Traverse Park opens Saturday in Lafayette
LAFAYETTE, GA (WDEF) -- A new park is opening soon in Lafayette. Traverse Park on Villanow Street has an official ribbon cutting in June, but it’s opening up for…
Russell Stroud
Articles
Honeybee Festival will have Lafayette buzzing Saturday
LAFAYETTE, GA (WDEF) -- The city of Lafayette is kicking off an event that's been a yearly tradition since 2017. Lafayette becomes a hive…
Chattanooga officers wrangle escaped donkeys
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Police and Sheriff's deputies thwarted an equestrian escape earlier this week. A pair of donkeys were spotted by a 911 caller roaming along the area of Morris…
McKamey Animal Center is far over capacity, asking for the public’s help
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- McKamey Animal Shelter is facing a crisis. The Animal Shelter currently has over 600 animals within its walls, which is far more than they can handle alone. McKamey is asking for volunteers, foster carers, and people…
EPB says they’re prepared for coming storms
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- As storms are expected to continue this week, power outages could still happen. EPB says they’re prepared for anything that comes. With the ground saturated with water, trees could easily fall and disrupt power lines EPB…
Erlanger breaks ground on East expansion
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- A groundbreaking took place Wednesday at Erlanger’s East Campus on Gunbarrel Road. The new facility will feature an expanded patient tower, allowing for extra beds. Patient rooms will be upgraded with viewscreens so that patients are…
Rep. Fleischmann says no surprise energy rate hikes
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Will data centers across the southeast impact your power bill? That’s the question many are asking as construction on new data centers to…
New trail connects City of Chickamauga to Battlefield
CHICKAMAUGA, GA (WDEF) -- The ribbon was officially cut today on a new walking path in Chickamauga. The John Culpepper Battlefield Connector Trail runs all the way from downtown Chickamauga to the nearby Battlefield. The path was originally envisioned by…
Local veteran nominated for national fundraiser
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) Jimmy Grimes is a local veteran who was recently nominated for the 50 States 50 Veterans Gofundme campaign. The campaign was started by an Australian philanthropic…
TWRA Urges safe and sober boating this holiday weekend
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- As memorial day approaches, the TWRA is urging boaters to be safe. With the holiday, we can expect more boats than usual on…
Then and Now: Brown’s Ferry
Long before there were any permanent bridges over the Tennessee River, the only way for merchants and locals to cross over was either in their own boat or through a ferry…
Fairy and Folk Festival happening rain or shine this weekend
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The annual Fairy and Folk festival at Audubon Acres will be taking place "rain or shine", according to organizers. It's…
Competitors check in for IronMan triathlon
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Iron Man 70.3 Kilometer triathlon starts on Sunday, bright and early. Friday was check-in day for the competitors at Ironman Village on…
IronMan bring economic development to Walker County
CHICKAMAUGA, GA (WDEF) -- The bicycle portion of the IronMan triathlon takes competitors through Walker County, Georgia. For some, this is just a minor traffic inconvenience, but for Walker County Government and local programs, it’s a huge economic boost. Joe…
Then and Now: The Old Brainerd Mission Cemetery
Long before Eastgate was the focal point of Brainerd Road, this area of Tennessee and much of Northwest Georgia was a part of the Cherokee Nation. A group of missionaries commissioned…
Erlanger adding major expansion to East campus
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- A major expansion is coming soon to Erlanger East on Gunbarrel Road. The multimillion-dollar project will add new facilities and beds. Tyler Winks Executive…
Volunteers Needed for Cemetery Flag Placement
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- As Memorial Day approaches, local groups are preparing to honor our nation's fallen. Retired Navy Captain Mickey McCamish put out a call this week requesting…
The town of Old Harrison sits beneath Harrison Bay – Then and Now
In the early 1800s, the first European settlers came to the Hamilton County area. One of the first settlements was the town of…
Trion High School Senior in ICE Custody
TRION, GA (WDEF) -- A High School Student from Trion, Georgia was arrested after a traffic stop, and reports say he’s now in ICE custody. An arrest report…
The WDEF building wasn’t always a TV station – Then and Now
This building at 3300 Broad Street has been the home of WDEF TV for almost 70 years, but this isn’t where we started our…
Workers learn “Confined Space Entry and Rescue” at ChattState
Today at a training ground on ChattState campus, a group of students learned lifesaving skills. Instructor Kent Cochran, Owner of Cochran Safety Associates tells us, "What we’re…
The History of the Parkway Tower – Then and Now
If you’ve driven up Highway 27 in the last 50 years, you probably noticed that old eyesore that marks our skyline. As kids we called it…
Yangfeng announces 155 permanent layoffs in Chattanooga
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Yanfeng International released a WARN notice on the 29th announcing they were permanently laying off 155 workers at their Chattanooga Plant on Bonnyshire Drive,…
Low-Cost Kayak classes coming May 16th at area state parks
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- May 16th marks the beginning of Safe Boating Week in Tennessee. The TWRA is partnering with the American Canoe Association to…
Human Educational Society says they’re “at capacity”
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- If you’re looking to add a furry friend to your family, now is a good time to consider…
Erlanger Park spillover causes parking headaches on South Broad
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Opening day of Erlanger Park was a sold out success. However, the parking situation brought a challenge for some southside businesses. Social Media…
Early Voting Begins in Tennessee
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Early voting in Tennessee began today. Early extends until April the thirtieth, and the voter registration period has already passed. After Early voting, the official primary election…
Winn Smiles holds free dental clinic
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Dental care is something that many take for granted. With rising costs of living, personal health is something that quite a few Americans have put on the back burner. Dr. Brad Winn, dentist and owner of…
Democrat Shawn Harris Concedes Race in District 14
Shawn Harris held a watch party at the Mariott Hotel in Rome, Georgia. Supporters and campaign staff filled the room, along with media from overseas. After it became clear that…
Chattanooga Renaissance Faire launches May 30th
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- A new event will be coming to town on May 30th at Coolidge Park The Chattanooga Rennaissance Faire was announced for this year. The event will…
Union Gospel Mission Prepares for Easter Community Meal
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Union Gospel Mission is celebrating Easter differently from most ministries. Instead of a sanctuary, they’re taking their message to the people on the lawn…
Tech Byte: Our Favorite Memories
On this week's Tech Byte, I am doing something a little bit different. Instead of looking at a new piece of technology, I decided to go back in time a little…
Samaritan Center Kicks off “Spring Cleaning” Donation Drive
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- With rising fuel and food costs, SNAP benefits often aren’t enough to survive. The Samaritan Center has been working to fill the gap for…
Chattanooga Company Lodestar introduces new firearm safety mechanism
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- A local Chattanooga firearm company is taking firearm safety seriously, and they’ve added a technological twist. The Lodestar LNK 9 is a 9mm handgun…
TechByte: 8K TVs are on the market, but are they worth it?
Television technology has come a long way in the last 30 years. You probably remember sitting in front of the TV watching Saturday morning…
Erlanger Hospital announces plans to revamp Children’s Emergency Room
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Erlanger Hospital announced plans to makeover their Children’s Emergency Room at a press conference Wednesday. They made the announcement at the Kennedy Outpatient…
Lookout Mountain Conservancy plans to add new property to roster
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Lookout Mountain Conservancy signed a contract that will allow them to preserve a massive parcel of land. The land on Hawkins Ridge sits just behind…
Melvin Evans murder trial enters day four
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- The Defense and Prosecution gave their closing arguments today in the murder trial of Melvin Evans. Mr. Evans is accused of shooting and killing Kenneth…
TechByte: The Internet has an Infinite Memory
The internet has an infinite memory. On this week’s TechByte I’m going to show you how to use that memory for your advantage. Tell me if this sounds familiar:…
Ross’s Landing to Close starting in November
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) -- Ross’s Landing along the south shore of the TN River is going to be getting a major Makeover. Emily Mack, President and CEO of…