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Anderson County receives $50,000 tourism grant

Posted at 4:26 pm January 21, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Anderson County has received a $50,000 state tourism grant.

The grant was one of 29 announced Friday by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd. The grants, called Tourism Enhancement Grants, total more than $1 million.

The grants will help with tourism infrastructure, a press release said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Government, State Tagged With: Anderson County, Bill Haslam, economic development, Kevin Triplett, Randy Boyd, Rural Economic Opportunity Act, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, tourism, Tourism Enhancement Grant, tourism grant

Interior Department protects 75,000 acres from surface mining, including in Anderson County

Posted at 8:57 pm December 7, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell

 

A federal decision announced Wednesday designates about 75,000 acres of mountain ridge lines, including in Anderson County, as unsuitable for surface coal mining operations, a press release said.

The decision, which affects mountains in East Tennessee, was announced by Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

“Today’s action helps protect a spectacular area of eastern Tennessee that is critical to the region’s tourism and outdoor recreation economy, provides valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and supports a healthy watershed,” the press release said.

The release said the Interior Department designated the mountain ridge lines as unsuitable for surface coal mining at the request of the State of Tennessee. Besides Anderson County, the other affected counties include Campbell, Scott, and Morgan. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Business, Federal, Front Page News, Government, Morgan County, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Bob Martineau, coal mining, Cumberland Plateau, Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, East Tennessee, Emory River Tract Conservation Easement, Interior Department, Lamar Alexander, mining, National Park Service, North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, Northern Cumberland, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, OSMRE, outdoor recreation, Sally Jewell, SMCRA, state of Tennessee, surface coal mining, Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, tourism, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Tourism in Oak Ridge, Anderson County shows increased economic impact

Posted at 9:26 pm October 7, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

The economic impact of tourism in Anderson County and Oak Ridge has increased for a second year in a row.

In September, the Tennessee Department of Tourism Development released its 2015 annual report showing that visitors to Anderson County, which includes Oak Ridge, were responsible for spending more than $119 million in the county, an increase of 2.9 percent over the previous year, a press release said. Visitor spending in Anderson County yielded nearly $3 million in local sales tax.

“Marketing efforts continue to pay off as part of an organized effort to increase tourism in Oak Ridge and Anderson County,” Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank said in the press release. “Tourism is not only a way to increase our tax revenues, but the people who visit us positively add to the fabric and culture of our community—making tourism investment an all-around win.”

In its annual report, Explore Oak Ridge released data that showed Oak Ridge hotel revenue was up by 11 percent compared to the previous year (hotel revenue is a typical measure tourism’s economic effect on a city). Local tax generated from Oak Ridge hotels exceeded $585,000 in the 2015-16 fiscal year. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, State Tagged With: Anderson County, economic impact, Explore Oak Ridge, Graphite Reactor, Haw Ridge Park, hotel revenue, local tax, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Marc DeRose, Melton Lake, Oak Ridge, regional economic impact, Robbie Meyer, rowing, sales tax, sales tax revenue, Tennessee Department of Tourism Development, Terry Frank, tourism, visitor spending

State certifies four new adventure tourism districts in Roane

Posted at 10:59 pm August 30, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Submitted

Adventure tourism is one of the hottest industries in the country and the world. To capitalize on this growing trend, Tennessee passed the Tennessee Adventure Tourism and Rural Development Act of 2011 in hopes to incentivize adventure tourism businesses to invest and create jobs in districts planned all across the state.

Tennessee’s abundance of natural resources makes it an ideal setting to support this segment of the tourism industry. The act allows qualified businesses that locate within a certified district to earn a jobs tax credit to offset a portion of the business’ Tennessee franchise and excise tax liability. Qualified businesses may include restaurants, hotels, or other tourist related attractions.

“I began the process in February and over the next few months required resolutions from each of the cities where the district resides, as well as the county. They all passed unanimously,” said Pam May, vice president of The Roane Alliance. “Roane County has so many natural resources ideal for adventure tourism—more than 700 miles of shoreline, bluffs, and vistas on the plateau, and a large number of Wildlife Management Areas—just to name a few.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Roane County, State Tagged With: adventure tourism, Caney Creek, Ladd Landing, Pam May, Randy Boyd, Riley Creek Campground, Riverfront Park, Roane County, Roane County Park, Tamke-Allan Observatory, Tennessee Adventure Tourism and Rural Development Act of 2011, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee Medieval Faire, The Roane Alliance, Tom Fuller Park, tourism

Explore Oak Ridge campaign includes new website, logo

Posted at 10:52 pm August 23, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Marc DeRose

Marc DeRose, executive director of the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A new Explore Oak Ridge campaign markets Oak Ridge to visitors, and it includes a new logo and website. The Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau launched the campaign on Thursday, August 20.

“Over the past several months, the CVB and their marketing partner Girl on the Roof Inc. have been doing extensive research into Oak Ridge’s tourism appeal,” a press release said. “What they found didn’t surprise anyone. Oak Ridge has a lot to offer with one big problem: Most people don’t know about it.”

The campaign is designed to help reveal what makes the Secret City such a special place.

“As it turns out, the Secret City is quite good at keeping its secrets,” ORCVB Executive Director Marc DeRose said.  “We found Oak Ridge to have many exciting and interesting attractions for visitors, but people outside of Oak Ridge simply have no idea of just how much there is.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Entertainment, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Carol Reeve, Explore Oak Ridge, ExploreOakRidge.com, Girl on the Roof Inc., logo, Marc DeRose, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, ORCVB, Secret City, tourism, website

Tourism revenues up 3.7 percent in Anderson County

Posted at 9:21 pm August 18, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 2 Comments

Bill Haslam during Presidential Visit at Pellissippi State

Governor Bill Haslam is pictured above during a visit by President Barack Obama at Pellissippi State Community College on Friday, January 9. (File photo by Rob Welton)

Tourists spent a total of $115.77 million in Anderson County in 2014, state officials announced Tuesday. That was an increase of 3.7 percent compared to 2013.

The spending generated a total of $6.72 million in state and $2.47 million in local tax revenues, increases of 4.7 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively. A total of 905 Anderson Countians are employed in tourism-related fields.

State officials also said that tourism’s direct domestic and international travel expenditures reached $17.7 billion in 2014, up 6.3 percent, and an all-time high for the state.

The record-breaking numbers were announced in Nashville on Tuesday by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Commissioner Kevin Triplett of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, State, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County, Bill Haslam, Economic Impact of Travel, Kevin Triplett, spending, tax revenues, Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, tourism, travel

Garcia Garland running for re-election to City Council

Posted at 10:54 am October 19, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Anne Garcia Garland

Anne Garcia Garland

Oak Ridge City Council member Anne Garcia Garland is running for re-election in the November 4 municipal election.

In a press release, Garcia Garland said the City Council has now begun to function like a team, the vision she had for it when she was first elected.

“The five members who have been meeting to consider policy and long-term planning have begun to realize how much more can be accomplished in this way,” Garcia Garland said. “I believe that if we can do this as a Council, then we should be able to work in a similar manner with the Board of Education and move forward together.”

Actions by the city government have shown that TIFs (tax increment financing) are useful for investing in new businesses, and the growth of the Illinois Avenue corridor is healthy, Garcia Garland said. She said Council encouraged the Kroger development by changing zoning and permitting traffic signals, and that center inspired the investment in Oak Ridge by the new mall developers. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2014 Election, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Anne Garcia Garland, business, city government, Illinois Avenue, Kroger, mall, November 4 municipal election, Oak Ridge City Council, planning, policy, schools, tax increment financing, team, TIF, tourism, UPF, uranium processing facility, vision

City to apply for state grant to build roundabout at ‘Malfunction Junction’

Posted at 4:32 am October 15, 2014
By John Huotari 10 Comments

Malfunction Junction at North Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday agreed to apply for a state grant that could be used to help build a roundabout at the five-way intersection of North Tulane and Pennsylvania avenues, Providence Road, and East Pasadena Lane. Though city officials don’t like the name, the five-way intersection is sometimes referred to as “Malfunction Junction.”

 

The city of Oak Ridge plans to apply for a state grant to design and build a roundabout near Oak Ridge High School at a five-way intersection sometimes referred to as “Malfunction Junction.”

The Oak Ridge City Council unanimously approved the grant application on Monday. If approved, the Tennessee Department of Transportation grant would be used to build a roundabout at the intersection of Providence Road, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Pasadena Lane, and North Tulane Avenue.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $748,113. Tthe grant funding would come from the Transportation Alternative Program. TDOT funds 80 percent of those projects, excluding design, and a 20 percent local match is required.

The city’s cost would be about $150,000, and the city would pay for the design, officials said Monday. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Roads, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: East Pasadena Road, grant, Malfunction Junction, North Tulane Avenue, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Oak Ridge High School, Pennsylvania Avenue, Providence Road, roundabout, TDOT, Tennessee Department of Transportation, tourism, Transportation Alternative Program

Anderson County Tourism co-op program offers tourism-related funds

Posted at 7:39 pm September 21, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Tourism Council Board of Directors will be offering the Co-op Program again this year. The purpose of the program is to provide funds to nonprofit tourism-related businesses and organizations in Anderson County to conduct tourism-related projects.

See this PDF for more information: Anderson County Co-op Program Details and Application.

Filed Under: Anderson County, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: Anderson County Tourism Council, co-op program, tourism, tourism-related projects

Letter: Write-in House candidate says coal is obsolete

Posted at 7:36 pm August 6, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

Leslie Agron EPA Clean Power Plan Hearing

Oak Ridge resident Leslie Agron testifies at an EPA clean power plan hearing in Atlanta on July 29. (Submitted photo)

Note: This is a copy of testimony given July 29 in Atlanta by Oak Ridge resident Leslie Agron, a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary for Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen of the EPA. Thank you for taking my testimony.

My name is Leslie Agron. I am from Oak Ridge, Tennessee. As the son of a Manhattan Project scientist, I was born and raised there. I grew up within walking distance of Appalachia.

I am currently a candidate for the Tennessee state legislature. I have previously served on Oak Ridge’s Environmental Quality Advisory Board. I hold an Executive MBA from The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. Given that credential, the thrust of my remarks will be about business and business climate.

I hold that, contrary to industry remarks that coal makes jobs, coal is not good business. To be clear, in a historical sense, coal was very important to the development of America in the 19th and 20th centuries. During those historical times, coal very much enhanced the business climate of our country by supplying affordable energy when no other source of energy was available. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: business, business climate, coal, coal ash, coal industry, coal power, Democrat, EPA, Leslie Agron, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, primary, Tennessee House of Representatives, tourism

Letter: Rice wants to cut taxes, recruit high-tech jobs, push for tourism

Posted at 6:30 pm August 1, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

Kevin Rice

Kevin Rice

To the Editor:

I am Kelvin Rice, your candidate for Anderson County Commission District 7. My parents M.L. and Mary Sue Rice moved to Oak Ridge in 1943, and I was raised on Georgia Avenue. As a lifelong resident of Oak Ridge, I have enjoyed being a part of America’s Secret City.

I attended Cedar Hill, Elm Grove, and Jefferson Junior High School. I graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1979. I previously worked at Armstrong Rubber Company as a drop mill operator and then went to Atlas Van Lines as a truck driver. I have served our community as a reserve deputy at the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and have served on the Anderson County Jail committee.

I now serve on the Anderson County Beer Board. I enjoy volunteering as our Neighborhood Watch block captain and serve as the district leader for the Watch Group in the Jackson Square area. Trying to stay involved in many areas of our community, I am a member of the Oak Ridge Quarterback Club, Football Boosters, and the Underage Drinking Task Force.

One of the main goals I will strive toward as your next commissioner is to cut taxes. I would encourage our city and county to recruit high-tech jobs, encourage small businesses to locate in our area, and push for tourism that would not only benefit our restaurants and businesses but would also help our hotel industry. The tourism in the city and county is abundant; added attractions would be beneficial to the city in many ways. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County Beer Board, Anderson County Commission, Anderson County jail, District 7, football boosters, housing, Jackson Square, jobs, Kelvin Rice, Kevin Rice, Neighborhood Watch, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Quarterback Club, small businesses, taxes, tourism, U.S. Department of Energy, Underage Drinking Task Force

City, AMSE Foundation have community meeting on museum Thursday

Posted at 8:34 am July 21, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

AMSE Sign

The American Museum of Science and Energy is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. (Photo by Sara Wise)

The City of Oak Ridge and the American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation are sponsoring a community meeting on Thursday that will include discussions of ways to strengthen the museum as a community and regional asset and destination attraction.

The meeting will also include an information session on current museum operations and the role of the AMSE Foundation. New AMSE Director David Moore will be at the meeting.

The meeting is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the museum, which is at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. Registration and light refreshments will be available beginning at 5:30 p.m., a press release said.

In a press release, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said it’s the right time to get the community involved in a dialogue about the museum. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community, Community, Government, Nonprofits, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: American Museum of Science and Energy, American Museum of Science and Energy Foundation, AMSE, AMSE Foundation, City of Oak Ridge, community meeting, David Moore, destination attraction, DOE, Manhattan Project, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, science museum, tourism, U.S. Department of Energy, Wayne Stevenson

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Classifieds

Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center

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

Public Notice: Final environmental assessment available for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING FACILITY AT THE Y-12 … [Read More...]

Public Notice: Comment period extended for Draft EA for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12

EXTENSION OF THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE LITHIUM PROCESSING … [Read More...]

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