Oak Ridge Today

Anderson County calendar of events for May

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Anderson County Tourism Council

The Anderson County Tourism Council building on Highway 61 near Interstate 75 is pictured above. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Tourism Council)

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Here is a calendar of events for Anderson County in May:

  • Spring Colors Train Ride and Dinner Trains—May 3 and 17 at Secret City Excursion Train

Southern Appalachian Railway Museum is offering one-hour excursions with narration on May 3 and 17. Departure times will be 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. During the ride, passengers will hear the story of the Manhattan Project, which was one of the most remarkable industrial achievements ever accomplished. There will also be a dinner train on the 3 and 17 at 6 p.m. Diners will be treated to a delicious entrée prepared by Chef Andras. For more information, call (865) 241-2140 or visit www.southernappalachia.railway.museum. [Read more…]

Campaign finance laws, U.S. politics to be discussed Tuesday

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Jon Shefner

Jon Shefner

A University of Tennessee professor will discuss campaign finance laws and U.S. politics during Lunch with the League on Tuesday.

Jon Shefner is professor and head of the Sociology Department at the University of Tennessee. He will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday. The meeting will be held in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church.

“The ties between economic interests and political power are repeated throughout American history,” a press release said. [Read more…]

AMSE calendar of events for May

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The American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge is pictured above.

The American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge is pictured above.

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Here is a calendar of events for the American Museum of Science and Energy in May:

  • May 1–31: Registration Open for AMSE Science Explorer Camp for rising 5th graders (must be 10 years old by June 1, 2014) 6th graders and 7th graders. Two identical one-week sessions are offered June 9-13 and June 16–20 from 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. (Monday–Friday) at historic Freels Bend Cabin in Oak Ridge. Campers will do field explorations and hands-on activities related to land and water habitats, life sciences, geology, weather, flight, forensic science, and electricity. The week includes a tour of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and special presentations by ORNL researchers. Cost is $150 for AMSE members, and $175 for non-members. AMSE Science Explorer Camp is sponsored by the AMSE Foundation. Find Camp Registration form online at http://amse.org/visitors/summercamps/ or stop by AMSE to get a form. [Read more…]

‘Atomic switcheroo’ explains origins of thin-film solar cell mystery

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Current Maps

Cross-sectional electron beam-induced current maps show the difference in cadmium telluride solar cells before (pictured above) and after (below) cadmium chloride treatment. The increased brightness after treatment indicates higher current collection at the grain boundaries. (Submitted photo)

Treating cadmium-telluride (CdTe) solar cell materials with cadmium-chloride improves their efficiency, but researchers have not fully understood why. Now, an atomic-scale examination of the thin-film solar cells led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory has answered this decades-long debate about the materials’ photovoltaic efficiency increase after treatment.

A research team from ORNL, the University of Toledo, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory used electron microscopy and computational simulations to explore the physical origins of the unexplained treatment process. The results are published in Physical Review Letters, or PRL.

Thin-film CdTe solar cells are considered a potential rival to silicon-based photovoltaic systems because of their theoretically low cost per power output and ease of fabrication. Their comparatively low historical efficiency in converting sunlight into energy, however, has limited the technology’s widespread use, especially for home systems. [Read more…]

Juvenile Court judge to discuss children, courts on Monday

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Brandon FIsher

Brandon FIsher

Brandon K. Fisher, Anderson County Juvenile Court judge, will discuss children and the courts during a Monday forum hosted by the Women’s Interfaith Dialogue.

The forum starts at 11 a.m. Monday, and it will be held at the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge at 101 W. Madison Lane, a press release said.

Fisher has served in the Juvenile Court since his appointment to the bench in January 2010. He replaced April Meldrum after she resigned, and he was elected to position in August 2010. Prior to his appointment, he was a partner in the law firm of Cantrell, Cantrell, and Fisher, where he engaged in a general practice of law with an emphasis on civil litigation.

“Serving as Anderson County juvenile judge has been the most rewarding experience of my professional life,” Fisher said in an earlier press release. “I am proud of our efforts to improve outcomes for children and families.” [Read more…]

Photos: Riley Mozingo parade, carnival

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Riley Mozingo

Five-year-old Riley Mozingo was diagnosed with brain cancer May 10, 2010. A princess-themed carnival was held Friday at Lake City Elementary School in her honor. All proceeds from the carnival will help fund her bedroom renovation. See story here. (Photos by Sara Wise)

[Read more…]

Riley, 5, loves princesses but battles brain tumor

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Riley Mozingo

Five-year-old Riley Mozingo was diagnosed with brain cancer May 10, 2010. A princess-themed carnival was held Friday at Lake City Elementary School in her honor. All proceeds from the carnival will help fund her bedroom renovation. (Photos by Sara Wise)

LAKE CITY—“Come on, let’s go,” shouts Riley Mozingo as she drags her good friend, Anderson County Schools junior Emilee Hooks, toward the bounce house outside Lake City Elementary School.

Riley is a typical five-year-old. She loves princesses—especially The Little Mermaid, Ariel—and has big dreams to become a doctor when she grows up. But one thing sets Riley apart: she was diagnosed with astrocytoma grade 3.

She has had eight procedures since she was diagnosed with the brain tumor on May 14, 2010, and has undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Now, she has to attend physical therapy sessions because she has trouble with her left side. Her tumor hasn’t shrunk—it actually got bigger during chemo—but it’s stayed about the same size with radiation.

Riley Mozingo and Little Mermaid

Riley admires a Little Mermaid-themed game during the carnival.

But it’s not all bad for Riley. She’s about to have her bedroom renovated by Special Spaces of Knoxville. The nonprofit organization renovates rooms for sick children all across the country, especially those with life-threatening illnesses. Riley is getting a princess-themed room.

Melanie Lamberson of Special Spaces said that once she heard about a five-year-old with cancer, she knew she had to help. [Read more…]

New rowing coach resigns

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Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose

The head coach hired in August has resigned from the Oak Ridge Rowing Association.

Coach Marc DeRose, who was also rowing director, has concluded that this was “not the right fit for me and my family,” a Friday afternoon press release said.

The release said a team of veteran ORRA leaders has moved into new roles within the organization. The new team management approach started after the resignation of DeRose, who replaced longtime head coach Allen Eubanks late last summer.

“We wish Marc and his family all the luck in the world,” ORRA President Terry Holley said. “We’re fortunate to have so many outstanding individuals ready to step in and make sure we don’t skip a beat. We may be nearing the end of the season, but we have no doubt we will finish strong.”

In the meantime, the work is being divided into four distinct areas, each with a key person in charge, the release said, “someone everyone involved with ORRA knows and respects. The four areas and those in charge are: [Read more…]

Student at UT’s Bredesen Center wins $50,000 ORNL prize

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Andrew Lepore Big Idea ORNL Check

Bredesen Center student Andrew Lepore stands with the $50,000 check he won as part of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Next Big Idea competition. (Photo courtesy University of Tennessee)

KNOXVILLE—With the first set of Bredesen Center graduates at the University of Tennessee set to receive their doctorates next week, students who will be in the next wave of graduates are already finding success.

Andrew Lepore, working out of the Materials Science and Technology Division through the center, recently won a prestigious Oak Ridge National Laboratory-related prize at the Next Big Idea competition. Lepore is on track to receive his doctorate in 2016.

“For him to go in there against some more seasoned researchers, against students who are further along, and come out with one of the three awards speaks highly of him and of the quality of students we have here,” said Bredesen Center Director Lee Riedinger. [Read more…]

More than 60 Thunderbirds expected for Mockingbird Run this weekend

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Mockingbird Run

The Sixth Annual Mockingbird Run will be in Oak Ridge from Friday to Sunday. (Submitted photo)

 

Car enthusiasts from 10 states will gather in Oak Ridge from Friday, May 2, to Sunday, May 4, for the sixth annual Mockingbird Run hosted by the Smoky Mountain Classic Thunderbird Club. The Mockingbird Run is expected to bring in more than 60 Thunderbirds for a weekend packed with tours, friendship, and fun.

“We are excited to host this year’s Mockingbird Run, and we encourage the community to welcome the Smoky Mountain Classic Thunderbird Club to town,” Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Katy Brown said. “We have worked closely with this organization to make this year’s event an entertaining and educational visit.”

Conference planners focused on the “top secret” theme this year in an effort to add mystery and intrigue. Participants will visit local attractions, learn the significance of various historic sites, and dine in local restaurants. Y-12 National Security Complex Historian Ray Smith will guide the group on a tour of the Y-12 New Hope Center and serve as a guest speaker for the event. The club will also tour Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Saturday. Members of the K-9 Search On Site LLP team will also be on hand for a demonstration that morning. [Read more…]

What’s happening in Oak Ridge from May 2-7

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Here is a summary of events happening in Oak Ridge starting Friday, May 2, and continuing through May 7.

This weekly listing of events is compiled by the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau:

[Read more…]

‘One more house’: UT-Battelle helps honor Myricks through Habitat project

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Tim and Teresa Myrick and Habitat for Humanity

UT-Battelle is supporting a Habitat for Humanity project that honors Tim and Teresa Myrick. (Photo: Jason Richards)

UT-Battelle joins community in honoring Myrick’s years of service through Habitat for Humanity project this summer

UT-Battelle is contributing $10,000 in matching donations to a Habitat for Humanity project dedicated to Tim and Teresa Myrick, who have been enduring supporters of the organization that provides shelter for deserving families.

Tim Myrick’s handiwork dots the Oak Ridge landscape. He was a major contributor to the modernization campaign at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that resulted in a sparkling new east campus. He helped lead the renovation of the town’s high school.

He’s been involved in all the Anderson County Habitat for Humanity projects in some way—58 in all.

He wants to add to that tally. There is some urgency in the matter.

“With the cancer thing I set priorities: fighting cancer, the Habitat project, Living Waters, building a new church, doing some fly fishing,” he said. [Read more…]