Residents picking up pieces of powerful Henagar storm
HENAGAR, Ala. (WDEF) - Henagar, Alabama was one of the hardest hit areas of Wednesday night’s severe weather. City and DeKalb County Officials say around 11 p.m. Wednesday,…
Damage at 'Unclaimed Baggage' in Scottsboro
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (WDEF) - There was some storm damage in parts of Scottsboro. We saw damage in…
Rhea County authorities seize illegal drugs at Dayton store
RHEA COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Rhea County authorities seized several items from a store in Dayton for exceeding the allowed THC amount in Tennessee. On Wednesday, May 8, Rhea County detectives and the TBI served a search warrant on Tammy's…
Hamilton County Schools superintendent speaks on 2-hour delay decision
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Hamilton County Schools was on a two-hour delay on Thursday due to the storms that hit overnight. Now, some parents are concerned. Some said the schools should have remained closed for the entire day due…
Hamilton County SWAT incident in Ooltewah resolved
UPDATE: OOLTEWAH, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office provided more information into the SWAT standoff Thursday morning. Residents near Cobblestone Hill Drive reported shots fired, including…
Man sentenced for child pornography involving an animal
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - A Lookout Mountain, Georgia man faces a 20-year term in federal prison in a child pornography case that involved an animal. 44-year-old Eric Lee Bagley pleaded…
New storms pummel the South as a week of deadly weather marches on
COLUMBIA, Tenn. (AP) — Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned apparent tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into…
Florida sheriff deputies burst into wrong apartment and fatally shot U.S. airman, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the…
Alabama schedules nitrogen gas execution for inmate who survived lethal injection attempt
Alabama has scheduled a date for the upcoming execution of Alan Eugene Miller, a convicted murderer who, after surviving a previous execution attempt, is set to become the second inmate ever put to death using nitrogen gas in the United States. Nitrogen…
Driving Our Economy Forward: Smart Factory Institute Cyber Security
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Strong cybersecurity is vital in today's business climate. In May, we paid a visit to the Smart Factory for a lesson in heading off hackers. This conference helped numerous businesses protect their investment. It's just a…
Thousands still without power at noon from storms
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Thousands of customers are still out of power in our area from the storms. This is the update from several area power companies at noon. The Electric Power Board reports that there are almost ten thousand…
Several roads, facilities closed in Dalton from storm damage
DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) -- Dalton government officials said numerous roads and facilities were closed Thursday morning due to the overnight storms. However, the fire department said it resulted in no injuries. Here is a list of closures in Dalton: All…
Officer injured after tree falls on patrol car on Hixson Pike
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- A tree fell onto a Chattanooga Police officer's patrol vehicle on Thursday morning. The officer was patrolling on Hixson Pike at around 8 a.m.…
Road closures, hazards in Chattanooga following storms
UPDATE: May 9, 2024, 1:16 p.m. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Chattanooga Department of Transportation released a list of road closures and hazards on Thursday morning. Following the overnight storms, they have received reports of power lines down, trees down…
No solution to vacation rental debate in Hamilton County
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - The debate over vacation rentals in Hamilton County continued to intensify Wednesday. The Hamilton County Commission held a committee session to debate the…
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene triggers effort to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson from office
By LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKING/Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Hardline Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called Wednesday for a vote to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, pressing ahead with her long-shot effort despite pushback from Republicans at the highest levels tired…
Chickamauga Battlefield unveils Mark Thrash exhibit
FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga. (WDEF) - The Chickamauga Battlefield is honoring one of the park’s most storied figures. An exhibit honoring Mark Thrash is now on display inside of the Visitor…
Brainerd High School students learn about battery chemistry
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - You might call this high school course shocking. Brainerd High School students learned the safety and potential risks behind battery chemistry. “We partnered with…
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenges Donald Trump to debate at Libertarian Convention
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has challenged Donald Trump to a head-to-head debate for when both address a Libertarian convention later this month, a move that comes as the presumptive GOP nominee has ramped up both criticism of Kennedy’s independent bid…
Beat the Heat campaign begins
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Summer is approaching quickly, and the Salvation Army is doing everything they can to help the community stay cool. The beat the heat campaign started…
The Enterprise Center awarded nearly $2 million for digital training
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Enterprise Center recently received a $1.9 million award for its Tech Goes Home training program. The funding comes from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, which allocated $163 million to increase broadband access.…
Cleveland City Schools staff to receive 5% raise
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Cleveland City Board of Education's budget for the upcoming school year includes a 5% pay raise for city school employees. The board approved the 2024-2025 school year budget on Monday, May 6. A year ago,…
Chattanooga seeking applicants for passenger railway project
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The City of Chattanooga is looking for a qualified firm to scope and analyze the proposed passenger rail project. The city published a Request for Qualification (RFQ) on Wednesday, May 8. Interested firms can apply until…
Alabama lawmakers approve tax breaks for businesses that help employees afford child care
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday gave final approval to legislation to provide state tax breaks to businesses that help their employees afford childcare. The Alabama Senate voted 31-0 for the bill that now goes to Gov. Kay…