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Election is Thursday

Posted at 9:12 pm July 31, 2024
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Anderson County general election and state and federal primary elections are Thursday.

Competitive races include the Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senate, Republican primary for Tennessee House of Representatives in District 33 in Anderson County, an Anderson County Commission seat in District 6 in Oak Ridge, and seats on the Anderson County School Board.

Voters can cast ballots in the county general election and either the Democratic or Republican state and federal primary election.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: 2024 Election, Anderson County, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, State Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Anderson County, Anne Backus, Ebony Capshaw, election, federal primary, Gloria Johnson, John Ragan, Marquita Bradshaw, Marsha Blackburn, Rick Scarbrough

Boys & Girls Club of Oak Ridge’s annual gala is back in the swing with A Tribute to the 1940s!

Posted at 1:29 pm April 15, 2019
By Jennifer Pettyjohn Leave a Comment

The tradition of the Lawrence A. Hahn Boys & Girls Club of Oak Ridge’s annual gala is back in the swing with A Tribute to the 1940s!

“The Board of Directors is excited to host this elegant dinner dance gala on May 4 at 6 p.m. in Oak Ridge’s historic Jackson Square,” a press release said.

“Let the 1940s flair, décor, and music take you back in time for a magical evening at Oak Ridge’s Historic Jackson Square,” the press release said. “Bear Stephenson will emcee the evening’s festivities, featuring Ensemble Swing Time, a local brass band specializing in ’40s era, and contemporary dance music.”

This premier gala will provide a memorable evening of delectable food, desserts, entertainment, including professional swing dancers, an open bar, and a live and silent auction, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Dancing, Entertainment, Food, Front Page News, Music, Nonprofits Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge, Jackson Square, Jennifer Pettyjohn, Lawrence Hahn

Opinion: Small stores provide personal service, expertise; have direct impact on local economy

Posted at 9:47 am September 27, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns Leave a Comment

When you hear the terms ostrich or Myrtle burger, what comes to mind? Or pink pig van? Rudolph? How about tiny paper plates?

All of these things are hallmarks of Oak Ridge small businesses. You’ve heard it said that small business is the back bone of our economy, but we are so much more. We fill a need that franchises and big box stores simply cannot—we are what distinguish one strip-mall lined community from another. We give our city its unique flavor.

And while memorabilia and gimmicks certainly embed images in our minds, these businesses are fueled by the literal blood, sweat, and tears of people. The shop owners and employees aren’t just entrepreneurs; they are your neighbors, your friends and your family.

We all value convenience and good deals, but as the recent “Shop Local” movements have demonstrated, much is sacrificed for the sake of saving a buck or two (real or perceived). [Read more…]

Filed Under: Opinion Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Lizz's Wine and Spirits, local economy, Ridge Package Store, Shop Local, small business, small businesses, wine, wine sales in grocery stores

Boys, Girls Club of Oak Ridge has James Bond 007 fundraiser

Posted at 11:46 pm March 4, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge Gala 2015

 

The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Clinch Valley, Oak Ridge Unit, will have its annual gala on Saturday, March 7.

This year’s event will be held at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Guests can expect an evening of simple glamour while enjoying dinner, drinks, dancing, and live and silent auctions. Some items to be auctioned this year include an autographed Ted Williams photo “Opening Day 1947 at Fenway Park,” a luxury trip to Keeneland, a year’s membership to the Oak Ridge Country Club, a one-night accommodation at Buckhorn Inn in Gatlinburg, pottery from local artisans, and wine baskets.

The event is chaired by Unit Board President Aaron Wells and Corporate Board Member Ann Likens. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Dancing, Entertainment, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Ann Likens, auctions, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Clinch Valley, Children's Museum of Oak Ridge, dancing, dinner, gala

Board orders demolition of Tyrone Road building, but Magic Wok excluded

Posted at 4:31 pm November 13, 2014
By John Huotari 6 Comments

Wender Building

A city board on Thursday ordered the demolition of this building on East Tyrone Road within 30 days. The Magic Wok restaurant, which is in a separate diner on the western side of the building, is not affected.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:55 p.m. Nov. 14.

Despite a plea for another extension, a city board on Thursday ordered that a commercial building on East Tyrone Road be demolished within 30 days. The demolition order does not apply to the popular Magic Wok restaurant, which is in a separate diner on the western side of the building.

The Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals had previously given the building owners more time to develop a repair or demolition plan, including a five-month extension in June. At Thursday’s meeting, board members suggested they hadn’t seen enough work take place since then.

“I’m seeing very little progress,” said board member Joe Lee, who made the motion to demolish within 30 days, which is what the city staff had requested. “This has been an ongoing issue for a decade or more.”

The city staff said the partially occupied commercial structure has been declared unfit for human occupation or use because of code violations, and a demolition deadline expired Thursday. The staff said the estimated cost of repairs exceeds 50 percent of the building’s value, which is an important benchmark for issuing a demolition order. The staff has said the building is in a state of disrepair, lacks adequate fire and panic exits, and the roof and interior have not been adequately maintained for several years.

The motion to demolish the building at 123 and 135 East Tyrone Road was approved in a 6-0 vote on Thursday. Voting in favor of that motion were Chair Bruce LeForce, Vice Chair Philip Nipper, Secretary Amy Seiber, Lee, and board members Phil Yager and Leonar Vaughen. Board member Aaron Wells was not present. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Amy Seiber, Betty Wang, Bruce LeForce, Coal Creek Surveying and Engineering, code violations, commercial building, demolition, demolition order, East Tyrone Road, Jim Wang, Joe Lee, Kathryn Baldwin, Leonard Vaughen, Magic Wok, Mark Watson, Matt Widner, Noel Peterson, Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals, Oak Ridge Community Development, Phil Yager, Philip Nipper, repair

2014 Election: School board candidates talk taxes, budgets, bus routes, Preschool

Posted at 3:52 am November 3, 2014
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Oak Ridge Board of Education Candidates 2014

Oak Ridge Board of Education candidates are, from right, Mike Mahathy, Laura McLean, Bob Eby, Andy Howe, Paige Marshall, and Jean Hiser. Not pictured are Laurie Paine and Aaron Wells.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:10 a.m. Nov. 3.

School board candidates at two forums this campaign season expressed optimism that school officials will be able to continue to provide school bus transportation to most students in the next school year, and several said they would support a property tax rate increase if it were deemed necessary.

Bob Eby, Oak Ridge Board of Education vice chair, cited delayed staff raises and textbook purchases as well as capital project needs. Eby helped lead moves this summer to restore bus transportation to preschool students and then other students after the area where bus service is not provided was temporarily expanded to 1.5 miles as part of cost-cutting measures in June.

In August, Karen Gagliano, Oak Ridge Schools director of business and support services, said the $500,000 in fund balance money used to restore transportation and the delayed purchase of textbooks, among other things, means the school system could start the Fiscal Year 2015 budget discussions with a $1.8 million deficit, before anything new is added.

“I will ask for a tax increase next year,” Eby said. “We’ve put (off) all we can put off.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Education, Education, K-12, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: 1:1, 1:1 devices, Aaron Wells, Andy Howe, Bob Eby, bus route, Dan DiGregorio, election, Jean Hiser, Jenny Richter, Laura McLean, Laurie Paine, Mike Mahathy, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Preschool, Paige Marshall, parent responsibility zone, pay riase, property tax rate increase, school board, school board candidates, school bus transportation, tax increase, teacher raises, technology initiative

Tea Party meeting this evening to feature Frank, Wells

Posted at 1:05 pm October 14, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Terry Frank

Terry Frank

The Anderson County Tea Party meeting this evening will feature Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and Aaron Wells, a candidate for Oak Ridge Board of Education.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. today (Tuesday, October 14) at the Red Cross building on Oak Ridge Turnpike.


Aaron Wells

Aaron Wells

Other agenda items will include a presentation by the “Yes on 1” group, member reports from the latest Oak Ridge City Council meeting, and a book raffle of “Rules for Radicals” by Saul Alinski. The Red Cross building is located at 908 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

This meeting is open to the public and will last until approximately 8 p.m., a press release said.

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12 Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Anderson County, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, Red Cross, Rules for Radicals, Saul Alinski, Terry Frank, Yes on 1

Boys and Girls Club president running for School Board

Posted at 6:17 am October 7, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Aaron Wells

Aaron Wells

Aaron Wells, a lifelong Oak Ridger and president of the Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge, is running for Oak Ridge Board of Education in the November 4 municipal election, a press release said.

“Over the last two decades, I have spent countless hours coaching, mentoring, and fundraising for the youth in our town,” Wells said in the release. “After much prayer and discussion, my wife Melissa and I made the decision that I would run for school board.”

If elected, Wells said he will focus on achieving four priorities.

“First and foremost, I commit to truly listen to our teachers and integrate their feedback into all of my decisions,” Wells said. “Teachers are the lifeblood of our schools, and they know better than anyone how to make our students successful. We can no longer afford to ignore their invaluable feedback and concerns. The Board of Education must fight to restore to them the freedom they need to do what they do best—inspire and educate our children.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Education, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals, Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge, career path, November 4 municipal election, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, parents, sales director, school board, spending, students, teachers

Letter: Wells would bring conservative values, ethics to school board

Posted at 1:19 pm September 25, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

Aaron Wells is holding a fundraiser this Thursday night, September 25, between 6 and 8 p.m. at Razzleberry’s in Jackson Square. He is running for a non-partisan seat on the Oak Ridge Board of Education. Congressman Fleischmann and Lawrence Hahn will be attending the event, and Anne and I would love to see you there.

Aaron values the importance of inspiring, high quality teachers in education. He wants to help Oak Ridge schools maintain their superb reputation in the future, especially since his own child will be going through this school system. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Anne McBride, conservative, education, fundraiser, Martin McBride, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Razzleberry’s, teachers

Former Oak Ridge rowing director could lead ORCVB

Posted at 4:41 pm September 18, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose

Note: This story was updated at 5:55 p.m.

A former Oak Ridge rowing director could become the next executive director of the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The ORCVB board of directors on Thursday voted 4-3 to offer the job to Marc A. DeRose, subject to reference checks. If hired, DeRose will replace former longtime director Katy Brown, who became ORCVB president in 2006 and left in July to take a new marketing and promotions job covering Knoxville and Chattanooga.

DeRose was hired by the Oak Ridge Rowing Association in August 2013, and he resigned from his head coach and rowing director position in May of this year, saying the job was “not the right fit for me and my family,” the ORRA said in a press release this spring.

Other candidates for the ORCVB job, which offers a starting salary of $45,000 per year, were Lila Wilson, director of special events for the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend, and Naomi Asher, executive director of CASA of the Tennessee Heartland. ORCVB board members said Asher withdrew her application, saying she wanted to continue working for CASA.

Wilson received three votes on Thursday, picking up one less than DeRose’s four. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Aaron Wells, Carol Smallridge, coach, Debi Boody, executive director, Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, Gretchen Julius, Jim Dodson, Katy Brown, Lila Wilson, Marc DeRose, Mark Harvey, Mary Ann Damos, Naomi Asher, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, ORCVB, rowing, rowing director, Troy Patel, Windrock Mountain

School board candidates field questions on technology, tax increases

Posted at 9:58 am September 18, 2014
By Rebecca Williams 3 Comments

Oak Ridge Board of Education Forum

A. Paige Marshall, left, one of eight candidates for the Oak Ridge School Board, answers a question during the League of Women Voters’ Candidate Forum Wednesday night. To her right are candidates Mike Mahathy, Andrew Howe, Jean Hiser, and incumbent Bob Eby, with WUOT radio host Matt Shafer Powell, who posed the questions. (Photo by Rebecca D. Williams)

 

Fielding public school questions about technology, tax increases, and the teaching of science versus religion, eight candidates for the Oak Ridge School Board tried to distinguish themselves from one another Wednesday night at the League of Women Voters’ Candidate Forum held at the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater, to a crowd of about 150.

Board candidates offered largely similar answers, with the greatest difference of opinion posed by Aaron Wells. He spoke against school tax increases and one-to-one technology in schools.

“The biggest impact on me growing up was when my teachers gave me one-to-one education,” Wells said. “How many hours a day are kids staring at a screen? It’s too many. We need to do more with less, because money’s tight. We’ve got to get back to the basics.”

Also participating in the forum were two candidates who are opposing incumbent Chuck Fleischmann, a Republican, for the District 3 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mary M. Headrick, a Democrat, and Cassandra J. Mitchell, an Independent, answered questions. Fleischmann was not present.

Also, Tennessee House Representative for District 32, Kent Calfee, the Republican incumbent, and Joe Kneiser, his Democratic opponent, fielded questions about four referendum questions on the ballot Nov. 4.

Three seats on the five-member Oak Ridge Board of Education are open. Bob Eby is the only incumbent running for re-election. Other candidates include Jean Hiser, Andrew Howe, Mike Mahathy, A. Paige Marshall, Laura McLean, Laurie Paine, and Wells. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Education, Education, Federal, Government, K-12, Slider, State, Top Stories Tagged With: A. Paige Marshall, Aaron Wells, Andrew Howe, Bob Eby, budget, candidate forum, Cassandra J. Mitchell, Chuck Fleischmann, Democrat, early voting, election, Independent, Jean Hiser, Joe Kneiser, John D. Ragan, Kent Calfee, Laura McLean, Laurie Paine, League of Women Voters, Mary M. Headrick, Matt Shafer Powell, Mike Mahathy, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge School Board, one-to-one technology, Randy McNally, religion, Republican, science, tax increase, technology, Tennessee House of Representatives

Forum to feature candidates for school board, TN House, Congress

Posted at 11:27 am September 16, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Vote Logo

A Wednesday evening forum will feature candidates for Oak Ridge Board of Education, U.S. Congressional District 3, and Tennessee House District 32.

The forum starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater at 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike. It’s been organized by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

Candidates for Oak Ridge Board of Education have been invited to speak and answer questions. They include  incumbent Bob Eby and seven other candidates: Jean Hiser, Andrew Howe, Mike Mahathy, A. Paige Marshall, Laura McLean, Laurie Paine, and Aaron Wells.

There are three school board seats available in the November 4 municipal election. Eby is the only incumbent seeking re-election; Dan DiGregorio and Jenny Richter are not.

Candidates with opposition in the state and federal general election have also been invited to speak and answer questions. In the U.S. House, Republican Representative Chuck Fleischmann of District 3, which includes Oak Ridge, faces challenges from Democrat Mary M. Headrick, who also ran two years ago, and Independent Cassandra J. Mitchell. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Education, Federal, Government, K-12, State, Top Stories Tagged With: A. Paige Marshall, Aaron Wells, Anderson, Bob Eby, candidate forum, candidates, Cassandra J. Mitchell, Chuck Fleischmann, Dan DiGregorio, Democrat, District 3, District 32, Emily Jernigan, forum, Independent, Jean Hiser, Jenny Richter, Joe Kneiser, John Ragan, Kent Calfee, Laura McLean, Laurie Paine, League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, Loudon, Mary M. Headrick, Matt Shafer Powell, Melinda Hillman, Mike Mahathy, municipal election, November 4, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge High School, Randy McNally, Republican, Roane, Tennessee House, U.S. House

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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...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

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

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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