Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Archives

More than 100 entries to participate in Oak Ridge Chamber’s Christmas Parade

Posted at 2:17 pm December 3, 2018
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

Last year's Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce's annual Christmas Parade was Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (File photo by Eli Welton)

Part of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade is pictured above on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (File photo by Eli Welton)

More than 100 organizations and individuals have already registered to be a part of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade to be held on Saturday, December 8. This year’s theme is “A Fantasy of Lights,” and it promises to provide spectators with plenty of music, lights, and beautiful floats, a press release said. The first official entry of the parade is always a crowd favorite: the award-winning Oak Ridge High School Marching Band.

Other entries will include skaters, adoptable animals, antique and classic vehicles, dancers, horses, and much more, the press release said. All of these entries help lead the way for the most important part of the parade: the arrival of Santa Claus in Oak Ridge. Santa will be helped along his way by the Oak Ridge Fire Department.

Sponsor of this year’s parade is The Cowperwood Company. There is no cost to participate.

The Chamber will be accepting entries online through Monday, December 3. Register by visiting the Chamber’s website at www.oakridgechamber.org. [Read more…]

Election 2018: Progress PAC endorsements for City Council, School Board

Posted at 8:38 am November 6, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Note This story was updated at 10 a.m.

Four candidates for Oak Ridge City Council and all three candidates running for Oak Ridge Board of Education running in the election today (Tuesday, November 6) have earned endorsements by Progress PAC.

Three City Council incumbents—Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, Ellen Smith, and Kelly Callison—received the PAC endorsements as did Tim Stallings, who previously served on the City Council in the 1990s.

School Board candidates Laura McLean, Ben Stephens, and Erin Webb—who are all serving on the BOE now and are running unopposed—also received the political action committee’s nod, a press release said.

Progress PAC, which was created by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce but which operates independently, endorses City Council and School Board candidates who ask for the committee’s support and who are supportive of the Chamber’s mission, vision, and key legislative priorities, the press release said. [Read more…]

Meet candidates for public office at Chamber on Tuesday

Posted at 1:46 pm October 14, 2018
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

You can meet candidates for public office in Oak Ridge on Tuesday.

The event, called “Popcorn and Politics,” will be at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce from 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, October 16. It’s hosted by the Chamber’s Advocacy Committee. It will give the community the opportunity to meet candidates running for office in the November 6 election, a press release said.

All local candidates, as well as candidates running for state legislative offices and federal offices, have been invited to participate, the press release said. The event will be held in the Joyce Conference Room at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

“The public is invited to come meet the candidates,” the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Chamber to host information session on changing retail market

Posted at 3:23 pm September 20, 2018
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce building is pictured above.

Retail Strategies, a national retail real estate consulting firm that partners with cities across the nation to expand retail opportunities, will have representatives in Oak Ridge on September 25, a press release said.

Retail Strategies will offer brief on-site consulting services for retail property owners/managers during the day on a first-come, first-served basis.

From 4-5:30 p.m., representatives of the firm will be on hand for an information session detailing Oak Ridge’s changing retail market, trade area, trends, and targets, the press release said. The session will take place at TownePlace by Marriott, which is 300 South Rutgers Avenue. The session will be hosted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce and the Oak Ridge Economic Development Initiative. [Read more…]

Meet candidates at Popcorn & Politics on Monday

Posted at 1:24 pm June 20, 2018
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

You can meet candidates for county and state elected offices at Popcorn and Politics at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

It’s scheduled from 4:30-6 p.m. Monday, June 25. It’s hosted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Advocacy Committee. Popcorn and Politics will give you a chance to meet candidates running for office in the August election, a press release said.

“All local candidates as well as candidates running for state legislative offices have been invited to participate,” the press release said.

The public is invited. There is no charge to attend, but a reservation is requested. The event will be held in the Joyce Conference Room at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike. [Read more…]

Chamber’s Primetime event is Thursday; public invited

Posted at 3:19 am April 15, 2018
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

Participants at the Spring 2017 Primetime Fiesta event are pictured above. This year’s Fiesta will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2018, from 4-6 p.m in the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Parking lot. The event is free and open to the public. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Spring Primetime networking opportunity is Thursday, and the public is invited to attend, a press release said.

More than 45 Chamber-member organizations have already reserved exhibit space for the event, which is titled “Fiesta Primetime.” Primetime will be held under the tent in the parking lot of the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Primetime is one of the Chamber’s biggest networking events of the year. There is no charge to attend. Anyone—Chamber member or not—is encouraged to attend, the press release said.

Primetime will from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, April 19. [Read more…]

Candidate forum for Anderson County mayor is Monday

Posted at 1:23 pm March 27, 2018
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

The Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building is pictured above on the Roane State Community College campus in Oak Ridge.

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Advocacy Committee will be hosting a series of candidate forums during the election season.

The first forum, which is Monday evening, will be for candidates running for the office of Anderson County mayor. Both candidates for the Republican nomination, Steve Emert and Terry Frank, will participate, a press release said.

The Anderson County mayor’s race will be determined in the May 1 primary because there are no Democrats running for the office.

Monday’s forum is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. April 2 at Roane State Community College’s Goff Building in Oak Ridge. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. All candidate forums are free and open to the public. [Read more…]

Road conditions still bad, police say; Y-12 closed

Posted at 8:55 am January 17, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

An Oak Ridge Public Works Department snow truck is pictured on South Illinois Avenue on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 16, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 11:15 p.m.

Update: Driving conditions on main roads and side streets in Oak Ridge seemed to have improved by about 5 p.m. Wednesday, although there were still patches of ice and snow, including in shopping center parking lots.

Wednesday evening, the Oak Ridge Police Department said conditions had improved on main roads, but side streets were still extremely slick. Drivers should use extra caution if they have to get out tonight. There could be some refreezing on the roads overnight with the low temperatures. Oak Ridge Schools will be closed again on Thursday, January 18, due to the conditions.

A few inches of snow fell Tuesday, and road conditions are still bad Wednesday morning, especially in the city’s neighborhoods, the Oak Ridge Police Department said. The Y-12 National Security Complex and the Uranium Processing Facility offices are closed.

Oak Ridge Public Works Department crews are out clearing and treating the roads.

“If you must go out, please use extreme caution,” the ORPD said.

Y-12 said normal operations will resume Thursday, January 18. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Chamber’s Christmas Parade award winners announced

Posted at 10:56 am December 27, 2017
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

The Southern Alliance Dance Company (SADC), winner of the Director's Award, clogged a Christmas routine on the parade route. (Photo courtesy Ray Smith)

The Southern Alliance Dance Company (SADC), winner of the Director’s Award, clogged a Christmas routine on the parade route in the 2017 Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade. (Photo courtesy Ray Smith)

A cold, snowy night seemed a fitting way to celebrate one of Oak Ridge’s favorite tradition—the Oak Ridge Christmas Parade. Approximately 120 entries participated in the parade. This year’s parade theme was “A Toyland Christmas” and was a part of the 75th Anniversary Celebration of Oak Ridge.

Judges awarded seven awards following the parade: [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Chamber’s Christmas Parade is Saturday

Posted at 11:08 am December 8, 2017
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

Last year’s Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade was Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. (File photo by Eli Welton)

More than 100 entries have registered to participate in the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade. The parade will take place on Saturday, December 9, beginning at 6 p.m. Line-up for those participating will begin at 4 p.m. at Corporate Center on the corner of Lafayette and Laboratory Roads.

This year’s theme is “A Toyland Christmas: Past 75 Years/Future 75 Years,” and the parade promises to provide spectators with plenty of music, lights, and beautiful floats, a press release said. The parade will be a part of Oak Ridge’s 75th Anniversary Celebration. Sponsor of this year’s parade is The Cowperwood Company.

For those who wish to watch the parade, the route begins at Corporate Center, on the corner of Lafayette and Laboratory Road. From there, the parade will travel down Lafayette to the Oak Ridge Turnpike. It will continue west on the Turnpike to Oak Ridge High School. The judge’s stand will be located in front of the Chamber. [Read more…]

City, Chamber kick off holidays with ‘Shop Oak Ridge’ at Main Street on Tuesday

Posted at 12:45 am November 21, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A sign showing some of the stores at Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The City of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will kick off the holiday shopping season with a special event called “Shop Oak Ridge” at Main Street Oak Ridge on Tuesday.

The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 21, under the tent at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre mixed use retail development that replaced the Oak Ridge Mall, a press release said. The property was sold to RealtyLink in June 2016, and demolition of the former mall began in July 2016. Less than a year later, it had been replaced with a new concept and new stores, the press release said.

Businesses that have opened locations in Main Street Oak Ridge include: [Read more…]

U.S. Chamber awards Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce with four-star accreditation

Posted at 9:38 am November 18, 2017
By Kathy Gillenwaters Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce building is pictured above.

The United States Chamber of Commerce has awarded the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce with four-star accreditation for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community, a press release said.

“Accreditation validates a chamber as having programs that benefit their local economy and for positively influencing action in their community,” said Raymond P. Towle, vice president of Federation Relations and Institute for Organization Management. “We applaud these organizations for advancing the principles of free enterprise.”

Accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement, the press release said. In order to receive accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs, and technology.

This extensive self-review can take six-nine months to complete, the press release said. [Read more…]