Oak Ridge Today

Judge Murch will seek re-election

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Ron Murch

Ron Murch

Judge Ron Murch has announced he is running for re-election as General Sessions Court judge for Division II, a press release said. Murch has served in the office since 1993.

After graduating from the University Of Tennessee School Of Law in 1976, he was in the private practice of law and was an attorney with the City of Oak Ridge for 17 years until becoming a judge, the release said.

Murch has been a member of the Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference and has served on the conference’s Education Committee since going on the bench. That committee is responsible for setting the continuing education agenda for all general sessions court judges during their annual conferences. [Read more…]

Clinton police contribute to arrests on federal charges after Burger King robbery

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Two Lenoir City residents face federal charges for their roles in a Jan. 30 robbery of a Burger King in Lenoir City, and the Clinton Police Department contributed to the arrests, federal officials said Thursday.

In a press release, U.S. Attorney William C. Killian said Joshua Hayworth, 23, and Timothy E. Chudley, 35, both of Lenoir City, were charged Feb. 5 with federal Hobbs Act violations for their roles in the January robbery of the Burger King restaurant in Lenoir City.

Chudley was arrested in Knoxville on Feb. 5 without incident, and he appeared in federal court the same day, the press release said. Hayworth was arrested on state charges on Feb. 3 following a series of events which also resulted in federal carjacking charges against Hayworth. He will appear in federal court at a later date. [Read more…]

Armed with bat, Clinton man allegedly threatens to kill Powell man, daughter

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Casey Aaron Massengill

Casey Aaron Massengill

Also arrested on domestic assault charge from October

A Clinton man who was allegedly armed with a baseball bat and threatened to kill a Powell man and his daughter before beating on a car with the bat has been charged with aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, and two counts of vandalism.

Casey Aaron Massengill, 24, of Sinking Springs Road, was also arrested on a charge of domestic assault for allegedly hitting his ex-girlfriend in the face and head and spraying her with pepper spray in October.

The incident involving the alleged aggravated assault and aggravated burglary occurred on Jan. 25 on Bison Lane in Powell in Anderson County. Bison Lane is off Clinton Highway southeast of Edgemoor Road.

The victim reported he was asleep in his bedroom at about 11:16 p.m. Jan. 25 when he heard glass break. He said he found Massengill in his living room with a baseball bat, according to arrest warrants filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court. [Read more…]

Teen charged with aggravated robbery for alleged November holdup

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Treston Ahkeem Blake Lee

Treston Ahkeem Blake Lee

An Oak Ridge teenager has been charged with aggravated robbery for his alleged role in a November stickup on Jonathan Lane.

Treston Blake Lee, 19, of Wakefield Road, was arrested Jan. 26, and he remained jailed in the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton on Thursday afternoon. His bond has been set at $100,000.

An arrest warrant filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court said the alleged robbery occurred at about 7 p.m. Nov. 30 and involved another defendant. Lee had met the victim several times and was allowed to enter the home, Oak Ridge Police Department Detective Bill Weaver said in the warrant.

The second defendant, who is not identified in the warrant, also walked into the home that night and displayed a small-caliber silver handgun, Weaver said. [Read more…]

State: Sprinkler system saves lives in Oak Ridge assisted living fire

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Patriot Park Assisted Living Fire

Firefighters remove water from Patriot Park Assisted Living on Gum Hollow Road after putting out a small bed fire Friday evening. The fire was kept in check by a sprinkler system before Oak Ridge firefighters arrived and extinguished the flames.

An Oak Ridge assisted living center is thankful for its sprinkler system after a fire broke out on the premises Friday, state officials said Wednesday. All residents were safely evacuated and property damage contained to one room because of the sprinkler system.

This news comes at the same time as investigators comb through the fire-devastated ruins of an assisted living community in L’isle Verte, Quebec. where 25 residents lost their lives. The major difference between the two fires is that the assisted living building in Oak Ridge was equipped with a working sprinkler system, a press release said.

“The damage to the building was minimal, and no residents were displaced,” Oak Ridge Fire Department Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said of the Friday evening fire at Patriot Park Assisted Living on Gum Hollow Road. “Without the sprinkler system, we believe the outcome would be very different.” [Read more…]

Lake City to Rocky Top: Bill clears first hurdle

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Lake City Rocky Top Meeting

A standing-room-only crowd assembles to watch the Lake City Council vote 4-0 in November to recommend the town’s name be changed to Rocky Top.

Legislation that could clear the way for Lake City to be rechristened Rocky Top cleared its first hurdle on Tuesday as it was approved by the Tennessee House of Representatives’ Local Government Committee in Nashville.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Ragan of Oak Ridge, is a private act requested by Lake City officials as the first step toward developing Lake City and its two exits off I-75 into a tourist destination.

Developers say that without the name change, the project—which could include a theater, a restaurant, and other amenities—cannot move forward. [Read more…]

Juvenile Judge Fisher taking new job, leaving chancellor’s race

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Brandon FIsher

Brandon Fisher

Anderson County Juvenile Court Judge Brandon Fisher is withdrawing from the race for Anderson County chancellor because he is joining a nonprofit mental health provider in Pennsylvania in September, a press release said.

Fisher will be the assistant general counsel at the national headquarters of NHS Human Services Inc., the release said. The September start will allow him to finish his term, which ends in August.

In the release, Fisher said the decision was difficult. [Read more…]

ORHS staff seizes electronic stun device from 15-year-old student

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Oak Ridge High School

Oak Ridge High School is pictured above.

Note: This story was updated at 8:18 p.m. to correct the age of the student.

Oak Ridge High School staff members seized an electronic stun device from an 15-year-old student in the cafeteria on Tuesday, authorities said.

The ORHS staff notified the Oak Ridge Police Department, which responded, took possession of the device, and interviewed the suspect, a press release said. The student was later released to a guardian.

The student did not threaten anyone with the device, and no injuries were reported, the release said. ORPD is investigating the incident, and charges are pending for the possession of a prohibited weapon on school grounds.

The incident occurred at lunchtime Tuesday.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Information International wins major ORNL IT support contract

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Information International Associates

Pictured above is the headquarters of Information International Associates on Union Valley Road in Oak Ridge.

Information International Associates has won a five-year contract worth up to $24 million to provide information technology support to Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The contract includes a one-year base and four one-year options. IIa will lead a team that includes Science Applications International Corp. and other partners with special capabilities, including Qbase, CADRE5, and EMC2 Corp., a press release said.

The work will include application development, systems administration, cyber security, help desk support, and data center management.

 

[Read more…]

Firehouse Subs Foundation donates equipment to ORFD, Roane County

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Firehouse Subs and Oak Ridge Fire Department Thermal Imaging Camera

Above, representatives of Firehouse Subs present a $10,000 thermal imaging camera to the Oak Ridge Fire Department in January. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Fire Department)

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation recently donated a thermal imaging camera worth more than $10,000 to Oak Ridge Fire Department.

The foundation also donated first-aid kits and six automated external defibrillators, worth a total of more than $10,200, to Roane County Sheriff’s Office.

The equipment was presented in ceremonies at Firehouse Subs in Oak Ridge and Lenoir City.

The thermal imaging camera donated to ORFD will detect body heat and hot spots in burning buildings, allowing firefighters to reach victims quickly and put out deadly fires. [Read more…]

Anderson school system celebrates energy-efficiency project

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Anderson County Schools ESG Groundbreaking

Anderson County officials and ESG representatives celebrate the kickoff of a $9.7 million energy-efficiency project in Anderson County Schools. (Photo courtesy Pam Crawford)

On Friday morning, the Anderson County school system celebrated the kickoff of a $9.7 million energy efficiency project that will make significant improvements to all 17 county schools, all with the aim of improving the learning environment, reducing energy use and, subsequently, the cost of energy across the system.

The Anderson County Commission recently approved a 15-year contract with Energy Systems Group—or ESG—to design and implement a $9.7 million energy efficiency and building modernization project throughout Anderson County Schools. All 17 county schools will receive energy improvements, including upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning—or HVAC—systems and electrical systems as well as energy-efficient lights, water conservation measures, and advanced energy management controls—including sensors that will detect when a room is occupied and adjust heating and lighting automatically, and new suspended ceiling systems. [Read more…]

Officials say little about Monday hearing on Y-12, Pantex contract

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Y-12 National Security Complex

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge is pictured above.

Officials said little about the federal hearing held Monday to discuss the consolidated but contested contract to manage the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas.

The hearing is related to the protest filed by Nuclear Production Partners LLC, or NP2, which has contested the decision to award the contract to Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC of Reston, Va. Originally announced in January 2013, the contract could be worth up to $22.8 billion over a decade.

The hearing had originally been scheduled for Jan. 29, but it was rescheduled. [Read more…]