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Letter: Commissioner-elect says ‘thanks,’ offers tips to November candidates

Posted at 12:29 pm August 12, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters 1 Comment

Theresa Scott Thank You Sign

Submitted photo

To the Editor:

Since May, I have knocked on doors and visited with residents, homeowners, and voters of District 7 while campaigning for a seat on County Commission. I heard from many about their frustrations at several candidates in various races who chose to gain attention by means of mail, recorded phone messages, and numerous yard signs throughout their neighborhoods and on the main roads.

When the signs were allowed to be posted at the Wildcat Den for early voting, it was as if there was a corrugated plastic explosion overnight. Some were so disgusted that they chose not to vote during that period. It is very unfortunate that such a distraction would cause someone to choose not to make their voice heard.

With another election coming up in just a few months, I would like any future candidates to take note of the following tips that could possibly help them reach more voters. When canvassing a neighborhood, keep in mind there may be a dog or child on the other side of a gated fence. Respect a resident’s privacy and do not solicit or trespass onto their property if signs are posted not to enter. You should not cross through the yard when going to the neighboring property but use the sidewalks. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: campaign, candidates, county commission, District 7, early voting, election, election day, Jerry Creasey, signs, Theresa Scott, vote

DA cites Lay’s job ‘performance problems,’ sheriff candidate claims political targeting

Posted at 12:52 am August 4, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Dave Clark

Dave Clark

Note: This story was updated at 10:25 a.m. August 5.

DA responds to political targeting charge

There was no political targeting of Trooper Anthony Lay before his five-day suspension by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in May, but there were “real, serious, and repeated performance failures,” Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said Friday.

Clark documented what he called Lay’s performance issues in a statement released Friday. A DUI charge in one case was dismissed, Clark said, after Lay failed to submit a complete case file and then did not respond to requests for documents by fax, mail, and email. He cited two cases where Lay failed to appear in response to a subpoena. In one of those cases, Lay faced potential arrest for contempt of court and showed up 20 minutes late, but the judge dismissed the case because Lay wasn’t present, the DA said.

Clark said he saved Lay from going to jail in that case because he declined to have the trooper arrested and instead called his sergeant to see if he could get Lay to court to avoid further trouble.

Clark cited another case where he said Lay failed to arrest a driver who was impaired and had four or more prior DUI convictions, possessed drugs and drug paraphernalia, and was a habitual motor vehicle offender. Lay issued the driver a ticket, but he should have taken the driver into custody after the man finished his medical treatment, Clark said.

In issuing his statement Friday, Clark said he was responding to Lay’s charges in recent stories about the trooper’s suspension by the THP in May. In those stories, published in several media outlets, Lay said he was the target of political attacks. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anthony Lay, August 7 election, case files, contempt of court, Dave Clark, Democrat, district attorney general, election, Hatch Act, Paul White, performance issues, performance problems, political attacks, political targeting, Republican, sheriff, subpoena, suspension, Tennessee Highway Patrol, THP

Early voting ends Saturday

Posted at 11:57 am August 1, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Time is running out to vote early in next Thursday’s countywide general election and state and federal primary elections. Early voting will continue today until 6 p.m. and will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Polling locations are at the Clinton Community Center, the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge, and the North Anderson Government Office in the Anderson Crossing Shopping Center.

On Thursday, 681 people voted, bringing the 12-day total to an impressive 7,140 early voters.

Election Day is Thursday, August 7, and polls across Anderson County will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day. For more information, call the Anderson County Election Commission at (865) 457-6238 or visit the website at www.acelect.com.

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Federal, Government, Oliver Springs, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Election Commission, Clinton Community Center, early voting, election, election day, general election, Midtown Community Center, North Anderson Government Office, primary election

Letter: Supports Ragan, urges end to negative campaigning

Posted at 4:07 am July 27, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters 2 Comments

To the Editor:

Never did I ever think I would be writing a letter to be published in a newspaper. However, I cannot sit idly by while my husband, Rep. John Ragan, is portrayed as anything but an honorable servant of his fellowmen.

We have been married for 43 years. He is the father of two wonderful children, and the grandfather of a precious little girl. He has supported our children in everything they ever wanted to do, even as he served on foreign shores to protect their freedoms and the freedoms of all our citizens.

He taught them through example the values of service beyond self. Furthermore, he demonstrated with action what it means to serve our fellow countrymen with honor, integrity, and honesty. He also taught them to revere our Heavenly Father and live each day for His glory. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: children, election, father, John Ragan, Liz Ragan, negative campaigning, Project Hero, Wounded Warrior

Letter: Frank earns ‘Realtor Champion’ endorsement

Posted at 6:33 am July 23, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

Terry Frank and Jennifer Roche

Jennifer Roche, KAAR governmental affairs director, presents Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank with the organization’s Realtor Champion Endorsement. (Submitted photo)

Submitted by Terry Frank

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, a Republican seeking re-election in the August 7 election, has received an endorsement as a “Realtor Champion” of the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors’ political action organization.

The Knoxville Area Association of Realtors, or KAAR, covers 12 counties including Anderson County and has 3,000 members. KAAR donated $1,000 to Terry Frank’s campaign from the RPAC (Realtor Political Action Committee), the nonpartisan fundraising arm of the National Association of Realtors’ governmental affairs programs.

RPAC’s mission is to identify candidates for elected office on the local, state, and national levels who will work with Realtors to promote and protect the American Dream of home ownership. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County, August 7 election, Ed Shouse, election, endorsement, home ownership, KAAR, Knoxville Area Association of Realtors, Lyle Irish, mayor, National Association of Realtors, Realtor Champion, Realtor Political Action Committee, Rodney Archer, RPAC, Terry Frank

Letter: Shelton has experience, operates with integrity

Posted at 6:19 am July 23, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

I am writing in support of Tim Shelton, our Anderson County Register of Deeds, who is seeking re-election.

Tim has a total of 22 years experience in the Register of Deeds office and has served as our register for the past 12 years. He has consistently run his office with professionalism and integrity, and he has extensive knowledge of the state laws that govern the records and services that his office maintains and provides.

During Tim’s 12-year tenure as register, his office has been recognized twice as the best Register of Deeds office in the state. Each of his staff members are certified public administrators and provide friendly and exceptional customer service

Also, since 2002, Tim’s office has receipted in over $20 million and has accounted for every penny. His office has not received a single negative audit finding since Tim was elected.

If his office were mishandling money and operating at a deficit, as his opponent would lead us to believe, that would definitely have been reflected in annual audits. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County records, Anderson County register of deeds, Catherine Denenberg, deed records, election, register of deeds, Tim Shelton, veterans military records

Fleischmann, Wamp at Q&A session at Chamber on Monday

Posted at 1:11 am July 14, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and his Republican challenger Weston Wamp will take part in a question-and-answer session at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce on Monday morning.

The event starts at 7:30 a.m. Monday.

Fleischmann is running for his third term as a congressman in Tennessee’s Third District, which includes Oak Ridge. Wamp is challenging him for the second time.

The two are running in the Aug. 7 federal Republican primary. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Federal, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Chuck Fleischmann, election, Election Selection, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Republican primary, Tennessee, Third District, Weston Wamp

Guest column: Open primaries mean voters can choose which primary to vote in

Posted at 12:12 am April 15, 2014
By Myron Iwanski 17 Comments

Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski

Comments I have heard regarding the upcoming election indicate some confusion about who can vote in this primary.

The election is a primary to determine who the Democratic and Republican candidates will be for countywide offices in Anderson County. This is an “open primary,” which means a voter does not register as a Democratic or Republican and can choose to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary.

While most seeking countywide offices in Anderson County run as a party candidate, most residents I have talked to vote for who they believe are the best candidates for Anderson County—no matter the party.

It is puzzling how in national elections the percentage of registered voters voting in Anderson County is much higher than in local elections like those coming up in May and August. In the last presidential election, 60 percent of registered voters in Anderson County (29,283 of 49,169 eligible) voted. However in the last local county primary election, only 17 percent of registered voters (7,765 of 46,186) voted. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County, candidates, Democrat, election, open primary, primary, primary election, Republican, voters

Most Anderson commissioners seek re-election, six running in District 7 in OR

Posted at 12:47 pm April 4, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County Courthouse

The Anderson County Courthouse on Main Street in Clinton is pictured above.

There are six candidates running for Anderson County Commission in District 7 in Oak Ridge in August, and a Democrat has joined the race for Tennessee House of Representatives in the 33rd District.

Meanwhile, an Independent, Bradley S. Rickett, has joined the race for Anderson County mayor, competing against Democrat Jim Hackworth and the winner of the May 6 Republican primary, either the incumbent, Terry Frank, or her challenger, Commissioner Zach Bates.

Fourteen of the 16 Anderson County commissioners are seeking re-election to a four-year term. But Bates, from District 4 in the Lake City area, is not. And neither is Commissioner John Shuey. Shuey is one of two commissioners in District 7, which includes the Glenwood, Highland View, and Pine Valley precincts in Oak Ridge.

District 7 is the most competitive in terms of number of candidates. In addition to the incumbent, Jerry Creasey, other candidates include Jimmy Bouchard, Michael Marsh, Denny Phillips, Kevin Rice, and Theresa Scott.

District 3—which includes Andersonville, Fairview, Glen Alpine, and Norris—has five candidates, including the two incumbents, Steve Emert and Dusty Irwin. The other three candidates are Josh Anderson, David Farmer, and Philip Warfield. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Education, Government, Government, K-12, Slider, State, Top Stories Tagged With: 33rd District, 36th District, Allen C.H. Loope, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County mayor, Andersonville, Anthony Allen, Bradley S. Rickett, Briceville, Caitlin Nolan, Carl D. Beaty, Chris Phillips, Chuck Fritts, Claxton, Clinton, county general, David Farmer, Democrat, Dennis Powers, Denny Phillips, Don Bell, Dusty Irwin, election, Floyd E. Grisham, Greg Crawford, Harry "Whitey" Hitchcock, Herb “Herbie” Foust, James Virgil Kidwell, Jerry Creasey, Jerry White, Jim Hackworth, Jimmy Bouchard, Jo Williams, Joey Anderson, John Ragan, John Shuey, Joseph H. VanHook, Josh Anderson, Kevin Rice, Lake City, Landle “Lynn” Byrge, Mark Alderson, Marlow, Michael Marsh, Misty Neergaard, Myra Mansfield, Myron Iwanski, Norris, Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs, Philip Warfield, primary election, Ramona L. Walker, Republican, Rick Meredith, Robert McKamey, Robin Biloski, Rosedale, Scott Gillenwaters, Steve Emert, Steve Fritts, Steve Mead, Teresa Portwood, Terry Frank, Theresa Scott, Tim Isbel, Tracy L. Wandell, Walt Lounsbery, Zach Bates

Meredith to seek re-election to Anderson County Commission

Posted at 10:27 pm March 25, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Rick Meredith

Rick Meredith

County Commissioner Rick Meredith has announced he is seeking re-election to the Anderson County Commission, representing District 2. District 2 includes the Clinton, South Clinton, and North Clinton precincts.

“It has truly been an honor to represent the residents of District 2 on County Commission,” Meredith said in a press release. “I take very seriously the trust that you have placed in me, and it is my hope that you will allow me to continue serving you and working with my fellow commissioners to move Anderson County forward.”

First elected in 2010, Meredith said he brings extensive experience in economic and community development to the Commission, as well as knowledge of both state and local planning and program management. He joined the Hollingsworth Companies in 2010 as senior vice president for community development. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Clinton, community development, District 2, election, Hollingsworth Companies, industry, job creation, Main Street, North Clinton, Phil Bredesen, retail, Retail Committe, Rick Meredith, South Clinton, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Three-Star

Hackworth running for Anderson County mayor

Posted at 3:52 pm March 9, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Jim Hackworth

Jim Hackworth

CLINTON—Former Anderson County Commissioner and Tennessee Rep. Jim Hackworth announced last week that he is a Democratic candidate for Anderson County mayor in the Aug. 7 county general election.

“I am running for county mayor because I am concerned with the lack of focus the current administration has for the issues, such as education, jobs, and quality of life, that are important to Anderson County residents,” Hackworth said in a press release. “Whether serving as a county commissioner or a state representative, I worked with other elected officials to fight for fiscal responsibility, good schools, reduced taxes, and safer neighborhoods and communities.Our management of these issues attracted the attention of businesses and brought new jobs to Anderson County.”

Hackworth is an Anderson County native who worked 34 years at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a project leader and program manager in the Maintenance and Engineering divisions. He retired in 2008.

Hackworth served as a state representative for 10 years and as a county commissioner for eight years. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, county commissioner, county mayor, Democrat, education, election, general election, Jim Hackworth, jobs, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, primary election, state representative

Judge Layton seeks third term

Posted at 8:26 pm March 8, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Don Layton

Don Layton

Don A. Layton, Anderson County General Sessions judge, Division I, is seeking a third term in this year’s elections.

Layton has been sessions judge since 1998. A resident of Anderson County for 44 years, he has practiced law since 1973.

Layton has been married for 44 years to Mary Layton, a former Clinton and Oak Ridge school teacher, a press release said. They have two children. Amy, a school teacher at Karns Middle School, and Chris, a teacher and football coach at Robertsville Middle School. Both are graduates of Oak Ridge High School.

The press release said Don Layton has served the public as Anderson County clerk and master and delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1977. Layton was recognized in 1996 as the state’s Most Outstanding Court Clerk. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Anderson County, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County General Sessions, attorney, Don Layton, election

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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...]

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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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