Tennessee to add electric car charging in state parks
Tennessee State Parks will have electric car charging stations at all 56 parks in the state within the next year.
Corpse Flower With a Rotten Smell Set to Bloom at University of Tennessee at Knoxville
A flower whose aroma is described as that of a rotting corpse is set to bloom for the first time since arriving at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville two decades ago.
Bradley County School System announces Future Ready 1:1 Program
BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn (WDEF) - This past year has been challenging especially for our local school systems but despite all the challenges, the Bradley County School System has continued to advocate for the education of their students by…
Georgia House speaker proposes 1K bonus for police, deputies
ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia’s House speaker says he will seek $75 million in the state budget to give each police officer and sheriff’s deputy a $1,000 bonus, increase salaries for prosecutors and public defenders and bolster the capacity of the…
Hamilton County Health Department hosts Back to School Vaccine events
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - The Hamilton County Health Department is hosting a back to school vaccinate and birth certificate event. The events are located at the health department and open on weekdays from 8am to 4pm. Parents or…
Kane Brown and Lowe's start renovating the East Lake Boys and Girls Club
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - After months of waiting, Lowe's has announced the locations that were chosen for their 100 Hometowns project. News 12 caught up with former Lowe’s associate and country music star, Kane Brown, who helped to…
Performance review clashes with firing recommendation for Dr. Michelle Fiscus
The firing of Tennessee Department of Health's top vaccine specialist has become a political football.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene comments on her Twitter suspension
ATLANTA (AP) - Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says her 12-hour suspension from Twitter is "a Communist-style attack on free speech.” Twitter says it imposed the timeout because some of her tweets violated its policy against spreading misinformation about the coronavirus…
Tennessee postpones Immunization Summit
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) - Tennessee's Department of Health has postponed their annual Immunization Summit as controversy over Covid vaccines continues to swirl around it. The Department's website announced the virtual summit was postponed until further notice. But officials are saying…
American Rescue Plan Distributes $830 million for educational funding in Tennessee
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - The U.S. Department of Education announced the approval of Tennessee’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief plan. 830 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan will go toward education. It will…
GOP lawmakers hold California protest after 3 cancellations
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) - Republican House Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene held a protest Saturday after a third venue in California canceled their event. A spokesman for the city of Anaheim announced the latest cancellation on Saturday, hours…
Biden, Harris: Protect voting rights to honor John Lewis
ATLANTA (AP) - President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are both marking the one-year anniversary of the death U.S. Rep. John Lewis by urging Congress to enact laws to protect voting rights. They said Saturday that doing so…
Dr. Fiscus counters employer's claims against her
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Days after she was fired under pressure from Republican legislators, Tennessee’s former vaccinations director has issued a point-by-point rebuttal to a letter that recommended her removal. The letter from the state's chief medical officer said Michelle…
Crossville supervisor indicted for sexually assaulting women under his supervision
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WDEF) - A former Cumberland County Waste Director has been indicted on sexual assault charges against women under his supervision. 59 year old Michael Harvel was arrested at his home this morning by the FBI. He faces federal…
Death Row inmate dies of natural causes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee death row inmate Stephen Hugueley has died three days after the state filed a motion to set his execution date. A statement from the Tennessee Department of Correction says the 53-year-old appears to have died…
Work to dislodge grounded riverboat to begin in Kentucky
CADIZ, Ky. (AP) - The U.S. Coast Guard says operations to dislodge a grounded riverboat in Lake Barkley in Kentucky are scheduled to begin Friday. American Cruise Lines says its riverboat, American Jazz, became stuck on a sandbar last week…
Here is why one Doctor recommended firing Tennessee's vaccination leader
This is as close to an explanation as the Department of Health has given, Dr. Michelle Fiscus says she was fired as a political scapegoat.
Former Tennessee Vaccine official speaks out about firing
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - The Tennessee Department of Health is stopping all vaccine outreach for adolescents-even for vaccines not related to Covid-19. Just this week, one of the state’s medical directors was fired. Dr. Michelle Fiscus says it…
USDA extends program to provide free meals to Hamilton County Students
Hamilton County Schools will once again be able to cover the costs of meals for their students.
Service set for 8 killed in wreck of Alabama girls home van
A remembrance is set for eight young people killed when a van returning to an Alabama girls home after a week at the beach wrecked last month.
1st elected Alabama Black Republican: GOP 'open to everyone'
PELHAM, Ala. (AP) - The first Black Republican elected to the Alabama Legislature since Reconstruction says the “GOP is open to everyone.” Retired Army Sgt. Kenneth Paschal was elected Tuesday to fill a legislative seat in suburban Shelby County. He…
Covid-19 cases rising again in Georgia
ATLANTA (AP) - The number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Georgia has risen substantially over the past few weeks, mirroring a national trend that has public health experts worried. The state’s seven-day average of new cases stood at more…
"Light Up Tennessee" coming to East Ridge
EAST RIDGE, Tenn (WDEF) - For three nights, the evening skies of East Ridge will be glowing and full of color when the “Light Up East Ridge” hot air balloon event comes to Camp Jordan. Beginning July 30…
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health Officials concerned about the Delta Variant in the U.S.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - Now that nearly 50% of Americans are fully vaccinated, Health Experts from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health gathered today to discuss how the delta variant could impact the nation’s Covid-19 recovery process and…