Suspended East Ridge police officer makes initial court appearance in domestic assault case

Joseph Hawks making his initial court appearance on a domestic assault charge. He has been suspended without pay from the East Ridge Police Department. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- An East Ridge police officer charged with domestic violence made his initial court appearance Wednesday. Joseph Hawks is charged with aggravated domestic assault. A Hamilton County affidavit states that he broke a woman’s…

Enjoy a free Thanksgiving meal with the Union Gospel Mission

Rev. John Rector with Union Gospel Mission joins News 12’s Amelia Greer to remind the community there will be a meal the Wednesday before Thanksgiving free of charge. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Union Gospel Mission is ensuring everyone has a seat at the table and a hot meal with their Thanksgiving Dinner coming up on November 26. The traditional Thanksgiving…

Elf Tradition Marks Two Decades

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) – This year, The Elf on the Shelf is celebrating 20 years as a holiday tradition in homes across the country, and around the world.  What started as a family custom grew into a global phenomenon thanks to twin sisters Chanda A. Bell and Christa Pitts, along with their mother, Carole Aebersold. The idea began with a…

Silverdale Edges Signal Mountain 54-53 Despite Nine Treys From Eagles Max Rackel

Signal Mountain, TN-(WDEF-TV) Signal Mountain and Silverdale tipped off their basketball season on Tuesday with the visiting Seahawks rallying for a 54-53 victory. Eagles guard Max Rackel was cookin’ in the opener with nine treys on the night, including a sizzling five in the first quarter. He finished with 28 points, while Judah Richardson led the winning Seahawks with 23….

Full Northgate Mall economic impact proposal unveiled

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The final plan to fix infrastructure issues at Northgate Mall was unveiled Tuesday. This plan however, raised some questions. The proposal presented on Tuesday was a two part plan. The first part was the tax increment financing portion. It would use a portion of sales tax revenue generated by new projects on the mall’s campus to replace…

Bradley County firefighters push for more pay

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF)- Bradley County firefighters are asking their county commission to increase their pay. Currently, the starting salary of a Bradley County Fire Rescue member is only $38,000. For comparison, Chattanooga firefighters have a starting salary of $56,000 , and Cleveland firefighters start at $50,000. They also state their equipment is outdated compared to other departments, and that they…

CFC Re-Sign Captain Alex McGrath

(press release) — Chattanooga Football Club (CFC) announced today it has re-signed midfielder and captain Alex McGrath to a two-year contract with a club option for a further year. The 28-year-old has committed his future to CFC after being sidelined for the majority of the 2025 season with a knee injury sustained in Chattanooga’s match against Atlanta United 2 on…

Mark Mariakis Stepping Down at Signal Mountain

Signal Mountain, TN-(WDEF-TV) Signal Mountain coach Mark Mariakis is stepping down after two seasons as Signal Mountain’s head coach. Mariakis announced he’s retiring from coaching after 40-years in the business. Before going to the Eagles, Mariakis also served as the head coach at Ridgeland and Chattanooga Christian. He took Signal Mountain to the playoffs in each of his two seasons…

Ronald McDonald House Chattanooga Marks 35

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga celebrated its 35th birthday today, marking more than three decades of supporting families in the region.  The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce also declared November 18th “RMH of Greater Chattanooga Day” in honor of the organization’s milestone. Since opening in 1990, the House has provided a home-like environment, meals, and…

Golden Apple Award: OLPH, Diana Lee

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Learning a new language is easier the earlier you start. Senora Diana Lee makes the Spanish language come to life for students in Pre-K through 5th grade at OLPH. See why this vibrant and enthusiastic teacher earned this week’s Golden Apple Award. “There’s so many good things that we can share about Senora Lee. One of…

Rock City celebrates over 30 years of the Enchanted Garden of Lights

News 12 This Morning: Pepper Raper joins News 12’s Amelia Greer and brings the magic of the holiday season with her! The ‘Enchanted Garden of Lights’ is back and bigger than ever at Rock City. Learn how you can enjoy one of Chattanooga’s favorite holiday traditions! LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. (WDEF) — Chattanooga’s favorite holiday tradition has returned to Lookout Mountain….

Operation Christmas Child kicks off collection week in Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Today marks the start of the celebration season for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, as nearly five thousand drop-off locations open across the country. This year, the local kickoff is taking place at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. News 12 spoke with local organizers to learn more about what this mission means not…

Airport breaks ground on new aviation park

Ground being broken on Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport’s new aviation park. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport broke ground on their new aviation park Monday. The skies fascinate many, and in the decades past, there was a spot to watch planes take off and land here in Chattanooga. The airport’s CEO and President, April Cameron, said, “As many people know,…

New initiative to allow faith organizations to tackle affordable housing

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A new initiative is looking to tackle the issue of affordable housing in a new way. The city of Chattanooga, along with the McClellan Foundation and the Enterprise Center, launched their Faith-Based Development Initiative. This initiative will provide assistance and grant funding to 8 faith based organizations who pledge to turn underutilized land into new affordable housing…

What’s Right With Our Schools: ACG Go Build Construction Career Expo

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – As our area grows, construction workers remain in high demand. Associated General Contractors of East Tennessee are working to meet that need. At their recent “Go Build Construction Career Expo” they gave 10th graders a hands-on look at the industry. That’s a brick-and-mortar example of “What’s Right With Our Schools.” Steven Lewis is the Principal at…

Tennessee Aquarium decks the halls with seasonal offers

News 12 This Morning: Alison Pryor with the Tennessee Aquarium joins News 12’s Amelia Greer as viewers get ready for the holidays. The aquarium lights will be decking the halls for the season, and SCUBA Claus is getting ready for dives! Along with seasonal offers, aquarium memberships can be purchased for that family member that already has everything– buy an…

Enjoy the holidays guilt-free with Planet Fitness workouts

News 12 This Morning: Amelia Greer is back in her dress clothes for another morning workout! Cheria Sisk from Planet Fitness brings her Thanksgiving themed workout to the News 12 studio to get in the zone during the holidays. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The holidays are a stressful time for everyone, but getting a workout in should be the least…

Chattanooga’s Incline Railway celebrates 130 years

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – From the first days of early mountain tourism to the modern skyline we see today, the Incline Railway has remained a constant, iconic landmark. Today, one of the world’s steepest passenger railways marks a milestone few landmarks will ever reach. During the celebration, Dylan Rivera, the City of Chattanooga’s Director of Policy Planning and Implementation, delivered…

ChattLab Makerspace hosts Community Repair Café

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The ChattLab Makerspace is helping residents save money and reduce waste through its community repair café, an event where volunteers work to fix everyday items that people might otherwise throw away. Individuals can bring household goods or electronics to the workshop, and volunteers will attempt to repair them. Participants can also bring ideas for new creations…

New findings push PFAS investigation toward major legal action

DALTON Ga. (WDEF) For more than a year, families in northwest Georgia have been living with unanswered questions about PFAS, often called forever chemicals. News 12 attended a community update where the attorneys leading the PFAS Georgia investigation outlined what eighteen months of testing has uncovered and what the community should expect next. One of the lead attorneys, Ben Finley,…