Even with all the rain over the past week or so, Hinds Creek had not risen high enough to cover the Irwin Mill Road low-water bridge on Saturday. But this majestic crane was checking out the area during a light rain Saturday afternoon, as seen from the bridge. It posed long enough for a few photos before taking off in graceful flight. - G. Chambers Williams III
Clinton City Councilwoman Wendy Maness has been selected as a member of the inaugural cohort of PULSE TN, a new statewide leadership program developed by the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service.
PULSE TN: Strengths-Based Leadership Intensive is designed to bring together municipal leaders, elected officials and community partners from across Tennessee to address issues such as strengthening rural communities, improving K-12 education and overcoming addiction.
According to UT officials, participants were chosen through a competitive nomination and application process.
The program is rooted in the University of Tennessee’s Grand Challenges initiative and will include leadership training, expert panel discussions, service-learning projects and community engagement experiences across the state’s three grand divisions.
“The vision for PULSE TN is to help local leaders connect their individual strengths to something bigger than themselves,” said Dr. Matt Hensley, MTAS training and development consultant and program lead.
Participants also will develop “Strengths in Action” projects aimed at creating measurable impacts in their communities after the program concludes.
Maness is one of 16 leaders selected from communities and organizations across Tennessee for the inaugural class.
A family makes friends with one of the resident goats at The Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue on Saturday, May 16, during tiger Gunther’s birthday party. - G. Chambers Williams III
The Little Ponderosa Zoo’s first “Feast with the Beasts” food-truck rally will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, June 6.
“Nothing complements a visit with the beasts better than a food-truck feast,” the Little Ponderosa announced. “Join us as we host our first food-truck rally, where at least 10% of all food-truck sales will be donated back to the zoo in support of our mission to provide a safe space for animals in need.”
One of the “stars” among the zoo’s “beasts will be the Siberian tiger Gunther, whose 18th-birthday celebration was held at The Little Ponderosa last month.
Then coming just two weeks later, on Saturday, June 20, the zoo will again hold its “Jeeps of the Jungle” event, featuring Oak Ridge Off-Roaders and the Windrock Jeep Outpost.
This event, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is billed as “Where wildlife meets off-road adventure.”
The 26th Jackson Square Lavender Festival will return to Historic Jackson Square on Saturday, June 20, featuring more than 140 artisan vendors, local lavender farms, live entertainment and family activities.
The festival celebrates health, local creativity, environmental awareness and lavender products from across East Tennessee.
The main event, a free herb fair, will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Additional ticketed events throughout the weekend include a Tennessee wine tasting, a garden tour and an herb lunch.
More than 140 juried artisan vendors will offer handmade and locally grown products, including pottery, woodworking, ironwork, baskets and other crafts. Food vendors and food trucks also will be on site.
The 4H Wildlife Judging senior-high team is open to 9th- through 12th-grade students. From left to right are Isaiah Kimball, Thomas Stratton, Paul Stratton and Dominick Tondo. - Submitted
With second-place victories, the Anderson County 4H wildlife judging teams in the are getting ready to head to the next level.
The Junior, Junior High and Senior High teams competed and each placed second in their categories on Friday, May 15, at Norris Dam State Park in a regional wildlife judging 4-H contest.
More than 20 other counties competed, including Morgan, Grainger, Knox, Washington, and Hamilton.
4-H Wildlife Judging is a contest in which 4th- through 12th-graders learn to identify wildlife species in a specific area and habitat.
On May 15 the category was the Tennessee Eastern Deciduous Forest.
Students learn to identify the animals based on specimens, sounds, songs of birds, scat, fur, skulls, and tracks. In a second part of the competition, students have to create a wildlife management plan for six species.
Lisa Van Dyke and Jessica Robinson of Dink High and You’ll Die were the winners of the 18-50 division at the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce’s Big Dill Pickleball Tournament over the weekend. - Brooklynn Bradley
Norris Dam State Park hosted The Dam Craft Fair in the headquarters and former swimming pool area from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, with lots of people turning out despite the intermittent rain during parts of the event. At left, visitors check out the park gift shop’s tables. Right, the Friends of Norris Dam State Park greeted visitors at their own kiosk. Participating vendors came preparared with awnings to protect their goods.
Weigel’s employee Darious Dunson and Clinton Police Department Officer Jessica Daugherty received these certificates at the May 18 Clinton City Council meeting for a rescue they performed in April. Shown with them is Chief of Police James Campbell. - Submitted
With the help from the quick response of a Weigel’s employee, first responders saved a patient at a Clinton Weigel’s in April.
Clinton Police Chief James Campbell told the City Council about the incident, and honored the people involved at the May 18 council meeting.
The Clinton Police Department gave additional details on its official Facebook page.
A person became incapacitated in the women’s restroom of Weigel’s on North Charles G. Seivers Boulevard near Interstate 75. Weigel’s employee Darious Dunson found the individual in crisis, and immediately contacted Anderson County Dispatch. He followed dispatch’s directions to do emergency CPR on the individual, who the CPD stated in its news release had experienced an overdose.
CPD Officer Jessica Daugherty then arrived on scene, administered Narcan and helped with resuscitation.
“We didn’t know if the person was going to come back or not,” Campbell told the council, but said Daugherty was successful.
This was the crowd attending one of last summer’s Norris “Concerts on the Commons.” This year’s series begins Friday from 6-8 p.m. - G. Chambers Williams III
Five performances are scheduled for this summer’s Norris “Concerts on the Commons” series, beginning this Friday, June 5, with a performance by the “Lennon Jones Band” on the outdoor stage in front of Norris Middle School, next to the Lions Club Pavilion.
The Lennon Jones Band plays “originals, rock, jazz, improvisation and soul,” according to its description.
The remaining concerts will feature:
• June 12: “My New Favorites,” a four-member acoustic group playing original songs, with honky-tonk and Appalachian roots.
• June 26: Liquid Velvet, a 1970s, ’80s and ’90s acoustic classic rock/country group.
• July 4: “110 in the Shade,” a six-member group performing funk, soul, Motown, and R&B songs.
• And July 10: “Small Wars,” an indie/rock/alternative group with original hits from the 1970s to the 2000s.
The Clinton Public Library will have an interactive family event featuring experts from the Gray Fossil site on Thursday June 11, at 3 p.m.
The library is at 118 S. Hicks St. The library would like for people to register themselves and their children for the event at clintonpubliclibrary.org/.
The Gray Fossil site is a dig site and museum in Gray, Tennessee. Fossilized animal species found there have included saber tooth cat, mastodon, rhinoceros, alligator, short-faced bear and more.
Keepsake coasters
June Adult Crafty Friday will meet at the library at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 12.
To participate, email your favorite photo or keepsake image for your coaster at questions@clintonpubliclibrary.org in advance of class and register at clintonpubliclibrary.org/.
Oak Ridge Playhouse will present the Broadway musical “Come From Away” on select dates from July 10-26.
The production comes during the 25th anniversary year of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and tells the true story of thousands of airline passengers who were stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, when U.S. airspace was closed following the attacks.
The musical follows the residents of the small Canadian town as they welcomed travelers from around the world, providing food, shelter and support during an uncertain time.
Written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, “Come From Away” debuted on Broadway in 2017 and received widespread critical acclaim, including a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical.
Because of mature themes and language, the production is recommended for audiences ages 13 and older.
Tickets go on sale Monday, June 8. They may be purchased online at orplayhouse.com or by calling the Oak Ridge Playhouse box office at 865-482-4877. Box office hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Paula Sellers, Anderson County Schools’ director of student services, was glad to see the Happy Lunch Box food truck arrive. It will provide food for students in need over vacation periods with routes announced over social media. - Submitted
There will be many sites for families to pick up summer meals for children in June throughout Anderson County.
ETHRA
Beginning June 4, and continuing through June 26, any child under the age of 18 can receive a complimentary lunch, Monday through Friday, if they show up at one of the East Tennessee Human Resources Agency’s Sunshine Bus stops, which will serve as mobile sites:
• Oak Ridge Civic Center – 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike, from 11 until 11:30 a.m.
Oliver Springs Library, 610 Walker Ave., Oliver Springs, from noon until 1 p.m.
• Clinton Splash Pad, 110 S. Charles G. Seivers Blvd., Clinton, from 1:25 until 2 p.m.
• Rocky Top Splash Pad, 310 2nd St., Rocky Top, from 2:30 until 3 p.m.
• Robertsville Middle School Cafe, 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge from 10:30 until 11:30 a.m.
• Blossom Center, 280 Royce Circle in Oak Ridge, Monday through Friday from 10:30 until 11 a.m. Unlike the other Sunshine sites, it will be open through June 27
• Linden Elementary School at 700 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge will also serve as a breakfast and lunch site, but times were not available.
“We’re committed to supporting our students and families year-round,” said Kristina Barnard, Southwest Food Excellence, LLC., general manager in a news release in which Oak Ridge Schools recently announced a partnership with to provide meals for children during the summer months.
