Oak Ridge Today

AC Clerk, Trustee’s offices drive-through only temporarily starting Monday

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Public encouraged to use online options

The Oak Ridge offices of the Anderson County Clerk and Trustee will be temporarily closed to in-person transactions starting Monday for construction to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Anderson County Clerk’s and Trustee’s main offices in Clinton and Andersonville are not affected by this temporary closure to the public, a press release said. The
offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

While the Oak Ridge offices will be closed to in-person service, employees will still be available to serve customers at the drive-through location in Oak Ridge, the press release said. It’s located at 728c Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge. It will be open
for renewals only from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition, residents can drop off title work and park in a space to wait while the paperwork is processed and returned to them, the press release said. The Trustee’s Office staff will continue to collect property tax payments at the Oak Ridge drive-through and accept calls to make appointments for the tax relief and freeze program, the press release said.

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Anderson: Barker elected sheriff; incumbents win in Oak Ridge

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Russell Barker

Russell Barker

Note: This story was last updated at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 3.

Russell Barker, a Republican, won the race for Anderson County sheriff on Thursday, beating Mark Lucas, a Democrat, in a race decided by about 2,000 votes, according to unofficial results.

Meanwhile, four incumbents were re-elected in two Anderson County Commission districts where there was a challenger in Oak Ridge.

Barker is a detective sergeant with the Clinton Police Department who has served as director of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County. Lucas is chief deputy of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

Barker had 7,684 votes (57.79 percent), compared to 5,613 votes (42.21 percent) for Lucas, according to the unofficial results posted after all 27 precincts had been counted Thursday night.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White is retiring at the end of his third four-year term, and he did not seek re-election.

In another contested race, Regina Copeland, the Republican director of the 911 center, defeated Ebony Capshaw, a Democrat, by a 69.74 percent to 30.26 percent margin (8,981 votes to 3,987). The last elected trustee, Rodney Archer, is now executive director of the County Officials Association of Tennessee, and Myron Iwanski, a former county commissioner and commission chair appointed to the trustee job through this August election, did not seek the job in the election. [Read more…]

Barker leads in early, absentee voting for sheriff

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Russell Barker

Russell Barker

Note: This story was last updated at 8:50 p.m.

Russell Barker, who has served as director of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County, leads in early and absentee voting for Anderson County sheriff, with a roughly 56-44 percent margin over Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas, according to unofficial results released Thursday evening after polls closed and before any precincts had been counted.

Barker, a Republican, had 4,182 early and absentee votes (55.72 percent), compared to 3,323 (44.28 percent) for Lucas, a Democrat.

It’s not clear if Barker’s lead will hold after all 27 precincts in Anderson County are counted. Early voting leads often or usually predict the eventual winner, but in prior elections, the lead has sometimes narrowed or even reversed. [Read more…]

Anderson County Democrats have candidate forum Thursday

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The Anderson County Democratic Party will have a candidate forum at Oak Valley Baptist Church in Oak Ridge from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 19, 2018. (Submitted photo)

The Anderson County Democratic Party will have a candidate forum at Oak Valley Baptist Church in Oak Ridge from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 19, 2018. (Submitted photo)

 

The Anderson County Democratic Party has a candidate forum in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

The forum is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Oak Valley Baptist Church.

Candidates expected to attend include Ebony Capshaw, Richard Dawson, Mark Lucas, Alden Souza, and Nathaniel Varner, an event notice said.

Capshaw and Lucas are both running unopposed in the May 1 primary for Anderson County Democrats. Capshaw is running for Anderson County trustee, and Lucas is running for Anderson County sheriff. After the May 1 elections, they will face the winners of the Republican Party primaries, which are also on May 1, in the August 2 county general election for trustee and sheriff. [Read more…]

Ebony Capshaw running for Anderson County trustee

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Ebony Capshaw

Ebony Capshaw

 

Ebony Capshaw has announced that she is seeking election to the office of Anderson County trustee.

Capshaw said her local background and sense of community, combined with her organizational experience and management skills, have led to her interest in local government and public office.

“I love to serve the people,” Capshaw said in a press release. “I have a servant’s heart, and you can trust me to get the job done. With my auditing background and code of ethics within a multibillion-dollar company, I feel confident I can do this job and serve the people of Anderson County with enthusiasm.”

Capshaw is unopposed on the ballot in the Democratic primary election on May 1. She will face the winner of the Republican primary in the August 2 general election. The office is presently held by Myron Iwanski, former Anderson County Commissioner, who was appointed by his fellow commissioners to fill the office following the resignation of Rodney Archer. Archer left to take the position of executive director for the County Officials Association of Tennessee. Iwanski is not seeking election as trustee. [Read more…]

Anderson County Chamber hosts county election candidate forum

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The Anderson County Chamber of Commerce will host a forum in Clinton this month for candidates in the Anderson County primary election in May.

The candidate forum will be moderated by Gene Patterson, community relations lead for Consolidated Nuclear Security, which manages and operates the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The candidate forum will be hosted by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Government/Community Relations Committee. It is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, at The Ritz Theater at 119 North Main Street in downtown Clinton. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the concession stand will be open, a press release said. [Read more…]

Anderson County Democratic Party celebrating Black History Month tonight

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Ebony Capshaw

Ebony Capshaw

 

The Anderson County Democratic Party will celebrate Black History Month at its meeting and potluck from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, February 22, at the Claxton Community Center, a press release said. The guests will include a candidate for Anderson County trustee.

Everyone is encouraged to bring a main dish, side dish, or dessert to share for the potluck, the press release said.

“However, as always, all are welcome, and bringing food is optional,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Gillenwaters running for Anderson County trustee

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Scott Gillenwaters

Scott Gillenwaters

 

Scott Gillenwaters, vice chair of the Anderson County School Board and former Anderson County commissioner, has announced he is seeking the Republican nomination for Anderson County trustee.

Gillenwaters has served eight years on the Anderson County School Board. Currently, he serves as the vice chair and chairs the Budget Committee, a press release said. He has attained a Level IV Boardsmanship Award from the Tennessee School Board Association, the press release said.

Prior to his election to the School Board, Gillenwaters was elected to two terms on the Anderson County Commission, where he was the chair of both the Operations and Legislative Committees, the press release said. During his time on Commission, he was appointed parliamentarian by the Commission twice and served on various other committees. He also served as a regional board member for the Tennessee County Commissioners Association. [Read more…]

911 director running for Anderson County trustee

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Regina Copeland

Regina Copeland

 

911 Director Regina Copeland is running for Anderson County trustee in the 2018 election.

Copeland is a lifetime resident of Anderson County who will bring valuable experience to the Trustee Office, capitalizing on her experience of managing the 911 Office for the past 18 years, a press release said.

In the press release, Copeland explained her reason for seeking the trustee position.

“I have managed budgets and personnel within county government for the past 18 years,” Copeland said. “This is a chance for me to utilize my experience in government in serving the people of Anderson County in a new capacity in the Trustee Office.” [Read more…]

Anderson County trustee offered statewide job

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Rodney Archer

Rodney Archer

Anderson County Trustee Rodney Archer has been offered an executive director job with the County Officials Association of Tennessee, a press release said.

The County Officials Association of Tennessee promotes more efficient county government throughout all Tennessee counties, the press release said. It consists of members from county clerk, court clerk, register of deeds, and county trustee associations in the state.

“I am proud to have been offered the position of executive director of COAT, but I have not seen a contract or details, as I was only offered the position late last night,” Archer said in a press release Monday. “Once the details are laid out before me and I accept, the COAT board will meet on May 9 to approve my hiring. If the board approves my hiring, I would not assume my new role until later this summer. If all that occurs, then I will resign as trustee and provide for a smooth transition for whomever the county commission appoints as the new trustee. My goal in this process will be to leave the trustee’s office in the best possible hands possible for the people of Anderson County.”

If Archer accepts the position to lead COAT, Archer would be expected to direct training and guidance to county governments in an effort to replicate those successes across the state. [Read more…]

Weather: County Trustee will accept in-person, postmarked tax payments through Monday

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Rodney Archer

Rodney Archer

Anderson County Trustee Rodney Archer understands citizens’ frustrations and concerns about being able to pay their property taxes on time, a press release said.

“With county offices being closed much of last week, and again yesterday, because of inclement weather and dangerous road conditions, it has made people nervous about being able to pay their property taxes by the February 28 deadline,” Archer said Wednesday morning. “The inclement weather that’s predicted for tonight doesn’t help that.”

The National Weather Service is predicting a 40 percent chance of snow today after 4 p.m., with increasing chances overnight, mainly between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. New snow accumulation of one to three inches is possible. A chance of snow continues through Thursday as well. [Read more…]

Friday: OR Schools closed; AC Courthouse, Y-12 open at 8

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Note: This story was updated at 10:02 p.m.

Oak Ridge Schools will be closed Friday, and the Anderson County Courthouse and Y-12 National Security Complex will open at 8 a.m.

The offices of the Anderson County Clerk and Trustee will not open until 10 a.m.

“County officials still urge that Anderson County citizens stay safe and use extreme caution if citizens must be out and about,” a statement said. “County officials will continue monitoring the weather, and if it worsens earlier than anticipated on Friday, the Courthouse and other county government offices will be closed early.” [Read more…]