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Photos: Oak Ridge celebrates new national park

Posted at 9:58 pm November 12, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Ed Westcott and National Park Staff at Celebration on Nov. 12, 2015

Ed Westcott, left, the official government photographer in Oak Ridge during World War II, is pictured above with National Park Service staff members during a celebration of the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This post was last updated at 8:05 a.m. Nov. 13.

Oak Ridge residents and officials celebrated the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park on Thursday, two days after the park was formally established in a signing ceremony in Washington, D.C. Here are photos of Thursday’s celebration at Oak Ridge High School and Jackson Square by John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today.

We will add captions to the photos as we can.

The new park includes Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico. The Manhattan Project was a top-secret program to build the world’s first atomic weapons in World War II, before Germany could. The new park is the first of its type to commemorate the Manhattan Project, which is considered one of the top scientific achievements of the 20th century.

The new park includes four buildings in Oak Ridge: the Graphite Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the footprint of the former K-25 Building at East Tennessee Technology Park, and Building 9731 and Building 9204-3, or Beta-3, at Y-12 National Security Complex. The Alexander Inn, which is not a U.S. Department of Energy building, is also eligible for inclusion.

See a story on the establishment of the park on Tuesday here, and see a story on Thursday’s celebration here.

Colin Colverson, Tracy Atkins, and Warren Gooch at Manhattan Project Park Celebration on Nov. 12, 2015

From left above at a celebration for the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015, are Colin Colverson, Oak Ridge Reservation lead for the park in the DOE Oak Ridge Office; Tracy Atkins, project manager for the agreement between DOE and the National Park Service; and Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, East Tennessee Technology Park, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Media, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Office, Photos, Roane County, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Barclay Trimble, Beta 3, Building 9204-3, Building 9731, Colin Colverson, East Tennessee Technology Park, Ed Westcott, Graphite Reactor, Hanford, Jackson Square, K-25 Building, Los Alamos, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Natasha Klug, National Park Service, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tracy Atkins, U.S. Department of Energy, Warren Gooch, World War II, Y-12 National Security Complex

Oak Ridge celebrates new national park

Posted at 6:32 pm November 12, 2015
By John Huotari 6 Comments

National Park Celebration at Jackson Square on Nov. 12, 2015

The iconic “War Ends” photo is recreated in part on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015, with a “Park Opens” photo that celebrates the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which includes Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 8:20 a.m. Nov. 13.

Federal officials established the new national park that includes Oak Ridge on Tuesday. Oak Ridge residents celebrated on Thursday.

The new park, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, commemorates the Manhattan Project. That was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II, before Germany could.

Oak Ridge was the main production site for the Manhattan Project, and uranium enriched at the Y-12 National Security Complex fueled the first atomic bomb used in wartime. It was dropped over Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945, shortly before the war ended. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, Federal, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Alexander Guest House, Alexander Inn, atomic bombs, atomic weapons, Barclay Trimble, Beta 3, Building 9204-3, Building 9731, Colin Colverson, D. Ray Smith, Department of Interior, DOE, Ed Westcott, Graphite Reactor, Hanford, Jackson Square, Japan, K-25 Building, Los Alamos, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, National Park Service, NPS, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Park Opens, Tracy Atkins, U.S. Department of Energy, War Ends, Warren Gooch, World War II, Y-12 National Security Complex

City officials meet with NPS, DOE, other communities to discuss Manhattan Project park

Posted at 12:44 pm August 14, 2015
By City of Oak Ridge Leave a Comment

Chuck Hope

Chuck Hope

A delegation from the City of Oak Ridge recently traveled to Los Alamos, New Mexico, to participate in a meeting with officials from the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of Energy, and from Los Alamos and the Hanford communities to discuss the newly designated Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The meeting was sponsored by the Energy Communities Alliance, or ECA, which supported attendance at the meeting with travel grants to the participants.

The three-day event, with more than 50 in attendance, began with a tour of the cultural resources and Manhattan Project era sites at Los Alamos National Laboratory. David Klaus, deputy under secretary of management and performance with DOE, was the keynote speaker. He emphasized the importance of preserving the history of the Manhattan Project, and pointed to the important scientific and technological advancements that originated from that era.

Victor Knox, associate director for park planning, facilities, and lands for the National Park Service, then briefed attendees on the status of a memorandum of agreement, or MOA, currently under development by DOE and NPS. The draft MOA, which has been released for public comment, will govern the respective roles of the secretary of interior and secretary of energy in administering the park and its facilities. Completion of the MOA is the first major milestone required by the enacting legislation, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama last December. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: AMSE, Amy Fitzgerald, Center for Oak Ridge Oral History, children's museum, Chuck Hope, City Council, Colin Colverson, Congress, David Klaus, DOE, draft MOA, ECA, Energy Communities Alliance, Hanford, heritage tourism, Jordan Reed, Kathryn Baldwin, Los Alamos, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Marc DeRose, memorandum of agreement, MOA, national park, National Park Service, NPS, Pam May, President Obama, Ron Woody, U.S. Department of Energy

Planning for national park, Park Service tours Jackson Square, K-25, ORNL, Y-12

Posted at 10:58 am March 27, 2015
By John Huotari 5 Comments

Vic Knox of National Park Service

Vic Knox (Photo by D. Ray Smith)

Note: This story was last updated at 12:37 p.m.

Planning for the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park has started, and federal officials this week toured Jackson Square, the former K-25 site, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Y-12 National Security Complex.

Stops included the Alexander Inn, Chapel on the Hill, the former K-25 Building site, the Graphite Reactor at ORNL, and two buildings at Y-12: Building 9731, a pilot plant, and Building 9204-3, also known as Beta 3.

“Several of those sites are just amazing,” said Vic Knox, associate director of park planning, facilities, and lands for the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. “They seem like they are just the way they were in 1943. It seems like they take you back in time.”

Oak Ridge was built as part of the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s fist atomic weapons during World War II. Besides Oak Ridge, the new national park includes Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Hanford, Washington. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Alexander Inn, American Museum of Science and Energy, AMSE, atomic weapons, B Reactor, Beta 3, Building 9204-3, Building 9731, bus tours, Chapel on the Hill, Clark Center Park, Colin Colverson, Congress, Graphite Reactor, Hanford, Heritage Center, Jackson Square, K-25, Los Alamos, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, National Nuclear Security Administration, national park, National Park Service, NPS, Oak Ridge Civic Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, open house, ORNL, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Interior, Vic Knox, Waren Gooch, World War II, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex

Planning to preserve history of K-25, which could be part of national park

Posted at 4:38 pm March 25, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

K-25 Building Aerial View

Now demolished, the former mile-long, U-shaped K-25 Building, pictured above, was once used to enrich uranium for atomic weapons and commercial nuclear power plants. Located in west Oak Ridge, the site could become part of a new Manhattan Project National Historical Park. There is a separate effort to preserve K-25’s history; that work could be incorporated into the new park. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy)

 

It was once the world’s largest building under one roof and part of the one of the largest industrial projects ever, a top-secret program to build the world’s first atomic weapons in World War II.

Today the building is gone—demolition was completed in December 2013—but the stories of what took place inside the former mile-long, U-shaped K-25 Building could live on in a replica equipment building, viewing tower, and history center.

And K-25 could become part of a new Manhattan Project National Historical Park approved by Congress in December and signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 19. The 14-page bill was the culmination of 15 years of work, said Colin Colverson, Manhattan Project Park lead in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office.

The law recognizes the Manhattan Project as one of the most significant events in U.S. history, with assets and history that must be preserved. It’s considered one of the top scientific achievements of the 20th century, and Oak Ridge residents still marvel at how quickly the three local sites (K-25, X-10, and Y-12) were built and began operating in all-out race to build an atomic bomb before Germany. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Tennessee Technology Park, ETTP, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Alexander Inn, American Museum of Science and Energy, Atomic Heritage Foundation, atomic weapons, B Reactor, Barack Obama, Beta 3, Building 9204-3, Building 9731, City of Oak Ridge, Cold War, Colin Colverson, Congress, Dick Smyser Community Lecture Series, DOE, equipment building, Friends of ORNL, gaseous diffusion, Graphite Reactor, Hanford, Heritage Center, history center, K-25, K-25 Building, K-25 history, Karen Doughty, Los Alamos, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Manhattan Project park, Mark Watson, National Park Service, nuclear weapons, Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Office, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board, ORNL, Ray Smith, scientific achievement, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Interior, uranium, viewing tower, World War II, X-10, Y-12

Beer Board revokes Lincoln’s beer permit

Posted at 7:27 pm August 28, 2014
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Lincoln's Sports Grille

Lincoln’s Sports Grille on South Illinois Avenue is pictured above. (File photo)

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 a.m. August 29.

The Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board has revoked the beer permit of Lincoln’s Sports Grille.

The revocation was approved in a 4-2 vote during a special meeting on Thursday, the fifth show cause hearing for Lincoln’s.

It wasn’t immediately clear what effect the revocation, which took effect immediately, would have.

But during the hearing, a Lincoln’s consultant testified that a beer permit suspension coupled with a possible temporary state suspension of the restaurant’s liquor license for its second sale of beer to a minor could effectively shut down the business.

“The economic impact would be great,” consultant Roy McKinnon said. “It would finish Lincoln’s.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: alcohol, Barton Bailey, beer board, beer permit, Beer Permit Board, Carl Smith, civil penalty, Colin Colverson, compliance check, Darren Osborne, Debra Solmonson, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Lincoln’s, Moose Lodge, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Moose Lodge #1316, Randy Tedford, Randy Wishinsky, revocation, Roy McKinnon, show cause hearing, TABC, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Theresa Scott, Victoria Renee Ballard, Wendy Williams

Beer Board suspends Lincoln’s beer permit for two weeks

Posted at 2:05 pm June 9, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Allen Schwartz and Roy McKinnon at Oak Ridge Beer Board Meeting

Allen Schwartz, right, attorney for Lincoln’s Sports Grille, and restaurant consultant Roy McKinnon said Lincoln’s has made substantial changes.

Note: This story was last updated at 6:45 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Beer Board has suspended the beer permit of Lincoln’s Sports Grille for two weeks starting at midnight today (Monday).

The 14-day suspension will end just before midnight June 23. It was approved by Beer Board members in a 4-3 vote on Monday afternoon. Liquor and food sales are not affected.

Beer Board members said they weren’t satisfied with the remediation plan presented by Lincoln’s following a May meeting after an April fight.

“There is a cultural change that is occurring, but it has to occur faster,” Beer Board Chair Randy Tedford said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Allen E. Schwartz, Allen Schwartz, Barton Bailey, beer permit, Colin Colverson, compliance check, Darrin Osborne, Debra Solmonson, Lincoln's Sports Grille, Lincoln’s, Oak Ridge Beer Board, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge Police Departmetn, Randy Tedford, Roy McKinnon, Sara Keenan, suspension, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Theresa Scott, Wendy Williams

Violin concert on Saturday will help ADFAC

Posted at 3:21 pm January 30, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Aaron Colverson

Aaron Colverson

Aaron Colverson, a classically trained violin soloist, will play a mix of contemporary and classical music during a Saturday night fundraising concert in Oak Ridge.

The music from Africa, combined with the Appalachian music, will be followed by music from China and from music’s Classical era.

The coffee concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge. It’s presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, and it will feature visual imagery along with the music.

The concert is free, but donations of $5 or more are suggested. All proceeds will benefit Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Music, Nonprofits Tagged With: Aaron Colverson, ADFAC, Africa, Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, Appalachia, China, classical, coffee concert, Colin Colverson, East Africa, First Presbyterian Church, Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, violin

ETEC presents 2013 Muddy Boot Awards

Posted at 6:01 pm December 15, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

On Friday, the East Tennessee Economic Council named three new recipients of the Muddy Boot Award: Bill Biloski, Ray Smith, and Barry Stephenson.

The Muddy Boot Award is a tribute to people who, through their work and community activities, make East Tennessee a stronger region.

Also Friday, ETEC presented two Postma Young Professional Medals to husband and wife Colin and Sherith Colverson.

The council’s annual celebratory event was keynoted by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Anderson County Industrial Development Board, Barry Stephenson, Bill Biloski, Bill Haslam, Colin Colverson, DOE, East Tennessee Economic Council, East Tennessee Technology Park, ETEC, ETTP, historian, Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Lydia Birk, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, MCLinc, Muddy Boot Awards, Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Postma Young Professional Medals, Ray Smith, redevelopment, reindustrialization, Sherith Colverson, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex

Colversons win 2013 Postma Young Professional Medals

Posted at 6:01 pm December 15, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Sherith and Colin Colverson were presented the 2013 Postma Young Professional Medals on Friday for their outstanding accomplishments at work and in the community, a press release said.

The Postma Medal was created by the East Tennessee Economic Council to honor the accomplishments of young professionals who have made an impact and fostered a community culture in the region. Former Oak Ridge National Laboratory director Herman Postma epitomized this spirit during his life, and his wife Pat continues the tradition of service today through her involvement in the Oak Ridge community, the press release said.

Pat Postma and Tim Myrick presented the awards to the Colversons at ETEC’s annual meeting on Friday at the DoubleTree Hotel. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Office, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Colin Colverson, East Tennessee Economic Council, environmental cleanup, ETEC, Herman Postma, Manhattan Project National Historic Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Office of Chief Counsel, Pat Postma, PlanEt, planner, Postma Medal, Postma Young Professional Medal, Sherith Colverson, Tim Myrick, U.S. Department of Energy

Punished by state, Applebee’s also gets city penalty for selling alcohol to minor

Posted at 11:53 pm August 12, 2013
By John Huotari 3 Comments

Note: This story was updated at 6:40 a.m. Aug. 14.

The restaurant has already been punished by the state and lost thousands of dollars because of a five-day suspension of its liquor license after it sold beer to a minor in March, company representatives said.

Adding a municipal penalty would amount to double jeopardy for Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill, said Bobby Prince, the restaurant’s regional manager. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: alcoholic beverages, Applebee's, Applebee's Neighborhood Bar and Grill, Aubrey's, Barton Bailey, beer, Bobby Prince, Colin Colverson, compliance check, Derrick Dalton, Hacienda DeGollado, Hidalgo, Lincoln's Sports Grille, liquor, minor, Moose Lodge, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, penalty, Ruby Tuesday, selling alcohol to a minor, sting, suspension, TABC, Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Theresa Scott

Charity dog walk on Saturday receives $2,000 donation

Posted at 5:58 pm June 12, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Radio Systems Corp.—home of the PetSafe and SportDOG brands—recently awarded $2,000 to the Mutt Strutt, a charity dog walk created by the Young Professionals of Oak Ridge Community Outreach Committee in partnership with SARG (Shelter Animal Rescue Group).

The Mutt Strutt was created to support the improvement of the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, and this year’s event will be held at A.K. Bissell Park at 10 a.m. Saturday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Community, Government, Knoxville, Nonprofits, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: A.K. Bissell Park, charity dog walk, Colin Colverson, Mutt Strutt, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Animal Shelter, PetSafe, PetSafe Dog Park, Radio Systems Corp., SARG, Shelter Animal Rescue Group, SportDOG, Young Professionals of Oak Ridge, YPOR

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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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