Oak Ridge Today

Roane State EMT student awarded Colton Stout Memorial Scholarship

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Zachary Kennedy (left) is the recipient of the 2016 Colton Stout Memorial Scholarship established by Tracy Stout-Powers (right). (Photo by RSCC)

 

Roane State Community College emergency medical technician student Zachary Kennedy of Andersonville has received the 2016 Colton Stout Memorial Scholarship.

Kennedy, a firefighter with the Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department and a certified nursing assistant at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, is studying EMT this fall. He plans to complete advanced EMT training in the spring and then enroll in the college’s paramedic program.

Kennedy said his long-term goal is to become a critical care paramedic and work for UT Lifestar. The $1,500 annual scholarship, Kennedy said, has provided needed assistance with the cost of his education. [Read more…]

Cleanup at Worthington Cemetery scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24

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Prairie Rosinweed at Worthington Cemetery: Clean-up volunteers enjoy the bird deck at Worthington Cemetery in 2015. (Submitted photo)

 

Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and Tennessee Valley Authority will partner again to clean up in the Worthington Cemetery area, near Elza Gate Park, on Saturday, September 24.

The cleanup is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. September 24 in the Worthington Cemetery area, which is on the Melton Hill Reservoir. It is classified as an ecological study area, or ESA.

This has become an annual National Public Lands Day celebration, with a complimentary noon pizza lunch for volunteers, a press release said. There are new bird boxes and bat boxes, thanks to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the press release said.

Ann Worthington, family historian for the Worthingtons, will talk about the Worthingtons, who lived here and are buried here, along with their slaves, the press release said. [Read more…]

Letter: Motorcyclist thanks medical responders, travelers, THP Trooper Kennedy

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Note: This letter was submitted by John Such. He was part of the motorcycle group involved in one of the two crashes that injured eight people on Interstate 75 near Rocky Top on Saturday morning.

I was part of the mororcycle group yesterday involved in the crash on I-75. The semi crash happened immediately after the bikes went down. Cars traveling southbound stopped to either look and/or offer assistance to our riders down. The semi that was unable to stop crashed into traffic that had slowed down or stopped.

I can’t thank all those medical responders and travelers who offered hope, encouragement, water—anything they could to comfort all those in need. [Read more…]

Like what we’re doing? Subscribe to Oak Ridge Today

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If you appreciate what we do here at Oak Ridge Today, please consider becoming a voluntary subscriber. You don’t have to subscribe to read our stories, but your contribution will help us cover local news for you day and night, as best we can.

We currently offer three subscription levels: $5, $10, or $25 per month. We accept payments through PayPal. You can also send check payments to our P.O. box. Please visit our subscription page for information on these options.

There isn’t currently a difference between the three monthly subscription levels. It’s mostly a matter of what you can contribute or want to contribute. We believe that most of our subscribers support us because they like what we’re doing and want to see us succeed. [Read more…]

Photos: Oak Ridge High School 2016 Homecoming Court

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The 2016 Oak Ridge High School Homecoming Court is pictured above on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. Row by row, starting at bottom left, are Leah Scudder and Ben Kelley, Kieran Blevins and Curtis Robertson, Courtney Ellison and Erik Bradford, Lindsey Riikola and Mark LeNoir, Stevie Logan and Dean Stetzel, and Harley Southmayd and Tyshawn Young. (Photo courtesy Holly Cross/Oak Ridge Schools)

 

The 2016 Homecoming Court at Oak Ridge High School has been announced. Here are photos of the Homecoming Court on Monday, courtesy of Holly Cross and Oak Ridge Schools.

The Homecoming game is on Friday, September 23, at Blankenship Field against Sevier County. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. [Read more…]

9/11 photos: ORFD, ORHS dedicate new flagpole in memory of victims of terrorist attacks

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We will always remember those who gave their lives to save others on September 11, 2001. (Photo and caption courtesy Martin McDonald at Oak Ridge High School memorial ceremony and flagpole dedication on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016)

 

The Oak Ridge Fire Department and the Oak Ridge High School 9/11 WTC Committee unveiled a new flagpole on Sunday and dedicated it in memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Sunday was the 15th anniversary of the attacks, which killed 2,977 people in New York City; Washington, D.C.; and outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Here are photos by Oak Ridge High School Principal Martin McDonald, shared here with his permission. [Read more…]

Council to consider water rate, sewer rate, trash fee increases

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The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in 2014. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:38 a.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider increases in the water and sewer rates that would go into effect in January 2017 and January 2018 during a regular meeting tonight (Monday, September 12). Council will also consider a trash fee increase that members endorsed during budget deliberations in June.

A 6 percent increase has been proposed for both water and sewer rates starting January 1, 2017. The next year, effective January 1, 2018, a 4 percent increase has been proposed for water rates and a 6 percent increase has been proposed for sewer rates.

A home that uses the minimum amount would pay an extra $2.26 per month for water and sewer starting in 2017 and an additional $2.17 per month in 2018.

A home that uses 5,000 gallons per month would pay $5.33 more per month for both water and sewer in 2017 and another $4.87 in 2018.
[Read more…]

Dine & Donate, which helps ADFAC, is Monday, Sept. 12

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Dine & Donate is Monday, September 12. Participating restaurants are Burchfield’s, Gallo Loco (shown in photo), Gondolier in Clinton, Hoskins, Mediterranean Delight, and Razzleberry’s. Each of these restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to support Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC. (Submitted photo)

 

Dine & Donate is Monday, September 12.

Participating restaurants are Burchfield’s, Gallo Loco, Gondolier in Clinton, Hoskins, Mediterranean Delight, and Razzleberry’s. Each of these restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to support Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC.

Dine and Donate is a year-long event, with different restaurants participating on the second Monday of each month.

For a full calendar of restaurants and list of sponsors, please visit www.adfac.org. [Read more…]

Father allegedly flees crash where injured son is trapped, then flees hospital nude, THP says

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Jacob Daniel Baxter

Jacob Daniel Baxter

 

An Anderson County man allegedly fled a crash where his juvenile son, who was partially ejected and injured, was trapped between a van and a barn, and the man later fled from a hospital nude, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 11:29 p.m. Saturday, September 3, on Old Lake City Highway.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol said Jacob Daniel Baxter, 33, of Black Oak Road in Anderson County, was driving west in a white 1999 Dodge Caravan on Old Lake City Highway when he lost control while going round a curve. The van went off the right side of the road and stopped at a metal barn on the side of the road, according to the THP.

A 15-year-old boy, who is identified as Baxter’s son, was trapped between the van and the barn, according to arrest warrants filed by the THP in Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division I, in Clinton.

While Anderson County Rescue Squad personnel were helping to remove the trapped boy, Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Isaiah Lloyd began searching for the driver. [Read more…]

Eight injured in motorcycle, car-semi crashes on I-75 in Anderson County

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The UT Lifestar II helicopter and Lifestar IV helicopter are pictured at top right and bottom left on Interstate 75 in Anderson County on Saturday morning, Sept. 10, 2016, after one crash involving four motorcycles and another involving a semi and two other vehicles were reported. Authorities said eight people were injured in the two crashes. (Photo courtesy UT Lifestar)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:10 p.m. Sept. 11.

Six people were injured in one crash involving four motorcycles and two more were injured in a second crash involving two vehicles and a semi on Interstate 75 in Anderson County on Saturday morning, authorities said.

The two crashes occurred about 30 minutes apart in the northbound and southbound lanes of I-75 near mile marker 127, near Rocky Top (the former Lake City).

Two University of Tennessee Lifestar medical helicopters responded, and all four lanes were temporarily closed.

The first crash was reported at about 10:16 a.m, according to a Tennessee Highway Patrol preliminary crash report.

Four Harley Davidson motorcycles were traveling north in one lane of I-75 at mile marker 127 when the first motorcycle, a 2003 model driven by George Suver, 70, left the right shoulder and then swerved back into the lane, the THP said. [Read more…]

Taste of Anderson County, a fundraiser for United Way, is this week

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The Eighth Annual Taste of Anderson County is next week. It’s scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, September 15, in the Jackson Square parking lot. (Photo via United Way of Anderson County/Eighth Annual Taste of Anderson County on Facebook)

 

The Eighth Annual Taste of Anderson County is this week. It’s scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, September 15, in the Jackson Square parking lot.

It’s a fundraiser for United way of Anderson County.

“United Way of Anderson County is thrilled to invite the community to this event, which will feature delicious local food, live music, and free family entertainment including a magic show and balloon animals,” a press release said.

Among the local restaurants offering sample food will be The Soup Kitchen, Swifty’s, Crossroads Coffee, Aubrey’s, and more, the press release said. Tickets are $1, and all food samples will be available for two tickets each.

“This year, we also have an amazing selection of wine, beer, and moonshine tastings,” the press release said. Tasters will be able to vote for their favorite drinks, or simply enjoy an exclusive cocktail, available at the bar. [Read more…]

Last seven days have been great for Oak Ridge, mayor says; read presentation here

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Warren Gooch (2016 file photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This is a lightly edited version of a presentation that Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch gave to the East Tennessee Economic Council on Friday, September 9.

It is a pleasure for me to be here this morning as I begin my 22nd month as mayor and to share my thoughts about the positive direction of our city, and why that is important to you and your companies. First, I want to thank you for supporting Oak Ridge and investing your time and your money here.

My family and I have lived in Oak Ridge for 23 years. But my law firm, Kramer Rayson, has been involved in one way or another with Oak Ridge from its earliest days when our founding partner, Russell Kramer, received a call from an old friend in Washington. (Gooch tells a story about a telephone call with President Roosevelt.)

By any standard, the last seven days have been great for Oak Ridge and have increased the excitement that is being expressed about the momentum of our city.

First, demolition has accelerated at the old mall as construction for Main Street Oak Ridge ushers in a new and exciting era for our community. The tax increment financing (TIF) loan for Main Street had closed, and so has the loan for the new Marriott hotel that is being built. The importance of Main Street Oak Ridge to the image and self-confidence of our city and the economic vitality of Oak Ridge, Anderson, and Roane counties cannot be overstated. The success of Main Street and the continued redevelopment of our center city’s retail, residential, and commercial properties is my number one priority. We must work hard to maintain this momentum and take full advantage of it in the coming months. If we are successful, it will help you recruit the new workers you require for your businesses.

Second, LeMond Composites announced its licensing agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and that the company is coming to Oak Ridge to manufacture innovative, high-volume, low-cost, carbon fiber in the Horizon Center Industrial Park.

Third, the National Park Service named Kris Kirby as the superintendent of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. [Read more…]