Oak Ridge Today

The Smithsonian, ORNL partner to advance science, education

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Smithsonian Wayne Clough, Thom Mason, and Jeff Nichols

Pictured above during a Thursday signing ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution’s Castle Commons are, from left, Wayne Clough, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; ORNL Director Thom Mason; and ORNL associate lab director for computing and computational sciences Jeff Nichols. (Photo by John Gibbons/Smithsonian)

 

The Smithsonian Institution and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have announced a new partnership to support collaborative research programs and science education efforts. This is the first partnership between Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Smithsonian, which was formalized during the signing of a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, on Thursday, June 12.

The Smithsonian and Oak Ridge National Laboratory both examine many of the world’s most complex and time-sensitive scientific problems and support many research programs that complement and reinforce each other. They also support science education to impact students and teachers from elementary school through post-doctoral studies. The MOU, signed by Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough and ORNL Director Thom Mason, creates a framework for future collaboration between the two organizations that leverages the strengths of each.

“The Smithsonian is proud to partner with another organization that realizes that basic research is vital to the future of the nation, and that knowledge about the natural world is inherently valuable to society,” Clough said. “This agreement will help us each maximize our strengths and achieve our common goals across a broad spectrum of scientific endeavor.” [Read more…]

Teaching Climate Change workshop part of ORAU professional development series

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Barry Golden at ORAU Workshop

University of Tennessee Assistant Professor Barry Golden, right, discusses data with a group of educators during ORAU’s Teaching Climate Change workshop on Thursday. (Photo by Sara Wise)

 

On Thursday, Oak Ridge Associated Universities’ Center for Science Education hosted the Teaching Climate Change workshop as part of their Summer Technology Professional Development series of workshops.

ORAU’s summer workshop program hosts 13 STEM-based lectures offered free to K-12 teachers.

ORAU Program Manager Meiko Thompson said the organization “sees a benefit in making sure that local educators have the opportunity to get professional development” outside of the typical school system offerings.

“One thing I know is that just because you’re a scientist doesn’t make you a good teacher,” Thompson said. “So, what I would really like for them to do is really know how to engage their students.” [Read more…]

More red-light, speeding violations since cameras disabled, Redflex says

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Red-light Camera at Oak Ridge Turnpike and New York Avenue

Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. said an eastbound traffic camera at Oak Ridge Turnpike and New York Avenue/Lafayette Drive had the third-highest rise in detected speeding violations, a 243 percent increase in the number of drivers traveling at 46 mph or more, after the cameras were disabled April 21. Pictured above is the westbound camera.

 

The Arizona company that operated traffic cameras in Oak Ridge for five years said reckless driving has increased significantly, average speeds have risen, and there has been an increase in red-light running and speeding violations since the systems were disabled April 21.

The two biggest increases in speeding violations were in school zones on eastbound and westbound Robertsville Road near Willow Brook Elementary School, camera vendor Redflex Traffic Systems Inc. said in a report that could be discussed during a Traffic Safety Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday. The average number of school zone violations jumped from a little more than two per day in the 14 days before the cameras were disabled to 10 or 11 per day afterward.

A school zone violation occurs when a driver is detected traveling at 21 mph or more in a 15 mph school zone.

Meanwhile, detections of red-light violations, which can lead to the most serious accidents, increased from an average of 20 per day at four locations in the three weeks before the cameras were disabled to up to 28 per day in the fourth week afterward, Redflex said. [Read more…]

Labor Secretary announces proposal to raise minimum wage for federal contract workers

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Proposed rule would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour for covered workers

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez on Thursday announced a proposed rule raising the minimum wage for workers on federal service and construction contracts to $10.10 per hour. The proposed rule implements Executive Order 13658, which was announced by President Barack Obama on Feb. 12.

“A core American value is that hard work should be rewarded with fair pay,” Perez said in a press release. “And as the president said in his State of the Union address, if you cook our troops’ meals or wash their dishes, you shouldn’t have to live in poverty.

“Raising the minimum wage for workers on federal contracts will provide a much needed boost to many who are working hard, but still struggle to get by, and it will also benefit taxpayers with improved employee retention and productivity. Today the department took an important step toward making the promise of the executive order a reality for thousands of workers.” [Read more…]

WYSH: Storm damage follow-up; EF0 tornado confirmed in Kingston

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Mike Marsh Home Storm Damage

One of several pictures showing the storm damage Tuesday to the home of Mike and Wanda Marsh on Timbercrest Drive in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Mike Marsh)

 

Information from WYSH Radio

The National Weather Service has confirmed the powerful storms that rolled through the area on Tuesday included an embedded tornado in Kingston.

Officials with the NWS office in Morristown assessed the damage and said an EF-0 tornado touched down along 3rd Street in Kingston. The winds of an EF-0 tornado are around 65-85 miles per hour.

The NWS said the widespread damage throughout East Tennessee was almost entirely from straight-line winds and down-bursts. Kingston is the only site suspected of sustaining tornado damage.

The Weather Service says straight-line winds estimated at 80 mph packed a destructive punch in Clinton, which appeared to bear the brunt of the damage from Tuesday’s severe weather. [Read more…]

CHS soccer appeals TSSAA penalties after May fight

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Information from WYSH Radio

Clinton High School athletic director Dan Jenkins was in Murfreesboro on Wednesday to appeal the penalties handed down against the Dragons soccer team after a brawl during the closing minutes of a district tournament quarterfinal game at Central last month.

The appeal was made to the TSSAA Board of Control, and a decision is expected to be handed down by the end of the week.

The school was fined $3,250, and the soccer team was placed on two years of regular probation and two years of restrictive probation, which will keep them out of the postseason for the next two seasons. [Read more…]

Support local media, subscribe to Oak Ridge Today

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Oak Ridge Today

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Note: We have heard from readers who want more information on subscriptions to Oak Ridge Today or who want reminders that they are available, so we plan to post a subscription reminder periodically throughout the year. Please let us know if you have any questions. For more information, you may send an e-mail to Co-Owner/Co-Publisher John Huotari at john.huotari@oakridgetoday.com, or you may call him at (865) 951-9692.

Tours of Manhattan Project sites a highlight of Secret City Festival

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Secret City Festival Logo

One of the highlights of the annual Secret City Festival, taking place Friday and Saturday at A.K. Bissell Park, is the series of tours that run all day both days.

Each of the four tours will depart from the American Museum of Science and Energy at scheduled times. In addition, the Secret City Scenic Excursion Train will be chugging along during the festival.

Visitors will have a unique opportunity to tour three historic Manhattan Project World War II sites. On Friday, June 13, Y-12 will host tours from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The one-hour tour will include the Y-12 History Center, Building 9731, the Chestnut Ridge Overlook, and Bear Creek Road.

Also on Friday, visitors can take the U.S. Department of Energy Facilities Bus Tour, which is included with a $1 admission to AMSE. This tour includes stops at the Y-12 New Hope Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Graphite Reactor, and a tour around the East Tennessee Technology Park. A separate tour that focuses on the X-10 Graphite Reactor is available at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday.

On Saturday, there will be four opportunities to tour the ORNL Graphite Reactor. All tours will begin at the American Museum of Science and Energy. The Secret City Scenic Excursion Train will be running three tours as well. Departure times for both tours are listed below: [Read more…]

Proton Power named Roane County’s 2014 Industry of the Year

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Industry of the Year: Proton Power

Proton Power was named 2014 Industry of the Year in Roane County. From left to right are Roane County Industrial Board Chair Tommy Thompson, Proton Power Human Resources Manager Sean Hensley, and Wade Creswell, president and CEO of The Roane Alliance. (Photos courtesy of The Roane Alliance)

 

Submitted

HARRIMAN—The annual Roane County Industry Appreciation Breakfast was held at the end of May at Roane State Community College. The Roane County Industrial Board announced this year’s Industry of the Year and Roane Beautification Awards.

The event was sponsored by the Harriman Utility Board and Rockwood Electric Utility.

Thom Mason, director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was the guest speaker, speaking about how the lab wants to be used as a resource to businesses and industry in the state—and especially to Roane County. More than 95 percent of the lab is in Roane County. According to Mason, more than $450 million in products and services were spent by the lab last year, with around 40 percent of that being spent in the state, and much of that from local business and industry.

Mason spoke about specific examples of how ORNL was working with local businesses to help them grow and develop. He encouraged industries in attendance to reach out to them for their help with any challenges they may have.

“ORNL is a research and technology facility,” Mason said. “If we can help business and industry expand and ultimately grow jobs, then we have done our job.”

Proton Power was named 2014 Roane County Industry of the Year, and Volkswagen received the 2014 Roane Beautification Award. [Read more…]

Two caught carrying stolen items in Marlow burglary, sheriff says

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Marcus Dewayne Bowling

Marcus Dewayne Bowling

Two people were arrested Tuesday evening after a sheriff’s deputy caught them carrying stolen items from a Marlow home where a burglary-in-progress had been reported, authorities said.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the home on Binkley Acres Lane near Oliver Springs at about 8:42 p.m. Tuesday. The homeowner was contacted by a neighbor who saw a strange car in the driveway, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said. The owner went to the home and saw the vehicle parked at the gate near the entrance to his driveway.

“Upon checking his property, he observed two persons inside the home,” White said. “The homeowner called 911 and deputies responded.” [Read more…]

Arrest made in Louisiana in gang-related attempted murder

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Crystal Lynnette McGuire

Crystal Lynnette McGuire

Crystal Lynnette McGuire, who was wanted in connection with a gang-related attempted murder in Claxton in December, was arrested without incident in Louisiana on Wednesday by the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Department, authorities said.

“Our investigators were in contact with Louisiana authorities throughout the day after learning McGuire may have been in that area,” Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said. “She was located and arrested earlier this afternoon by sheriff’s deputies in Sabine County.”

The Sheriff’s Department said it does not have information about McGuire’s extradition or when she may be brought back to Anderson County.

“It may be several days before all the paperwork will be completed for this to occur,” Lucas said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge: 4,000 lose power, 70 homes damaged

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Wadsworth Circle Home Tree

One of two trees that fell on a home on West Wadsworth Circle. The second tree, visible on the ground in the background, punched a hole in the roof and displaced a mother, grandmother, and two children.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:40 p.m.

Roughly 4,000 customers lost power in the Tuesday evening storm, and about 70 damaged homes will require repairs by an electrician before power can be restored, an Oak Ridge official said Wednesday morning.

Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said he doesn’t recall ever having 70 homes damaged in one storm, although the Electric Department has experienced worse storms when many utility poles were broken. But the brief, fierce Tuesday storm, which brought severe winds and driving rain, was significant in terms of its damage to homes and its far-reaching nature, from Blair Road on the west end of town to east Oak Ridge and beyond—into Clinton and Anderson County, Suggs said.

“It was pretty widespread,” Suggs said.

Janet Bowker on Plymouth Circle and Storm Debris

Janet Bowker, left, walks through debris on Plymouth Circle in front of her home, where a tree fell into her bedroom during the Tuesday evening storm. Her home is at right but not visible in this picture. There were no injuries, but Bowker does not have power now.

 

The storm, which ripped through Oak Ridge at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, left a trail of debris: scattered branches and limbs, broken trees, fallen power lines, and damaged buildings and homes. It also triggered a flood of calls to the city’s 911 call dispatch center.

About 500 customers remained without power around noon Wednesday, including the 70 damaged homes. [Read more…]