Oak Ridge Today

Roane Sheriff part of investigation that leads to long sentence for pill mill operator

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A Chattanooga pill mill operator was sentenced to 280 years in federal prison on Thursday, and the Roane County Sheriff’s Office was among the law enforcement agencies that participated in the investigation that led to her indictment and subsequent conviction, authorities said.

Barbara Lang, a.k.a. “Aunt Bea,” 61, of Rossville, Georgia, was sentenced by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, U.S. District Judge, said United States Attorney William C. Killian of the Eastern District of Tennessee.

After a 25-day trial that spanned almost three months, Lang was convicted of two counts of conspiring to distribute and dispense Schedule II and IV controlled substances, outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose; five counts of maintaining a premises for the purpose of distributing controlled substances; and 14 counts of structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements, a press release said.

Lang was charged along with three other people. [Read more…]

Labor Day concert at A.K. Bissell Park on Monday

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Oak Ridge Community Band July 4, 2014

Photo by Larry Perry

 

The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform its last outdoor concert of the summer at A.K. Bissell Park next Monday.

The concert starts at 7 p.m. Monday, September 7. There is no admission fee, and the public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for outdoor seating, a press release said. Cool refreshments will be available.

“Attendance at the Community Band’s concerts this summer has been large due to outstanding programs, and the band directed by Dale Pendley and assistant conductor Lisa Michaels have still another excellent performance planned for Monday evening featuring as special guests the Dixieland Band, the Community Band Choir, vocalist Deidre Ford, and former mayor Tom Beehan, who has been narrator at the previous summer concerts and will once again appear in this role for the Labor Day program,” a press release said. [Read more…]

State certifies four new adventure tourism districts in Roane

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Adventure tourism is one of the hottest industries in the country and the world. To capitalize on this growing trend, Tennessee passed the Tennessee Adventure Tourism and Rural Development Act of 2011 in hopes to incentivize adventure tourism businesses to invest and create jobs in districts planned all across the state.

Tennessee’s abundance of natural resources makes it an ideal setting to support this segment of the tourism industry. The act allows qualified businesses that locate within a certified district to earn a jobs tax credit to offset a portion of the business’ Tennessee franchise and excise tax liability. Qualified businesses may include restaurants, hotels, or other tourist related attractions.

“I began the process in February and over the next few months required resolutions from each of the cities where the district resides, as well as the county. They all passed unanimously,” said Pam May, vice president of The Roane Alliance. “Roane County has so many natural resources ideal for adventure tourism—more than 700 miles of shoreline, bluffs, and vistas on the plateau, and a large number of Wildlife Management Areas—just to name a few.” [Read more…]

Silver Alert canceled for missing woman

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Betty Ann Ayers

Betty Ann Ayers

The Silver Alert issued for a missing woman on Sunday afternoon was canceled after she was found safe and sound, authorities said.

Betty Ayers, 84, had last been seen at 2 p.m. Saturday in Westwood Estates in Oak Ridge, the Oak Ridge Police Department said.

The ORPD said Ayers is from Auburn Hills, Michigan, and suffers from dementia.

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.

Reminder: ORHPA celebrates 70th anniversary of end of WWII with special showing of historic movie

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The Beginning or The End

A historic Ed Westcott image of the original showing of the movie, “The Beginning or the End”—The Story of the Atomic Bomb and Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

 

Reminder: A 70th anniversary celebration of the end of World War II will feature a special showing of the historic movie “‘The Beginning or the End,’ The Story of the Atomic Bomb and Oak Ridge.”

This movie was Hollywood’s first attempt to tell the fascinating story of the creation of the world’s first atomic bomb in the massive, top-secret Manhattan Project. The movie was originally released in 1947, just two years after the end of the war. It stars Brian Donlevy, Robert Walker, and Tom Drake.

The celebration has been organized by the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. It’s scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, August 29, at the Historic Grove Theater at 123 Randolph Road in Grove Center.

“We wanted to honor those who perished in WWII, our great veterans, Manhattan Project and Cold War workers, and the world-changing Y-12 plant on this anniversary,” said Mick Wiest, president of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association. “It’s important to remember and be grateful.” [Read more…]

FBI: Even small tips could help catch extortion, kidnapping suspects

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FBI Press Conference Composite Sketches Extortion, Kidnapping

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Knoxville on Wednesday released composite sketches of two subjects and one person of interest in alleged kidnappings and extortions involving Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge in April and SmartBank in Knoxville in July. Pictured above are FBI Knoxville Special Agent in Charge Edward Reinhold, center; Knox County Sheriff’s Office Major Michael MacLean, right; and Knoxville Police Department Deputy Chief Nate Allen. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

KNOXVILLE—Two men entered two different homes in kidnappings and extortions involving Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge in April and SmartBank in Knoxville in July, and a woman, possibly with an infant or a toddler, might have entered the first, officials said Wednesday.

A blue four-door car was spotted in the area of the second home about a week before the second incident, said Edward Reinhold, special agent in charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Knoxville.

It’s possible there could be a fourth person involved, and it’s not clear if the suspects are still in the area.

Reinhold said both men were wearing disguises. The woman was not, but she might have been wearing a wig and sunglasses. [Read more…]

Hank’s Market opened Tuesday

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Hank's Market Ribbon-cutting

Hank’s Market opened before this ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday morning. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Hank’s Market, the new grocery store in east Oak Ridge, opened Tuesday. It’s in the space formerly used by Food Lion on Emory Valley Road.

It’s the second Hank’s store. The original store is in Washington, Indiana.

Hank’s has been interested in the former Food Lion site since Food Lion closed its Oak Ridge store last summer, said Tony Malanga, an East Tennessee-based district manager for the parent company, Houchens Food Group in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

“We had an opportunity with the Food Lion closing here,” Malanga said at a Tuesday morning ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

The new store opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday, and it is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. [Read more…]

McNally, Powers, Ragan have community conversation in Clinton tonight

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John Ragan

John Ragan

Tennessee Senator Randy McNally and representatives Dennis Powers and John Ragan will have a community conversation in Clinton tonight.

The event starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, August 27 at the Clinton Community Center, 101 Hicks Avenue.

More changes under reorganization at Oak Ridge Schools

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The recent reclassification of positions announced earlier this week has created opportunities for other staff to assume new positions in the Oak Ridge Schools, including at Robertsville Middle School and Secret City Academy, a press release said.

Here are the organizational changes:

  • D.T. Hobby will become the Robertsville Middle School assistant principal, which was open due to Garfield Adams being named the new Robertsville Middle School principal.
  • John Roberts will be the new Secret City Academy (formerly the ORS Alternative School) administrator due to the departure of D.T. Hobby. Roberts is currently an Oak Ridge High School assistant principal.
  • A vacancy will be posted immediately to fill the open Oak Ridge High School assistant principal position.

See a summary of the backgrounds of both Hobby and Roberts below. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools introduces Access Oak Ridge Digital 1:1 Initiative

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Oak Ridge Schools formally introduced its digital 1:1 initiative, called Access Oak Ridge, at its Board of Education meeting Monday evening. The Access Oak Ridge initiative will put a digital device in the hands of every ORS middle school student prior to the end of the 2015-2016 school year.

The digital 1:1 rollout will start with a proof of concept phase beginning this October, which will include the 6th grade at Jefferson Middle School and the 7th grade at Robertsville Middle School. This phase will be followed by a full, middle school rollout to include all middle school grades 5-8.

Bruce Borchers, Oak Ridge Schools superintendent, offered crucial context and explained the importance behind the Access Oak Ridge initiative, a press release said. [Read more…]

New Neurofeedback Clinic offers ‘brain training’ to Oak Ridge

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Jake Morrill

Jake Morrill

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Everyone knows that working out at the gym, over time, leads to a healthier, stronger body. In recent years, research on neuroplasticity has shown that training your brain can similarly lead to a healthier, stronger brain. Now, Oak Ridge has a “gym” for the brain: BrainAble Neurofeedback and Coaching.

Training with Neurofeedback, toward the state of calm focus, is like learning meditation with the benefit of real-time, ongoing feedback, letting you know when and how much you are “in the zone.” Our brains generate different frequencies of electricity. Often, we get stuck in the habit of producing too much slow, or “Theta” waves—so we’re sluggish and spacey. Or, we might produce too much fast, or “Beta” waves—so we’re anxious and stressed. Neurofeedback helps us regulate our brains, to achieve a more balanced mix of frequencies. Research has shown neurofeedback to help counter the effects of ADHD, depression, addiction, PTSD, and several other conditions. Some people turn to neurofeedback not to treat deficits, but to attain excellence. A well-tuned brain can lead to higher functioning, generally. [Read more…]

Commerce secretary to tour UT partner IACMI, ORNL manufacturing facility

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Penny Pritzker

Penny Pritzker

KNOXVILLE—On Thursday, August 27, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and Department of Energy Assistant Secretary David Danielson will visit the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation in Knoxville.

The visit is part of a two-day tour of the institutes make up the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. Governor Bill Haslam, U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, and Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett will join Pritzker for portions of the day’s activities.

The group will tour the U.S. Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility and National Transportation Research Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The University of Tennessee in Knoxville is a key strategic partner of IACMI and led the proposal efforts with ORNL.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden announced the new institute in January during a visit to East Tennessee. The White House initiative aims to strengthen the global competitiveness of America’s manufacturing sector and the workforce. The NNMI now has six institutes, and three more are being formed. [Read more…]