Oak Ridge Today

Guest column: The last insult

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By Joan Berry and District Attorney General Dave Clark

The law in Tennessee has recently changed in a way that insults the memory of murder victims. Not a single photo of a victim prior to their murder is allowed to be shown during their killer’s trial. This problem needs to be solved, and voters can help.

Sadly, the gruesome photos of a corpse are the only presence homicide victims are granted during a trial. The defendant is allowed to be present and to be “cleaned up” and “dressed up” for the jury; but no picture of the victim can be presented.

For decades, it was a common practice for prosecutors to introduce into evidence a reasonable likeness of the victim prior to their murder in addition to crime scene photos. However, due to recent high-court rulings, trial judges now do not allow the practice for fear of having a verdict overturned. [Read more…]

Education Foundation grants support robotics, Lego learning projects

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Jefferson Middle School Master Builders

Two members of the Jefferson Middle School Master Builders team are preparing their robot to solve missions at a FIRST Lego League mission table. (Photo by Yvonne Dalschen)

 

At Linden Elementary School, Lisa Buckner’s third-graders are building robots and Lego floats representing continents in a months-long project aimed at engaging them in learning, problem solving, and creative and critical thinking.

The 38 members of Oak Ridge High School’s Secret City Robotics team are solving real-world problems as they build and program a 120-pound robot to enter FIRST Robotics Competitions as an extra-curricular activity.

Teachers view robots and Lego sets as tools giving Oak Ridge students opportunities to collaborate, design, build, and solve problems as they learn engineering, science, and technology skills, both inside and outside the classroom.

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation supported these activities with $18,700 in grants last year to teachers at the Oak Ridge High School, Jefferson and Robertsville middle schools, and Linden Elementary School. The grants included a UT-Battelle donation of $10,000 directed to FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Lego League teams, all extra-curricular programs at the high school and middle schools. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools nurse named Tennessee School Nurse Administrator of the Year

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Betsy Jernigan

Betsy Jernigan

Betsy Jernigan of Oak Ridge Schools has been named the Tennessee School Nurse Administrator of the Year.

This honor is awarded annually by the membership of the Tennessee Association of School Nurses, or TASN, to the school nurse administrator who demonstrates excellence in her field, based on the American Nurses Association Scope and Standards for Nurse Administrators, a press release said.

Jernigan (BSN, RN) began her nursing career as a hospital nurse after graduating with a diploma in nursing from East Tennessee Baptist Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee.

After she obtained her BSN from the University of Tennessee, she was offered a part-time position as a school nurse with Oak Ridge Schools, the press release said. She worked as a school nurse for eight years and then was promoted to nurse coordinator as additional nurses were hired. Jernigan served on a state committee to update the state health guidelines for schools. [Read more…]

Robertsville Middle competes at Technology Student Association Regional Conference

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RMS TSA Group

The Robertsville Technology Student Association, or TSA, had an outstanding showing at the Regional Conference held in Knoxville on Saturday, January 24. (Submitted photo)

 

The Robertsville Technology Student Association, or TSA, had an outstanding showing at the Regional Conference held in Knoxville on Saturday, January 24. Middle schools and high schools from across the upper east region participated at the conference, a press release said.

Robertsville Middle School TSA members competed in 12 events, and they brought home 11 trophies. The following RMS students placed in their events: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Schools’ 2020 Planning Committee meets Friday

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Oak Ridge Schools Logo

The Oak Ridge Schools’ 2020 Planning Committee will meet again on Friday, March 27, at 9 a.m. at the School Administration Building.

Oak Ridge Schools is committed to providing its students many opportunities and experiences through which to become aware of, explore, and plan for college and career, a press release said. In order to define its focus over the next five years, school officials and others are creating a five-year plan to be delivered to the Oak Ridge Board of Education for consideration.

Representatives from the business and industry community, parents, students, school staff, and board members have been selected to have an opportunity to provide input and serve on this committee, the press release said. [Read more…]

Anderson Chamber hosts business planning seminar on April 7

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Anderson County Chamber of Commerce

The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center will host a free workshop for potential and existing small business owners and entrepreneurs who want a better understanding of the business planning process.

The TSBDC advises and assists entrepreneurs and small business owners in our area at no cost to them.

This free seminar will be held on Tuesday, April 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce office at 245 North Main Street, Suite 200, in Clinton. It will feature Jutta Bangs, director of the TSBDC center at Roane State Community College. [Read more…]

Fire damages home on Old Harriman Highway

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Old Harriman Highway Fire

A fire early Sunday morning damaged a home on Old Harriman Highway in Roane County. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

A fire caused heavy damage to a large, one-story house on Old Harriman Highway early Sunday morning.

The fire was reported at 883 Old Harriman Highway at 3:40 a.m. Sunday, March 22.

The house was in the Blair Fire Department’s district. The Oliver Springs Fire Department, the Midtown Fire Department, and the Roane County Office of Emergency Services responded with a total of seven engine/tankers and two rescue units. The Anderson County Emergency Services sent a medic unit, and a Harriman Utilities Board crew cut the power to the house, which was heavily damaged, fire photographer Tom Scott said. [Read more…]

Let the games begin: In It to Win It fundraiser gets test run

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MMC In It to Win It Tic Tac Challenge

In It to Win It Game Master and Assistant Superintendant of Oak Ridge Schools Chris Marczak shakes things up as he attempts to empty the mint containers without using his hands. (Photo by MMC)

 

The Methodist Medical Center Foundation’s fun, new event—“In It to Win It”—is just a week away, but Tic Tacs and rubber bands were already flying when the Games Committee, led by Oak Ridge Schools Assistant Superintendant Chris Marczak, did a test run on Wednesday.

“In It to Win It” features 60-second party games, which take ordinary objects and turn them into challenges between you and your fellow guests. Bring your best sense of balance, coordination, aim, and humor for these creative challenges. [Read more…]

ORNL, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics cooperate on salt-cooled reactors

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ORNL and SINAP Salt-cooled Test Reactors

Representatives from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP) met at ORNL to discuss plans for building a salt-cooled test reactor. Pictured in front of ORNL’s molten salt test loop are (from left) David Felde, ORNL; Yang Zou, SINAP; Guanyuan Wu, SINAP; Xiaohan Yu, SINAP; Naxiu Wan, SINAP; Zhimin Dai, SINAP; David Holcomb, ORNL; Kun Chen, SINAP; Kevin Robb, ORNL; Mike Laufer, University of California at Berkeley; Guimin Liu, SINAP; and Weiju Ren, ORNL. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

Representatives from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics met at ORNL last week as part of an agreement between the two institutions to work together on the advancement of salt-cooled nuclear reactor technologies.

At the meeting, SINAP staff members were expected to describe their plans for building the first salt-cooled test reactor, and the two sides began planning the next steps in the shared research project.

The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, or CRADA, between ORNL and SINAP focuses on accelerating scientific understanding and technical development of salt-cooled reactors, specifically fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors, or FHRs. The project will draw on ORNL’s expertise in fuels, materials, instrumentation and controls, design concepts, and modeling and simulation for advanced reactors, as well as the lab’s experience in the design, construction and operation of the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment, the only molten salt reactor ever built. [Read more…]

Public meeting on Kingston coal ash natural resource damage restoration, compensation plan

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TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Dike C Reinforcement

Photo courtesy TVA

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Tennessee Valley Authority are releasing the TVA Kingston Fossil Plant Coal Ash Release Natural Resource Damage Assessment—Restoration and Compensation Determination Plan for public review during a public meeting on Thursday, April 9.

A copy of the document is available online at http://www.tva.com/kingston/ and http://www.tn.gov/environment/kingston.

Who: Representatives from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Tennessee Valley Authority [Read more…]

Altrusa to award scholarships for women

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Altrusa Scholarships

Altrusa International of Oak Ridge is offering scholarships starting at $1,000 to deserving women to support their pursuit of education and/or training, a press release said.

The Sarah Ketron Scholarship is intended for women who are non-traditional students and have interrupted their studies for work or family obligations and are returning to school to complete their education. It is named in honor of the late Sarah Ketron, Altrusa president in 1973-74. She was for many years a school counselor in Oak Ridge as well as a community leader and volunteer.

The Altrusa Scholarship is available for women who are continuing their education, post-high school, at an institution of higher learning, such as a university, community college, or technical college, the release said. [Read more…]

UCOR accepting proposals for new education mini-grant program

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UCOR Logo

UCOR, the federal government’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, is accepting proposals from area schools for educational grants with a specific goal of enabling new instructional methods in science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM.

UCOR is a partnership between URS and CH2M Oak Ridge LLC.

The UCOR Education Mini-Grants will be awarded directly to teachers and schools for specific projects. All teachers are welcome to apply, but proposals should focus on STEM projects. For instance, a music teacher might apply for a grant for a math-related project within the field of music.

Schools in Roane, Anderson, Loudon, Knox, and Morgan counties are eligible to submit proposals. [Read more…]