Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge may not increase tax rate above reappraisal change

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Oak Ridge City Council 2014

The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in 2014. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Property tax rates are already expected to go up in local cities and counties because of an unprecedented drop in property assessments.

And additional increases have been approved or are anticipated in budgets that have already passed in Anderson County, Clinton, Oliver Springs, Roane County, and Rocky Top.

Oak Ridge could be the exception. The city could see an increase in the certified tax rate (state officials call it a tax-neutral rate) from $2.39 per $100 of assessed value to $2.52.

So far, no Oak Ridge City Council members have publicly endorsed raising taxes beyond the change in the tax-neutral rate required by the five-year reappraisals completed this year.

Four City Council members, a majority of the seven-member body, said during a budget work session on Tuesday that they will support the $2.52 tax-neutral rate or that it’s important to stay at that rate for now, until they have more information. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum hosts Young Child Celebration on April 11

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Backwoods Rambling Puppets

Wood and Strings Theatre will bring the rich folklore and toe-tapping tunes of the Appalachian Mountains to life with a puppet performance of “Backwoods Ramblin’” on Friday, April 11, for the Celebration of the Young Child at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The celebration, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., will be a tribute to Selma Shapiro, who led the museum for 32 years before her retirement at age 80 in 2004. She expanded the museum from a group of small exhibits established by Girl Scouts into a nationally recognized regional center of learning and play, and continued to volunteer at the museum until her death in 2011.

Wood and Strings Theatre’s marionettes play fiddles, smoke corn cob pipes, dance jigs, and sing mountain tunes as they take the audience to the front porch of storyteller Grandpa Will’s cabin. He spins tall tales based on “Jack Tales,” authentic Appalachian folk tales compiled by Richard Chase. Grandpa Will’s family, friends, and hound dog all join in the lively entertainment. [Read more…]

Church Women United to host speaker from Healthy Start

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Susan Moore

Susan Moore

Susan Moore, program supervisor for Healthy Start of Anderson County, will discuss the program’s role in preventing child abuse during an April 4 presentation in Oak Ridge.

The program is part of the celebration of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and it’s hosted by Church Women United, a press release said.

Healthy Start of Anderson County has been deemed an elite “model program,” ensuring the medical well-being of mothers and infants and preventing child abuse. Healthy Start programs enhance child development by helping children meet physical and mental milestones that affect their readiness for school. Healthy Start also supports parents and extended families in creating a positive environment for the child within the family, the press release said. [Read more…]

Letter: Healthy Start to kick off fall campaign, seeks donations

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To the Editor:

After 15 years, with its continued mission of preventing child abuse and neglect in Anderson County, Healthy Start continues to support our families and is regarded as a model program. Healthy Start of Anderson County is funded solely through contributions from within Anderson County.

As part of its mission to prevent child abuse and neglect in Anderson County, Healthy Start seeks to support new parents toward a positive future, as well as enhancing their child’s development. Evidence shows that 98 percent of Healthy Start babies are at their age-appropriate developmental level, and 100 percent have well-baby checks and age appropriate immunizations.

Currently, however, the demand for Healthy Start services outpaces the ability to provide them because of funding limitations. [Read more…]

Social worker discusses Healthy Start during Monday AAUW meeting

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Virginia Coleman

Virginia Coleman

A social worker will discuss Healthy Start, a program that helps children and parents, during a Monday evening meeting of the American Association of University Women’s Oak Ridge Branch.

The talk by Virginia Coleman, who has a master’s degree in social work, is open to the public and starts at 7 p.m. Monday at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 1500 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

A press release said Coleman worked for years to see the Healthy Start preventive program come to fruition. During Monday’s meeting, she will talk about the reasons for the program and its success. [Read more…]