Oak Ridge Today

Coach Kreis of Coalfield dies after battling brain cancer

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Garry Kreis

Garry Kreis

Information from WYSH Radio

Former Coalfield Head Football Coach Garry Kreis passed away Monday morning after battling brain cancer.

Kreis played wide receiver for the University of Tennessee in the late 1960s after playing high school football at Oliver Springs. He landed at Coalfield as an assistant coach in 1979 as a teacher, head basketball coach, and assistant football coach. In 1987, he was promoted to head coach of the Coalfield football team and held that post until his retirement in 2008. [Read more…]

Community sets up memorial fund to build statue to honor former coach

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Garry Kreis

Garry Kreis

 

By J. Brad Jones

COALFIELD—The people of Coalfield and Oliver Springs have put aside their sports rivalry to come together to honor one of their own.

Garry Kreis, also known as “High Pockets,” played his high school football in Oliver Springs and at the University of Tennessee before becoming a teacher at Norwood Middle School in Anderson County.

In 1979, he became the assistant football coach at Coalfield High School, as well as the head basketball coach and teacher. For the next 28 years, Coach Garry Kreis was Coalfield football. Garry was assistant coach until 1987, when he became the head coach. He continued that role through 2007.

Recently, Garry Kreis was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and was doing very well with that until he received the bad news that the cancer had spread to his brain. Coach Kreis was placed in hospice care on March 14, 2017, where he remains now. However, Garry’s health has been deteriorating rapidly.

The community has begun several projects to honor the memory of Coach Garry Kreis for his continued dedication and support of the Coalfield community. [Read more…]

Aerial photos: Oak Ridge Mall demolition

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Oak-Ridge-Mall-Demolition-Aug-10-2016-1-High

The site of the former Sears store is pictured above at the former Oak Ridge Mall, most of which is being demolished to prepare for Main Street Oak Ridge, on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. The side of Walmart is just visible at upper right. (Photo courtesy Brad Jones/BBB-TV, Channel 12)

 

Here are aerial photos from Wednesday of the demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall. The photos were shared by Brad Jones of BBB-TV, Channel 12, and they are used here with his permission.

See more information about the 58-acre redevelopment, called Main Street Oak Ridge, along with a video, in this story. Main Street Oak Ridge is expected to include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and a hotel. Belk and JCPenney will be part of the project. Eight other new stores have been announced.

RealtyLink, the Greenville, South Carolina, developer, has said demolition of the enclosed mall spaces between Belk and JCPenney could take three months, and new stores could open at the mixed-use, open-air development in the spring of 2017.

Oak-Ridge-Mall-Demolition-Aug-10-2016-3

The site of the former Sears store is pictured above at the former Oak Ridge Mall, most of which is being demolished to prepare for Main Street Oak Ridge, on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (Photo courtesy Brad Jones/BBB-TV, Channel 12)

[Read more…]

See aerial video of the demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall

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Oak-Ridge-Mall-Demolition-Aug-10-2016-4

An aerial view on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, of the demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall starting at the former Sears store at bottom center and extending into the interior enclosed spaces at the mall. Belk is to the left of this picture, and JCPenney and the former Goody’s store are at upper right. (Photo courtesy Brad Jones/BBB-TV, Channel 12)

 

Here is an aerial video from Wednesday of the demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall. The video was produced by Brad Jones of BBB-TV, Channel 12, and it is used here with his permission.

The three-minute video starts at the area of the former Sears store, which is now demolished and is pictured above at bottom center. Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx will be built in that area, possibly starting in October.

The parking lot at the top of the photo above is the parking lot between JCPenney, at top right, and the Cinemark Tinseltown theater, which is to the left of this picture. The road curving across the top right of the picture is Rutgers Avenue, and the road angling across the top left is Wilson Street. Walmart is off to the bottom right.

The mall is being redeveloped as Main Street Oak Ridge, a 58-acre mixed-use project that could cost about $75 million total and include retailers, restaurants, residential units, and a hotel. [Read more…]