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AMVETS to kick off 75th celebration with Janelle Arthur concert

Posted at 7:48 am February 18, 2023
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Janelle Arthur

AMVETS of Oak Ridge will celebrate its 75th anniversary in March, and the ceremonies will include a concert by American Idol Top 5 finalist Janelle Arthur of Oliver Springs.

The concert is Friday evening, March 10. The 75th Anniversary and Veterans Appreciation Celebration is Saturday, March 11, at 190 Adams Lane in Oak Ridge.

“To say thank you, veterans and active-duty service members will receive a free gift bag and can register to win other items including an American flag, local gift cards, and Post 2 merchandise during their 75th Anniversary and Veterans Appreciation Celebration,” a press release said.

AMVETS is an organization of veterans serving veterans, the press release said.

“Only a few organizations in Oak Ridge have stood the test of time to remain active for 75 years, which makes the celebration of the AMVETS 75th Anniversary a very special occasion,” the press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Music, Top Stories Tagged With: 75th anniversary, AMVETS, Janelle Arthur, veterans appreciation

ORCMA to celebrate 75 years with concert, reception

Posted at 6:26 pm October 10, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra and Oak Ridge Chorus 2019 (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Civic Music Association will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a gala concert and reception on Sunday, October 20.

The concert and reception are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. October 20, at the Oak Ridge Performing Arts Center at 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The concert will be performed by the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and special guests, Sound Company. Radio personality Melony Dodson will serve as the master of ceremonies.

“We are thrilled, as always, to feature Katy Wolfe and the awesome Sound Company,” said Music Director Dan Allcott. “They put the word ‘future’ in our title.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Music, Top Stories Tagged With: 75th anniversary, concert, James Rome, Katy Wofe, Katy Wolfe, Lisa Muci Eckhoff, Melony Dodson, Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, ORCMA, ORCMA Rock to Bach Music Festival, Seth O'Kegley, Sound Company

Street Painting Festival at Jackson Square will include Ed Westcott Challenge

Posted at 8:26 pm September 26, 2018
By Owen Driskill Leave a Comment

The annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge, is fun for artists of all ages. This year’s festival, which raises funds for Roane State Community College scholarships, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 13, at historic Jackson Square. (Photo courtesy Roane State Community College)

The annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge, is fun for artists of all ages. This year’s festival, which raises funds for Roane State Community College scholarships, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 13, at historic Jackson Square. (Photo courtesy Roane State Community College)

 

In celebration of Oak Ridge’s 75th anniversary, the 19th annual Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival will have two “firsts.”

The October 13 event will be held in historic Jackson Square, and it will offer the first-ever Ed Westcott Challenge for artists interested in chalking a creative interpretation of a famous photograph by Manhattan Project photographer Ed Westcott.

The festival will, as always, offer prizes for artists in each category. But this year, artists in any category can win an all-ages, all-categories bonus prize as part of the Ed Westcott Challenge, a press release said.

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge and a fundraiser for Roane State Community College scholarships, the annual art extravaganza will be held on Saturday, October 13, at historic Jackson Square. Chalking will begin at 8 a.m. Categories are available for all ages, teams, and families. Artist participation is free, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Arts, College, Community, Education, Entertainment, Front Page News, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: 75th anniversary, Ed Westcott, Ed Westcott Challenge, fundraiser, Jackson Square, Leslie England, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Street Painting Festival, Roane State Community College, Rotary Club of Oak Ridge, scholarships, street painting festival, War Ends

Public can tour parts of ORNL, celebrate 75 years on Lab Day (June 9)

Posted at 4:46 pm April 27, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The public will have a chance to tour parts of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and help celebrate the lab's 75th anniversary on Saturday, June 9, 2018. (Photo by ORNL)

The public will have a chance to tour parts of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and help celebrate the lab’s 75th anniversary on Saturday, June 9, 2018. (Photo by ORNL)

 

The public will have a chance to tour parts of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and help celebrate the lab’s 75th anniversary on Saturday, June 9.

The event will include family-friendly activities, tours, demonstrations, and talks, a press release said.

The “75 Years of Science: Lab Day at ORNL” special event will give the public an opportunity to visit world-leading scientific facilities such as the Spallation Neutron Source and the Titan supercomputer, see one of the world’s first nuclear reactors, and interact with research staff, the press release said.

“The pioneering research of ORNL scientists and engineers has played a pivotal role in our nation’s history and continues to shape our future,” ORNL Director Thomas Zacharia said. “We look forward to welcoming the community to celebrate with us as we pursue another 75 years of leadership in science.”

Registration is required to attend the June 9 event. Advance registration for U.S citizens and non-U.S. citizens, ages 6 and up, will open Tuesday, May 1, and close Friday, May 11, at https://75thanniversary.ornl.gov/register/. Space is limited, and registration will close earlier than May 11 if all space is allotted. A limited number of day-of registration spots will be available for U.S. citizens only. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: 75th anniversary, Graphite Reactor, High Flux Isotope Reactor, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Spallation Neutron Source, Titan, tours

Education Foundation has book project to celebrate 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge Schools

Posted at 9:13 am February 15, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is planning to publish a commemorative book to mark the 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge Schools, complete with color photos, stories, and memories as told by teachers and alumni from each class from 1944 to 2018. The book's cover art is by Jim Dodson. (Submitted image)

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is planning to publish a commemorative book to mark the 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge Schools, complete with color photos, stories, and memories as told by teachers and alumni from each class from 1944 to 2018. The book’s cover art is by Jim Dodson. (Submitted image)

 

The Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation is planning a special book project to celebrate the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Oak Ridge Schools.

The book will be a collection of memories as told by teachers and alumni across all classes from 1944-2018. The Foundation has identified people to serve as anchor authors for each of the 75 classes, a press release said. Anchor authors have the option to share their memories, and they will help collect memories from classmates. Each class will submit two to three pages for publication in the book.

“This is a timely project to still be able to tell first-hand stories from the early beginnings and to cross-pollinate and historically savor and preserve the collected experiences from the first 75 years,” said Benita Albert, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation board member. Albert, a retired math teacher, has found it to be very rewarding interviewing alumni and researching stories from the earliest years, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Education, Front Page News, History, K-12 Tagged With: 75th anniversary, Barry Stephenson, Benita Albert, BOE, Iris Publishing, Jessica Steed, Jim Dodson, Keys Fillauer, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, Oak Ridge Schools

Clinton church celebrates 75 years with ice cream social on Wednesday

Posted at 12:50 pm February 4, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Clinton Church of Christ will commemorate the 75th anniversary of its first assembly on Wednesday, February 7, with an Ice Cream Social at 6 p.m. Bible Study classes will follow at 7 p.m., a press release said.

“We invite you to join with us as we celebrate!” the press release said.

Filed Under: Churches, Community Tagged With: 75th anniversary, Clinton Church of Christ, ice cream social

ORHPA celebrates Ed Westcott’s 96th birthday on Saturday

Posted at 10:43 pm January 19, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 3 Comments

Renowned Manhattan Project photographer Ed Wescott, right, is pictured above with city historian D. Ray Smith. (Submitted photo)

Renowned Manhattan Project photographer Ed Wescott, right, is pictured above with city historian D. Ray Smith. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association will celebrate renowned photographer Ed Westcott’s 96th birthday on Saturday. Westcott was the official government photographer in Oak Ridge during World War II, and if even you don’t know him, there is a good chance you have seen his wartime photos.

Oak Ridge was built during the war as part of the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s atomic weapons, and Westcott’s photos can be seen in businesses around town, in historical presentations, and in news stories.

His birthday celebration on Saturday is one of the city’s 75th anniversary events. The celebration, which includes special activities with Westcott, is scheduled from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, January 20, at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: 75th anniversary, 96th birthday, atomic weapons, Ed Westcott, government photographer, Manhattan Project, Midtown Community Center, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, ORHPA, World War II

Oak Ridge Chamber’s Christmas Parade is Saturday

Posted at 11:08 am December 8, 2017
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

Last year's Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce's annual Christmas Parade was Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (File photo by Eli Welton)

Last year’s Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade was Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (File photo by Eli Welton)

 

More than 100 entries have registered to participate in the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade. The parade will take place on Saturday, December 9, beginning at 6 p.m. Line-up for those participating will begin at 4 p.m. at Corporate Center on the corner of Lafayette and Laboratory Roads.

This year’s theme is “A Toyland Christmas: Past 75 Years/Future 75 Years,” and the parade promises to provide spectators with plenty of music, lights, and beautiful floats, a press release said. The parade will be a part of Oak Ridge’s 75th Anniversary Celebration. Sponsor of this year’s parade is The Cowperwood Company.

For those who wish to watch the parade, the route begins at Corporate Center, on the corner of Lafayette and Laboratory Road. From there, the parade will travel down Lafayette to the Oak Ridge Turnpike. It will continue west on the Turnpike to Oak Ridge High School. The judge’s stand will be located in front of the Chamber. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Community, Community, Oak Ridge, Slider Tagged With: 75th anniversary, Christmas parade, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Oak Ridge Christmas Parade

The legacy of Bill Wilcox lives on at K-25 History Center

Posted at 10:01 am October 20, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Ray Smith, Y-12 National Security Complex historian and city historian, announces a book published posthumously that was written by Bill Wilcox, a former city historian, former technical director at K-25 and Y-12, and a passionate advocate for historic preservation, including the history of the former K-25 site. Smith announced the book at a ceremony unveiling plans for a K-25 History Center on the second floor of the city-owned fire station at the the former K-25 site, now known as East Tennessee Technology Park on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Ray Smith, Y-12 National Security Complex historian and city historian, announces a book published posthumously that was written by Bill Wilcox, a former city historian, former technical director at K-25 and Y-12, and a passionate advocate for historic preservation, including of the former K-25 site. Smith announced the book at a ceremony unveiling plans for a K-25 History Center on the second floor of the city-owned fire station at K-25, now known as East Tennessee Technology Park, on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

He was a passionate advocate for preserving Oak Ridge’s history.

He was known for his bow ties and captivating storytelling. He once led the effort to save the former K-25 Building in west Oak Ridge, or at least part of it.

Now the legacy of Bill Wilcox will live on at the K-25 History Center.

Construction on the history center could start early next year on the second floor of Oak Ridge Fire Station Number Four. That fire station, previously transferred to the city, is on the south side of the former K-25 Building at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge.

Officials preparing for the construction of the history center gave tours of its future home at the fire station on Thursday. The tours followed a lunchtime celebration that featured tributes to Wilcox and included speeches and presentations by U.S. Department of Energy and Oak Ridge officials, and federal contractors and historic preservation advocates. Wilcox was hailed as the “father of K-25 historic preservation.”

“He would have been really proud,” said Ray Smith, Wilcox’s friend and Y-12 National Security Complex historian and city historian. “His legacy lives on.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Front Page News, K-25, Oak Ridge Office, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: 75th anniversary, Alexander Guest House, Alexander Inn, atomic weapons, Bill Wilcox, Clinton Engineer Works, Cold War, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, equipment building, ETTP, gaseous diffusion, Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Gordon Fee, Hanford, Heritage Center, Hiroshima, history center, Jay Mullis, K-25 Building, K-25 Historic Preservation, K-25 History Center, K-25: A Brief History of the Manhattan Project’s ‘Biggest’ Secret, K-27, K-29, K-31, K-33, Ken Rueter, Little Boy, Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Los Alamos, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Mick Wiest, Nagasaki, National Historic Preservation Act, North Tower, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Fire Station Number Four, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Partnership for K-25 Preservation, Ray Smith, Steve Goodpasture, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, uranium enrichment, viewing tower, Warren Gooch, World War II, X-10, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex

You can see the future home of the K-25 History Center on Thursday

Posted at 11:10 pm October 18, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A rendering of the K-25 History Center at the Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4 at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

A rendering of the K-25 History Center at the Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4 at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

 

A celebratory event on Thursday will formally launch a project to commemorate the history of the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a uranium-enrichment site that was once known as K-25 and built to help make the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II.

Thursday’s celebration will be followed by a public tour from 2 to 4 p.m.

Co-sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge, the event is part of the city’s 75th Anniversary celebration. It will feature a walk-through of the future home of the K-25 History Center, which will be located in the city’s Fire Station Number 4 at the East Tennessee Technology Park. The U.S. Department of Energy and URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, or UCOR, DOE’s lead cleanup contractor, will unveil plans and the layout for the History Center before construction starts, a press release said.

Large graphics placed throughout the building will provide the visitor a preview of the finished center, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Front Page News, Government, K-25, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Office, Slider, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: 75th anniversary, atomic weapons, Building K-25, City of Oak Ridge, DOE, East Tennessee Technology Park, equipment building, Jay Mullis, K-25, K-25 History Center, K-25 virtual museum, Ken Rueter, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Secret City, U.S. Department of Energy, UCOR, uranium enrichment, URS|CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, viewing tower, Warren Gooch, World War II

Oak Ridge Chamber’s Christmas Parade to be held Saturday, Dec. 9

Posted at 2:34 pm October 15, 2017
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce's annual Christmas Parade was Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (Photo by Eli Welton)

The last Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade was Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (File photo by Eli Welton)

 

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will have its annual Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 9.

This year’s theme is “A Toyland Christmas: Past 75 Years/Future 75 Years,” a press release said. It promises to provide spectators with plenty of music, lights, and beautiful floats, the release said.

The parade will be a part of Oak Ridge’s 75th Anniversary Celebration. Sponsor of this year’s parade is The Cowperwood Company. There is no cost to participate.

The Chamber will be accepting entries online through Monday, December 4. Register by visiting the Chamber’s website at www.oakridgechamber.org.

According to Greta Ownby, executive vice president of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce: “People began signing up for the parade in August, as soon as we announced our theme. The second Saturday in December is always the date for our Christmas parade, and it’s nice to know that people start planning early make the parade a special part of their holiday tradition. We also wanted to incorporate the 75th anniversary of Oak Ridge into the event this year.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Community, Community, Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Slider Tagged With: 75th anniversary, 75th Anniversary Celebration, A Toyland Christmas: Past 75 Years/Future 75 Years, Chrismas Parade, Greta Ownby, Kathy Gillenwaters, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

Oak Ridge Fire Department’s Then & Now Parade part of 75th anniversary celebration

Posted at 4:07 pm September 26, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Energy/Ed Westcott

Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Energy/Ed Westcott

 

The Oak Ridge Fire Department will be hosting a fire prevention celebration on Saturday, October 7, as part of the city’s 75th anniversary.

In the 1940s, Oak Ridge hosted a parade during Fire Prevention Week every October to help spread the word about fire safety. ORFD hopes to rekindle this tradition in honor of the City’s milestone anniversary, a press release said.

The celebration will kick off with a Then and Now-themed parade at ORFD Fire Station Number 3 on Tuskegee Drive and end at Alvin K. Bissell Park. Lineup for participants will begin at 9 a.m., with the parade getting underway at 10 a.m., the press release said.

Following the parade, everyone is invited to gather in A.K. Bissell Park at 11 a.m. for opening ceremonies that will include static displays of emergency services equipment, bounce houses, safety information booths, and emergency services demonstrations. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: 75th anniversary, 75th Anniversary Committee, Alvin K. Bissell Park, atomic weapons, Ed Westcott, fire prevention celebration, Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Fire Department, Then and Now parade, U.S. Department of Energy, Warren Gooch, World War II

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

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AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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