Oak Ridge Today

Almost 4 inches of rain fell around Norris

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Almost 4 inches of rain fell in Norris overnight starting Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019. Norris is the area around 3.97" near the lower left portion of the large dark orange area in the map above by the National Weather Service in Morristown. (Image courtesy NWS)

Almost 4 inches of rain fell around Norris overnight starting Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019. Norris is the area around 3.95 near the lower left portion of the large dark orange area in the precipitation map above by the National Weather Service in Morristown. (Image courtesy NWS)

 

Areas near Norris saw around 4 inches of rain last night (starting Wednesday, February 6), according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

You can see a collection of rainfall observations across the area during the past 24 hours here: . [Read more…]

One challenger for City Council, none for school board

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The deadline for candidates to qualify for the November 6 municipal elections was noon Thursday, and four Oak Ridge City Council incumbents have one challenger while there are three candidates for three school board seats.

Besides the four seats now held by incumbents, the November election will include the selection of an additional member of Oak Ridge City Council to fill the rest of the term of Hans Vogel, who was elected to a four-year term in November 2016 but resigned in June to take a new job at Idaho National Laboratory. Only one candidate, Derrick Hammond, has qualified as a candidate in that special election. Hammond was unanimously appointed to the seat by City Council in July to fill the seat through the November election. After his unopposed November election, Hammond will serve the last two years of Vogel’s unexpired term.

Also on the ballot in November are city council and school board seats in Clinton, Norris, Oliver Springs, and Rocky Top. That’s in addition to the state and federal elections for Tennessee governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, and Tennessee Senate and Tennessee House of Representatives.

The four incumbents on the seven-member Oak Ridge City Council who are up for election in November all qualified as candidates by Thursday’s deadline. They are Kelly Callison, R.G. “Rick” Chinn Jr., Warren Gooch, and Ellen D. Smith. The four incumbents last had an election in November 2014. [Read more…]

Norris Bulletin: Norris hires new police chief, separates public safety departments

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Information from WYSH Radio

The town of Norris will have a new police chief beginning July 3.

According to the Norris Bulletin, it was announced during the Norris City Council meeting on Monday that William “Chip” Kain has been hired to serve as Norris’s next police chief. Kain is currently chief of police in the town of Baneberry, Tennessee. Kain has previously served with the University of Tennessee Police Department and the Clinton Police Department. He also once co-hosted a sports talk show on a Knoxville radio station. He succeeds Danny Humphrey, who stepped down earlier this year.

The Bulletin also reported that the City Council voted to reorganize the city’s Public Safety Department. The reorganization will essentially create separate police and fire departments, a move that supporters say will allow members of both to be more efficiently trained and supervised. That reorganization was unanimously approved.

WYSH Radio in Clinton is an Oak Ridge Today news partner.

Caryville man dies in crash near Norris

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A Caryville man died and an Andersonville woman was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Reservoir Road just outside Norris on Thursday, authorities said.

The head-on crash was reported at about 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash, said a 2003 Nissan Frontier was being driven north on Reservoir Road by Heidi Kuehl, 40, of Andersonville, when it crossed the center line.

A southbound 1995 Toyota Camry driven by Anthony Peterson, 47, of Caryville, “took corrective action” to miss Kuehl’s vehicle, the THP said. [Read more…]

Marshall named Norris city manager

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Matthew Marshall

Matthew Marshall

Matthew Marshall, the purchasing and risk management director in Athens, has been named city manager of Norris, according to the Norris Bulletin.

The Norris City Council made the selection during a special meeting last week, the Norris Bulletin said. Marshall was one of five candidates interviewed during a two-day process.

Marshall has been director of purchasing and risk management for Athens since July 2011, or almost six years. He graduated from Farragut High School in 2002, and he has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Tennessee (2011), according to his LinkedIn profile. [Read more…]

Norris public safety director to retire

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Chief Danny Humphrey, who serves as Norris public safety director, will retire in March, according to the Norris Bulletin.

Humphrey, who has had a 39-year career in law enforcement, is in charge of the Norris Police and Volunteer Fire Department.

He worked for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for almost 18 years before he joined the Norris Police force, the Norris Bulletin said. Humphrey was named chief by former Norris City Manager Benny Carden in 1999.

See the Norris Bulletin, a weekly publication, for more information. You can email publisher and executive editor Jack Mitchell at [email protected].

Norris accepting applications for city manager

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Information from WYSH Radio

The City of Norris is now accepting applications for the position of city manager. Norris is a city of 1,600 people, and it has a total work force of 24 employees, with an annual budget of more than $1 million.

The city manager carries out the policies approved by the City Council.

The city manager is the administrative head of the city and supervises heads of the Public Works, Public Safety (police and fire), and office staff. The city manager also administers the city’s personnel system, employs, maintains, and terminates city employees in accordance with applicable federal, state, and city legislative and procedural provisions. And the city manager serves as secretary-treasurer to the Norris Water Commission. [Read more…]

Norris names interim city manager

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norris-town-center

An interim city manager has been named in Norris, according to The Norris Bulletin.

Long-time resident Joe Deatherage, who has a long record of community service and charitable work, was picked unanimously during a special Norris City Council meeting on Monday, the weekly publication said. Council moved quickly to fill the position left vacant by last week’s decision to replace the Norris city manager.

Deatherage, who retired from Lockheed-Martin after 30 years working in Oak Ridge, will serve temporarily until a permanent city manager can be chosen, The Norris Bulletin said. Deatherage said he would not be a candidate for the post beyond the next few months.

See The Norris Bulletin for more information. You can contact the publication at (865) 719-3550 or [email protected].

Letter: Please contribute to help firefighters, first responders

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To the Editor:

We’ve all been praying for rain, perhaps several times a day. This drought has been affecting our area for over four months now.

Because it’s been so dry, there’s been a ban on fires. You’ve heard the reports: No open fires. No fire pits or campfires. No grilling whether charcoal or gas. No throwing down a cigarette butt. No burning of brush or rubbish.

If you were going to ask, the answer would be a simple “NO!”

As a result, someone has, or did because they figured it was OK. Whether it was intentional or not. It happened. Fires popped up here and there. On the mountain side, at the campground, someone’s backyard, or even a spark from an engine. [Read more…]

Get rid of expired, unused medicines on Saturday

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You can get rid of unused, unwanted, or expired prescription or non-prescription medicines on Saturday. It’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

You can drop off the medications at locations in Clinton, Norris, Oak Ridge, Oliver Springs, and Rocky Top.

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications, a press release said.

Oak Ridge and Anderson County participate by encouraging residents across the city and county to properly dispose of their unused, unwanted, or expired prescription or non-prescription medicines, the press release said. Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County has partnered with the Oak Ridge Police Department and other law enforcement agencies throughout the county to give two convenient options to residents for proper medicine disposal. [Read more…]

Former county commissioner running for Charter Commission, supports term limits

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Dusty Irwin

Dusty Irwin

Former Anderson County Commissioner Dusty Irwin is running for one of eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission, and he said he supports term limits.

Irwin is running for a seat in District 3, which includes the Andersonville, Norris, Fairview, and Glen Alpine precincts.

In a press release, Irwin said he was an active part of the petition effort to give citizens the opportunity to have term limits through charter—or Home Rule—government.

“I am committed to giving the voters an opportunity to vote on term limits for two consecutive terms for county commissioners and the office of mayor,” Irwin said in the release. “I feel strongly about citizen service on county committees, open and transparent meetings, and ensuring citizens have a right to speak at all meetings.” [Read more…]

Norris fire destroys TVA office building

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Information from WYSH Radio

A fire Saturday night destroyed an administrative office building at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Engineering Laboratory in Norris.

The call came into Norris Public Safety at around 10 p.m. Saturday, and firefighters responded to the building on Pine Road. When Norris fire crews arrived, they reported the building was fully involved and requested assistance from the Andersonville, Claxton, and Medford volunteer fire departments. [Read more…]