Smokies sees more than 12M visitors despite virus closure
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park experienced its second busiest year on record last year.
Tim Kelly & Kim White neck and neck going into runoff
15 candidate field for Mayor is down to 2.
Kim White part of Mayoral Run Off
CHATTANOOGA,Tennessee- There will be a run off for mayor between Tim Kelly and Kim White. Kim White supporters were buzzing with excitement as a late voting push lead to a run off. White trailed Kelly by less than 300 votes,…
GBI will investigate fatal shooting of suspect in Catoosa County
RINGGOLD, Georgia (WDEF) - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into a deadly officer involved shooting in Catoosa County. On Saturday, dispatch received a suspicious phone call. Catoosa County deputies responded to a home on Alabama Highway in Ringgold.…
Vaccines for Catoosa Educators and More
Catoosa County educators are scheduled to receive their vaccine March 8th. News 12 asked the superintendent about the rollout plan.
Chattanooga Wastewater customer searching for answers
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Brittany Murphy got a very unpleasant surprise in the mail when she received her Chattanooga Sewer bill in the mail in January. "I took my breathe away. I was really hopeless", says Murphy. To her surprise, there…
Dolly Parton posts her Covid vaccine photo
(WDEF) - Dolly Parton tweeted on Tuesday a photo of her getting her Covid vaccine with a clever caption. "Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine." The reference is to her donation of a million dollars to Vanderbilt to…
New information on deadly Whitfield chase
DALTON, Georgia (WDEF) - Whitfield County Sheriff's officials are releasing more information on the deadly crash last week. They says there were active felony warrants for Zachary Douglas Lumpkin. Deputies spotted him Thursday night at the Truck Stop at Connector…
Tennessee expanding vaccines to 1-C category
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) - Tennessee health officials are expanding the pool of vaccines as they expect increased shipments. Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey announced the state will now include the 1-C category, adding more than a million Tennesseans to vaccine qualification.…
Golden Apple Award: Hardy Elementary Sarah Tortora
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Music has to power transform us. It's a subject that Sarah Tortora is passionate about. She shares that passion with more than 400 students at Hardy Elementary. Robin Bambrey is the Principal at…
Kangaroo makes its getaway in Alabama, hopping to freedom
Authorities are searching for a young kangaroo who slipped away from his keepers as he was being hauled through Alabama on its way to a new home.
Merck to help produce rival J&J's COVID-19 vaccine
Drugmaker Merck & Co. will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s newly approved coronavirus vaccine in an effort to expand supply more quickly.
Chattanooga Police car in Brainerd crash
UPDATE: Chattanooga Police now tell us there were two separate wrecks, involving a chase. The first involved an officer trying to make a traffic stop and the vehicle fled, immediately hitting another vehicle. The occupants then ran on foot. The…
These are the slowest selling vehicles now in Chattanooga
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - The latest study by iSeeCars compares how long it is taking for both new and used cars to sell right now in Chattanooga. The idea is that the slower moving vehicles are an opportunity to drive a…
Latest voting fraud investigations include Trion widow
ATLANTA, Georgia (WDEF) - Georgia election officials sent their third batch of alleged voting violations to prosecutors last week, including a case against a northwest Georgia woman accused of turning in a vote by her deceased husband. Investigators say the…
Alabama universities commit to in person classes this fall
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Students across the three-campus University of Alabama System will return to in-person instruction for the fall semester with no limits on class size in Birmingham, Huntsville or Tuscaloosa to guard against COVID-19. The system said in…
Georgia Voting Bills : Protection Vs. Suppression
Residents and officials in North Georgia are going back and forth debating whether the latest reform bills protect or surpass the election process.
Tennessee Senate OKs anti-trans athlete bill
By KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee’s GOP-dominant Senate has advanced legislation that would ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports. On Monday, 27 Republicans voted in favor of the measure while all six Democratic members…
What's Right With Our Schools: Hardy Elementary Black History Celebration
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) - Hardy Elementary School had to get extra creative for this year's Black History Month Celebration, but they still managed to get Hardy at home students through a series of interactive projects. Rose Prince teaches 4th grade…
Law firm offers $1000 reward for marble vandals
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - A local law firm is tired of replacing their shattered windows. So the McMahan Law Firm is offering a $1000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the so-called marble vandals. “We’ve had our windows shattered…
Shooting suspect crashes in escape attempt
FORT PAYNE, Alabama (WDEF) - DeKalb County Sheriff's officers have charged a suspect in a shooting Friday on Sand Mountain. It happened at a home on County road 233 between Sylvania and Rainsville. When officers arrived on the scene, the…
City Of Chattanooga Buildings reopen to public
CHATTANOOGA, Ten (WDEF) - With Covid-19 cases continuing to decline in our area, several Chattanooga buildings are now reopening to the public - but that does not mean that they will be free of restrictions. Last week, Chattanooga Mayor, Andy Berke,…
McDonald's enters Chicken Sandwich War, hides golden eggs across town
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn (WDEF) - McDonald's has officially entered the chicken sandwich war that has been going on between other fast food chains. And to kick off their new addition, local McDonald's franchises have hidden over 70 large golden eggs throughout…
Local impact from Johnson and Johnson's COVID vaccine
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee- After multiple places running out of, or rarely getting access to the COVID vaccines, Pharmacist Jacob Standefer with Access family Pharmacy said this additional vaccine is a huge step. "Hopefully this is going to open up more accessibility…