Oak Ridge Today

Frady named CROET president, CEO

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Teresa Frady

Teresa Frady has been named president and chief executive officer of the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee.

CROET is a regional economic development nonprofit organization that helps find new uses for U.S. Department of Energy facilities and property, including at sites that are no longer used or needed. The goal is to spur private development and create jobs.

Frady’s appointment was announced during the January meeting of the CROET Board of Directors. She replaces Lawrence Young, who is retiring after serving more than 26 years as CROET’s president and CEO.

“I am so pleased that Teresa has accepted the challenge of leading CROET into its next phase,” Young said in a press release. “Teresa has been an integral part of the success of the organization, and I am confident that she, as my successor, will enhance upon the legacy established by the organization’s founders.”

Frady began her career with CROET 22 years ago, the press release said. She has risen through the ranks with increasing responsibility by serving in such roles as account manager, accountant, chief accountant, chief operating officer, and executive director.

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Secretary’s Honor Awards recognize ORNL employees

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Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm speaks at the Secretary’s Honor Awards Ceremony, which was presented virtually. (Photo credit: Jaimee Janiga/ORNL, U.S. Department of Energy)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory employees received Department of Energy Secretary’s Honor Awards from Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm in January for their work on projects related to computer tools and classified information, a new alloy, and the production of plutonium-238 and special components for the Mars Perseverance rover.

The annual awards recognized 21 teams and three individuals for service and contributions to DOE’s mission and to the benefit of the nation, a press release said. More than 50 current employees and recent retirees from ORNL received awards.

“The Department of Energy’s core mission—promoting scientific discovery, maintaining the nuclear deterrent, and remediating environmental harms—have never been more important,” Granholm said. “Our role in tackling the climate emergency and ensuring America’s continued security and prosperity is absolutely critical, and it could not be done without the dedicated and diverse team of world-class scientists, engineers, policy experts, and mission support personnel employed at our headquarters, fields sites, and laboratories across the country.”

The teams and ORNL employees named in achievement awards include:

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Learn about bird courtship on Thursday

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will host a presentation next week about bird courtship and pair bonding.

The First Thursday Nature Supper Club program is titled “Love is in the Air.” It is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 3.

“Though it is only February, bird courtship has begun,” a press release said. “Male birds vie for the attention of the females in a variety of ways. We will explore what all that cooing is about!”

“You provide your own stay-at-home supper, and we provide the nature as local naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales will entertain and teach us via Zoom what counts for beauty in the avian world,” the press release said. “We will look at many species. Great horned owls are the first to start courtship rituals, while cedar waxwings typically do not begin their pair bonding until June.”

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Celebration of life in April for John Rice Irwin

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John Rice Irwin, founder of the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, plays the mandolin in this photo by Linda Gunderson.

A celebration of the life of museum founder John Rice Irwin will be held in April at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris. The celebration of life is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 24.

Irwin was a cultural historian and founder of the Museum of Appalachia, among other notable achievements.

Irwin died Sunday, January 16, in Clinton. He was 91.

He was born on December 11, 1930, in Union County, Tennessee.

“While Irwin was still a toddler, his family was forced to move from their farm to make way for the flooding of Norris Lake and the construction of Norris Dam,” his obituary said. “They first settled in Robertsville (in Oak Ridge), but the Manhattan Project forced them to move yet again, this time to the Bethel Community.”

Irwin’s obituary said he was captivated by the rich cultural history of East Tennessee and its people for as long as he could remember.

“As a young boy, he would sit at the feet of his grandmother, Ibbie Jane Rice, and grandfather, Marcellus Moss ‘Sill’ Rice, and listen intently to their stories of the past,” the obituary said. “Sill took notice of his grandson’s fascination and said to him, ‘you ought to keep the old-timey things that belonged to our people and start you a little museum sometime.’ It was this advice that would ultimately inspire Irwin to create the Museum of Appalachia.”

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UT Arboretum Society resumes hikes after almost two years

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will resume its Third Saturday Hike on Feb. 19 after almost two years due to COVID-19 closures. (Submitted photo)

It has been almost two years since the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society has had a Third Saturday Hike because of COVID-19 closings.

“The organization is excited to announce the resumption of the hikes beginning February 19 at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge, 901 South Illinois Avenue,” a press release said. “Enjoy over 260 acres of forest and trails in this lovely wooded setting.”

The theme for February is a newcomer’s hike, the press release said. Everyone is welcome to participate in this free guided hike. Newcomers to the area, newcomers to the UT Arboretum, and newcomers to hiking are encouraged to join as well as previous participants. The hikes have been a staple of the UT Arboretum and UT Arboretum Society for more than 13 years This is a great opportunity to “walk off” the food and festivities of the Super Bowl and the Olympics, the press release said.

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OR Schools names teachers, TA, principal of the year

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Oak Ridge Schools has named its teachers of the year, teaching assistant of the year, and principal of the year.

The Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors outstanding teachers in Tennessee, a press release said.

“The Tennessee Department of Education staff applauds teachers who care about children, who devote their professional lives to enriching the lives of Tennessee students, and who demonstrate exceptional gains in student achievement,” the press release said.

In Oak Ridge, teacher candidates are sought from each school in the district.

Here are the district-level winners, who were nominated by their peers. The information was written in the staff members’ own words and excerpted from their full applications. The narratives provide a window into each staff member’s authenticity and commitment to Oak Ridge students, the press release said.

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Roane State’s Harnish gets 800th career win

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Members of the Lady Raiders basketball team congratulate Roane State Community College Coach David Harnish on his 800th career win. From left to right are Cassidy Gilmore, Chloe Roark, Catherine Hendershott, Coach Harnish, Korbin Witherspoon, and Shelbi Smith. (Photo courtesy Roane State)

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Call him Mr. 800.

Roane State Lady Raiders head women’s basketball coach David Harnish earned his 800th career win last week with a 74-56 victory over conference foe Motlow College.

Now in his third season at the helm of the Lady Raiders program, Harnish is the seventh-winningest coach in women’s NJCAA basketball history and the fourth-winningest active coach.

After the win, Harnish said, “I owe a lot of people a lot of credit for the success of 800 wins, and I certainly couldn’t have done it alone.”

The veteran coach began his coaching career as a men’s assistant at Western Nebraska Community College in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska. Then, in 1988, he was named head coach of Western Nebraska’s women’s team, where he posted an amazing 23-4 record in his rookie season.

That was the start of 28 consecutive 20-win seasons, including nine seasons with 30 wins or more.

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Barker seeking re-election as sheriff

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Russell Barker

Russell Barker is seeking a second term as sheriff of Anderson County in this year’s election.

Barker, a Republican, was first elected to a four-year term as sheriff in 2018 after serving as the director of the Seventh
Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County.

In a press release, Barker said he has fulfilled his 2018 campaign promises of increasing the number of school resource officers, dedicating personnel to keep seniors safe, and implementing intelligence-led policing.

“I am very proud of what we have accomplished this first term,” Barker said in the press release. “I attribute the success we’ve had to the brave men and women I serve with every day. Together, we are making a great impact in Anderson County.”

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Borchers to present State of Schools

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Bruce Borchers
Bruce Borchers

Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers will present his State of the Schools at Lunch with the League on Tuesday, February 1.

During the annual talks, Borchers gives an overview of what is happening in Oak Ridge Schools.

“Between the unusual events at the high school in December and groundbreaking of the state-of-the-art Ben Martin Track, Dr. Borchers will undoubtedly have much to share,” a press release said.

Lunch with the League is organized by League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

Borchers started his education career as an elementary physical education teacher in the Sioux City (Iowa) Community School District. He also worked as an interim assistant principal and guidance counselor in Iowa City, Iowa; as assistant principal and principal in Mankato, Minnesota; and as associate superintendent of secondary schools for the Anoka-Hennepin (Minnesota) School District. Prior to joining the Oak Ridge Schools, Borchers was the superintendent of the Rockwood School District from 2010 to 2013.

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3M expanding in Clinton

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The 3M Company plans to expand in Clinton, investing about $470 million and adding around 600 new jobs by 2025, a press release said.

The expansion was announced Thursday by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commission Bob Rolfe, and 3M Company officials.

“As part of 3M’s expansion at the Eagle Bend Industrial Park, the company plans to invest in two of its fast-growing product lines: Filtrete air filters and Command adhesive strips,” the press release said.

It said the additional investments and jobs will help 3M increase capacity and reduce manufacturing time in response to growing consumer demand. Also, the investment will improve sustainability by replacing plastic packaging with more renewable packaging such as paperboard, the press release said.

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Many schools closed due to illness

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A graph of COVID-19 case counts in the Knoxville-Knox County region through Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, by the Tennessee Department of Health.

Many schools in the area are closed this week due to illness, but Oak Ridge Schools have remained open.

Anderson County Schools were closed Wednesday and Thursday and will remain closed Friday “due to staffing concerns related to illness.”

Clinton City Schools were open Wednesday but closed Thursday, and they will remain closed Friday due to student illness.

Knox County Schools were also closed Wednesday and Thursday and will remain closed Friday “due to staffing challenges related to illness.” The school system cannot shift to virtual learning district-wide because of rules established by the Tennessee Board of Education, Knox County Schools Superintendent Bob Thomas said in a letter to families. But individual schools may have to switch to virtual learning in the next several weeks depending upon absences, and the district could submit waiver applications to the Tennessee Department of Education.

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$1.3 million project will rebuild ORHS track

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An image by Cope Architecture of Knoxville showing what the rebuilt Ben Martin Track will look like at Oak Ridge High School.

 

A $1.3 million project is under way to rebuild the Ben Martin Track at Oak Ridge High School by June. The asphalt base of the eight-lane track dates back to the 1950s, the rubber surface is washing away, and holes are visible in the disintegrating and patched lanes. The pole vault has been unusable since 2017, and track coaches and athletes from other schools have recently declined to compete in Oak Ridge because of the conditions.

That is expected to change with the new renovated facility, which could host large invitational, sectional, and college track meets. The renovation project will rebuild the asphalt base of the track, add a new rubberized surface, and replace underground utilities. All field events except pole vault will move to the infield. Shot put and discus rings will be on the north end of the football practice field, while long jump and triple jump will be along the straight section of track nearest the bleachers. The pole vault will remain on the south side of the track, but it will move to the west end near the field house.

“This is a first phase of what we hope to be a larger project long-term,” Allen Thacker, Oak Ridge Schools supervisor of maintenance and operations, told the Oak Ridge Board of Education in October. “This is foundational.”

The project has been talked about “behind the scenes” for a handful of years, and there has been intense planning for about two years, according to those involved.

The rest of this story is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or contributor to Oak Ridge Today. Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here. Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here: Basic

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An image by Cope Architecture of Knoxville showing what the rebuilt Ben Martin Track will look like at Oak Ridge High School.

A $1.3 million project is under way to rebuild the Ben Martin Track at Oak Ridge High School by June. The asphalt base of the eight-lane track dates back to the 1950s, the rubber surface is washing away, and holes are visible in the disintegrating and patched lanes. The pole vault has been unusable since 2017, and track coaches and athletes from other schools have recently declined to compete in Oak Ridge because of the conditions.

That is expected to change with the new renovated facility, which could host large invitational, sectional, and college track meets, according to those involved. The renovation project will rebuild the asphalt base of the track, add a new rubberized surface, and replace underground utilities. All field events except pole vault will move to the infield. Shot put and discus rings will be on the north end of the football practice field, while long jump and triple jump will be along the straight section of track nearest the bleachers. The pole vault will remain on the south side of the track, but it will move to the west end near the field house.


An image by Cope Architecture of Knoxville showing what the rebuilt Ben Martin Track will look like at Oak Ridge High School.

 

A $1.3 million project is under way to rebuild the Ben Martin Track at Oak Ridge High School by June. The asphalt base of the eight-lane track dates back to the 1950s, the rubber surface is washing away, and holes are visible in the disintegrating and patched lanes. The pole vault has been unusable since 2017, and track coaches and athletes from other schools have recently declined to compete in Oak Ridge because of the conditions.

That is expected to change with the new renovated facility, which could host large invitational, sectional, and college track meets. The renovation project will rebuild the asphalt base of the track, add a new rubberized surface, and replace underground utilities. All field events except pole vault will move to the infield. Shot put and discus rings will be on the north end of the football practice field, while long jump and triple jump will be along the straight section of track nearest the bleachers. The pole vault will remain on the south side of the track, but it will move to the west end near the field house.

“This is a first phase of what we hope to be a larger project long-term,” Allen Thacker, Oak Ridge Schools supervisor of maintenance and operations, told the Oak Ridge Board of Education in October. “This is foundational.”

The project has been talked about “behind the scenes” for a handful of years, and there has been intense planning for about two years, according to those involved.

The rest of this story is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or contributor to Oak Ridge Today. Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here. Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here: Basic

Pro

Temporary

If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to: Oak Ridge Today P.O. Box 6064 Oak Ridge, TN 37831 We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here. We also accept donations. You can donate here. A donation of $50 or more will make you eligible for a subscription. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support!