Oak Ridge Today

Catherine Denenberg receives endorsement from Tom Beehan, Kay Brookshire

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Pictured above from left are Kay Brookshire, Catherine Denenberg, and Tom Beehan. (Submitted photo)

Pictured above from left are Kay Brookshire, Catherine Denenberg, and Tom Beehan. (Submitted photo)

 

Former Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and his wife, Kay Brookshire, are supporting Anderson County Commissioner Catherine Denenberg in her race to return to her commission seat representing District 6 in Oak Ridge, a press release said. Election day is Thursday, August 2.

“We support Catherine Denenberg because we believe it’s important to have an independent voice representing Oak Ridge on Anderson County Commission,” Beehan said. “She’s a great problem solver, a good listener, and as a County Commissioner, she works well with other commissioners and with those in Oak Ridge city government.”

Denenberg has represented District 6 since Commissioner Harry “Whitey” Hitchcock stepped down from the position early this year. Hitchcock asked her to seek his commission seat, and Denenberg said she was humbled and honored to do so. County Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint her to the seat, the press release said. [Read more…]

Guest column: Smith responds to Progress PAC endorsement

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Ellen Smith

Ellen Smith

By Ellen Smith

I was surprised and gratified by the recent news that the Progress PAC (the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce political action committee) endorsed my candidacy for City Council. To my dismay, several citizens have told me that this endorsement indicates that I have somehow “sold out” to the Chamber of Commerce. I am writing to respond to their allegations.

The Progress PAC endorsement was a surprise to me because I have never been aligned with the Chamber, I have strongly opposed some Chamber initiatives in the past, and I am not shy about my support for principles like conservation of publicly owned open space and putting the interests of existing residents and owners ahead of the interests of new business development.

However, I respect the Chamber as the main representative of and advocate for a very important element of our community—and a group whose members and volunteers who are passionate about the future of Oak Ridge. We share many common goals and interests for this community, and if we are going to make progress as a community, it’s necessary for government, the business community, our nonprofit sector, and (ideally) all citizens to try to understand each other’s interests and needs and work together for the benefit of all. [Read more…]

Letter: Callison appreciates Progress PAC endorsement

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Kelly Callison

Kelly Callison

To the Editor:

I appreciate the endorsement from the Progress PAC and the support from a broad range of residents.

As I have campaigned across the city from Glenwood to West Hills to Woodland, the concerns are the same as those of the PAC: the desire for exceptional schools, quality housing, and retail and industrial growth. These are the things Oak Ridgers are concerned about, and I intend to focus on these issues and bring the city together to move in a positive direction.

Kelly Callison

Oak Ridge City Council candidate

Guest column: Progress PAC helps broaden conversation of community issues

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By Progress PAC

We are very proud that the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce has entrusted us to serve as the members of Progress PAC, the multi-candidate political action committee created by the Chamber and focused on our upcoming school board and city council elections. Though we are appointed by the Chamber’s Board of Directors, we operate independently from that same board.

Some people in the community have questions about how Progress PAC will operate, who we might support, and how endorsements might be made. Some have criticized the timing of Progress PAC’s establishment, and we acknowledge it could have been better. However, our primary goal is to have a positive impact in this election cycle.

Now that Progress PAC has been created, we are largely autonomous. The Chamber’s Board may not approve or disapprove of any endorsement decisions we may make; the Chamber’s Board cannot approve or disapprove of contributions that Progress PAC either receives or distributes. The Chamber contributes no funds to PAC operations; we are supported by donations made directly to the PAC and we must report those to the appropriate election commissions. [Read more…]

Letter: Frank earns ‘Realtor Champion’ endorsement

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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…]

Letter: Small business endorses John Ragan in House District 33

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NASHVILLE—The National Federation of Independent Business, Tennessee’s leading small business association, has endorsed incumbent John Ragan of Oak Ridge in the race for the 33rd House District. The endorsement was made by NFIB/Tennessee SAFE (Save America’s Free Enterprise) Trust, which is comprised exclusively of NFIB members.

State primaries are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 7, with early voting beginning July 18 and ending Aug. 2. NFIB expects to announce general election endorsements later this summer. The general election will be held Nov. 4.

“NFIB supports candidates who support small businesses and who are dedicated to protecting our free enterprise system,” said Jim Brown, state director of NFIB/Tennessee. “John Ragan has consistently voted to reduce burdens on small businesses and stood with them time and again in the 108th Tennessee General Assembly.” [Read more…]