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I can only assume that mtneer must have meant that the apartments in Oak Ridge were a bit of a war zone. I've noticed some people complaining about crime near income-limited housing in that area. I'm not looking to rent, and I'd love a home with a more modern feel or look to it, so that might not be an issue for me.
No I'm not saying that the apartment areas are a "war zone" in Oak Ridge. Drugs have just infiltrated the area probably because there is little other work for young people in the area. Look I lived there for over 10 yrs, moved back this summer and stayed with family a couple months there until I found a place out of town. You folks need to do some reading. Anderson Co and particularly Oak Ridge has one of the highest rates of meth labs in the US!!! Nearly every day the Oak Ridger is writing about yet another person being busted for meth. Its in every part of town, but you can expect drugs at any of the private rentals like in the old D and E houses. I once lived in a house across from the rentals and watched the FBI Swat team storm a neighbor's and later found crack cocaine inside the walls. They found 4 drug houses on that street when I lived there and have busted 3 more since I moved away ...and that's only the ones I heard about. There was even one Sunday where all the nice neighbors seem to be gone, I was only one at home and I watched terrified, mortified as a gang of thugs blocked one end of our road in broad daylight and one dude had a AK-47. I should have called the police, but I figured they wouldn't believe me because we called at least once a week on a regular basis because of all the disturbances with repeated break-ins, vandalism and repeatedly having a guy pistol whip his girlfriend in the road. Then there was the time I had group of guys chase me through the parking lot at Krogers in the middle of daylight after one of the guys approached me and tried to order me to drive him somewhere.
Oh and by the way even though you are looking to buy a house be aware throughout Oak Ridge there are rentals in the middle of family neighborhoods. Apartments are not concentrated to one area and drug busts have been in houses too..not just the apartments.
All you people that think Oak Ridge is a nice little Mayberry need to get your heads out of the sand.
Here's a nice map of meth labs in Tennessee to give you some idea of the problem.
Anderson Co and particularly Oak Ridge has one of the highest rates of meth labs in the US!!! Nearly every day the Oak Ridger is writing about yet another person being busted for meth. Its in every part of town, but you can expect drugs at any of the private rentals like in the old D and E houses.
Sounds like Albuquerque, actually. I remember watching a pickup drive down Central Ave (Rt 66). It had a tarp over the bed, and I saw smoke start to creep out from under the canvas, then it burst into flames. The idiot driver had constructed a mobile meth lab in the bed of his truck, and never took into consideration the fact that meth labs don't like to be jostled. The police nabbed him quickly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtneer
There was even one Sunday where all the nice neighbors seem to be gone, I was only one at home and I watched terrified, mortified as a gang of thugs blocked one end of our road in broad daylight and one dude had a AK-47. I should have called the police, but I figured they wouldn't believe me because we called at least once a week on a regular basis because of all the disturbances with repeated break-ins, vandalism and repeatedly having a guy pistol whip his girlfriend in the road.
I'm not afraid of stuff like that. I've seen far worse many times. It's an irritant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtneer
Then there was the time I had group of guys chase me through the parking lot at Krogers in the middle of daylight after one of the guys approached me and tried to order me to drive him somewhere.
Yep. Been there, done that, missed him by THAT much when I tried to run him down with my car. A shame, really. I was so wanting a new 'stupid thug' hood ornament.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtneer
Here's a nice map of meth labs in Tennessee to give you some idea of the problem.
Good information to have. I've already pretty much ruled out the entirety of Anderson County, though. I've been looking at county and city tax rates and deciding how much I want to spend a year on taxes. I've also ruled out Knoxville proper (depending on the value of the house), but Sevier county is definitely on the list of possibilities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtneer
All you people that think Oak Ridge is a nice little Mayberry need to get your heads out of the sand.
Not sure I'm liking that tone. But I'm going to assume it was meant in the best possible way, since there's no tone of voice in text.
Sounds like Albuquerque, actually. I remember watching a pickup drive down Central Ave (Rt 66). It had a tarp over the bed, and I saw smoke start to creep out from under the canvas, then it burst into flames. The idiot driver had constructed a mobile meth lab in the bed of his truck, and never took into consideration the fact that meth labs don't like to be jostled. The police nabbed him quickly.
According to news reports the new mobile labs are the new thing as in making meth inside a coke bottle even while picking your kids up from school. Really pathetic!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashrael
Not sure I'm liking that tone. But I'm going to assume it was meant in the best possible way, since there's no tone of voice in text.
I wasn't writing with a tone and definitely not at you. Its just some people on here honestly will post how wonderful little white picket fence type of town Oak Ridge is when the town as a whole is more like a run down ghetto. Sure there are a few nice neighborhoods (and they are probably making meth there too) and there are surely many, many good decent folks in the town and others nearby like it. But honestly some of the locals especially the older generation (no disrepect intended) have this PollyAnna attitude about East Tenn. Look it used to be safe(r) and used to be nice little country towns, but honestly it has some of the worst crime and violence stats of towns several times its size. And yes I am bold enough to say PollyAnna cause you wouldn't believe all the women here that will walk off and leave their purse sitting in the shopping cart while they peruse the store. Or like at the gym I will open up a locker thinking its empty and available since there is no lock on it only to find a woman's billfold, cellphone and car keys just laying there...unlocked...while she is apparently in the gym somewhere. That is naive beyond words! Just like all the women leave their purse lying on the car seat while they jog around the lake then wonder why anyone would break into their car.
According to news reports the new mobile labs are the new thing as in making meth inside a coke bottle even while picking your kids up from school. Really pathetic!
Mobile meth labs are still prone to fires and explosions, though. Plus, it's really hard to make a passable volume of product without access to the old standby: a cast iron bath tub. That's why older hotels in Albuquerque are/were so popular - they almost always were old enough to come equipped with the proper plumbing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtneer
I wasn't writing with a tone and definitely not at you.
S'cool.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtneer
And yes I am bold enough to say PollyAnna cause you wouldn't believe all the women here that will walk off and leave their purse sitting in the shopping cart while they peruse the store. Or like at the gym I will open up a locker thinking its empty and available since there is no lock on it only to find a woman's billfold, cellphone and car keys just laying there...unlocked...while she is apparently in the gym somewhere. That is naive beyond words! Just like all the women leave their purse lying on the car seat while they jog around the lake then wonder why anyone would break into their car.
Not something I have to worry about much - I don't carry a purse, I keep my keys and cell phone in my pocket, I don't leave things visible sitting on the seat in my car, and I don't/can't go to the gym (spine injuries force me to partake in very specific forms of exercise, none of which your average gym is equipped to handle). That, and I walk with a weapon in hand at all times. It's "only" a cane, but I can do a lot of damage with that silly looking stick, should it come to it.
As my old platoon sergeant used to say, "It's all a matter of attitude, son. You either a victim or you ain't."[sic]
Wow, I'm surprised to hear OR has gotten this rough outside the Valley. I've lived in a rough part of Knoxville, and though I've seen my share of drug deals, I never saw anybody with an AK in broad daylight, geez. Maybe I shouldn't be too shocked, my buddy lived in the burbs there in what seemed like a pretty nice neighborhood, and two of the kids he grew up with on that street are now in prison. One ended up being some kind of coke kingpin.
They still have the best schools in the state, IMO.
I'm not a big fan of Oak Ridge. It's The Secret City. It was slapped together during World War II for the Manhattan Project. As such, it doesn't have great, old architecture, of which I am a fan. It has a bunch of odd-looking boxes that are distinguished by letters (i.e. "A" building, "D" building) and sold as homes. But there are some beautiful newer homes, too.
It also has a lot of transplants. I lived in some areas of Florida like that, and I don't care for that transient, everyone-for-themselves attitude. Having said that though, Oak Ridge is much friendlier than any town or city I have seen in Florida. You can still walk into a store and get a friendly and sincere "hello."
It does have a small area that isn't the best. However, if you are from a fairly large city, this would hardly be considered a "scary" area. It's a town of about 28,000, for crying out loud. Check the crime on City-Data; per capita, the crime is just a bit higher than average.
It has a beautiful community center and a lot of other extremely nice public buildings. The feds made sure that they gave back to the town.
It has horrible shopping with the mall just about dead and not much else around, but it is less than 20 minutes to Turkey Creek, the mecca of commercialism - and a personal favorite of me and my daughter's.
And it is absolutely true that the school system is excellent. It has to be. Do you know how many scientist's kid attend?
There have been people on the forum, over the years, that have come through and told us their personal opinion on Oak Ridge. Most liked it. Some said it was not for them. No one said they feared for their life.
I prefer to give a fair and balanced view of Oak Ridge and the entire area. I understand that if you grew up here and were recently forced back you might not be such a fan, but I have lived up north and in Florida and I love this area. The people are great, the economy is better than most and the cost of living is phenomenal. Oh, and the scenery is beautiful.
I've lived in a rough part of Knoxville, and though I've seen my share of drug deals, I never saw anybody with an AK in broad daylight, geez.
I'm ex-military. Not only can I ID most firearms (and vehicles and planes, etc) on sight, but I also know what Hollywood and CNN have taught the average American:
For anyone wondering, left to right and top down, the items in the attached image above are:
AK-47, M-4
P-90, Uzi
M-107 Barrett, Walther PPK
M-951 Beretta, RPG-7
Retro Potato Ray Gun, 1972 Jaguar XJ12
.44 cal Philly Derringer, Winchester Model 71
I'm not a big fan of Oak Ridge. It's The Secret City. It was slapped together during World War II for the Manhattan Project. As such, it doesn't have great, old architecture, of which I am a fan. It has a bunch of odd-looking boxes that are distinguished by letters (i.e. "A" building, "D" building) and sold as homes. But there are some beautiful newer homes, too.
It also has a lot of transplants. I lived in some areas of Florida like that, and I don't care for that transient, everyone-for-themselves attitude. Having said that though, Oak Ridge is much friendlier than any town or city I have seen in Florida. You can still walk into a store and get a friendly and sincere "hello."
It does have a small area that isn't the best. However, if you are from a fairly large city, this would hardly be considered a "scary" area. It's a town of about 28,000, for crying out loud. Check the crime on City-Data; per capita, the crime is just a bit higher than average.
It has a beautiful community center and a lot of other extremely nice public buildings. The feds made sure that they gave back to the town.
It has horrible shopping with the mall just about dead and not much else around, but it is less than 20 minutes to Turkey Creek, the mecca of commercialism - and a personal favorite of me and my daughter's.
And it is absolutely true that the school system is excellent. It has to be. Do you know how many scientist's kid attend?
There have been people on the forum, over the years, that have come through and told us their personal opinion on Oak Ridge. Most liked it. Some said it was not for them. No one said they feared for their life.
I prefer to give a fair and balanced view of Oak Ridge and the entire area. I understand that if you grew up here and were recently forced back you might not be such a fan, but I have lived up north and in Florida and I love this area. The people are great, the economy is better than most and the cost of living is phenomenal. Oh, and the scenery is beautiful.
Not getting carried away might be a severe understatement. Sounds like the "frantic" poster is more than a bit confused. No one thinks O.R. is a "Mayberry," and as for getting one's head out of the sand, I doubt many on this forum meet that "head in the sand" criteria. Meth is a national problem, and it is doubtful that O.R. is any worse, in that respect, than many other locations in this country. Emotions cause some to get carried away, as you note, hik.
2nd? I think it is safe to say that Tennessee ranked 5th nationally for last year... and third in 2008.
DEA, Maps of Methamphetamine Lab Incidents (http://www.justice.gov/dea/concern/map_lab_seizures.html - broken link)
I have just read this thread. I find it hard to believe that Oak Ridge would have problem with meth.. I mean OR has a lot of residents that had college education. OR isn't really out of place like Sunbright, Wartburg, Olive Spring, Lake City, Norris, etc.
Last edited by Beretta; 09-22-2010 at 07:51 PM..
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