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Chattanooga, Featured, Local News

Chattanooga named one of best places to travel worldwide in 2023

Scenic City made Forbes list of 50 global destinations; Chattanooga Tourism Co. anticipates more visitors
WDEF News,

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — There’s excitement throughout Chattanooga, as the city was recently named one of the best places to travel in the world in 2023 by Forbes. The Scenic City was featured alongside Botswana, Spain, and the Canary Islands, among other destinations. The folks at Chattanooga Tourism Company are beyond excited about their inclusion on this selective list in Forbes,…

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Driving Our Economy Forward, Jobs & Economy, Local News

Driving Our Economy Forward: Hamilton Co. Business Development Center

WDEF News,

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — If you’re looking to start a business, the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce has you covered. The Chamber offers a special service for these new business owners to help get them up and running. Let’s look at how the INCubator is driving our economy forward. “The INCubator is the third largest incubator in the country,” said Bill…

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Chattanooga, Featured, Hamilton County, Local News

ChatGPT Presents Challenges, Opportunities for Education

Nick Hill,

A portion of an essay written by ChatGPT on the topic of Chattanooga. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- An emerging artificial intelligence that anyone can use is soon to rapidly change the way we think about language and its usage. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence language model, which in simpler terms means it can pull from existing data and sources to create…

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Chattanooga, Featured, Local News

Chattanooga Police respond to fatal shooting

Local authorities asking for information from community
WDEF News,

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Police responded to a deadly shooting off Rossville Blvd. Wednesday afternoon. It happened just before 1:15 in the 4300 block of 6th Avenue. Police got a call about a person who’d been shot and got there to find a 35-year-old man dead. Witnesses told police that the suspect, a man in dark clothing, fled the scene before…

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Featured, Local News

Proposed Bill May Tighten Regulations on Hemp

Nick Hill,

Various hemp products being tested inside New Bloom Labs. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A proposed bill in the Tennessee General Assembly is aiming to regulate the sale of hemp products. House Bill 403 aims to increase consumer protections and raise production standards of hemp across the state. Hemp products were made legal by the 2018 Farm Bill at the federal level….

Tinnitis
Featured, Local News, More To The Story With Staley

More To The Story With Staley: What is Tinnitus?

Dave finds out how much trouble "ringing in the ears" can be
Dave Staley,

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Millions of Americans have it. Between 15 to 20 percent of us. Tinnitus. Most of us call it —ti-NIGHT-us—but the official pronunciation is —TIN-it-us——. It’s a ringing in the ear. Or a hissing. A buzzing. A roaring. Some sort of sound in the ear. It’s a serious kind of situation. Ranging from annoying to debilitating. Cynthia Carter is…

Shooting
Featured, Local News

Fatal shooting near Rossville Boulevard

Collins Parker,

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Chattanooga Police are investigating a fatal shooting near Rossville Boulevard. It happened just after 1 PM at 4310 6th Avenue. Officers found a 35 year old man had already died from a gunshot wound. Witnesses say a man in dark clothing fled the scene before they got there. If you have any information on the case, please…

Heritage Girls Hand Nw Whitfield First Region Loss Of The Year
Sports - Local Sports News

Heritage Girls Hand NW Whitfield First Region Loss of the Year

Rick Nyman,

Tunnel Hill, GA-(WDEF-TV) Heritage beat NW Whitfield 48-40 on Tuesday night in Tunnel Hill. It was the Lady Bruins first region loss of the year. Now Northwest and Heritage are tied for first in the region with 7-1 league marks. Categories: Sports – Local Sports News Tags: Beats, first region loss, game. local sports, Girl’s basketball, Heritage High School, Highschool…

Tyre Nichols
Chattanooga, Featured, Local News

Chattanooga to host Town Hall Meeting discussing police reform

National Panhellenic Council of Chattanooga to present meeting, Police Chief Celeste Murphy to serve as guest speaker
WDEF News,

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — In light of Tyre Nichols’ shocking death, one of Chattanooga’s leading public officials is ready to sit down and talk about what transpired with the community. The Chattanooga Police Department posted on social media Tuesday that Police Chief Celeste Murphy will be the guest speaker for a public Town Hall Meeting on Monday, February 6. Members of…

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Sports - Local Sports News, Sports - UT Vols

Vols Guard Zakai Zeigler on Top of His Game After Benching Earlier This Season

Rick Nyman,

After Tennessee’s loss to Colorado in November, head coach Rick Barnes benched guard Zachai Zeigler. No soup for you. You’re not starting. Zeigler got the message. Now coach Barnes can’t stop raving about his point guard, who is the reigning SEC player of the week. How good has Zakai Zeigler been lately? Simply the best according to head coach Rick…

Golden Apple Award
Chattanooga, Education, Golden Apple Award, Local News

Golden Apple Award: Boyd Buchanan’s Bonnie Ray

Andrew Harrison,

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – The best teachers are interested in their students’ lives outside the classroom. Boyds Buchanan’s Bonnie Ray has been known to show up at her kids’ sporting events and recitals. It’s all part of her holistic approach to teaching. That earned Ms. Ray the Golden Apple Award. Stacy Ridley is the Lower School Division Head at Boyd…

Wamps
Chattanooga, Featured, Hamilton County, Local News

Wamps Unveil Trash Pickup Program

Nick Hill,

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp and District Attorney Coty Wamp came together to announce a new initiative to help clean up Hamilton County roads. The Wamps along with County Commissioner Jeff Eversole held a press conference this afternoon to announce that they plan to double the amount of community service assignments and miles of trash picked…

Tennessee Titans Logo Primary
Sports - Local Sports News, Sports - TN Titans

Titans Switching to Artificial Turf at Nissan Stadium

Rick Nyman,

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are tearing up the grass field at Nissan Stadium and replacing it with a synthetic surface before the 2023 season. The Titans announced the change Tuesday. The team, which already has started work, is making the change after reviewing injury rates and knowing how difficult it is to grow grass at Nissan Stadium since it…

William Gilberto Gaspar Mateo
Crime, Dalton, Featured, Local News, Whitfield County

Dalton man guilty of child rape

He was convicted of raping a six-year-old
WDEF News,

WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) — A Whitfield County jury has found a Dalton man guilty of raping a six-year-old child. William Gilberto Gaspar-Mateo, 37, showed no remorse according to Judge Wilbanks. He believes the man was a risk to the community’s children. Superior Court Judge Jim Wilbanks sentenced Gaspar-Mateo to serve the remainder of his life in prison. Whitfield County…

Notre Dame Rallies To Beat Csas 62 59
Sports - Local Sports News

Notre Dame Rallies to Beat CSAS 62-59

Rick Nyman,

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Notre Dame rallied from a 10 point halftime deficit to beat CSAS 62-59 on Monday night. Cole McCormick paced the Irish with a game high 29 points. Categories: Sports – Local Sports News Tags: Beats, CSAS, game. local sports, High School Basketball, local sports news, Notre Dame, Sports

Cleveland Introduces Chandler Tygard As New Football Coach
Sports - Local Sports News

Cleveland Welcomes Chandler Tygard as New Head Football Coach

Rick Nyman,

Cleveland, TN-(WDEF-TV) Cleveland introduced new head football coach Chandler Tygard on Monday. He was the head coach at Blackman in Murfreesboro the last two seasons. Tygard believes the Blue Raiders have what it takes to be a championship program. What a welcome to Cleveland for Chandler Tygard. He’s definitely not in Murfreesboro anymore. Said Tygard:”I walked into Panera just for…
Featured, Local News, Walker County

Three dead in Walker County following fentanyl overdose

Sheriff Steve Wilson advises community to take caution; report drug seller
WDEF News,

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Monday afternoon, the Walker County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that three people in the Kensington community passed away from a fentanyl overdose. Sheriff Steve Wilson then addressed his community promoting safety, saying that too many lives have already been lost to the drug. Wilson identified the deceased as Carla Joann Quillen, Donald Ray Wallin and Kevin Leroy Walker. While…

Back To Back Teen Carjackings Get Community's Attention
Chattanooga, Featured, Hamilton County, Local News

Back-to-back teen carjackings get community’s attention

WDEF News,

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Separate groups of teens committed unrelated carjackings this weekend almost back-to-back. But organizations like the Bethlehem Center are fighting back – or rather, fighting for. The Bethlehem Center says this is their mission: “Inspired by the gospel, we build lasting relationships with Chattanooga’s youth and families by encouraging spiritual growth, education, and leadership development.” The Bethlehem…

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Chattanooga, Education, Local News, What's Right With Our Schools

What’s Right with Our Schools: Lana’s Love Foundation at Boyd Buchanan

Andrew Harrison,

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Lana’s Love Foundation is a on mission to help families fighting cancer, one cup of lemonade at a time. Lana was a student at Boyd Buchanan, now her schoolmates are honoring her life through an inspiring example of what’s right with our schools. Sarah Wright teaches 4th grade at Boyd Buchanan. She says, “So, we’ve been…