Oak Ridge Today

2014 Election: Mayoral candidates ‘bicker’ over tax hikes, lawsuits

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Anderson County Mayor Debate

The three candidates for Anderson County mayor are pictured above at a debate moderated by radio talk show host Hallerin Hilton Hill, left. Starting at center, the three candidates in the August 7 mayoral election are Terry Frank, the incumbent and a Republican; Democrat Jim Hackworth; and Independent Bradley Rickett.

CLINTON—She’s attacked him over a 24-year-old tax hike. He’s blasted her over lawsuits and turmoil in the Anderson County Courthouse.

The two candidates, Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and her challenger, Jim Hackworth, will face off in the August 7 election.

Frank, a Republican, was first elected mayor in a special election in August 2012. Now she is running for her first four-year term.

Hackworth, a Democrat, is a former state representative and Anderson County commissioner.

The two have battled in forums, on radio shows, and through ads and flyers. Their political squabbles have largely ignored the third candidate, Independent Bradley Rickett. [Read more…]

OSM grant provides public water to Seiber Flats

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Seiber Flats

Maxine Gernert, far left, field representative for Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, Anderson County Water Authority General Manager Larry Clowers, Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, and project engineer Bob Colvin, far right, gather with Seiber Flats homeowner Joe Goans and his son Joel. (Photo courtesy of Anderson County Government)

 

Submitted

SEIBER FLATS—Father and son Joe and Joel Goans, of Anderson County’s rural Seiber Flats community, have done things to their home they’ve never been able to do before, all because they now have public water.

For years, Joe and his family used well and pond water to do everything around their property, including flushing toilets inside their home.

The Anderson County Water Authority recently completed the extension of approximately 9,400 linear feet of water lines to the rural area beyond Briceville.

Now, the Goans family and others in their neighborhood, have public water and they’ve already put it to good use. [Read more…]

Meet Japanese Girl Scouts visitors on Thursday

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Japanese Girl Scouts Visitors

Naka Troop 37 Girl Scouts will visit Oak Ridge this month. Pictured above in front row from left to right are Aya Kusumi, Yuna Umino, Kaho Otsuki, Chiaki Sasashima, Ryoko Usui, Sumika Hara, and Ayaka Namatame.
Leaders in back from left to right are Michiyo Namba, Nozomi Takane, Shoko Oyake, Hatsue Kashimura, and Fujiko Fujisaku. (Submitted photos)

 

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The Oak Ridge Girl Scouts service unit, in cooperation with the Oak Ridge Sister City Support Organization, will be hosting a group of 12 girls and leaders from our sister city of Naka-shi, Japan. Current Girl Scouts and girls interested in joining a Girl Scouts troop are invited to come meet our Japanese sisters and help with a local Girl Scout service project.

On Thursday, July 31, the Japanese girls and their U.S. hostesses will be cleaning and dressing dolls for the Holiday Bureau’s “Dolls for Daisy” project. This meeting will be at the Oak Ridge Children’s library auditorium from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Girls are invited to come help with the dolls, welcome the Japanese Girl Scouts, and register for local troops for the upcoming school year. [Read more…]

Local Habitat volunteer named Construction Volunteer of the Year in Tennessee

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Tim Marcum, Jim Hardy, and Colleen Dudley

Pictured above from left to right are Tim Marcum, Jim Hardy, and Colleen Dudley. (Submitted photo)

 

Submitted

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County has been blessed by many, many wonderful volunteers.

Each year, Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee holds a state conference in Murfreesboro. Awards are given in several areas recognizing those that have gone above and beyond. The 59 Habitat affiliates in the state are given the opportunity to nominate volunteers for three categories: ReStore Volunteer, Construction Volunteer, and Volunteer Leadership.

Colleen Dudley, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Tennessee, announced that this year there were more nominations than ever before. Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County’s chief operating officer, Tim Marcum, nominated Jim Hardy of Oliver Springs for construction volunteer of the year. In his nomination letter, Marcum said that Hardy is his hero, working tirelessly during the week on construction projects, working on every house since 2006.

Jim and Mary Ann Hardy, along with Jim Bailey, were the originators of the Myrick Build, The House that Love Built, honoring Tim and Teresa Myrick. The Hardys contributed $10,000 to this build and also put many hours into raising additional funds for this new build in Heiskell. The state selection board honored Jim Hardy with the award!

The Hardys came to the Awards Dinner in Murfreesboro so that Jim could be present to accept his award. [Read more…]

August events in Anderson County

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Here is a list of August events in Anderson County submitted by the Anderson County Tourism Council.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge sponsors Memory Magic Scrapbook in September

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department is sponsoring the 9th Annual Memory Magic Scrapbook event at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on September 26 and 27.

The event will include vendors, classes, and a large crop area. Online registration will open August 20 and will continue until September 20. Walk-in registration begins on September 26 at 8 a.m.

There is limited seating in the crop area and in each classroom. Class information will be posted on the website by August 20. The crop area will open at 8 a.m. each morning and close at 11:30 p.m. on Friday and 11 p.m. on Saturday. [Read more…]

Spotlight: Scarboro backpack giveaway

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Scarboro Backpack Giveaway

Pictured above from left to right are Simeko Carter, Kalonji and Kayelon Graham. (Submitted photo)

 

Submitted

Children enjoyed the Scarboro Back Pack Give-A-Way, which was held on Saturday, July 19, at the Scarboro Community Center.

A special thanks to Walmart, as well as community volunteers from the CNC Group, Team Investment, and DJ Dave Anderson who came together to provide a fun-filled event where 100 back packs, filled with school supplies, were given to area children.

Visit the city website at orrecparks.oakridgetn.gov for information on all the Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department programs.

Gold’s Gym acquiring The Rush, including in Oak Ridge

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The Rush Fitness Complex

Gold’s Gym is acquiring 23 Rush Fitness clubs in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, including in Oak Ridge.

 

Gold’s Gym announced Monday that it has signed a deal to acquire The Rush Fitness Complex, a regional gym chain that has 23 clubs in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, including in Oak Ridge.

The deal is officially slated to close in the next month, Gold’s Gym said in a press release Monday.

As part of the agreement, the 23 Rush Fitness clubs will be rebranded under the Gold’s Gym name. The rebranding is expected to be complete by the end of the year. The clubs will remain open throughout the transition, the company said in the press release. All existing memberships will be honored at the new locations, automatically converting to Gold’s Gym memberships without any interruption to current members.

Current members will also be given the option to gain travel privileges to the Gold’s Gym network of more than 700 locations in 38 states and 28 countries, the press release said. [Read more…]

Irwin: Frank may have to hire commission attorney in Yeager ouster suit

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Chuck Fritts, Myron Iwanski, and Dusty Irwin

Anderson County Commissioner Dusty Irwin, right, has proposed a special meeting to possibly repeal an approved motion made last week by Commissioner Myron Iwanski, center, that covers legal fees for current and former county employees in the ouster suit filed against Law Director Jay Yeager. Also pictured is Anderson County Commission Chair Chuck Fritts.

 

Jay Yeager and Terry Frank

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, right, and Law Director Jay Yeager have been embroiled in several high-profile disputes, including over an ouster suit filed in May in Chancery Court.

Irwin says he’s willing to consider options

CLINTON—Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank may be the only person authorized to hire an attorney to represent county commissioners responding to subpoenas or other legal notices filed in the ouster suit against Law Director Jay Yeager, a commissioner said Monday.

That means a motion approved 13-2 by the Anderson County Commission last week might have to be repealed, said Commissioner Dusty Irwin, whose district includes Norris and Andersonville. That motion allows each commissioner to hire their own attorney and bill the county, Irwin said.

He said his recommendation this week is based on his interpretation of state law and attorney general’s opinions. He’s called for a special meeting to repeal last week’s motion by Commissioner Myron Iwanski, who represents part of Oak Ridge and is former interim county mayor, and consider a new motion that asks Frank to find and hire an attorney to replace Yeager in the case.

“Although I am no lawyer, the attached seems clear that the commission cannot authorize or hire legal counsel in the absence of a law director, and our law director (Jay Yeager) has stated to the commission that he cannot represent or advise us on the ouster suit he is currently involved in,” Irwin said in a Monday e-mail forwarded to commissioners and the media. “Also, it appears to me that only the the county mayor can perform this hiring action and that the commission may only approve the expenditure by a majority vote.”

It’s not clear if other commissioners will agree. Iwanski was unavailable for comment Tuesday morning. [Read more…]

Doctors’ rock band to perform for Free Medical Clinic’s Atomic Blast

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Second Opinion

Members of Second Opinion include, from left, Melissa Carter, vocals; John Jernigan, drums; Tim Comer, vocals; Todd Wright, lead guitar, and Daryl Harp, keyboards. (Submitted photo)

 

Second Opinion, a group of Methodist Medical Center physicians and friends who perform classic rock, will provide music for dancing Saturday, Aug. 16, during the Atomic Blast, the annual fundraiser for the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge.

The fundraiser will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. in the Parish Life Center of St. Mary’s Church, 327 Vermont Ave. It will include a catered dinner, Celebrity Dance Contest, and live auction conducted by the entertaining Bear Stephenson.

Second Opinion was formed about 20 years ago. The group, which has had several generations of physician band members, plays for charitable and other local events.

“We have performed for Doc Rock, which benefits Hospitality Houses for MMC outpatients and their caregivers,” said Dr. Ken Luckmann, a recently retired gastroenterology specialist in Oak Ridge and a volunteer at FMCOR. “Our band also performed at the Feast With The Beasts on the Knoxville Zoo main stage and on stage at the Tennessee Theater and Bijou Theater.” [Read more…]

Spotlight: Nobel laureate visits ORNL for distinguished lecture series

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Venkatraman Ramakrishnan Delivers ORNL Lecture

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan delivers his lecture in the Iran Thomas Auditorium at ORNL’s Spallation Neutron Source on Monday. (Photos by Jason Richards/ORNL)

 

Nobel Laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan is visiting Oak Ridge National Laboratory this week (Monday and Tuesday) as part of the lab’s Eugene P. Wigner Distinguished Lecture Series in Science, Technology, and Policy.

Ramakrishnan’s talk on Monday morning was titled “How Antibiotics Block the Ribosome, the Cell’s Protein Factory.” He discussed his research on ribosome structure that earned him the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. More information on his background is available here.

His visit will include small group discussions with senior researchers, early career scientists, and postdoctoral fellows, as well as tours of the lab’s research facilities, ORNL said. [Read more…]

Honors: Hicks named Roane State paramedic student of year

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Terry Hicks Roane State Paramedic Student of the Year

Roane State paramedic student of the year Terry Hicks (center) is congratulated by his mother, Tangiela (left), Dr. Roger Brooksbank with TeamHealth Emergency Medicine (back), and Roane State paramedic program director David Blevins (right). (Photo by RSCC)

 

Terry Hicks of Robbins was named Roane State Community College’s paramedic student of the year.

Dr. Roger Brooksbank with TeamHealth Emergency Medicine presented the award to Hicks during Roane State’s annual Knoxville paramedic program luncheon. Students completing the paramedic program were recognized at the event, which was sponsored by TeamHealth.

Hicks started as a volunteer firefighter. As he worked his way through the ranks, he became interested in pursuing education in emergency medicine.

“It’s been long, committed hours,” Hicks said of the year-long paramedic program. “You have to stay in the books, stay studying, and stay on top of your clinicals. My teachers at Roane State are fantastic. They make sure we are ready, and they do a fantastic job.” [Read more…]