Oak Ridge Today

Grace Lutheran Church has pet fest, blessing on Saturday

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Pet Fest and Blessing

Grace Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge has its 12th annual Pet Fest and Blessing from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. (Submitted photo)

Submitted

Grace Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge will have its 12th annual Pet Fest and Blessing from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. The church is located at 131 W. Gettysburg Ave., and parking will be available at the church or in the Woodland Elementary School parking lot behind the church. (Follow the pink puppy paw print signs!)

“Gather up your leashes or carriers and schedule a grooming for your pets to look their best,” a press release said. “Then bring them, one and all, to enjoy an afternoon of fun with you.”

Admission is free, and you can have a free picture taken with your pets too, the release said. If you come early, there will be a pet walk around the area at 12:30 p.m. If you’d like, you also can have your pet implanted with a microchip, courtesy of Dr. Paul Szluha of McArthur Animal Hospital, for a $20 fee. Proceeds from this, above the costs, will be donated to the Heifer Project. [Read more…]

Knoxville attorney to discuss women’s suffrage

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Wanda Sobieski

Wanda Sobieski

Knoxville attorney Wanda Sobieski will discuss women’s suffrage during a presentation next week.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, is titled “The Legacy and Challenges of Women’s Suffrage.” It starts at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 7, at Grace Covenant Church at 320 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge.

Sobieski, who has been deeply involved in the effort to recognize and honor the early 20th century suffragists that won for women the right to vote, will show images from that time and discuss their struggles, relating them to the important contributions of Tennessee women, a press release said. [Read more…]

Great Smoky Mountains National Park closed until shutdown ends

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Cades Cove in the Fall

Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is pictured above in the fall of 2010.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in East Tennessee is one of 401 national parks closed because of the federal government shutdown that started Tuesday.

The National Park Service announced that it has closed all visitor facilities at the park, including visitor centers, picnic areas, campgrounds, and trails. Roads are closed except for Newfound Gap Road (Highway 441), including the Spur and the Gatlinburg Bypass. The park will remain closed until the government reopens, the NPS said.

The closure comes during the busy fall season, when many people visit the park for the changing of the leaves. [Read more…]

Pictures: Neon Vibe 5K

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Neon Vibe 5K

About 1,600 runners and walkers participated in the Neon Vibe 5K in Oak Ridge on Sept. 21.

There were also about 800 volunteers and spectators, for a total of roughly 2,400 people, according to the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, which helped organize the event, the first-ever in Tennessee.

“It was hugely successful,” ORCVB President Katy Brown said.

[Read more…]

Community Band presents ‘Early Music’ concert on Oct. 13

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Oak Ridge Community Band

The Oak Ridge Community Band performs earlier at the pavilion at A.K. Bissell Park. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Community Band)

The Oak Ridge Community Band will present an “Early Music” Concert on Oct. 13 at Oak Ridge High School.

The concert starts at 3:30 p.m. in the ORHS Performing Arts Center at 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

This concert is the first of six indoor concerts in the “Music for a Lifetime” series scheduled for October, November, December, January, February, and April. These concerts will take the audience from early compositions up to the 1890s, then continue through the 20th century featuring the roaring ’20s, Big Band era on through the Nifty Fifties, Swinging Sixties, Generation X, and ending with music representing the New Millenium. [Read more…]

Tennessee Mountain Writers presents ‘When the Byline Loses Its Thrill’

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Jennie Ivey

Jennie Ivey

Cookeville freelance writer and newspaper columnist Jennie Ivey will conduct an all-day writing workshop on “When the Byline Loses Its Thrill: Making Money with the Words You Write” on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the United Way of Anderson County office at 161 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. The event is the Fall Workshop of the Tennessee Mountain Writers.

Workshop participants will learn how to focus on subjects they want to write about and tailor writing to fit markets that pay. They will also learn how to expand their reach and get paid to talk about the things they have written. Writers of all levels and all genres will benefit and are welcome.

Ivey is the co-author of three books: “Tennessee Tales the Textbooks Don’t Tell,” “E is for Elvis,” and “Soldiers, Spies, and Spartans: Civil War Stories from Tennessee.” She writes a weekly newspaper column for the Cookeville Herald-Citizen and is a regular contributor to Guideposts magazine and Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has taught at numerous writers’ conferences including the Tennessee Mountain Writers, Alabama Writers Conclave, Cookeville Creative Writers Association, and MTSU Writers Loft. [Read more…]

Ballroom dance lessons start at Senior Center on Thursday

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Senior Center Ballroom Dancing

Ballroom dancing lessons start at the Oak Ridge Senior Center on Thursday. (Submitted photo)

Anyone 50 and older is invited to ballroom dancing lessons at the Oak Ridge Senior Center starting Thursday, a press release said.

“Ballroom dancing is not only a wonderful social skill to have but also a great fun way to exercise for all ages,” the press release said.

Lessons will be on Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for beginner levels and 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for intermediate levels. The lessons will begin Oct. 3 and will be led by Richard Pierce. The cost is a $5 donation per lesson, and no contracts or commitments are required.

Health Insurance Marketplace opens Tuesday

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Kathleen Sebelius

Kathleen Sebelius

The new Health Insurance Marketplace set up by the Affordable Care Act opened Tuesday, and Tennessee residents can apply for coverage, compare plans, and enroll at HealthCare.gov.

“For the first time ever, today all Americans can begin shopping for quality health coverage that is affordable, and not be denied or charged more because they have a pre-existing condition,” the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a press release.

The HHS said the Health Insurance Marketplace will allow uninsured Americans and their families to purchase health insurance in one place. Coverage begins as early as Jan. 1, 2014, for people enrolling by Dec. 15, 2013. Open enrollment closes March 31. [Read more…]

Roane authorities arrest two after armed robbery investigation

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Mark Andrew Randolph

Mark Andrew Randolph

Rufena Jean Bunch

Rufena Jean Bunch

Roane County authorities investigating an armed robbery at a gas station on Highway 70 on Friday arrested a Harriman man and Kingston woman on Monday, Sheriff Jack Stockton said.

The alleged robbery occurred at a Rocky Top Market on Bluff Road at Highway 70 at closing time Friday. A white man wearing camouflage clothing entered the store, pointed a handgun at the clerks, and demanded money, Stockton said in a press release. The suspect allegedly left the store with an undetermined amount of money.

On Monday, Roane County Sheriff’s Office deputies, with help from detectives Bryan Walker and Brandon Kittrell, arrested the two suspects without incident, the release said. The Crossville and Kingston police departments also helped. [Read more…]

New executive director, board members at Girls Inc.

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Girls Inc.

Pictured above are Girls Inc. Board President Terry Domm, Ternica Raley, Executive Director Rhoni Basden, Judy Gooch, and Board Secretary Melissa McMahan. (Submitted photo)

Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge has a new executive director and five new board members.

Rhoni Basden is the new executive director. She succeeds Carol Mullane, who retired after seven successful years, a press release said.

New board members include Ternecia Raley, Judy Gooch, Melissa McMahan, David Mosby, and Hugh Ward. [Read more…]

Street Painting Festival: Come watch artists chalk the walks

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Pink Roses

A “Pink Roses” drawing at an earlier Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival. (Submitted photo)

The 14th annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival is drawing near—it will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (rain day on Sunday) at the Oak Ridge Campus of Roane State Community College.

Dozens of artists will be brushing up on their skills as they transform concrete sidewalk squares into colorful chalk paintings. The public is invited to this free festival organized by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge to provide scholarships for Roane State students.

While would-be Rembrandts are chalking the walks, young children will enjoy free activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the Kid Zone. [Read more…]

Voce starts today as general manager of Oak Ridge security force

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Michael Voce

Michael Voce

Michael Voce started today as general manager of the National Strategic Protective Services’ protective force contract at U.S. Department of Energy sites in Oak Ridge.

NSPS, a joint venture of Triple Canopy Inc. and Securiguard Inc., announced last month that Voce would start Oct. 1. He replaces general manager Greg McDowell, whose resignation was announced in July.

NSPS is responsible for providing protective force services to the East Tennessee Technology Park, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Joe L. Evins Federal Building. Voce will be responsible for directing the safe and efficient performance of the protective work force and overseeing all administrative operations, a press release said. [Read more…]