighborhoods will once again be scattered with trick or treaters. For a fun and safe Halloween, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is offering the following safety tips: [Read more…]
FBI seeks help identifying suspect in Farragut bank robbery on Thursday
Authorities are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect who robbed the Capital Bank in Farragut on Thursday., Oct. 17, 2016. (Photo courtesy FBI)
Authorities are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect who allegedly robbed the Capital Bank in Farragut on Thursday.
The armed robbery was reported at Capital Bank at 136 Concord Road in Farragut at about 9:32 a.m. Thursday, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
“Reports indicate that a masked man entered the Capital Bank, brandished a semi-automatic handgun, and demanded money from the bank employees,” an FBI press release said. “After obtaining an undetermined amount of money, the suspect fled the scene.”
Here is a description of the suspect, according to the FBI: [Read more…]
Public safety meeting on Nov. 10 to discuss pedestrian safety improvements on Turnpike
A $433,000 grant awarded to the City of Oak Ridge would be used to make traffic signal and pedestrian improvements at two intersections on Oak Ridge Turnpike, including at South Tulane Avenue. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
There will be a public meeting in November to discuss pedestrian safety improvements on Oak Ridge Turnpike.
The meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday, November 10, at the Central Services Complex at 100 Woodbury Lane (behind the Hobby Lobby/Kmart shopping center). The meeting will include a project overview and public input session, a City of Oak Ridge press release said.
The pedestrian safety improvements are being designed for Oak Ridge Turnpike (State Route 95) at Tulane Avenue and East Division/Tennyson roads.
“These upgrades are necessary to improve accessibility and provide a safe transportation link for people in the area,” the press release said.
The press release said the intersection improvements will include: [Read more…]
Survey: Do you support or oppose term limits, a smaller county commission, electing law director?
Note: This story was updated at 3:55 p.m.
Among the issues in the campaign for Anderson County Charter Commission are whether term limits should be implemented for Anderson County commissioners and the Anderson County mayor, whether the County Commission should be reduced in size, and whether the law director should be elected.
We are curious what Oak Ridge Today readers think so we set up some poll questions to ask you. They are below.
Nothing can officially be proposed, debated, or recommended to voters in the November 2018 election until after the Charter Commission is elected this November 8.
There have been proposals this campaign season to enact a two-term limit for commissioners and the mayor and reduce the County Commission from its current 16 to a minimum of nine. There have been other proposals as well, including making the mayor’s position part-time, making the law director’s position part-time, and appointing a mayor rather than electing the mayor. [Read more…]
Some periodic park, greenway closures for fall deer hunts
Part of the Melton Lake Greenway is pictured above at the Haw Ridge Park parking lot.
Haw Ridge Park, North Boundary Greenway, and Gallaher Bend Greenway will be closed periodically for Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area managed quota hunts this fall, a press release said.
The closure on Haw Ridge includes the portion of Melton Lake Greenway adjacent to the park, from the lake to the parking lot on Edgemoor Road, the press release said.
The hunts, which are open only to those pre-selected in a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) quota drawing, will take place on the following dates: [Read more…]
Speed limit to be reduced, part of greenway closed as construction starts on eighth rowing lane
Officials and referees used Oak Ridge Rowing Association boats to monitor the races on the seven-lane course at the 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
The speed limit on a section of Melton Lake Drive will be temporarily reduced for at least three months starting Monday while the eighth rowing lane is built, and part of the Melton Lake Greenway will be closed as necessary, city officials said.
The speed limit will be reduced from 45 miles per hour to 25 mph along Melton Lake Drive between Amanda Drive and Palisades Parkway, a City of Oak Ridge press release said. The change will remain in place for a minimum of three months beginning Monday, October 31. Signs will be installed to warn drivers of the reduced speed limit.
The project will also require about 500 feet of greenway to be removed and replaced at the end of construction, the press release said. As a result, a section of Melton Lake Greenway between Amanda Drive and Palisades Parkway will be temporarily closed.
Due to site preparation work, the greenway will close Friday, October 28, but will reopen for the weekend. The closure will be put back in place for the duration of the project on Monday, October 31, the press release said. [Read more…]
Term limits: Who could no longer serve if two-term limit was in place now?
Jerry Creasey, an Anderson County commissioner from Oak Ridge, could no longer serve if a two-term limit were in place now. Now in his seventh term, Creasey is the longest-serving commissioner. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Note: This story was last updated at 6:15 p.m.
If the proposed two-term limit was in place now, Jerry Creasey, the longest-serving Anderson County commissioner, could no longer serve.
Neither could Mark Alderson, who is in his fifth term; Chuck Fritts or Jerry White (both are in their fourth terms); or Whitey Hitchcock, Robert McKamey, or Tracy Wandell (all three are in their third terms).
Creasey is in his seventh term, according to information from the Anderson County Election Commission.
It’s not clear if Myron Iwanski would be term-limited at this point. Iwanski is in his sixth term, but those terms were interrupted by his service as interim Anderson County mayor from January 2011 to August 2012—after former mayor Rex Lynch resigned and before current mayor Terry Frank was elected. Whether Iwanski would be term-limited would depend upon whether term limits, assuming a two-term limit was enacted, were consecutive or lifetime limits.
Assuming Iwanski was term-limited, though, that would mean that eight of the 16 commissioners, or half of them, would be past their second term and not able to serve if a two-term limit were in place.
No term limits are in place now, and they can’t officially be proposed, debated, or recommended to voters until after the eight-member Anderson County Charter Commission is elected November 8. Whether they are even considered is likely to depend upon which candidates are elected. The Charter Commission is not obligated to consider term limits, but it will have the authority to do so. (See a story on the Charter Commission process here.) [Read more…]
Elks host Indoor Trick-or-Treat on Monday, Oct. 31
The Oak Ridge Elks Lodge #1684 will host an Indoor Trick-or-Treat on Monday, October 31, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
The Oak Ridge Elks Lodge #1684 is hosting this event in order to provide children with a safe, supervised, fun place to show off their costumes and receive candy on Halloween night, a press release said. Free hot chocolate and bottled water will also be given to everyone in attendance.
Don’t forget to bring a camera and have your picture taken with “Elroy” the Elk, the press release said.
The Elks Lodge is located at 684 Emory Valley Road.
This press release was submitted by Donna Forstrom.
Friends of Oak Ridge Library have Fall Book Sale this week
Friends of the Oak Ridge Library, or FOL, will have its Fall 2016 Book Sale October 27 through 30 in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium.
The sale will include fiction and nonfiction books, magazines, audiovisual materials, and other publications covering almost every subject, a press release said. Most titles are 50 cents or $1 each.
Titles withdrawn from the Library are half price Thursday through Saturday. Although most sale items are books, there are always a few non-book items.
Thursday evening from 5 to 7:30 p.m. is a preview sale for members, the press release said. Memberships will be available at the door ($5 per person and $10 per family). Scanning devices cannot be used during the preview sale on Thursday. The Silent Auction begins on Thursday evening and ends at 5 p.m. on Saturday. [Read more…]
Domestic Violence Symposium on Friday in Clinton
Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Don Layton is pictured above on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
There is a Domestic Violence Symposium scheduled for Friday in Clinton.
The symposium has been announced by Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge, Division I, Don A. Layton, in partnership with Probation Services Incorporated, or PSI.
The symposium is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, October 28, in the PSI conference room at 135 South Main Street in Clinton, a press release said.
The symposium will feature presentations from Anderson County District Attorney General David Clark and others, including Russell Barker, Rex Lynch, Mary Ann Young, and Chad McNabb, the press release said. [Read more…]
Reminder: Anderson County Chamber has Job Fair on Wednesday
The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce will host a Job Fair to recruit employees for local businesses and industries on Wednesday, October 26, from 3-7 p.m. at Anderson County High School in Clinton.
This one-day event allows job seekers to connect face to face with local businesses and industries seeking employees, a press release said.
Job Fair exhibitors to date include: 3M, Aisin Automotive Casting Tennessee, American Employer Group, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Clayton Homes, Eagle Bend Manufacturing, East Tennessee Personal Care Service, Emory Valley Center, Express Employment Professionals, Food City, Greenfield Senior Living, Health Markets, Home Helpers of East Tennessee, King University, MAG-USA, Inc., Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), Perfect Polish, Powder Cote II, Protomet Corporation, Regions Bank, Roane State Community College, SL Tennessee, Sears Authorized Hometown Store, System One, Techmer PM, TempSystems/TSI Industrial, Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville, Tennessee Truck Driving School, The Waters of Clinton, Tusculum College, and WoodmenLife. [Read more…]
Hike near Norris Dam State Park on Saturday
The trail in a greener season. (Photo courtesy Joe Feeman)
The Norris Municipal Watershed, situated adjacent to Norris Dam State Park, is a 2,300-acre area that is the watershed of Clear Creek; it is managed for water quality protection, sustainable forest management, and public recreation. A network of about 30 miles of forest roads and single-track trails are managed by the Norris Watershed Board.
A Saturday, October 29, outing will include a hike up Clear Creek Trail to Lower White Pine Trail, up Raccoon Run Trail to Red Hill Trail, and then to the White Oak Spring Trail and back down Clear Creek Trail to the start.
“As we walk, we’ll learn about the forest and discuss the history of this area,” a press release said. [Read more…]
