Oak Ridge Today

Celebrate Oak Ridge Business Awards Breakfast to be held May 7

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Consolidated Nuclear Security, UT-Battelle, and the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce are joining together to host a breakfast in May to honor local business leaders and outstanding small businesses. May is National Small Business Month.

The honorees at the May 7 breakfast will be ARS International LLC, Karen Prillhart, Kelsan, Dustin Mackey, and Stephanie Hale-Smith of State Farm.

The Celebrate Oak Ridge Business awards breakfast will be held from 7:30-9 a.m. Tuesday, May 7, at the Doubletree by Hilton.

To reserve a spot at the breakfast, visit the Oak Ridge Chamber’s website at www.oakridgechamber.org. [Read more…]

‘Atomic Integration,’ photo exhibit on African-American life in Manhattan Project, opens Friday

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Photo by Ed Westcott via National Park Service

Photo by Ed Westcott via National Park Service

 

In honor of Black History Month, the Oak Ridge History Museum will host “Atomic Integration,” a photography exhibition focusing on African-American life during the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a press release said.

The exhibit will open on Friday, February 8, and it will be open every Friday and Saturday during the month of February, the press release said.

The photo exhibit was developed under sponsorship by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, and Explore Oak Ridge.

The images that will be displayed in the photo exhibit illustrate the experiences and contributions of African-Americans during the Manhattan Project period during the 1940s in Oak Ridge, the press release said. [Read more…]

Planning Commission to hear 2030 strategy for City Center

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will hear a 2030 strategy for the Oak Ridge City Center in a meeting this evening (Thursday, January 10).

The presentation, titled “Oak Ridge City Center, a 2030 Strategy,” is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. The presentation will be given by Phil Enquist of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill.

Also on the agenda for this evening are a review of the City Blueprint; a re-subdivision for Clark’s Preserve, a residential development; and master plan amendments for Clark’s Preserve and The Preserve at Clinch River.

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

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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

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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

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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

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Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

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

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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

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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)

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

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Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building

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

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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)

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

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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…]