Oak Ridge Today

Atomic Rowing offers free rowing lessons this weekend

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Atomic Rowing

Atomic Rowing (Submitted photo)

The Atomic Rowing team is looking for East Tennessee student athletes (13-18) interested in trying the sport of rowing.

The team will hold two free youth learn-to-row lessons, followed by a no obligation eight-day trial period, for all prospective spring walk-ons. It is recommended that athletes interested in making the crew attend the lessons, but it is not required.

During tryout periods, prospective rowers will be taught equipment handling, basics of rowing technique, and safety. Students will be evaluated on overall athletic potential, character, team-first attitude, and ability to be coached.

[Read more…]

More snow falls in Oak Ridge, Anderson County

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Anderson County Snowfall

Light snow continued to fall in East Tennessee on Sunday morning, and there was close to two inches on the ground in Oak Ridge and Anderson County. The picture above was taken on Oliver Springs Highway near Marlow Circle.

Light snow continued to fall in East Tennessee on Sunday morning, and there was close to two inches on the ground in Oak Ridge and Anderson County.

The temperature was above freezing and many roads were wet and slushy, but a few patches of snow remained, including on bridges.

It was the second day of snow in Oak Ridge, and the two days produced the first significant accumulation of snow in the Secret City this winter.

[Read more…]

Winter storm watch issued for Anderson, Roane, other counties

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A winter storm could affect the southern Appalachians starting tonight and continuing through Friday night, and significant icing is possible across much of the East Tennessee Valley, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said subfreezing surface temperatures and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will result in a wintry mix of precipitation across the area.

[Read more…]

Chance of snow 100 percent today, black ice possible Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Winter Storm Snow Forecast

Forecasters say air moving into the southern Appalachians will turn rain into snow by this afternoon. (Image courtesy of National Weather Service in Morristown.)

There is a 100 percent chance of snow in the Oak Ridge area today as cold air moves into the southern Appalachians, turning rain showers into snow by this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The rain will start turning to snow by about 2 to 3 p.m., and the precipitation should be all snow by about 4 to 5 p.m., said Derek Eisentrout, spokesperson for the National Weather Service in Morristown. He said the snow should start tapering off by 7 or 8 p.m.

The Weather Service doesn’t expect a lot of snow in the Oak Ridge area, forecasting about a one-inch accumulation.

A major concern for forecasters is the black ice  that could be on roads tomorrow morning as temperatures plunge into the 20s overnight.

[Read more…]

East Tennessee arsons account for half of burned acres

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

More than half the acres burned by arson in Tennessee since November were from 40 fires set in Anderson, Campbell, Hawkins and Scott counties, state officials said Tuesday.

The rash of wildfires before and after Thanksgiving are being investigated as arsons. In Anderson County, they included a 225-acre fire on Walden Ridge, a 375-acre fire at Graves Gap, and another 150-acre fire on Redoak Mountain. All three were in northern Anderson County.

[Read more…]

Rain brings relief to East Tennessee firefighters

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Scattered light rain finally brought some relief to state and local firefighters who have fought 67 fires since Nov. 10 in upper East Tennessee.

The fires have burned more than 6,300 acres, according to the Tennessee Division of Forestry, and many of them, including three in Anderson County, have been suspected arsons.

Firefighters were still working to contain one large fire on Cross Mountain near I-75 on the Anderson-Campbell county line, said Nathan M. Waters, Tennessee Forestry Division assistant district forester in Knoxville.

[Read more…]

Fire conditions worsen in East Tennessee, two firefighters slightly injured

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lower humidity and gusty winds at higher elevations mean fire conditions have worsened in East Tennessee, state firefighters said Sunday.

Two firefighters were slightly injured battling blazes in Campbell County on Saturday, said Nathan M. Waters, Tennessee Forestry Division assistant district forester.

State and local firefighters have responded to 16 new fires since Thanksgiving Day across upper East Tennessee, including in Anderson, Campbell, Knox, Morgan, Scott, Sevier, and Union counties. The fires have burned hundreds of acres, and many of them are suspected arsons.

Waters said forestry crews would recheck fires in Anderson, Scott, and Campbell counties, including one on Walden Ridge that broke out again on Saturday and one on a mountaintop west of Briceville on Highway 116, also known as New River Highway. The Walden Ridge breakout was contained, and “crews will be improving lines today,” Waters said.

[Read more…]

Arson also suspected in New River mountaintop fire

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

New River Highway Fire

State and local firefighters used “back fires” to control a mountaintop blaze near New River Highway on Friday. State officials suspect the fire, which grew to 375 acres, was started by arson.

GRAVES GAP—Driven by wind, a mountaintop fire that started as a 100-acre blaze in northern Anderson County on Thursday grew to 375 acres Friday, authorities said.

State firefighters suspect the fire at Graves Gap on New River Highway west of Briceville was started by arson, spokesman Nathan M. Waters said. Waters is assistant district forester for the Tennessee Division of Forestry in Knoxville.

Local and state firefighters battled the mountaintop blaze by setting up control lines, using hand tools and two bulldozers to clear away brush and set “back fires,” essentially fighting “fire with fire.”

Early Friday night, Waters said firefighters had left and plan to return to the blaze on Saturday. Firefighters from the Tennessee Division of Forestry have been assisted by volunteers from Marlow, Briceville, and Sevier County.

[Read more…]