Bill to make Juneteenth legal Tennessee holiday passes House
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Tennessee House passed the bill to make Juneteenth an official state holiday on Thursday, according to the Unity Group of Chattanooga. Senate…
US traffic deaths drop slightly in 2022 but still a 'crisis'
DETROIT (AP) — The number of people killed on U.S. roadways decreased slightly last year, but government officials said the 42,795 people who died is still a national crisis. Estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that the…
SpaceX giant rocket explodes minutes after launch from Texas
By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer Abstract: SpaceX’s giant new rocket exploded minutes after blasting off on it first test flight and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. Elon Musk’s company was aiming to…
Woman convicted of Second Degree Murder for selling deadly fentanyl dose
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - A jury quickly found a local woman guilty of Second Degree Murder in a fentanyl overdose case on Wednesday. Prosecutors say Morgan…
'Tennessee three' to visit Biden at White House next week
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three Tennessee lawmakers who faced expulsion votes after participating in protests over last month's school shooting in Nashville will visit the White House to meet with President Joe Biden on Monday. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced the visit on Wednesday. She…
An end to the reading wars? More US schools embrace phonics
Move over “Dick and Jane.” A different approach to teaching kids how to read is on the rise. For decades, two schools of thought have clashed on how to best teach children to read,…
3 charged with murder in Sweet 16 party shooting in Alabama
DADEVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Two teenagers and a 20-year-old man have been arrested and charged with reckless murder in connection with a shooting that killed…
Current, prospective foster families invited to upcoming Foster Care Summit
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Chattanoogans and other local citizens can learn more about foster care at an upcoming conference. Tennessee Kids Belong (TKB) is hosting their second annual regional Foster Care Summit on May 6. It will last from 8:30…
Driving Our Economy Forward: StratusGrid
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Thanks to all the technology these days, it doesn't take long to use up your storage. That's why Chattanooga company StratusGrid is helping their customers put their information on the cloud instead of a hard drive.…
First responders hold emergency drill at airport
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - First responders held an emergency response drill on Lovell Field at the Chattanooga Airport today. (more…)
Hamilton County approves new rules for vacation rentals
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Hamilton County Commissioners approved new rules for short-term vacation rental (STVR) properties. They voted on the resolution Wednesday morning. These rules only apply…
TDOT creates roadside memorials for Work Zone Awareness
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- This week, Tennessee is reminding drivers to be careful through work zones. To get the point across, TDOT has set up memorial displays across the state. They…
More to the Story with Staley: Ivy Academy 5K
SODDY DAISY, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Earth Day is an annual affair here in America Every April 22. That means this coming Saturday! And it's even more meaningful…
Georgia among states where employers are struggling most with hiring
GEORGIA (WDEF) -- WalletHub released a report on Wednesday detailing which states are struggling the most in hiring. Among those states, the survey ranked Georgia as number two. The report reveals that labor force…
Catoosa County allows hens on residential properties
CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) -- Catoosa County residents will be able to have backyard chickens for personal use. Commissioners made the approval on Tuesday. Female chickens, or hens, are now allowed in…
Community to get free dental care Friday
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Chattanooga community can receive free dental care this upcoming Friday. On April 21, Winn Smiles Dental Practice is having a volunteer effort to benefit the community. They're calling it "Smiles from the Heart." Winn Smiles staff…
Unlicensed woman acts as physician's assistant, gets federal jail time
ATLANTA, Ga. (WDEF) -- One woman who falsely acted as a licensed physician's assistant now faces federal prison time, according to the DOJ. On Tuesday, a judge ruled that 55-year-old Theresa Pickering will face two years and nine months in…
Tennessee Lawmakers debate merits of 3rd grade test law
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) - Tennessee lawmakers are moving forward with changes to a controversial third grade test. The current law requires students to repeat the grade if they don't pass one state test. During…
Chattanooga Firefighters save drowning man from pool
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Chattanooga Firefighters saved a man from drowning in a swimming pool on Tuesday afternoon. The 20-year-old man was in the deep end of the pool at the Midtown Ridge Apartments on McBrien Road. Others around could…
Parking garage collapses in NYC, killing 1; 5 injured
Cars are seen piled on top of each other at the scene of a partial collapse of a parking garage in the Financial District of New York, Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary…
Charles Stanley, influential Baptist preacher, dies at 90
ATLANTA (AP) — Charles Stanley, a prominent televangelist who once led the Southern Baptist Convention, died Tuesday at his home in Atlanta at age 90, In Touch Ministries announced. No cause of death was announced. Born in rural Dry Fork,…
Cloud seeding catching on amid Rocky Mountain drought
LYONS, Colo. (AP) — Garrett Cammans and his brothers sometimes don't talk about their toughest moments on the job in the cloud seeding business, like the time when one of them got…
Suburban Atlanta county picks successor to convicted sheriff
JONESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Voters in an Atlanta suburb appear to have replaced their convicted ex-sheriff with a former employee he backed. Levon Allen narrowly beat Clarence Cox in a Tuesday runoff election to become sheriff of Clayton County, according…
Study: Milder autism far outpacing 'profound' diagnoses
NEW YORK (AP) — As autism diagnoses become increasingly common, health officials have wondered how many U.S. kids have relatively mild symptoms and how many have more serious symptoms, such as very low IQ and inability to speak. A first-of-its-kind…