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DOE sites provided $1.5 million in funding for AMSE in FY 2015

Posted at 4:38 pm June 13, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The auditorium at the American Science and Energy Museum in Oak Ridge was nearly full during a community meeting to discuss AMSE’s future in July 2014. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Three U.S. Department of Energy sites in Oak Ridge provided $1.5 million in funding for the American Museum of Science and Energy in Fiscal Year 2015, an official said Monday.

The funding varies each year, and the funding for Fiscal Year 2016, the current fiscal year, hasn’t been determined, said Claire Sinclair, a spokesperson in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Site Office Public Affairs. ORNL manages AMSE for DOE, which owns the museum.

In FY 2015, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex each contributed $630,000 to AMSE, and the East Tennessee Technology Park provided $240,000. That’s a major portion of AMSE funding, the museum says on its website. (AMSE also has memberships, and the museum charges for admission.)

Questions about the future of AMSE have been raised as the Oak Ridge City Council considers a resolution on how the city would like the land transferred, if the DOE and General Services Administration decide to dispose of the property at some point in the future. [Read more…]

AMSE: Transfer of federal property usually takes few years, public notice would be given

Posted at 12:29 pm June 13, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The American Museum of Science and Energy is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. (Photo by Sara Wise)

AMSE over-sized, operationally challenged, spokesperson says

The transfer of federal property such as the American Museum of Science and Energy usually takes a few years, and if a new use were proposed for the AMSE property, adequate public notice would be given, an official said Monday.

There has been no public announcement that the federal government wants to get rid of the 17.12 acres of federal property that includes AMSE.

But the Oak Ridge City Council will consider a resolution tonight (Monday, June 13) that would allow City Manager Mark Watson to negotiate with the U.S. Department of Energy and General Services Administration, as well as the company redeveloping the former Oak Ridge Mall, for the property transfer. The GSA is responsible for disposing of federal property.

RealtyLink, the company redeveloping the 58-acre mall site, has said that any redevelopment of the AMSE property that competes with its project, known as Main Street Oak Ridge, would be devastating to its efforts to provide the city a much-needed, quality, retail-centered mixed-use town center. RealtyLink said it must be able to control the redevelopment of the AMSE property. [Read more…]

Chamber supports AMSE land transfer resolution

Posted at 11:03 am June 13, 2016
By John Huotari 8 Comments

The American Museum of Science and Energy is pictured above on November 15, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was updated at 8:50 a.m. June 14.

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce supports a resolution that would allow the city manager to negotiate with business executives and federal officials to transfer about 17 acres of federal property at the American Museum of Science and Energy to help Main Street Oak Ridge, the project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider the land transfer resolution during a meeting tonight (Monday, June 13). Under that resolution, the 17.12 acres could either be transferred to the city or to RealtyLink, the company redeveloping the mall. The transfer would also include 1.87 acres of city-owned land that are on the north, south, and west sides of the AMSE property.

On Friday, Chamber of Commerce President Parker Hardy said the Chamber supports the land transfer resolution.

“It’s entirely consistent with our overall support for the Main Street Oak Ridge project,” Hardy said. “This has been a long time getting here, and we’re proud to lend our support.” [Read more…]

‘Dine and Donate’ returns Monday, June 13

Posted at 11:04 am June 10, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

El Cantarito offers authentic Mexican cuisine, all-you-can-eat specials, many meals that are under $6, and a variety of margaritas, beer, and wine. (Photo by ADFAC)

School is out, and Father’s Day is around the corner: These are just two of the many reasons to celebrate with a Dine and Donate meal!

On Monday, June 13, several local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to support Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC, as part of Dine and Donate. Dine and Donate is a year-long event, with different restaurants participating on the second Monday of each month.

“Whether celebrating the fathers in our lives or simply beating the heat, dining out in at least one of Monday’s Dine and Donate restaurants is a fantastic way to enjoy the season,” said Cande Seay, who chairs the Dine and Donate committee.

Monday’s participating restaurants are: [Read more…]

Main Street: Ready to close by end of June, AMSE property the one remaining hurdle

Posted at 5:22 pm June 9, 2016
By John Huotari 25 Comments

The American Museum of Science and Energy property is pictured above in central Oak Ridge. The wide road running vertically at center-right through the aerial photo is South Tulane Avenue. The proposed Main Street Oak Ridge would be on the right side of South Tulane Avenue at the former Oak Ridge Mall. The road running horizontally at bottom is South Illinois Avenue. AMSE is the brown-roofed building at top-center.

Note: This story was last updated at 8 p.m. June 13.

RealtyLink, the developer that has proposed redeveloping the former Oak Ridge Mall, says it is ready to close on the roughly 60-acre site by the end of June and start construction immediately, but there is one last hurdle: The company is concerned about any redevelopment of the property across the street at the American Museum of Science and Energy that could compete with its proposed project, known as Main Street Oak Ridge.

So, RealtyLink has asked that, if the federal government wants to dispose of the AMSE property at some point in the future, the city would negotiate with the U.S. Department of Energy through the General Services Administration to either have the property transferred to the city, or allow RealtyLink to negotiate directly with DOE and GSA for a property transfer.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider a resolution allowing the city manager to start the negotiations, should they become necessary, during a meeting on Monday, June 13.

So far, DOE and GSA have not publicly announced plans to dispose of the 17.12 acres in and around AMSE. But there have been public discussions about what to do with the property during the past 15 years or so. DOE has said it is not in the museum business. [Read more…]

Community Orchestra has open rehearsal at Secret City Festival on Saturday—you are invited to play

Posted at 1:25 pm June 9, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Community Orchestra at Secret City Festival 2014

The Oak Ridge Community Orchestra performs at the Secret City Festival in 2014. (Submitted photo)

You have a chance to play with a symphonic orchestra on Saturday, when the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra has an open rehearsal at the Secret City Festival.

The open rehearsal is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 11.

“This means you can show up unannounced, with your instrument and music stand, slide into a vacant chair, and play along on any pieces you like,” a press release said. “Because it is a rehearsal atmosphere, you will not feel pressured to crank out a stellar performance.”

Why does the ORCO offer an open rehearsal?

“We have two motivations,” the press release said. “Often, people who sample playing in the orchestra decide they like it, and join ORCO to continue their enjoyment, while augmenting their experience and musical skills. For accomplished students, it offers an opportunity to find out what it is like to play in an ensemble populated with strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. [Read more…]

School board has special meeting Monday to consider one-time spending approved by city

Posted at 9:26 am June 9, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Board of Education will have a special meeting on Monday to consider approving $538,048 worth of one-time spending that was approved by the Oak Ridge City Council this past Monday (May 6).

If the Tennessee Department of Education agrees, the extra money, which had been requested by Oak Ridge Schools and the BOE, would not be part of the city’s annual “maintenance of effort” for the schools, a level of funding that can’t be reduced.

Most of the $538,048, or $425,000, would be used in the next fiscal year for principal and interest payments for a four-year technology lease that began in fiscal year 2016, the current fiscal year. That lease funded the purchase of convertible laptops for grade levels 5-8, supporting what is known as a 1:1 initiative and part of Access Oak Ridge.

The other $113,048 would be used for building improvements: [Read more…]

Recognizing Tennessee’s contribution, Tennessine could be name of new chemical element

Posted at 11:27 am June 8, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Berkelium-249, contained in the greenish fluid in the tip of the vial, was crucial to the experiment that discovered element 117. It was made in the research reactor at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (Photo by ORNL)

Note: This post was last updated at 11:45 a.m.

Tennessine is among the names proposed for four new elements. If approved, the name would recognize the contributions of Tennessee research centers—Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Tennessee—in the discovery of one of four new superheavy elements: 113, 115, 117, and 118.

Tennessine (Ts) is proposed for element 117.

The discovery of the four new elements was announced in January, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory played a role in discovering two of them. The elements have been added to the periodic table, filling the seventh row, or period.

Twenty-two milligrams of a very pure synthetic material produced at ORNL were used in the discovery of two of the new chemical elements. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge receives $500,000 housing grant

Posted at 5:54 pm June 7, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge has received a $500,000 state housing grant from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency.

The city will use the THDA funds to renovate and weatherize 63 owner-occupied, single-family homes in the Manhattan District Overlay zone, a press release said.

The grant award will be presented to the City of Oak Ridge at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at 138 South Purdue Avenue in the Woodland neighborhood.

That property at the corner of South Purdue Avenue and Northwestern Avenue is the site of a recent project that is part of the city’s effort to renovate substandard houses. The City of Oak Ridge bought a blighted home there in April 2014 and demolished it in June 2014. [Read more…]

ORAU wins award for procurement of ‘green’ electronics

Posted at 1:02 am June 7, 2016
By Amy Schwinge Leave a Comment

Cindy Snow (left), ORAU procurement manager, and Angela McConnell (right), ORAU contract specialist, were presented a 2016 EPEAT Sustainable Purchaser Award by Green Electronics Council CEO Nancy Gillis (center) during the organization’s recent awards ceremony. The award recognizes ORAU’s excellence in the procurement of green electronics. (Photo by ORAU)

ORAU has won an award that recognizes excellence in the procurement of “green” electronics, or those electronics that have been manufactured to conserve energy, eliminate environmentally sensitive materials, and increase recyclability, a press release said.

ORAU won the EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) Sustainable Purchaser Award from the Green Electronics Council.

ORAU was among 10 corporations that received a three-star rating, the highest possible rating, indicating procurement of electronics in all three categories (personal computers and displays, imaging equipment, and televisions), the press release said.

The Green Electronics Council works with manufacturers, governments, trade associations, and environmental advocacy groups to evaluate and endorse environmentally responsible products. The EPEAT tool provides companies with a simplified way to purchase environmentally trustworthy electronics and to quantify their energy consumption reductions. [Read more…]

Council approves budget with no tax increase, more money for schools

Posted at 9:44 pm June 6, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Note: This story was last updated at 12:15 a.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council approved a budget on Monday that does not include a property tax rate increase, but it does include more money for schools and it anticipates increases in the trash fee and water and sewer rates.

The budget passed in a 6-1 vote in the first of two readings this month. The second and final reading is Monday, June 13.

Council rejected one motion to lower the $2.52 property tax rate by 4.4 cents and another to take away the additional $538,048 requested by Oak Ridge Schools and put it into the capital fund instead.

The budget does not increase the property tax rate for the ninth year in a row. After five-year reappraisals last year, the rate is now set at $2.52 per $100 of assessed value.

As approved on first reading Monday, the budget includes a 3 percent pay adjustment that will move municipal employees along their pay scales, helping to separate those who have worked for the city for a while from those who have just started. The school budget, which was approved by the Oak Ridge Board of Education in May, also includes 3 percent salary increases. [Read more…]

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