Oak Ridge Today

Motorcyclist flown to hospital after crash on Saturday night

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A motorcyclist was flown to a hospital after crashing into a parked car on Highland Avenue on Saturday night, June 10, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A motorcyclist was flown to a hospital after crashing into a parked car on Highland Avenue on Saturday night, June 10, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A motorcyclist was flown to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries after crashing into a parked car on Highland Avenue on Saturday night, authorities said.

The crash was reported at about 9:52 p.m. Saturday near the intersection with South Hollywood Circle, and that section of Highland Avenue was briefly closed.

Although the injuries were not life threatening, the motorcyclist was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville due to the nature of the trauma, Oak Ridge Police Department Lieutenant Matt Tedford said.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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Einstein Simplified, an improv comedy group, at UT Arboretum on Sunday

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Einstein Simplified

Einstein Simplified

 

Einstein Simplified, an improvisational comedy group, will perform at the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge on Sunday.

Organizers called it a great early Father’s Day gift for dad, spouse, or friends. But you must bring your sense of humor, they said.

“We live in a crazy up-and-down world, so the UT Arboretum Society is offering you a chance to forget all that on Sunday, June 11, at the UT Arboretum Auditorium, located at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge,” a press release said. “Join us as we all laugh non-stop as the renowned award-winning comedy group Einstein Simplified presents an hour of uninterrupted improv comedy. This 23-year-old well-established group performs funny, and often physical, unrehearsed comedy.”

The fun begins at 5 p.m. Sunday with a reception that includes wine and a wide variety of cheeses. “This is a chance to mingle with the comedy troupe and socialize with the crowd,” the press release said. The cost is $30 per person, and that includes one free glass of wine, cheese, crackers, and the comedy show.

All tickets will be sold before the event. There are no walk-up sales. Soft drinks will be provided free of charge. A cash bar for additional glasses of wine will be available. The preferred method of ticket sales is online at the UT Arboretum Society website at http://utas.brownpapertickets.com/. If online purchase is a problem, call (865) 776-8227. [Read more…]

Emory Valley Center to have ribbon-cutting ceremony for new building

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The new Emory Valley Center building on Emory Valley Road is pictured above in June 2017. (Submitted photo)

The new Emory Valley Center building on Emory Valley Road is pictured above in June 2017. (Submitted photo)

 

Emory Valley Center will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new building on Friday, June 16. Everyone in the community is invited to attend the 10 a.m. ceremony, a press release said.

The capital campaign for a new building began eight years ago when Emory Valley Center was informed of plans by the owners for probable demolition of the building that the organization used for some of its services to people with disabilities, the press release said. Capital Campaign co-chairs Gene Caldwell and Dottie Thompson led the fundraising efforts for this project until this past March, when Caldwell died.

“Through their efforts and others helping with securing funds, business and individual donors, and grant awards for the project, the dream of a new building is becoming a reality,” the press release said.

“We are incredibly grateful to our community advocates who worked so hard and have continued to contribute to make our new building a reality,” said EVC President Jennifer Enderson. “This has been a significant undertaking led by Dr. Caldwell and Ms. Thompson and supported for several years by many in our community. We’re looking forward to sharing our building with everyone at the ribbon-cutting celebration and opening it up to community partnerships in the future.” [Read more…]

Climate data: Knox County could have 20-80 more days above 95 by 2100

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By 2100, Knox County could have 20-80 more days when the maximum temperature is above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, according to climate data used by the City of Knoxville and developed with help from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and NOAA Climate Explorer.

By 2100, Knox County could have 20-80 more days when the maximum temperature is above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, according to climate data used by the City of Knoxville and developed with help from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and NOAA Climate Explorer.

 

By 2100, Knox County could have 20-80 more days when the maximum temperature is above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, according to climate data used by the City of Knoxville and developed with help from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The additional 20 days with a high over 95 is considered the best-case scenario. That would be almost three more weeks of high temperatures.

The 80 more days with a high over 95 would be a worst-case scenario. That would be close to three more months of high temperatures.

The higher and lower number of days appear to be correlated with, or caused by, higher and lower emissions.

There could be some variability in the temperature increases from year to year, but the overall trend would be up, according to the data, which used the NOAA Climate Explorer. (NOAA is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.)

An animated image based on the data shows projected changes from 2011 to 2050 in an eight-county region, including Knox and Anderson. Overall, there would be a general increase in the number of days with a maximum temperature above 95 degree Fahrenheit, compared to a 1981-2005 average. There could be some variability by location, even between counties. You can the animated image here: ORNL Climate Data Summary Movie. (The movie moves quickly through the slides after the animation; you can find a PDF version of those slides in the link at the end of this article.) [Read more…]

Fire destroys Clinton house, no injuries reported

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Information from WYSH Radio

A house on Carden Road in Clinton was destroyed by a Sunday afternoon fire.

Clinton Fire Chief Archie Brummitt told WYSH Radio in Clinton that the residents of 194 Carden Road had been getting ready to cook “dipping dogs” and had left grease in a pan on the stove to warm up while they ran to the store for a few last-minute items.

When they returned, their house was on fire.

Firefighters reported heavy black smoke coming from under the eaves of the house and flames coming from the back of the structure. CUB cut the power to the home, and fire crews began attacking the blaze from outside the house and on the interior. The firefighters inside were ordered out after the incident commanders determined that the fire was spreading quickly through the attic, which could have led to a ceiling collapse. [Read more…]

Oliver Springs man arrested on charges of rape, exploitation of minor

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Brian Seeber

Brian Seeber

 

A 42-year-old Oliver Springs man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on charges of rape and sexual exploitation of a minor, the Clinton Police Department said Thursday.

The arrest of Brian J. Seeber followed an investigation into reports of the possible rape of a juvenile, the CPD said in a press release.

Seeber was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon without incident at his Oliver Springs home, the CPD said. The charges include seven counts of rape and four counts of especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to CPD Detective Leslie Miller, the charges are in connection with incidents that occurred between August 2015 and February 2017, the press release said. The victim, a member of Seeber’s household, first reported the incidents on March 6, 2017. Since reporting, the victim has been living in a safe location and has had no further contact with Seeber, the press release said. [Read more…]

Council approves budget with no tax rate increase

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oak-ridge-city-council-december-2016

The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in December 2016. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council approved a budget with no property tax rate increase on Monday.

If the budget is adopted in a second and final vote next week, it will be the 10th year in a row without a tax rate increase in Oak Ridge.

The Council had been asked to consider a four-cent increase in the property tax rate in order to fund a 2.5 percent pay raise for Oak Ridge Schools teachers and staff. That increase would have pushed the city’s property tax rate to $2.56 per $100 of assessed value. But that request was denied.

Instead, Council voted 4-2 to keep the tax rate at $2.52.

But Council did agree, in another 4-2 vote, to give the schools about $538,000 in additional funding that the city agreed to provide on a recurring basis. That means the city will have to continue to provide that extra money in the funding that it transfers to Oak Ridge Schools each year as part of what is known as maintenance of effort. The city had also given the schools an additional $538,000 last year, but it was on a one-time basis for a digital device initiative that includes convertible laptops for students, among other expenses.

This year, members of the Oak Ridge Board of Education sought to make that $538,000 a recurring part of the school system’s funding, and they wanted to add another $318,000—or about $856,000 total—for the 2.5 percent pay raise for teachers and staff. Council members approved the first part of that request (the recurring $538,000), but not the second (the extra $318,000). [Read more…]

Education Foundation book project will celebrate 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge Schools

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Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation has a kick-off meeting with Anchor Authors in April 2017. Pictured above is Jessica Steed, standing, and ORPSEF Board Member Benita Albert. (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation has a kick-off meeting with Anchor Authors in April 2017. Pictured above is Jessica Steed, standing, and ORPSEF Board Member Benita Albert. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is planning a special book project to celebrate the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Oak Ridge Schools. The book will be a collection of memories as told by teachers and alumni across all classes from 1944-2018. The Foundation has identified people to serve as anchor authors for each of the 75 classes. Anchor authors have the option to share their memories, and they will help collect memories from classmates. Each class will submit two to three pages for publication in the book.

“This is a timely project to still be able to tell first-hand stories from the early beginnings and to cross-pollinate and historically savor and preserve the collected experiences from the first 75 years,” said Benita Albert, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation board member.

Albert, a retired math teacher, has found the project to be very rewarding while interviewing alumni and researching stories from the earliest years, a press release said.

The Foundation’s Board approved the special project at its March board meeting. A kickoff meeting was hosted by the Foundation for all anchor authors in April. A few stories have already been submitted and many others are in the works. It is anticipated that the book will be about 250 pages long. In an effort to conserve any unpublished stories, the Foundation will offer a virtual archive where those stories can be accessed. [Read more…]

Lavender Festival is Saturday, June 17

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The 19th annual Lavender Festival returns Saturday, June 17, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. (Photography by Shawn Millsaps)

The 19th annual Lavender Festival is Saturday, June 17, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. (Photography by Shawn Millsaps)

 

The 19th annual Lavender Festival is Saturday, June 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Historic Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. The Lavender Festival is a perennial crowd favorite, full of tradition, fun, and always something new, a press release said. The festival celebrates all things herbal, crafts, local foods, and more.

Admission to the festival is free, with plenty of free parking available in surrounding city and business lots, and on side streets, the press release said.

As is tradition, a bagpipe player will open the festival at 8 a.m., playing from upper Blankenship Field into Jackson Square. Also keeping with tradition, Alan McBride will follow with the hammered dulcimer in the bandstand. A complete music schedule is found below.

Also returning for a second year is “A Taste of Tennessee Wines,” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., benefitting the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge. The tasting is hosted by Great Valley Wine Trail, which is made up of four independent wineries in East Tennessee. Your $10 tasting ticket is available at the gate (for those who are 21 with a valid identification). Tasters receive a complimentary wine glass, and if they purchase wine, a six-compartment wine tote. Customers are allowed to enjoy the wine outdoors in the Square during festival hours, with lunch served all day by plenty of food vendors and food trucks, restaurants, and even hors d’oeuvres by Chapel on the Hill. [Read more…]

ORHS selected for Sprint 1 Million Project, providing free internet to students for homework completion

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Oak Ridge Schools bus

Oak Ridge High School is participating in the Sprint 1 Million Project program. Through that project, the high school will receive free internet devices and service to help students complete their schoolwork from home, a press release said.

“Sprint’s mission with this project is to provide free wireless devices and service to one million students who are in need of reliable internet service,” the press release said. “The 1 Million Project is the largest corporate initiative in U.S. history to bridge the digital divide and help close the ‘homework gap’ for students lacking home internet access.”

The press release said Sprint plans to welcome approximately 200,000 eligible high school students into the program each year for five years, offering them devices and connectivity for up to four years while in high school. Oak Ridge High School is now a part of this five-year program.

“For the 2017-2018 school year, we will receive 300 devices,” the press release said. “We will continue to communicate with Sprint annually to determine the device quantities needed for the following program years.” [Read more…]

CNS grant gives Roane State students opportunity to complete valuable training

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Anderson County High student Doug Stooksbury works on equipment at Roane State’s Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility in Clinton. His tuition for his final semester of dual enrollment mechatronics instruction was funded through a grant provided by employees of Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, the contractor that operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. (Photo by Roane State)

Anderson County High School student Doug Stooksbury works on equipment at Roane State’s Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility in Clinton. His tuition for his final semester of dual enrollment mechatronics instruction was funded through a grant provided by employees of Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, the contractor that operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. (Photo by Roane State)

 

By Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer

CLINTON—High school students in the dual enrollment mechatronics program at Roane State Community College received a final-semester financial boost, thanks to a grant from employees of Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC.

Those employees of CNS—the contractor that operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge—last year awarded a $10,000 grant to underwrite the Spring 2017 tuition for mechatronics students in Oak Ridge, Clinton, and Anderson County high schools. The grant was awarded through the CNS Community Investment Fund.

The Community Investment Fund provides thousands of dollars to local nonprofits. Y-12 employees work with the East Tennessee Foundation to award the grants through a competitive grant process.

In the mechatronics program, high school students take courses in maintaining and improving automated machines and robots used by many of today’s manufacturers, said Gordon Williams, director of Roane State’s mechatronics program. [Read more…]

Barker, Crime Task Force director, running for Anderson County sheriff

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Russell Barker, director of Anderson County’s Seventh Judicial Crime Task Force and a candidate for sheriff, is pictured above with supporters during his campaign announcement on April 27, 2017. (Submitted photo)

Russell Barker, director of Anderson County’s Seventh Judicial Crime Task Force and a candidate for sheriff, is pictured above with supporters during his campaign announcement on April 27, 2017. (Submitted photo)

 

Russell Barker, director of Anderson County’s Seventh Judicial Crime Task Force, is running for Anderson County sheriff in the 2018 election.

Barker, who is running as a Republican, announced his candidacy during a campaign event at the Holiday Inn Express in Clinton in April. He was joined at the announcement by his wife Crystal, daughter Ansley, and a standing-room-only crowd, a press release said.

Barker explained why he is running.

“My mother was a nurse at the health department, and I watched her work day and night,” Barker said in the press release. “I saw the impact she made in her community.” At the age of seven, after his father’s passing, Barker said it was Anderson County residents who stepped up and bridged the gap. “It is my turn to give back to a community that has given so much to me,” he said.

Barker said he is a lifelong Anderson County resident who has exemplified a strong commitment of service to his country and community throughout his professional career. [Read more…]