Oak Ridge Today

Theresa Scott to seek election to Anderson County Commission in District 7

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Theresa Scott

Theresa Scott

Theresa Scott has announced her candidacy for Anderson County Commission in District 7. The seat is non-partisan and represents the Highland View, Pine Valley, and Glenwood precincts.

Having run previously in 2010, Scott said in a press release that she has been strongly encouraged by community residents to run again for County Commission.

“I am very humbled to see that people in my district continue to show their approval for me to step into this position. I want to be their choice,” Scott said in the release. “My platform remains the same—speaking up for and on behalf of the residents, taxpayers, homeowners, and voters of my district.” [Read more…]

DOE public bus tour begins June 2

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DOE Public Bus Tour

A U.S. Department of Energy public bus tour in August 2012. (DOE photo/Lynn Freeny)

Visitors see Oak Ridge’s past and present

The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2014 Oak Ridge facilities public bus tour begins June 2 and continues through August 29. The tour offers visitors a first-hand look at the DOE’s Oak Ridge facilities and provides historical commentary on the transformation of the Oak Ridge Reservation during the past 70 years.

The reservation-wide tour is a popular attraction for tourists visiting the area. Since its inception in 1996, the DOE public tour program has attracted more than 30,000 visitors from all 50 states. The three-hour tour allows visitors to see the Oak Ridge Reservation and learn about its history. It also provides participants a chance to find out about the world-class missions underway in Oak Ridge.

Bus stops include: [Read more…]

Child advocacy seminar at Roane State on Thursday

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People concerned about the community’s children are invited to attend the fourth annual Nurturing and Safe World Child Advocacy Seminar this Thursday, June 5, in the Roane State Community College City Room on the Oak Ridge campus, a press release said.

The seminar will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and it is sponsored by the Oak Ridge Ministerial Association and the Oak Ridge Police Chaplains. Robert May of Oak Ridge Police Department Chaplains; Margaret Durgin of the Child Advocacy Center; David Allred, previous coordinator for Safe and Drug Free Schools; and Sarah Littlefield, a marriage and family therapist, will present sessions on the issue of bullying and hostile environments as it relates to children who are affected by this challenging problem.

There is no charge to participate, and lunch will be included. Certificates of Participation will be available for those who need annual training hours.

Pre-registration is required by contacting Myra Mansfield at (865) 220-8826 or by emailing nurturingandsafeworld@comcast.net.

Oak Ridge nuclear engineering student earns scholarship award at UT

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KNOXVILLE—Nuclear engineering students at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville were recently awarded a number of scholarships, with Oak Ridge’s Mikah Rust among them.

Rust, who was named the Junior/Senior Undergraduate Scholarship winner, joins three other students from the College of Engineering’s Department of Nuclear Engineering who were recognized:

  • Alyxandria Wszolek, a sophomore from Madison, Mississippi, won the Operations and Power Division Scholarship;
  • Travis Labossiere-Hickman, a junior from Brush Creek, Tennessee, won the Raymond DiSalvo Memorial Scholarship; and
  • Colton Oldham, from Hurricane, West Virginia, won the Sophomore Undergraduate Scholarship. [Read more…]

Sewer rehab work continues this week

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More rehabilitation work of the city’s sewer collection pipes is scheduled to continue this week.

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…]

Habitat for Humanity has groundbreaking Saturday for Myrick home build

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Tim and Teresa Myrick and Habitat for Humanity

Tim and Teresa Myrick are pictured above. (Photo: Jason Richards)

Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County will have a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday for a home build that will pay tribute to Tim and Teresa Myrick.

The ceremony starts at 10 a.m. Saturday on Valley View Lane in Heiskell.

“We are about $20,000 away from our goal,” Habitat for Humanity said in an event flyer. “As soon as we reach it, we will begin construction.”

Habitat said Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Oak Ridge Associated Universities, along with friends of the Myricks, have contributed or pledged more than $60,000. [Read more…]

Letter: Three Rotary clubs launch successful Oak Ridge Dragon Boat Festival

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Dragon Boats Close Race

 

To the Editor:

What happens when three Rotary clubs in an East Tennessee city work together? In Oak Ridge, a three-club collaboration over the past year culminated in a highly successful inaugural Oak Ridge Dragon Boat Race Festival. The exciting event was launched on Saturday, May 31, at the Oak Ridge Marina off Melton Lake Drive—one of the three best rowing venues in the United States.

The leadership of the event started with Mark Watson, Oak Ridge city manager and president of the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge. He met frequently with the presidents of the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary and Oak Ridge Sunset Rotary clubs, and they persuaded their club members to serve on the organizing committee and as volunteers at the festival. Key Rotarians who made the event successful were Leslie England, Keith Kahl, Jim Sumner, and Oak Ridge City Councilman Chuck Hope (who was in charge of logistics and served as a liaison between the Rotary clubs and the city of Oak Ridge).

By the third week in May, 30 teams, including one from Chattanooga and three from Kentucky and North Carolina, had registered. Three teams came from the Oak Ridge School System and three from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). [Read more…]

Council to consider DOE wastewater billing; lobbying, economic development contracts

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Oak Ridge City Council

The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above during an August 2013 meeting. (File photo)

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday night will consider adding a facilities charge to the U.S. Department of Energy’s monthly wastewater bill for costs related to the construction of a holding tank, or equalization basin, near the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The equalization basin on Scarboro Lane, near the intersection of Scarboro Road and South Illinois Avenue, will service wastewater coming out of the federal reservation, city officials said. Wastewater flows from DOE facilities are estimated to be 67 percent of the total wastewater flow coming into that equalization basin, which will replace a now-demolished car wash near the intersection.

Assuming a 67 percent-33 percent split between DOE and the city, DOE’s share of the cost for construction of the Scarboro Lane equalization basin is estimated at $1.4 million, city officials said. DOE could pay another $24,190 per month as part of its wastewater bill for 60 months starting in July, Oak Ridge Finance Director Janice E. McGinnis said. [Read more…]

Spotlight: SARG celebrates ‘first run’ of new van with shelter animals

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SARG Animal Shelter Van Group Photo

Pictured in photo from left to right are Row 1: Shirley Auble, Jan Baker, and Sara Walter; Row 2—Robin Biloski, Nicole Ferrara, and Kathy Kirkland; and Row 3— Jeannie Parker, and Julie Armes. Missing from the photo are Michelle Weaver Davis and Beverly Kay, transport coordinators. (Submitted photo)

 

Submitted

SARG celebrated the first run of its newly acquired van with supporters in May as it was filled with two dogs, six adult cats, and five kittens headed from the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter to their new forever homes in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The van was purchased using the last three years of proceeds from the Paw for Life Gala fundraiser that SARG has sponsored. SARG Vice President and Gala Chairwoman Sara Moore, and photographer of this event, was jubilant; “Raising the funds to buy this van and save all the lives of our unwanted dogs/cats in our community is the best feeling in the world. We thank all that have always supported SARG to share in this joyous occasion. We look forward to continuing our trips to communities who have homes for all our overflow of dogs and cats.”

If you would like to assist SARG in this endeavor or any others relating to their mission, contact Moore at poohbear214@comcast.net or Shirley Auble at shirsarg@comcast.net, or visit Shelter Animal Rescue Group on Facebook or visit the website at www.shelteranimalsrescue.org.

Y-12 licenses high-powered hydraulic tool to Chattanooga company

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Omni Jaw 5

The Omni Jaw 5—a patented, portable, high-powered hydraulic tool invented to shear and trap bolt heads during demolition projects—has been licensed by Y-12 to Green Arc Labs (GAL) of Chattanooga. (Photo courtesy B&W Y-12)

 

A patented, portable, high-powered hydraulic tool—invented to shear and trap bolt heads during demolition projects—has proven its worth and is moving to market. Y-12 National Security Complex signed a licensing agreement with start-up company Green Arc Labs, or GAL, of Chattanooga for Omni Jaw 5. This is the first time the two companies have partnered.

The hand-held tool, invented a decade ago by Lee Bzorgi of Y-12’s National Security Technology Center, generates up to five tons of force on the cutting jaw and simultaneously collects the trimmings, eliminating environmental and safety hazards. It was designed during demolition of the East Tennessee Technology Park, where asbestos cyanide-dipped bolts posed a problem.

“We are excited about our connection with Y-12. This is a first for us,” said Casey York, founder of the GAL start-up company. “We have existing manufacturers in Chattanooga, and the Omni Jaw tool will be machined right here. There’s such an apparent need for this tool in the construction or demolition of any commercial building, for example, or in ship deconstruction, asbestos removal, or equipment dismantlement.” [Read more…]

Roane State launching new surgical technology program this fall

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Roane State Community College will launch a two-year program in surgical technology this fall.

The associate of applied science in surgical technology is co-sponsored by Roane State and Walters State Community College through the Smoky Mountain Health Sciences Consortium. The program will be offered at the Sevier County campus of Walters State and the Oak Ridge campus of Roane State. Streaming video technology will be used to offer courses to students at both colleges.

Labs will be held in the Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building at Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus. The new 64,000-square-foot, $13.8 million building will host its first classes this fall. Students will complete clinical requirements at area hospitals.

Surgical technologists prepare operating rooms, arrange equipment, and assist doctors during surgeries. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of surgical technologists is projected to grow 30 percent through 2022. [Read more…]

Jimmy Bouchard announces John Iacovino as treasurer

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Jimmy Bouchard, a candidate for Anderson County Commission, has announced that John Iacovino will serve as his campaign treasurer.

Bouchard is running for County Commission in District 7, and he said Iacovino also lives in that district and is a well-respected Oak Ridger.

“I am very blessed and appreciative to have someone of John’s character and reputation join me in the role as my campaign treasurer,” Bouchard said in a press release. “John will be a tremendous asset to me, and I look forward to working with him during the next few months as I work to earn the support of my District 7 neighbors. John is someone I’ve known nearly my entire life, through St. Mary’s Church, where we both attend, as well as through business relationships built between John and my grandfather.” [Read more…]