Oak Ridge Today

Mayor Beehan represents Oak Ridge at White House Maker Faire

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Tom Beehan

Tom Beehan

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan is representing Oak Ridge at the White House Maker Faire today (Wednesday). It’s part of the Mayors’ Maker Challenge, which the Oak Ridge City Council approved at the June 2 Council meeting.

Here’s an e-mail about it from the White House:

Tune in to the White House Maker Faire!

We’ve got another big first happening at the White House (Wednesday, June 18) and our guests are making a lot of things besides history.

President Obama will celebrate innovators, entrepreneurs, and tinkerers of all ages from across the country at the first-ever White House Maker Faire. [Read more…]

Battling cancer but planning to help build 59th home for Habitat

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Tim and Teresa Myrick Home Build

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County is building a new home on Valley View Lane in Heiskell in honor of longtime volunteers Tim and Teresa Myrick, pictured at right. A family of five will live in the four-bedroom, 1,200-square-foot home. From left, they are Alexia, Amanda Cook, Edward Brown (back), Eddie (front), and Ethan.

 

HEISKELL—He’s worked on all 58 homes built by Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County during the past two decades. If his health allows, he’ll work on No. 59.

Tim Myrick, 60, is known for his community involvement, charitable contributions, and key role in the renovation of the Oak Ridge High School and modernization work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. But now he’s battling prostate cancer. His doctor said it’s the fastest-growing he’s seen. Myrick said it spread to his bones and elsewhere within three months. In December, he was given a year to live.

“I told them that’s not going to happen,” Myrick said during a Habitat for Humanity groundbreaking ceremony this month. “I told them I have too much work to do.”

Habitat is honoring Myrick and his wife Teresa by building a home in their honor on about 1.5 acres on Valley View Lane near East Wolf Valley Road in Heiskell.

“We can’t think of anyone who has worked harder for us for a longer period of time,” said Pat Fain, HFHAC board president. [Read more…]

City Council to have mid-year election in July to fill board, commission vacancies

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The Oak Ridge City Council will have a mid-year election on July 14 to fill vacancies on municipal boards and commissions.

The Oak Ridge City Clerk’s Office started accepting applications on June 2. To be considered, applicants must be Oak Ridge residents and complete an application by noon Friday, June 20, 2014. Late applications will not be considered.

The boards and commissions with vacancies include Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Oak Ridge Housing Authority, Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, Senior Advisory Board, and Traffic Safety Advisory Board.

Visit the city’s website for more information.

Tickets on sale for the Free Medical Clinic’s Atomic Blast

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Submitted

Tickets are now on sale for the Atomic Blast, Oak Ridge’s one-of-a-kind fundraiser for the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, or FMCOR. The fun-filled event is set for Saturday Aug. 16, in the Parish Life Center of St. Mary’s Church located at 327 Vermont Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The evening will include dinner, dancing to live music, as well as live and silent auctions, and a Celebrity Dance Contest. Stay tuned to find out who our celebrity contestants will be! Included with wine and beer for purchase will be the new “Atomic Blast Signature Drink.” Dress is casual, but attendees are invited to get all decked in neon colors!

Tickets are $60 and can be purchased on line at www.fmcor.org. Click on the Atomic Blast tab. They are also available at the FMCOR office located at 116 East Division Road (behind Zaxby’s) in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Democrats host picnic at Gibbs Ferry Park on Saturday

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Anderson County Democrats

Anderson County Democrats are pictured at a picnic in June 2012. (Submitted photo)

The Anderson County Democratic Party and Democratic Women’s Club will host an annual picnic from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Gibbs Ferry Park.

All who are interested are invited to bring family an friends, join the festivities, and meet Democratic candidates seeking office in upcoming elections, a press release said. Hot dogs with condiments and cold drinks will be provided.

“Please bring a side dish, chips, or dessert to share,” the release said.

Gibbs Ferry Park is on Highway 61 between Oak Ridge and Clinton, along the river. The park has a covered pavilion with picnic tables, a boat ramp, and fishing pier.

ETEC call for nominations: 2014 Muddy Boot Award, Postma Young Professional Medal

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The East Tennessee Economic Council is now accepting nominations for the 2014 Muddy Boot Award and Postma Young Professional Medal.

In 1973, the founders of ETEC (then the Roane Anderson Economic Council or R-AEC) created the Muddy Boot Award to reflect the efforts of the Manhattan Project founders of Oak Ridge, who worked through adverse conditions to build the community. Each year since, ETEC has honored individuals or groups of people who have continued to help build and bolster the community’s economic base. The award has been presented to elected officials, business leaders, representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy, and others.

The 2013 recipients included Bill Biloski, redevelopment project manager at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Ray Smith, historian at Y-12 National Security Complex; and Barry Stephenson, chief executive officer at Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, or MCLinc.

The objective is to recognize an individual—not an institution—for significant and long-term contributions to the East Tennessee region with respect to the federal government programs and its spin-offs by leveraging the federal presence to create private sector jobs. Participation in the community beyond the workplace is essential. [Read more…]

ORAU awards 2014 Pollard Scholarships

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities has awarded five William G. Pollard Scholarships of $2,500 each for undergraduate studies in the 2014-2015 academic year. The recipients of this year’s scholarships are Cody Cheatwood, Rachael Dreistadt, Bailey Kitts, Savannah Moua, and Sarah Tucker.

Each year, ORAU awards these scholarships to employees’ children who display exceptional achievements in their high school or undergraduate studies. Applicants must submit official transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended, three references (at least two of which must be from teachers), and a 500-word essay describing the student’s professional and personal interests.

Below are additional details on each of this year’s winners: [Read more…]

Fleischmann urges caution on U.S. response to Iraq

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U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann

Chuck Fleischmann

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann on Friday urged caution in responding to the rapid advance of militants who have taken control of a wide swath of Iraq and are pressing on toward Baghdad.

Fleischmann was in Oak Ridge during the annual two-day Secret City Festival.

The militants are known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. The Sunni organization was once part of Al Qaeda, and it has effectively gained control of large swaths of Iraq and Syria during the past year, including Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city. There have been battles in Baquba, less than 40 miles north of Baghdad.

Now, the United States and other countries are struggling with how to respond. Among the options that have been proposed are airstrikes and working with Iran to repel the rebels. [Read more…]

County Commission to continue budget discussions July 15

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Anderson County Commission in June 2014

The Anderson County Commission is pictured above during its Monday night meeting. (Photo by Sara Wise)

 

CLINTON—The Anderson County Commission voted on Monday to continue considering the county budget proposed by Mayor Terry Frank. A special meeting for budget review will be held July 15, ahead of that month’s regularly scheduled meeting on July 21.

The budget proposal came to the County Commission after the budget committee’s recommendation to increase the minimum fund balance by $500,000, to $4 million.  That measure would require a supermajority of the County Commission—or 11 of the 16 commissioners—to approve any expenditure that would take the so-called rainy-day fund under the $4 million mark.

Frank said the budget is “not an exciting budget,” as there is little change from the last fiscal year, “but it is a budget that allows the people of Anderson County to keep more of what they’ve earned.” She also asserted that the county government would maintain stability and services through the proposed budget, which balances at $25 million and maintains property tax levels. [Read more…]

Area teachers go ‘back to school’ at ORAU for interactive STEM courses

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ORAU GPS Teacher Workshop

Daryl Sibble (center), graduate student working at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), demonstrates to area teachers how GPS can be incorporated in the classroom and for outdoor lessons. Teachers in photo include Eric Good from William Blount High School (left), Sherilyn Dawson from Concord Christian School and Judy Pearson from Heritage Middle School (back to camera) during last week’s workshop at ORAU’s Center for Science Education. (Photo courtesy ORAU)

 

Teachers participate in GPS workshop

More than 190 elementary, middle school, and high school educators from East Tennessee gathered in ORAU’s Center for Science Education last week to participate in a variety of technology professional development workshops. The free workshops offered educators the chance to enhance their STEM knowledge and curricula through hands-on experiences.

One of last week’s workshops focused on how GPS could be used during an outside exercise. Workshop participants took an excursion outside for a hands-on activity where the first three participants to locate a hidden GPS device using provided coordinates actually won a GPS device.

“I learned a great deal about GPS, because I was a total stranger to GPS before this workshop,” said Arnold “Rocky” Warren from Morgan County Career and Technical Center. “I have some GPS devices in my classroom, but I did not know all the ways I could use them. Now, I feel confident I can instruct my students on how to use them in my physics class.”

The workshops are designed so teachers can take the information back to their students and use it immediately. The Twitter Workshop proved popular as well. [Read more…]

Video: ‘The Secret City Ditty’

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A song about Oak Ridge’s role in the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. It was written by Alison Beatty and Christina May on June 13, 2014, and performed at the Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge.

In final vote, City Council again rejects tax increase for schools

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Oak Ridge City Council Budget Meeting

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday again said “no” to a property tax rate increase to give more money to Oak Ridge Schools. Council is pictured above during a June 9 budget meeting.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:15 a.m. June 17.

Two last-minute attempts to pass smaller-than-requested tax increases for the Oak Ridge Schools failed on Monday, and the City Council voted 4-2 to approve a budget that does not raise taxes in the fiscal year that starts July 1.

The decision to not raise taxes for the seventh year in a row came after a parade of residents in two meetings this month asked Council to fully fund the schools. Many said they moved here because of the schools, and they said the educational system is Oak Ridge’s primary asset. School teachers, administrators, and school board members also said they support a greater investment in the schools.

“Flatline budgets will eventually produce flatline results,” said Steve Reddick, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Jefferson Middle School and co-president of the Oak Ridge Education Association.

The schools had requested $17.9 million from the city, but the no-tax-increase budget lowered that amount to $14.6 million. School officials had previously said they will have to “go back to the drawing board” and make cuts if Council did not approve the tax rate increase. It’s not clear yet what cuts might be made. The Oak Ridge Board of Education could discuss changes to the school system’s budget, which was approved in May, during a Monday evening meeting.

[Read more…]