Oak Ridge Today

Tennessee Tool, Engineering expanding, could add 20 jobs over three years

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Tennessee-Tool-Engineering-Expansion-Jan-19-2016

Tennessee Tool and Engineering has broken ground on a 10,000-square-foot expansion in the Bethel Valley Industrial Park. The company could add up to 20 new jobs during the next three years. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Tennessee Tool and Engineering Inc. has broken ground on a 10,000-square-foot expansion in Bethel Valley Industrial Park, and the company could add up to 20 new jobs during the next three years, executives said.

The groundbreaking was for the company’s High Pressure Die Casting Division: TTE Casting Technologies Inc. The expansion was announced last week by Greg Palmer, TTE vice president/operations manager.

The expansion is part of a $5 million building and capital investment in Oak Ridge and Anderson County, the company said in a press release. Another expansion is planned for 2018 to include the machining operations at the Emory Valley Road location. The company does not plan to pursue tax abatements. [Read more…]

Only one serious crash in AC during Wednesday snow; part of I-75 closed for 5 hours

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Anderson County Sheriff Patch

There were nine non-injury traffic crashes and one wreck with injuries in Anderson County during the Wednesday snowstorm, authorities said.

The one crash with injury was on Clinton Highway (U.S. Highway 25W) near White Loop Road at about 6:33 p.m. Wednesday. It was the only serious crash during the snow, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. The Sheriff’s Department responded along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Anderson County Emergency Medical Services, Anderson County Rescue Squad, and the Claxton Fire Department.

The THP said the road was covered by snow and slush when a 2005 Ford Freestar driven west by Gregory Brantley, 34, of Detroit, slid sideways across the road into the path of an eastbound 2016 Toyota 4Runner driven by Lauren Holder, 28, of Clinton.

The Freestar driven by Brantley hit the front of the 4Runner driver by Holder, the THP said in a preliminary report. [Read more…]

ORNL supports new projects to develop advanced nuclear technologies

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Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory will support two new DOE-funded projects to explore, develop, and demonstrate advanced nuclear reactor technologies.

The projects announced January 15 will allow industry-led teams with participants from universities and national laboratories to further nuclear energy technology, and will enable companies to further develop their advanced reactor designs with potential for demonstration in the mid-2030s. Initially, DOE’s investment will be $6 million for each project and both companies will provide cost-share. The possible multi-year cost-share value for this research is up to $80 million.

A project led by Southern Company Services, a subsidiary of Southern Company, focuses on molten chloride fast reactors, or MCFRs. The effort includes ORNL, TerraPower, the Electric Power Research Institute, and Vanderbilt University. [Read more…]

City of Oak Ridge warns of utility scam

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City of Oak Ridge Seal

Oak Ridge utility customers, including commercial customers, should be aware that a scam regarding a meter change out program is happening in the area, officials said.

In this scam, a customer receives a call from someone claiming to be a representative from an electric company that provides electricity for the residents of Oak Ridge. The representative states the customer should have received a notice last week that the electric company will be changing out meters in the city, and the customer is asked to pay a deposit ($700-$900) to avoid interruption in the electric service. In some cases, the customer has been told the deposit will be refunded on the next bill. [Read more…]

Colburn, an ORHS senior, named finalist in Intel science competition

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Thomas Colburn

Thomas Colburn

Thomas Colburn, a senior at Oak Ridge High School, has been named a finalist in an Intel science competition after a two-year project conducted with help from an Oak Ridge National Laboratory mentor. Colburn is one of only 40 U.S. high school seniors to be chosen as a finalist and the only one from Tennessee.

He’s also the first finalist from ORHS in the competition, the Intel Science Talent Search, which is described as the nation’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science and math competition.

Colburn’s two-year project is titled “Enhanced Decomposition of Plastic Waste through Photocatalysis.” It was mentored by Todd Toops from the Fuels, Engines, and Emissions Research Center at ORNL.

The 40 finalists receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., from March 10-16 to compete for more than $1 million in awards provided by the Intel Foundation, including three first-place Medal of Distinction awards of $150,000 each that will be presented to students who show exceptional scientific potential in three areas: basic research, global good, and innovation, a press release said. [Read more…]

Tennessee declares State of Emergency due to major winter weather forecast; state offices closed

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Snowfall Amounts Friday to Saturday Jan 21 2016 II

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was updated at 10 a.m. Jan. 22.

Tennessee officials declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the weather forecasts of a major winter weather system expected to move into West Tennessee late Thursday evening and overnight, and gradually cross the entire state through Saturday.

State officials called it a Level III State of Emergency. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency made the recommendation for a State of Emergency to Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam on Thursday afternoon. State officials activated the Tennessee Emergency Management Plan.

A Level 3-Declaration of State Emergency describes an event or period when a serious emergency has occurred or the situation is deteriorating rapidly, and public warnings are being issued. There are five levels in the declaration of state emergencies. They range from normal operations to catastrophic disasters.

On Friday morning, Tennessee officials announced that state offices will be closed Friday due to severe weather.

Here is more information from a press release: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge schools open Friday; Clinton, Anderson schools closed

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Note: This story was last updated at 12:25 a.m.

Oak Ridge Schools will have a regular school day on Friday, January 22, and will start on time, officials said.

Schools in the Clinton and Anderson County districts remain closed for a third day.

Roane County Schools announced that, as of Thursday evening, they planned to be open Friday.

After being closed two days, Anderson County government offices will be open on Friday. [Read more…]

Winter storm warning issued; 3 to 5 inches of snow possible

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Snowfall-Amounts-Friday-Saturday-Jan-21-2016

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was last updated at 3:54 p.m.

A winter storm warning has been issued for Anderson, Knox, Roane, and other counties starting Friday afternoon, and three to five inches of snow is possible in the area, forecasters said.

The winter storm warning goes into effect at 1 p.m. Friday and continues through 7 p.m. Saturday. It’s been upgraded from a winter weather advisory.

A strong winter storm is expected to affect the region starting late Thursday night (January 21) and continuing through early Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The winter storm warning also applies to Loudon, northwest Blount, and north Sevier counties, among other counties, and it includes the cities of Clinton, Kingston, Oak Ridge, Knoxville, Lenoir City, Maryville, and Sevierville. (See the winter storm warning here.) [Read more…]

More snow possible Friday night, Saturday; heavy snow forecast to north, east

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Snowfall-Amounts-Friday-Saturday-Jan-21-2016

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:54 a.m.

More snow is possible in Oak Ridge on Friday night and Saturday, and the forecast calls for heavy snow in areas to the north and east, including northeast Tennessee and western North Carolina, as Winter Storm Jonas turns into a major snowstorm Friday.

A National Weather Service map of expected snowfall amounts shows that four to 12 inches of snow are possible in parts of upper East Tennessee and at higher elevations. Snowfall amounts in and around Asheville, North Carolina, could vary between eight and 24 inches. A blizzard watch has been issued for Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and New York City.

Expected snowfall amounts in Anderson County vary between one and four inches. (Anderson County is the county to the northwest of Knoxville in the map above.)

A winter weather advisory is in effect for Anderson, Knox, Loudon, and Roane counties, among others, from 7 a.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Sunday. It applies to Clinton, Kingston, Knoxville, Lenoir City, Maryville, Oak Ridge, and Sevierville. [Read more…]

National Weather Service: Snow, ice-covered roads through Thursday morning

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Pennsylvania-Avenue-Snow-Jan-20-2016

Pennsylvania Avenue west of New York Avenue is pictured above late Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 20, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:07 a.m.

There had been some improvement on main roads in Oak Ridge late Wednesday afternoon but many side streets remained snow-covered and slippery, and the National Weather Service said snow and ice-covered roads will remain through Thursday morning.

State Route 62 or East Tri County Boulevard in Oliver Springs was still snow-covered early Wednesday evening and was slippery, especially driving south, up the hill toward Oak Ridge.

In Oak Ridge, Illinois Avenue was in the best condition late Wednesday afternoon, and Oak Ridge Turnpike and some well-traveled side streets, including Hillside Road and a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue, still had some snow but were passable. Still, side streets were slippery. One small car needed a push from two men just to get to the curb while trying to get up a small hill on West Outer Drive near North Illinois Avenue. [Read more…]

Schools in Oak Ridge, AC, Roane, Clinton closed again Thursday; county offices also

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Schools in Oak Ridge, Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County will be closed again Thursday, January 21, because of the winter weather and hazardous road conditions.

“Please stay warm and if you must travel, please do so safely,” Roane County Schools said.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said county government will also be closed Thursday. [Read more…]

KCSO identifies 19-year-old killed in Solway crash

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A 19-year-old man died when a car slid off the road at the intersection of Solway and Guinn roads and hit a tree in Solway on Wednesday morning, authorities said. (Photo courtesy WATE-TV/Knoxville)

 

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office has identified the 19-year-old killed in a Wednesday morning crash in Solway.

The young man was James Cryder, the KCSO said.

His passenger, 20-year-old Jacob Raley, is being treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

Authorities said that Cryder died after a 1996 Toyota Corolla slid off the road at the intersection of Solway and Guinn roads and hit a tree. Officers on the scene said the car slid off the road due to weather and speeding. [Read more…]