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Dragon Boat Festival includes races, music, beer garden, kids area

Posted at 9:33 pm May 27, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Four Dragon Boats

Dragon boats are pictured above at the Oak Ridge Dragon Boat Festival at Melton Lake Park on May 31, 2014. (Submitted photo) 

 

The second annual Oak Ridge Dragon Boat Festival this weekend will include dragon boat races, music, vendors, a youth area for kids, and a beer garden.

The Oak Ridge Marina boat ramp will be closed on Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30, for the festival, organizers said. They expect increased traffic congestion on Melton Lake Drive this weekend. Organizers are encouraging those who attend to park at Roane State Community College on Briarcliff Avenue and catch a ride in a bus or van to the waterfront.

Thirty or or more teams of 20 paddlers each are expected in Oak Ridge for the 2015 Dragon Boat Festival.

The festival, which will raise money for local charities, will start on Friday evening, May 29, with a “Lanterns on the Lake” ceremony, music, beer garden, and other festivities. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Community, Front Page News, Nonprofits, Rowing, Slider, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Albert Beasley, beer garden, Breakfast Club, Dragon Boat Beer Garden Bash, Dragon Boat Festival, dragon boat races, Drummers Parade, Dynamic Dragon Boat Racing LLC, Katherine Budai, Lanterns on the Lake, Leslie England, Lori Tucker, Melton Lake Drive, Melton Lake Park, music, Oak Ridge Dragon Boat Festival, Oak Ridge Marina, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Ridge City Ramblers, Rotary Club, Rotary clubs, Smokin’ Hoglegs, Sunset Club, Thom Mason, WATE

Railroad tracks removed from South Illinois, Emory Valley

Posted at 5:49 pm June 30, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

South Illinois Avenue Railroad Track Removal

A work crew from Rogers Group removes unused railroad tracks from South Illinois Avenue just south of Lafayette Drive and Scarboro Road on Saturday night. After the tracks were removed, the railroad crossing was repaved, and the road reopened on Sunday.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 6:30 p.m.

Unused railroad tracks that crossed Briarcliff Avenue, Emory Valley Road, and South Illinois Avenue were removed on Thursday and Saturday night.

Railroad company CSX split the traffic control costs with the city and paid to remove the tracks, Oak Ridge Public Works Director Gary Cinder said. In exchange, the city agreed to repave the roadways as part of street maintenance. The crossing lights were removed as well so that commercial vehicles, including school buses, no longer have to stop at the abandoned crossings and, in the case of school buses and other vehicles that carry children, open and close their doors before proceeding.

The project has been in the works for two years.

“We’re thrilled to finally get to this stage,” Cinder said last week. “It’s been a long time coming.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: abandoned crossings, bicyclists, bike and pedestrian plan, Briarcliff Avenue, crossing lights, CSX, DOE, Emory Valley Road, Gary Cinder, highway transportation board, Kathryn Baldwin, Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Melton Lake Drive, National Nuclear Security Administration, NNSA, Oak Ridge Community Development, Oak Ridge Public Works Department, pedestrians, railroad crossings, railroad tracks, Rails-to-Trails, Rogers Group, Rogers Group Inc., runners, South Illinois Avenue, street maintenance, U.S. Department of Energy, walking trail, Y-12, Y-12 National Security Complex historian Ray Smith

Kerry Trammell Memorial 5k Run/Walk at Oak Ridge Marina on May 4

Posted at 12:19 am April 14, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Kerry Trammell Memorial 5K Logo

The Kerry Trammell Memorial 5k Run and Walk will start at 8 a.m. May 4 at the Oak Ridge Marina.

Proceeds of this year’s race will go toward the purchase and installation of emergency mile markers on the Melton Lake Greenway. The mile markers will be placed every .10 miles and coordinated with 911, and Trammell’s name will be placed on each.

The course starts on the Oak Ridge Marina peninsula and runs on Melton Lake Drive and along the water on the Melton Lake Greenway. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Recreation, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: emergency mile markers, Kerry Trammell, Kerry Trammell Memorial 5K Run and Walk, Melton Lake Drive, Melton Lake greenway, mile markers, Oak Ridge Marina

Some road, lane closures during Secret City Half Marathon Nov. 30-Dec. 1

Posted at 12:58 pm November 21, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Secret City Half Marathon Course Map

The course map for the Secret City Half Marathon is pictured above.

Some traffic lanes and roads will be closed, and several main roads and intersections will be affected by the Secret City Half Marathon road races next weekend, Nov. 30-Dec. 1, officials said Thursday.

About 800 runners are expected to race on the streets and greenways of Oak Ridge during these family-friendly athletic events, the City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau said in a press release Thursday.

“Motorists should be aware of runners and walkers in the race areas and try to avoid these roads and find alternate routes if possible,” the release said.

The first-ever Secret City 5k and 10k races will be held Saturday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 a.m. The Oak Ridge Police Department will shut down portions of the race course during the affected time periods. Both races start and finish on Badger Avenue near Oak Ridge Associated Universities and continue along the following route through central Oak Ridge: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Recreation, Sports, Top Stories Tagged With: Badger Avenue, Briarcliff Avenue, City of Oak Ridge, Emory Valley Road, Half Marathon Relay, Health and Fitness Expo, intersections, Melton Lake Drive, Melton Lake greenway, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Oak Ridge Police Department, Oak Ridge Turnpike, ORCVB, roads, Rutgers Avenue, Secret 10k, Secret City 5K, Secret City Half Marathon, South Illinois Avenue

No one injured as ammunition explodes in SUV fire

Posted at 9:07 pm September 21, 2013
By John Huotari 1 Comment

SUV With Ammunition in Car Crash

No one was injured after an SUV with several hundred rounds of ammunition was hit by a pickup truck on Melton Lake Drive on Saturday, overturned, and caught fire. (Photos courtesy Oak Ridge Fire Department)

No one was injured, but several hundred rounds of ammunition started exploding after a sport utility vehicle returning from a Wounded Warriors shooting event was hit by a pickup truck on Melton Lake Drive, overturned, and caught fire, authorities said.

The accident happened at about 5:05 p.m. Saturday, the Oak Ridge Fire Department said.

A southbound Toyota pickup truck crossed the center line and hit the SUV, which was driven by Jeff Douglas. The SUV hit the guardrail, spun, and overturned, the ORFD said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Top Stories Tagged With: ammunition, Greg Snodgrass, Jeff Douglas, Melton Lake Drive, Mike Ramirez, Oak Ridge Fire Department, ORFD, shooting, SUV

New China Palace waterfront lease extended through Labor Day

Posted at 8:34 pm May 16, 2013
By John Huotari 1 Comment

New China Palace Restaurant

The New China Palace on Melton Lake Drive has been granted a three-month lease extension on this city-owned waterfront site through Labor Day. The restaurant plans to re-open later this year on Central Avenue.

The New China Palace restaurant has been given a three-month lease extension that will allow it to stay on the Oak Ridge waterfront through Labor Day.

It’s expected to be the last lease extension for New China Palace at the city-owned property at Melton Lake Park. The restaurant received one other three-month extension that started in March and runs through the end of May.

The restaurant plans to re-open later this year at the former Village Restaurant property on Central Avenue.

On Thursday, Oak Ridge Economic Development Consultant Ray Evans said Tony Cappiello, who owns the Central Avenue property, has a final architectural review for the proposed new restaurant today and could submit site plans on Monday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: bathhouse, Central Avenue, Cheng Ping Ren, lease extension, Melton Lake Drive, Melton Lake Park, New China Palace, Oak Ridge City Council, Ray Evans, restaurant, Village Restaurant, waterfront, waterfront plan

Guest column: Hope proposes funding increases for fire station, economic development, maintenance

Posted at 10:36 am May 16, 2013
By Chuck Hope 4 Comments

Chuck Hope

Chuck Hope

Editor’s note: The following proposals by Oak Ridge City Council member Chuck Hope were first considered at the Monday, May 13, City Council meeting but postponed to a special meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 16, in the Municipal Building Courtroom.

I would like to make a motion for an amendment to the ordinance to provide revenue for municipal purposes for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, to increase the funding in the general fund in three critical areas.

The first area is in economic development. I would like to increase funding by $200,000 to strengthen our economic strategies that the city manager has proposed for the upcoming year. I would like to see an additional $75,000 be added to the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce contract to fully fund the three-part approach the city manager has developed, with the remaining $125,000 set aside to be used if any additional projects come forward this next calendar year.

The second part of this amendment would be to add $250,000 to the capital maintenance portion of our maintenance and operations (M&O) budget. We have several projects that will need to be updated and repaired this next year. If put off until further in the future, we will be doing these projects under a emergency situation, which always cost us more in repairs. It is essential that we maintain a proper M&O budget so we can get the most out of all of our city assets. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns Tagged With: budget, capital maintenance, Chuck Hope, economic development, fire rate, Fire Station No. 2, funding, insurance, maintenance and operations, Melton Lake Drive, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, Oak Ridge City Council, revenue

Contractor installing pedestrian warning signs on Melton Lake Drive

Posted at 1:18 pm May 14, 2013
By John Huotari 2 Comments

A city contractor is completing work on new flashing warning signs on Melton Lake Drive at three pedestrian crossings near the Oak Ridge Marina on Melton Lake Drive. The three crossings are at Amanda Drive, Rivers Run Boulevard, and just west of Emory Valley Road.

The flashing beacons could be become operational Thursday, a city press release said. The beacons are activated by a push button and will flash for a short period of time, allowing pedestrians to cross the street. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Amanda Drive, Emory Valley Road, First Place Finish Inc., Melton Lake Drive, Oak Ridge Marina, Oak Ridge Public Works Department, pedestrian crossings, Rivers Run Boulevard, warning signs

New China Palace still open on waterfront, moving to Central Avenue this summer

Posted at 4:06 am April 11, 2013
By John Huotari 5 Comments

New China Palace Restaurant

The New China Palace on Melton Lake Drive has been granted a three-month lease extension, and the restaurant will be open on the city’s waterfront through May. The restaurant plans to re-open on Central Avenue by July.

The New China Palace restaurant will be open on the Oak Ridge waterfront through May, and the new owner plans to open in a new place on Central Avenue by July.

In a letter last June, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson told the restaurant’s former owners Chung-Nan Chou and Fu-Li Chou that the city would not renew the lease when it expired in February.

But the new owner Cheng Ping Ren said the city gave the restaurant a three-month lease extension on the waterfront site on Melton Lake Drive. It expires May 31. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Central Avenue, Cheng Ping Ren, Chung-Nan Chou, Fu-Li Chou, lease, Mark Watson, Melton Lake Drive, New China Palace, Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board, Oak Ridge City Council, restaurant, Tony Cappiello, Village Restaurant, waterfront plan

Council approves Aldi rezoning, waterfront crosswalk signs, kayak rentals

Posted at 11:59 pm March 18, 2013
By John Huotari 8 Comments

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday approved a rezoning that could allow an Aldi grocery store on South Illinois Avenue, solar-powered pedestrian warning signs on Melton Lake Drive, and a program to rent bicycles and kayaks at Melton Lake Park.

The Aldi could open on about 1.4 acres in the Woodland Town Center near Panera Bread and Aubrey’s restaurant this fall.

The pedestrian signs, as well as new pavement markings, could be installed at three crosswalks at Amanda Drive, Emory Valley Road, and Rivers Run on Melton Lake Drive. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Recreation, Top Stories Tagged With: Adventures Outdoors, Aldi, Amanda Drive, bicycles, crosswalks, Emory Valley Road, First Place Finsh, kayaks, Melton Lake Drive, Melton Lake Park, Oak Ridge City Council, pavement markings, pedestrian warning signs, rezoning, Rivers Run, waterfront development plan, Woodland Town Center

Flashing pedestrian signs could be installed at three crosswalks on Melton Lake Drive

Posted at 2:03 pm March 17, 2013
By John Huotari 5 Comments

Melton Lake Drive Pedestrian Warning Signs

New solar-powered pedestrian warning signs could be installed at three crosswalks on Melton Lake Drive under a contract to be considered by Oak Ridge City Council on Monday. (Submitted photo)

Solar-powered pedestrian warning signs and new pavement markings could be installed at three crosswalks on Melton Lake Drive.

The crosswalk improvements are proposed at Amanda Drive, Emory Valley Road, and Rivers Run. They will be considered by Oak Ridge City Council on Monday night.

The Oak Ridge city staff has recommended awarding a roughly $38,000 contract to First Place Finish of Oak Ridge for the crosswalk work, which could start in April and be completed in four to six weeks. The bid was the lowest of four received, City Engineer Steven R. Byrd said in a memo to City Manager Mark S. Watson.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories, Uncategorized Tagged With: Amanda Drive, bicycle and pedestrian plan, crosswalk improvements, crosswalks, Emory Valley Center, Emory Valley Road, First Place Finish, Mark S. Watson, Melton Lake Drive, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Public Works Department, pavement markings, pedestrian crossings, pedestrian warning signs, Rivers Run Boulevard, safety enhancement, special programs fund, Steven R. Byrd

City asked to strike balance between businesses, community over electronic signs

Posted at 11:18 am February 23, 2013
By John Huotari 10 Comments

Misty Robbins at Electronic Signs Public Hearing

Misty Robbins, right, of Snappy Tomato Pizza, said the restaurant could buy an electronic sign but wants to see what new regulations might be issued to govern them.

Business owners call them effective, a great way to get out their messages.

But a few residents call them distracting and offensive, at least in some cases.

Caught in the middle are Oak Ridge officials. They are trying to write new regulations for the electronic signs, considering how to govern brightness, display times, and transitions between messages.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: animation, brightness, business owners, Dan Robbins, display times, electronic signs, Melton Lake Drive, Misty Robbins, Oak Ridge Community Development, Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission, residents, Rick Chinn, sign ordinance, Sigurd Christensen, Terry Domm, Toney Stevens, video

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

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

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