UTC Renews Contract With Finley Stadium

(gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA—The Chattanooga Mocs agreed with the Stadium Corporation to extend their football and soccer stays in Finley Stadium another five years with an option for a sixth. The Stadium Corporation announced the agreement during their Tuesday board meeting. It’s the longest pact between the city’s collegiate teams and its signature facility. “Finley Stadium is one of the FCS’ best…

Governor Lee talks test scores in Battle Academy visit

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Summer school students at Battle Academy received a visit from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Tuesday. The governor spent his afternoon emphasizing the importance of reading to students at Battle Academy’s Summer Outreach program. This comes as recent test results show 41% of third graders and 46% of fourth graders passed their English and Language Arts…

What’s Right with our Schools: The Little Library

RINGGOLD Ga. (WDEF) – We are traveling to Heritage Middle School to learn more about the Little Library.  The program is designed to encourage reading and was developed years ago.  Recently, the program was restored so future generations could enjoy a good book. Mady Rayterry is the creator of the Little Library. Rayterry said, “It started out with a project…

EPB celebrates completion of 10th Street Substation Mural project

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — EPB held a dedication ceremony on Tuesday, June 18 to celebration the completion of its 10th Street Substation mural project. EPB dedicated new artworks by 10 local artists. All artists live or work in EPB’s service area. Here are the new artworks and artists: Christen McNelly – “Together We Shine Brighter” Jaclyn Lewis – “Collective Magic”…

Big Papa Ruben Brings Size and Fun to Chattanooga Lookouts

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Chattanooga Lookouts first baseman Ruben Ibarra may not be one of the biggest names in the game, but he’s definitely one of the biggest players. He’s listed at 6-3, 290-pounds. You rarely see 300-pounders playing baseball, but there’s Big Papa Ruben, injecting the game with size, and an equally big personality. Said Ibarra:”Everyone gets a kick out of it…

What should be Chattanooga’s building height limit?

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A proposed development near Finley Stadium is raising the question of how high new buildings should be in Chattanooga. The former Eureka Foundry site, founded in 1902, was a large manufacturer of iron casting. However, its future is leaving many debating whether or not Chattanooga’s future should be looking up. One of the current buildings at…

Lady Vols alum hosts basketball camp at Baylor

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Lady Vols alum Brittany Jackson Tucker hosted a youth basketball camp on Monday at Baylor.  Proceeds from the camp are going to benefit the adolescent recovery at the Council for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services (CADAS).  Girls and boys in 1st through 8th grades participated in the camp. As a part of the camp, students learned basketball fundamentals…

Tennessee Aquarium celebrates Pollinator Week

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Tennessee Aquarium is celebrating Pollinator Week.  Butterflies, ants and even hummingbirds are considered to be pollinators.  As a part of this week, the aquarium is offering a variety of different activities for guests.  Guests can also pick up free wildflowers for the pollinators.  “We really just wanted to point out these amazing animals that a…

Experts explain social media impacts amid call for warning labels

WASHINGTON (WDEF) — U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called on congress to require all social media platforms to now display mental health warnings.  Dr. Murthy is proposing adding notifications that remind users of risks, similar to tobacco warning labels. Vice President Gayle Lodato of the McNabb Center in Chattanooga talks about how social media can negatively impact children.  “Parents…

Creekside Drive hole damaging cars in front of auto shop

The hole on Creekside Drive causing numerous issues for motorists. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)-  A very large pothole on Creekside Drive off of Amnicola Highway is leaving drivers and business owners frustrated. Tiffany Rankins had dropped off her vehicle at Quick Everett’s Garage for some work to be done to the car. Her mother, Vannice Hughley, came to pick her up…

Former Negro League players honored by Lookouts, Bessie Smith Hall

A group of former Negro League players signing autographs at the East Ridge Food City. EAST RIDGE, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Chattanooga Lookouts and Bessie Smith Hall have teamed up to honor former Negro League players. All weekend, four players and a historian will be partaking in various activities as the team honors them. The Negro League refers to several professional…

CHI Memorial, Bluecross come to agreement

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Staring down a divorce at the end of the month, CHI Memorial patients who have Bluecross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) will be able to keep their same care. CHI Memorial has announced they have reached a new agreement with BCBST that will allow BCBST-insured patients with Network P, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid to maintain in-network access to…

TDOT provides update for pothole patch on I-24

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- TDOT has provided an update on yesterday’s road patch incident on Interstate 24.  Wednesday morning TDOT responded to an existing pothole patch that was vibrated loose below Dodds avenue.  The Pothole patch was the second road incident in five years.  TDOT says they are currently monitoring the roads and making sure the roadway is still safe.  “Specifically…

CARTA hosts first Graduation Ceremony on Thursday

CHATTANOOGA,Tenn. (WDEF)- CARTA celebrated their Inaugural Graduating Class of CARTA Ambassadors.  The graduation introduced its first-ever class of CARTA. Among the class were new bus drivers, mechanics, and transit professionals. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly was also the keynote speaker.  “It is a New day at CARTA and Charles Fraizer is a fantastic leader for this organization. This is a new…

New Google Tech Edits Photos and Manages your Calendar with AI

With busy schedules and never-ending tasks, finding ways to save time can be essential. Well today, we have a solution to help you reclaim time in ways you may never have imagined, right from the palm of your hand. Verizon’s Winnie Wright is here to show us how the latest cell phone technology can enhance your life … and your…

Lookouts Take Down the Biscuits 6-1

(milb.com / chattanooga) Chattanooga Lookouts starting pitcher Kevin Abel was lights out in the Lookouts 6-1 win over the Montgomery Biscuits. In the win, the righthander only allowed five hits in six shutout innings with five strikeouts. Tonight’s contest started with two straight scoreless innings before Austin Hendrick broke the stalemate with his third home run of the season. With…

Air unit blamed for hospitalizations, evacuation at Health Department

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Hamilton County Health Department had to be evacuated this morning following multiple people becoming sick. Captain Terry Knowles, the Special Operations Chief with the Chattanooga Fire Department said, “People were feeling nauseous, dizzy, sick, had a smell that was burning something in their eyes.” The evacuation of the health department led to an investigation into…

Tennessee releases third and fourth grade test scores

(Courtesy: Tennessee Department of Education) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)-  The Tennessee Department of Education released the first batch of this year’s TCAP test results. They released data for the English and Language Arts exam for third and fourth graders. After the passage of the Third Grade Retention Law in 2021, third graders must either meet or exceed expectations on this exam…

Thursday Throwback: Evi the Bobcat

The case of the "stolen" bobcat at Relection Riding

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – For our Thursday Throwback, we take you back five years. That’s when the folks at the Nature Center came to work to find their bobcat was missing. And it looked like someone broke in overnight an took her. Here is our story from June 6, 2019 on Evi the Bobcat. —— Tour groups went through the native…

Health Department evacuated as workers feel ill

from Chattanooga Fire Department UPDATE: The evacuation is over, everyone is back in the building. All they could find was a leak of air conditioning refrigerant. Nine people were assessed at the scene, 5 patients moved to the hospital. ————— CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Chattanooga Firefighters have evacuated patients and staff at the Health Department. 911 started getting calls this morning…