Mayor Wamp discusses Hamilton Counted report

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- How is Hamilton County doing on key issues? New data released is painting that picture. Hamilton Counted is an initiative that tracks various issues across the county such as homelessness, participation in food assistance programs, and crime. One issue that has seen a downtrend is the amount of accidental drug overdose deaths. The number of overdose deaths…

Mayor Wamp unveils FY 2027 budget for Hamilton County

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- With the end of the fiscal year coming soon, Hamilton County must adopt a new budget. Mayor Weston Wamp unveiled his proposal Wednesday afternoon. The mayor’s budget is roughly $6.6 million dollars higher than Fiscal Year 2027, with the total budget being over $1.1 billion dollars. Roughly $670 million dollars of that is next year’s school budget….

Could Summer Flights Get Rougher?

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Summer travel already comes with packed airports, delays, and stormy skies, but this year, climate patterns could shape what some passengers experience in the air. One of those patterns is El Niño, a naturally occurring climate cycle that develops when parts of the Pacific Ocean become warmer than average. While it begins over the ocean, its…

Interstate 59 Reconstruction Begins

VALLEY HEAD, AL. (WDEF) – Drivers traveling through northeast Alabama should expect delays and changing traffic patterns as a major reconstruction project begins along Interstate 59 near the Georgia state line. The Alabama Department of Transportation says the $47.5 million project is now underway on 16 miles of I-59 southbound in DeKalb County.  The work stretches from the state line…

Rep. Fleischmann says no surprise energy rate hikes

  CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Will data centers across the southeast impact your power bill? That’s the question many are asking as construction on new data centers to support AI infrastructure continues. The Tennessee Valley Authority met with over one hundred local power companies this week to address possible rate changes. Reports say the TVA is considering possible rate changes…

Councilmember compares affordable housing proposal to “plantation mentality”

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- One Chattanooga city council member is likening a proposal tackling affordable housing to a quote “plantation mentality”. Councilwoman Marvene Noel made those remarks during a presentation of that proposal. It would reallocate funds from the city’s newly formed down payment home assistance program to the nonprofit Tennessee Valley Community Land Trust. Essentially, that organization would own the…

Local playwright to debut her newest production at Dalton High School

Kenyatta Burse and Troy Williams join News 12’s Amelia Greer as an original play gets ready to take center stage at Dalton High School. DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) – There’s plenty of local talent in the Tennessee Valley region with a local production from a local playwright debuting at Dalton High School this summer. Everything That Glitters Ain’t Gold is written, directed,…

Volunteers needed for Flag Retirement at Chattanooga National Cemetery

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Captain Mickey McCamish with the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council is calling on the community for help this weekend. Volunteers are needed to help retire the thousands of flags placed at gravesites throughout Chattanooga National Cemetery following Memorial Day ceremonies. McCamish explained that more than 50,000 flags were placed in honor of service members buried at the…

Resolution to create rural tourism zone pulled

  HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- A resolution that could have changed zoning regulations around Hamilton County Parks has been pulled. That resolution would have created rural tourism zones that could have allowed lodging to be developed near county parks. Several advocacy groups were concerned that the resolution would open up some of the parks to development. Mayor Wamp’s office has…

What’s Right With Our Schools: Normal Park Regatta

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Students at Normal Park Middle School recently completed one of their biggest projects of the year. The kids built boats out of cardboard and duct tape. Then, they raced those boats. What they learned is a practical example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.” 7th grader Kyron Walker explains, “So, our boats design, I think we…

Amaero Plant Temporarily Closed After Third Explosion

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) – Amaero has temporarily shut down operations at its Cleveland facility after another incident Tuesday morning, marking the company’s third emergency response this year. The incident happened while workers were removing a PVC pipe during cleanup work tied to a previous event. Bradley County emergency leaders say the pipe had a flash fire, and residual material inside…

New Treatment Targets Resistant Hypertension

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The FDA has approved Baxdrostat, the first aldosterone synthase inhibitor, as an add-on treatment for adults with hypertension that remains uncontrolled despite standard medications.  The drug works by inhibiting aldosterone synthase, an enzyme involved in the production of aldosterone, a hormone that can contribute to elevated blood pressure when present at high levels. Hypertension affects an…

Memorial Day Taps Ceremony Honors Fallen Service Members in Ringgold

RINGGOLD, Ga. (WDEF) – A special ceremony honoring service members took place tonight at Ringgold City Hall. Community members gathered in remembrance of the men and women who never made it home from service. News 12 spoke with Stephen Price, the bugler who performed Taps during the ceremony. Price explained that the tradition holds deep personal meaning for him because…

Murph Tradition Marks Memorial Day

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – For the 16th year, Brigade Athletic Club and CrossFit Brigade hosted its annual Memorial Day Murph workout, continuing a local tradition of remembrance. The Hero workout, known as “Murph,” is named after Navy SEAL Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005 during Operation Red Wings.  Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of…

Community Gathers for Memorial Day Observance

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A Memorial Day ceremony was held at Chattanooga National Cemetery as local leaders, families, veterans, and community members gathered for the annual observance. The program opened with a musical prelude before attendees stood for the presentation of colors and the national anthem, marking the beginning of the morning’s events. Speakers throughout the program focused on honoring…

Fairies and Mermaids Bring Weekend Magic

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Fairies, mermaids, and magic filled Audubon Acres this weekend for the Chattanooga Audubon Society’s Fairy and Folk Festival. From fairy wings to Creekside mermaids, families spent the weekend stepping into a storybook setting, with two mermaids at South Chickamauga Creek interacting with children and adding to the festival experience. It was a busy Memorial Day weekend…