Oak Ridge Today

Speed limit reduced on North Seivers in Clinton

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Information from WYSH Radio

The speed limit on North Charles Seivers Boulevard from Clinch Avenue to Longmire Road in Clinton has been reduced from 45 miles an hour to 35 miles an hour. The change went into effect recently.

The Clinton Police Department said that the reduction in the speed limit is being made in response to an increased number of traffic accidents on that stretch of road during the past few months. Chief Rick Scarbrough said that the stretch of North Seivers from Maire Avenue to Longmire was the scene of 45 accidents last year alone.

The reduced speed limit will also be more consistent with the speed limits throughout the rest of the business district.  The speed limit on South Charles Seivers Boulevard from Clinch to the Food City is also 35 miles an hour.

Football player McKamey, 19, dies after brain injury

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Information from WYSH Radio

Late Tuesday night, the U.S. Naval Academy athletic department announced that 19-year-old freshman running back Will McKamey died on Tuesday, three days after collapsing during spring football practice. McKamey was flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center following the incident and underwent surgery to treat brain swelling and a blood clot over the weekend. He remained in a coma until he passed away Tuesday afternoon.

His parents, Kara and Randy McKamey, were very active on social media since Will went to the hospital, updating friends, family and complete strangers on the condition of their son. The online support drew attention from all over the country and the world as prayers were offered up for Will and his family, and his story was reported on by several national media outlets.

Randy McKamey was his son’s coach at Grace Christian Academy in Knoxville and also coached football at Clinton Middle School for several years.

Will McKamey won the state Mr. Football Back of the Year award in 2012, his senior season at Grace, and was majoring in oceanography at the Naval Academy. In his final high school game, he suffered a brain injury that ended his high school career and kept him in the hospital for several days but never needed surgery during his stay. [Read more…]

Suspect in officer assault nabbed in OR

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Information from WYSH Radio

In February, WYSH Radio reported that a Rockwood police officer’s foot was run over by a suspect trying to elude arrest and that the suspect had not been apprehended. That changed on Thursday night when 26-year-old James Poland of Rockwood was arrested in Oak Ridge on charges stemming from the late-February incident.

Poland faces charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, reckless endangerment, and evading arrest, and at last check was being held in Anderson County for Roane County authorities. He is also facing three probation violation charges and two charges for driving on a revoked license. [Read more…]

Anderson school system celebrates energy-efficiency project

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Anderson County Schools ESG Groundbreaking

Anderson County officials and ESG representatives celebrate the kickoff of a $9.7 million energy-efficiency project in Anderson County Schools. (Photo courtesy Pam Crawford)

On Friday morning, the Anderson County school system celebrated the kickoff of a $9.7 million energy efficiency project that will make significant improvements to all 17 county schools, all with the aim of improving the learning environment, reducing energy use and, subsequently, the cost of energy across the system.

The Anderson County Commission recently approved a 15-year contract with Energy Systems Group—or ESG—to design and implement a $9.7 million energy efficiency and building modernization project throughout Anderson County Schools. All 17 county schools will receive energy improvements, including upgrades to the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning—or HVAC—systems and electrical systems as well as energy-efficient lights, water conservation measures, and advanced energy management controls—including sensors that will detect when a room is occupied and adjust heating and lighting automatically, and new suspended ceiling systems. [Read more…]

Police ID woman who died in Clinton crash

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Hon. William Everette Lewallen Memorial Bridge

A Clinton woman died in a three-car crash Friday evening on the Hon. William Everette Lewallen Memorial Bridge on Clinch Avenue near downtown Clinton.

The Clinton Police Department has identified the woman who died in a crash on Lewallen Bridge on Friday evening.

Angela Duncan Richardson, 40, of Clinton, died after she was thrown from a pickup truck driven by Kyle H. Anthony, 21, of Knoxville, the CPD said. Richardson was reportedly sitting behind the front seat of Anthony’s Chevy Silverado.

One other passenger in Anthony’s truck, Sean Richardson of Clinton, was taken to the hospital for treatment of possible injuries, and a fourth person in the truck was not injured despite being partially ejected from Anthony’s vehicle, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton. [Read more…]

Follow-up: New details of fatal Clinton wreck

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Information from WYSH Radio

More information is now available about Friday’s fatal accident on Highway 61 at the on-ramp to I-75 North in Clinton.

The wreck occurred at about 7:06 a.m. Friday, and it killed Christopher Strunk, 32, of Oneida. The Clinton Police Department reported that Strunk was a passenger in a Honda Civic driven by Shawn Wright, 26, of Pioneer.

The accident happened when a car driven by David Kittrell of Mississippi was in the left lane near the on-ramp and Wright’s car pulled into his path while trying to get on to the interstate. Kittrell’s car “T-boned” Wright’s car and both vehicles spun around before coming to rest against a guard rail. Strunk, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was declared dead at the scene by Emergency Medical Services personnel, and Wright suffered injuries that sent him to the University of Tennessee Medical Center by ambulance. [Read more…]

CPD: One dead in Friday morning crash

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Information from WYSH Radio

One person died in a two-car crash on Friday morning in Clinton.

The collision happened at about 7 a.m. near the intersection of Highway 61 and the on-ramp to Interstate 75 North. Christopher Strunk, 32, of Oneida died as a result of his injuries.

Initial information indicated that the vehicle, in which Strunk was a passenger, was “T-boned” by another car on North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard at the northbound entrance to I-75. [Read more…]

High school football Week Zero in the books

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Information from WYSH Radio

Wrapping up Friday night’s Week Zero high school football action, Anderson County got 310 total yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns from Tyler Hicks and 140 yards and four rushing touchdowns from Matt Fox to beat Clinton 53-13 in each team’s opener.

Maryville debuted new quarterback John Garrett and picked up a 35-15 win over Webb on Friday as Garrett accounted for 260 total yards and three scores. In other area action, William Blount gave new coach Justin Ridge his first win as the Governors pounded Loudon 40-7. Oliver Springs hammered Unaka 40-0 and Campbell County clobbered Cumberland Gap 41-6. For a complete look at last weekend’s action and this week’s schedule, visit the Local Sports Update page on our website.

Clinton Police Department touts anti-meth successes

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Information from WYSH Radio

For nearly two years, Clinton Police Department officers and investigators, with the cooperation of local drug stores, have taken a proactive stance in the battle against drug activity and “would be” meth manufacturers in and around our community, and now they are sharing some of their successes with the community.

According to a release from the CPD, the continuing operation has resulted in hundreds of charges as well as numerous vehicle seizures, as in Tennessee it is against the law to use your car to facilitate the transaction of narcotics. Police have confiscated nearly 150 boxes of medicine that might have, otherwise, been used to make meth that would sell on the streets for nearly $40,000. [Read more…]

BBB: OS Budget Committee recommends water, sewer, tax rate increases

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Information from WYSH Radio

On Thursday, the Oliver Springs Budget Committee recommended a tax rate increase and across-the-board water and sewer rate increases as they prepare to adopt a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

BBB-TV reported that the committee recommended water and sewer rate increases for both residential and commercial customers as the city prepares to apply for a loan to make improvements to its aging wastewater plant. [Read more…]

Clinton zoo needs help

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue in Clinton is asking for donations from the community to help them pay for repairs to their walk-in cooler. The compressor on the cooler broke last month and the repairs are estimated to cost approximately $2,000.

The problem has left the employees of the nonprofit zoo without a place to chill the meat and produce needed to feed the nearly 700 animals that call their Granite Road facility home.

[Read more…]

School security ramped up in Anderson County, Clinton

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Information from WYSH Radio

In the wake of last week’s deadly school shootings in Connecticut, many people in the area have wondered what is being done to keep their children safe at school.

WYSH asked Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough how often officers conduct walk-throughs at the city’s three elementary schools. Scarbrough said every school in the city, including the three county schools within the city limits, are visited by officers two to three times per day in unscheduled, random, drop-in visits.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said there are eight full-time school resource officers, or SROs, who rotate between the county’s 17 schools. That number includes SROs who are assigned to just one school, namely the two county high schools.

[Read more…]