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Congressman reacts to the capture of Maduro following a U.S. operation
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Congressman Chuck Fleischmann is reacting to the capture of Nicolás Maduro following a U.S. mission in Venezuela. Fleischmann says the mission…
Ja'Kobi Gillespie Scores 34 in Vols 85-71 Win Over Texas
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 34 points to lead No. 21 Tennessee to a 85-71 victory over Texas on Tuesday night. J.P. Estrella scored 11 and DeWayne Brown II and Jaylen Carey each added 10 for the Volunteers…
Cleveland Pins Another Win Against Bradley Central 54-15
Cleveland, TN-(WDEF-TV) Wrestling giants Cleveland and Bradley Central renewed their rivalry on Monday night at the Bears Jim Smiddy Arena. The Blue Raiders continued their recent dominance in the series with a 54-15 victory. [blox_vms account="WDEF" key="df3a586b261f6b2e03b336b78f8f2f567cc68ed4" vtitle="Cleveland Pins Another…
Busy Offseason Ahead For Titans General Manager Mike Borgonzi
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have had the most time in the NFL to start searching for their next head coach. General manager Mike Borgonzi has no timeline for hiring that person with the search officially underway. “I do feel…
Weather Update: Wednesday January 7, 2026
WDEF-TV News 12 Tennessee River Valley weather forecast Overnight: Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers ending into Wednesday morning. Patchy dense fog possible. Lows: low 50's. Winds: SW @ 5 MPH. Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Mild. Highs: near 70. Winds: SW @ 5…
Forced to flee Venezuelan Americans reflect on protests and the fall of Maduro
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Continuing our coverage of the Venezuela strike, News 12's Lillian Yi spoke with two U.S. citizens who were forced…
Conservation group celebrates decision to pull proposed Enterprise South, McDonald Farm land deed restriction swap
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- The proposal to conduct a land deed swap between two Hamilton County parks has been pulled. It…
Notre Dame HS Marks 150 Years
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Notre Dame High School marked the kickoff of its 150th anniversary celebration with a Jubilee Mass held at the Michael and Eleanor Miller Theater. The Mass…
Golden Apple Award: Adam Miller, East Hamilton Middle School
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- This week's Golden Apple Award goes to Adam Miller from East Hamilton Middle School. "Mr. Miller is just amazing teacher and band director. He is running an…
Concerns rising over reintroduction of Georgia PFAS shield law
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- As Georgia legislators prepare to head back to Atlanta next week, the Whitfield County Republican Party says they are opposing the reintroduction of a controversial…
Hotdog on Wheels Bring Smiles
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - You might have spotted something hot dog-shaped rolling through town this week! The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is in Chattanooga through Monday, bringing smiles, fun, and a playful…
Georgia's CJ Allen and Zachariah Branch Announce For the NFL Draft
Georgia standouts CJ Allen and Zachariah Branch became the latest Bulldogs to declare for the NFL draft on Monday. Branch announced his decision on X, ending his tenure with the Bulldogs after one year. The wide receiver transferred to Georgia in 2025 alongside…
Baylor's David Gabriel-Georges Named Max Preps National High School Football Player of the Year
Baylor running back David Gabriel-Georges won a Tennessee Mr. Football award for being the top player in his classification this season. Now he has won an even bigger honor. Gabriel-Georges has been named the Max Preps National high school football…
Ratings Up For This Year's CFB Playoff Quarterfinal Games
The College Football Playoff has some viewer momentum going into this week’s semifinals. Last week’s quarterfinals had a 14% increase from last season. According to ESPN and Nielsen, the four matchups averaged 19.3 million viewers, including the three most-watched games…
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are officially divorced after 19 years of marriage
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are divorced and legally single, ending the 19-year marriage of one of entertainment’s most prominent power couples. A Nashville, Tennessee, judge on issued…
5 Vehicles Involved in Crash that Shut Down I-75 in Bradley County
BRADLEY COUNTY -- Five vehicles were involved in a crash on I-75 at mile marker 24 in Bradley County, which temporarily shut down the roadway. One person was extracted and transported to a local hospital with non life threatening…
Woman Charged with Aggravated Arson Following Apartment Fire
EAST RIDGE, Tenn. -- A woman has been charged with aggravated arson after an apartment fire on January 4. Officers responded to 25 South Germantown Road around 7:30 p.m. after a report of…
Officer did nothing until it was too late during Uvalde school shooting, prosecutor says
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — A school police officer in Uvalde, Texas, stood by during one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history and made no attempt to…
Conservation group celebrates decision to pull proposed Enterprise South, McDonald Farm land deed restriction swap
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- The proposal to conduct a land deed swap between two Hamilton County parks has been pulled. It…
Mayor Wamp announces no deed restriction exchange for Enterprise South, McDonald Farm
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- The proposal to conduct a land deed swap between two Hamilton County parks has been pulled. (more…)
What's Right With Our School: Signal Centers STEM Program
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - A solid background in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math is becoming more essential every day. Signal Centers are helping some of their youngest…
What's Right With Our Schools: East Ridge Middle School Pioneers
HAMILTON COUNTY -- Take a listen to the East Ridge Middle School Pioneers sing at the courthouse where they spread holiday cheer. This…
W Road to Close New Year's Day for Clean-up
HAMILTON COUNTY -- The Town of Walden will close the W Road on Thursday, January 1, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. This closure will allow for community road clean-up, according to the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management…
Taconooga suddenly closes on Chattanooga northshore
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A longtime Northshore restaurant has suddenly closed its doors. Taconooga announced on its Facebook…
Inmate Dies in HCSO Custody
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is investigating an in-custody inmate death. On Friday, December 26, 2025, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Corrections Deputies discovered an unresponsive inmate during a welfare check in…
Volunteers Provide Meals at Chatt Foundation
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Two young men stepped up to help the needful in our community. Kenny Bell and Luke Stepney are Boyd Buchanan grads. They say the Lord put it on their hearts to help. They teamed up with…
Car Collides with House in Red Bank
RED BANK, TN (WDEF) - A runaway car created a dangerous situation in Red Bank this morning. This was the scene on Lancaster Avenue. A car rolled down the street and hit a house. One person was trapped. First, crews…
Union Gospel Mission serves Christmas Eve dinner
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- For 75 years, the Union Gospel Mission has been serving the community. This year marked one of many in a series of annual dinners hosted by the Mission at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. Jon Rector,…
Man arrested after attempting to steal Sale Creek family's Christmas
SALE CREEK, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office says they have arrested a Sale Creek man who attempted to be the Grinch this Christmas. (more…)
HCSO Introduces New K-9, Chase!
HAMILTON COUNTY -- The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office has welcomed their new K-9, Chase! Deputy Gregory Buck will begin his role as K-9 Chase’s handler. This new pup is ready to serve and protect…
Hamilton County School Board Passes Capacity Policy
HAMILTON COUNTY -- The Hamilton County School Board has passed a new policy targeting capacity in schools. This comes in the wake of residential growth and quickly filling schools. “The responsibility as a school board…
What's Right With Our Schools, Hixson 7th Grade Band
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - It's a time-honored holiday tradition in Hamilton County. Hixson Middle School's 7th grade Band did a great job performing at Christmas…
Hamilton County Officials Warn About Scams Impacting our Area
Hamilton County is the latest police organization to warn about phone scams in our area. The Sheriff's Office says the scammers pretend to be local judges or court officials. They say you missed jury…
Hamilton County school board adopts growth policy
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Hamilton County School Board has adopted a policy pertaining to how new development will affect school zones. Proposed by school board member Ben Daughtery,…
HCSO Recognizes Ten New Corrections Deputies
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. -- Ten new corrections deputies were recognized at the Corrections Academy Graduation Ceremony for Class 25-04 on December 19, 2025. The graduates completed 292 hours of comprehensive training…
Paving to Prompt Closures on I-24
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) contract crews will implement temporary lane and ramp closures to carry out paving work. This comes as phase 2 to widen and improve the I-75 at…
Red Bank presents 'belt tightening' measures in wake of tax mishap
RED BANK, Tenn. (WDEF)-The city of Red Bank unveiled a plan to deal with a nearly million dollar budget shortfall. Red Bank financial officials say now is the…
Hamilton county superintendent gets mixed reviews from board members
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Reviews of the Hamilton County Schools superintendent were released Thursday. All board members have reviewed and rated Dr. Justin Robertson across multiple categories.…
5 Vehicles Involved in Crash that Shut Down I-75 in Bradley County
BRADLEY COUNTY -- Five vehicles were involved in a crash on I-75 at mile marker 24 in Bradley County, which temporarily shut down the roadway. One person was extracted and transported to a local hospital with non life threatening…
Battle continues over proposed Bradley County emergency room
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF)- The debate over a proposed new emergency room in Cleveland is continuing to heat up. Despite there being over 110,000 people in Bradley County, the…
Vitruvian Health petitioning against new Cleveland Parkridge emergency room
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF)- A battle is brewing in Bradley County over a proposed new hospital. Vitruvian Health, who operates the Bradley Medical Center, has posted a petition opposing Parkridge's plans to open a freestanding emergency room in Cleveland. They argue…
State no longer pursuing Bradley County site for mental institution
BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- For months, the state of Tennessee has been searching for a replacement for the Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute. (more…)
Bradley County Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion
CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Eric Wayne Helton, owner of the Aquatic Den, has pled guilty to tax evasion after an investigation by The Special Investigations Section of the Tennessee Department of Revenue. Helton's charges stem from his failure to remit collected…
BCSO Asks for Public's Assistance Regarding Stolen Trailer
BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. -- The Bradley County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) is asking the public for its help locating a stolen trailer. A black and silver 24-foot 2019 Formula Triumph Slope Nose…
Golden Apple Award: Kaitlyn Foulks, Charleston Elementary School
CHARLESTON, TN (WDEF) - Kaitlyn Foulks is living her dream as a Charleston Elementary School teacher. She may be new to the job, but her enthusiasm and dedication more…
Bradley County Firefighter Pay Increases
TENNESSEE -- Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis has redirected a total of $76,000 in vacancy savings to firefighter salaries, prompting an increase in pay. This adjustment increased pay for…
Chemical Exposure at M&M Mars Facility Prompts Emergency Response
CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Around 9:00 a.m., a chemical exposure at the M&M Mars facility prompted an emergency response on December 5. Bradley County EMS and the Cleveland Fire Department responded to the incident. Seven individuals…
Bradley County woman arrested after dog reportedly shot
CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Bradley County deputies responded to a residence after a report of a dog had been shot on November 23, 2025. Witnesses reported that Crystal Palmer got a firearm and shot multiple rounds at the dog. The dog…
Single-engine aircraft incident leaves one uninjured
BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. -- Bradley County EMS responded to a single-engine experimental aircraft after it experienced a hard landing after performing a touch-and-go maneuver. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without…
Local judge reportedly assaulted in residential neighborhood
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) -- An arrest has been made after the Bradley County Sheriff's Office responded to a reported assault on a local judge in Cleveland,…
Bradley County firefighters push for more pay
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF)- Bradley County firefighters are asking their county commission to increase their pay. (more…)
Man fires shots at drones assisting deputies in resolving mental health crisis
UPDATE: The Bradley County Sheriff's Office has identified the individual who shot at the drones as 47-year-old John David Possien. Possien is being held at the Bradley County Jail without bond.…
Parkridge announces plans to open new emergency room in Bradley county
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Parkridge Medical Center announced plans to build a freestanding Emergency Room in Bradley County. The ER would have 11 rooms, including…
Parkridge Medical Center plans freestanding emergency room in Cleveland
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Parkridge Medical Center has announced plans to apply for a Certificate of Need with the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission to establish a new $17.4 million freestanding emergency department…
Local YMCA serving free meals to children at 46 sites
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga…
Rockslide causes major backups on Monteagle
MONTEAGLE, Tenn. (WDEF) -- A rockslide on Monteagle caused major backups on November 4. TDOT reports debris on roadway at Mile Marker 137. The rockslide was reported at 2:33 p.m CST. The slide has caused all westbound lanes and…
What's Right With Our Schools: Walker Valley STEM DAY
CLEVELAND, TN (WDEF) - Walker Valley students recently got to look into their possible futures at STEM Career Day. Employers from throughout our region were on…
Solid Orange Drive Thru in Cleveland
CLEVELAND, TN (WDEF) -It's Tennessee Alabama week! With both teams ranked in the top 11, the stakes could not be *any* higher for Saturday night's showdown in Tuscaloosa. More…
Concerns rising over reintroduction of Georgia PFAS shield law
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- As Georgia legislators prepare to head back to Atlanta next week, the Whitfield County Republican Party says they are opposing the reintroduction of a controversial…
UPDATE: Resident Suffers Burns Following Cohutta House Fire
UPDATE: A resident suffered burns in a house fire this morning in Cohutta, Georgia. It happened around 6 a.m. at a home on Chattanooga Road. The Whitfield County Fire Chief tells us the victim suffered burns to the hand…
Runners excited for Haig Mill Lake Park improvements
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- The city of Dalton is working to replace one of its primary walking trails. Their Parks and Recreation Department announced that portions of the Haig…
Two Locals Arrested for Meth Trafficking
WHITFIELD COUNTY -- Two individuals from Whitfield County were busted after the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office conducted a drug investigation on December 18, 2025. The drug investigation resulted in the arrest of Niya Destiny…
Whitfield County Man Arrested on Child Exploitation Case
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. -- The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) has announced they have arrested a man for child exploitation. On December 10, Trevor Lee Teasley was arrested for a child…
Neighbors come out against proposed neighborhood near Varnell
VARNELL, Ga. (WDEF)- Rapid development…
Qcells to furlough one-third of its workers at Georgia plant
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) -- The company "Qcells" has announced they are furloughing a thousand workers at their two plants in Georgia. And one of those plants is in…
Whitfield County scam alert
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) --Whitfield County law enforcement is warning residents of several scams going around their community now. They say scammers are posing as employees of the Sheriff's Office. They say they have…
Whitfield County man sentenced to 30 years for violating sexual offender registry statute
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) -- A Whitfield County jury found Vincent Michael Harper guilty of violating the sexual offender registry statute, leading to a sentence of 30 years in prison…
Residents pack meeting on Whitfield County property tax rate proposal
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- Could Whitfield County property taxes soon go…
Property tax increase proposed by Whitfield County Board of Commissioners
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) -- The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners have announced a proposed property tax increase. They say it would be roughly 23 percent higher than the rollback millage rate. The commissioners say…
12 kilograms of cocaine found during traffic stop in Whitfield County
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) -- The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) conducted a traffic stop on I-75 in Whitfield County, resulting in 12 kilograms of cocaine…
Georgia Bureau of Investigation promotes Dalton native, Daniel Nicholson
DALLAS, Ga. (WDEF) -- The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has announced that they are promoting Dalton native Daniel Nicholson to assistant special agent in charge of the…
Man fatally stabbed in Whitfield County
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) -- During the night of October 1st, the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) responded to a call at the Dollar General on Beaverdale Road about a female covered…
Calhoun man sentenced for attempted murder after stabbing his girlfriend
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) -- A Calhoun man will be behind bars for three decades after being convicted of attempted murder. On October 24, 2025, Terry Lee Chamlee purchased a knife from a…
Dalton parents arrested after toddler dies in car seat at home
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) -- Two Dalton parents have been arrested and charged after their 22-month-old son was found dead in a car seat inside their home earlier this summer. On June 5, 2025, police were…
Dalton Police searching for suspect who used counterfeit money at local store
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) -- The Dalton Police Department (DPD) is reaching out to the public in hopes of identifying a suspect who allegedly used counterfeit money to make a purchase. On Friday, August 22, 2025, shortly before 7:00…
Whitfield County authorities make arrest in New Zion Hill Road murder
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) -- A man was arrested in connection to a murder on New Zion Hill Road. In the evening hours of August 19, 2025, deputies with the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office…
Whitfield County authorities arrest suspect in connection with armed robbery at Dixie Corner
UPDATE (8/5/2025): Authorities in Whitfield County have made an arrest in regard to the armed robbery Tuesday morning. Whitfield…
Whitfield County Sheriff's Office donates hundreds of backpacks
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) -- The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office gave back to their community on Friday. Whitfield County Sheriff Darren Pierce wants the community to know that…
