Oak Ridge Today

Property values decreasing, some Oak Ridge homes selling for much less than appraised values, county board says

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Anderson County Aerial View

An aerial view of Anderson County north of Oak Ridge.

Anderson County property values are decreasing to less than about 85 percent of their appraised values, and Oak Ridge appears to have several types of property that are selling for much less than their state appraisals, including older, low-priced homes and high-priced, high-quality homes, officials said.

All land tracts in the county also appear to be selling for much less than their state appraisals, the Anderson County Board of Equalization told Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and county commissioners in a July 15 letter.

The board said the Oak Ridge properties selling for much less than their appraised values include low-priced homes built during the Manhattan Project era in World War II and high-priced, high-quality homes that are now unaffordable for most working-class employees. The Oak Ridge properties, as well as land tracts in Anderson County, appear to be selling at about 70 to 85 percent of the state appraised values. [Read more…]

Nazarewicz, Sumpter, Wullschleger named UT-Battelle Corporate Fellows

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UT-Battelle Corporate Fellows

From left are Witold Nazarewicz, Bobby Sumpter, and Stan Wullschleger. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

Witold Nazarewicz, Bobby Sumpter, and Stan Wullschleger of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been selected as 2013 UT-Battelle Corporate Fellows.

The rank of corporate fellow—among the lab’s highest honors—recognizes the researchers’ significant accomplishments and continuing leadership in their scientific, engineering, and technological fields. The addition of Nazarewicz, Sumpter and Wullschleger brings the number of active corporate fellows at ORNL to 33 researchers. [Read more…]

Cub Scouts, Elks collect donated items to help Oklahoma tornado victims

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Moore, Oklahoma, Tornado Damage

Members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 63rd Civil Support Team conduct search and rescue operations in response to the EF-5 tornado that ripped through the center of Moore, Okla., on May 20. (Photo by The National Guard/Used under a Creative Commons license)

Since the tragic storms that struck Moore, Okla., on May 20, the Cub Scout Pack 226 of Linden Elementary School and Oak Ridge Elks Lodge #1684 have begun a donation drive to aid victims of deadly tornadoes.

“A generous donation from EnergySolutions of Oak Ridge has put us well on our way,” a press release said.

The Oak Ridge Elks Lodge has offered their facility at 684 Emory Valley Road as a donation center for anyone that wishes to help the community fill a truck with the relief items for the victims of these deadly tornadoes, the press release said. The Cub Scouts will be assembling “comfort kits” for donation to the American Red Cross. These kits contain hygiene items, toothbrush, comb, razor, soap, and other items to give to disaster victims as first-need items. [Read more…]

Public meeting next month, construction next year on Jackson Square project

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Jackson Square Grant Ceremony

Gov. Bill Haslam, fourth from left, joins local residents re-creating a famous “War Ends” photograph in Jackson Square, but this time with an $800,000 state check for parking lots, sidewalks, benches, and bicycle racks. (File photo June 2012)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam visited Oak Ridge about one year ago to announce that a state grant valued at roughly $800,000 had been awarded to the city to help revitalize Jackson Square, focusing on parking, lighting, landscaping, and benches.

Next month, Oak Ridge officials will have an open house to present three conceptual drawings for the project, which is in the city’s original town center. The public meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation Enhancement Grant awarded last year is to be used for the project’s first phase, which includes renovating the Jackson Square parking lot by adding handicapped parking and access, pedestrian lighting and circulation, landscaping and event enhancements, and bicycle racks and benches, a city press release said. [Read more…]

ORNL’s Croft elected fellow of the Institute of Physics

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Stephen Croft

Stephen Croft

Stephen Croft of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been elected fellow of the Institute of Physics.

He was selected for his achievements in physics and outstanding contributions to the physics profession.

Croft works in ORNL’s Nuclear Security and Isotope Technology Division. [Read more…]

Roane County Chamber names new board chair, members

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Chris Ahler

Chris Ahler

KINGSTON—The chair of the Roane County Chamber of Commerce board for the 2013-2014 year is Chris Ahler, who owns his own investment management business in Harriman.

Ahler took over July 1 from outgoing board chair Kenyon Mee, the facility manager of Diversified Scientific Services, a subsidiary of Perma-Fix Environmental Services.

“Our Chamber board this year is one of the strongest in recent memory. It brings youth and experience all at the same time to a board that already boasts a virtual ‘Who’s Who’ of Roane County business and community leaders,” Chamber President Leslie Henderson said. “I am so pleased and gratified that all of these folks have agreed to serve (or continue to serve) our Chamber membership and our community in this way.” [Read more…]

Picture: Rep. Jim Cooper tours ORNL

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U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper Visits ORNL

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Thom Mason, left, and Johnny Moore, center, site office manager for the U.S. Department of Energy, escort U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, a Democrat from Tennessee’s Fifth District, on a tour of ORNL. (ORNL/Genevieve Martin)

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, a Nashville Democrat from Tennessee’s Fifth Congressional District, toured Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Saturday.

Cooper was joined by his Chief of Staff Lisa Quigley as well as Helen Hardin. The group also spent time at the Y-12 National Security Complex before visiting the laboratory.

While at the lab, ORNL Director Thom Mason and Johnny Moore, site office manager for the U.S. Department of Energy, escorted the congressman on a driving tour of campus followed by a tour of the $1.4 billion Spallation Neutron Source. They later joined ORNL Associate Lab Director for Global Security Brent Park for discussions on the lab’s national security programs, the lab said in a statement. [Read more…]

Pictures: Black bear in Solway on Sunday

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A black bear at a bird feeder on Lullaby Lane in Solway on Sunday night. (Photos courtesy Kayla Driscoll Boone)

A black bear at a bird feeder on Lullaby Lane in Solway on Sunday night. (Photos courtesy Kayla Boone)

In addition to the black bear in Oak Ridge on Monday, there was also a bear in Solway on Sunday night. It’s not clear if it was the same bear.

The bear in Solway on Sunday was seen on Lullaby Lane, including at a bird feeder at about 7 p.m.

There were many sightings of a bear in the Woodland neighborhood on Monday. It was at The Manhattan Apartments on Rutgers Avenue at about 10:30 a.m. Monday. [Read more…]

ORCMA elects officers, appoints board members

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Carmen DeLong and Carol Plasil

Carmen DeLong, left, and Carol Plasil were recently appointed to the board of the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Civic Music Association recently elected new officers and appointed four new board members to its organization, a press release said.

New officers are Audrey Stelson and Syd Ball, co-presidents; Richard Ward, vice president; John Gunning, treasurer; and Jerry Eddlemon, secretary.

Board members added to the organization include Carmen DeLong, Carol Plasil, Alicia Randisi-Hooker, and Mary Childress. [Read more…]

ETTP water tower to be demolished in August

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ETTP Water Tower

The water tower, the tallest structure at the East Tennessee Technology Park, will be demolished in early August. It’s been part of the skyline at the former K-25 site for more than 50 years. (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Energy/Oak Ridge Office)

The water tower, the tallest structure at the East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge, will be demolished in early August, officials said.

The checkerboard water tower has been part of the skyline at ETTP, the former K-25 site, for more than 50 years.

The 382-foot-tall structure is officially called the K-1206-F Fire Water Tower, and it has a capacity of 400,000 gallons. It serviced the site’s fire protection system until a few weeks ago. The structure has become deteriorated over the years, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office said in the August issue of “Public Involvement News.”

“The tower will be brought down through a controlled explosive demolition by UCOR and its subcontracting partners—Veterans Contracting Solutions LLC and Controlled Demolition Inc.,” DOE said. [Read more…]

DOE prepares to ‘recompete’ TRU Waste Processing Center contract

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Transuranic Waste Processing Center

The Transuranic Waste Processing Center is in west Oak Ridge, south of Bethel Valley Road off Highway 95. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy/Oak Ridge Office)

The U.S. Department of Energy is preparing to “recompete” the contract to manage the Transuranic Waste Processing Center off Highway 95 in west Oak Ridge.

The facility is currently managed by a contractor, Wastren Advantage Inc., and the work is overseen by officials at DOE’s Oak Ridge Office.

DOE has issued a “sources sought notice” to begin performing market research to gauge whether there are small businesses capable of performing the work, the Oak Ridge Office said in the August issue of “Public Involvement News.” [Read more…]

Black bear in Oak Ridge

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Black Bear in Tree

A black bear is in a tree at Northwestern and Rutgers avenues in Oak Ridge on Monday morning. (Photos by Todd Baker)

A black bear was at an apartment complex at about 10:30 a.m. Monday at Northwestern and Rutgers avenues in Oak Ridge.

The bear was seen at The Manhattan Apartments on Rutgers Avenue and also in a tree. There were several other sightings of the bear throughout the day.

There were several reports of bears in Oak Ridge in May and June last year, and at least two were trapped, one on East Drive and the other at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. There were also reports of bears crossing through Woodland one year ago, a mother and cub spotted west of the Y-12 National Security Complex, and a bear reported in yards on Orchard Circle and Oglethorpe Place. [Read more…]