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First, Knoxville got a Whataburger and now... more Culver's locations? East Tennessee is winning the chain burger restaurant lottery.

Culver's announced the opening of three new Tennessee locations, all of which are on the Eastern third of the state. The new locations will be in Hixson, Oak Ridge and Sevierville

In Oak Ridge, the restaurant will be at 1510 Oak Ridge Turnpike. Construction of the franchise is already underway and the store is set to open in September, pending adverse weather, according to Kaleb DeFreese, the new location's owner-operator.

The Sevierville franchise is under construction on the Dolly Parton Parkway. No opening date has been announced.

Culver's is a Wisconsin-based fast-food chain that is famous for its ButterBurgers, frozen custard and cheese curds. A ButterBurger is cooked to order and topped with a lightly buttered, toasted bun.

If burgers aren't your thing, the chain has a diverse menu that includes, chicken, salads and even seafood.

Is your mouth watering yet? If so, you can visit one of the chain's currently operating restaurants in Alcoa, at 270 Hamilton Crossing Drive, or in Cedar Bluff at 9113 Kingston Pike.

The Midwest chain has more than 1,000 locations across 26 states, according to its website.

This Culver's expansion is the latest in the Knoxville area's fast-food burger boom. Recently, Whataburger announced the opening of three new restaurants around the Scruffy City.

There have also been rumors that California-based In-and-Out Burger could be joining Knoxville's fast-food mix. However, there has been no confirmation that the franchise would expand to East Tennessee.

How many Culver's locations are there in Tennessee?

Tennessee is one of 26 states to have Culver's locations. Currently, Culver's has nine restaurants operating across the state.

Oak Ridge editor Donna Smith contributed to this report.

With fresh funding, Standard Nuclear is accelerating the production of TRISO nuclear fuel for advanced reactors at industrial scale, emerging as the nation’s only reactor-agnostic TRISO fuel manufacturer and poised to transform domestic nuclear energy supply chains

Standard Nuclear

OAK RIDGE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Standard Nuclear, Inc., a reactor-agnostic producer of TRISO nuclear fuel, today announced its launch from stealth with $42 million in total funding led by Decisive Point with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Washington Harbour Partners, Welara, Fundomo, and Crucible Capital.

Standard Nuclear is accelerating the production of TRISO nuclear fuel for advanced reactors at industrial scale, emerging as the nation’s only reactor-agnostic TRISO fuel manufacturer and poised to transform domestic nuclear energy supply chains

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As power demands surge for data centers, energy-intensive industries, and transportable energy solutions in defense and remote locations, Standard Nuclear is focused exclusively on supporting the advanced nuclear fuel supply chain through scaled production of TRISO, a critical and highly durable fuel for advanced nuclear reactors. Following decades of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) scientific research, in 2019, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a safety evaluation report confirming the exceptional performance and robust safety profile of TRISO fuel, marking a significant step toward its use in advanced nuclear reactors.

Next-generation nuclear reactors, such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and micro reactors, will drive the future of reliable and flexible energy, but these systems require specialized advanced nuclear fuels to unlock their full potential. Currently, few companies are producing TRISO fuel, and production is limited to small batches for their own proprietary reactor designs. As the country’s first and only independent TRISO fuel manufacturer without reactor development operations of its own, Standard Nuclear’s model strengthens the advanced reactor supply chain by providing a reliable, independent source of fuel.

Standard Nuclear owns and operates a set of fully equipped commercial-scale facilities totaling 19,000-square-feet that sit on its 36.8 acre campus located at the former K-25 Nuclear site in Oak Ridge, TN. The Company operates its fully permitted radiological facilities to manufacture and supply TRISO fuel forms with varying specifications for its multiple commercial and government customers.

“As the demand for power accelerates, nuclear is a clear and practical solution. Advanced nuclear fuels like TRISO for small modular and micro-reactors are necessary to unleash American energy dominance and enable a future with abundant power,” said Thomas Hendrix, General Partner at Decisive Point and Executive Chairman of Standard Nuclear. “With the capital from this funding round, Standard Nuclear is positioned to deliver on our growing customer orders, accelerate our growth, and fill the domestic supply gap. We are rapidly scaling TRISO fuel production to advance our mission of securing the domestic supply chain and achieving energy independence.”

The Standard Nuclear team is comprised of over two dozen employees with 150+ years combined DOE National Lab experience. Founded in 2024, the company has booked $5 million in contracts in the first quarter of 2025, and signed a major fuel offtake agreement for over 1 MTU of fuel with an additional 1.5 MTU in negotiation, representing more than $100 million in non-binding fuel sales for 2027. In just a few months, the company has established strategic customer relationships for its various products and services with a diversified group of commercial and government customers including Radiant Industries, Antares, Nano Nuclear Energy, Jimmy Energy, The U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories, and the Department of Defense.

“Most of the long-anticipated wave of advanced reactors finally arriving to market are harnessing the unique, inherent advantages of TRISO fuel—benefits that have been validated through decades of DOE and NRC investment and scientific rigor,” said Dr. Kurt Terrani, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Nuclear. “These reactors can’t run without fuel, and we’re here to ensure there are no uncertainties in that supply. We’re not just delivering TRISO fuel at scale—we’re doing it at a cost that enables a robust, competitive, and sustainable advanced reactor industry.”

About TRISO — The Most Robust Nuclear Fuel on Earth

Tristructural Isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel is composed of tiny uranium-bearing spheres encapsulated by successive layers of carbon and ceramic-based materials. Each TRISO particle, about the size of a poppy seed, acts as its own containment system for uranium and its radioactive fission products and eliminating the possibility of a meltdown event. The unique coated layer structure of TRISO particles enhances fuel performance and safety, making TRISO particularly well-suited for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) and other emerging advanced nuclear reactors. TRISO production has been substantially de-risked, as its design and manufacturing processes have matured over six decades. Initially developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s for the Dragon Reactor, an HTGR, the technology saw meaningful advancements in the following decades. After various phases of research, development, and occasional dormancy, the U.S. Department of Energy revived and began further improving TRISO fuel in 2002 with the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program, focusing on modernization of the manufacturing and quality control methods, as well as irradiation performance tests of UCO fuel kernel system.

The AGR program paved the way for further advancements in TRISO fuel, setting an international record by demonstrating that TRISO fuel could safely withstand temperatures up to 1800°C throughout a multi-year campaign led by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and supported by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). According to INL, the fuel performed even better than they expected. Based on these results, the NRC reviewed the data and gave a safety approval in 2019, further advancing TRISO’s widespread adoption as the premiere fuel for next-generation nuclear reactors.

Because of its excellent performance and safety qualities, TRISO fuel will be used in the vast majority of new reactor designs.

About Standard Nuclear

Standard Nuclear’s mission is to reliably deliver the essential building blocks of nuclear power at scale—enabling cost-effective, safe, and secure energy for the world. Supported by leading U.S. defense technology and critical infrastructure investment firms, Standard Nuclear is focused on the large-scale production of advanced nuclear fuel and radioisotope power systems. It is the nation’s only independent manufacturer of TRISO fuel—a robust, high-performance fuel essential to advanced nuclear reactors for both terrestrial and space applications. Standard Nuclear offers a reactor-agnostic supply of advanced fuels to the next-generation nuclear industry and delivers dependable radioisotope power solutions to the space and defense sectors. Through these efforts, it is helping to eliminate U.S. reliance on geopolitical adversaries for these strategically vital technologies. For more information, visit: https://www.standardnuclear.com/

2026 Tennessee baseball commit Mikee Teasley was named Class 4A Mr. Baseball by the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association on Tuesday.

The junior pitcher and third baseman is from Oak Ridge High School in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He led the Wildcats to the Class 4A state tournament for a second consecutive season. Teasley also earned District 3-4A Player of the Year honors by the league's coaches following the 2025 regular season.

Teasley committed to the Vols and head coach Tony Vitello on Oct. 20, 2024.

Oak Ridge was slated to open tournament play Tuesday against Clarksville at Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Tuesday, but the game was postponed due to inclement weather. The first-round game will now be contested Wednesday with first pitch slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT.

Oak Ridge (34-7) set a school record for wins this season, eclipsing last year's total of 28. The Wildcats won both the District 3-4A regular-season title and postseason tournament championship.

Teasley entered state tournament play with a .391 batting average. He has totaled seven home runs, 33 RBIs and 12 doubles.

Teasley (8-1) has recorded a 1.16 ERA and 113 strikeouts as a pitcher.

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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Future Vol wins Mr. Baseball award

School is out for the summer, so it’s time to make summer bucket lists where we can do all the fun things we want to do.

Water Wise Week: June 9-13, Various Locations around Oak Ridge

Water Wise Week is a fun educational refresher about how important water is. There are activities around Oak Ridge every day from June 9-13. From June 9-13, adults and kids can do five additional activities and win prizes for completing the task. Check out where they are meeting June 9-13 and the additional activities here.

Oak Ridge Schools/SFE Summer Sunshine Bus Feeding Program: Monday- Friday, June 2-27

There are two options for summer feeding this year in Oak Ridge for kids 18 and under. First check out where the Sunshine Bus is going to be around the city Monday-Friday in June from 10:30am-3:15 pm.

Second, the Oak Ridge High School has their Open Cafe from 10:30-11:30 AM Monday through Friday in June located at 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge.

For additional information and questions email Kristina Barnard at kristina.barnard@sfellc.org.

Summer Movie Club House: June 2- August 7, Oak Ridge Cinemark, Oak Ridge, TN

Summer Movie Club House is now playing in Oak Ridge! From June 2-August 7 every Wednesday at 9:30 Cinemark will be playing family friendly movies for $1.75 a ticket. A great activity for when you need to get out of the heat. Check out the movie schedule here.

Coffe House: June 20, 6-8pm, Grace Luthern Church, 131 W Gettysburg Ave, Oak Ridge

Come for a night of fun! Grace Lutheran is opening their doors to the community for an evening event. There will be music, coffee, snacks, and more. Bring your kids! Childcare is provided with fun actives for all ages. Bring a friend or two for this night of fellowship.

Lavender Festival: June 21, 8am-4pm, Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, TN

The Lavender Festival is a great family outing. It is hosted in the beautiful historic Jackson Square where lavender is the star of the show. There are over 100 vendors that participate with activities for everyone in the family to enjoy. Kids’ highlights are the splash fountain, smoothie bike, mini train ride, a bee scavenger hunt, learning about pollinators, and the art spot.

4th of July Fireworks: July 4, Sundown, A.K. Bissell Park, Oak Ridge

The City of Oak Ridge puts on a spectacular firework show every 4th of July. The event is kicked off by the Oak Ridge Community Band’s performance at 7:30pm at A.K. Bissell Park followed by the fireworks at sundown. If you are not interested in the concert, but still want to see the fireworks, you do not need to go to the park to view them. There are many areas around the park where you can have great views of the firework show. Our family always goes across the street to the high school to view the fireworks. Make sure to find a spot early, as the fireworks attract large crowds. Bring chairs and blankets to sit on.

Story Time: Oak Ridge Public Library, Mondays and Tuesdays at 10:30am

Color your world this summer at the summer reading program put on by the Oak Ridge Public Library. Every Monday and Tuesday from now-July 7 at 10:30am, the library has a special guest that will come and perform. It culminates in a party held on July 9 for all those who have completed their summer reading logs. The library holds the program in the Oak Ridge Civic Center gym next to the Public Library. The library does a phenomenal job with the program. It is a must do with your kids, even if you do not do the summer reading program. Sign up and more information here.

Oak Ridge Community Band Concerts

The Oak Ridge Community Band hosts concerts throughout the summer showcasing a variety of music for all ages to enjoy. All concerts are free and open to the public. If held outside, bring your own chairs, or blanket to sit on. Enjoy the shows!

Independence Day Concert July 4, 7:30pm A.K. Bissell Park, Oak Ridge

Labor Day Concert August 31, 7pm A.K. Bissell Park, Oak Ridge

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For the first time in the United States, a utility is asking federal regulators for a permit to build a small nuclear reactor.

The nation’s largest public power company, the Tennessee Valley Authority, announced Tuesday it submitted a construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a small, modular nuclear reactor. It wants to develop next-generation nuclear power in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, at its Clinch River site.

TVA President and CEO Don Moul said that by going first, they can show other utilities a way to accelerate the development of small nuclear reactors.

“Nuclear is very reliable, very resilient. It is carbon free,” he told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Monday. “It is, what I would consider, one of the highest quality generating sources we have. And so starting a path forward not only helps others in America follow, but it can also help America lead the world in the new technology.”

The federally owned utility provides electricity to seven states and operates three traditional, large nuclear power plants, which provide 40% of the Tennessee Valley’s power. The region’s population is growing, industries are replacing fossil fuels with electric alternatives and there’s more manufacturing. The TVA expects to need up to 26 gigawatts of power by 2035, enough to power roughly 15 million homes, to meet the growing demand for electricity and replace retiring power plants.

Its board launched a program in 2022 to develop and fund small modular nuclear reactors as part of its strategy to dramatically reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, and has provided $350 million for it so far.

More: TVA 2020 v. 2030: Why the nation’s largest public utility is not getting cleaner

U.S. electric utilities have been reluctant to invest in new nuclear construction because of large cost overruns and delays in Georgia, as Georgia Power Co.’s Plant Vogtle was expanded from two of the traditional large reactors to four, said Jacopo Buongiorno, professor of nuclear science and engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The TVA decision is meaningful because it may be the start of a trend, Buongiorno added.

The United States does not have any next-generation reactors operating commercially. The NRC is currently reviewing applications from companies that want to build these reactors to begin providing power in the early 2030s.

A project to build the first was terminated in 2023, as costs increased and not enough local power providers signed up to be part of it.

This month, the power company in Ontario, Canada, began building the first of four small nuclear reactors. Ontario Power Generation chose the same reactor the TVA wants to build, GE Hitachi’s design that uses light water like all large U.S. commercial reactors.

In Ontario, they’re expecting the first to cost $6.1 billion Canadian dollars ($4.4 billion), along with $1.6 billion Canadian dollars ($1.1 billion) for equipment to build all four. The cost is expected to decline with each subsequent reactor. TVA’s cost estimates are in the same range, Moul said, but he declined to give specifics and said the utility is looking for partners to help with the initial costs.

The nonprofit Environmental Working Group says far cheaper, safer and cleaner electricity can be delivered much faster through investments in proven renewable sources like solar rooftops, battery storage and wind power. There’s “no bigger example of a money pit than the fantasy of small modular reactors” as a viable source of energy in the U.S., said Alex Formuzis, spokesperson for the research and advocacy organization.

The Biden administration announced a $900 million investment in these reactors last year. The Trump administration also supports building small modular reactors for flexible, reliable power for energy-intensive sectors like industry and data centers as electricity demand soars. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in March that the $900 million would be awarded, but applicants had to submit new proposals to be judged solely on technical merit, without consideration for past diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

The TVA and its industry partners applied for $800 million in federal funding, which they say will help speed up the development of the technology by about two years.

The NRC has already said the Clinch River site is suitable for a new nuclear plant. There’s enough room for a total of four small reactors. If the NRC and the TVA board approve the plans to build the first reactor there, it could begin operating around 2032, providing 300 megawatts of power, which is enough for about 175,000 homes.