Tennessee House of Representatives Archives

One challenger for City Council, none for school board

Posted at 7:52 pm August 17, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The deadline for candidates to qualify for the November 6 municipal elections was noon Thursday, and four Oak Ridge City Council incumbents have one challenger while there are three candidates for three school board seats.

Besides the four seats now held by incumbents, the November election will include the selection of an additional member of Oak Ridge City Council to fill the rest of the term of Hans Vogel, who was elected to a four-year term in November 2016 but resigned in June to take a new job at Idaho National Laboratory. Only one candidate, Derrick Hammond, has qualified as a candidate in that special election. Hammond was unanimously appointed to the seat by City Council in July to fill the seat through the November election. After his unopposed November election, Hammond will serve the last two years of Vogel’s unexpired term.

Also on the ballot in November are city council and school board seats in Clinton, Norris, Oliver Springs, and Rocky Top. That’s in addition to the state and federal elections for Tennessee governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, and Tennessee Senate and Tennessee House of Representatives.

The four incumbents on the seven-member Oak Ridge City Council who are up for election in November all qualified as candidates by Thursday’s deadline. They are Kelly Callison, R.G. “Rick” Chinn Jr., Warren Gooch, and Ellen D. Smith. The four incumbents last had an election in November 2014. [Read more…]

Anderson County Democrats have candidate forum Thursday

Posted at 6:06 pm April 18, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Democratic Party will have a candidate forum at Oak Valley Baptist Church in Oak Ridge from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 19, 2018. (Submitted photo)

The Anderson County Democratic Party has a candidate forum in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

The forum is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Oak Valley Baptist Church.

Candidates expected to attend include Ebony Capshaw, Richard Dawson, Mark Lucas, Alden Souza, and Nathaniel Varner, an event notice said.

Capshaw and Lucas are both running unopposed in the May 1 primary for Anderson County Democrats. Capshaw is running for Anderson County trustee, and Lucas is running for Anderson County sheriff. After the May 1 elections, they will face the winners of the Republican Party primaries, which are also on May 1, in the August 2 county general election for trustee and sheriff. [Read more…]

Retired pilot, former Democratic Party chair running for Tennessee House

Posted at 4:27 pm April 18, 2018
By Megan McNees Leave a Comment

Richard Dawson

Richard Dawson, a retired pilot who flew helicopters in Vietnam and is a former Democratic Party chair, is running for Tennessee House of Representatives in Anderson County.

Dawson is running in Tennessee’s 33rd District, which includes most of Anderson County, including Clinton and the Anderson County portion of Oak Ridge. Dawson lives in Clinton, and he is a native Oak Ridger, a press release said.

“My dad was an electrical maintenance supervisor at K-25 for 20 years and was able to provide enough for my mom, sister, and me to live comfortably,” Dawson said in the press release. “Republicans have been in power in Tennessee for years, but their policies have only made it more difficult for people who work hard, like my dad, to take care of their families. I am running because Anderson County and Tennessee deserve better.”

The press release said Dawson was raised in Oak Ridge, and he and his family lived and experienced the “American Dream.” He benefitted from the top-notch public education in Oak Ridge and when he graduated, Dawson felt called to serve, the press release said. He voluntarily enlisted in the Army, flying helicopters in Vietnam. Returning home, he used the GI Bill to earn a degree in labor and industrial relations from East Tennessee State University, the press release said. [Read more…]

Twenty-nine qualify to run for 16 seats on Anderson County Commission

Posted at 1:38 pm April 7, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Twenty-nine candidates have qualified to run for 16 seats on the Anderson County Commission in the county general election in August.

There are also three people running for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 33, a new appointed Oak Ridge school board member running in a special election in August, and a Democratic challenger to Tennessee Senator Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge resident who is also lieutenant governor.

The deadline to qualify to run in the August 2 election, which will also feature contested elections for Anderson County sheriff and trustee, was noon Thursday.

Anderson County has eight County Commission districts, and there are two commissioners per district. The offices are non-partisan, meaning that, unlike some other county offices, they are not part of the Democratic and Republican primary elections on May 1. [Read more…]

Tennessee gubernatorial candidate to visit Oak Ridge today

Posted at 9:29 am August 29, 2017
By Maureen Hoyt Leave a Comment

Craigh Fitzhugh

Craig Fitzhugh, a Democratic candidate for Tennessee governor, is visiting Oak Ridge this evening.

Fitzhugh will have a meet and greet from 7 to 8 p.m. today (Tuesday, August 29) at Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab and Café at 223 Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. The event is being sponsored by the Anderson County Democratic Party, a press release said. The public is invited.

“‘People Matter,’ the campaign slogan of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Craig Fitzhugh, ties together the very essence of why he has thrown his hat into the race for governor in 2018,” the press release said. “It connects voter concerns from across the state.”

When asked why he chose “People Matter” as his slogan, Fitzhugh said he’s concerned Tennessee is falling behind, citing education, jobs, infrastructure, and health care, particularly the expansion of Medicaid as top issues, the press release said.

“The problems and the situations that people in North Nashville and south Memphis find themselves in are not much different than those in Ripley, or Columbia or Etowah, or other communities,” Fitzhugh said. “There are things that we can do to give people an opportunity to better their lives.” [Read more…]

Gene Caldwell—retired pediatrician, former state representative—dies at 84

Posted at 9:36 am March 6, 2017
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Photo courtesy Amanda Caldwell

Note: This story was last updated at 10:40 a.m.

Dr. Gene Caldwell, a retired pediatrician and former Tennessee state representative, died Saturday, March 4. He was 84.

Caldwell, a beloved pediatrician who often said he was the luckiest guy in the world, died at NHC of Oak Ridge from congestive heart failure, according to his obituary. He would have turned 85 in 10 days.

Caldwell, a Democrat, served three terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing the 33rd District from 1996 to 2002.

“Gene Caldwell was a great public servant and did much for our community,” said Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican. “He will be missed, but his contributions will live on.”

The district lines have changed a bit since then, but at the time, the 33rd District included part of Anderson County, including Oak Ridge, Clinton, and Norris, said Jim Hackworth, who is also a former state representative in District 33. Caldwell preceded Hackworth.

“He was a good friend and will be sorely missed,” said Hackworth, who served the district for eight years.

Caldwell and his family had moved to Oak Ridge in 1966, when he began his practice with the Children’s Clinic of Oak Ridge. He retired in 1994 after 27 years. [Read more…]

ORHS Choral Ensemble, Rev. Hammond visit state Capitol, sing for House

Posted at 5:51 pm January 14, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Mark Lenoir, Oak Ridge High School Ensemble member, led the Tennessee House of Representatives in the Pledge of Allegiance on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge High School Choral Ensemble, conducted by Amanda Ragan, impressed the Tennessee House of Representatives as they performed “God Bless America” and “The Star Spangled Banner” in the House Chambers on Thursday, January 12, in Nashville, a press release said.

The ensemble students experienced a full day on the Hill, complete with meeting Governor Bill Haslam, debating the upcoming Tennessee gas tax issue in a mock Senate Session led by Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally of Oak Ridge, and touring the Capitol Building with Representative John Ragan of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

League of Women Voters having three candidate forums

Posted at 1:08 am September 23, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge is having three candidate forums in October.

The first will be on Tuesday, October 4, at the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater. This will include the candidates for the Oak Ridge Board of Education and the Oak Ridge City Council. It will be from 7 to 9 p.m. October 4 with candidates being briefed at 6:45 p.m.

The second forum will be on Thursday, October 6, at Roane State Community College City Room on the Oak Ridge campus. This will include the Oak Ridge candidates for the Anderson County Charter Commission. To begin the forum, there will be a short presentation from a subject matter expert on the process of reviewing and changing a county charter. This forum will be from 7 to 9 p.m., with candidates being briefed at 6:45 p.m. [Read more…]

Yager wins special election for Anderson County Commission, District 8

Posted at 9:38 pm August 4, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Phil Yager

Note: This story was last updated at 12:05 a.m.

Phil Yager beat two other candidates to win a seat on Anderson County Commission in District 8 in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

The special election for the District 8 seat was held along with the county general election and state and federal primaries on Thursday, August 4. District 8 includes the Emory Valley, Hendrix Creek, and Woodland voting precincts in Oak Ridge.

Yager finished with 542 votes, compared to 239 for Angeleque McNutt and 227 for Myra Mansfield, according to unofficial results posted on the Anderson County Election Commission website.

The final results from all 27 precincts, plus early, absentee, and write-in ballots, were posted at 10:41 p.m. Thursday. [Read more…]

McKamey suspends state House campaign; Collins will be write-in candidate

Posted at 3:19 pm June 7, 2016
By John Huotari 1 Comment

Herman Collins

Michael McKamey of Clinton, who had been a candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 33, announced Tuesday that he has suspended his campaign, a party official said.

The campaign suspension was announced by Anderson County Democratic Party Chair Catherine Denenberg.

McKamey is supporting Herman Collins, who has announced as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary for the same office, Denenberg said. Collins, who also lives in Clinton, now serves as the first vice chair of the Anderson County Democratic Party.

McKamey made his decision to suspend his campaign due to a family illness that is requiring his full attention, Denenberg said. [Read more…]

Gloria Johnson to speak Monday at Democratic Women’s Club

Posted at 12:06 am May 23, 2016
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Gloria Johnson

Gloria Johnson, Democratic candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 13 in Knoxville, will be the guest speaker at the Monday, May 23, meeting of the Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club.

The club will meet at 6 p.m. at the Pizza Inn, 1501 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge.

Johnson is a retired Knox County school teacher with 27 years’ experience educating special needs children, a press release said. Her advocacy work during the past year with health care and education has inspired her new consulting business, Tennessee Alliance for Learning and Leadership, or TALL. [Read more…]

Isbel withdraws from state rep race

Posted at 1:23 pm April 14, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Tim Isbel

Information from WYSH Radio

Anderson County Commissioner Tim Isbel has withdrawn from the race for Tennessee House of Representatives in the 33rd District, which includes most of Anderson County. The seat is currently held by John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican.

Last week, Isbel had announced his intention to run against Ragan in the Republican primary in August. The deadline to withdraw from the ballot was noon today (Thursday, April 14), and Isbel has done so.

Isbel said that after speaking with officials at the state level and consulting with his pastor, he has decided to hold off on running for the Tennessee House for at least another two years. He said there are still “some great opportunities and tasks for the people I (currently) represent,” adding that he feels he is “best suited to help accomplish these tasks.”

WYSH will have more on this developing story on Monday on “Ask Your Neighbor,” when Isbel will join the Clinton radio station (AM 1380, FM 101.1) for an exclusive interview.