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13th Annual Run for Autism supports autism breakthrough

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Tim Younkin, top left, of Volunteer CrossFit in Oak Ridge, is joined by other members of the Volunteer CrossFit team who participated in last year’s Breakthrough Run for Autism. From left, they are Soly Beehan, her parents Michael Beehan and Lissie Meza Beehan with their son Gus, and Lissie’s father Roberto Meza. The Beehans are avid supporters of Breakthrough and the run because their son has been diagnosed with autism and their cousin receives services provided by Breakthrough for adults with autism. (Submitted photo)

The 13th annual Breakthrough Run for Autism will be held Saturday, April 27, with Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville inviting individuals, teams, and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities to participate.

Breakthrough’s 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run begins at 8:30 a.m. that Saturday at Regal Cinemas Pinnacle Stadium 18 in Farragut’s Turkey Creek.

The run, held during National Autism Awareness Month, supports Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville, a nonprofit organization committed to helping adults facing the challenges of autism in the East Tennessee region.

Lori Tucker, WATE-TV news anchor, will serve as honorary chair of the run and will be the emcee during the awards ceremony. Happy Lee, a Breakthrough volunteer, is the race director. [Read more…]


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Oak Ridge nature walks scheduled for April-June

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The 2019 season of Oak Ridge Reservation nature walks continues on Sunday, April 14, with a wildflower and old growth forest walk.

More than 1,100 vascular plants, 72 fish, 34 mammals, and more than 200 bird species have been observed on the U.S. Department of Energy reservation. This year, the public is invited to eight nature walks designed to highlight the rich flora and fauna diversity of the ORR and to demonstrate the work being done to sustainably manage and conserve this resource, a press release said. The series closes with a history talk in August.

Reservations for the following events must be made in advance by noon the Thursday prior to each walk by contacting Tracy Clem at (865) 574-5151 ([email protected]). If weather forces postponement of an event, it will be announced on Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Information Line at (865) 574-9836 (i.e. 574-XTEN) at least two hours before the scheduled start of the walk. Children are allowed on the walks; no pets, please.

Sunday, April 14: Wildflower and old growth forest walk

[Read more…]
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Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament is April 26

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Oak Ridge Country Club Golf Course

The 18th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, April 26, will benefit Community Mediation Services of Anderson Country.

It will provide participants a great way to give back to the youth and families in our community while having a great day of golf, a press release said.

You can join Big Ed’s Pizza and Community Mediation Services for the golf tournament on Friday, April 26, at the beautiful and challenging Oak Ridge Country Club, the press release said.

The tournament will start at 8:30 a.m. April 26 in a scramble format. Golfers will get a complimentary breakfast, beverage carts, and a smoked barbecue lunch provided by Big Ed’s. Prize contests for participants will be awarded along with a hole-in-one grand prize. Free Big Ed’s shirts and golf towels for all golfers are included, the press release said. An on-site silent auction will be available.

[Read more…]
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UT Arboretum Society has spring wildflower walk on Saturday, April 13

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet and greet followed by a spring wildflower walk at Haw Ridge Park on Saturday, May 5, 2018. Kris Light, an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer, will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, a press release said. (Submitted photo)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet and greet followed by a spring wildflower walk at Haw Ridge Park on Saturday, April 13, 2019. Kris Light, an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer, will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, a press release said. (Submitted file photo)

 

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a meet-and-greet followed by a spring wildflower walk on Saturday, April 13. The event is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. at Haw Ridge Park on Edgemoor Road in Oak Ridge.

Participants are asked to meet at the parking lot, which is at the west end of the park next to the kiosk, near the Soccer Trail, a press release said. The walk is free and open to the public. Kris Light—an expert naturalist, educator, and photographer—will lead this fun, educational, and easy walk, the press release said.

Participants may want to bring a camera to take pictures of the many wildflowers on the grounds. If participants have a wildflower book, Kris suggests bringing that as well, the release said. [Read more…]

Atomic City Aquatic Club swimmers compete in Senior Sectional Championships

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Clockwise from left: Coach Andy Wagner, Emily Aycock, Sarah Walker, Rachel Aycock, Abby Aycock, Austen Reid, Harper Houk, Tais Brown, Zack Telep, and Alexander Greenhalgh (Submitted photo)

Clockwise from left: Coach Andy Wagner, Emily Aycock, Sarah Walker, Rachel Aycock, Abbey Aycock, Austen Reid, Harper Houk, Tais Brown, Zack Telep, and Alexander Greenhalgh (Submitted photo)

 

By Chip Fischer

Nine Atomic City Aquatic Club swimmers recently elected to compete at the 2019 Senior Sectional Championships. This is an elite meet reserved for those swimmers who make very challenging cuts during the Short Course Season—generally ages 15-18 are represented. Our swimmers did not disappoint.

Emily Aycock, 18, made finals in the 200 free and 500 free, taking sixth place in each event, and seventh place in the 1,650 free. She also competed in two other events.

Rachel Aycock, 17, made finals in the 200 fly with a seventh place finish, in the 500 free, placing 20th, and in the 100 fly, placing 29th. She also swam three other races.

Zack Telep, 16, competed in a total of seven events, placing eighth in the 100 free, 21st in the 100 fly, 25th in the 200 fly, and 27th in the 200 free. [Read more…]

TVA to lower level of Melton Hill Reservoir for annual shoreline maintenance

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The Tennessee Valley Authority will temporarily lower the water level of Melton Hill Reservoir from Sunday, March 24, through Sunday, April 7, to allow property owners to repair docks, stabilize shoreline, and pick up litter, a press release said.

The reservoir’s water level will be held between 790 and 792 feet above sea level—about two to four feet below its current level—during this period, the press release said. The exact rate of the drawdown will depend on weather conditions and may vary with rainfall amounts. Melton Hill will be returned to its normal winter elevation of 794 feet by April 7.

“As in the past, the drawdown targets and dates are subject to change due to weather constraints,” the press release said. “Recent heavy rains could result in greater than usual debris and erosion in some areas.” [Read more…]

Work starts on next phase of Rails to Trails

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The former CSX railway is pictured near Jefferson Middle School in central Oak Ridge on Dec. 30, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The former CSX railway is pictured near Jefferson Middle School in central Oak Ridge on Dec. 30, 2016. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Work has started on the next phase of Rails to Trails, a project to convert a former CSX railroad into a bicycle and pedestrian pathway in the center of Oak Ridge.

After about six months of discussions, the City of Oak Ridge has a right of entry, which allows geotechnical and surveying work to be done on the former railroad, said Jon Hetrick, director of the city’s Recreation and Parks Department. Geotechnical work allows holes to be bored in the ground for subsurface studies.

The survey and geotechnical work is being done by A. Morton Thomas and Associates of Kingsport. The Oak Ridge City Council awarded a $358,317 contract to that company in May. A. Morton Thomas is to provide environmental testing, master planning, design and engineering of the trail, and help with construction bidding.

After a Tuesday evening City Council work session, Hetrick said the geotechnical and survey work is required under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. The city hopes to have the NEPA phase approved through the Tennessee Department of Transportation by August, Hetrick said. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has New Year’s Hike on Tuesday

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University of Tennessee Arboretum hike in Oak Ridge (Submitted photo)

University of Tennessee Arboretum hike in Oak Ridge (Submitted photo)

 

Do you get overloaded on football, food, and festivities on the first day of the new year? The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society is offering a great alternative, a press release said: the Fifth Annual New Year’s Hike at the UT Arboretum.

The hike will be at the Arboretum, which is at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge, on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.

“Start out the year on the ‘right foot’ by joining the walk that begins at 9:30 a.m. at the UT Arboretum Auditorium, where you will be greeted by fellow hikers and offered coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks,” the press release said.

At 10 a.m. the group will leave for a guided hike that will last about 45 minutes. The hike will follow a forest trail and will visit the Elmore Holly Collection. [Read more…]

TVA, Fish & Wildlife Service announce trout stocking agreement

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The Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have reached a multi-agency agreement to provide continued funding for three federal fish hatcheries that have stocked waters in Georgia and Tennessee with millions of trout. The agreement was announced Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, at a press conference beside the Clinch River below Norris Dam. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Valley Authority)

The Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have reached a multi-agency agreement to provide continued funding for three federal fish hatcheries that have stocked waters in Georgia and Tennessee with millions of trout. The agreement was announced Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, at a press conference beside the Clinch River below Norris Dam. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Valley Authority)

 

The Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have reached a multi-agency agreement to provide continued funding for three federal fish hatcheries that have stocked waters in Georgia and Tennessee with millions of trout.

The partnership, which began in 2013, includes the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Since 2013, TVA has been funding trout production by the Service at three national fish hatcheries: Dale Hollow and Erwin in Tennessee, and Chattahoochee Forest in Georgia. The trout are then provided to the following tailwaters: Apalachia (Hiwassee River), Blue Ridge, Boone, Cherokee, Fort Patrick Henry, Normandy, Norris, South Holston, Tims Ford, and Wilbur. Trout-stocked reservoirs in the plan include Fort Patrick Henry, South Holston, Parksville, Watauga, and Wilbur reservoirs.

The four partner agencies announced the new agreement Tuesday at a press conference beside the Clinch River below Norris Dam. The agreement provides partnership funding through fiscal year 2021, a press release said. [Read more…]

Manhattan Project Park program: Hike with a ranger on Saturday

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Submitted photo

Submitted photo

 

Join park rangers for a hike along the Cedar Hill Greenway in Oak Ridge on Saturday, October 13.

The hike will begin at Cedar Hill Park, former location of Cedar Hill Elementary School at 10 a.m. Saturday. Along the hike, rangers will discuss the early school system of Oak Ridge, early shopping centers, and housing in the Clinton Engineer Works, a press release said. This 2.5-mile hike is considered moderately difficult, and some parts of the trail can wash out after a strong storm. Visitors are encouraged to wear appropriate footwear, insect repellent, and sunscreen, and bring drinking water.

Oak Ridge is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. Besides Oak Ridge, the park includes Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico. The three sites and others were involved in the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II. [Read more…]

Free Medical Clinic one of five organizations to receive total of $10,000 in grants

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The Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge was one of five local organizations to receive a total of $10,000 in grant funding on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Pictured above, Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon officials present the grants to the organizations at Cool Sports in Farragut. Provided through the race event’s Community Contribution Program, the grant funds will support healthy living in East Tennessee. Pictured from left are David Black of Knoxville Track Club, Lana Burl of Bike Elf, Isabell Senft-Daniel of PJ Parkinson’s Support Group of Blount County, Jason Altman of Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, Jackie Clay DuBose of Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, and (front) Carly Pearson of Knoxville Sled Bears. (Not pictured: Girls on the Run of Greater Knoxville). (Submitted photo)

The Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge was one of five local organizations to receive a total of $10,000 in grant funding on Friday, Sept. 21, 2018. Pictured above, Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon officials present the grants to the organizations at Cool Sports in Farragut. Provided through the race event’s Community Contribution Program, the grant funds will support healthy living in East Tennessee. Pictured from left are David Black of Knoxville Track Club, Lana Burl of Bike Elf, Isabell Senft-Daniel of PJ Parkinson’s Support Group of Blount County, Jason Altman of Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, Jackie Clay DuBose of Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, and (front) Carly Pearson of Knoxville Sled Bears. (Not pictured: Girls on the Run of Greater Knoxville). (Submitted photo)

 

The Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge was one of five local organizations to receive a total of $10,000 in grant funding on Friday.

The five grants were presented by Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon through its Community Contribution Program, a press release said. The grants support healthy living in East Tennessee, the press release said.

Besides Free Medical Clinic, grant recipients include Girls on the Run of Greater Knoxville, Knoxville Sled Bears, Bike Elf, and PJ Parkinson’s.

“These five programs make a difference in the community’s overall health and well-being” Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon Race Director Jason Altman said. “Reinvesting in our community is part of the mission of the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon, and we applaud these groups for the work they do every day to encourage a better quality of life.” [Read more…]

Ground broken on South Clinton Inclusive Playground

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Ground was broken last Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, on a new inclusive playground for children of all abilities at South Clinton Park. (Photo via WYSH Radio in Clinton)

Ground was broken last Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, on a new inclusive playground for children of all abilities at South Clinton Park. (Photo via WYSH Radio in Clinton)

 

Information from WYSH Radio

Ground was broken last Wednesday on a new inclusive playground for children of all abilities at South Clinton Park.

The Clinton City Parks and Recreation Department, in conjunction with the nonprofit organization Milly’s Wings, is building the new playground at South Clinton Park. On Wednesday, August 29, city leaders were joined by Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, State Representative John Ragan, and others to celebrate the new facility.

In addition, during the ceremony, the Lions Club International Foundation presented the Clinton chapter with a $100,000 donation that will be used for the playground, which is being funded by local money as well as several grants, and donations from local civic groups, businesses, and individuals. [Read more…]

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