Home Care In Oak Ridge, NC

Subtitle A Symbol of Peace to a Town Borne of War

Main Text At nearly seven feet tall and five feet wide, the 8,300-pound bronze bell symbolizes peace and reconciliation between the United States and Japan. The concept of the bell came about when Oak Ridge residents Dr. Ram Uppuluri and his wife, Shigeko visited Japan in 1987. After seeing the value of a bonsh? bell hanging in Buddhist Gannyu-ji Temple, they launched “Project Peace Bell.”Designed in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in 1991 by Suzanna Harris and cast in Kyoto, Japan, in 1993 by renowned Japanese bell-maker Sotetsu Iwazawa, the relief panels display peaceful images inspired by Tennessee, Japan, as well as tragedies of war between the two nations. Recognizing the potential significance of the bell, $750,000 in donations was ultimately raised to design, fabricate, deliver, and install the bell, by citizens and foundations in communities in both Japan, and in Oak Ridge. The bell was not without controversy when it was dedicated in 1996. There were concerns over potential noise from the bell, as well as some interpreting it as an apology for destroying Hiroshima. Visitors are encouraged to ring the bell in times of celebration and remembrance.

Photo text (quote): “The bell was built to honor the workers of the Manhattan Project, to commemorate the 50th birthday of Oak Ridge, and to become a symbol and everlasting monument for the peace. The bell is for everyone, the young and the old. I feel something very special about this town, the town borne of war, living for peace and growing through science.” -- Shigeko Yoshino Uppuluri

Exhibit Panel Description A black and white exhibit panel on a black frame approximately four feet tall. The panel has a black band at the top and a title underneath that reads “International Friendship Bell: A Symbol of Peace to a Town Borne of War”. A photo of a large bell is on the center right partially covered by a quote. The text of the panel is located on the center left.

Visit This Exhibit Panel The International Friendship Bell wayside is located next to the bell in AK Bissell Park. The address is 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

The Pulse

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a construction permit for a new nuclear test reactor to be built in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Kairos Power, the California company developing the Hermes demonstration reactor, says it’s the first non-water-cooled reactor to be approved for construction in the U.S. in over 50 years.

Construction of the 35-megawatt thermal reactor, which uses molten salt to cool the reactor core, at the Heritage Center Industrial Park is expected to begin next year. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Tennessee Valley Authority, are “collaborators” on the project, which has been paid for “nearly exclusively” through private investment, the company says, though the project has also been selected for $303 million in Department of Energy funding.

In a statement the TVA said it has been partnering with Kairos for several years to provide its “expertise in engineering, operations and licensing support” to Kairos. The Hermes reactor will be just a few miles from TVA’s Clinch River Nuclear site.

“With the Hermes construction permit now approved, Kairos Power is demonstrating our leadership in developing advanced nuclear reactors and we have made a big step forward on our path to deploying clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy in East Tennessee and beyond,” said Mike Laufer, Kairos Power co-founder and CEO, in a statement.

A separate application to the NRC for an operating license will have to be approved before Kairos Power can operate the demonstration reactor, the NRC said.

Across the country, private developers, policymakers and utilities are exploring options for advanced reactors and small modular reactors to maintain reliability in a decarbonizing grid, power hydrogen production, replace jobs and tax revenue in struggling towns where coal power plants are closing and bring zero-emissions electricity to remote areas of the globe.

But new nuclear power has been infamously expensive and difficult to build in the United States over the past several decades, and one of the more celebrated advanced reactor projects, NuScale’s Carbon Free Power Project, was recently canceled as costs climbed and subscribers pulled out.

Ben James, a right handed bluegrass guitarist and singer from Hickory, NC, has been called up to the majors, where he will take the position of tenor vocalist with The Oak Ridge Boys.

We all know Ben from his time with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Dailey & Vincent, and his own recent solo album, Wonderland, with RBR Entertainment. Throughout we have seen him excel singing high lead and tenor vocals, and choosing quality material that suits his uniquely high pitched voice.

James has now been chosen to succeed Joe Bonsal, who had been a member of the Oaks this past 50 years, but has elected to step aside owing to a medical condition that severely restricts his mobility.

In a statement yesterday, Joe shared his reasons for leaving the band that has been his life since joining in 1973.

“Many of you know I have been battling a slow onset (over four years now) of a neuromuscular disorder. I am now at a point where walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road. It has just gotten too difficult. It has been a great 50 years, and I am thankful to all the Oak Ridge Boys, band, crew, and staff for the constant love and support shown to me through it all. I will never forget, and for those of you who have been constantly holding me up in prayer, I thank you and ask for you to keep on praying.”

Bonsal further offered an introduction to Ben for the many fans of the Oaks.

“There is a young man named Ben James singing for me out there, and he needs your love and encouragement … his sound is different than mine, but he brings a ton of talent to the table! The Oak Ridge Boys will finish the Farewell Tour without me, but rest assured, I am good with all of it! God’s Got It!!!”

When we caught up with James this morning, he was still getting accustomed to his new role. Having played his first show with The Oak Ridge Boys this past Saturday in Greenville, MS, he said it feels a bit surreal. An experienced professional, there was no hesitation singing in front of large audiences, but Ben has been a bluegrass guy all his life.

So how did this all come about?

“I first met the Oaks when I was with Dailey & Vincent in ’22. I’d been a fan forever, growing up on quartet stuff. We did a show with them and all went out on stage for Elvira, and they had me sing a verse.

Joe has been battling this neuromuscuular thing for the past four or five years. They had been saying that there may come a time when we will need you. And they finally did.

I hate it for Joe, and I hate that I come in in this circumstance. I hate the whole situation; they are heroes to me.

I can’t be him, I can’t try to be him. I’m just going to be myself. I was really nervous at first but I’m just hoping to step in and do the best I can do. It is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Something a lot of people may not know is that Joe Bonsal is also a grasser, taking up banjo later in life, and learning to become a skilled player. Though his background was in quartet singing, he follows bluegrass closely and dearly loves his five string.

Ben says that he won’t be turning his back on bluegrass, despite this new gig.

“I’ll always be a bluegrass guy. My plan is to continue to record as a solo bluegrass artist, and I will do a few festivals with the Ben James Band this year, and fill in with some of my friends at festivals.

But The Oak Ridge Boys will be my top priority.”

You can follow The Oak Ridge Boys tour schedule online.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) — As artificial intelligence technology continues to grow, so do concerns about its capabilities. Recently, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory announced its support for an executive order signed by President Biden in October.

The order outlines how the U.S. will promote the safe usage of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and establishes requirements for how it’s used, by businesses, universities, federal institutions and others.

In September, ORNL announced the launch of its Center for Artificial Intelligence Security Research (CAISER). Research Lead Amir Sadovnik said the executive order aligns with their goals at the center.

“We want to try to figure out what type of risks and threats this brings up, and the new executive order is really kind of saying that that’s what we should be doing,” he said.

Being on the same page as the federal government has motivated Sadovnik and his team to continue diving into their research.

“It does feel good that, in some ways, our concerns have been affirmed by the president, to say, ‘yes, what you have been working on for the past few years is actually a top priority for the government and you should keep pushing in that direction,'” he said.

According to Sadovnik, AI presents two threats that are unique to this type of technology.

“One is the threats to AI-based systems, so if you imagine, for example, an AI system that tries to do face recognition, there are ways you can fool this AI system,” he explained.

The potential for misuse is another risk, which has come with accessibility to AI.

“People can use that to generate, for example, misinformation, fake news, and all kinds of other stuff, we’ve already seen that,” he said.

The president’s acknowledgment also brings more attention to the topic, which Sadovnik said is crucial.

“It raises a lot of interest from the public, which I think is important because it’s important for the public to understand that these things are going to affect them as well,” he said.

Privacy is another concern outlined in both the executive order and the CAISER team’s goals.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) — A new director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy’s largest multi-purpose national laboratory, was announced on Thursday.

UT-Battelle, the private nonprofit company that manages and operates the federal site in, has appointed Stephen K. Streiffer as the next director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He will assume the role in October.

“Our national laboratories provide scientists with access to some of the most powerful research facilities in the world, and Stephen has been a key leader in the development of these capabilities,” said Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, director of DOE’s Office of Science. “At Oak Ridge, Stephen’s experience will help to ensure continued impact that benefits the nation and world.”

He currently serves as the interim director of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California. SLAC is administered by Stanford University, which Streiffer joined last year as the vice president responsible for the oversight of the lab. He previously spent 24 years at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.

Streiffer earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Stanford University and a bachelor’s in materials science from Rice University. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the Materials Research Society and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

“I look forward to getting to work at Oak Ridge,” Streiffer said. “Through my roles with Office of Science programs and user facilities, I’ve collaborated with ORNL and its extremely talented staff for many years. It’s a great honor to be selected as lab director and to join the team, and I’m committed to continuing the transformative role Oak Ridge has played in our nation’s scientific enterprise for almost 80 years.”

UT-Battelle has overseen Oak Ridge National Laboratory since 2000 when it was formed as a 50-50 limited liability partnership between the University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute.

Randy Boyd, president of the University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd, who also serves as vice chair of the UT-Battelle Board of Governors, praised Streiffer’s appointment: “UT is proud to partner with Battelle to manage what we believe is the best science laboratory in the country, if not the world. One of our most important responsibilities is to select and hire the best leadership possible to lead the thousands of brilliant people that make the lab so successful. We believe we have done that in hiring Stephen Streiffer. He has the experience, the energy and the vision to lead the lab to even greater heights.”

“I congratulate Dr. Stephen K. Streiffer on his appointment to be the next Director of the Oak Ridge National Lab. ORNL is the top national lab in America that, for 80 years, has contributed a major role in promoting scientific discovery and research. The United States is the world leader in advancing new sciences and technologies because of the groundbreaking work done every day at ORNL. I am confident that Dr. Streiffer will be an excellent Lab Director and build on the amazing achievements that the dedicated men and women at ORNL have accomplished,” said U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann.