Oak Ridge Today

Photo: Officials celebrate legislation allowing ATVs on US 25W in Rocky Top

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Rocky Top Ribbon-Cutting for ATVs July 1 2016

Officials in Rocky Top and Anderson County, along with Tennessee legislators, had a ribbon-cutting to celebrate legislation that allows all-terrain vehicles to ride on Highway 25W starting Friday, July 1, 2016. (Photo by Jerry Creasey)

 

Officials in Rocky Top and Anderson County and Tennessee legislators had a ribbon-cutting on Friday, July 1, to celebrate legislation that allows all-terrain vehicles to ride on Highway 25W, or US 25W, starting this month.

The celebration included officials from the City of Rocky Top, Rocky Top Chamber of Commerce, and Anderson County Tourism Council.

The Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation to amend state law to allow for all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, to ride on Highway 25W in Rocky Top from the intersection of Colonial Lane to the intersection at Jacksboro Avenue beginning July 1, a press release said.

“Current legislation (before July 1) allows for ATVs to be operated on State Route 116 from Beech Grove to Highway 25,” said Mike Lovely, Rocky Top mayor. “This amendment extends the riding area and allows riders from Windrock Park to access the commerce area of Rocky Top.” [Read more…]

Letter: Pleased to announce sale of Oak Ridge City Center to RealtyLink

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To the Editor:

We are pleased to announce the sale of Oak Ridge City Center to RealtyLink. This is the moment that everyone has been waiting for, and finally, the transition of the Oak Ridge City Center Mall will begin. RealtyLink is a great company and will be a fantastic partner with Oak Ridge throughout the process.

As sellers, we want to extend our greatest appreciation to the leadership of Oak Ridge and to the citizens of Oak Ridge for your patience and commitment to helping realize the highest potential of this important property.

This could not have happened without the vision and tireless efforts of Mayor Warren Gooch and the elected officials; Mark Watson, Kathryn Baldwin, and the city staff; Parker Hardy, Chamber of Commerce; and the behind-the-scenes efforts of Ray Evans. We have all been at this a long time, and without everyone’s support, this important day for Oak Ridge would not have been possible. [Read more…]

TWRA looking for watercraft riders in hit-and-run crash that injures four on Melton Hill Lake

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Personal Watercraft Operator Melton Hill Lake Crash June 30 2016

A photo of a personal watercraft and operator that witnesses described as striking a boat containing a family pulling a child on a tube on Melton Hill Lake on Thursday, June 30, 2016. (Photo courtesy TWRA)

 

Tennessee officials are investigating a hit-and-run boating crash on Thursday on Melton Hill Lake in the area of Clark Park and Knox County Park.

The crash was reported at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday. Among the agencies that responded were the Oak Ridge Fire Department, which went to Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge.

According to witnesses, two personal watercrafts, or PWCs, were operating near the bluffs directly across from Knox County Park and going back and forth between the dock at the park and the bluffs where others were swimming, according to a press release from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Witnesses describe the operators as being reckless and inconsiderate, and as one of the PWCs left the bluff and headed toward the park, it collided with a boat in the area containing a family pulling a child on a tube. [Read more…]

Mall demolition could start week of July 18

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Goody's Family Clothing Oak Ridge June 30 2016

The existing enclosed space between Belk and JCPenney, the two remaining anchors at the former Oak Ridge Mall, is expected to be demolished, including this former Goody’s Family Clothing store near JCPenney. The sale of the 58-acre former mall site has closed, an executive said on Friday, July 1, 2016. RealtyLink of Greenville, South Carolina, plans to redevelop the 58-acre site as Main Street Oak Ridge, a mixed-use development that could include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and possibly a hotel. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today

 

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

Demolition of parts of the former Oak Ridge Mall could start the week of July 18, an executive said Friday.

Construction of the first new stores could start in October, next to Belk, said Neil Wilson, principal of RealtyLink, a development company based in Greenville, South Carolina.

A demolition crew will be at the roughly 58-acre site on Tuesday, but they may not be noticed right away because they might be inside. Workers first have to shut down the utilities that serve the old mall, Wilson said, and that could take a few days. [Read more…]

Four more stores announced at Main Street Oak Ridge

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Oak Ridge Mall

The former Oak Ridge City Center, which could be redeveloped as a multi-use town center known as Main Street Oak Ridge, is pictured above. Also known as the former Oak Ridge Mall, the L-shaped building is at center. The white building at center left is Walmart, and it is not part of the proposed redevelopment. Neither is the white building at center top, the Tinseltown Theater. JCPenney is near the bottom right of the “L” and Belk is near the top left. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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

Four stores had already been announced at Main Street Oak Ridge, the project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

On Friday, Neil Wilson, principal of RealtyLink, the South Carolina company redeveloping the mall, announced four more.

The four stores that had already been announced were Dick’s Sporting Goods, PetSmart, T.J. Maxx, and Ulta. [Read more…]

Mall sale has closed, executives say

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JCPenney Oak Ridge June 30 2016

The JCPenney store at the former Oak Ridge Mall, which has more recently been known as Oak Ridge City Center, is pictured above. The sale of the roughly 58-acre site has closed, Steve Arnsdorff, chief manager of Oak Ridge City Center LLC, said Friday, July 1, 2016. RealtyLink of Greenville, South Carolina, plans to redevelop the site, which also includes a Belk store, as Main Street Oak Ridge, a mixed-use development that could include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and possibly a hotel. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:30 p.m.

The sale of the former Oak Ridge Mall has closed, executives said Friday morning.

The sale was confirmed by Steve Arnsdorff, chief manager of Oak Ridge City Center LLC, which had owned the property, and Neil Wilson, principal of RealtyLink, the new developer.

The new owner is TN Oak Ridge Rutgers LLC, a company set up by RealtyLink, which is based in Greenville, South Carolina. The purchase price was $6.3 million, and the sale closed late Thursday evening, Wilson said.

RealtyLink plans to redevelop the roughly 58-acre site, which includes a Belk and JCPenney, as a mixed-use development known as Main Street Oak Ridge. It could include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and possibly a hotel.

“We’re excited for what this project will do for Oak Ridge,” Arnsdorff said. “This community deserves this. We’re excited this is happening.”

“I think what I would like to point out is that it’s a great day for Oak Ridge and for the city to sort of embrace this new mall,” Wilson said. [Read more…]

Thompson named vice principal at ORHS after Scott becomes administrator at Secret City Academy

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Stephanie Thompson

Stephanie Thompson

A new administrator, Stephanie Thompson, has been announced at Oak Ridge High School. Thompson will be an assistant principal, filling the position previously held by Christopher Scott, who is the new administrator at Secret City Academy (the alternative school).

In other recent changes, Lisa Downard is now principal of Oak Ridge Schools Preschool. The position she vacated at Linden Elementary School (assistant principal) is being filled by Heather Jenkins.

Thompson began her career as a substitute teacher in Marion County, Florida, at Lake Weir High School. She served in that position for 18 months until she was hired as a College and Career Lab coach in 1998.

In 2000, Thompson moved to Ocala Christian Academy with her children to serve as a full-time business teacher. There, she was charged with rebuilding the program, aligning the curriculum to the current Sunshine Standards of the public schools, and implementing and supervising a work-based learning program, a press release said. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum Summer Camps continue in July

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Children may be superheroes, wizards, scientists, potters and chefs, or build with LEGO bricks, and much more during Imagination Station Summer Camps that continue in through July at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

Children may be superheroes, wizards, scientists, potters and chefs, or build with LEGO bricks, and much more during Imagination Station Summer Camps that continue in July at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

 

Children may be superheroes, wizards, scientists, potters, and chefs, or build with LEGO bricks, and much more during Imagination Station Summer Camps that continue in July at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The Children’s Museum will offer camps weekly from July 5-29, giving children opportunities to learn and grow through play in a fun and safe environment. Each camp is specifically created with age-appropriate activities aligned with children’s developmental stages. Register and pay for camps online, at www.childrensmuseumofoakridge.org, by mail or in person, at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge.

Camp fees are fully refundable up until 14 days before the start date. The fee for each Monday-Friday camp is $125 for members and $135 for non-members, except where noted. Four-day camps the week of July 5-8 are $100 for members and $110 for non-members. A discount is available if two siblings register for camp during the same week or if a child registers for two half-day camps in the same week. A limited number of scholarships for camp are available. Download the scholarship application from the museum’s website.

Camps July 5-8 are: [Read more…]

Roane State art students earn honors

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Several Roane State students earned honors in the college’s annual Student Art Show. From left are associate professor Stacy Jacobs; students Marsha Scarbrough, Kaitlan Paine, Erica Ostrander, Ceara Wallus, and Celine Gobert; associate professor Bryan Wilkerson; and student Steven Young. (Photo by RSCC)

Several Roane State students earned honors in the college’s annual Student Art Show. From left are associate professor Stacy Jacobs; students Marsha Scarbrough, Kaitlan Paine, Erica Ostrander, Ceara Wallus, and Celine Gobert; associate professor Bryan Wilkerson; and student Steven Young. (Photo by RSCC)

 

The following Roane State Community College students earned awards for their work in the college’s Student Art Show, held at the end of the spring semester.

Students and their honors were:

  • Celine Gobert of Oak Ridge, first place, third place, Outstanding Achievement in Art, honorable mention;
  • Erica Ostrander of Lenoir City, second place, honorable mention;
  • Steven Young of Rockwood, Anne Powers Promise Award;
  • Ceara Wallus of Oak Ridge, Art Spirit Award for Experimentation in Media, honorable mention;
  • Marsha Scarbrough of Harriman, honorable mention;
  • Gabrielle Morgan of Oliver Springs, honorable mention;
  • Archie Clark of Spring City, honorable mention; and
  • Kaitlan Paine of Oak Ridge, honorable mention.

For more information about Roane State’s art program, visit www.roanestate.edu/art.

This press release was submitted by Owen Driskill of Roane State Community College.

New laws in effect on Friday: Wine sales, guns on campus, ‘slow poke’ law

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Information from WYSH Radio

Several new laws go into effect on Friday, July 1, in Tennessee.

The most highly-publicized of these new laws is one that will allow certain gas stations and grocery stores to obtain licenses to sell wine. More than 400 businesses have obtained the necessary licenses and will be able to start legally selling wine at 8 a.m. Friday, July 1.

Beginning Friday, faculty and staff and public colleges and universities in Tennessee will be able to carry concealed guns on campus. Those wishing to carry will have to register their weapons with campus police departments. [Read more…]

BBB-TV: Changes coming to Oliver Springs Town Hall

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Information from WYSH Radio

It looks like sweeping changes will be coming to the Oliver Springs city government. As our partners at BBB-TV have previously reported, City Manager Becky Campbell is stepping down, and her last day on the job will be today (June 30).

Earlier this week, Billing and Accounts Director Susan Tyler also announced that she will be retiring, effective today as well. Longtime Fire Chief Terry Phillips has also announced his retirement, which also goes into effect today. [Read more…]

Munger, retiring DOE reporter for the News Sentinel, receives Muddy Boot Award

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Frank Munger and Jim Campbell Muddy Boot Award

Frank Munger, right, the U.S. Department of Energy reporter for the Knoxville News Sentinel, received a Muddy Boot Award from the East Tennessee Economic Council on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. Munger, who is considered by many to be the best in the field, is retiring Thursday, June 30, after covering DOE for 35 years for the News Sentinel. Also pictured above is ETEC President Jim Campbell. (Photo by D. Ray Smith)

 

Frank Munger, U.S. Department of Energy reporter for the Knoxville News Sentinel, received a Muddy Boot Award from the East Tennessee Economic Council during a retirement celebration on Wednesday.

Munger is retiring today (June 30) after 35 years covering DOE for the News Sentinel. Many consider him to be the best DOE reporter in the DOE complex. It’s not clear if he will be replaced. Some have said he is irreplaceable.

Among those who praised Munger’s work and “shoe-leather” journalism on Wednesday, even if DOE wasn’t always pleased with his stories, were current and former DOE and contractor officials Gerald Boyd, Sue Cange, Dave Keim, Thom Mason, Billy Stair, and Jim Alexander. They recalled humorous moments; his pocket-sized voice recorder, which he was carrying Wednesday; the occasional arguments; and his ability to translate stories about complex subjects such as the Spallation Neutron Source into language that people without scientific training could understand. They also presented Munger with mementos, including a framed collection of photos from Oak Ridge National Laboratory showing Munger at work over the years, reporting at the lab.

“I can say without reservation that you were always accurate and fair in your reporting—mostly,” said Boyd, a former DOE Oak Ridge Office manager who was unable to attend but delivered his message through a sometimes-humorous letter to Munger. “You always tried to tell all sides of each story, and we all appreciated that even when the story was hard to accept. Your studied approach to reporting on things DOE Oak Ridge always kept the important issues visible and in the forefront, forcing us to have to deal with them. I believe that made us a better operation. In particular, your in-depth articles on various Oak Ridge programs, projects, and activities were excellent tutorials for the general public and helped us explain the value of the Oak Ridge missions. We will miss that.” [Read more…]