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Butterfly Festival is Aug. 3

Posted at 7:49 am June 26, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have its fourth annual Butterfly Festival on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. Highlights will include a release of monarch butterflies, the UT Insect Zoo, speakers, and children’s activities. (Photo courtesy UT Arboretum Society)

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have its fourth annual Butterfly Festival on Saturday, August 3. Highlights will include a release of monarch butterflies, the UT Insect Zoo, speakers, and children’s activities.

The festival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. August 3 at the UT Arboretum Auditorium and its surrounding grounds at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.

The charge is $5 per carload, a press release said. This is a change from previous years. The gate will be open at 9:30 a.m. The event will take place rain or shine, the release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Community, Community, Education, Festivals, Front Page News, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Bill Klingeman, Butterfly Festival, Lori McAllister, monarch butterflies, Shirley Raines, Stephen Lyn Bales, Tennessee Naturescapes, University of Tennessee Arboretum Society, UT Arboretum, UT Arboretum Society, UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center, UT Insect Zoo

Friends of Library has authors table, readings at Secret City Festival

Posted at 10:39 pm June 7, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Danita "Dee Dee" Ashley

Danita “Dee Dee” Ashley

The Friends of the Oak Ridge Public Library will participate in the Secret City Festival held at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Friday and Saturday, June 8-9, by sponsoring local authors. The authors will be in the Club Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center, autographing and selling their books at the following times:

Friday, June 8

  • 10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Danita “Dee Dee” Ashley; Charles and Beverly Connor
  • 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Connie Green; Carol Grametbauer
  • 2 p.m.-4 p.m.: Wes Sims

Saturday, June 9

  • 10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Carol Oen; Judy DiGregorio
  • 12 p.m.-2 p.m.: Shirley Raines; Patricia Hope
  • 2 p.m.-4 p.m.: Ray Smith

The featured local authors will read from their work at 15-minute intervals, and they include: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Writing Tagged With: authors, Carol Grametbauer, Carol Oen, Charles and Beverly Connor, Connie Green, Danita "Dee Dee" Ashley, Friends of the Oak Ridge Public Library, Judy DiGregorio, Oak Ridge Civic Center, Patricia Hope, Ray Smith, Secret City Festival, Shirley Raines, Wes Sims

Education Foundation awarded more than $90,000 in grants in April

Posted at 11:36 am May 16, 2017
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation board members who were present with a big check at an grant awards ceremony at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. (Photo courtesy ORPSEF)

Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation board members who were present with a big check at an grant awards ceremony at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. (Photo courtesy ORPSEF)

 

In the final year of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation awarded more than $90,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers. The grants were awarded during a ceremony at Oak Ridge High School on Wednesday, April 26.

Shirley Raines, president emeritus of the University of Memphis, was the featured speaker. Her talk was titled “Dreamers, Thinkers, Doers.” During her talk, Raines exhibited great appreciation and provided inspiration for teachers, a press release said.

“She asked teachers to think of the person who moved them to pursue their dreams, to be innovative thinkers, and to share their success stories which result from their grant awards in order to encourage their peers,” the release said.

The April 26 ceremony was open to the public with demonstrations of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation on display.

The 2017 grant recipients were: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12, Top Stories Tagged With: Cathy Toth, grant awards, Jessica Steed, Making the Critical Difference, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, Oak Ridge teachers, ORPSEF, Shirley Raines

Education Foundation to award more than $90,000 in grants in April 26 ceremony

Posted at 12:32 pm April 4, 2017
By Jessica Steed Leave a Comment

A photo from a grant award last year for a 3D printer for Robertsville Middle School. (Submitted photo)

A photo from a grant award last year for a 3D printer for Robertsville Middle School. (Submitted photo)

 

In the final year of its “Making the Critical Difference” campaign, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation will award more than $90,000 in grants to Oak Ridge teachers at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 26, a press release said.

Shirley Raines, president emeritus of the University of Memphis, will be the featured speaker, the press release said. She will give a talk titled, “Dreamers, Thinkers, Doers.”

The grants ceremony is open to the public, and it will be held in the Oak Ridge High School cafeteria beginning at 4 p.m. April 26.

Demonstrations and displays of some of the projects and technology funded by the Foundation will be given after the formal ceremony, the press release said. Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of Oak Ridge Utility District.

The 2017 grant recipients are as follows: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12 Tagged With: Amelia Bell, Callie Painter, Caramia Milloway, Cathy Ginel, Cathy Toth, Chris Scott, Deanna Pickle, Doug Phillips, Elaine Vaughan, Emily Haverkamp, Felecia Sharp, Glenwood Elementary School, grants, Grants Program, Heather Henderlight, Jackie Laney, Jefferson Middle School, Jessica Steed, Josh Bibbs, Kayla Gass, Lauren Blair, Leigh Monger, Lisa Buckner, Lisa Meidl, Making the Critical Difference, Mardee Miller, Melissa Jeter, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, Oak Ridge teachers, ORPSEF, Robertsville Middle School, Sharon Thomas, Shirley Raines, Stephanie Thompson, Teacher Grant Awards, Todd Livesay, Willow Brook Elementary School, Woodland Elementary School

UT-Battelle fulfills $250,000 pledge to Emory Valley Center campaign

Posted at 5:16 pm January 12, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Emory Valley Center and UT-Battelle Check Jan 2017

On hand for UT-Battelle’s check presentation at the new facility construction site are, from left to right, Shirley Raines, Emory Valley Center board vice president; Dottie Thompson and Gene Caldwell, EVC capital co-chairs; Jennifer Enderson, EVC president; ORNL’s Jeff Smith and Leigha Humphries; Tennessee senators Ken Yager and Randy McNally; and Janet Wood, EVC vice president of community engagement. (Photo courtesy ORNL)

 

UT-Battelle, the managing contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, made the final installment of a $250,000 pledge by presenting a $50,000 check in late December to the Emory Valley Center, a community facility that serves people with disabilities, a press release said.

UT-Battelle made the pledge in 2011 when the Emory Valley Center, which provides services and support for adults and children with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, began a building program to replace its aging structure. The center’s new building is now under construction.

ORNL Deputy Director for Operations Jeff Smith and Community Relations Manager Leigha Humphries presented the check to Jennifer Enderson, the center’s president. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Health, Nonprofits, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Dottie Thompson, Emory Valley Center, Gene Caldwell, Janet Wood, Jeff Smith, Jennifer Enderson, Ken Yager, Leigha Humphries, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL, Randy McNally, Shirley Raines, U.S. Department of Energy, UT-Battelle

From cotton picker to college president

Posted at 1:03 pm April 26, 2015
By Carolyn Krause Leave a Comment

Shirley Raines

Shirley Raines

Shirley Raines of Oak Ridge has an amazing and inspiring story to tell.

Now president emeritus of the University of Memphis, she will describe her career and provide advice on leadership at the third in a series of Roane State Community College–Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Education Intergenerational Lectures.

Her talk begins at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in the large lecture hall (Room 107) in the Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building on Roane State’s Oak Ridge campus at 701 Briarcliff Avenue. Raines will speak on “How a Kindergarten Teacher Became a University President.”

Born in Jackson in West Tennessee, she grew up on a cotton farm outside Bells, where she picked cotton by hand for the family business. She recalled that her mother was very smart and could have been a teacher or lawyer but lacked the opportunity to get a higher education. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Front Page News, Meetings and Events, Top Stories Tagged With: Association for Childhood Education International, Community Child Center, dean, Head Start, How a Kindergarten Teacher Became a University President, Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Education, Roane State, Roane State Community College, Shirley Raines, Tennessee Women's Hall of Fame, University of Kentucky, University of Memphis, University of Memphis Research Foundation and Memphis Research Consortium

City, Schools Preschool Building Planning Committee to meet April 9

Posted at 9:44 pm April 1, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Preschool and School Administration Building

The Oak Ridge City Council has agreed to use $150,000 in unspent red-light camera to repair the lead-based paint on the Oak Ridge Schools Preschool and Robert J. Smallridge School Administration Building on New York Avenue. Officials say the building needs to be renovated or vacated for the Head Start program to receive funding in the 2015-2016 school year. (File photo)

 

The new joint city-school committee that could lay the groundwork for a new preschool by the 2016-2017 school year will meet on Thursday, April 9.

The meeting of the Joint City/Schools Preschool Building Planning Committee will start at 1:30 p.m. April 9 in the School Administration Building conference room.

Members of the committee are Charlsey Cofer, Keys Fillauer, Bruce Borchers, Lee Ann Shelton, Jessica Hill, Allen Thacker, Mark Watson, Janice McGinnis, Ellen Smith, Shirley Raines, Pat Fallon, and Jon Hetrick.

The joint city-schools committee for the Preschool was endorsed earlier this year. For now, officials have agreed to use $150,000 in red-light camera money to repair the lead-based paint on the city’s Preschool, providing what officials hope will be a temporary fix while they develop a plan to permanently repair, replace, or move the Preschool. The city-school committee could work to determine space needs, develop an affordable finance plan, develop a project timetable, and make a public education plan.

Filed Under: Education, Front Page News, K-12, Meetings and Events Tagged With: Allen Thacker, Bruce Borchers, Charlsey Cofer, city-school committee, Ellen Smith, Janice McGinnis, Jessica Hill, Joint City/Schools Preschool Building Planning Committee, Jon Hetrick, Keys Fillauer, Lee Ann Shelton, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Schools Preschool, Pat Fallon, preschool, Shirley Raines

Genetically modified food the topic of RSCC-ORICL lecture on March 26

Posted at 10:21 pm March 14, 2015
By Carolyn Krause Leave a Comment

Tessa Burch-Smith

Tessa Burch-Smith

Golden rice is a genetically modified food that could save the eyesight and the lives of many young children in countries where plain rice is the dominant food.

Yet, in many nations it has been called a Frankenfood. Even so, Pope Francis has blessed golden rice. Why?

This question and other issues regarding genetically modified foods will be addressed in the second in a series of lectures sponsored by Roane State Community College, Oak Ridge Branch Campus, and the Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning.

The lecture, which is open to the public, will be delivered at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in the Large Lecture Room (Room 107) of the Goff Health Science and Technology Building at Roane State in Oak Ridge. Refreshments will be available after the lecture. [Read more…]

Filed Under: College, Education, Front Page News, Health, Meetings and Events Tagged With: Bob Olson, Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, genetically modified food, Goff Health Science and Technology Building, Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning, ORICL, Roane State, Roane State Community College, Shirley Raines, Tessa M. Burch-Smith, University of Tennessee

Shirley Raines to speak at Altrusa January 28

Posted at 12:20 am January 28, 2015
By Dawn Huotari Leave a Comment

Submitted

“Like Lessons Learned from Children’s Books and Stories” will be the topic when Shirley Raines speaks to the Altrusa Club of Oak Ridge on Wednesday, January 28.

Raines—who is a speaker, consultant in education and leadership development, and former president of the University of Memphis—will delight us with her humorous approach about how stories shape our lives in families, in classrooms, and in careers.

Raines began her career as a teacher of young children, then became a Head Start and child care director. She later wrote 14 books for early childhood educators. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Clubs, Community, Front Page News, Meetings and Events Tagged With: "Like lessons Learned from Children's Books and Stories", Altrusa, Altrusa Club, Altrusa Club of Oak Ridge, children's books, Shirley Raines, teaching, University of Memphis

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Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

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