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Proposal to close courthouse offices for COVID sent to committee

Posted at 12:05 am December 29, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County Courthouse

A proposal to temporarily close Anderson County Courthouse offices to the public because of COVID-19 and to have much business conducted remotely was referred to a committee last week.

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Anderson County Courthouse

A proposal to temporarily close Anderson County Courthouse offices to the public because of COVID-19 and to have much business conducted remotely was referred to a committee last week.

The rest of this story is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or contributor to Oak Ridge Today.

Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here.

Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here:

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to:

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P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

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We also accept donations. You can donate here. A donation of $50 or more will make you eligible for a subscription.

Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support!

Filed Under: Anderson County, COVID-19, Front Page News, Government, Government, Health, Premium Content, Slider Tagged With: Anderson County Courthouse, Bob Smallridge, Catherine Denenberg, COVID-19, Denver Waddell, Jerry Creasey, Phil Yager, Shain Vowell, Steve Mead, Terry Frank, Theresa Scott

TDEC to attend county’s Bull Run meeting on June 10

Posted at 10:54 am May 29, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Bull Run Fossil Plant is pictured above in Claxton on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will attend a June 10 meeting where the planned closure of the Bull Run Fossil Plant in Claxton will be discussed, a county commissioner said.

It will be the June 10 monthly meeting of the Anderson County Commission’s Intergovernmental Committee. The public is encouraged to attend, said Anderson County Commissioner Catherine Denenberg of District 6 in Oak Ridge.

TDEC is the state department that is responsible for monitoring the Tennessee Valley Authority, Denenberg said.

“They will have a Power Point presentation and will be there to answer questions about their involvement with the closing of the Bull Run Fossil plant in Claxton,” Denenberg said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Government, Slider, State Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Bull Run Fossil Plant, Catherine Denenberg, coal-burning power plant, Intergovernmental Committee, TDEC, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA

Anderson: Barker elected sheriff; incumbents win in Oak Ridge

Posted at 9:40 pm August 2, 2018
By John Huotari 2 Comments

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…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Alden Souza, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Election Commission, Anderson County Sheriff, Anderson County trustee, Anthony Allen, Bob Smallridge, Catherine Denenberg, Chuck Fritts, Denver Waddell, Donnie Rosenbalm, Ebony Capshaw, J. Shain Vowell, Jerry Creasey, Jerry White, Jimmy Bouchard, John Ragan, Joshua Anderson, Mark Alderson, Mark Lucas, Nathaniel Varner, Paul White, Phil Yager, Philip Warfield, Regina Copeland, Rex Lynch, Richard Dawson, Rick Meredith, Robbie Fulton, Robert A. Jameson, Robert McKamey, Russell Barker, Steve Emert, Steve Mead, Terry Frank, Theresa Scott, Tim Isbel, Tracy Wandell

Voter’s guide: Notes from a candidate forum

Posted at 9:30 am August 2, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Alden Souza, Anderson County, Anderson County candidates, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County general election, Anderson County Sheriff, Anthony Allen, candidate forum, Catherine Denenberg, Circuit Court Clerk, county general election, election, election day, Jerry Creasey, Jimmy Bouchard, Mark Lucas, Rex Lynch, Robbie Fulton, Russell Barker, state and federal primary elections, Steve Mead, Theresa Scott, voter's guide

Catherine Denenberg receives endorsement from Tom Beehan, Kay Brookshire

Posted at 4:44 pm August 1, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Pictured above from left are Kay Brookshire, Catherine Denenberg, and Tom Beehan. (Submitted photo)

Pictured above from left are Kay Brookshire, Catherine Denenberg, and Tom Beehan. (Submitted photo)

 

Former Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and his wife, Kay Brookshire, are supporting Anderson County Commissioner Catherine Denenberg in her race to return to her commission seat representing District 6 in Oak Ridge, a press release said. Election day is Thursday, August 2.

“We support Catherine Denenberg because we believe it’s important to have an independent voice representing Oak Ridge on Anderson County Commission,” Beehan said. “She’s a great problem solver, a good listener, and as a County Commissioner, she works well with other commissioners and with those in Oak Ridge city government.”

Denenberg has represented District 6 since Commissioner Harry “Whitey” Hitchcock stepped down from the position early this year. Hitchcock asked her to seek his commission seat, and Denenberg said she was humbled and honored to do so. County Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint her to the seat, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Catherine Denenberg, election, endorsement, Kay Brookshire, Tom Beehan

Meet candidates at Popcorn & Politics on Monday

Posted at 1:24 pm June 20, 2018
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

You can meet candidates for county and state elected offices at Popcorn and Politics at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

It’s scheduled from 4:30-6 p.m. Monday, June 25. It’s hosted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Advocacy Committee. Popcorn and Politics will give you a chance to meet candidates running for office in the August election, a press release said.

“All local candidates as well as candidates running for state legislative offices have been invited to participate,” the press release said.

The public is invited. There is no charge to attend, but a reservation is requested. The event will be held in the Joyce Conference Room at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, State Tagged With: August election, Ben Stephens, candidates, Catherine Denenberg, Ebony Capshaw, elected offices, election, Jeff Cole, John Ragan, Mark Lucas, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Owen Driskill, Phil Yager, Popcorn and Politics, Regina Copeland, Rex Lynch, Richard Dawson, Theresa Scott, Tim Shelton

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

Posted at 1:38 pm April 7, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Sheriff, Anthony Allen, Avery Johnson, Ben Stephens, Bob Eby, Bob Smallridge, Cassandra Mitchell, Catherine Denenberg, Chris Silver, Chuck Fritts, county general election, David Queener, Democratic primary, Dennis Powers, Denny Phillips, Denver Waddell, Ebony Capshaw, Felicia Foust, Floyd Grisham, Jeff Cole, Jeff Maxwell, Jerry Creasey, Jerry White, Jimmy Bouchard, John Meyer, John Ragan, Joshua Anderson, Leesa Arowood, Lewis Ridenour, Mark "Hollywood" Whaley, Mark Alderson, Mark Lucas, Michael Foster, Nathaniel Varner, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Phil Warfield, Phil Yager, primary elections, Randy McNally, Regina Copeland, Republican primary, Rex Lynch, Richard Dawson, Rick Meredith, Robert Jameson, Robert McKamey, Russell Barker, Scott Burton, Scott Gillenwaters, Shain Vowell, Steve Emert, Steve Mead, Tabitha Harmon, Tennessee House of Representatives, Tennessee House of Representatives District 33, Tennessee Senate District 5, Terry Frank, Theresa Scott, Tim Isbel, Tim Risden, Tim Shelton, Tracy Wandell, William Jones

Denenberg appointed to vacant AC Commission seat; EMS vote deferred

Posted at 12:15 pm February 9, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

Meeting Thursday in a special-called session, the Anderson County Commission unanimously voted to appoint Catherine Denenberg of Oak Ridge to serve the remainder of an unexpired term on the Commission.

Denenberg was the only person to apply for the appointment, and no other nominations were made from the floor or by commissioners. The vote to appoint her to serve the remainder of Harry “Whitey” Hitchcock’s term representing Oak Ridge’s District 6 was unanimous. Denenberg has already qualified to run for that seat in the August general election. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Anderson County EMS, Catherine Denenberg, Harry "Whitey" Hitchcock, Jay Yeager, WYSH Radio

Anderson County Democratic Party to elect new leaders at reorganization convention

Posted at 12:18 pm March 11, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Image by Anderson County Democratic Party

Image by Anderson County Democratic Party

 

The Anderson County Democratic Party will have a Biennial Reorganization Convention to elect new leaders at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 25, a press release said. The meeting will take place in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. All county Democrats are welcome, the press release said.

Local Democrats will elect a new chairperson, first vice chair, second vice chair, secretary, treasurer, and the Executive Committee, which is comprised of 16 members. Executive Committee members will be elected from each district in Anderson County for 2017-2018, and they will serve two-year terms.

“All Democratic residents who are eligible voters of Anderson County are urged to attend to discuss the party’s agenda and events scheduled for 2017-2018,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: Anderson County Democratic Party, Anderson County Democrats, Catherine Denenberg, Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, Reorganization Convention

Gail Martin—former AC school board member, county election administrator—dies at 75

Posted at 12:24 pm September 9, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Shirley Gail Martin

Shirley Gail Martin

Note: This story was updated at 2:37 p.m.

Shirley Gail Martin, a former longtime member of the Anderson County school board who served two years as county election administrator, died Wednesday, September 7. She was 75.

Martin, of Claxton, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, her obituary said.

“She was an education activist who gave 24 years to the Anderson County Board of Education, as well as being a devoted Democrat,” the obituary said.

Former Anderson County School Director Larry Foster, who retired at the end of June, said Martin will be missed as a personal friend and also as a community leader. She worked for excellence in education in Anderson County, Foster said, and her long service on the school board indicated that.

Martin stayed involved in the educational area even after she left the school board, and she would attend meetings, call Foster from time to time to ask what was happening, and bring issues of concern to him.

“She wanted excellence,” Foster said Friday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12, Obituaries, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Board of Education, Anderson County Democratic Party, Anderson County Democratic Women, Anderson County Election Commission, Catherine Denenberg, Gail Martin, Holley-Gamble Funeral Home, Jo Ann Garrett, Larry Foster, Mark Stephens, Shirley Gail Martin

Aug. 4 ballot: Competitive races for Congress, AC Commission in Oak Ridge

Posted at 1:09 pm June 23, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Voter Registration Month

The ballot is set for the August 4 county general election and state and federal primary elections. The competitive elections include the Republican and Democratic primaries for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Third Congressional District, which includes Oak Ridge, and the race for one of two seats in Anderson County Commission’s Eighth District, which includes the Woodland, Hendrix Creek, and Emory Valley precincts in Oak Ridge.

There is also competition for two seats on the Anderson County School Board, one in the Third District and the other in the Fifth District.

U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, an Ooltewah Republican, is the incumbent in the House’s Third Congressional District. He has two opponents in the Republican primary on August 4: Allan Levene and Geoffery Suhmer Smith. (Signs for Fleischmann and Smith have both recently been posted in Oak Ridge.)

There are also three Democratic candidates on the ballot for U.S. House, Third District. They are Michael Friedman, George Ryan Love, and Melody Shekari.

The Republican winner will face the Democratic winner in the November 8 federal general election. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Election, Anderson County, Federal, Front Page News, Government, State Tagged With: Allan Levene, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Democratic Party, Anderson County School Board, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, Andy McKamey, Angeleque McNutt, August 4 ballot, August 4 election, Bob Fannon, Catherine Denenberg, Chris Phillips, Chuck Fleischmann, county general election, Dail R. Cantrell, Democratic primaries, Dennis H. Powers, Eighth District, Emory Valley, federal primary election, Geoffery Suhmer Smith, George Ryan Love, Glenda J. Langenberg, Hendrix Creek, Herman Collins, J. Shain Vowell, John K. Alley Jr., John Ragan, John S. Burrell, Melody Shekari, Michael Friedman, Michael S. McKamey, Myra Mansfield, November 8 election, November 8 state general election, Oak Ridge, Phil Yager, Republican, Robin Biloski, Scott Daugherty, Third Congressional District, U.S. House of Representatives, Woodland, Zach Bates, Zenith Rickey Rose

McKamey suspends state House campaign; Collins will be write-in candidate

Posted at 3:19 pm June 7, 2016
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Herman Collins

Herman Collins

Michael McKamey of Clinton, who had been a candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 33, announced Tuesday that he has suspended his campaign, a party official said.

The campaign suspension was announced by Anderson County Democratic Party Chair Catherine Denenberg.

McKamey is supporting Herman Collins, who has announced as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary for the same office, Denenberg said. Collins, who also lives in Clinton, now serves as the first vice chair of the Anderson County Democratic Party.

McKamey made his decision to suspend his campaign due to a family illness that is requiring his full attention, Denenberg said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Election, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, State Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Democratic Party, Anderson County Election Commission, Catherine Denenberg, District 33, Herman Collins, John Ragan, Michael McKamey, Tennessee House of Representatives

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AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

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