Oak Ridge Today

Oliver Springs: No injuries when gas causes explosion

Posted at
By 7 Comments

Oliver Springs Fire Department

Oliver Springs Fire Department

 

The Oliver Springs Fire Department said it responded to a report of an explosion on Tri County Boulevard at Mahoney Road on Sunday evening.

“On arrival, members found a large brush pile that was on fire,” the Fire Department said in a post online. “The cause of the explosion was due to the use of gasoline as a source for ignition.”

There were no injuries or property damage. The fire was extinguished by Oliver Springs Fire Department personnel.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Do you appreciate this story or our work in general? If so, please consider a monthly subscription to Oak Ridge Today. See our Subscribe page here. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today.

Copyright 2017 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Meth, heroin thrown out car window, patrol cars hit, THP says

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Clarissa Sharee Tindell

Clarissa Sharee Tindell

 

Sixty-three grams of methamphetamine were thrown out of a car window and two patrol vehicles were hit during a police chase that started in Clinton and ended in Rocky Top on Sunday, July 30, authorities said. The vehicle occupants also threw out about one-half gram of heroin, and the car they were in almost hit two Anderson County patrol vehicles head-on, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.

That afternoon, THP Trooper Isaiah Lloyd tried to stop a black Honda sedan for failure to yield the right of way and a turn signal violation at the intersection of State Route 61 (North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard) and Longmire Road in Clinton, near the Clinch River and Anderson County Detention Facility, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Clinton.

The 1992 Honda Accord had cut off a red pickup truck at the intersection, Lloyd said.

But the car refused to stop after he activated his emergency equipment, Lloyd said.

While the Honda was traveling down Longmire Road, the car occupants threw two items out the window, according to Lloyd:

  1. a baby formula can that contained a jar with about 63.93 grams of methamphetamine, and
  2. a black metal box that contained a set of scales, 0.53 grams of heroin, and multiple plastic bags.

[Read more…]

Volleyball: If they beat Halls on Tuesday, Lady Wildcats will be undefeated in district

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will play their last regular-season district game against Halls at home at Wildcat Arena on Senior Night, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge High School Volleyball)

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats will play their last regular-season district game against Halls at home in Wildcat Arena on Senior Night, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge High School Volleyball)

 

If they beat Halls on Tuesday, the Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats volleyball team will be undefeated in the district during the regular season.

The Tuesday evening game at home is the last district game of the regular season. The junior varsity match starts at 5 p.m., and varsity play begins at 6 in the Wildcat Arena at Oak Ridge High School. It’s also Senior Night, and the last regular-season home game.

The Lady Wildcats (20-4) are currently 5-0 in District 4-AAA, and they are ranked 12th in the state, according to MaxPreps.com.

The girls’ five district wins started late last month: at Powell (3-0) on August 31, at home against Karns (3-0) on September 5, at Bearden (3-0) on September 7, at West (3-1) on Tuesday, and at home against Campbell County (3-0) on Thursday. [Read more…]

Man stabs dog, then starts fire, police say

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Sklyer Christian Griffin

Sklyer Christian Griffin

 

An Oak Ridge man stabbed a dog, which died from its wounds, and then started a fire in the living room of a home on Villanova Avenue on Friday, according to police.

Skyler C. Griffin, 19, has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, aggravated arson, and vandalism, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Kenneth Prickett said Griffin came through the front door of an apartment on Villanova Avenue on Friday and physically attacked a 10-year-old male beagle mix that lives there.

“Griffin admitted to striking the dog with his hands and closed fists before pulling out his pocket knife and stabbing the dog in the neck and in the lower abdomen,” Prickett said. “The dog ran from the living room area and onto the outside balcony, where it succumbed to the stab wounds.” [Read more…]

Celebration of Oak Ridge’s 75th anniversary started Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

ORHPA city 75th Birthday Celeb Flyer 2

A reminder: The 14-month celebration of Oak Ridge’s 75th anniversary starts today (Friday, September 15).

Today’s celebration will feature guest speaker Denise Kiernan, author of “The Girls of Atomic City” and “The Last Castle,” at 6 p.m. at the Historic Grove Theater. There will be a book signing, and Kiernan’s book will be available for sale.

Ed Westcott, the official government photographer in Oak Ridge during the top-secret Manhattan Project in World War II, will be the honored guest from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Family members Don and Emily Hunnicutt will present a slide show of Westcott photos with a question-and-answer session.

“You will never grow tired of Ed’s photographs, which tell the enormous Oak Ridge Manhattan Project story,” according to the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, which is presenting the celebration.

The celebration starts with historical displays at 2 p.m. There will be a wide variety of artifacts, posters, and displays for you to enjoy, the ORHPA said. [Read more…]

Man pleads guilty to homicide in fatal crash, but not clear if he had heart attack

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Pictured above during a plea agreement hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, are Danny Lee Bean, right, and Tom Marshall, public defender in the Seventh Judicial District (Anderson County). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Pictured above during a plea agreement hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, are defendant Danny Lee Bean, right, and Tom Marshall, public defender in the Seventh Judicial District (Anderson County). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—A Marlow man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to two charges of vehicular homicide in a fatal crash on Oliver Springs Highway in Marlow in November 2012, but it’s not clear if he might have had a heart attack, possibly before the crash.

Danny Lee Bean, 59, received an effective 10-year sentence for his guilty pleas in the head-on three-vehicle crash that killed Alberta Farrer, 56, and Pat Smith, 62.

Bean’s sentence was suspended, and he was placed on supervised probation. He had to surrender his driver’s license, and he can’t drive.

Bean had hydrocodone and alprazolam in his system, but he had prescriptions for those medicines at therapeutic levels, attorneys said at a plea agreement hearing in Anderson County Criminal Court in Clinton on Wednesday morning. Hydrocodone is a narcotic pain-reliever, and alprzazolam can be used to treat anxiety and panic disorders. It’s not clear whether a doctor had advised Bean to not drive after taking either medication.

Before the plea, a question had been raised about whether Bean had experienced a heart attack around the time of the crash, possibly before it. [Read more…]

Soccer: Lady Wildcats win four straight games

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Pictured above during a 2-1 win over West at Oak Ridge High School on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, is freshman Lilah Brown (12). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Pictured above during a 2-1 win over West at Oak Ridge High School on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, is freshman Lilah Brown (12). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats soccer team has won its last four games, and the girls have won both of their district games this season.

The most recent win for the girls was a 2-1 victory at home against West on Tuesday. That was a non-district game.

Before that, the Oak Ridge girls won their last three games. Those were a 8-1 win at Heritage on August 30, a 3-1 victory at home against Grace Christian on August 29, and an 8-3 win at Campbell County, a district game, on August 22.

In their first district game on August 17, the Lady Wildcats (6-2-1, 2-0 District 3-AAA) beat Halls 8-0 at home.

Oak Ridge is playing at Farragut (5-5, 3-0 District 4-AAA) in a non-district game at 7 p.m. today (Wednesday, September 13).

Here is the girls’ record of wins and losses so far this season: [Read more…]

ORAU awards $36,000 in education grants to local teachers

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Teachers representing 14 schools in Anderson County received STEM teaching tools, new technology, and grant funds worth $36,000 on Sept. 11 at the 2017 ORAU Education Grants Award Ceremony & Reception in Pollard Technology Conference Center. (Submitted photo)

Teachers representing 14 schools in Anderson County received STEM teaching tools, new technology, and grant funds worth $36,000 on Sept. 11 at the 2017 ORAU Education Grants Award Ceremony & Reception in Pollard Technology Conference Center. (Submitted photo)

 

ORAU awarded 38 teachers from 14 East Tennessee schools more than $36,000 on Monday at the 16th annual ORAU Education Grants ceremony.

Educational materials and equipment purchased with the grant awards—such as iPads, computer software, robotics kits, and more—will help teachers continue to meet state-wide curriculum standards and enhance the learning experience of their students in STEM subjects, a press release said.

“ORAU is proud to support schools in Anderson County by helping local educators obtain the resources and tools required to engage students of all ages in STEM subjects while enriching their education,” ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page said. “These educators never fail to demonstrate their dedication to student success.”

Since beginning the Education Grant program in 2002, ORAU has provided more than $487,000 to area schools to fund educational projects that complement its mission of enriching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, the press release said. [Read more…]

Police allegedly find pills, meth, marijuana, cash, ammo

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Samuel McCoy Wade

Samuel McCoy Wade

A police search of a home on Marion Road on Friday found pills, methamphetamine, marijuana, cash, and ammunition, authorities said.

The home at 102 Marion Road was searched by the 7th Judicial District Crime Task Force and Oak Ridge Police Department SWAT team on Friday, September 8, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge.

During a search of the home, officers, who had a search warrant, found two bags containing about 34.7 grams of methamphetamine, about one pound of marijuana in various bags, and a bag of pills that included five alprazolam, five methylphenidate hydrochloride, and 19 two-milligram Xanax pills, the affidavits said.

Police also found cash, drug paraphernalia, a sealed bag of marijuana, .380 ammunition, and a Mercedes C20 car reportedly purchased with money from drug sales, according to the affidavits. [Read more…]

Anderson County man charged with attempted murder

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Jason Bradley Braden

Jason Bradley Braden

 

An Anderson County man was charged with attempted first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, and carjacking, among other charges, in indictments filed September 5.

Jason Bradley Braden, 28, of Longmire Road, is also facing theft, burglary, and trespassing charges.

The indictments said Braden intentionally tried to kill Marietta Banks on August 12, and he seriously injured her during the assault. Braden also assaulted Melissa Byrge, seriously injuring her, the indictments said.

The assaults were committed while Braden was displaying a crowbar and a knife, according to the indictments.

It’s not clear from the indictments if the alleged assaults occurred at the same time. [Read more…]

CNS names four to Fellows Program, recognizing technical expertise

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC has chosen four employees for its Fellows Program, one from the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and three from the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. They are Vincent Lamberti, top left; Alan Moore, top right; and Glenn Pfennigwerth, bottom left, all of Y-12, and Lorelei Woods of Pantex. (Submitted photos)

Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC has chosen four employees for its Fellows Program, one from the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and three from the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. They are Vincent Lamberti, top left; Alan Moore, top right; and Glenn Pfennigwerth, bottom left, all of Y-12, and Lorelei Woods of Pantex. (Submitted photos)

 

Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC has chosen four employees for its Fellows Program, one from the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and three from the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

The program recognizes technical staff members at Pantex and Y-12 who achieved status as a national or international expert in their field, a press release said. Each fellow serves a renewable two-year term acting as the technical expert in their competency area and mentor to other staff.

Those chosen are Pantex Component Analysis/Surveillance Fellow Lorelei Woods, Uranium Fellow Glenn Pfennigwerth, Metallurgy Fellow Alan Moore, and Y-12 Component Analysis/Surveillance Fellow Vincent Lamberti. [Read more…]

Safety Fest TN opens with Community Safety Forum on Tuesday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Submitted photo

Submitted photo

 

On September 12, Safety Fest TN will hold a Community Safety Forum, an annual event that officially kicks off Safety Fest TN and its Safety Expo.

Safety Fest TN offers free safety classes to residents and companies September 11-15.

This year’s Community Safety Forum will be held in the Wamp Auditorium at 9 a.m. Tuesday, September 12, at the New Hope Center at Y-12 National Security Complex. More than 900 people have registered for the event.

Headlining the Community Safety Forum are Burns Phillips, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce; Steve Hawkins, administrator of the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration; David Purkey, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security; and Patrick Sheehan, the director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.

“We wanted to offer our audience a statewide perspective on workplace safety and emergency preparedness, and who best to deliver that message than the commissioners and their administrators?” said Tom Wantland, a Safety Fest TN organizer. [Read more…]