Real ID Rules Take Flight
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Starting today, if you plan to fly, your regular driver’s license may not be enough. A long-delayed federal requirement is now in effect. The Real ID Act, passed in 2005…
Robert Hanley
Articles
From Exhaustion to Restful Nights
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Chattanooga resident Nathan Uglow has battled sleep issues since his teenage years. Friends and family told him he snored loudly, and he often felt exhausted, falling asleep at…
YMCA Launches Teaching Kitchen Series
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - The JA Henry Community YMCA is serving up something new, and it’s not just about fitness. Starting today, their brand-new Teaching Kitchen is launching a series of…
Students Earn Award for Full Voting Registration
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - One local high school is being recognized for going above and beyond in preparing students for civic responsibility. Lookout Valley High School is now among…
Kenya White Signs Plea Agreement
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - A former Chattanooga teacher has pleaded guilty to federal charges after investigators say he tried to exploit two students, ages twelve and fourteen. Federal prosecutors say the…
Walnut Street Bridge Renovation Costs Rise
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - A new change order could raise the cost of restoring Chattanooga’s Walnut Street Bridge by more than $630,000. If approved, that would bring the total renovation…
Taco Festival Brings the Flavor
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - It was a flavorful weekend at Camp Jordan as the 4th Annual Chattanooga Taco Festival took over East Ridge. Despite one day being canceled due to weather,…
Major League Fishing Stage Four Victory
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour Stage Four concluded today in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with Jake Lawrence emerging as the champion. Fishing on Nickajack Lake, the Paris,…
Scenic City Gem Show Wraps
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - The 2025 Scenic City Gem and Mineral Show wrapped up today at Camp Jordan Arena in East Ridge. Over the past three days, visitors explored a stunning…
Chattanooga Hosts 76th Armed Forces Parade
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Chattanooga is getting ready to roll out the red, white, and blue as the city prepares to host the 2025 Armed Forces Parade and Luncheon this…
Reel Rivals Return to Tennessee
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The world's top bass anglers have cast off in Chattanooga as Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour Stage 4 gets underway. From May 1st through the 4th,…
House Tour Uncovers Animal Cruelty
LAFAYETTE, GA (WDEF) - A disturbing discovery during a house tour leads to serious animal cruelty charges in Walker County. 5 people are now facing over 80 counts after authorities found…
New Store Sparks Economic Growth
HIXSON, Tenn. (WDEF) - A major retailer is breathing new life into the Northgate Mall area in Hixson, bringing with it a big boost to the local economy. The former Sears…
Tennessee’s Battle Against Deadly Fentanyl
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Tennessee continues to battle a deadly wave in the opioid epidemic, driven largely by the rise of fentanyl. Often lurking in counterfeit pills and street drugs, fentanyl…
Stroke Awareness Saves Precious Time
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Stroke is one of the most serious medical emergencies in the United States, striking without warning and often leaving a lifetime of impact. It’s the fifth leading…
Cleveland HS Celebrates Student Success Stories
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) - At Cleveland High School, Room 901 is home to more than just desks and textbooks. It’s where dreams take center stage. What started as a simple…
Corgi Cuties Take Over St. Elmo
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Big ears, short legs, and plenty of wagging tails took over St. Elmo today. The streets of Chattanooga’s historic St. Elmo neighborhood were packed for the…
A Taste of Cornbread Culture
SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. (WDEF) - The streets of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, are packed this weekend for the National Cornbread Festival. Today, visitors played games, rode carnival rides, and browsed booths filled…
Upcycled Art Event Sparks Creativity
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Today at the Warehouse Row Pavilion, Chattanooga celebrated Arts Week and Earth Week with a hands-on, upcycled art experience. Community members joined Artist J Baker to complete…
Dalton Baby Shower Supports Families
DALTON, GA (WDEF) - The Women’s Enrichment Center in Dalton held its Annual Community Baby Shower today. Donors dropped off diapers, formula, baby clothes, and more to support families across Northwest…
South Pittsburg Cornbread Celebration
SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. (WDEF) - Get ready to fire up those skillets because South Pittsburg is once again the cornbread capital of the world! The 28th Annual National Cornbread Festival is back,…
Robot Calf Protests Leather Industry
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Downtown Chattanooga recently saw a futuristic protest take to the streets, as a robotic calf made an unexpected appearance to raise awareness about animal cruelty and environmental impact. Charli XC…
Roberts found guilty of second degree murder in Chris Wright murder trial
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- After close to 8 hours of deliberation, a Hamilton County Jury reached a verdict in the murder trial of Darryl…
Whitwell Senior Makes Naval History
WHITWELL, Tenn. (WDEF) - A Whitwell High School senior is making history in Marion County. Ava Holder has been accepted into the United States Naval Academy for the upcoming school year,…
Local Reactions to Pope Francis’ Passing
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Catholics around the world are mourning Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88, weeks after being released from the hospital following a battle…
Serving Hope This Easter Sunday
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - This Easter Sunday, the front lawn of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center was filled with warmth, generosity, and hope as the Union Gospel Mission served its 11th…
Hemp Bill Sparks Industry Backlash
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - A proposed bill at the Tennessee Capitol is putting small hemp businesses on edge. House Bill 1376 would shift the regulation and taxation of hemp-derived products, like THC-A, to the…
Cicadas Return After 17 Years
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Get ready, Tennessee, because millions of 17-year cicadas are about to make their grand entrance. Brood Fourteen, last seen in two thousand eight, will emerge when soil…
IRS Extends Tax Filing Deadlines
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - If you haven’t filed your taxes yet, don’t worry, you might have more time than you thought. Folks in Georgia and Alabama impacted by recent storms automatically get an extension…
Kemp Signs Major Tax Relief
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - On Tuesday, Governor Brian Kemp signed two major tax relief bills into law during a ceremony in Cobb County, delivering over a billion dollars in financial benefits to Georgia…
Pachyderm Club Discusses Growth Issues
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Community members showed up at the Hamilton County Pachyderm Club this afternoon to hear from District Nine Commissioner Dr. Steve Highlander. He spoke directly to local concerns…
Big Plans for South Broad
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - A major new development could soon reshape part of Chattanooga’s South Broad Street corridor. The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission Meeting took place today to discuss further…
All Aboard for Thomas Fun
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Thousands of families rolled into Chattanooga over the past two weekends to celebrate a very special birthday and today marked the final stop. It was all aboard…
TN Aquarium Debuts New Mussels Exhibit
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - The Tennessee Aquarium is flexing its mussels with a brand-new exhibit that shines a spotlight on some of the river’s most overlooked but important residents—freshwater mussels.…
A Step in the Right Direction
PIKEVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) - Tennessee First Lady Maria Lee visited Bledsoe County today as part of her ongoing mission to uplift the state’s most vulnerable communities. At Pikeville Elementary School, she partnered…
NO FAKES Act Reintroduced in Congress
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - Today, Senators Chris Coons and Marsha Blackburn reintroduced the NO FAKES Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at combating unauthorized AI-generated replicas of individuals' faces, names, and…
Jenni Berz Officially Wins District 6
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) - A new chapter is beginning for Chattanooga’s City Council, but it’s one deeply rooted in tradition. Jenni Berz has officially won the District 6 seat, stepping…
Gordon Lee Middle Honored for Math
CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. (WDEF) - It was a proud day at Gordon Lee Middle School as Georgia’s State Superintendent Richard Woods made a special stop to celebrate student success. The school…
Data-Driven Fight Against Overdoses
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -Local officials are now using a new strategy, surveillance systems that track overdoses in real time. The Hamilton County Health Department is monitoring tools like O-D-MAP and ESSENCE, databases that show where and when overdoses happen. These…
Storm Hits Grundy County Overnight
GRUNDY COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) - Severe storms swept through Grundy County last night, leaving a trail of destruction. High winds and heavy rainfall caused significant damage across the area, affecting homes,…