Oak Ridge Today

Remembered as a model community volunteer, Myrick died Sunday

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Tim and Teresa Myrick with ADFAC Bow Tie Award

Tim Myrick, left, received the 2014 Bill Wilcox Bow Tie Award from ADFAC on Oct. 30. Pictured with Myrick at Y-12’s New Hope Center is his wife Teresa. (Photo courtesy ADFAC)

Note: This story was last updated at 3:30 p.m.

Tim Myrick, one of the area’s most active community volunteers, died Sunday morning. He was at home with his wife Teresa by his side.

Friends are remembering him as a model community leader and volunteer. Myrick, who had been battling prostate cancer, had provided decades of service to the church and to Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties, or ADFAC, as well as to Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County. He played a key role in the renovation of Oak Ridge High School and modernization work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In 2012, he and Teresa pledged $25,000 to the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation’s “Making the Critical Difference” campaign for grants and scholarships.

“We sure lost a strong advocate for our community,” said friend D. Ray Smith, who serves on both the ADFAC and Habitat for Humanity boards. [Read more…]

No one injured in apartment kitchen fire

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Wakefield Road Apartment Fire

No one was injured in a kitchen fire on Monday evening at an apartment complex on Wakefield Road. The fire was reported at about 5:48 p.m. Monday in the apartment at 103D Wakefield Road, which is on the far right of the building pictured above.

 

No one was injured in a kitchen fire on Monday evening in an apartment on Wakefield Road.

The fire was reported at 5:48 p.m. Monday, Oak Ridge Assistant Fire Chief Josh Waldo said. No one was home at the time.

Waldo said firefighters are still trying to determine the cause, but the small fire might have started on the stove. It destroyed the stove and damaged a few cabinets, but was confined to the kitchen and caused minimal smoke damage, Waldo said. He estimated the total damage at about $2,500. [Read more…]

Tea Party meeting this evening to feature Frank, Wells

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Terry Frank

Terry Frank

The Anderson County Tea Party meeting this evening will feature Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and Aaron Wells, a candidate for Oak Ridge Board of Education.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. today (Tuesday, October 14) at the Red Cross building on Oak Ridge Turnpike.


Aaron Wells

Aaron Wells

Other agenda items will include a presentation by the “Yes on 1” group, member reports from the latest Oak Ridge City Council meeting, and a book raffle of “Rules for Radicals” by Saul Alinski. The Red Cross building is located at 908 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

This meeting is open to the public and will last until approximately 8 p.m., a press release said.

Anderson County Tea Party re-forms, Council member to speak Tuesday

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Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

The Anderson County Tea Party is being re-formed and will hold its first meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 9, at the Oak Ridge Red Cross building. The featured speaker will be Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn, a press release said.

Other agenda items will include a brief history of the ACTP, establishment of a charter, and setting a vision for the future. The book, “The Way Forward: Renewing the American Idea,” by Paul Ryan, will also be raffled off, the press release said.

The Red Cross building is located at 908 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. The Tuesday night meeting is open to the public and will last until approximately 8:15 p.m., the release said.

Local agencies prepare for Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Fair

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American Red Cross Logo

The Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Fair will be held Saturday, May 10, at the Clinton Community Center from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. This is an event for the entire family, and admission is free, a press release said.

Hosted by the City of Clinton, the Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Fair is presented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, American Red Cross, The Clinton Baptist Association, and sponsored by Bechtel, ORAU, ORNL Federal Credit Union, and the Anderson County Mayor’s Office.  The objective is to bring together government and civic organizations, emergency management personnel, and volunteers to give families, businesses, and communities the opportunity to better prepare for all types of disasters and emergencies, the press release said. The fair will help attendees develop their family disaster plan, receive preparedness tips, and learn more about preparedness in the community. [Read more…]

Red Cross to honor heroes at luncheon on Tuesday

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American Red Cross Logo

The American Red Cross in Oak Ridge will recognize individuals who exemplify courage, kindness, and unselfish character at its 15th Annual Heroes Luncheon at noon Tuesday at the DoubleTree Hotel.

The Red Cross will honor local heroes from nominations submitted by the community. Those honored will include military, police, fire, first responders, and other local heroes, a press release said.

Nominees are people who have responded to a crisis to provide comfort or leadership and/or have provided an example to others in the community about dedication to the community in a time of need. Categories include Professional Rescuer/Responder (police, EMT, firefighter), Youth Good Samaritan (21 and younger), and Community Service.

Since 2000, the annual event has recognized hundreds of Anderson County heroes. [Read more…]

Andersonville fire displaces family on Christmas Eve

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Information from WYSH Radio

A Tuesday morning fire badly damaged an Andersonville family’s home.

The fire started around 5:30 a.m. off Hinds Creek Road near Norris Freeway. According to the Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department, no one was hurt in the fire that destroyed about half of the home.

Firefighters say the blaze started near the dryer in the utility room and that it was an electrical fire, but it is unclear exactly what started it. There were space heaters connected to an extension cord near where the fire started. [Read more…]

Most apartment residents displaced by Thanksgiving fire calls can return home

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Utica Circle Fire

An apartment fire at 312 Utica Circle that was allegedly set deliberately heavily damaged one home, and other residents in the eight-unit building were displaced during the Thanksgiving weekend. (Photos by Tom Scott)

ORFD chief says Utica Circle fire was set

Power has been restored to an Applewood Apartments building on Hillside Road after a Thanksgiving Day electrical short displaced two dozen residents, and most of another two dozen residents can move back into McKenzie Acres apartments on Utica Circle, two days after they were displaced by a Saturday night fire, city officials said Monday.

The two fire calls in three days displaced about 50 people during the Thanksgiving weekend. The Red Cross has helped the residents with food and shelter, and residents and restaurants have pitched in as well.

The city hoped to get the residents back into their buildings today, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said Monday afternoon. [Read more…]

Letter: Let’s help Applewood residents displaced by fire

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On Thanksgiving Day, an electrical fire broke out at the Applewood Apartments in the Highland View neighborhood. Eighteen people were displaced from their apartments while most of us were enjoying rich feasts with friends and families. Although the Red Cross was able to find these people temporary housing, they asked for help to meet the need of meals for these families.

On Monday morning checkout time, these families may be able to return to their apartments or they may have no place to go until the repairs are made to the electrical system of their building. The Red Cross representative said that because of the holiday and because many of these people couldn’t afford to have heat during this cold snap, they were able to extend the amount of care they could normally give. However, that will be ending and reaching beyond the scope of what they can further do during this emergency. [Read more…]

Small electrical fire displaces two dozen Applewood residents

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Applewood Apartments Building Residents

A small electrical fire at the Applewood Apartments on Hillside Road around noon Thursday displaced about two dozen residents. Above, Oak Ridge Fire Department Battalion Chief Marty Griffith talks to residents. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A small electrical fire at the Applewood Apartments on Hillside Road around noon Thursday displaced about two dozen residents, authorities said.

The fire was caused by an electrical short in the main power supply leading into the distribution system in the basement of a building at 184 Hillside Road, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

The fire at the basement fuse box was quickly extinguished with an extinguisher, ORFD Battalion Chief Marty Griffith said. He said a circuit breaker did its job, turning off power and minimizing damage. [Read more…]

Three residents escape, two cats die in Geneva Lane fire

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Geneva Lane House Fire

Three residents escaped but two cats died in a Monday morning fire in a den and kitchen at a home on Geneva Lane. (Photos by Tom Scott)

Three residents escaped but two cats died in a Monday morning fire in a den and kitchen at a home on West Geneva Lane.

The fire was reported at about 6:36 a.m. at 110 W. Geneva Lane.

The homeowner, Debora Boody, said her mother smelled smoke when she got up to shower in the morning. After she was awakened, Debora Boody went to the den and said it looked black inside, so she opened the den doors and smoke immediately filled the kitchen, an Oak Ridge Fire Department report said. [Read more…]