Oak Ridge Today

Sam Bush to headline Summer Sessions concert

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Sam Bush (Submitted photo)

Progressive bluegrass musician Sam Bush will headline ORNL Federal Credit Union’s second Summer Sessions concert in Oak Ridge on Saturday, July 8. North Carolina-based Yarn will open for Bush. The concert is free.

Bush is from Bowling Green, Kentucky, but he is not your traditional bluegrass musician, a press release said.

“Popularly known as the King of New Grass, he bought his first mandolin at the age of 11, and by the time he was a teenager, he was a champion fiddler,” the press release said. “Bush knew early on that traditional country or bluegrass was not the music he wanted to play. He incorporates a variety of genres into his songs and his style is sometimes shunned by traditionalists, but welcomed by ‘long-hairs and hippies.'”

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Fireworks show, music on July 4

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A file photo of the annual fireworks show in Alvin K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge on Thursday, July 4, 2019. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

Oak Ridge’s annual fireworks show is scheduled to being at dark Tuesday, around 9:45 p.m. on Independence Day, July 4. There will be music before the show.

The celebration, which is sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge, will be at Alvin K. Bissell Park in central Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform prior to the fireworks. The concert is free, but donations are accepted by the band to help cover the cost of equipment and other expenses, a press release said. The music is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m.

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USA Cycling Time Trial National Championships on Thursday

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Oak Ridge Traffic Impacts

Oak Ridge will host its fifth annual USA Cycling Individual Time Trial National Championships on Thursday, June 22. Elite cyclists nationwide will converge on the city, showcasing their skill and determination as they compete for the championship title, a press release said.

“Partnering with Visit Knoxville, the City of Oak Ridge and Explore Oak Ridge are proud to welcome back this prestigious championship,” the press release said. “The closed-loop course along Melton Lake Drive promises heart-pounding action and an unforgettable experience for spectators and media alike.”

“The nation’s top cyclists (will) go head-to-head, pushing their limits to claim victory,” the press release said.

The races, which are scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and about 5 p.m., will affect traffic in parts of east Oak Ridge near the Clinch River starting at 7 a.m. Thursday.

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Lavender Festival is June 17

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Lavender Festival (Submitted photo)

The 23rd Jackson Square Lavender Festival returns to Jackson Square this month. The Main Event is free to the public on Saturday, June 17, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Lavender Festival was named Best Festival last year by the Middle East Tennessee Tourism Council, a press release said. It is presented this year by the City of Oak Ridge, which will have a booth for information about living, working, and playing in Oak Ridge.

Since 1999, Lavender Festival has been held the third week of June, which is when the lavender is in bloom in Tennessee. In addition to several local lavender farms, the festival features 150 artisan and food vendors, live music, informative presentations, and free children’s activities.

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Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival returning to Oak Ridge

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Lyn Ford, Bil Lepp, and Rev. Robert B. Jones (Images courtesy Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival)

The Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival will return to the Historic Grove Theater in Oak Ridge with nationally acclaimed storytellers Lyn Ford, Bil Lepp, and Rev. Robert B. Jones on June 2 and 3.

“Well-known to audiences throughout the country for their wit and wisdom, these three performers are guaranteed to make audiences laugh, cry, and reminisce,” a press release said. “The storytellers will perform different stories at each show on both days. In addition, two special workshops will be offered to precede the performances.”

The Friday, June 2, performance will be at 7 p.m. The next day, Saturday, June 3, will feature a memorable family show at 10 a.m. and shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children for each show, except for the June 3 Family Show at 10 a.m. Tickets for that show are $10 for adults and $5 for children. For the Flatwater Tales website, click here.

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Mark Watson to present ‘State of City’

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Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson will present “State of the City” during at Lunch with the League on Tuesday.

Watson, who is retiring in May, will be the featured speaker at noon Tuesday, April 4, in the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. It’s hosted by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge.

Watson has served as Oak Ridge city manager since August 2010. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public administration and city management from the University of Kansas. In 2019, he received his doctorate degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in public administration and American government. [Read more…]

History Museum to celebrate new Hutment Exhibit

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The Oak Ridge History Museum will celebrate the opening of its Hutment Exhibit with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 1, 2023. A hutment from the Manhattan Project during World War II is pictured above. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge History Museum will celebrate the opening of its Hutment Exhibit with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 1.

The Hutment Exhibit “promises to transport visitors back in time to the Oak Ridge Manhattan Project era,” a press release said.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will celebrate the exhibit’s opening and “offer an unparalleled glimpse into a piece of history that shaped America,” the press release said.

The Hutment Exhibit will feature an authentic reproduction of a Manhattan Project “Hutment,” showcasing the living conditions of the workers who helped construct the wartime manufacturing facilities during World War II.

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One person seriously injured in Wednesday crash

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Two people were taken to a hospital, one with serious injuries, after a crash between a dump truck and a sport utility vehicle in Oak Ridge on Wednesday evening.

The crash was reported at about 7 p.m. Wednesday at Melton Lake Drive and Edgemoor Road (State Route 170). The Oak Ridge Police Department, Fire Department, and Public Works Department all responded, and so did Anderson County EMS (the ambulance service).

The crash involved a commercial vehicle (a privately owned dump truck) and a passenger vehicle (a mid-size SUV), the City of Oak Ridge said.

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Oak Ridge city manager retiring

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Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson is retiring in May.

Watson, who has been city manager since 2010, announced his May 5 retirement during an Oak Ridge City Council work session on Tuesday.

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Man received 3-year sentence for assault on officer

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A man who had been accused of fighting with Oak Ridge police officers and significantly injuring one of them was sentenced to three years in prison when he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and reckless endangerment against one of the officers.

That officer had been taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville with a significant arm injury, and two other officers had been taken to Methodist Medical Center to have their injuries evaluated, the City of Oak Ridge said at the time. One had been hit with a taser taken by the defendant, according to affidavits filed at the time.

The rest of this story is available if you are a member: a subscriber, advertiser, or contributor to Oak Ridge Today.

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If you prefer to send a check, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

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We also accept donations. You can donate here. A donation of $50 or more will make you eligible for a subscription.

Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support!

Learn Oak Ridge history at Jackson Square on Saturday

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A historical photo of Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. (Photo credit: U.S. Department of Energy/Ed Westcott)

You can learn about Oak Ridge history at Jackson Square on Saturday.

The free program is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 14. It is organized by the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.

“Join a park ranger for a walk through Jackson Square,” the National Park Service said.

The program will begin in the upper parking lot of Jackson Square in front of the fountain.

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City offices opening 3 hours late

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City of Oak Ridge offices will open three hours late on Tuesday because of the snowy weather and icy conditions.

City offices will open at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Essential employees will be required to report at their regular time, the city said.