CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- In September 2023, a Baylor alum and Chattanooga businessman was murdered in front of Patten Towers. Now, the man charged with first degree murder in that shooting is facing this trial. On the night of September 28, 2023, Baylor alum and businessman Chris Wright was walking past Patten Towers. Surveillance footage showed Wright getting into a confrontation…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and today, law enforcement hit the streets for Operation Hands Free—a statewide effort to crack down on distracted drivers and highlight the dangers of using a phone behind the wheel. In Chattanooga, officers boarded a CARTA bus, using the higher vantage point to spot drivers holding or using their…
CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Biology is defined as the study of living organisms. It can be one of the more challenging subjects on a 9 grader’s schedule, but Warren Smith sprinkles in plenty of life lessons for his students a CCS. For teaching growing minds about growing things, we honored, Mr. Smith with tonight’s Golden Apple Award. Jake Palumbo is…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A family is safe after a fire broke out at their home Tuesday afternoon. On April 1, 2025, at 1:15 p.m. crews with the Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) responded to the 1500 block of Lillian Lane off Wilcox Boulevard. The residents called 911 after noticing smoke, and seeing fire in a front bedroom. Upon arrival, firefighters…
Haley Layman arrested / Grundy County Sheriff’s Office via Facebook UPDATE (4/2/2025): An arrest has been made in connection to the fatal hit-and-run that killed Bobby Dan Green. According to the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, multiple agencies, including Tennessee Highway Patrol, assisted in the arrest of Haley Layman. No further details are available at this time. GRUNDY COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)…
UPDATE (4/2/2025): A suspect has been arrested in connection to the hit-and-run incident on Berry Street in Cleveland over the weekend. Cleveland police say they located and apprehended the 17-year-old suspect on April 1, 2025. He was arrested and taken to the Bradley County Juvenile Center. The 17-year-old faces the following charges: Leaving the Scene of an Accident involving…
CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – A Go Fund Me campaign has been set up for an East Hamilton graduate who drowned last week in the Tennessee River. 19 year old Maurice Clanton Junior was swimming with friends near Skull Island. He was a freshman in college. Clanton played drums in the marching band in high school. The Go Fund me campaign was…
Red Bank, TN-(WDEF-TV) Signal Mountain scored 9 runs in their first at-bat and never looked back on Monday in beating Red Bank 17-1 in their high school baseball district matchup. Categories: Sports – Local Sports News Tags: High School Baseball, Red Bank High School, Signal Mountain High School
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) has received a generous seven-figure donation from the Steiner family, a local Chattanooga family with a long-standing tradition of supporting UTC. This gift will fund the initial planning stages of a new women’s athletic complex, which will benefit the university’s softball, beach volleyball, and soccer teams. Amy Donahue, UTC’s…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Just how many Hamilton County inmates are staying behind bars while awaiting trial? A new report says, most of them. The Chattanoogans for Love, Equality, and Benevolence, or CALEB for short, has been advocating for inmate rights in Hamilton County for some time. Monday, they released the results of a years-long study on how many inmates are…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Reappraisal notices have started going out across Hamilton County. County property assessor Marty Haynes says that by the end of April, every property owner should receive such notices. There are over 165,000 properties in Hamilton County. Haynes wants the public to know that while your home value is likely to go up, this doesn’t necessarily equate to…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Hamilton County is making strides in supporting local veterans who find themselves in the criminal justice system. At today’s Pachyderm Club meeting, Judge Gary Starnes of the General Sessions Court, Division 5, shared details about the newly launched Veterans Treatment Court, an initiative designed to help veterans get back on their feet. The court, which started…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – As measles cases resurface in Tennessee, Walmart and Walgreens Health & Wellness professionals are stepping up to help keep the community safe and informed. Local pharmacists are available for in-store or in-studio interviews to discuss important topics, including the availability of the MMR vaccine. The vaccine provides critical protection against measles, mumps, and rubella, and Walmart…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Pressure is mounting before a critical vote tomorrow on a controversial bill. A rally was held over the weekend to protest Senate Bill 8-36. The bill, proposed by Senator Bo Watson, would allow schools to not enroll undocumented students. He says this measure is necessary in the face of tightening budgets and less space in schools….
Meet News 12’s Pet of the Week, Gage! He is a 2 year old fellow with an expressive face. The Humane Educational Society (HES) says Gage does a splendid Husky vocal impression white in his kennel. He’s quick to warm up to people, especially if he receives a butt scratch. If given a butt scratch, Gage turns in circles and…
CLEVELAND, TN (WDEF) – We are learning more about a school that focuses on the growth of a child through play-based learning in the natural world. What began as a small school has now expanded into something far greater. Robert Hanley was out in Cleveland at Woodsong Forest School for this week’s What’s Right With Our Schools. “So we started…
PALMER, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Grundy County man has been arrested and charged with arson after setting fire to a local convenience store. On March 29, 2025, the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) was made aware of a suspicious fire at Palmer Market. GCSO immediately launched an investigation into the cause of the fire. According to GCSO, the suspect, Nicholas…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center (MOHHC) officially unveiled the Captain Larry L. Taylor Exhibit on Saturday, March 29, 2025, with a grand opening that drew hundreds of visitors. The event honored the extraordinary legacy of Captain Larry Taylor, a Chattanooga native and Vietnam War hero, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in…
Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Mocs basketball team plays in their first ever NIT Final Four next week. If that wasn’t cool enough, Chattanooga will play in an historic arena against a team who features the most famous college basketball fan in America. The 105-year-old Sister Jean. Brother Armstrong breaks it down for us. Categories: Sports – Local Sports News, Sports – UTC Mocs…
FLINTSTONE, GA. (WDEF) – Today, from 12 to 5 PM, the community gathered at 4465 Happy Valley Road in Flintstone, Georgia, for a special blood drive honoring the life and service of Officer Charles “Chuck” Snyder Dunn III. Officer Dunn, a 52-year-old resident of Rock Spring, dedicated 15 years to the Chickamauga Police Department, where he was deeply cherished by…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Chattanooga’s beloved Nightfall concert series is back, but not without some big changes stirring up some concern. This year, the lineup is being cut in half, and the season will only run for ten weeks instead of the usual fifteen. Adding to the shake-up, the first three weeks will take place at Miller Park instead of…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A new exhibit honoring a Chattanooga war hero is set to open this weekend at the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. The Captain Larry L. Taylor Exhibit will officially open Saturday at 1PM, celebrating the late Vietnam War veteran’s extraordinary heroism. Captain Taylor, a Chattanooga native, was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2023…
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A new historical marker will immortalize one of Chattanooga’s longest running institutions. The Tennessee Historical Commission unveiled a historical marker that honors the Chattanooga Rotary Club Friday morning. The Tennessee state historical marker dedicated to the Chattanooga Rotary Club being unveiled. This is located in front of the UBS Building near the intersection of MLK Boulevard and…
LAFAYETTE, Ga. (WDEF) — Fire crews in Lafayette are battling a house fire. The fire is located in the 600 block of South Main Street. Crews have closed a portion of the road to allow emergency personnel to efficiently operate. The City of LaFayette encourages the community to avoid the area and to seek alternate routes. Categories: Featured, Local News,…