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Proposal to close courthouse offices for COVID sent to committee

Posted at 12:05 am December 29, 2020
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Anderson County Courthouse

A proposal to temporarily close Anderson County Courthouse offices to the public because of COVID-19 and to have much business conducted remotely was referred to a committee last week.

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Anderson County Courthouse

A proposal to temporarily close Anderson County Courthouse offices to the public because of COVID-19 and to have much business conducted remotely was referred to a committee last week.

The rest of this story is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or contributor to Oak Ridge Today.

Already a member? Great! Thank you! Sign in here.

Not a member? No problem! Subscribe here:

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here. A donation of $50 or more will make you eligible for a subscription.

Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support!

Filed Under: Anderson County, COVID-19, Front Page News, Government, Government, Health, Premium Content, Slider Tagged With: Anderson County Courthouse, Bob Smallridge, Catherine Denenberg, COVID-19, Denver Waddell, Jerry Creasey, Phil Yager, Shain Vowell, Steve Mead, Terry Frank, Theresa Scott

‘The Polio Epidemic: A Personal Story’ topic of Lunch with League today

Posted at 8:24 am May 21, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Jerry Creasey

Anderson County Commissioner and longtime Oak Ridger Jerry Creasey will talk about the history of polio in the United States, and his childhood experience with the polio epidemic of 1944 during a meeting today (Tuesday, May 21).

Creasey will be the featured speaker at Lunch with the League, which starts at noon at the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Health, Nonprofits Tagged With: Jerry Creasey, League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge, Lunch with the League, polio

Monday: AC Operations Committee to discuss proposed DOE landfill

Posted at 12:55 pm January 14, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Operations Committee will discuss the proposed U.S. Department of Energy landfill in a meeting this evening (Monday, January 14).

The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

The proposed landfill is known as the Environmental Management Disposal Facility, or EMDF. It would be in Bear Creek Valley west of the Y-12 National Security Complex. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, Oak Ridge Reservation, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex Tagged With: Anderson County Operations Committee, DOE landfill, EMDF, Environmental Management Disposal Facility, Environmental Management Waste Management Facility, Jerry Creasey, landfill, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Y-12 National Security Complex

WYSH: Wandell elected Commission chair, Creasey vice chair

Posted at 9:31 am September 7, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Anderson County Commissioners are pictured above after being sworn in at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018. At center front (third from left) is Tracy Wandell, who was elected chair by the other commissioners, and at right front is Jerry Creasey, who was elected vice chair. (Photo courtesy Shannon Wandell)

Anderson County Commissioners are pictured above after being sworn in at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018. At center front (third from left) is Tracy Wandell, who was elected chair by the other commissioners, and at right front is Jerry Creasey, who was elected vice chair. (Photo courtesy Shannon Wandell)

 

Information from WYSH Radio

Newly elected and re-elected Anderson County commissioners were sworn in Tuesday morning at the Courthouse in Clinton.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, commissioners held a brief meeting during which they elected Tracy Wandell to serve as the next chair of the Commission, succeeding Tim Isbel.

Longtime Commissioner Jerry Creasey was elected vice chair. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Gary Long, Jeff Cole, Jerry Creasey, Regina Copeland, Rex Lynch, Russell Barker, Terry Frank, Tim Isbel, Tim Shelton, Tracy Wandell

Anderson: Barker elected sheriff; incumbents win in Oak Ridge

Posted at 9:40 pm August 2, 2018
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Russell Barker

Russell Barker

Note: This story was last updated at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 3.

Russell Barker, a Republican, won the race for Anderson County sheriff on Thursday, beating Mark Lucas, a Democrat, in a race decided by about 2,000 votes, according to unofficial results.

Meanwhile, four incumbents were re-elected in two Anderson County Commission districts where there was a challenger in Oak Ridge.

Barker is a detective sergeant with the Clinton Police Department who has served as director of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County. Lucas is chief deputy of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

Barker had 7,684 votes (57.79 percent), compared to 5,613 votes (42.21 percent) for Lucas, according to the unofficial results posted after all 27 precincts had been counted Thursday night.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White is retiring at the end of his third four-year term, and he did not seek re-election.

In another contested race, Regina Copeland, the Republican director of the 911 center, defeated Ebony Capshaw, a Democrat, by a 69.74 percent to 30.26 percent margin (8,981 votes to 3,987). The last elected trustee, Rodney Archer, is now executive director of the County Officials Association of Tennessee, and Myron Iwanski, a former county commissioner and commission chair appointed to the trustee job through this August election, did not seek the job in the election. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Alden Souza, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Election Commission, Anderson County Sheriff, Anderson County trustee, Anthony Allen, Bob Smallridge, Catherine Denenberg, Chuck Fritts, Denver Waddell, Donnie Rosenbalm, Ebony Capshaw, J. Shain Vowell, Jerry Creasey, Jerry White, Jimmy Bouchard, John Ragan, Joshua Anderson, Mark Alderson, Mark Lucas, Nathaniel Varner, Paul White, Phil Yager, Philip Warfield, Regina Copeland, Rex Lynch, Richard Dawson, Rick Meredith, Robbie Fulton, Robert A. Jameson, Robert McKamey, Russell Barker, Steve Emert, Steve Mead, Terry Frank, Theresa Scott, Tim Isbel, Tracy Wandell

Voter’s guide: Notes from a candidate forum

Posted at 9:30 am August 2, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Note: This story was last updated at 10:35 a.m.

Today, August 2, is Election Day in Anderson County. The election includes the Anderson County general election and state and federal primary elections.

It’s the second of three elections this year. The first was the county primary election on May 1, and the last is the municipal election and state and federal elections on November 6.

Here are notes about Anderson County candidates in today’s county general election from a forum at Oak Ridge High School in July. The county general election includes selections for mayor, sheriff, county commission, trustee, circuit court clerk, county clerk, register of deeds, road superintendent, and school board, among other positions. Some of the candidates have no opposition.

Anderson County Sheriff [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: Alden Souza, Anderson County, Anderson County candidates, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County general election, Anderson County Sheriff, Anthony Allen, candidate forum, Catherine Denenberg, Circuit Court Clerk, county general election, election, election day, Jerry Creasey, Jimmy Bouchard, Mark Lucas, Rex Lynch, Robbie Fulton, Russell Barker, state and federal primary elections, Steve Mead, Theresa Scott, voter's guide

Creasey seeks re-election to Anderson County Commission, District 7

Posted at 10:06 pm August 1, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Jerry Creasey (Submitted photo)

Jerry Creasey (Submitted photo)

 

Oak Ridge resident Jerry Creasey is seeking re-election to the Seventh District seat on the Anderson County Commission in the county general election on Thursday, August 2.

Creasey grew up in High Point, North Carolina, where he attended High Point College and graduated from Guildford Technical Institute in Electronics Technology following his four years of service with the United States Air Force as a B-47 Radar and Weapons In-flight Trouble Shooter, a press release said. Coming to Oak Ridge in 1968 to work at the Y-12 plant, Creasey retired as radio systems manager after 27 years of service. He has since been involved with his wife’s small telecommunications business.

Creasey has served as chairman of the Anderson County Commission, as well as chairman of the Legislative, ADA Oversight, Computer, Legislative, and the Veterans Committees. He is presently serving on the ADA Oversight, Broadband, and Budget committees. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, county general election, District 7, election, Jerry Creasey, Seventh District

Twenty-nine qualify to run for 16 seats on Anderson County Commission

Posted at 1:38 pm April 7, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Twenty-nine candidates have qualified to run for 16 seats on the Anderson County Commission in the county general election in August.

There are also three people running for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 33, a new appointed Oak Ridge school board member running in a special election in August, and a Democratic challenger to Tennessee Senator Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge resident who is also lieutenant governor.

The deadline to qualify to run in the August 2 election, which will also feature contested elections for Anderson County sheriff and trustee, was noon Thursday.

Anderson County has eight County Commission districts, and there are two commissioners per district. The offices are non-partisan, meaning that, unlike some other county offices, they are not part of the Democratic and Republican primary elections on May 1. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2018 Election, Anderson County, Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Sheriff, Anthony Allen, Avery Johnson, Ben Stephens, Bob Eby, Bob Smallridge, Cassandra Mitchell, Catherine Denenberg, Chris Silver, Chuck Fritts, county general election, David Queener, Democratic primary, Dennis Powers, Denny Phillips, Denver Waddell, Ebony Capshaw, Felicia Foust, Floyd Grisham, Jeff Cole, Jeff Maxwell, Jerry Creasey, Jerry White, Jimmy Bouchard, John Meyer, John Ragan, Joshua Anderson, Leesa Arowood, Lewis Ridenour, Mark "Hollywood" Whaley, Mark Alderson, Mark Lucas, Michael Foster, Nathaniel Varner, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Phil Warfield, Phil Yager, primary elections, Randy McNally, Regina Copeland, Republican primary, Rex Lynch, Richard Dawson, Rick Meredith, Robert Jameson, Robert McKamey, Russell Barker, Scott Burton, Scott Gillenwaters, Shain Vowell, Steve Emert, Steve Mead, Tabitha Harmon, Tennessee House of Representatives, Tennessee House of Representatives District 33, Tennessee Senate District 5, Terry Frank, Theresa Scott, Tim Isbel, Tim Risden, Tim Shelton, Tracy Wandell, William Jones

Anderson County Commission allocates $10,000 to Friendship Bell fund drive

Posted at 8:24 pm April 3, 2017
By Kay Brookshire 1 Comment

Anderson County Commissioners present a $10,000 check for the new Peace Pavilion to house the International Friendship Bell to Shigeko Uppuluri, left, and Pat Postma, right. Commissioners are Theresa Scott and Steve Emert, Commission chair, front; and in back from left, Jerry Creasey, Myron Iwanski, Phil Yager, Whitey Hitchcock, and Steve Mead. (Submitted photo)

Anderson County Commissioners present a $10,000 check for the new Peace Pavilion to house the International Friendship Bell to Shigeko Uppuluri, left, and Pat Postma, right. Commissioners are Theresa Scott and Steve Emert, Commission chair, front center; and in back from left, Jerry Creasey, Myron Iwanski, Phil Yager, Whitey Hitchcock, and Steve Mead. (Submitted photo)

 

Several Anderson County Commissioners recently gathered at the International Friendship Bell in Oak Ridge to present a $10,000 check for the new Peace Pavilion that will become the Bell’s new home in Bissell Park.

The Commission voted unanimously earlier this year to allocate $10,000 to help replace the pavilion housing the Bell after structural beams in the original pavilion deteriorated and the structure had to be demolished in 2014.

“We have to preserve the Bell,” said County Commission Chair Steve Emert. “It is important for tourism, for history, and especially for its message of friendship.”

“The Bell will be a key part of the story that the Manhattan Project National Historical Park is going to tell. This benefits the whole county, not just Oak Ridge,” added County Commissioner Myron Iwanski. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Community, Front Page News, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, International Friendship Bell, International Friendship Bell Citizens Advisory Committee, Jerry Creasey, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Myron Iwanski, Oak Ridge International Friendship Bell, Pat Postma, Peace Pavilion, Phil Yager, Shigeko Uppuluri, Steve Emert, Steve Mead, Theresa Scott, Whitey Hitchcock, Ziad Demian

Letter: Scott has best qualifications, will look at county government with open mind

Posted at 9:31 am October 31, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

I wish to say why I am supporting Theresa Scott for charter commissioner.

Theresa has served her community and the City of Oak Ridge as a Neighborhood Watch captain and Oak Ridge Beer Board member for many years. When the Cedar Hill Park renovation committee was formed, Theresa was there. When the work was to be done to rebuild the park, she was there. When new ideas were needed on the Anderson County Fire Commission, she stepped up. As a new District 7 county commissioner, she has been from one end of this county to the other helping our residents with their issues.

Ask anyone from Briceville to Claxton, from Norwood to Rocky Top, from Oak Ridge to New River, they will tell you how Theresa has contributed to making our communities better. She never stops in doing good, she is everywhere! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Charter Commission, county government, Jerry Creasey, Theresa Scott

Term limits: Who could no longer serve if two-term limit was in place now?

Posted at 1:20 pm October 26, 2016
By John Huotari 3 Comments

Jerry Creasey

Jerry Creasey, an Anderson County commissioner from Oak Ridge, could no longer serve if a two-term limit were in place now. Now in his seventh term, Creasey is the longest-serving commissioner. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 6:15 p.m.

If the proposed two-term limit was in place now, Jerry Creasey, the longest-serving Anderson County commissioner, could no longer serve.

Neither could Mark Alderson, who is in his fifth term; Chuck Fritts or Jerry White (both are in their fourth terms); or Whitey Hitchcock, Robert McKamey, or Tracy Wandell (all three are in their third terms).

Creasey is in his seventh term, according to information from the Anderson County Election Commission.

It’s not clear if Myron Iwanski would be term-limited at this point. Iwanski is in his sixth term, but those terms were interrupted by his service as interim Anderson County mayor from January 2011 to August 2012—after former mayor Rex Lynch resigned and before current mayor Terry Frank was elected. Whether Iwanski would be term-limited would depend upon whether term limits, assuming a two-term limit was enacted, were consecutive or lifetime limits.

Assuming Iwanski was term-limited, though, that would mean that eight of the 16 commissioners, or half of them, would be past their second term and not able to serve if a two-term limit were in place.

No term limits are in place now, and they can’t officially be proposed, debated, or recommended to voters until after the eight-member Anderson County Charter Commission is elected November 8. Whether they are even considered is likely to depend upon which candidates are elected. The Charter Commission is not obligated to consider term limits, but it will have the authority to do so. (See a story on the Charter Commission process here.) [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Election, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Charter Commission, Anderson County Election Commission, Chuck Fritts, Floyd Grisham, Jerry Creasey, Jerry White, Jim Cooper, Mark Alderson, Myron Iwanski, Phil Yager, Philip Warfield, Rex Lynch, Rick Meredith, Robert McKamey, Shain Vowell, Steve Emert, Steve Mead, term limits, Terry Frank, Theresa Scott, Tracy Wandell, Whitey Hitchcock

Commission again approves 10-cent tax increase for pay raises, schools

Posted at 9:34 pm August 13, 2015
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Anderson County Teachers at County Commission

Roughly three-quarters of those attending the budget deliberations at Anderson County Commission wore red—”Red for Public Ed”—on Monday, July 20, 2015. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11 p.m.

CLINTON—The Anderson County Commission has again approved a 10-cent tax rate increase for 2 percent pay raises for county employees, teachers, and school staff, and this time the result is final.

The first attempt in July ended in a legislative stalemate when commissioners failed to raise the tax rate by 10 cents, even though the budget they had passed earlier anticipated that increase. Commissioners first vote on the budget and then vote on the tax rate.

In their second attempt on Thursday, August 13, commissioners first approved budgets with the total 10-cent increase and then raised the tax rate by 10 cents. That ended a long process that began as early as May and included seven meetings, according to one official.

“We’re just relieved that the process is finally over,” said Rachel Minardo, president of the Anderson County Education Association. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, Government, K-12, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Education Association, Anderson County Schools, budget, Chuck Fritts, Clinton City Schools, county employees, Jerry Creasey, Jerry White, Mark Alderson, Myron Iwanski, Oak Ridge Schools, pay raises, Philip Warfield, property tax rate, Rachel Minardo, Rick Meredith, Robert McKamey, Steve Emert, Steve Mead, tax rate, tax rate increase, teachers, Theresa Scott, Tim Isbel, Tracy Wandell, Whitey Hitchcock, Zach Bates

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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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Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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