Oak Ridge Today





Deer hunter injured when boat runs aground

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A deer hunter was seriously injured early Saturday morning when a boat ran aground on Melton Hill Lake near the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area, state officials said.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officers said three deer hunters who had been drawn to hunt the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area launched an aluminum boat at Solway Boat Ramp and headed toward the management area in dense fog.

Around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, Christopher Beckler, 47, of Cleveland, Tennessee, was ejected when the boat ran aground near the Freels Bend area, the TWRA said. Beckler had been near the front of the boat using a spotlight to assist his son Dawson Beckler, 21, who was operating the vessel under dark and foggy conditions.

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Manhattan Project Park: Ride with a Ranger on Saturday

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You can join a National Park Service park ranger for a bike ride on the North Boundary Greenway on Saturday, May 25, 2019, to see how the former communities of the area have changed during the past 75 years. (Photo courtesy National Park Service)

You can join a National Park Service ranger for a bike ride on the North Boundary Greenway to see how the former communities of the area have changed during the past 75 years.

The free program is presented by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge.

The bike ride program will start at 10 a.m. Saturday, October 19, at the Turnpike Gatehouse and travel down Big Oak Trail and North Boundary Road.

“Along the ride, we will explore the former communities that were here before the Manhattan Project,” a press release said. “Rangers will stop several times along the bike ride to point out the rich history that is found within the Oak Ridge area.”

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Greenway, park closures announced during fall hunts

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The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has scheduled two scout days and three quota hunts on the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area this fall.

During the scout and quota hunt days, these greenways and this park will be closed: Gallaher Bend Greenway, North Boundary Greenway, Haw Ridge Park, and the section of Melton Lake Greenway adjacent to Haw Ridge Park.

The hunts, which are open only to those with a valid TWRA quota permit, will take place on the following weekends:

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Outdoor Pool hours extended into August

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The Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool on Providence Road is pictured above. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department is extending open hours at the outdoor pool into the month of August. The new schedule will begin on Thursday, August 1, as follows: 

  • Monday-Friday: 100-meter Lap Swim from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
  • Monday-Friday: Kiddie/Shallow Open Swim from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • Wednesdays: After-school Open Swim from 3-8 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: Open Swim from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
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Photos: USA Cycling championships in Oak Ridge

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The USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships opened Thursday, June 27, 2019, on Melton Lake Drive with the Individual Time Trial events. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

The USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships opened Thursday with the Individual Time Trial events on Melton Lake Drive in Oak Ridge.

The championship racing events continued Friday through Sunday in Knoxville.

Here are photos from Thursday’s races by Julio Culiat.

In the races in Oak Ridge on Thursday, Amber Neben, 44, of Lake Forest, California (Cogeas – Mettler Pro Cycling Team), successfully defended her title in the elite women category, according to USA Cycling. She was in a field of 23 women, and she secured her third consecutive gold medal in the individual time trials with a time of 30 minutes and 19 seconds.

The time trial course was 7.12 miles (11.5 kilometers). Women completed two laps, and men raced for three.

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Reminder: Roads closed for national championship cycling event

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The USA Cycling Para-cycling and Professional Road National Championship Time Trials are being held in Oak Ridge on Thursday, June 27, 2019. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

A reminder: The City of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Police Department have issued a notice for drivers regarding the planned closure of a large portion of Melton Lake Drive on Thursday, June 27. The road closure is necessary to provide a safe, closed-loop course for athletes, volunteers, and spectators at the USA Cycling Para-cycling and Professional Road National Championship Time Trials being held in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

Beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday, Emory Valley Road was closed from the Artesia Drive intersection to Melton Lake Drive. There will be no access onto Melton Lake Drive from Emory Valley Road. Residents who live off of Amanda Drive or Emory Valley Road will need to take Antioch Drive, Baylor Drive, or Baltimore Drive to exit the neighborhood, the press release said.

Melton Lake Drive will also be closed from Palisades Parkway to Edgemoor Road for course set-up. At this time, drivers will be able to turn left from Palisades Pkwy onto Melton Lake Drive. The Rivers Run Boulevard entrance to Melton Lake Drive will be closed, the press release said. Residents entering and exiting the Rivers Run, Royal Troon, or Rockbridge neighborhoods were allowed to use the Rolling Links Boulevard entrance to turn right onto Melton Lake Drive until 10 a.m. Thursday.

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Oak Ridge has Water Safety Day on Saturday

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will have its second annual Water Safety Day on Saturday, June 22, 2019, at the Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool on Providence Road. The event will be held from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department will have its second annual Water Safety Day on Saturday, June 22, at the Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool on Providence Road. The event will be held from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday.

Water Safety Day is a partnership between the Recreation and Parks Department, Oak Ridge Fire Department, and Oak Ridge Police Department, as well as the Anderson County Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, a press release said. Demonstrations will include boating and lifejacket safety, open water rescues, lifeguard skills, and more.

“Please note that the pool’s open swim schedule has been adjusted due to the event and will begin immediately following Water Safety Day activities,” the press release said. Those who participate in the event will be eligible to stay for open swim at no cost.

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USA Cycling championships in Oak Ridge next week

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The USA Cycling National Pro Road, Crit, Time Trial, and Para-Cycling Championships will be held in Knoxville and Oak Ridge next week, from June 27-30.

In partnership with Visit Knoxville, the City of Oak Ridge will host the ITT National Championships for the second year in a row, a press release said.

“Watching the national championship events last summer during USA Cycling’s first visit to Oak Ridge was an incredible experience,” Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch said. “Obviously our community made an impact because these top-notch cycling teams are returning to our beautiful waterfront venue. We thank our residents and visitors for their patience with the traffic impacts and hope that everyone is able to come out and enjoy the time trials.”

Here is information about traffic impacts:

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Manhattan Project: Walk with a ranger, learn more about Wheat

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The former Wheat community in what is now west Oak Ridge (Photo courtesy National Park Service)

You can join a National Park Service park ranger for a ranger-led walk through the pre-Manhattan Project community of Wheat on Wednesday, June 19. The former community was in what is now west Oak Ridge.

The free program on June 19 is presented by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. It is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. at Blair Road and the North Boundary Greenway. The walk will be about 1.5 miles, so wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water to drink, a press release said. Stops will include “downtown” Wheat, George Jones Memorial Baptist Church, Roane College site, and the Crawford Cumberland Presbyterian Memorial. There will be stories about the development and significance of each site, the press release said.

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Mixed martial arts fitness program begins in June

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department has announced a new mixed martial arts fitness program set to begin in June 2019. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department has announced a new mixed martial arts fitness program set to begin in June.

In honor of this new program, Martial Arts of Oak Ridge will host two free seminars on Saturday, June 1, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. Seminars will be taught by instructors Cody Jordan and Laban Propst with the Lucas Lepri Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school of Knoxville. 

The first-ever Brazilian Jiu Jitsu seminar will be held from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. in the Civic Center gymnasium. The second seminar will follow immediately in the gym from 11:45 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. and will cover Women’s Self Defense, also a first for Oak Ridge, a press release said.

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Manhattan Project: Ride with a ranger on North Boundary Greenway on Saturday

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You can join a National Park Service park ranger for a bike ride on the North Boundary Greenway on Saturday, May 25, 2019, to see how the former communities of the area have changed during the past 75 years. (Photo courtesy National Park Service)

You can join a National Park Service park ranger for a bike ride on the North Boundary Greenway on Saturday to see how the former communities of the area have changed during the past 75 years.

It’s a free program presented by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The bike ride will start at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Turnpike Gatehouse and travel down Big Oak Trail and North Boundary Road, a press release said.

“Along the ride, we will explore the former communities that were here before the Manhattan Project,” the press release said. “Rangers will stop several times along the bike ride to point out the rich history that is found within the Oak Ridge area.”

[Read more…]

Planet Fitness building gym in Oak Ridge

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Planet Fitness is building a gym in Oak Ridge in part of the former Kmart store on South Illinois Avenue. Construction is pictured above on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: We have posted a second story here with more information about the new gym, which is tentatively scheduled to open July 30.

Planet Fitness is building a gym in Oak Ridge.

The new gym will be in part of the former Kmart store on South Illinois Avenue.

The new gym has been announced on the company’s website, which says the Oak Ridge fitness club is coming soon.

[Read more…]

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