Oak Ridge Today

ORNL receives GreenGov Presidential Award

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory Central Campus

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s central campus is pictured above. (Courtesy Oak Ridge National Laboratory/U.S. Dept. of Energy)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory received one of eight GreenGov Presidential Awards announced Tuesday.

The lab won in the Good Neighbor category for a project titled “ORNL Good, Green, Sustainable Neighbor,” a press release said.

The fourth annual awards were announced by the White House Council on Environmental Quality. They honor federal civilian and military personnel as well as agency teams, facilities, and programs that have taken innovative steps to reduce energy use and carbon pollution, curb waste, and save taxpayer money in federal agency operations, the release said.

At a White House ceremony in Washington, D.C., senior administration officials recognized the eight award winners for exemplifying President Barack Obama’s charge to “lead by example and demonstrating extraordinary achievement in the pursuit of the president’s 2009 executive order on federal leadership in environmental, energy, and economic performance,” the release said. [Read more…]

Council to consider 10 percent pay raise for city manager, mall TIF

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday will consider a 10 percent salary increase for City Manager Mark Watson.

If council approves, Watson would earn a new annual base salary of $150,321.60, effective Aug. 8, 2013. He started in Oak Ridge about three years ago at an annual salary of $131,996.80.

The pay raise has been unanimously recommended by a three-member City Manager Evaluation Committee. It would require that Watson’s employment agreement be amended.

The recommended increase is based on council member’s evaluations of Watson and his performance during the previous year, said Charles J. “Chuck” Hope Jr., chair of the City Manager Evaluation Committee. [Read more…]

Anderson committee recommends tax package for Oak Ridge Mall

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Anderson County Operations Committee

The Anderson County Operations Committee on Monday unanimously recommends a tax financing agreement that could help with the $85 million redevelopment of the Oak Ridge Mall. Pictured above from left are Anderson County commissioners Robert McKamey, Zach Bates (partially obscured), Tracy Wandell, Whitey Hitchcock, Steve Emert, Rick Meredith, and John Shuey.

CLINTON—An Anderson County committee has unanimously recommended a $13 million tax financing agreement that could be used to help redevelop the Oak Ridge Mall.

In a 7-0 voice vote, the Anderson County Operations Committee recommended the tax increment financing, or TIF, to the full Anderson County Commission during a Monday evening meeting.

The TIF could last 20 years, and it would allow new property tax revenues generated at the site to be used to help pay for development costs. It’s already been unanimously endorsed by the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board. [Read more…]

U.S., international partners remove last weapons-grade uranium from Hungary

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Highly Enriched Uranium Removed from Hungary

The U.S. Department of Energy announced Monday that all remaining highly enriched uranium has been removed from Hungary. (Photos courtesy National Nuclear Security Administration)

Note: This story was updated at 6:23 a.m. Nov. 6.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Energy announced Monday that all remaining highly enriched uranium has been removed from Hungary.

There was enough material removed in the multi-year international effort to fuel nine nuclear weapons, DOE said in a press release.

The removal of the highly enriched uranium, or HEU, was coordinated between Hungary, the United States, the Russian Federation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA.

Hungary is the 12th country to completely eliminate HEU since President Barack Obama announced an international effort in 2009 to secure all vulnerable nuclear material around the world, the release said. [Read more…]

Small business center has free seminars Tuesday, Thursday

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The Tennessee Small Business Development Center has four small business seminars in Oak Ridge on Tuesday and Friday.

A Tuesday morning seminar from 9 a.m. to noon will focus on “how to do business with the government.”

A Tuesday afternoon seminar from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. will focus on the Small Business Administration’s 8a business development program. [Read more…]

County committee to consider tax financing for Oak Ridge Mall redevelopment

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Oak Ridge Mall Concept Plan Featured

The Anderson County Operations Committee will consider the tax financing plan for the $85 million redevelopment of the Oak Ridge Mall during a Monday evening meeting.

The Anderson County Operations Committee will consider the tax financing plan for the $85 million redevelopment of the Oak Ridge Mall during a Monday evening meeting.

The tax financing agreement could be worth $13 million and last 20 years. It would allow new property tax revenues generated at the site to be used to help pay for development costs.

The tax increment financing, or TIF, proposal has already been unanimously endorsed by the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board.

It will be considered by the Operations Committee in a meeting that starts at 6 p.m. today in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton. It will also be considered at 4 p.m. Thursday by the Anderson County Budget Committee; at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, by the Oak Ridge City Council; and at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, by the Anderson County Commission. [Read more…]

More than 400 attend Rocky Top meeting in Lake City on Friday

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Information from WYSH Radio

More than 400 people attended Friday night’s bean and cornbread social and informational meeting on a proposal to change the name of Lake City to Rocky Top as the first step toward the creation of a massive Rocky Top theme park.

The event was held at Main Street Baptist Church and featured a presentation from the developers of the proposed tourist destination as well as from Anderson County Property Assessor Johnny Alley, who told the crowd that property taxes would not only not go up because of the project, but if all goes as planned, residents could actually see their property taxes decline as new revenue comes in. Lake City Mayor Tim Sharp told residents that the only cost to the town will be changing the name.

The park, as proposed, would be built on land owned by the city on Highway 441 between I-75 and Highway 25. The first phase of the development would be called the Rocky Top Pavilion and would feature a theater designed to attract musical acts like those found in Branson, Mo.; an indoor-outdoor water park; and a large restaurant. Developers also envision a sports hall of fame and museum. [Read more…]

Roane County man accidentally shoots self

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Information from WYSH Radio

A Roane County man was injured Sunday evening when a .22-caliber rifle went off accidentally and shot him in the chest.

The incident occurred at around 5 p.m. at a home on Edwards Lane outside Rockwood. The victim, whose name was not immediately available, was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center by Lifestar for treatment of his injuries.

Deputies said the shooting appears to have happened as the man was handling the rifle and that it was purely accidental in nature.

WYSH: Pills stolen, ex-wife choked

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Information from WYSH Radio

A Clinton man was arrested Thursday and charged with choking his ex-wife into unconsciousness after allegedly stealing prescription medication from her.

Jason Hobbs, 30, was at his ex-wife’s house on Thursday babysitting her children, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. When she returned to the home, she told deputies that she had found Hobbs asleep on her couch and discovered that more than 50 Xanax pills were missing from her room, which had been ransacked.

She said that when she woke him up to confront him, Hobbs choked her until she was unconscious. Hobbs was arrested and charged with aggravated domestic assault.

Weigel’s open now, Aldi has grand opening Thursday

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Weigel's on South Illinois Avenue

The Weigel’s on South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge is now open.

A Weigel’s gas station and store is now open on South Illinois Avenue, and a nearby Aldi grocery has a grand opening celebration on Thursday.

The Weigel’s is on 1.5 acres south of TNBank, and the 4,000-square-foot store includes 16 gas pumps.

Construction started this spring. It’s now the second Weigel’s store in Oak Ridge and the only gas station on South Illinois Avenue between Tulsa Road in central Oak Ridge and Solway in Knox County.

Weigel’s Farm Stores Inc. is a chain headquartered in Powell that operates 57 local dairy and convenience stores. [Read more…]

Watson to discuss ‘State of the City’ at Lunch with the League

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson will give an update on the state of the city during Lunch with the League on Tuesday.

The meeting starts at noon in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 1500 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Watson became Oak Ridge city manager in August 2010. He is the chief administrative officer of the city, and his responsibilities include planning, organizing, directing, controlling, and evaluating the operations of the municipal government in order to implement Oak Ridge City Council policies in an effective and economic manner, a press release said. [Read more…]

Co-director to discuss Free Medical Clinic’s role under new health care law

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Tanya Vargas

Tanya Vargas

Dr. Tanya Vargas, co-director of the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, will discuss the role of the clinic under the new health care act in a community forum to be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Grace Covenant Church, 320 Robertsville Road.

Her presentation is entitled “The Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge after the Affordable Care Act.” Vargas said she will address the question, “If everyone is going to be insured after the Affordable Care Act, why would free medical clinics like FMCOR be needed?”

Vargas moved to Oak Ridge in 1990, after completing her pediatric training at Tulane University School of Medicine and Affiliated Hospitals, and three years of private practice in New Orleans.

She has been active in multiple organizations in Oak Ridge, including Oak Ridge Playhouse, ShowKids, Oak Ridge Baseball Association, and Montessori School of Oak Ridge. She is a founding member of the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge board of directors and has served in various capacities on that board, including service as president. [Read more…]