Oak Ridge Today

Centennial Golf professional named PGA teacher, coach of year

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Des Mahoney, the teaching professional at Centennial Golf Academy at the Centennial Golf Club in Oak Ridge, was awarded the 2022 PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year by the Knoxville Chapter of the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) at their event on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (Submitted photo)

Des Mahoney, the teaching professional at Centennial Golf Academy at the Centennial Golf Club in Oak Ridge, was awarded the 2022 PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year by the Knoxville Chapter of the Professional Golfers Association at their event on Monday, December 12.

This is not Mahoney’s first recognition, a press release said. He has achieved Top 10 PGA Teacher in Tennessee multiple times.

Mahoney said he has a passion for continually improving his teaching skills by talking to other golf instructors in the country to share and implement some of the newest insights in golf instruction. [Read more…]

Early Oak Ridge to be discussed during NPS hike

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A photo by Ed Westcott of Cedar Hill Elementary School in Oak Ridge in 1945. (Photo credit: U.S. Department of Energy/Westcott)

Early Oak Ridge, including its school system, shopping centers, and housing, will be discussed during a hike with National Park Service rangers on Saturday, December 10.

The hike is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. December 10 at Cedar Hill Park, the former location of Cedar Hill Elementary School.

“Along the hike, we’ll discuss the early school system of Oak Ridge, early shopping centers, and housing in the Clinton Engineer Works (a name for Oak Ridge during World War II),” the NPS said.

[Read more…]

Indoor pool to close temporarily for resurfacing

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The Oak Ridge Indoor Swimming Pool will close on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, and will remain closed through at least January 2023 for resurfacing. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Indoor Swimming Pool will close on Monday, December 12, and will remain closed through at least January 2023 for resurfacing.

An exact re-opening date has not been set because of the uncertainty that comes with construction and delays in product delivery, a press release said.

[Read more…]

Pre-World War II settlements to be discussed during Saturday hike

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Canning was a part of life in agricultural East Tennessee before World War II. (Photo credit: Tennessee Valley Authority)

During a hike on Saturday, the National Park Service will discuss settlements in the area before World War II and the drastic changes to the area during the war.

The hike is scheduled on North Boundary Greenway. It will start at the East Quarry Road Trailhead at 2 p.m. Saturday, November 26.

[Read more…]

Football: Powell eliminates Oak Ridge

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Powell eliminated Oak Ridge from the Class 5A football playoffs in a 43-13 quarterfinal win on Friday.

The Panthers (11-2) advance to a semifinal game against West (13-0) next Friday, November 25. It’s a rematch of a semifinal game last year. Powell won that game 35-7 on the way to a state championship.

The season is over for the Wildcats (7-6). They lost to the Panthers twice this year, once during the regular season in a 30-14 loss on September 30 and then again in the playoffs on Friday.

Powell had almost twice as many yards on offense on Friday as Oak Ridge, 442 to 249, and more than double the number of first downs, 14 to 6. The Panthers had one player run for more than 100 yards and another with more than 100 yards receiving.

Powell senior quarterback Jordyn Potts, who has committed to Tennessee Tech, threw for 250 yards against Oak Ridge with five touchdowns and one interception. He was 16-of-26 passing (about 62 percent completions), according to preliminary game statistics by Oak Ridge’s Mark and Shawna Haste.

[Read more…]

Wildcats play at Powell in quarterfinal

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Oak Ridge will play at Powell in a quarterfinal game of the Class 5A football playoffs.

The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Friday, November 18. Tickets are $10.

Oak Ridge (7-5) lost to Powell 30-14 during the regular season on September 30. It was the only loss for the Wildcats in Region 3 this year, and they finished 4-1 in the region.

The Panthers (10-2), undefeated in Region 3 during the regular season this year (5-0), were state Class 5A champions last season.

[Read more…]

Secret City Half Marathon & 5k is Saturday

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More than 700 runners are expected at the Secret City Half Marathon and 5k in Oak Ridge on Saturday, and several roads will be closed during the race.

The race is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday.

The roads that will be closed during the race are:

[Read more…]

Greenway, park closures announced for hunts

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There will be greenway and park closures in November and December for hunts in the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area.

The big game quota hunts will be held by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and the City of Oak Ridge.

“For everyone’s safety, only hunters possessing a valid Oak Ridge WMA quota permit are allowed on the WMA during scheduled quota hunts,” a press release said.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge, others cheering for Higgins in Super Bowl

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Oak-Ridge-Higgins-TD-Catch-Clinton-Thomas-Aug-18-2016-Web-Cropped
Oak Ridge wide receiver Tee Higgins (5), who was then a senior, catches a 17-yard pass from junior quarterback Johnny Stewart before falling backward into the end zone for a touchdown near the left pylon, putting the Wildcats ahead of the Clinton Dragons 42-7 with 2:57 left in the first half at Clinton on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. Higgins is defended here on his second TD catch by Clinton senior J’Quan Thomas (5). (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

People in East Tennessee and others across the country will be cheering for former Oak Ridge Wildcat Tee Higgins in the Super Bowl this evening (Sunday, February 13), and another former Wildcat, Zach Witherspoon, will be on the sidelines.

Higgins is a standout wide receiver who played for Oak Ridge and Clemson University, and he is playing in his second season for the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals (10-7-0) play the Los Angeles Rams (12-5-0) at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The game will be broadcast on NBC at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Coverage of Super Bowl 2022 will air live on NBC and Peacock starting at 12 p.m. Eastern.

The Bengals advanced to the Super Bowl by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime on January 30, with a game-winning 31-yard field goal by rookie kicker Evan McPherson. You can watch highlights of that game here and here, and read a scoring summary here.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge Healthy Waters Program hosting Ijams River Rescue

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The Oak Ridge Stormwater Division and Healthy Waters Program will host a volunteer cleanup on Melton Hill Lake in March. It’s the 33rd Annual Ijams River Rescue, which is a volunteer cleanup event hosted by Ijams Nature Center.

The cleanup is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 12.

“Volunteers are encouraged to come out to the Boat Ramp at 173 Edgemoor Road near Haw Ridge Park to keep Melton Hill Lake beautiful,” a press release said.

There is trash in the water and along the banks in the area, which sees high foot traffic and many wildlife sightings as well as litter from vehicles traveling on Edgemoor Road, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Hike with park ranger, learn history

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You can hike with a park ranger and learn about history on Cedar Hill Greenway this month.

“Grab your boots and jacket to join us on a hike through the Secret City,” a press release said. “Manhattan Project National Historical Park will be hosting a hike with a ranger along the Cedar Hill Greenway in Oak
Ridge.”

The hike will start at 10 a.m. Saturday, February 26. The 2.5-mile moderate hike will begin at Cedar Hill Park, the former location of Cedar Hill Elementary School.

“Park rangers will be discussing the early school system of Oak Ridge as well as the shopping centers and housing in the Clinton Engineer Works,” the press release said.

[Read more…]

Submit comments about county parks plan

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Anderson County government is asking residents to comment about the future of parks and recreation in the county.

The county is using a citizen survey to inform a comprehensive parks and recreation master plan, a press release said. The last day to submit your input online is February 26. You can complete the survey at https://losedesign.mysocialpinpoint.com/andersonco_tn_parks_and_rec.

“I’m really hoping that citizens can go online and answer a few questions about what they feel about parks—whether that’s a trail out in the county, or a tennis court inside a city,” Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said in the press release. “Anderson County is working on a Comprehensive Parks Plan that looks up to 10 years into the future. Anymore, to apply for most grants, having a written plan is a requirement. Such a look at our existing assets and surveying your thoughts about future needs helps communicate to elected leaders how best to allocate limited resources. This plan will allow us to take advantage of numerous grant opportunities that can benefit our county and cities.”

[Read more…]