Year into pandemic, churches plan for Easter
Oakridger
This year marks the second Easter or Resurrection Sunday since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many Oak Ridge churches are adapting in various ways for services.
“Many members in our congregation have felt isolated in their homes over the last year. This Easter celebration allows us to remember what it means for us to be a community of faith. We are all in this together. In the past, we too often took fellowship and connection to our brothers and sisters in Christ for granted. We won’t take those life-giving gifts for granted anymore,” Pastor Mark Flynn of First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge stated.
Alpha Kappa Alpha ‘Keep the Dream Alive’ scholarship recipients
Oakridger
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Oak Ridge Chapter awarded “Keep the Dream Alive Book” scholarships to five Oak Ridge High School seniors who are anticipating the beginning of their college education in 2021, according to a news release.
The scholarships were announced during the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Speaks Program.
These scholarship recipients were nominated by the Men of Tomorrow Program, SECME Inc., and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Oak Ridge Chapter based on the recipients’ community service activities, leadership, commitment and outstanding participation in community and school organizations. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority nominated Cassidy Dukes and Brianna Greer.
New year, new home: Celebrate!
Oakridger
Clinch River Habitat for Humanity recently celebrated a new home with owner Rebecca “Becky” Soles and her lovely daughters; COVID-19 style.
Instead of the usual church gathering for a home dedication, Clinch River Habitat for Humanity opted for safety and did an outdoor service led by Pastor Derrick Hammond of Oak Valley Baptist Church and a drive by celebration.
“We hated that we could not celebrate in the usual fashion, but we are mindful of the rise in COVID-19 cases and want to keep our families safe.” Charlotte Bowers Cunningham, Clinch River Habitat for Humanity executive director, stated in a news release.
Oakridger
Oak Ridge City Council members and staff expressed concern recently about homelessness in Oak Ridge and problems with finding affordable housing.
“It’s going to take all of us as a community to address this particular situation,” City Council member Derrick Hammond said.
The discussion of homelessness came up prior to the vote on the Community Development Block Grant plan on Dec. 14. City Community Development Director Wayne Blasius said the measure Council approved includes the city’s plans for using the CDBG, including some CARES Act funding this year and over the next three years.
As explained in the meeting agenda, $236,872 is the amount the city will get from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development while an additional $232,681 will be from CARES Act funding to prevent, prepare and respond to COVID-19. Together they total of $469,553 for activities in the proposed Consolidated Plan.
City answers utility billing questions
Oakridger
Citizen complaints about new city utility billing dates have led to discussion by Oak Ridge City Council, but no changes have been made.
Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs recently gave what he said were the reasons behind the change in billing dates and the city’s inflexibility regarding the dates at a work session.
Earlier he said customers were “confused or in some cases angry because of the billing changes.”
The City Council heard from one such citizen during one of its recent meetings.
Oak Ridge resident Raymond Mitchell told Council during the time for citizen comments that he is on a fixed income and his check comes in one day after the bill is due.