Oak Ridge Today

Council to discuss DOE funding, support tonight

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Oak Ridge City Council

The Oak Ridge City Council has a special meeting tonight to discuss U.S. Department of Energy support and funding. (File photo/August 2013)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council will discuss U.S. Department of Energy funding and support during a special meeting tonight. It’s described at least in part as an “information-gathering session.”

The special meeting was called by City Council members Trina Baughn and Charlie Hensley. Hensley, in particular, has raised questions about whether DOE is paying its fair share to the city.

Here’s the language outlining tonight’s discussion:

“to discuss and possibly take action on a plan to engage DOE officials with regards to their obligations to the City of Oak Ridge and its citizenry. Let it [the special meeting request] include formally requesting, in writing, a DOE Community Assistance Review as allowed within AECA 1955, PL 84-221, DOE Order 2100.12A, and other supporting legislation, including those self-sufficiency plans dating from 1980 through a Council Resolution and other joint local government collaborative action to include a specific date for a response.”

[Read more…]

Car once owned by ‘Sound of Music’ actor catches fire in OR

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Glenn Bell Car Fire Sound of Music

A 1965 Studebaker station wagon once owned by Dan Truhitte, who played the German officer Rolfe in “The Sound of Music” in 1965, caught fire in Oak Ridge on Friday. Above Oak Ridge Fire Department firefighter Steven London, left, sprays water on the bottom side of the four-door wagon. At right is ORFD firefighter Sandra Sila-Massengill.

 

A classic car once owned by an actor in “The Sound of Music” movie caught fire in Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon.

Oak Ridge resident Glenn Bell, who now owns the car, smelled gas as he left a doctor’s appointment at Jackson Square Plaza in the green 1965 Studebaker four-door station wagon early Friday afternoon. Bell decided to head home.

As he turned onto Tyler Road from Oak Ridge Turnpike, he saw smoke under the hood and dash, and he jumped out. The car rolled a short distance to the intersection of Tyler and Talmeda roads. [Read more…]

County Commission to consider OR mall TIF, District 4 appointment

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Oak Ridge Village Area Rendering

 

The Anderson County Commission will consider extending the tax increment financing agreement for the former Oak Ridge Mall from 20 years to 30 on Monday morning.

The Anderson County Operations Committee recommended approving the 10-year TIF extension during a meeting last week. The TIF would use new property tax revenues generated at the mall site and 120 surrounding acres included in the TIF area to help pay for the redevelopment. [Read more…]

The Volunteers, a U.S. Army band, perform for free at Grove

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The Volunteers

The Volunteers

The Volunteers of the U.S. Army Field Band will play for free this afternoon at the Grove Theater in Oak Ridge.

The show starts at 4 p.m. today (Sunday, October 19). It’s presented by Masskus Productions.

The Volunteers are the musical ambassadors of the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., a press release said.

“Since 1981, The Volunteers has been bringing the Army story to life through rock, pop, country, and patriotic music,” the release said. “Whether rocking out major arenas around the country, thrilling crowds at community events, or entertaining veterans in more intimate shows, these soldier-musicians proudly represent their fellow soldiers for hundreds of thousands of Americans each year.” [Read more…]

Garcia Garland running for re-election to City Council

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Anne Garcia Garland

Anne Garcia Garland

Oak Ridge City Council member Anne Garcia Garland is running for re-election in the November 4 municipal election.

In a press release, Garcia Garland said the City Council has now begun to function like a team, the vision she had for it when she was first elected.

“The five members who have been meeting to consider policy and long-term planning have begun to realize how much more can be accomplished in this way,” Garcia Garland said. “I believe that if we can do this as a Council, then we should be able to work in a similar manner with the Board of Education and move forward together.”

Actions by the city government have shown that TIFs (tax increment financing) are useful for investing in new businesses, and the growth of the Illinois Avenue corridor is healthy, Garcia Garland said. She said Council encouraged the Kroger development by changing zoning and permitting traffic signals, and that center inspired the investment in Oak Ridge by the new mall developers. [Read more…]

CORRE has annual membership meeting on Monday

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CORRE Logo

The Coalition of Oak Ridge Retirees will have its annual meeting at 2 p.m. Monday, October 20, at the Heritage Fellowship Church in Oak Ridge.

CORRE is an organization of retirees that works to improve the welfare of more than 12,000 former employees and surviving spouses of the various managing contractors of U.S. Department of Energy facilities in Oak Ridge. All retirees, their spouses, and surviving spouses are urged to attend and are encouraged to bring other retirees, a press release said.

CORRE expects about 200-250 retirees and spouses to attend, and invitations have been extended to members of the East Tennessee congressional delegation. [Read more…]

Unitarian Universalists dedicate new church today

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The Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church will dedicate its new church today (Sunday, October 19), and the community is invited, a press release said.

The new church is at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The church moved from its former location at Robertsville Road and Oak Ridge Turnpike to make way for the new Kroger Marketplace shopping center.

The UU Church has been used for a range of community events including League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge and Breakfast Rotary Club of Oak Ridge.

The press release said today’s service will begin at 4 p.m. Pianist Mary Hook will begin playing at 3 p.m. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge finds many ways to score in 66-0 rout of Powell

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Oak Ridge Wildcats T.J. Allison against Powell

Junior running back T.J. Allison (6) of the Oak Ridge Wildcats scored two touchdowns on the ground against the Powell Panthers on Friday night and ran for 46 yards on seven carries. (Photos by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was updated at 2:05 a.m.

Undefeated Wildcats pick up eighth win, fourth shutout

All week long, Oak Ridge simply wanted to beat Powell and stay undefeated on the season. With students on fall break this week, players were able to focus solely on football, and it showed on Friday night.

Things weren’t so simple for Powell however. On Friday afternoon, it was announced that John Allen, their head coach, had been placed on administrative suspension.

There was obviously a lot to talk about going into the game on Friday, but when things finally got going on the field, it was all Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Public meeting Tuesday on proposed roundabout near ORHS

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Oak Ridge Proposed Roundabout

 

The City of Oak Ridge has released a potential design of the proposed roundabout near Oak Ridge High School, and a city board will accept public comments on the possible intersection change during a Tuesday evening meeting.

The roundabout could be built at the five-way intersection of Providence Road, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Pasadena Lane, and North Tulane Avenue. City officials aren’t fond of the term, but many residents refer to the intersection as “Malfunction Junction.”

During the Tuesday evening meeting, the Oak Ridge Traffic Safety Advisory Board will discuss the city’s grant application for the roundabout under the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives program. The discussion will include an overview of the project, and the public will be allowed to comment. [Read more…]

Safety, health, business manager running for OS Town Council

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Nathan Benson

Nathan Benson

OLIVER SPRINGS—Nathan Benson of Oliver Springs is running for Oliver Springs alderman in Ward 4 in the November 4 municipal election.

Benson and his wife Jennifer (Wright) Benson graduated from Oliver Springs High School in 2001. They have two children named Riley and Addison Benson that attend Norwood Middle and Elementary schools.

Benson served in the Tennessee Army National Guard 278th Armored Calvary Regiment as a calvary scout after graduating from high school. During his six years in the service, he was deployed to Iraq as a sergeant assigned to the Regimental Protective Services Detail.

Benson is now employed with Canberra Industries in Oak Ridge as the safety, health, and business improvement manager, a press release said. He has been employed with them for nearly 12 years, including his leave of absence to serve overseas. [Read more…]

Developer: Donut Palace to be built where Price Florist was

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Donut Palace Site Prep

A Donut Palace will be built where Price Florist used to be, and redevelopment work is starting, an Oak Ridge company said Thursday.

 

A Donut Palace will be built where Price Florist used to be, a development company said Thursday.

Redevelopment work is starting, and The Donut Palace of Oak Ridge could open in the first quarter of 2015, said Cappiello Real Estate and Development Company.

The company said The Donut Palace is a regional chain that is primarily located in Texas and the Midwest.

“The Donut Palace is an artisan bakery featuring handmade apple fritters, muffins, cookies, brownies, pastries, and of course, doughnuts,” Cappiello Real Estate and Development Company said. “Each pastry is prepared daily and made fresh for the customers. Along with the baked goods, they will offer coffee, drinks, and artisan sandwiches.” [Read more…]

Oak Ridge cross country competes in Cherokee Invitational

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Cherokee Invitational Cross Country

Cross country runners pictured above are, starting at left, Megan Peters of Oak Ridge, 10th place; Esther Gallmeier of Oak Ridge, 9th; Maddie Zawisza of Oak Ridge, 8th; Selena Robinson of William Blount, 7th; Lauren Cole of Maryville, 6th; Aislyn Peacock of Oak Ridge, 5th; Sara Bowden of Maryville, 4th; and Katharina Gallmeier of Oak Ridge, 3rd. (Photos by Nicole Zawisza)

 

KNOXVILLE—The Oak Ridge High School cross country teams competed in the Cherokee Invitational in Knoxville on Saturday.

Here is an edited version of notes from the meet by Coach Allen Etheridge:

Cherokee Invitational is a small meet that follows up the Knoxville schools’ KIL meet, which was held on Thursday, October 9.

We generally run well at this meet because it’s not as crowded or as intense as the big meets we attend, like the Great American Cross Country Festival earlier this month. [Read more…]