Oak Ridge Today

Church Women United seeks support in Blankets+ Campaign

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CWU 2015 Blankets+ Campaign

Church Women United participants Fay Martin (from left), Gay Marie Logsdon, Clara Chambles, Carolyn Mayes, Goldie Kennedy, and Laura Robbins encourage individuals, organizations, and churches to collect blankets and donations in support of the 2015 Blankets+ Campaign. (Submitted photo)

 

Church Women United in Oak Ridge invites area individuals, organizations, and church groups to join its spring 2015 Blankets+ Campaign benefiting disaster victims locally and worldwide. People are asked to support the campaign in two ways: by collecting bedding for Ecumenical Storehouse in Oak Ridge and by collecting cash donations for CWU to send to the Blankets+ Program managed by Church World Services.

Ecumenical Storehouse serves displaced individuals and families from Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Roane, and Scott counties who have lost their homes because of fire, flood, or other emergencies and have been referred to the storehouse for support in setting up a new household. The storehouse offers basics such as bedding, towels, dishes, and furniture regardless of the client’s color, race, faith, gender, or handicap. Ecumenical Storehouse is located at 134 East Division Road in Oak Ridge and can be contacted at (865) 481-0274. [Read more…]

Updated: Thursday closings—schools, Y-12, Roane State, AC Courthouse

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Oak Ridge Turnpike and Bus Terminal Road Snow on Feb. 18, 2015

Schools and many offices remained closed Thursday after a icy winter storm on Monday followed by this snow on Wednesday morning.

 

Note: This story was updated at 10:21 a.m. Feb. 19.

The temperature the next few days is expected to be brutally cold, and schools and some government offices and contractors have announced they’ll be closed Thursday, or for the rest of the week, because of the weather and road conditions.

Schools in Oak Ridge, Anderson County, Clinton, and Roane County will all be closed Thursday. Roane State Community College will also be closed.

Schools in Clinton and Anderson and Roane counties will also be closed Friday. The Central Office in Anderson County will be closed for the rest of the week, and the Central Office in Roane County will not report Thursday. [Read more…]

Use caution: Main roads mostly clear, but side streets slippery

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Tennessee Avenue Snow Feb. 18, 2015

Even well-traveled side streets such as Tennessee Avenue were a mix of cleared sections, snow, and ice as snow fell in Oak Ridge on Wednesday morning.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 4:08 p.m.

Main roads were mostly clear Wednesday morning, but many side streets were slippery and treacherous for driving or walking.

The wintry mix that fell Monday and lingered Tuesday appeared to have frozen in many places. And the snow that fell Wednesday morning covered that slick mix and dusted some roads that had earlier been cleared, such as Michigan Avenue in central Oak Ridge.

Milan Way, which runs parallel to Oak Ridge Turnpike in front of the Jackson Square post office, was skating-rink slick. And that was true of many other side streets across the city.

Heavily-traveled roads like Illinois Avenue, Emory Valley Road, and Oak Ridge Turnpike were mostly clear and easy to drive on. But even some well-traveled secondary streets such as Tennessee and Manhattan avenues, Robertsville Road, and West Outer Drive were a mix of cleared areas, light snow, and ice. [Read more…]

Updated: More closures, delays Wednesday as snow falls, temperatures drop

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Winter Weather Advisory

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:56 p.m.

Many offices and schools will remain closed on Wednesday because of the weather and road conditions, and some will open late. The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a winter weather advisory for snow on Wednesday and a wind chill watch for Wednesday night.

Schools in Oak Ridge and Clinton and Anderson and Roane counties will be closed again Wednesday. So will Roane State Community College campuses. Pellissippi State Community College will also be closed.

Anderson County Schools will be closed the rest of the week, officials said Wednesday, and the Central Office is closed as well.

Anderson County government offices and all courts will be closed Wednesday.

City of Oak Ridge offices will open at 9 a.m. City Hall in Rocky Top will close at noon Wednesday for deteriorating weather conditions. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge, Red Cross, others prepare to provide shelter for those without power

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City of Oak Ridge Seal

The snow may be over for this week, but the coldest days are yet to come. The Oak Ridge Fire Department will coordinate with the local Red Cross office and other organizations to provide shelter for those who lose power.

The National Weather Service has forecast temperatures in the teens to possibly as much as 10 below zero over the next 48 to 72 hours.

“Residents are encouraged to use extreme caution if you must go outside,” the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. “Dress in layers and minimize your exposure to the cold temperatures. Also, bring your pets inside.”

The Oak Ridge Fire Department reminded citizens to follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you are using portable heaters to heat your home or apartment. [Read more…]

Power outages affect several hundred; two cars crash into snow plows

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Lafayette Drive and Icy Roads

Lafayette Drive is pictured above on Tuesday morning at the intersection with Laboratory Road in central Oak Ridge. (Photos by Daniel Powers)

 

Several hundred customers were affected by power outages overnight but most lost power for less than an hour, and two cars crashed into city snow plows, making one of the plows unusable for now, officials said.

There were no reports of injuries in the few minor crashes that occurred overnight.

Officials continued to urge drivers to stay off roads unless absolutely necessary. Some of them remain covered in ice, and vehicles that are required to travel, such as postal vehicles and Oak Ridge Public Works trucks, are using chains or studded tires.

Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said the largest power outage was in an area around Montana Avenue and West Outer Drive at about 6 p.m. Monday. It affected about 440 people, but only lasted about 45 minutes, according to preliminary information, Suggs said. [Read more…]

Travel still discouraged; no serious accidents reported in Anderson

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Icy Roads in Oliver Springs

Roads remained ice-covered in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, and there was little traffic as officials urged people to not drive unless absolutely necessary. Here is a picture taken Monday of State Route 62, also known as North Illinois Avenue or East Tri County Boulevard, headed into Oliver Springs from Oak Ridge. (Photo by Marilyn Cook-Wynn)

 

Information from WYSH Radio

With ice on the roadways and temperatures not expected to get above freezing for the next couple of days, travel is still not advised.

Last night across Anderson County, no serious accidents were reported, and officials said that was due in part to people heeding their warnings to stay off the roads.

But some people may have no choice but to drive somewhere today. For those people, Clinton Police Rick Scarbrough had this piece of advice: “Drive with caution. Don’t get overconfident because just around the corner could be a solid sheet of ice. If you do have to be out, we understand, but try to avoid getting out if at all possible.” [Read more…]

Closings: City Hall, ORAU, Chamber, OSTI, DOE-ORO, Y-12; no trash pickup

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Note: This story was last updated at 11:39 a.m.

Here are more closings announced for Tuesday, as well as a few that were announced previously. Some previous announcements have been revised, mostly changing from a late opening to a closing.

The City of Oak Ridge offices will be closed today, Tuesday, February 17, due to icy roads. The Oak Ridge City Council work session scheduled for tonight has also be canceled and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Waste Connections will not be conducting trash pick up today and will be on a one-day delay.

The U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office (the Federal Building) and DOE’s Office of Scientific and Technical Information will be closed due to hazardous weather conditions. Employees with situational telework agreements in place are expected to telework. [Read more…]

Council session: DOE landfill, Preschool, K-25 History Center, ORPD review

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Oak Ridge City Council on Feb. 9, 2015

Agenda items for a Tuesday evening Oak Ridge City Council work session include a briefing on a proposed U.S. Department of Energy landfill, a proposed comment letter on the K-25 History Center at Fire Station Number Four in west Oak Ridge, and next steps on an independent review of turnover and morale in the Police Department.

 

Note: This work session has been canceled due to weather and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Agenda items for a Tuesday evening Oak Ridge City Council work session include a briefing on a proposed U.S. Department of Energy landfill, a proposed comment letter on the K-25 History Center at Fire Station Number Four in west Oak Ridge, and next steps on an independent review of turnover and morale in the Police Department.

The work session starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Multipurpose Room of the Central Services Complex.

The proposed comment letter on the K-25 History Center could also address the proposed observation structure and grounds plan. [Read more…]

OR, AC, RC schools closed Tuesday; AC Courthouse, Y-12 closed

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 p.m.

Oak Ridge and Anderson County schools will be closed on Tuesday because of the weather, officials said.

The Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton will also be closed, and the Anderson County Commission meeting has been canceled. All courts will be closed.

The Commission meeting will be rescheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, February 26. [Read more…]

Video: National Weather Service briefing on today’s winter storm

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National Weather Service Morristown

The National Weather Service in Morristown has posted a YouTube video with a briefing on today’s winter storm.

The storm is expected to dump a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain across the region today and tonight. Dangerous accumulations of ice and snow are expected.

A winter storm warning is in effect until 7 a.m. Tuesday. The precipitation is expected to end late this evening (Monday, February 16) or early Tuesday morning.

Another round of light snow is expected late Tuesday or Wednesday, and very cold conditions are expected later this week, with bone-chilling temperatures expected Thursday and Friday mornings.

Weather: Oak Ridge Schools, Roane State, Y-12 closed; some businesses closed, running late

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

Note: This story was last updated at 2:41 p.m.

Oak Ridge Schools and Roane State Community College are closed today (Monday, February 16) due to weather, and some employers and businesses are starting late or are closed.

The Y-12 National Security Complex is closed to non-essential employees due to hazardous weather conditions.

Roane County Schools Central Office will also be closed due to the weather. This includes Technology, Transportation, and other departments.

Some schools, including Clinton’s, were already closed today because of the Presidents’ Day holiday. And some businesses and government offices were already closed because of the holiday. [Read more…]