UPDATE: Missing hiker Curtis Dustin Williams found in Pocket Wilderness
About a week into the search for Curtis Dustin Williams, rescue squads are changing their direction and their approach.
Chattanooga Fire rescues two hikers
HIXSON, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Chattanooga Fire Department rescued two hikers that fell off a cliff at Greenway Farms. [su_gmap width="700" height="700" address="4960 Gann Store Road" zoom="15" title="Two Hikers Rescued"] Firefighters had to use rope to get the hikers to safety.…
CMA board limits Morgan Wallen's award eligibility
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Country singer Morgan Wallen will be eligible for multiple awards at this year’s CMA Awards but not the show’s top prize, a sign of the continuing fallout after he was caught on camera using a racial…
Biden won't allow Justice Dept. to seize reporters' records
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden says he won’t allow the Department of Justice to seize journalists’ phone records and emails, calling the practice “wrong” in a significant departure from his predecessors. His comments come as CNN reported Thursday that…
Tennessee Library and Archives to display constitutions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee State Library and Archives is holding a one-day public display of the state's three original constitutions to celebrate 225 years of statehood. On June 1, the constitutions that were written in 1796 and revised…
Judge unseals Fulton absentee ballots for recount lawsuit
ATLANTA (AP) - A judge on Friday agreed to unseal absentee ballots to allow for an audit of November election results in Georgia’s most populous county. The ruling stems from a lawsuit against Fulton County that alleges evidence of fraudulent…
Click it or Ticket to keep you and your family safe
EAST RIDGE, Tennessee (WDEF)- Over 100 law enforcement officers from Tennessee and Georgia came together to remind drivers to fasten their seatbelts. Through 'Click It or Ticket, seatbelt enforcement will increase for the new two weeks through…
Hamilton County COVID-19 vaccine update
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- More than 35% of Hamilton County residents are now fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Another 40% of individuals are partially vaccinated according to the Hamilton County Health Department. Doctor Harry Severance said when fully vaccinated the…
Fleischmann on Migrant Children
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Trouble on the U.S. Border has made its way to the Tennessee Valley. Scenes of hope and despair can be seen on the U.S. Mexico border as unaccompanied children join migrants seeking refuge in…
Meet Bonnie, the new therapy K-9 in Catoosa County
RINGGOLD, Georgia (WDEF) - There is a new K-9 on the beat in Catoosa County. But Bonnie isn't a street cop. She is the new therapy dog for the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office. Her skill is helping both officers and…
Legislation that opposes systematic racism teachings waits for Gov. Bill Lee's signature
Tennessee Senate Bill 623 pulls funding from school systems which use materials that promote the idea that America is a fundamentally racist country.
Bradley School Bus in minor wreck
CLEVELAND, Tennessee (WDEF) - No students were hurt in a school bus wreck this afternoon. Bradley County Schools says their bus #20 was involved in a minor accident at Durkee Road and Spring Place Road. There were 7 students on…
Covid-19 and HIPAA: Is a business asking for proof of vaccination a HIPAA violation?
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - As life begins to return to normal, Americans are wondering if employers, or even businesses , can demand proof of vaccination. This has raised questions about the legality of such inquiries and whether HIPAA…
Firefighters Save House Fire from Total Loss
Firefighters saved a house fire from becoming a total loss in Hixson early Friday morning.
First Responder Award: Honoring EMS workers during Covid
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tennessee (WDEF) - Everybody knows what the letters E-M-S stand for. Just dial 9-1-1 when you've got trouble, and an Ambulance with a highly trained crew shows up in minutes. It's National E-M-S Week, and…
Motorcyclist killed in wreck on Highway 27
SODDY-DAISY, Tennessee (WDEF) - A young motorcycle rider died this morning on Highway 27 that involved 3 other vehicles. According to the Tennessee Highway patrol, 19 year old Gabriel Davis of Hixson was Southbound on his Kawasaki…
Kids Art Box learning Van Gogh and other art history first hand
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- A Chattanooga company is helping parents with their kids' education through art. Kids Art Box is selling their commemorative Van Gogh “My Artist Box” after a request from parents due to a Van Gogh experience across the…
Truck gets stuck under bridge and causes road closure
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF) - A truck blocked off the road after getting stuck under a bridge Thursday. A truck became wedged under a bridge on Alton Park Blvd going towards W 33rd St. The Chattanooga police said…
White Pelicans visit our area from the coast
SODDY-DAISY, Tennessee (WDEF) - Have you seen them? The white Pelicans are in Soddy Daisy and they are the talk of the town. The Tennessee Aquarium Curator of Forests says that the birds are only here temporarily…
LGBTQ+ advocates concerned about new laws
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee lawmakers have recently signed five new bills into law, aimed at the LGBTQ+ community. Two of the laws focus on transgendered use of restrooms. Chattanooga Advocacy group, the I…
Kayaker's photos show crack in closed I-40 bridge in 2016
By ADRIAN SAINZ and ANDREW DeMILLO Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Photos taken by a Mississippi River kayaker about five years before a crack was found in the Interstate 40 bridge linking Tennessee and Arkansas appear to show the…
Chattanooga Area Food Bank Moving Emergency Food Box Program to Eastdale Community
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - The Chattanooga Area Food Bank announced the piloting of their new Emergency Food Box or (EFB) Distribution Center in the Eastdale Community. The new program will be at the Foxwood Plaza in the Eastdale…
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - Each year, millions of Americans are impacted by mental health issues. Unfortunately, public stigma continues to have a negative impact on this conversation. However, Mental Health Experts are taking advantage of May as Mental…
Chattanooga Boy Wins TWF's Youth Conservationist of the Year 3X
The Tennessee Wildlife Federation's Youth Conservationist of the Year is an 11 year old boy from Chattanooga. Meet Cash Daniels otherwise known as the Conservation Kid. Cash has won this award three times in a row now. He has picked…