Oak Ridge Today

Wildcats get game-saving block to stop Halls’ Moore, who had 34 points

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Oak Ridge Ted Mitchell and Halls Braxton Moore

Oak Ridge senior guard Ted Mitchell (4) had a game-saving block against Halls senior guard Braxton Moore (0) as time expired in a 58-56 win for the Wildcats on Friday. (Photos by Melissa Livesey)

 

Senior guard Braxton Moore of Halls scored 34 points and hit six three-point shots against Oak Ridge on Friday, but a game-saving block by Ted Mitchell in the final seconds preserved a 58-56 win for the undefeated Wildcats.

The Red Devils scored almost half of their points on three-point shots, knocking down nine of them for 27 points.

But Oak Ridge’s depth and the number of players it used—along with the critical stop with less than six seconds remaining—allowed the Wildcats to prevail and improve to 9-0 overall and 3-0 in District 3-AAA. [Read more…]

3M will invest $135 million, create 100 jobs at Clinton manufacturing facility

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Food Lion Distribution Center and 3M Company Manufacturing

The 3M Company purchased the former Food Lion Distribution Center on J.D. Yarnell Industrial Parkway in the Eagle Bend Industrial Park in Clinton on Friday. 3M paid roughly $14.4 million for the 772,00-square-foot building on 160 acres, and the company will use it to make products for the oil, gas, and automotive industries. (Photo courtesy Tim Thompson/Anderson County Economic Development Association)

 

Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Note: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 8.

NASHVILLE—The 3M Company has purchased the former Food Lion distribution center in the Eagle Bend Industrial Park in Clinton and will use it to manufacture products for the oil, gas, and automotive industries. The company is expected to invest $135 million and create 100 new jobs in Anderson County.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty joined 3M Company officials in Nashville to announce the company’s investment on Friday afternoon.

3M purchased the 772,000-square-foot building on 160 acres on J.D. Yarnell Parkway in the Eagle Bend Industrial Park for roughly $14.4 million. The sale closed on Friday, said Tim Thompson, president of the Anderson County Economic Development Association. [Read more…]

Eighth-grader at St. Mary’s to compete in ‘Punt, Pass, and Kick’ at Titans game on Sunday

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Anne Carter

Anne Carter

Anne Marie Carter, an eighth-grader at St. Mary’s School in Oak Ridge, has advanced to the Team Championship Level for the NFL’s Punt, Pass, and Kick Competition.

Carter’s journey began in her physical education class the week of September 22 when she won for 12-13 year old girls. As a school champion, she advanced to the Knoxville area championship, known as the Sectional Championship, in October. Carter won this competition as well.

Carter will compete at the Tennessee Titans game on Sunday, December 7, in Nashville. She is one of four girls in her age group in the four-state region of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee to advance to this level of competition. [Read more…]

U.S. House passes Manhattan Project park bill that includes Oak Ridge

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U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann

Chuck Fleischmann

Note: This story was last updated at 8:30 p.m.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would create a Manhattan Project National Historical Park that would include Oak Ridge, federal officials said Thursday afternoon.

Passage of the bill, pursued for years by historic preservationists, was announced by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander and Representative Chuck Fleischmann, both Tennessee Republicans. It was an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which passed in a 300-119 vote.

The bill would designate three sites that were part of the World War II-era Manhattan Project. Besides Oak Ridge, the sites include Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington. The U.S. Senate is expected to pass the 2015 NDAA legislation without amendments before adjourning for the Christmas recess, perhaps as early as next week, according to the Atomic Heritage Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that has helped lead efforts to establish the park for more than a decade.

The Manhattan Project was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs. Oak Ridge sites that would be included in the park are the Beta-3 racetracks and Alpha Calutron magnets at Y-12 National Security Complex and the K-25 Building site at the East Tennessee Technology Park. [Read more…]

Protesters object to benefits changes at Y-12

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Y-12 Benefits Protest Becky Montgomery

Protesters object Thursday afternoon to changes to health insurance benefits announced at the Y-12 National Security Complex in October. At center is Becky Montgomery, who retired from Y-12 in June after 35 years.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10 p.m.

About 150 demonstrators protested outside the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday afternoon, objecting to changes in health insurance benefits that could take effect January 1.

The protesters, mostly Y-12 retirees, said they would end up paying much more for fewer benefits. They want the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration to reverse course.

“We’re here to try to stop it,” said Charlene Edwards, who retired from Y-12 in 2006. [Read more…]

Orr confirmed as DOE under secretary for science, energy

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Franklin M. "Lynn" Orr Jr.

Franklin M. “Lynn” Orr Jr. (Photo courtesy Stanford University/Franklin Orr)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—More than a year after his nomination was announced, Franklin “Lynn” Orr has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be the under secretary for science and energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. Orr was confirmed Thursday.

As under secretary for science and energy, Orr will oversee all of DOE’s science research programs, including a majority of the national laboratories.

This position is part of the department’s s recent reorganization, which expanded the under secretary for science role to encompass both science and energy, a DOE press release said. Orr’s role will include oversight of research in the Offices of Science, Fossil Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Nuclear Energy, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Indian Energy, and the Technology Transfer Coordinator.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is an Office of Science lab. [Read more…]

Watson could be considered as president-elect of international management group

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson could be considered to become president-elect of the International City/County Management Association, or ICMA.

Watson is one of only 41 members across the world who qualify to serve as president, according to a November 24 memo to the Oak Ridge City Council. He could become the first ICMA president from Tennessee in the 100-year history of the organization.

The seven-member City Council on Monday is being asked to support Watson’s participation.

“If selected, he would be in line to become president of the professional association that represents 9,000 appointed city managers, administrators, and assistants from across the United States and the world,” said Michael W. Walker, executive director of the Tennessee City Management Association. [Read more…]

MADD has candlelight vigil on Saturday for crash victims

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MADD Logo

Mothers Against Drunk Driving of East Tennessee, or MADD, and victims of vehicle crashes will have their annual candle light vigil in Oak Ridge on Saturday, December 6.

The vigil is for those who have died or been injured in senseless vehicle crashes, a press release said.

“Anyone who has been hurt or lost someone through a vehicle crash is invited to attend, in addition to community members who would like to offer support,” the press release said. “Some victims have been injured themselves, know someone who has been hurt, or have lost a loved one to this preventable crime. Those harmed through a crash induced by impaired driving should bring a photograph of them self or loved one that has been killed or suffered in a crash.” [Read more…]

With deadline looming, supporters hopeful that Manhattan Project parks legislation will pass

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Manhattan Project National Historical Park House Hearing

Pictured above at a June 28, 2012, U.S. House hearing on the Manhattan Project National Historical Park Act are, from front left, Cindy Kelly, Atomic Heritage Foundation president; Heather McClenahan, executive director of the Los Alamos Historical Society; and D. Ray Smith, Y-12 National Security Complex historian. Gary Petersen, Tri-City Development Council vice president, is pictured in the background. (Photo courtesy of Atomic Heritage Foundation.

An amendment introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday includes the creation of a long-sought-after Manhattan Project National Historical Park that would include Oak Ridge, and supporters are hopeful that the legislation, which has bipartisan support, will pass before the end of the legislative session.

The bill appears to have a “really good chance of moving forward,” said Kati Schmidt, spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association.

Besides Oak Ridge, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park would also include Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington. Those three areas were among the sites involved in the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II.

There is currently no national park commemorating the project, which is considered one of the most significant events of the 20th century. Historic preservationists, including in Oak Ridge and at the Atomic Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., have tried for years to change that. [Read more…]

Glenwood Elementary wins $10,000 for teaching kids how to code

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Oak Ridge Schools LogoAll 368 students at Glenwood Elementary will participate in one of the largest CODE education events in history. The Hour of Code will be held December 8-14, and Glenwood Elementary is the only school chosen in Tennessee to receive $10,000 from Code.org to buy technology for bringing these critical skills to students.

Google, Microsoft, Apple, President Obama, Bill Gates, Shakira, and Ashton Kutcher have all backed the Hour of Code, an Oak Ridge Schools press release said. More than 100 partners are coming together to support this global movement. So far, 47 million students have tried the Hour of Code. The Hour of Code movement is aiming for 100 million students.

On Tuesday, December 9, at 2:30 p.m. Oak Ridge Schools Assistant Superintendent Christopher Marczak will present the $10,000 prize and speak on the importance of bringing computer science into the schools. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools staff, students donate almost $14K to United Way

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Oak Ridge Schools and United Way Mike Haygood

Picture above, from left to right are Jefferson Middle School Principal Phil Cox; Rick Morrow, executive director of United Way of Anderson County; JMS Assistant Principal Mike Haygood; and Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Schools staff and students once again stepped up in a big way and donated nearly $14,000 to the United Way of Anderson County’s 2014 campaign, a press release said.

All donors were eligible to win a “Week End Getaway” donated by Tim and Becky Hooks, and this year’s winner was Mike Haygood, assistant principal at Jefferson Middle School.

The press release said the donated funds will go to support 32 agencies and 50 different programs that provide services here in Anderson County. Donations like these helped provide 149 families the supplies to grow their own garden this year, and each garden is expected to produce more than $450 of fresh food. That is more than $67,000 of fresh produce created from the $4,000 invested by UWAC donors.

For more information about UWAC services and to donate to provide this type of assistance to our neighbors, visit www.uwayac.org or call the United Way at (865) 483-8431.

Sound Co. has Sparkly Jolly Twinkle Holly holiday concert this weekend

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Sound Company Children's Choir

Sound Company Children’s Choir of Oak Ridge

The much-anticipated Sparkly Jolly Twinkle Holly holiday concert by Sound Company is set for the first weekend in December. “Don’t miss the festive costumes and seasonal stylings of Sound Company Children’s Choir of Oak Ridge,” a press release said.

Performances will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, December 6, and 6 p.m. Sunday, December 7, at the High Places Church at Grove Center, in Oak Ridge’s historic Grove Theater.

The press release said more than 100 talented young vocalists in grades one through 12 will present everything from classical holiday carols to Louis Armstrong jazz (“Zat You Santa Claus?”), an Elvis Christmas medley, and pop ballad “Peppermint Winter” by Owl City. Sound Company is polishing a range of holiday tunes, including “Hanukkah Shalom,” a traditional Spanish carol, and spirited “Mele Kalikimaka” from Hawaii.

“Of course, you won’t want to miss the new holiday classic popularized in the show ‘Elf,’ ‘Sparklejollytwinklejingley,’ complete with kick line,” the press release said. [Read more…]