Down Payment Help Program Launch
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Buying a home has become increasingly difficult for many first-time buyers as housing prices and upfront costs continue rising nationwide. Now, leaders in Chattanooga say a new…
Mackenzie Johnson
Articles
Vols Basketball Sign 6'10 Forward Christian Fermin of VCU
(utsports.com) – University of Tennessee head men's basketball coach Rick Barnes announced Monday the addition of Christian Fermin. Following four years at A-10 powerhouse VCU, Fermin heads to Rocky Top as a redshirt senior forward with one season of eligibility left. "We are happy to…
The 2 suspects in a shooting at a San Diego mosque are dead, a police source says
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The two suspects in a Monday shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego are dead. That’s according to a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person…
Trump to announce an expansion of his discounted-drug website TrumpRx
President Donald Trump is set to make more medications available on his discounted-drug website TrumpRx on Monday, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the remarks. The expanded offerings, to be announced at an afternoon…
Ice cream sold in 17 states recalled for potential metal fragments
Straus Family Creamery is voluntarily recalling a variety of organic ice cream flavors and sizes sold in 17 states because of concerns there may be…
Trump says he’s called off Iran strike planned for Tuesday at request of Gulf allies
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he is holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for Tuesday because “serious negotiations” are underway. Trump’s announcement in a social media post Monday came as he had threatened the…
Zoo Atlanta evacuated due to bomb threat hoax over the weekend, officials say
A bomb threat led to the evacuation of Zoo Atlanta over the weekend, officials say. In a statement, zoo officials said that they received the threat late Saturday afternoon and evacuated all guests and team members from the grounds. Officials…
Paving on Dayton Boulevard to begin within two weeks
The City of Red Bank will begin paving Dayton Boulevard between Browntown Road and Gadd Road within the next two weeks as part of a TDOT project, according to the City of…
What's Right With Our Schools: Catoosa Reads Program
CATOOSA COUNTY, GA (WDEF) - Getting young people to love reading is a team effort in Catoosa County. Last year, the School District teamed up with Citizens for…
American doctor working in Congo tests positive for Ebola, CDC and aid group say
An American doctor working with a medical missionary organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has a confirmed case of Ebola, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the missionary group said Monday. The individual was being taken to…
Marion County Sheriff's Office warns of phone scam
MARION COUNTY --The Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) is warning individuals of a phone scam that is affecting some people. They say they have received reports of a scammer calling individuals and identifying himself…
Summer travelers who relied on Spirit Airlines may struggle to find budget alternatives
Days after Spirit Airlines shut down in the middle of the night, a lawyer for the defunct budget carrier stood before a bankruptcy judge and apologized to the price-conscious customers who might struggle to find affordable flights…
Jury rules against Elon Musk in his feud with OpenAI, saying he filed his lawsuit too late
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - A federal court on Monday dismissed claims filed against OpenAI and its top executives by Elon Musk, who accused them of betraying a shared vision for it to guide artificial intelligence’s development as a nonprofit dedicated…
U.S. announces Ebola-related travel restrictions amid outbreak in Congo, Uganda
The Trump administration announced Monday it's adding additional screening measures and restricting people who don't have U.S. passports from entering the country if they have been in three African nations affected by a growing Ebola outbreak. At least 80 people are…
Pet of the Week: Emma
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Join us at Prime News at 7 to meet this week's Pet of the Week: Emma! Emma has been waiting at the shelter for just a few weeks now, and every single day we wonder how…
Small-town Georgia mayor resigns weeks after firing entire police department
The mayor of a small northwest Georgia town has resigned following controversy tied to his decision to fire the town's entire police department. According to a Cohutta city official, former Mayor Ron Shinnick submitted…
Georgia woman who faked being pregnant teen and threatened couples sentenced to federal prison
A Georgia woman will spend nearly two years in federal prison after officials say she pretended to be a pregnant teenager to cyberstalk and threaten two Tennessee couples who were looking to adopt a baby. Last year, 30-year-old Athens resident…
Man pleads guilty in shooting death of rapper Young Dolph at a Memphis bakery
MEMPHIS, Tenn, (AP) — A Tennessee man pleaded guilty on Friday in the shooting death of…
2 Americans arrested in Japan for climbing into viral baby monkey Punch's zoo enclosure
Two American nationals were arrested Sunday in Japan after one of them…
Justice Department announces a $1.7B fund to compensate Trump allies in a deal to drop IRS suit
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration on Monday announced the creation a $1.7 billion fund to compensate allies of the Republican president who believe they were mistreated by the Biden administration Justice Department. The “Anti-Weaponization…
Veteran Singer Advocates Mental Health
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - As Military Appreciation Month and Mental Health Awareness Month continue, Benjamin Hightower is using his platform to speak openly about mental health and life after military service.…
Triathlon Tradition Draws Big Crowds
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - The IRONMAN 70.3 returned over the weekend, bringing athletes to a course built around a downstream Tennessee River swim, rolling regional roads, and a downtown run lined…
Suspect flees officials after attempted traffic stop on Cleveland Highway
The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office shares they assisted the Varnell Police Department with a subject who fled in a vehicle from an attempted traffic stop on May 18, 2026. They say Varnell…
Iran state media claim U.S. has offered to suspend oil sanctions during negotiations on full peace deal
Iranian state media claimed Monday that U.S. officials had agreed to suspend sanctions against the country's crude oil exports while talks on ending the war continue, seemingly easing concerns over a possible return to hostilities among investors. The unconfirmed report…
Georgia Republicans scramble to pick a candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff
ACWORTH, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Rep. Mike Collins, who wants to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November, happily calls himself a warrior for President Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” movement. Although it’s a sensible calling…
Trump settles $10 billion lawsuit against IRS over leak of his tax returns
President Trump and the Justice Department reached a settlement regarding the president's $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department, according to documents filed with the court Monday. Mr. Trump had…
Judge allows gun and notebook as evidence at Mangione’s trial in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing
NEW YORK (AP) — A gun and notebook that prosecutors say link Luigi Mangione to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson can be used as evidence at his murder trial, a judge ruled Monday,…
One dead after officer involved shooting in Hickman County
HICKMAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) - Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) agents are investigating the circumstances leading to an officer-involved shooting that occurred Sunday in Hickman County in the 2100 block of Old Beaver Creek Road. According to the TBI, deputies…
At least 4 Georgians sick as multistate salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry grows
Four Georgians are among 184 people across 31 states who have gotten sick in a growing multistate salmonella outbreak tied to contact with backyard poultry, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC is investigating three separate…
Iran's president admits nation has "suffered harm," but says it remains "fully capable of defending" rights
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged Monday that the country had suffered amid the ongoing war with the U.S. and Israel, but he insisted the Islamic Republic was still "fully capable of defending our nation's rights with strength." During a meeting…
A reversal for oil prices helps stocks worldwide to recover
NEW YORK (AP) - Oil prices eased after a scare overnight where prices popped and then moderated. That helped steady stock markets worldwide Monday as trading headed from Asia through Europe to Wall Street. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% in…
3 young people arrested in series of random shootings across Austin that left 4 injured
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Three young people were in custody following at least 10 random weekend shootings in Austin, Texas, that left four people injured, city officials said. Driving around the city in stolen vehicles, at…
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a global health emergency, with at least 80 dead
The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a…
Traffic at a standstill southbound in Bradley County due to crash
BRADLEY COUNTY -- All lanes are blocked on I-75 southbound in Bradley County due to a multi-vehicle crash near mile marker 19.4, according to TDOT. We are working to learn more.
Chattanooga's Northshore ranks high on list of people thinking they can live to be 100
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) - Do you think you'll make it to 100? A study looked out how communities look at their life span and one of ours has ranked very high. The Northshore in Chattanooga ranks fifth nationally on the Life…
Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga: Athletes reflect on their Ironman journey
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - As Chattanooga celebrated another year of the Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga, athletes from across the country crossed the finish line with stories of perseverance,…
One male arrested after Whitfield Standoff
WHITFIELD COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) - On Sunday around 1 p.m., the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office was on scene around Yorktown Way off of Dawnville Road due to an active investigation. According to…
36-year-old woman shot and one man charged after shooting
ATHENS, Tenn. (WDEF) — On Sunday, the Athens Police Department responded to a shooting at 108 Fisher Street. According to police, a 36-year-old woman was shot in her upper body. The victim was…
Cohutta Mayor resigns following weeks of controversy
COHUTTA, Ga. (WDEF) - The Town of Cohutta is seeing another major leadership change. The Town of Cohutta’s Attorney, Bryan Rayburn, confirmed that Ron Shinnick has resigned from his…
Chickamauga’s 52nd annual Down Home Days Festival
CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. (WDEF) - Down Home Days Festival returned to Chickamauga today for its 52nd year of celebrating community traditions and local entertainment. The annual festival featured live music,…