Oak Ridge Today

Iwanski announces re-election campaign for County Commission

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Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski is seeking re-election to Anderson County Commission in District 8, which includes the Woodland, Emory Valley, and Hendrix Creek precincts in Oak Ridge.

Iwanski was appointed in 2011 to serve as mayor by County Commission early in his current term on County Commission. This was a 19-month appointment until a mayor could be elected for the remaining two years of former Mayor Rex Lynch’s term.

“It was an honor to be selected by my peers on County Commission to serve as chairman of County Commission for three terms and then as mayor during a difficult time for our county government,” Iwanski said in a press release.

“We had to work together to make some tough decisions,” Iwanski said. “We put several initiatives in place that will expand our retail and industrial tax base, promote tourism, and create jobs. This included setting funds aside for industrial land and infrastructure and creating a public/private partnership to hire a retail recruiter. We also put initiatives in place that are slowing the growth in the county jail population while helping reduce the crime rate. [Read more…]

Sewer rehab work continues week of July 7

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More rehabilitation work of the city’s sewer collection pipes is scheduled to continue next week, starting July 7.

The work is being done by Hurst Excavating and Morgan Contracting under contract with the City of Oak Ridge. It includes rehabilitating sewer collection pipes within city easements in yards and in roadways, a press release said.

Residents should already have received color-coded letters and door hangers (orange for Hurst Excavating and purple for Morgan Contracting) providing general information and each contractors’ contact information.

Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists are urged to use extra care and caution when traveling on the streets with sewer work areas, a press release said. Temporary road repairs will be made, and loose gravel should be expected until the patches are permanently paved. [Read more…]

Clinton’s July 4 includes family fun, food, music, fireworks

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The city of Clinton’s annual July 4 event starts at 5 p.m. and ends with fireworks at 10 p.m. at Lakefront Park.

The city said there will be activities for the whole family, including a 68-foot Army Boot Camp Obstacle Course, bounce house, three-lane mega water slide, bungee run, home run baseball game, and module combo with water slide. All of those attractions will be available to the public at no charge. There will be free laser tag as well for those kids up for the challenge, the city said on its website.

There will be several food vendors set up in the lower Lakefront parking lot. A corn-hole tournament will start at 7 p.m., with registration beginning at 6 p.m. Trophies will be awarded for first and second place. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge voters can meet county, district candidates on Thursday

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Oak Ridge voters are invited to a “Meet the Candidates” event on Thursday, July 10, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Oak Ridge Civic Center Gymnasium. Democracy for East Tennessee is sponsoring this event so residents of Oak Ridge can become better acquainted with the candidates for offices serving Oak Ridge in the upcoming August 7 election. Early voting begins July 18.

The offices on the ballot are chancellor; Circuit Court clerk; District 4 constable; county commissioners for Districts 6, 7, and 8; county clerk; county mayor; Juvenile Court judge; Criminal and Circuit Court judge; district attorney; General Sessions judge; public defender; register of deeds’ Republican and Democratic State executive committee members; road superintendent; county school board; sheriff; Tennessee House of Representatives in the state’s 33rd District; and trustee.

Time and space will be provided for citizens to talk to candidates. There will be a table for each candidate to display literature and campaign gear. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information, call Tom Burns at (865) 385-7063 or Joan Cassens at (865) 220-8900.

CASA, Community Mediation host juvenile judge candidate forum Tuesday

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Brian Hunt

Brian Hunt

Two nonprofit organizations are hosting a Tuesday evening forum for the two candidates for Anderson County Juvenile Court judge.

The two candidates are Republican Brian Hunt and Democrat Michael Clement.

The forum is hosted by Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Tennessee Heartland and Community Mediation Services (CMS). It will be held in the Clinton Public Library from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., a press release said.

Each candidate will have an opportunity to address the group, and several questions will be taken from the audience. The public is invited, and reservations are not necessary.

Michael Clement

Michael Clement

The Anderson County general election is Aug. 7

CASA of the Tennessee Heartland is a local nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that gives a voice in court to abused and neglected children. CASA volunteers give an independent recommendation of permanent placement to the judge based solely on the best interest of the child involved and advocate for necessary services the child may need. More information can be found at www.casatnh.org.

Community Mediation Services is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that assists and empowers individuals to engage, transform, and resolve conflicts through the use of collaborative, constructive processes, the press release said. CMS helps people get heard, get healed, and get back to their lives through four different no-cost mediation programs focusing on at-risk youth and families. Learn more at www.peacefulresolution.org.

Oak Ridge Community Band has July 4 concert on 70th anniversary

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July 4 Dixie Band

The Oak Ridge Community Band has been rehearsing for the annual Independence Day concert, which will be held Friday, July 4, at 7:30 p.m. at A.K. Bissell Park behind the Civic Center.

“This is an especially big event for the Community Band because it is the 70th anniversary of the band’s very first concert performed on July 4, 1944,” a press release said.

There is no admission fee for this concert or for the city’s fireworks display held at the end of the concert program. However, donations to the Community Band will be accepted to help offset band expenses, the press release said. [Read more…]

Nolan has campaign headquarters in Clinton

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Caitlin Nolan

Caitlin Nolan

Caitlin Nolan, a Republican candidate for state representative in House District 33, announced in June the opening of her campaign headquarters at 134 South Main Street in Clinton.

“The headquarters is in the center of the district, which I hope will be a convenient place for volunteers to gather as we accelerate our campaign in advance of the August election,” Nolan said.

Nolan said yard signs will be available, and she has had an open house.

“I am trying to meet as many Anderson County voters as possible to hear what you want from your state representative, and I have been so humbled that you have welcomed me into your homes and lent me your support,” Nolan said. “I’ve talked with many more of you by phone and email. I hope the headquarters will be yet another way to connect with even more neighbors.”

The state primary election is August 7. [Read more…]

CONTACT Care Line has pancake breakfast fundraiser on July 12

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CONTACT Care Line will have its annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser at Lincoln’s Sports Grille in Oak Ridge on Saturday, July 12, from 8 to 10 a.m. Tickets to the event are on sal​e ​now ​for $5, and they will be available at the door on the day of the event. ​

Proceeds will directly support CONTACT’s Crisis Line and Reassurance Programs. In 2013, CONTACT fielded 18,917 critical support calls across East Tennessee, including 86 suicide-related calls. In 2014, the crisis center will launch chat- and text-based emotional support to better serve young people and others who prefer mobile communication for crisis intervention, a press release said.

For tickets or information, call (865) 312-7450​ or ​e-mail office@contactcarelinetn.org.

To learn more about CONTACT, visit the website at www.contactcarelinetn.org/, follow them on Twitter at @contact865, and like them on Facebook.

Honors: Anderson County commissioners award $500 scholarship

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Anderson County Commissioners Scholarship

 

Submitted

The Anderson County Board of Commissioners established and began contributing personal funds to a scholarship fund in 1996. This fund is set up to provide a scholarship annually to a student at each of the three high schools in Anderson County.

Oak Ridge commissioners, from left to right, Myron Iwanski, Whitey Hitchcock, Jerry Creasey, scholarship recipient Jasmannie Garcia, Steve Mead, and Robin Biloski, and John Shuey (not pictured) were pleased to award Garcia, Oak Ridge Class of 2014, with his $500 scholarship to be used at Roane State Community College, where he will enter the nursing program.

Congratulations, Jasmannie!

Anderson County sheriff warns of jury duty fraud scam

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Paul White

Paul White

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is warning the public about a phone scam involving a claim of missed jury duty and a request to buy a money order to pay fines.

In a Thursday night press release, the Sheriff’s Department said it has received a report of a man who placed a phone call to a victim and identified himself as a sheriff’s deputy. The scammer informed the victim they have missed jury duty, and he asked them to buy a money order to pay the fines. He then asked the victim to meet him to pay and avoid going to jail. This scam has apparently been attempted in Anderson County and in the Clinton area.

The caller ID of the scammer shows “Warrants Division,” but that is fake and this is a scam, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said in the press release.

“This is the same scam that has been circulating this week in Knox County,” he said. “There are several variations of scams targeting our area. The callers are claiming to be officers with various law enforcement agencies and are collecting funds for missed jury duty or outstanding warrants. In most of the scams, the caller request that funds be paid by purchasing either a prepaid credit card or money order.” [Read more…]

Knoxville man wins $260 million Powerball, claims record lottery prize

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Roy Cockrum and Rebecca Hargrove

Roy Cockrum of Knoxville accepts the $259.8 million Powerball jackpot winnings from Rebecca Hargrove, president and CEO of the Tennessee Education Lottery, at a presentation July 3 at the lottery headquarters in Nashville (Submitted photo)

Most will go to foundation to support performing arts around U.S.

A Knoxville man has won a $259.8 million Powerball jackpot, and he claimed his $115 million prize on Thursday. It’s the largest prize ever won in the Tennessee Lottery.

Roy Cockrum, 58, presented the winning Powerball ticket to Tennessee Education Lottery officials on Thursday, matching all six numbers selected on June 11. The winning ticket was verified, and the “cash option” prize was claimed.

After taxes, the take-home prize amount is $115,147,525.50, a press release said.

“It’s a hard thing to process; your brain doesn’t want to believe it,” said Cockrum, a businessman, former actor, and monk. “I was in a rush to take Mom to a medical appointment when I first checked the ticket. I saw the Powerball match and three winning numbers and thought, ‘Wow! $500! You never win that much on Powerball.’ I felt really lucky.

“But then—wait a minute, wait a minute—there’s another number, and finally I realized I hit the jackpot. It literally knocked me to my knees. My prayer was simple—‘Lord have Mercy!’ But life goes on, so I picked myself up, put the winning ticket in my wallet and went to pick up my mother. I walked around University of Tennessee Medical Center all that morning with a $259.8 million winner in my pocket.”

Cockrum was born and raised in Knoxville but left Tennessee after graduating from West High School to earn an acting degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and to pursue a career in the theater. After more than 20 years spent working as an actor and stage manager for theater and television, Cockrum became Brother Roy as he followed a call to religious service with The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, an Episcopal religious community in Cambridge, Massachusetts. [Read more…]

Air, ground search under way for pregnant woman missing in California

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Erin Corwin

Erin Corwin (Photo courtesy San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department)

A dozen search and rescue volunteers and a helicopter crew are searching Joshua Tree National Park in California for a pregnant 19-year-old woman from Oak Ridge who was reported missing on Sunday.

Erin Corwin was last seen leaving her Twentynine Palms, California, home on her way to Joshua Tree National Forest at about 7 a.m. Saturday, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department said. Her husband, Jonathan Corwin, reported her missing on Sunday.

The Sheriff’s Department said it began an extensive air and ground search using volunteers and search and rescue teams. The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Homicide Detail is assisting in the investigation.

Specialized investigators, detectives from Morongo Basin/Twentynine Palms station, and patrol personnel are also at the scene, the Sheriff’s Department said in an update posted late Thursday morning. The search area continues to be in and around the Joshua Tree National Park, authorities said.

KTLA-TV in Los Angeles said Corwin was going to the park to see if it would be a good place for a family outing during a planned visit with her mother, Lore Heavilin of Oak Ridge. Heavilin had planned a trip there to celebrate Erin’s birthday on July 15.  [Read more…]