Oak Ridge Today

Corker calls for air strikes in Syria after possible chemical attacks

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U.S. Senator Bob Corker

Bob Corker

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker on Monday said he would support a decision by the president to engage in surgical strikes against the Syrian government given the evidence of the Assad regime’s continued use of chemical weapons, a press release said.

However, he cautioned against any further involvement beyond supporting “vetted, moderate members of the Syrian opposition,” the release said. The senator urged the Obama administration to eventually seek congressional authorization for any use of military force in Syria.

Corker is a Tennessee Republican and ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee. [Read more…]

New coach hired at Oak Ridge Rowing Association

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Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose has been hired as the new head coach and director of rowing at the Oak Ridge Rowing Association.

“We were absolutely blown away by the quality of the applicants,” said ORRA President Bob Franks. “Even with such great applicants, Marc was clearly the person for the job.”

DeRose comes to Oak Ridge from the University of Central Florida, where he has served as assistant coach of women’s rowing. His resume includes coaching the 2011 Canadian National Champion in men’s eight at St. George’s School in Vancouver, British Columbia. [Read more…]

Council to discuss utility rates, consider pedestrian safety

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Oak Ridge City Council

The Oak Ridge City Council will discuss a utility rate review and consider more than $500,000 worth of projects to improve pedestrian safety during a work session and special meeting tonight. (File photo)

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider pedestrian safety projects valued at more than $500,000 and a $175,000 contract with the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce during a special meeting at 8 p.m. today (Monday).

That meeting will follow a non-voting work session that starts at 7 p.m. During the work session, Council will discuss a proposal to a build a storm water holding tank along Emory Valley Road on land that could be donated by Anderson County, hear a presentation on the purchasing and financing of three replacement fire engines, and discuss a utility rate review by Chris Mitchell of Management Consultants LLC. [Read more…]

Girl on bike hit by car, now in stable condition at UT, authorities say

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Note: This story was updated at 1:50 p.m.

A nine-year-old girl who was riding a bicycle when she was hit by a car on Highland Avenue on Sunday night is in stable condition at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, authorities said.

The girl was struck at about 5:38 p.m. near Hillside Drive, according to a Monday morning news release from the Oak Ridge Police Department. The car was a 2002 black Lexus driven by Roy Kirk, 67, of South Hollywood Circle in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

First Wildcat Day for all sports draws players, fans, Coach Gaddis

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Oak Ridge High School Wildband at Wildcat Day

Members of the Oak Ridge High School Band play at the opening of a Wildcat Day pep rally at the Ben Martin field on Saturday.

Enthusiastic fans and players flocked to Oak Ridge High School on Saturday for a first-of-its-kind pep rally that incorporated all sports and featured a football coach that helped the Wildcats win their last state championship and is leading the team once more.

The pep rally was part of what had officially been proclaimed Wildcat Day by the Oak Ridge City Council. The rally featured short cheerleader routines, music by members of the Oak Ridge High School Band, short speeches from city and school officials, an introduction to the ORHS Wildcats football team and coaches, and fireworks. [Read more…]

CAK takes lead over Robertsville in double overtime

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Robertsville Middle School Rams Play CAK

The Robertsville Middle School Rams lost 18-12 in double overtime Thursday to Christian Academy of Knoxville at Ben Martin Field.

The Robertsville Middle School Rams lost 18-12 in double overtime Thursday to Christian Academy of Knoxville.

The Rams are now 1-1. They beat Webb 22-18 on Aug. 8 and play Wartburg this week at Blankenship Field in Oak Ridge, Coach Chris Layton said.

This past Thursday’s football game had been moved to Ben Martin Field, the Oak Ridge High School practice field, because of field conditions at CAK, where the game had originally been scheduled to be played.

New manager announced at Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Roane County

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Amber Wyrick

Amber Wyrick

Y-12 Federal Credit Union recently announced that Amber Wyrick has been named branch manager of the Roane County Branch, located at 1715 Roane State Highway in Harriman.

Wyrick has worked at the Roane County Branch for more than 12 years, a press release said. She started as a teller and also held the positions of head teller and assistant branch manager before being promoted to branch manager. [Read more…]

IIa pledges $5,000 to Education Foundation grants program

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IIa and ORPSEF Grant

Bonnie Carroll, left, Information International Associates CEO and owner, and Kelly Callison, right, IIa chief operating officer, present Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation Executive Director Lila Metcalf with a check for $1,000 for the “Making the Critical Difference Campaign.” (Submitted photo)

Information International Associates Inc., or IIa, has pledged $5,000 to the “Making the Critical Difference” campaign conducted by the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation. Bonnie Carroll, IIa chief executive officer and founder, and Kelly Callison, the company’s chief operating officer, recently presented the foundation with a $1,000 annual payment toward the pledge.

The Education Foundation is conducting the campaign to raise $500,000 for grant awards to teachers throughout the Oak Ridge schools, aiming to present $100,000 in grants each year for five years. The Foundation’s board believes that these grants have a strong supporting role in sustaining the tradition of excellence in Oak Ridge schools, as well as rewarding teachers for innovative ideas. [Read more…]

Roane County takes green to a new level

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TVA Sustainable Community Silver Seal

Roane County has been designated as a Valley Sustainable Silver Community by the Tennessee Valley Authority through a program initiated by their Economic Development department to help communities improve existing sustainability programs and increase their ability to attract new investment in their community.

Roane County recently completed the TVA-sponsored program, which was developed and administered by consultant Boyette Strategic Advisors. The program documents a community’s assets to increase the likelihood that it will be viewed as progressive and competitive by companies looking to invest in new or expanded locations. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge fire officers receive national accreditation

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Darryl Kerley

Darryl Kerley

Josh Waldo

Josh Waldo

The Center for Public Safety Excellence recognized four officers of the Oak Ridge Fire Department for their national accreditation at the Fire Rescue International Conference-CPSE annual Accreditation banquet in Chicago this month.

Fire Chief Darryl Kerley and Assistant Fire Chief Josh Waldo have been approved for the designation of chief fire officer. Kerley has held the designation of chief fire officer, or CFO, since 2004 and was notified that his designation has been renewed. He is required to renew his CFO designation every three years and submit a package outlining his career progress for the past three years to ensure he is continuing to work toward professional excellence through continued education, training, and community service. [Read more…]

Clinton Library has workshops on Affordable Care Act

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The Clinton Public Library is hosting a pair of workshops on the Affordable Care Act.

Presented by local insurance agent David Vudragovich, it’s designed to answer questions about the controversial health care legislation, which became law in 2010. [Read more…]

Civil War books author to speak at ORICL kickoff Sunday

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Earl J. Hess

Earl J. Hess

A leading author of Civil War history books who was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize 11 years ago will speak here this month at the Fall Kickoff of the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning.

The free kickoff will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Pollard Auditorium. Fall catalogs of ORICL courses and trips, as well as refreshments, will be available.

At 4 p.m. Earl J. Hess, Stewart W. McClelland Chair in History at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, will speak on “Appalachia as Seen by Union and Confederate Soldiers during the Civil War.” [Read more…]