Residents age 65+, teachers eligible for vaccines
Next Monday, Feb. 22, Tennessee will begin registering residents age 65 and older for COVID-19 vaccinations.
The state will also begin registering people included in Phase 1b, which includes staff members of kindergarten through 12th grade schools and child care facilities, including teachers; and first responder operations personnel.
Currently, Anderson and Roane counties are in phase 1a2, which includes first responders, medical professionals and people above the age of 70.
“Tennessee has administered more than one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine so far, and we’ve made substantial progress in protecting our senior citizens who are over age 70 through vaccination,” said Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey in a state news release. “While we remain focused on our seniors, who are the highest-risk population, we’re able to expand vaccine eligibility to these additional groups as our supply continues to grow each w
Leaders criticize uranium work’s move to Erwin
Oakridger
A plan to do some uranium work 125 miles from Oak Ridge in Erwin, Tenn., is drawing condemnation from local officials.
Statements criticizing the move have come from Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch and Mike Thompson, president of the Atomic Trades and Labor Council (ATLC), via a city news release. U.S. Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, the Republican who represents Tennessee s Third District, which includes Oak Ridge, said he also has concerns.
Gooch said at a virtual Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce event that the city government is in “clear in opposition” to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) moving uranium purification and conversion operations to a private company in Erwin, Tenn.
Oakridger
Oak Ridge City Council has approved with six votes for and one against rezoning that could lead to a new training center in Oak Ridge for firefighters and state and federal groups.
The vote was on second reading, making it final. The rezoning changes the land from a special federal zone to an industrial type of zoning used for private developments such as this one. The land is currently federal, but the future owner for much of the development will be a limited liability company (LLC), Jim Palmer, chairman of the Roane County Industrial Development Board, told City Council at the recent meeting.
Police chief: ‘No credible threat’ in Oak Ridge
Oakridger
At Monday s Oak Ridge City Council meeting, city Police Department Chief Robin Smith addressed Council on the security concerns about the upcoming presidential inauguration.
He said he spoke to a representative of the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security to see if they had information about planned illegal actions in conjunction with the inauguration of President-Elect Joe Biden. Smith said there is a planned march on all state capitols on Sunday, Jan. 17, including Nashville.
“At this time there are no known credible threats in the Oak Ridge area,” Smith said, regarding what he said he had heard from state and federal officials. “That being said, we are prepared. Our officers are alert and vigilant, and they are watching for suspicious persons and suspicious activities. They are trained to respond to unusual incidents and they re equipped to handle critical incidents. I have confidence in their skills a
COVID-19: Update on changes in city gov’t
Special to The Oak Ridger
The public health situation is rapidly changing; here are the latest updates affecting city facilities from Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson.
Due to the significant increase in COVID cases, city officials strongly urge citizens to conduct their business over the phone and by mail whenever possible.
The city of Oak Ridge is supporting the “Tennessee Pledge” efforts by the state government. You may refer to State of Tennessee websites for updates and advice on precautions to be taken by particular businesses.
City facilities will continue to be operated as explained below as precautions and security matters are considered for the safety of employees and “social distancing” for city customers. Visitors may receive a temperature scan and inquiry about current health. Call the city manager’s office or department offices on the city’s website for further information.