Temperatures plunge; predicted snow and ice largely no show
by G. Chambers Williams III
Clinton Utilities Board journey linemen Brian Connell and Logan Phillips work to repair a damaged powerline in the aftermath of the winter storm that passed through Anderson County last weekend. Dedicated power crews braved the weather all over the area to restore power to the communities they serve. - Daniel Moody/CUB
After considerable hype by meteorologists for more than a week, the huge winter storm predicted to cripple most of the Southeast rolled into Anderson County as a rather tame event on Saturday afternoon, and was over and done with by Sunday night.
And despite earlier predictions of 10 or more inches of snow — and even worse, a possibility of devasting ice coming from the storm — the Clinton area got barely a dusting of snow on Saturday afternoon, and mostly just heavy rainfall on Sunday as temperatures hovered above freezing.
By Monday morning, as temperatures dipped into the teens overnight, the roads had been mostly cleared by nature itself, along with various city and county road crews, leaving few problems for any Monday morning commuters who “dared” to venture out.
Because many people took the warnings seriously — as they probably should have — there weren’t many people out on the roads Monday morning.
On a commute from Andersonville through Norris into downtown Clinton on Monday morning, the roads were not only mostly clear, they were almost completely dry, as well, taking most of the danger out of the trip.
Construction continues on the new Claxton Elementary School at the former site of Crossroads Christ Fellowship Church in Claxton. - Ben Pounds
Construction of the new Claxton Elementary School is 20% complete and will be done by April 2027, according to school officials.
“We’re actually two months ahead of schedule right now, which scares me a little bit,” Anderson County Director of Schools Tim Parrott told the County Commission at its Jan. 20 meeting.
The new school will be at the former site of Crossroads Christ Fellowship Church.
Parrott said the school system has spent $12 million on the project, and in February he plans to do a bond issue for $10 million more.
He said he’d been discussing getting the current school property at 2218 Clinton Highway ready to sell. The school system must give the old school property to the County Commission, which come up with specific plans for a sale.
“That way you have impact in terms of what goes into that property,” Parrott said. “It’s not just sold to the highest bidder.”
Park Lane, which goes through Anderson County Park, has crumbled due to erosion. Visitors to the park currently take a detour, but the county is looking at grants and permits to repair the damaged section. - Ben Pounds
Anderson County is trying to work with state legislators and the Tennessee Valley Authority to repair the main road leading into Anderson County Park.
Visitors to the park, at the end of Park Lane near Andersonville, currently find themselves taking a detour around the place where part of the road has crumbled down the creek bank.
At its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 20, the County Commission voted to send a letter to state representatives Rick Scarborough and Ed Butler about getting a permit from TVA to make road improvements to that stretch and grant money to help with repairs.
Anderson County Law Director James Brooks and Mayor Terry Frank will work together to draft the letter.
Commissioner Tracy Wandell made the motion, and Commissioner Robert McKamey seconded. It passed unanimously.
“Time is of the essence for getting the repairs done on the shoreline,” said Commissioner Ebony Capshaw, chairwoman of the Anderson County Highway Committee, said in an interview with The Courier News. “We need to get it fixed before it erodes even more and there’s no access to that park.”
“This is all TVA property,” said Commissioner Tim Isbel regarding the area that needs repairs, explaining the issue with permits.
No new candidates picked up petitions this past week to run in the Anderson County May 5 Republican primary or the Aug. 8 general election this year, but more who had earlier picked up petitions have now filed them.
Of the main countywide positions up for election this year, only incumbent County Trustee Regina Copeland had not yet filed as of Tuesday, although she had picked up a petition on Dec. 22.
The candidates, including two seeking the Republican nomination for Anderson County mayor, began filing for the various county positions when registration officially opened Dec. 22, with the primary election coming up May 5. Filing deadline is Feb. 19.
District 3 Commissioner Joshua Anderson has filed to run against incumbent Mayor Terry Frank in the GOP primary.
Frank was the first candidate for any county office to pick up and file a petition to run, seeking re-election to the post she has held since Seept. 1, 2012.
If you think an employee of the city of Clinton is doing a good job, you can nominate them for employee of the quarter.
To nominate, fill out the form at clintontn.net/employee.
“An employee or citizen may recognize a city of Clinton employee for going the extra mile, having an idea that improved a work process, having an idea [that] increased the efficiency of service, set a good example for others, handled a challenging situation or exemplified stellar service,” the city website states.
The Employee Engagement Committee will then review these nominees who the public chooses.
Eligible employees include Parks and Recreation, police, fire, public works and administrative.
The new owner of this lot and building, part of the former Magnet Mills hosiery mill in Clinton, has been restoring the building with new paint, roof and other improvements. - G. Chambers Williams III
The Knoxville businessman who bought one of the former Magnet Mills plant sites in Clinton in December says he has no plans to develop the property, other than upgrading the metal building that has been on the site since 1974.
Ted Duke, who operates Production Components Inc., a Knoxville industrial company, said last week that he has been renting the prefabricated building on the Magnet Mills site for several years, and decided to buy it.
“We have no plans to build anything,” he said in response to a question about rumors that a housing complex might be in the works for the site. “I have no interest in building any housing on the site.”
It’s on one of two tracts on Charles G. Seivers Boulevard along the Clinch River that once held the Magnet Mills hosiery plant.
Property records available online show that Duke on Dec. 15 purchased the 3.38-acre site which includes a 20,000-square-foot metal building, for $1.25 million.
Duke, who moved to the Knoxville area from Ohio in 1994, said he has recently been restoring the building, which he uses for storage.
The Tennessee Department of Health conducts routine and follow-up inspections of restaurants, food service operations, hotels and other regulated facilities to ensure compliance with state health and safety standards.
Scores reflect conditions observed at the time of inspection.
Listed below are recent inspection results for Anderson County and surrounding communities, sorted from highest score to lowest.
Score: 100
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Food Service. 114 Tulsa Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Inspection date: Dec. 18, 2025.
Los 3 Potrillos Mobile Unit. 301 Briarcliff Ave., Apt. B7, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Inspection date: Dec. 3, 2025.
FOE 2514 Bar. 1650 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Inspection date: Dec. 3, 2025.
Birdwell’s Mobile Unit. 108 Caldwell Drive, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Inspection date: Dec. 1, 2025.
Super 8 Clinton Inn. 720 Park Place, Clinton, TN 37716. Inspection date: Dec. 1, 2025.
