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CCS Football Coach Mark Mariakis Steps Down
Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) After seven seasons as the head football coach at CCS, Mark Mariakis has announced his resignation. Mariakis took the Chargers to the post season six times during his tenure. He said he decided to leave for family reasons. Said…
Titans Activate Derrick Henry For the Playoffs
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans will have Derrick Henry on the field for their AFC divisional game with Cincinnati after moving the NFL’s 2019 and 2020 rushing leader from injured reserve to the active roster. The Titans (12-5)…
Critics Perceive Lack of Diversity Among Riverbend Headliners
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - Riverbend Festival organizers say the lineup selection process is complex but involves community input. "We sent out a survey to around 30,000 people and just ask them straight up, who would you want to see," says Mitchell…
Georgia leads nation for quitting your job
WASHINGTON D.C. (WDEF) - They call it the "Great Resignation." A record number of workers quit their jobs before the holidays across the country and Georgia leads the list. The numbers come from November, the most recent month to be…
Omicron Surge Continues in Hamilton County
With 670 new cases reported in Hamilton County today, Chattanooga continues to face yet another surge of COVID-19. Driven by the Omicron variant, this new wave comes with a high positivity rate. "We have high transmission. Positivity rate is over…
Clinic operator sentenced to 14 years for pill scheme
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - A Nurse practitioner has been sentenced to 14 years in prison in Chattanooga. 64 year old Mark Daniel Allen was convicted last fall of running a drug-involved premises and distributing controlled substances. Prosecutors said he handed out…
Record-setting Rambler Aidan Hadaway stuns with 40-point games
LAFAYETTE, Ga. (WDEF) -- The Lafayette Ramblers are eyeing a third straight region title after a massive year from senior Aidan Hadaway. "He's a winner, and it's contagious to his teammates," coach Hank Peppers said. Hadaway is even better than…
Pothole plan for Tennessee highways
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) - TDOT reports they are addressing a pothole problem on state highways and interstates in Tennessee. They blame the back-to-back winter storms that have hit the state. They say they are using all available staff now to…
Bradley County investigates dog shooting
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - Investigators in the Bradley County Sheriff's Office are looking into the case of a dog shooting. It happened during the day on Tuesday at a home in the Tri Circle/Bartlett Circle NE. Investigators say someone shot…
Weather Update: Saturday's Forecast - January 22nd, 2022
Tennessee Valley (WDEF): Continued Cold Into The Weekend! A brutally, cold January Friday evening with an even colder night! Tonight, clouds will gradually clear and temps will drop to the low 20's with wind chills in the upper teens... More…
Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw 14.1M visits in '21
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) - Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw 14.1 million visits in 2021, topping the record from 2019 by 1.5 million. Officials say the park also set eight monthly visitation records during winter and spring months last year.…
Louie Anderson, Emmy-winning comedian, dies at 68
Louie Anderson, whose more than four-decade career as a comedian and actor included his unlikely, Emmy-winning performance as mom to twin adult sons in the TV series “Baskets,” died Friday. He was 68.
Hooked On Science - Musical Straw
SCIENCE SAFETY PLEASE follow these safety precautions when doing any science experiment. • ALWAYS have an adult present. • ALWAYS wear the correct safety gear while doing any experiment. •…
Intel building $20B Ohio chip facility amid global shortage
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Intel will invest $20 billion in a new computer chip facility in Ohio amid a global shortage of microprocessors used in everything from phones and cars to video games. After years of heavy reliance on…
East Hamilton 6'10 Forward Cade Pendleton Packs Deadly Shot Behind the Arc
Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) According to East Hamilton basketball coach Andy Webb, Cade Pendleton had 23 rebounds in a game for the Hurricanes this season. Not too surprising for a 6'10 guy. What you don't expect from someone Pendleton's size is his three…
UTC Women Down Western Carolina 55-48 For Program's 900th Career Victory
(gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- Chattanooga battled back from a nine-point halftime deficit for its third straight win, beating Western Carolina 55-48 at The McKenzie Arena Thursday…
Red Bank Downs Cleveland 59-55 For Fifth Straight Win
Cleveland, TN-(WDEF-TV) The Red Bank Lions hit the road against Cleveland on Thursday and came away with a 59-55 victory. It was the Lions fifth straight win.
Governor Visits Watts Bar Nuclear Plant
SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is making his appearances throughout the state, taking time on Thursday to visit the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant in Spring…
Mocs Down Spartans 72-64 For First Win In Greensboro Since 2016
(gomocs.com) GREENSBORO, N.C. (January 20) --- With four players scoring in double digits and a stellar performance from the free-throw line, the Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team grinded its way to its first win in Greensboro since 2016 and defeated…
Bengals Carry Banged Up Defensive Line Into Playoff Game With Titans
CINCINNATI (AP) — If Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry returns for the playoffs Saturday, he’ll be running into a Cincinnati Bengals defensive line that is already banged up. The Bengals had been relatively healthy until last week in the…
Omicron Surge Continues in Hamilton County
With 670 new cases reported in Hamilton County today, Chattanooga continues to face yet another surge of COVID-19. Driven by the Omicron variant, this new wave comes with a high positivity rate. "We have high transmission. Positivity rate is over…
Nine Hamilton County Schools go Virtual
UPDATE: Hamilton County added 5 new schools to the virtual learning list late Thursday: School Dates Battle Academy 1/21-1/25 Chattanooga School for Liberal Arts 1/21-1/25 East Brainerd Elementary School 1/21-1/25 Lookout Valley Middle…
More Information on Teenage Trail Runner Rescue
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - "It's kind of like a bowl of spaghetti. It just keeps going. It gets tangled up. It's really easy to get turned around." That's how local experienced trail runner Garrison…
From The Archives: 1982 French Chef Visit
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - These days, you can find a cooking show just about every where you turn. But 40 years ago, chefs had to hit the road to reach…
Victim dies from Highway 153 crash two weeks ago
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - Chattanooga Police report that a victim has died from a crash 17 days ago on Highway 153. It happened on the morning of January third just before 10. Investigators say a vehicle approaching Chickamauga dam lost control…
Riverbend returns with a lineup of roots music acts from multiple genres
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - The Riverbend Festival is returning this year with a mix of country, Americana, and jam band acts. Friends of the Festival announced the lineup this morning. The headliners are Jason Isbell,…
Teen runners found safe after night lost on the trail
WALDENS RIDGE, Tennessee (WDEF) - A pair of teenage runners spent much of last night in the cold on Waldens Ridge. Rescuers were called out when the 17 and 18 year old got separated from a group that was running…
Crews searching for missing teens on Falling Water Trail
WALDENS RIDGE, Tennessee (WDEF) - The Waldens Ridge Emergency Services is conducting a ground search on Signal Mountain for two missing teenagers. They are 17 and 18 years old. Officials say the two trail runners got lost when it got…
More schools closing and going virtual because of Covid & illnesses
ATHENS, Tennessee (WDEF) - In previous years, we called them "flu days." But now the Omicon variant of Covid has made the illness situation even more acute in some area schools. Most say they are having trouble finding enough staff…
CHI Memorial names street in honor of MaryEllen Locher
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - Officials with C-H-I Memorial helped officially rename a Chattanooga Street earlier today. Formerly known as Healthy Street, the road was renamed MaryEllen Locher Way. It was renamed after a beloved…
Chattanooga State will add a new building to campus
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - The State Building Commission has approved the construction of a new building at Chattanooga State Community College. It's expected to be roughly 49-thousand square feet, and cost 21-point-9 million dollars. With…
County Commission postpones decision on Nepotism policy
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - This morning, the Hamilton County Commission took up a resolution to stop constitutional officers from using county funds to pay family members. Commissioner Tim Boyd proposed the resolution and wanted to vote on the issue quickly. But…
Uber Statement and Neighbor's Account of Alleged Attack on Driver
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - Zachery Richard Johnson was booked Saturday night on charges of aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual battery and carjacking following his alleged attack on an Uber driver…
Deputy chase ends in fatal crash in Soddy Daisy
SODDY DAISY, Tennessee (WDEF) - An early morning law enforcement chase ended in a fatal crash. Officials with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office say a deputy tried to stop with a missing headlight that was acting suspiciously after 1 AM…
Affidavit: Uber driver calls her brutal sexual assault "agony"
A late night ride this past Saturday had one Uber driver facing the unthinkable: being sexually assaulted while driving a passenger out to Ooltewah. Poilce charged 36-year-old…
Some school systems now closing because of rising illnesses
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - We just saw a holiday and weather shut down most area schools. But now a growing rise in Covid cases and other illness is forcing more closings. Cleveland Schools announced they will be closed on Wednesday…
Chattanooga Care Center Continues COVID Precautions
CHATTANOOGA - Despite the Supreme Court's ruling against vaccine mandates for private businesses, large Medicare and Medicaid certified providers are still required to vaccinate their employees. For providers with fewer than one hundred…
Golden Apple Award: Sam Sherrill, Boyd Buchanan
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - A strong understanding in Science can set the foundation for a lifetime of logical thinking. Sam Sherrill makes sure his 7th graders at Boyd Buchanan understand the world around…
Ooltewah man charged with raping a female Uber driver
UPDATE: A check of his previous arrests in Hamilton County shows a criminal history going back to 2003. Most are driving offenses, several involving alcohol. He was last charged with DUI in 2018. But none of the previous charges were…
Tennessee sets new record for gun confiscations at airports
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) - As air travel rebounded in 2021, so did gun confiscations. In fact, the TSA reports we broke records for the number of weapons they found in carry-on luggage last…
Bradley County investigates dog shooting
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - Investigators in the Bradley County Sheriff's Office are looking into the case of a dog shooting. It happened during the day on Tuesday at a home in the Tri Circle/Bartlett Circle NE. Investigators say someone shot…
Cleveland City Schools Close Due to Illness among Staff
Cleveland, TN - Cleveland City Schools were closed Wednesday due to a large number of sick employees. "The majority of those absences were related to illnesses,"…
Some school systems now closing because of rising illnesses
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - We just saw a holiday and weather shut down most area schools. But now a growing rise in Covid cases and other illness is forcing more closings. Cleveland Schools announced they will be closed on Wednesday…
Joker's Law takes another step forward
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF)- The Jokers Law Petition Project is one step closer to changing the law protecting law enforcement K9s as it has now officially oh its way to Nashville. A petition…
Detailing Company expanding and hiring in Cleveland
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF)-Solutions Oriented Services gets cars cleaned, fixed up, and ready to go to be sold on Vroom automotive. "Our job is to take the vehicles and repair them. Minimal mechanical repair as…
Suspect arrested in Christmas weekend auto burglaries
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - The Bradley County Sheriff's Office reports the arrest of a suspect in some auto burglaries from Christmas weekend. The burglaries happened in the northern part of the county. Investigators identified Austin Plemons as their suspect and…
Emergency repairs this evening at Bradley County intersection
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - TDOT will perform an emergency road repair tonight west of Cleveland. The work will begin at 6PM at the intersection of Harrison Pike and White Oak Road. They say a routine inspection found damage to a…
Deputy makes drug bust outside local inn
A routine business check in Bradley County Monday morning ended up as a drug bust.
K9 Joker tracks down 3 suspects on his first day back on the job
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - There are some amazing coincidences in this story. Three months ago, to the day, a Bradley County police dog was shot while tracking three suspects in some woods in Bradley County. Today K9 Joker was back…
K9 Joker cleared to return to duty with Bradley Sheriff's Office
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - The police dog that was shot in the line of duty back in September has been cleared to return to work. K9 Joker was shot in the face by a fleeing suspect on September 22. But…
Emma's last Winter Wonderland made possible by Bradley County EMS
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF)- Emma Cummings is just 18 years old, but might be experiencing her last Christmas. "I am pretty sick. This is my last Christmas,"…
Resolute to lay off 350, but McMinn County Mayor & company reps say it's "not a sob story"
If you've lived in the area for quite some time, you may not have heard of Resolute Forest Products. You may know them as Bowater. Today, the…
Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis reacts to Resolute/Bowater closings
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - The Resolute Paper Company announced on Thursday that they are ending paper production at the old Bowater plant in Calhoun. They will continue making tissue there, but the plant will lost more than half of their…
Resolute Forest Products ending paper making at old Bowater plant
CALHOUN, Tennessee (WDEF) - 67 years of making paper in Calhoun, Tennessee is coming to an end. Resolute Forest products announce they are shutting down their Pulp and Paper operations at the old Bowater plant in Calhoun. But they will…
Boys and Girls Club gets $30,000 grant from Spectrum
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - Boys and Girls Clubs in Tennessee received a $30,000 grant from Spectrum Digital Education Grant. $6,000 of the $30,000 check was presented at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Ocoee Region. The grant will fund…
Chip's Good Word: Those amazing STOL Bandit fliers
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - We've got some amazing pilots in our area with a specialty brand of flying. And they proved their skill at a national competition over the weekend in Florida.…
tnAchieves meets goal for 9,000 mentors in Tennessee
NASHVILLE (WDEF) - For the eighth year in a row, tnAchieves has hit their goal for recruiting volunteer mentors in the state. They wanted 9,000 mentors to help students in the TN Promise scholarship class of 2022. The mentors don't…
Cleveland High's Autumn O'Bryan named Principal of the Year for East Tennessee
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - The Department of Education has named Cleveland High's Autumn O'Bryan as Principal of the Year for East Tennessee. The award was handed out Thursday in Nashville.…
Bradley Schools tout improved graduation rates
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - Bradley County Schools are proud of their graduation rates in a state report for last year. “We are beyond excited and delighted to announce that our graduation rate for…
tnAchieves still needs mentor volunteers with 4 days left
NASHVILLE (WDEF) - The Tennessee Promise comes with mentors to help students keep up the work in college. But the state scholarship program still needs 2,100 more volunteers to fulfill that promise in the next 4 days. The mentors are…
Arresting officer in Floyd County teacher sting proud to get a predator out of schools
Administrators and students at Coahulla Creek High School in Dalton got the surprise they never wanted to hear: a now-former teacher faces charges in a child predator sting in neighboring Floyd County. Police charged 36-year-old Michael David Powers with five…
Coahulla Creek High teacher arrested in child predator sting
UPDATE: "Mr. Powers has resigned from his position with Whitfield County Schools."-- Whitfield County Schools ________ ROME, Georgia (WDEF) - A teacher at Coahulla Creek High School faces charges in a child predator sting in neighboring Floyd County. 36 year…
Dalton Stops Providing Regeneron Treatment
Dalton can no longer offer free Regeneron treatment to anyone with active COVID and symptoms.
Foundation Offers Full Scholarship in Floor Installation Trade at Technical College in Dalton
A foundation funded by carpet industry titans is giving back in a very unique way in a first of its kind program that offers individuals training and certification in a much needed skill.
Ringgold roofer accused of Insurance Fraud
ATLANTA, Georgia (WDEF) - The Georgia Insurance commissioner has issued a warrant for a Ringgold roofer. The state accuses Jarred Hosch of True-Blue Roofing with insurance fraud in a case in Whitfield County. The Commissioner says Hosch was hired to…
Mom pleads guilty to molestation of her child
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - The trial of a northwest Georgia mother ended before a verdict was reached this week. Instead, 48 year old Sally Ann Garcia pleaded guilty to the charges. She was accused of child molestation and incest…
Dalton Police investigating prescription fraud case
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - Dalton Police are investigating a prescription fraud case. They say a man used a fake prescription to get a controlled substance and then returned to try it again at the same pharmacy. Investigators say the…
Dalton Police investigate identity and cash theft from Florida victim
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - Dalton police are investigating the case of a woman who withdrew $7,500 at local banks that belonged to a woman in Florida. They believe the suspect used stolen bank account information and a fake ID…
State of Georgia identifies two residents with Covid-19 Omicron
NORTH GEORGIA, (WDEF) - The State of Georgia has identified two residents that have tested positive for the omicron variant-both having recently traveled from South Africa. Though Georgia has two residents with Omicron, only…
Update: Missing Woman Found Safe in Dalton
DALTON, GA (WDEF) - This is the latest release from Dalton Police: Nancy Cox, the woman in the release we sent about an hour ago, has returned to the hospital. She came back on her own, apparently, and is safe…
Pfizer Covid vaccines available Monday in Murray & Whitfield counties
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - The health departments in the North Georgia Health District will have the Pfizer pediatric vaccine for Covid beginning on Monday. That's in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties. These shots are for children between…
Dalton and Varnell election results
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - There was one upset in the Dalton City elections on Tuesday. Former state senator Steve Farrow unseat city councilman Gary Crews in a close vote. Farrow won by just 43 votes. Courtesy:…
Whitfield County tests Robot fire pump
Whitfield County Fire Chief Ed O’Brien (left) and other firefighters watch as Patrick Boccio with Emergency Medical Services uses a remote control to operate the RS3 robot to put out the county’s burn car at its…
North Georgia Health District plans to administer all Covid Booster Shots
NORTH GEORGIA, (WDEF)- More than 70 million Americans are now eligible for covid booster shots. The daily number of Americans getting boosters is now more than double the number getting their first shot. The North…
Reward climbs in Dalton Flag Vandalism case
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - We told you how Dalton Police are looking for suspects who took and vandalized flags at a September 11th display at the courthouse. Now, due to an anonymous donation, they are offering a $1,000 reward. The…
Dalton Arson Suspect Arrest
A Calhoun woman is being charged with arson in connection to a fire in Dalton.
Unemployment rate in Dalton falls to lowest in 11 years
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) - Throughout the Tennessee Valley and North Georgia, the economy seems to be on the rebound. Chattanooga's unemployment last month was the lowest in 18 months, while the jobless rate in…
Plea Deal for fatal shooting in Dalton
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - There was no doubt that Devon Raphael Wheeler fired the gun that killed Rashad Goldston. But just how guilty was he? Wheeler entered a guilty plea on Friday to Voluntary Manslaughter and Aggravated Assault, instead of…
86 year old woman dies in Dalton Fire
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - Investigators do not suspect foul play in a deadly fire Sunday in Dalton. Firefighters were called to a home at 1011 Riverbend Road around 5:45. They found the body of 86 year old Ida bonds in…
Dalton looking for suspects who vandalized flags on 9/11
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - The Dalton Police Department is offering a $1,000 reward for the arrest of vandalism suspects who hit a September 11th flag display. They say both American flags and POW flags were stolen and damaged. They were…
