From The Archives: 1992 Ketner’s Mill Fair

Annual tribute to the old ways is this weekend on the Sequatchie River

WHITWELL, Tennessee (WDEF) – Ketner’s Mill is a testament to the old ways.  And so is the annual fall festival at the mill. This year’s Ketner’s Mill Country Arts & Crafts Fair is Saturday and Sunday in the Sequatchie Valley near Whitwell. The event offers the usual fall festival activities, like arts and crafts, music and eating. But Ketner’s offers a…

Wamp Picks Former Police Chief as Special Advisor

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — County Mayor Weston Wamp has hired former Chattanooga Police Chief David Robby as a special advisor. Wamp says he began thinking about a position for Roddy after he won the election, and will giving Roddy the responsibility of increasing efficiency throughout the county government. “We’re asking him to come into a special advisor role. He’ll end up…

Tree Service Company Owner Looking for Stolen Equipment

FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga. (WDEF)- One small business owner in Catoosa County is offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to his company’s equipment being returned to him. Craig Burchfield has owned ASAP Tree Service in Fort Oglethrope at 1999 Dietz Road for 20 years. He says that on September 27, somebody stole his company’s 1999 white GMC Sierra pickup…

New Mountaintop Community Unveiled on Aetna Mountain

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- On the summit of Aetna Mountain in southwestern Hamilton County, a new future for its development was unveiled Thursday morning. An expansion to the Black Creek community was announced in front of a crowd including local officials such as Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and Hamilton County Deputy Mayor Cory Gearrin. The expansion will include over 1,200 new…

Chip’s Good Word: Fab Over 40 contest

Rossville resident Brianna Edge needs your vote online to help raise some money for breast cancer research

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – You’ve got a chance to invest in the treatment and a cure for Breast Cancer, and support a local resident at the same time. Brianna Edge from Rossville is taking part in the opening round of the Fab Over 40 contest. Brianna works as a cosmetologist for Hair Benders in Chattanooga. Fab Over 40 is a fundraiser…

‘American Idol’ finalist dies in vehicle crash

Crash happened on I 24 in Marion County

JASPER, Tenn. (AP) – A finalist on “American Idol” has died in a vehicle crash in Tennessee. News outlets report the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 23-year-old Willie Spence died Tuesday after hitting the rear of a tractor-trailer near Chattanooga. An accident report from the agency says the truck was stopped on the shoulder of Interstate 24 East when the crash…

CPD Rolls Out 48 New Patrol Vehicles

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — The Chattanooga Police Department is rolling out 48 new SUV’s each each equipped with red and blue light bars on their roof. Each bar is a solid color, and they’re set at an angle to increase visibility from the sides. “For years, we’ve gone without any light bars on top of the vehicles. Since we looked into…

More To The Story With Staley: Mary Claus

Christmas always comes early in this LaFayette garage

LAFAYETTE, Georgia (WDEF) – It’s a home in Lafayette. On Gordon Pond. With a very unique garage. You see, it’s the Mary Claus Workshop. Inside, a “winter wonderland.” Built several years ago by Mike and Mary Anderson. Consisting of seven different Christmas sets. Folks make an appointment, come in and get their Christmas pictures taken. Mike…..well known in the area as…

Mayor Tim Kelly, City Council, address Airport Inn renovation plan

Remodeled inn would create more than 70 new permanent housing units for homeless residents

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — As Chattanooga’s homelessness rates continue to increase, the city is taking its next step to house those in need. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly asked the council Tuesday afternoon to support the revitalization of the, quote, “dilapidated” Airport Inn Motel off Lee Highway. This will all be done in an effort to turn a problematic facility into new homes…

Brainerd Community Center renamed for Chris Ramsey

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – The Brainerd Community Center now has a new name. It’s in honor of community leader, Chris Ramsey, Senior, who died from COVID in January of last year. He’s admired for his contributions to addressing health care disparities among Chattanooga’s minority community. Ramsey played a major role in creating the annual minority health fair. Community Development Administrator Tony…

Governor Lee Announces $100 Million Crime Intervention Fund

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — “Crime is the number one issue, by far, in America, and in Tennessee,” said State Senator Todd Gardenhire. Governor Bill Lee has launched a one hundred million dollar violent crime intervention fund. Law enforcement agencies are invited to apply for grants by proposing evidence-based applications of the funding. “One of the reasons for using grant funds like…

Golden Apple Award: Annaliese Cope, Chattanooga Valley Elementary

FLINTSTONE, GA (WDEF) – Students at Chattanooga Valley describe Annaliese Cope as pure sunshine. She routinely goes above and beyond to make her classroom a fun and loving place for students to grow. We shine a well-deserved light on Ms. Cope with this week’s Golden Apple Award. Heather Culberson is the Principal at Chattanooga Valley. When asked about Ms. Cope…

HCHD recognizes October as National Bullying Prevention Month

Chattanooga, TN (WDEF) – October is National Bullying Prevention Month. According to the National Bullying Prevention Center, nearly 50 percent of children ages 9 to 12 have been bulliedThousands of kids and teens experience bullying on a daily basis, and with a variety of social media platforms to access cyber bullying has never been more prevalent. The Hamilton County Health…

Walker County Town Hall promotes two upcoming developments

Chairman Shannon Whitfield, Sen. Jeff Mullis believe county residents will benefit in coming years

WALKER COUNTY, Georgia (WDEF) — The Walker Co. Government hosted a town hall meeting tonight to discuss updates on two major community developments. Local politicians believe county residents will only benefit from them. County Chairman Shannon Whitfield says he’s heard from some in the community saying they still use dial-up modems for their internet. For that reason and more, Kinetic…

Chattanooga begins week of youth-centered events

Events geared to create "safe spaces" and reduce violence during Fall Break

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — Monday night kicks off a week of events geared toward Chattanooga youth during Hamilton County Schools’ Fall Break. The city’s interim director of community safety, Chris Sands, says an uptick in crime usually happens during the scheduled time off. He says Chattanooga wants to provide “safe spaces” for kids to combat the yearly trend. The city, itself,…

RV Explodes in Murray County

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) — An RV exploded this morning at 411 River Rest Campground in Murray County. According to the campground manager, two people were injured — both of whom were owners of the RV. “They were up and trying to start their breakfast, and the story we get from them was, you know they’re… something happened. He was trying to…