Oak Ridge Today

Top 12 ways to have fun at the 12th Annual Secret City Festival

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Secret City Festival Logo

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  1. Start planning now for two days of activities to celebrate more than 70 years of Oak Ridge’s history. From 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 13, until the concerts are over, there is something for everyone.
  2. Remember there is no parking onsite at the festival! Plan to park at the City Center and take a free shuttle over to the festival. For a map of available parking near the Secret City Festival, visit http://www.secretcityfestival.com/festival-411/parking/.
  3. Be sure to visit the Secret City Festival website (www.secretcityfestival.com) to plan your weekend. You will find all event information, tour schedules, and concert information here.
  4. Concerts are festival seating—don’t forget your lawn chairs for the best views and most comfortable seating. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. each evening to claim your seat. [Read more…]

Obituary: Amos Joshua Van Hall

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Amos Joshua Van Hall

Amos Joshua Van Hall

Amos Joshua Van Hall, age 38, of Oak Ridge, died Monday, May 12, in Ten Mile, Tenn.

He was born June 21, 1975, in Saratoga Springs, New York. Amos graduated from the New York Military Academy in Cornwall, N.Y. He served with the U.S. Army from 1994-2003 as a military police officer. Prior to moving to Tennessee to work at B&W Y-12, he worked as a police officer in Gainesville, Fla. He had worked in security at Y-12 for the past 10 years. He and his wife and children also owned and operated a Crossfit Gym.

Amos and his family attended Ridgepoint Church. He enjoyed hiking and participating in triathlons. [Read more…]

Honors: Free Medical Clinic founder honored at surprise reception

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Free Medical Clinic Founder Honored

John Auxier, left, is welcomed by FMCOR Co-Medical Director Dr. Jim Michel at a surprise reception held in his honor. (Submitted photo)

 

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While the waiting room often gets crowed at the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge (FMCOR), it was packed to capacity on a recent Sunday afternoon. People huddled together not to see a doctor, but to surprise the person whose efforts led to the clinic’s opening nearly four and a half years ago.

John and Mary Lou Auxier arrived at the clinic with John’s sister for a pre-arranged tour by Executive Director Teresa Brittain. Instead, John was surprised by more than 60 friends, colleagues, and clinic volunteers who gathered for a reception to honor him for turning his dream into a reality, a free clinic that provides basic medical care to the uninsured or to those who can’t afford to pay for medical care. Since opening, more than 3,500 residents of people who reside in Anderson, Roane, or Morgan counties have received care in more than 15,000 visits. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Community Band/Wind Ensemble has ‘New Millennium’ Concert

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The Oak Ridge Community Band has a “New Millennium” Concert this afternoon (Sunday afternoon).

It’s the last concert of the 2013-2014 subscription series before the outdoor concert season begins on Memorial Day, a press release said. Today’s concert starts at 3:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center.

Sunday’s concert promises to be both exciting and entertaining, a press release said. Special guests are members of the Oliver Springs High School Band and their director Tim Michaels, who is a current Community Band member. The OSHS band will perform two numbers, and Michaels will be soloist as he plays “Ode To Trumpet” accompanied by the Community Band. [Read more…]

Pets: Cat sale on Friday, Saturday

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Pet of the Day: SteeleSubmitted

Oh my, we are so excited, we can hardly stand it…you are finally coming this weekend to take us home with you forever! It will be sleepless nights until Friday and Saturday get here. We wonder who you are, who will pick me, or me, or me.

They are telling us here at the shelter to just hang on a couple more days…that our mommys and daddys and brothers and sisters are coming to take us home. We have waited a long time to see you, love you, and be your playmate and cuddle bug. The staff and volunteers are really scrambling to get us ready to go, but there is such excitement in the air now. $75 to get us out the door…wow…we are worth every bit!

So tell all your friends and share, share, share far and wide. P.S. Even our foster brothers and sisters are coming to visit us on Saturday, so it will be a big party here. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society has plant sale April 11, 12

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UT Arboretum Society Plant Sale

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society plant sale is Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, at the UT Arboretum on South Illinois Avenue. (Submitted photo)

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For those gardeners looking to replace landscape plants that have shown a poor tolerance for this past winter’s sustained low temperatures and damaging winds, the University of Tennessee Arboretum Society’s 47th annual Spring Plant Sale will present the best of four local nurseries in one location on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, at the UT Arboretum, 901. S Illinois Avenue (Highway 62) in Oak Ridge.

Hours for the sale on Saturday, April 12, are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Friday, April 11, sale is for members only from 5 to 7:00 p.m. Memberships may be purchased at that time for this “early bird” shopping opportunity at $15 for students, $30 for individuals, and $45 for families. [Read more…]

MMC Foundation welcomes new board members, staff

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Methodist Medical Center Foundation Board Members

The Methodist Medical Center Foundation welcomed four new members to its volunteer board of directors. Pictured from left are Bob Wilkinson, Dr. Lawrence
Maccree, Leigha Edwards, and Bruce Borchers. (Photos courtesy Methodist Medical Center)

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Four leaders from the Oak Ridge community have volunteered to give their time and expertise as members of the Methodist Medical Center Foundation board of directors. Joining the board this month are Bruce Borchers, Leigha Edwards, Dr. Lawrence Maccree, and Bob Wilkinson.

Bruce Borchers came to Oak Ridge in 2013 to serve as superintendent of the Oak Ridge Schools. Borchers is a life-long educator. His teaching and administrative career has taken him to positions in Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri. Borchers earned his doctorate at the University of Minnesota and also holds master’s degrees from Wayne State College and the University of South Dakota. He also serves on the board of directors for the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Oak Ridge Rotary Club. Borchers and his wife Shannon have two teenaged sons. [Read more…]

UT Arboretum Society presents stormwater management lecture Tuesday

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The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will present “The SMART Approach to Stormwater Management” on Tuesday at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge. The lecture starts at 7 p.m.

Daniel Yoder, professor of biosystems engineering and soil science at the University of Tennessee, will present the program. A specialist in soil and water engineering, Yoder earned his undergraduate and doctorate degrees at Purdue University. His responsibilities and expertise include surface hydrology, erosion control, water quality, and hydrologic monitoring. [Read more…]

Environmentalists, others to challenge Fleischmann, Duncan on global warming

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Volunteers have organized two press conferences today (Thursday) to challenge Tennessee congressmen John Duncan and Chuck Fleischmann to accept and then work to stop human-caused climate change, a press release said.

The first press conference is at 11 a.m. Thursday at Duncan’s Knoxville office at the Howard H. Baker Jr. U.S. Courthouse. The second is at 2 p.m. in front of the Bull Run Fossil Plant in Claxton.

The press release said the press conferences will include prominent business people, clergy, a fossil fuel technologist, a child advocate, environmentalists, educators, and students. [Read more…]

Living Water Christian Fellowship moves, has guest speaker Sunday

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Tony Slay, Amy and Rachel

Living Water Christian Fellowship of Oak Ridge has moved. Their new location is the Iris Room at ORAU’s Pollard Conference Center.

J. Tony Slay of Jacksboro, Tenn., will be their guest speaker this Sunday, Jan. 19. His daughters Amy and Rachel will lead worship.

Slay is founder and chief executive officer of Ministry International Inc. and of Ministry International Institute. MII is a helps and resource ministry for ministers of Jesus Christ from every background. Slay is bishop to more than 350 ministers in the United States, and he has trained and equipped thousands of ministers around the world, a press release said. [Read more…]

Grace Lutheran has Reach Out Music Festival on Sunday

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Ridge City Ramblers

Members of the Ridge City Ramblers, who will play at the Reach Out Music Festival at Grace Lutheran Church on Sunday, are, from left, Gary Coleman, Mary Tuskan, Scott Linn, Abbie Hoerner, Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and Steve Reddick. (File photo/submitted)

Grace Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge has its 8th annual Reach Out Music Festival on Sunday.

The community is invited to enjoy the 3 p.m. concert at the church, which is located at 131 West Gettysburg Ave., a press release said. The festival will feature local bluegrass and Americana group, the Ridge City Ramblers, who have been picking together since 2010.

Two choirs will also be performing: Grace Lutheran under the direction of Paula Smith, and Church of the Resurrection under the direction of Ruben Weaver. Audience participation is encouraged, but not required, the release said. [Read more…]

Mall TIF could be worth $13 million, last 20 years

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Oak Ridge Mall Concept Plan Featured

The proposed tax financing agreement to help redevelop the Oak Ridge Mall could be worth up to $13 million and last 20 years, and when complete, the 60-acre site in the center of the city could include a mix of mostly retail and some office space, a hotel, and up to 50 multi-family residential units.

The proposed tax financing agreement to help redevelop the Oak Ridge Mall could be worth $13 million and last 20 years, and when complete, the 60-acre project in the center of the city could include a mix of mostly retail and some office space, a hotel, and up to 50 multi-family residential units.

The developer, C4 Investments LLC of North Carolina, could spend more than $85 million converting what is now a mostly empty enclosed mall into an open-air, retail-driven, mixed-use property.

The redevelopment plan calls for about 400,000 square feet of retail space and roughly 60,000 to 100,000 square feet of office space, according to an economic impact plan to be discussed at a public hearing at 5 p.m. today (Thursday) and considered during a special meeting of the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board. [Read more…]