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Sewer testing finds significant increase in COVID particles in east plant

Posted at 12:31 pm October 21, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A chart by the Oak Ridge Public Works Department shows the results of testing wastewater for COVID-19. The particles per liter have increased significantly in the east plant during the past week, putting it in the red zone for uncontrolled transmission. The east plant is the area generally east of New York Avenue and north of Oak Ridge Turnpike. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The most recent testing for evidence of COVID-19 in the city’s sewer system documented a significant increase in particles per liter in the east plant, putting that area in a red zone for uncontrolled transmission.

The east plant is the area generally east of New York Avenue and north of Oak Ridge Turnpike.

In the last test, the east plant was up to 2.4 million positive genetic particles per liter. That was an increase of almost 35 times from the prior weekly test result of 69,000 positive genetic particles per liter, according to information provided by Oak Ridge Public Works Director Shira McWaters at a City Council work session on Tuesday evening.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: COVID-19, Front Page News, Government, Health, Health, Oak Ridge, Slider Tagged With: City Council, COVID-19, Geosyntec Consultants, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, Patrick Berge, sewer system, sewer testing, Shira McWaters, Sirem

One challenger for City Council, none for school board

Posted at 7:52 pm August 17, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The deadline for candidates to qualify for the November 6 municipal elections was noon Thursday, and four Oak Ridge City Council incumbents have one challenger while there are three candidates for three school board seats.

Besides the four seats now held by incumbents, the November election will include the selection of an additional member of Oak Ridge City Council to fill the rest of the term of Hans Vogel, who was elected to a four-year term in November 2016 but resigned in June to take a new job at Idaho National Laboratory. Only one candidate, Derrick Hammond, has qualified as a candidate in that special election. Hammond was unanimously appointed to the seat by City Council in July to fill the seat through the November election. After his unopposed November election, Hammond will serve the last two years of Vogel’s unexpired term.

Also on the ballot in November are city council and school board seats in Clinton, Norris, Oliver Springs, and Rocky Top. That’s in addition to the state and federal elections for Tennessee governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, and Tennessee Senate and Tennessee House of Representatives.

The four incumbents on the seven-member Oak Ridge City Council who are up for election in November all qualified as candidates by Thursday’s deadline. They are Kelly Callison, R.G. “Rick” Chinn Jr., Warren Gooch, and Ellen D. Smith. The four incumbents last had an election in November 2014. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Clinton, Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12, Norris, Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs, Rocky Top Tagged With: Benjamin J. Stephens, Bob Eby, City Council, Clinton, Clinton Board of Education, Clinton City Council, Derrick Hammond, Ellen D. Smith, Erin S. Webb, Hans Vogel, Kelly Callison, Keys Fillauer, Laura McLean, municipal election, Norris, Norris City Council, November 6 municipal election, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, Oliver Springs, R.G. Rick Chinn Jr., Rocky Top, Rocky Top City Council, school board, Susan L. "Sue" Frederick, Tennessee House of Representatives, Timothy L. Stallings, Warren Gooch, Wende Doolittle, wine in grocery stores

City crews work on 35 water line breaks this month

Posted at 11:29 pm January 8, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

An Oak Ridge Public Works Department crew repairs a broken water line underneath Northwestern Avenue near Nevada Circle at lunchtime Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. The crew here is supervised by Oak Ridge Public Works Department Utility Line Maintenance Crew Chief Michael Brown. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

An Oak Ridge Public Works Department crew repairs a broken water line underneath Northwestern Avenue near Nevada Circle at lunchtime Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. The crew here is supervised by Oak Ridge Public Works Department Utility Line Maintenance Crew Chief Michael Brown. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Oak Ridge crews have responded to 35 water main breaks since January 1, an average of about five per day, City Manager Mark Watson told City Council members on Monday.

There could be more water line breaks as the temperature warms, Watson said.

The city is plotting the water line breaks on a map for more comprehensive repairs.

Cast-iron water pipes can break when the ground shifts as it freezes and then thaws in cold winter weather. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge Tagged With: broken water lines, City Council, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Public Works Department, water line breaks, water main breaks

Community volunteer Tom Row receives mayoral proclamation

Posted at 11:11 am November 24, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge resident Thomas Row, center, who has been a volunteer with more than 40 nonprofit and professional organizations throughout his life, was honored with a mayoral proclamation at the City Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. Also pictured are City Council members Jim Dodson, right, and Hans Vogel. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

Oak Ridge resident Thomas Row, center, who has been a volunteer with more than 40 nonprofit and professional organizations throughout his life, was honored with a mayoral proclamation at the City Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. Also pictured are City Council members Jim Dodson, right, and Hans Vogel. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

 

Oak Ridge resident Thomas Row, who has been a volunteer with more than 40 nonprofit and professional organizations throughout his life, was honored with a mayoral proclamation at the City Council meeting this month.

The proclamation recognized Row’s distinguished service and contributions to the community, the City of Oak Ridge said in its November 2017 newsletter.

Several of the more than 40 nonprofit and professional organizations where Row has been a volunteer have had a significant impact on Oak Ridge and Anderson County, the city said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: ADFAC, Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award, City Council, City of Oak Ridge, Hans Vogel, Jim Dodson, mayoral proclamation, Oak Ridge, Tom Row

Gooch re-appointed mayor, Chinn replaces Smith as mayor pro tem

Posted at 8:45 pm December 12, 2016
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Warren Gooch

Warren Gooch (File photo by Savanna Schubert)

 

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch has been elected by City Council to a second two-year term as mayor, and City Council member Rick Chinn was appointed mayor pro tem, replacing Ellen Smith.

No other City Council member sought to be appointed mayor, and Gooch, who was first appointed after he was elected in 2014, was unanimously elected by the new City Council.

Smith and Chinn both sought to be appointed mayor pro tem. The mayor pro tem serves as mayor when the mayor is temporarily unavailable. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Election, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Angi Agle, Chuck Hope, City Council, Ellen Smith, Hans Vogel, Kelly Callison, Keys Fillauer, mayor pro tem, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge Mayor, Oak Ridge Mayor Pro Tem, Rick Chinn, Warren Gooch

Letter: Dodson has wisdom, experience, professionalism, thoughtful creativity

Posted at 6:29 pm November 2, 2016
By KATHERINE WALLS Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

As a young voter frustrated by the embarrassing dialogue of our national election, I am so happy we have a candidate for Oak Ridge City Council that commands the wisdom and leadership qualities we seek and in which we can place much confidence. I appeal to you to take a close look at Jim Dodson, candidate for Oak Ridge City Council.

Jim Dodson has a history of stepping up and taking initiative and leadership in programs that are good for Oak Ridge, Tennessee, its citizens, and businesses.

I am personally aware that for many years he initiated and organized displays and competitions of art work by Oak Ridge students and others across Tennessee and has raised millions of dollars for scholarships. His foresight and leadership go beyond his concentration on the arts and continue to be recognized. This website includes a brief synopsis: http://www.tennesseeartsacademy.org/about-us/staff.aspx. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: City Council, Jim Dodson, Katherine Walls, Oak Ridge City Council

Letter: Dodson can apply enthusiasm, knowledge, abilities on City Council

Posted at 11:59 am October 30, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

Thirty years or so ago, I was the principal of Jefferson Junior High School when we lost our art teacher. We typically interviewed five to 15 applicants for vacant teaching positions, and Jim Dodson was among those we talked to.

I had been interviewing for several years at that point and had realized that very occasionally someone would apply for a job who was so well qualified, so well spoken and convincingly knowledgeable, so all around good that just about anyone would have recognized him/her as the person to hire. Jim Dodson was that kind of applicant (his references saw him as we did).

The time I spent in his classroom observing him teach that year and in the years that followed only embellished what I had hoped was true when we first met him. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: City Council, Jim Dodson, Robert Moss

Letter: Lee professional, informed about issues and solutions, passionate about city growth

Posted at 1:29 pm October 25, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Letters 11 Comments

To the Editor:

I met Mr. Joseph Lee shortly after my family moved to Oak Ridge in 2005. He introduced himself to me and welcomed us to Oak Ridge. Mr. Lee did not ask me if I was a Democrat or Republican, didn’t ask about our religion, or what my background was. He simply welcomed me to Oak Ridge! He may not even remember.

Early on as a resident, I got involved in promotion of the city in the campaign to bring Target to Oak Ridge. Even as a short-time resident, it was easy to see Oak Ridge needed more shopping options and opportunities to increase both sales and property tax bases. I observed Joe Lee promoting passage of the referendum.

Mr. Lee’s promotion of and work in support of Oak Ridge didn’t end with Oak Ridge losing Target. I learned that Mr. Lee was on the board of the Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals. Among work on that board, Joe Lee proffered the strategy that formed the basis of the plan to restore the Guest House. Mr. Lee worked diligently to affect resolutions of blighted and abandoned properties. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: City Council, Joe Lee, Joseph Lee, Mike Mahathy, Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals

Opinion: Liquor licensees—changing the rules in the middle of the game?

Posted at 12:37 pm October 12, 2016
By Ellen Smith Leave a Comment

oak-ridge-city-council-ellen-smith-sept-14-2015

Ellen Smith (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

At the Monday night City Council meeting, some rules got changed in the middle of the game. That was unsportsmanlike—and it was not business-friendly.

Oak Ridge has an ordinance (dating back nearly 50 years) requiring that owners and operators of retail liquor establishments (liquor stores) must be city residents, unless Council votes to waive the requirement. And Council has routinely waived that residency requirement for everyone who requests a waiver. I’m not aware that anyone was ever denied a waiver—and very few liquor sellers actually live in the city.

Since we don’t require owners of any other type of business to live in the city and since the residency requirement hasn’t been enforced, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep it on the books. It’s just one of several antiquated ordinances related to liquor that need to be updated (a topic I’ve discussed with legal staff). But we have to live with it for now. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Opinion Tagged With: City Council, Ellen Smith, liquor license, liquor stores, Oak Ridge City Council, residence requirement, retail liquor establishments

Fillauer, the school board chair, seeks re-election to BOE

Posted at 3:17 pm September 27, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Keys Fillauer

Keys Fillauer

Keys Fillauer is seeking to be re-elected to the Oak Ridge Board of Education.

Fillauer has served on the school board for 15 years and has served as chair for the last four years. He also serves as East director for the Tennessee School Board Association Board of Directors.

Fillauer is a retired Oak Ridge teacher and coach. He taught and coached at Robertsville Junior High for 27 years and at Oak Ridge High School for four years, a press release said. Fillauer has been recognized as a member of the All Tennessee School Board, Tennessee Teacher of the Year, and Freedom Foundation Award winner, and he received the Governor’s Outstanding Tennessean Award.

Fillauer has also received the Service Above Self award from the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club, the press release said. He is a member of the Oak Ridge Sports Hall of Fame and the Anderson County Hall of Fame.

Fillauer serves as president of a property management business in Cleveland, Tennessee. He is involved in many fundraising efforts, especially for the Ronald McDonald House, the press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Election, Education, Front Page News, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: Alan Tatum, Anderson County Grand Jury foreman, Anderson County Hall of Fame, City Council, Keys Fillauer, Melanie Fillauer, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Schools, Oak Ridge Sports Hall of Fame, Parks Fillauer, Robertsville Junior High, Ronald McDonald House, school board, Tennessee School Board Association Board of Directors

Letter: Make Vogel one of your three choices for City Council

Posted at 7:15 pm September 22, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

We are very fortunate to have several candidates running for City Council on issues that Council actually works on. Continuing good schools seems to be on all platforms and should be. Safety for citizens and the community is also very important. How to pay for these without raising taxes is probably the most important part of the platform. Oak Ridge is a city dependent on the U.S. government more than most Tennessee cities. During the early years, scientists and engineers from the “plants” lived in Oak Ridge and made it a well-run, highly educated city that was famous the world over.

Some of the “plants” are still here and now are making scientific breakthroughs that are changing manufacturing in this country. 3-D printing, carbon fibers, and the Spallation Neutron Source are part of great scientific achievements. However, less than one-half of the employees live in Oak Ridge, and almost no new manufacturing is moving here to take advantage of this great success coming out of Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex. That can change. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: 3-D printing, carbon fibers, City Council, DOE, Gene Caldwell, Hans Vogel, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Science City, Spallation Neutron Source, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex

Letter: Dodson has positive outlook, believes passionately in Oak Ridge

Posted at 12:27 am September 21, 2016
By Judy DiGregorio 2 Comments

To Oak Ridge Today:

We have known Jim Dodson, candidate for City Council, for almost 30 years. We first met him when he began teaching art at Jefferson Middle School, where he still teaches. A superb artist himself, Jim has fostered the artistic talents of many students who have gone on to win local and regional art competitions.

Jim has a positive outlook on life. No matter what the circumstances, Jim looks for the best in every person and every situation. This has made him a fantastic teacher and leader. He has served on the board of directors for several arts and civic organizations and is highly respected for his leadership abilities and his work ethic. I served on the Arts Council when he was president. He was always highly organized and prepared for every meeting. He researched the issues involved before each meeting and treated every board member with respect. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: City Council, Dan and Judy DiGregorio, Jefferson Middle School, Jim Dodson, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Secret City Task Force/Board, United Way of Anderson County

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Classifieds

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

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

Public Notice: Final environmental assessment available for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING FACILITY AT THE Y-12 … [Read More...]

Public Notice: Comment period extended for Draft EA for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

EXTENSION OF THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING … [Read More...]

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