Oak Ridge Today

Doctors’ rock band to perform for Free Medical Clinic’s Atomic Blast

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Second Opinion

Members of Second Opinion include, from left, Melissa Carter, vocals; John Jernigan, drums; Tim Comer, vocals; Todd Wright, lead guitar, and Daryl Harp, keyboards. (Submitted photo)

 

Second Opinion, a group of Methodist Medical Center physicians and friends who perform classic rock, will provide music for dancing Saturday, Aug. 16, during the Atomic Blast, the annual fundraiser for the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge.

The fundraiser will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. in the Parish Life Center of St. Mary’s Church, 327 Vermont Ave. It will include a catered dinner, Celebrity Dance Contest, and live auction conducted by the entertaining Bear Stephenson.

Second Opinion was formed about 20 years ago. The group, which has had several generations of physician band members, plays for charitable and other local events.

“We have performed for Doc Rock, which benefits Hospitality Houses for MMC outpatients and their caregivers,” said Dr. Ken Luckmann, a recently retired gastroenterology specialist in Oak Ridge and a volunteer at FMCOR. “Our band also performed at the Feast With The Beasts on the Knoxville Zoo main stage and on stage at the Tennessee Theater and Bijou Theater.” [Read more…]

About 1,600 lost power in Sunday storms

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About 1,600 customers lost power during the two major bands of storms that ripped through Oak Ridge at around 8 p.m. and midnight Sunday night, Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said.

The outages were concentrated around 15 distinct locations, and the east end of town was hit the hardest, Suggs said. The Oak Ridge Electric Department started working on repairs as soon as it could bring in people to help, and crews have been working continuously to restore power.

Suggs said most everyone had power restored by noon Monday. Others had had power restored earlier, some at midnight, more at 3 a.m., then still more by 4 a.m. The majority were back on by 7 a.m. Monday, and crews started “whittling away” at those who were left. [Read more…]

Clinton gives land to SL Tennessee for expansion, will receive fire station donation

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SL Tennessee

SL Tennessee is on Frank L. Diggs Drive in the Clinton I-75 Industrial Park.

Note: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. July 29.

CLINTON—The Clinton City Council voted unanimously Monday to make an exchange with SL Tennessee.

SL Tennessee was given more than 52 acres after the auto parts manufacturer announced plans to invest $80.5 million to build a 250,000-square-foot plant in the Clinton I-75 Industrial Park. The building, SL Tennessee’s fifth expansion since locating in Clinton in 2001, will manufacture automobile headlights and tail lamps for General Motors.

In exchange, after construction is complete, the company will donate between $200,000 and $250,000 to the city to build a new fire station in the industrial park.

Anderson County Economic Development Association Director Tim Thompson approached the council during a special-called meeting Monday morning to propose the deal. No one from the public came forward to speak on the proposal. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge could consider taking over DOE’s Clark Center Park

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Clark Center Park Swimming Beach

The swimming beach at Clark Center Park. (Photos courtesy Cindy McCullough)

City officials could consider taking over Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge, City Manager Mark Watson said Sunday.

It could be an alternative to letting the U.S. Department of Energy turn over the popular swimming, boating, picnicking, and fishing destination to the federal General Services Administration, which could, in turn, dispose of it, Watson said.

The 80-acre park—which includes a softball field, boat ramp, swimming beach, restrooms, and picnic areas—is a major cost to DOE, Watson said. And running a park is not really part of the department’s mission.

“They’re facing continuing budgetary shortfalls, and they’re going to have to do something with the park,” Watson said.

It’s part of a discussion that dates back to at least 1993, Watson said.

“This time, it looks like it’s moving in a different direction,” he said. “It’s moving toward GSA.” [Read more…]

Tornado watch, severe storms possible Sunday evening

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National Weather Service Severe Weather Threat

Image courtesy of National Weather Service in Morristown.

Note: This story was updated at 6:55 p.m. with a new tornado warning.

A tornado watch is in effect for the northern half of East Tennessee—including Anderson, Knox, and Roane counties—through 8 p.m., and there is a chance of severe thunderstorms near Oak Ridge through midnight, the National Weather Service said.

Update: A tornado warning was issued at 6:26 p.m. for southern Campbell County, Scott County, and northwestern Anderson County. It’s in effect through 7:15 p.m., and it applies to Lake City and Rosedale in Anderson County, as well as LaFollette, Caryville, and Jacksboro in Campbell County, and Huntsville and Oneida in Scott County. (The tornado warning has since been extended to 7:45 p.m.)

Radar showed a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. The dangerous storm was located over Helenwood, about eight miles south of Oneida, and moving southeast at 35 mph, the NWS said.

People in the affected areas should take cover now, moving to a basement or interior room on the lowest floor of sturdy building. Windows should be avoided. If in a mobile home or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. [Read more…]

Reminder: Kids Bike Rodeo, Wellness event today as Velo Classic continues

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Oak Ridge Velo Classic

Professional and top amateur males race in a previous Oak Ridge Velo Classic. (Photo submitted by Lou Rabinowitz)

The Children’s Clinic of Oak Ridge is donating more than 20 children’s bicycle helmets to be distributed at the seventh annual UCOR Oak Ridge Velo Classic Bicycle Racing Event and Wellness event this weekend.

The Wellness event is scheduled for Sunday, July 27, at the Horizon Center. It will feature a “Kids Bike Rodeo” that will emphasize safe bicycle handling and skills games for children age nine and under. Helmets donated by the Children’s Clinic will be distributed to children who need one at no charge.

In addition, Roane State Community College is giving away a limited number of T-shirts to Kids Rodeo participants, and all children who participate and stay to watch the Pro/1/2/3 criterium race beginning at 1:30 p.m. will be entered to win one of two $50 gift cards donated by R&R Properties, a press release said.

The Kids Rodeo is a “drop in” event. Parents can bring children anytime between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.. A short “Kids Race” will take place on part of the criterium race course at Horizon Center immediately following the Kids Rodeo. Parents are encouraged to bring a camera to take pictures of children posing on the podium with Velo Classic competitors including 2014 Tennessee State Road Race Champions and 1996 Olympic Bicyclist Kent Bostic. [Read more…]

MMC receives quality achievement award for heart attack treatment

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MMC Cath Lab Blurry Action

 

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge has received the Mission: Lifeline Bronze Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

“Methodist is honored to receive recognition from this highly respected organization,” said Dr. Milan Sheth, a board-certified and fellowship-trained interventional cardiologist on the staff of Methodist Medical Center. “We are deeply committed to preventing conditions that can lead to heart attacks and to diagnose and treat even the most critically ill cardiac patients.”

Each year in the United States, approximately 300,000 people have a STEMI, or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to immediately restore blood flow, either by surgically opening the blocked vessel or by giving clot-busting medication.

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals, emergency medical services, and communities improve response times so people who suffer from a STEMI get prompt, appropriate treatment. The program’s goal is to streamline systems of care to quickly get heart attack patients from the first 9-1-1 call to hospital treatment. [Read more…]

Roane State professor develops online course he will teach while living under the sea

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Bruce Cantrell

Bruce Cantrell

Roane State Community College biology professor Bruce Cantrell has always wanted to teach a course on living under the sea.

He developed a fascination with the sea years ago while serving in the Navy. Books about undersea exploration line his office shelves. A promotional poster for the famed Jacques Cousteau-directed documentary “World without Sun” hangs on his wall.

This fall, Cantrell will finally have a chance to teach Roane State students about living and working under the sea. And he’ll do it while he actually lives and works under the sea.

Cantrell and faculty member Jessica Fain will live and teach from an underwater habitat for 72 days this fall. While they live in a space the size of a college dorm room submerged about 25 feet, Cantrell and Fain will host weekly shows titled “Classroom Under the Sea.”

The shows, presented in partnership with the Marine Resources Development Foundation in Key Largo, Florida, will feature scientists and explorers and will cover topics such as underwater archeology and ocean exploration. [Read more…]

Creedon confirmed as NNSA principal deputy administrator

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Madelyn R. Creedon

Madelyn R. Creedon

WASHINGTON—Madelyn Creedon was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday as the U.S. Department of Energy’s principal deputy administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

“Madelyn Creedon’s confirmation comes at a critical point for the National Nuclear Security Administration,” said Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. “She is well-prepared for her new role at the department as it follows a long career of public service in national security, including at the Department of Defense, with the Senate Armed Services Committee, and, previously, at the Department of Energy. NNSA Administrator Klotz and I thank the Senate for their attention to Madelyn’s nomination, and look forward to working with her.”

As NNSA’s principal deputy administrator, Creedon will support NNSA Administrator Frank Klotz in the management and operation of the NNSA, as well as policy matters across the DOE and NNSA enterprise in support of President Obama’s nuclear security agenda, a press release said. [Read more…]

Photos: SL Tennessee expansion

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SL Tennessee Tail Light Hot Weld

SL Tennessee employee Ricky Bean at a hot plate welding station in the assembly area for Cadillac tail lights.

 

CLINTON—Tennessee officials and SL Tennessee executives on Friday announced 1,000 new auto parts manufacturing jobs as part of a $80.5 million expansion in the Clinton I-75 Industrial Park in Clinton. It could be the largest expansion of industrial employment in Anderson County since World War II.

The South Korean company plans to invest $80.5 million to build a 250,000-square-foot plant on Frank L. Diggs Drive in the industrial park. It will be SL Tennessee’s LLC third building in the park, and the company’s fifth expansion since locating in Clinton in 2001. The new building will manufacture automobile head lights and tail lamps for General Motors.

Construction on the new building in Clinton will begin in August, and the new plant could be operating by April 2015.

Here is a collection of photos from Friday’s event. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats add coach, have car wash Saturday

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Submitted

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats program has added Coach Tammy Dowdell-Threat to its staff, a press release said.

Dowdell-Threat was born and raised in the Oak Ridge community and is a product of the Oak Ridge school system, the release said. She is a 1989 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, where she was a three-year starter and member of the first Lady Wildcats state basketball championship team in 1988. In 1988, she was also a member of the Lady Wildcats state track championship team. Dowdell-Threat accumulated numerous awards during her career at Oak Ridge and is still listed in the record books, the release said.

She  continued her basketball career at the University of Kentucky and University of Tennessee in Chattanooga, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management. While at Chattanooga (1991-94), she earned first and second team All-Conference, as well as finishing in the Top 10 in several categories and was also a member of the 1,000 point club, the release said. [Read more…]

Temptations Revue featuring Nate Evans at ORHS for Aug. 9 fundraiser

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Temptations Nate Evans Theater

The Temptations Revue featuring Nate Evans will perform at Oak Ridge High School on August 9 in a fundraiser for the proposed revitalization of Jack Armstrong Stadium and Blankenship Field.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. August 9. The Temptations Revue will perform Motown hits like “My Girl,” “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” “Get Ready,” “Just My Imagination,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “I Wish It Would Rain,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.”

The concert is presented by the Oak Ridge Quarterback Club, with all proceeds going to the revitalization effort.

You can buy tickets at www.temptationsrevueorhs.evenbrite.com.