Oak Ridge Today

More than 550 pounds of medicines collected during Drug Take Back Days

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More than 550 pounds of unused and expired medications were collected during Drug Take Back Days in April, according to ASAP of Anderson.

ASAP of Anderson partnered with local businesses and police departments to collect unused and expired medications throughout the community, a press release said.

“A total of 582.2 pounds of medication was collected at six different Drug Take Back sites in April,” ASAP said in the press release. Collected medications are safely handled by police officers, turned over to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration representatives, and then incinerated to ensure they do not find their way back into the community.

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Drug Take Back Day is Saturday

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ASAP of Anderson and police departments in Anderson County have formed a partnership to take back expired or unused medicines on Saturday.

It’s part of the 2019 Drug Enforcement Administration Rx Drug Take Back Day.

“Community members can bring their expired or unused medicines to one of the Anderson County Take Back locations anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. this Saturday,” a press release said.

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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…]

State officials, local agencies to crack down on seat belt use, impaired driving

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Kendell Poole

Kendell Poole

Traffic fatalities in Anderson County are up significantly this year, and Tennessee officials and local law enforcement agencies will announce a campaign on Monday to crack down on drivers not using seat belts or driving while impaired during the holidays.

The announcement is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, November 10, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Among those participating will be Kendell Poole, director of the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office, and members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, as well as representatives of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, and Oak Ridge, Clinton, Norris, and Rocky Top police departments.

“There have been 16 traffic fatalities in Anderson County in 2014, which represents a 77 percent increase compared to 2013,” a press release said. “This is the third highest year-to-date difference in fatalities that an individual county has seen in Tennessee. Seventy-five percent of the fatalities were unrestrained. In an effort to prevent additional fatalities and injuries, Anderson County agencies will be increasing enforcement and conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.” [Read more…]

Saturday: Household hazardous waste drop-off, prescription drug take-back

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There is a prescription drug take-back in Oak Ridge through 2 p.m. today (Saturday, September 27). There is also a collection of household hazardous waste, and it also ends at 2 p.m.

The prescription drug take-back is at the Oak Ridge Police Department at 200 South Tulane Avenue. The ORPD is doing this in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County.

“The Oak Ridge Police Department will give the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs,” a press release said. “The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.” [Read more…]

Dispose of unused medicine safely at four locations Saturday

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ASAP Logo

Anderson County residents can get rid of their unused medicine on Saturday as the county participates in National Drug Take-Back Day sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The Oak Ridge Police Department, Clinton Police Department, Norris Police Department, Lake City Police Department, and Oliver Springs Police Department, along with ASAP, will host the event as part of a continued effort to reduce drug abuse and practice stewardship toward our environment. Medication may be dropped off with officers between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the Oak Ridge Police Department at 200 S. Tulane Ave. or dropped in the bin at the locations listed below. All packaging materials will be recycled.

  • Clinton Police Department—125 W. Broad St., Clinton
  • Lake City Police Department—104 Lawson St., Lake City
  • Norris Police Department—9 West Circle Road, Norris
  • Oliver Springs Police Department—701 Main St., Oliver Springs [Read more…]

Norris Bulletin: Reward offered for info on slain dogs

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Information from WYSH Radio

According to the Norris Bulletin, a reward is being offered for information leading to the identity of the person responsible for shooting two dogs to death and leaving them along the side of a walking trail in the Norris Watershed.

The dogs—a black lab puppy about four months old and a Walker Coonhound that appeared to be about two years old—were found by a passerby last Thursday and now, animal advocates, local, and state authorities are on the case. A reward fund has been established, according to the Bulletin, and anyone who wants to donate can call Christina Eich at (865) 209-0808 or e-mail her at [email protected]. [Read more…]

Sheriff’s Department announces enforcement partnerships to reduce traffic fatalities

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The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and local law enforcement agencies have announced a partnership designed to reduce traffic fatalities in East Tennessee.

In a Friday press conference at the Knoxville office of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Steve Dillard, East Tennessee Law Enforcement Liaison Officer for the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, reported an increase in fatalities last year in four East Tennessee counties: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, and Sevier. During the last five years, Anderson County alone has averaged 11 fatal crashes per year, with 13 fatal crashes in 2012, a press release said.

In response, Dillard and GHSO Director Kendall Poole outlined traffic safety activities for the next six months in the four counties. Authorities will focus on impaired and distracted drivers, and those violating speed limit and seatbelt laws. [Read more…]

Anderson high school student killed, another injured In Norris crash

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Information from WYSH Radio

An Anderson County High School senior was killed in a Monday afternoon traffic accident in Norris, and another teen was flown by a Lifestar helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

The Norris Police Department and Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to the crash shortly before 4:30 pm Monday at the intersection of Andersonville Highway and Norris Freeway.

Cameron Sharp, 17, of Andersonville was killed in the wreck, and Evan Weaver, 18, also an ACHS senior and also from Andersonville, was injured. No update on his condition has been made available.

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