Oak Ridge Today

Education Foundation will award $80,000 in grants at Wednesday ceremony

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Today

As part of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation will award almost $80,000 in grants to community teachers at a ceremony this Wednesday, May 21. The ceremony is open to the public and will be held in the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria beginning at 3 p.m.

Longtime Oak Ridge resident and award-winning author Eva Wike will speak at the event and will be available after the ceremony to sign copies of her most recent book, “Fiddler of the Mountains—Attuned to the Life and Times of Johnny Mull.” Wike is contributing a significant portion of the sales of her book to the Education Foundation.

The grants program is a key component of the foundation’s mission to support the highest quality education for all students. [Read more…]

DOE transfers former machine shop property to CROET

Posted at
By 2 Comments

DOE Land Transfer at ETTP to CROET

From left during Wednesday’s land transfer ceremony are U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann; Mark Whitney, manager of DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management; Lawrence Young, CROET president and CEO; and David Klaus, DOE’s deputy undersecretary for management and performance.

 

Roughly 25 acres of land that once housed a machine shop and supporting buildings at Heritage Center has been transferred to an economic development organization that finds new uses for former federal property.

The property transfer from the U.S. Department of Energy to the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee was celebrated in a Wednesday afternoon ceremony. It’s the 12th transfer from DOE to CROET, and the two dozen acres were signed over to CROET for private-sector use.

Among the speakers at Wednesday’s ceremony were U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, a Republican whose district includes Oak Ridge, and David Klaus, DOE’s deputy undersecretary for management and performance.

“The reindustrialization program in Oak Ridge has not only been an economic development catalyst for the region, it is saving tax payers millions of dollars as the federal government transfers underutilized assets to the private sector,” Fleischmann said.

The transfers of the parcels, officially known as ED-11 and ED-12, have been in the works for at least a few years. Lawrence Young, CROET president and chief executive officer, said there will some infrastructure improvements to make the property ready for development. Part of the property once housed Building 1401, an old machine shop that has now been demolished. [Read more…]

School budget proposals include cuts, tax hikes with varying benefits

Posted at
By 11 Comments

Bruce Borchers

Bruce Borchers

Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers presented three budget proposals for fiscal year 2015 to the school board on Wednesday. The proposals suggest that deep cuts will need to be made to attract new students, families, and staff to the district, and to keep those already here. Borchers introduced the proposals by stating that the district will be “tightening our belt.”

Students, families, and staff were the main theme of the budgets proposed on Wednesday. In fact, each was presented to show a different budget scenario that would lose, retain, or attract the group. The school board will review two budgets intended to retain and attract those groups, as well as a third expected to result in a loss of students, family, and staff. All of the budgets proposed generate revenue through expenditure cuts.

All three budget proposals suggest property tax rate increases to offset the cuts, with the rate hikes ranging from 14 to 57 cents.

With about $1.2 million in cost savings, the first proposal has the lowest budget target, and it was referred to as the “losing students-families-staff” budget. It proposed the fewest system-wide cuts, but still suggested that reductions are needed. Those expenditure cuts include increasing class sizes and reducing teaching positions and transportation services. Transportation reductions would increase the student “walk zone” to one mile and end preschool transportation altogether. This proposal would not be able to fund the district’s 1:1 device integration program.

The second budget, said to “retain students-families-staff,” is targeted to bring $3.7 million in revenue through cost savings. This budget would still make cuts to staff and transportation, but would allow the planned 1:1 device integration to begin, which would be cut from the “losing” budget. This budget allows a 2 percent wage raise system-wide, but still calls for staff reductions, including reducing the assistant principal position at Oak Ridge High School as well as extra-curricular stipends and staff development reductions. [Read more…]

Andersonville man dies in head-on collision with tractor-trailer

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Edgemoor Road Fatal Crash Truck Cleanup

Workers clean up and the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigates after a fatal two-vehicle crash between a pickup truck and tractor-trailer rig, pictured above on Edgemoor Road in Claxton on Wednesday morning.

CLAXTON—A 39-year-old Andersonville man died on Wednesday morning when the westbound pickup truck he was driving collided head-on with an eastbound tractor-trailer rig on Edgemoor Road in Claxton.

Michael T. Utley was headed west in a 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup at about 6:11 a.m. Wednesday when he crossed the center line into the eastbound lane and hit a 2000 Freightliner semi pulling a trailer loaded with heavy steel coils, according to preliminary information from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The driver of the semi, Edmund E. Wood, 57, of Madisonville, was not injured, the THP said. [Read more…]

Proposed budget presented to school board today

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Board of Education

The Oak Ridge Board of Education and school administrators are pictured above during a meeting earlier this year. (File photo)

The proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2015 will be presented to the Oak Ridge Board of Education during a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. today.

The board meets in the School Administration Building at 304 New York Ave.

Here are the other budget meetings: [Read more…]

Fatal crash on Edgemoor Road on Wednesday morning; motorists asked to avoid area

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Today

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

There was a fatal traffic crash involving a semi truck on Edgemoor Road at about 6 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

The crash closed a portion of Edgemoor Road between South Dogwood Road and Old Edgemoor Road near Clinton Highway. Traffic was rerouted in both directions down Old Edgemoor Road, said Mark Lucas, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department chief deputy.

He said motorists are being asked to avoid the area.

The crash is being investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Lucas said THP and Sheriff’s Department units remained on the scene throughout the morning, and it wasn’t clear how much longer they would be there. [Read more…]

Formall Job Fair joins Career Coach at Oak Ridge Library on Wednesday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Public Library Career Coach

The Career Coach will be coming to the Oak Ridge Public Library parking lot from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday to help with online job applications, sprucing up resumes, and more, a press release said.

In addition, Formall, a locally based family-owned and operated production company, will be hosting a job fair during the Career Coach event. Formall is seeking more than 40 machine operators and other positions for the facility at 1709 Lake City Highway in Clinton. Interested candidates are encouraged to bring a resume and apply online at www.jobs4tn.gov (search for job #51927). The starting pay is $9.50 per hour, with an additional $0.50 per hour for second and third shifts. [Read more…]

After police standoff, woman charged with going armed while intoxicated

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Patsy Lee Oliver

Patsy Lee Oliver

Note: This story was updated at 1:40 p.m.

The 62-year-old woman arrested after a four-hour police standoff on Jellico Lane on Monday morning has been charged with possession of a handgun while intoxicated.

Patsy Lee Oliver, of 123 Jellico Lane, had allegedly approached a neighbor carrying a “small frame small caliber handgun” on Monday morning, according to an affidavit filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court. The victim and a witness who lives at the same address as the victim said Oliver appeared to be under the influence of an intoxicant.

Jellico Lane Standoff Police

The Oak Ridge Police Department responds to a Monday morning standoff on Jellico Lane that started after a report of a disturbance involving a gun.

The victim had a cell phone video of Oliver standing at the end of Jellico Lane concealing something behind her back that appeared to be a small black handgun, Oak Ridge Police Department Officer John Thomas said in the affidavit.

“Also in the video, defendant’s actions are as that of an intoxicated person,” Thomas said.

ORPD officers responded to the reported disturbance at about 6:48 a.m. Monday. They eventually made contact with Oliver on her porch and “observed that her speech was slurred and slow,” Thomas said in the affidavit. “Her demeanor was at times erratic, and she was slow and shuffling in her movements.” [Read more…]

Sewer rehab work continues this week

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

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. [Read more…]

DOE to transfer 25 acres to CROET

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Heritage Center

The main entrance to the Heritage Center, the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge, is pictured above. (Photo courtesy CROET)

The U.S. Department of Energy will transfer 25 acres at East Tennessee Technology Park’s Heritage Center to the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee, and officials have planned a Wednesday afternoon ceremony.

The speakers will include Mark Whitney, manager of DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, and Lawrence Young, CROET president and chief executive officer.

Special guests will include U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and David Klaus, DOE deputy undersecretary for management and performance.

Teen charged with attempted murder in alleged stabbing

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Dakota Michael Rogers

Dakota Michael Rogers

A Knoxville teenager has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault in an alleged stabbing after a fight ensued when he went to pick up a car on Mehaffey Road in eastern Anderson County on March 24, authorities said.

Dakota Michael Rogers, 19, allegedly went to the home at about 9 p.m. March 24 to pay for a car and repay a female resident who had loaned him money for it, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department investigator Mark Bolton said in affidavits filed in General Sessions Court in Clinton.

But Rogers, who was arrested Monday, allegedly got into a fight with a male resident. It started in the living room and then spilled out onto the porch, according to the affidavits. Bolton said the two men do not get along.

The victim said the two men were separated by a porch rail, and when he walked to it, Rogers stabbed him in the belly near his belly button. The victim said he he did not see the knife. [Read more…]

Roane Commission sends ‘In God We Trust’ proposal to committee

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Roane County Courthouse

An “In God We Trust” sign could be placed above the main entrance of the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston under a proposal being considered by county officials. The signs could also be displayed in the Roane County Commission chambers. (Photos by Sara Wise)

 

KINGSTON—The Roane County Commission voted on Monday to defer a resolution to the property committee that would place signs that say “In God We Trust” on the County Courthouse in Kingston.

The vote to defer was closely split, at 8-7. Commissioners James Brummett, Ray Cantrell, Bobby Collier, Randy Ellis, Jerry Goddard, Chris Johnson, and Fred Tedder all voted not to defer the resolution.

Many commissioners who voted against deferment argued that deferral would only delay the process further. Others, however, felt that the issue should have gone through the committee before the commission had any say in the matter.

Ellis, who filed the resolution in favor of the signs, said that the resolution would reach the committee either way, and that the committee would have the final say in the design and placement of the signs.

“Roane County is deep in its faith,” he said. “Not one of my constituents…has come to me against this.” [Read more…]