Oak Ridge Today

TML recognizes Clinton Fire Department, Rocky Top government

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

The Tennessee Municipal League handed out its annual awards on Tuesday morning in Gatlinburg.

The Clinton Fire Department received the TML’s Award for Excellence in Fire Safety for its recent efforts to improve response times and the overall fire service in the city. Those efforts have paid off in the form of the department’s ISO rating improving from a “4” to a “2.” The lower ISO rating translates into lower homeowner’s insurance premiums for those within the city limits.

Clinton Fire Chief Archie Brummitt has said that the improvements that were made would not have been possible without the support of the City Council, the mayor, the city manager and the men and women of the Clinton Fire Department. [Read more…]

Coal Creek Miners Museum has grand opening on March 11

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Coal-Creek-Miners-Museum

The Coal Creek Miners Museum in Rocky Top will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting on March 11.

The museum tells the story of the miners that lived, worked, and died in Coal Creek, Fraterville, and Briceville, and it also tells about the historically significant events that changed the mining industry, a press release said.

The grand opening is scheduled from 2-5 p.m. March 11 at the new museum, which is at 201 South Main Street in Rocky Top (formerly known as Lake City). The ribbon-cutting with the Rocky Top Chamber of Commerce is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Here is more information from a press release:

The story starts in the late 1800s when the “free” miners fought against the convict lease system, a struggle that ultimately ended the system in the southern states. [Read more…]

Bear spotted in Rocky Top on Friday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bear in Rocky Top on June 19, 2015

A bear was spotted at 320 Norris Freeway in Rocky Top, across from the Dollar Store, at about 12:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo courtesy Raymond Jobe)

A bear was spotted in Rocky Top on Friday.

Authorities received a report of a bear near the intersection of U.S. 441 (Norris Freeway) and North Main Street at about noon Friday, a Rocky Top dispatcher said. It was across from Advance Auto Parts.

Dispatchers contacted the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which recommended leaving the animal alone. TWRA said the bear was probably looking for food, and berries will “come out” in about another two to three weeks.

The dispatcher said the bear drifted off from that intersection downtown and was seen elsewhere around Rocky Top (the former Lake City) before disappearing. [Read more…]

Preliminary injunction stops use of Rocky Top as trademark for goods, services

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Ryan Levy

Ryan Levy

Note: This story was updated at 12:40 p.m.

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction to stop a group of developers who are trying to revitalize the former Lake City from using Rocky Top as a trademark for goods or services.

The preliminary injunction was issued on Friday by Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan of the Eastern District of Tennessee.

The former Lake City Council changed the town’s name to Rocky Top in June 2014. The idea was to use the name change to spur developments along Interstate 75 that could be worth up to $237 million. Proposed projects include an indoor and outdoor water park, interactive theater with a children’s museum, a coal miners music theater, and laser tag, among other things. Officials had said those developments—which have also included other options such as a hotel, restaurant, and candy company—wouldn’t happen without the name change. [Read more…]

Bobby Osborne, Rocky Top X-press to headline Rocky Top Bluegrass Festival

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bobby Osborne

Bobby Osborne (Submitted photo)

 

Bobby Osborne and Rocky Top X-Press will headline the inaugural Rocky Top Bluegrass Festival.

The festival is scheduled for 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 24, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at the George Templin Memorial Athletic Field located at 214 North Main Street in Rocky Top (formerly Lake City).

“Mr. Osborne contacted us because the Osborne Brothers were the first to perform and record ‘Rocky Top,’ and he wanted to be the first to perform the song in our newly named town of Rocky Top, Tennessee”, said Mike Lovely, Rocky Top mayor. “As a result of his interest, we decided to have a festival featuring some of the top groups in bluegrass.” [Read more…]

Letter: Commissioner Isbel asks President Obama to visit Rocky Top

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Tim Isbel

Tim Isbel

Mr. President:

I am writing this letter to respectfully ask for your assistance in the resurgence of a small impoverished coal mining community that was very instrumental in the development of this great nation, during the Industrial Revolution, due to the ability to produce coal. Since the decline of the coal industry, this community has suffered economically and 50 percent of the current population lives below the poverty level.

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Tim Isbel, the Anderson County commissioner that represents this community of Lake City, Tennessee.

Just over a year ago, the mayor and city council of Lake City and myself set out to change the direction of the city. This city, nestled between Norris Lake and the Cumberland Mountains, has the assets of having two major interchanges off the I-75 corridor, an abundance of uninhabited property, existing infrastructure, and just 25 miles from Knoxville, Tennessee, and Interstate I-40. [Read more…]

AC Commission replaces Phillips with Bates

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Zach Bates

Zach Bates

WYSH Radio/Oak Ridge Today

The Anderson County Commission has voted to replace Chris Phillips in Commission District 4 with the man whose vacated seat he won in August.

Phillips resigned his Commission seat—won in the August 7 election—so that he could return to work as the county’s budget and accounts director after leaving that post earlier this year to become city recorder in his native Rocky Top. Phillips left the county government to help the town update its accounting practices as it makes the transition from Lake City to Rocky Top and prepares for what is expected to be a busy time for the city. [Read more…]

County Commission to consider OR mall TIF, District 4 appointment

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Oak Ridge Village Area Rendering

 

The Anderson County Commission will consider extending the tax increment financing agreement for the former Oak Ridge Mall from 20 years to 30 on Monday morning.

The Anderson County Operations Committee recommended approving the 10-year TIF extension during a meeting last week. The TIF would use new property tax revenues generated at the mall site and 120 surrounding acres included in the TIF area to help pay for the redevelopment. [Read more…]

Oliver Springs, Rocky Top receive grants for water, sewer system improvements

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

State officials announce 80 Community Development Block Grants

Oliver Springs received a $525,000 grant for sewer system improvements, and Rocky Top (formerly Lake City) received a $360,840 grant for water system improvements, Tennessee officials announced last week.

Oliver Springs and Rocky Top were among the Tennessee communities that will receive funding after Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty approved more than $28 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to help with infrastructure, health and safety projects, and downtown improvements, a press release said.

The Oliver Springs grant will be matched with $225,000 in local funding (for $750,000 in total funding), and the Rocky Top grant will be matched with $27,160 in local funding for a total of $388,000. [Read more…]

THP: Jacksboro man killed in I-75 crash

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

One person died in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 North in Anderson County on Thursday afternoon.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to the scene just before 3:30 p.m. at exit 129, the Rocky Top (Lake City) exit.

The THP report indicates that a 1998 Ford pickup left the right side of the roadway, traveled into a ditch and flipped, partially ejecting the driver, 29-year-old William Overton of Jacksboro. Troopers say he was not wearing a seatbelt.

Phillips to return as county budget director, step down as commissioner

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Chris Phillips

Chris Phillips

CLINTON—Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank announced Thursday that Chris Phillips will be rejoining Anderson County government as budget director.

“I never wanted Chris to leave, but I certainly understood from the beginning that Lake City, now Rocky Top, was in search of next-level management in modernizing their accounting structure,” Frank said. “Though Chris tried to accomplish Rocky Top’s goals by working part-time on weekends, it really took him leaving the county to be in Rocky Top full-time. I made it clear from the get-go that if I had not filled the budget director position, he was always welcome back home here in Anderson County government.”

“While the thought of disappointing those who were kind enough to vote for me weighs heavily on me, I know I can best serve the people of this county by implementing and directing policy, rather than making policy, and that requires that I step down from my position as Commissioner to serve Anderson County in another way,” said Phillips, who was elected to one of two Anderson County Commission seats in District 4 on August 7.

Phillips will resign his County Commission seat effective October 10, a press release said.

Former Anderson County Commissioner Zach Bates, who ran for county mayor in the May 6 Republican primary, did not seek re-election in District 4, which includes the Lake City (Rocky Top), Briceville, and Rosedale voting precincts. [Read more…]

Severe weather possible Tuesday evening

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Severe Weather Outlook

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown.

 

A line of strong to severe thunderstorms will move across the Cumberland Plateau and into East Tennessee and southwest Virginia this evening, forecasters said Tuesday.

The biggest risk from the storms is damaging straight-line winds of up to 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

“Locally heavy rainfall and frequent lightning will also be possible with the strongest activity,” the NWS said.

The Weather Service issued a significant weather advisory at 7:09 p.m. for Anderson and Union counties and southern Campbell, central Morgan, and southeastern Scott counties until 8 p.m. [Read more…]