District 4 Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Two Oak Ridge candidates qualify to run for Roane County Commission

Posted at 5:02 pm April 13, 2018
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Two Oak Ridge candidates have qualified to run for two seats in District 4 on the Roane County Commission in the August 2 election.

The two Oak Ridge candidates, Charlotte Bowers and Cory Jenkins, are among five candidates who have qualified to run in the election.

The three other candidates are from Oliver Springs. They are James W. Brummett, an incumbent, and Thaxton H. “T.H.” Brown Jr. and Jerry W. White.

Former Roane County Commissioner Steve Kelley, an Oak Ridge resident, had occupied one of the District 4 seats since 2010, and he had been expected to seek re-election in August. But Kelley died in February. [Read more…]

Basketball: First round of Region 2 tournament starts at home Friday night

Posted at 12:45 pm February 23, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats won the District 3-AAA basketball tournament championship for the third year in a row with a 60-38 victory over Campbell County at Halls on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The first round of the Region 2-AAA basketball tournament starts at home tonight (Friday, February 23).

The Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats (23-5), the District 3-AAA champion, will host Hardin Valley (22-7), the fourth-place team in District 4, at Wildcat Arena at 7 p.m. Friday. The doors open at 6.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats (20-7), the District 3-AAA runner-up, will host Knoxville Catholic (21-7), at Wildcat Arena at 7 p.m. Saturday. Doors for that game also open at 6.

[Read more…]

Forum for Anderson County Charter Commission candidates on Thursday

Posted at 5:08 pm October 19, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A Thursday forum will feature candidates for Charter Commission in five districts in Anderson County.

The forum starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 20, in the “Big Room” at Clinton Community Center, which is at 101 Hicks Street in Clinton, a press release said. The forum is hosted by AndersonCharter.com.

There are 19 people running for eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission. Only one person from each County Commission district will be elected to the Charter Commission.

Organizers of the charter effort hope to give residents the ability to have more input and involvement in their local government, the press release said. [Read more…]

Farragut plays ‘stall ball,’ but Oak Ridge takes the Region 2 quarterfinal win

Posted at 11:11 pm February 27, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Wildcats-Johnson-Celebrates-Farragut-Feb-27-2016

Oak Ridge senior forward Javien Johnson (11) celebrates during a 39-30 Region 2-AAA quarterfinal win over Farragut at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

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

Farragut had this strategy coming into a Region 2-AAA quarterfinal game against Oak Ridge on Saturday: Limit the number of possessions, shorten the game, keep the score low, and play as little defense as possible.

The goal: Hold the ball for two minutes at a time, or about one-fourth of an eight-minute quarter.

For a while, it worked. Oak Ridge (32-2) found itself in the unusual position of being down two points at halftime, 17-15. But the Wildcats, the District 3 champion, found a way to win in the second half and they eked out a 39-30 victory to advance to a Region 2-AAA semifinal against Powell at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday.

“I’m just proud of our guys for getting it done,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

The Farragut strategy bewildered, frustrated, and irritated Oak Ridge fans. Fans and players called it “keep away” or “stall ball.” It’s a strategy often used near the end of a half or quarter, maybe when there is a minute or so remaining and a team wants the last shot, but it’s generally not used throughout a game. [Read more…]

Steal helps save OT win for Wildcats, who play for Region 2 championship Sunday

Posted at 11:18 pm February 28, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Wildcats Student Section at Region 2-AAA Semifinal 2015

The Region 2-AAA semifinal basketball game between Oak Ridge and Heritage came down to the wire at home on Saturday. Above the Oak Ridge student section watches the match, which wasn’t decided until the final seconds. (Photo by Terri Blair)

Note: This story was last updated at 12:54 a.m. March 1.

A steal by senior Ted Mitchell late in the game helped save an overtime win for the Oak Ridge Wildcats in a regional tournament semifinal game against Heritage on Saturday.

The Wildcats (28-2) were also helped by a big basket by sophomore Tee Higgins late in overtime, when Oak Ridge was down by one. Higgins’ shot off the glass gave the Wildcats a one-point 44-43 lead with about 1:10 to play. A free throw by junior Geevantay Gee after Mitchell’s steal widened the margin to two.

Heritage (23-12) missed their final two back-to-back shots with about seven seconds left, and the final score at Wildcat Arena was 45-43.

Oak Ridge moves on to play Maryville (24-6) in the Region 2-AAA championship at home at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. [Read more…]

After days of delays, Oak Ridge boys advance, girls eliminated

Posted at 8:02 pm February 25, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Wildcats Tee Higgins Dunk against Lenoir City

Sophomore Tee Higgins (5) led all Wildcats with 18 points, including three dunks and two three-pointers. (Photos by Melissa Livesey)

Note: This story was last updated at 9:57 p.m.

After days of delays because of winter weather, the Oak Ridge boys’ basketball team advanced to the regional semifinals on Wednesday, while the girls were eliminated from the playoffs. The Wildcats walloped Lenoir City 81-37, while the Lady Wildcats lost to Farragut 57-17.

Oak Ridge, which was the number one seed from District 3, will move on to play either Heritage or Halls in the Region 2 semifinals, although it’s not clear when because of the weather. The semifinal game could be played as early as Friday or as late as Sunday.

Wednesday’s game at home at Wildcat Arena was the only boys’ game in Region 2. Oak Ridge hasn’t played since Valentine’s Day, or 11 days, mostly because of the weather. [Read more…]

AC Commission replaces Phillips with Bates

Posted at 1:45 pm October 20, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Zach Bates

WYSH Radio/Oak Ridge Today

The Anderson County Commission has voted to replace Chris Phillips in Commission District 4 with the man whose vacated seat he won in August.

Phillips resigned his Commission seat—won in the August 7 election—so that he could return to work as the county’s budget and accounts director after leaving that post earlier this year to become city recorder in his native Rocky Top. Phillips left the county government to help the town update its accounting practices as it makes the transition from Lake City to Rocky Top and prepares for what is expected to be a busy time for the city. [Read more…]

County Commission to consider OR mall TIF, District 4 appointment

Posted at 12:21 pm October 19, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

The Anderson County Commission will consider extending the tax increment financing agreement for the former Oak Ridge Mall from 20 years to 30 on Monday morning.

The Anderson County Operations Committee recommended approving the 10-year TIF extension during a meeting last week. The TIF would use new property tax revenues generated at the mall site and 120 surrounding acres included in the TIF area to help pay for the redevelopment. [Read more…]

Phillips to return as county budget director, step down as commissioner

Posted at 1:20 pm October 2, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Chris Phillips

CLINTON—Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank announced Thursday that Chris Phillips will be rejoining Anderson County government as budget director.

“I never wanted Chris to leave, but I certainly understood from the beginning that Lake City, now Rocky Top, was in search of next-level management in modernizing their accounting structure,” Frank said. “Though Chris tried to accomplish Rocky Top’s goals by working part-time on weekends, it really took him leaving the county to be in Rocky Top full-time. I made it clear from the get-go that if I had not filled the budget director position, he was always welcome back home here in Anderson County government.”

“While the thought of disappointing those who were kind enough to vote for me weighs heavily on me, I know I can best serve the people of this county by implementing and directing policy, rather than making policy, and that requires that I step down from my position as Commissioner to serve Anderson County in another way,” said Phillips, who was elected to one of two Anderson County Commission seats in District 4 on August 7.

Phillips will resign his County Commission seat effective October 10, a press release said.

Former Anderson County Commissioner Zach Bates, who ran for county mayor in the May 6 Republican primary, did not seek re-election in District 4, which includes the Lake City (Rocky Top), Briceville, and Rosedale voting precincts. [Read more…]

Roane Chamber has candidate forum Tuesday evening

Posted at 3:53 pm July 14, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Roane State Community College Harriman Campus

The Roane County Chamber has a candidate forum on Tuesday evening at Roane State Community College in Harriman, pictured above.

The Roane County Chamber has a candidate forum on Tuesday evening. It will feature candidates for Roane County executive, sheriff, Roane County Commission in District 4 (Oliver Springs), and Democratic and Republican candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives.

The forum will also feature candidates for County Commission, School Board, and City Council in Harriman, Kingston, and Rockwood.

The forum starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Roane State Community College’s O’Brien Theatre at 276 Patton Lane in Harriman. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the forum is expected to last until about 8:30 p.m. [Read more…]

Wildcats play Karns in Region 2 semifinals tonight

Posted at 11:55 am February 25, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Senior Wildcat Jaylin Henderson dunks in the fourth quarter of a Feb. 7 game against Karns. (Photo courtesy Bruce Phillips)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats boys’ basketball team (28-6) plays the Karns Beavers (23-6) in the second of two Region 2 semifinal games in Oak Ridge tonight.

The Oak Ridge-Karns game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. It will follow the other Region 2 semifinal game, which features the Powell Panthers and Halls Red Devils. That game starts at 6 p.m.

All four teams playing tonight are District 3 teams that eliminated District 4 teams from the Region 2-AAA tournament on Saturday.

Before those first-round Region 2 games, Oak Ridge won the District 3 championship, defeating Halls 61-43 at Powell on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Karns beat Powell 62-56 in the third-place game that same day. [Read more…]

Three-point-shooting freshman helps lead Wildcats to tournament win

Posted at 11:35 pm February 22, 2014
By John Huotari 4 Comments

Freshman DeAndre Gibson, right, hit four three-point shots against the Farragut Admirals in the third quarter of a first-round regional basketball tournament game on Saturday, giving the Wildcats the lead and shifting momentum.

A three-point-shooting freshman came off the bench Saturday and gave the Oak Ridge Wildcats the big momentum-shifting boost they needed against Farragut in the first round of the Region 2 basketball tournament.

Freshman DeAndre Gibson knocked down four three-point shots in the third quarter, first giving Oak Ridge a 34-33 lead and then—a few minutes later—widening it to 45-38, the largest lead of the first three quarters. Wildcats fans exploded with excitement after Gibson’s second series of back-to-back three-point shots.

“It was probably the difference in the ball game,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said after the 59-48 victory over the Admirals. [Read more…]