Oak Ridge Today

Presidential primary is today in Tennessee

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The presidential and county primary elections are today in Tennessee.

It’s Super Tuesday, and voters in 14 states, including Tennessee, will help select the Democratic Party nominee for president. More than 1,300 delegates are at stake.

Candidates still running for president in the Democratic primary are former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii.

Other candidates appear on the ballot, but they have ended or suspended their campaigns. That includes candidates who have dropped out in the past few days: Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, and Tom Steyer.

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Broadband working group meets this evening

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Anderson County Property Assessor Johnny Alley, left; County Mayor Terry Frank, center; and Deputy Property Assessor Billy Brown look at some of the areas in the Andersonville area lacking broadband service. (Submitted photo)

Anderson County Property Assessor Johnny Alley, left; County Mayor Terry Frank, center; and Deputy Property Assessor Billy Brown look at some of the areas in the Andersonville area lacking broadband service. (Submitted photo)

 

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank is asking for interested Anderson County citizens to form a working group in advance of upcoming broadband opportunities made possible by newly passed legislation in Tennessee, a press release said.

Those who are interested can meet on Tuesday, July 11, at 6 p.m.in the conference room at the Anderson County Health Department, 710 North Main Street in Clinton.

Governor Bill Haslam and the Tennessee State Legislature passed the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act that provides $45 million over three years in grants and tax credits for service providers to assist in making broadband available to unserved homes and businesses, in addition to allowing nonprofit electric cooperatives to provide retail broadband service, the press release said.

Guidance has not yet been released on the grant application process, but in the press release, Frank said she hopes a working group assembled prior to the release of grant guidance could help Anderson County be ready and prepared once grants are released. Frank also hopes the working group will serve as a forum for new ideas regarding connectivity in areas of the county where access is already available. [Read more…]

More than 400 attend Rocky Top meeting in Lake City on Friday

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Information from WYSH Radio

More than 400 people attended Friday night’s bean and cornbread social and informational meeting on a proposal to change the name of Lake City to Rocky Top as the first step toward the creation of a massive Rocky Top theme park.

The event was held at Main Street Baptist Church and featured a presentation from the developers of the proposed tourist destination as well as from Anderson County Property Assessor Johnny Alley, who told the crowd that property taxes would not only not go up because of the project, but if all goes as planned, residents could actually see their property taxes decline as new revenue comes in. Lake City Mayor Tim Sharp told residents that the only cost to the town will be changing the name.

The park, as proposed, would be built on land owned by the city on Highway 441 between I-75 and Highway 25. The first phase of the development would be called the Rocky Top Pavilion and would feature a theater designed to attract musical acts like those found in Branson, Mo.; an indoor-outdoor water park; and a large restaurant. Developers also envision a sports hall of fame and museum. [Read more…]

New Anderson County commissioner starts Monday

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Anderson County Clerk Jeff Cole will swear in Commissioner-elect Steve Emert at the beginning of the County Commission meeting on Monday.

Officials say they had to wait for the results of last week’s election to be certified before Emert could be sworn in, and the Anderson County Election Commission is scheduled to meet Monday afternoon to certify the election, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton.

Emert defeated eight other candidates in the Nov. 6 election to serve the rest of former Commissioner Johnny Alley’s term representing District 3. Alley resigned his Commission seat after winning the August election to become Anderson County property assessor.

District 3 includes Andersonville, Fairview, Glen Alpine, and Norris.

Monday’s Commission meeting begins at 6:30 pm in room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton and will be televised on Comcast Cable Channel 95, the Anderson County government channel.

This story brought to you through an agreement between Oak Ridge Today and WYSH. See more local news headlines on the WYSH website at http://www.wyshradio.com/local_news.html.

Alley wants to increase property assessor work week, build website

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Johnny Alley

Johnny Alley

New Anderson County Property Assessor Johnny Alley said he wants to increase the number of hours his employees work each week, cross-train employees, and build a website that could help answer public questions.

A Republican, Alley has been a real estate agent for more than eight years and an Anderson County commissioner for about 2.5 years. He defeated Democrat Rick Marlowe in the Aug. 2 county election.

He took office Sept. 1.

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Anderson County Commission seat on November ballot

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Johnny Alley

Johnny Alley

Political candidates can pick up petitions starting Sept. 4 to run in a special November election to serve on Anderson County Commission in District 3, which includes Andersonville, Fairview, Glen Alpine, and Norris.

Whoever wins election to that seat in the Nov. 6 election will serve the remaining two years of the four-year term of Anderson County Commissioner Johnny Alley Jr. He was elected Anderson County property assessor in the Aug. 2 election, and he starts Sept. 1.

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Frank, Iwanski, Hope win election in Anderson County, Oak Ridge

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Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Business owner Terry Frank, a Clinton Republican, has defeated attorney Warren Gooch, an Oak Ridge Democrat, in the race for Anderson County mayor.

Frank received 7,074 votes, or 58 percent, while Gooch collected 5,032, or 42 percent, according to unofficial results Thursday night.

She will serve a two-year term, completing the unexpired term of former mayor Rex Lynch, who resigned in January 2011.

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Frank, Iwanski, Hope lead in early election returns

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Terry Frank

Terry Frank

Business owner Terry Frank, a Clinton Republican, has an early voting lead over attorney Warren Gooch, an Oak Ridge Democrat, in the race for Anderson County mayor, according to early results posted Thursday evening on the Anderson County Election Commission website.

Results continue to be tabulated, but Frank has been collecting about 56 or 58 percent of the early, absentee, and election day votes, compared to about 42 to 44 percent for Gooch.

Also taking an early lead was City Council candidate Charles J. “Chuck” Hope Jr., who had about 58 percent of the vote around 8:42 p.m., compared to 42 percent for Trina Baughn.

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