Oak Ridge Today

Photos: Police Lives Matter rally

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Police Lives Matter Rally Crowd

About 65 people attended a Police Lives Matter rally at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A rally at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, September 19, showed support for police officers and first responders. It included music, prayer, several speakers, a reading of the names of fallen officers, a short march, and a candlelight vigil.

“I had this for support of our police officers, first responders, and all lives,” said Kevin Rice, one of the three organizers.

Here are pictures from the rally.

Police Lives Matter Candlelight Vigil

The Police Lives Matter rally included a candlelight vigil at Alvin K. Bissell Park on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

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Police Lives Matter rally on Saturday at Civic Center

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A Police Lives Matter and First Responders Matter rally has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, September 19, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center.

The rally will include Brian Neal singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a police chaplain delivering a prayer, and speaker Russel Langley, organizer Kevin Rice said.

It will also include a march on the sidewalks along Oak Ridge Turnpike in front of the Oak Ridge Civic Center and Oak Ridge High School and then back to the Civic Center. [Read more…]

Letter: Gives thanks, says this year’s Police Week a ‘great success’

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Police Week at Oak Ridge Police Department

This month, the law enforcement community celebrated Police Week 2015. For those who do not know, in 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation that designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week.

Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, D.C., to participate in a number of planned events that honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Here in Oak Ridge, the Police Department celebrated on a smaller scale, honoring officers everywhere with a ceremony at the Police Station on the 15th. The week was also marked by a proclamation given by the City Council declaring an official Police Week in Oak Ridge.

I represent a group of wives of police officers in Oak Ridge. We worked to make this the best police week ever for our husbands and the rest of our blue family. We organized meals, snacks, and treats for the officers, and hung banners of love and support in the station to let them know we “see them.” [Read more…]

Emma Lou Bakery celebrates opening

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Emma Lou Bakery

Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan, center front, introduces Stephanie Criswell, third from left, and Tiffany Haines, fifth from left, the owners of Emma Lou Bakery and Cafe on South Illinois Avenue. Also pictured from left are Zachary Criswell, Hailey Whitaker, Emma Haines, Nicholas Criswell, Charles Gluck (partially obscured), Oak Ridge Police Officer Daniel McFee, and an unidentified man.

After they graduated from culinary school in December 2011, sisters Stephanie Criswell and Tiffany Haines decided Oak Ridge needed a store that sold fresh, homemade doughnuts and cakes.

So, three months ago, they opened Emma Lou Bakery and Cafe off South Illinois Avenue, next to the Oak Ridge Bowling Center.

On Wednesday, they celebrated with local officials and residents at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Besides doughnuts and cakes, the bakery sells pastries, quiche, and bread. Light lunches are also available on weekdays.

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