Oak Ridge Today

Erin Corwin’s body found in Calif. mine shaft; suspect arrested in Alaska

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Erin Corwin with Horse

Erin Corwin, who was from Oak Ridge, was an animal lover who volunteered at a horse rescue near Twentynine Palms, California.

 

The body of Erin Corwin, a pregnant 19-year-old Oak Ridge native who had been missing in southern California since late June, was found 140 feet down a mine shaft on Saturday, authorities said Monday.

Corwin’s body, found with the help of video equipment at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, was identified at 9:30 p.m. Sunday using dental records, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said.

A half-hour later, at 10 p.m. Sunday, Christopher Brandon Lee was arrested in Anchorage, Alaska, for the murder of Corwin, the Sheriff’s Department said. An autopsy has determined the death was a homicide.

The Desert Sun of Palm Springs, California, said Lee is a 24-year-old ex-Marine who lived next to Erin and her husband, Marine Corporal Jonathan Corwin, who is also from Oak Ridge, at a desert base in Twentynine Palms, California. Detectives believe that Lee and Erin Corwin were having an affair, and that Lee may have been afraid that his wife Nichole would discover his infidelity, the newspaper said.

Corwin vanished June 28 after telling her husband that she was going to Joshua Tree National Park south of Twentynine Palms. [Read more…]

Miller, mayor pro tem, won’t seek re-election in November

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Jane Miller

Jane Miller

She’s been on the Oak Ridge City Council for more than a decade, and on Sunday, Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller said she will not seek re-election in November.

Miller was appointed to City Council in October 2003. She successfully ran for the office in a special election in August 2004 and was re-elected in 2005 and 2009.

Miller was elected by the City Council to first serve as mayor pro tem in July 2007, presiding over meetings when the mayor is absent, and she has continued since, having been re-elected by Council in 2009, 2011, and 2013.

“It has been a great honor and privilege to work with and for the citizens of Oak Ridge as a member of City Council and mayor pro tem,” Miller said in a press release. “I have been humbled to represent you as a common sense, pro-business leader and to work for responsible solutions to improve our city and pursue a better, brighter future for our citizens. This is a bittersweet decision, but after much discussion with my family over the last few weeks, it is time for me to pass this responsibility to others.”

Eleven years is enough, Miller said. [Read more…]

City Council hosts Aug. 25 public meeting on Clark Center Park

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Clark Center Park Picnic Area

One of two large picnic areas at Clark Center Park. The park also includes a small playground, two ball fields, boat ramp, fishing trails, and beach.

 

The Oak Ridge City Council will have a public meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, August 25, to collect community input regarding the possible transfer of Clark Center Park from the U.S. Department of Energy to the city. The meeting will be held in the Municipal Building Courtroom, and it will be in lieu of the regularly scheduled monthly work session.

The DOE’s Oak Ridge Office is in the process of reviewing the agency’s land holdings across the Oak Ridge Reservation. The reservation is located within the city limits of Oak Ridge, and it includes Clark Center Park.

Clark Center Park (formerly known as Carbide Park) is an 80-acre parcel under consideration by DOE for possible transfer from federal ownership. The park area includes a swimming area along Melton Hill Lake, and incorporates two picnic areas, a playground, restrooms, a boat ramp, two ball fields, and also provides access to the Gallaher Bend Greenway. DOE spends about $300,000 per year to maintain the park.

In an August 4 letter to the city, DOE Oak Ridge Office Manager Larry Kelly said, “Given the park’s benefit to the citizens of Oak Ridge, the option we currently favor would be to transfer ownership to the city at no cost, provided that the property remains a recreational park asset for the public.” [Read more…]

Anderson County Commission to consider pay raise proposal tonight

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Chuck Fritts

Chuck Fritts

They haven’t had a raise in more than two decades, and on Monday night, Anderson County commissioners will consider whether to approve a salary increase for the new commission that starts in September.

Commissioners now receive $537.59 per month, or $6,451 each year. That’s what they’ve earned since Fiscal Year 1995-96.

Commissioners last received a salary increase in FY 1992-93, when their pay was raised 1.5 percent to $599 per month, or $7,199 each year.

But their monthly salary was then cut to the current level of $537.59 a few years later, in FY 95-96. There has been no change since.

A resolution to be considered by commissioners tonight (Monday, August 18) would give the new commission that starts in September the same pay raises awarded to all other elected officials, Commission Chair Chuck Fritts said. It would put commissioners on the same “playing field” as other elected officials, said Fritts, who made the proposal. He said commissioners ought to be included when those elected officials receive a raise. [Read more…]

Enrollment open for Exercise for Fitness classes

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department is sponsoring Exercise for Fitness, an adult exercise program taught by Charlotte Hensley. The class meets at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

This class is for you if you are looking for a well-balanced program offering a variety of exercise routines, a press release said. The instructor incorporates the use of a variety of equipment including fitness balls, hand weights, steps, and hoops to provide a comprehensive workout for each participant. A modified workout can be provided for participants who have special physical needs or limitations.

“This is a great class for adults who have completed physical therapy following surgery and are ready for the next step,” the press release said. Participants should get clearance from their doctor before participating in any exercise class. [Read more…]

Grief seminar offered at Grace Lutheran on Aug. 23

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Stephen Herbes

Stephen Herbes

Licensed Grief Counselor Stephen Herbes will offer a free grief seminar on Saturday, August 23, at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge.

The seminar, sponsored by the church’s Mental Health Team Ministry, will be held in the fellowship hall, beginning at 10:30 a.m. It’s open to the public, and everyone is invited to attend, a press release said.

Herbes will offer an overview of the grief process, including some common misunderstandings about grieving; what influences our responses to loss; some of the losses of middle and later life; six central needs of mourning; and ways to help a grieving person. [Read more…]

Honors: PCUD wins distinguished SOAR Award

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Matt Ballard and Rob Neil

Matt Ballard, chairman of APGA’s board of directors, presenting the APGA SOAR award to PCUD President Rob Neil. (Submitted photo)

 

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At its 2014 Annual Meeting, the American Public Gas Association presented Powell-Clinch Utility District with the prestigious APGA System Operational Achievement Recognition, or SOAR, distinction, which recognizes excellence in operating natural gas utilities.

Public natural gas systems are entrusted by their customers to deliver clean and affordable natural gas through a safe and reliable distribution pipeline system. To accomplish this mission, a forward-thinking natural gas utility constantly strives to improve its operating capabilities, overcome challenges, and adapt to its changing environment.

Out of over 700 APGA members nationally, PCUD was the only gas system selected in East Tennessee and was one of 21 selected for SOAR distinction by its peers on the APGA Operations and Safety Committee. The SOAR award is based on demonstrated excellence in the four areas of system integrity, system improvement, employee safety, and workforce development. [Read more…]

Register for ORICL courses and trips by Aug. 27; semester starts Sept. 22

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Decorative Barn ORICL

ORICL members visit this barn on the Appalachian Quilt Trail. (Submitted photos)

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How would you like to see 10 award-winning films from 10 countries? Find information on your ancestors on the Internet? Learn about female Pharaohs in ancient Egypt?

Better understand tax law changes, Medicare, long-term care services, and investment fundamentals? Get a new perspective on Jesus, the Trinity, and the Quakers? Learn to analyze dreams and play better bridge?

You can take courses on any of these and other topics by registering for the fall semester of the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning, or ORICL.

The early registration deadline is Aug. 27 for the fall semester, which starts Sept. 22 and ends Dec. 12. Members should register by Aug. 27 to have the best chance of getting preferred classes and trips. [Read more…]

Venable brings humor to Aug. 25 meeting of Democratic Women’s Club

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Sam Venable

Sam Venable (Submitted photo)

Sam Venable, the Knoxville News Sentinel humor columnist, will bring his humor to the August 25 meeting of the Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club.

Venable’s presentation is titled “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up—Truisms From Real Life.”

The club will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, August 25, in the Clinton Community Center Great Room at 101 South Hicks Street in Clinton. Vernon’s Burnins will cater the event, serving the award-winning barbecue ribs dinner, at a cost of $18 per person. For reservations, e-mail Ann Mostoller at amostoller@msw-law.com or call Mary Matheny at (865) 483-8937 by August 22. [Read more…]

Haslam announces federal aid for 18 counties

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Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Counties receive disaster recovery funds for June flooding

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday announced President Obama has declared 18 counties as federal disaster areas as a result of severe weather on June 5-10. State and local governments and electrical utilities spent nearly $10 million in response to and recovery from the wind damage and flash-flooding impacts.

“This federal aid will help our communities in rebuilding and recovery,” Haslam said. “State and local teams worked quickly to survey damage in more than 35 counties to determine the impact of these storms, and we are grateful for this assistance.”

The counties that will have access to federal aid include Anderson, Bledsoe, Carroll, Decatur, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Lawrence, Lewis, Madison, Marion, Maury, McNairy, Moore, Perry, Roane, Sequatchie, and Tipton. They will have access to federal assistance that provides reimbursement for 75 percent of eligible costs. A presidential disaster declaration also includes FEMA’s hazard mitigation grant program on a statewide basis.

Three fatalities were attributed to the severe weather and flooding. Two deaths occurred in Lawrence County and another in Hickman County. [Read more…]

Five TN sites, including Norris cabins, added to National Historic Register

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Norris Dam State Park Rustic Cabin Interior

The interior of a rustic cabin at Norris Dam State Park. (Photos courtesy Tennessee State Parks/Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation)

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NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Historical Commission has announced that five Tennessee sites, including rustic cabins at Norris Dam State Park, have been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. It is part of a nationwide program that coordinates and supports efforts to identify, evaluate and protect historic resources. The Tennessee Historical Commission, as the State Historic Preservation Office, administers the program in Tennessee.

“The National Register is an honorary recognition for time-honored places that enrich our communities and make them unique,” State Historic Preservation Officer and Executive Director of the Tennessee Historical Commission Patrick McIntyre said. “We hope this recognition helps generate and reinforce an appreciation for these special properties, so they can be retained for present and future generations of Tennesseans.”

Sites recently added to the National Register of Historic Places include: [Read more…]

ThreeStar status awarded to 85 counties, including Anderson, Roane

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Bill Hagerty

Bill Hagerty

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93 out of 95 counties meet audit committee requirement

NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development on Thursday announced that 85 out of 95 counties, including Anderson and Roane, have been awarded ThreeStar status. In addition, since the ThreeStar community development program began requiring eligible communities to create and maintain a County Audit Committee in January 2013, the number of counties with Audit Committees has increased substantially. As of March 2013, there were 32 audit committees around the state; as of July 2014, there are 93.

“The ThreeStar program is a vital component to our state’s overall level of success, providing counties with a proven roadmap for continued economic and community strength, which in turn helps Tennessee win new investment and jobs,” Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. “Tennessee has been recognized as the number one state in the nation for economic development, and these audit committees support Governor Haslam’s overarching goal of making Tennessee the most efficiently run state on every level. I congratulate all of our ThreeStar counties and those communities who are taking the initiative to create Audit Committees and work toward achieving fiscal strength and efficient government.”

The Audit Committees are designed to help each county improve their financial management and reporting practices, and help ensure the implementation of good internal controls to prevent or detect fraud, a step towards achieving fiscal strength and efficient government. [Read more…]