Oak Ridge Today

UT professor tapped to lead national STEM education effort

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Lou Gross

Lou Gross

KNOXVILLE—Part of a national effort to advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduate education is being directed by a professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Three five-day National Science Foundation Ideas Labs—one for biology, one for engineering, and one for geosciences—are being held this month through April 4 in the Washington, D.C., area. Each lab involves participants from various disciplines and backgrounds, as well as prospective employers and representatives of scientific and professional societies. The goals of the labs are to incubate innovative approaches to improve undergraduate STEM education and produce research agendas that address workforce development needs.

A UT press release said Louis Gross, director of the university’s National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, will serve as director of the Biology Ideas Lab, to be held March 30 to April 4 in Leesburg, Va. [Read more…]

Altrusa to award scholarships for women

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Altrusa International of Oak Ridge is offering scholarships of up to $1,000 to deserving women to support their pursuit of education and/or training. Two of the scholarships honor former Altrusa presidents and civic leaders, Sarah Ketron and Pat Rush.

Altrusans seek to encourage and support women who are striving to complete their education, search for jobs, and become financially independent. The scholarships also target re-entry students who have returned to college or other training after interrupting studies for work or family, or students who are beginning their education after an interruption between high school and college. “One of the key goals for selection is to award scholarships to those who show significant financial need,” said Janet Swift, chair of the Scholarship Committee. [Read more…]

Honors: Jutta Bangs receives Certified Global Business Professional credential

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Jutta Bangs

Jutta Bangs

Roane State Community College’s Jutta Bangs has been awarded the Certified Global Business Professional, or CGBP, credential by NASBITE International.

Bangs has more than 20 years of experience in the global business industry. She is the director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center, which assists future and existing business owners with training and confidential counseling. [Read more…]

Roane State to host workshops on applying for USDA grants

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Farmers, ranchers, and rural small business representatives are invited to upcoming workshops on applying for a federal grant that supports renewable energy projects.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, promotes rural economic development by assisting rural business to become more energy efficient. Grant funds can cover up to 25 percent of eligible projects.

Roane State Community College will host two workshops on applying for the grant. Representatives of Lenoir City-based ARiES Energy will prepare grant applications for those interested. [Read more…]

Roane State’s ACE program, MasterCraft showcase carbon fiber part

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ACE Boat

This MasterCraft boat on display at the Downtown Knoxville Boat Show featured a carbon fiber bow cover. (Submitted photo)

Roane State Community College’s Advanced Composites Employment program and boat manufacturer MasterCraft teamed up to demonstrate how composite materials can be used in the boating industry.

One of the goals of Roane State’s ACE program is to promote how composite materials such as carbon fiber can benefit businesses. Tru-Design, a partner in the ACE program, designed and manufactured a carbon fiber bow cover for MasterCraft that was on display at the Downtown Knoxville Boat Show March 6-9.

The carbon fiber bow cover offers consumers a lightweight but strong part.

“The ACE program training is a real benefit for manufacturers in this area,” MasterCraft design engineer Adam Larson said. “The program provides manufacturers with a pool of well-trained individuals with hands-on experience in composite materials.” [Read more…]

Enjoy music with a Spanish flare in Community Orchestra concert Saturday

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Oak Ridge Community Orchestra

The Oak Ridge Community Orchestra is pictured above during a Sept. 28, 2013, concert. (Photo courtesy Travis Witherington)

In a free Saturday afternoon concert, the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra will play Spanish music written by some very famous composers.

The provocative Spanish flavor can be savored in “España” by Chabrier, “Capriccio Espagnole” by Rimsky-Korsakov, “Malagueña” by Lecuona/Grofé, “Boléro” by Ravel, and “Andalucia” by Lecuona/Gould, a press release said.

“Just a few opening bars in each of these compositions will be enough to awake your heart to the welcome return of an old favorite,” the press release said.

The concert starts at 2 p.m. Saturday in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge on the corner of the Oak Ridge Turnpike and LaFayette Drive. Admission is free. But, modest donations at the door to support the orchestra’s routine operating expenses will be appreciated. [Read more…]

Reminder: Second Oak Ridge school calendar survey this evening

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Christopher J. Marczak

Christopher J. Marczak

Parents of students in the Oak Ridge school system will be called this evening for a second opinion poll on a proposed change to the system’s calendar for academic year 2015-2016.

At 6 p.m. today (Thursday), parents will receive a call through the automated Skyward system asking if they want to convert to a “balanced” calendar for all schools or keep the traditional calendar currently used by all but two of the schools in the system. Teachers and other school staff members will be called at 7 p.m. asking for their preferences.

Option No. 1 will be the balanced schedule, which has nine weeks of instruction beginning the first week of August, with two-week breaks in the fall, winter, and spring, and seven to eight weeks off during the summer. [Read more…]

Honors: DOE employee listed among area’s rising leaders

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Heather Cloar of U.S Department of Energy

Heather Cloar, a U.S. Department of Energy employee in Oak Ridge, was named as a member of this year’s 40 Under 40.

By Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management

Earlier this year, the Greater Knoxville Business Journal compiled a list of East Tennessee’s top rising business and community leaders under the age of 40. The 2014 listing featured Heather Cloar, a contracting officer with the Energy Department in Oak Ridge.

Specifically, Heather, an Energy Department employee since 2002, is the federal official responsible for administering the $2.2 billion environmental cleanup contract with URS-CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, or UCOR. She is responsible for reviewing and approving all contract actions and guaranteeing that the contract remains aligned with EM’s priorities. She also certifies that the contractor’s work is performed in a cost-efficient manner to ensure the best value for American taxpayers. As a testament to her watchful oversight and frequent interaction with contractor leadership, UCOR completed the department’s largest-ever demolition project one year ahead of schedule and approximately $300 million under the current budget.

“Heather is making sure we are getting the best deal for the taxpayers under the contract and making sure the contract stays on schedule,” said Karen Shears, chief of the special acquisitions branch for DOE’s procurement and contracts division. “She’s got excellent judgment and great leadership skills, which is something you need because you interact with so many stakeholders.” [Read more…]

Andersonville man, 83, reports armed robbery at his home; sheriff searches for suspect

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An 83-year-old Andersonville man was robbed at gunpoint at his home on Andersonville Highway just after noon Wednesday, authorities said.

The suspect walked up to the victim, who was in his garage, displayed a small handgun, and robbed him of cash and his car, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department said. The victim called 911, and several deputies responded.

A description of the victim’s car was broadcast to responding deputies, and about three minutes later, it was spotted a short distance away on Indian Gap Road. The suspect jumped from the car and fled on foot into the woods, the Sheriff’s Department said.

“A search of the area was done, but the suspect was not located,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge advances to state semifinals with 66-45 win over Jefferson County

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Oak Ridge Wildcats and Jefferson County Quarterfinals

From left are seniors Isaac Merian and Jaylin Henderson and freshman Tee Higgins, and Wildcats basketball coach Aaron Green.

Note: This story was last updated at 11:02 p.m.

MURFREESBORO—Oak Ridge advanced to the state semifinals for the first time since 1999 with a 66-45 win over Jefferson County in Murfreesboro on Wednesday.

The Wildcats (31-7) will play Arlington (29-4) in Murfreesboro at 11:30 a.m. CDT Friday (12:30 p.m. EDT) in a Class AAA state boys’ basketball semifinal game.

The Wildcats said teamwork was key to the Wednesday afternoon quarterfinal win at Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University. They cited steals—Oak Ridge had nine total—double-teaming on defense against the tall Patriots team, and improvements in rebounding compared to their performance during a Nov. 27 win over Jefferson County (30-6).

“We played more as a team,” said senior guard Jaylin Henderson, who scored 11 points and had four steals. “I think we were hot.” [Read more…]

Six clerks cited for selling beer to minor

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Six clerks in Anderson County were cited to court after businesses in Lake City and Oliver Springs sold beer to a minor during a compliance check in February, authorities said.

The sting was conducted on Feb. 20 and 21 by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, with help from the Lake City Police Department, Oliver Springs Police Department, and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County, or ASAP.

Investigators with the Sheriff’s Special Operations Unit visited 24 businesses to try to buy beer. Six sold beer to the underage person, the department said in a press release. Two of the six businesses did not check identification showing the person to be under 21, and four checked but sold the beer anyway. One on-premise business served the underage person, but the server realized the age before the sale was completed. [Read more…]

Lake City’s name change to Rocky Top challenged in federal court

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Lake City Council Approves Rocky Top Name Change

The Lake City Council votes 4-0 in November to change the town’s name to Rocky Top, and Rep. John Ragan said he has draft legislation to approve the name change to introduce in the state legislature.

Note: This story was last updated at 6 p.m.

The Gatlinburg publisher of “Rocky Top”—a bluegrass tune, state song, and unofficial anthem for the University of Tennessee—filed a federal lawsuit on Monday that seeks to prevent Lake City from changing its name to Rocky Top as part of a plan to turn the former coal mining town into a tourist destination.

The publisher, House of Bryant Publications LLC of Gatlinburg, also owns many Rocky Top trademarks, and it believes that the proposed name change for Lake City “is an attempt to unfairly exploit the fame and goodwill of House of Bryant’s intellectual property,” according to a press release from Waddey Patterson, an intellectual property law firm based in Nashville.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Knoxville on Monday. The defendants are Lake City, Rocky Top Tennessee Marketing and Manufacturing Co., Anderson County Commissioner Tim Isbel, Franklin resident Brad Coriell, Lake City businessman Mark Smith, Lake City Vice Mayor Michael Lovely, and Knoxville resident Carl “Buddy” Warren. [Read more…]