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Reminder: EmiSunshine show is Friday at Grove Theater, benefits United Way

Posted at 9:15 am October 29, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Emi Sunshine at Grove Theater

Submitted

On Friday, October 30, the historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge will return to its roots, hosting a benefit concert headlined by 10-year-old EmiSunshine, the newest talent to take the country music world by storm. Knoxville band Handsome and the Humbles will open the concert, proceeds of which will benefit United Way of Anderson County.

EmiSunshine was born in Madisonville, Tennessee, and grew up listening to Tom Petty and June Carter Cash, sounds which have influenced her current style. From the official EmiSunshine website: “Whether she’s performing on the ‘Today’ show or the Grand Ole Opry or taking the stage at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, she is fearless, confident, and firm in her musical direction. As she says, she sings ‘old-time music,’ but it’s her own unique blend of roots music that is equal parts Americana, bluegrass, gospel, and country, with a little bit of blues thrown in for good measure.”

Since a video of her singing on a street went viral, EmiSunshine has amassed an impressive fan base and has given repeat performances in some of the top cities and venues in East Tennessee. However, her motivation remains simple. “I love how I get to sing to people and make them happy,” she says. “I’m really blessed that I get to do this. It makes me feel amazing, like I’m touching somebody’s life.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Music, Nonprofits, Top Stories Tagged With: Andy Howe, concert, EmiSunshine, Grove Theater, Handsome and the Humbles, June Carter Cash, Tom Petty, U-235 Productions, United Way, United Way of Anderson County

Council approves ORHS stoplight contract in 4-3 vote

Posted at 5:50 pm April 14, 2015
By John Huotari 8 Comments

Oak Ridge Turnpike Stoplight at Oak Ridge High School

In a 4-3 vote Monday, the Oak Ridge City Council approved a contract to install a traffic signal at the Oak Ridge High School on Oak Ridge Turnpike.

 

Note: This story was updated at 8:42 a.m. April 15.

The City Council approved a contract to install a stoplight on Oak Ridge Turnpike in front of Oak Ridge High School in a 4-3 vote on Monday.

Public Works Director Gary Cinder said the light will be green most of the time on Oak Ridge Turnpike. But it will turn red when cars are leaving the High School, giving those drivers a green light.

And the traffic signal lights will turn all-red when pedestrians are crossing, Cinder said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, Government, Government, K-12, Oak Ridge, Slider Tagged With: American with Disabilities Act, Andy Howe, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, Ellen Smith, Emory Valley Road, Gary Cinder, Kelly Callison, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Civic Center, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Turnpike, pedestrian bridge, Public Library, Public Works, Rick Chinn, S&W Contracting, S&W Contracting Company Inc., special programs fund, stoplight, Traffic Safety Advisory Board, traffic signal, Trina Baughn, TSAB, Warren Gooch

School Board winners: Eby, McLean, Marshall

Posted at 1:00 am November 5, 2014
By John Huotari 3 Comments

Four Oak Ridge Board of Education Candidates

The three winning Oak Ridge Board of Education candidates are pictured above. Bob Eby, second from right, the only incumbent, was the top vote-getter. He was followed by candidate Laura McLean, right, and Paige Marshall, left. Also pictured is Andy Howe.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:35 a.m. Nov. 5.

Imagine this: A politician runs for re-election and tells voters he wants to raise taxes—and they re-elect him anyway. Seems unlikely, right?

Well, that’s what happened Tuesday night in Oak Ridge.

Bob Eby, the only incumbent in the eight-person race for the Oak Ridge Board of Education, hasn’t been afraid to tell voters that he thinks Oak Ridge Schools need more money—and he intends to ask for a tax increase next year to help the school system.

His honesty hasn’t hurt him with voters; Eby was the top vote-getter in Tuesday’s municipal election. He finished with 4,635 votes in Anderson and Roane counties, according to unofficial results. That was almost 900 votes ahead of the second-place finisher, newcomer Laura McLean. She ended the night with 3,774 votes.

Another newcomer, Paige Marshall, was about 400 votes behind McLean, picking up the third of the three available seats with 3,345 votes. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Education, Education, K-12, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Andy Howe, Bob Eby, candidate, Dan DiGregorio, election, Jean Hiser, Jenny Richter, Laura McLean, Laurie Paine, Mike Mahathy, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Paige Marshall, vote

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

Guest column: Candidate calls for enlightenment, trust, ‘unified team’

Posted at 9:42 am October 12, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns 34 Comments

Andy Howe

Andy Howe

By Andy Howe

Roughly 200,000 years ago the direct ancestor of modern man evolved in Africa when a small group of proto-humans adapted a genetic trait that previous forms of hominids only hinted at. This sub-species was capable of something never seen before—forward-thinking imagination. Our brains were changed to “fill in the gaps” on a conceptual level. It allowed us to invent complex tools and to plan for the future. Since then, we haven’t changed much.

Despite the belief that we are unique in the animal kingdom because we are lead not by our instincts but by our logic, the reality differs. The core of our nature is actually emotional and instinctual—our higher-order thinking skills only allow us to counter our more base reactions.

Studies have shown that people in groups tend to lose touch with their individual morals and principles. Biologically, part of our brain simply shuts down. We choose a side and don’t consider other perspectives, we defend that side wholeheartedly against our perceived opponents without recognition that we may actually be our own worst enemy. These insights are crucial in understanding human nature on both an individual and group level. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Andy Howe, BOE, City Council, leadership, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Traffic Safety Advisory Board, trust

Musician, software engineer running for school board

Posted at 5:51 pm August 26, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Andy Howe

Andy Howe

Andrew Howe, a musician and software engineer, is running for Oak Ridge Board of Education in the November 4 election.

Howe said some people might recognize him from his performances singing and playing with bands around town, including at community festivals, or on the Oak Ridge Playhouse stage.

“That’s just one side of me though,” Howe said. “By day, I’m normally a software engineer, degree from MIT, but presently I’m taking a hiatus from that career while I pursue other options. I’m married to my best friend, Kat, and our son Maguire is a junior in the high school.”

In a press release, Howe said the family has taken a fairly run-down looking old “A” house on the end of a vine infested cul-de-sac and turned it into their own little country paradise, The 100 Acre Woods. He called it a small performance and gathering space in the woods that has always been open for anyone to make use of.

Howe said he and Kat started a nonprofit this year, Project Sunflower, to get some gardens in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Education, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: 1-to-1, 100 Acre Woods, Andrew Howe, Andy Howe, BOE, busing, Common Core, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Project Sunflower, school board, school system, standardized test, teachers, Traffic Safety Advisory Board, TSAB

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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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