Oak Ridge Today

Tunnell, former alternate city judge, oldest practicing attorney in TN, dies at 95

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William Lawrence Tunnell

William Lawrence Tunnell

William Lawrence Tunnell, an alternate Oak Ridge city judge who was believed to be the oldest practicing attorney in Tennessee, died September 5. He was 95.

His family will have a receiving of friends for Tunnell, who was also a World War II veteran, on Tuesday, September 15.

Earlier this year, Tunnell was said to be the oldest judge in Tennessee.

Tunnell was born and raised in the Marlow community, according to his obituary. He was a faithful member of Poplar Creek Baptist Church and most recently attended Batley Baptist Church, his obituary said. He was proud of his farm in Marlow.

Tunnell graduated as the valedictorian from the last class at Robertsville High School in 1942. [Read more…]

Photos: 9/11 memorial ceremony at ORHS on Sept. 11

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ORHS 9/11 Memorial Moment of Silence

Oak Ridge High School students and staff and police officers and firefighters have a moment of silence at the 9/11 memorial at ORHS on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A September 11 memorial ceremony at Oak Ridge High School paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001, and it honored military personnel.

Here are pictures from the Friday morning ceremony.

ORHS 9/11 Memorial Shichen Zhang and Melissa Yuan 2015

Shichen Zhang, Student Council president, left, and Melissa Yuan, Student Council vice president, raise the United States flag to half-staff during a 9/11 ceremony at Oak Ridge High School on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

TDOT: Replacing ‘green bridge’ on US 25W in Clinton could cost $18.8 million

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Hon. William Everette Lewallen Memorial Bridge

The Hon. William Everette Lewallen Memorial Bridge on US 25W in Clinton is pictured above. Also known as “the green bridge,” it could cost $18.8 million to replace, state officials said Thursday. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Replacing the Lewallen Bridge—known as “the green bridge” to locals—on US 25W in Clinton could cost $18.8 million, state officials said Thursday.

The bridge, officially known as the Hon. William Everette Lewallen Memorial Bridge, crosses over the Clinch River, and it connects downtown Clinton to South Clinton.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation said preliminary plans are under development to replace the major bridge, which connects the main route from Clinton to Knoxville. South of Clinton, the road is known as Clinton Highway.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer gave an update on that and other projects when they sat down with local and state officials in Knoxville on Thursday to discuss the region’s transportation and infrastructure needs, a press release said. [Read more…]

ORAU awards $32,000 in education grants to area schools

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Clinton City Schools and ORAU Education Grants 2015

Clinton City Schools education grant winners are pictured above. (Photo courtesy ORAU)

 

ORAU awarded 28 teachers from nine East Tennessee schools more than $32,000 in grant money during the 14th annual ORAU Education Grants ceremony.

The grant money will be used to purchase educational materials and equipment—such as Chromebooks, microscopes, meteorology kits, and more—to help teachers continue to meet rigorous, state-wide curriculum standards, and enhance the learning experience of their students, a press release said.

Since beginning this program in 2002, ORAU has provided more than $410,000 to area schools for projects that complement its mission of enriching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, programs.

“ORAU is honored to support our community by helping our schools secure the tools they need to capture and maintain students’ attention on these critical subjects,” ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page said. “These educators continue to show an impressive dedication to teaching, and we welcome the opportunity to show them how much we appreciate their dedication and hard work.” [Read more…]

Trap and Skeet Fun Shoot in Oak Ridge to benefit Wounded Warrior Project

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Submitted

They left their homes to fight for their country. Some of them were wounded physically and some were injured emotionally. And while they came back unbroken in spirit, many of them still need help to finish their recovery.

Assisting both the wounded veterans and their families is a responsibility all Americans should consider undertaking. The sponsors and supporters of the Pull For Our VeteransTM are doing their part by hosting the 4th Annual Pull For Our Veterans Trap and Skeet Fun Shoot to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project on September 18-20.

The three-day long event includes a Law Enforcement and Wounded Veteran’s Shoot on Friday, September 18, followed by a two-day fun shoot among 100 shooters on September 19 and September 20. At least five wounded warriors are expected to participate in the event and 100 percent of the money generated from the event will go to the Wounded Warrior Project to aid our veterans. [Read more…]

New Goodwill store on Emory Valley Road has ribbon-cutting on Sept. 18

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Goodwill Industries Knoxville

Officials will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Goodwill store on Emory Valley Road on Friday, September 18.

The new Goodwill Industries-Knoxville Inc. store will replace the existing Oak Ridge Goodwill, which is now located on South Illinois Avenue.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is from 9 to 10 a.m. Friday, September 18.

“The new location…will provide a brighter shopping space with a significantly larger center for job training efforts,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Weather: Oak Ridge-Anderson County football game canceled, rescheduled to Monday

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Joe Gaddis

Joe Gaddis, head coach of the Oak Ridge Wildcats football team

The Oak Ridge-Anderson County football game has been canceled tonight (Friday, September 11) due to weather and rescheduled for Monday, September 14. The rescheduled game will start at 7:30 p.m.

The Wildcats led 7-0 when the game was canceled with 1:28 left in the first quarter Friday.

There have been a few cancellations and other delays across East Tennessee due to weather. For example, the Kingston and Rockwood game kicked off a little before 9:30 p.m. Friday.

The Clinton and Rhea County game in Rhea County, set to resume at about 9:15 p.m., was under way again as of 9:40 p.m.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

ORNL to extend contract for uranium centrifuge work, but at reduced level; could require layoffs

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American Centrifuge Technology Manufacturing Center

The American Centrifuge Technology Manufacturing Center in south Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Photo courtesy USEC/Centrus Energy Corp.)

 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory intends to extend its contract with Centrus Energy Corporation for research on uranium enrichment centrifuges, but at a reduced level, with funding cut by about 60 percent, the company said Friday. Layoffs could be required, Centrus said in a press release.

The contract extension continues technology development activities at Oak Ridge facilities for advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges, but revenues won’t be used for operations in Piketon, Ohio, the press release said.

The new contract will cover a one-year period from October 1, 2015, to September 30, 2016, with the possibility for additional extensions, the release said.

It said the U.S. Department of Energy’s decision to provide reduced funding will support continued developments of the company’s American Centrifuge technology—which has long-term importance for national and energy security. [Read more…]

AC School Board OKs raises for employees

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Larry Foster

Larry Foster is director of Anderson County Schools.

Information from WYSH Radio

Thursday night, the Anderson County School Board unanimously approved pay raises for some 600 certified employees of the school system and about 400 classified employees.

Certified staff will receive a $1,000 raise, which equals about 2 percent.

Classified staff will receive a 48-cent-per-hour raise, which equals about $1,000 for all 260-day classified staff as well.

School officials point out that some staff members do not work the 260-day-a-year schedule, so their raise will not equal $1,000. [Read more…]

Construction on Y-12 mercury treatment plant could start in 2018, cost $146 million

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Y-12 Process Buildings and Mercury Use Area

Note: This story was last updated at 3:30 p.m.

Construction on a mercury treatment plant at the Y-12 National Security Complex could start in 2018 and cost $146 million, a federal official said Wednesday.

The plant would treat mercury contamination that originates in the West End Mercury Area at Y-12, flows through storm drains, and enters Upper East Fork Poplar Creek at a point known as Outfall 200. East Fork Poplar Creek flows through Oak Ridge.

The U.S. Department of Energy has evaluated several alternatives for treating the mercury, including doing nothing. But DOE prefers an option that would treat 3,000 gallons of contaminated water per minute and store two million gallons of stormwater. It could reduce the flow of mercury, a toxic metal, by an estimated 84 percent. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge resident wins Bojangles’ racing sweepstakes, receives $35,000 cash

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From left to right are three members of Nancy Witick's family; Ken Reynolds, director of field marketing for Bojangles'; Nancy Witick, center; Clifton Rutledge, Bojangles’ president and CEO; John Gibson, from Streetside Classics; and Bojangles’ mascot “Big Bo.” (Photo courtesy Bojangles')

From left to right are three members of Nancy Witick’s family; Ken Reynolds, director of field marketing for Bojangles’; Nancy Witick; Clifton Rutledge, Bojangles’ president and CEO; John Gibson, from Streetside Classics; and Bojangles’ mascot “Big Bo.” (Photo courtesy Bojangles’)

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Oak Ridge resident Nancy Witick was the grand prize winner of the Bojangles’ Southern 500 “Drivers Start Your Engines” Sweepstakes, and she received $35,000 cash, Bojangles’ Inc. announced Sunday.

Witick also received a weekend race experience at the Bojangles’ Southern 500 that included premium race tickets and a four-day, three-night hotel stay for her and three guests, a press release said.

Bojangles’ is the title sponsor of South Carolina’s only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.  From July 13 through August 23, Bojangles’ gave race fans a chance to win a retro-classic car or $35,000 cash by entering a unique sweepstakes entry code at www.WinWithBo.com. [Read more…]

AMSE educators receive training at Space Camp

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Kris Light and Renee Kelley in Flight Suits

Kris Light, left, and Renee Kelley in flight suits. (Submitted photo)

 

Kris Light and Renee Kelley, outreach educators at the American Museum of Science and Energy, recently attended Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, NASA’s official Visitor Information Center for Marshall Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, Alabama.

The educational program promotes science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, while training students and adults with hands-on activities and missions based on teamwork, leadership, and decision-making. Space Camp uses astronaut training techniques to engage trainees in real-world applications of STEM subjects, a press release said.

Light and Kelley were part of the Space Academy for Educators Program, which is designed for teachers who want to advance education in the STEM fields. They experienced astronaut simulators and took a virtual tour into space to save the International Space Station. Trainees also followed lesson plans based on NASA content (which is correlated to the National Science Education Standards) and received content and knowledge to pass on to their students in the classroom. [Read more…]