Firefighters battle apartment fire in Harrison

HARRISON, Tenn. (WDEF) —  Firefighters in Harrison battled an apartment fire this afternoon. Crews with the Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department (H58VFD) responded to 7560 Short Trail Springs Road at 12:35 p.m. Upon arrival, crews found a single story structure fire with flames showing through the roof. According to the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management, no injuries were reported…

TN Gov. Bill Lee announces Special Session on Jan. 27

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) —  Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Wednesday that he will call for a special session with the Tennessee General Assembly on Monday, January 27. This special session will be held to address three bills The following are the three bills, and what all they intel via the Governor’s Office: Education Freedom Act Gov. Lee and legislative leadership introduced the…

Celebrate National Bagel Day with Brothers Bagels

The newest rising star in baking, Brothers Bagels, is celebrating National Bagel Day with a special promotion. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Two parents’ idea to create a family business for their boys to grow into becomes a beloved local bagel spot in a short time frame. Joshua and Sara Pratt wanted their three little boys to grow into a business…

Officer Involved Shooting in DeKalb County

UPDATE (1/15/2025):  We’ve learned more information about the officer involved shooting that occurred in DeKalb County, Alabama. Both the male and female victims involved in this incident both sustained non-life-threatening injuries. No officers were injured during the incident as well. It is suspected that the suspect and the female victim were in a dating relationship, but this has yet to…

Chattanooga’s Blood Assurance is critically low on donations

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Chattanooga’s Local Blood Assurance is asking for the community’s help, as they are critically low on blood donations. Due to the wintry weather this past weekend, many blood banks were forced to close their doors. By having to shut down, the organization was not able to replenish its stocks of donations. Caitlin Stanley, Senior Director of…

Walker Valley Downs Rival Bradley Central 66-58

Cleveland, TN-(WDEF-TV) Walker Valley used a strong second quarter to help knock off Bradley Central 66-58 on Tuesday evening at The Corral. The Mustangs outscored the Bears 26-7 in the second period to build a 14 point cushion at halftime. Walker Valley is ranked 7th in the initial high school state rankings for Class 4A. Categories: Sports – Local Sports…

Chattanooga Public Library reminds the community about free parking

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Chattanooga Public Library has recently announced new initiatives to make accessing literature easier by removing several financial barriers, including parking fees. With their new Start Smart Initiative, which provides free library cards to children aged five and under and a free parking option, they hope the community will take advantage of these opportunities. Will O’Hearn,…

Notre Dame’s Gaas Herman Continues to Prove He’s One of the Best Players in Chattanooga

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Notre Dame senior guard Gaas Herman is turning into one of the top players in the Chattanooga area this season. He scored over 30 points Monday night against Calhoun, and he’s averaging a slick 25 points, and ten rebounds a game. When Matt Matoh took the Notre Dame job last May, he couldn’t believe he was gifted a talent…

Chattanooga community rallies together against School Voucher Proposal

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A day of deliberation regarding Governor Bill Lee’s controversial school voucher bill has continued to draw sharp criticism from education advocates.  The voucher program, a key component of Governor Lee’s education agenda, allows public tax dollars to fund private school tuition for select families.  Directly extracted from the School Voucher proposal, “For the 2025-2026 school year,…

Golden Apple Award: Alexandra O’Reel, Calvin Donaldson Elementary

CHATTANOONGA, TN (WDEF) – Most people never forget their first-grade teacher. Alexandra O’Reel pours her heart and soul into making sure her students have a solid foundation in learning and leadership. We pay a visit to Calvin Donaldson Elementary school in this week’s Golden Apple Award. Jennifer Brownlee is the Principal at Calvin Donaldson. She says, “Miss O’Reel is one of…

Parkridge Medical aims to lower risk of Norovirus

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- Parkridge Medical Center aims to raise caution and lower the spread of Norovirus in Hamilton County. “We have been seeing an Influx. And, you know, influenza, we’ve actually seen some occurrences of COVID cases. And then, you know, is it influenza? Sometimes we have the actual intestinal challenges in our virus. In particular, it is a…

What’s Right With Our Schools: Catoosa College and Career Academy New 9-1-1 Computers

RINGGOLD, GA (WDEF) – When the Catoosa County College and Career Academy needed new computers for their 9-1-1 center, they knew right where to look. Students on that same campus immediately sprang into action. That’s a great example of what’s right with our schools. Scott Czerneski is the I-T Director for Catoosa County. He remembers, “The 911 Center here at the…

Water main break repairs on Shallowford Road delayed a day

UPDATE (1/15/2025):  The closure of 24 Shallowford will remain ongoing until tomorrow. This portion of Shallowford Road will remain closed until Thursday, January 15, at 5:00 p.m. According to CDOT, the road will reopen before rush hour if not sooner. CDOT will send additional announcements if a delay occurs or declaring the roads reopening. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) —  A water…

Pet of the Week: Eve

Meet News 12’s Pet of the Week, Eve! Eve / Humane Educational Society Eve is a dog ready to be adopted at the Humane Educational Society (HES). HES says Eve is nothing but pure love, which is why her nickname is Lovebug. Eve loves pets, toys, and especially cuddles. She lives in a foster home with a dog and a…

Whitfield County man arrested hours after fatally stabbing woman

WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. — A homicide suspect was apprehended early Tuesday morning, hours after a fatal stabbing on Richardson Road claimed the life of a local woman. Deputies from the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) responded late Monday night, January 13, 2025 to reports of the stabbing. Upon arrival, they found the victim with a stab wound. According to WCSO,…

Boil water advisory for LaFayette, GA

  LAFAYETTE, Ga. (WDEF) – The City of LaFayette, GA has issued a boil water advisory on January 13 due to high turbidity in the water supply. This has caused high turbidity that pauses water treatment.  The problem first occurred on December 30th. The city is working to identify an advanced filtration solution that will address the issue. While plans…

TDOT provides update on road conditions after snow storm

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)-The Tennessee Department of Transportation is providing an update on road conditions after the snow.   “The sun is out today. Temps have warmed up a little bit, so some of that residual snow left over on some of the shoulders of our interstates and state routes may have melted, and there is definitely a possibility for refreeze…

Chattanooga to celebrate Dolly Parton

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – In a heartwarming tribute to a true Tennessee icon, Signal Centers is launching a special celebration for the one and only Dolly Parton’s birthday. Signal Centers, a local organization dedicated to empowering individuals through education, support, and inclusion, is pulling out all the stops to celebrate Dolly’s big day.  The event will feature several Dolly-themed activities…

Chattanooga Public Library kicks off Start Smart Initiative

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) —  The Chattanooga Public Library is launching a new program that will get rid of fines for the youths overdue books. The Start Smart Initiative is a two-fold plan to help increase the library accessibility for students ages 17 and younger. Starting January 13, 2025, until the end of February, all materials will be fine-free. No matter…

Dalton residential fire leaves $15k in damages

Courtesy: Dalton Fire Department DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) – Dalton Fire Department responded to a house fire call that caused nearly $15,000 in damages and an attempt to resuscitate a dog. The house fire call came around 1 AM Monday morning on 204 N Bogel Street after the female occupant noticed a fire beside a space heater. After attempting to put…