All City of Oak Ridge offices will be closed on Monday, September 3, 2018, in observance of Labor Day.

Household trash collection will occur as scheduled.

The new Peace Pavilion for the Oak Ridge International Friendship Bell will be dedicated in a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 20, 2018, at the Bell's new site in A.K. Bissell Park. The Bell's sound will resonate for the first time from its new location that evening, from a pavilion designed to project harmony, stability, innovation, and peace.

"We would not be where we are today without the passion of Shigeko Uppuluri and her son, Ram Uppuluri, who initiated the project by connecting us with a visionary architect, Ziad Demian, who embraced not only the challenge of an innovative design but an entire city," said Alan Tatum, who co-chaired the International Friendship Bell Citizens Advisory Committee with Pat Postma.

Postma added that the architect's first elegant and contemporary designs introduced a different way of thinking about what was possible for the new Bell housing. That, and the decision to move the Bell to a new location, will make it more visible and accessible to the community with added benefits of gardens and gathering spaces on benches around the Bell, she said.

"This accomplishment and the fundraising it required was not just ambitious. It was probably audacious," Postma said, "but Oak Ridge has a way of stepping up. Oak Ridgers are willing to support exceptional projects that speak for who we are as a city."

Among those taking part in the dedication ceremony will be Mayor Warren Gooch, City Manager Mark Watson, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Consul-General of Japan in Nashville, as well as Postma and Tatum. An ensemble from the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association will provide music. The community is invited to attend.

Tatum said that Postma's dedicated fundraising efforts and a generous community of citizens, businesses, governments, and major corporate sponsors not only met, but exceeded the aggressive fundraising goal. More than $800,000 has been raised for the Peace Pavilion, with the first contributions coming from Oak Ridge's sister city of Naka, Japan, and from the Girl Scouts Oak Ridge Service Unit, which has established friendships with Girl Scouts in Naka.

City crews work to relocate the Friendship Bell to the Peace Pavilion site earlier this month.

The Bell, created for Oak Ridge's 50th birthday at the recommendation of Shigeko and her late husband Ram Uppuluri, is being installed in its new Peace Pavilion during Oak Ridge's 75th anniversary. It will bring its message of international peace and friendship to the thousands of visitors expected at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge.

Click here to read more...

The Oak Ridge Fire Department ( ORFD), Oak Ridge Police Department ( ORPD) and Oak Ridge Neighborhood Watch Program ( ORNWP) are teaming up to host a Fire & Crime Prevention Celebration this year. The date is set for Saturday, October 6, 2018.

Everyone is invited to participate and support this free event, which combines the police department's annual National Night Out and the fire department's Fire Prevention Parade into one big community celebration. 

Goals of the Fire & Crime Prevention Celebration include:

• Celebrating the partnership between the community and the police and fire departments
• Increasing awareness of fire, crime, violence, and drug prevention efforts
• Generating support for local anti-crime programs and fire prevention initiatives
• Providing information to help create a more sustainable environment
• Generating interest in leading a healthier lifestyle
• Demonstrating fire and crime prevention skills, safety techniques, and wellness exercises
• Promoting neighborhood unity

The event will kick off with a parade at 11 a.m. starting at ORFD Fire Station #3 on Tuskegee Drive and ending at A.K. Bissell Park. The celebration in the park will start at 12 p.m. with opening ceremonies. The event will also feature games, food, emergency services equipment displays, music, bounce houses, safety information booths, and police/fire demonstrations. The celebration is scheduled to wrap up at 3 p.m.

Line-up for the parade will begin at 10 a.m. Click here to register your fire engine or emergency vehicle.

This event is still in the planning stages, but more information will be released soon. Please save the date and watch for additional details over the coming weeks. Questions can be directed to the Oak Ridge Fire Department at (865) 425-3520 or the Oak Ridge Police Department at (865) 425-3504.

The American Museum of Science and Energy ( AMSE) is holding a grand opening event on October 18 to welcome visitors to its new location at Main Street Oak Ridge. The new 18,000-square-foot space includes a newly-designed exhibit gallery featuring state-of-the-art interactive exhibits and hands-on activities, as well as a lecture hall and classroom facilities.

AMSE is planning a multi-phase opening to ensure a smooth transition and quality experience for museum staff, stakeholders, and the public.  

On October 1, 2018, AMSE will open to the public on a limited schedule, Monday through Friday from 9am - 5pm (closed weekends). This leads up to AMSE's grand opening event on October 18, 2018. Full public operating hours will resume after the grand opening. DOE Public Bus Tours will begin at the new museum starting October 1, 2018.

Click here to learn more about new exhibits and operating hours...

The Oak Ridge School District has again been ranked as the number one district in Tennessee by Niche K-12. Oak Ridge was also ranked number one in 2017. 

Niche gives Oak Ridge Schools an overall rating of A+, making it the best rated district among their top 25 safe school districts in Tennessee.  

The 2019 Best Schools rankings are based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche users, including 100 million reviews and survey responses to help readers understand what a place is really like.  

Their data team uses advanced algorithms and statistical techniques to compare, score, and connect millions of data points to thoroughly analyze U.S. schools and neighborhoods. They take this complex data and simplify it into comparable rankings, grades, and profiles for schools and neighborhoods. 

For more information about this rating system, click here to visit the Niche K-12 website.

In addition to this honor, Oak Ridge High School is ranked in the top ten high schools in Tennessee, coming in at number eight, trailing to several prestigious magnet high schools in Tennessee. 

Click here to view the individual school ratings

Congrats to Oak Ridge Schools on a well-deserved honor!

The City of Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department has announced its first-ever Fall Break Junior Camp. Registration will begin on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. Camp will be held October 1-5.

Sign-ups are open to campers from Kindergarten up to 11 years old. Space is limited and the camp will fill up quickly so early registration is recommended.

Walk-in registration with cash or check payment will be available during regular Civic Center hours (8 a.m. to 10 p.m.). Walk-in registrants should complete an online profile/account before coming in to register. Staff will complete the registration at the front desk.

The camp fee is $100 for residents and $105 for non-residents. The fee covers field trip admission, transportation, special events, daily snacks, and a camp T-shirt. Campers will need to bring their lunch daily.

Early drop off begins at 7:30 a.m. and late pick up is 5:30 p.m. Daily camp activities and special events will take place at the Oak Ridge Civic Center, A.K. Bissell Park and the Civic Center indoor pool.

For more information, contact City of Oak Ridge Recreation Program Coordinator Amanda Pope by calling (865) 425-3450 or by emailing apope@oakridgetn.gov.

As plans progress for the new Oak Ridge Preschool and Scarboro Park improvements, City leaders will provide an update on the project during a community meeting on Thursday, August 30, 2018, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Scarboro Community Center. Discussions will focus on recreational amenities in Scarboro Park as well as the current status and next steps for the preschool.

Previous public meetings have provided an overview of conceptual designs, architectural plans, recreational park amenities, and the projected budget. Meetings were also an opportunity for citizens to ask questions and provide input as decisions were made.

Oak Ridge City Council and the Oak Ridge Board of Education voted last year to select Scarboro Park as the location for a new preschool. Prior to this, the City of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Schools had been working to choose a site for approximately two years. Once the building is complete, the preschool will relocate from the school administration building on New York Avenue to its new facility on Carver Avenue.

A representative from Studio Four Design will host the upcoming community meeting, along with the Oak Ridge City Manager and City staff members. Oak Ridge Board of Education and City Council members will also be in attendance. Citizens will be able to ask questions and will be updated on upcoming stages of the project as it moves to a bid phase in September.

Explore Oak Ridge is proud to announce the launch of 'The Manhattan Project National Historical Park Communities' website. The Manhattan Project National Historical Park (MAPR) is located in three distinct communities: Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Tri-Cities/Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico. During World War II, these communities worked on the unprecedented top-secret project to produce the world's first atomic weapons. Today, MAPR tells the story of the people, science and technology of the Manhattan Project.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park has two official websites operated by the National Park Service and U.S. Department of Energy. The "communities" website is a joint initiative among Explore Oak Ridge, Visit Tri-Cities and Visit Los Alamos to promote MAPR and inspire tourism to the MAPR communities.

"Explore Oak Ridge has developed an exceptional partnership with our national park sister cities, the NPS, and the DOE sharing in the common goal of promoting the national park. This new website is an important first step in attracting visitors," said Marc DeRose, President of Explore Oak Ridge. "Most people will research their trip online prior to making travel plans so a strong tourism-related website is essential."

With the launch of the "communities" website, partnership efforts are already focusing on developing future initiatives to further enhance the national park's appeal to visitors. Interpretive signage and driving/walking tours are an integral part of creating an interesting and visitor-friendly park. Advertising campaigns will also play a major role in growing interest and enticing visitors to MAPR.

Visit the new website at ManhattanProjectNationalPark.com to learn more about each of the communities' involvement in the secret science that changed the world.

	Pictured from left to right: Dave Jones, TN Dept. of Tourist Development, East TN Division Manager; Amy New, TNECD, Assistant Commissioner of Community and Rural Development; Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch; Jody Sliger, TNECD, Community Development Director, Community and Rural Development; and Marc DeRose, President of Explore Oak Ridge.

The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development recently announced that Oak Ridge had been selected to receive a 2018 Tennessee Tourism Enhancement grant. Through this grant, the City of Oak Ridge, in partnership with Explore Oak Ridge, will receive funds to support projects that improve some of the city's key tourist attractions.

These projects include the design and installation of interpretive signage at sites related to the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, as well as improvements to electrical capabilities, accessible parking and seating/viewing areas at the Melton Lake Park waterfront area. Both projects aim to increase the number visitors to Oak Ridge and create a related positive economic impact.

"We were very excited to receive news about the Tourism Enhancement Grant. The Manhattan Project National Historical Park and Melton Lake are two major attractions for visitors and residents alike. Enhancement to these to assets will undoubtedly improve the city's ability to attract visitors and add to the city's already exceptional quality of life," explains Marc DeRose, President of Explore Oak Ridge.

 

Explore Oak Ridge is a non-profit destination marketing organization which provides tourism-related marketing and management services for the City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The City is currently accepting applications for the following positions:

• Firefighter/Engineer
• Firefighter Trainee
• School Crossing Guard
• Electric Line Technician (Lineman)

Please note that closing dates vary by position and applications must be submitted by the deadline to be considered.

Interested applicants can view all current job openings, position descriptions and learn how to apply by visiting the Employment section of our website.

As the road reconstruction project along Tennessee Avenue continues, the City of Oak Ridge Public Works Department is outlining new information that will affect how drivers navigate the area.

Phase one of the project has been extended to end just past Tyler Road, instead of Michigan Avenue. During this last portion of waterline replacement, the intersection of Tyler Road and West Tennessee Avenue will be temporarily closed. At this point, it is anticipated that the closure will begin the week of August 26 and remain closed for approximately one week. Traffic will be directed around the closed intersection. Once the waterline replacement portion of work is complete, the intersection will be re-opened. After the water main installation is completed, reconstruction of the roadway will commence.

The contractor's (Adams and Sons, Inc.) notice to proceed was effective May 21, 2018, and work should be completed by mid-November. Road reconstruction will include repaving and some concrete work. The concrete work will include some handicap curb ramps, curbing and an area of roadway behind the hospital's existing loading dock. The contractor will make every effort to maintain local access; however, total closure of portions of the road requiring detours will be necessary. When crews and equipment move from one location to another, the contractor and city personnel onsite will advise local businesses as traffic patterns change. The affected portion of Tennessee Avenue will be a smooth surface when all work is complete.

Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are urged to use extreme care and caution when traveling in and around these sections of roadway. The Public Works Department strongly recommends that drivers make plans to take alternate routes. We apologize for any inconvenience the closures may cause and appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation during this time. Please note that all construction work is subject to change based on such unknowns as weather, equipment, and access issues. 

 

Additional project questions or concerns can be communicated to the contractor's onsite superintendent or foreman, or City personnel onsite. You may also contact Public Works via email at PubWorksDis@OakRidgeTN.gov or by calling (865) 425-1875.

The Oak Ridge Police Department has partnered with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) for its "Booze It and Lose It" campaign that began August 17 and runs through September 3, surrounding the Labor Day holiday. This initiative coincides with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" mobilization to increase impaired-driving enforcement nationwide.

Oak Ridge police officers will hold safety checkpoints and conduct increased patrols throughout this time period in an effort to spot impaired drivers in our area.

"As we participate in this statewide safety campaign, drivers can expect to see more officers and more traffic stops all across Oak Ridge," ORPD Officer Matt Johnston stated. "We will do everything we can to prevent accidents and remove impaired drivers from our streets."

Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of drunk driving, coupled with increased sobriety checkpoints and high visibility enforcement, aim to drastically reduce the number of drunk-driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities this year.

The consequences of a single DUI conviction for a first-time offender in the state of Tennessee may include costly fines, court costs, legal fees, jail time, mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, and/or the installation of an ignition interlock device in his/her vehicle.

The THSO provides grant funding to support the Oak Ridge Police Department's increased enforcement efforts during the Booze It and Lose It campaign. For more information about the THSO, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org. Find Oak Ridge Police Department on Facebook and Twitter: @OakRidgePolice.

Congratulations to ORPD Officer Matthew Johnston! He was recently named the Traffic Enforcement Safety Team (TEST) Network Coordinator for East Tennessee. 

This means Ofc. Johnston will be working with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office and 22 other local law enforcement agencies to compile statistics and coordinate safety campaigns. 

We're proud to be part of the effort to keep drivers safe all across our region!

The Oak Ridge Police Department will offer an educational " Ask an Officer" session on personal safety at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Tuesday, August 28, 2018, at 1 p.m.

Join Oak Ridge Police Sergeant Shannah Newman and Investigator Wendy Zolkowski for this special program sponsored by the Oak Ridge Senior Center. This event is open to participants of any age. Everyone is invited to come out and learn how to become safer and more secure in everyday life.

A question and answer session will follow the presentation if time allows. There is no cost for the program, but please call the Oak Ridge Senior Center at (865) 425-3999 to reserve a spot.

The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department is sponsoring the 13th Annual Memory Magic Scrapbook event at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Friday, October 12, and Saturday, October 13, 2018.

Online registration will open on Tuesday, August 28. Walk-in registration will only be taken on the weekend of the event beginning at 8 a.m.

Friday will include vendors and a crop area. Saturday will include vendors, a crop area, an event bag, prize drawings, and snacks. The crop area will be open to registered participants only. Cropping will begin at 8 a.m. each day and close at 10 p.m. both evenings. The cost to crop is $10 for "No Frills" Friday and $30 for Saturday.

Vendors will open by 9 a.m. each day and include home party businesses, scrapbook stores and general craft stores from all over the region. The vendor area is open to the general public for shopping from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is open to paid participants only after 6 p.m.

For more information, call the Civic Center front desk at (865) 425-3450, visit the Memory Magic Scrapbook Event page online or send an email to jbohanan@oakridgetn.gov.

The August and September art exhibit at Oak Ridge Public Library features a painting created by Debra Lovvorn Belvin to honor her father, James, and other Oak Ridgers of his generation. Ms. Belvin, a local artist and art educator, was inspired by her parents' brave sacrifice and work during World War II and created the painting to celebrate Oak Ridge's 50th birthday.

James Lovvorn spent one dollar to buy a copy of the Knoxville Journal in August 1945 with the headline, "WAR ENDS." That same copy was held by famed photographer Ed Westcott in the dedication of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Jackson Square.

Also included in the exhibit are photographs of James and his wife, Betty, posed near dormitories and bus stops of early Oak Ridge. Selections from the Library's Department of Energy Photography Collection complement the exhibit.

The Oak Ridge Public Library Children's Room has added Playaway Launchpads to our circulating collection. 

These tablets are pre-loaded with kid friendly content, with no download or set-up time required and no need for an internet connection. 

Launchpads offer 100% security (no risk of unintended content), a durable protective bumper, 7-inch high-definition touchscreen, customizable interface, and user-friendly features. 

Thanks to a generous literacy grant from Altrusa of Oak Ridge, the library was able to purchase twelve launchpads, each geared toward a specific subject, age level, or content type. Subject offerings include math, science, critical thinking skills, multiple languages and creative play. 

Children can customize their experience by creating their own personal avatar. Parents and teachers can access an informational console that gives feedback about time spent with the tablet.

For more information about the Launchpads, come to the Children's Room and ask for a demonstration.

Don't forget to stop by the Oak Ridge Farmers Market! 

Vendors will be setting up in historic Jackson Square  every Wednesday from 3pm until 6pm and every Saturday from 8am until noon (weather permitting). 

The market runs through the fall season.

The farmers market offers sustainably produced grass-fed meat, hand-picked produce, farm fresh eggs, artisan bread and cheese, local honey, flowers and farm-based crafts. The vendors are 100% local.

The market is put on by the East Tennessee Farmers Association for Retail Marketing (FARM).