Oak Ridge Today



 










AC, ORPD to discuss program to combat elder abuse

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Dave Clark

Dave Clark

Submitted

Elder abuse is a new focus of Anderson County and the Oak Ridge Police Department. The two agencies are preparing to jointly implement a Senior Citizens Awareness Network, or SCAN, program that will likely start later this year to deal with the crime.

District Attorney General David Clark of the Seventh Judicial District and his Anderson County office are leading the charge on combating elder abuse, and the office will be running the SCAN program, according to a press release. RPD will help implement the program in Oak Ridge.

Clark and ORPD Detective Wendy Zolkowski will speak Thursday, January 16, about the SCAN program, elder abuse in Oak Ridge, and the ways seniors can be protected.

Their talks will be the first in 2020 in the lecture series sponsored by Roane State Community College and the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning. They will speak at 2 p.m. Thursday in the City Room (A-111) of the Coffey-McNally building on RSCC’s Oak Ridge Branch Campus, 701 Briarcliff Avenue. ORPD is hosting the presentation, which will be preceded by a reception with refreshments at 1:30 p.m. in the lobby. [Read more…]


Advertisement

One flown to hospital after two-vehicle crash

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Turnpike Salem Road Crash Jan 6 2020
One person was flown to a hospital after a two-vehicle crash on Oak Ridge Turnpike near Salem Road on Monday morning, Jan. 6, 2020. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Police Department)

One person was flown to a hospital after a two-vehicle crash in west Oak Ridge on Monday morning, emergency responders said.

The crash was reported at about 6:15 a.m. Monday on Oak Ridge Turnpike near Salem Road. The Oak Ridge police and fire departments responded.

When they arrived, Oak Ridge Fire Department firefighters found a heavily damaged vehicle with the injured driver still inside. They quickly extinguished a small fire in the engine compartment of the vehicle and rescued the driver, emergency responders said. The injured driver was then flown by a Lifestar medical helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. The driver of the second vehicle reported no injuries.

[Read more…]
Advertisements

For members: Man sentenced to more than 12 years on federal meth conspiracy charge

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

 

Samuel McCoy Wade

 

An Oak Ridge man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal charge of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

The rest of this story, which you will find only on Oak Ridge Today, is available if you are a member: an advertiser, sponsor, or subscriber to Oak Ridge Today.

Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here.

Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here:

Basic

Pro

Temporary

If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today

P.O. Box 6064

Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Learn about our advanced subscription options here.

Note: Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. Some are considered premium content. This story is premium content. Premium content can include in-depth, investigative, and exclusive stories. These stories generally take more than four hours to report, write, and publish.

Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today!

Advertisement



Advertisement



Meth, conspiracy charges dismissed after warrantless search

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

William Michael Renfro
William Michael Renfro

Citing a warrantless search, an Anderson County judge has dismissed drug and conspiracy charges in a case where police allegedly found 45.1 grams of methamphetamine in a backpack in an Oak Ridge motel room in May.

“I hate to dismiss serious charges,” said Roger Miller, judge of the Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge. But, he added, “I don’t think the proof would hold up.”

Suggesting that a search warrant should have been obtained, Miller said he is accessible and signs many search warrants.

The two people charged in the case had been William Michael Renfro, 18, of Oak Ridge, and Carlie Alise Wisman, 22, also of Oak Ridge.

Renfro had been charged with manufacturing, selling, delivering, or possessing a schedule II controlled substance (the 45.1 grams of meth), a Class A felony; criminal conspiracy, a Class B felony; manufacturing, selling, delivering, or possessing a schedule IV controlled substance (9.5 grams of marijuana), a Class D felony; and possession of a firearm (a Ruger Security Six .357 revolver with six rounds) during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony, a Class D felony.

All four of those charges were dismissed after a preliminary hearing for Renfro in Anderson County General Sessions Court on Thursday, December 12. During a preliminary hearing, a judge can hear from witnesses, victims, and police officers, and determine whether there is probable cause to send the charges to the Anderson County Grand Jury.

[Read more…]

New federal designation means more law enforcement funding, full-time ATF agent

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Anderson-County-High-Intensity-Drug-Trafficking-Area-Press-Conference-Dec-17-2019
A new federal designation for Anderson County will mean more federal funding for the county’s drug and violent crime task force and a full-time agent from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark said Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A new federal designation for Anderson County will mean more federal funding for the county’s drug and violent crime task force and a full-time agent from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Anderson County is now a high-intensity drug trafficking area, or HIDTA. That designation came from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. It occurred in September and will go into effect January 1.

As part of a two-part announcement this month, law enforcement officials said the White House also selected the county’s task force, the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force, as an Appalachia HIDTA, or AHIDTA. It’s the only locally led drug task force in Tennessee, according to Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark. The county’s Crime Task Force, or CTF, is led by Director Simon Byrne.

“No other drug task force in Tennessee has been awarded an AHIDTA grant,” Clark said. “I am very proud of our leadership team for thinking outside of the box and in looking for smart ways to make our communities safer as well as be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. We are more excited than we can convey, but in short believe that this development has the potential to be transformative as to what we are able to do in Anderson County to protect and serve our communities.”

[Read more…]

Woman charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing man

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Stephanie Shinlever
Stephanie Shinlever

An Oak Ridge woman was charged with attempted murder after she allegedly stabbed a man in his abdomen, tricep, and thigh on Utica Circle early Friday morning, according to Anderson County court records.

Stephanie Shinlever, 23, was initially charged with attempted criminal homicide and tampering with evidence on Friday. But the attempted criminal homicide charge was amended to attempted first-degree murder on Tuesday, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge Police Department responded to a reported assault at a Utica Circle apartment at about 2:12 a.m. Friday. When they arrived, they were led to a unit where the victim, Skylar Patterson, was laying on a couch, bleeding profusely from his abdomen, the affidavits said.

[Read more…]

Six women arrested for allegedly conspiring to steal shoes in Oak Ridge

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Rack Room Shoes Theft Oak Ridge Police Department Nov 21 2019
Six women were arrested Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, after they allegedly ran from Rack Room Shoes in Main Street Oak Ridge with about $3,300 worth of stolen merchandise, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. (Photo courtesy ORPD)

Six women were arrested Thursday and charged with theft and criminal conspiracy after they allegedly ran from a shoe store in Main Street Oak Ridge with about $3,300 worth of stolen merchandise, police officers said.

Oak Ridge Police Department Detective Marvell Moore said he had been conducting a retail theft patrol near Rack Room Shoes at about 1:19 p.m. Thursday. While in the parking lot, Moore said in arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court, he saw the women enter Rack Room Shoes with large purses and plastic bags that appeared to be empty.

“Based on my training and experience, I know that shoplifters will carry large empty bags to conceal merchandise,” Moore said in the warrants.

After a short time, Moore said he saw the women run out of Rack Room Shoes with the same bags that they had when they entered. However, now the bags were full, Moore said.

[Read more…]

Secret City Half Marathon and 5K in Oak Ridge on Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge main roads to be affected

The Secret City Half Marathon and 5K is in Oak Ridge on Saturday, November 16, and several main roads and intersections will be affected by the race in the morning.

Explore Oak Ridge and the City of Oak Ridge expect more than 1,000 runners and walkers on the city’s streets and greenways as they participate in these family-friendly races, a press release said. See below for the race routes and also visit the SCHM website at www.SecretCityHalfMarathon.com for a map of both routes.

[Read more…]

Trees down, power outages reported after thunderstorm

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Fallen Tree Michigan Avenue Oct. 31 2019
A tree fell across Michigan Avenue during a severe thunderstorm in Oak Ridge on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Trees fell and power outages were reported after a thunderstorm in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

The fallen trees and power outages were because of strong winds and heavy rain that lasted a few hours starting at about 11 a.m. Thursday, the City of Oak Ridge said.

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department and Electric Department are responding to the damage reports and making repairs, the city said.

[Read more…]

Part of Nebraska Ave. closes for Halloween House on Thursday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A temporary road closure is planned along part of Nebraska Avenue on Halloween, Thursday, October 31, between 5 and 11 p.m.

A small portion of the 100 block of Nebraska Avenue between Newridge Road and Newhaven Road will be blocked to through traffic, a press release said. Residents will still be able to get to and from their homes during this time, the press release said.

The closure is necessary to create a safer environment for drivers and pedestrians expected to visit the annual “Halloween House” residential attraction, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Drug Take Back Day is Saturday in Oak Ridge, Clinton, Norris, Rocky Top

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Anderson County is participating in the 16th Annual DEA Rx Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 26. Community members can bring their expired or unused medicines to one of the Anderson County Take Back locations anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Collection sites will be located at the police departments listed below. Each department will be set up outside in their respective parking lots to receive the expired or unused medicines.

  • Clinton Police Department, 125 West Broad Street, Clinton
  • Norris Police Department, 9 West Circle Road, Norris (will begin at 8 a.m.)
  • Oak Ridge Police Department, 200 South Tulane Avenue, Oak Ridge
  • Rocky Top Police Department, 104 Lawson Street, Rocky Top

The National Rx Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue, a press release said. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs, and that number has continued to climb in recent years. Studies show many of the misused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The Take Back Day provides an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths in the community and communities across the United States.

[Read more…]

Fire and Crime Prevention Celebration is Saturday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Fire and Crime Prevention Parade Map 2019
Oak Ridge Fire and Crime Prevention Parade Map 2019 (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge fire and police departments, in partnership with the Oak Ridge Neighborhood Watch Program, will hold this year’s Fire and Crime Prevention Celebration on Saturday.

Everyone is invited to participate and support this free event, which combines the police department’s annual National Night Out and the fire department’s Fire Prevention Parade into one big community celebration, a press release said. 

The event will kick off with a parade (weather permitting) at 11 a.m. at Oak Ridge Fire Department Fire Station 3 on Tuskegee Drive. Following the parade, the celebration in Alvin K. Bissell Park is expected to begin around noon, and it will include food, emergency services equipment displays, a mobile video game theater, bounce houses, safety information booths, and police/fire demonstrations, the press release said.

[Read more…]

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today