Oak Ridge Today

Anderson government closed; Y-12, Oak Ridge, UCOR, DOE, ORAU start late

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Snow in Oak Ridge on Feb. 26, 2015

Several inches of snow fell in Oak Ridge and across East Tennessee overnight. (Photo by Bruce Phillips)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:23 a.m.

Several inches of snow fell in East Tennessee overnight, and there are more closings and delays because of weather and road conditions.

The Y-12 National Security Complex is still clearing some areas at the site. Non-essential employees should delay arrival at the site until 11 a.m. UPF Offsite Offices also should delay until 11 a.m. Personnel are urged to use caution when driving and walking throughout the site and to use designated snow routes.

Anderson County government offices will be closed Thursday. The Roane County Courthouse is also closed. [Read more…]

Thursday closings: Oak Ridge, Clinton, Anderson, Roane, Roane State

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Snow in Oak Ridge on Feb. 25, 2015

Snow in Oak Ridge on Feb. 25, 2015. Forecasters said heavy snow was expected across the region from Wednesday night through midday Thursday. (Photo by Mike Mahathy)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:02 a.m. Feb. 26.

Schools in Oak Ridge, Clinton, and Anderson and Roane counties will be closed on Thursday, February 26, because of the weather and road conditions.

The Anderson County Schools Central Office and Roane County Schools Central Office will both be closed.

Roane State Community College campuses will also be closed because of the weather.

ORAU’s Oak Ridge offices will open at noon on Thursday. Employees are urged to drive safely to the office. [Read more…]

Snow starts, heavy snowfall expected across region

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Widespread Heavy Snow

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Heavy snowfall is expected across much of the region starting tonight and continuing through midday Thursday, forecasters said.

Snow had already started falling in Oak Ridge sometime around 8 p.m. Wednesday. The new snow follows a few inches of snow that fell on Tuesday morning, and other wintry precipitation last week, including an icy mix on Monday and snow on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said there could be between three to six inches of snow across much of the Tennessee Valley, Cumberland Plateau, and Smoky Mountain foothills between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Higher amounts of five to eight inches are expected across southwest North Carolina and the high elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains, including U.S. Highway 441 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A winter storm warning has been issued for many counties across East Tennessee, including Anderson, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane, and Union.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Wednesday closings, delays: Anderson, Roane, Clinton, Oak Ridge

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Snow Sweeper at Oak Ridge High School

A tractor with sweeping equipment helps remove snow from the Oak Ridge High School parking lot on Tuesday. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Anderson County Schools will be closed Wednesday, February 25, due to the snow received overnight and this morning. The Central Office is also closed.

Clinton City Schools will be closed on Wednesday due to winter weather conditions.

Oak Ridge Schools will start two hours late on Wednesday, weather permitting and with no roads refreezing, but will dismiss at the regular dismissal time—not the typical Wednesday dismissal time. [Read more…]

Snow: Oak Ridge Schools closed, city opens late, Discovery Ed Livestream postponed

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Snow Sweeper at Oak Ridge High School

A tractor with sweeping equipment helps remove snow from the Oak Ridge High School parking lot. (Photo by Julio Culiat) 

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:52 p.m. Some of these announcements continue to change. We will update this story as we can.

Oak Ridge Schools are closed today (Tuesday, February 24), and the City of Oak Ridge offices will open at 10 a.m.

Oak Ridge Schools said the Discovery Ed Livestream that had been scheduled for today has been postponed until May.

Anderson County Courthouse is closed due to weather. So is Roane State Community College. [Read more…]

Tuesday closings: Anderson, Roane, Clinton schools; Oak Ridge open

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Note: This story was last updated at 8:14 a.m. Feb. 24.

Schools in Clinton and Anderson, Roane, Morgan, Campbell, Scott, and Union counties are among those closed again Tuesday because of the weather.

Anderson County Schools said schools will be closed due to icy conditions on many of the county’s back roads. The Central Office will follow the inclement weather procedure, and principals should report to their schools.

Oak Ridge Schools said they plan to be open. Update: Oak Ridge Schools are also closed Tuesday. Please see newer story here.

“At this point, school will start on time tomorrow, but weather will be monitored during the night,” Oak Ridge education officials said. “We will alert you if there are changes.” [Read more…]

Flood watch starts this afternoon after week of winter weather

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Flood Watch Feb. 21, 2015

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:31 p.m.

A flood watch will be in effect for parts of East Tennessee, including Anderson County, and parts of southwest Virginia and North Carolina starting this afternoon (Saturday, February 21) and continuing through Sunday afternoon, forecasters said.

The flood watch follows a week of winter weather that included icy precipitation on Monday, snow on Wednesday morning, bitter cold on Thursday and Friday, and more snow starting Friday night.

But the National Weather Service in Morristown said the forecast calls for melting snow and ice Saturday night in addition to rain. [Read more…]

Snow: Basketball tournament canceled; city centers, some businesses closed

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Taylor Road Snow Lady Feb. 21, 2015

Ashlynn and Myrah Forgety build a snow woman on Taylor Road in Oak Ridge on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Leah M. Bevins)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:58 p.m.

The snow overnight, which covered some roads that were already treacherous, has forced more closings, cancellations, and delays.

The Oak Ridge Civic Center, Scarboro Center, Senior Center, and Public Library will all be closed today, Saturday, February 21.

The District 3-AAA basketball tournament, which had been rescheduled for today at Central High School in Knoxville, has been canceled. The regional tournament is scheduled to start Monday, and the seedings that stand now will be used in the regional tournament.

Some businesses in Oak Ridge announced they are closed or opening later, possibly after the temperature warms and the precipitation changes to rain. For example, ORNL Federal Credit Union announced that all of its locations will be closed today. Hot Bagel Co. announced it will be closed today but will reopen at 6 a.m. Monday. The Other One in Grove Center said they will not open this morning, but could reopen this afternoon. You might consider calling ahead if you have a question about a specific business. [Read more…]

City crews treat all streets by Thursday, now working on water main breaks

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Oak Ridge Snow Plow on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Feb. 17, 2015

An Oak Ridge snow plow is pictured above at center on Oak Ridge Turnpike, which was mostly clear on Tuesday evening, February 17. 

 

Crews from the Oak Ridge Public Works Department had treated all 230 miles of streets by the time they left work on Thursday, and they’re now battling a half-dozen small water main breaks.

Oak Ridge Public Works Director Gary Cinder said crews focused on what are known as Level 3 and Level 4 streets on Thursday. They removed all loose snow. But there could still be patches of ice on some roads, Cinder said.

“You can’t get ice off the street until you get much warmer temperatures,” he said. [Read more…]

Waste Connections to resume normal schedule Monday, Feb. 23

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The normal schedule for trash and recycling pickup in Oak Ridge has been affected by the winter storm this week and continually changing weather conditions, and regular collection is expected to resume on Monday.

“We are working diligently to service as many streets as quickly as possible but we always place the safety of the public and our employees first,” a City of Oak Ridge press release said.

Some residents might not have had their trash or recycling picked up this week. [Read more…]

International Festival postponed to Feb. 28 at Children’s Museum

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Spice of India dancers at the Children's Museum International Festival

Spice of India dancers at the Children’s Museum International Festival. (Photo by Rob Welton)

 

The International Festival scheduled for this Saturday, February 21, has been postponed due to weather forecasts for a snow and freezing rain Friday night and a wintry mix Saturday morning.

The postponement was announced by Carroll Welch, deputy director of the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The festival has been rescheduled for Saturday, February 28, at the museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge. It will feature the same entertainment line-up, food, and culture booths originally set for this weekend. [Read more…]

TVA sets all-time power demand record; stores sell out of heaters

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Downtown Hardware on Nov. 2013

The Downtown Hardware crew is pictured above in November 2013. Co-owners Ann Clary Bratton and Roger Clary are pictured second from right and at left. (File photo)

 

The Tennessee Valley Authority set an all-time record for power demand in February on Thursday morning, and local stores have sold out of heaters.

TVA said the record set at 7 a.m. Thursday was 32,109 megawatts, with an average temperature of 7 degrees Fahrenheit.

Downtown Hardware in Oak Ridge reported that they were down to two electric heaters.

“We’re completely sold out of kerosene and propane,” said Ann Bratton, who co-owns the store with her brother Roger Clary. “That seems to be what people are asking for.” [Read more…]