Dalton Draws Big Home Crowds For Their Soccer Team

Dalton, GA-(WDEF-TV) When you’ve won seven state championships like the Dalton soccer program has, you can expect great support. That’s why big crowds have become the norm for the Catamounts home matches at Harmon Field. Dalton just wrapped up another successful season on their home turf. They qualified for the state championship game this Friday in Atlanta. Nothing new for…

New Tennessee law expands emergency care for K-9 Officers

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – New legislation aimed at helping injured police and canine officers in the field has officially passed through the Tennessee General Assembly. The Tennessee Canine Emergency Medical Care and Transport Act now allows trained EMS personnel to provide emergency care and transportation to injured canines serving in the line of duty. “For me, this was a really…

Gas prices surge nationwide

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – President Trump announced Monday morning, following a phone interview with CBS News, that he plans to suspend the federal gas tax for a period of time. According to AAA, studies show gas prices have skyrocketed more than 50 percent since the start of the Iran war. On Sunday, prices reached more than $4.52 per gallon. Experts…

Cleveland Man Pleads Guilty in Murder Case

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) – Charlton Craig Liner has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to killing his ex-wife, Karen Liner, according to the 10th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office. Liner entered guilty pleas to first-degree murder, felony murder, and aggravated burglary, bringing the case to a close without going to trial.   Authorities say the charges stem from…

What’s Right With Our Schools, Chattanooga Library Story Time

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – The foundation for life-long learning is often laid in pre-school, but for people that young, learning has to be fun. That’s exactly where Preschool story time comes in. Let’s head to Chattanooga’s Downtown Public library for a page turning example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.” “Preschool story time focuses on early literacy skills, pre-literacy skills,…

CFC Brings Soccer to Erlanger Park

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Chattanooga Football Club is preparing to take the field at Erlanger Park for a milestone event in the club’s history. CFC will host Inter Miami CF II in the first soccer match ever played at the stadium. The game is part of the club’s “Summer of Soccer” celebration taking place across Chattanooga. The match comes as…

Craig Liner pleads guilty to 2025 murder of ex-wife

UPDATE: Craig Liner has pleaded guilty of the 2025 killing of his ex-wife Karen Liner and has been sentenced to life in prison. Liner entered pleas of guilty to First Degree Murder, Felony Murder, and Aggravated Burglary for killing Karen Liner at her home, according to the District Attorney General, Tenth Judicial District. CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF)- Back on January 27th, Karen…

Mother’s Day Paddle Through Downtown

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Families spent part of Mother’s Day on the water Sunday morning during a special kayaking adventure hosted by Outdoor Chattanooga. The guided paddle took participants through downtown Chattanooga along the Tennessee River, passing landmarks including Maclellan Island, Ross’s Landing, the Bluff View Art District, and several historic bridges. The event welcomed both beginners and experienced kayakers…

Sunscreen Confusion Raises Melanoma Concerns

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – May is Melanoma Awareness Month, and a new national survey is highlighting growing confusion surrounding sunscreen safety and daily sun protection. The survey, released by the Melanoma Research Alliance, found many Americans remain skeptical about sunscreen despite medical recommendations encouraging regular use to help prevent skin cancer. According to the findings, 53% of Americans say they…

Dayton celebrates 79th Annual Tennessee Strawberry Festival

DAYTON, Tenn. (WDEF) – Downtown Dayton celebrated its 79th annual Strawberry Festival with an entire week of events for the community. The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Molli Tallent, said this year’s festival brought one of the biggest crowds yet. “Perfect turnout. Bigger than it’s ever been for the 79th Tennessee Strawberry Festival. Woo!” Talent exclaimed. One attendee, Annette…

Mocs Rally to Beat Western Carolina and Stay Alive in SoCon Tournament

(gomocs.com) — Baileigh Pitts delivered a career night at the plate and Chattanooga rallied late with a four-run seventh inning to defeat Western Carolina 7-6 on Friday in the Southern Conference Softball Tournament at Jim Frost Stadium. The fifth-seeded Mocs erased a late deficit behind timely and aggressive hitting and strong pitching from senior Taylor Long, who struck out 11…

Cohutta Town Council reinstates police department, tables decision on mayor’s future

The Cohutta Town Council dealing with a power outage in the middle of a special meeting discussing the ongoing controversy over Cohutta mayor Ron Shinnick and his disbandment of the town’s police department. COHUTTA, Ga. (WDEF)- “So that’s it? We don’t get any answers or anything?” The controversy in a small Whitfield County town took another turn Friday evening, as…

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 from Walker County says Elder Yuvini Aguilar-Macario was charged by the Georgia State Patrol with failure to maintain lane and driving without a license, which is a misdemeanor. A gofundme established by…

McCallie Baseball Coach Tim Costo Stepping Down

(press release) McCallie Head Baseball Coach Tim Costo announced Thursday that he will be stepping down from his role at the end of the current season but will remain on staff as an assistant coach. In a joint announcement, McCallie School has elevated assistant coach Matt Allen to the head coaching position. Costo’s career as an assistant coach at McCallie…

Hamilton County purchases land adjacent to Enterprise South Nature Park

The property across from Enterprise South Nature Park now jointly owned by the city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- “I don’t know if you can tell in my demeanor, but it is such a relief.” Will Enterprise South Nature Park be expanding soon? A purchase by the Hamilton County Government could make that a possibility. In the…

New TN Congressional Map Becomes Law

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a new U.S. House redistricting map into law Thursday, finalizing a plan approved by the Republican-controlled legislature during a special session. The new map significantly alters representation in Memphis by reshaping a congressional district that includes much of the city. Supporters say the changes reflect updated population data and legal guidance,…