Oak Ridge Today

In Oak Ridge, Alexander, Haslam promote GOP accomplishments

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Bill Haslam and Lamar Alexander

Governor Bill Haslam, left, and Senator Lamar Alexander touted the accomplishments of Republicans in Congress and Tennessee during a campaign stop at Dean’s Restaurant and Bakery in Oak Ridge on Wednesday, one day before Thursday’s state and federal primary elections.

 

Governor Bill Haslam and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander campaigned in Oak Ridge on Wednesday as the two-term senator fought to prevail in the federal Republican primary in Tennessee on Thursday. The duo also promoted GOP accomplishments, both in Congress and in Tennessee.

Alexander is facing off against seven candidates for one of the state’s two U.S. Senate seats. Most of the attention has been focused on the race between Alexander and state Representative Joe Carr, a Republican Tea Party challenger from Lascassas in Rutherford County.

Alexander, who is also a former Tennessee governor, didn’t mention Carr by name during a stop at Dean’s Restaurant and Bakery in Oak Ridge on Wednesday.

Instead, he focused on accomplishments such as his vote to end “perpetual amnesty,” his “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, and the possibility that Republicans could gain a majority in the U.S. Senate. He also made some promises if Democrats lose control of the Senate.

“We’ll get rid of Harry Reid’s agenda,” said Alexander, referring to the current Senate majority leader, a Democrat. “We’ll get rid of ‘Obamacare.’” [Read more…]

Letter: Write-in House candidate says coal is obsolete

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Leslie Agron EPA Clean Power Plan Hearing

Oak Ridge resident Leslie Agron testifies at an EPA clean power plan hearing in Atlanta on July 29. (Submitted photo)

Note: This is a copy of testimony given July 29 in Atlanta by Oak Ridge resident Leslie Agron, a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the EPA. Thank you for taking my testimony.

My name is Leslie Agron. I am from Oak Ridge, Tennessee. As the son of a Manhattan Project scientist, I was born and raised there. I grew up within walking distance of Appalachia.

I am currently a candidate for the Tennessee state legislature. I have previously served on Oak Ridge’s Environmental Quality Advisory Board. I hold an Executive MBA from The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. Given that credential, the thrust of my remarks will be about business and business climate.

I hold that, contrary to industry remarks that coal makes jobs, coal is not good business. To be clear, in a historical sense, coal was very important to the development of America in the 19th and 20th centuries. During those historical times, coal very much enhanced the business climate of our country by supplying affordable energy when no other source of energy was available. [Read more…]

Guest column: Open primaries mean voters can choose which primary to vote in

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Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski

Comments I have heard regarding the upcoming election indicate some confusion about who can vote in this primary.

The election is a primary to determine who the Democratic and Republican candidates will be for countywide offices in Anderson County. This is an “open primary,” which means a voter does not register as a Democratic or Republican and can choose to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary.

While most seeking countywide offices in Anderson County run as a party candidate, most residents I have talked to vote for who they believe are the best candidates for Anderson County—no matter the party.

It is puzzling how in national elections the percentage of registered voters voting in Anderson County is much higher than in local elections like those coming up in May and August. In the last presidential election, 60 percent of registered voters in Anderson County (29,283 of 49,169 eligible) voted. However in the last local county primary election, only 17 percent of registered voters (7,765 of 46,186) voted. [Read more…]

Letter: Makes me appreciate my pastor

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Chuck Fritts

Chuck Fritts

Anderson County Commission Chairman Chuck Fritts wrote this letter in response to a March letter by Clinton resident Stephen Flick.

To the Editor:

With the May 6 primary drawing closer and the Aug. 7 general election not far behind, you are going to start seeing a lot of negative ads, articles, and letters to the editors in our newspapers, flyers/letters in your mail, and ads on your TVs. It’s extremely sad that a candidate can no longer run on their own merits and what they stand for, but they have to try and always attack their opponents. In the end, they think that this will win them votes, but in many cases it just turns a lot of folks off and in the long run loses that candidate the votes they are seeking. You used to just see this type of campaigning in the state and national elections only, but anymore it’s starting to get extremely bad even here at the local level. I’ve been a county commissioner now for 12 years and have gone through three elections, and I can honestly say that I have never ever run a negative campaign. I’ve run on my merits only and have never attacked another opponent. When I go door-to-door or talk to a potential voter, I talk about myself only and always ask if they have any questions.

[Read more…]

Assistant DA running for general sessions judge

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Ryan Spitzer

Ryan Spitzer

Ryan Spitzer, an Anderson County assistant district attorney general, has announced that he will be a candidate for judge in General Sessions Court, Division I in Clinton. Spitzer, an attorney with more than a decade of legal experience in criminal and civil law, filed his petition to seek the judicial position last week with the Anderson County Election Commission.

After four years in private practice, Spitzer joined the staff of District Attorney General Dave Clark in 2007, a press release said. Serving as an assistant DA, he prosecutes those charged with crimes in the General Sessions, Juvenile and Criminal Courts of Anderson County.

“I have practiced in all of the criminal courts in Anderson County, and I have prosecuted the full range of cases, dealing with crime victims from every walk of life,” Spitzer said in the press release. “I have worked closely with our local law enforcement to make Anderson County safer for everyone.”

Spitzer, a Democrat, could oppose Republican Don Layton in the August general election. [Read more…]

Anderson County primary deadline Thursday at noon

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Information from WYSH Radio

The deadline to qualify as a candidate in any of the races on the ballot for Anderson County’s May 6 primaries is at noon Thursday.

Here is a look at who has qualified so far:

  • So far, only incumbent Judge Don Elledge has qualified to run for his seat as criminal and circuit judge.
  • Five people have qualified to run in the hotly-contested Juvenile Court judge primaries. Two Democrats—J. Michael Clement and David Dunkirk—are seeking the nomination, while three Republicans—Victoria Bannach, Lauren Biloski, and Brian Hunt—have qualified to seek their party’s nod to run for the seat in the August general election.
  • Brandon Fisher, the current Juvenile Court judge, had qualified to run for the Democratic nomination for chancellor, a seat coming open due to the retirement of William Lantrip, but he announced just a couple of weeks ago that he will be dropping out of the race to join a company in Pennsylvania. On the Republican side, Mike Farley and Phil Harber have qualified to appear on the May ballot. [Read more…]

Meet primary candidates at Anderson County Republican meeting tonight

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The Anderson County Republican Party will meet at 6:30 p.m. today (Tuesday), and those who attend will have a chance to meet the party’s primary candidates.

The meeting is at the Staybridge Suites at 420 S. Illinois Ave in Oak Ridge. The Staybridge Suites are located behind Outback Steakhouse, near the Kroger store.

“It should be an informative meeting,” said Aaron Wells, chairman of the Anderson County Republican Party. “It’s an opportunity to meet the candidates who are running in this year’s Republican primary, as well as talk about the important issues affecting Anderson County.” [Read more…]

Myers announces Republican candidacy for Anderson County sheriff

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Randy Myers

Randy Myers

Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Randy Myers has announced he will run for Anderson County sheriff in the May 6 Republican primary.

Myers is the second Republican candidate to announce he is running for the seat now held by Sheriff Paul White, a Democrat, in the 2014 election.

In a press release, Myers said he has been a law enforcement officer for 24 years and has worked as a patrol officer, criminal investigator, domestic violence officer, hostage negotiator, Crisis Intervention Team officer, and public relations officer. [Read more…]