Oak Ridge Today

DOE Oak Ridge awards $9.6 million contract to Chickasaw Nation Industries

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Cris Van Horn, seated right, DOE-ORO deputy director for procurement and contracts, along with DOE-ORO Procurement and Contracts staff Trae Crowder and Keturah Moore, standing, congratulate Tyler Sparks, LLC manager of Chickasaw Nation Industries Global Solutions LLC, for the current award of a 5-year, $9.6 million SBA 8(a) Business Development Program contract for financial management support services at the DOE Oak Ridge Office. (DOE photo/Lynn Freeny)

Cris Van Horn, seated right, DOE-ORO deputy director for procurement and contracts, along with DOE-ORO Procurement and Contracts staff Trae Crowder and Keturah Moore, standing, congratulate Tyler Sparks, LLC manager of Chickasaw Nation Industries Global Solutions LLC, for the current award of a 5-year, $9.6 million SBA 8(a) Business Development Program contract for financial management support services at the DOE Oak Ridge Office. (DOE photo/Lynn Freeny)

 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office has awarded a five-year, $9.6 million contract to Chickasaw Nation Industries Global Solutions LLC for financial management support services. The contract will employ about 17 people in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

The contract was awarded through the Small Business Administration 8(a) Business Development Program.

“We are pleased with the selection of Chickasaw Global Solutions as the next financial management support contractor at the Oak Ridge Office,” said ORO Deputy Manager Kevin Hall. “The services provided under this contract are vital to our success, and we look forward to building a productive, professional relationship with this company.” [Read more…]

Oak Ridge vet receives Bronze Star 70 years after World War II

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Melvin Kallio Bronze Star Ceremony

Melvin Kallio, right, received a Bronze Star on Monday, 70 years after he fought in Colmar Pocket in France during World War II, south of the Battle of the Bulge. Pictured with Kallio from left are WVLT-TV Anchor Alan Williams, U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, and the Rev. Craig Kallio, one of Melvin’s two sons.

 

Seventy years after he fought in France during World War II, an Oak Ridge veteran has been awarded the Bronze Star.

Melvin E. Kallio, 92, fought in Colmar Pocket. He was a machine gunner in the 12th Armored Division, and he and other soldiers had been ready to fight at the Battle of the Bulge.

But they wound up fighting against what they initially heard were draftees, part of a German “breakthrough” south of the Battle of the Bulge. The enemy turned out to be tougher and more fierce than draftees. [Read more…]

CVMR provides information for job applicants, vendors interested in Oak Ridge work

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Michael Hargett and Kamran Khoza of CVMR USA

CVMR President Michael Hargett, left, and Kamran Khozan, chairman and chief executive officer, joined local, state, and federal officials on Friday, March 13, to announce they’re moving company headquarters from Toronto to Oak Ridge, investing $313 million and adding 620 jobs.

CVMR, the Toronto company that is moving its headquarters to Oak Ridge, has provided contact information on its website for job applicants and vendors interested in employment and service opportunities at its Oak Ridge office.

Job applicants can send their resumés to hr@cvmr.ca.

Vendors can send their information to supply@cvmr.ca. [Read more…]

Lunch with League: Impact of Affordable Care Act on Free Medical Clinic

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Teresa Brittain

Teresa Brittain

Teresa Brittain, executive director of the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, will discuss the continuing need for charitable healthcare facilities—even in the era of the Affordable Care Act—during a lunchtime meeting today (Tuesday, April 7).

Brittain will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, which is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Video: Secret City Wildbots compete in Smoky Mountain Regionals

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This is a video of Team 4265, the Secret City Wildbots, during the final qualification round at the Smoky Mountain Regionals in Knoxville on Saturday, April 4. It was the fifth annual FIRST Robotics Competition Smoky Mountain Regional.

Team 4265 won the coveted Engineering Inspiration Award sponsored by NASA and will compete at the World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri, from April 21-25.

Video, picture: Help CPD catch a theft suspect

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Scrap Metal Solutions Theft

Clinton Police Department detectives are looking for a suspect (or suspects) involved in the burglary of Scrap Metal Solutions on J.D. Yarnell Industrial Parkway.

According to the initial investigation, it’s believed the break-in occurred sometime during the weekend.

“We’re asking you to take a look at this video,” the CPD said. “If you know the suspect or have any information, please contact Lieutenant Carl Bailey or Detective Jason Lawson at (865) 457-3112.”

See the video here: [Read more…]

Clinton police seek help finding driver in horse trailer theft

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The Clinton Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding the vehicle pictured here. The driver is wanted for questioning in the theft of a horse trailer from Fox Toyota this past weekend, authorities said.

If you can provide any information, call CPD Lieutenant Carl Bailey or Detective Jason Lawson at (865) 457-3112.

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Nonprofit wants to revitalize Blankenship Field, Jack Armstrong Stadium

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Blankenship Field Overall Plan

An overall view of the proposed renovation of Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium.

 

A nonprofit foundation wants to revitalize Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong stadium and create a world-class gathering place that can accommodate more than 20,000 people in a natural amphitheater for sporting and other events, organizers said.

The Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation has been formed by private residents, and it is led by Tennessee Senator Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican. Organizers said the foundation is coordinating the revitalization project and fundraising activities in cooperation with the City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools.

“In revitalizing Blankenship Field, we hope to honor the historic founders of Oak Ridge, a community dedicated to world-class education, scientific discovery, and a high quality of life,” organizers said. [Read more…]

Secret City Wildbots win Engineering Award, prepare for World Championship

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Secret City Wildbots Compete at Smoky Mountain Regionals

The Secret City Wildbots (Team 4265) compete at the Smoky Mountain Regionals in Knoxville on Saturday. (Photos by Angi Agle)

 

KNOXVILLE—Team 4265, the Secret City Wildbots, finished the qualifying rounds ranked Number 10 and successfully negotiated the three-round quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville.

The team suffered a disappointing loss in the semifinals, but at the end of the awards ceremony, members were presented with the coveted Engineering Inspiration Award sponsored by NASA. The award qualifies them to compete at the World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri, from April 21-25, with the entry fee paid by NASA.

This is the Secret City Wildbots’ fourth year, and the team has earned the right to compete in the World Championship each of those four years. [Read more…]

Social benefit or Frankenfood? UT scientist cites value of genetically modified crops

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Tessa Burch-Smith and Mike Laman

Tessa Burch-Smith speaks with Michael Laman, dean of health sciences at Roane State Community College. He introduced her talk on genetically modified foods. (Submitted photo)

 

In developing countries where white rice is the dominant food, a half million pregnant women and young children become blind and two million die every year because of a Vitamin A deficiency.

On a mission to use genetic engineering to benefit humankind, scientists have genetically modified one type of rice so the grain, not just its leaves, makes Vitamin A. One published study showed that the improved nutritional content of “golden rice” could save sight and lives.

Golden rice was ready to be marketed in 2002, but critics have been calling it a Frankenfood. Golden rice is still not commercially adopted, even though in 2013, Pope Francis personally blessed its use.

This is one of the examples that Tessa Burch-Smith gave in her recent talk as part of the new Roane State Community College–Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning Intergenerational Lecture Series. An assistant professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, she teaches and conducts research in UT’s Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology. [Read more…]

Are We There Yet? A glance in rearview mirror on winding journey to liberty, justice, equality

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Gina Grubb and Beth Meyer

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“Are We There Yet? A glance in the rearview mirror on the winding journey to liberty, justice and equality” will be the topic of the next Oak Ridge PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meeting.

The meeting, held at the new Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike on Monday, April 6, is open to all who are interested. Social Hour will begin at 6:45 p.m., with the meeting scheduled from 7-8 p.m.

Partners Gina Grubb and Beth Meyer will share their perspectives and  experiences as gay rights activists during the past 16 years. Grubb is a native Oak Ridger and served nearly 15 years in the Oak Ridge Police Department. She is currently a STEM and science teacher at Eagleton Middle School in Blount County. Meyer has lived in Oak Ridge for 23 years and teaches fourth grade at Webb School of Knoxville. [Read more…]

TVA seeks comment on ‘dewatering’ facility at Kingston, would allow dry storage

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Kingston Fossil Plant

Kingston Fossil Plant is located on Watts Bar Reservoir on the Tennessee River near Kingston. At the time it was finished in 1955, Kingston was the largest coal-burning power plant in the world, a distinction it held for more than a decade. (Photo courtesy TVA)

HARRIMAN—As part of a commitment to change the way ash and coal products are handled, the Tennessee Valley Authority is proposing to design and build a new facility that would dry out byproduct streams of bottom ash and pyrite at the Kingston Fossil Plant.

The change would allow these coal-burning byproducts to be stored in an onsite, dry landfill.

This project supports TVA’s plan to close all wet ponds containing coal combustion residue and convert them to dry storage throughout TVA’s coal fleet. Kingston is the first of TVA’s fossil plants to undergo the conversion. [Read more…]