Bill Mitchell Tribute

  CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Tennessee State Senators and Representatives honored former News 12 employee Bill Mitchell for his decades of service to the broadcast world. They presented him with a resolution for his media service. “I know you’ve been at WDEF for 26 years, but you’ve served in the media for 62 years,” said Tennessee Senator Bo Watson. “That’s…

GPS swim team finishes second in state

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Girls Preparatory School (GPS) in Chattanooga finished in second place at the 2023 TISCA State Meet. This year’s TISCA State Meet was held in Knoxville over two days. The GPS Bruisers had 204.5 team points total. Their ranking was second only to Ensworth. GPS was runner up at the meet last year as well. However,…

Corrections officers stabbed while intervening in inmate attack

WARNING: Images may be graphic to viewers. HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — An inmate at the Silverdale Detention Center stabbed two corrections officers. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office said the officers were trying to stop an inmate-on-inmate assault. The stabbing happened Thursday morning shortly before 3:30 a.m. HCSO said a corrections officer opened a cell door to deliver medication to…

TN National Guard identifies two killed in helicopter crash

Daniel Wadham and Danny Randolph were killed in the accident

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WDEF) — The Tennessee National Guard identified the two pilots killed in Wednesday’s helicopter crash. They said the accident happened during a training flight near Highway 53 in Madison County. Those killed in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Wadham and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danny Randolph. Wadham was from Joelton and Randolph was from Murfreesboro….

Tennessee Historic Development Grant recipients unveiled

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Tennessee’s General Assembly approved nearly $9 million in grants to renovate and preserve historical buildings across Tennessee. The TNECD recently released the list of recipients of the Historic Development Grant. The TNECD said this program is meant to encourage communities and private developers to invest in historical buildings. Recipients of the grant include individuals, developers, nonprofits…

Chattanooga woman wakes up to house fire

No injuries reported in Briarwood Drive fire

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Chattanooga Fire Department reported a house fire on Briarwood Drive. A woman woke up to find her home on fire on Wednesday. A neighbor noticed the fire and called 911. Firefighters showed up shortly after 2:30 p.m. The CFD said heavy smoke was coming from the eaves of the home. They said they entered through…

New multi-sensory exhibit at TN Aquarium

The Ridges to Rivers exhibit features species from Southern Appalachian streams

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Tennessee Aquarium will be opening a new exhibit on March 1. This new addition will allow visitors to see, hear and touch many species native to Southern Appalachia. The gallery is called Ridges to Rivers. It is replacing the Discovery Hall exhibits that date back to 2002. The featured aquatic life is native to the…

Vehicle stuck on bank, occupants trapped

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Chattanooga Fire Department said on Friday a person was trapped in a car. The car was stuck on the bank of a parking lot. CFD said this happened at the 5000 block of Austin Road. The fire department used a winch on the truck to stabilize the car. They said that no one was injured….

Dryer catches fire in Hixson home

HIXSON, Tenn. (WDEF) — A dryer caught fire at a home in Hixson, Tennessee Monday afternoon. The house was evacuated, and no one was injured. The Dallas Bay Volunteer Fire Department said the fire occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday. The homeowner called 911 to report their dryer was on fire in the laundry room. Dallas Bay VFD said…

Century-old building lost in Mentone fire

Video Credit: Coby Harrison MENTONE, Ala. (WDEF) — A historical building in Mentone, Alabama is a total loss after a fire Thursday night. The Mentone Hitching Post was located at 6081 Alabama Highway 117. It was completely engulfed in flames, unable to be saved. The Hitching Post made a statement on Facebook that no one was inside the building at…

Phil’s Groundhog Day prediction: 6 more weeks of winter

A furry critter in a western Pennsylvania town has predicted six more weeks of winter during an annual Groundhog Day celebration.

Phil’s Groundhog Day prediction: 6 more weeks of winter PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) – A furry critter in a western Pennsylvania town has predicted six more weeks of winter during an annual Groundhog Day celebration. People gathered Thursday at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summoned the groundhog from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he…

Ooltewah shooting results in carjacking and high-speed chase

Two men were arrested and a juvenile prisoner was captured

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The shooting suspect on Ooltewah-Georgetown Road was arrested Monday by Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Police arrested the man on I-24 after a high-speed chase. Ooltewah Shooting The shooting suspect was Brian Stone, who had an accomplice with him, according to Hamilton County police. Richard Gerald was arrested in relation to this incident. The shooting happened Monday…

Authorities capture 2 Virginia inmates in Tennessee

ABINGDON, Va. (AP) – Two inmates who fled a southwest Virginia jail are being held without bond after authorities said they were captured in northeast Tennessee. The Washington County, Virginia, sheriff’s office said that officers located Johnny Shane Brown and Albert Lee Ricketson in a barn on Friday in Rogersville, Tennessee, and arrested them without incident. It was a few…

TBI Announces Two Wanted Fugitives

  TENNESSEE (WDEF) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced two wanted fugitives. Johnny Shane Brown and Albert Lee Ricketson escaped from jail on Thursday. TBI said the men were being held at the Southwest Virgina Regional Jail Authority. They are wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the local sheriff’s office, the TBI said. Police believe both men may…

Rescue 82 Sends Aid to Ukraine

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Chattanooga-based non-profit is traveling to Ukraine in March. Rescue 82 will be making their third mission trip to the country since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The group says they will be providing aid in and around areas once occupied by Russia and left devastated by the war. Rescue 82 consists primarily of Chattanooga SWAT…

Two Traffic Stops Result in Seizure of Fentanyl

DUNLAP, Tenn. (WDEF) — Dunlap police found narcotics in two separate traffic stops this weekend. The drivers in both incidents were arrested and are facing multiple charges, according to the Dunlap Police Department. On Saturday, police stopped a Chevrolet Suburban and found nine fentanyl pills and powder. Police say the driver admitted the pills were fentanyl. That individual is being…

LEGO Discovery Center Coming to Atlanta

It will be opening in just a few short months.

ATLANTA, Ga. (WDEF) — LEGO lovers of all ages have an experience to look forward to this spring. A new LEGO Discovery Center is opening in Atlanta this March. The Atlanta LEGO Discovery Center will be the first to come to North America. It will be located in Phipps Plaza, a shopping mall in northern Atlanta, according to a press…

House Fire Sends One Person to Hospital

The CFD says that individual has only minor injuries.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Chattanooga house fire early Wednesday morning sent one person to the hospital, according to the Chattanooga Fire Department. They say that person has minor, non-life-threatening injuries. Shortly after 1 a.m., the Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) responded to a house fire near Brainerd High School. It took place in the 700 block of West Henderson Drive,…

Mother and children safe after car fire spreads to home

Crews respond to Haywood Avenue

Credit: Chattanooga Fire A mother and her two children are safe after a car fire spread to their Hixson home.  Firefighters responded to the fire at 7:10 last night.  No injuries were reported and crews were able to successfully save the structure. Crews responded to the 2900 block of Haywood Avenue and found a burning car and its fiery gas…

Train hits road construction beam delivery truck in Collegedale

The beam was part of the Apison Pike widening project

MORE INFORMATION: EMS now says the truck was carrying a single 134 foot concrete truss beam. The driver was waiting for a green light at the railroad crossing when he got caught up on the tracks. That’s when the crossing gates came down on him and the train hit the truck. Latest count has 3 locomotives and ten cars derailed….

NIL has come to this: UGA cross country runner is modeling

Gambling company announces model deal as TSSAA approves NIL for high school students in Tennessee

ATHENS, Georgia (WDEF) – The move to pay school athletes has taken some twists on Thursday. NIL has become a major player in college athletics. It’s stands for Name, Image and Likeness. Basically, the NCAA approved allowing athletes to cash in on themselves and remain amateurs. That means getting paid for autographs, endorsements or appearing in commercials. But now a…

Water rescue tonight of stranded dogs

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – A search tonight for homeless people in South Chattanooga turned into a dog water rescue. The Fire department was called out to Workman Road to find the homeless in the woods along Chattanooga Creek in the flood plain between Alton Park and Rossville around 5 PM. By the time they got there, the rising waters had turned…