Oak Ridge Today

Plan to cut Y-12 staff hasn’t changed despite security breach

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The breach of a high-security area at the Y-12 National Security Complex by the three anti-nuclear weapons activists pictured above has not changed plans to cut up to 34 security officers. From left to right, the three are Michael R. Walli, Megan Rice, and Greg Boertje-Obed.

The plan to cut up to 34 security police officer jobs at the Y-12 National Security Complex hasn’t changed, despite a breach of a high-security area early Saturday morning by three anti-nuclear weapons activists, a federal spokesman said Wednesday.

Steven Wyatt, spokesman for the National Nuclear Security Administration, said the decision is not being re-evaluated.

“The size of the protective force is determined through a comprehensive process that considers a number of factors, which have not changed since the decision to reduce the size of the protective forces was made,” Wyatt said in a Wednesday evening e-mail.

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Nuclear operations halted at Y-12 National Security Complex

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All nuclear operations have been halted at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, a federal spokesman said Wednesday.

The unprecedented security “stand down” occurred after three activists breached the plant’s high-security area on Saturday and after an internal review by B&W Y-12 and the National Nuclear Security Administration found procedural violations, NNSA spokesman Steven Wyatt said.

“Once we found those, B&W decided it was prudent to stand down operations,” Wyatt said. B&W Y-12 manages and operates Y-12 for the NNSA.

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Security ‘stand down’ starts at Y-12 National Security Complex

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Federal officials on Wednesday afternoon announced a security “stand down” at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

It’s a result of the the ongoing internal review of Y-12 security operations, according to a press release from the National Nuclear Security Administration.

During the “stand down,” all special nuclear materials will be moved to vault-type facilities on site, all nuclear operations will be halted, and contractor security personnel will undergo training and refresher instruction, the release said.

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Republican primary voting may not predict outcome of local election

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Republicans outvoted Democrats 2-to-1 during early voting this year, but that could be because some Democrats “crossed over” and voted in state and federal Republican primaries, an election official said Tuesday.

“I would assume that some Democrats crossed over and voted in the Republican primary for U.S. House,” Anderson County Elections Administrator Mark Stephens said.

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Zacharia leaving top ORNL job for Qatar Foundation

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Thomas Zacharia

Thomas Zacharia

Thomas Zacharia, a top administrator at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is leaving to take a leadership position at a science and education foundation based in Doha, Qatar.

Zacharia, ORNL deputy for science and technology, will become executive vice president of research and development for the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.

He starts Sept. 1.

He has worked for the lab for 26 years.

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New voter ID law not a problem in Anderson County

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A new voter photo identification law challenged in court has not caused a significant problem in Anderson County, Election Administrator Mark Stephens said Tuesday.

The new law, which went into effect this year, says registered voters in Tennessee have to show government-issued photo identification to cast ballots at polling places.

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Hope raises twice as much in campaign contributions as Baughn

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Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

Chuck Hope

Chuck Hope

CLINTON—Oak Ridge City Council member Chuck Hope has raised twice as much in campaign contributions since April as his opponent, Trina Baughn, according to reports filed this month.

Hope, appointed to Council last summer after Tom Hayes resigned in June 2011, raised $3,669 in campaign contributions between April 1 and July 23.

Meanwhile, Baughn raised $1,675.

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Anderson County mayoral race could be most expensive ever

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Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Warren Gooch

Warren Gooch

CLINTON—The two candidates for Anderson County mayor have raised and spent a total of about $175,000 since April, possibly making it the most expensive race ever, county officials said.

And the two candidates, Democrat Warren Gooch and Republican Terry Frank, are running to serve only two years, or half a regular term.

“I think that’s unprecedented,” Anderson County Election Commission Administrator Mark Stephens said Tuesday.

The latest financial disclosures filed by the campaigns last week show that Gooch continues to raise and spend more money than Frank. Gooch raised $19,332 in contributions from July 1 to July 23, roughly double Frank’s $9,685.

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Longtime Anderson County investigator resigns after arrest

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A veteran Anderson County Sheriff’s Department investigator resigned Friday, two days after Knoxville Police arrested him in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store on Clinton Highway, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton.

Danny Bowie, 51, was arrested on July 25 and charged with public intoxication and possession of a handgun while intoxicated after Knoxville Police responded to a call about a possibly intoxicated person, WYSH said.

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Lake City man killed when pickup overturns in Briceville

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A Lake City man was killed Monday afternoon in a single-vehicle accident on Highway 116 in Briceville, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton.

John T. Roberts, 41, had been headed north on Highway 116 shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday when his pickup left the roadway and overturned, WYSH said.

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National Night Out features crime prevention, anti-bullying seminar

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The annual National Night Out in Oak Ridge next week will feature crime and drug prevention programs, an anti-bullying seminar for children, and an adult self-defense class.

It also features free food, drinks, and music.

It starts at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, at A.K. Bissell Park and Oak Ridge Civic Center.

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City cancels closure of New York Avenue on Thursday

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Note: This story was updated at 4:40 p.m.

The expected closure of New York Avenue between Vermont Avenue and Vance Road on Thursday has been canceled, the city announced Tuesday.

An earlier release had said a short section of New York Avenue near Oak Ridge Turnpike could be closed Thursday while a contractor repairs a sewer line.

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