Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge Housing Authority proposes home project in Scarboro

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The Oak Ridge Housing Authority is interested an affordable housing project on about 16-18 acres of city-owned land next to the Scarboro Community Center. The site is pictured above on Sunday, April 16, 2023. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge Housing Authority is interested in an affordable housing project on about 16-18 acres of city-owned land next to the Scarboro Community Center. The site was expected to be developed by Habitat for Humanity more than a decade ago, but that project did not proceed for reasons that aren’t clear.

The project could help as it becomes more difficult for many people to find a place to live, either because they can’t find a home that is available or because of rising home prices and rental rates.

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City offices closed for Christmas, New Year’s

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The Oak Ridge Municipal Building is pictured above on Tuesday evening, May 5, 2020. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

City of Oak Ridge offices will be closed for Christmas and New Year’s Day.

City administrative offices and Oak Ridge City Court will be closed from Friday, December 23, to Monday, December 26, for Christmas.

They will also be closed on Monday, January 2, for New Year’s Day.

Offices and the court will re-open on Tuesday, January 3, a press release said.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge Senior Center, City Court closing; egg hunt canceled

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The Oak Ridge Senior Center will close today (Monday, March 16) due to COVID-19, and the City Court will be closed until Tuesday, March 31. The egg hunt scheduled for Saturday, April 4, will be canceled.

The Oak Ridge Recreation Center and Scarboro Community Center remain open for now, but Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said precautions are being taken to limit the risk of exposure.

“The public health situation is rapidly changing, here are the latest updates affecting city facilities,” Watson said in a message Friday:

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge Orchestra, violist to pay tribute to trailblazing black, African American composers

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Derek Reeves

The Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra with special guest violist Derek Reeves will pay tribute to trailblazing black and African American composers in Musical Firsts on Sunday.

The concert is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Sunday, February 9, in the Historic Grove Theater at 123 Randolph Road in Oak Ridge. Tickets are available at ORCMA.org, by phone at (865) 483-5569, or at The Ferrell Shop in Jackson Square. Tickets are also available at the door. Prices are $25 for adults, $10 for young adults ages 19-29, and free for youth 18 and younger through the Penny4Arts initiative.

The orchestra will perform music by acclaimed composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, William Grant Still, Daniel Bernard Roumain, and Jessie Montgomery. Reeves, the soloist, will be featured in the music by Still and also the “Viola Concerto” by Georg Friedrich Telemann before leading area viola students in a master class, a press release said.

“I’ve known Derek since he was a talented undergraduate student at Indiana University,” said Music Director Dan Allcott. “Now a seasoned professional, Derek belongs to that special category of musicians who has the ability to cross multiple boundaries and musical genres to engage all audiences. Oak Ridgers are in for a treat.”

[Read more…]

Tonight: ORPD has community social

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The Oak Ridge Police Department will host a community social at the Scarboro Community Center tonight (Thursday, August 1). It’s scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

The event will be held inside the gymnasium at the Scarboro Community Center, which is located at 148 Carver Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Everyone is invited to attend,” a press release said. “The goal of the event is to build and enhance community relationships.”

[Read more…]

Interfaith Harmony events on Friday, Saturday

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On Friday, February 15, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge at 101 West Madison Lane invites the public to a joyful and spirited Friday evening service to welcome Shabbat, a press release said. All ages, including children, can enjoy a lively service with singing and dancing. A community potluck dinner immediately follows with vegetarian/dairy-only dishes and no meat.

On Saturday, February 16, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. the Ecumenical Storehouse located at 134 East Division Road needs “trucks and muscles” to assist in picking up donated items. This assistance from community volunteers is an ongoing need for Saturday mornings.

On Saturday, February 16, the Scarboro Community Center invites everyone to join together and break bread to celebrate Black History Month. There will be a free chili luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Scarboro Community Center at 148 Carver Avenue. At 4 p.m. the play “Oh Freedom” will be presented at Oak Valley Baptist Church at 194 Hampton Road. [Read more…]

Community meeting next week to discuss new preschool, amenities at Scarboro Park

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An image showing what the Oak Ridge Schools Preschool could look like in Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge and Studio Four Design)

An image showing what the Oak Ridge Schools Preschool could look like in Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge and Studio Four Design)

 

Project could move into bid phase in September

As plans progress for the new Oak Ridge Preschool and Scarboro Park improvements, Oak Ridge municipal leaders will provide an update on the project during a community meeting on Thursday, August 30. The meeting is scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m. next Thursday at the Scarboro Community Center. Discussions will focus on recreational amenities in Scarboro Park as well as the current status and next steps for the preschool, a press release said.

WHAT: Community meeting on Scarboro Park and new preschool

WHEN: Thursday, August 30, at 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Scarboro Community Center, 148 Carver Avenue, Oak Ridge [Read more…]

Learn issues, ask questions of public officials on Thursday

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Submitted image

Submitted image

 

An annual nonpartisan forum on Thursday will give you a chance to learn about issues and ask questions of local, state, and school officials.

The annual Pearls and Politics forum presents state legislators, local officials, and board of education members to the public, a press release said.

The forum is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 8, at the Scarboro Community Center at 148 Carver Avenue in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

NNSA has information session on Y-12, UPF, electrical substation on Wednesday

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H-frame or H tower transmission towers are pictured at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex off Scarboro Road on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

H-frame or H tower transmission towers are pictured at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex off Scarboro Road on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The National Nuclear Security Administration will have an information session on Wednesday about the Y-12 National Security Complex, the Uranium Processing Facility construction project, and the work to replace the electrical substation at Y-12.

The information session was scheduled after Oak Ridge officials raised concerns in November and December about the power lines proposed on top of Pine Ridge as part of the electrical substation project. Pine Ridge separates Y-12 from the center of the city, and Oak Ridge officials have said they had not received adequate notice of the power line project and didn’t know what other options had been considered. They also expressed concerns about the lack of public input and the visual impact of building power lines and installing transmission towers on top of the ridge. As of December, Oak Ridge City Council members said they hadn’t seen a visual representation of what the power lines could look like. [Read more…]

City Blueprint project reaches midpoint

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The Oak Ridge Community Development Department is continuing the Oak Ridge City Blueprint effort in 2018 with community meetings planned through the month of March. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Community Development Department is continuing the Oak Ridge City Blueprint effort in 2018 with community meetings planned through the month of March. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The Oak Ridge Community Development Department is continuing the Oak Ridge City Blueprint effort in 2018 with community meetings planned through the month of March.

The first open house of the new year is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. at Scarboro Community Center. The discussion will focus on the Tuskegee and West Side Residential subareas as well as a subarea south of Oak Ridge Turnpike that includes Hermitage Boulevard and Wiltshire Drive.

In a press release, the City of Oak Ridge said the blueprint is being coordinated by the Community Development Department, under the guidance of the Oak Ridge Planning Commission, as well as other boards, commissions, and city leaders. The department recently finished a midpoint report on the Blueprint, highlighting significant findings and outlining a plan for moving forward. The report is now available online along with a public survey. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge announces holiday closures, changes

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All City of Oak Ridge administrative offices will be closed on Monday, December 25, and Tuesday, December 26, to observe Christmas. Other closures and adjustments to city services and facilities because of the holidays are listed below:

  • Household Trash and Recycling Collection—Pick-ups will run on a one-day delay during Christmas week
  • Waste Connections Convenience Center—Closed Sunday, December 24, and Monday, December 25
  • Oak Ridge Civic Center—Closed Friday, December 22, through Tuesday, December 26
  • Scarboro Community Center—Closed Monday, December 25, and Tuesday, December 26
  • Centennial Golf Course—Closed Monday, December 25

The extended closure of the Oak Ridge Civic Center is due to gym floor refinishing, a press release said. While the rest of the building will reopen to the public on Wednesday, December 27, the gymnasium will not reopen until Thursday, December 28. [Read more…]

Community meeting on Thursday to discuss park amenities & preschool budget, costs

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The April 2017 meeting on the new Oak Ridge Preschool is pictured above at the Scarboro Community Center. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The April 2017 meeting on the new Oak Ridge Preschool is pictured above at the Scarboro Community Center. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

The fifth and final public forum-style meeting on the new Oak Ridge Preschool will be at the Scarboro Community Center on Thursday. The meeting will focus on the recreational amenities in Scarboro Park as well as the current budget and estimated costs for the project, a press release said.

The meeting, which will be hosted by city leaders, is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 7. It’s part of the “ongoing dialogue with the community regarding the new Oak Ridge Preschool,” the press release said.

Four previous meetings have been held this year at Scarboro Community Center to discuss plans for the facility. Those meetings were on March 23, April 20, May 25, and July 11. Those in attendance have been able to see preliminary concepts, ask questions, and provide input on decisions, the press release said.

After the July meeting, when conceptual designs were affirmed by the community, architects began work on construction drawings, the press release said. [Read more…]