Oak Ridge Today

Roane State’s Rutledge earns Chancellor’s Commendation

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Jason Rutledge

Oak Ridge resident Jason B. Rutledge, a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, has received the Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor’s Commendation for Military Veterans.

The commendation was conferred in the form of a specially designed Challenge Coin, and Rutledge, 47, was nominated for the honor by Roane State Community College President Chris Whaley, a press release said.

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings established the commendation in 2020 to honor the “service, bravery, and sacrifices of veterans in campus communities,” according to a TBR news release.

One veteran from each of Tennessee’s 37 community and technical colleges was chosen in 2021 for the annual honor.

[Read more…]

Current too strong for regatta on Oak Ridge rowing course, forcing cancellation

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RowingCourse Destruction_3414

The destruction of the Oak Ridge rowing course is pictured above after heavy rains in the past week led to flooding and now strong currents on the Clinch River, causing the cancellation of the Dogwood Regatta on April 29-30, 2017. (Photo courtesy Explore Oak Ridge)

 

The strong current on the Oak Ridge rowing course forced the cancellation of the Dogwood Regatta this weekend, April 29-30, a press release said.

“The rain over the last several days has caused major flooding in the area,” said Sarah McAuliffe, Oak Ridge Rowing Association regatta director. “The current is about 10 times the norm and has done damage to our race course and other infrastructure, but the larger issue is athlete safety. “

The Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Coast Guard have confirmed that the water flow rate will remain too high for safe rowing regatta operations over the weekend, the press release said. [Read more…]

TWRA: Take a lesson from the kids, wear your life jacket

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From left to right above are Sasa the dog, Trina Ward, 5-month-old Aiden Ward, Tom Werkema with 2-year-old Makaylyn Ward, 5-month-old Collin Ward, and Jake Ward. (Photo courtesy TWRA)

From left to right above are Sasa the dog, Trina Ward, 5-month-old Aiden Ward, Tom Werkema with 2-year-old Makaylyn Ward, 5-month-old Collin Ward, and Jake Ward. (Photo courtesy TWRA)

 

By Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

The biggest boating weekend of the year is among us, and officers from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency are already busy investigating too many serious injury and fatal boating accidents.

At least eight of the fatal accidents that have occurred on Tennessee waters resulted in drownings and in most cases, if not all, a properly worn personal flotation device would have saved lives. Let’s take a lesson from the kids and see why, thankfully, we don’t lose many of them to drowning while boating.

The answer is simple: In Tennessee and in most other states, children ages 12 and under are required by law to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket while on the open deck of a recreational boat except while anchored, moored, or aground. [Read more…]