Oak Ridge Today

Federal judge orders Y-12 protesters jailed until September sentencing

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Y-12 Plowshares Protesters

Pictured above are the three anti-nuclear weapons protesters who broke into the Y-12 National Security Complex and vandalized a uranium storage building on July 28. From left, they are Michael Walli, Megan Rice, and Greg Boertje-Obed.

The three protesters who broke into the Y-12 National Security Complex in July and vandalized a uranium storage building must stay in jail until they are sentenced Sept. 23, a federal judge said Friday.

The three protesters—Greg Boertje-Obed, 57; Megan Rice, 83; and Michael Walli, 64—had sought to be released until their sentencing hearings this fall. They each face up to 30 years in prison.

But U.S. District Judge Amul R. Thapar denied that request in a four-page order filed late Friday afternoon. [Read more…]

About 100 people evacuated after pickup ruptures apartment gas line

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Broadway Apartments Gas Leak

The Broadway Apartments on East Madison Road were evacuated Friday morning after a pickup truck rolled down a small hill and ruptured a two-inch gas line. (Photo by Tom Scott)

Emergency workers started evacuating about 100 people at an apartment complex and day care center on Friday morning after a pickup truck ruptured a two-inch natural gas line in central Oak Ridge.

The apparently unoccupied pickup truck, which might have popped out of gear, rolled down a small hill at Broadway Apartments on East Madison Road and into a gas meter, which was attached to the gas line, Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said.

“It made a pretty significant leak,” he said. [Read more…]

Frank proposes cuts in county property tax rate, law director’s budget

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Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Note: This story was last updated at 9:46 p.m.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank on Wednesday proposed cutting the property tax rate by 1.62 cents and reducing the county law director’s budget by 16.5 percent.

It would be a $52,069 decrease in the budget of Anderson County Law Director Jay Yeager, who said he would have to lay off one of his two staff members.

Frank proposed reducing the property tax rate by 1.62 cents through a restructuring of the Alternatives to Incarceration Program, a relatively new program that lost its director in March. [Read more…]

Two ORNL researchers, two joint faculty receive DOE early career awards

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DOE Early Career Awards

Pictured from top left, clockwise, are Valentino Cooper, Gaute Hagen, Matthias Schindler, and Jason Hayward. They are 2013 awardees in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Early Career Research Program. (Submitted photo)

Materials science and physics research led by early career Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists received a boost this week from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science Early Career Research Program.

The program, now in its fourth year, is designed to bolster the nation’s scientific workforce by providing support to exceptional researchers during crucial early career years when many scientists do their most formative work. This year’s 61 awardees were selected from a pool of 770 university- and national laboratory-based applicants.

“This highly competitive program is a well-deserved recognition for early-career scientists who are launching their own research programs,” ORNL Director Thom Mason said. “We are delighted that four of this year’s awards are going to researchers associated with ORNL.” [Read more…]

Roane Chamber has home, garden show Saturday

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The Roane County Chamber of Commerce is having its 7th annual Home and Garden Show on Saturday at the Expo Center at Roane State Community College’s Harriman campus. The theme this year is “Go Green and Save Money!”

There will be booths and displays from home improvement products and services, gardening displays, gardener and hardware demonstrations, and arts and crafts. [Read more…]

Community Orchestra concert Saturday features founder, English composers

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Oak Ridge Community Orchestra

Oak Ridge Community Orchestra

The Oak Ridge Community Orchestra has a free concert Saturday featuring the music of three British composers from the 19th and 20th centuries, and one 21st century Oak Ridge composer—Nancy England.

England founded the ORCO 20 years ago, and she is still with the orchestra today, playing cello. The English composers featured at Saturday’s concert are Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, and Edward Elgar, a press release said.

The concert starts at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge, at 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,” the release said. [Read more…]

WYSH: Kingston man jailed by OSPD on drug, weapons charges

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Information from WYSH Radio

A Kingston man was arrested on several drug and weapon charges Tuesday after a traffic stop in Oliver Springs.

An Oliver Springs Police Department officer pulled over a pickup driven by Glen Long Jr. of Kingston for a broken taillight at around 3:30 pm Tuesday at the intersection of Winter Gap and Main Street. The officer reported that Long appeared to be very nervous while speaking with him and that he could smell the odor of freshly-smoked marijuana coming from the cab of the truck. [Read more…]

Clinton budget: no tax hike

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Clinton City Council held its budget workshop on Monday, and as presented, the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 is balanced with no property tax increase for city residents.

The budget leaves the property tax rate at 76 cents per $100 of assessed value while providing 2 percent pay raises for city workers and taking into account projected increases of between 5 and 20 percent in employee-related and liability insurance. [Read more…]

Vandals damage Claxton mausoleum

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a weekend break-in at Woodhaven Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens in Claxton that resulted in the theft of four crypt covers valued at $500 each and more than $5,000 in damages.

Deputy Robert Sexton reported that he had been checking on businesses in Claxton when he noticed the glass on the back door of the mausoleum on Edgemoor Road had been broken out with a lift truck jack used to lift caskets. Inside, the culprits destroyed four other crypt covers, tore the thermostats off the walls, and destroyed light fixtures, benches, and other items. [Read more…]

Briceville man killed in logging accident

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Information from WYSH Radio

A Briceville logger was killed Friday morning while cutting trees in Campbell County. The Sheriff’s Office says that the accident occurred at a worksite on Sharps Lane in Caryville at around 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Investigators say that 60-year-old Calvin Daugherty was cutting a series of trees, and when one fell, it struck the top of a second, smaller tree. The top of the second tree broke off and hit Daugherty, who struck his head on a rock when he fell to the ground. [Read more…]

Roane State graduation is Friday, Saturday

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Gaye Jolly

Gaye Jolly

Cuyler A. Dunbar

Cuyler A. Dunbar

Roane State Community College will hold commencement ceremonies on May 10-11.

Both events, to be held in the gym on the Roane County campus in Harriman, will be equal in presentation. [Read more…]

Y-12 protesters remain jailed while judge considers whether crimes violent

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Y-12 Protesters Detention Hearing

Michele Naar-Obed, wife of Y-12 protester Greg Boertje-Obed, and supporter Paul Magno, center, listen outside U.S. District Court on Thursday as supporter Bill Bichsel of Tacoma, Wash., talks to the media.

KNOXVILLE—The three protesters who broke into the Y-12 National Security Complex in July and vandalized a uranium storage building will remain jailed while a federal judge considers whether their crimes were violent.

Greg Boertje-Obed, Megan Rice, and Michael Walli were convicted of property depredation and willfully injuring national defense premises on Wednesday. They had a detention hearing Thursday morning. [Read more…]