Oak Ridge Today

City manager will present budget to City Council on Tuesday

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson will present the proposed budget for the next fiscal year during a special meeting on Tuesday.

The special meeting of the Oak Ridge City Council is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 30, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom at 200 South Tulane Avenue.

The details of the budget haven’t been released yet.

The Oak Ridge Board of Education has adopted a budget that will ask the Oak Ridge City Council for more money for a 2.5 percent salary increase for teachers and staff members, but it’s not clear yet if city officials will approve that request. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge girls finish ninth in state 4×800 meter relay

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Oak Ridge junior Genevieve Schwartz competed in the 4x800 meter relay at MTSU in Murfreesboro on Thursday, May 25, 2017, when the girls finished ninth out of 16 teams. Schwartz also competed in the 3,200 meter run, where she finished 15th. (Photo by Kindell Moore)

Oak Ridge junior Genevieve Schwartz competed as part of the 4×800 meter relay at MTSU in Murfreesboro on Thursday, May 25, 2017, when the girls finished ninth out of 16 teams. Schwartz also competed in the 3,200 meter run, where she finished 15th. (Photo by Kindell Moore)

 

MURFREESBORO—The Oak Ridge girls 4×800 meter relay team finished ninth in the state track meet in Murfreesboro on Thursday.

The team includes senior Abbey Greenhalgh, junior Genevieve Schwartz, and freshmen Rebecca Joyal and Muskaan Vohra.

The team finished ninth in a field of 16 teams with a time of 10:02.58.

The top three teams in the girls’ 4×800-meter relay were West (of Knoxville), Brentwood (of the Nashville area), and Hardin Valley Academy. West finished first with a time of 9:30.90.

The 2017 TSSAA Girls’ Track State Championships were at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro on Thursday.

In a second event, another Oak Ridge girls team finished 12th in the 4×200 meter relay. That team includes senior Breanne Young, junior Desiree Bates, sophomore Makiya Garrett, and junior Shatyrah Copeland. Their time was 1:47.72. The first-place team, Whitehaven, had a time of 1:41.44. [Read more…]

Bishop of Anderson County wins state championship in pole vault

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Anderson County sophomore Brittany Bishop won the state championship in the girls' pole vault at MTSU in Murfreesboro on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. (Photo courtesy Gary Terry)

Anderson County sophomore Brittany Bishop won the state championship in the girls’ pole vault at MTSU in Murfreesboro on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. (Photo courtesy Gary Terry)

 

Note: This story was updated at 11 a.m.

Anderson County sophomore Brittany Bishop won the state championship in the girls’ pole vault on Wednesday.

Bishop cleared 12 feet at the 2017 TSSAA Girls’ Track State Championships at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

She had been the second-seeded pole vaulter, behind senior Taylor Pickett of Brentwood.

Pickett finished second on Wednesday. She also cleared 12 feet.

Bishop had a miss at 11-06, but then she and Pickett both cleared 12 feet. But Bishop did it first. Pickett missed it on her first of three tries.

Bishop and Pickett were the final two jumpers starting at about 11 feet.

Anderson County Coach Al Rodd said Bishop has led pole vaulters for much of the year, but Pickett had recently passed her, clearing 12-02 and 12-04. Bishop had cleared 12 feet at the Dale Legg Invitational earlier this year. [Read more…]

Presentation on opioid drug epidemic this evening

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2017CHASING THE DRAGON_flyer

A presentation this evening will feature a retired drug enforcement agent discussing the opioid drug epidemic.

The presentation is titled “Chasing the Dragon: Understanding the Opium Drug Epidemic in Our Community.” It’s scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 24, at the Jefferson Middle School Little Theater in Oak Ridge.

The presentation will be by Neil Morgenstern, a specialist with the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, or AHIDTA. Morgenstern is retired from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. [Read more…]

Reminder: First-ever Nine Lakes Wine Festival is today

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Nine Lakes Wine Festival Logo

Reminder: The first-ever Nine Lakes Wine Festival is today (Saturday, May 20) at the Melton Lake Park peninsula in Oak Ridge.

The festival focuses on the wine trails of the eastern half of Tennessee and their award-winning wines, a press release said. It bears the name “Nine Lakes” from the nine lakes made by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the Knoxville area.

“The beauty of our waterfront Melton Lake Park is perfect for a wine festival,” said Marc DeRose, president of Explore Oak Ridge, the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau, which is one of the sponsoring partners for the event.

Nine Lakes Wine Festival is featuring 20 wineries that participate in five different wine trails. They will be grouped by trail, for a seamless tasting experience, the press release said.

“We are highlighting wine trails because they set quality and professional standards for their members,” explained James R. Riddle, president of the Appalachian Region Wine Producers Association, one of the sponsors of the festival. [Read more…]

Energy Secretary Rick Perry coming to Oak Ridge on Monday

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Rick Perry

Rick Perry

 

Energy Secretary Rick Perry is coming to Oak Ridge on Monday at the invitation of U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican.

U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann, a Republican whose district includes Oak Ridge, will also attend.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Perry, a former Texas governor, as the 14th United States energy secretary on March 2. (You can see his biography here.) This will be his first trip to Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Soccer photos: Oak Ridge-Farragut in Region 2-AAA championship

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Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today

Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today

 

Oak Ridge will travel to Science Hill for a Class AAA sectional on Saturday after losing to Farragut in the Region 2-AAA championship game at home on Thursday.

The Admirals beat the Wildcats 2-1 at the Pro2Serve Oak Ridge Soccer Complex at Oak Ridge High School.

Here are photos from the game by John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge travels to Science Hill after Region 2 championship loss

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Oak Ridge will travel to Science Hill for a Class AAA sectional on Saturday after losing to Farragut in the Region 2-AAA championship game at home on Thursday, May 18, 2017. Pictured above is junior midfielder Casey Nigh (12). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge will travel to Science Hill for a Class AAA sectional on Saturday after losing to Farragut in the Region 2-AAA championship game at home on Thursday, May 18, 2017. Pictured above is junior midfielder Casey Nigh (12). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11 a.m. May 19.

Oak Ridge will travel to Science Hill for a Class AAA sectional on Saturday after losing to Farragut in the Region 2-AAA championship game at home on Thursday.

The Admirals beat the Wildcats 2-1 at the Pro2Serve Oak Ridge Soccer Complex at Oak Ridge High School.

Science Hill, in Johnson City, was the the Region 1-AAA champion. The Hilltoppers beat Dobyns-Bennett of Kingsport 3-0 in the Region 1 championship on Thursday.

The winner of Saturday’s sectional game between Oak Ridge and Science Hill will advance to the state Class AAA soccer tournament. The season will be over for the loser. [Read more…]

RadioShack store in Oak Ridge closing

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The Radio Shack store in Oak Ridge has posted a sign that it is closing. This photo was taken on Saturday, May 13, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The RadioShack store in Oak Ridge has posted a sign that it is closing. This photo was taken on Saturday, May 13, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The RadioShack store in Oak Ridge is reported to be closing. There is a “Store Closing” sign posted at the front of the store, and many items have been on sale.

The most current information we have is that the store could close later this month, although we have not been able to confirm that. RadioShack has not returned requests for comment this week.

RadioShack, an electronics convenience store, announced March 8 that it had filed for bankruptcy. At that time, the company said it was closing about 200 stores and evaluating options on the other 1,300.

“The company and its advisors are currently exploring all available strategic alternatives to maximize value for creditors, including the possibility of keeping stores open on an ongoing basis,” a March press release said. [Read more…]

Wildcats advance to Region 2 soccer championship

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Oak Ridge advanced to the Region 2-AAA soccer championship with a 3-1 win over Maryville in a semifinal elimination game at home on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge advanced to the Region 2-AAA soccer championship with a 3-1 win over Maryville in a semifinal elimination game at home on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11 p.m.

Oak Ridge advanced to the Region 2-AAA soccer championship with a 3-1 win over Maryville in a semifinal elimination game at home on Tuesday.

The Wildcats will now play Farragut in the Region 2-AAA championship at the Oak Ridge Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Oak Ridge and Farragut will both play at least two more games, the regional championship on Thursday and a Class AAA sectional on Saturday.

Here’s how the sectionals work: The Region 2 champion will host the Region 1 runner-up, and the Region 1 champion will host the Region 2 runner-up.

While the Region 2 championship features Oak Ridge and Farragut, the Region 1 championship, which will also be played on Thursday, features Dobyns-Bennett and Science Hill. [Read more…]

Diseased ash trees threaten Oak Ridge electric system

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OakRidgeAshTree

Oak Ridge ash tree (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Ash trees in Oak Ridge are dead or dying due to a pest known as the Emerald Ash Borer, a press release said. Once compromised by the beetle, the trees pose a significant hazard to people, property, and the power lines in the community.

During the next few weeks, in order to prevent incidents due to fallen trees and branches, the Oak Ridge Electric Department will be identifying and, in some cases, removing ash trees found in the public rights of way adjacent to power lines, the press release said.

“One of our responsibilities is to maintain proper clearance between the City’s electric power lines and the area’s abundant urban forest,” Oak Ridge Electric Department Director Jack Suggs said. “We remove trees on public property when they are identified as a high hazard to our system. Unfortunately, the ash trees in Oak Ridge are presenting such a hazard. During an informal survey, it appeared that most, if not all, of the ash trees were experiencing some kind of distress and are in the process of dying.” [Read more…]

Thirteen Wildcats qualify for state track meet in seven events

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Pictured above is the Oak Ridge boys 4x800-meter relay team, which qualified for the 2017 TSSAA State Track Meet during the Class AAA Section 1 Finals at Hardin Valley Academy on Saturday, May 13, 2017. From left are junior Reid Dukes, senior Jake Etheridge, and juniors Jose Villegas and Will Jeter. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Pictured above is the Oak Ridge boys 4×800-meter relay team, which qualified for the 2017 TSSAA State Track Meet during the Class AAA Section 1 Finals at Hardin Valley Academy on Saturday, May 13, 2017. From left are junior Reid Dukes, senior Jake Etheridge, and juniors Jose Villegas and Will Jeter. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1 p.m. May 14.

HARDIN VALLEY—The Oak Ridge track and field team had 13 athletes qualify for seven events in the state track meet during the Class AAA Section 1 Finals at Hardin Valley on Saturday.

The seven events included three relays, three runs, and the 100-meter dash.

Here’s who qualified:

  • Girls 4×200-meter relay—senior Breanne Young, junior Desiree Bates, sophomore Makiya Garrett, and junior Shatyrah Copeland (4th with a time of 1:45.22);
  • Girls 4×800-meter relay—senior Abbey Greenhalgh, junior Genevieve Schwartz, and freshmen Rebecca Joyal and Muskaan Vohra (4th with a time of 9:53.08);
  • Girls 3,200-meter run—Schwartz (4th with a time of 12:02.05);
  • Boys 4×800-meter relay—senior Jake Etheridge and juniors Reid Dukes, Will Jeter, and Jose Villegas (3rd with a time of 8:06.50);
  • Boys 1,600-meter run—Etheridge (3rd with a time of 4:33.87);
  • Boys 3,200-meter run—Etheridge (4th with a time of 9:55.97); and
  • Boys 100-meter dash—sophomore Jordan Graham (4th with a time of 11.53).

[Read more…]