Concerns rising over reintroduction of Georgia PFAS shield law

DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- As Georgia legislators prepare to head back to Atlanta next week, the Whitfield County Republican Party says they are opposing the reintroduction of a controversial bill. In a statement on their Facebook page, Whitfield GOP chairman MaKray Kyer says that Georgia House Bill 211, sponsored by Dalton representative Kasey Carpenter, would be damaging to Whitfield County residents….

Hotdog on Wheels Bring Smiles

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – You might have spotted something hot dog-shaped rolling through town this week!  The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is in Chattanooga through Monday, bringing smiles, fun, and a playful sense of nostalgia to the community. This iconic vehicle has been an American symbol since 1936, when the very first Wienermobile was designed by Oscar Mayer’s nephew, Carl G….

Blood Assurance in Need Of O Blood

Courtesy: Blood Assurance CHATTANOOGA — Blood Assurance is in need of O Blood and they are calling on O-negative and O-positive donors to help out. They say those with O-negative blood are the universal donors and those with O-positive make up the largest donor group. Blood Assurance says they are down to a one-day supply, meaning they are in critical…

Flu Cases Increase This Winter

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Flu activity is rising this winter, with local hospitals reporting higher-than-normal infection rates.  The Erlanger Center for Infectious Disease says influenza A, including H1N1, is spreading rapidly, and the facility has exceeded a 10% positivity threshold. Symptoms of the flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, and, in some children, diarrhea…

New treatments for asthma at the Chattanooga Allergy Clinic

Dr. Marc Cromie with the Chattanooga Allergy Clinic joins News 12’s Chip Chapman at the start of the New Year with some health tips.  CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Flu season is here but best not to confuse the symptoms with your allergies, and some new developments in asthma treatment is providing life changing and life saving results according to the…

McCallie Beats Boyd Buchanan 62-52 For Best of Preps Title

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) McCallie defeated Boyd Buchanan 62-52 in the finals of the Best of Preps Tournament on Monday night at Chattanooga State. Big Blue’s defense gave the Bucs trouble all night. McCallie collected several steals, and even though the Bucs scored eight points in the first quarter, all of their scoring came from the foul line in that period. Categories: Sports…

Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela

CHATTANOOGA, TENN. (WDEF) – Continuing our coverage of the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, News 12’s Lillian Yi spoke with former FBI undercover operative Eric O’Neill about the intelligence and planning behind the operation known as Operation Absolute Resolve. O’Neill, the author of Spies Lies and Cyber Crime, emphasized just how fragile the mission was from the start and…

Special election on deck following resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene

DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- Monday, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene formally resigned from Congress. This after increasing tension between her and President Trump over the release of the Epstein Files. With Representative Greene stepping down, there is not currently a Congressional representative for our North Georgia counties. However, that will change quickly, and election officials such as Whitfield County election supervisor Shaynee…

New Partnership Expands Housing Affordability

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Invest Chattanooga is partnering with American South Capital Partners to fund new mixed-income housing projects in Chattanooga.  The nonprofit, operating for just six months, provides early, lower-cost capital to help developers move projects forward that might otherwise be too expensive to build. The partnership leverages the city’s $20 million investment to attract additional private, mission-aligned capital,…

What’s Right With Our School: Signal Centers STEM Program

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – A solid background in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math is becoming more essential every day.  Signal Centers are helping some of their youngest students get a head start on a bright future. That’s a far-reaching example of “What’s Right With Our Schools”. “Here at Signal Centers, we are a DHS licensed child care facility. And we…

Protest Held Over Venezuela Conflict

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Demonstrators gathered at Miller Park on Sunday in response to the ongoing conflict involving Venezuela and the United States. The gathering followed recent international developments involving the Venezuelan government and U.S. actions that have drawn global attention. The situation continues to evolve. At the park, participants held signs and shared opinions about U.S. involvement overseas. We…

Venezuelan Citizen speaks out following U.S. operation

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Following recent events in Venezuela, News 12 connected with a Venezuelan citizen who currently lives in the country and describes taking cover during the strike. She recalled hearing explosions nearby as the situation escalated overnight. “I promise you, Lillian, I was trembling. It started at two a.m. A plane flew so close to the buildings that…

Artificial Womb could save premature babies

Premature babies could have a better chance of survival – and be healthier long-term – all thanks to this new technology, and it’s all right here on this week’s tech byte. Doctors are developing an artificial womb that tries to replicate the conditions inside the mother’s body. This could save the lives of very premature babies. The technology, known as…

Countdown to Fun at the Creative Discovery Museum

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Families packed the Creative Discovery Museum to celebrate the new year a little earlier than usual during the annual New Year’s at Noon event. The family-friendly tradition has been part of the museum for 30 years, giving children a chance to celebrate without staying up until midnight. As the ball dropped, balloons rained down over the…

January Sees Peak Gym Memberships

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – As a new year begins, gyms and fitness centers nationwide experience measurable changes in membership activity, including community organizations such as the YMCA. Industry reports show that about 12% of all new gym memberships nationwide occur in January, a proportion higher than in most other months of the year. Attendance trends also indicate that roughly half…

New Option for Rare HPV Disease

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Adults living with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, or RRP, have long relied on surgery to manage this rare HPV-related disease.  Caused by chronic infection with HPV 6 or HPV 11, RRP leads to the growth of benign tumors in the airway, which can cause severe voice changes, breathing difficulties, and, in rare cases, cancer. For many patients,…

Battle continues over proposed Bradley County emergency room

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF)- The debate over a proposed new emergency room in Cleveland is continuing to heat up. Despite there being over 110,000 people in Bradley County, the Bradley County Medical Center operated by nonprofit Vitruvian Health remains the only emergency room in the Cleveland area. They are petitioning against the addition of a second emergency room from Parkridge Medical…

Apple Watch Flags Hidden Hypertension

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Millions of Americans live with chronic high blood pressure and don’t realize it, often because the condition shows few noticeable symptoms.  Now, a new Apple Watch feature could help bring those hidden risks to light. Apple’s latest software update introduces a health metric that analyzes heart-rate data collected over time to detect patterns associated with hypertension. …

Flu Activity on the Rise Across the Tennessee Valley as Hospitals Prepare for Busy Winter

Chattanooga, TN (WDEF)-Flu activity is increasing across the Tennessee Valley, with local hospitals preparing for a particularly busy winter season. Erlanger Health System reports a rise in patients showing flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches. Health officials warn that the flu spreads easily through respiratory droplets, especially in schools, workplaces, and crowded indoor spaces during the…

Domestic violence registry to launch Thursday in Tennessee

Savanna Puckett, the Robertson County corrections deputy who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2022. State lawmakers named Savanna’s Law after her, creating a domestic violence registry. (From: Robertson County Sheriff’s Office) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Tennessee is set to make history when the calendar flips to 2026 this week. A tool to hold those convicted of domestic violence accountable. In…