Oak Ridge Today

Emi Sunshine at Grove Theater on Oct. 30, proceeds benefit United Way

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Emi Sunshine at Grove Theater

EmiSunshine, a young East Tennessee musician who has performed on the “Today” show and at the Grand Ole Opry, will play at the Grove Theater in Oak Ridge on October 30, and proceeds will benefit United Way of Anderson County.

EmiSunshine is from Madisonville, and she is an acclaimed singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.

She will perform with Handsome and the Humbles on Friday, October 30. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. They can be purchased at The Ferrell Shop, Razzleberry’s, Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, and United Way. Online tickets are available at http://emisushineatthegrove.brownpapertickets.com/. [Read more…]

Tunnell, former alternate city judge, oldest practicing attorney in TN, dies at 95

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William Lawrence Tunnell

William Lawrence Tunnell

William Lawrence Tunnell, an alternate Oak Ridge city judge who was believed to be the oldest practicing attorney in Tennessee, died September 5. He was 95.

His family will have a receiving of friends for Tunnell, who was also a World War II veteran, on Tuesday, September 15.

Earlier this year, Tunnell was said to be the oldest judge in Tennessee.

Tunnell was born and raised in the Marlow community, according to his obituary. He was a faithful member of Poplar Creek Baptist Church and most recently attended Batley Baptist Church, his obituary said. He was proud of his farm in Marlow.

Tunnell graduated as the valedictorian from the last class at Robertsville High School in 1942. [Read more…]

Delayed for lightning, OR-AC game will resume Monday, will be free

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Wildcats Davon Middleton and Mavericks on Sept. 12, 2015

Oak Ridge senior running back Davon Middleton (32) picks up a big first down on a fourth-and-2 near the Mavericks’ end zone, setting up a touchdown catch by Wildcat T.J. Allison in the first quarter at Anderson County High School on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The Friday night football game between Oak Ridge and Anderson County was delayed because of lightning, and it will resume at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Anderson County High School.

It will be free and start where it ended, with Oak Ridge leading 7-0 at 1:28 in the first quarter, Wildcats Coach Joe Gaddis said Saturday.

He said lightning was last spotted at about 9:30 p.m. Friday at ACHS. A 30-minute delay is required each time lightning is spotted, meaning the game could not have restarted any earlier than 10 p.m.

But if officials had observed more lightning before the restart, they would have had to wait another 30 minutes, Gaddis said.

“It kept happening over and over,” he said. [Read more…]

TDOT: Replacing ‘green bridge’ on US 25W in Clinton could cost $18.8 million

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Hon. William Everette Lewallen Memorial Bridge

The Hon. William Everette Lewallen Memorial Bridge on US 25W in Clinton is pictured above. Also known as “the green bridge,” it could cost $18.8 million to replace, state officials said Thursday. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Replacing the Lewallen Bridge—known as “the green bridge” to locals—on US 25W in Clinton could cost $18.8 million, state officials said Thursday.

The bridge, officially known as the Hon. William Everette Lewallen Memorial Bridge, crosses over the Clinch River, and it connects downtown Clinton to South Clinton.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation said preliminary plans are under development to replace the major bridge, which connects the main route from Clinton to Knoxville. South of Clinton, the road is known as Clinton Highway.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer gave an update on that and other projects when they sat down with local and state officials in Knoxville on Thursday to discuss the region’s transportation and infrastructure needs, a press release said. [Read more…]

ORAU awards $32,000 in education grants to area schools

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Clinton City Schools and ORAU Education Grants 2015

Clinton City Schools education grant winners are pictured above. (Photo courtesy ORAU)

 

ORAU awarded 28 teachers from nine East Tennessee schools more than $32,000 in grant money during the 14th annual ORAU Education Grants ceremony.

The grant money will be used to purchase educational materials and equipment—such as Chromebooks, microscopes, meteorology kits, and more—to help teachers continue to meet rigorous, state-wide curriculum standards, and enhance the learning experience of their students, a press release said.

Since beginning this program in 2002, ORAU has provided more than $410,000 to area schools for projects that complement its mission of enriching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, programs.

“ORAU is honored to support our community by helping our schools secure the tools they need to capture and maintain students’ attention on these critical subjects,” ORAU President and Chief Executive Officer Andy Page said. “These educators continue to show an impressive dedication to teaching, and we welcome the opportunity to show them how much we appreciate their dedication and hard work.” [Read more…]

New Goodwill store on Emory Valley Road has ribbon-cutting on Sept. 18

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Goodwill Industries Knoxville

Officials will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Goodwill store on Emory Valley Road on Friday, September 18.

The new Goodwill Industries-Knoxville Inc. store will replace the existing Oak Ridge Goodwill, which is now located on South Illinois Avenue.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is from 9 to 10 a.m. Friday, September 18.

“The new location…will provide a brighter shopping space with a significantly larger center for job training efforts,” a press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge-Anderson County, Clinton-Rhea County football games on weather delays

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Logo

The Friday night football games between Oak Ridge and Anderson County and Clinton and Rhea County are on weather delays.

The Clinton and Rhea County game could re-start in Rhea County at 9:15 p.m. Friday.

Meanwhile, a decision on the Oak Ridge and Anderson County game at Anderson County High School could be made at 9:15 p.m.

The games have to be delayed 30 minutes after lightning is spotted.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Copyright 2015 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AC School Board OKs raises for employees

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Larry Foster

Larry Foster is director of Anderson County Schools.

Information from WYSH Radio

Thursday night, the Anderson County School Board unanimously approved pay raises for some 600 certified employees of the school system and about 400 classified employees.

Certified staff will receive a $1,000 raise, which equals about 2 percent.

Classified staff will receive a 48-cent-per-hour raise, which equals about $1,000 for all 260-day classified staff as well.

School officials point out that some staff members do not work the 260-day-a-year schedule, so their raise will not equal $1,000. [Read more…]

Powell sophomore scores three in 4-1 win over Oak Ridge

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Oak Ridge Alex Rouse and Powell Kaylin Shipley

Oak Ridge sophomore forward Alex Rouse (11) and Powell freshman defender Kaylin Shipley (3) battle for the ball in a 4-1 win for the Lady Panthers at Powell on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today) 

 

POWELL—Powell sophomore Raygan Scarbrough scored three goals, a hat trick, in a 4-1 win over Oak Ridge at Powell on Thursday.

The loss ended a 10-game winning streak for the Lady Wildcats, who are now 10-1 overall and 3-1 in District 3-Class AAA. It could have an impact on whether Oak Ridge gets home field advantage in the playoffs, Lady Wildcats Coach Jeff Trombly said.

It was also an important district victory for Powell (4-2-1, 2-0).

“It’s a huge win for us,” Powell Coach Mark Smith said. “It’s become a good rivalry between the two teams.”

He said Oak Ridge, Powell, and Karns have been the top three seeds in the district the past three years. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge resident wins Bojangles’ racing sweepstakes, receives $35,000 cash

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From left to right are three members of Nancy Witick's family; Ken Reynolds, director of field marketing for Bojangles'; Nancy Witick, center; Clifton Rutledge, Bojangles’ president and CEO; John Gibson, from Streetside Classics; and Bojangles’ mascot “Big Bo.” (Photo courtesy Bojangles')

From left to right are three members of Nancy Witick’s family; Ken Reynolds, director of field marketing for Bojangles’; Nancy Witick; Clifton Rutledge, Bojangles’ president and CEO; John Gibson, from Streetside Classics; and Bojangles’ mascot “Big Bo.” (Photo courtesy Bojangles’)

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Oak Ridge resident Nancy Witick was the grand prize winner of the Bojangles’ Southern 500 “Drivers Start Your Engines” Sweepstakes, and she received $35,000 cash, Bojangles’ Inc. announced Sunday.

Witick also received a weekend race experience at the Bojangles’ Southern 500 that included premium race tickets and a four-day, three-night hotel stay for her and three guests, a press release said.

Bojangles’ is the title sponsor of South Carolina’s only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.  From July 13 through August 23, Bojangles’ gave race fans a chance to win a retro-classic car or $35,000 cash by entering a unique sweepstakes entry code at www.WinWithBo.com. [Read more…]

Five years and $17 million later, city satisfies EPA Clean Water order

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Emory Valley Road Sewer System Holding Tanks

Workers assemble a sewer system holding tank near Emory Valley Road on Wednesday afternoon, April 1, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Five years and $17 million later, Oak Ridge has satisfied a federal administrative order that required the city to repair all sewer system overflows by the end of this month, officials announced Wednesday.

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said he has received a “closure letter” from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stating the City’s Administrative Order pursuant to the Clean Water Act has been fulfilled, a press release said. The letter, signed by James Giattina, director the Water Protection Division at EPA’s regional office in Atlanta, states that the EPA Region 4 “has determined that the city has satisfied the requirements of the referenced order and hereby closes the order.”

In 2010, the EPA filed an administrative order against the city for excess “Inflow and Infiltration” affecting the wastewater collection lines within the city’s primary service areas. The EPA considered the reported system overflows and piped overflows to be a violation of the Clean Water Act, the press release said. The administrative order contained various program requirements to eliminate the overflows, ensure adequate capacity system wide, and to develop a formal management, operation, and maintenance program, or MOM.

“I am pleased to report that the challenge of the EPA administrative order charged against our city is over!” Watson said. “We have received written confirmation that we have done a substantial job in addressing the findings of the Environmental Protection Agency against Oak Ridge. The order is now closed and we can begin to maintain a consistent and ongoing maintenance effort of this important sewage infrastructure for the community.” [Read more…]

Safety Fest TN kicks off next week, safety demonstrations open to public

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Safety Fair Demonstration Schedule

Safety Fest TN will hold safety demonstrations that are open to the public next week, including an auto rollover simulation, a slip simulator, and a tree stand safety demonstration.

The demonstrations will be in the parking lot at the New Hope Center, at the front of Y-12 National Security Complex, at 602 Scarboro Road from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 15.

The free demonstrations are in conjunction with more than 60 safety classes that will be conducted during the week of September 14-18 at six locations in Oak Ridge and Knoxville. The classes are free of charge to those who register. [Read more…]