The Oak Ridger
Over Father’s Day weekend, the Oak Ridge Housing Authority (ORHA) hosted its first Strong Families Celebration, part of a nationwide initiative to empower fathers, mothers and children in creating healthy, nurturing environments for their families and neighborhoods.
Families from both the housing and voucher programs joined together for a day of fun in the sun, featuring food, vendor booths from Oak Ridge businesses and organizations, and activities for children. The Anderson County Health Department was also present to provide free COVID-19 vaccinations.
“This was a great way to bring the community together,” Emily Newell, an ORHA resident, said in a news release. “I really appreciate having a place to come meet my neighbors and their families.”
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Pictured above in front row are, left to right, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson, Oak Ridge Housing Authority Commissioner Tom Beehan, Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, state Rep. John Ragan, ORHA Executive Director Maria Catron, and Tennessee Housing Development Agency Industry and Government Affairs Liaison Katie Moore; and back row, left to right, ORHA Commissioner Jim Palmer, ORHA Board Chair Jean Lantrip, and ORHA Board Secretary Sharon Crane. (Photo courtesy THDA)
The Tennessee Housing Development Agency has awarded a $106,000 HOME Program grant to the Oak Ridge Housing Authority that will be used to help low-income families purchase a new home.
Governmental Meetings
OAK RIDGE
City Council
The Oak Ridge City Council will have a work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Municipal Building Courtroom and streamed at oakridgetn.gov/streaming.
Housing
The Oak Ridge Housing Authority will meet at noon Wednesday in the Community Room at 76 Honeysuckle Lane.
Budget
The City Council Budget and Finance Committee will meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Municipal Building training room.
Tourism
The Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
Planning
The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, virtually. Stream the meeting at oakridgetn.gov/streaming.
Oakridger
Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers recently explained why he had Oak Ridge High School students return to school five days a week although the COVID-19 pandemic is not over.
ORHS students returned to a traditional five-day-a-week schedule inside the school on Monday, Feb. 22. The city’s elementary schools and preschool were already on this in-person schedule.
Previously, to reduce exposure to the novel coronavirus and the size of classes, the school system had ORHS students alternating which days they attended class in person or virtually. The middle school students are continuing with this alternating schedule.
“We’ve got roomies and Zoomies,” Borchers said at a virtual meeting of Altrusa International of Oak Ridge. He referred to students attending in person on a particular day as “roomies” and students watching classes via Zoom as “Zoomies.”