Oak Ridge Today

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…]

Voter’s guide: Notes from a candidate forum

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Note: This story was last updated at 10:35 a.m.

Today, August 2, is Election Day in Anderson County. The election includes the Anderson County general election and state and federal primary elections.

It’s the second of three elections this year. The first was the county primary election on May 1, and the last is the municipal election and state and federal elections on November 6.

Here are notes about Anderson County candidates in today’s county general election from a forum at Oak Ridge High School in July. The county general election includes selections for mayor, sheriff, county commission, trustee, circuit court clerk, county clerk, register of deeds, road superintendent, and school board, among other positions. Some of the candidates have no opposition.

Anderson County Sheriff [Read more…]

Twenty-nine qualify to run for 16 seats on Anderson County Commission

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Twenty-nine candidates have qualified to run for 16 seats on the Anderson County Commission in the county general election in August.

There are also three people running for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 33, a new appointed Oak Ridge school board member running in a special election in August, and a Democratic challenger to Tennessee Senator Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge resident who is also lieutenant governor.

The deadline to qualify to run in the August 2 election, which will also feature contested elections for Anderson County sheriff and trustee, was noon Thursday.

Anderson County has eight County Commission districts, and there are two commissioners per district. The offices are non-partisan, meaning that, unlike some other county offices, they are not part of the Democratic and Republican primary elections on May 1. [Read more…]

Tonight: Republican Party candidates forum in Oak Ridge

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Anderson County Republican Party Primary Candidates Forum April 3 2018

The Anderson County Republican Party has a candidates forum in Oak Ridge tonight (Tuesday, April 3).

The forum will feature candidates for these seven Anderson County offices: mayor, sheriff, circuit court clerk, clerk, trustee, register of deeds, and road superintendent. The candidates are running in the May 1 Anderson County Republican Party primary.

The forum will start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, at the Wildcat Den at 102 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. The doors will open at 6 p.m. for light refreshments, seating, and mingling with Republican primary candidates, a press release said. [Read more…]

Anderson County Republican Party has candidates forum on Thursday

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Anderson County Republican Party Logo

The Anderson County Republican Party will have a Republican Candidates’ Forum in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

The forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, September 7, at Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, at 101 Bus Terminal Road in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

“The Anderson County Republican Party has elected primaries to welcome growth and opportunity into the party,” the press release said. “Candidates running as a Republican must adhere to the standards and practices of the Republican Party. The Republican Party is an earned label, not a charitable distribution of the representation that it holds. In addition, the Tennessee Republican Party is not a public entity. It is to be revered and respected. The name, logo, reference and (R) belong to the party. Therefore, the state party is required to list the candidate as an approved ‘bona fide Republican.'” [Read more…]

Letter: Say ‘no’ to one more county commissioner

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To the Editor:

Recently, the Clinton Courier carried an article warning Anderson County residents of seven county commissioners who are in a conflict of interest because of their determination to serve on the Charter Commission while serving on the County Commission. The author of the article correctly identified the number of commissioners in conflict of interest but only listed six of the seven, including Mark Alderson, Steve Emert, Tim Isbel, Robert McKamey, Jerry White, and Theresa Scott. [Read more…]

Show appreciation for first responders Saturday

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Police Lives Matter Rally Crowd

About 65 people attended a Police Lives Matter rally last year at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Second Annual First Responders Appreciation Day is Saturday in Oak Ridge.

There are two events: an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast in the morning to raise money for the family of Maryville Police Department Officer Kenny Moats and a ceremony in the evening to honor local first responders.

The First Responders Appreciation Day is on Saturday, September 17, at Swifty’s Atomic Bar & Grill at 119 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The fundraising pancake breakfast is from 8 a.m. to noon at Swifty’s. The donation is $10. Moats was shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call in late August. [Read more…]

Photos: Police Lives Matter rally

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Police Lives Matter Rally Crowd

About 65 people attended a Police Lives Matter rally at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A rally at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, September 19, showed support for police officers and first responders. It included music, prayer, several speakers, a reading of the names of fallen officers, a short march, and a candlelight vigil.

“I had this for support of our police officers, first responders, and all lives,” said Kevin Rice, one of the three organizers.

Here are pictures from the rally.

Police Lives Matter Candlelight Vigil

The Police Lives Matter rally included a candlelight vigil at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

[Read more…]

Conservative talk show ‘Let’s Talk Frank’ returns to airwaves

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The television show “Let’s Talk Frank” is returning to the local airwaves, host Lee Frank said.

The show will air live every Thursday on Comcast Channel 12 from 7 to 8 p.m., and it will feature state and local guests, commentary, and news. The show will also accept calls from the viewing audience, a press release said.

Founded in 2002, the conservative-oriented local show aired for seven years on BBB Comcast Channel 12 in Anderson and Roane Counties. [Read more…]

Frank, White re-elected; incumbents fare well, but some upsets

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Steve Mead at Early Voting

Anderson County Commissioner Steve Mead, one of the incumbents re-elected Thursday, campaigns during early voting at the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge. (Photo by Fred O’Hara Jr.)

 

Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Note: This story was last updated at 2:10 p.m. July 8.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank was elected to her first four-year term on Thursday, and Sheriff Paul White was elected to a third term.

The election featured several close races, including for sheriff and register of deeds, and there were a few upsets, including for Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk, County Commission District 3, and General Sessions Judge, Division II, where longtime Judge Ron Murch suffered defeat.

Paul White

Paul White

In the race for the Tennessee House, Representative John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican, beat back a primary challenge by newcomer Caitlin Nolan.

All 27 precincts have reported.

Here are the final unofficial election results for contested races:

Anderson County Mayor

  • Terry Frank, the Republican incumbent—7,586 (52.69 percent)
  • Jim Hackworth, a Democrat—6,193 (43.01 percent)
  • Bradley Rickett, an Independent—619 (4.3 percent)

Frank, who was first elected to a two-year term in a special election in August 2012, beat Hackworth, a former state representative and county commissioner, by about 1,400 votes. The two fought over a 1990 tax hike and “turmoil” and lawsuits in the Anderson County Courthouse.

Anderson County Sheriff

  • Paul White, the Democratic incumbent—7,386 (51.64 percent)
  • Anthony Lay, a Republican—6,918 (48.36 percent)

White’s margin of victory was just under 500 votes. Lay is a former sheriff in Scott County, and he is currently a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper. The two candidates battled over the food served at the Anderson County jail, crime rate statistics, and the responsiveness of the Sheriff’s Department, among other things. [Read more…]

Votes still coming in, but most incumbents in lead; few upsets possible

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Anderson County Early Voting Campaign Signs

The Thursday election featured the Anderson County general election and the state and federal primaries. Pictured above are campaign signs during early voting at the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge.

 

Note: Please see this newer story for final results.

The votes are still coming in and the Anderson County Election Commission is repairing its website, but early results suggest most incumbents are faring well, although a few upsets are possible.

Here is a look at some preliminary voting results in Anderson County, as reported by BBB-TV, Channel 12 in Oak Ridge, with 16 of 27 precincts reporting. There could be a few upsets, including on Anderson County Commission and in the races for Anderson County General Session Judge, Division II, and Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk.

Anderson County Mayor

Terry Frank, the Republican incumbent, leads Jim Hackworth, a Democrat, and Bradley Rickett, an Independent.

Anderson County Sheriff

Paul White, the Democratic incumbent, leads Anthony Lay, a Republican.

Tennessee House of Representatives

Republican primary

John Ragan, the Republican incumbent, leads Caitlin Nolan, his GOP challenger. [Read more…]

Letter: Anderson County Commission needs wake-up call

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Anderson County is a wonderful place to live and work. Our economy should easily out-perform Knox County’s. Yet, we consistently fail to do so—and our County Commission seems to be asleep. Between 2000 and 2010, Anderson County grew at only 41 percent of Knox County’s growth rate. That’s unacceptable.

Over the next decade, Anderson County taxpayers will pay close to $2 million in salary and medical/dental/retirement benefits for its county commissioners. The commission needs to get focused and get busy. Our economy was dealt a significant blow when the commission opted for an expensive jail expansion. Commissioners could have sought support from a newly-elected Republican governor for more time to resolve jail overcrowding through less-costly administrative means—but did not. Instead, they chose the jail expansion, ignoring its impact on our taxes and our economy.

The commissioners made a second error when they passed the jail expansion without dealing with the new jail’s increased operating costs. This mistake drove jail costs even higher and raised the real possibility of a second tax increase. Thankfully, a second increase was prevented by the efforts of Mayor Frank. [Read more…]