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COVID-19 emergency delays start of football, girls soccer seasons

Posted at 11:26 am July 3, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Blankenship-Field-James-Mitchell-Aug-2019
Blankenship Field—the city’s football field—is pictured above in August 2019. (File photo by James Mitchell via City of Oak Ridge)

The extension of the COVID-19 emergency in Tennessee has delayed the start of the high school football and girls soccer seasons.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has extended the COVID-19 state of emergency until August 29. A prior order by the governor includes limitations and restrictions on contact sporting events and activities.

In an update sent to member schools on Tuesday, Bernard Childress, executive director of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, said member schools cannot have any competition or scrimmage with other schools while the governor’s order is in place. The schools cannot have close contact activities during practice for football, 7-on-7 football, girls soccer, wrestling, and basketball. Football and girls soccer cannot begin their seasons as originally scheduled, Childress said.

The Oak Ridge football season opener had been scheduled for August 21.

The TSSAA Board of Control had a special meeting Wednesday and voted unanimously to require that member schools follow the governor’s executive order for sports activities.

The board discussed the effect that the extended COVID-19 state of emergency will have on contact sports in the fall. Football, girls soccer, and competitive cheer are considered contact sports.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID-19, Front Page News, Health, High School, Sports Tagged With: 7-on-7 football, basketball, Bernard Childress, Bill Lee, Blankenship Field, competitive cheer, contact sports, COVID-19, football, girls soccer, state of emergency, Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, TSSAA, wrestling

Fulmer the special guest at fundraiser for Blankenship Field

Posted at 7:02 pm October 24, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Blankenship-Field-James-Mitchell-Aug-2019
The renovated Blankenship Field—the city’s football field—and its walking track are now open for public use. The main change is that the grass field has been replaced with synthetic turf, but there are other changes as well. The field is pictured above in August 2019. (Photo by James Mitchell via City of Oak Ridge)

University of Tennessee Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer will be the special guest at a fundraiser for the Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation on Tuesday.

The fundraiser is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, October 29, on Blankenship Field.

Big Ed’s Pizza and cold beverages will be served. The cost is $125 per person, or you can sponsor a table of eight people for $1,000.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, fundraiser, Phillip Fulmer

Football: Wildcats start regular season Friday

Posted at 10:42 am August 23, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Blankenship-Field-James-Mitchell-Aug-2019
The renovated Blankenship Field—the city’s football field—and its walking track are now open for public use. The main change is that the grass field has been replaced with synthetic turf, but there are other changes as well. The field is pictured above in August 2019. (Photo by James Mitchell via City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats will start the regular football season at home on Blankenship Field on Friday, August 23.

The Wildcats will open the season in a game against Hardin Valley. The game starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

It will be the first time the Wildcats have played a regular-season game on the new synthetic turf on Blankenship Field.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Blankenship Field, football, Hardin Valley, Oak Ridge, Wildcats

Renovated Blankenship Field open for public use

Posted at 3:10 pm August 21, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Blankenship-Field-James-Mitchell-Aug-2019
The renovated Blankenship Field—the city’s football field—and its walking track are now open for public use. The main change is that the grass field has been replaced with synthetic turf, but there are other changes as well. The field is pictured above in August 2019. (Photo by James Mitchell via City of Oak Ridge)

The renovated Blankenship Field—the city’s football field—and its walking track are now open for public use.

The main change is that the grass field has been replaced with synthetic turf, but there are other changes as well, including to scoreboards and end zone areas.

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department and Oak Ridge Schools announced the opening of the renovated field on Tuesday.

The field and track are accessible through a gate adjacent to the lower concession stand, a press release said. Like other public park facilities, public use is permitted from sunup to sundown, except when the field is reserved for special events, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Government, High School, K-12, Middle School, Oak Ridge, Slider, Sports, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, football field, Jack Armstrong Stadium, Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department, Oak Ridge Schools, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

City manager cites top six project list

Posted at 6:01 pm March 7, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson cited a top six project list during his “State of the City” presentation to the League of Women Voters on Tuesday.

The items on the list were installing the synthetic turf on Blankenship Field, to be completed in May, in time for graduation; improving a few intersections, including at Tulane Avenue; making progress on Rails to Trails; finishing the new Friendship Bell pavilion at Alvin K. Bissell Park; adding exhaust systems at Oak Ridge fire stations for the diesel-burning fire trucks; and replacing the Oak Ridge Water Plant.

The new water plant could cost $44 million and be built at the city’s water intake on Melton Hill Lake in south Oak Ridge. It’s probably the largest public works project for the city, Watson said. About half of the city’s water is used by the City of Oak Ridge and the other half is used by U.S. Department of Energy facilities, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Blankenship Field, Friendship Bell, League of Women Voters, Mark Watson, Rails-to-Trails, State of the City, synthetic turf, water plant

Limited amount of sod from Blankenship Field available Friday

Posted at 8:51 pm December 6, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The high school football season is over, and renovation work started at Blankenship Field in November 2018. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Schools)

The high school football season is over, and renovation work started at Blankenship Field in November 2018. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Schools)

 

A limited amount of sod from Blankenship Field will be available to football fans during a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday afternoon.

Renovations have started at the field, which will be converted from grass to synthetic turf, possibly by the end of April.

The ceremonial groundbreaking will be hosted by the City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools, and it is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Friday, December 7.

“Football fans will be given the opportunity to take home a piece of sod from the field beginning at 3:30 p.m. Friday,” a press release said. A limited amount of sod will be available at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, Government, High School, K-12, Middle School, Oak Ridge, Slider, Sports, Sports Tagged With: Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, City of Oak Ridge, grass, groundbreaking, Local Parks and Recreation Fund, Oak Ridge Schools, sod, synthetic turf, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Photos: Work begins on Blankenship Field

Posted at 4:19 pm December 3, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The high school football season is over, and renovation work started at Blankenship Field in November 2018. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Schools)

The high school football season is over, and renovation work started at Blankenship Field in November 2018. (Photo courtesy Oak Ridge Schools)

 

The high school football season is over, and renovation work has started at Blankenship Field.

The City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools have both posted photos of the start of the work.

On Wednesday, the City of Oak Ridge said maintenance crews from Oak Ridge Schools were doing preliminary work, including removing irrigation, fencing, and sod.

“Heavy machinery will arrive with the contractors soon,” the city said in a post published on Twitter. “We can’t wait to see the finished product next year!” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, Government, High School, K-12, Middle School, Oak Ridge, Slider, Sports, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Ben Martin Field, Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, City of Oak Ridge, Field Turf USA Inc., Local Parks and Recreation Fund, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Schools, renovation, synthetic turf, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

Football photos by Houchin

Posted at 11:22 pm October 1, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge senior quarterback Herbert Booker (13) scrambles during a 20-14 loss to Farragut on Blankenship Field on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018. (Photo by Barry Houchin)

Oak Ridge senior quarterback Herbert Booker (13) scrambles during a 20-14 loss to Farragut on Blankenship Field on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018. (Photo by Barry Houchin)

 

The Oak Ridge football team is 6-1 so far this season. Here are photos from some of their first seven games, courtesy of Barry Houchin.

Oak Ridge is off this week. They play next at Clinton on Friday, October 12. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Barry Houchin, Blankenship Field, Bryan Wyatt, Cam Mlekodaj, Campbell County, Dobyns-Bennett, Farragut, football, Herbert Booker, Isaiah Johnson, Izaiah Boone, Jack Replogle, Jeff Miner, Jordan Graham, Kai'Reese Pendergrass, Matthew Calhoun, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Wild Band and Color Guard, Sam Hensley, Timothy Johnson Jr., Tyrell Romano

Football: Oak Ridge Wildcats 6-1 so far this season

Posted at 9:48 pm October 1, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Wildcats walk down the stairs at Jack Armstrong Stadium before a 41-12 win over Dobyns-Bennett on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 24, 2018. (Photo by Barry Houchin)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats walk down the stairs at Jack Armstrong Stadium before a 41-12 win over Dobyns-Bennett on Blankenship Field on Friday, Aug. 24, 2018. (Photo by Barry Houchin)

 

The Oak Ridge football team is 6-1 so far this season.

The Wildcats have had three wins and no losses in Region 3-5A. They have defeated Campbell County at home and West and Karns on the road.

Their other three wins were in non-regional games, with victories at Hardin Valley, at home against Dobyns-Bennett, and at Sevier County.

Their one loss, a non-regional game, was to Farragut on Blankenship Field.

All three games remaining in the regular season are regional games: Clinton (1-5, 0-2); Powell (6-1, 3-1); and Fulton (5-1, 2-0).

Oak Ridge is off this week. They play at Clinton on Friday, October 12. Their final two games, against Powell and Fulton, will be at home on October 19 and 25.

Here is a summary of the first seven games. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Slider, Sports, Sports Tagged With: Admirals, Barry Houchin, Beavers, Blankenship Field, Brady Hutson, Brayden Hurst, Cam Burden, Camden Mlekodaj, Cameron Williamson, Campbell County, Cedarius Bost, Chase Jenkins, Clinton, Colin Russell, Daniel Bethel, Daniel Kitts, David Clary, Devlin Dukes, Dobyns-Bennett, football, Fulton, Gavin Wilkinson, Grayson Vaughn, Hardin Valley, hawks, Herbert Booker, Ian Hicks, Indians, Isaiah Johnson, Isaiah Mattress, Jack Armstrong Stadium, Jack Replogle, Jacob Adams, Jacquez Johnson, Jawaun Moore, Jeremy Mitchell, Joe Gaddis, Jonathan Stewart, Jordan Gonzalez, Jordan Graham, Kai'Reese Pendergrass, Karns, Kelton Gunn, Kyle Carter, Landon Addington, Lendon Redwine, Luther Simmons, Mark and Shawna Haste, Matthew Calhoun, Mitchell Gibbons, Oak Ridge, Powell, Preston Bowman, rebels, Region 3-5A, Sevier County, Shemar Smith, Smoky Bears, Tanner Corum, Thomas Harper, Tre Jackson, Trey Rowe, Tyrell Romano, West, Wildcats

Council to hear updates on Blankenship, energy savings

Posted at 7:46 pm August 20, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium are pictured above on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium are pictured above on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday will hear an update on the progress and next steps in the Blankenship Field revitalization project and an update on energy savings projects.

The update on the Blankenship Field project, which includes the installation of synthetic turf, will be given by Jon Hetrick, Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks director. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Government, High School, K-12, Middle School, Oak Ridge, Recreation, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field revitalization, energy savings, Oak Ridge City Council, synthetic turf, work session

Blankenship Field renovations to start after football season

Posted at 6:14 pm July 12, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium are pictured above on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium are pictured above on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The renovations at Blankenship Field, including the installation of synthetic turf, won’t start until after this year’s football season ends, officials said Thursday.

At one time, there had been hopes that the renovation work would have started this past January and be finished by this June. Then, after an $800,000 contract was approved in June, there had still been the possibility that the work could be complete this summer, on or around the first home football game in August.

But on Thursday, the City of Oak Ridge announced a decision to wait until the Oak Ridge High School football season is complete to begin the renovations.

“The decision was based on the contractor’s estimate that the project could not be completed without impacting the first three home football games,” a city press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, High School, Slider, Sports, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, Bruce Borchers, City of Oak Ridge, David Bradshaw, Field Turf, football season, Keys Fillauer, Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Schools, renovations, state grant, synthetic turf, TDEC grant, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Warren Gooch

Updated: Council approves $800,000 contract for synthetic turf at Blankenship

Posted at 6:00 pm June 20, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium are pictured above on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Blankenship Field and Jack Armstrong Stadium are pictured above on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was published at 4:15 p.m. June 19 and updated at 6 p.m. June 20.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday approved a $800,000 contract to buy and install synthetic turf at Blankenship Field.

Council approved the contract in 5-0 vote during a special meeting Tuesday evening in the Multipurpose Room in the Central Services Complex in central Oak Ridge.

The contract was awarded to Field Turf USA Inc. of Montreal in Quebec, Canada. The company has a regional office in Calhoun, Georgia.

The contract says the purchase and installation of the synthetic turf are not to exceed $800,000. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Recreation, Slider, Sports Tagged With: Blankenship Field, Blankenship Field Revitalization Foundation, Field Turf Revolution 360, Field Turf USA Inc., Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant, Mark S. Watson, National Joint Powers Alliance, Oak Ridge City Council, special meeting, synthetic turf, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, work session

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Classifieds

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