New plans for the Chattanooga Zoo

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Various members of the community came together Tuesday for Chattanooga’s weekly City Council Meeting. As many important topics were discussed, one topic of interest was the passing of the new expansion plan for the Chattanooga Zoo and Friends of the Zoo Incorporated.    The Chattanooga Zoo is planning to add the 19,296 square foot indoor complex that is…

Hamilton County sells health department building to Erlanger; to relocate to Engel Stadium site

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)-The future of the Hamilton County Health Department was announced this morning. However, that future will impact a historic Chattanooga site. Built in 1930, Engel Stadium served as the home for the Chattanooga Lookouts for nearly seven decades. However, as the team has moved on to new ballparks, this site has sat nearly empty for the last 25…

Chattanooga’s 4th Street to receive beautification

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- It took 8 years and three different government entities… “This is a gateway groundbreaking for the first of what will probably be many TDOT projects across the state to beautify the interchange,” said Chattanooga Mayor, Tim Kelly.   Now, the 4th street beautification project kicked off with the help of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and T-DOT.   The project will…

Golden Apple Award: Andrew Barnett, St. Jude

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Teaching second graders can be extremely challenging and extremely rewarding. Andrew Barnett meets that challenge every day at St. Jude Elementary School in Chattanooga. We spent a little quality time in Mr. Barnett’s classroom for this week’s Golden Apple Award. Joshua Overton is the Principal at St. Jude. He describes Mr. Barnett thusly, “He’s a dedicated…

South Chickamauga Creek Greenway closing for wastewater improvements

EAST RIDGE, Tenn. (WDEF) —  The South Chickamauga Creek Greenway will soon be closed temporarily for wastewater improvements. The City of East Ridge said they were notified by the Chattanooga Wastewater Department of a “significant infrastructure project to improve wastewater.” South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Closure / City of East Ridge The project will consist of the construction of two 1.5…

Three sentenced to life for Fort Oglethorpe murder

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. (WDEF) —   The Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court sentenced three individuals to life in prison for murder. Keishann Rowe, Keonte Ragland, and Deonna Ragland, were found guilty of Felony Murder and Aggravated Assault in connection with the murder of 19-year-old Jaylon Eberhardt in 2021. On September 23, 2021, Keonte Ragland, his sister Deonna, Rowe, and Malachi…

Drury Hotels opens first location in Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) —  Drury Hotels Company has opened the Drury Plaza Hotel Chattanooga Hamilton Place, marking the company’s fifth location in the state. The new hotel, located off I-75 at 7301 Shallowford Road, brings 210 guest rooms and over 2,500 square feet of meeting space to the Chattanooga area. Just four miles from Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, the Drury Plaza…

Mom to Mom – Candy Corn Punch

Today on Mom to Mom, we have a fun and creative Halloween treat! When Halloween comes around, you usually think candy corn, but a lot of people don’t like candy corn. So we found this fun and creative way to do candy corn, but with a drink! It’s called Candy Corn Punch and it’s really easy! You just need three…

David Beg-Knows Chattanooga and gives his own story

CBS’ David Begnaud shares his own story of becoming a well-known journalist with News 12’s Chip Chapman. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – CBS’ David Begnaud was sent to Chattanooga to find a story in 48 hours and made time to stop by the News 12 station to give us his story. As part of his “Beg-Knows America” segment on CBS Mornings,…

Collegedale Police Officer Enoch Hurd Dies After Off-duty Motocycle Accident

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – A police officer injured earlier this month in an off-duty motorcycle accident in North Carolina has died. He was escorted home this past Sunday. 52-year-old Corporal Enoch Hurd died this past Friday evening from injuries sustained in the crash that occurred on Oct. 13th. According to the initial release by the Collegedale Police Department, Hurd was riding…

Honoring First Responders: A Day to Recognize Bravery and Commitment

October 28th is National First Responders Day; this is a time to recognize the dedication and bravery of those who serve our communities in emergencies. These heroes are often the first to arrive at the scene of emergencies, providing critical care and support. News 12 had the opportunity to speak with Amy Maxwell from Hamilton County EMS about the vital…

Walking Pneumonia on the rise in Children

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- Health Experts are seeing a surge in Pediatric walking pneumonia in Hamilton County.  “It’s circulating in our community, and it is also circulating nationwide. I have many, many colleagues around the country who I have spoken to the high volume of mycoplasma illness they are seeing,” said Dr. Jeffery Bennett, Erlanger. Walking Pneumonia rises during the…

Mayor blasts potential water rate increase

Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly speaking at a public hearing on a potential water rate increase from Tennessee-American Water Company. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly had some strong words for the Tennessee-American Water Company during a public hearing Monday. The public hearing concerned a proposed rate increase for Chattanooga residents in their Tenn-Am water bills. The petition for this…

What’s Right With Our Schools: Erlanger Clinic at Howard School

  CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Attendance plays a crucial role in a student’s academic success. That starts with keeping kids healthy. Howard School is home to a new clinic that’s designed to do just that. It’s a robust example of what’s right with our schools. Dr. LeAndrea Ware is the Executive Principal at Howard. She exclaims, “Today is another phenomenal…

Winter of Curves Fashion Show heads to The Colonnade Sunday

News 12 This Morning: Event curator Latasha Addison joins News 12’s Amelia Greer to preview a special fashion show on its way to Ringgold this Sunday. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The fashion event of the season is on its way to Catoosa County this weekend– with a mission to support curvy women and the Ronald McDonald House. Latasha Addison is…

The History of Jewish Hate Symposium was held in Chattanooga this week

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The History of Jewish Hate Symposium is brought to the community by the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga. Today we visited the the Jewish Cultural Center, where they were holding The History of Jewish Hate Symposium, where many well educated, speakers spoke on the past historical events of the Jewish culture, present times, and what the future ahead…

Brandon and Whitney Cawood share their documentary “To Dye For”

DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- Today we met with Brandon Cawood and his wife, Whitney, and their two beautiful children to discuss their new documentary, “To Dye For.” This Documentary is not only about Brandon and Whitney’s fight to save their child’s quality of life, but it’s also about them being able to spread the crucial knowledge that they’ve learned along the…

The Howard School Trunk or Treat

  CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The Howard School located just off Market Street hosted their Trunk or Treat event this weekend next to their football field.  The afternoon was full of fun for all ages including themed stations, costumes, candy, decorated trunks, games, and even the opportunity to compete in a chili cookoff.  Dean of Students Hugh Crawford stated that this…

Petition For Shuttle on Lookout Mountain

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – With the beautiful views that Lookout Mountain has to offer, sometimes transportation to and from the mountain may pose difficulties for some individuals. As the railway from the bottom of Lookout Mountain transports you up to the top, that still does not account for the 3 mile walk to the Rock City Gardens. Locals are petitioning for…

New Covenant Fellowship Church festival included a refreshing treat

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The New Covenant Fellowship Church held their fall festival today, which included an unusual and refreshing twist. The fall festivities are in full swing, so we decided to stop by another festival today, but what we saw when we got there was very inspiring. Instead of throwing the event on their own church grounds, they decided…

The DEA is sponsoring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The DEA is sponsoring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, where officials were urging community members to safely dispose of any outdated and unusable medication. Calandra Smith, Assistant Director of Hamilton County Coalition, says, “We do this in April and in October. This is the 24th Annuel DEA National Drug Take Back, so the DEA sponsors…

Chattanooga Comic Con 2024

  CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Chattanooga Comic Con is taking place this weekend at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Comic Con, which is an event where people of all ages come together to express their interests in a variety of different genres, is a two-day celebration of all these and more, bringing fans together with great artists and creators, and outstanding vendors. …

The BumbleBear Games are here in Chattanooga this weekend

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — This weekend The BumbleBear Games are showing up at the Marriott, showcasing the arcade game, Killer Queen, at the BumbleBash5. This festival includes a very popular game, Killer Queen, along with various other modern arcade games. One of the CEOs and makers of the game, Nikita Mikros says, “The Beginnings of the game were like very…