Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge mayor to give ‘State of City’ talk at Lunch with League on Tuesday

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Warren Gooch

Warren Gooch (Photo by Savanna Schubert)

Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch will give his “State of the City” address at the next Lunch with the League on Tuesday, May 3. The talk is scheduled to start at noon in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Gooch was elected to the Oak Ridge City Council in November 2014 and later selected by Council members to serve as mayor.

Gooch received his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee with high honors, and he has practiced law with the Knoxville firm Kramer Rayson since completing his legal education at the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1977. [Read more…]

Community Matters leaders report back at ORHS on Sunday

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Community-Matters-Unitarian-Universalist-Nov-1-2015-14

Pictured above at a Community Matters forum at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church on Nov. 1, 2015, are the Reverend Derrick Hammond of Oak Valley Baptist Church, center, the Rev. Jake Morrill of Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, left, and Father Brent Shelton of St. Mary’s Parish. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The leaders of the Community Matters series of forums held last fall will report back on what they’ve learned at Oak Ridge High School on Sunday.

The informational session is scheduled from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 24. All Oak Ridge residents are invited to attend.

This event will feature community leaders including Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch, Police Chief Jim Akagi, ORHS Principal Martin McDonald, and leading pastors in town, all to continue the conversation begun last fall, a press release said.

“In the last couple of years, communities around the country have engaged the conversation sparked by Black Lives Matter,” the press release said. “In some communities, this has looked like protest. In others, it has looked like study and reflection.” [Read more…]

Art gallery opens at ORUUC on Sunday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church

A new art exhibit space will open to the public on Sunday, April 24, at 5:30 p.m. at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. The opening exhibit is a retrospective of Oak Ridge artist Kristina Henderson Holland, who is also a member of ORUUC.

The exhibition and opening reception are organized by ORUUC’s Art Display Team.

Kristina Henderson Holland studied art at New York’s Adelphi University and Fashion Institute of Technology, including studying abroad in London. The ORUUC retrospective exhibit features 20 of her works, including 10 Tennessee landscape paintings. [Read more…]

Roane County executive to speak at Lunch with the League

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Ron Woody, Roane County

Ron Woody

Ron Woody, Roane County executive, will be the guest speaker at Lunch with the League on Tuesday, April 19. The program will begin at noon in the Social Hall at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Woody will address issues of importance to the county such as where your tax dollars go, problems the county has solved, and problems it is still facing, according to information provided by his office. Among the topics he will address or update in his presentation, “The State of Roane County,” are education, property appraisal, business recruitment, and development of tourism and funding of public services.

What happens in Roane County is of importance to Oak Ridge since a significant portion of Oak Ridge is located in Roane County, and present and future planning affect the lives and wellbeing of these residents and, consequently, all of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Agape House hosts Chocolate Evening, Dessert Contest on May 7

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Chocolate Dessert

Chocolate bakers and candy makers are invited to enter their sweet concoctions in a chocolate dessert contest on Saturday, May 7. (Submitted photo)

 

Chocolate bakers and candy makers are invited to enter their sweet concoctions in a chocolate dessert contest on Saturday, May 7. Agape House of Oak Ridge is hosting the contest during “An Evening of Everything Chocolate,” an event supporting the nonprofit and all-volunteer organization that provides transitional housing for the homeless.

“An Evening of Everything Chocolate,” a Mother’s Day weekend event, will feature tables filled with chocolate desserts from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Social Hall of Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Truffles, fudge, cookies, brownies, and other treats will be offered, with coffee, sipping chocolate, and water also being served.

For the chocolate dessert contest, the chocolate grand prize winner will receive a $50 gift certificate and a gold medal. A silver medal will be awarded for the best use of chocolate. To enter, bring your dessert to the Social Hall of Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church by 6 p.m. May 7. [Read more…]

Agape House, which helps homeless, hosts Chocolate Evening May 7

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Morgan Anderson at An Evening of Everything Chocolate

Morgan Anderson dips fruit and marshmallows in a chocolate fountain at last year’s first “An Evening of Everything Chocolate.” (Submitted photo)

 

Tasting a variety of chocolate desserts will be a special treat during “An Evening of Everything Chocolate” on Saturday, May 7, in support of Agape House of Oak Ridge.

The Mother’s Day weekend event will feature tables filled with chocolate culinary temptations in the Social Hall of Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The second annual “An Evening of Everything Chocolate” will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Truffles, fudge, cookies, brownies, and other treats will satisfy any sweet tooth, with coffee, sipping chocolate, and water also being served.

All proceeds will go to the direct support of Agape House, a nonprofit organization that provides transitional housing for the homeless. Since opening in 2014, Agape House has helped 20 homeless families or individuals with short-term, temporary housing, and other support services as they work with agencies to take steps toward self-sufficiency.

Agape House is an all-volunteer agency, and a significant portion of its budget is raised through this fundraising event. [Read more…]

Pastor addresses CWU on school concerns

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Community-Matters-Unitarian-Universalist-Nov-1-2015-14

Pictured above at a Community Matters forum at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church on Nov. 1, 2015, are the Reverend Derrick Hammond of Oak Valley Baptist Church, center, the Rev. Jake Morrill of Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, left, and Father Brent Shelton of St. Mary’s Parish. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The high stress levels of students at Oak Ridge High School. The increasing number of students who take multiple Advanced Placement courses for status reasons, in response to parental pressure or to be in class with friends. The lack of social workers at ORHS, which has a rising number of at-risk, underfed students who qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches.

The finding that less than 2 percent of ORHS students are referred for almost half of the disciplinary actions taken, including suspensions. Yet, because of privacy laws, people interested in mentoring at least two dozen disciplinary students cannot learn their names.

These were some of the teacher and community concerns highlighted by the Reverend Derrick Hammond, pastor at Oak Valley Baptist Church, at a recent meeting of the Oak Ridge unit of Church Women United.

He announced that on Sunday, April 24, at Oak Ridge High School, from 4-5:30 p.m., city leaders will respond to public concerns raised during the three “Community Matters” sessions held last October and November. The speakers will include Oak Ridge High School Principal Martin McDonald and Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi. [Read more…]

Today: ‘Evening of Rhythm and Song’ at Oak Ridge UU Church

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church will present an “Evening of Rhythm and Song” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 18.

“Percussion Ensemble Heritage O.P. and the First UU Nashville Choir, led by Rev. Jason Shelton, will join together to present an evening of music that will make your spirit sing and your body groove,” a press release said. “The concert will be held in the sanctuary, and will, by design, morph into a party in the Social Hall. You do not want to miss what promises to be a fantastic evening!”

ORUUC is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Tickets are $15 in advance/$20 at the door, with a $3 discount for students and seniors. Advance tickets are available on line at oruuc.org/events. For more information, call the church office at (865) 483-6761.

Today: Roane County Recovery Court team will discuss work at Lunch with League

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Roane-County-Drug-Court-Team

Roane County Recovery Court for drug-related offenders has now been in operation for six weeks. The drug court team, led by General Sessions Court Judge Dennis Humphrey, will discuss their work with the court in the second part of a two-part program at Lunch with the League at noon Tuesday, March 15.

The first part of the program was presented on March 1. The Tuesday meeting starts at 12 p.m. March 15 in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Humphrey will be accompanied by District Attorney General Russell Johnson, Public Defender Kim Nelson, community relations for the district attorney Charlene Hipsher, Probation/Corrections Officer Chanel Finnell, Recovery Court Coordinator Ashley Freeberg, WestCare treatment staff Janeece Foust, and law enforcement liaison Lieutenant Rick Baker.

Lunch with the League is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Borchers to discuss school improvement, STEM, Access Oak Ridge in Tuesday lunch

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Bruce Borchers

Bruce Borchers

Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers will discuss school improvement, STEM, and Access Oak Ridge during a lunchtime meeting on Tuesday.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Oak Ridge Schools officials have previously said they would like to transform the school system into the premier preK-12 STEM school district in the nation. Borchers is expected to highlight that plan and other programs during a Lunch with the League on Tuesday, January 19, at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church.

Access Oak Ridge is the program that has, so far, provided convertible laptop computers to every middle school student. Borchers is expected to give an update on that program during the Tuesday meeting, which starts at noon.

Borchers will also review areas of focus and strategic initiatives for school improvement, a press release said. The public is invited. [Read more…]

Atomic City Sportsmen Club has Martin Luther King Breakfast on Monday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Jake Morrill

Jake Morrill

The Atomic City Sportsmen has a Martin Luther King Fellowship Breakfast on Monday morning.

It’s the 28th annual breakfast, and it will be on Monday, January 18, at the Oak Valley Baptist Church, which is at 191 Hampton Road in Oak Ridge. The breakfast was previously held at the East Tennessee Family Services Building on Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The program begins at 8 a.m. Monday, and this year’s keynote speaker will be the Reverend Jake Morrill, minister of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church. [Read more…]

Free Christmas Day dinner at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

ORUUC-Stone-Soup-Ministry-Team-December-2015

Members of the ORUUC Stone Soup Ministry team are ready to prepare a special free Community Christmas Day Dinner on Friday, December 25. (Submitted photo)

 

The Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church has a free Christmas Day Dinner on Friday, December 25, and everyone is invited, a press release said.

The menu includes Honey Baked Ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls, dessert, and fruit.

Dine in or take-out will be available in the ORUUC Social Hall from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, the press release said.

The church is located at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]