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ORNL: Car, building are 3D-printed, can power each other

Posted at 1:56 pm September 24, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

ORNL 3D-Printed House and Vehicle on Sept. 24, 2015

A 3D-printed vehicle and building that were part of a nine-month research demonstration project were unveiled on Industry Day at ORNL on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015. The natural gas-powered car and solar-powered building can provide electricity to each other. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A car and house built using large-scale 3D printers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory can provide power to each other, and they’re part of a project designed to answer “what if” questions that could lead to innovations in building and car construction and energy use, storage, and consumption, researchers and officials said Wednesday.

The 210-square-foot house—it’s a solar-powered building—and the printed utility vehicle—officials affectionately call it a PUV—were printed at ORNL’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility on Hardin Valley Road.

They were unveiled at ORNL on Wednesday during the lab’s first-ever Industry Day. The building and PUV are part of a project called the Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy, or AMIE, demonstration.

Additive manufacturing is the process used to build something one layer at a time. One of the most well-known examples is the Shelby Cobra car 3-D printed on a large-scale polymer printer at the MDF. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden admired that vehicle—and joked about taking it for a spin—during a trip to East Tennessee in January. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, College, Education, Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: 3D polymer, 3D printers, 3D-printed building, 3D-printed home, 3D-printed vehicle, additive manufacturing, Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy, Alcoa/Kawneer, AMIE, Barack Obama, Brian Lee, Chuck Fleischmann, Cincinnati Incorporated, Clayton Homes, College of Architecture and Design, David Danielson, David Milhorn, DowAksa, energy efficiency, energy generation, energy use, EPB, GE Appliances, Hexagon Lincoln, Industry Day, Institute for Advanced Composite Manufacturing Innovation, Joe Biden, Johnson Controls, Knoxville Utilities Board, Liberty Utilities, Line-X, Mach Fuels, Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, Martin Keller, NanoPore, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, ORNL, polymer printer, printed utility vehicle, PUV, renewable energy, Roderick Jackson, Skidmore Owings and Merrill, Spiers New Technologies, Techmer ES, Tru-Design, U.S. Department of Energy, University of Tennessee

Man convicted of possessing heroin for sale in school zone

Posted at 4:57 pm September 23, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Charles Randolph Johnson

Charles Randolph Johnson

A man who came to Anderson County from the Detroit area has been convicted of possessing heroin and marijuana for sale in a school zone, and he faces 25 to 40 years in prison, authorities said Wednesday.

Charles Randolph Johnson was found guilty on Friday, September 18, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said in a press release. The jury deliberated for 1.5 hours before announcing their verdict after a trial that lasted 1.5 days.

Johnson has a separate November 10 trial for actually selling the heroin, Clark said in the press release. The DA said Johnson has been charged separately for allegedly selling heroin three times on Coconut Lane near Claxton Elementary School. He also has charges pending for allegedly coercing a witness, Clark said.

The DA said the potential 25- to 40-year sentence for the Friday convictions is based on Johnson’s prior felony record and because the jury found that the crime occurred within a school zone. But the specifics of the sentence will be determined by Anderson County Criminal Court Judge Don Elledge at the November 30 sentencing hearing, Clark said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Criminal Court, Anderson County District Attorney General, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Charles Randolph Johnson, Coconut Lane, DA, Dave Clark, Detroit, Don Elledge, heroin, Joe Fentress Butler, jury, marijuana, Oak Ridge Police Department, possessing heroin and marijuana for sale, Ryan Spitzer, sentencing hearing, Seventh Judicial Crime Task Force, trial, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

Oak Ridge police seek suspect in Monday night shooting, crash

Posted at 6:04 pm September 22, 2015
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Larry Dewayne Williams Wanted Poster

The Oak Ridge Police Department has identified a person of interest in the shooting on Wakefield Road and crash on North Illinois Avenue on Monday, and they consider the suspect to be armed and dangerous, authorities said.

The person of interest has been described as Larry Dewayne Williams, a black male, 28 years old, and 6’1″ and 165 pounds, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.

“Extreme caution should be used if he is observed,” the press release said.

Meanwhile, the Oak Ridge Police Department is taking steps to prevent further shootings on Wakefield Road. There were three in 48 hours, and one arrest has already been made.

“We’re working actively with other agenices to suppress vehicle and pedestrian traffic in areas which cause us concern,” Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi said Tuesday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Billy Weaver, City of Oak Ridge, crash, Larry Dewayne Williams, North Illinois Avenue, Oak Ridge Fire Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, ORPD, shooting, Wakefield Road, West Outer Drive

Support local, independent media: Subscribe to Oak Ridge Today

Posted at 3:23 pm September 22, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

If you support 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 grow and improve our coverage.

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.

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If you have any questions or need more information, you may send an e-mail to Owner/Publisher John Huotari at john.huotari@oakridgetoday.com, or you may call him at (865) 951-9692.

Thank you for your support.

Filed Under: Business, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Website Tagged With: John Huotari, Oak Ridge Today, subscriber, subscription

Council to get update on airport this evening

Posted at 3:09 pm September 22, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Airport Development Plan

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

 

The City Council will get an update on the proposed general aviation airport in west Oak Ridge during a work session this evening.

The update will be given by Billy Stair, public affairs consultant for the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority.

The airport could cost $30-$40 million, and construction could start in 2018, according to a current timeline and construction estimate. The airport would include a 5,000-foot runway and be built at the front side of Heritage Center, the former K-25 site.

The Oak Ridge airport would the third for the MKAA, which would own the site. The other two are McGhee Tyson in Blount County and Downtown Island in Knoxville. The Oak Ridge airport would be a reliever airport and help relieve congestion at the other two airports. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: airport, Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, Billy Stair, Central Services Complex, City Council, DOE, Downtown Island, environmental assessment, Heritage Center, K-25, McGhee Tyson, Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, MKAA, Oak Ridge, property transfer, Rick Meredith, U.S. Department of Energy

Third shooting on Wakefield Road in 48 hours, followed by car crash, fleeing driver

Posted at 2:25 am September 22, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Car Crash at Hilltop and West Outer Drive

Police say the driver of this silver Infiniti fled on foot after a three-car crash at North Illinois Avenue and West Outer Drive on Monday night, just a few hours after a shooting was reported a short distance away on Wakefield Road, the third shooting there in 48 hours. Police have since described the driver as a person of interest in the Monday night shooting and crash. Pictured above at center are ORPD officers James Elkins and Garrett Robbins. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:35 p.m.

A shooting was reported on Wakefield Road on Monday evening, the third shooting on the street in 48 hours. The shooting was followed a few hours later by a three-car crash at the intersection of West Outer Drive and North Illinois Avenue. Police couldn’t immediately say if the two events were connected.

There didn’t appear to be any injuries in the shooting, which occurred sometime between about 8:15 and 8:30 p.m. and left some 21 casings in the street. Residents in one Wakefield Road home said two bullets pierced a bedroom, but fortunately, no one was in it at the time.

Authorities said minor injuries were reported in the crash, which was reported at about 10:15 p.m. near the Ian’s Market gas station and convience store. One person reportedly fled from the crash, and one witness said the man darted into a wooded area behind the east corner of Ian’s Market, headed north toward Oliver Springs.

The Oak Ridge Police Department and Anderson County Sheriff’s Department swarmed the area. An ACSD canine unit responded to help search for the person of interest, but as of early Tuesday morning, officers hadn’t found the man. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Police and Fire, Slider Tagged With: Anderson County District Attorney General, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Burt Walker, crash, Dave Clark, David Stephens, Debriael Hall, drive-by shooting, Garrett Robbins, James Elkins, Jim Akagi, Kevin Craig, Mark Lucas, Mike Uher, North Illinois Avenue, Paul White, Robert Pitts, Robin Smith, Roy Heinz, Sandy Bell, shooting, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Wakefield Road, West Outer Drive, William Weaver

Man arrested after shots fired in two neighborhoods, chase through several counties

Posted at 4:47 pm September 21, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Debriael Hall

Debriael Hall

Note: This story was last updated at 5:30 p.m.

A 20-year-old Oak Ridge man was arrested after police received several reports of shots fired in two neighborhoods in Oak Ridge this weekend and after a high-speed chase that went through several counties and cities on Sunday night, ending in Newport, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Police Department said it first received a report that a black male suspect was chasing a male black victim on foot, firing a pistol, at about 11 p.m. Saturday, September 19.

Then, at about 3 a.m. Sunday, the ORPD responded to South Fisk Avenue in Scarboro, where residents reported multiple shots were fired into their home, which was struck at least twice, according to a city press release. The residents said they heard at least a dozen gunshots.

Oak Ridge Police Department Chase Damage

Damage to an Oak Ridge Police Department car is pictured above after a high-speed chase that started in Oak Ridge on Sunday night, Sept. 20, wound through several counties and cities, and ended in Newport after spike strips were deployed. (Photo by Oak Ridge Police Department via Facebook)

 

In the first incident, the ORPD said, a white Ford Escape with dealer tags was seen in the area, and in the second incident, this same vehicle was seen fleeing the area at a high rate of speed.

Then, at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, ORPD responded to a report of shots fired on Wakefield Road. The complainant said shots were fired toward an apartment building by a male black suspect, and a second male black perpetrator returned fire, which struck the tailgate off a parked truck. Both suspects fled the area, reportedly in a white SUV matching the description of the suspect vehicle in the previous incidents.

The mother of a fourth victim reported her son had been pistol-whipped by a male black suspect earlier that day, but the victim refused to cooperate in identifying the suspect or describing what occurred, the City of Oak Ridge said in the press release. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Crime Task Force, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, chase, City of Oak Ridge, Cocke County Sheriff's Office, Debriael Hall, gunshots, high-speed chase, Jasmine Bullard, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Knoxville Police Department, Oak Ridge Police Department, ORPD, pursuit, Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, Sevierville Police Department, shots fired, South Fisk Avenue, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Wakefield Road

Students at two schools send cards of appreciation to ACSD for 9/11

Posted at 1:57 pm September 21, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

ACSD 9/11 Cards

Students at Linden Elementary School and St. Mary’s School in Oak Ridge sent cards of appreciation to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for 9/11. (Submitted photo)

 

Students at two schools in Oak Ridge sent cards of appreciation to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for September 11, 2015, the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in New York City, Washington, D.C., and an airplane that crashed in Pennsylvania.

“Our thanks to the students of Linden Elementary and St. Mary’s School for their cards of appreciation for September 11, 2015,” ACSD Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. “We certainly appreciate them!” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Education, Front Page News, K-12, Police and Fire Tagged With: 911, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Linden Elementary School, Mark Lucas, September 11 2001, St. Mary’s School, terrorist attacks

AC Commission preview

Posted at 12:34 pm September 21, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Anderson County Courthouse

The Anderson County Courthouse on Main Street in Clinton is pictured above. (File photo)

Information from WYSH Radio

The Anderson County Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. today (Monday, September 21) in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

Prior to this evening’s meeting, the Commission will issue a proclamation saluting Anderson County Community Action Commission for its 50 years of service to the county.

Once the meeting begins, one of the more interesting items on the agenda will be consideration of an Operations Committee recommendation that a writ of mandamus be sought from a judge to force Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank to sign a motion that has been approved twice by the Commission to open an access road to the East Wolf Valley convenience center in Claxton to alleviate traffic congestion.

Frank will address what she calls the county’s non-compliance with state laws regarding vehicles for elected officials and will revisit the issue of whether the Commission has the authority to directly hire and supervise employees. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Courthouse, Community Action Commission, East Wolf Valley convenience center, Operations Committee, Robert McKamey, Steve Emert, Terry Frank

New ORNL catalyst addresses engine efficiency, emissions quandary

Posted at 3:52 am September 21, 2015
By Oak Ridge National Laboratory Leave a Comment

ORNL Catalyst Andrew Binder

Researcher Andrew Binder and colleagues discovered that by mixing three components they could create an innovative catalyst that performs well at low temperatures without the use of precious metals. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

A catalyst being developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory could overcome one of the key obstacles still preventing automobile engines from running more cleanly and efficiently.

The mixed oxide catalyst could solve the longstanding problem of inhibition, in which nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons effectively clog the catalyst designed to cleanse a vehicle’s exhaust stream. This happens as these three pollutants compete for active surface sites on the catalyst. Now, however, ORNL’s low-cost catalyst composed of copper oxide, cobalt oxide, and cerium oxide shows considerable promise when tested in simulated exhaust streams.

“Our catalyst potentially fixes the inhibition problem without precious metals and could help more efficient engines meet upcoming stricter emission regulations,” said Todd Toops of ORNL’s Energy and Transportation Sciences Division. Toops noted that the unique formulation builds on previous work by colleagues Andrew Binder and Sheng Dai, who varied the composition of the three catalyst components in search of improved oxidation activity under simple conditions. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Andrew Binder, automobile engines, catalyst, cerium oxide, cobalt oxide, copper oxide, Energy and Transportation Sciences Division, Jim Parks, mixed oxide catalyst, Oka Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Sheng Dai, Todd Toops, U.S. Department of Energy

Altrusa: Cross country with a woman behind the wheel

Posted at 3:39 am September 21, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Josee Tousignant

Josee Tousignant

The new owner and operator of Curves, a fitness center for women in Oak Ridge, will discuss her previous work as a cross-country truck driver during an Altrusa meeting on Wednesday.

Josee Paquin Tousignant will discuss “what entices a woman to choose a cross-country truck driving job,” a press release said.

The Altrusa of Oak Ridge meeting is at lunchtime Wednesday at the DoubleTree Hotel.

Tousignant is a French-Canadian woman from a small town northwest from Montreal, a press release said. She comes from a family of four siblings: two girls and two boys, all of whom became truck drivers at some point in their lives. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits Tagged With: Altrusa, Altrusa International, Altrusa of Oak Ridge, cross country truck driving, Curves, Josee Tousignant, St. Mary's Church

ORHPA to give historic preservation award to former Lakewood Hall

Posted at 3:18 am September 21, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Lakewood Hall

This year, the selection of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association’s Historic Preservation Award is Lakewood Hall. This historic building is occupied by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 270. Located on Lincoln Circle, this building in 1945 was headquarters for the Special Engineer Detachment. (Photo courtesy ORHPA)

 

A nonprofit organization will present a historic preservation award to the owners of the former Lakewood Hall on Lincoln Circle on Monday.

The presentation is at 11 a.m. Monday, September 21, at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Union building on Lincoln Circle.

The presentation has been organized by the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, or ORHPA.

The award will be given to the IBEW Union Local 270, owners of the former Lakewood Hall. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits Tagged With: historic preservation award, IBEW, IBEW Union building, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Lakewood Hall, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, ORHPA, U.S. Army Special Engineer Detachment, Union Local 270

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