Taxpayers spending $200,000 for suspended insurance commissioner
“one-time funds for one filled executive position” to pay former insurance commissioner Jim Beck who was indicted soon after taking office.
Covid-19 Cases and Hospitalizations on steady decline
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - According to the Tennessee Department of Health and the Hamilton County Health Department, the number of new daily cases and local hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 are in a steady decline. Just a few weeks ago, Hamilton County…
Worker bitten at East Tennessee Big Cat Sanctuary
KINGSTON, Tenn. (AP) - Officials say a worker at a big cat sanctuary in Tennessee was hospitalized after being bitten by an animal. Roane County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tim Phillips told news outlets that a female employee at Tiger…
Tennessee clinic closed for weekend after shots fired
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Planned Parenthood clinic in Tennessee has closed for the weekend after someone fired a shotgun at its doors. Media outlets report the Knoxville clinic was unoccupied at the time of the shooting and no one…
Magistrate judge allows release of man in Capitol riot
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A magistrate judge will allow the release of a Tennessee man who carried flexible plastic handcuffs around the U.S. Capitol during the recent raid by Trump supporters. The Tennessean reports that Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Frensley determined…
TBI charges suspect with faking "news" on social media
DICKSON, Tennessee (WDEF) - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has charged a man with creating and disseminating a harassing photograph of social media. They say 28 year old Joshua Andrew Garton posted a photo showing people desecrating the grave of…
Tennessee adds vaccine groups; no promised extra doses yet
By JONATHAN MATTISE Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee is making moves to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for people in households with medically frail children and workers at jails and prisons. State Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said Friday that those…
Tennessee National Guard return home after inauguration
WASHINGTON D.C. (WDEF) - While some National Guard troops are being kept in Washington for the upcoming impeachment trial, Tennessee's guardsmen have come home. More than 750 soldiers and airmen went to the capital for the inauguration. The Tennessee Army…
Gov. Kay Ivey extends Alabama face mask order into March
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is extending a statewide order requiring face masks in public to help slow the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Ivey announced the decision at a news conference at the state…
5 Covid-19 variant cases in Georgia so far, vaccine update
ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia officials have now identified five cases of a COVID-19 variant in the state, raising the urgency to get people vaccinated. State Department of Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey reported the latest figure at a news conference…
Attorneys: Tennessee man in Capitol riot danger to community
By TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Federal prosecutors say a Tennessee man who carried flexible plastic handcuffs around the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 raid by Trump supporters is a danger to his community and a…
TWRA: Bat Population Declining Due to Syndrome
The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commision held a meeting at the Westin Hotel in Chattanooga Thursday afternoon. TWRA discussed the latest information and data on white nose syndrome. A deadly disease found in bats where cotton-ball like fungus grows on…
Boating fatalities soared in Tennessee during the pandemic
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) - The TWRA reports a major spike in boating fatalities in Tennessee in 2020. The state set a record low of 8 fatalities just the year before. But the number jumped to 32 last year. That is…
Will Gov. Ivey extend mask mandate for Alabama?
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Health officials want Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to extend a state mask order that is set to expire Friday. Ivey is expected to announce whether she will extend the order during a Thursday press conference. Dr.…
Are negative COVID-19 test needed to return to work?
(WDEF)- Some places of work require negative COVID-19 tests before being allowed to return. This can cause multiple positive tests on the same person. There have been questions on what multiple positive COVID tests for the same person means for…
Who's vandalizing the Greenway Ducks?
CLEVELAND, Tenn (WDEF) - The Greenway Public Art Committee is asking for your help in finding people who vandalized several structures. The greenway is the home to several duck sculptures that are a part of the “Ducks In a row” 2020…
Love's Arm joins Met Ministries "Impact Hub"
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - Five local non profit organizations are coming together to help better serve our community. It's called the ‘MetMinistries Impact Hub’ and the organizations involved are Met Ministries, the Pursuit of Happiness, Cempa community care clinic, Chattanooga Tumor…
NPHC hosts virtual pre-inauguration celebration
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - The National Panhellenic Council of Chattanooga held a pre-inauguration ceremony, celebrating the inauguration of the 46th President, Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris. The virtual celebration consisted of several speakers , community members, and entertainment pieces. Local…
Dream close to being sold, taking Loeffler out of WNBA
The Atlanta Dream are close to being sold, ending defeated Sen. Kelly Loeffler's contentious stint as a WNBA owner. The league said in a statement that a sale of the franchise was close to being finalized. Players around the league…
Tennessee lets public gathering limits expire
Continues ban on school sport fan attendance through February.
City of Chattanooga unveils virtual memorial to honor those who died to Covid-19
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - The City of Chattanooga has released a memorial video honoring those who lost their lives to Covid-19. The video release by the city references the 280 Hamilton County deaths that happened in 2020, but the video…
MaryEllen Locher Scholarship fund established at CHI Memorial Foundation
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - CHI Memorial Foundation And The MaryEllen Locher Scholarship Foundation have announced they have joined together. The MaryEllen Locher Scholarship Fund at CHI Memorial Foundation is a college scholarship program for children who have either lost a parent…
Chambliss Center for Children team up with Isaiah 117 House
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn (WDEF) - Children who are awaiting a foster home placement in Hamilton County will soon have a new place to find comfort. The Chambliss Center for Children has teamed up with another local, non profit organization - Isaiah…
Georgia certifies Democrats Warnock and Ossoff's Senate wins
Georgia’s secretary of state has certified the results of the two U.S. Senate runoff elections.