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Updated: Park Service will not provide visitor services during shutdown

Posted at 11:18 am December 22, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Note: This story was updated at 1:50 p.m.

The National Park Service will not provide visitor services during the partial government shutdown that started Friday night, and that could affect programs in Oak Ridge and other national parks in the area. But Manhattan Project Park locations at three sites, including Oak Ridge, will remain open to the public and continue to provide visitor services.

Oak Ridge is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which is part of the National Park Service. The park, which is about three years old, commemorates the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II. Besides Oak Ridge, two other sites are part of the park: Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico.

In Oak Ridge, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park is based at the Children’s Museum on West Outer Drive. The park includes programs such as historical films, celebrations, and programs, and informative hikes and bicycle rides with rangers.

The National Park Service did not respond to two inquiries this week, but a program scheduled for Saturday afternoon in Oak Ridge will presumably be canceled. That program was intended to discuss secrecy, security, and spies during the Manhattan Project. It was scheduled for this afternoon (Saturday, December 22) at the Turnpike Gatehouse in west Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, DOE, FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal employees, government shutdown, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Kris Kirby, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, National Earthquake Information Center, National Nuclear Security Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Park Service, NPS, Oak Ridge, partial government shutdown, partial shutdown, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Geological Survey

You can watch the total solar eclipse in the national parks

Posted at 6:52 pm July 17, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Commemorative poster by artist and astronomer Tyler Nordgren (Submitted image)

Commemorative poster by artist and astronomer Tyler Nordgren (Submitted image)

 

On Monday, August 21, a total solar eclipse will be crossing the entire continental United States from Oregon to South Carolina. It has been named the Great All-American Total Solar Eclipse, a press release said.

Three local national parks—Obed Wild and Scenic River, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area—will collectively be offering six different viewing locations, with five of these locations being in the path of totality, the press release said.

The viewing locations include: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Top Stories, Weather Tagged With: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, eclipse shades, Great All-American Total Solar Eclipse, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, national parks, Obed Wild and Scenic River, solar eclipse, solar-filtered viewing equipment, total solar eclipse, Tyler Nordgren

Manhattan Project National Historical Park to welcome new U.S. citizens in Oak Ridge in June

Posted at 1:34 pm May 31, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

National Park Service Logo

The National Park Service and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service will partner to hold a naturalization ceremony for new United States citizens on Friday, June 16. The ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. June 16 at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge. The public is invited to witness the ceremony, a press release said.

Chief United States District Judge Thomas A. Varlan will preside. Amanda North and Natasha Loyd from Oak Ridge High School will sing the national anthem. The Oak Ridge Police Department will provide the presentation of colors.

“National parks aren’t just about scenic beauty,” said Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area Superintendent Niki Stephanie Nicholas. “Rather, they also represent sites of conscience, and commemoration. These sites serve as the standard-bearers of our shared history and what it means to be American. As you contemplate what it means to be an American citizen and these places that you now own, I would ask you to also play a role in protecting them and preserving them. Get out and explore.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Amanda North, American Museum of Science and Energy, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Immigration and Nationality Act, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Natasha Loyd, National Park Service, naturalization ceremonies, naturalization ceremony, new U.S. citizens, new United States citizens, Niki Stephanie Nicholas, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Police Department, Thomas A. Varlan, United States citizenship, United States Citizenship and Immigration Service

Learn more about total solar eclipse during Dick Smyser Community Lecture in May

Posted at 1:14 am April 25, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Photo courtesy National Weather Service

Photo courtesy National Park Service

 

Educator Chap Percival will discuss the upcoming August 21 solar eclipse during a May 18 lecture in Oak Ridge.

Percival will be the featured speaker at this year’s Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series.

The free lecture is scheduled for Thursday, May 18, at the American Museum of Science and Energy, which is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. A reception will be held in the museum lobby starting at 5:30 p.m., and the lecture will start at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, blocking at least part of the sun as viewed from some areas of Earth. During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely obscures the sun so that only the sun’s corona is visible for a moment in time.  On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible along a roughly 67-mile-wide path across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina, a press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Education, Federal, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, Annual Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Chap Percival, David Fields, Dick Smyser Community Lecture, Friends of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, National Park Service, NPS, Oak Ridge Isochronous Observation Network, Obed Wild and Scenic River, ORION, Roane State Community College, solar eclipse, Tamke-Allen Observatory, total solar eclipse

Acting Oak Ridge site manager of Manhattan Project park to give info, ask for input Monday

Posted at 11:21 am April 23, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Niki Nicholas

Niki Nicholas

 

The acting site manager of the Oak Ridge unit of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park will present information on the park and ask for input about the project during a meeting on Monday.

Besides being acting site manager of the Oak Ridge park unit, Niki Stephanie Nicholas is also superintendent of both the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and the Obed Wild and Scenic River.

The Monday meeting is open to the public. It’s a general meeting of AAUW (American Association of University Women), and it’s scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 24, in Room 102 at First Presbyterian Church.

A soup and sandwich luncheon, catered by The Soup Kitchen, will be served at 11:30 a.m., with the program beginning at noon, a press release said. The cost for the lunch is $8. There will be cookies and iced tea and coffee also. Reservations may be made by calling Mary Uziel at (865) 483-1043. Reservations are asked for those also who plan to bring a sack lunch to ensure adequate seating for the program. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Nonprofits Tagged With: AAUW, American Association of University Women, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Niki Nicholas, Oak Ridge, Obed Wild and Scenic River

Council to receive briefing on Manhattan Project park from Park Service on Tuesday

Posted at 11:29 am January 16, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Niki-Nicholas-National-Park-Service

Niki Nicholas

The Oak Ridge City Council will receive a briefing on the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park on Tuesday.

The briefing by Niki Nicholas, superintendent of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, will be during a Tuesday evening work session on January 21. It will follow a special 6 p.m. City Council meeting for boards and commissions elections in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. (See the work session agenda here. See the special meeting agenda here.)

There will also be an orientation session next week for those interested in volunteering for the new park, which includes Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico. That orientation session starts at 10 a.m. Thursday, January 21, at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Alexander Inn, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Building 9204-3, Building 9731, East Tennessee Technology Park, Graphite Reactor, Hanford, K-25 Building, Los Alamos, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Midtown Community Center, Municipal Building Courtroom, Niki Nicholas, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex

AMSE foundation, park superintendent create fund for Manhattan Project Park in Oak Ridge

Posted at 3:37 pm December 13, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Wayne-Stevenson-AMSE-Niki-Nicholas-National-Park-Service

Wayne Stevenson, left, and Niki Nicholas sign an agreement to create a Friends of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park—Oak Ridge fund account. (Photo submitted by D. Ray Smith)

 

By D. Ray Smith

The American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation is pleased to partner with the Manhattan Project National Historical Park—Oak Ridge by creating a fund in which tax-deductible contributions can be received to support the specific and defined needs of one of the nation’s newest national parks.

As you may know, funding for the new park will be somewhat limited, as is funding for all our nation’s national parks. The amount planned for Fiscal Year 2016 is $180,000, which will cover the salary requirements of a superintendent and will begin the master planning initiative necessary to begin effective operations of the national park at three sites: Los Alamos, New Mexico; Hanford, Washington; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

We, in Oak Ridge, are fortunate to have Niki Nicholas, superintendent of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and of the Obed Wild and Scenic River, as the person the National Park Service has selected to manage the Manhattan Project National Historical Park—Oak Ridge. Ms. Nicholas is a dedicated professional with substantial experience managing national park units. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation, AMSEF, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, D. Ray Smith, Friends of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park—Oak Ridge, Hanford, Los Alamos, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, national park, National Park Service, Niki Nicholas, Oak Ridge, Obed Wild and Scenic River, Wayne Stevenson

Russell, scientist and environmental advocate, to be interviewed Thursday

Posted at 12:11 pm July 4, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Liane Lee Russell

Liane Lee Russell

Scientist and environmental advocate Liane “Lee” Russell will be interviewed in a Thursday meeting of Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning and Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association.

“She will share her many and varied experiences both as a highly successful scientist and truly dedicated and equally effective environmental advocate,” a press release said.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at the Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road in the historic Wildcat Den.

“You will not want to miss this opportunity to interact with one of the most famous scientists in Oak Ridge’s history,” organizers said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Nonprofits Tagged With: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Biology Division, environmental advocate, Lee Russell, Lianne "Lee" Russell, Lianne Russell, Midtown Community Center, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Obed Wild and Scenic River, ORNL, scientist, Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning, Wildcat Den, Y chromosome

Alexander introduces bill to reimburse Tennessee for reopening Smokies

Posted at 1:34 pm October 15, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Cades Cove in the Fall

Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is pictured above in the fall of 2010.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander on Tuesday introduced legislation in the Senate to reimburse states within 90 days for all state funds used to reopen national parks while the federal government is shut down.

“I voted against shutting down the government, and I’m doing all I can to reopen it—and assuring states that the federal government will reimburse them for funds used to reopen our national treasures is a good step in the right direction,” said the senator, a Tennessee Republican. “For the surrounding communities, the Smokies closing is like a BP oil spill for the Gulf. This is the prime tourist season for the Smokies, when many of the small businesses around the park make most of their money, and I urge Congress to pass this legislation quickly.”

Alexander said the shutdown of the federal government has affected Tennessee’s other national park facilities in addition to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Federal, Government, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, Congress, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, federal government, government shutdown, House of Representatives, John J. Duncan Jr., Lamar Alexander, national parks, Phil Roe, Senate, shutdown

In cities surrounded by good bear habitat, wildlife officials generally let bears keep moving

Posted at 5:58 pm July 31, 2013
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Black Bear at Grill

A black bear investigates a backyard grill in north Oak Ridge in May 2012. To encourage bears to move on, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency recommends trying to eliminate outdoor food sources such as dog and cat food, bird seed, and grease traps. (Photo by George Ostrouchov)

Oak Ridge and Knoxville are surrounded by very good bear habitats—including the largest black bear preserve in the world—and it’s not unusual to see up to a half-dozen bears come through the Oak Ridge area each year and at least that many in the Knoxville area, Tennessee wildlife officials said this week.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Sgt. Roy Smith of Morristown said the bear seen in Oak Ridge on Monday was not the first in the area this summer, and there have also been a few in Anderson County.

“It’s not an isolated incident,” Smith said. “We have bears moving through Oak Ridge from time to time.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Government, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, bear habitat, bears, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, black bear, Cherokee National Forest, food, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Jason Lankford, juvenile bears, Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Roy Smith, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, TWRA

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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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