From the Archives: Georgia Lottery 1993

DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) — This week, 30 years ago, our area was coping with a severe case of lottery fever. The first state lottery tickets were about to go on sale in Georgia. For our Thursday Throwback, we take you back to 1993 on the day before the tickets went on sale. Categories: Featured, From The Archives, Local News Tags: From…

TECH BYTE: Don’t Get Scammed on Resale Sites

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A lot of people take advantage of resale sites like Facebook Marketplace to sell some of their items. But there’s always risk of getting ripped off. Cybersecurity experts with VPNOverview.com have some tips to keep that from happening. Sadly, plenty of fake accounts plague Facebook, including Marketplace. To make sure your seller is a real person…

Mocs Coach Dan Earl Details Draft Process For Former UTC Center Jake Stephens

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Former Chattanooga Moc Jake Stephens hopes to hear his name called at some point in the NBA draft. UTC head coach Dan Earl has been keeping up with Stephens through the draft process, and he shares what the ordeal has been like for Stephens with News 12’s Brian Armstrong. Said Earl: We’re hoping he gets drafted, but if he…

Red Bank Edge Rusher Kobe Smith Commits to Duke

Red Bank, TN-(WDEF-TV) Red Bank defensive end Kobe Smith announced he has verbally committed to play college football at Duke. He picked the Blue Devils over App State and Chattanooga among others. 24-7 Sports lists Smith as the 86th best edge rusher in America. Smith racked up 11 sacks last year as a juinor at Red Bank, and he believes…

83 years later: ‘Philadelphia 15’ sailors receive national recognition

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — It has been more than 80 years since Larry Ponder’s Father and Uncle were wrongfully dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Navy. John and James Ponder were two of 15 sailors from the USS. Philadelphia, known as the Philadelphia 15. But they were native to the Chattanooga area. Their family lives in the Chattanooga area to this day….

Man Dies in Red Bank House Fire

RED BANK, Tenn. (WDEF) – One man is dead after a house fire in Red Bank Thursday morning. The Red Bank Fire Department says that the fatal fire on Charlotte Avenue Thursday morning began around 5 a.m.  That’s when they say they received a phone call about the fire and rushed to the scene. When firefighters arrived, they found the…

Blackburn, Ossoff Introduce Emergency Grant

  CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Senators Marsha Blackburn and Jon Ossoff are teaming up to introduce new bipartisan legislation. They have introduced legislation that would provide a one-time emergency boost in funding for first responders. This includes funding for police departments, sheriff’s offices, and fire departments. Senator Blackburn says after discussions with leaders across the state, federal help is necessary…

New Food City coming to Ocoee, Cleveland

OCOEE, Tenn. (WDEF) — A groundbreaking took place on Thursday for two new Food City store locations in Polk and Bradley Counties. Those locations are in both Ocoee and Cleveland, Tennessee. Company officials expect both locations to open early in 2024. The Ocoee groundbreaking took place Thursday morning and the Cleveland one took place Thursday evening. Cleveland’s new Food City…

Fire fatality in Red Bank early Thursday morning

UPDATE: Red Bank fire officials say they found the resident of the home in the rear of the house.  He was prounced dead at the scene. _____________ RED BANK, Tennessee (WDEF) – Officials report that a man died in an early morning house fire in Red Bank. A neighbor reported the fire at a home on Charlotte Avenue around 5…

Commission Approves Budget Amid Controversy

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The Hamilton County Commission unanimously passed next year’s fiscal budget. However, controversy exists over a change to a long time gentleman’s agreement. For many years, Hamilton County has funded the Chattanooga Tourism Company, formerly known as the Chattanooga Visitors Bureau, through all revenue generated by the county’s lodging tax. Wednesday, the Commission voted to overrule this…

300 Whitfield County residents receive free weather radios

WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) — Whitfield County Emergency Management gave away 300 weather radios Wednesday morning. Whitfield County received a grant to purchase these radios. Only Whitfield County residents were eligible to receive one. Weather radios can be life savers, especially during power and internet outages from storms. David Metcalf is the Director of the Whitfield County Emergency Management. “We just…

Judges Discuss State of the Courts

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Three Hamilton County judges spoke about the state of our court system Wednesday morning.  It was at the monthly Friends of Hixson meeting at the Valleybrook Golf Course Clubhouse. Judges Boyd Patterson, Mike Dumitru, and Amanda Dunn spoke and answered questions about our court system. The judges said that there is an increasing backlog of cases, as…

ShowerUp launches this weekend

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – A Nashville-based nonprofit organization is providing mobile showers and personal care this weekend to those in need.  ShowerUp is establishing a full-time permanent mobile shower outreach in Chattanooga.  The nonprofit will work with other nonprofits and churches to serve the unhoused community. Each person who would like a shower will be provided with clean toiletry items….

TBI identifies six dead in Marion County murder-suicide

MARION COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has identified the people involved in last week’s murder-suicide. Authorities gave the names and ages of the six people who died in the shooting. The TBI identified the suspected shooter, who also died, as 48-year-old Gary Don Barnett. They say he also shot two adults: 52-year-old Regina Ann Barnett…

Dalton Police search for stolen skid steer

Surveillance images (Dalton Police Dept.) DALTON, Ga. (WDEF) — The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a skid steer stolen from a park. The police department said the heavy machinery was stolen on June 14 at around 1:30 a.m. They are searching for a yellow Caterpillar skid steer, 201 model 259D. It had an auger…

Chattanooga Red Wolves Part Ways With Head Coach Ziggy Korytoski

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) The Chattanooga Red Wolves fired head coach Ziggy Korytoski. Assistant Jimmy Weekley will take over on an interim basis. Chattanooga is next to last in the USL League One standings. They have just three wins against seven losses and two ties. Korytoski took over the team this season after the Red Wolves made the league championship game last year….

Bradley Central’s Boo Carter Commits to Vols After Whirlwind Recruiting Process

Cleveland, TN-(WDEF-TV) Bradley Central’s Boo Carter just wrapped up his recruitment over the weekend…annoucing he’s headed to play for the Vols. Carter was listed as one of the top recruits in the country. Many of the nation’s elite college teams wanted Carter’s talents, as well as one of the nation’s premiere entertainers. Boo Carter’s recruiting process kicked off before his…